Hi Tom.
interesting thoughts regarding audio puzles.
The first and most obvious thing that occurs to me though, is false trails.
Take that picture in Guardian of light as an example. It does not
immediately occur to the player because he/she has seen lots of pictures and
other decorations scattered around the temple.
Contrast this with some of the puzles in a game like chillingham. In the
main square there is a bell. No where else in the entire game is a bell, so
once you get a hammer it's pretty obvious what to do with it.
So, start laying false trailes in the game, by having things which initially
seem either utterly pointless, or simple decoration.
These could include background objects with sound effects like stone
statues, bubling mud puddles or waterfalls, ropes which you can clime up to
the cielingbut go no where, or even different surface floor tiles in metal,
stone or sand.
It might take a player a while to work out that he/she has to step on all
the metal tyles in a room to open the door.
Lastly, have examinable objects or background features.One problem in audio
is that it's not always easy to identify a complex object, particularly if
it's unique. By having X examine something, that will allow you to put in
any sort of puzle you want, ---- finding keys to an alter, turning a switch
to pour down water and extinguish flames, having key and door riddles etc.
I for instance really liked the resident evil puzle where you find a piece
of paper saying "when the sun is in the sky, and the moon falls in the east,
the stars shal rise and the gates of earth will open"
Where you then had to find crests of the sun, moon, stars and earth and put
them in the correct positions.
Something like that deffinately feels just right for Mota, ---- particularly
as Athena was also goddess of wisdom not just goddess of slaughtering hoards
of endless nasty beasties ;d.
This could also go for background features, for instance, I was very
impressed with the puzle with thor's hammer in original toom rader, where
you had to stand on the anvil, dive out of the way just as the hammer fell,
and could only then quickly get through a door.
Having described objects, it'd be easy for the player to know something was
an anvil and take the choice to stand on it.
Beware the grue!
Dark.
---
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