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<blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 158617" data-attributes="member: 3448">Investigatory adventures are among my favorite types.&nbsp; The first advice I would give is that there are really two types of investigatory adventures; figure out which type of investigatory adventure you want to run.The first type is &quot;investigation as framework.&quot;&nbsp; In this mode of game, the investigation is pretty straightforward:&nbsp; you go to a place, interact with the encounter, get the hook for the next encounter, and then go there.&nbsp; The encounters can have different forms: decode a message, interrogate a witness, fight the guards to get into an area where a clue is.&nbsp; But the game is actually linear (or at most location matrix) driven.&nbsp; This can be a satisfying framework, but isn't really an investigation: it just feels like one.&nbsp; Nothing is ever terribly difficult to figure out, it's just a fun plot device.The second type (which I prefer) is a true mystery.&nbsp; In a true mystery, the PCs are actually trying to figure things out.&nbsp; The first key is to make the mystery good.&nbsp; This is all about context:&nbsp; why did people do what they did.&nbsp; Motive is everything.&nbsp; To get a sense of what makes a good mystery, read lots of them (especially the style where the reader is trying to figure out the mystery at the same time as the sleuth is).&nbsp; You can also watch good TV mysteries; I recommend _Law &amp; Order_.&nbsp; The second key is put multiple clues, more than you think you need in, and always give multiple leads.&nbsp; You always want the players thinking, &quot;well, we could go talk to the spice merchants at the bizarre, or we could check out that lead with the dock workers, and I'd still like to search the victim's rooms more carefully for clues.&quot;&nbsp; Always have multiple leads for them to follow...it prevents things from stagnating, and allows you to seed each track with clues, so they can gather enough clues even after they inevitably miss some.I strongly disagree with the &quot;I'll figure it out as I go along&quot; approach for a true mystery (although it works fine for an investigation-style not-true-mystery game).&nbsp; It cheapens the victory.&nbsp; Also, ultimately you want the players to look at the whole pattern that they've figured out and have the realization of how it makes sense, and how it fits into broader patterns in the gameworld.&nbsp; If you're just adopting their theory, or winging it, you can't get the same level of satisfaction.&nbsp; As I said before, by the end they should thoroughly understand the context and be completely confident in the answer they've worked out.Hope this helps, and good luck!&nbsp; Investigations are one of the most satisfying styles of games to play in, and to run!Cerebral Paladin</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Cerebral Paladin, post: 158617, member: 3448"] Investigatory adventures are among my favorite types. The first advice I would give is that there are really two types of investigatory adventures; figure out which type of investigatory adventure you want to run. The first type is "investigation as framework." In this mode of game, the investigation is pretty straightforward: you go to a place, interact with the encounter, get the hook for the next encounter, and then go there. The encounters can have different forms: decode a message, interrogate a witness, fight the guards to get into an area where a clue is. But the game is actually linear (or at most location matrix) driven. This can be a satisfying framework, but isn't really an investigation: it just feels like one. Nothing is ever terribly difficult to figure out, it's just a fun plot device. The second type (which I prefer) is a true mystery. In a true mystery, the PCs are actually trying to figure things out. The first key is to make the mystery good. This is all about context: why did people do what they did. Motive is everything. To get a sense of what makes a good mystery, read lots of them (especially the style where the reader is trying to figure out the mystery at the same time as the sleuth is). You can also watch good TV mysteries; I recommend _Law & Order_. The second key is put multiple clues, more than you think you need in, and always give multiple leads. You always want the players thinking, "well, we could go talk to the spice merchants at the bizarre, or we could check out that lead with the dock workers, and I'd still like to search the victim's rooms more carefully for clues." Always have multiple leads for them to follow...it prevents things from stagnating, and allows you to seed each track with clues, so they can gather enough clues even after they inevitably miss some. I strongly disagree with the "I'll figure it out as I go along" approach for a true mystery (although it works fine for an investigation-style not-true-mystery game). It cheapens the victory. Also, ultimately you want the players to look at the whole pattern that they've figured out and have the realization of how it makes sense, and how it fits into broader patterns in the gameworld. If you're just adopting their theory, or winging it, you can't get the same level of satisfaction. As I said before, by the end they should thoroughly understand the context and be completely confident in the answer they've worked out. Hope this helps, and good luck! Investigations are one of the most satisfying styles of games to play in, and to run! Cerebral Paladin [/QUOTE]

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