Fantasy is the genre that I know best but I recently got the urge to make a detective story. Whether we're talking Hard-boiled or even slightly Noir, I'm interested in looking at this genre. I wanted something slightly dark and mysterious may a little paranormal but not too over the top. But I would like to do it right, if I can. I'd like some input because I don't know where to start writing the story for one. Any thoughts? What makes a good detective story?
Which would you rather have as the investigator? A P.I? Detective? Beat Cop? or a Reporter? If I understand the genre, it is traditionally the 30/40s time period but do you think it could be modern or even slightly futuristic? Do you feel that it should be done in Grayscale or Sepia? or full color?
I was thinking of making it a serial killer or a whodunit type mystery. Any thoughts as per inspiration for characters or story? Movies? Games?
Thanks.
J
If you're going with such a story, I suggest you add a twist. As you mentioned futuristic setting etc.
-> Blade runner - sort of noir in atmosphere, there's a detective with issues and depresed, narrating (depending on the version of the movie), but it's futuristic, it basically has few characters, it's always night and raining
-> House - basically Sherlock Holmes, but with medicine, there's a Watson/Wilson, every episode is a case, addiction, brilliant analytical mind etc.
-> McCarthy Files - noir plus paranormal, but generally on paranormal, I'd go with X files style (so it's somewhere between supernatural and normal, but not always clear)
-> Poirot - just an example of "whodunit"
Some things are just great as a starting point, just try to use it as inspiration and skeleton to put your own story and characters on it, or at least change the setting and adapt characters to that. Be careful about the main role, except maybe Blade runner, all of these stories are carried and largely seem original cause of the main character.
About the type of investigator, well in most stories the lead is basically outside of the law/protocol (detective is taken off the case, PI doesn't have authoroty, reporter is not a cop and doesn't have a weapon etc.) so it doesn't really matter which one you choose, go with what you know or what you consider easier to write or what fits the story better.
Basically, you should look here http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FilmNoir and go from there, you'll find examples and maybe inspiration.
Though not exactly a mystery, I recommend The Wire. More honest portrayal of crime solving than what you will usually see on television, or so I hear, but also rather gritty. I figure any influence that comes from that show can only be a good thing, even if it does kind of set itself up counter to genre writing.
I don't think you can really go wrong with black and white or sepia. You could go wrong with full color if you pick a bad color scheme, but you could conversely go entirely right with full color by choosing a good color scheme. Do what seems the funnest/easiest to draw or the most fitting. It is unlikely that people will complain regardless and there isn't really a "Best Choice."
If you want to take a supernatural angle without going overboard or too explicit, I would read up on magical realism. If you want my personal preferences, I would say avoid monsters and demon summoning cults.
To the extent that I have a grasp of the Noir sort of feel, there is no reason why you couldn't achieve that feel in a more modern or futuristic era. Although if you can really nail the depression or World War 2 era beyond just dress and slang, you could probably make something great.
Asimov took an interesting angle on the detective / fantasy area in Asimov's Mysteries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asimov%27s_Mysteries). He noted that writing a sci-fi detective story is difficult because the author can 'cheat' at any moment by giving the killer a hitherto unknown teleportation device or what-have-you.
A lot of otherwise enjoyable paranormal mystery stories suffer from this problem. The denouement in Ripper revealed that the impossible crimes were...
Spoiler
committed in cyberspace
...which cheats the audience. The delight in a mystery comes from finding the solution to the impossible problem. If the problem is solved with an impossible explanation it's unsatisfactory.
If you like Asimov's style then have a look at how he approaches the problem.
Otherwise, I can't recommend Noir Films enough. Many truly great films were listed in this Thread (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=40559.0). A Touch of Evil, The Maltese Falcon and Out of the Past/Build My Gallows High, Double Indemnity would be good places to start. Notice how, by the end of films like these the resolution to the mystery and all the confusion no longer seems so important, and is not enough to put things right.
Thank you for your input. I've been watching the Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity and a couple of others. I see how the crime is solved but the characters are still broken. There always seemed to be a twisted or sudden betrayal somewheres.
I think I'm leaning towards a Beat Cop or Detective that through the course of the game may become a P. I. as it were. First, he is taken off the case indicating some kind of corruption and then later after the game is finished, he leaves the force because he crossed the blue line to be a PI or is taken in by a special task force (if I go the paranormal route). Then I could build future stories on that.
I'm not so sure I can do the dialog of the Noir 30/40s films any justice. So I might stick to modern or slightly futuristic just with a dark, suspenseful atmosphere. If I did go the paranormal route I was almost thinking of verging on Call of Cthulhu but not exactly to that extent. It's just that the suspense and thriller aspect of that game attracts me to its atmosphere.
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll look at the movies and links that you all suggested. Thanks again.
I think it's a good idea to avoid some of the more worn police clichés unless you're doing a Noir style thing, in which case the more the merrier. Remember that you can subvert tropes to make them less clichéd.
Quote from: Ali on Sat 18/09/2010 00:00:37A lot of otherwise enjoyable paranormal mystery stories suffer from this problem. The denouement in Ripper revealed that the impossible crimes were... [...] ...which cheats the audience. The delight in a mystery comes from finding the solution to the impossible problem. If the problem is solved with an impossible explanation it's unsatisfactory.
While I agree with your point, I find the example unfounded - the Ripper "twist" is pretty much established fact from the get-go (either that or I'm psychic since I never managed to get past the ridiculous astrology puzzle).
My best piece of advice would be to read Raymond Chandler's essay
The Simple Art of Murder (http://www.en.utexas.edu/amlit/amlitprivate/scans/chandlerart.html). Finest piece of writing on the whodunit genre I ever read.
Also, for some alternative inspiration for futuristic noir, check out Penny Arcade's Automata (http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/6/12/) comics (part two here (http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/7/31/), click "next" for following pages, sequel story here and following pages (http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/7/23/)).
Overall, if you go for noir, please do research the origins and elements of the style. I've yet to see a "noir" indie game that got anywhere close to the real thing (sorry Calin, as much as I love McCarthy, grayscale and internal monologue does not noir make). Try to think beyond the hardboiled detective trope, not only is it a cliche, but keeping your protagonist on the right side of the law may even limit the drama - some of the best noir plots come from morally ambiguous characters getting in way over their heads in an attempt to make a quick buck or get laid by the femme fatale.
I'm appalled that nobody has mentioned the entire Tex Murphy series of games... many of them have paranormal elements, and they're all set in the near future.
The best SCi-Fi Fantasy Noir adventure, for me, would be Discworld Noir. Despite being a comedy it really set the mood quite greatly at times.