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Dec-1-2005 04:47

This is from a Newbie Thread [me being the newbie] someone suggested I pose here... >> So...
I was toying with the possibility "that wouldn't it be gr8 if your 'PE' [contact] just answered you straight up... eg. "Penelope Pins knew my time was important to me so she didn't beat aound the bush, the thread you've given me belongs to Joe Bloggs".
Having thought about it some more, it is kind of an authentic response too, in the sense that someone you'd built a realtionship up with, wouldn't 'stuff you around' by making you ask about A,B,C...

Dec-7-2005 15:08

That Joe Bloggs guy was a soilder in WW1(allied side), he got shot though.

Dec-8-2005 12:25

R Anstett, that could be solved the same way the Research skill solves it.

If you haven't yet discovered that suspect, the message you get is vague to the extent of letting you know that suspect isn't yet on your list.

I agree with the general consensus, it doesn't need to make the game easier, just faster. The incredibly high number of page clicks is one of very few drawbacks to this game. Anything to help reduce page clicks is highly desirable, IMO.

Dec-8-2005 15:38

Train, if there was a way to differentiate from a subscriber and a non-subscriber for skills then it might be worth while.

The reason for clicking is to show banners (I make the assumption that there will be banners again as there were before) to generate revenue.

I think that Research *does* make the game easier. Each skill added makes solving a case that much easier. Just as adding shoes made things easier.

So a 'quick question' skill would both reduce the ads non-subscribers see, as well as make it easier to solve cases because with fewer clicks there are fewer chances to make mistakes.

Dec-8-2005 15:40

Should I then dare say: H-A-N-G-E-R-S!!!

Or is this a thread highjacking? Only Jojo can tell ;)

Dec-8-2005 16:00

*crawls down on the floor and with a wide permenant, black marker and large piece of cardboard*

Reda, I think this is the perfect hijack...

*pulls the lid of the pen and draws a thick line down the length of the cardboard*

...clicking makes me feel like I'm actually walking the street...

*continuing to paint large letters across her sign*

...the locker feels like a dressup toybox that everyone just throws things in....

*sitting up with a grin, she clicks the lid back on her pen with a mischievious look flashing through her eyes*

The recent improvements to the lockers are nice when you have new people in an agency. But I don't even use the locker anymore because its too much work.

*shaking her and rousing her thoughts back to the moment, she places the marker in her pocket*

We still need a way to group outfits though. Until recently, I lived with mostly men in Mojo, and seriously, letting them deal with the locker was just a nightmare!

*holding up the cardboard she flashed a smile at Reda*

What do you think?

*written across the brown cardboard sign in straight, even letters, their requeast screamed*

"BEN...HANGERS, PLEASE?"

Dec-8-2005 17:03

In pure coincidence I am sure I just solved a case with the minimum number of clicks.

From choosing the case, investigate then pure luck on everything falling into place.

Only 13 clicks.

Do you really want to shorten that even more ;P

Dec-9-2005 08:39

R Anstett: "I think that Research *does* make the game easier. Each skill added makes solving a case that much easier. Just as adding shoes made things easier."

It makes it easier only if you've uncovered the relevant suspect. If you haven't, going to research only tells you that you've turned up nothing that would help you on that case.

The PE contact could work the exact same way. If you hadn't yet uncovered the relevant suspect, the contact could just say "I have no further information to help you with this case"...or something to that effect.

There's nothing easier about it in comparison. This discussion, as I comprehend, is only about PE CONTACTS, not just any old PE witness.

If Sleuth was all about MAXIMIZING page clicks, the Research tool would have all the suspects listed individually and make you choose them one at a time until you came upon the one whom research would eliminate as a suspect. It doesn't do that, it immediately gives you the individual as long as you've uncovered that person as a suspect.

I see no reason (logically speaking only, programming issues aside) the PE *contact* can't work the same way.

Dec-13-2005 04:52

Well research and PE contacts are not the same research allows you to eliminate one potential suspect on your own. Contacts just help identify evidence. So for a contact, say the tailor to ID who's thread was found they need you to bring in thread so they can compare with evidence from crime scene. So it makes sense that you would have to not only know who possible suspects are but also have met with them, how else would you get thread sample from them to compare against crime evidence??
So research will verify somebody as being innocent. Contacts match-up crime scene evidence to suspect evidence that you must bring to them to compare.

Dec-13-2005 05:50

Besides LastTrain you are not correct when you say research immediately gives you the individual. What actually happens is you go to the hall of records and you research all your current suspects. I don't care for all the clicking back and forth but seems to me it is more logical now. Not to mention that as your contact merchant will not clam-up on you that is the benefit of having contact.
A lot of people seem to bring up ideas that make the game easier/conveniant. I wonder why sometimes because if you build your skills up and are in agency most cases are almost impossible not to solve.

Dec-13-2005 10:24

*Besides LastTrain you are not correct when you say research immediately gives you the individual. What actually happens is you go to the hall of records and you research all your current suspects.*

Why did you cut off my statement in the middle of the sentence? My quote was "it immediately gives you the individual as long as you've uncovered that person as a suspect". That seems to be exact the same thing you are saying.

That's exactly the way I would like to see your contact work regarding PE. If you've uncovered the suspect to whom the PE belongs, your contact could tell you who it is. If you haven't uncovered the suspect, your contact could respond with some generic "I'm currently of no help to you."

Research and PE matching are certainly not equal, I fully agree. The context being discussed is making PE matching faster when the townsperson is the PE contact.

One issue with that, as duly noted by R Anstett, is how your contact could respond if you hadn't yet identified a person as a suspect. I made the suggestion that it could be handled the way research handles that dilemma. Your contact could make some general statement to the effect of "I cannot currently help you with this case."