Introduction to Maze Techniques in the OHRRPGCE

Here in the Hamster Burrow, we'll be feature game design tips from experts in the OHR field. In this design-focused article, Willy breaks down what it means to have a maze in your game, the pitfalls and dead-ends you're sure to encounter while designing them, and how to successfully navigate your way to a well designed maze.

Author: Willy Elektrix

Introduction

Mazes have been relevant in computer role-playing since the medium's infancy. Colossal Cave Adventure (1976) takes place within a maze of caverns and contains the famous "maze of twisty little passages". Mazes are prominent in Zork 1: The Great Underground Empire (1980), Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness (1981), Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981), and the numerous sequels to those games. The occurrence of mazes in modern games solidifies the depth of this classic form of puzzle. This article discusses techniques for utilizing mazes in computer role-playing games designed with the OHRRPGCE.