Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
A detective game where cases are solved using a phone book and newspapers.
Where Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective comes up2 episodes and tests
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testThe 3 Types of Detective Game
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testWhat Makes a Good Detective Game?Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective hides the right leads among red herrings in a London directory of about 200 entries, plus newspapers, so players choose where to investigate. It ends with a courtroom pick of murderer and motive. Lesson: let players pick their own leads from a noisy database, and make them prove the solution at the end.
- 1Read the newspaperArticles and video clips hint at leads
- 2Scan the directoryAbout 200 London entries to sift
- 3Visit an addressIrrelevant ones just play a canned video
- 4Face the courtroomPick murderer and motive at the end
From Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective game design
What was said about Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective hides the real leads among red herrings in a directory. Players get a physical newspaper and a directory of about 200 London entries. They have to work out which people and places matter from the articles and video clips. Visiting an irrelevant address just plays a canned video.
Investigation games need lots of dead ends to hide the real answer, and those are expensive to author. A phone book-style directory supplies them cheaply. Quote: "The idea is to hide the relevant names in a sea of red herrings."
The game ends in a courtroom where players pick the murderer and motive. Players choose from multiple-choice options only once they feel confident in their knowledge. Placing the multiple choice at the very end makes it work as a tense final test rather than a guess along the way.
The courtroom finale is one way to make players prove the solution, rather than just stumble on it.
The 3 Types of Detective Game
It hides the real addresses among red herrings in a phone book.
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective hides the real leads among red herrings in a directory. Players get a physical newspaper and a directory of about 200 London entries. They have to work out which people and places matter from the articles and video clips. Visiting an irrelevant address just plays a canned video.
Investigation games need lots of dead ends to hide the real answer, and those are expensive to author. A phone book-style directory supplies them cheaply. Quote: "The idea is to hide the relevant names in a sea of red herrings."
What Makes a Good Detective Game?
Hides the right leads among red herrings in a directory of about 200 entries. It ends with a courtroom pick of the murderer and motive, a tense multiple choice test.
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective hides the real leads among red herrings in a directory. Players get a physical newspaper and a directory of about 200 London entries. They have to work out which people and places matter from the articles and video clips. Visiting an irrelevant address just plays a canned video.
Investigation games need lots of dead ends to hide the real answer, and those are expensive to author. A phone book-style directory supplies them cheaply. Quote: "The idea is to hide the relevant names in a sea of red herrings."
The game ends in a courtroom where players pick the murderer and motive. Players choose from multiple-choice options only once they feel confident in their knowledge. Placing the multiple choice at the very end makes it work as a tense final test rather than a guess along the way.
The courtroom finale is one way to make players prove the solution, rather than just stumble on it.
More in Games
GamesNintendo
A Zelda adventure where Princess Zelda copies objects and monsters as echoes to solve puzzles and fight.
GamesThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo's long-running action-adventure series about Link exploring Hyrule, solving puzzles and fighting Ganon.
GamesDead Space
A major video game publisher and the guest's employer.
G
29 sources · 94 tipsMind Over Magnet
A puzzle platformer where you escape a factory using a magnet and a magnetic field.
GamesFar Cry 2
An open world action game where you recruit and play any of London's citizens.
GamesGod of War
A combat-focused action adventure game from Santa Monica Studio with Norse mythology and light puzzles.
Mind Over Magnet
Mark Brown's first game, a puzzle game he made while learning Unity.
GamesDishonored
A first-person stealth action game from Arkane with supernatural powers and the Clockwork Mansion level.