My goal for this interactive fiction was to take the player through a realistic version of what lawyers go through in defending clients. Every strategy decision we make has a direct relationship to outcomes, and I wanted to showcase this fact in a high stakes storyline. I chose a murder case so that the player would be involved in an interesting fiction, while also educating the player on the basics of the criminal legal process. The photographs, text, and story depict a fairly serious mood, but one in which hope and opportunity for favorable resolution are given at every stage.
When the ultimate decision of life or death rests with a jury, the importance of seemingly arbitrary decisions is highlighted. A murder trial is a process, so procedurally, my game had to follow a certain linear timeline common to that process. This gave a platform to the story but still allowed for the autonomy of the individual player.
To make strategic choices meaningful I gave the player opportunity to uncover significant facts to base decisions on at every major point, all of which affected the player’s options for future choices, and therefore, the outcome.
The agency of the player was limited to defined options, while still giving freedom as to which way the jury would go. The player could make meaningful choices, and also could affect the story outcome at many points in the fiction.
When I first had people play my beta version, their feedback was that I needed a more explanatory narrative, and also that it was sometimes hard to understand how well the player was doing at that moment. Using the quantifiable statistics embedded into the game, I added progress updates by way of a “jury favorability” rating and color changes to feedback in text format. In addition, I researched the correct legal processes in order to make choices as realistic as possible. The playtesters’ feedback was a valuable tool to take my beta version to 1.0, and I believe it reflects an interesting and educational interactive fiction.
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