Dragon Fogel
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 2482
Registered: 06-21-2014
IP: Logged
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Re: Turn analysis mode. (+2)
I'd like to raise a particular point about this, because I haven't seen it said.
MoAR 2S1W is virtually impossible to solve if you don't know about movement order. The roach queens are scattered in an arbitrary order and a big part of the puzzle is lining them up in the correct formation and order. You aren't likely to stumble on that order naturally, because the initial arrangement of the queens is completely different from it.
However. To the best of my recollection, movement order is never explained anywhere in TSS. The only reference to it I remember at all is the scrolls in the secret rooms of Shattered Mine that tell you which mimic moves first. There is no informative scroll in the entrance to MoAR or in Construct Warehouse saying "Movement order is very important for some of these puzzles. Right-click on a monster and you'll see a number telling you when it moves."
Now imagine what happens when TSS is released on Steam. Thousands of puzzle enthusiasts will struggle their way through, frustrated and delighted at the same time, and then they'll hit MoAR, get completely stuck, ask for help... and be told that the answer involves a gameplay mechanic they had never thought about, because the game never gave them a reason to think about it.
It's not going to be a disaster, but it is going to mean that this room is widely regarded as unfair, and that's worth the effort to avoid.
I didn't find myself thinking that, even though I had trouble with the room, because I went diving into the forums before I registered and had played some other holds, including both Advanced Concepts. But when the game goes out on Steam, it's not reasonable to expect most of the players to do the same.
Turn Analysis is the best answer to this, because it allows movement order to actually be demonstrated intuitively. This also suggests it shouldn't simply be a hotkey - the player should have their attention drawn to it, and told as clearly as possible that this is something that can be helpful in more complex rooms. That said, if it's too complicated to program in, then make it a point to add some scrolls to TSS explaining movement order and how to check it.
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