@seguso : you said that GPT doesn’t create good puzzles. Considering that no finetuning was needed, how good are the following puzzles?
The first two puzzles were provided by me, the other ones are generated. Notice that I had to point out an illogical aspect.
Create a new good adventure game puzzle, taking inspiration from the following examples.
#CONTEXT: The character has to win a spitting contest but he’s not good at spitting.
#IMPORTANT FEATURE: near the spitting contest place, sometimes the wind blows.
#INFORMATION NEEDED: none.
#REQUIRED ITEMS: none.
#STEP 1: Wait for some clue in the scene that suggest that the wind is blowing in the direction of the target.
#STEP 2: Spit.
#WHY IT’S A GOOD PUZZLE AND LOGICAL: It’s a good puzzle because its solution requires observation of the environment and because it’s quite different from the main kind of puzzles of an adventure game, which involve combining objects.
#CONTEXT: The character needs to open the lock of a jail cell, but has no key nor tools.
#IMPORTANT FEATURE: none.
#INFORMATION NEEDED: the lock is made of metal. A beverage in the local bar is corrosive to the point that it melts the pewter mugs that contain it.
#REQUIRED ITEMS: 1 mug of the beverage and 4 additional empty mugs.
#STEP 1: Acquire the mugs at the local bar.
#STEP 2: Go towards the jail.
#STEP 3: Observe that, in the game inventory, the mug containing the beverage is melting.
#STEP 4: Before the mug melts completely, pour the beverage into an empty mug.
#STEP 5: Keep pouring the beverage into the other empty mugs until you reach the lock of the jail.
#STEP 6: Pour the beverage over the lock, which melts and opens the cell.
#WHY IT’S A GOOD AND LOGICAL PUZZLE: it requires the player to observe that the mugs melt in the inventory and to deduce that the corrosive beverage can be poured from one mug into another to reach the jail.
#CONTEXT: The character needs to retrieve an artifact from inside a guarded library.
#IMPORTANT FEATURE: A clock tower nearby chimes on the hour, momentarily distracting the guards.
#REQUIRED ITEMS: A rope and a grappling hook.
#STEP 1: Search the area for a rope and a grappling hook.
#STEP 2: Attach the rope to the grappling hook.
#STEP 3: Go to the clock tower and wait for it to chime which will momentarily distract the guards in front of the library.
#STEP 4: As the clock chimes, throw the grappling hook to the window of the library and quickly swing inside before the guards have recovered from the distraction.
#WHY IT’S A GOOD AND LOGICAL PUZZLE: The players need not only to find and combine two items (classic puzzle mechanics in these types of games), but they also need to use timing and observation – paying attention to the clock and the guards’ behavior – to complete the puzzle. This game puzzle also involves some risk and provides tension, making it an engaging task.
#CONTEXT: The character needs to dive into a pond to retrieve an item, but the water is filled with dangerous piranhas.
#IMPORTANT FEATURE: nearby there’s a fish monger with a reputation for having the freshest fish.
#INFORMATION NEEDED: piranhas are attracted to fresh blood.
#REQUIRED ITEMS: 1 fresh fish from the fish monger.
#STEP 1: Go to the fish monger and buy a fresh fish.
#STEP 2: Take the fresh fish to the pond with piranhas.
#STEP 3: Toss the fresh fish into the pond, which attracts the piranhas away from the area you need to dive.
#STEP 4: Quickly dive into the now clear area, retrieve the item, and surface before the piranhas finish eating the fish and start coming back.
#WHY IT’S A GOOD AND LOGICAL PUZZLE: It’s a good puzzle because it requires the player to gather information, understand the nature of piranhas, and use timing to execute the plan successfully. It also tests the player’s quick decision making ability and encourages exploration of the game world.
#CONTEXT: The character needs to get a password to enter a restricted area.
#IMPORTANT FEATURE: A parrot in a nearby pet shop has a habit of repeating phrases it hears from people.
#INFORMATION NEEDED: The guard who knows the password visits the pet shop regularly.
#REQUIRED ITEMS: A cracker or similar snack the parrot likes.
#STEP 1: Go to the pet shop and observe the parrot’s behavior.
#STEP 2: Wait for the guard to visit the pet shop, where the parrot will overhear and memorize the password during the guard’s conversation.
#STEP 3: Once the guard leaves, give the cracker to the parrot.
#STEP 4: The parrot, pleased with the snack, will repeat the last phrase it heard, revealing the password to the player.
#STEP 5: Use the password to enter the restricted area.
#WHY IT’S A GOOD AND LOGICAL PUZZLE: This puzzle involves monitoring the interaction of two non-playable characters, and logical deduction to make use of the parrot’s mimicry. It’s also entertaining, taking place in an everyday setting in contrast to more exotic, dangerous situations. It demands patience from the player, adding to the realism and depth of gameplay.
Why should the guard tell the password in the pet shop?
You’re right in raising that point – it wouldn’t make too much sense for the guard to casually mention an important password in a public place. Instead, we could adjust the puzzle under the assumption that the parrot is the pet of the guard’s boss.
#CONTEXT: The character needs to get a password to enter a restricted area.
#IMPORTANT FEATURE: The guard’s boss has a parrot in his office that repeats phrases it hears.
#INFORMATION NEEDED: The boss communicates with the guard about password updates via phone and the parrot in his office can mimic these conversations.
#REQUIRED ITEMS: A cracker or similar snack the parrot likes.
#STEP 1: Find a way into the boss’s office without getting caught.
#STEP 2: Once there, nourish the parrot with the snack.
#STEP 3: The parrot, appreciative of the snack, might start talking, repeating the last conversation it heard, which includes the updated password.
#STEP 4: Use the given password at the restricted area guarded by the security person.
#WHY IT’S A GOOD AND LOGICAL PUZZLE: This puzzle introduces a fun element into the serious context of infiltration. It uses logical deduction and the necessity for an unobvious connection between the parrot and the password, providing another layer of complexity and challenge to the game.
