Sleuth Home - Message Boards - Sleuth Talk

Apr-3-2004 16:37

It would be nice to have like an area for like a notebook to keep notes in.

Apr-8-2004 05:35

I'm not sure how witnesses actually work, i.e. when they're right or not, but it could be a lie detection skill for smarts(not the actual machine, but simply an instinctive guess, or observation of modifications in behavior).. it could tell you if someone has really been a witness to something or if he is lying.. with a percentage of chance to work correctly. Or some other effect, I don't know, I simply like the idea of behavioral studies even if it was still something unexploited during these years(the game takes place in the 30's/40's I think?).

Apr-8-2004 11:42

Yes, I think I have suggested a Disguise Skill in another thread.

I have also thought of, perhaps, a related skill of Spying (or Surveillance). This means observing or watching a suspect to find clues as to whether he/she might be the culprit.

Storywise, our detective with the skill might disguise himself as a volunteer in church to try to overhear a suspect's confession. Or he may hide himself at the crime scene to see if the suspect shows up (because murderers may visit the crime scene to "relive" the experience, or to "repent" for their guilt by laying down some flowers there, etc).

In terms of gameplay, I'm thinking of the Spying Skill as working like this: For each case, if you have the Spying skill, you have the option of choosing which suspect/s you want to spy on. However, the number of times you can use the skill in each case is limited, probably just once or twice. (This is similar to the current features in the game, when you choose which suspects to ask about).

Spotting a suspect doing something behaviourally strange with regard to the murder (see examples above) would be considered as one more clue (in addition to physical and verbal testimony) towards conviction that he/she is the murderer.

Also, perhaps the skills of Spying and Disguise can be made related. In the sense that if you only have the Spy Skill, without the Disguise ability, the chances of Spying success will be lower. But if you have both Spying and Disguise, the chances of success at Spying would be higher (similar to how Flirting enhances Sweet Talking and Rule Bending).

I hope I made sense. It's hard to explain all this in words here. I also haven't really thought the idea through completely, but just want to suggest to the Sleuth Admin. Maybe Admin can refine it and make it better.

Apr-8-2004 11:53

Sorry, long post there. But just to add something.

Other than Charm, Smart and Toughness, perhaps a new skills set might be introduced, called "Special" or something.

For Skills under this set, the cost of buying them would be the same regardless of what Archetype your detective is. I think the skills I suggested (like Spying and Disguise) could belong to this category.

Apr-8-2004 15:47

wow wayne cool ideas!!!

Apr-8-2004 16:24

Great ideas Wayne.

I do have a concern that adding more skills will make mysteries too easy to solve. I'm already unsure about game balance at higher levels, particularly when help from detective agencies is figured in.

That's one thing that appeals to me about the negotiation skill Montague Summers suggested. It's helpful, but doesn't make individual cases much easier to solve.

Anyway, I'm thinking about treasure hunts are going to work, so I may add skills that help specifically with those, rather than with mysteries. Maybe I can work in Spying that way.

Apr-8-2004 16:29

My idea is that each faction has a small benifit for being on their good side. For example, La Casa Nostra would give you lowered prices in real estate and in the detective store, The Arcanum Brotherhood would let you ask more questions to people before they start to get stressed, The Order of Socrates would give you better research and if you don't have the skill you could research anyway.

Apr-8-2004 16:49

I like Wayne's idea of a special skill set...call it "exotic skills." Maybe a skill called "Connections," which allows you to get a third contact, or ask one of the three Societies for help with your case.

Apr-8-2004 19:41

one thing i've noticed, at higher levels it seems to be all or nothing. you go at it and do everything possible, and it it doesn't work, then you quit. Somthing that would make every level more fun ould maybe include time as a factor in a case. say, if you solve it quicker you get more money, but over time, people relax and maybe will answer more questions. i dunno, the file case thing in an agency gives you a little bit of that, it would be cool to work a little more like a real detective

Apr-9-2004 04:31

an idea: to not make it too easy with new skills maybe u can create new "special skills" pack with the folowing restrictions:
1. specials are for all types (smart/tough/charm)
2. u can only get specials after u have "X" experience (new detectives need to get experience first b4 they learn the special tricks of the trade).
3. u only get to use the specials in really hard levels (cause there the suspects clam-up very quick). if u do low level u cant c the option of using this skill. this should come as a warning next to the skill.
anothr pack would be "hunting skills":
1. the simple hunting skills could be for specific type and always available. (like normal skills).
2. u can make "special hunting skills" that r for all types and restricted as the other specials. or maybe each person is alowed to have only 1 of those "special hunting" and u need to choose carefully together with ur collegues what to have.

sorry for the long reply, hope i could explain it sort of clear...

Apr-9-2004 17:39

Another thing with my idea, the opposite happens when you're on the factions bad side, but for either one to happen they have REALLY hate you or REALLY like you.