While most studios strive to make their games intuitive and understandable, the creators of Baby Steps - Gabe Cuzzillo, Bennett Foddy, and Maxi Boch - have chosen the opposite path.
At a recent GDC event, Cuzzillo admitted that their project completely contradicts the lessons of the Half-Life series. Valve removed everything from the maps that could confuse the player for more than a few minutes, while the authors of Baby Steps gladly throw them into the center of a labyrinth. The player easily goes in circles and returns to the beginning after a long journey.
According to the developers, this "trolling" design is not out of malice, but part of a strategy. Disorientation forces you to explore the boundaries of the world, experiment with physics, and look for your own paths. The goal is to provoke the question "what else can I do?", rather than giving ready-made solutions.
A prime example is the challenge of knocking down a stack of cans. The developers specifically left a section that they themselves had not tested. Players showed creativity, using the walking system to solve the problem with a precise stone throw.
The authors emphasize that in Baby Steps, it is not the developer who teaches how to play, but the mistakes, falls, circles, and things that were not foreseen.
