Player Challenge #02 Hidden Objects
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0890
I love hidden object games. Challenge your players with them too. Here are some ideas.
Complete the Shopping List
Grab a book of hidden object games, take screenshots from hidden object video games, or google for hidden object images.
Players must find objects to complete the current stage of their quest.
For example, show them a room. Give them a list of things their characters must retrieve from it for an NPC. Or maybe they’ve broken into the room and are looking for one special object that’s a key to the next step.
Maybe the players have to rescue people or find an animal. Or maybe they are gathering components for a spell or item creation.
Find the Differences
I loved this game in the Sunday newspaper. Present your players with two pictures that have subtle differences.
Players must find all the differences and touch them in a certain order, perhaps as the sequence for opening a secret door.
Maybe you don’t tell them how many differences there are. They just need to agree on the total and officially tell you to unlock the puzzle.
Write a riddle you layer on top of the hidden differences pictures. The players are to identify one difference and the riddle tells them which one.
Find Them All
Like the shopping list, but players must find all the hidden items in the scene. They either give you a total or give you a list.
For added difficulty, add a time limit.
For example, perhaps players have only a few seconds to “search the room” and find objects hidden in a room picture. Maybe the bard can try to delay or distract the guards to buy more time. Or maybe the warriors must hold off an overwhelming enemy long enough for the other party members to complete the quest.