Not a bug. Coded it up on purpose I did. You don't have to die to
figure it out either. Although most probably do (die at least once),
one of my beta testers (who had never played IF before by the way)
solved it in front of me the first time they encountered it.
Although this is a personal preference thing anyway, I don't think I
crossed any etiquette boundaries because the perfect player can play the
game straight through the first time without dying. Now had I left in
the random chance of falling when you jump the pit ... :)
As one other rec.arts.int-fiction poster wrote, I *like* games where I
can die. I want to do things I might not try in real life (although
those who know me know that that's not too many things :0).
Firewitch is a far cry from a perfect game (and my next game will be
much improved), but in my personal opinion, the archway puzzle is not
one of its problems. Feel free to disagree.
-- John Baker "What the hell does that mean? Huh? 'China is here.'? I don't even know what the hell that means!" - Jack Burton