I am trying to make a puzzle system where the player needs to combine different chemicals together to solve a puzzle and get an output. If they mix the wrong things together the puzzle fails and if they get it right they succeed. does anyone have any idea where to start please??
Hi 
Well we can start by asking the right questions, cause its how every design process starts. Defining the problem and solution space.
So just to understand the problem space at the same time and start thinking around the puzzle, you can answer the following quesitons or decribing it more to us.
- Is there an order to mixing to be correct? Should the chemicals mix in order?
- A certain chemical, can only be combined true with an other chemical? Can chemical X, be true for Y and also Z ?
- Is there only True or Wrong in puzzle? Can the puzzle be solved but not perfectly?
- How many chemicals at table present to player? Is it always 4 or is it dynamic changing between 4 and 8?
- How many chemicals have to be combined to try mixing and solve puzzle? Is it always a certain number (3) or will be dynamic depending on puzzle level?
- Why players want to mix those chemicals to solve puzzle? Are you using bells and whistles or somekind of knowledge base to walk players to a solution? Is there hints?
- Can players understand that they are on the right track from the beginning? Or there is no signs unless player presses combine button and see result?
- Do chemicals like molocule atoms with specific geometry? or connection nodes? Is it partly geometry puzzle?
In short explain it more please.
Thanks for the feedback, here is a more detailed description.
Basically I am looking to make a ghost investigation game, where the player can take photo’s of paranormal activity. Based on the activity they witness they then decide the ghost type. From there they are to choose the chemicals to develop the film in accordance with the ghost they think it is. Each ghost has a specific chemical or activation method to follow in order to develop the film correctly and for the film then to show the ghost within the picture when it is properly developed so:
- Yes there is a mixing or activation (shaking or heating, etc.) order to the chemicals, which is set for each different ghost type.
- each ‘recipe’ is unique for each different entity.
- If the player gets the ghost type wrong in their deductions then the the recipe they mix is for the wrong ghost which means the film will not show the ghost or will actually get destroyed.
The table for the development of the film is:
|Ghost Type|Chemical Sequence|Special Action Required|
|—|—|—|
|Poltergeist|CH-01 → CH-02 → CH-08|Shake solution|
|Shadow Figure|CH-01 → CH-05 → CH-03|Cool to 5°C|
|Banshee|CH-01 → CH-07 → CH-06|Warm to 40°C|
|Drowned Spirit|CH-01 → CH-02 → CH-05 → CH-04|Stir clockwise 10s|
|Wraith|CH-03 → CH-02 → CH-08|Shake violently 3x|
|Phantom|CH-01 → CH-03 → CH-06|Let rest 15s before next mix|
|Apparition|CH-01 → CH-04 → CH-07|Heat until it lightly smokes|
|Revenant|CH-02 → CH-08 → CH-06|Rapid mix for 5 seconds|
|Whisperer|CH-01 → CH-07 → CH-05|Tap container during mixing|
|Screamer|CH-07 → CH-08 → CH-02|Cover ears (visual puzzle hint)|
|Spirit Echo|CH-01 → CH-05 → CH-03 → CH-06|Perform in silence|
|Ghoul|CH-02 → CH-04 → CH-08|No light during process|
|Specter|CH-01 → CH-03 → CH-02|Tilt 45° during final mix|
|Lost Soul|CH-06 → CH-01 → CH-07|Mix slowly (1 drop/sec)|
|Demonic Entity|CH-08 → CH-02 → CH-04 → CH-01|Must chant a phrase in game|
Allright, looking nice.
- Player experiences some happening in some place, hear sounds, things fall, there is a roar etc.
- After this bells and whistles player have to make a guess of what type of paranormal activity they witness and take a photo.
- Film is barely understandable and needs to developed with the right ritual to be revealed.
- It is not just chemicals its the ritual process for the investigator.
- Player goes to investigation desk/panel/interface
On this moment
We have many chemicals and actions.
Player needs to know which one is working in the first slot. So we have to hint it to player so they can brute force try or took a guess on materials.
Imagine we have a warped picture. We can do this with unreals awesome material/shader graps.
- On each right slot that is correct, the picture reveals a bit, imagine that it gets less warped.
On activations there is couplee of tools available for player to use.
- Shake / Stir (Move action maybe we can combine), Tap, Silence can be done on this action aswell. When moved slowly doesn’t make sound (can be good to have a sound indicator over here for hearring deficiency or for players playing the game without audio). For tap if you hit desk it taps.
- Adjust Temperature
- There is couple of ones that doesnt fit the patten (Light, Cover Ears) maybe we can think something else over there. Like on this case if you shake rapidly move sound changes to a scream etc so we can fit it into move.
How to technically make a prototype for it that can be extendeed.
Chemical
- Make a base data asset with variables as : Name, ID that you can adjust anytime.
Ghost Data
- Make a data struct exactly like your table. Ghost Type Name, 3 Chemical Slot as Data you created as array , Heat column, Move Count, Move Duration, Move Sound Trigger Count.
- You have to fit those in pattern because we will check it like a key unlocking a gate.
PuzzleProcessor
- Let’s say its a base actor for puzzle where everything happens.
- Define a variable as name, which you set ghost type.
- On begin play you look this row in data table and get row.
- Get the chemicals array and row handle and promote to a variable.
- You need to make a material, that is blurred warped which is easy, we show example if you get stuck.
- Player sees photo and 3 slots of chemical. When player clicks slot a UI dialog opens and you choose chemical. ( or you can do drag and drop to be more intuitive with physics.)
- When a slot is correct, there is a slight animation on material indicating player is on right track.
- When 3 chemical is set correctly you can bark player with a quote “one last step but what is it” and activate the beaker to be holded by physics interraction to give player a new tool.
- Player can use this new tool to put beaker on candle fire over desk or into ice so can change its temperature. A UI indicator or some effects on beaker would solve the player feedback problems of heat.
- New tool is ability to move tool which is the most sophisticated part to handle which is down part.
Move Action
- It makes a sound if input vector from mouse let’s say is bigger than X number.
- Each time a sound is made on sound count is hold in a variable.
- You can detect the angular velocity and angle of start from X point to detect if there is circular shake which is also a variable.
- Each time a shake happens its kept as variable and direction as CW CCW and durations.
- Hits desk or side makes a sound and its added (if you want to make a specific case for it or can be general)
- Heat is on the fly changes on location reached, collision check.
- Defining the slow and fast shake/stir can be a problem so its a bit try and error.
Not writing every case which can be extended a checker.
Each time an event occurs for writing as variable, data handle actions are checked, if all matching puzzle is solved.
Beaker itself can hold a material and material collection that makes its smoke or freezee effects.
Let me know.
That actually looks excellent.. I will give it a try and see how it goes.. thank you so much
1 Like
My pleasure,
I was theory crafting about this like 1 hour ago and was thinking around the movement stage of the puzzle and player ux over there. It is a bit tricky that stage to have indicators well polished so player can solve it. We don’t want it too hard or too easy.
So its a little bit on your hands and depends how you cook things.
EX: On a right action started being performed something happens to material in beaker. Color changes, smoke comes out, bubbles etc.
good luck and keep us updated.