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This has probably already been done. I am working on getting my first story out, but what about a murder mystery type story, done in some way similar to a murder mystery party.  Are you all familiar, and if so, thoughts on ways to achieve something like it?

Absolutely LOVE this idea! (I was working on a murder mystery game awhile ago, but then I got started on Price of Freedom, so I just kind of never got round to finishing it.) As for ways to achieve it, I think that incorporating items would be a good idea, since the player could find clues and then present them to the suspects.

Okay. I am still working on my variables.and have not entered items yet. how would those be used in the story?

An item is something that goes in your inventory, and you can trigger certain events by using them in certain places.

So, for instance, you could find a long, red scarf, and make it so that if you use the scarf with Colonel Mustard, it takes you to a page that says?

"Do you recognize this scarf?"

"Oh yes, that scarf definitely belongs to Miss Scarlett."

... Or something like that. 

okay I get it.  Okay, well I am going to finish this story today, and then start on this idea. If you or anyone else would be inclined to collaborate with me on this project, I would love the help and company. 

Pretty busy with a lot of my own stories right now, but I could help with coding and stuff if you'd like.. ^_^

I am glad that you are. That is a good thing. I am glad you got a lot going on. Yes I would very much like to learn about coding. I will read over items in the help section and forum and when you have time maybe you can do a lesson or two.  As far as the murder mystery, yes, I will probably manage to create things I don't know how to structure So yes I will need to pick your brain off and on. 

Awesome Let me know if you've got any questions about how to do anything. ^_^

Like Clue? I love that style of story. I'm aware of a couple of IF games that do something similar but we've never had many actual mysteries for our mystery section here.

Mysteries of any kind can be pretty complicated and ambitions to write though, and it sounds like you may need a good grasp of the site editor for this if only to keep track of what clues the player has and hasn't come across yet.

Agreed. Maybe some one will collaborate with me on it since I lack in that area. 

If you want some inspiration or tips or something, look to Hunting the Ripper by Will11. It is by far my favorite mystery game on CYS. 

Oh I definately will. thank you. 

I think Blacksea Island is closest thing we have to a traditional mystery game.
httpp://chooseyourstory.com/Story/Detective_1_0x3a__Blacksea_Island.aspx

oh very cool thank. very cool. Good morning. 

You might want to look up the old book "Who Killed Harlowe Thrombey?" on Amazon or Ebay. It's an old, old CYOA book that's been out of print for decades, but you can probably find a cheap used copy.

I am by no means suggesting or recommending this as a riveting read or an exemplar of the murder mystery genre. However, as an early CYOA it had an experimental story structure that reminds me more of the games on this site than any of the other original 183 CYOAs.

You may find "Harlowe Thrombey" useful for reverse-engineering purposes: learn how the author structured his story, and then see if you can make that work for you.

Thank you very much. It sounds like it will be worth it in terms of learning a structure  that works here and with what I have in mind. Thank you. I will check it out. 

I'm doing something like this, with the twist that your character is the murderer. Needless to say: I think this a brilliant idea.

Is it really a twist, though?

You never expect yourself to be the killer.

Very well said.

Pretty sure that was sarcasm.

Because I'm pretty sure that if the game is about finding ways to kill people, it's going to be pretty obvious.

In my game there will be multiple non-lethal ways to 'dispose' of people: but this is not a thread about my game.                             This is a conversation about oraclemache's  game, which I can't wait to see the end result of!                                       

 

It's a quote from The Office because IRL I'm a shy blonde girl who binges Netflix all night and only speaks in TV and movie quotes.

You could make a Noire atmosphere, like those detectives back in the ‘60s. Maybe take references from a few famous cases, like for example a detective working in LA who’s trying to eradicate the red menace from Hollywood. Along with the mystery this could be a great chance in bringing out the atmosphere of that era; like the excitement of the population when automobiles became available for the first time. I think that since you have actual first hand experience of the time, you’re practically the best person to write about it. 

 

 

Oh and also make choices on saying the right thing at the right time to get information out of your suspects. Maybe you could make the homicide case more difficult if you fail to properly interview the witnesses, or make the case easy if you manage to have a way with words and get the required information and leads.

 

Indeed.  I am working on it right now.  I apologize for the delay in response.  Trying to put it all together is more of a feat than I initially expected.  However, I am enjoying my imagination running wild.  

The premise is a group trapped at a party in the lost realm.  They have found their hostess dead. She had the only key to leave the realm which is limbo basically.  The killer must have taken it because it is gone. The group hunts for clues for the key and killer so they can get home.  They all are witches and wizards as well.So the weapon that kills is enchanted making things even more challenging.