Reset

At first, we didn’t add a reset key. We wanted puzzles beatable at all times. Player’s wouldn’t be able to trap themselves or remove key objects from reach.

But as our list of game objects increased, this became more and more difficult. Creating puzzles was slower because we needed to test for and prevent every unbeatable scenario. Levels also required more elements to handle these scenarios. Many rooms were cornered by conveyer belts to remove stuck boxes from walls.

Some games use player death to reset puzzles, but this wasn’t an option for End of Life: players often progress through levels by dying.

So we added a reset key. Players can now press the Return key to reset a level. Designing puzzles is faster and more focused. Levels are less cluttered.