Ren'Py Escape from Ivy and Piper [v0.402] [AceX Game Studio]

[User12764]

I was really enjoying the game up until the potion puzzles.

First, it's hard. It's meant to be hard. The story point is that Val is struggling with it. She is not dumb, so it needs to be hard.

Second, The Symbols represent the TOP DOWN view of the flasks. So the shapes are supposed to be what it looks like from above. The Hexagon with a circle inside represents the flask with the hexagon shaped body with a circle lid

Third. The equations allow you to associate a number with a symbol. One of the symbols multiplied by itself equals 16. That symbol equals 4. There is only one way to solve the rest of the numbers.

Fourth. Then you have to click on the flasks, in the order on the page.


Second puzzle, the symbols represent a color. Use the color wheel to figure out which symbol represents which color. Then you click the 4 flasks in the order the symbols show.


Third puzzle. You have to combine the yellow and blue flasks to make green. So, in the end, you add 3 greens and a red. But you have to make sure you combine the right yellows and blues to make green. Again, each symbol represents a number. Solve to figure out the numbers.

The hints should suggest, that adding a yellow and blue should be less than 11. So you cannot add the 8 and 3 together. They must also be odd. So you have to combine the 0 with 3, then select the green (5), then the yellow and blue that add to 9. Those are the 3 greens.

So if the symbols represent top down views, why don't we have top down views of the flasks? Why is it half top/half side on? Sure, maybe if val was distracting us with some nice cleavage or something

Jokes aside, these potion puzzles are just not fun. They completely ruin the pacing of an otherwise fun game. I like the game for more than just the sexy stuff which is significant for me personally. I'm not a smart man, and these puzzles are definitely not designed for someone like me. Just not how my brain works. Which is totally okay, but if your below average cave man (Me) can't figure it out, I think it's probably also quite off-putting to other below average cave men.

Val isn't the player. We aren't playing her, we are playing ourselves to some degree. So while I think it's great you want it to match up to Val, I think it should match up more to your player. That doesn't mean it makes Val dumb, but there's a necessary balance of "this is what my lovingly crafting character would struggle with" and "this is what my players find enjoyable in a game."

 

[ppren]

I guess it would be relatively simple to add "cheat"-button to games (only visible if enabled in game options).

 

[Knight]

Solution 3 is wrong...

You sure? I used it and it worked. Did you only use a total number comparison or check each step in the code?
You are right though that I missed the "must be less than 11" and "odd" parts... Not reading directions is what lost me the most points on school tests back when I was a kid, and it looks like I still haven't learned my lesson.

Corrected the post anyway.

 

[Allman]

I too forgot to open this box with the screwdriver at night.

i couldn´t even see the box because my monitor is too dark xDDDDDDDD
thank you for the picture, i openend it up on my second monitor and then i saw the box...

 

[n00bi]

How the hell do i make any sense out of these potion puzzles.
They are not fun to do at all.
If i wanted to take a IQ test i can do that elsewhere.

The dev is on the wrong track here with these potion puzzles.
People are stupid "me included" and we do not want to mess around with this stuff.
If you want these puzzles in the game. make them so that even a toddler can understand them.

And why the heck do every renpy game have a damn mini-game in them.
i dont get it, Get off that trend asap.

 

[dervalle007]

I wonder what's up with this girl Willow? Why should we trade a beauty like Ivy for a girl who was banished to some basement?
I would rather be held captive by Ivy

 

[betatester]

where is this bloody paper i looked everywhere is it on the first or second floor ?

 

[Ace_X]

To everybody who is worried about the potion puzzles being too hard. I will in the future, make a version where they are either skippable or some other way to get the points without doing them. But I refuse to make a game that has no game aspects to it. I know that it’s a visual novel but for me personally I like playing games with these types of mini games so I’m making a game for me so I’m not gonna ever get rid of them, but I might make, you can skip them or avoid them all together.
Also, the advantage of releasing this game in stages is to get feedback like this and make adjustments on future releases. So thank you all for your feedback. I will definitely take it into consideration.

 

[ppren]

Personally I think that the hardest part in potion games was to figure out which cross section presents which bottle (too similar designs) and that one blue bottle looks very much green cause the label is greenish.

 

[Ace_X]

Personally I think that the hardest part in potion games was to figure out which cross section presents which bottle (too similar designs) and that one blue bottle looks very much green cause the label is greenish.

I am going to include a cheat hint, I think that will be the best route

 

[Nulldev]

To everybody who is worried about the potion puzzles being too hard. I will in the future, make a version where they are either skippable or some other way to get the points without doing them. But I refuse to make a game that has no game aspects to it. I know that it’s a visual novel but for me personally I like playing games with these types of mini games so I’m making a game for me so I’m not gonna ever get rid of them, but I might make, you can skip them or avoid them all together.
Also, the advantage of releasing this game in stages is to get feedback like this and make adjustments on future releases. So thank you all for your feedback. I will definitely take it into consideration.

I didn't played this version yet, but as idea, have easy minigames for normal gameplay, so who just wants to fap, can solve it one handed, and have optional hard mode for extra pics or scenes (maybe even non-canon versions).

 

[betatester]

its impossible to find the 4 papers this is insane i looked everywhere ? like why does it has to be so impossible ? i can only find 2/4

 

[Ace_X]

I didn't played this version yet, but as idea, have easy minigames for normal gameplay, so who just wants to fap, can solve it one handed, and have optional hard mode for extra pics or scenes (maybe even non-canon versions).

Right, I try to make the fappable scenes long enough to fap to... That's the goal at least, some gameplay that is challenging, then having a legit reward in an awesome scene.

 

[Ace_X]

its impossible to find the 4 papers this is insane i looked everywhere ? like why does it has to be so impossible ? i can only find 2/4

I forgot to add the exclamation points in the map on this scene! I will make sure I do that so you at least know what screen to look!

 

[Ace_X]

Making a new release now, found some other minor bugs... should have a bugfix version out later today.

 

[Sony676]

I mean I'm also not the biggest fan of those riddles but DAMN were those scenes worth it! You delivered insanely good for the long wait. Loving each and every scene!

 

[Ace_X]

v0.402 :

A few bug fixes

Added Hints for looking for the papers on Day 11

Added cheat option for the 3 Potion Puzzles with Val


PC/Mac/Markets:

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[Knight]

To everybody who is worried about the potion puzzles being too hard. I will in the future, make a version where they are either skippable or some other way to get the points without doing them. But I refuse to make a game that has no game aspects to it. I know that it’s a visual novel but for me personally I like playing games with these types of mini games so I’m making a game for me so I’m not gonna ever get rid of them, but I might make, you can skip them or avoid them all together.
Also, the advantage of releasing this game in stages is to get feedback like this and make adjustments on future releases. So thank you all for your feedback. I will definitely take it into consideration.

Personally, I didn't find them hard. I remember doing these types of problems as a little kid. I think it's more the fact that everyone has their blood redirected from the head on their shoulders to the one in their pants and having to sit and do math kills boners.

 

[genius555]

i used cheat hint for puzzle 3, but didn't let a scene. What could go wrong?

 

[ppren]

i used cheat hint for puzzle 3, but didn't let a scene. What could go wrong?

Well I would assume that following condition is not met:

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