Thank you for the feedback and the compliments! I hadn’t thought I’d needed to tell the player to check the stats screen, as that’s something that it seems is standard in a ChoiceScript game (I always check after making any choice to see what changes), but I’ll consider putting a note there. Choosing a profession is probably the most important decision in the game, as it affects not only your starting skills and items, but it also affects how characters react to you, and the game can be a different experience. The dilettante character has very high social standing and is also a patron of the arts (hence the 75% in Wealth and 50% in Art), as well as having a good deal of free time. Maybe the dilettante could also have a reputation for solving minor mysteries, and the MC’s father could perhaps have mentioned you to the dean.
Failing skill checks can actually give you small increases in those skills, plus there are other ways to get larger increases if you figure out certain things, even on skills that are related to what you’re doing but haven’t been tested.
Alyssa and the Lt. Doyle are sharing information so openly because they hope to get information in return. You can definitely improve Alyssa’s article by finding more clues. The article she writes depends a great deal on whether or not you’ve talked to her and found certain clues. There are also other potential rewards for helping Alyssa. And if you play a reporter, you’ve written the article yourself, and its contents depend on what clues you found. It can be difficult for the dilettante to find most clues, as you have lower levels in many of the relevant skills, but that’s balanced by where you do excel. It’s okay if you don’t find out things during the free-roam portion, and indeed there isn’t enough time to do everything, even as a dilettante with a fast car. The story makes sure you can progress even finding only the minimum clues (in this case, the button).
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You could also, I’d think, instead of telling the player to check the stats page, just mention that professions affect stats?
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Just did one playthrough. The investigation section was pretty interesting, and drew me in.
Some thoughts.
Lt. Doyle named one potential suspect: Catherine Evans, the alleged leader of the Evans gang, though he has no proof as of yet of her involvement
It is unlikely that the police would reveal a suspect’s name to the press, as it could tip them off if they are guilty, and it could be considered libelous if they were ultimately innocent. Only reason would be if the suspect is a fugitive, and you need help from the public to apprehend them.
At the general store, I can buy things, but there doesn’t seem to be a way to keep track of how much money I have and how much something costs.
Once you establish that Waite is a suspect, the only option if you do not have a car seems to be to break into her house. I think there should also be an option to inform the police first, as house-breaking is illegal even if she were guilty of the crime. A more daring character might do that, but a more moderate character should have a more moderate choice.
I might have missed it, but was there ever an option to question the janitor at the scene?
Good luck.
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Thank you for your feedback!
I’ll change it so that Lt. Doyle simply does not mention the suspect by name. You only actually meet this person on one particular path.
Money is abstracted in this game through the Wealth stat. Rather than giving the character a fixed amount of money and having items cost a specific amount, the number of items you can buy at the store depends on your Wealth (and the text displayed also hints at how many you can afford to buy while still saving enough for travel expenses). Once you’ve purchased all you can afford, all of the purchase options are dimmed out, and you can only leave the store.
I’ll add the option to call the police (from a nearby payphone, so as not to waste too much time going to the station). Lt. Doyle will thank you, but he knows he won’t be able to get a search warrant based solely on the button and will say so. The police won’t actually be able to help, but you should still have the option to try that first. Doing so will preclude following Abigail Waite in your car if you haven’t tried it already, as she’ll be long gone at that point.
No, there is no chance to talk to the janitor, who is gone before you ever get to the scene.
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