I'm wondering if anyone wants to suggest a couple of original puzzles for my game? If used, your name would show up under Credits. Topics could include:
fear
greed
hoarding
status
power
wonder
king
son of the king
dog
friendship
loyalty
lying
corruption
stealth
growth
any kind
I understand your desire for originality and also know that this may take a little time as not many will have an original puzzle just lying in the wings waiting to hit the stage. But, if you can, please give us a little more to go on. Without giving anything away, I think I can say that your game has an undercurrent of morality. This much can be gleaned by interpretation of the topic list you presented here.
Do you want the puzzle to be solved by making the "right" choices? And are there consequences for making the "wrong" choices? Or doesn't it matter? There are some puzzles in the mage tower (PoG w/Trinity) which can be solved by activating a set of floor tiles in a certain pattern. Good guys don't fair any better or worse than bad guys. Most puzzles which come to mind are amoral and have no theme, but you have given us themes. You must have your reasons.
To sum up, what is the goal? To quote from one of my favorite G & S operettas, "'Tis a puzzlement."
Hi. I don't really want anyone to worry about norms and values (right, wrong, good, bad), but just make it fun. I may or may not place consequences to solving a puzzle. I have mazes already. And to gain the Book of Dark and the Book of Light, the Player has to go through a memory type of puzzle, much like your description of Trinity, as its a "step on the right tile in a pattern" sort of puzzle. These are already in the game.
The "spine" of the story in the game is actually a murder mystery. The list though are themes and objects that are important in the story relating to the Player's development. I'm impressed with the puzzles here. But I am not satisfied with my story right now. Puzzles are a good way to gain something through an action: solving a puzzle.
Riddles
But I'm also keenly interested in Myst type of puzzles, where something shows a clue to something else that leads to revelation. This is the crux of it, and my need at the moment. I'm open to ANYTHING of this sort. I can't get more specific because I haven't worked it out yet. But I CAN take ideas and mould it to the story.
Ok here's one that I just thought of:
Have a temple some where with a strange imprint on it, an imprint that looks like something should go in it. Then put four peaces of a tablet spread across the map (how ever you like in dungeons, after bosses, ect.). Once the player has collected all the peices he can peice back together the tablet (You could also make a quest out of puting the tablet together. Like take it to an old wizard or something). After completeing it you take a close look and realize it's a strange complex puzzel (non text). Now I'm a little fuzzy on this but some where or some one should give a criptic clue or a riddle that helps the player realize how to solve the puzzle. And if you want to make all this really puzzleing make the placeing of the solved tablet into the imprinted door a sort of MYST like contraption puzzle. 
NOTE: These are just sugestions. 
Ok i know that's not a riddle but I like it and hope you do to. I'll try to think of some riddles for your themes.
Oh, wow, this is lovely! Thank you!! Yes, I'll use it!!!
I destroy minds,
I dull blades,
As long as you lack courage,
you will not escape me. (<-- Changed this one, the orignal sounded to much like the answer would be time.)
I make men pigs,
I turn one against another,
just one glint of envy (<-- Changed this one, I didn't like "desire" so I decided to use the word "envy" instead.)
will make you mine.
I decide who you are,
I will tell you your place in life,
winning me is no easy task,
but loseing me only takes an instant.
What will decide a battle?
What will make men fearful?
What will get you everything you heart desires?
What will make you desired by all?
What will make others do anything to get what you possess?
The man among men,
the peace keeper and judment bringer.
Power in his blood,
and courage in his heart.
His day will come,
when it does death will follow.
He must find strength,
he must find compasion,
he must be hope to many. (<-- Had a hard time with this one, don't think it's quite "right". Haha the ending to this one is corny.)
I'm your best friend,
if you show me kindness,
I'll show you loyalty.
As long as I'm with you,
I'll be happy.
WIthout me your lost,
In order to receive me
you'll have to give me.
The more people close to you that possess this,
the more power you gain.
Useing me can make someone happy,
or make someone sad.
I can make people do your bidding.
I can make someone have trouble,
but use me to much and you'll be the one with trouble.
Ok, in order of the riddles the answers are:
Spoiler
Fear, greed, status, power, king, son of the king, dog, loyalty, and lying.
Well almost 2am now, spent an hour making all these riddles. I hope you find these all good enough to use in your game and I know I that I didn't make riddles for some of your themes but the ones I didn't make riddles for were well.. kinda hard to make riddles for, 
I couldn't think of enough "things" to make a riddle out of the theme or they were just to vauge (if that's the right word...).
Enjoy,
Jack
This post has been edited by Two Jacks : 14 April 2007 - 04:16 PM
Thank you! Email me please and give me your real name for the credits!
Righteo. And you are now listed in the credits. Thanks again!
Okay, I'm using your puzzles in a way I didn't expect. It's just that I'm reading a book called Swords and Circuitry and I didn't like what I was doing anyway so I'm using your puzzles to change it.
In my caves (yes, several sets) I have either what I call deathballs or boulders. The deathballs shoot out at you and the boulders fall from above. You have to really dodge to not get hit. But, really, how fun is THAT? SO, I'm placing a button on the floor for the Player to race to. A puzzle comes up and if the Player answers the puzzle correctly, then the deathballs or boulders will stop. Actually, I think they'll still go but not reach very far (I'll place this event in the animation.) I already have ways for the Player to renew stamina after this.
Is it more fun to have one puzzle for each room the deathballs or boulders come at you, or is it more fun if you solve a puzzle and it turns off ALL of the deathballs and boulders in that particular cave until you enter it again?
For instance, I have about 5 rooms with this in a cave of 17 rooms.
Also, is it more challenging and fun to have the answers like multiple choice or should the Player write in the answer?
I want to randomize the puzzles if possible. I need more. (Always more.) The answers simply need to be something specific in nature. (Like a rock.) You game?
Right off the at I'll to make the player wite down the answer, because I wish I could do that in my Ferazel level set but the editor doesn't allow it. Multiple choice is to easy for riddles.
What might make the bould/death ball thing funner is to make it a sort of gauntlet that the player has to run through and at the end of a part or the whole thing would lie the button. With a reward equal to the difficulty of the challenge. It's hard to decide wether to put the button at the end or not, it all depends on how difficult the cave would be. Just as long as when yur at the button it doesn't feel more like a pain than a good challenge. An idea: At the place where the button is (if yur useing a gauntlet style cave) there will be two buttons one would stop the boulders for that area and one would open a door some where within the previous section. Make the door noticable but have no clear way to open it and maybe give the, "Congratulations you solved this riddle!" message a hint to the the player to go back and look, or not they could just get really mad 'cause of no reward then feel dumb that they never noticed the door. That's always fun.
A rock? That sounds hard. More riddles? Hm... Well I'll try to branstorm a lil. 
This post has been edited by Two Jacks : 23 April 2007 - 12:05 PM
Well, I finished one and it worked just fine. (I test EVERYTHING!) Couldn't kill the animation though but could delete the NPCs that were there. Now I'll place buttons and puzzles in all of the cave chambers with either deathballs or boulders. I could still use more, but I COULD make up my own (which I've done). But I do like minds other than my own to be creative. Anyway, thanks much.
A tree. Good one!
