REVOMAZE User Group

From the results of the survey Sophie sent out, she asked for additional feedback in a few areas:

1) “I would like to see an even easier puzzle than Blue. When I have friends over they never have enough time to solve the Blue and get the reward of opening. A two hour solution time would be about right in this case. Enough to get a mental map going but not enough to really frustrate." - This is really interesting, does anyone else feel this way?


2) "With the odd gravity pin a puzzle like Cu+ would be formidable." - Anyone else like this idea?


Let's use this thread to respond to her questions.

I like the idea of a quick-to-solve puzzle to use as a introduction into the Revomaze world. I wouldn't want to pay a lot for it, for two reasons: if I can solve it in under an hour, I don't want to drop hundreds of dollars on it. Also, I don't have a lot of friends that are interested in puzzles (it's a very lonely hobby, I find) and it would probably not get used a lot. Perhaps this type of puzzle could be made in the Obsession style at a very affordable price point?

The gravity pin is a good idea to add to future static Revos. Would you then need to call it a dynamic puzzle? If the only moving parts in a Revo are gravity pins, it could be a less-daunting introduction to dynamic puzzles, and maybe should get a designation other than static, dynamic, or stamatic.

As a collector I fully intend to purchase every R1 but would be quite upset to pay full price for an expensive metal puzzle that was easier than the Blue. So if one was made, do make it as a cheaper plastic Obsession. But in my opinion, the Blue is easy enough (and we kind of have seen some that are arguably easier than Blue already).

I’m all for the addition of gravity pins, BBs, sliders, rings, tunnels, bridges, springs, levers, pulleys, magnets, black holes, smaller pins, larger pins, multiple pins, moving pins, time warps, etc. in the puzzles. The only thing I worry about with some of these is the use of grease which could sometimes wander into other places of the puzzle and impede function (something that almost happened to me with my Silver during my first solve). Also, I would love to see the end of labels such as “static” and “dynamic”. It is so much better when it is a surprise. When the Bronze came first came out no one knew that it was different, it wasn’t labeled “dynamic” at the time. We were so happily surprised to discover it on our own.

An easy revo for friends is a nice idea and as you said it should be cheaper, but i would like to have it in metal not plastic.

“I would like to see an even easier puzzle than Blue. When I have friends over they never have enough time to solve the Blue and get the reward of opening. A two hour solution time would be about right in this case. Enough to get a mental map going but not enough to really frustrate." - This is really interesting, does anyone else feel this way?

Okay, I haven't done a long post in a while...

This idea is something I have very much been in favour of for years now. Not every person is as mentally unstable as us lot, and they won't sit with a puzzle for 5, 10, 20+ hours in order to solve it.

I think the main goal here should be for Revo HQ to manufacture a puzzle that would be ideal for mass market. We all love the Extremes, but they are just that...extreme. We really have to keep in mind that we are not normal people (sorry to break it to you...but if you disagree you're in denial), and our needs do not make up the majority of what casual puzzlers would want.

I reckon an introductory level Revo should be introduced into the range, and I think it should have the following characteristics:

• A) It should be part of the Obsession series. Easier and cheaper to manufacture in bulk. If the mazes could be designed in such a way to allow them to be cast rather than machined that would be even better (if at all possible).
• B) It should be simpler than the Blue. No more than an hour(ish) to solve by any regular mortal with no previous experience. Maybe even less. Many people interested in puzzles are 'casual' puzzlers. If the going gets too tough and there's no sign of progress they will get easily bored and give up. The opening is the real payoff of any Revo, and it's no good if a casual solver can't get there.
• C) A very limited number of reset points should be included. Maybe only just the one.
• D) No bridges. Bridges are the ultimate in the frustration factor. While most of us enjoy being frustrated (we're really not normal) this would be enough to make an average person throw the thing out of a window.
• E) It needs to disassemble in the solved state. People love to see how things look inside compared with how they imagined them to be.

For most of us it's hard to think back to our first Revo experience, but when most people pick up a Revo for the first time they don't have the slightest clue what's going on in there. The only way I've been able to explain it is with a clear sleeve, and even that's hard going sometimes!

If Revo HQ could introduce a puzzle that really appeals to the mass market then this could bring in steady (and hopefully significant) funds. This in turn could fund more ambitious projects like the Extremes, LEs, Minis etc.

I'd be curious to hear the views from others as well. But please keep in mind I'm talking about a product that most of you may not be too challenged by because of your previous experience, but it would benefit the community as a whole in the long term.

Nice post paradox.

I had a thought that may help or offer an alternative view point.

Why not move the pin closer to the edge of the sleeve so it would allow the maze to be slowly revealed. An added bonus would be a bigger maze area too.

I think Paradox nailed it.

Really like the idea of a cheap and easy puzzle. I would like to see it in metal, but honestly, I doubt there is a way to make a good price point for the masses in metal. I wouldn't mind it being plastic, but I would want to be able to open it and see the maze core.

My idea would be to give the puzzle to friends when they visit, so they can learn the basics. The plastics are good but do not have the same presence as the metals. I wonder what the price difference would really be. Maybe both versions, but the collectors would still want the Extreme. I understand your point stet, but the puzzle would not really be for you in this case. Bridges would be OK if they were a straight shot across. The price would have to be lower than the Blue, however.
Cheers!

darctangent wrote:Bridges would be OK if they were a straight shot across.

I think the biggest issues with bridges is, they require you to either, have a good memory and solve without a map, or require you to map to figure out what exactly is going on. I imagine most of us solved blue without a map, but those who didn't may have mapped for this exact reason, I didn't use a map, and it probably took me longer than most to solve blue because of it.

How many casual puzzlers will want to map? Probably not many. How many will have the mental ability to solve without one? Probably a fair amount, but also just as many will give up.

I think a good way to speed up a maze would be to have mini resets where you have to repeat that section not the whole maze.