1. I know, and all other puzzles I've been able to complete with my mage skills, this one required something different.
Guess it's on me for not thinking outside of the box, still find it to be [censored] design, especially as I don't find it very logical that an arrow can turn a winch. <_<

2. Must not have been paying attention. I really don't like having to read the same infomercials over and over just to find that rare useful one either so after having read the same ones over and over I stop paying attention as I presume it's the "same" thing yet again on the screen.
Rather take that 1 minute loading time to read a post or two on the forum or stare at my guinea pigs.

Still don't find it justified though, there could have been some subtle hint in that dungeon to use a bow or something. (Not an incredibly easy and dumbed down hint, a medium hard one.)
Just throwing a bunch of anti magic crystals all over the place just makes me panic as all my useful skills become useless.



[edit]
Right now I'm very frustrated though.
Yes, I should read the loading screen hints (even though 97% of them in most RPG's are crap.) and try to think outside the box.
Guess this will serve as a lesson for the next RPG.

I just needed to vent there. (Vents are largely a bunch of negative crap anyways. )

Was it my fault?
Sure, I guess.

Still find it to be flawed puzzle design.

The fact that you couldn't use magic at all was a pretty good hint, I thought.

Plus, the game did tell you it was possible, whether you chose to read it or not:
http://risen.wikia.com/wiki/Loading_Hints

I still don't get the "bad design" part. The end of the game had no specific skill set in mind, since it was pretty much the same no matter which faction you join.

1. To try to solve the puzzle without magic? Sure, to turn a winch with a flying stick? No.
2. Guess which part I focused on when that came up.

Its ok to loot the downed guard as long YOU DONT KILL HIM (its a trait from the gothic series which the creators of risen are behind)

And you'll start finding some good stuff to sell for coin later on (when the saurians start showing, you'll start banking big)

I bought the game for 30 bucks during a too hot stretch of summer last year and found it decent enough. Some design choices were a bit aggravating and combat was a bit jerky. The worst part was an erratic quest system that would often label the same quest three different things. Also sometimes the game would screw up the journal entries and you had to wander about searching for someone who had already been dealt with prior to picking up the quest. Also the map was impossible to read. But it was unique,had some funny moments,a good crafting system and was a good start for a new ip. But my 3rd person open world rpg void is being filled nicely by two worlds 2