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<blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 2700812" data-attributes="member: 3146">I would say this:open-ended riddles are good and it's even better if they aren't used as logic puzzles but rather tests of character. (I.e. the ancient priests who created the riddle weren't using it to test who could solve a logic puzzle but rather to ensure that their secrets would only be revealed to someone who believed that virtue flows from duty).However, it's important that you not just toss a series of riddle-sounding statements out there without knowing at least an answer. It's easy to say &quot;sure, the players will come up with something that fits&quot; but if you don't know at least one answer that fits the riddle, it's quite possible that you will have designed something that doesn't have a good answer. A good riddle should, even if open ended, lead people to say &quot;of course that's the answer.&quot; If the best answers only approach &quot;well, I guess that could work--it's better than sitting here doing nothing&quot; then the experience is (at least for me) less than satisfying.With the second kind of riddle--the philosophical question in (a very thin) disguise--I think you would do well to think about some of the actual philosophical positions that people have taken and make some of the answers fit them. If most of your potential answers don't correspond to some philosophy, it's possible that you have discovered a new and exciting perspective on life, but it's more likely that your answers are utter and transparent tripe.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Elder-Basilisk, post: 2700812, member: 3146"] I would say this: open-ended riddles are good and it's even better if they aren't used as logic puzzles but rather tests of character. (I.e. the ancient priests who created the riddle weren't using it to test who could solve a logic puzzle but rather to ensure that their secrets would only be revealed to someone who believed that virtue flows from duty). However, it's important that you not just toss a series of riddle-sounding statements out there without knowing at least [i]an[/i] answer. It's easy to say "sure, the players will come up with something that fits" but if you don't know at least one answer that fits the riddle, it's quite possible that you will have designed something that doesn't have a good answer. A good riddle should, even if open ended, lead people to say "of course that's the answer." If the best answers only approach "well, I guess that could work--it's better than sitting here doing nothing" then the experience is (at least for me) less than satisfying. With the second kind of riddle--the philosophical question in (a very thin) disguise--I think you would do well to think about some of the actual philosophical positions that people have taken and make some of the answers fit them. If most of your potential answers don't correspond to some philosophy, it's possible that you have discovered a new and exciting perspective on life, but it's more likely that your answers are utter and transparent tripe. [/QUOTE]

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