Episodes puzzles still not very challenging

[XuGator]

Since everyone has over a month to play each episode, cant telltale make these puzzles a lot more difficult? I mean - isnt that the beauty of this game getting stumped?

I remember in curse of monkey island - I went around exploring the islands for hours sometimes trying to figure things out. This is not the case here in Tales.

Lets take the scene at the end of the episode where DeCava traps Morgan and Guybrush in the cages. I mean -was that even supposed to be a puzzle? Lower the cage by grabbing the rope, throw Morgan the sword and you are free? Seriously - with little to no more effort, they could make each of these puzzles much more challenging. Most of these are kind of a joke. Another example is getting Morgan to go on a date with that dork. OK - we'll play guess and check for a total of 2 minutes, send her over to him a couple times and bam - we have his vote. The same is true for the manatee date at the end. Go over a couple times- find the line that works and bam -manatees are in love and you have almost completed the episode. It cant be just me that feels this way.

I would just like to see 1 extremely difficult puzzle per episode that forces the player to search and explore every area and talk to everyone. Again - I think I missed out on some stuff because things were so straight forward.

[Irishmile]

I think the puzzles are just right.... I wouldn't want them to be too obscure.

[doodo!]

Originally Posted by XuGator

Since everyone has over a month to play each episode, cant telltale make these puzzles a lot more difficult? I mean - isnt that the beauty of this game getting stumped?

I remember in curse of monkey island - I went around exploring the islands for hours sometimes trying to figure things out. This is not the case here in Tales.

Lets take the scene at the end of the episode where DeCava traps Morgan and Guybrush in the cages. I mean -was that even supposed to be a puzzle? Lower the cage by grabbing the rope, throw Morgan the sword and you are free? Seriously - with little to no more effort, they could make each of these puzzles much more challenging. Most of these are kind of a joke. Another example is getting Morgan to go on a date with that dork. OK - we'll play guess and check for a total of 2 minutes, send her over to him a couple times and bam - we have his vote. The same is true for the manatee date at the end. Go over a couple times- find the line that works and bam -manatees are in love and you have almost completed the episode. It cant be just me that feels this way.

I would just like to see 1 extremely difficult puzzle per episode that forces the player to search and explore every area and talk to everyone. Again - I think I missed out on some stuff because things were so straight forward.

Where as I can't speak for everyone there's never been a monkey island puzzle that stumped me for too long.

The hardest parts were usually poor design and abuse of the graphics/ player and everything else on unholy grounds... like finding lice on a jacket that you couldn't really see...pixel hunting ...

Or using a monkey as a wrench....WTF!?

Things like that.


I think their just like the other games, it's just that the wait makes them seem too easy, all put together I think their spot on for a full monkey island game.

[Lennie Melvin]

I loved the monkey wrench puzzle

Although I got stuck on getting a piece of 'thread' from Largo for months. That was before I had internet though... doubt I'd last that long these days without finally giving into a *shudders* walkthrough.

[doodo!]

Originally Posted by Lennie Melvin

I loved the monkey wrench puzzle

Although I got stuck on getting a piece of 'thread' from Largo for months. That was before I had internet though... doubt I'd last that long these days without finally giving into a *shudders* walkthrough.

Well, while we're at it, the time clock maze in Monkey Island 4, I cheat every time, and i cheat for the guitar playing in 3...I just save and load 7-8 times. I don't know if their particulary challenging, just annoying and for people who like to feel RAGE. I cheat for Monkey combat too, save and load...

What can I say I've been inspired by a pirate, I still beat the puzzles on my own.

[StansCoffins]

I first played Monkey Island 2 as a kid, and so I can't actually remember how I beat the Monkey Wrench puzzle. When I got back into the series years later it was one of the few puzzles I remembered: using a monkey as a lever is something that tends to stick in your mind!

To this day I still wonder whether I would have actually worked out this puzzle. Probably not, I'm yet to actually hear the word "Monkey Wrench" actually be used out of Monkey Island context. Is it an American term?

As for the Worst. Puzzle. Ever? The goat puzzle in Broken Sword, anyone?

[thatdude98]

Originally Posted by XuGator

Since everyone has over a month to play each episode, cant telltale make these puzzles a lot more difficult? I mean - isnt that the beauty of this game getting stumped?

I remember in curse of monkey island - I went around exploring the islands for hours sometimes trying to figure things out. This is not the case here in Tales.

Lets take the scene at the end of the episode where DeCava traps Morgan and Guybrush in the cages. I mean -was that even supposed to be a puzzle? Lower the cage by grabbing the rope, throw Morgan the sword and you are free? Seriously - with little to no more effort, they could make each of these puzzles much more challenging. Most of these are kind of a joke. Another example is getting Morgan to go on a date with that dork. OK - we'll play guess and check for a total of 2 minutes, send her over to him a couple times and bam - we have his vote. The same is true for the manatee date at the end. Go over a couple times- find the line that works and bam -manatees are in love and you have almost completed the episode. It cant be just me that feels this way.

I would just like to see 1 extremely difficult puzzle per episode that forces the player to search and explore every area and talk to everyone. Again - I think I missed out on some stuff because things were so straight forward.

Hey, speak for yourself, man.

[syrup]

The goat puzzle in BS had me enraged for a while, kept gettin my ass knocked down for hours! Such a simple solution though!

I agree XuGator, i like the puzzles to be more complex but with such a limited area to explore within the confines of an episode it's difficult to do this. That's my whole arguement for episodic gaming, they're easy and too short. Even the full season could be beat within a day or two.

I love that we have more monkey island to play, its great, but i think over the next few years adventure games will take off again and developers will start making full length games, so eventually we can look forward to some new original games that we can get stuck into!

Sometimes these episodes feel like a kids crossword puzzle or maze on the back of a menu. They keep you occupied for a while but then your looking for something else to do.

[vanjjmmjjels]

I have to agree, the episodes are far too easy. The only good (or bad) thing about it is, that the story proceeds quite fast.

I think it is more rewarding if you solve a hard puzzle every now and then. Otherwise it's like watching a movie with a few interaction parts.

[tmsmyth4]

Originally Posted by StansCoffins

As for the Worst. Puzzle. Ever? The goat puzzle in Broken Sword, anyone?

had to use help on that one after trying every item combination. easy once you know how but the solution is a piss take! Tales is far too easy imo, finding it alot easier than S&M and W&G, the puzzles need to be harder. I can understand telltale are trying to appeal to a wider audience, but thats why theres a hint system. hoping for an outrageous puzzle or 2 before the end of the season (no goats)

[Ezny]

As much as I loved ch3 I did think it was... way too easy..

I think a lot of the puzzles were brilliant in design but I still think chapter 3 was the easiest chapter by far. I'm really hoping the last two chapters are much more difficult or at the very least a bit more.. Even adventure game rookies should be ready for more of a challenge by chapter 4..

PLEASE.

[108 Stars]

It must be really hard to balance the puzzles well. Chapter 3 was just extremely easy, yeah; but on the other hand getting stuck for too long is not motivating either. Finding the middle way between allowing the player a steady progress and not making it too easy as it happened in chapter 3 is something many games don´t get right.

I am optimistic TTG will manage though, especially for chapter 5 they will surely spend some extra time for the perfect balancing.

[Ezny]

Also in my opinion Ch3 of ToMI is easier than ANY episode of S&M [s1 OR 2] or W&G.

Still a great chapter I think, but not challenging enough to give you an emotional reward response for solving any of the puzzles... If that makes any sense..

[Ezny]

Originally Posted by 108 Stars

It must be really hard to balance the puzzles well. Chapter 3 was just extremely easy, yeah; but on the other hand getting stuck for too long is not motivating either. Finding the middle way between allowing the player a steady progress and not making it too easy as it happened in chapter 3 is something many games don´t get right.

I thought TT nailed it in just about every episode of S&M s2.

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by StansCoffins

To this day I still wonder whether I would have actually worked out this puzzle. Probably not, I'm yet to actually hear the word "Monkey Wrench" actually be used out of Monkey Island context. Is it an American term?

Yes. It's the American word for what you probably know as a "Spanner", I'm pretty sure.

[kderby]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_wrench

BTW: I hated that puzzle with a passion. I was stumped forever and when I found out the answer I felt cheated.

[kderby]

Originally Posted by XuGator

I would just like to see 1 extremely difficult puzzle per episode that forces the player to search and explore every area and talk to everyone. Again - I think I missed out on some stuff because things were so straight forward.

Although not "Extremely difficult", I thought that getting DeCava to drink the yellow Ichor was tougher than most have been. More puzzles of that level of complexity would be nice.

I think they are coddling the noobs, for the most part though.

[MusicallyInspired]

Originally Posted by XuGator

Since everyone has over a month to play each episode, cant telltale make these puzzles a lot more difficult? I mean - isnt that the beauty of this game getting stumped?

Not to everybody.

[stemot]

I think people get too easy confused with brilliantly logical puzzles. So far in ToMI, even if not at the time of trying to solve, but afterwards, the puzzles have all been logical thinking. That was the problem with the earlier MI games, although MI:2 is the best MI game ever some of the puzzles were really infuriatingly obscure. The Monkey Wrench for one, the whole in the library obtaining the shipwreck books section and the bit that kept me stuck for a long time in the game, pulling a one pixel hotspot that is only available for a short time to aquire Lechucks grots.

I just think that, although the game itself does not quite measure up to the pinnacle that is MI:2 (partly to with rose tinted specs as well I suspect), some of ToMI's puzzles have already surpassed some of MI:2 better ones.

[Spadge]

stemot and MusicallyInspired summed up what I think... I don't like fighting a game just because the game's logic is broken or strange. And for some reason I got stuck a few times. DeCava's glasses, the singing manathee, etc... I don't know, maybe I'm just bad with puzzles.