I076- Aditi Garje

EXERCISE: Invent a Puzzle

(The Great Maze of City Hall)
1. Your challenge is to invent a computer-based puzzle inspired by a headline from today's
newspaper. After you have invented the rules, craft at least two levels for your game: one
easy and one hard. Remember that you are designing a puzzle, not an action game, so the
puzzle must have a precisely defined solution, preferably unique.

"The Great Maze of City Hall"

Rules:

 The player is given a map of a maze located within the city hall building.

 The goal is to reach the end of the maze in the shortest number of steps while collecting a set of
items scattered throughout the maze.

 The player can only move up, down, left, or right and cannot retrace their steps.

 The player can only collect one item at a time.

Level 1 (Easy):

 The maze is 5x5 tiles and contains 3 items.

 The items can be collected in any order.

 The solution can be found in 20 steps or less.

Level 2 (Hard):

 The maze is 10x10 tiles and contains 5 items.

 The items must be collected in a specific order, indicated by a clue found within the maze.

 The solution can be found in 50 steps or less.

The objective is to solve the puzzle in the least amount of moves, giving the player a sense of
accomplishment and satisfaction once completed.

2. Write the Level Design & Rule Design.

Level Design:

Level 1: "City Hall Tour"

 Maze size: 5x5 tiles
 Number of items to collect: 3
 Maximum number of steps to complete: 20
Level 2: "Mayor's Office Hunt"

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 Maze size: 10x10 tiles

 Number of items to collect: 5
 Order in which items must be collected: indicated by a clue within the maze
 Maximum number of steps to complete: 50

Rule Design:

1. The player starts at the entrance of the maze and must navigate to the exit while collecting a set
number of items.
2. The player can only move up, down, left, or right and can not retrace their steps.
3. The player can only collect one item at a time.
4. If the player completes the maze in the shortest number of steps and collects all the required
items in the correct order (if applicable), they win the game.
5. If the player takes more steps than the maximum allowed or collects the items in the wrong
order (if applicable), they lose the game.

3. Make a paper/digital prototype of your puzzle and test it on other people. Be sure to explain what
the goal of the puzzle is, what the rules are, and how the player controls the action.
Description of what the prototype would look like and how it could be played.
Prototype:
The prototype could be created as a digital game using a game engine or as a physical paper
maze.

Digital Game:

 The player would use the arrow keys or swipe gestures to move the character through the maze.
 The items to collect would be represented as symbols or icons scattered throughout the maze.
 The number of steps taken and collected items would be displayed on the screen.
Paper Maze:
 The player would use a pencil to mark their path through the maze.
 The items to collect would be indicated by symbols or icons scattered throughout the maze.
 The player would keep track of the number of steps taken and collected items using a separate
piece of paper.

Goal: The goal of the puzzle is to reach the end of the maze in the shortest number of steps while
collecting a set of items scattered throughout the maze.

Rules:

1. The player can only move up, down, left, or right and can not retrace their steps.
2. The player can only collect one item at a time.
3. If the player completes the maze in the shortest number of steps and collects all the required
items in the correct order (if applicable), they win the game.
4. If the player takes more steps than the maximum allowed or collects the items in the wrong
order (if applicable), they lose the game.

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To test the puzzle, it could be played by several people and their results compared to see if the
puzzle provides a challenging but solvable experience. Feedback from the players could be used
to improve the puzzle.

4. What do your testers enjoy?

 The sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from solving a challenging puzzle

 The mental exercise and stimulation of problem-solving
 The sense of exploration and discovery as they navigate the maze
 The opportunity to beat their own best time or score
It is important to note that puzzle games may not appeal to everyone, as some people may prefer
different types of games such as action, adventure, or simulation games.

5. Where do they get stuck or confused?

Some common areas where players may get stuck or confused in a puzzle game include:
 Difficulty navigating the maze and finding the correct path
 Difficulty locating items scattered throughout the maze
 Difficulty understanding the rules or objectives of the game
 Difficulty following the order in which items must be collected (if applicable)
It is important to test the puzzle thoroughly and gather feedback from players to identify areas where
they may get stuck or confused, and to make improvements to the game to provide a better experience
for the players.

6. How can you change the puzzle or the rules to make the game better?
There are several ways that the puzzle and rules can be changed to make the game better:
1. Make the maze easier to navigate: The maze design can be adjusted to make it easier for players
to find the correct path. This could include adding more clear paths, removing dead-ends, or
adding signs or markers to guide players.
2. Increase item visibility: The visibility of the items to collect can be improved by making them
larger, brighter, or more distinct from the background.
3. Simplify the rules: The rules can be simplified to make them easier to understand, reducing
confusion and frustration among players.
4. Add a tutorial or hints: A tutorial or in-game hints can be added to help players understand the
rules and objectives of the game.
5. Increase the challenge: The challenge of the game can be increased by making the maze larger,
adding more items to collect, or increasing the maximum number of steps to complete the
maze.
6. Add variety: The game can be made more interesting by adding different types of items to
collect, changing the layout of the maze, or adding new mechanics such as obstacles or enemies.
It is important to continuously gather feedback from players and adjust the game to ensure it provides a
fun, engaging, and challenging experience.