Sleuth Home - Message Boards - Newbie Questions


0 0
A List of Newbie Questions
  <<First Page  |  <Previous Next>  |  Last Page>>  

Adelaide Woodward
Adelaide Woodward

Aug-8-2007 11:05

Feel free to answer what you like, it would be most appreciated. I promise that I tried to find answers for these.

1. What level should Newbies be playing at? Should we stick to a level where we can routinely solve the cases or is it better to challenge ourselves (even if it means a high quit rate)? Does playing lower difficulty levels negatively affect your ability to accumulate skill points?

2. Can the faction skills such as hypnosis be used on both townies and suspects? How useful are these skills in building a detective? Given the choice between a faction skill that complements your character's archetype or basic skills that will make you more rounded, which will get you farther faster?

3. Does each suspect have a set number of questions they will answer or will they answer more questions depending on how tough/charming you are? Say for example, you were only 88% charming to one person, but 126% charming to another will the latter answer more questions for you?

4. Does an empty appointment book always mean "no alibi"?

5. In detective agencies, is a "crime lab" required for other members to work on your cases?

6. When you receive a 1st contact in one city, is it better to move to other cities to acquire other 1st contacts? I understand that 2nd contacts are based, in part, on exp. points, so do you tend to get all of your first contacts before you start getting second contacts?

Any advice on these topics would be most helpful! Thank you!

Replies

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Aug-8-2007 15:49

In order to go after a specific contact, either W/E or P/E, you simply solve favors ONLY for that specific townsperson and quit ALL favors for the other associated townspeople. So if you want the Barber for your contact, you quit all favors you get for the Banker, Shoemaker and Tailor. Any favors you get for the W/E people are safe, because you're only going after a P/E contact. If you're trying to go after a W/E contact, it would be a vice-versa situation. Yes, it can take a long, long LONG time to happen. But eventually, it will happen. It just takes time and perserverance. ;-)

Set #2

1. (Already talked about the crime lab bit.) Most agencies have a case-solving policy of some kind. Some have an open policy, where any case can be solved by anyone as long as the case isn't tagged for someone. Some have an originator-only policy. Some have something else. Basically, when you're in an agency, you should know what their policy is regarding solving cases. As far as technicalities go, as long as the case hasn't been checked 'private' in the files, anyone can solve any case at any time. It's generally common courtesy that if someone is helping you out on a case, they will hand the case back to you once they've worked on it. Again, each Agency and detective is different.

2. Actually, quitting W/E contacts has absolutely no effect on what happens to P/E contacts. What DOES affect getting contacts is the amount of experience points you build up between getting your last contact and the present time. The more experience you've got since you've earned your last contact, the more likely you are to earn a new one. After about 150,000 points, the likelihood steadily increases for gaining a contact. Below that, it's not so likely. (Remember what I said a minute ago about going after a certain contact? Read that, and apply it to W/E contacts for them if you want to earn one of those.) If you're confused, PM me, and we'll talk.


Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Aug-8-2007 16:11

3. EVERY killer in a case will have all of the following:

A false/no alibi
A piece of Physical Evidence matched to him/her
TWO Witness Evidence statements made against him/her

Whether or not you find all of the above in each case is another thing, but it's why the formulas we keep spouting off ALWAYS work. So, one way to track your killer is through physical evidence. The second is through witness evidence. Ergo, there is always more than one way to find your killer. It just takes luck sometimes to do it. ;-)

4. Like Arabella said, you're better off checking the note first, then taking your chances with the thread. I have a thing I tell my people that's a takeoff of the old K.I.S.S. adage (Keep It Simple, Stupid). It pays to be lazy. No, that doesn't mean you get to put your feet up on your desk and pull out the ipod. It means that if you've got ten things to do at one townie, and two at another, which would you rather spend your time on first? Chances are better than even, you won't have to spend any money at the second guy, and you might just get your answer there. ;-)

Finally, before you go blowing your bank account on setting up an Agency, you might consider joining an existing one. Chances are, you'll find people who are more than willing to help you with questions and casework, throw you unwanted cases so you can earn extra points more quickly, and provide you support and camaraderie that you may not find on your own. Something to think about.

Hope all that helps. Good luck, and Happy Hunting!! ;-)

Secret_Squirrel
Secret_Squirrel
Safety Officer

Aug-8-2007 16:35

wow Adelaide hit the jackpot, there are some great simple answers in here for all newbies. < blatant bump and to get this into his Post History so he can find it again :) >

Adelaide Woodward
Adelaide Woodward

Aug-10-2007 12:05

Breitkat, thanks so much for your response. I've been following your suggestions the past couple of days with great success. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out. I only wish I had some sort of useful skill so I could offer to serve as your contact! ;-)

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Aug-10-2007 22:19

Hi Adelaide.

I'm glad I was able to help you out, and that you're doing so well. I hope you continue to have success and make good progress. Believe it or not, you do have a skill that can be useful. One day, someone's going to come along and ask for help for you, just like you did here. When that happens, you'll know what to say. You can help me by helping someone else when they need it. I'd like that very much!! ;-)

In the meantime, keep up the great work, and take care!! ;-)

Jim Diamond
Jim Diamond

Aug-11-2007 02:57

First set of questions:

2. If you play a though/charm type get both sets of interview skills. You will progress slower, but you'll be practically invincible on the interview field.

Rachel Edison
Rachel Edison

Aug-11-2007 22:14

Hey all, I've got a problem related to the first question in the first set. I've been playing cases at a level that I'm comfortable at and enjoy doing it at that level. However, my favors have risen to the really, really hard level, and I can't do a single one of them. I wonder if I should have been doing harder cases in the first place to get my experience points up so that I could get more skills to tackle these cases. The favors are my favorite part of the game because they give me cool clothes, but now I'm just getting frustrated. Any suggestions?

Stooby
Stooby
Well-Connected

Aug-11-2007 23:10

Yes the flaw in never pushing yourself on cases is you fall a long way behind your favours. The best bet in my opinion is to join an agency, push yourself as much as you can without everyone clamming then if you get stuck ask for help off others.

But it's never a good idea to stay to comfortable or you hit Rachel's snag, you need to push yourself if only a little.

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Aug-12-2007 12:24

There's a reason why I mentioned a successful percentage rate of around 75% in my response, Stooby. At 75%, you're having to quit about one out of every four cases. This means you're working at a level that should be a challenge for you, because most of the cases will require some work, even the solveable ones, yet you're not tearing your hair out because all your suspects are clamming instantly and permanently, and you won't get completely frustrated beyond all belief.

As for Rachel, she's facing two different problems here. One, her favor cases have moved above the level she can work her regular cases at. Two, for whatever reasons, she isn't able to subscribe at this time.

So, Rachel, I'm gonna suggest the following. I don't know what skills you have currently, or what cases you've been comfortable doing up until now. But I will suggest this: for now, forget the favors. They're not going to go away, you just don't need the aggravation from them right now. If you're able to, see if you can work on Really Hard cases for a while and build up your experience level and hopefully earn some more skill points and skills (remember, the skill points won't come as fast, but they WILL come). If Really Hard cases are too tough, drop down until you find a level that you can solve at that 75% success rate (meaning you have to work at it, and occasionally quit one, but overall, you tend to solve 3 out of every 4 of your cases.) When you get to that level, stay there and keep working there until things seem 'easy', then try going up a level every other case or so. It'll take time, but eventually, you'll surprise yourself by being at the RRH level and not even realizing it. ;-)

And if you ever do get the chance to, Rachel, there are some definite advantages to subscribing that you might enjoy.

Hope this helps a bit. ;-)

R Anstett
R Anstett

Aug-12-2007 13:19

One point to make here also.

Favors (it is generally believed) go up in difficulty based on how many favors you do, not what your XP level is.

So you get to do so many Hard favors before you start getting Very Hard favors, etc.

Being unsubbed it does mean you get to do one fewer case per day but if you wait to do any more favors until you earn the skills to be able to handle the level you are at will serve you well for the future.

And favors never get harder than Incredibly Hard.

  <<First Page  |  <Previous Next>  |  Last Page>>  

[ You must login to reply ]