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Organizing sleuth talk
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jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Sep-9-2004 13:46

I hope no one take offense to this suggestion, as it is certainly not meant in that way.

Would it be possible to organize sleuth talk a bit better? And split it in a sleuth talk for questions that are related for someone who hasn't figured all features of the game yet, and why certain things, are the way they are.

And sleuth talk for other stuff, for those who do understand all features of the game.

Examples of questions for those that haven't figured out the game yet.
1. Why does a suspect clam up, and what do I do?
2. The client does not have an accuse button.
3. What skill should I get next.
4. How many suspects are there on really hard.
5. Where can I find the order of the socrates.
Etc.

I am not sure if others have the same problem. But I really am looking for the interesting stuff (like ideas about game improvements), but have to click through all those other questions.

If I have offended anyone, I apologize. However, one piece of advise, part of the fun in this game...is figuring it out....
(I personally wish I could go back to that.)

Replies

Moonshh
Moonshh
Well-Connected

Sep-10-2004 17:50

I don't think anyone was being snobby...just trying to organize the boards better. I, too, appreciate all the help I got when I was new -- not to mention help with some of the finer points I've gotten recently. I also love to help newer agents. Overall, I think this game community is full of mostly helpful people and lots of goodwill, and that is one of the best things about it - it makes the game more fun, that way. Though
I'm not against a bit of friendly rivalry, either...

Jojo
Jojo
Old Shoe

Sep-10-2004 17:56

I also fail to see the snobby-ness of it. I DO, however, understand how you COULD take it that way.

Newbies are the best to help!

jstkdn
jstkdn
Well-Connected

Sep-11-2004 03:31

M.Zane I can completely understand why you think it is snobby. Which is why I feel I need to explain myself. My motivation was organization (as we also have sleuth talk and the lounge seperated), and has nothing to do with me not liking newbies.

Like you I feel honored to help a newbie. I get a lot of questions by private message (I guess they find me in the score list, or as listed as logged on), and I feel honored that they feel I would be able to be the one to answer them. I think it is the same for a lot of other high experience players.

Many people posting in this thread, are part of the group that generously help others in and outside their agency, in private, and in public. And every comment was about favouring organization. Instead of the unwillingness to help newbies. Please take that in consideration when you call people snobs.

Ceana Craig
Ceana Craig

Sep-11-2004 14:06

Being a really green newbie, may I say that it was really disconcerting to find questions on the hard and really hard levels in the newbie questions forum thingie. When you are first starting out, you don't know the "banter."

The suspects are clamming. Okay, they won't talk and you lack either the intimidate skill, the charm skill (whatever that one was called) or both, or are too cheap (like me) to pay $100 smackaroos to loosen someone's tongue. What then?

(con't)

Ceana Craig
Ceana Craig

Sep-11-2004 14:09

con't

How about:
Where do I start?
The corpse at the top of the screen will take you to the crime scene. Search it.
The map at the top of the screen will bring up the map and the current list of known suspects.
Visit them one by one. Ask them their alibis and who they suspect may have committed the crime. Make notes of all of these.
**some clues you will receive around town will say that so-and-so thinks they know who the murder is. Noting who everyone suspects will give you a ballpark idea when you get this kind of clue.**
Check their alibies.
The building at the top of the menu is the town hall. Go there and do research, if you have that skill. This may turn-up an alibi for a suspect who told you to piss-off (figuratively speaking) when you asked for an alibi (i.e. they said they hadn't any).
Go to each business and ask if they know anything about the case.
I also ask if I can do anything for them, although no one has yet taken me up on this offer.

This usually brings me to being able to eliminate 3 or 4 of my 6 suspects in the easy mode. It also gets the really pertinent info before the people are likely to clam-up.

Also, watch their initial reaction to you! If they are not happy to see you, they will not answer many questions.

SUGGESTION: There ought to be a way to confront a suspect regarding their false alibi.

Also, do not forget to note the persons build, hair type, and handed-ness. You get this info when you first meet the person. This is crucial for skills such as footprint, hair, and handwriting analysis.

Some people said that you should shoot for a false or non-existent alibi, 1 piece of physical evidence, and 2 eye-witness statements. Sounds ideal.

Other tips folks?

Dr. Falco Maltese
Dr. Falco Maltese
Well-Connected

Sep-11-2004 20:02

Ask each suspect if he/she knows of anyone with a motive to commit the crime FIRST, even before alibi, until you have your complete list of suspects, which in an easy case is 5-6, up to 11 suspects in a ridiculously hard case.

If you don't do this, you risk having suspects clam up on you before you have a list of suspects which includes the guilty one.

If this happens, there is nothing to do but quit the case.

Dr. Falco Maltese
Dr. Falco Maltese
Well-Connected

Sep-11-2004 20:08

It is good to save the question about "seen or heard anything that made them suspect someone" until after the alibis and evidence are checked to the greatest degree possible. As you go up in you level of difficulty, the suspects will start to clam sooner and sooner, so you want to ask questions in a careful order of priority.


Dr. Falco Maltese
Dr. Falco Maltese
Well-Connected

Sep-11-2004 20:18

If you are in an agency with access to the equipment locker, it is useful to put on the "smarts" enhancing gear before you search the crime scene. This will enable you to use your evidence finding skills at their highest capacity.

I no longer ask the townspeople what they know about the case, as this information has resulted only in more clicking, never any information essential to solving the case.

I also know of no purpose to asking about favors during cases, but if you ask after every three you solve, you should be directed to do a favor for one of the townspeople. After several favors, one of the townspeople (and later, two) will become your contact and will never clam up on you again!

At the end of favors, with a correct solve, you receive an interesting accessory rather than money. Also in a favor, as there is no client, all suspects on the list have a motive, unlike in regular cases where you have to be sure to get a motive for your client (or a true alibi).

Research works for a fake alibi as well as no alibi.

Bribes are sometimes quite useful - don't knock 'em! It's way to get one more (and only one more) answer out of a clammed townsperson, which can make the difference between solving a case and not solving it.

Hope this is helpful!

Ceana Craig
Ceana Craig

Sep-12-2004 03:38

Wish I'd thought of that last night! ACK!! Had one suspect, who gave me one more, who clammed-up after the alibi. ::sigh::

I actually use the info from the townspeople to direct me to the persons I should ask if they have reason to suspect so-and-so. If someone tells me that x thinks they know who the killer is, I go back and ask x about the people they fingered who haven't a pat alibi or my 2-3 remaining suspects. If someone says y didn't see or hear anything suspicious, I can usually bet that some of my forensic evidence belongs to y, because y was a witness and they may be next, so I'd better scootch over to y and do some more verbal probing.

The bribes are fantastic for getting that 1 more yea or nah on forensic evidence. That is when I think they can be indispensible. (pardon my spelling - I'm a bit dyslexic, hence extensive note-taking. hehehe)

Your info is a great help!! Thank you Dr. And I didn't even have to dirty your couch. ::grin::

CC
HeCK

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