tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4443896993888747939.post5269413689670325853..comments2024-03-28T00:43:46.126-07:00Comments on 5 Stone Games: Puzzle, Person and Class in the Old SchoolUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4443896993888747939.post-19881719895014063622015-04-10T15:06:54.063-07:002015-04-10T15:06:54.063-07:00JD, I pretty much agree with you especially on the...JD, I pretty much agree with you especially on the part about the puzzle fitting the situation. <br /><br />I think the point I may have failed to make is the assumptions in the game have changed a fair bit and that includes who was playing the game.<br /><br />I blame that on 1981 , OK that was a joke but D&D was mainstreamed about that time. Prior to that, gamers were geekier except for the occasional stoner , you know they guy with the wizard on the van that smalled of "herbs" <br /><br />Also whats nice about puzzles is in most cases everyone was assumed to be able to participate anyway. So if there was annoying and/or tricky puzzle it could be crowd-sourced to the whole group.<br /><br />Also good period design let the adventure go if some secret doors or puzzles were missed. as I understand it, these things were extras, not core plot elements . That however is another post5stonegameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10694550968360550229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4443896993888747939.post-25390892764438459602015-04-10T07:11:27.814-07:002015-04-10T07:11:27.814-07:00The puzzle solving method works fine for average s...The puzzle solving method works fine for average smarts but itf the puzzle isn't for someone with average smarts or takes most folks 20 minutes to fiddle with it isn't so much fun to wait on while it gets solved.<br /> I also hate when the puzzle doesn't really fit the setting or situation. I recall one DM hittingus with a wordplay where the answer was "The Red Haired Man" the problem was the clue was written for folks in a western setting but we were all playing characters in an eastern setting and seemingly had our heads stuck there. I takes yuo out of a settign if you have English world play to solve a riddle posed to a bunch of Samurais by an Oni .<br /><br />Puzzles should fit the setting or offer a serious clue to resolving the adventure becasue of how they don't fit.<br />JDJarvishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07691101939920824546noreply@blogger.com