---
key: mechanic/narrative-investigation--t192
type: mechanic
id: narrative-investigation--t192
lang: en
title: 'Finding, connecting and presenting evidence'
summary: >-
  Evidence gains meaning through provenance, comparison and presentation within
  a relevant test context.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/narrative-investigation--t192/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/narrative-investigation--t192.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/narrative-investigation--t192.md
aliases:
  - Comparing and presenting evidence
tags:
  - 'Narrative, dialogue and investigation'
  - Mechanics and variants
sourceIds:
  - source-24607f3488b057c0
  - source-c071af1c88e59913
sources:
  - id: source-24607f3488b057c0
    title: 'inkle: ink'
    url: 'https://github.com/inkle/ink'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-c071af1c88e59913
    title: The Case of the Golden Idol
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1677770/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: narrative-investigation
    id: t192
    title: 'Narrative, dialogue and investigation'
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/narrative-investigation/#t192'
    categoryIds:
      - mechanics
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Comparing and presenting evidence
    description: >-
      Evidence gains meaning through provenance, comparison and presentation
      within a relevant test context.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/adventure-golden-idol-07.webp
      width: 1357
      height: 763
      game: The Case of the Golden Idol
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1677770/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1677770/ss_649570093b41419b15482dd6667b0a74c4a8cfb2.1920x1080.jpg?t=1786374001
      credit: Color Gray Games / Playstack
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed
        Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: Names and actions complete an explanation of the incident
      alt: Names and actions complete an explanation of the incident
      markers:
        - x: 27
          'y': 46
          label: A testable account of events
        - x: 78
          'y': 49
          label: People who must be identified
    tips:
      - Make clear which hypothesis a clue supports or contradicts.
    examples:
      - title: The Case of the Golden Idol
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1677770/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on
  2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design
  examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests.
  Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not
  every proposed variant.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/narrative-investigation
---
# Finding, connecting and presenting evidence

id: narrative-investigation--t192
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/narrative-investigation--t192
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/narrative-investigation--t192/

Evidence gains meaning through provenance, comparison and presentation within a relevant test context.

## At a glance

![Names and actions complete an explanation of the incident](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/adventure-golden-idol-07.webp)

[The Case of the Golden Idol](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1677770/) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

1. A testable account of events
2. People who must be identified

- Make clear which hypothesis a clue supports or contradicts.

- [The Case of the Golden Idol](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1677770/)

## How it works

Evidence gains meaning through provenance, comparison and presentation within a relevant test context.

## Variants

### Mechanic variants

<a id="t192-variants"></a>

- Provenance distinguishes findings from hearsay. <a id="t192-v1"></a>
- Comparison tests shared properties of samples. <a id="t192-v2"></a>
- Chains connect independent facts into a conclusion. <a id="t192-v3"></a>
- Presentation changes access to new information. <a id="t192-v4"></a>

## Design example

Fabric matches a repaired cloak and a photograph shows who wore it on the relevant day.

Prototype check: Test conclusions with one clue removed and distinguish proof, suspicion and an unsupported hypothesis.

## Context and limits

Narrative challenges give players grounds for interpretation, observable consequences of choice and ways to revise a hypothesis. Each overview separates player actions, state changes and alternative rules. Examples are hypothetical design scenarios, not claims about a named game. A prototype check states an observable question for the next iteration. Existing detailed references remain separately linked from the direction map.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests. Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not every proposed variant.

- [inkle: ink](https://github.com/inkle/ink) (id: source-24607f3488b057c0)
- [The Case of the Golden Idol](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1677770/) (id: source-c071af1c88e59913)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors