First of all, realise that misdirection alone cannot build a level. You need an idea, you need some "trick", some key point, off which you are going to misdirect. If you have zero ideas (like me currently
) there's nothing to misdirect off!Second, when you do your misdirection, be VERY careful to not to leave too much loopholes, or your "false path" may be possible to use.
In order to misdirect attention off something, you'll have to direct it to something else -- and I'm going to teach you how to do just that.
First, some important general thoughts.
What's important in misdirection is to motivate every single key item as an easy way to pass some other sections, or as something that's used mindlessly somewhere else. For example, if you see two boulders lying around with no apparent usage for them, you'll probably start thinking "aha, two boulders around here, what we're gonna do?"
However, if you, for example, set a boulder generator nearby, and offer a patch of water which you have to cross, then a player is more than likely to just stuff them down the water and get the gen going and cross the water -- only to regret it much, much later!
Also, remember there're a lot of ways to misdirect, so once you use this guide, make it your own, change it to suit YOUR needs...
So, basically here are explanations on some of the ways you can misdirect attention off something.
1) Red herrings (useless objects)
A powerful tool, if used sparingly. However, watch out for loopholes, as some combinations of objects are hard to see.
Don't overuse it, however. The most important thing about this is: keep it subtle, keep it simple. A combination of objects which look like a possibility to pass the problematic section easily, but just can't be maneuvered into place can be great, but don't do half the level in red herrings. The more such things there are, the more obvious it will be.
2) Trampoline sequences
All I can say about these things is WOW. If you want to do serious misdirection -- learn to use them! They will help you a lot.
Basically the main use for them is an unobvious way to enter some place -- maybe after the main entrance is blocked with a box, maybe for a strategical position in a boulder puzzle, maybe the main entrance leads you to a disguised dead-end, etc... The possibilities are endless.
You may use teleporters, ice and conveyors to make the sequences not that obvious as a sequence.
3) Signs
If trampolines can be used as the core part of misdirection, then signs are your NUMBER ONE fine-tuning subtlety.
They are great. You can put one under a coin that is vital for stopping a boulder, and tempt the players to go and read it before sussing out the puzzle and they'll get stuck.
You can have a sign that's only accesible via going the wrong way and getting stuck.
You can actually use a sign as a funny trap.
Etc, etc, etc.. they are great.
4) Garden Texture+Fake Wall+"Hidden" Coin=Killer Disguise Of A Certain Spot
Not much to say there actually. If you just put a single empty space in a row of walls, it will look odd. And may clue in people to use it to maneuver boxes around, for example.
However, if you do that same spot as an "obvious" fake wall with the garden texture and put a coin there, they will think about the old hidden coin trick, and realise the truth much later.
5)Small Differences -- make them vital
Imagine you have two ways to pass a certain part, but one of them is normal, while the other one is a bit strange, unnatural and funky.
If you play a level that uses misdirection, often the "normal" way leads you right into a trap.
As an example, in my "The Lost Cave" level, in the very beginning, it makes much more sense to push the box into the water, than to use it as a blocker for the trampoline, however, if you put it into the water, nothing blocks the box above, and you can't start the trampoline sequence, that must be used for a better entrance. (here, btw, you see two levels of misdirection, which is pretty evil -- please save it for the harder levels of yours)
Small, seemingly insignificant differences, can be exploited later in the level, leaving you stranded if you did it the "normal" way.
6) Temptation
Under that big term I cover any action that you REALLY want to do at the time you start, however it will seal your failure. I've never got the hang of it, but I mention it just in case. A brilliant example, is a level in Secret Worlds "Free The Key" -- at the start you see a wooden box and a button in the corner -- but the box is used somewhere else, and only the metal box from a MUCH later part of the level will come on the button.
The difference between this and other similar things is to be able to create this urge to just "put that box on that button for the sake of it". I could never do it well, but maybe you will?
7) Exploit Stereotypes
That's right, if you have a stereotype, go against it! You'll be rewarded strongly.
An example is Mark's "Off Kilter" (I think that was it?)
If you have a barrel, and an "enemy of choice", most Wonderlanders unconventionally choose the Kaboom! or a chomper to destroy barrels. Use a z-bot (as in Off Kilter) or maybe even perhaps a rainbow spirit, and make the Kaboom! required to be used somewhere else, in an unobvious way.
8) Motivation
I've mentioned this already, but I cannot stress how important it is. Motivate every key object with an obvious, but improper use. If you have a boulder that doesn't look like an immediately usable object, offer some boxes to be plown through (of course, you must have another way to do it) or a boulder generator near a water patch...
9) Free Space
Yes, even free space can be used for a misdirection. Go on, try it. Offer the player lots of superfluous space that is useless to the solution. It's weird, but it works.
10) The Dummy Strategy
Alright, not a real way to misdirect, but still a nice way to frustrate people.
In this case, you need to first make a lot of levels with good real misdirection, and then hope that the player starts to avoid simple solutions, fearing traps. In this case, the simple solution should indeed work out. An example could be a box that's right near the button that you need to cover. Of course, this is only really effective when used VERY sparingly.That's all for now, but I will return and write more, when I will have time to organise the rest more or less neatly.
How do you like the material of this guide? Good? Bad?
How do you like the formatting and such presentation issues? Understandable? Clean-as-mud?
Final Tip: Make it your own
Don't just stop there! Go on, and change these tips so that they suit YOU. I wrote this about the things that I can do -- go on, add some, remove some -- change it until it helps YOU -- personally you, not me, not anyone else -- you. It's intended for your help, so do it!
I hope this was good!
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.
