Figuring out how to decode the binary on the will. I got convinced I needed the advanced capabilities of the computer in the gaming convention, not realizing I could use Delores’s computer, properly outfitted with the right programming language (which I missed I could pick up, until I searched around more).
I think the puddle tracking problem would have eluded me, but I accidentally came upon a spoiler for that one. That puzzle seemed pretty subtle to me, and perhaps could have been improved by showing some partial, and evaporating tracks as people walked through the puddle, or some more obvious splashing demonstrating they were walking through the puddle.
As I got stuck, I changed my tactic from ‘trying to pinpoint the solution’, to just wandering around talking to everyone, and looking at things - and solutions started to pop up in unexpected places.
I also had a huge problem early on that stumped me for hours, but that was before the initial bug fixes, and I got stuck with Agent Reyes in the sewers, and no ability to get a dime.
I got badly stuck with the copy of the map. I spent DAYS thinking about it, and by then, many people on twitter said “Great game, I just finished it” AND I HATED THEM SO MUCH hahaha
The puzzle finding that secret Pizza meeting was hard for me. I did not had the idea to use the acid with the puddle.
But the one with the solution where Franklin had to moan into the telephone made me angry because in no other situation before anyone could hear Franklin moaning. Right?
It’s also interesting to see other people play as well. After I finished the game I watched a Let’s Play of Gronkh (German Let’s Player). There were those puzzles that had been so easy for me like opening a hotel room with Franklin and Gronkh tried everything to get into that room while Sexy River was in it. He even tried to catch him up at the elevator. And then there were those other puzzles which I didn’t made for hours and Gronkh just walked around whistling and solved it at once.
Puzzles are like that. Easy for some, hard for others. It makes play testing hard, because you’re trying to figure out if the puzzle is generally hard, or just hard for this person.
I agree, this really really threw me off. Logically, it would have to work, but it didn’t so I was wondering if the game was broken. Since I really got it as fast as it came out, I thought it was entirely posible.
In my case, it might be the wrench puzzle. It’s kind of ironic, seeing the notorious monkey wrench puzzle from MI2.
In hindsight, it appears fair to me, but back when I was playing the game, I didn’t even notice that the guy in the hotel didn’t call the Pigeons, so I didn’t give him their business card.
I had the same problem with the computer language. I kept trying to “USE” the will on the language sitting there, and it didn’t work so I assumed it was not the way, because I didn’t realize I had to pick the language box up.
The only time that it took me a bit of time to understand something was when I had no absolute clue where the secret society “cove” was. I realized that it was in the woods only after quite a bit of wandering.
Also, incredibly, things moved less smoothly in my second playthrough, on casual mode. My previous knowledge of the “hard” puzzles shortly misled me in more than one occasion.
I think there were no truly hard puzzles in TWP. Here is what a hard puzzle looks like: you arrive on an island and you see a wanted poster with your face on it. A guard looks at it, then looks at you, recognizes you, and jails you. You think the poster has already accomplished its task. Instead, the puzzle is that you have to stick the leaflet that Kate gave you, which has her face on it, on the poster. So she will be arrested when she gets on the island. But you had no particular reason to want her jailed [you only knew you wanted something that she has; but from that you would never infer that you need to jail her]. And you had no clue that the poster was an object to combine; it seemed part of the scenery and it looked like it had already accomplished its function. And you had no clue that the leaflet with Kate’s face was important either. In fact, it was important not for its usual function, but for a secondary property (what is depicted on it). I think that’s the best puzzle ever.
The hardest puzzle for me was getting the wrench. I tried everything to get the Pigeon brothers to show up: tried to blow up the radio tower, opened all taps, tried to shorten the wires in the sewers, used Franklin on the water fountain in the foyer. It took me a long time to look on the surveillance screen. When the guy said ‘Let’s look what the guest is doing.’ I always thought he meant Reyes so didn’t bother to look at it for a long time. Also it didn’t show anything when you first arrive at the hotel so that threw me as well.
Yes! but from that you would never infer that you need to get her jailed. It’s just too indirect as a way to get her possessions.
And yet, (even better!), the game had tried to tell you that there is a general rule: “whenever someone gets jailed, their possessions are put in an envelope”. But it was just too hard to understand that the game was trying to tell you that. It looked like the first envelope was only there to give you a banana, and the second one only there to return your possessions. That’s another reason why the puzzle is so good.
Proof that the puddle puzzle was not too difficult: when I saw the puddle, I understood that I needed to put something colored on it, even before I saw the green radioactive stuff. When I then saw the radioactive stuff, I understood I had to put it in the puddle. But I didn’t have a container. Because I had not picked up the trophy in the beginning of the game. And then I assumed I had picked up everything. So I got stuck for 4 hours, even though I had already solved the puzzle!
Yeah, there were a few items to pick up in Delores’s room. Some of us were lucky enough to find them all early. Some, like me, missed an item (like Graphics BASIC), and got stuck later.
The puddle puzzle itself wasn’t so difficult, but I never noticed that there was a puzzle to solve there. Maybe it should have been a bit more obvious that I need to find the secret meeting. I didn’t check the pizza flyer again after thinking it’s whole purpose was to get the betamax tape only.
Yes, I mean, I ultimately solved the puzzle, but it was more trial and error, not really me figuring out that I need to find a way to get through the forest. At that point, I was stuck for 10 hours gameplay, trying to figure out how to recharge the battery or get the crystal, not looking for ways to follow people through the forest.
