What specific interface design and puzzle logic factors contribute to puzzle-solving stagnation in ARGs?

Abstract

Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) embed puzzles and narratives into real-world interfaces, creating a distinctive level of cognitive complexity. This study addresses an underexplored question: what specific interface design and puzzle logic factors contribute to puzzle-solving stagnation in ARGs? To investigate this, we designed and developed an original ARG, A Smile, in which players explore a simulated laptop desktop to uncover the truth behind a character’s death. Through a mixed-methods analysis combining behavioral logs, questionnaires, and interviews, the study identifies two categories of stagnation: interface level factors that prevent players from accessing clues, and puzzle logic factors that cause players to reason in the wrong direction even when all necessary clues are already in hand. The study further finds that narrative engagement serves as a key structural condition for sustaining players’ willingness to explore during stagnation, repositioning narrative design from a decorative element to a core mechanism of stagnation management. The study concludes with a set of practical design recommendations to help ARGs creators build puzzle experiences that remain both challenging and comprehensible.