Hey Puzzlers,
We've just released a new PuzzleMaker version, bringing a whole host of improvements to make creating community puzzles faster, easier, and better looking than ever.
Here's what's new:
Faster Puzzle Processing
Previously, generating puzzles could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the model or scan. With this new system, many puzzles can now be processed in just a few minutes, with some completing in as little as one minute!
Rotation Adjustment
One of the difficulties that many players experienced whilst processing a puzzle was getting the rotation right. We've added a new rotation step before processing your puzzle. Rather than discovering after processing that your model was rotated incorrectly, you can now adjust and preview its orientation before processing begins.
Improved Thumbnail Creation
We've noticed that many fantastic community puzzles weren't getting the attention they deserved because their thumbnails didn't always showcase them well; so we decided to improve the thumbnail selection process. You can now use simple controls that allow you to move the camera around, tilt it down, zoom in and out, giving you more control over how your puzzle is presented and making it much easier to create eye-catching Workshop thumbnails!
Better Reference Images
This update generates better images for flatter objects and awkward shapes, whilst also adding support for interior puzzles by allowing back faces to be hidden where appropriate
Other Changes, Quality Improvements & Bug Fixes
We've fixed several other issues and made other changes, including:
Removal of dark seams and edge artifacts visible when zooming out
Improved handling of overlapping and folded geometry that previously caused incorrect colour projection
Updated location field to optional with a default value of `Unspecified`
Change the default Steam Workshop item visibility from Private to Public
These fixes apply to puzzles processed with this new version of PuzzleMaker.
Steam Workshop is Open!
PuzzleMaker itself is still in closed testing whilst we continue improving the creation tools, but even if you aren't part of the PuzzleMaker test, you can still enjoy the growing collection of community-made puzzles. The Steam Workshop is available to everyone, so you can browse, download, and play free puzzles created by the community directly in Puzzling Places.
Interested in Becoming a Puzzle Maker Tester?
If you'd like to help test PuzzleMaker and create your own puzzles, we'd love to have you!
Head over to our Discord or apply using this form to sign up for the test and help shape the future of community-created puzzles in Puzzling Places.
Thank you to everyone who's been testing PuzzleMaker and sharing their feedback! Your input helps us shape the future of Puzzling Places.
Happy puzzling! 🧩
Steph, Sha & The Puzzling Places Team