{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/visual-novel--family-12","type":"mechanic","id":"visual-novel--family-12","lang":"en","title":"Correspondence and digital investigation","summary":"Messages, files and digital traces become the material of communication, search and reconstruction of events.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/visual-novel--family-12/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/visual-novel--family-12.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/visual-novel--family-12.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Visual novels","Mechanics"],"sourceIds":["source-f97a7da06fc05861"],"sources":[{"id":"source-f97a7da06fc05861","title":"STEINS;GATE","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/412830/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Messages, files and digital traces become the material of communication, search and reconstruction of events."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-12-variants\"></a>\n\n- Branching correspondence. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The choice of messages changes the conversation and events. <a id=\"variant-vn-118\"></a>\n- Delayed response or ignoring. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The time and fact of the answer influence the result of communication. <a id=\"variant-vn-119\"></a>\n- Several parallel chats. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The player distributes attention between conversations and their participants. <a id=\"variant-vn-120\"></a>\n- Receiving and rejecting a call. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The decision determines the available scene and the caller's reaction. <a id=\"variant-vn-121\"></a>\n- Working with attachments. Type: Mechanics. Rule: Photos, audio and documents are considered sources of information. <a id=\"variant-vn-122\"></a>\n- Selecting a publication. Type: Mechanics. Rule: A post, comment or reaction changes reputation and the spread of information. <a id=\"variant-vn-123\"></a>\n- Forwarding a message. Type: Mechanics. Rule: Transmitting someone else's text changes the awareness and attitudes of the participants. <a id=\"variant-vn-124\"></a>\n- Search in the virtual network. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The player searches for data inside simulated sites and services. <a id=\"variant-vn-125\"></a>\n- Access to an account or device. Type: Mechanics. Rule: Password and other conditions open a new piece of information. <a id=\"variant-vn-126\"></a>\n- Removing or hiding your digital footprint. Type: Mechanics. Rule: The player changes the availability of correspondence, publications and entries for other characters. <a id=\"variant-vn-127\"></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-12","title":"Visual novels","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/visual-novel/#family-12","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Correspondence and digital investigation","description":"Messages, files and digital traces become the material of communication, search and reconstruction of events.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/narrative-steins-gate-03.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"STEINS;GATE","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/412830/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/412830/ss_2335b7b8d7b5adc666e38443468b4c73ae69e9a3.1920x1080.jpg?t=1715703398","credit":"MAGES. Inc. / Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.","rights":"© MAGES. Inc. / Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.. All rights reserved.","caption":"A phone is integrated into the visual novel scene","alt":"A phone is integrated into the visual novel scene","markers":[{"x":87,"y":43,"label":"The phone menu provides a separate interaction channel"}]},"tips":["Distinguish new messages, message history and phone actions."],"examples":[{"title":"STEINS;GATE","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/412830/"}]}},"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"}}