A suggestion for a player hint (spoilers)

[CinnamonBunnyGirl]

I'm talking about the Weight Room Puzzle and a change I'd love to see to help the player learn and puzzle it out more.

As it stands in the game right now, there's nothing to indicate that anything is interactive and that the game lied to you about an Antechamber Lever, unless you chanced upon the powersledge beforehand, which I think is demotivating and misleading. A shortlist of possible improvements I came up with; An admin log with a date saying "Wall added to (room #) for remodelling". A part of the existing email exchange talking about putting up walls. A piece of paper in the room hinting at new walls in the room, like a receipt from a mason, or a staff notice to be careful with the weights around the room to not damage the new installations. A brick out of place. Anything. As the puzzle sits, the brick texture of the breakable wall is just recoloured from the Passageway, and with the Weight Room having nothing to interact with, player expectations and experience clash heavily in a room that is already a huge burden to a run in halving your stamina, and the game seems to lie to you.

thanks for your time, and I hope my feedback is heard.

[Hazelstorm]

There are already multiple hints in the game towards this, although I can't remember where exactly they are located

[Celebrim]

I believe the hints you suggested are already in game (almost exactly).

The Greenhouse, and Grotto both have/lead to clues that specifically talk about this puzzle. The interaction requires you to have the item that can perform the action to even display, but this is the case for most items. The Sledge Hammer and Shovel icons, for instance work this way.

[InolienKiki]

One of the letters you can get delivered in the mailroom literally says "break the bricks in the weight room with something heavy with a handle"

[Steelflame]

Yea, the mailroom has several hints that you have to grind out that stupid experiments for mail reward to get. By the time you've done so enough to get the hints, you've probably found it anyway.

[InolienKiki]

I hadn't even found the power hammer by that point, so I had no idea what it was talking about. I like that though-- there's backup to all these clues in case you find one thing before another.

[ricky1981]

This is gently hinted at then more bluntly explained later on (this goes for quite a lot of the puzzles).

I’d add that if this part annoyed you then you’re in for a wild ride after room 46!

[PersonalC0ffee]

Originally posted by InolienKiki:

I hadn't even found the power hammer by that point, so I had no idea what it was talking about. I like that though-- there's backup to all these clues in case you find one thing before another.

Because you don't find it, you make it.

[Satin Finish]

Originally posted by Celebrim:

I believe the hints you suggested are already in game (almost exactly).

You are correct, I've included the actual text from one of the clues below.


If I recall correctly these emails from the Security Room Computers are available after unlocking the Blackbridge Grotto computer and setting the options within.

Security Room Computers Email

DATE Jan 24 1987
Mrs Babbage,
Subject: security measures
I'd like to address one potential security vulnerability of having an antechamber lever in the Weight Room As the years have gone by, the Baron's frequency of working out in this room has gone from once in a red moon to as rare as a man without self-pity.
As such, we find this room mostly relegated to guest use and given that, an antechamber lever is not only unsuited but also poses a security risk. I advise we either remove or conceal it and install a secondary lever to control the south entrance.
-Kirk Darren