| 12 SEP 2006 at 2:42pm |
ElfstoneGuild Master
Posts : 5892
Joined: 4 NOV 2002
Status : Online | Which puzzles have you encountered that you would call a waste of time?
I'm talking about things like trial & error, luck-based, running from A to B and back to A and back to B again without any payoff, be it funny/interesting dialog, a nice cut-scene, whatever.
Obviously this will entail spoilers. Maybe just write which game it is, what kind of "waste of time" and the rest in spoiler tags.
I have some:
Aura
A to B to A to B
Spoiler AlertIn the age with all those statues you have to get a seed from that plant. You are sent there only to find that you can't get the seed. Then you go back and get told that you need to spray it with something. You take the stuff and go back to the plant, again. Do your job, go back to the person who gave you the task and get...well, nothing. The seed for sure. But that's it. Dialog is totally boring for all this time. Probably one of the biggest timewasters I have ever seen. I really got angry when I played half an hour for this complete lack of creativity...
TLJ (I think)
time-intensive, trial & error (maybe, I can't remember it well enough)
Spoiler AlertIt was that mindtwister down in the ocean city. I can't remember what it was about, but I still know that you could solve it, but needed time to do so. Or that's what I seem to remember. I know I didn't like it and I think I used a walkthrough. This could be a trick my mind plays, I don't know.
And, of course, virtually every slider puzzle and maze ever made, if you are not particularly into this kind of puzzle. I'm partial to them, if there is an edge. I don't dig the conventional stuff.
[b]playing[/b]: Destination Treasure Island (done in two sittings, but it's nice), Syberia (ho-hum), Dracula: Last Sanctuary (on hold)&&[b]reading[/b]: even more study papers&&[b]listening to[/b]: [url=http://www.last.fm/user/Brax82/]this and that[/url], plus [url=http://www.musicovery.com/]Musicovery[/url]&&[b]TV favorites[/b]: (currently) Pushing Daisies, Chuck, Journeyman (cancelled! grrr...), Heroes&& all-time) 24, Stargate SG1, X-Files, Lost, House
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| 12 SEP 2006 at 4:42pm |
TechnoSpikePrivate Detective
Posts : 581
Joined: 26 APR 2005
Location: PT
Status : Offline | Broken Sword 3...and I guess I don't need to use the spoiler warning though...
moving crates for gaining access to different areas...the same kind of puzzle, in at least two differente locations
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| 12 SEP 2006 at 5:00pm |
Lady KestrelGuild Master
Posts : 4047
Joined: 27 SEP 2004
Location: US, NJ
Status : Offline | I don't like trial and error puzzles that kill me off if I make a mistake. There was one in Dracula: The Last Sanctuary that had no clues, at least that I could find, and multiple combinations that made getting it right very difficult. It was [spoiler midtext]the fire dragon puzzle. The player has to pull all 6 chains in the correct order or get roasted. It took me forever to figure it out.
"Where is the fountain that throws up these flowers in a ceaseless outbreak of ecstasy?"
-Rabindranath Tagore
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| 12 SEP 2006 at 5:28pm |
colpetSchattenjger
Posts : 1632
Joined: 12 APR 2003
Status : Offline | I agree with you about the one in Aura.
I really hated the last big puzzle in Omega Stone. That was a pain in the a**.
When it comes to sliders, mazes, jigsaws, those I don't mind. I like a puzzle that you can just sit and work through. Waste of time puzzles (for me) incorporate back and forthing to a tedious degree, and the really evil ones fix it so that if you make one eentsy mistake, you've got to start it all over again.
Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 0063722 .&&
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| 12 SEP 2006 at 5:41pm |
jamarchandSchattenjger
Posts : 1665
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | Waste of time puzzles are - whatsoever riddle you can simply solve at combinatory analisys.
Even without hints, is enough try all the possibilities.....some day you'll figure out.....THIS IS waste of time. Those type of puzzles are absolutelly disconnected to the plot...they are just arbitrary conceptions.
Puzzles that don't force you to think, that don't requires strategies, exploration, carefull attencion to the story and the backgrounds.
Those puzzles are waste of time.
Ok...I EVEN accept combinations between 4, 5, 6 numbers.....IF the plot indicates some hint of "how to figure out this puzzle without the try-error resort".
Well, certainly there's others sorts of waste of time puzzles....but I think my argues are a good start on the topic.
 &&&&[move]Actually playing SHIVERS and Rhem 2[/move]&&
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| 12 SEP 2006 at 8:12pm |
ShanyGuild Master
Posts : 3313
Joined: 19 JUN 2003
Status : Online | Versailles 1685 - Going from A to B Spoiler Alert You find a sheet of music notes and ask someone about it, he tells you a bit about it and tells you that another person will know something else about it, you go to that person and he gives you the next bit and sends you back to the first person. Repeat for at least 4 times and you get a useless and annoying puzzle.
Runaway - Going from A to B and Trial and error. Spoiler Alert - espcially in the western town where you had to get water 6 times to do something, then you had to go back and forth to get a rock and do something with it, and then you had to go up a balcony and throw something in a trough to get an object you dropped in there.
There's also trial and error with that dialogue puzzle with Sushi where you need to find the right director and movie, without much indication that you are in the right direction.
Moment of Silence - Waiting Spoiler AlertYou get that snack for your friend and have to heat it, and wait the 2 minutes it needs to cook.
Black Mirror - Going From A to B Spoiler AlertWasting time and not trying to hide it! You are told to go and do something else, usually when you have nothing else to do, and you end up going back and forth for 15 minutes trying to see when the game will like you enough to continue.
Nibiru - Poor Reward Spoiler AlertThe game was just so poorly written that it didn't feel like I got any reward for my efforts even when the plot progressed.
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| 12 SEP 2006 at 8:59pm |
RonSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 300
Joined: 26 NOV 2002
Status : Online | I'm playing ' Runaway ' at the moment. The game forces you to trigger bits and pieces of conversations before allowing to add certain items to your inventory. So even when the solution to a puzzle is clear to me, I still have to let the character make deliberate mistakes before finishing a puzzle correctly. Example:
Spoiler AlertIt is immediately clear that the empty package of coffee in the museum will be a necessary inventory-item. Still, the game forces me to walk to that janitor-guy several times before allowing the package to be picked up.
Game developers shouldn't try to facilitate logical reasoning by locking interaction with objects before certain events are triggered. 'Scratches' also had this problem... And I'm sure there are more.
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| 12 SEP 2006 at 10:49pm |
ElfstoneGuild Master
Posts : 5892
Joined: 4 NOV 2002
Status : Online | @Shany
Could you put the type of puzzle out of spoilers next time? Just a small thing. I'm not trying to compile a database about this or something, but I'm curious as to which sort of timewaster it is while I don't want to know what exactly you have to do. As I'm sure most people would appreciate not to know.
@Ron
I don't think it's a problem. I think it's good that this was tried, but granted, in Runaway it doesn't always work that well.
@Jama
Yeah, that's trial & error and time-intensive puzzles. Exactly what I hate the most, if it goes past a bearable point, like say, one hour. Depends on the puzzle and how much fun you have with it until it becomes more work than entertainment.
Moment of Silence is 50% waste of time. Sorry, it's true. You spend running around and not knowing what to do a whole lot more than you should. It's still a nice game, though, beneath all those problems.
[b]playing[/b]: Destination Treasure Island (done in two sittings, but it's nice), Syberia (ho-hum), Dracula: Last Sanctuary (on hold)&&[b]reading[/b]: even more study papers&&[b]listening to[/b]: [url=http://www.last.fm/user/Brax82/]this and that[/url], plus [url=http://www.musicovery.com/]Musicovery[/url]&&[b]TV favorites[/b]: (currently) Pushing Daisies, Chuck, Journeyman (cancelled! grrr...), Heroes&& all-time) 24, Stargate SG1, X-Files, Lost, House
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| 13 SEP 2006 at 1:37am |
SusanGuild Master
Posts : 5485
Joined: 13 OCT 2002
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Shany touched on a nice one with Black Mirror. *Shudder*
I'd also throw Syberia into the mix - visiting Barrockstadt. Going from A to B. No particular puzzle is affected by this because:
Spoiler AlertThe whole frickin' chapter is setup this way. I did nothing but run back and forth, talking to people!
I know you all know how much Syberia is my #1 game. :
I miss my Bubba: 1986 - 2006.
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| 13 SEP 2006 at 12:26pm |
WimliGuild Master
Posts : 3259
Joined: 14 MAR 2003
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Susan (13 SEP 2006 1:37am)
Shany touched on a nice one with Black Mirror. *Shudder*
I'd also throw Syberia into the mix - visiting Barrockstadt. Going from A to B. No particular puzzle is affected by this because:
Spoiler AlertThe whole frickin' chapter is setup this way. I did nothing but run back and forth, talking to people!
I know you all know how much Syberia is my #1 game. :
So I hear Kate Walker is teaming up with Nancy Drew in her next adventure. Now, wouldn't that just make your day? Oh, and I would change your spoiler to Spoiler Alert the frickin' game is setup this way. As you can tell, another big Syberia fan here.
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| 13 SEP 2006 at 2:28pm |
JenniferMillerSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 232
Joined: 16 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Write this in your calendar, everyone. I'm criticizing a Myst-related product.
Uru: Path of the Shell has several irritating puzzles, two of which involve just waiting around for something to happen.
Hurry up and wait:
Spoiler AlertIn the Age of Er'Cana where you have make the light pellets, drop them into the hole, then link through Ahnonay before reaching a Bahro cave. You then have to sit and wait for the light pellets to fall through (depending on how you timed it) so you can get a brief flash of the cave paintings. Wouldn't it have been easier to link in a few fire marbles?
Nothing like loitering
Spoiler AlertThe anticlimatic endgame scenario . . . you all know the one where you have to leave your avatar standing on the same spot for FIFTEEN MINUTES! A game that forces you to get up and leave from it, get a sandwich and take a bathroom break, must have a lot of faith in the player to come back and not get distracted.
As much I loved Uru Prime, POTS was a pretty big disappointment. Here's to hoping the new Uru Live won't be as tedious.
Jennifer 8-)
I am Sirrus. AND I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!!!&&&&Visit me on MySpace!&&[url]http://www.myspace.com/BonoGirl79[/url]
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| 13 SEP 2006 at 8:15pm |
anthonyJourneyman
Posts : 1270
Joined: 11 JUN 2003
Status : Offline | Timelapse--Painful Repetition
Spoiler AlertIn the beginning there is a puzzle whereby you have to make tablets by pouring a liquid mixture on a heated mold. You then take the tablets and put them in the open palms of some statues. You have to put them in the right order to open a passageway. You only get clues for three of the six tablets, so the other three are trial and error, but that's not the problem. The problem is if you misplace one of the tablets, it and all the other tablets you placed correctly crumble into dust, requiring you to start again from scratch and making the tablets via the tedious method of pouring the mixture on the mold.
Ugh.
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| 14 SEP 2006 at 2:26am |
SusanGuild Master
Posts : 5485
Joined: 13 OCT 2002
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Wimli (13 SEP 2006 12:26pm)
So I hear Kate Walker is teaming up with Nancy Drew in her next adventure. Now, wouldn't that just make your day? So would it be 1st person in depressing environments, solving a mystery? Or, 3rd person in a colorful environment running back and forth talking to everybody? Would I actually get to control a little Nancy character?
Oh, and I would change your spoiler to Spoiler Alert the frickin' game is setup this way.
I miss my Bubba: 1986 - 2006.
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| 14 SEP 2006 at 5:06am |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16552
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | Anthony
Maybe you missed the clues.
[spoiler midtext]Big statues on the foreshore had images on their chests and pedestals and the paper and rock on the camp table yielded the other images.
However, I only discovered them afterwards. [spoiler midtext]Instead I saved my game and worked my way through them in rote, thus saving myself having to do them all again. And this was my very first game!
Timelapse is a wonderful game but the worst puzzle is undoubtedly the crossbow.
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| 14 SEP 2006 at 10:31am |
WimliGuild Master
Posts : 3259
Joined: 14 MAR 2003
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Susan (14 SEP 2006 2:26am)
So would it be 1st person in depressing environments, solving a mystery? Or, 3rd person in a colorful environment running back and forth talking to everybody? Would I actually get to control a little Nancy character?
No no, it'll have to be third person, cause the aimless running around has to take up lots and lots of time, you know, to lengthen 'gameplay' (read: slooooooooooowly running through empty, non-interactive screens), though there's no need to go down anywhere really. Although you might say that the running around is necessary to solve a bunch of 'waste of time' puzzles (which brings this back on topic ). And who will you be controlling? I guess it will be Kate's mobile, just to stretch interactivity to its full potential. You can interrupt her whenever you want and boss her around. And while you have fun sending Kate all over the place on the most stupid errands, Nancy will solve the mystery. 8-) Oh, it'll be a wonderful game!
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| 14 SEP 2006 at 3:57pm |
SusanGuild Master
Posts : 5485
Joined: 13 OCT 2002
Location: 0
Status : Offline | [smiley=rofl.gif]
As long as it requires a patch the moment it's installed and retails for at least $39.99. I won't pay anything less! :
I miss my Bubba: 1986 - 2006.
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| 14 SEP 2006 at 4:41pm |
jalexSchattenjger
Posts : 2503
Joined: 5 MAR 2003
Status : Offline | I don't like puzzles games or games with no story and just onee puzzle after another. Every now and then I see a puzzle that is different from the old stand-by's that I like but most of the time I find them annoying.
I am one that likes most of the old ones and like to see them with just a small twist or a little something added rather than something off the wall and totaly different. I don't mind sliders, trial and error type, or any of the old ones I hear so many people dislike so much. If the puzzle is well intregated into a good story the hints for solving the puzzle will be in the story and this I can handle fine.
I tried Aura and lost intrest in it very quickly because of the puzzles I couldn't figure out. I didn't find anything in the game that helped with the puzzles so I gave up on it and wouldn't be interested in any game like it.
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| 14 SEP 2006 at 5:10pm |
MarkGuild Master
Posts : 3839
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Location: US, Georgia
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By jalex (14 SEP 2006 4:41pm)
I tried Aura and lost interest in it very quickly because of the puzzles I couldn't figure out. I didn't find anything in the game that helped with the puzzles so I gave up on it and wouldn't be interested in any game like it.
I'm with you there, Mr. Jalex. Although the beginning of Aura was beautiful (the cottage and the surrounding gardens), as I progressed, the inclusion of ugmo characters I had to fetch things for became tiresome.
I also had a problem understanding how to interpret certain puzzles enough to try and solve them without cheating.
Please proofread your posts carefully to see if you any words out.
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| 14 SEP 2006 at 5:36pm |
KAPIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 64
Joined: 25 AUG 2004
Status : Online | wow waste of time puzzles....hmmm let's see. In my humble opinion....everything in the 7th guest and 11th hour was a time waster...I think it was the 7th guest that had that STUPID piano moving puzzle...musta taken 100 moves+ to get that thing solved and it was basically worthless.... Then there was REAH....I liked that game for the most part but the annoying mirror puzzle was just too much.....I actaully got angry and uninstalled the stupid game because I got stuck there. Finished it later but had to use a WT to get by that one....that was both a time wasting puzzle and BADLY implimented.... Finally, The Longest Journey....great game but come on....was all that dialog REALLY needed? I mean if you think about it, the longest journey would have been better named The Longest Dialog Trees In Two Dimensions....
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| 14 SEP 2006 at 7:02pm |
anthonyJourneyman
Posts : 1270
Joined: 11 JUN 2003
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Caroline (14 SEP 2006 5:06am)
Anthony
Maybe you missed the clues.
[spoiler midtext]Big statues on the foreshore had images on their chests and pedestals and the paper and rock on the camp table yielded the other images.
However, I only discovered them afterwards.
Ummm, why, of course, I saw those clues Caroline, I just, um, deliberately ignored them because I, um, like to challenge myself. Yeah, you know, clues are for wimps. :
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| 14 SEP 2006 at 8:21pm |
MarkGuild Master
Posts : 3839
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Location: US, Georgia
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By anthony (14 SEP 2006 7:02pm)
Ummm, why, of course, I saw those clues Caroline, I just, um, deliberately ignored them because I, um, like to challenge myself. Yeah, you know, clues are for wimps.
Then that explains it fully. Unfortunately, I wimped out and used the clues provided me. And also, uh, you, Anthony.
I'm still playing Timelapse for the first time and I'm still lovin' it.
That crossbow puzzle was a real hair-puller (bow-string puller? Argh.).
After a hundred million attempts to "thread" the arrow through the eye of the needle rock I was about to go insane.
I had to walk away from it and just wandered off further into the desert area. In doing so, I inadvertently solved the cross-bow puzzle!
The big, round rock rolled away and got me the heck out of that desert world. I thought it was really fair to have a work-around just built-in the game like that.
So, it's "Can't solve the puzzle in the obvious manner? Then simply walk around until you trigger something that does!"
Of course, there were no hints that two solutions were possible - one being totally by accident. [smiley=hair_pull.gif]
Please proofread your posts carefully to see if you any words out.
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| 14 SEP 2006 at 10:20pm |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5540
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | Heh, that Timelapse tablet puzzle on Easter Island got me. Saw one set of the clues, missed the other half. Brute forced the remainder and grumbled to myself about what I thought was an inadequately clued puzzle...until I found out about the other set of clues later.
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| 15 SEP 2006 at 3:16am |
| Deleted User | I want to chime in on Scratches. First, I agree that [spoiler midtext]the candle puzzle was very frustrating, not because of the work involved, but because of the [spoiler midtext]totally non-existent reward.
I had another one last night. [spoiler midtext]I got the childs first letter and had already written down the block letters and numbers, and I knew how many letters I needed, but how one was to divine the "bin" with an "o" behind it with no clues sure puzzled me alright.
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| 15 SEP 2006 at 10:58am |
WimliGuild Master
Posts : 3259
Joined: 14 MAR 2003
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Susan (14 SEP 2006 3:57pm)
[smiley=rofl.gif]
As long as it requires a patch the moment it's installed and retails for at least $39.99. I won't pay anything less! :
Of course! No decent adventure game without a bunch of patches!
And on topic again, an awful waste of time puzzle:
Still Life:
Spoiler AlertThe cookie baking puzzle! First of all it killed any pace the game had built up as this puzzle was totally unrelated to any of the plot elements. Second of all, it took aaaaages before you had your cookies ready, every move being fully animated. One mistake and you could start the entire extremely tiring process all over again. And all the while, there was a brutal murderer running around while you're wasting your time baking cookies... : This had 'only reason for inclusion = stretch gameplay beyond the 8-10 hour mark' written all over it.
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| 15 SEP 2006 at 11:18pm |
mrsbwayneIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 41
Joined: 18 JUN 2003
Status : Online | I'm a light gamer, I play the easy ones! But I can't stand in Nancy Drew when you have to find 15 of something, and just keep running around over and over because they pop up in places where you've already looked. YOu just have to keep running around until you find all of whatever it is. Ghosts, Clams, Roaches. I can't stand that.
Also, baking stuff, we've had to do that a couple times.
Lily
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