To answer the question on how a lie is revealed and how the murderer is chosen:
Knowledge within the RPverse is subjective i.e. information are character driven and not logic base, just because one character says he was out partying (or was presented in doing so) doesn't make it true.
"An unreliable narrator is a narrator, whether in literature, film, or theatre, whose credibility has been seriously compromised... In some cases the narrator's unreliability is never fully revealed but only hinted at, leaving readers to wonder how much the narrator should be trusted and how the story should be interpreted." - Wikipedia; Unreliable narrator
Avoid suspicion, manipulate your friends, and eliminate your enemies.
Basically, the players should assume another player’s character is guilty and theirs innocent. To increase NPC suspicion of a character, a player should present a scenario. Other players either conform or oppose this scenario. The GM would then judge the scenario based on
Plot Development, Plausibility and presented Evidences. Majority conformity isn’t a factor (this would have been a popularity contest if that were the case and not a murder mystery). If the suggested evidences are deemed plausible and doesn’t conflict with previous evidences then the scenario is deemed true. If this isn’t the case, then the scenario is deemed false. If it’s plausible and no previous evidences were stated, it’s deemed suspicious. If it’s improbable but there are evidences at hand, it’s deemed suspicious.
GM would make the scenario canon (either as true, suspicious and/or false) and fill in plot loop holes. Plot Penalties are given accordingly. Example: If a character was caught lying (and deemed suspicious) about their where abouts (doesn’t have to be related to the crime). On her next post, the player may be required to post where her character truly was. This post would then be deemed true.
You have to build a case against a character.
Tip: Use Phase Mysteries to help you guide the plot.Tip: Assume other players are pathological liars and you're an angel sent by God!********************
PureThoughts said
I don't know. But I'm going to make my posts really avoid my characters actual thoughts, and more based on his actions and expressions. Not to mention you can always leave details out of your answers or your reasons on why you might have a certain opinion about a scenario. It's how you can seem like a potential candidate for the actual player and not just know that this character is definitely not the murderer. For instance, if a character thought in his head "Who would do something like this?"no one lies in their head about such a thought. So you OOCly know that so and so isn't the murderer, but your character doesn't know that information so you have to pretend your suspicious of them, and that wouldn't make it fun. :P I've never done this style of rp, I don't think anyone has, since the murderer hasn't even been determined by anyone. It's how the ball roles and where and how hard you roll it.
PureThoughts’ explanation / suggestion is a valid way of posting but it isn’t necessary. It’s all a matter of style on how you present your character’s innocence and another's guilt :) just remember, knowledge is subjective within the RPverse.
Nice post :D