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Nov-17-2012 05:16

Here's what the newbie FAQ says: Shady's rates are the same whether you have one or two false accusations.

But from what I see, his rates are most definitely not the same for two accusations, and besides, they increase the more cases you solve.

Just to clarify, I'm not here to complain about how my run of ill luck with false accusations or about my dwindling bank balance.

I'm here to clarify about what exactly is going on.

In Shanghai,for one false accusation, he demanded 10,602$. Since I believed the Newbie FAQ, I decided to wait instead of paying immediately, and was pressured to take a guess. For two false accusations, the rate then climbed to 11,052$. I didn't pay immediately. I solved another case. The rate is now 11,100$.

Seriously? I planned on solving more cases to earn more money to help pay it off, but seriously, I can't solve any more cases because he'll hike the rates every time I earn more money? Unless I pay it off immediately?

It is my request to the admins to either fix the inflation bug or fix the facts in the Newbie FAQ. And the answers to this post will help determine whether any others have also faced unfair inflation.

Having said that, I love the game and please do not mistake my frustration about this to be an expression of anger against the game itself.

Nov-17-2012 11:09

Be lucky you don't have to pay over 6 million..ugh! I, thankfully do not have one, but if I did, I'm in that range. EEEKKKK!!!!

I agree with CFM, Do easy cases to raise your money faster withough gaining a whole lot of xp and you will make the money quicker. Also I believe its 10% cheaper in Delhi to pay Shday than the other cities, so definitely worth taking a trip there to rid them.

Most importantly, never guess. Always better to quit a case than run the rist of getting a FA. No one see's your quit cases amout but you anway.

Good luck L. Let me know if you would like some money to help pay the stinker off!!

Nov-17-2012 11:27

Thank you, all three of you, for your advice and overall encouragement :)

Nov-17-2012 13:24

I worked it out before, and from memory it adds $1 for beginner cases and then doubles.
It means that an AI adds $512 so that if you have to pay even one bribe for doing an AI case, you've lost money. (In that Shady's fee goes up more than you make for solving the cases.)

Initial fee (don't know calculation) for one F.A then as you solve cases:

Beginner - +1
Easy - +2
Intermediate - +4
Hard - +8
Really Hard - +16
Really Really Hard - +32
Incredibly Hard - +64
Stupendously Hard - +128
Ridiculously Hard - +256
Almost Impossible - +512

So, if your 1st F.A is calculated at 500 and you do five easy cases, Shady's price will now be 505. You do another easy case then you get an F.A. His price will then be 506. Not 1506 or anything.

But:

Use the formula.

Always double check.

Never guess.

And use (but don't rely on) the Sleuth Helper to takes notes for you.

_________________________________________________________

On a personal note, are you using smart gear to search crime scenes?
Are you making use of your agencies contacts and asking them for help?
Do you need help with skills?

Nov-17-2012 19:28

Lady Emerald Devon,

Thank you for the advice.

Our agency directory Lou Hoyle probably looks at the equipment log and sees me borrowing smart gear, tough gear & charming gear all the time, at the appropriate times.

I always make use of the one contact I have. I try to find out which suspect doesn't know anything suspicious, so I can ration out my questions accordingly. And I always find out how many suspects I have left, so I don't need to waste more questions on motives. I'm really, really careful. I really am.


I did make a mistake and I'm not proud of that. I have taken full responsibility for it, and Lady Jas has been extremely helpful.

As for my skills, well let's say that, I'm a very very risk averse person. Other sleuths with my experience are probably solving really hard cases. I always stick to solving intermediate cases. Is anyone here rolling on the floor laughing at me? I can't summon the courageous to take on harder cases, though I know they pay more money and experience points. I'm that careful!

For what it's worth, the rules should be clearer about whether it's a lump sum fee or a proportionate fee. Back in school there were kids who always got confused when asked to write the merits of lump sum tax vs proportionate tax. And progressive tax is what one would apply to multiple FAs.

Anyhow, I'm usually very careful (wearing proper gear, rationing questions) and this false accusation was careless desperation on my part. I won't repeat it.

Thanks everyone :)

Nov-18-2012 00:58

This is more a general post to any newbie looking for help and may or may not be applicable to you.

I'm sure it's a typo but if you're borrowing tough and charming gear, that might be why cases are so hard. Playing a charming/tough detective can be difficult. Most people focus on getting one set of interview skills first. You can do it but it means instead of having advanced in one set of interviews skills early on, you have the basic skills of both interview routes first which can mean more clamming.

Smart gear is for getting as much info out of the crime scenes as possible.
For example instead of a hair, a cury hair.

Charming OR tough gear is for interviewing people.
And use your gear to supplement your tough interview skill (ie interrogation or intimidation) or your charming interview skill (ie sweeting talk or rule bending).

If you have Judge of Character and it says that it will be better to be tough then you can change into tough clothes to supplement your tough skills.

I found however, having advanced skills in one set and having the clothes to supplement this works better early on than trying to both and having those interview skills at a basic level.

Although I am sure you already know this, I wanted to clarify just in cases.

(For more on this: http://noir.playsleuth.com/map/cityhall/post.spy?id=22965)

As for cases, it may help to put your cases in the files and ask your agency members to have a look at the P.E with their contacts BEFORE you interview people. This is the advantage of having an agency.

There's no point have a clammed, unsolvable case when it could have be solved with a little help with from your friends.

This is more a general post to any newbie looking for help and may or may not be applicable to you.

Nov-18-2012 01:01

TYPO EDIT: I found however, having advanced skills in one set and having the clothes to supplement this works better early on than trying to do (or be) both and having those interview skills at a basic level.