Keywords
puzzle
clues
role-playing games
user functions
How to Cite
Abstract
Hundreds of role-playing video games have been produced since the creation of the first title of the genre, Dungeons and Dragons, in 1974. These titles incorporate one common feature in the genre, puzzle. In designing a puzzle which primarily revolves around its major element which is clue design, language contributes to the playfulness and playability of the game itself. This study attempts to explore the roles of ludic language in designing clues with regards to the user’s functions of the games. The study employed Crystal’s ludic language, Danesi’s puzzling language, Caillois’ ludus theory, Huizinga’s play function, and Aarseth’s user functions on twenty-three role playing video games or commonly abbreviated as RPGs and their sub-genres. The study further proposes a typology of clues. This typology comprises clues which are orbital, conditional, collocative, referential, indicative, reflective, reversal, and signalling. Game developers could employ the results of this study as a consideration in designing puzzles in video games especially role-playing video game genres.
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