WORK IN PROGRESS
Okay, so the first burning question that comes to mind is how this should be done. There's a lot of ways, such as choosing a main character, but then where's the fun for everyone else? The other alternative, then, is to have many roles of which many can choose. It's a little more complicated in that, say, Prosecutors would need to cooperate with Detectives and vice versa, all while keeping out of sight of the DAs. Maybe spoiler tags that would be cheating to violate? ( "No reading, stupid DAs!" )
So, who's up to weaving a web of deceit and murder? We might even need some kind of "dungeon master" keeping everything in the realm of sani-... reali-... Ace Attorney logic. One thing we've decided on is that it should be in the 7 year gap (2019 to 2026) between Phoenix Wright and Apollo Justice to avoid game characters and their stories.
Quick FAQsQ: What's a DA? Prosecutor? Detective? Defendant and Witness?
A: DA stands for Defense Attorney, those who defend people accused of crimes in a court of law. Prosecutors, meanwhile, attempt to build a case that proves their Guilt. Detectives run police investigations of crime scenes and primarily work with Prosecutors, though loyalties waver. The Defendant is the person accused of the crime and CAN be a Witness, a person who gives testimony on what they know, as can a Witness be lying or even the actual criminal.
Q: When do I do what, huh, attorneys?
A: Generally, a crime is committed mysteriously and the police and attorneys set about trying to figure out what happened. They don't always finish before the court date hits and subsequently may even have to bluff their way to keep the proceedings going so as to find more evidence. In the Ace Attorney world, trials only run for a maximum of 3 days, at the end of which a Judge normally makes the decision of whether the Defendant is Guilty or Not Guilty. There are always exceptions.
Q: I still don't get it! What do DAs do? What do Prosecutors do?
A: Once hired by a person on trial, a Defense Attorney sets out to try and prove their innocence. They do this by finding evidence that supports (not always) their client and bringing said evidence to court. Prosecutors have their own agendas and know many things the Defense does not due to their connections with the police. They may even withhold evidence.
Q: What if I don't get most of this? Why am I here?
A: The great thing about an RP is that everyone can participate in writing a story. Don't be afraid to tell your own story and bring in new insight. Anything goes outside of court, but inside, the rules are a little more strict. Mainly, you don't want to make any irrelevant outbursts or suddenly appear out of nowhere. Have a purpose.
Q: What if someone tries to accuse me?!
A: Since the position of "killer" is voluntary, even if you're accused, you need only prove your innocence or refuse to comment. If you didn't do it, you didn't do it. You might even get the opportunity to make someone look like a fool for falsely accusing you! And if you want to be an accomplice, you very well can be. Should you choose to be, contact the Prosecutor for the case and work it out with them and the killer.
Rules#1: No Playing From-Game Characters: Yes, Edgeworth is sexy. Sorry to say, in order to reduce arguments and things like that and to craft more original stories, every single character other than the Judge and potential cameos will be OCs (Original Characters).
#2: No Killin' Dudes: Yes, it's a murder mystery, but really, having the person agree to it or kidnapping them or something would be more tact. The victims of these cases could potentially have future (or rather, past) importance, but mostly there's a clear victim from the get-go.
#3: Know Your Allegiance: If you're a killer, cooperate with the Prosecution to build a case AGAINST the Defendant. The Detectives will do this without knowledge of the actual killer. The Defendant, meanwhile, will try and piece together why they couldn't have done it with the help of a DA of their choosing or appointment. Defense Attorneys can convince Detectives and even Prosecutors to share some information, but not all. No, "HE DID IT!!"
#4: Don't Abuse Your Powers: Sorry, DAs! The Judge and Prosecutors are generally jerkwads. Surprises are the name of the game. HOWEVER, there is no Penalty Bar, only a time limit to be decided by the Judge. It's not so much winning or losing as it is crafting an interesting story and building suspense. Although the Prosecution has much power since they know beforehand who did what, it's an ongoing process that everyone builds on. If the Defense wants to investigate a park, it falls on the Prosecution to come up with relevancy to said park. It's both a privilege and a responsibility.
#5: Have Fun!: Don't take the rules TOO seriously, but don't go crazy, either. xD
(Edited by Amanda Renee) Let me explain this a little more.
The best thing about an Ace Attorney RP is...you can be anyone. Seriously. A defense attorney with his/her own law firm, a witness, the suspect, family friends of anybody. It's totally open. There's a whole prosecutor's office, too, so there can be more than one of them. (But not more than one in a trial, unless there's a mentor, in which case there can be two.) And half the fun of this is coming up with crazy characters and their names, like the ones in the Phoenix Wright and Apollo Justice games. (ex: Wendy Oldbag, Pal Metrakis [rearranged from the word "malpractice"], Dustin Prince [sounds like "dustin' prints"], etc.)
Even if you haven't played the Ace Attorney games, you'll catch on really quick. Have fun!
