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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 6803757" data-attributes="member: 177">That's as I expected, given what I've seen of you speak about, and what I've read of your play reports.  While I am sure someone out there can do a good mystery without pre-authoring, I expect those GMs are rare indeed.  For most mortals, it calls for some significant pre-authoring.  Otherwise, it comes out rather like a few TV shows that were based on being mysterious, but for which the authors didn't actually start out with a plan for where it was going to go - it begins to wander and become inconsistent, and there can be a tendency to put off the end.Have you looked at GUMSHOE?This game is all about the procedural, but for the most part gets around the 'can we deploy our skills' question.  Of course you can deploy your skills!  You're a competent expert!  If there's a clue to be found in place or situation, you have the skill, and you think to look, you get the clue.  You don't need to jump through hoops and guess exactly where the clue is hidden, or exactly which question to ask of the NPC, no die roll required.It then becomes the logic puzzle for the players (rather than the characters) to put the clues together and come to a conclusion.  And then the question of what you *do* about it...</blockquote>