Build your puzzle game.
Build a puzzle around understandable rules, valid moves and visible progress.
How to build your puzzle game
Describe the job
Build a puzzle around understandable rules, valid moves and visible progress.
Review the first version
Choose how the player records the puzzle and how the game creator reviews the next step.
Refine the views
Ask First to adjust the fields and views for the people who will use the app.
Test before sharing
Walk through the process with a sample record and check who owns the next action.
A puzzle game example
A move violates the chosen puzzle rule.
Puzzle game example
- Record
- Puzzle game · 01
- Owner
- Player
Current stage · Player
Start the example
A move violates the chosen puzzle rule.
Read the full walkthrough
Start the example
A move violates the chosen puzzle rule.
- Record:
- Puzzle game · 01
- Owner:
- Player
Apply the chosen rule
Reject the move without altering the previous valid state and show why it was not accepted.
- Stage:
- Awaiting game creator review
- Owner:
- Game creator
Keep valid progress
Reject the invalid move without altering the last valid puzzle state.
- Next action:
- Reject the invalid move without altering the last valid puzzle state.
- Owner:
- Playtester
What to include in your puzzle game
Keep the puzzle in context
Keep puzzle, rule, difficulty, move, state and completion together so the next person can understand the request or record.
When the next step needs a decision
A move violates the chosen puzzle rule. Reject the move without altering the previous valid state and show why it was not accepted.
Keep completion visible
Reject the invalid move without altering the last valid puzzle state.
Choose what each person needs
Give the player a working view and the game creator a review view. Keep puzzle and rule attached to the decision as the work moves between them.
Questions about puzzle game
Start with puzzle, rule, difficulty, move, state and completion. Describe who enters the information and who reviews the next step.