Be puzzled, at first, about what to do to progress is part of the experience. The first room was set for the player to take its time and figure out the puzzle. Once you know those pointy things are there to drop there's no need to make them blink to get the player's attention. It raises a debate about how much player's frustration should be avoided (there must be some, imho). But I agree about the vore and the rest of your post. 

having the player figure things out on his own, at least to a certain degree. That's one thing (of many) I didn't like about HL2 or the episodes; they felt overdesigned (if that's even an expression) in that whenever any new gameplay element was introduced, it was way too obvious that the designers were trying to "teach" the player how to use it - which is even more apparent when listening to the commentary. Almost as if they were afraid the player wouldn't do things exactly the way he was supposed to, or that every player has the attention span and cognitive abilites of a kindergartener, thus having to be handheld.

Okay I'm just rambling now. But my point is, I don't think it's a bad idea to just have some more subtle clues and then let the player figure out the rest on his own. Although I do recall having some trouble in the third room of your map, adib, as I'd run out of ammo after killing the vore and therefore couldn't shoot the spike down. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B89DDLPEf4M

Let's go! 

Kell's book secrets in Contract were all bonus secrets, the hidden runes that opened up the secret level. No actual gameplay secrets were hidden with those fiddly books. 

Like 'em or not, they are obligatory. And all the better with spawn hidden inside them.

I never did figure out the water room secret, well fucking annoying! 

did "obligatory" come to mean "terrible" overnight? 

See my comment under the video. 

<Daz_> was out at a bar, and one of my friends friends who I've never met before just said omg are you the guy who does those quake videos on youtube? 

Daz, did she ask you to sign her boobs? 

 

Or his boobs, I ain't judging. 

daz, this INFRA game you were playing looks like Myst for trainspotters 

I watched an hour of the 'gameplay' before I got bored. I'm sure the level design is exceptional but it felt like a waste of time. 

You can feel that the team that built it were 99% env artists and 1% animatiors, programmers and level designers.

It's a love letter to urban explorers and infrastructure coolness.

Some of the puzzles are absolutely maddening, and confusing as hell in places. Definitely needed more playtesting in this regard.

But damn, it is cool exploring all these old places :o 

99% env artists

It's a love letter to urban explorers

Ok, you got my attention. Gonna look for it. 

My Half-Life 2 mod of the year for 2015. Rocket Jump gun :o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsOtBsjyqqc