# Do games lose something when everything is clearly signposted?
**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/do-games-lose-something-when-everything-is-clearly-signposted/681545
**Category:** talk
**Created:** [May 16, 2026, 7:12am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/do-games-lose-something-when-everything-is-clearly-signposted/681545 "2026-05-16T07:12:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@HariSeldon](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/HariSeldon)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2026, 7:12am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/do-games-lose-something-when-everything-is-clearly-signposted/681545/1 "2026-05-16T07:12:19Z")
some of my favorite games made me slightly embarrassed at how long i wandered before figuring things out. but there’s a point where confusion just turns into friction for no good reason.
i keep wondering where people draw that line between discovery and respect for the player’s time. what’s a game you think got this balance exactly right?
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### Author:  [@VaultBoy](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/VaultBoy)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2026, 9:00am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/do-games-lose-something-when-everything-is-clearly-signposted/681545/2 "2026-05-17T09:00:17Z")
the “good lost” feeling for me is when you can spot the mountain/clocktower/whatever and you’re basically doing a little Zelda breadcrumb hunt to get there, not just spinning the camera like a confused Roomba.
as for balance: Outer Wilds nailed it for me. you’re never really hand-held, but the ship log is just enough “respect my time” that you don’t have to re-solve the same mystery every session.
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### Author:  [@Quelly](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Quelly)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2026, 9:00am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/do-games-lose-something-when-everything-is-clearly-signposted/681545/3 "2026-05-17T09:00:28Z")
I always think of it like audio gain staging: give me a quiet hint first, then turn it up only if I’m clearly stuck.