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| 10 FEB 2003 at 1:25am |
GayleSchattenjger
Posts : 2544
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Online | I usually twiddle at puzzles that you have to push a series of buttons or such and pushing a button affects some of the other buttons as to whether they will stay put or go back to original state. After a while I get bored of trying to figure out the sequence and just will hit this and that one and it seems to work.
My technique is a good example of the Blind Pig theory.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 1:30am |
ValGuild Master
Posts : 3480
Joined: 2 OCT 2002
Location: US
Status : Offline | Twiddle!
We can be heroes, just for one day.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 2:21am |
AyaGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7277
Joined: 16 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | i usually twiddle at first!
You have gotten the attention of the mysterious lady. She turns to face you. Her face is devoid of any flesh. You are frozen with horror as she begins ripping your body into a bloody mess.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 3:50am |
GayleSchattenjger
Posts : 2544
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Online | and twaddle second
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 4:26am |
JoGuild Master
Posts : 3313
Joined: 3 NOV 2002
Location: AU, Qld.
Status : Offline | twiddle first, then scream with frustration if it doesn't work. Ususally leave it for awhile and go back to it later or even sleep on it.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 5:27am |
MarkGuild Master
Posts : 3839
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Location: US, Georgia
Status : Offline | AndromusWhen working on a adventure game puzzle, do find yourself simply twiddling with the puzzle in hopes of everything fitting together, or do you dig in and try to reason out a solution first?
I'm currently playing Black Dahlia.
That probably being enough of an answer, I must say I try to "reason out a solution first".
Then I "twiddle" and/or "twaddle".
Then I run [glb]screaming[/glb] to a walkthrough.
Please proofread your posts carefully to see if you any words out.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 7:30am |
resonateIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 51
Joined: 18 NOV 2002
Status : Online | Start out by looking over the whole puzzle, to try to sort out the nature of it.
Next, a bit of mindful twiddling, to better understand the internal structure, and hopefully discover the solution.
Of course, that is often followed by rapid, mindless twiddling in the hopes that I might stumble across something useful, or set it nearer the solved state.
If it's a sliding puzzle, I skip right to step three, with only a deep sigh serving as some sort of transition.
In the cases where it seems Hopelessly Unsolveable, I might try to back away or reset the puzzle in some way, or save and wait on it, or.. yes, I admit it.. reach for the walkthrough and admit I have no shame.
This week, I have been mostly playing
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 11:04am |
NellieSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 359
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Online | In most cases the twiddling is necessary to see what everything does. Then when you can see the effects all the knobs and levers have, you can try to work out what you're supposed to do with them. Then it's back to twiddling to try to make your solution happen.
Unless the puzzle is familiar, in which case we already know exactly how it works and what we're supposed to do (ie, sliders and jigsaws). Here it's just straight into the twiddling!
[b]£1bn -[/b] Amount British government has pledged to paying off debt of poorest nations over next 10 years.&&&&[b]£5bn -[/b] Amount British government has already spent on Iraq campaign.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 11:40am |
Agustín CordesGuild Master
Posts : 5696
Joined: 23 OCT 2002
Location: AR, Buenos Aires
Status : Offline | For inventory puzzles...
First, I try a logical approach which always provides the most satisfying outcome.
Second, I twiddle.
Third, I try thinking as the programmer Surprisingly, this one seems to work most of the time! In fact, it really works if the game is too linear.
However, if the puzzle isn't inventory based, like a mechanical one, I usually twiddle at first.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 12:28pm |
upcIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 77
Joined: 11 JAN 2003
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Nellie (10 FEB 2003 11:04am)
In most cases the twiddling is necessary to see what everything does. Then when you can see the effects all the knobs and levers have, you can try to work out what you're supposed to do with them. Then it's back to twiddling to try to make your solution happen.
I'm with you all the way. Twiddling is often necessary to get to a logical solution. The only alternative is understanding immediately how things work. But being omniscient is just not my case.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 12:30pm |
judyannSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 319
Joined: 11 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Depends on the puzzle. If it's mechanical, twiddle, twiddle, twiddle.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 6:13pm |
ElfstoneGuild Master
Posts : 5892
Joined: 4 NOV 2002
Status : Online | Twiddle a bit in order to find out how the puzzle works and then trying to find a reasonable solution.
[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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| 10 FEB 2003 at 7:57pm |
Tally HoSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 345
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Location: US
Status : Offline | Definition 1.
to busy oneself aimlessly with something; trifle; fiddle.
Definition 2.
to twirl or turn to no purpose.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 8:05pm |
bistroSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 240
Joined: 15 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Save first. Some puzzles don't reset (hate those...).
Then try logic. Any clues left behind? Are you sure? are you really, really sure? Are you.....ok.
Then twiddle.
Then pull my hair out.
Then look up walkthroughs on Google, but just before I link to the site, go back to the game and try one...more...time.
Then twiddle some more.
Then pull my hair out.
Then......
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 8:06pm |
StammerGuild Master
Posts : 3894
Joined: 5 JAN 2003
Status : Online | First i try all possible moves......
Then if this doesn't work (usually doesn't) i try to find a logical way or search all places for clues
Resistance is not futile, we're gonna win this thing, humankind is too good, we're not a bunch of under-achievers! We're gonna stand up, and we're gonna be human beings. We're going to get fired up about the real things, the things that matter! Creativity, and the dynamic human spirit that refuses to submit.
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| 10 FEB 2003 at 11:20pm |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5540
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Nellie (10 FEB 2003 11:04am)
In most cases the twiddling is necessary to see what everything does.
That's true. I guess I should separate twiddling into two categories. My orignal definition of twiddling could be called mindless twiddling and would involve toying with puzzle elements to work out a solution without much thought, clicking around on a puzzle randomly and hoping things will fall into place -- the sun/earth/moon clock puzzle in Obsidian is a good example of a puzzle that one can get away with doing that, or simply using brute force on a combination lock without looking for other clues. Orginally, I hadn't really thought of your example as twiddling because it has purpose or intent behind it, but I guess it really is. I'll call that intelligent twiddling -- trying out puzzle elements to see what reaction or response is produced in order to get information about the puzzle and building a planned, reasoned solution from that.
I know, too many words about a simple enough subject, but maybe a careful study of twiddling could revolutionize adventure gaming! Perhaps someone needs to write a book on the subject: The Oxford Concise History of Twiddling, or maybe start a speed twiddling course.
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