This is a general concept that I am trying to design but have not developed much yet. The popularity of myst type games, strategy board games, RTS'' as well as map design contests shows that many people like to 1) use their wits, knowledge to conquer intellectual puzzles 2) use strategy to compete against other players online 3) create their own environments The game is a combination of these three elements. Each player begins with a 3-D map creator. Each player builds an environment complete with integrated puzzles. The map creator should be massive with thousands of items, mechanisms, interactive functions, etc. The puzzle maps are incorporated into large worlds where they seem to blend in. For example, a player creates a room with a special puzzle. The room will be incorporated into a mansion or house within the world. The players than wander around the (online?) world and attempt to solve the puzzles. Each successful puzzle cracked earns them a point (or jewel). The first area is comprised of simple puzzles. Once a certain number of puzzles is cracked the player can move on to the next level with more complex puzzles. Puzzles can relate to science, math (within reason), cryptography, riddles, ASCII code, astronomy, or totally original ideas. Each puzzle is reviewed so that it is of reasonable difficulty and has enough clues and information included within the map to help solve it. What problems, added ideas can you all see?

since you didn''t mention it, and it is so close to what you are saying, i will suggest you have a look at a game called puzzle pirates (puzzlepirates.com) it is an mmorpg where the entire battle, contruction, and crafting engines are just different type of puzzles, so instead of leveling, you practice very hard puzzles and get better over time. Very similar to what you are suggesting, of course, your idea sounds very ambitious.

Just a thought when I read this topic: maze.

It probably would be much easier and much more competitive to make a maze-style puzzle game. People create their own mazes and challange other people. Both do the maze of the other''s choice, and the fastest time wins. Objects and traps could also be implemented...

Sounds like a pretty cool idea to me. I''m not sure the idea of reviewing every created puzzle is realistic, once the game gets big enough. Besides, WHO is going to do the reviewing? I think the major hurdle you''ll have to get over is of gameplay balance. What prevents a player from making an unsolvable puzzle just to grief the other players? (Hell, Myst had enough nonsensical puzzles, and they were INTENDED to be solvable.)

Your probably right Tylerk, but maybe not reviewing the puzzles will be an advantage. If someone creates a very hard puzzle then groups of players can gather to try and crack it as a team. This will promote the community aspect more.

The center of the city will have a posting board that updates who has cracked the most puzzles, which puzzles have not been cracked (with location provided), etc. Also each puzzle room will have a name and starting riddle on the outside (given by the creator) that will help the player get started and or warn the player that the puzzle is a word puzzle for example.

The main problem I see it when players want to do things that the puzzle creator doesn''t allow. This might require some extra programming to achieve the function the player desires.

One of the main ideas behind the game is that the puzzles must have suedo-real world functionality. The puzzles cannot have magic or supernatural elements.


Examples of possible puzzles:

A puzzle room has multiple riddles that lead you from one object to the next in a neverending circle, making the puzzle seem unsolvable. The key is misdirection, because the solution to the puzzle is a key hidden under the carpet in the middle of the room.

quote: Original post by TylerK
I think the major hurdle you''ll have to get over is of gameplay balance. What prevents a player from making an unsolvable puzzle just to grief the other players? (Hell, Myst had enough nonsensical puzzles, and they were INTENDED to be solvable.)

Part of the problem with puzzles and imbalance is that THEY HAVE NO REAL REASON to exist. So why not change that?

Give players a reason to have to navigate their own puzzles. For instance, they may encounter them themselves, or they may have to manipulate their own puzzles in order to get access to some resource (like their stash of jewels). So they have a vested interest in not making them impossible.

You could have players rate puzzles, but a true masterpiece brainteaser that most people can''t figure out would be rated poorly by the majority.

Personally, I''d allow players to wander the environment to gain resources for their own puzzles. Maybe they are doing so to buy equipment, and would store the excess in their own "safe rooms." This might be predatory, though, similar to PKing.


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Just waiting for the mothership...

Adding a reason for the players to conquer the puzzles is always helpful, but in this case I was thinking it might not be necessary. The goal of the game is the intellectual competition between players.

The main goal of team based shooters (Counter-strike) is to kill all the members of the other team with some variations. There is no story or reason for this just straight up competition. The same would be true for the puzzle game.

I am going to attempt to put some type of logical background to the game however, because it does add to the experience. I just don''t think it is completely necessary.

You could require players to solve their own puzzles before they were posted. That way they would be possible , but not necessarily fair. Some would end up being knowing which of the thousand buttons to push.

[edited by - nagromo on May 3, 2004 9:32:35 PM]