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Feb-22-2004 20:32

I have a couple of questions I'd like some feedback on. Please Answer by replying to this post.

1) Is the game fun? Really fun, kind of fun, funner than going to the dentist?

2) Can you think of anything that would make the game more fun?

3) Is the game too hard? Too easy?

Thanks
-Ben

Dec-16-2004 22:37

Some further sugestions.

On the Map page it's obvious that the list of suspects is stepped through in the same order each time and each one that you have seen it spat out onto the page. This means that a new suspect can appear before the ones that you already found out about. While this causes no actual problems it does mean that if you are keeping notes on a case as you go you need to make sure that you insert each suspect into the right order, plus it sort of makes the game look like it's doing something funny in the background. I think it would be cleaner if the suspects always were added to the end of the list as you find them.
To make things easier to look at I would think that rearranging the Case page would be useful. Currently there are three suspects across the page, and as many rows as are required, and then you click on the suspect to see the details. If instead the suspects ran down the page, in the same order as the names appear on the Map Page, and their details were to the right of the picture it would make it easier and faster to use.
Since the skill of Judge of Character is only of use if you have both the Interrogation and the Sweet Talk skills, if should not be possible to purchase it unless you have both. After all, you can't by Advanced Hair Analysis if you don't have the basic Hair Analysis.
Stress Detection will tell you if the person will only answer one more question. It would also be useful if, having asked that question, instead of it now saying nothing, it put a line it that said that it didn't look like they wanted to talk any more.

Dec-16-2004 22:41

One more suggestion, and it's a large redesign, but I just though I'd ask if you'd considered it.

Have you considered a system where, instead of having Sweet Talk, Intermediate Sweet Talk and Advanced Sweet Talk, there was only one skill with a level, and that level was increased throughout the game? That way skills could progress a lot faster since going from level 10 to level 11 would be a tiny step compared to going from basic to intermediate on a normal skill. You could even show the skill level as 10(4) where the first number is the skill level and the number in brackets is the number of additional experience needed to get to level 11. Then you can just make it that you need your current level in the skill's worth of experience to increase the skill, and you get experience by successfully using the skill. The Archetype setting of the character would lower the experience points required to increase a level for skills in that category. For skills like Hair Analysis you'd probably make two checks against the level, one to find the hair, and then one to determine if it's straight or curly, perhaps with some sort of modifier. You would probably still want a character to buy the skill in the first place so that there is the differentiation there at the beginning. Anyway, the main idea I was thinking of was to have something where skills improve by using them, skills increase faster (though with less effect each time), and a player feels like they are improving all the time. If you go a few cases without getting a skill point at the moment you kind of feel ripped off :-) Also, when you need a dozen points to buy a skill you don't really feel like you're getting anywhere.

Dec-19-2004 07:45

i absolutely love this game. but i hate it when in the favour cases my only suspect clams up and doesnt give me the names of the other suspects.

Dec-19-2004 07:49

i had that problem b4, are you asking for alibi 1st? i have come to learn ask for suspects first then alibi... that was my problem, hope that helps you out =)

Dec-20-2004 08:39

it would be nice if research results and the info u can now get from the fotune teller will apear in the case. Maybe under hints? That way when u give cases around in the agency others could already know if u did that. Its also logical cause as a detective you will write everything you know down ;)

Dec-20-2004 21:41

I agree with reda's first point, although it would also work underneath the suspect's description and alibi.
Also, could the Clerk also keep track of money sent between agency members?

Dec-21-2004 11:22

by the way ben has made the change that solves my prob. if i ask the townpeople if they know anything and they give me a name, then that name will appear in the suspect list. thanks so much ben.

Dec-21-2004 19:58

I really like Mycroft's suggestions from his 1st two posts. I didn't realize you had this thread about suggestions, etc. otherwise I would have answered sooner. I also like reda's suggestion.

1. It's fun.
2. If I didn't have to go back and forth between screens the asking questions page and the answers page or to get info from the case page, I would be very grateful.
3. I wish all cases were harder in the sense that I have to read everything carefully for clues. As far as clamming, etc. it's just right.

Dec-21-2004 21:48

I forgot a few things for #2. I like Madame Tbird's suggestion about shoes, etc and having upto 5 or 6 items. Scarves are worn around the neck for example, not carried in your hand.

To pinpoint a few things Mycroft said, I really like the suggestion of having all new suspects at the bottom of the list, not randomly placed among other suspects. I keep a written list as I solve each case. having new ones in the middle or beginning messes with my current list. If I use the case file page, I have to click back and forth each time to get the alibi for the next suspect. Mycrofts alternative to the case page would be great!
Under the question "Did you hear or see something suspicious about a someone" could you please just list all suspects discovered? That would be so much nicer than a link to ask about a certain person. It would mean a lot less clicking and going back and forth between pages.
If an answer to a question would appear under or next to it instead of going to a new page, I would also really dig that.

Dec-22-2004 15:59

Okay. About the equipment lockers. I know there's been a lot of talk about hangers, outfits, etc.

But what if the things you used most recently went to the top of the list? Then they'd be right there when you went back for them, rather than having to look through the whole darn list again and scroll down.

I admit it's not a perfect solution, but it might be an easy one for the interim?