Add design best practices section to skill template

- Add 'How to Design Great Puzzles of This Type' section
- Per-type best practices table with universal principles
- Antithesis to the Quick Pitfalls section
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2026-03-19 11:17:19 -07:00
parent 0648d82c60
commit e232fa303a

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@@ -151,6 +151,27 @@ Every puzzle type page should follow this structure (target: ≤400 lines):
| Brokerage vs Sensory Exploitation | Trade ITEM for ITEM (IB) vs exploit PERCEPTION weakness (SE) |
| Page length | If >400 lines, move examples to inspiration pages |
## How to Design Great Puzzles of This Type
| Type | Best Practices |
|------|---------------|
| **Pattern Learning** | Teach the complete system in the tutorial domain before testing it; ensure identical mechanics between learning and application phases |
| **Multi-Faceted Plan** | Let players discover requirements through exploration, not explicit checklists; ensure the "aha" moment comes from synthesis |
| **Meta-Construction** | Make each step's output clearly feed into the next; avoid invisible dependencies |
| **Memo Chain** | Place fragments in logical locations that reward exploration; ensure assembly is obvious once all pieces found |
| **Metaphor-to-Literal** | Make the idiomatic expression memorable and culturally clear; ensure the literal mapping is logical within game world |
| **Information Brokerage** | Give each NPC a distinct personality that explains why they want what they want |
| **Sensory Exploitation** | State the perceived sense explicitly (character says "I trust only what I hear"); ensure the item genuinely matches that sense |
| **Distraction Physics** | Make the environmental chain logical and observable before player tries it; ensure cause-effect is visible |
| **Observation Replay** | Make the observed sequence memorable but not trivially reproducible; add stakes so failure has consequence |
| **Timed Consequence** | Create urgency through narrative stakes, not arbitrary deadlines; ensure player can always see the countdown |
**Universal Principles:**
- **Information conveyance should match the puzzle's difficulty** — complex puzzles need multiple hints, simple ones need fewer
- **Failure should teach, not punish** — when player fails, they should learn something useful
- **The solution should feel inevitable once discovered** — avoid "moon logic" where solution requires arbitrary knowledge
- **Reward the player's investment** — if puzzle requires effort, the payoff should feel earned
## Reference
- `/puzzles/` directory: All existing puzzle type definitions