Ryan KubikFeb 1, 2023
Laura E. Hall

Are there any predecessors for the style of input/progress gating found in Return of the Obra Dinn and The Case of the Golden Idol?

In each, you have blanks requiring info about a given scene that you must fill in correctly, through deduction and other puzzle solving, in order to progress. (See pics for screenshots from each)

#Games #VideoGames #VideoGameUI #PuzzleGames #MurderMystery #ObraDinn #ReturnOfTheObraDinn #CaseOfTheGoldenIdol #TheCaseOfTheGoldenIdol

Jan 31, 2023 at 1:44amWeb
Show threadSteve HellerJan 31, 2023

@lauraehall I really loved The Case of the Golden Idol, and I really hope that more people start exploring that game!

We really do need some more detective games in this nature. I preferred Obra Dinn, but I loved how easy and puzzling it was to slip into Golden Idol though!

Show threadjmacJan 31, 2023
@lauraehall Aha, I hadn't noticed the nod to Obra Dinn (monkey paws and all) in the Golden Idol tutorial during my playthrough!
Show threadjuv3nalJan 31, 2023
@lauraehall I don't know if you consider mind map style things similar enough, but Sherlock Holmes Crimes and Punishments (which predates those 2 games) had that.
Show threadjuv3nalJan 31, 2023
@lauraehall in it, you through investigation uncover clues which are represented by the nodes on the deduction board, but then you also choose which nodes to connect as well as an explanation for the connection (the 2 paragraphs at the bottom where one is greyed out are alternate possibilities)
Show threadEssay GamesJan 31, 2023

@lauraehall in video games…? Not sure.

But deductive and inference-based problem solving is certainly a logic puzzle staple.

Show threadLaura E. HallJan 31, 2023
@essaygames I’m specifically looking at the input and gating mechanism used in these two games (both of which are logic puzzle games)
Show threadEssay GamesJan 31, 2023
@lauraehall oh gotcha! My bad. I actually feel like I have a vague memory of a Lucas Arts Sherlock Holmes game doing something like this. But I’ll try to dig up the actual reference.
Show threadLaura E. HallJan 31, 2023
@essaygames grateful for any examples you can think of!
Show threadMichelJan 31, 2023
@lauraehall I’ve played a ton of adventure/mystery/puzzle videogames and Obra Dinn really is first of its kind. For more general predecessors, well there’s “Colonel Mustard was killed by _____ with the ____ in the _____”
Show threadLaura E. HallJan 31, 2023
@michel that’s what I was thinking! Ugh, so good…
Show threadMatthew GallantJan 31, 2023
@lauraehall It’s not 1:1, but “Today I Die” plays with that mad lib formula as a gating mechanic.
Show threadLinda Dong 💕Jan 31, 2023
@gangles oh wow I forgot about this game!
Show threadAdam CafollaJan 31, 2023

@lauraehall

I've not played either game, but what you are describing and the screenshots sounds kind of reminiscent of Discworld Noir. You didn't have to fill in blanks, but everything you learned went in a notebook and then you could use it to ask anyone questions (and possibly even to interact with the environment, I can't remember as it's been years since I played it).

Unfortunately it's not available any more so you'd have a heard time finding a copy...

Show threadLaura E. HallJan 31, 2023
@adaliabooks hmm, I wonder if it's possible to find it in an emulator version? I'll look into it, thank you!!
Show threadAdam CafollaJan 31, 2023

@lauraehall

That's probably the best chance of playing it, it's well worth it, it's an excellent game.

Show threadAnders StenbergJan 31, 2023

@lauraehall I need to try The Case of the Golden Idol! Loved Obra Dinn, although it can be frustrating sometimes. :)

The old Laura Bow games (or at least one of them) had a "Poirot" moment at the end where you have to say who did what and why, but it's a one shot "did you pay attention?" thing at the end, as far as I can remember.

Show threadLaura E. HallJan 31, 2023

@SonnyBonds if you liked Obra Dinn you'll definitely enjoy Golden Idol, in some ways it's designed to be a bit more accessible/solvable

I'll look for the Laura Bow games!

Show threadSteffan ZieglerJan 31, 2023
@lauraehall My wife had a whole class of these in her LSAT prep work, they are a whole genre "5 people are at the table, Mary sits next to Jim, Jim is younger than Mary..." etc. You have to make a grid to solve them.
Show threadLaura E. HallJan 31, 2023
@saint_monkey yeah! I'm specifically interested in the input/gating mechanic, both of the games are logic puzzle games (which I love)
Show threadHunter Gough 🍦🌹Jan 31, 2023
@lauraehall I started reading Caine's Jawbone recently, and it really reminded me of a low-tech, super difficult Obra Dinn.
Show threadLaura E. HallJan 31, 2023
@luvcraft hahah yes, that's totally fair. Thinking it may be time to play around with my copy again...!
Show threadAmanda / BioluminescenceJan 31, 2023
@lauraehall
Would you consider Phoenix Wright to be related, with its repeating, multiple-choice, witness interrogation sequences?
Show threadMistyJan 31, 2023
@lauraehall @MichaelKlamerus It’s not quite the same, but it reminds me of the way Laser Lords has you gathering nouns from dialogue to use as puzzle keys.
Show threadRichard MossFeb 1, 2023
@lauraehall First thing that comes to my mind is an old Mac game called The Fool's Errand, which has a storybook scroll that you can only read in chunks initially. You have to solve puzzles (with hints in the story) in order to progress, and along the way there's a meta-puzzle to solve as well.

A lot of Obra Dinn has roots in a variety of classic Mac games. Obviously the art style, but much more of it too.
Show threadAaronFFeb 7, 2023
@lauraehall Heaven's Vault is also an "information game" with soft gating, based around learning alien/ancient vocabulary from context. Not as strict as a logic puzzle deduction but it feels adjacent.
Show threadDirkOct 18, 2023
@lauraehall hi, I came here through the Obra Dinn hashtag. Has anyone recommended Outer Wilds to you? All progress in that game isn't at all blocked off, it's just very unlikely you'll stumble upon it accidentally. It sounds very much like what you were looking for here.