Playable lockpicking mechanics library
Dim Bulb Games developed Museum of Mechanics: Lockpicking, a collection of lockpicking mechanics from various PC games playable through a single program. It includes most of the prominent takes on the mechanism that brought innovation to the gaming world.
A browsable series
This library contains a collection of minigames, each representing a different lockpicking mechanic from a famous name in gaming. Still, it isn’t a game itself. If you’re looking to play a story with a lot of excellent lockpicking and a plot, try Elder Scrolls: Oblivion or Thief.
Regarding this one, the developer Nordhagen says that the intended audience is game developers. They can use the Museum to explore the range of ideas developed in the past and apply them to their own creations.
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However, even gamers can take advantage of it, honing their skills by exposing themselves to various approaches to this omnipresent phenomenon. The program is free and straightforward to navigate, making it accessible to everyone.
Creative interface
When you load up the Museum, it will place you in a big, musky room, resembling a first-person video game.You’ll see various names painted on doors lining the hallway. You enter a minigame by clicking on a lock.
Each minigame takes you to a world of a popular gaming industry title, placing you before a door found in the gameplay. It will then present a simplified version of the mechanic and handy explainers to help those unsure how to proceed.
Historical overview
Naturally, this program doesn’t contain every iteration of lockpicking ever created. It includes the most innovative takes, with more minigames yet to come. For context, a mechanic from pen-and-paper Dungeons & Dragons, a massively influential source, is also included.
As Nordhagen says himself, it’s surprising to see how many versions of this inherently simple mechanic exist in various games. Some are clunkier than he remembers, but even those provide significant insight for developers.
Original and useful
Museum of Mechanics: Lockpicking is a neat little overview of the most prominent lineages in this ubiquitous video game mechanic. Johnnemann Nordhagen announced more titles in the series, representing an innovative way for game historians and developers to explore the trend.
