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File: The Palace of Puzzles v1.01.hold (23.7 KB)
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This is not your regular hack'n'slash ... Ever wondered whether you could play Sokoban in DROD? Solitaire? Chess puzzles? Or become part of a calculator? Here's the answer!

This version is now obsolete! Download "The Palace of Puzzles - JtRH Remake" or, if you still use DROD:AE, "The Palace of Puzzles - Extended Version" (available via Architecture section only, in thread "The Palace of Puzzles - The Annex").

BenStandeven
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 34
Registered: 10-06-2003
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I don't understand how to do the number solving room (2n 1e, i think); after I find the solution, how do I enter it?

DiMono
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1181
Registered: 09-13-2003
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Using binary, which explains the limitations on the numbers. Counting from left to right, the two rows of orbs represent:

2048 1024 512 256 128 64 32 16 8 4 2 1

Judgment call not using secret, since this is information required to solve the room.

[Edited by DiMono on 05-17-2004 at 06:50 AM GMT]

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Deploy the... I think it's a yellow button... it's usually flashing... it makes the engines go... WHOOSH!

patmo98
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 39
Registered: 03-14-2003
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I found a big mistake in your fox, chichen, grain problom. It causes a very trivial answer.

VortexSurfer
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 90
Registered: 04-04-2004
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patmo98 wrote:
I found a big mistake in your fox, chichen, grain problom. It causes a very trivial answer.

Click here to view the secret text

×I think you could fix it by putting in force arrows to prevent me from back-swiping.

Thanks patmo98, I guess the hold was not quite ready to be released here after all ... I'll have to fix it again!

Regarding the calculator puzzle, the "42" scroll was supposed to be a hint, but I guess it's too obscure?

Vortex Surfer

[Edited by VortexSurfer on 05-17-2004 at 07:22 PM GMT: v1.01 Boat Puzzle Fixed - Hopefully ...]

DiMono
Level: Smitemaster

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vortex, drop your attachment to your last post. Go to your profile, then click on Holds at the top, and you can update your hold from that screen with the corrected version.

____________________________
Deploy the... I think it's a yellow button... it's usually flashing... it makes the engines go... WHOOSH!

patmo98
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 39
Registered: 03-14-2003
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VortexSurfer, should I remove the attachment? It might confuse people, and will not work in your new hold.

VortexSurfer wrote:
Thanks patmo98, I guess the hold was not quite ready to be released here after all ... I'll have to fix it again!

DiMono
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1181
Registered: 09-13-2003
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For the Sam Loyd trapdoor puzzle, could you tell me which way my sword should be facing at the start? I see what I need to do, but not how to get there.

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Deploy the... I think it's a yellow button... it's usually flashing... it makes the engines go... WHOOSH!

krammer
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 904
Registered: 02-12-2003
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I always finish exactly 1 move short, so I don't know if this is on the right lines, but...


____________________________
+++ Divide by Cucumber Error +++ Please Reinstall Universe and Reboot +++

"Oook!"

VortexSurfer
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 90
Registered: 04-04-2004
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patmo98 wrote:
VortexSurfer, should I remove the attachment? It might confuse people, and will not work in your new hold.

Yes, I think that would be a good idea ...

DiMono wrote:
vortex, drop your attachment to your last post. Go to your profile, then click on Holds at the top, and you can update your hold from that screen with the corrected version.

There is not "Holds" button in my profile screen, perhaps this feature doesn't work in the new forum yet? Or I just haven't found it?

I'll keep the corrected version here for now ...

Vortex Surfer

[Edited by VortexSurfer on 05-18-2004 at 09:10 AM GMT]

krammer
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Click "Profile", "modify", then the "My holds" tab at the top. This will allow you to change the file.

____________________________
+++ Divide by Cucumber Error +++ Please Reinstall Universe and Reboot +++

"Oook!"

DiMono
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1181
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krammer wrote:
Click "Profile", "modify", then the "My holds" tab at the top. This will allow you to change the file.

I knew I was forgetting a step in there somewhere. Thanks for the correction, krammer.

____________________________
Deploy the... I think it's a yellow button... it's usually flashing... it makes the engines go... WHOOSH!

schep
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 865
Registered: 03-01-2005
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Amazing. A nice ... well, nice whatever it is.

A few problems I noticed, though none stopped me from following the intent of the puzzles.

In the math cipher (aka 2N 1E), what's wrong with this?

[Edit: The above is a working spoiler, since it turns out nothing is wrong with it.]

On the knight's tour puzzle (aka 1S 3E), entering the room at certain points can allow Beethro to activate an orb he shouldn't and start the puzzle in an unusual state. Walls in the adjacent rooms could easily fix that. Also, there's a wiring bug so that the orb at (1) here fails to close the wall at (2). It would probably be possible to use either issue to cheat, but it might be more trouble than just solving the thing directly.

I was confused in the Solitaire puzzle (2N 3E) by the fact that there are two orbs that can make each move. It might have helped if I'd seen the Sokoban puzzle first and how that was set up, but I'd think a simpler interface (e.g. strike here to capture the corresponding piece horizontally/vertically) might do better there.

In the jug-pouring puzzle (aka 1S 1E), the orb at marker 1 seems like a mistake. If I understand the rest of the computer right, that orb should mean "the new total in the 4-gallon container is zero gallons." Which is okay, even if no pouring action should require that orb. But all the orbs that pour into the 4-gallon container toggle the door to that orb, so that a player who doesn't understand the computer could hit it by mistake, and accidentally pour whatever (s)he was trying to transfer onto the floor.

Anyway, I enjoyed it. It makes me want to construct some orb gate computers myself. Yes, I know that's so wrong.

[Edited by schep at Local Time:03-15-2005 at 01:35 AM: hid an accidental spoiler]

VortexSurfer
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 90
Registered: 04-04-2004
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Thanks for all the feedback! It's been a while since I built this hold, so I'm not quite sure about some of the points, but I'll try to address them all:

schep wrote:
In the math cipher (aka 2N 1E), what's wrong with 2368 + 831 = 3199 ?

That's the intended solution and it works, but there seems to a problem when orbs are activated unnecessarily while running through the maze.

schep wrote:
On the knight's tour puzzle (aka 1S 3E), entering the room at certain points can allow Beethro to activate an orb he shouldn't and start the puzzle in an unusual state. Walls in the adjacent rooms could easily fix that. Also, there's a wiring bug so that the orb at (1) here fails to close the wall at (2). It would probably be possible to use either issue to cheat, but it might be more trouble than just solving the thing directly.

These issues should both be fixed.

schep wrote:
I was confused in the Solitaire puzzle (2N 3E) by the fact that there are two orbs that can make each move. It might have helped if I'd seen the Sokoban puzzle first and how that was set up, but I'd think a simpler interface (e.g. strike here to capture the corresponding piece horizontally/vertically) might do better there.

The possibility to make a move via two orbs is a side effect of the implementation of the puzzle, if i remember correctly, and was not added deliberately.

For these puzzles, a simplified view of the playfield (in a different room) would perhaps be helpful in order to understand the puzzles. I did that in another small hold, "The Palace of Puzzles: The Annex", which you may want to check out as well (it's only in the architecture forum).

schep wrote:
In the jug-pouring puzzle (aka 1S 1E), the orb at marker 1 seems like a mistake. If I understand the rest of the computer right, that orb should mean "the new total in the 4-gallon container is zero gallons." Which is okay, even if no pouring action should require that orb. But all the orbs that pour into the 4-gallon container toggle the door to that orb, so that a player who doesn't understand the computer could hit it by mistake, and accidentally pour whatever (s)he was trying to transfer onto the floor.

I'm not sure, but i think it was meant to do exactly that. Should be explained somewhere, perhaps.

Anyway, I'd like to fix some things in this hold, but i lost my player profile and can no longer edit it. I'll probably remake it for JtRT though, and integrate the two holds.

Vortex Surfer

schep
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VortexSurfer wrote:

schep wrote:
In the math cipher (aka 2N 1E), what's wrong with this?

Click here to view the secret text

×2368 + 831 = 3199

That's the intended solution and it works, but there seems to a problem when orbs are activated unnecessarily while running through the maze.

Hmm, so it does. I'd better edit and secret that. After failing to get that one to work for whatever reason, I found another solution.

What I don't get is that that one also works. Don't tell me you're actually checking equality and inequality of base ten digits with those orbs and gates.

VortexSurfer
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 90
Registered: 04-04-2004
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schep wrote:
After failing to get that one to work for whatever reason, I found another solution.

Click here to view the secret text

×3457 + 731 = 4188

What I don't get is that that one also works. Don't tell me you're actually checking equality and inequality of base ten digits with those orbs and gates.

Well, it shouldn't work because the digits and letters do not match ... That means a wrong solution may also be used to solve the room. The reason for all these bugs is the way the hidden gates are opened, which is implemented rather sloppily, I'm afraid ...

The problem here is mainly that every orb in the maze has to affect all or at least most of the hidden gates, otherwise a simple trial-and-error approach may become feasible. At least I think that's what I thought back then ...

VortexSurfer

DiMono
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1181
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I've had the Knight's Tour and the trapdoor maze rooms left in this hold for months. My brain just won't think in a way that will let me defeat those rooms.

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Deploy the... I think it's a yellow button... it's usually flashing... it makes the engines go... WHOOSH!

VortexSurfer
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 90
Registered: 04-04-2004
IP: Logged

DiMono wrote:
I've had the Knight's Tour and the trapdoor maze rooms left in this hold for months. My brain just won't think in a way that will let me defeat those rooms.

There are hints for the trapdoor maze in the Hints and Solutions forum.

The Knight's Tour may be solved as follows (I don't know if there are other solutions):

Hint 1


Hint 2


Hint 3


Hope this helps
VortexSurfer

VortexSurfer
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 90
Registered: 04-04-2004
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The math cipher (2N 1E) is fixed now. I had to redesign the entire room, but now the correct solution always works, and no other solution will open all gates.

However, I cannot update this version of the hold because of a lost player profile. The fixed version of the puzzle, together with 10 new puzzles from "The Palace of Puzzles - The Annex" can be found in "The Palace of Puzzles - Extended Version", which is now the definitive version.

VortexSurfer

Ostegolectr1c
Level: Master Delver
Rank Points: 116
Registered: 03-14-2005
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File: 2N 3E.JPG (128 KB)
Downloaded 129 times.
License: Other
From: Unspecified

someone please explain me why my solution isn't working ? or maybe i've found an unintended solution that isn't working ?

____________________________
Just because I happen to have tentacles, it doesn't mean that I'm into Japanese schoolgirls!

VortexSurfer
Level: Delver

Rank Points: 90
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File: 2N 3E.JPG (124 KB)
Downloaded 131 times.
License: Other
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Ostegolectr1c wrote:
someone please explain me why my solution isn't working ? or maybe i've found an unintended solution that isn't working ?

It seems to be a bug - One of the orbs must be wired incorrectly. Since I cannot update this hold (see above), you only have the following options:

1. If you have JtRH, you can (and should) play the remake version of this hold, in which this puzzle has been redesigned: "The Palace of Puzzles - JtRH Remake" contains additional puzzles, looks & plays nicer and hopefully is bug-free.

2. As a workaround for this version, do not use the orb marked 'X' in the attachment, but use the one marked 'O' for the intended move instead.

Hope this helps & Sorry for the inconvenience!

VortexSurfer

Illusionist
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 172
Registered: 05-27-2020
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This hold certainly SHOULD NOT be recommended in the beginners guide for sure. The ""classic"" puzzles don't translate too well to DROD, and as a whole, the hold is not really enjoyable at all.