Although the game does have some tough puzzles I haven't run into any ones that were unfair. Part of it is getting used to their way of giving clues: often the clues are in pieces of paper you find and are pretty clear. Sometimes they are in what a young girl says in the quest cut scene.

You say "archives" and "Kingsmouth" which leads me to believe you're still at the stage when you have to figure out where the dude went after the sewers. If that's the case look closely in your quest log at the picture of the flyer from the previous stage. If you're past that part, you'll be directed away from Kingsmouth and to the stage where the young girl's cut-scene dialog has the clue about which part of the floor plan you should be looking closely at.

Good luck and btw, I never believe anyone who says they aren't smart enough to do something. The ones who truly aren't smart enough don't know it :)

some quests clues are very vague, others I happened to get by stumbling around on another quest and found a clue for the one I was working on. It really depends, but if you get to the point you are ripping your hair out just look on youtube and find the solution and move on. No point in driving yourself crazy for one or two quests unless you really want to:)

They really aren't puzzles. It is more follow the ravens, do this, push that. It is more like a console puzzle game than anything else. Myst was a puzzle game - this is not.

Id' say you should follow your own way on investigations and such, only while it's still fun.

Getitng a hint or two or even looking for a spoiler when you can get the answer and it's no longer so fun is not bad at all.  Games are for fun, fun should thrump all.

Wait a month and all the quest will have walkthroughs on TSWwiki or some other website.  :)

Originally posted by Gargola

Id' say you should follow your own way on investigations and such, only while it's still fun.

 

Getitng a hint or two or even looking for a spoiler when you can get the answer and it's no longer so fun is not bad at all.  Games are for fun, fun should thrump all.

Exactly. Tease your brain as much as you want then just look it up but def try to figure out for yourself first or comeback to it. Just a tip for all mark locations on your map such as missions you have to pass up or areas of interest you want to remember.

Also the obvious is not always the right thing.

Keep in mind that the investigation quests are designed for you to use the in-game browser to do actual research on the internet. If you aren't using Google to search for keywords and clues given, you will have a very hard time with some of the quests. Now, I don't mean using Google to hunt for the answers on a website about TSW quests. I mean searching using the clues they gave you to understand their meaning and how they may relate to the task at hand.

These investigation quests are meant to mimic actual police work where you need to gather clues, and look for meaning, patterns, and associations between them.  Some times the clues may be riddles. Some times its a straight forward hint. Other times you have to look for how keywords combine to form something else or take on greater meaning when associated with each other or the setting. Deductive reasoning is required, as is good olde fashioned reasearch.

Personally, this is my favorite aspect of TSW and something I think other games would be wise to incorporate to some degree. 

Originally posted by botrytis

They really aren't puzzles. It is more follow the ravens, do this, push that. It is more like a console puzzle game than anything else. Myst was a puzzle game - this is not.

you obviously haven't done any investigation quests yet then. But guess in a way a see your point.. really depends on what you mean by "puzzle"

Originally posted by Teala

Wait a month and all the quest will have walkthroughs on TSWwiki or some other website.  :)

youtube has most of them up already

Originally posted by Dojo
.....the only issue I am having is I have lost my ability to solve quests that don't lead you by the nose to the next objective step by step through waypoints. I am at the point where I have to look at some notes scratched on a piece of paper to figure out where the illuminati archive is located in Kingsmouth....

...(haven't quite figured out the con system yet)...

I'll answer both of these.

1.  Yes, Investigation missions are hard.  Yes, please do (and you need) to use Google, there is a browser in the game specifically for investigation missions (press B).  You are expected to use the in-game browser to help you, there is no way that anyone can "know" the answer to the investigation missions without research.

2. The Con system is:

blue, green, white, yellow, orange, red for colors, and dots, skulls, crowns and flags for icons.

Color is the "con" as in, relative strength of the mobs vs. your skill/gear level (not sure on the exact equation, but I believe skill levels and gear factor in); whereas the color is the type.  Dots are regular mobs, flags are quest mobs, crowns are harder mobs (like a BAM in Tera, soloable, but harder than regular mobs) and skulls being "boss" type mobs.

Hope that helps, and see you in the Secret World!

Originally posted by Dojo
So, I picked up TSW mainly to pass the time before GW2 but I was really surprised by how much fun it is to play. The combat is a bit blah but I am loving the customization and just exploring the world. It's actually creepy in some places which I figured would be impossible for an MMO to accomplish. The only issue I am having is I have lost my ability to solve quests that don't lead you by the nose to the next objective step by step through waypoints. I am at the point where I have to look at some notes scratched on a piece of paper to figure out where the illuminati archive is located in Kingsmouth. It's crazy and I keep wandering off into areas where the zombies are far too tough to handle. (haven't quite figured out the con system yet) Did any of you experience the same thing? If so, did you find any way to get better the quests short of resorting to google? Love the game though Funcom did a nice job.

Keep at it. Enjoy the challenge and stick to it until you figure it out. It will only benefit you in the long run, unless of course you prefer not to be challenged. No offense there

the investigation quests are pretty fun..

I made it a point to not look up any walkthroughs,but to solve them on my own.

The illuminati artifact one took me a couple hours as I was totally stumped on the 120 pieces of gold part..

Thats the fun of it though,it actually makes you use your brain and presents an actual challenge.Something that is grossly lacking in games these days.

Originally posted by Dojo
Hey Guys, Thanks for the great responses! I am going to keep trying to figure out things on my own before resorting to hints. Im getting plenty of AP and SP while wandering around. Yes, I am at the point where I just watched the cutscenes in the sewer and the girl in the mini-skirt wandered off. I'll take a look at the document again. I went over to the airport but those zombies decimate me with ease for some reasons. What is strange is that they con red with a circle to me. However, in the junkyard the big robots con orange with a skull but I can take them two at a time. Maybe red is just way harder than orange. Still love the game and love the lack of levels. Fist and Chaos is working quite well for me. ;)

those zombies are not for you... not yet, I believe they are related to the lair bosses, each zone has a part of it with ubber monsters, you should ignore it till you reach Q10, even then I don't know if you will be rdy.