Players are forgetful
So what's the point that I'm trying to make? Players need help from authors, because there are always going to be important facts mentioned in cases that we could easily forget. There are even some things that we can forget just five seconds after being told them! This doesn't happen in the real Ace Attorney games, so in this tip, I'll show you simple ways to help players to remember important facts.
* * *
Problem
This is the most common mistake that authors can make. Let's say that you're you're playing a trial and the defence is about to be asked to present some evidence.
Judge: I don't believe this! These are very extreme accusations.
Prosecution: Indeed. But the defence is clearly bluffing, Your Honor.
Defence: Objection! That's not true.
Prosecution: Oh really? Then prove that you're not bluffing. Show us who you're referring to.
Defence: Alright then. This is who I mean... [present profile]
Do you see the problem? The problem is: the player cannot remember what the question is, because it was mentioned in frames prior to the ones shown above. What the player is meant to present is the profile of the real murderer.
However, this problem can sometimes occur immediately after the player is told the question. Here's an example:-
Prosecution: Oh really? Then prove that you're not bluffing. Show us who you're referring to.
Defence: Alright then. I'll show you who the real murderer is.
Defence: That person is... [present profile]
The player could still forget what the question is. It can easily happen. I do it all the time!
Solution
You must always state the question in the frame where you ask the player to present the evidence or choose as option. Here are some examples:-
Prosecution: Oh really? Then prove that you're not bluffing. Show us who you're referring to.
Defence: Alright then. I'll show you who the real murderer is.
Defence: The person who really murdered the victim is... [present profile]
Judge: Are you saying that the victim wasn't actually murdered on the water slide!?
Defence: No, Your Honor! It was somewhere else!
Judge: Then tell me: where was the victim killed? [point to area of image]
Prosecution: Objection! Stop badgering the witness.
Defence: (He's hiding something. I'm sure he is.)
Defence: (Should I press further?) [choose an option]
Make sure you do this with all questions, no matter what the context is.
* * *
Problem
Sometimes, a character could casually mention something to the player that is actually really important. Here is an example:-
[in the detention centre]
Defence: What was the crime scene like at the time?
Defendant: There wasn't anything interesting about it. It was clean and no one was there.
Defence: Oh. (That wasn't very helpful.)
[in the trial]
Witness: The crime scene was a mess! There was dirt everywhere!
There is a contradiction here. The defendant said that the crime scene was clean, but the witness said that it was dirty. What's the problem? It is not easy for the player to remember that fact. Their brain won't store that fact in their long term memory, because it doesn't appear to be important.
Solution
You need to make important facts look important. You need to emphasis these facts so that the player can remember them more easily. You don't need lots of emphasis; just enough that the player won't easily forget the important facts.
The most obvious way of doing this is with red text. For example:-
Defence: What was the crime scene like at the time?
Defendant: There wasn't anything interesting about it. It was clean and no one was there.
Defence: Oh. (That wasn't very helpful.)
However, the way that the protagonist reacts to the important fact is also important.
Defence: What was the crime scene like at the time?
Defendant: There wasn't anything interesting about it. It was clean and no one was there.
Defence: (It was clean? That's strange.)
Sometimes, you may want to make this more subtle. You could try repeating the fact a few times. For example:-
[in the detention centre]
Defence: What was the crime scene like at the time?
Defendant: There wasn't anything interesting about it. It was clean and no one was there.
Defence: Oh. (That wasn't very helpful.)
[in the defendant lobby]
Defendant: Like I said earlier, no one was there. It was really tidy room, like no one had been in it.
Make sure you use emphasis to ensure that players don't forget any important facts in your cases.
* * *
These are all of the problems that I can think of. Can anyone remember (pun ) any more?