Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs Discussion Topic Part 3

[Kreekakon]

Exactly.
And normally I always agree with Thomas' posts, but in this case he is totally wrong in my opinion. Puzzles never should be too easy. They are made to let the player thinking with his brain and searching around in the environment for something useful to get forward. THIS means immersion for me! As more complex a puzzle is, as better the immersion. And it doesn't break the experience when I have to look for help. In contrary, that's what I always enjoy in games.

Immersion will take no effect when puzzles are easy solved without challenge. For me immersion means that I have to think about what to do next.

Well, whatever floats your boat then...

On second thought, no, let's try to talk this out

I partially agree with what you said that puzzles can heighten a player's immersion, because they are a part of interacting with the game, and thinking to solve something in the world. This can make players feel like they are participating in something in the world.

However, my main concern is that if the puzzles are too hard then you are no longer appreciating the game world's sense of interactivity which makes you feel involved. You would instead be going beyond that to feel frustration, and be pulled out of the immersion, and mindset you put yourself in when you are feeling like you are a part of the game's world.

All of your focus by this point would be taken away from the game's world, and you would be pitting your highlight on solving the puzzle not in a story progression type of feel which is good for immersion, but a more gamey type of feel which naturally occurs when you are "stuck". I don't think this feeling is one that helps immersion at all, and can even damage it.

As for looking up answers on the web...see my post above on how I think that breaks immersion completely:

Same thing really, mostly because I find it very hard to believe you can still be thinking about what you're doing in the game immersevely anymore when you're staring at a web browser which is completely not part of the game.