As a logic-based puzzle game, "Thinking with Arrows" encourages the player to employ wit, dexterity, and quick thinking in every one of the creatively-crafted puzzle rooms. The player starts off using pre-placed dispensers to fire arrows and teleport to surfaces, but later receives the bow and is granted full reign of the map in the way of unrestricted range of motion.
The player finds themself in an unknown and mysterious facility, full of blackstone, quartz, and lava. They are introduced to the mechanics centered around teleporting using arrows, as well as what seems to be the mastermind behind it all, a piglin brute named "Brutus", who is very enthusiastic about science and testing. Throughout the game, the player is accompanied by dialogue spoken by Brutus, who helps the player in some parts of the game, but leaves them alone in others. The player will slowly progress through 10 chambers before escaping the interior of the facility, exposing them to the harsh and dilapidated Nether dimension which the bastion has been constructed in. The player will play through two more levels, one being a long parkour map employing all of the mechanics listed below, and another being a boss fight against their once faithful, accompanying companion, whom has since grown tired of the player's tricks and gimmicks after their escape. Once this is all said and done, the player can teleport to a Nether portal, which takes them to the end upon beating the game.
Mechanics:
-Arrows: Teleports the player to certain surfaces. Deals more damage than normal (even pulling the bow back halfway can do upwards of 20 hearts).
-Smooth Quartz: Teleports the player directly to it the moment an arrow strikes.
-Nether Quartz Ore + Acacia Presure Plate: Once an arrow is shot at a block of nether quartz, the player must locate and activate an acacia pressure plate to actually be teleported to the ore. Any acacia pressure plate will teleport the player to the closest arrow lodged in a nether quartz ore block.
-Lava: Kills the player instantly instead of applying a slow burn effect.
-Skeletons: Act essentially as turrets in that they are motionless and fire strong arrows that will bring the player down to low health instantly, if not killing them at closer distances. They are easy to get rid of with the bow, however.
-Pearlescent Froglight: When the player stands 1 or 2 blocks below a froglight, a levitation effect is applied which makes them stick to the light until there is no longer a froglight above them. This allows for essentially what is walking on the ceiling to access other parts of the map.
-Misc: The player can type "/tag @s remove haveJoined" to restart from level 1. This resets death and arrow counts as well as the time played. To switch between these 3 settings, use the item labeled "Toggle View Score" in the inventory.
Rules:
-No gamemode switching or commands of any kind (aside from restarting the map)
-No mods, datapacks, or plug-ins are required to play this map
-To "win", the player must reach the grassy forest area at the end by defeating the boss and going through the portal
-Aside from cheating, the player can employ any mechanics or solutions they see fit to solve or progress in levels, even if it seems unintended.
This game is heavily inspired by the Portal series.
Thanks for checking this map out! Hope you enjoy it! Good luck, and have fun!
Screenshots
