Help with The Clockwork Labyrinth

Started by elentgirl, Sat 30/06/2018 22:04:34

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Shadow1000

#40
Quote from: elentgirl on Mon 20/08/2018 21:16:36
  I did hope that I might have provided sufficent clues for a walkthrough to be unnecessary, and I have included solutions to a few of the harder puzzles in the Museum of Curiosities.

I also try to answer personally any cries for help on individual puzzles.  If you send me a PM I will always answer it.

To be honest, after many hours of trying this over the course of a few weeks, I just dropped it. I know that some people found it playable but while I usually complete most games with few to no hints, I found myself asking for help more than actually playing and I gave up. I am not criticizing but I hope this feedback is helpful in future games.

Some positive feedback: the graphics and animation are BEAUTIFUL! Probably the strongest part of the game. Some of the puzzles I completed and enjoyed.

Just to round out my thoughts: in addition to the problem with the puzzles, I found most of my time just wandering the maze finding it very difficult to navigate even using mapping on graph paper. Some sort of story unfolding during the course of a game keeps the player wanting to play. Otherwise, even if the puzzles were solvable then the player's only reward for solving a puzzle is another puzzle to solve. I think that's really why I ran out of motivation to continue.

Good luck in future games!

Mandle

Quote from: Shadow1000 on Tue 21/08/2018 14:40:54
Some sort of story unfolding during the course of a game keeps the player wanting to play. Otherwise, even if the puzzles were solvable then the player's only reward for solving a puzzle is another puzzle to solve.

I think the game is really aimed at players who love solving puzzles above all else. For this kind of player unlocking a new puzzle is a reward in and of itself.

Not saying that a bit more story progression during the game would go astray at all. But there are only so many hours in the day and this game already must have taken months or years to produce.

Oh and, perhaps the last few comments in this thread could be moved by a mod to the game release thread instead of here in Hints and Tips...

Cassiebsg

I agree, this is a game for those that love to solve the puzzles and find it rewarding just to solve each puzzle self. I feel this kind of player is a dying (barely breathing) race thought. (wtf)
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

elentgirl

I have written a User Guide for anyone needing help with The Clockwork Labyrinth.  It contains mainly hints, plus some solutions.
It can be downloaded from my website: www.elenheart.me.uk/page19.html
or directly from here: https://app.box.com/s/ybtx991zcupjb3pkyir6s2258kxidk8x

kaarefc

That took a while ;)

Thanks for the guide, I probably wouldn't have completed the game without it.

Awesome atmosphere, good puzzles overall. I would have been happy with a little more story, but realise that wasn't the point of this game.

A mixed bundle of observation/feedback:

The gnome-puzzle
Spoiler
I basically cheated and looked up. I had the first part right, but hadn't figured out the second part at all.
[close]

St George
Spoiler
beat the dragon by trial and error - even after seeing the solution, I think I would probably have missed this one
[close]

For the sphinxes
Spoiler
I needed the hint to see the obvious
[close]

Madame Mystic
Spoiler
Without the pirate treasure map, I would certainly have missed this one
[close]

The steam pump
Spoiler
I needed a hint mostly to reassure me, that it was solvable at all for other than blue. I'm still not sure why I can connect the pipes to the bottom outlet, but not the right ones, without leaking
[close]

Figuring out the sun cross
Spoiler
I spent a solid hour trying to turn this into a set of equations Wolfram Alpha would sove for me. Gave up. The spent half an hour eliminating possibilites by hand
[close]

Sacred objects
Spoiler
Placed them all correctly. Then rearranged them frustratedly until I read the hint book and figured out I had to press the hand
[close]

the Museum of Curiosities
Spoiler
This changed the pace of the game a lot. Suddenly lots of hints are available, including lots of stuff that you already firgured out at this point. For instance, I had a decent map of the caves of confusion at this point, and don't see how I could have opened the museum without it, except by stumbling upon the sphinx by mistake. It was a welcome change of pace, however. At this point a had felt stuck grinding through the metal maze for a while, and suddenly having all these new avenues to explore (and the teleportation device) brought my attention back to the game. I feel I could have used the museum of curiousities a little earlier in the game
[close]

Finally a nagging question

Spoiler
The Utility Room contains a locked heart box with controls - is this simply a red herring?
[close]


Thanks for an entertaining game.

Best,
  KÃ¥re

elentgirl

Hello Kare

I'm glad that you enjoyed palying The Clockwork Labyrinth, and thank you for your comments.  I always welcome feedback from players.

Quote from: kaarefc on Wed 10/10/2018 16:20:16
The steam pump
Spoiler
I'm still not sure why I can connect the pipes to the bottom outlet, but not the right ones, without leaking
[close]
Spoiler
If you step back and look at the pump, you will see that the bottom outlet is a drain tap, which is closed.  The outlets on the right side either link to each other (and don't leak if both are connected) or to the blue door pipe.
[close]

Quote from: kaarefc on Wed 10/10/2018 16:20:16
Finally a nagging question
Spoiler
The Utility Room contains a locked heart box with controls - is this simply a red herring?
[close]

Spoiler
The locked box in the site office is the master switch for the 5 control modules (the 5 frame puzzles) and is detail - not part of the game.  The plan of the Metal Maze in the Museum shows how they all link up.
[close]

Many thanks,
Elen

alahuin

Re The Sun Cross. I have your solution but there is no reaction to mouse clicks on any of the symbols on the cross even clicking them in the correct order. Am I missing something perhaps? Thanks

alahuin

Quote from: alahuin on Sun 18/11/2018 11:29:50
Re The Sun Cross. I have your solution but there is no reaction to mouse clicks on any of the symbols on the cross even clicking them in the correct order. Am I missing something perhaps? Thanks

Ok, I wandered off from the Sun Cross and accidentally found the Serpent Shrine. Pressed the buttons in the correct order and the door opened! Still wondering why there was no apparent reaction to mouse clicks on the Sun Cross though..Curious..

Cassiebsg

hi alahuim

That's because the Sun Cross is just an "information" piece, not an interactive piece. ;)
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

alahuin

Ah, thanks Cassiebsg, I will now take my brain out of the dustbin and put it back in my head! A case of wood and trees! Cheers..

lanchong

I love this game with the beautifully crafted puzzles  :smiley:

I'm stuck at the entrance of the Cryptic Crypt.
Spoiler
I have the five coloured balls but I can't figure out in which order to place them on the star.
[close]
Thanks

Cassiebsg

Spoiler

As far as I remember it has to do with the placing of where you found each. Hopefully you, when you picked them up, you marked which was where... I didn't at the start of the game, thus only was in doubt with the placing of two, so it didn't took me long to find the correct placing.

Unless I remember wrong. And the placing is elsewhere.
[close]
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

bertolino

I TRIED IT ALL READ ALL HINTS STILL CANT GET ELEVATOR RUNNING WITH FUSE BOX PUZZLE HELP ME MORE PLEASE

Cassiebsg

@bertolino

Here's the solution for the fuse box:
Spoiler

G = where the Green fuses should be placed.  ;)


[close]
There are those who believe that life here began out there...

sthomannch

I downloaded and started this game a few days ago. I agree with Shadow1000's comments. Very polished game, tremendous work, but too much walking and restarting because you forget something at the beginning and have no hint that you should take screenshots and write down what you meet in every place - and what exactly you need to write down. Obvious to the author, but not for the unsuspecting player. The puzzles seem fair, once you have collected the information after re-starting the whole thing (again). Many of them are really good (five stars*****) and I enjoyed them. This kept me playing for a long time because I wanted to see the next. But after having solved one, a lot of walking around in places were I have been several times, to find out I have forgotten yet another thing. I also found out later that there is a walkthrough but it does not give more information than there is in the game for good reasons. You do not want to simply click through such a game. But it does not help to reduce the number of moves in the labyrinths. Perhaps the game is simply too big? What about an option to get quickly to places you have been before by clicking on a map? Does not go well with the caves of confusion, of course. I did it well beyond the metal maze, but now I think I will put it aside, at least for a while. Not your fault, perhaps my impatience. Still hope to see other well crafted games from you.

winfrey

Any chance that a walkthrough has been done for this game.... the metal maze has me going in circles

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