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Date: Mon, 05 Nov 2001 22:04:24 -0500
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Subject: Re: puzzle solving help
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I am also quite thick when it comes to puzzle solving.  Some rules of thumb:

Use "search" as well as "examine".  For some games it doesn't matter,
but for others it is crucial.  Same for "Look Under" and "Look Behind"

Don't give too much credence to the internal logic of the game.  Up
until recently I became very frustrated with games that, for instance,
didn't tell you about the big hulking hairy monster sitting on the desk
until you 'examine desk'.  (There is a real game that won't let you look
on the top shelf of something despite it being a small room with a chair
and a desk to climb on.  You can only find out about the contents of
that shelf by causing it to shake down, utilizing a method only found in
  Saturday morning cartoons.  Nevertheless, this is a serious game, not
a funny one.)

Use undo and save extensively.

Take notes.

Avoid games where a reviewer mentions it is easy to get into unwinable
states without knowing it.

-Jim

Marco Thorek wrote:

> That is, uhm, kinda like asking, "help me drive anything with a motor!"
> ;-)
>
> But I may share one or two words of advice: try to think around corners
> and if you feel you are utterly, completely stuck, be methodological in
> your approaches.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Marco
>
> tim kilgore wrote:
>
>>Hello. can some one give me some tips that will help me beter solve
>>puzzles-puzzles in general?  I absolutely love IF, but puzzles give me
>>a rough time-even easy ones.  Help! please
>>
>>Tim Kilgore
>>


