Did anyone here play Process of Elimination?

(aka the danganronpa/zero escape knockoff game)

I am extremely confused by their explanation of the murder plot at the end of chapter 1 and I cannot tell if it's just me being stupid or if the plot they just explained makes absolutely no sense. (Or if it's somehow meant to make no sense due to further developments, but I don't think it's this, because it was completely incoherent to me even as a temporary explanation that the characters may believe for now)

So I was wondering if anyone who has played it could help me make sense of what I just read, from the PoV of the info that I'm supposed to have at this point. I can't really google for help for risk of spoilers and don't really know where else to ask. I could just move on but understanding this seems pretty important for the plot and it just makes zero sense to me at the moment.

It's been awhile since I played it but I don't remember being terribly confused at that point. Or maybe I just accepted what was happening and moved on? What specifically were you confused about?

I didn't wanna type it all out right away in case just no one had played it.

So, this is the summary of the killer's plan, from the in-game text log:

https://imgur.com/a/x3Y1yDX

So, from what they said, the killer was inside the manor setting up the chandelier and the wire and everything. And apparently, after setting it up, they... stayed there? And placed the fake phonecall via some method, from inside the manor.

I think Ideal said the killer's goal was to slip away somehow and take the gloves (evidence, because the gloves got cut by the wire or something) with them, at which point they could dispose of them literally anywhere and never be caught because they leave the island...? OR They at least wanted the detectives to *assume* that they could be anywhere in the world, even if they do decide to stick around and blend in...

But because Wato came early and opened the door and avoided the chandelier, Ideal said that this changed the killer's plan, because now they can't slip out of the mansion, because Wato is unconscious by the door and may wake up and notice them. They wanted to "facilitate their escape amidst the chaos", but now couldn't.

I have 2 issues with this:

a) If the plan was for someone else to open the door... Doesn't that mean 12 people would all do it at once? Or, up to 12. They sent a message to Ideal, who was at the research lab with a dozen detectives, and they didn't expect her to come alone. Ideal sent 6 people, but for all the killer knows, could've just had all 12 go. So let's say someone opens the door and enters first and gets killed by the chandelier, there's now 11 other people there. Even if you want to "escape in the chaos", are you really so certain you can get by potentially 11 people??? When they were otherwise scared to even go past one unconscious person?

b) They made a big deal about how the only way to leave is by taking the path. (I guess the idea of going through the forest is somehow an impossibility for these people...?) so even *if* they sneak out that way, for all they know, the other 6 who stayed behind at the lab could be on their way later and also find them.

Basically I just don't get how they planned to sneak out of the manor, assuming they do it after the call is placed and/or after the body is found.

But more importantly:

If Ideal was at the research lab with... what is it, 11 other detectives? (Cast is size 14, minus Ideal, minus Wato, minus old dead guy) And she's now deduced that the killer is someone who was in the manor in advance and set it all up... and then she says "But the killer is in the manor, among us right now"... then... Doesn't that... rule out all 11 of them? If they all went to the manor together after receiving the call, then it can't be any of them. The killer would immediately be blatantly obvious even if they did the cliche "join the crowd and pretend you were with them all along trick" because 12 people had to all come from the research lab, and they traveled together.

So is Ideal saying "the killer is in the manor still" and is among us? Or is just hidden somewhere? The follow-up after chapter 1 makes this unclear, because if you think they're hidden in the manor, you just keep the front door locked (I believe it was said there's no other exit anywhere because the building is sealed) and keep it under watch, but then when there's a light at the helipad they say "oh, maybe it's the culprit", but you just said they were in the manor so how do they now think the culprit got out? Especially if they think it's one of the 12.

But it shouldn't be possible for it to be one of the 12, because they concluded the killer was in the manor before the call was placed, and all 12 of them came together (6 at a time, but still) from the lab, so that should make everyone innocent, but they also haven't declared that.

So... yeah...

actually wait, i'm not even done - looking at this text log again -

it says the duke (aka the killer) came to the island *a few days ago*, murdered everyone in the research lab, and *then* set up the chandelier, and then *left* the manor

so... if they left the manor, then that means they sent the fake call from somewhere else, and they *weren't* in the manor after all????? so if they weren't in the manor, how did they get stuck waiting in the manor (because they were afraid to go past an unconscious wato) and have to burn the gloves in the fireplace???

am i really this dumb or does this just make no sense

So I know for sure that some of your questions will be answered soon. There's kind of second part to the Senior Detective case that gets into it a bit more. I think it might answer most of your questions. If there's anything unresolved after that maybe I can get into it more but I think right now I can't.

As for why the other detectives just accept this explanation for now...would probably chalk it up to it being a theory from Ideal. She's essentially the best Detective and is practically never wrong so her theories hold a lot of weight even if others may not agree. PoE desperately wants to be DR but at its core it's a cheap imitation imo and so the writing isn't always as tight as DR's is at times. That's not to say it's a bad game but it's certainly not on DRs level imo.

i see... thanks. guess i'll just have to run with it for now. it's sort of annoying though because if the characters aren't even being clear on if they think the killer is among them or hidden somewhere, none of their actions make any sense to me. but maybe that's what you get in knockoff-danganronpa!

fwiw i don't think the game is bad, in fact i think its a bit less silly than danganronpa 1 and i respect the fact that our mysterious white-haired character actually tells us what her deal is right away instead of saying "sorry my backstory is a mystery" for 5 chapters. but saying "the killer was hiding in the manor and therefore had to dispose of evidence quickly" 3 dialogue boxes after you say "the killer set the crime up days ago and then left" is kinda a dealbreaker so hopefully a good explanation comes or i won't be able to take the game seriously.

I played it. The game explains more as you go along, but don't expect things to make complete sense.