Puzzle Solving... or Problem Solving?

I'll admit, I tend to get overwhelmed with a solution to a problem is open-ended. Figuring out a puzzle makes me feel clever, sure, but I feel like something deep within me finds comfort in the fact that there is a solution and I just need to figure it out. I'm unfortunately not very good when it comes to "solving problems" like a programmer would myself, so maybe that's why I get turned off by the more "open" games... That, and they tend to take up a lot of time just exploring the the possibilities, something that I don't have much of these days.

This explains exactly why I enjoy playing Minecraft but hate puzzle games

Fantatic contraption ftw!

I remember showing some of my classmates in a game design class SpaceChem. They did not understand it and thought I was a weirdo. They're not wrong! lol

one of my favourite developers

man good vid

"Programming is basically the best puzzle game in the world"
It might be, until after hours upon hours of debugging uncooperative javascript code you end up launching PS-Doom (a Doom source port that represents each process running on your Linux box as a demon) just so you can find the one that represents the Node.js runtime so that you can totally wreck it with the BFG.

My favorite problem solver is the game INSIDE

Adam Millard - The Architect of Games has his own video about this divide, even using the same terminology of puzzles vs problems, and he discussed them in more depth and talked about the pros and cons of them.

For example, problem-type games have more replay value as mentioned, and don’t run into common puzzle-game issues with “moon logic puzzles” where designers who aren’t tuned in to how their players think can make nonsensical puzzles where it’s hard to follow the designer’s train of logic.

However, there is one major benefit to puzzle-types: since puzzle games can control how the player proceeds through them, they can integrate their story into the game much more tightly and make it more impactful. Games like The Witness and especially Portal 2 can have a much stronger story than problem-type games; moments like Portal 2’s Companion Cube sequence wouldn’t work in a game where you’re free to do whatever.

I literally played and loved all of those "educational" games that he flashed on the screen 😂

Matthewmatosis has done really in-depth videos on all Zacktronix ganes. Defintely worth checking out after this video.

While True; Learn

I'm firmly in the "puzzle game" camp vs the "problem solving" camp.

I'm extremely good in a crisis situation. Beyond that I cannot engineer my way out of a wet paper bag. And I definitely don't want to do engineering anything for a game

Would love a revisit of this topic with a more in-depth look!

I know this was six years ago but were people really not saying "zach-like" games back in 2016?

Man really said Kohctpyktop. It says Конструктор, which means Contstructor.

favorite problem solving game? Factorio, easily.

Opus Magnum is basically the Alchemical Engineering flash game he made polished up to a nice hexagonal shine, and is the only zachtronics game I haven't refunded (and i've even beaten it too!)

I think I prefer RPG's as my main videogames because it's a good mixture of puzzle and problem solving.

zacktronics is underrated

Honestly, this is probably why I love programming. My first solutions will be ridiculous but I can keep coming back and keep tweaking it and it's rare that I feel like, oh I don't know the answer to that, I don't think I can do that .... I mean it will be horrendous when I do it the first time but like at least I have somewhere to start 🤣.

Reminds me of how recaptchas are actually used to train AI

I agree that it would be more fun/educational/interesting to invent a solution for a puzzle but don't you think it's a bit harder in the making to create a puzzle that would be opened with more than one key

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Ok

Baba is You is designed like a problem solving game but since there's never more than 1 solution it's kinda reverted back to puzzle solving game.

You: "Puzzle Solving... or Problem Solving"
Me: "It's the same picture"

I'm so happy my friend showed me Infinifactory. I've put 180hrs into it and I still haven't beaten all the levels. Much of my time has been going back and improving old solutions or perfectly optimizing solutions for the 3 criteria. Portal 2 is still my favorite puzzle game, but Infinifactory is by far my favorite problem solving game

This channel is such a treat oh my god.

yeah programming is fun but holy fuck does it hurt my head

those games would frustrate me to no end...

Where would Baba Is You fall under this system?
On one hand it feels like a puzzle game in the sense that every level has a main solution.
But on the other hand it feels different, somehow, from the normal puzzle game. Not entirely sure though.

I like Puzzle games like The Room.

My best problem solving game: Python.
And I play at job :)

Discovery versus Exploration...I think might have been a better title. Maybe for a future video. I remember people making videos about the base human drive toward Discovery and Exploration. Who was it, Extra Credits???

bruh im an electrical engineering student and youre talking to me about designing integrated circuits to a specification in a GAME
inb4 i try it and its actually fun, might help me work with motivation

Hey hey I don’t appreciate the hate for Math Blaster that game was 🔥

16016 ↦ 996000

🎈

Конструктор is a Russian word

it would be interesting to use this principle as a mechanic in a traditional puzzle game. like you need to manufacture the piece you need to reach a key on the other side of a locked door or you need to program a robot to do something that looks like wasting time while you run around tossing a counterbalance so you can hit 3 switches at the same time

My least favorite one is called “reality”