{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/detective--family-28","type":"mechanic","id":"detective--family-28","lang":"en","title":"Leads and investigation order","summary":"Case structure determines which questions and locations are currently available and how new information opens further actions.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/detective--family-28/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/detective--family-28.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/detective--family-28.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Detective games","Investigation structure"],"sourceIds":["source-b21a556417974437","source-de967651def38651","source-5826b1f3d00cd60a"],"sources":[{"id":"source-b21a556417974437","title":"Paradise Killer","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1160220/Paradise_Killer/","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-de967651def38651","title":"Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/241260/Sherlock_Holmes_Crimes_and_Punishments/","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-5826b1f3d00cd60a","title":"Shadows of Doubt","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/986130/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Case structure determines which questions and locations are currently available and how new information opens further actions."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants\n\n<a id=\"family-28-branch-1\"></a>\n\n- Multiple entry points: reveal an important lead through different independent clues. <a id=\"family-28-variant-1\"></a>\n- Knowledge unlocks a topic: open a question or location after a meaningful discovery. <a id=\"family-28-variant-2\"></a>\n- Player-chosen stopping point: let the player decide when there is enough support to conclude. <a id=\"family-28-variant-3\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"An address can be learned from a receipt or a neighbor. Both paths lead to the archive but reveal different context."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"A working map of detective design: 32 families and 96 variants. The core loop is to find information, form a hypothesis, test it and explain a conclusion. Answer formats, hints and investigation structure are treated separately. Families overlap, design examples are hypothetical, and released-game examples cite primary sources without revealing case solutions."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"detective","id":"family-28","title":"Detective games","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/detective/#family-28","categoryIds":["structure"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Leads and investigation order","description":"Case structure determines which questions and locations are currently available and how new information opens further actions.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/narrative-shadows-doubt-01.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"Shadows of Doubt","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/986130/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/986130/ss_6e8b247fbef7b2be4d87b4a7ef9d6bae191e39f8.1920x1080.jpg?t=1787842717","credit":"ColePowered Games / Fireshine Games","rights":"© ColePowered Games / Fireshine Games. All rights reserved.","caption":"The board connects a receipt, people and places","alt":"The board connects a receipt, people and places","markers":[{"x":69,"y":56,"label":"The relationship between entries remains visible on the case board"}]},"tips":["A new lead should explain which question or location is now available."],"examples":[{"title":"Shadows of Doubt","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/986130/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial taxonomy authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-19. Primary developer and publisher sources support specific released-game examples, not the whole classification; design examples are hypothetical.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/detective"}}