Game progression logic

[Trixie]

I've been thinking about the progression logic from the main character's standpoint and I have a few questions about it.

When I arrive into the bunker, my first objective is to get out. Arriving at the exit, I find a note telling me to get two things: one in the arsenal and one in the roman tunnels.

The entrance to the roman tunnels is chained and the arsenal is locked, but I find another note telling me to go to the communication's quarters to get the arsenal code.

However, as far as I'm aware, there are no hints telling you where the location of the cutters is, or did I miss it somehow ?

Similarly, to get the cutters, you actually need to get the wrench (to get to the guard room to open the cells, you have to get through using the wrench as the doors are locked from the inside). The wrench is in Stafford's locker, and there is a hint telling you that Stafford has gone to the pillbox. But that hint is located in maintenance, there does not seem to be any hints that would tell you to go to the maintenance area to begin with, or did I miss that one too ?

TLDR: you explore the bunker for the sake of exploring and you naturally come across those items, but there seems to be missing hints from an in-game perspective that would direct the main character to go to the prison or the maintenance to begin with, when neither of those locations are mentioned in the escape plan.

[Gdudism]

I get your point but I dont think its that big of a deal.

[Blackburn]

You missed something. In the prison there is a cell with a soldier, and there is cutters in this cell.
Has the puzzle started to come together?
to open the cell, you need to open it from the control room, and it is closed by a ventilation grill, and right next to it there is a note (which you already found) that says who has the wrench fro ventilation

[Trixie]

Originally posted by Blackburn:

You missed something. In the prison there is a cell with a soldier, and there is cutters in this cell.
Has the puzzle started to come together?
to open the cell, you need to open it from the control room, and it is closed by a ventilation grill, and right next to it there is a note (which you already found) that says who has the wrench fro ventilation

Oh, right, that explains the trip to maintenance. I missed that link. But what about the link that would direct the main character to the prison area to begin with ?

[Badstormer]

Originally posted by Trixie:

But what about the link that would direct the main character to the prison area to begin with ?

In this case, the game encouraging you to explore and experiment is the intended hint. You aren't meant to be given direction - it's very much a 'find your own way' sort of game.