Don't have the structure dictate the story, have the story dictate the structure.
Task
Your task is: Make a story with a structure different from Ace Attorney cases.
You need to forget this formula that we'd grown accustomed to. While it's perfectly fine for Ace Attorney, it limits the kinds of stories you can tell. There's so many interesting situations you can put characters through if you're not limited by having to get them to the trial the next day, and it allows for more interesting events!
You no longer have to save all the big revelations for the trial. You can have the main character stay unconscious for a day, or gets taken hostage. You can make them something other than a defense attorney or prosecutor. You can have a case where you only investigate.
There's an endless number of possibilities if you let your imagination dictate the flow of the story instead of the AA formula!
Of course, this doesn't mean you can't have trials or investigations - or their mechanics -, but they can't follow each other as strictly as they do in Ace Attorney.
To make it perfectly clear, I'm looking for cases that refrain from only using the traditional AA investigations and trials, and either use their mechanics differently to tell a story, or don't use their mechanics at all.
(It's fine if there are investigation and/or trial segments in the case, as long as a major part of the case isn't strictly an investigation or trial. The one thing to keep in mind is: Don't fall into a formula, don't have this be "just another case".)
Don't have the structure dictate the story, have the story dictate the structure.
Judging
All entries will be judged in four categories:
Story - A good story needs to be interesting and engaging, with characters who act and interact in entertaining and/or exciting ways.If there is a mystery, it should be intriguing and -if the case is finished - it should have a logical solution.
Presentation - How well the graphics and music fit the story, and how well the case is put together inside the editor.
Gameplay - How fair and fun the game and its puzzles are. Also, how smoothly the game mechanics fit into the story.
Theme Relevance - How much you break the Ace Attorney formula. The less you rely on the AA games for the structure of your story, the better.
Rules
- The entry must have been created between August 17, 2017 and November 17, 2017.
- The entry must not be showcased until after the winner has been announced.
- The entry may be any type, as long as it follows the other rules.
- The entry must not consist of only alternating (AA-style) investigations and trials, or only a single trial.
- The entry must (at least partly) consist of sections that aren't AA-style investigations or trials.
- The entry must not contain any spoilers for Dai Gyakuten Saiban or Dai Gyakuten Saiban 2. It may spoil any other AA game. If it contains spoilers for other (non-AA) games, this must be made clear when submitted.
- The entry must be submitted to OrderOfTheNick by the deadline, along with a walkthrough(if the game offers any choices, and/or has gameplay).
- The entry may be incomplete.
Entries must be submitted to OrderOfTheNick via PM before November 17, 2017 23:59 UTC +1
(Or before I wake up the next day. Being a few hours late doesn't immediately disqualify an entry.)
Entrants
(Gumpei and Holhol)
Ann-nna - The Missing Turnabout
Declaro
(.Saboteur)
DWard14
(RedeyesofDN)
clcman and Mr. Insane - The BASEic Turnabout