Crit on a cypher/code (Piraglyphics)...

[Ali]

Hi, I'm working on a cypher puzzle for a pirate game Nelly Cootalot. I'm aware most reasonable people seem to hate codes, but I really like them and so does my girlfriend (for whom I'm principally making the game).

I do want the game to be enjoyable by people who aren't me and the missus, though. So I thought I'd ask for your opinions on this code and cypher.

I've put the code info in a spoiler box, because solving this puzzle now will make my game easier to complete if I ever get round to finishing it.

Cypher:

Spoiler

You recieve a message from an old pirate with the initials JMF which Nelly Cootalot reads as:

"Quick! Gold, Silver and Sea be the prize! - JMF x."

Though the old pirate's spelling is quite poor, and it really says:

"Quik! Gowd, Slva 'n' C B the pryz! - JMF x."

[close]

Code:

Spoiler

Nelly's task is to decode the Pirate's Oath, which is written in Piraglyphics:

(The numbers will be replaced with special Piraglyphic numbers, but for now...)

1 cswdr bc nf edst s prqefgk 2 iast,

2 paggt sc nf iqusc qabcg

& jdgc s qjbvg, s rgaa fby cb lbvg,

s abbvgk ytbc bak kqzgf lbcgp,

dg pqsk, so fg tagqpg 2 aszg bc rdg pgqp

eqtpiqaasbc dggk rdsp ibnnqck,

wb oswdr & dqzg oyc, kescv oaqwbcp b eyn,

uyr pbagncaf eqspg fbye agor dqck,

& dbcbye, fg vcqzgp rdg wbkp b rdg jqzgp,

& pjgqe cbj rdsp bqrd rdqr s pdqeg:

s kb qp s kb, q tseqrg pb reyg,

jsrd tbbeaf vgtr ubksaf dqse!

[close]

What I'd like to know is whether I should put a 'Make-Nelly-solve-this-for-you' option, in case most people would get bored.

Also, if any of you care to decode the message, have I made any mistakes?

EDIT: Here's a picture of Nelly, to make this post a little less dull:


Thanks in advance for any responses.

[Krysis]

Given the information it is impossible for me to decode this. Seems I am not smart enough. So make it simple.  :

[Ashen]

Guess I must be unreasonable - I like code puzzles in games. However, I agree with Krysis - make it easier or at least have more examples of 'decoded' Piraglyphics for the player to work from.

[MashPotato]

Ooh, I like these ^_^.  I'll try to solve, and come back with my comments after...

[Snarky]

It seems really difficult to me. I don't even know where to start.

1. What kind of code is it? It could be a substitution cypher. Or maybe I need to do anagrams. Or pick certain letters from each word. Or maybe there's a hint in the JMF message that I need to use as a key. It could be the content of the message (and really, WTF?) or it could be something in the letters. QGSCBJMF are capitalized, maybe that's a clue. Maybe it just needs to be read phonetically, like that message (though I have no idea how you'd pronounce "vgtr ubksaf dqse").
2. If the spelling in the message is poor, maybe the spelling in the oath is poor as well. That makes it difficult to tell whether I'm on the right track.
3. The oath is very long, and even if I cracked the code, I think it would be tedious to decode the whole message. Especially if the interface for entering the solution isn't completely streamlined. In fact, would I have to copy all this down on paper in the first place? I can guarantee you that I would either get it wrong (thus potentially rendering the puzzle unsolvable) or have to spend 5-10 minutes painstakingly (with the emphasis on PAIN) transcribing it.

If I was playing your game and came across this puzzle, I would either look it up in a walkthrough or the hint forum, or stop playing. I don't think a "skip puzzle" button is a satisfying solution. Rather, give players a better idea of what we're supposed to do with this.

[MashPotato]

I finished... amusing poem
I think you might have some typos on the first line, it says:

Spoiler

"1 night on my rhip I staryed 2 clip"... did you mean "one night on my ship I started to clip (I don't know what clip means, though ^_^)

[close]

In general, there seems to be some inconsistency, for example, you use "you" and "your" but also "ye".Ã,  I would also take out the numbers and spell out the words instead.

I like these sorts of things, but lots of people don't, so like Snarky suggested, I would provide more hints in your game.Ã,  Nelly could think to herself, "this looks like a substitution code", and could tell the player what kind of things to look for (for example, the first thing I always do is to look for "xyzx" and "xyw" combinations to stand for "that" and "the").  Maybe there could be additional hints if the player wants them.

By the way, Nelly is very cute ^_^

[Ashen]

OK, I had a bash at it, and it wasn't as hard as I thought. The problem was I assumed the note and the oath were in the same 'code', and I couldn't see any point of reference between them.
EDIT: And now I see the cypher ... clever. Shame I didn't spot it BEFORE I solved the thing.
I still think including a few translated fragments of the pirate code would be a good idea - and might be slightly more subtle that just saying "It's a substitution code".
Unless there was a really clever interface you will (as Snarky said) probably have to copy the code out to work on it - I don't mind doing that, but I guess some people do.

[Ali]

Thanks for the interesting feedback.

Krysis
That's the kind of response I was afraid of! My trouble is that, like MashPotato, I would probably have solved a good portion of the code without reference to the cypher. But that's because I really like codes in a highly nerdish manner.

Snarky
I'm pleased that you wouldn't want a skip button, but I'm also concerned that you'd consider stopping playing. If it was possible to ask another character for clues would that help? I wouldn't want a character simply to say "It's a substitution code, Nelly." What kind of hints would have helped you?

Perhaps I need to clarify the 'poor spelling' thing. It is misleading. Maybe Nelly should just remark that it's written wierdly and another character could point out that it features every letter of the alphabet once...

Mash:
I'm so pleased you solved it! Thanks  for pointing out the typos. It should read:

Spoiler

"One night on my ship, I started to slip, (to sleep in my cabin...)"

[close]

And I thought I'd ye'd every you. I'll have to look more closely, sorry. I plan toreplace the numbers with symbols representing the same numbers, so it won't look so much like text-speak. The piraglyphic numbers will play a part in other puzzles I reckon.

And thank you, my girlfriend is cute. Though Nelly isn't her real name.

Ashen
The message from JMF will appear inside a Pirate's Phrase book that Nelly has been told will help her decode Piraglyphics. I'll try to make it clear that the first message is not in code.

Also, I considered a swanky interface, but the player will have to prove their knowledge of  the oath during a dialogue, so they'd need to have it written down. Would that put a lot of people off?

[MashPotato]

And I thought I'd ye'd every you. I'll have to look more closely, sorry.

I looked again, and it is the narrator (and not the pirate) that says "you", so I guess it is okay ^_^.Ã,  Is there a pirate-y word for "your" though?
Oh, and I agree that "this looks like a substitution code" isn't exactly subtle, I was just giving an example ^_^

And thank you, my girlfriend is cute. Though Nelly isn't her real name.

I was confused by this statement, but then I visited the production thread and found out Nelly was based on your girlfriend... makes much more sense now ^_^

[Dr. Scary]

A workaround would be to give the puzzle an interface where you select what letter corresponds with what letter and update the letter accordingly.
It makes it a lot easier, but still requires some understanding of what's going on to solve it.

[Afflict]

Ali the game looks fun, and then again i love cyphers to th eonly thing that concerns me is that I think most players got so use to playing ags game finished in 5 10 20 30 60 minutes that your game would make them give up.

I say go for the cyphers and well the skip button is nogotiable or even make a setting in begining hard or easy like i think mi2?

[Vince Twelve]

I put in a couple similar substitution cyphers into my Domestic Conspiracy Demo but with each, I included a hint that could help the player decode the cypher.  Try it out.