Bryce
d926595135
Created category structure: - criticism/ (5 articles) - Design critiques and anti-patterns - defense/ (2 articles) - Praise and genre defense - puzzle-design/ (7 articles) - Puzzle mechanics and methodology - technical/ (4 articles) - SCUMM and engineering history - history/ (6 articles) - Genre evolution and decline analysis - moon-logic/ (5 articles) - Moon logic puzzle psychology - community/ (2 articles) - Community discussions and analysis Each category has README.md with summaries and key themes. Main index.md updated to link to all categories.
Moon Logic
Articles examining the specific phenomenon of "moon logic" puzzles—solutions that seem logical only in the game's unrealistic world rather than real-world reasoning.
Articles
| File | Title | Source | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
moon-logic-adventure-games-tvtropes.md |
Moon Logic Puzzle: Adventure Games | TV Tropes | Catalog of infamous moon logic puzzle examples specifically in adventure games, with annotated problem cases. |
moon-logic-divergent-thinking.md |
Moon Logic and Divergent Thinking | Simply Put Psych | Psychological perspective analyzing whether moon logic puzzles require "divergent thinking" or represent design failures. |
moon-logic-puzzle-tvtropes.md |
Moon Logic Puzzle | TV Tropes | General TV Tropes entry defining moon logic as puzzles whose solutions make sense only within the game's alternate logic. |
moon-logic-reddit-discussion.md |
Moon Logic Reddit Discussion | Reddit r/gamedesign | Community discussion on where the threshold for "real" moon logic lies and whether beyond-basic puzzles inevitably become moon logic. |
pcgamer-moon-logic-classic-adventure.md |
PC Gamer on Moon Logic | PC Gamer | Article examining why players tolerated moon logic puzzles in classic adventures and whether modern design has lost something. |
Key Themes
- Definition problem - What actually constitutes moon logic vs. legitimate challenge?
- Psychological appeal - Why some players enjoy moon logic despite frustration
- Design failure vs. feature - Whether moon logic represents poor design or genre character
- Historical tolerance - How context (no internet, different expectations) affected acceptance
- Modern alternatives - How modern adventure games avoid or embrace moon logic
Usage
These articles help define and contextualize one of adventure gaming's most notorious characteristics, providing nuance for the Puzzle Design Handbook's treatment of puzzle difficulty and logical consistency.