Grimrock.

I just cant get those damned timed puzzles in time, I (and my fingers) are to slow, and I had to check out on walktrhoughs that I had actually solved the puzzle and the reason I did not manage ws just because of my slow reactions. By the way, the multitude of those puzzles in there ruined that game for me, still have not completed as I ma stuck on another where I am just not fast enough...

No idea.
(1) I played the original version, rattling disc and all, several times and I only got officially stuck in Chapter 6 (there's a plot dead end that is reported to be fixed in v1.11).
(2) Just looked at the walkthrough - apparently, every item used in Ch 4 is something that is picked up in Ch 4, except Prof. Barclay's card which Grace starts with.

Ok, thanks!

I generally prefer to avoid walkthroughs but will use one when I'm about to give up on a game. I rarely play adventures though.

I only use walkthroughs when my "Interest in this particular game" stat is high enough to want to see it through but lower than half of my "Frustration caused by these damn puzzles" stat.

Basically that means that if a game has bad or buggy puzzles, I'm more prone to using a walkthrough. Sometimes I check a walkthrough just to make sure that my being stuck for ages isn't caused by a bug, but that's pretty hard to do without spoiling a puzzle or two. If I like the game enough, I'm willing to inventory-combinations-pixel-hunt for days.

I curse the adventure game makers that use inventory permutations instead of combinations.

Since the only challenge in adventure games usually are the puzzles, and the walkthroughs completely remove that challenge (pretty much like using godmode in a FPS would do the same), in essence you could just as well watch someone else play those games through, e.g. watching a relevant Youtube longplay video about the game.

Not saying that using walkthroughs are wrong, but just some food for the thought. With some games (or genres) watching a gameplay video may be "good enough". I'm mainly talking about games whose main selling point is e.g. telling a story, not the gameplay.

I have used walkthroughs sometimes, also with adventure games, if I'm not getting anywhere with some puzzle that makes no sense. I am not sure if you meant you will use the walkthrough pretty much all the time, or only if you get completely stuck somewhere.

I think the last adventure game I played through was Legend of Kyrandia in June, and I don't recall using a walkthrough with it. On the other hand, I recall in the past that I had to sometimes resort to a walkthrough with e.g. Monkey Island 2. I guess it is indeed the same if I would clear some hard boss-fight in a FPS game with a godmode cheat.

I'm currently playing Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant. This monstrosity (for good and bad) of a CRPG is one of the few where I've used a walkthrough to get through some areas, and not just for double checking to see if I've missed something. The Fun House in particular is one of the most frustrating areas I've explored in any CRPG. Ladders and pits don't align properly so mapping is a nightmare, and its contrived and illogical puzzles belongs more in an Adventure game. So halfway through the Fun House I said "to hell with it" and used the Hint Book instead to get through.

When it comes to Adventure games I gave up on those decades ago, since I really don't have the patience for illogical, contrived puzzles and guessing games. And it's just too tempting to look up the answer online.
One of the few Adventure games I really enjoyed, and completed, was the rather obscure Legend of the Sword, since the puzzles were mostly logical (only needed to get help from a magazine once), and the game had a good background story and it didn't feel contrived.

In adventure games, I first try to move the plot forward by using my own wits, even if I have to resort to the old "use everything on everything" tactic. If I simply don't care to scan a dozen screens patiently with my mouse cursor, I use a walkthrough and try to read only the line pertaining to my current situation, avoiding further spoilers. It pains me to do so because I like to finish a game without external aids.

In RPGs, however, I use walkthroughs without any scruples, mainly to check whether there are any quest givers/events that I have missed before moving on with the main quest. Gamebanshee is great for that.

I use them all the time, for various reasons. Like Afnord, I'll use them to get a handle on character/party design (I absolutely hate 'wasting' ability/skill/feat points), I'll use them when I'm completely stumped, and like Charon121, I use them to make sure I haven't missed anything in RPGs (generally taking a quick glance once I've completed a major section). Use the 'Skip the Fade' mod. Gives you the experience, items*, gold*, and ability points that playing the Fade gives you without having to go through the whole Fade-grind.


* I think you get these. You definitely get the XP and ability raises though.

Can't be anything wrong with it if its what you enjoy ;)

I certainly use them. I see no value in a game if you get stuck. Then what? just don't get to ever finish playing? Imagine a movie theater where the manager walks in 20 minutes into the movie and says, "anyone that has a question, get out now, no refunds!".

Negative stereotypes on the use of a walk-through is childish at best ;)

I typically try to do without as I enjoy the puzzle solving/plot figuring in adventure games. However, as discussed in other threads and above, what the designer intends is not always what the player perceives. Walk-throughs help fill the disconnect.

My biggest gripe with a walk-through is that they often spoil plot elements.

They rarely just say, "use the screwdriver on the piece of the cheese"
More often, they say, "find out Billy died by using the screwdriver..." WHY???!?!?!?!?!
Let me see what happens next! :p

A perfect example for me is Tex Murphy 1. Just played recently. I started out with no walk-through. Made it a good ways in. Started backtracking all over the place. Had about 20+ coordinates and pretty much had to travel to each one, every single time I got a new lead. Pulled out the walk-through and saved hours and hours of senseless backtracking. Still enjoyed the game. Tex 2 I pretty much started off with the walk-through as the gotchas and gamer breakers were too much for my blood. Not fun at all to play like that. Tex 3 -5 were more fun without, but I still peaked here and there as some options weren't as clear as I think the developer intended.

If I'm worried the game will let me do something it shouldn't, I'll try and do things on my own and then scan the walk-through backwards to make sure I didn't miss anything. This helps avoid the spoilers if I can browse quickly enough to where I'm at.

Sometimes, if I get stuck and I figure the chellenge is more frustating then fun. I've noticed lately that I've lost a lot of patience when it comes to challenges that I don't approve of that it has kind of put me off from gaming.

I am starting to think every adventure game ever fits into this criteria for me.

Of course, Syberia 1 and Still Life.

Seriously, you're supposed to make cookies in Still Life, and no recipe was ever given to you. Fsck that.

As a person with a heavy backlog, i use walkthrough with no shame. Only for adventure genre though to save time. I try without it as much as i can but it all comes to game design in the end. Good game design all the knowledge is within the game if you pay attention, else.. Google is there to take care of those. :)

Most classics tend to be really obscure (hi, Sierra) and pixel hunting in the dated graphics is not exactly funny unless nostalgia glasses. To live the story at decent pace using a walkthrough if needed is the experience, not getting frustrated.

As for my latest play, Runaway 1, i used a walkthrough A LOT because of small objects hidden within the background, intensive backtracking and questionable logic for many of the puzzles.. As for the game itself i'm disapointed some by the desert theme for most of the chapters and the unlikeable Gina manipulative and greedy as ***. Hopefully she can evolve to more of a human person in the sequels. :/ Game had its (few) moments though..

I played HL2 Ep1 for the first time a few days ago and got stuck behind what seemed to be a seemingly straight-forward puzzle. Tried a variation of things and cursed aloud for like half an hour. Dropped the game to sleep on it (jeez, I'm not thick, it's only HL2, I can figure this out for myself) and it was the same shenanigan the following day. Finally gave in and read the walkthrough. Turned out it was just a bug. Had to load an autosave and it worked just fine. Assholes. And Ep1 also has some of the worst level design I've ever encountered. I fail to see why people get a big dick about this game.