Advice - Allow player to get inventory item before puzzle found? Or not..

[poc301]

1-900-370-KLUE

The Sierra Hintline.  Good lord my parents nearly killed me numerous times in the early-mid 1980s for calling that thing when I got stuck..

But yes, I do agree with a lot of what was said here.

I have decided to say something when the item is activated about not needing it right now.  That way it can be gotten when the puzzle is discovered.

Thanks much everyone.

-Bill

[Raider]

Agreed with all but doesn't that make for more challenging game making? Isn't it more exciting to create games where we really need to be conscious of the player's excitement? I feel it makes us better creators in that we are more in tune with making better games than what was brought out in the 80's - 90's.

With regards to the puzzle, JBurger hit it on the money with his ABC scenario. I would think about incorporating something like that.

[Ryan Timothy B]

I wouldn't mind an item suddenly appearing at a previously traveled location, just as long as it was reasonable.

For example:
Lets say you had traveled past an old ladies house.  After triggering something a couple screens down the road, the next time you pass by her house there is a pie in her kitchen window cooling off.  Just as long as going back to the house is reasonably close, or you needed to travel back even further for another item or to talk to someone again.  I feel would be ok.
Just make sure the newly added item is easily noticed, or else it could add to frustration.
Best way to make it noticed would be to have some kind of action.  Perhaps you see the lady put the pie on the window and walk back into the center of the house.  Or just the steam coming from the pie would do.  Another thing could be to have a bird perched above the window and just as you enter the screen, the bird flies away.

[Trent R]

Only read through the first bunch of responses, of which I agree with so far.

Don't know if someone mentioned this yet, but having to back-track for one specific item is extremely annoying. But if the rooms are close enough, then it'd probably be fine (depending on other things, which other posters have discussed)


~Trent

[Stupot]

Back-tracking needn't be a problem.
Take Simon the Sorcercer - and Black Mirror for that matter.   These games involve quite a lot of trekking to-and-fro, but you can save a hell of a lot of time by simply clicking on the map to whichever location you want to go, providing you have made the legitimate trek to that destination at least once.

In Black Mirror, I vaguely remember having to go back to the barn for a hammer or something which I couldn't pick up before, because I didn't need it.  I don't actually mind this kind of situation (despite saying otherwise in my review of the game last year).  I think as long as you can be reasonably expected to have a good idea of where to look for an item, and as long as you can get there easily, then it feels as though you've done the thinking yourself rather than been spoonfed the solutuion to the puzzle.

[Jakerpot]

hey, why dont you put into a locked thing? And then find a key in the puzzle room? 2 puzzles in 1!

[Trent R]

Cause key puzzles are overdone, and I believe that poc's game is a detective one--therefore focusing more on clues rather than puzzles that eventually lead to the keyring syndrome.


~Trent

[poc301]

Cause key puzzles are overdone, and I believe that poc's game is a detective one--therefore focusing more on clues rather than puzzles that eventually lead to the keyring syndrome.


~Trent

Yes, the game is a thinking detective game.  Its not puzzle heavy, but a lot of it is actually dialog based.  Talking to people and finding out clues will unlock other options, locations and information into the story.  So yeah, keyring mentality is a no-go

-Bill

[Jakerpot]

Oh... So, you can put it on a locked chest, and with the help of a hair clip minigame, you can unlock it, and then use it on the puzzle in the future. Why not pick the puzzle solution before the puzzle? I think its one of the adventure game fundaments, well, almost it.

[Dave Gilbert]

It can sometimes work, depending on the game.  If your game progresses on a timeline (i.e., day one, day two, etc) and takes place in the same area, then it's logical to assume that people will have moved around.  Also, you'll have to - at the very least - provide a logical reason for the object to have mysteriously appeared.  And you'll need a logical reason for the player to back there.