Class Participation 6 - Create a Puzzle

Puzzle #1

In a level with plenty of lava, a lake of lava may contain a rock formation that is so far away from any other solid ground that the player cannot jump over the lava to get to it. In order to make this island accessible, we can have a boulder that the player can jump atop and roll through the lava in order to get closer. If we wanted to make the task more difficult, we could populate the lake with obstacles that either stop the boulder from rolling or knock the player into the lava.

Puzzle #2

Alternatively, if we wanted the boulder to be immobile once it enters the lava, we can use it as a simple platform that will allow the player to cross a river of lava that is too wide to clear otherwise. In this case, we would create a puzzle aspect by requiring the player to somehow push the boulder into the lava, whether through the protagonist's brute strength or some kind of mechanical contraption.

Puzzle #3

We never have to have the player jump from the top of a boulder in order to access part of a level. Boulders could also be used to stop the flow of lava to a certain part of the level. Perhaps the door to a temple is hidden underneath a river of lava and the player must move a boulder in order to gain safe passage to this door.

Puzzle #4

In spite of the above puzzle ideas, my experiences tell me that boulders are most often used in ways that endanger players. If we wish to join this trend, we could use boulders to destroy platforms that the player needs to use. The player will start crossing a series of platforms, but some force (enemies, earthquake, volcano eruption) will cause a number of boulders to start rolling down a mountainside toward the player, turning the situation into a race against time. If the boulders hit the player or destroy the platform that the player is standing on, the player will fall (potentially into lava). In order to make this situation more interesting, the path should be given obstacles that can slow down the player's progress.