Research and historial accuracy (with a dash of mechanics)

 The game that I'm looking to create is set within the late 1940's, so this means research- I'm going to hone in on a specific example that I found surprising and that would be elevators. 

I have found myself researching the nature of elevator to authentically portray them but not nessecerily accurately. The game isn't an exact replica of the era but more like a movie or film- it's something to take liberties with and play with but still be close enough for the player to remain convinced that the game is still set within the 1940's.

From Architecture Magazine (retrieved 07/11/2021)

The same could be said for mechanics in VR and game in general. Adaptions have to be made and elements gamified, the world needs to exist in symbols and hints. For example level design, waist high boxes in the open have become synonymous with cover due to the advent of games such as Gears of War. So how does this apply to The Detective? How do we gamifiy elements of detective work and also make it immersive and fun within a VR setting? 

These are the design questions I'm currently wrestling with. The solutions are likely to need some testing but I'm looking at a journal that the player carries with them that serves as UI. This would ground the player in the setting and serve as a good way of keeping the UI in world. This is only an idea at this stage and I'll need to investigate this further in engine before I make any final judgement decisions. I feel that a diegetic (in world) UI is going to be the best option for the game but the hardest to implement without elements breaking and doing more harm to the player experience- or potentially even too obtuse and obscure for the player to notice the information that they've been given.