1. Fundaments of Game Design
Ch 3
Richard Gesick

2. What’s a puzzle?
A puzzle is very broadly defined as a noncombat event or series of events that requires the player to complete a task or an action or some series of tasks or actions in order to progress play
Commonly referred to as mini-games

3. Basic puzzle characteristics
State, mechanics for changing state, goal state/victory condition, theme

4. Puzzle traits
Affordances: It should be easy to figure out the rules and controls.
Identifiable patterns: Patterns should be clear so that players are able to identify a series of possibilities required for the game to be solved. Colors and shapes are commonly used, as are other forms of pre-existing knowledge like the spelling of words or the function of common objects.
Ease of use: Good user interface (UI).
Reward player skill: If a player is encountering the puzzle many times, the player should be able to improve his or her skill.

5. Embedded Puzzles need:
Immersion: Smooth transition between the main game and mini-game (this mostly falls to the artists making sure that the mini-game interface is done in the same visual style as the rest of the game, but the designer must consider the fit with the story and world).
Meaningful consequences in the game, outside of the mini-game: Not just “you unlock a door” but “you get cool items.”

6. Appropriate use of puzzles
inclusion of puzzles in a game should only be done to make the game more fun (supports the core of the game)
puzzles are not appropriate in some games and in others, the designer is limited to certain kinds of puzzles
puzzles become a direct obstacle to players, preventing them from reaching a goal until they solve the puzzle.
The fun in a puzzle generally comes from the thrill of victory, the sense of achievement of solving a difficult puzzle, and the gradual sense of mastery that precedes those moments
Poorly done, puzzles can reduce or eliminate the fun in the rest of the game

7. Puzzle Types Riddles Lateral-thinking puzzles Spatial puzzles
Pattern-recognition puzzles
Logic puzzles
exploring the environment
Item-based puzzles

8. Balancing
Puzzles are one of the most difficult things to do well when designing a game
If a puzzle is too easy or too difficult to solve
Add or remove additional clues
Move the clues around
Allow multiple solutions
dynamic, play-sensitive help or use of dynamic difficulty adjustment (DDA)
Add a time limit to a simple puzzle
Test the game on a variety of players
Do not put the solution in the game’s official strategy guide and require players to purchase it.