---
key: mechanic/detective--family-10
type: mechanic
id: detective--family-10
lang: en
title: Surveillance and behavioral observation
summary: >-
  The player observes a character’s actions in the world and compares them with
  the claimed routine.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/detective--family-10/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/detective--family-10.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/detective--family-10.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Detective games
  - Witnesses and information sources
sourceIds:
  - source-ce786c639336367e
  - source-090ee83445744667
sources:
  - id: source-ce786c639336367e
    title: Shadows of Doubt
    url: 'https://fireshinegames.co.uk/games/shadows-of-doubt/'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-090ee83445744667
    title: The Operator
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: detective
    id: family-10
    title: Detective games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/detective/#family-10'
    categoryIds:
      - testimony
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Surveillance and behavioral observation
    description: >-
      The player observes a character’s actions in the world and compares them
      with the claimed routine.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/narrative-the-operator-11.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: The Operator
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1771980/ss_016b45729ee402502b0784a3d1a8492a3f7996f9.1920x1080.jpg?t=1778485297
      credit: Bureau 81 / Bureau 81 / indienova
      rights: © Bureau 81 / Bureau 81 / indienova. All rights reserved.
      caption: Comparing a camera recording with a live feed
      alt: Comparing a camera recording with a live feed
      markers:
        - x: 66
          'y': 43
          label: The second feed allows observation of current behaviour
    tips:
      - Label recording times so they are not confused with live observation.
    examples:
      - title: The Operator
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/'
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
---
# Surveillance and behavioral observation

id: detective--family-10
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/detective--family-10
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/detective--family-10/

The player observes a character’s actions in the world and compares them with the claimed routine.

## At a glance

![Comparing a camera recording with a live feed](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/narrative-the-operator-11.webp)

[The Operator](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/) · © Bureau 81 / Bureau 81 / indienova. All rights reserved.

1. The second feed allows observation of current behaviour

- Label recording times so they are not confused with live observation.

- [The Operator](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/)

## How it works

The player observes a character’s actions in the world and compares them with the claimed routine.

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-10-branch-1"></a>

- Tailing a target: maintain visual contact without arousing suspicion under the game’s rules. <a id="family-10-variant-1"></a>
- Scheduled observation: reach a location when a recurring event takes place. <a id="family-10-variant-2"></a>
- Record comparison: check camera footage or an entry log against a character’s account. <a id="family-10-variant-3"></a>

## Design example

A courier leaves the work route every evening. The player chooses a vantage point to discover the meeting place.

## Context and limits

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.

## Connected materials


## Sources and 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.

- [Shadows of Doubt](https://fireshinegames.co.uk/games/shadows-of-doubt/) (id: source-ce786c639336367e)
- [The Operator](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/) (id: source-090ee83445744667)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors