5 ms·

> if I don't get a puzzle in ~30 min, I'm off to google the answer. The only loss here is that the reward in googling the answer will never come close to the h

by sanoli 11y ago

> if I don't get a puzzle in ~30 min, I'm off to google the answer. The only loss here is that the reward in googling the answer will never come close to the high of figuring a puzzle out after 2 days.

mgkimsal 11y ago
We always had the option of the "invisiclues" but... you had to order those and wait (time and money) or drive to a local computer store and buy (money). Both put a damper on the urge to "cheat".
- csixty4 11y ago
  > you had to order those and wait And those were the days of "Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery". Not like ordering something on Amazon and getting it the next day.
- ghaff 11y ago
  In so many ways, Invisiclues are a fascinating relic. That they existed (and were extremely popular) speaks to a number of different aspects to technology between then and now. (And, as I recall, Invisiclues were also available as some sort of 900 number service at one point.)
  - mgkimsal 11y ago
    I don't remember any sort of phone in number. Possibly would have gone broke had I known of it. I did find this... http://www.resonant.org/games/infocom/Infocom_Homepage/Invisiclues/ http://www.resonant.org/games/infocom/Infocom_Homepage/Invis... :)
    - ghaff 11y ago
      Actually it apparently started as a pay-per-hint system. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InvisiClues https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InvisiClues (Although I know the various people involved I don't remember all the details.)
  - CaptSpify 11y ago
    haha, I remember begging my parents to let me make "just one" phone call to one of those
VLM 11y ago
Its very much like learning to code. In the old days figuring stuff out for yourself generated a high you don't get from finding and paraphrasing a stack overflow answer... Mass market AAA FPS sequels are made and played by very different people. IntFic scene seems to have the producers and consumers a lot closer. Rogue-likes are the same way.

by sanoli 11y ago

mgkimsal 11y ago

We always had the option of the "invisiclues" but... you had to order those and wait (time and money) or drive to a local computer store and buy (money). Both put a damper on the urge to "cheat".

csixty4 11y ago
> you had to order those and wait And those were the days of "Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery". Not like ordering something on Amazon and getting it the next day.
ghaff 11y ago
In so many ways, Invisiclues are a fascinating relic. That they existed (and were extremely popular) speaks to a number of different aspects to technology between then and now. (And, as I recall, Invisiclues were also available as some sort of 900 number service at one point.)
- mgkimsal 11y ago
  I don't remember any sort of phone in number. Possibly would have gone broke had I known of it. I did find this... http://www.resonant.org/games/infocom/Infocom_Homepage/Invisiclues/ http://www.resonant.org/games/infocom/Infocom_Homepage/Invis... :)
  - ghaff 11y ago
    Actually it apparently started as a pay-per-hint system. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InvisiClues https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InvisiClues (Although I know the various people involved I don't remember all the details.)
- CaptSpify 11y ago
  haha, I remember begging my parents to let me make "just one" phone call to one of those

VLM 11y ago

Its very much like learning to code. In the old days figuring stuff out for yourself generated a high you don't get from finding and paraphrasing a stack overflow answer... Mass market AAA FPS sequels are made and played by very different people. IntFic scene seems to have the producers and consumers a lot closer. Rogue-likes are the same way.