I don't discriminate about finding help dependent on what particular type of "mired in the great black stuckness" occurs. I just set a round about time limit. No matter what the "puzzle" is, if I am stuck in one spot and can't proceed no matter what for an hour or so...I'm off to find help. Time is essential.......LOL

I don't mind mazes or sliders either. I find myself looking for a WT if I am stuck, ie I have no clue what to do next. Unfortunately, that is the majority of games that I have played. I tell myself I am not going to look, but that doesn't work.
I normally find it difficult if there are TONS of inventory items to use. That's frustrating.

Mazes, mazes, mazes. Been there, done that. 'Nuff said.

With me it is Timed Sequences and it is either my solving it or getting blown up.

The hacker puzzles in Largo Winch.

Am fine with Slider puzzles.

Just okay with mazes.

Tee Hee,

definately mazes!! The worst was in Cameron files 1 underwater and timed... I sussed out getting there, felt really pleased with myself, but getting back was nigh on impossible!! Worst thing was I was soooo close... one wrong turn and it banjaxed the whole thing. I started to feel claustrophobic and paniced, amazing how I identified with what was happening to the character!! Obviously what they tried to do worked

Tig

Personally, I avoid walkthroughs like the plague! I much prefer hints ... like the ones you get from UHS. This means I don't get to the end of the game feeling that I cheated (by using a WT), but that I maybe had a few pointers when I got a bit boggd down.

Having said that, I needed the walkthrough to get through the pain that is Mystery of the Druids.

Ta-ra,
The Gremlin.

Walkthroughs do put me of games, for example the Lighthouse submarine at the ship wreck it took me ages to open that safe.. think it was a safe its been so long.. anyhows id rather much have hints than telling me exactly what to do...

~Polo <img border="0" alt="" title="" src="graemlins/woozy.gif" />

I go straight for a hint (or walkthrough) whenever I not interested enough in the puzzle/game to solve it myself. This is always caused by a boring story, a boring puzzle (I don't like twiddly puzzles much), or my big pet hate...

walking, walking, walking, bit of interaction, walking, walking, walking, bit of interaction, walking, walking, walking...

Oh I don't know...I use walkthroughs as a reference point if needed. Depends on the game
if it's logical I have no problems. But it's the illogocal ones that get me....like Tony Tough. Drove me batty. But Lighthouse made sense, so did Gast for example (go figure)
Inferno

i try to avoid walkthroughs as well as it really can take away all your fun. and once you have printed it out and it's lying there next to you..you have a much greater tendency to look at it even if you are not THAT lost.
my walkthrough situations:
1) dead ends: one dead end scars me for life. hours and hours of game play for nothing...i will use a walkthrough for the whole game after running into a dead end.
2)puzzles that bore me. if i see that there are 50 buttons to push and you have to find out a combination....no way!
3) illogical puzzles
4) if i get really, really lost.

Hi!

I hate the slider puzzles! But I like the UHS system. When I need a W/T, I usually can't resist looking ahead on the WT. Sometimes I need W/T though. I am tone deaf & dyslexic, so need help with any of the tone puzzles, and have a terrible time with the mazes where you have to look at the walls. I'm fine when looking down at a map, but get totally turned around in the turn L or R mazes. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="confused.gif" />

But I still love the games. Especially all the old Infocom & Sierra games. Love the fun stuff!



Happy Gaming!

Judy

I'd go along with those who say "boredom" as the answer. Perhaps boredom from a dull or missing story-line. Or boredom from playing sessions spent getting nowhere.

Good games I'll beg for hints on.

Mediocre games I'll use a walkthrough to get through to the end.

Bad games I won't even finish.

But what's good / mediocre / bad for me could unplayable / fun / classic for someone else.

I agree with what Peter said. I use a WT when I am too bored or frustrated to continue the game without a absolute detailed way out or through.

It might be a great game or a terrible one I am determined to finish, but the similarity is that I am done trying to figure out whatever puzzle or place I am stuck in within the game.

Laura

"What gets you running straight for the 'walkthrough'"

Beginning a game!!!!!