Lockpicking simulations have existed in video games pretty much since the dawn of video games, and developers’ interpretations of cracking a lock range from attempted realism to creative minigames that sometimes have little to do with actual lockpicking.

To memorialize the diverse ways that this common gameplay mechanic has been implemented in games, Johnnemann Nordhagen of Dim Bulb Games has created a virtual Museum of Mechanics, which features some of the varied lockpicking mechanisms used in video games over the years.

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Available for free from itch.io, the museum gives players the chance to relive some of those stealthy, occasionally adrenaline-pumping lockpicking moments from classic games like Deus Ex, Thief: Deadly Shadows, Dungeons & Dragons, and of course The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.

Virtual Museum of Mechanics Lockpicking Oblivion

While these memorable lockpicking game mechanics have been faithfully recreated in Nordhagen’s Museum of Mechanics, the developer emphasizes that his creation is not a game in itself. It is primarily meant to be a tool for developers to explore lockpicking designs from other games and perhaps fuel some inspiration. For non-developers, the museum can serve as an entertaining and nostalgic trip into the past.

Nordhagen has stated that he hopes to continue the series by creating additional wings for the museum in the future. There are a number of gameplay mechanics that have been implemented in a variety of innovative ways in video games. It would be interesting to see a collection of water physics, fishing or hacking challenges, stealth or cover systems, or even minigames like The Witcher 3's Gwent or Final Fantasy 8’s Triple Triad.

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Source: itch.io (via Rock Paper Shotgun)