They involve ???opposing
players who acknowledge and respond to one another??™s actions. The di?¬? erence between games
and puzzles has li le to do with mechanics; we can easily turn many puzzles and athletic challenges
into games and vice versa.???
?· Puzzles are rule-based systems, like games, but the goal is to ?¬? nd a solution, not to beat an opponent.
Unlike games, puzzles have li le replay value.
?· Toys are manipulable, like puzzles, but there is no ?¬? xed goal.
?· Stories involve fantasy play, like toys, but they cannot be changed or manipulated by the player.
For example, in the realm of computer entertainment so ware:
?· Quake is a game that includes some puzzles.
?· The Incredible Machine is a series of puzzles that includes a toylike construction set for building
puzzles.
?· SimCity is a toy that players make more puzzle-like by se ing their own goals.
?· Myst is a story that happens to be told partly through puzzles.
This hierarchy leads me to a useful rule of thumb for puzzle designers: To design a good puzzle, ?¬? rst
build a good toy. The player should have fun just manipulating the puzzle, even before reaching a solution.
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