Sleuth Home - Message Boards - Game Announcements

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

Nov-23-2005 13:26

1 This game is fun, but since some of my relatives are dentists and there are so many fun things to mess around with in their offices like the X-ray machine I have to admit that the dentist's office comes in a very close second place.

2 Add an unpredictable event or something that isn't predictable. Add new names and pictures. After a long time playing I begin to fall into my standard operating procedure where everything is straightforward and the rules are easy to follow. The scripted mysteries are fun, but maybe something else should be added as well.

3

Nov-23-2005 14:02

I like the limiting the number of hunts per day per agency.

For a subscriber who does not want to be part of an agency (or others just enjoying solving a bunch of cases and favors) limiting the number of favors a detective can do in one day seems to be a punishment.

If the effect of the favors can be limited in regards to hunts, then that would give all agencies an equal chance at them.

2 hunts completed per day per agency? My semi-educated guess is that would keep the same number of completed hunts as we have now even with more cases being available overall.

Nov-25-2005 05:57

I can understand why you would limit the number of favors when "unlimiting" the case numbers. But why limit the travel?
Limiting the favors should be enough. Not that I travel much. But if someone does he might want to come back in the same day and just do normal cases. Limiting the favors would stop him from doing too much for the hunt, no matter where he is. But if he cant travel then it means he cant do normal cases at wanted level. Thats not helping with hunt situation, its just annoying.

Nov-28-2005 08:25

How about allowing the number of cases earned to aggregate (e.g. if I get 10 cases/day and I skip a day, then I have 20 cases) and adding a "time" component to certain actions. Here's an example:

10 cases/day are earned
16 "hours"/day can be used
1 hour to start a case
1 hour to start a favor
x hours to travel, where "x" is the number of cases it used to cost

Lets say I'm in NY with a fresh 10 cases and 16 working hours. I open 3 cases and solve them and solve a favor. The favor moves a hunt to Shanghai. I have 7 cases left for the day and 12 hours. I travel to Shanghai taking 4 hours (a little unrealistic, but hey). I open 6 cases and 2 favor, using 6 cases and the remaining 8 hours. I have one case left which will become 11 cases tomorrow.

The numbers would have to be thought out a little better than above - perhaps hours should be more realistic (4hrs NY - London, 8hrs NY - Delhi, 12hrs NY - Shanghai) and the hours per case started decreased (perhaps 0.5 or 0.25 hours per case). The end result is that everyone is on equal grounds on the number of cases they are allotted and it is the management of when cases are used that will determine how effective an agency is.

Nov-28-2005 09:08

Have to say I'm a bit sceptic about limiting the number of favours one can do in a day. I can see it makes perfect sense in relation to the hunts if the number of daily cases were to be practically unlimited, but for an agency looking to gain particular contacts this could make this task even more troublesome than it can already be at times

Nov-28-2005 09:39

Hmm, I remember an old saying, if it's not broke, don't fix it. If an agency is getting most of the hunts, then maybe another agency needs to upgrade, recruit more people, then try and match the other agency.

The one thing I like to see is maybe more skills to learn or more things to discover like a new city with new organizations. Something like that will make people forget issues like favor limits and case limits for a while. With more organizations though you will need more skills to add and also enemy organizations so it won't be easy and will take time.

Maybe a learnable skill is forced information, when someone is clammed up permantently, this skill will offer you a chance to unclam them a third time. Another version of this for charm might be Perfect Face ( I know it sounds lame, someone can come up with something better then use that) so that charming people have their own version. Also an extra smart skill could be that you could use the crime lab 3 times a day to help people instead of once a day (Super Interpreter or something like that).

We are all use to the limits set forth. Traveling from city to city shouldn't be limited because in life it is not limited except by how much money you can afford. Since the game makes you pay, I think that is enough and shouldn't even cost toward your case load.

I hope my suggestions are decent, figured maybe they see things from a different point of view. Growth in a good game like this is good, but sometimes you have to think if some ideas might take from the fun the game currently is or actually make it better. Too much of a good thing can be bad, too little can be annoying.

Nov-28-2005 16:21

Glenn, I love your attitude about not changing things!!

There is a skill for unclamming, please don't make me spell it, it is offered by the Cirle of Light and starts with an "S". I like to call it blackmaling. :) The problem with it is that it doesn't always work, even in full smart gear.

As far as adding new cities go, we are all game! But I highly doubt it will distract from the current onslaught of new ideas. All the cities, aside from New York, and half of the factions are still rather new as it is, added in Feb. of this year. And they have only made minds wander and wish for more!! :D

Poor Ben! We are just never satisfied!

*hates the idea of favor limits and case accumulation on so many fronts*

Nov-28-2005 22:48

I had no idea how recent those changes were! I thought factions and other cities were at least a year old.

Nov-29-2005 07:07

Just for fun I dug up an old thread that shows our anticipation when teased with news of the new changes that were coming. Keep in mind we had New York, and it's factions, Lucy, and that was all there was to our world at the time.

http://newyork.hypoware.com/map/cityhall/post.spy?id=3904

Nov-29-2005 15:17

I am wondering, did you mean Hypnotism? I went the tough route so I guess that wouldn't work too well for me. I know Pugilism will be good once I can earn it but I was just throwing some ideas around in hopes of someone creating an even better idea. One mind can accomplish anything but many minds can accomplish anything faster.

I haven't been playing this game that long, just recently found it and been hooked on it ever since. Just yesterday I thought it was weird I was playing this game while my children were sleeping and watching Matlock at the same time. Guess I am a mystery gooroo after all and never took the time to realize it. Hook on games like an old PC game called sleuth (Anyone who wants it send an e-mail to WilliamW1979@netscape.net and I will send it to them free) and board games like clue, guess mysteries always got to me because I was always a curious person and love figuring things out.

Well, if I have any more ideas that wouldn't change the game flow, I will let everyone know. Hmm, one thing that is annoying is that when doing a favor, temporarily the person you are doing the favor for should never clam up since that shop owner wants the killer caught more then anything. I thought that would seem more realistic but I know when programming that could be a challenge when you are doing a favor for a contact. Well, let me know what everyone thinks.

Oh, BTW, whoever came up with this idea for a game is a genius not only for thinking it up, but going through with it and making it a reality.