Sleuth Home - Message Boards - Newbie Questions

Feb-22-2007 04:42

I have a very good set of advanced skills plus judging char. etc. But now all the suspects clam up. The shopkeepers won't answer any Q's without being bribed. The evidence is 3 heavy footprints or 3 curly hairs. I have played 36 games without getting any new skill points. This game died after they got my money. Definetly NOT renewing.

Feb-22-2007 04:49

Sophie: skill points get harder to get as your xp increases. I cannot tell how complete your skill set is, but I can tell that your xps are not too high. Better equipment can aslo help you solving cases, and when you are in an agency, your team mates will give you lots of help with new equipment, PE contacts, free cases, etc. Eventually, you WILL have a complete set of skills and equipment and you will be able to solve cases more easily.
Please do not gve up yet and if you want to know more about joining an agency, please PM me.

Feb-22-2007 05:58

Oh and Sophie, above and beyond what I said in my PM, reading your message in your bio:

Raowrrrrrr (Lone Wolf Howl), I totally feel the independence thing:

BUT being in an Agency doesn't necessarily mean that they will solve your cases for you!

Lots of agencies encourage their agents to solve their cases themselves and encourage minimal help from fellow agents in the early stages of the development of your character, so that new players like you get a chance to LEARN the game.

That pays off later when it gets HARDER, and you're not left in, say, an Archvillain Hunt with no clues how to solve an Almost Impossible case by yourself!

Lots of Agencies have great HELP sections on their boards too, with lots of useful tips on how to develop your character as you play your OWN game.

Also you can involve yourself in Treasure Hunts, meet some cool people, and things like that, which you can do also whilst playing your OWN cases.

Talk to Andrea she'll explain more, and in more motherly tones ;)

Happy Sleuthing, it'll get better :)

Feb-22-2007 06:04

Amen, brother!

Feb-22-2007 08:56

Andrea and SS have are both correct. I just want to add that the game mechanics do not change when you subscribe. The cases are still random, you will still need to use the same formula to solve the cases.

The skill points come much farther apart the higher your experience. Some cases will have one of each kind of evidence and all will be advanced identified. Sometimes you will get 3 notes and a curly hair, with none of the notes having the advanced id. That is the nature of having random cases. When I get a case like that, I solve as much as I can, then ask someone with the right contact to match the notes.
I respect your desire to not be in an agency, many agencies want to depend on people to be online and solve cases daily (or at least consistently) but there are other agencies that only care you show up every so often. Finding a good match can be difficult. But if you still desire to be a lone wolf that works too. You can always ask questions, and get advice through the boards or chat.

Good luck with your cases, I am sure you are just running through a bad patch of cases and they will change and you will have fun getting more skills again soon.

Feb-22-2007 10:24

Just wanted to echo what the others have said, and also say that your gear may be contributing to your problem. You've got tough, smart, and charm. Your best bet would be to pick tough *or* charm, and go with that. Also, if you had a small agency of your own (like Secret Squirrel does, along with his double)--something really cheap but that has a roomy equipment locker--you could keep smart gear in the locker and really concentrate on improving your primary tough or charm outfit.

I am thinking that your desire to be a complete lone wolf in the game is not helping you. You don't have to join an agency, but asking questions and taking advice/suggestions from more experienced players would probably get you over this hump.