Hints should cost something, but not erase the star rating of a nearly perfect run

Hint tokens are an energy of their own: one free per level, then paid from a bank. Good design lets a hint or two pass without punishment while many hints clearly cost stars, and never gives a finished level zero stars.

Why this works

Two things are being measured: what a hint costs and how well the player did. Keeping them apart, and forgiving the first paid hint, makes help feel like a tool instead of a penalty, while the rating still tells the truth about reliance.

When not to use it

Skip it in a game with no star rating or where hints are always free, such as a learning game for beginners. Counting hints there only discourages asking; make help free and unrated.

In the full entry

• What to build, step by step
• Starting values and the reason for each
• 3 common mistakes and the fix
• 17 lines of example code with 3 checks that pass
• How your AI shows you that it works

Say this to your AI

Use the Spielerando entry "Hints should cost something, but not erase the star rating of a nearly perfect run" (read_entry puzzle-hints-free-bank-and-stars) in my game. Build it step by step, and show me how you checked that it works.

Or skip this and connect the MCP: your AI then finds all of this by itself.Connect the MCP