Nominate Lord Winklebottom Investigates in the Steam Awards 2022
Vote for Lord Winklebottom!
Thank you so much to everyone who's played Lord Winklebottom Investigates so far! If you enjoyed it please consider nominating the game for the Outstanding Story-Rich Game of 2022.
As you probably know, the game was made by a very small team (mainly one person, me!), so any help with spreading the word about the game, posting reviews and nominations are greatly appreciated!
Thank you all!
Charlotte
Lord Winklebottom Investigates - Now 20% off in the Steam Autumn Sale!
Lord Winklebottom Investigates is now available for 20% off for a limited time during the Steam Autumn sale!
There's no better time to get your hooves on the murder mystery whodunnit featuring the fanciest giraffe in town...
This is a bug fix and polish update, plus an additional QOL option for controller & Steam Deck players.
Added cursor speed option when using a joypad or Steam Deck to play the game.
Fixed a bug where invalid autosaves could be created after the game was completed.
Added social media links on the main menu.
Fixed a handful of text errors.
The Magic of Voice Acting - Interview with Sally Beaumont đ
Hey everyone,
Gameplay, mechanics, and art direction are all crucial to game development, but the contribution of stellar voice acting often goes unnoticed. Perhaps thatâs intentional! The best voice acting blends into the overall soundscape of a game, helps set the scene, and brings characters to life. Voice acting that makes itself obvious can ruin immersion.
How do we bring Lord Winklebottom Investigatesâ characters to life, and what do our voice actors have to say about their profession?
Weâre shining a spotlight on one such incredible actress, Sally Beaumont, the talented voice behind numerous stars of Lord Winklebottom Investigates. Hereâs what she had to say.
How long have you been voice acting? How did it all start?
Iâd probably say Iâve been voice acting since I could speak. Realising it was a real job happened in my late teens, and I have been hooked ever since. I trained at University, and acting was all about transformation. When I learned how to use the studio there, I was able to transform even more!
Which Lord Winklebottom Investigates characters did you voice?
Iâm Dame Celia, Beryl the Maid, and another TOP SECRET role. Youâll have to play the game to meet her.
Which one was the most fun and challenging to record and why?
Oh gosh. Dame Celia is an absolute hoot! We pushed her flamboyance about as far as it could go! Beryl is also a fabulous role. I love Agatha Christie maids, the type who drop the tea tray and screech when they discover the body, so Beryl was wonderful fun. Itâs such a lively, well-written script that the characters kind of sprang out of me.
What's it like working on Lord Winklebottom Investigates?
Honestly? Absolute joy. I love the concept and am an avid Conan Doyle fan, so I was keen to play a suspect. The comedy references it makes speak to me- Carry On films, Fawlty Towers, Round The Horn. The team are smashing, too. They know exactly what they want from the voices, which makes life much easier. Oh, and they laugh at my ridiculous performances, encouraging me to go even further!
Can you tell me a little bit about your all-time favourite projects?
Itâs usually whatever Iâm working on right nowâI love the process of getting to know a new character. I loved working on Bertram Fiddle 2; it clicked with me how much I wanted to work in adventure games. Aye Fair Lady was also a pivotal moment, Charlotte Gore encouraged me to be very silly, and itâs the role many people remember me from. Oh, and Carlata from Mutropolis. Sheâs a lot like me, and I love that sheâs this funny, complicated woman who gets underestimated a lot. I think a lot of actresses would get that!
What's the best part about voice acting?
Joke answer: working in my pyjamas (actually, no, maybe Iâm not joking). Real answer: I get to work on lots of different things at once, many different challenges, and I get to be part of a team that makes magic happen. I think games can be magic, especially for players.
What is the biggest challenge of your job?
I think the feast/famine nature of the job is really toughânot just on your finances and energy levels but your self-esteem too. Having work dry up can leave you feeling like youâre all washed up, and then the next week, youâre overwhelmed. So I try to have personal and professional goals that arenât in the hands of others. I can take care of my voice, feed my creativity, and support the VA community. That all helps.
How do you bring a character to life?
It varies depending on the role, but often I find out what that character finds funny. Sometimes a laugh will make a character click. I like to listen to people generally and try to bring real intonations Iâve heard to a role. Itâs kind of alchemical sometimes. Youâll do a take, and the developer will make eye contact, and youâll both feel itâthatâs the character.
What does successful voice acting sound like to you?
It doesnât sound like anything! What I mean is, if youâre thinking, âcor! Thatâs some good voice acting!â then that isnât good. Itâs pulling you out of the story. It should feel effortless, right. Good voice acting follows the overall goals of the game developer whilst bringing a little extra something thatâs unique to the performer.
Which character voice are you most excited about? Why? Leave a comment below and let us know!
More from Sally Beaumont:
Let's Talk Gameplay!
Hey guys,
With the official release of Lord Winklebottom Investigates just around the corner, I thought now would be the perfect time to take a closer look at some of its defining gameplay elements.
In case you didnât know already, Lord Winklebottom Investigates is a whodunnit point and click with a twistâor two. Players assume the role of Lord Winklebottom, a giraffe detective tasked with solving the mysterious murder of his childhood friend, Admiral Gilfrey.
There are hundreds of clickable elements scattered around the Isle of Barghest, serving all kinds of different uses and functions.
Throughout your journey, youâll come across useful tools and objects that you can:
Use at the right time and place to solve challenging puzzles. Thereâs no pixel hunting in Lord Winklebottom Investigates, which means players donât have to position their cursor perfectly to interact with chosen elements.
Combine to create new items. Some puzzles require you to drag one object/tool in your inventory and drop it onto another.
Share with suspects to unlock new interactions. Again, this is done by dragging items and dropping them where necessary.
Itâs all about timing and careful observation. Random clicking wonât get you anywhere, so you need to pay close attention to everything that transpires on the island. You can access Winklebottomâs journal with his notes at any time, but you can also keep your own notes as you learn more about the story.
Youâre also free to roam around, and youâll soon discover that new interactions with suspects become available as your knowledge grows. Exploration is encouraged, and if you want to crack the case, youâll have to venture beyond the gates of Gilfreyâs manor.
The stakes are raised as you advance through the story and discover more clues. This change of pace is also reflected in the gameplayâscenes change quicker, and your choices carry more weight.
Do you have what it takes to find Gilfreyâs killer?
Lord Winklebottom Investigates is coming to Steam very soon. Download the preview demo, and donât forget to join our enthusiastic discord community today!
See you soon! đŠ
Lord Winklebottom Investigates coming to Steam on July 28th!
Release Date!
The time has come for Lord Winklebottom to pack his magnifying glass, don the top hat and stash some spare Earl Grey (for emergencies) as we prepare to venture to the mysterious Isle of Barghest in Lord Winklebottom Investigates, releasing on JULY 28th on Steam!
This splendid 1920âs mystery features the genial giraffe detective Lord Winklebottom as he strives to unravel the mystery behind his old friend Admiral Gilfreyâs recent unceremonious demise. Could it be murder?
With the help of Dr Frumple, and with a cast of memorable hand drawn anthropomorphic animals, all fully voiced, this successfully funded Kickstarter game is a point & click adventure full of wit, puzzles and intrigue from a one-woman developer.
With characteristic British humour and delightfully distinctive story, Lord Winklebottom Investigates launches on Steam and consoles July 28th.
Features
Animals of all shapes and sizes!
Unique 2D hand painted artwork.
Streamlined point and click interface.
Collection of bizarre characters to interrogate!
Play as a gentleman giraffe!
Dozens of puzzles to solve!
The Animal Question đŠ
Hello everyone,
Lord Winklebottom Investigates will soon hit the digital shelves, but we still havenât addressed the giraffe in the room: Whatâs with the animals?
The world of Lord Winklebottom Investigates draws heavily from the classic mystery novels of the early 20th century. The mysterious murder, the mansion, the suspects, the eccentric detectiveâall are conventional whodunnit elements with which many of you will be very familiar.
Hereâs the twist. Although similar to our own reality in many ways, this world is inhabited by all kinds of conscious, talking animals.
Talking (or otherwise anthropomorphized) animals have made many appearances in art over the centuries. Theyâre, of course, very popular with children. Sometimes, theyâre used as symbols of different qualities and virtues; other times, theyâre part of moral/political allegories. For example, George Orwellâs Animal Farm is an allegorical commentary on the rise of communism in post-Czarist Russia.
The introduction of human-like animal characters in a detective story can be pretty advantageous for several reasons:
It broadens the audience by toning down the mature elements associated with the genre. Lord Winklebottom Investigates maintains all the fun and mystery of detective games without the gruesome imagery. It provides opportunities for comedic relief and leaves plenty of room for jokes/puns/and funny references. It allows for unique and memorable suspects, making it really easy to keep track of whoâs who - valuable for Letâs Plays and live streams. Whodunnits can be hard to follow, especially when dozens of suspects are vying for attention. Distinctive animal characters help solve this problem.
But the most honest answer to the animal question is: Why not? Much like humans, animals can be clever, cunning, fierce, timid, and the list goes on. The possibilities are endless, and the anthropomorphic qualities of the animals in Lord Winklebottom Investigates add a fun and playful twist to the story.
What is your favourite animal, and does it make an appearance in LWI? Find out by purchasing a copy of the game once it becomes available, later in the year. Meanwhile, join our friendly discord community and share your thoughts and excitement!
Lord Winklebottom Arrives at the Big Adventure Event!
Calling all adventure game fans! From Jan 20-24th, Lord Winklebottom Investigates will sit shoulder-to-shoulder with a host of the genreâs upcoming indie hits in the Big Adventure Event - a digital showcase of adventure titles, supported by some of gamingâs greatest independent publishers.
On Friday 21st, we will be hosting a livestream on our Steam page from 9pm GMT (13:00 PST / 16:00 EST / 08:00 (Sat) AEDT). Charlotte will be playing Lord Winklebottom Investigates and answering your questions.
Send us your questions in Discord over at:âš discord.gg/cavemonsters We will answer them live on stream!
The Highs and Lows of Development đ
Hi guys,
Developing an indie game from scratch can be quite a roller coaster ride. There are both highs and lows, and both have come at points with the development of Lord Winklebottom Investigates.
What have been the biggest challenges of the game's development? My first Kickstarter failed to meet its goal, but I didnât let that get to me. I made several good contacts through game localization, sought advice, and relaunched with a more focused goal. In addition to delays caused by COVID, there have also been family health problems to contend with, as my husband, who has a heart condition, had to unexpectedly go into hospital to have an operation. One of the problems with developing the game largely solo is that when a family emergency happens, thereâs nobody else to pick up the work.
What have been the best parts of the gameâs development? I remember I was super excited to see people play the game for the first time at AdventureX. It was a similar experience when I attended Insomnia and EGX. As a creator, nothing beats the feeling of watching people play and enjoy your game. I was also thrilled to see Lord Winklebottom Investigates running on Switch for the first time, and I got very emotional when I heard some of the characters come to life in the VO sessions.
Heâs dead! The masterâs dead! But hold up, that isnât Admiral Gilfrey I spy. What the devil is this?
Weâre hosting a special Murder Mystery Mini-Game event in our Discord server, from this đFriday. Join the server and receive the role of one of many peculiar guests at the home of Cesar Garrett.
Perhaps you will play:âš
A washed-up actor with a serious drinking problem. Heâs always ready to start a fight at the poker tableâeven when heâs winning.
The flamboyant daughter of a prominent fashion designer. She keeps questionable company and uses her charm to get her own way.
The ravishing widow of an eccentric playboy. Some say she had a role to play in her dearly beloved's untimely passing.
A local minister with a dark secret to keep. Why do parish members see him creeping out to that annex, late each evening?
Or one of many more!
This mini-game will be a bit of fun for Winklebottom fans and hopefully help set the tone for the game itself!
Played over several days, you will work hand in hand with the other patrons as you search for clues to unearth the miscreant amongst you.
