In the previous article, we reached the conclusion that, to create a good puzzle, it is necessary to have a clear vision and something interesting to show the player. Therefore, the answer to the question “how to create many puzzles?” can only be one: find many interesting ideas to show.
But after all, how do you find interesting ideas for your puzzles?
At the beginning of the design process, many ideas emerge naturally, almost without conscious effort. However, there always comes a moment when the flow of ideas decreases drastically and the designer finds themselves stuck, unsure of how to move forward. It is precisely at moments like this that it becomes worthwhile to rely on more deliberate strategies for generating ideas.
For this, we will use the article “Puzzle Level Idea Strategies”, written by Patrick Traynor, creator of Patrick’s Parabox, one of the most influential puzzle games of recent years. In this text, Patrick presents several practical strategies that can be used to find good puzzle ideas. Here, I will focus on my favorites, but I strongly recommend reading the full article.
Build a puzzle around a specific interaction or movement that is required to solve the problem.
List all pairs of mechanics in a matrix and think about what kinds of interactions can emerge from each pair.
During the design of Mind Over Magnet, designer Mark Brown used a matrix as a guide for exploring the game’s mechanics, creating puzzles around the interactions between each pair. Some interactions were very interesting and resulted in great puzzles, while others were boring and not worth adding to the game. The key benefit of using the matrix is that it allowed Mark to be more thorough in exploring his game’s mechanics.
Matrix crossing the mechanics of Mind Over Magnet, shown in the video “How I make puzzles for my indie magnet game”.
Mechanics matrix from the talk “Puzzle Game Magic Secrets”.
Designer Brett Taylor did almost the same thing during the design of Linelight, using the matrix to evaluate which interactions he should or should not explore in the game.
I also used this matrix during the design of So Fart Away to help determine whether a mechanic was good or not. By crossing my mechanic ideas with the mechanics already present in the game and writing down the interactions that emerged from each combination, this process helped me clearly visualize which mechanic ideas were richer and deeper (the Perfume) and which were more shallow and would not add much value to the game (Pushable objects, Incense, and Fan).
It was through this matrix that the Perfume mechanic was born.
Find something you want the player to learn, such as a specific rule, edge case, or technique, and make a level that teaches it.
Sometimes, a playtester has a plan or theory to solve a puzzle that doesn't quite work out for whatever reason. If that theory is cool or interesting, try designing a different puzzle where the thing that almost happened actually does happen.
When you or a playtester finds an alternative solution to a puzzle, your first instinct might be to edit the puzzle to prevent that solution. Before doing that, ask yourself whether the alternative solution is interesting and fun. If it is, it might be better to change the puzzle so that this becomes the only possible solution or you can turn that alternative solution into a brand-new puzzle. Keep in mind that there is no problem in keeping this alternative solution, as long as it also aligned with the puzzle’s vision.