Original Project Idea

My idea is for an interactive detective story. The story is based upon a lot of cliches, but I think it could be fun to redo an old idea with new technology. Anyway, here I go trying to explain it. The details are a bit sketchy still. I will refer to the user as you, so you can get a feel for the user's role.

The first screen is totally black except for a door with a knocker or bell. You click (ring or knock) on the door and that action launches you into the web site.

The next screen is a huge party (bar on left with guests drinking, band in background, table with food, drinks and guests on left side). Your hostess greets you in the forefront of the screen, "Welcome Detective; I'm so glad to see you. Help yourself to the bar to your left." [This sets up the story as a mystery right away.] I would like to use sound throughout, so you can hear the party (music, chattering, etc) and hear the hostess. Slight animations will allow the screen to move and look alive. (I'm not sure on transition here...)

The next screen will bring you into the scene by moving you to the bar. The host disappears, and your perspective changes as you approach the bar. The bartender asks you what you would like to drink...when suddenly the lights go out (black screen with flash) and a shot is fired (or some other murderous act is conducted). [I plan to use Flash and Macromedia Director to create this effect. This will all happen pretty fast. The scene will unfold slower and more subtle than a movie but enough to fool you into thinking you are having an interactive experience.]

The lights come up (previous party scene appears), and the hostess is dead. The crowd reacts appropriately. One of the character approaches the front of the screen and asks you to find out who committed the crime (or something like that). NOW, the true interaction begins.

The murder scene will be an image map. You can click on any of the characters to ask them limited questions. When you click on a character, a separate dialogue box comes up with buttons you can click on (who they are, what is their relationship to the hostess, what is their description of what happened, where were they when the murder happened, and a gossip button that allows them to say another "clue" about other guests--however this tip could be misleading.) You (the detective) can choose to read all answers or pick and choose. You can also click on various objects (weapons, window, etc) to get further clues. At all times there will be a way for you to choose to solve the mystery (a frame or link) when you think you have gathered enough evidence. Each of the character's names will be listed on buttons on the bottom for you to choose as the murderer. For example, you might select the bartender as the murderer. When you click his button, the following dialogue comes up, "I didn't do it. You know what I was doing during the murder, don't you?" If you clicked on the bartender in the scene, and you had asked him what he was doing before you guessed, you would have found out he was pouring your drink. So, you guessed wrong. You can question some more suspects/witnesses or guess again.

When you finally choose the killer, some action will wrap the story up and a final dramatic scene will unfold.