Time for me to stick my oar in.
- I think the other guys are a bit hasty dismissing classic puzzles like finding a key. The trick is to make sure you bring your own touch to it, and make the solution less than obvious. For example, in preparation for the upcoming movie sequel, I'm currently working my way through Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. There's a fantastic bit where your partner Sophia Hapgood pretends to host a seance and convince a guy that she is channelling the spirit of an Atlantean god-king, Nur-Ab-Sal. Whilst this is going on, as Indy, you can turn off the lights, wear a sheet taken from the bed and then turn on a torch to make a ghostly apparition. However, as soon as you step up to the table that the others are sitting out, they simply ask why Indy is making a fool of himself ... it was really funny the first time I played it. So, IMHO, there's nothing wrong with putting a twist on a classic puzzle at all ...
- I'd suggest trying to read up as much as possible on adventure game design, if you can - see if your local library can order in any of the classic books, like Bob Redrup's The Adventure Gamer's Manual (ISBN: 185058253X) and Peter Killworth's How To Write Adventure Games for the BBC Microcomputer Model B And Acorn Electron (ISBN: 0140078142).
- Don't make puzzles too hard. They are almost inevitably going to be harder to solve than you initially intend. Several games put ppl off simply because they get stuck so early on (e.g. Scott Adam's Questprobe #1: The Hulk - as a kid, I could never work out how to get out of the initial room). Steve's icicle puzzle for example is going to be absolutely maddening, if you're not from a background with that kind of science knowledge. I'd suggest including some clues along the way, in this case such as a chemistry book describing the properties of frozen water etc.
- Don't let ppl die or get completely stuck. Having to slog back from a previous save point is very off-putting. Instead of killing someone, send them back to a known location and allow them to retry until they get the solution.
- I agree with Francis on unmappable mazes - they're OK, provided there is a logical solution. e.g. in The Saga of Erik the Viking, there is a maze with different coloured rooms. Each room has a political colour: if it is red, you move left out of the room; if it is blue, go right; and if it is yellow, move ahead. Note that there has to be a logic to it, and preferably a hint somewhere too ...
- Progress indicators are traditionally points-based. If you perform an action you earn a set number of points. That's a good model, IMHO, because if you extend the game later, you can refer the X point version and Y point version separately, like with Crowther & Woods' original Adventure and it's descendants.
- The size/scale of an adventure is best described by the number of commands it takes to complete the game (rather than, say, the number of locations).
- Finally, don't try and fit everything in. You'd be better off fitting in puzzles that fit with the story rather than trying to use every trick you can think of. You can always use the engine to write another adventure later ... make the story your focal point. If the puzzle doesn't fit, make a note of it and leave it for another adventure.
HTH,
Sam.
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