#The importance of dialogue

14 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

hybrid bluff
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Instead of adding new types of locations to generate, add dialogue and depth to gameplay. In the game right now regardless of who exactly the person you are talking to they answer your questions like a machine.

Example being you can talk to a spouse of a guy who just got stabbed five minutes ago, ask them if they know their spouse and they just say "thats my partner, I saw them 3 minutes before they just got stabbed at basically right where I am right now. "

Obviously you should be horrified and panicking, delirious or even in denial of what just happened. If someone isnt reacting to the death of their partner they could either be in shock, in on it or possibly the killer themselves.

Once I was doing a side mission when I saw a lady covered in blood walking down the stair well with no murder reported. I asked her for her name and fingerprint and let her go. She answered all my questions just like anyone else would. Obviously in the real world that would be due to panic, inexperience and anxiety overload. That should be reflected in her dialogue, she should stutter and hesitate when responding to my barrage of questions.

Reputation, when you start off the game nobody should know who you are, if you talk to the killer they shouldnt know you are a detective. Later in the game though, if a killer sees you at their work they might be convinced that drastic action is the only thing that can save them from the eventuality of your investigation bearing fruit. Maybe they take everything out of their desk, run home, take everything out of there and move in with a friend or become homeless. Speaking of a killers home, maybe not every time but sometimes a killer's home should be creepy as fuck. Maybe with mementos from their crimes or pictures of their murders, most murderers believe it or not are not sane people and will keep evidence of their crimes.

Dialogue and killer action are where the future of this game lies, not in hotels.

drowsy notch
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I found a killer with a messed up home. I wish I still had the save for that game. Basically there where a dozen of the same note pinned up all over the house as well as some as crumpled up paper. Maybe not that creepy, but still a big red flag when I broke into the apartment.

But a do agree. Guilty people should be a bit more hidden with information. Close parties to the victim should be a bit scattered when you ask them stuff. Add in some stuttering if possible, and random wrong answers that are changed, like "I last saw him at the dinner... no... it was the laundry mat at 9:00pm."

Where you can sub in <Location 1... no.. it was the> in the conversation to show a bit of scattered thinking. Giving you 2 possible places to check on. I agree most conversations are a bit mechanical. Maybe, say as you reach reputaion level 5, when you greet someone they say something like "Hey, aren't you detective <yourname>?

hybrid bluff
drowsy notch
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Its still early access. They are fleshing things out more. Like hiding things behind paintings (like a diary with hair clippings from each victim).
My daughter is watching an old crime drama (Something about Behavioral Analysis Unit or something) where they do profiles on the killers they track. It has some good insights that can be used in this game which can drive motives and patterns. sorry, probably wrong chat...

signal iron
drowsy notch
hybrid bluff
lilac mason
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Would be interesting if there was a hidden "guilt" meter, where the more evidence we find the more nervous or agitated the perpetrating NPC lines become. Could obfuscate some of it with already shy or angry NPCs who are otherwise innocent.

short latch
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After some cases got extremely good by power of random, im dreaming about possibility of mod added cases like in tutorial, but made by users. for example cases activated via City Hall cruncher to start story based mission.

drowsy notch
hybrid bluff
torpid root
hybrid bluff
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yah real talk

lilac mason