---
key: mechanic/detective--family-26
type: mechanic
id: detective--family-26
lang: en
title: Reporting and explaining events
summary: >-
  The player combines findings into a coherent account and separates established
  facts from likely and unknown claims.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/detective--family-26/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/detective--family-26.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/detective--family-26.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Detective games
  - 'Conclusions, argument and assistance'
sourceIds:
  - source-090ee83445744667
sources:
  - id: source-090ee83445744667
    title: The Operator
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: detective
    id: family-26
    title: Detective games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/detective/#family-26'
    categoryIds:
      - conclusions
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Reporting and explaining events
    description: >-
      The player combines findings into a coherent account and separates
      established facts from likely and unknown claims.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/narrative-the-operator-07.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_dfe43e63fd32175c7db4631a6e58cccaa4848138.1920x1080.jpg?t=1778485297
      credit: Bureau 81 / Bureau 81 / indienova
      rights: © Bureau 81 / Bureau 81 / indienova. All rights reserved.
      caption: A final report beside a photograph and evidence
      alt: A final report beside a photograph and evidence
      markers:
        - x: 57
          'y': 57
          label: The report assembles findings into a testable explanation
    tips:
      - 'Mark proven facts, probable links and unknowns in the report.'
    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
---
# Reporting and explaining events

id: detective--family-26
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/detective--family-26
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/detective--family-26/

The player combines findings into a coherent account and separates established facts from likely and unknown claims.

## At a glance

![A final report beside a photograph and evidence](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/narrative-the-operator-07.webp)

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

1. The report assembles findings into a testable explanation

- Mark proven facts, probable links and unknowns in the report.

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

## How it works

The player combines findings into a coherent account and separates established facts from likely and unknown claims.

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-26-branch-1"></a>

- Account assembly: arrange established events into an explanatory sequence. <a id="family-26-variant-1"></a>
- Source support: attach a supporting record to each claim. <a id="family-26-variant-2"></a>
- Knowledge limits: mark unresolved details and confidence without invented precision. <a id="family-26-variant-3"></a>

## Design example

A report establishes the route and parcel substitution, while the organizer remains unknown. The game preserves that gap explicitly.

## 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.

- [The Operator](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/) (id: source-090ee83445744667)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors