{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/visual-novel--family-09","type":"mechanic","id":"visual-novel--family-09","lang":"en","title":"Investigation and deduction","summary":"The collected observations and evidence are linked into a conclusion that reveals a solution or changes the understanding of events.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/visual-novel--family-09/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/visual-novel--family-09.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/visual-novel--family-09.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Visual novels","Mechanics"],"sourceIds":["source-5826b1f3d00cd60a"],"sources":[{"id":"source-5826b1f3d00cd60a","title":"Shadows of Doubt","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/986130/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The collected observations and evidence are linked into a conclusion that reveals a solution or changes the understanding of events."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-09-variants\"></a>\n\n- Collection of evidence. Type: Mechanics. Rule: Discovered information is recorded as material for investigation. <a id=\"variant-vn-086\"></a>\n- Analysis of evidence. Type: Mechanics. Rule: Research reveals properties or additional information. <a id=\"variant-vn-087\"></a>\n- Comparison of evidence. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The player finds coincidences and contradictions in several stories. <a id=\"variant-vn-088\"></a>\n- Selecting a significant fragment. Type: Mechanics. Rule: You must indicate the exact location in the text, image or post. <a id=\"variant-vn-089\"></a>\n- Presentation of evidence. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The player associates relevant evidence with a specific statement. <a id=\"variant-vn-090\"></a>\n- Connecting facts. Type: Mechanics. Rule: A new fact is derived from a pair or set of information. <a id=\"variant-vn-091\"></a>\n- Filling out the hypothesis. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The player fills in names, reasons and actions to explain the event. <a id=\"variant-vn-092\"></a>\n- Restoring chronology. Type: Mechanics. Rule: Events are arranged in causal or temporal order. <a id=\"variant-vn-093\"></a>\n- Reconstruction of the scene. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The player restores the positions of the participants and the sequence of actions. <a id=\"variant-vn-094\"></a>\n- Version check. Type: Mechanics. Rule: A hypothesis is tested by a new action, question or experiment. <a id=\"variant-vn-095\"></a>\n- The accusation and the final conclusion. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The player chooses the culprit, explanation or solution to the case... <a id=\"variant-vn-096\"></a>\n- Accounting for investigation errors. Type: Mechanics. Rule: Wrong conclusions waste trust, effort, or time. <a id=\"variant-vn-097\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Author's working classification for designing games and interactions. Options can overlap and combine; the list is not a generally accepted standard or proven exhaustive list. Application examples are conditional unless a specific verifiable observation is indicated nearby. Sources support individual techniques and technical limitations."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"visual-novel","id":"family-09","title":"Visual novels","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/visual-novel/#family-09","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Investigation and deduction","description":"The collected observations and evidence are linked into a conclusion that reveals a solution or changes the understanding of events.","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":["Let players trace a conclusion back to the observations supporting it."],"examples":[{"title":"Shadows of Doubt","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/986130/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/visual-novel"}}