Why We've Discontinued Stay Tuned for Danger

[bella.cullen19]

There's a simple protocol to follow to install STFD on your computer, and it works beautifully for me. I have Windows 7 on my computer, but I am still able to run all games (even the original SCK).

Instructions are simple:
1. Create a Folder in My Documents named Nancy Drew
2. Inside of that folder, create another folder entitled Secrets Can Kill (or whatever game you're installing).
3. Insert CD and begin to install game
4. Proceed as usual with installation until it prompts you to choose which folder under which it should install the game. Usually, it prepares and names a folder for you. This is where the tricky part comes in.
5. Click on the explore button to find the folder you just made for Secrets Can Kill (whatever game), and choose that folder as the one to install the game into
6. Upon finishing installation, open up the folder on your computer. There should be an icon entitled "AutoPlay" or something along those lines - the actual application that links to the game.
7. Right click on this icon and scroll down to properties. There should be a tab or a link somewhere in the properties menu that says "compatibility"
8. Click on the drop down for compatibility (or however it is on your CPU), and select "Run this program with Compatibility for Windows [insert program here]" For Secrets Can Kill you would select "Run this program with Compatibility for Windows 95/98" and after doing so click Apply on the menu
9. This usually takes care of the compatibility issue, but you may have to adjust your color settings to a lower BIT level if you want good quality.

It sounds like a pain, but once you do it enough times, it becomes second nature. And it's rewarding to feel like you cheated the system and can still play old games. ;) Hope I helped anyone confused!

[aus14]

How about you guys just tune it up a bit so that it works on 7/Vista?
This wouldn't be a bad Idea for SCK if people want to see the original ending. Also, STFD Remastered is a bad idea unless you guys keep the same ending.

[MonsterDetectiv]

Oh well.

I'm glad I know this now. Everytime I've used my local library's copy of STFD on my laptop it never works.

[DrewFan18]

Originally Posted by aus14

How about you guys just tune it up a bit so that it works on 7/Vista?
This wouldn't be a bad Idea for SCK if people want to see the original ending. Also, STFD Remastered is a bad idea unless you guys keep the same ending.

I think if they could tune it up they would have. Believe me I'm sad this game was discontinued but it's an old game and doesn't run on a lot of computers. I just think it would probably take them a lot of their time to work on the game and that would probably take their time away from newer ones.

As much as I would love a remastered game, I'm okay with them not doing anything with it.

xo Andie

[Rianna]

Originally Posted by bella.cullen19

There's a simple protocol to follow to install STFD on your computer, and it works beautifully for me. I have Windows 7 on my computer, but I am still able to run all games (even the original SCK).

Instructions are simple:
1. Create a Folder in My Documents named Nancy Drew
2. Inside of that folder, create another folder entitled Secrets Can Kill (or whatever game you're installing).
3. Insert CD and begin to install game
4. Proceed as usual with installation until it prompts you to choose which folder under which it should install the game. Usually, it prepares and names a folder for you. This is where the tricky part comes in.
5. Click on the explore button to find the folder you just made for Secrets Can Kill (whatever game), and choose that folder as the one to install the game into
6. Upon finishing installation, open up the folder on your computer. There should be an icon entitled "AutoPlay" or something along those lines - the actual application that links to the game.
7. Right click on this icon and scroll down to properties. There should be a tab or a link somewhere in the properties menu that says "compatibility"
8. Click on the drop down for compatibility (or however it is on your CPU), and select "Run this program with Compatibility for Windows [insert program here]" For Secrets Can Kill you would select "Run this program with Compatibility for Windows 95/98" and after doing so click Apply on the menu
9. This usually takes care of the compatibility issue, but you may have to adjust your color settings to a lower BIT level if you want good quality.

It sounds like a pain, but once you do it enough times, it becomes second nature. And it's rewarding to feel like you cheated the system and can still play old games. ;) Hope I helped anyone confused!

If only that worked for all computers! I've been ruthless in my attempts to get SCK and STFD to install on my Windows 7 laptop and they refuse (at least SCK does, I haven't tried this new method with STFD yet).

The problem I have is that I can't even run the install. What I can do is eventually get my comp. to read the disk and I can open the folder to its contents. From there, I go into the Setup application and change the compatibility settings. I've tried them ALL, I've run it as an administrator, and I've altered the colour and bit settings. No go. Some things just won't run without that old software.

*Edited*

Nevermind! I got it to work, for both games! The problem was that I hadn't disabled my antivirus program (which I've never had to do before, but figured I'd give it a whirl since all other attempts failed to install the games). bella.cullen19, I thank you sooo much for this information.

[AStudyInScarlet]

Has anyone tried running SCK or STFD on an emulator? I'm not sure which one you would need for that era of gaming. I know you can get ones that will run old DOS games and the like, so that might be a helpful fix for people with Windows 7 computers.

*edit* I've looked it up and apparently DOSBox is an emulator that is pretty good at running games from the windows 95/98 era. Might be worth a try if you've got an old copy of STFD or SCK lying around that you'd like to play again.

[aus14]

Originally Posted by AStudyInScarlet

Has anyone tried running SCK or STFD on an emulator? I'm not sure which one you would need for that era of gaming. I know you can get ones that will run old DOS games and the like, so that might be a helpful fix for people with Windows 7 computers.

*edit* I've looked it up and apparently DOSBox is an emulator that is pretty good at running games from the windows 95/98 era. Might be worth a try if you've got an old copy of STFD or SCK lying around that you'd like to play again.

Wrong, Windows 95/98 weren't DOS based.

[AStudyInScarlet]

No, they weren't, but this emulator is designed to play games from this era in addition to DOS games. It's just the name of the program, since it was originally designed to play games from the 80s and was then updated. I specifically checked with the requirements for STFD, since it's the more recent of the discontinued games and it will play with the specs from the program.

[bella.cullen19]

Originally Posted by Rianna

If only that worked for all computers! I've been ruthless in my attempts to get SCK and STFD to install on my Windows 7 laptop and they refuse (at least SCK does, I haven't tried this new method with STFD yet).

The problem I have is that I can't even run the install. What I can do is eventually get my comp. to read the disk and I can open the folder to its contents. From there, I go into the Setup application and change the compatibility settings. I've tried them ALL, I've run it as an administrator, and I've altered the colour and bit settings. No go. Some things just won't run without that old software.

*Edited*

Nevermind! I got it to work, for both games! The problem was that I hadn't disabled my antivirus program (which I've never had to do before, but figured I'd give it a whirl since all other attempts failed to install the games). bella.cullen19, I thank you sooo much for this information.

So glad I could be of some help! Happy sleuthing! and have fun reliving the joy of those old games. :)

[olbrso]

Originally Posted by bella.cullen19

There's a simple protocol to follow to install STFD on your computer, and it works beautifully for me. I have Windows 7 on my computer, but I am still able to run all games (even the original SCK).

Instructions are simple:
1. Create a Folder in My Documents named Nancy Drew
2. Inside of that folder, create another folder entitled Secrets Can Kill (or whatever game you're installing).
3. Insert CD and begin to install game
4. Proceed as usual with installation until it prompts you to choose which folder under which it should install the game. Usually, it prepares and names a folder for you. This is where the tricky part comes in.
5. Click on the explore button to find the folder you just made for Secrets Can Kill (whatever game), and choose that folder as the one to install the game into
6. Upon finishing installation, open up the folder on your computer. There should be an icon entitled "AutoPlay" or something along those lines - the actual application that links to the game.
7. Right click on this icon and scroll down to properties. There should be a tab or a link somewhere in the properties menu that says "compatibility"
8. Click on the drop down for compatibility (or however it is on your CPU), and select "Run this program with Compatibility for Windows [insert program here]" For Secrets Can Kill you would select "Run this program with Compatibility for Windows 95/98" and after doing so click Apply on the menu
9. This usually takes care of the compatibility issue, but you may have to adjust your color settings to a lower BIT level if you want good quality.

It sounds like a pain, but once you do it enough times, it becomes second nature. And it's rewarding to feel like you cheated the system and can still play old games. ;) Hope I helped anyone confused!

I just wanted to say thank you so much for posting that! I can play STFD again! :DDDDDDDDDDDDD

~livi~

[bella.cullen19]

I'm glad! I actually just finished playing it, too. I'm doing my own kinda ND marathon since I can't do the one this summer, and I was able to beat STFD in record time 56 minutes! Happy sleuthing and glad I helped! :)

[aus14]

Originally Posted by Rianna

If only that worked for all computers! I've been ruthless in my attempts to get SCK and STFD to install on my Windows 7 laptop and they refuse (at least SCK does, I haven't tried this new method with STFD yet).

The problem I have is that I can't even run the install. What I can do is eventually get my comp. to read the disk and I can open the folder to its contents. From there, I go into the Setup application and change the compatibility settings. I've tried them ALL, I've run it as an administrator, and I've altered the colour and bit settings. No go. Some things just won't run without that old software.

*Edited*

Nevermind! I got it to work, for both games! The problem was that I hadn't disabled my antivirus program (which I've never had to do before, but figured I'd give it a whirl since all other attempts failed to install the games). bella.cullen19, I thank you sooo much for this information.

Tell me your magical ways.

[Rianna]

Originally Posted by aus14

Tell me your magical ways.

It was basically what bella.cullen19 had instructed and my second paragraph. When you insert the disk, open the folder to view the files. Then look for "Setup." There may be two or three options. Look for the one that is the application (not an icon or anything else). You'll find this information to the right of the Setup title. Instead of double clicking to activate the setup, right-click and select "Properties." From there, go to the tab titled "Compatibility." There's a box you have to check off which will allow you to select the drop down menu of compatibility options. Selecting Windows 95 did the trick for me. I also checked off (near the bottom) the screen resolution, colour and administrative settings. Apply the settings and click "Okay" (or whatever the option is). Furthermore, I temporarily turned off my antivirus program. From there, double click on the "Setup" icon and it ought to run the install.

[MystryLuva1]

Does anyone have a way to install STFD a Vista computer? I have a Vista Laptop and have never figured out how to get it installed on there. Is it similar to how you get it to install on Windows 7 maybe?

[Rianna]

Originally Posted by MystryLuva1

Does anyone have a way to install STFD a Vista computer? I have a Vista Laptop and have never figured out how to get it installed on there. Is it similar to how you get it to install on Windows 7 maybe?

I had no problems installing on Vista, but I had an earlier model of it. Those instructions (or similar ones) would hopefully work just as well.