Designing a puzzle-heavy game without a solid structure is like building a house without blueprints. Enter the Puzzle Dependency Map (PDM) - a powerful visual planning tool that helps game designers chart out the relationships, flow, and logic of interconnected puzzles. By utilising a PDM, designers can not only visualise how each puzzle relates to one another but also identify potential bottlenecks and areas where player engagement might falter. Whether you're designing a detective sim, a Metroidvania, or an escape room experience, a PDM ensures every challenge builds meaningfully toward the player’s goal, providing a cohesive narrative and a satisfying progression...
