Even though we acknowledge that borderline impossible puzzles can ruin an adventure game, puzzles that are too easy can also take away from the fun as it is the puzzles paired with the player's cognitive abilities that actually make the game.
The scenario writers of an adventure game have to put together a story that is interesting and pair it with puzzles that will hopefully sit at a fair location on the adventure game difficulty curve. It is inevitable that some people are going to immediately see a solution while others have to scratch their head. If the majority of your audience is scratching their head - and for long periods of time at that - then you have failed. Likewise, if the player breezes through the entire game like a locomotive, it's going to feel like playing an FPS in "God Mode" or having unlimited lives in SMB. The sense of accomplishment is only going to last for a little while before the game feels so easy that the gamer thinks he is cheating.
I remember the release of Quest for Glory III: Wages of War. A friend of mine picked it up when it was released. I borrowed it from him not too long after that, and I beat the entire game in two days. I was shocked. I returned it to him and said that I found the game enjoyable but was glad that he was the one that spent the $50 instead of me. I think Space Quest V: The Next Mutation took me three days. This was also a borrowed game, thankfully. Both of these games are of the point-and-click type. Combine an easy adventure game with the fact the genre does not really have that much replay value, and you have a legitimate reason to question spending your well-earned dollar.
The last thing one has to watch out for is truly getting stuck - that point in the game where you find yourself at a dead end and upon finally cheating discover that you forgot to do something early in the game. Perhaps you forgot to pick up an item when you had the chance or talk to someone. I recall having to start over on Police Quest 3 because I reached the 3/4 mark but had not gone on patrol and pulled people over at about the 1/4 mark. This TRULY ruins the game when a simple hint book doesn't push you past your single obstacle. You have to either restore an earlier save game or start over in order to continue. No replay value? Try going through all the puzzles you *just* solved all over again and expect a different result - Yes. The very definition of insanity.
I realize I am straying from King's Quest in my examples, but all of these games are part of the Sierra formula. Despite all of this, I still love adventure games.
Even though we acknowledge that borderline impossible puzzles can ruin an adventure game, puzzles that are too easy can also take away from the fun as it is the puzzles paired with the player's cognitive abilities that actually make the game.
The scenario writers of an adventure game have to put together a story that is interesting and pair it with puzzles that will hopefully sit at a fair location on the adventure game difficulty curve. It is inevitable that some people are going to immediately see a solution while others have to scratch their head. If the majority of your audience is scratching their head - and for long periods of time at that - then you have failed. Likewise, if the player breezes through the entire game like a locomotive, it's going to feel like playing an FPS in "God Mode" or having unlimited lives in SMB. The sense of accomplishment is only going to last for a little while before the game feels so easy that the gamer thinks he is cheating.
I remember the release of Quest for Glory III: Wages of War. A friend of mine picked it up when it was released. I borrowed it from him not too long after that, and I beat the entire game in two days. I was shocked. I returned it to him and said that I found the game enjoyable but was glad that he was the one that spent the $50 instead of me. I think Space Quest V: The Next Mutation took me three days. This was also a borrowed game, thankfully. Both of these games are of the point-and-click type. Combine an easy adventure game with the fact the genre does not really have that much replay value, and you have a legitimate reason to question spending your well-earned dollar.
The last thing one has to watch out for is truly getting stuck - that point in the game where you find yourself at a dead end and upon finally cheating discover that you forgot to do something early in the game. Perhaps you forgot to pick up an item when you had the chance or talk to someone. I recall having to start over on Police Quest 3 because I reached the 3/4 mark but had not gone on patrol and pulled people over at about the 1/4 mark. This TRULY ruins the game when a simple hint book doesn't push you past your single obstacle. You have to either restore an earlier save game or start over in order to continue. No replay value? Try going through all the puzzles you *just* solved all over again and expect a different result - Yes. The very definition of insanity.
I realize I am straying from King's Quest in my examples, but all of these games are part of the Sierra formula. Despite all of this, I still love adventure games.
Chris Kennedy, Editor
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Email: chris@armchairarcade.com