A quick design question

[mouthuvmine]

I'm doing a quick low res room escape sort of game, but you're escaping a killing device, so failure means certain death. The only way to get past this is by at least failing once to see the device in action (at least I think. I've been designing this for literally an hour).

What I'm asking here is, would it be too much of a put off to have to fail at least once, but possibly a few times, in order to figure out the device, thus figuring out the puzzle? I should also mention there will be a lull period in the beginning each time to lurk the room and gather a couple items, and that will last as long as it takes to get all of the items, so there will be time to think. I'm just worried about the player getting tired of dying after two play-throughs and giving up.

Any feedback on this, or suggestions of a better way?

[Mr Flibble]

Any way you could have a NPC activate this death-trap first? Maybe not another person, maybe even a fly or something? (Depending on the method of activation of course).

It depends on the nature of the trap really, generally I'd say having to die to see the solution is a massive plothole but if the room itself was the trap (for instance a laser-grid or a Saw-esque thing) you couldn't really illustrate it without triggering it...

You could always have your Game Over screen indicate that trying again would be a good idea, perhaps in a fun and engaging way? Making the game fun (even to die) would also help with the player getting bored and quitting.

Oh and it also depends on how long the player will be playing before they die, having to repeat long sections will always be tedious. Maybe an autosave that lets them try again, having done the earlier stuff but in time to avoid the trap?

[mouthuvmine]

Thanks! I was thinking about maybe having a person already in the device when you are placed (however that will work) in the room. that would at least give you a nice idea of how the machine works, although the device itself is fairly straight forward. I was hoping to think of another way though, because I'm kind of against having the gore involved happening more than once in a play through. Not that I think you guys are squeamish, but I'm against using gore for gore's sake.

I think I'll take the short play time bit into consideration too. Maybe having the player select one of three or so items to start the game game with, so there can be different ways out, adding replay value to a really short game.