Mobile game!

[Det.JA]

Well, if they are saying it'll be available on Android on Twitter & only mentioning Android, that's very disappointing to me since I don't have an Android. Them having tested out IOS could be good or bad (for IOS users) since I'm guessing Mobile Shadow Ranch didn't sell well. The reason I'm guessing that is b/c they ended the series with only that game. I had an Android back then & was very disappointed that they didn't release the game on Android. We've since switched from Androids to a better (for us, anyway) OS & if the new games are only available for Android, I'd be very disappointed since we sold our Androids back when we switched. I really wish HER would have specified which OS(s) they would be making the new games for when they told us about them.
I'm hoping you're right about them releasing them on all OSs, but them apparantly (I haven't seen the twitter post) only mentioning Android has me worried that it's only for that OS & sad at the possibility of missing out. If I'm misunderstanding what you meant, I apologise, since your first sentence could mean all OSs that can get apps or could mean all phones & tablets that use a particular OS, example if released for Android, every Android phone or tablet could get it, but IOS & Windows phones/tablets couldn't. Do I make any sense?

Currently, I'm using iOS and Windows 8/RT, and I'm assuming that HeR is probably going to put their game on there just as well as keeping the Shadow Ranch game on iOS.
My guess is that HeR is going to (hopefully) release their iOS, Android, and Windows RT ports all at the same time.
That would be convenient and awesome.
If they don't do that, then probably at around the same time frame.

[tsukiakari]

Currently, I'm using iOS and Windows 8/RT, and I'm assuming that HeR is probably going to put their game on there just as well as keeping the Shadow Ranch game on iOS.
My guess is that HeR is going to (hopefully) release their iOS, Android, and Windows RT ports all at the same time.
That would be convenient and awesome.
If they don't do that, then probably at around the same time frame.

I think this is what they'll do as well, although I'm not at all confident about Windows RT. I have an RT tablet, and the app "coverage" for it is basically nonexistent in comparison to iOS and Android (plus from what I've heard Microsoft's mobile devices aren't gaining much ground against their competitors), so I'm not sure if it would be worth it for Her to go to any extra trouble and provide an RT version. It would definitely be a sweet surprise for me, though, since I wouldn't have to get any new devices in order to play the game!

Well, if they are saying it'll be available on Android on Twitter & only mentioning Android, that's very disappointing to me since I don't have an Android.

Personally, I think they only mentioned Android because they haven't yet released any game for it. Talking about it would help to reassure Android users that Her's definitely going to make a compatible game. But I don't think it rules out iOS at all

[Det.JA]

Anyone go on to the HeR jobs page recently? They have a listing for a Q&A tester, local to Bellevue only. (Which is such a shame, but that's another post for another time)

The position itself is a "Mobile Tester" for iOS and Android devices. So it looks like we have some ground here finally.

As for Microsoft RT devices, I'm guessing that we'll have to wait a little longer on that one. (Which is a shame too, but that is also another post for another time)

[Safecracker]

I don't think it's really economically viable for HeR to port the game to Windows RT, because currently, Microsoft don't have that great-a-portion of the current mobile market share. Android and iOS are far more viable.

[Det.JA]

I don't think it's really economically viable for HeR to port the game to Windows RT, because currently, Microsoft don't have that great-a-portion of the current mobile market share. Android and iOS are far more viable.

That's very true, but Windows 8 is coded all in C++. The Nancy Drew games are also coded in C++.

Although the Windows RT infrastructure is a little different than a Windows 8 Pro device, the Surface can most definitely handle a Nancy Drew game.

I'm not trying to be biased, I just really think that Windows 8 is under appreciated.

I just want HeR to cover all their bases. Microsoft also doesn't charge developers to put Apps on their AppStore. That alone would be an incentive to put at least one Nancy Drew game on the Windows AppStore.

[tsukiakari]

That's very true, but Windows 8 is coded all in C++. The Nancy Drew games are also coded in C++.

Although the Windows RT infrastructure is a little different than a Windows 8 Pro device, the Surface can most definitely handle a Nancy Drew game.

I'm not trying to be biased, I just really think that Windows 8 is under appreciated.

I just want HeR to cover all their bases. Microsoft also doesn't charge developers to put Apps on their AppStore. That alone would be an incentive to put at least one Nancy Drew game on the Windows AppStore.

Maybe Her feels that sales wouldn't be large enough to cover the costs of making a version for Microsoft devices? I don't have any idea how much work is involved, but given the fact that Her is constantly busy making their main series, I'm sure it's a pretty big deal for them to also be creating a third game for mobile devices. Plus, this is only the first installment - perhaps if this game is a success, they'll release the future games for all three OSes. Either way, I'm sure that Her definitely wants to cover all their bases, especially for such an ambitious release, but they might just be figuring that the amount of Microsoft users isn't large enough to drastically affect their sales.

Also, slightly off-topic, but that's an interesting tidbit of information about Windows' coding. I knew that the ND games used C++, but somehow I didn't think something as complex as Windows did

[nancyfan321]

I can't wait!! I hope that they also have a version to put on the Google Play store, so that I can play the game on my nook!

[Baron of Braganza]

One question that I would like to ask is what game do you guys think will be the first mobile game? The letter from the CEO made it sound like its going to be ported into a mobile device. They have 29 games with ND30 in production. The letter also made it sound like the mobile game will be released before ND30. Since this is the first installment in what I hope will be a successful line of mobile games, it's pretty important to ascertain what would work as an introduction to the Nancy Drew game series not only for the old fans but also to bring in new fans.

I remember in the Kickstarter they wanted to port TMB as a mobile game. This was because TMB was their most recent game that they released. So my question here is will they port SPY as the first mobile game or do you think they will select another game?

[Det.JA]

The CEO letter did say mobile game "port". My guess is as good as yours. Although I do have one of two theories:

-The newest Nancy Drew game: Silent Spy
-The "first" Nancy Drew game, in this case, it's STFD

[tsukiakari]

The CEO letter did say mobile game "port".

I might be missing something, but in reading it over, I actually don't see any mention of the game being a "port":

Early in 2014 we will deliver our first game for mobile devices.

There's no other mention of the game and what it will be, so I think it's really up in the air at this point. It could be a port of an existing main-series game, an adaptation of a Dossier game, or something entirely new.

[Reina]

I might be missing something, but in reading it over, I actually don't see any mention of the game being a "port":

There's no other mention of the game and what it will be, so I think it's really up in the air at this point. It could be a port of an existing main-series game, an adaptation of a Dossier game, or something entirely new.

If it's just a port of an existing game & not a new, or radically changed game, I likely won't be buying it, even if the do make it for my phones OS. If they do just port existing games & start with SPY, I definietely wouldn't buy that one. I wasn't sure I wanted to buy SPY to start with, but did & enjoyed it (well, there are still bits I have issue with), but not enough to buy it again or want to play it on my phone.
If they make them for my phone's OS, then, I really hope they'll be new games, not available for PCs. Honestly, I have several games I play on my phone & only see a benefit in having mobile games if they're games only available in mobile, otherwise, I'd rather just play it on my laptop or desktop.

[Safecracker]

I shall be interested to see how they price it... I shan't be buying it because I don't own a mobile device, but I'm still excited to see how it all pans-out!
Frankly, I think they should port the Dossiers...

[Baron of Braganza]

Could they do the DOSSIERS? I have seen an explosion of Big Fish Games being ported from PC to mobile devices. The reason I mention this is that while Big Fish Games has tons upon tons of hidden objects games, the Dossiers offer hidden objects plus a lot more so it could be a hit in the market. That being said, if, say, they are a hit, would that nudge HerInteractive to complete SOS for mobile? (And possibly for the PC--finally!)

[HappyGirl05]

If it's just a port of an existing game & not a new, or radically changed game, I likely won't be buying it, even if the do make it for my phones OS. If they do just port existing games & start with SPY, I definietely wouldn't buy that one. I wasn't sure I wanted to buy SPY to start with, but did & enjoyed it (well, there are still bits I have issue with), but not enough to buy it again or want to play it on my phone.
If they make them for my phone's OS, then, I really hope they'll be new games, not available for PCs. Honestly, I have several games I play on my phone & only see a benefit in having mobile games if they're games only available in mobile, otherwise, I'd rather just play it on my laptop or desktop.

If they do port an old game, then they're trying to find a new audience. While I'd love to see a new game, I'd understand why HER would not make a completely new one. They're attempting to gain more fans and more consumers for their products. Porting an old game is a lot easier than making a new one. But in any case, we should just wait and see what's going to happen rather than predicting. We don't know whether it's a new game or not.

[Det.JA]

If they do port an old game, then they're trying to find a new audience. While I'd love to see a new game, I'd understand why HER would not make a completely new one. They're attempting to gain more fans and more consumers for their products. Porting an old game is a lot easier than making a new one. But in any case, we should just wait and see what's going to happen rather than predicting. We don't know whether it's a new game or not.

That's true, porting an old ND title would be a lot easier than creating a new game altogether. All the programmers and designers would have to do is make a new user interface for the way Nancy moves around in her environment, uses items, converses with suspects, etc.

There have been a ton of adventure games on PC that have been ported to iOS/Android. (Excluding Windows AppStore since it just came out) A few examples of this would be Myst, Riven, 7th Guest, Monkey Island games, TellTale's Walking Dead, etc.

As far as the dossier series goes, I cannot say that I have played them. So if HeR did make the decision to port those games on to the AppStore, it would be an entirely new experience for me.

Above all, I'm hoping that HeR ports their adventure games, most notably their classics. (Stay Tuned for Danger, anyone?)