Make rebounds consistent
Use a clear launch point, one target, and a few walls with visibly different roles. State whether every wall reflects, absorbs, or blocks the projectile. A limited shot count can add planning, but only if the player can reset quickly and the aim control is precise enough to reproduce a chosen angle.
Paste-ready concept prompt
Original concept prompt: “Create a single-player ricochet puzzle on a fixed rectangular board. Drag from a launcher to choose a direction, release to fire one slow-moving orb, and use solid walls to bounce it into a glowing target. Show a dotted preview for the first two rebounds using the same rule as the orb. The level is complete when the orb reaches the target; hitting a hazard or leaving the board ends the attempt. Provide Restart to restore the exact same wall layout and reset the shot. Start with one wall, then add one obstacle only after the rebound rule has been taught.” The exact concept is proposed and must be playtested after generation.
Compare prediction with outcome
Aim directly at an open target, then aim at a wall for one rebound. Check whether the preview and moving orb agree at both shallow and steep angles. Deliberately hit the hazard, let the orb leave the board, and verify that each failure ends once and that Restart clears the old projectile.
If the simulation sometimes misses the target at the edge of its visible radius, enlarge the target or clarify the hit region instead of hiding the mismatch. Add moving hazards only after a player can predict a static rebound; otherwise it becomes difficult to tell whether a miss came from aim or timing.
Questions about ricochet puzzle game prompt
Should a ricochet puzzle use free-angle aiming?
Only if players can reproduce an angle accurately. For an early prototype, snapping to a modest set of directions can make planning clearer and expose whether the rebound rule is interesting.
Does the trajectory preview need to show every bounce?
Show enough to support the decision without cluttering the board. Compare the preview with the actual path on repeated shots and keep them consistent.