Current Events > Do you like puzzles in RPG dungeons?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm making an RPG for fun and as I was considering adding a "pushing boulders" puzzle to a dungeon I was just sitting and thinking like, "Do people even enjoy this shit?"
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I don't mind a few puzzles throughout dungeons, but there's definitely a thing as overdoing it.

Menardii posted...

I don't mind a few puzzles throughout dungeons, but there's definitely a thing as overdoing it.

Oh okay, I see. Moderation may be the key.
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Lufia 2 puzzles were okay.
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If there aren't random encounters in the puzzle room, and in moderation, then yes.
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fenderbender321 posted...

Yes, but not if there's random battles while I'm trying to solve the puzzle, especially if I have to keep running around all over the place and push things and flip switches and try different stuff.

Oh yeah this. I hate random encounters anyway, but puzzles on top of that? Nah.

Laserion posted...

Lufia 2 puzzles were okay.

I'm gonna check it out.

fenderbender321 posted...

Yes, but not if there's random battles while I'm trying to solve the puzzle, especially if I have to keep running around all over the place and push things and flip switches and try different stuff.

ArchangelBaruch posted...

If there aren't random encounters in the puzzle room, and in moderation, then yes.

Menardii posted...

fenderbender321 posted...

Yes, but not if there's random battles while I'm trying to solve the puzzle, especially if I have to keep running around all over the place and push things and flip switches and try different stuff.

Oh yeah this. I hate random encounters anyway, but puzzles on top of that? Nah.

This helps a lot and gives me some ideas, thanks.
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I do. I actually like the puzzles in Tales of Symphonia (minus the damn Ymir Forest one), for example. I was really disappointed with Zestiria's relatively empty dungeons.

ArchangelBaruch posted...

If there aren't random encounters in the puzzle room, and in moderation, then yes.

That though. ToS is alright since the enemies are actually on the screen and are finite / can be avoided.

yeah puzzles are fine. depends if they're made right. I dislike stupid "puzzles" that are just like, hey you see the 2 levers? you just have to pull both of them and the door opens. that's not really a puzzle. that's like one of those intelligence tests they do on chimps
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ArchangelBaruch posted...

If there aren't random encounters in the puzzle room, and in moderation, then yes.

This is what I think. Also if they're interesting or tie into the theme, or give good rewards as I'm doing them, that adds a lot.

So well done puzzles can add a lot to dungeons.

But poorly done puzzles are just excruciating.
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Box puzzles in Xanadu Next.

UGH
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The best puzzles are the type that are solved by skills that are useful in other places.

For example: Breath of Fire 1 has a character that can punch things. Some puzzles require you to punch things in a certain order to progress, BUT you can also punch trees to get fruit or punch some walls to get secrets.
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ThyCorndog posted...

yeah puzzles are fine. depends if they're made right. I dislike stupid "puzzles" that are just like, hey you see the 2 levers? you just have to pull both of them and the door opens. that's not really a puzzle. that's like one of those intelligence tests they do on chimps

this for sure. especially with puzzles that are slow to do (block puzzles are a big culprit of this if push speed is slow) because they feel even more insulting when they're extremely easy

one thing I think is cool is when puzzles have two "solutions". One more obvious one that opens the way to progress, and then a second, more complicated one for some sort of hidden optional treasure. Gives you the freedom to make complex puzzles for those who want them without walling all the people who can't do it out of the rest of the game
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yeah but it depends on the circumstance. i generally welcome puzzles if they make sense in the context of the game/scenario
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Depends on how fast a puzzle can be done. I liked the puzzles in Golden Sun but they take forever to solve simply because the game is slow which made them less enjoyable.
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kirbymuncher posted...

one thing I think is cool is when puzzles have two "solutions". One more obvious one that opens the way to progress, and then a second, more complicated one for some sort of hidden optional treasure. Gives you the freedom to make complex puzzles for those who want them without walling all the people who can't do it out of the rest of the game

FFX sort of did this. In each temple, there was a different path (if you used the spheres in a certain way) with a reward at the end. IIRC, it was required for some of the Dark Aeons in the International version.

luigi13579 posted...

kirbymuncher posted...

one thing I think is cool is when puzzles have two "solutions". One more obvious one that opens the way to progress, and then a second, more complicated one for some sort of hidden optional treasure. Gives you the freedom to make complex puzzles for those who want them without walling all the people who can't do it out of the rest of the game

FFX sort of did this. In each temple, there was a different path (if you used the spheres in a certain way) with a reward at the end. IIRC, it was required for some of the Dark Aeons in the International version.

Also cool when a puzzle has multiple possible solutions using different mechanics, like in Breath of the Wild. Golden Sun did this sometimes IOIRC.
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Laserion posted...

Lufia 2 puzzles were okay.

This is probably the best example of puzzles dungeons done right imo. I loved the dungeons in Lufia 2.
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Here's two games to research, TC (just imagine the spoiler text is strike through text)

Lufia 2: probably the best puzzle dungeons of any RPG. Notice the pacing and difficulty curve. The game has a few "Zelda puzzles" (kill everything, press an obvious switch, shit like that) but a lot of the puzzles are meant to test your ingenuity (though this also leads to some obtuse shit here and there. Like using a box to stop a wall from eating a door)

Tales of block puzzles Symphonia: a game that would have been much better if some of the busywork puzzles were dialed down or plain thrown out. Especially look at Ymir Forest, Meltokio Sewers, and Temple of Darkness. Notice how the puzzles in these areas are designed to waste your time rather than test your mind (and if you want the ultimate in fuck you puzzle design, check out Temple of Earth lmao)
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Alkaloid posted...

Here's two games to research, TC

Okay, I will check out ToS too.
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Jiek_Fafn posted...

Laserion posted...

Lufia 2 puzzles were okay.

This is probably the best example of puzzles dungeons done right imo. I loved the dungeons in Lufia 2.

Wild Arms 1 and 2 have similar puzzles to Lufia 2
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True heroes possess spatial reasoning
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Bump.
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I don't mind them, unless I'm getting encounters while trying to move blocks around or walk on moving platforms.
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Yes.
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fenderbender321 posted...

The only kind of puzzles I don't like in RPGs are jigsaw puzzles. It just seems so out of place to be right in the middle of a dungeon and then suddenly you have to put together a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle that's a picture of a bowl of fruit.

Example?
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