For my final project, I have been having my participants play a level in Portal; as such, I have had a chance to analyze the level for possible solutions. At the point in the game in which the level takes place, many of the puzzle-solving components have been introduced, including the crucial ones to this particular level: the Weighted Companion Cube, the Button, the High Energy Pellet, and the Unstationary Scaffold.
http://theportalwiki.com/wiki/Portal_Test_Chamber_13
Prior to starting the play sessions themselves, I played through the level myself many times, as well as looked up information about the level, in order to figure out as many of the possible solutions as I could. I had my method figured out and I was ready to go. Many players followed the general path that I had; however, some players kept surprising me, coming up with ways I had not thought of. One completely skipped the first puzzle, simply stepping on the first button and shooting a portal through. Another skipped most of the puzzle-solving in the second chamber by taking the cube from the first room with her and using it to weigh down one button while she weighed down another and then shooting a portal through the open door. By doing this, she skipped most of the puzzle-solving in the second room.
This was both surprising and enjoyable for me, because I was able to see the puzzles solved from a perspective I had not before. I learned a new strategy or two to an older puzzle, and took more from the game. I was one step closer to grokking the game.
No comments:
Post a Comment