Do Puzzles Affect Immersion Within Game?

Blackwidow

Sallakat wrote: »

Maybe instead of going to Youtube/Google, you could read and listen what the quest giver tells you about it.. and immerse away! :P

QFT.

I was wondering what kind of person could not figure out these puzzles. My 12 year old daughter can do these puzzles with no problem.

Vendersleigh

I dislike puzzles but I would not call them immersion breaking, in fact mostly they fit very well into the world.

joshweps

the puzzles are awesome bring on more puzzles i think

Ragefist

dude, if those are so complicated that you have to youtube them, perhaps you should get back to Call of Duty

Falmer

Let's be a little honest here. There are no PUZZLES in ESO.

Every solution to every "puzzle" is found in a book or a picture on the wall of the room it takes place.

Hardly a immersion-breaking experience.

Nova Sky

Blackwidow wrote: »

Sallakat wrote: »

Maybe instead of going to Youtube/Google, you could read and listen what the quest giver tells you about it.. and immerse away! :P

QFT.

I was wondering what kind of person could not figure out these puzzles. My 12 year old daughter can do these puzzles with no problem.

*shakes head* I *do* look for clues and read the conversations. I go online only if *after* that, I'm still having some issues.

If that makes me "slow," well, then so damn well be it.

Kalman

I like the puzzles, wish there were more of them. I also liked the Investigation Missions in The Secret World and those make the puzzles in ESO look like a simple game of connect the dots.

Belitseri

Ragefist wrote: »

shayafb14_ESO wrote: »

Immersion is tricky, I am still looking for the inworld toilets.

True hero doesnt need those, just a bush off the road

And this is the true reason everyone wears robes in the game... XD

Azzuria

AlexDougherty wrote: »

thomas.k.grayb14_ESO wrote: »

Nova Sky wrote: »

Everyone:

... perhaps I am in the minority, but when I encounter puzzles in ESO — especially some of those found in the higher zones and elsewhere — it throws me completely out of the experience.

Instead of enjoying the exploration, combat and lore, which immerse me, I find myself treating puzzles as if they were a crappy jobs that I need to pay the bills and nothing more.

Yes, yes, I know. One can usually Google or YouTube the solutions, or even use chat, but, still, it totally throws me out of the gaming experience.

So, to sum things up, this is sort of a cross between a complaint and an observance. Nothing to lose any sleep over, but worth mentioning to see if it's just me, or if there are other puzzle haters out there, too.

I don't understand why you have to google or youtube the solution. I can't think of a single puzzle in any of the factions that the answer wasn't pretty obviously given to you.

EbonHeart Pact School Daze, the bit with the pond, because the book disappears. I only found out I still had it after I finished the puzzle (or rather I had had it)

The book ends up in your inventory, under 'Quest Items'. Did that quest yesterday and found it enjoyable. Took a few tries to figure out exactly what was going on but then the pay-off was far more rewarding.

Ragekniv

Smells like OP Sorc or DK!

Ugh, why can't I face roll!

Immersion is not button spam!

Immersion is engaging the frontal cortex and working through the problem or puzzle and does enhance the experience of ESO.

Moon-and-Star

The answers are always given to you, either by the quest giver or somewhere in the room. just takes a little looking around to find them. I have never found a quest I had to look up the answer to.

DenverRalphy

Nova Sky wrote: »

Hilgara wrote: »

It doesn't take a genius to figure them out though does it? And its only immersion breaking if you alt tab out and google the answer. Having to solve a puzzle IS part of the immersion. You, the hero are supposed to be smart as well and strong and powerful.

This "game hero" also has a real-life job, a family to attend to and other social obligations. The immersion is broken well before Google/YouTube enters the picture, because I'm sitting there with one eye on the game and another eye on the clock.

It's not the puzzles breaking your immersion. It's your real life responsibilities interrupting the gameplay and thus breaking the immersion. If your real life responsibilities inhibiting the ability to play the game in a manner not conducive to immersion, then you need to re-think your priorities and recognize the issue for what it really is. The immersion is there, but for whatever reason you choose to click through it due to non-game influences. By the same rationale you're using, one could argue that the game is at fault for losing immersion due to wife/spouse aggro.

Nova Sky

OK, that last sentence made me laugh, DenverRalphy. Seriously, I needed that. Thank you.

SDZald

Nova Sky wrote: »

Everyone:

... p

Yes, yes, I know. One can usually Google or YouTube the solutions, or even use chat, but, still, it totally throws me out of the gaming experience.

...

Hum maybe just try solving them, that is where the fun is. Like the riddle ones, I always solve them before looking at the 'choices' Looking at the choices ruins the riddles because it becomes clear what the answer is. Why does everything have to be about whacking, bashing, electrifying, freezing burning? I think its fun once in awhile.

AlexDougherty

Azzuria wrote: »

AlexDougherty wrote: »

thomas.k.grayb14_ESO wrote: »

Nova Sky wrote: »

Everyone:

... perhaps I am in the minority, but when I encounter puzzles in ESO — especially some of those found in the higher zones and elsewhere — it throws me completely out of the experience.

Instead of enjoying the exploration, combat and lore, which immerse me, I find myself treating puzzles as if they were a crappy jobs that I need to pay the bills and nothing more.

Yes, yes, I know. One can usually Google or YouTube the solutions, or even use chat, but, still, it totally throws me out of the gaming experience.

So, to sum things up, this is sort of a cross between a complaint and an observance. Nothing to lose any sleep over, but worth mentioning to see if it's just me, or if there are other puzzle haters out there, too.

I don't understand why you have to google or youtube the solution. I can't think of a single puzzle in any of the factions that the answer wasn't pretty obviously given to you.

EbonHeart Pact School Daze, the bit with the pond, because the book disappears. I only found out I still had it after I finished the puzzle (or rather I had had it)

The book ends up in your inventory, under 'Quest Items'. Did that quest yesterday and found it enjoyable. Took a few tries to figure out exactly what was going on but then the pay-off was far more rewarding.

Yes, I know, I just didn't know when I was doing the quest, the book was fairly clear, not much of a riddle really. I just didn't find out where the book had gone until after I had done the quest (I googled it btw).

twev

Hilgara wrote: »

It doesn't take a genius to figure them out though does it? And its only immersion breaking if you alt tab out and google the answer. Having to solve a puzzle IS part of the immersion. You, the hero are supposed to be smart as well and strong and powerful.

Actually, I've always gotten by on my awesomely rare good looks.

But fulfilling the puzzle requirements is just the mental version of a quest - substituting insight for physical prowess.

I like a game that requires one to prove they're worthy of advancing.

magickats242cub18_ESO

I love the puzzles, wish there were more in game. Took me some time to figure out the dragon claw puzzles in Skyrim. I kept looking at the pictures on the wall and try to figure out the totems without realizing that the answers were literally in your "hand".

chriss23

If you've played the other ES games - and this is after all an online version of them, you will know that these 'puzzles' are normal. None of them are difficult, you just have to be aware of what's around you. Don't let them spoil the game for you, just adapt - you'll get there in the end!

bean19

I loved that there were puzzles. What I didn't like is that they are all extremely easy AND/OR have pieces that are difficult to interact with (strange hit box locations or long response times between the button press and the response - especially in the puzzles where you are tasked with focusing a beam of light across a room). There were instances when I found myself second-guessing because I was looking for the riddle in the puzzle. . . but there wasn't one. They literally just want you to click the objects until the light beam goes through all the crystals. . .

I guess the fear with puzzles is that it would take a lot of support time helping people who can't figure them out and feel gated by them if they used actual puzzles that required a bit of thought. . . meanwhile they make the Veteran difficulty so punishing that I feel locked in to using only my most powerful build instead of being free to have fun and experiment. . . lame.

Circuitica

There are puzzles I like and there are some I dislike but mostly I find them a nice little challenge. Nevertheless many of them are easy to solve.

My problem though are the people who lack the initiative to solve the puzzles themselves (or check the answer from the internet). Instead, they're disturbing others who are trying to solve the puzzle.
I don't want to seem rude and I'm happy to share the answer once I solved it but I'm so tired of the ones who are asking for the solution more than once, while I'm still trying to figure it out. Rushing into it takes all the fun out of it.

In think this is more common in EU server because there are some people who don't speak English though they've chosen to play in the language. I've encountered some who say they're unable to accomplish the puzzle because they can't understand the hints. In some cases they just seem more like lazy or unable to comprehend the reading than understanding the language.

Reiterpallasch

ESO puzzles that the quest explains exactly how to do 3 stronk 5 me. Nerf plz.

You know that puzzle in Stonefalls where all you have to do is match lights to other lights? People STILL whine in chat about how they can't figure it out.

ThisOnePosts

I disagree OP. I like the areas where the game throws something different at the player. To me that's fun and adds more overall value.

TehMagnus

"Challenge throws me out of the experience" you also wanted VR levels to be less hard I supose?

Sindala

Harder puzzle's, chest's, hidden treasure chests from books, ect.
This game's winning sandbox seller is.....how damb easy everything is. You can just faceroll your way to max level with no skill needed at all.

AlexDougherty

Circuitica wrote: »

There are puzzles I like and there are some I dislike but mostly I find them a nice little challenge. Nevertheless many of them are easy to solve.

My problem though are the people who lack the initiative to solve the puzzles themselves (or check the answer from the internet). Instead, they're disturbing others who are trying to solve the puzzle.

The puzzles are all easy, far far too easy really. As for idiots demanding the answer, well that's plain sad, if you can't spend five minutes solving one of the infrequent puzzles, then you are too busy to play the game.

I like the puzzles, but they do need some harder ones, maybe not in quests, maybe they could add some puzzle chests into the game, solve the puzzle get a nice reward (for decon/research if nothing else).

Mondo

Yes Puzzles suck if you are not smart enough

Orchish

I find it hard to believe that anyone who actually listens to the dialogue of each quest would not be able to solve the puzzles. They literally have the answers right in front of you.

Bleakraven

I love the puzzles, love cracking the riddles and, usually, if you fail, the punishment isn't that bad. Would love to see more hardcore puzzles to unlock secret chambers or ruins. Though for those that can't stand puzzles, why not offer them a way around a puzzle by... oh... I don't know, having to go to a nearby town and buy some fire salts for explosive goodyness?

Moomins

Puzzles have always been a part of the elder scrolls. It would be terrible if they vanished. I for one am glad that Zen included them in the game, some are very simple, other a bit harder to work out, but as was pointed out by Alazarz, if you listen carefully, quite often the clues to solving them are right in front of you. If you can't handle a bit of thinking, what does that say about you?

Phantax

AlexDougherty wrote: »

Well the various puzzles have always been a part of the TES experience, usually as a lock, just consider them do be an extravagant combination lock (with the combination code scattered around you)

Damn, its not very often I agree with Alex, but really OP, are you even familiar with TES games?
Puzzles are(and always have been) a BIG part of the TES world. Hell in my opinion Zenimax have done a bad job by 'not' putting in more puzzles (and traps) into the Dungeons and Delves.

Pitting yourself against the actual Dungeon design and not just its mobs was one of the things that made TES stand out and was always a part of the game I loved to encounter !

:O