I recently tried out the small game "Ju Shen Chuang Yi Chuang". Although it is positioned as a puzzle game, as an observer of KPL and LPL events all year round, I just found some traces of competitive games in it. 🤔
Let's talk about version updates first. I noticed that in the recent version 1.2.0 of this game, the refresh logic of the fault-finding task has been adjusted. In the past, troubleshooting was done in a fixed position and in a fixed order. Once you are familiar with it, you can almost pass the level blindly. But now it is changed to random refresh, and the position of the props will change dynamically after each scene interaction. This change directly affects the player's "anticipation" ability.
By analogy, it is like changing the grass field of vision mechanism in a MOBA game, or adjusting the refresh time of wild monsters. You can no longer rely on rote memorization to "steal development". You must observe in real time and make quick decisions. For players who are used to speedrunning, this is equivalent to a reshuffle of the "competitive environment". 👀
In the past, clearing levels was like playing against a human machine, but now it's more like playing in a peak match. Especially in the process of repairing windows, you need to find the correct wooden board first, and then drag it to the damaged location. After adjusting this feel, the dragging judgment area has become smaller, which is similar to the shrinkage of the hero skill indicator in Honor of Kings. If the position is slightly worse, you have to start over.
Another detail is the change of the heating system. It used to be that only one match was needed to light the stove, but now one has to collect dry firewood in order, then find kindling, and finally light the fire. The mandatory requirement of this step sequence reminds me of the optimization of the hatred mechanism of defense towers in LOL - you can't jump over the tower without thinking, you must calculate the line of troops and attract minions.
Some people say that it doesn't matter whether this kind of small game is changed or not, but I think it is precisely this kind of detailed adjustment that determines the differentiation of the player group. Casual players will find it more difficult, but players seeking challenges will have a greater sense of accomplishment. This is similar to version balancing, which requires new players to get started while also leaving space for experienced players to operate. 👌
Of course, the current version does not include rankings or timed challenges. If a ladder mechanism is added in the future, the competitiveness brought by these version changes will be more obvious. At that time, the speed of finding faults and the accuracy of window repair will become hard currency. I hope the developers can continue to optimize, and preferably have a single-game rematch function (laughs).
In general, as a free game (running platform 5.0, developer Nanchang Zhongzhihui Technology Co., Ltd.), it is indeed worthy of praise for being able to maintain this sensitivity to "operation rhythm" in version updates. Recommended for players who like to find a sense of competition in solving puzzles. Give it a try in your spare time and get ahead. 😉