The Test of the Venery challenges you to create a puzzle that can potentially cover a large portion of land. Veneries consist of a series of lockboxes scattered across the land, each containing a key that leads to another lockbox and a clue that will lead to this next lockbox. A simple venery will play as a single chain between lockboxes. More complex veneries can exist, that have multiple chains going on at once.
Note: The gem cuts are listed as optional
Visit Venery Locations for a list of Venery (incuding whether or not they have won). And please keep this updated ;)
A Venery consists of a Venery Gathering Point and several lockboxes placed around the land.
Made in a Forge (2 minutes to cool)
Built in a Small Construction Site (1 Canvas, 4 Rope).
You don't need to write a novel: just decide on a simple storyline, and let that guide the development of a puzzle. Is the player trying to find a lost camel? Is he on the trail of the man who stole his gem collection? Is she following a map to some elusive treasure? Are they touring exciting landmarks across the face of Egypt?
You decide!
Once your player finds your lockbox location, there should be no doubt in their mind that this is the place!
This doesn't mean that you can't use common, everyday objects in your puzzles. It just means that you'll have to be careful to guide the player to the target you've chosen, rather than having them run willy-nilly across Egypt.
Here are some ideas to get you started.
Hint, but don't tell. Rather than telling the player to simply "go east", find a way to subtly guide them in that direction. The sun rises in the east, so you could tell the player to "journey in the direction of the rising sun". Nowhere do you say the word "east", but the clever player will figure it out. (The less clever players will ask for help.)
Be colorful. Let's say that, in your venery's story, you tell the tale of the Lost Queen Pleocatra, and have the players follow her wanderings through the desert. Why not wrap your hints into the story? "Pleocatra grew thirsty. After a moment's wandering to the north, she found a lone Royal Cactus, and judging that it must be fit for one of her royal upbringing, she drank the sap straight from the trunk."
In this paragraph, you've given the player clear directions to "go north a short distance until you find a single Royal Cactus", and you've furthered the tale of your venery, all in one shot.
Feel free to add colorful details to your clues: the venery is as much story as it is puzzle.
Play with the puzzle. You can have fun with your clues by rhyming, telling riddles, even inserting puzzles of your own in the venery clues. The more unusual your venery, the more people will be drawn to it, and the higher a rating you are likely to receive. Don't be afraid to bend the rules and try new things!
How about a venery done entirely in song lyrics?
Sweet desert rose
This memory of Eden haunts us all
This desert flower
This rare perfume, is the sweet intoxication of her love
(with the next lockbox on a nearby sea lily)
...Or a venery that uses word games?
You'll find your next clue in the public works compound. All you have to do is take out the trash:
BTORAXKISLHN
(remove the letters T-R-A-S-H from the above, and you're left with "box kiln")
...Or a venery where all the lockboxes are attached to players? Let the manhunt begin!
Now that you've got some ideas to play with, let's see some top notch veneries!
The Tale 2 |Venery page can be found here.
| Name | Creator | Date | Size | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VenConfig.ods | MardukXIII | December 4, 2007 6:17 pm | 14048 | Open Office Spreadsheet to assist in designing simple veneries |