Ludology Ludology 329 Puzzle It Out
Oct 6, 2024
Jonathan Chaffer, a talented game designer and illustrator famous for the Holiday Hijinks series, dives into the art of puzzle design. He shares his love for cooperative escape experiences and how he crafts puzzles within the constraints of 18 cards and technology. Chaffer discusses the balance between clues and hints, the importance of varied puzzle types, and the significance of player knowledge. He also critiques common pitfalls in escape game design and offers insights for aspiring designers, all while maintaining a playful spirit.
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Design From The Endgame
- Jonathan designs Holiday Hijinks around an 18-card constraint and packs ~10–12 puzzles into an hour.
- He starts with the end "wow" moment and builds puzzles top-down to avoid conflicts.
Exploit Every Component Surface
- Use every bit of constrained components deliberately, including card backs and stack order.
- Plan puzzles to occupy all available space and interaction points on each card.
Lean On Cultural Tropes
- Use familiar holiday tropes to compress narrative and rely on players' background knowledge.
- Keep flavor minimal and tropey so players fill narrative gaps quickly.