Posted August 14, 2022 by Cat in Eight Bytes
#update #toilets #history
Hi all,
Version 1.0.1 is now here, following a key bit of feedback (slight spoilers I suppose, not really):
One of the puzzles in the game refers to the Battle of Hastings. Now if you're in the UK, you know what that is, or at least when it is, as it's basically a default piece of history that is either passed down or mentioned in schools. As such, its year is sort-of an in-joke when it comes to people needing PIN numbers or other 4-digit passwords. Loads of people use it (and presumably loads of people guess it!)
However, as this game has gone further afield than my group of friends and family from the same country, it's been pointed out that this may not be common knowledge, and therefore just having "Battle of Hastings" as a clue without anything else isn't a good bit of design. That's not to say I'm not against applied knowledge being part of a puzzle. One of the best things (and good excuses as a kid) is to have learned something from a game, or using something in a game that you have learned; subconscious education baby! But this only works if it's clear that this is applied knowledge; if you don't know the Battle of Hastings, how could you know whether it's a made-up thing for the game or a real-life thing you should know, or could Google?
So, given it's a PICO-8 cartridge rather than an extensive web-based text adventure that opens browsers and whatnot, I've added a toilet block to the office! This includes a fun historical fact sheet (learn while you poop), as well as an exciting new puzzle!*
*Another light switch basically
Cheers all
James