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Jan-31-2010 08:11

Hi, everyone! I am writing my first SM today and I find the experience very exciting.

Just a question: If I make a SM without a client, will the player still receive a monetary reward when he/she finishes the SM?

Feb-8-2010 01:22

True, you'd need to introduce all your client suspects at the intro, but it may not be all bad. Right now i'm experimenting on a story where at least 5 suspects are unlocked before the crime scene, and i think it's perfectly alright if the player can question the suspects before checking the crime scene, if the story flows. (only if the story flows, and it takes tact, especially since it means the story won't be linear; what i'd do is to only unlock the question(s) that would move the story forward at the crime scene).
Of course, the usual way is to put a twist to the suspects so that the player cannot question them before visiting the crime scene. I think that would work well too as long as the writer made the story logical. Again, either way, those suspects would need to be mentioned in the intro.

As for the payment part of the story, i think it can be worked into the details so that it flows. For one of the SM I wrote, the ending is melodramatic and readers would take pity on the killer. Therefore, when the client pays the player in the story, and then the automatic text at the very end reads: Congratulations!...etc etc, the player would want to hit himself/herself in the head for solving the crime (or so i hope the effect would be).

Feb-9-2010 10:56

That's a really good point. You can have more than one client, if you're hired by a mother and father, or a father and son, or by a business partner (if the partner goes down, the company can pay your fee), or by a goverment agency.

<i>Therefore, when the client pays the player in the story, and then the automatic text at the very end reads: Congratulations!...etc etc, the player would want to hit himself/herself in the head for solving the crime (or so i hope the effect would be).</i>

Maybe the filthy lucre will staunch the wound...

Feb-11-2010 17:25

Hee hee, maybe it will. All in all, incorporating good story telling into the existing nature of the program/set up is the key. I see that you do take the programming into great consideration (from seeing your next question). That is excellent. I wish you all the best in the creation of your SM. I look forward to the day we get to read it. ~happy writing!