MID Discussion, Release Date, Unity Etc

[nancycluedrew]

Honestly, I'd be surprised if anything leaked soon. Judging from LJ's comments, it doesn't sound like HER has got much of MID yet, so it's probably not ready for beta testing.

I'm wondering if they're going to hire a new writer. The old one (Katie) tweeted that her script was just a first draft. If so, I wonder how this will change the game potentially?

Also, in the huffington post piece, it says the app (Codes & Clues) was created by Brandissimo & Floor84 (one of which is a games company) so am guessing HER is outsourcing these days.

[Ndfan1234]

Also, in the huffington post piece, it says the app (Codes & Clues) was created by Brandissimo & Floor84 (one of which is a games company) so am guessing HER is outsourcing these days.

Hmm, well I do know that like for example the ICE Wii game, HER used another company, Sega, to help produce it for the Wii, and I think the CUR DVD game did the same thing... So I'm not sure, but it's possible HER just used another company to help produce it for moblie games...

[paperstreet]

Ooh I see! Sorry for the misunderstanding That makes a lot of sense. If this is the case, is there a chance of future games changing in terms of art style, depending on who's creating the assets? Kinda like how a hand-drawn cartoon will look different depending on the artist even though they're using the same designs. That would be interesting, albeit a very unique thing to get used to when I've only ever played games made by the same staff constantly (even non-ND!). It makes me wonder, too, if there's such a benefit to the games being made this way, why they didn't switch much sooner. Have they been expanding on and building up their proprietary engine since the earliest SCK days?!

They have kept the same creative director, so I guess it depends if they want to do a major overhaul of the games (in the "new direction') or not. But normally the creative director decides the look and makes all those decisions, and then the hired artists draw it in the style they were told to. So either the games will keep the same look as before, or they will change drastically as a kind of relaunch (new voice, new engine, fresh start) and then stick to that style.

I think before the games were run like a family and they were fine keeping full-time staff. Also with Stuart Moulder being a programmer, maybe he enjoyed having his own OS to tinker with. But probably it was something they had to create one at the beginning (because there were no universal game engines) and then just kept using it.

I think because the new CEO is an MBA, she probably looked at a bunch of excel spreadsheets and industry reports and made decisions that were the most cost effective. If they put the Adventure game on hold to do C&C, then there was no reason to keep a bunch of people on staff with benefits.

[nancycluedrew]

Hmm, well I do know that like for example the ICE Wii game, HER used another company, Sega, to help produce it for the Wii, and I think the CUR DVD game did the same thing... So I'm not sure, but it's possible HER just used another company to help produce it for moblie games...

That's true, but the article also states the in-house team for Codes & Clues was only Cathy Roiter, Jeanne Roiter, and Suzy O'Hara, so that's pretty small team to make a game with.

[tsukiakari]

That's true, but the article also states the in-house team for Codes & Clues was only Cathy Roiter, Jeanne Roiter, and Suzy O'Hara, so that's pretty small team to make a game with.

To add to this, the Wii and DVD games are similar to the Mac versions - they're already made, and just need to be converted to a different format. So the companies who helped produce those games was working with existing material.

Also, here I was thinking that article wouldn't say anything new...apparently I missed out on a lot of juicy details by not reading it

[KCsleuth]

Waiting for MID

I've played every ND game twice (once on Amateur and once on Master), so I have nothing to keep me busy until MID comes out. It's driving me crazy! I've resorted to novel-reading, which I love, but I've read about 10 books in two months and I need a game!

[paperstreet]

I was reading through the HeR FB page and found this:

@Nancy Drew Games Do you have a writer on staff? Is the script for MID completed? Thank you! It is just to know how impatient I should be, or I will get sad for waiting so long and give up :(
(HeR Liked this but didnt comment)

Nancy Drew Games you liked my comment but didnt answer it , no fair ;)
(no response)


The same person asked when there was going to be another Codes and Clues, and they just got a like, not an answer.

Also on FB, they used to say MiD will release in 2016, now they are saying "we haven't set a release date"

It is not looking good, I mean is it so hard to say "yes the script is complete but we are working on the design". I wish they hadnt had the teaser for MID, because it looked soooo good, that is why the wait is so frustrating. Especially cause last summer they were promoting MID with that youtube live action series, etc, as if it would be released normally. If they had just gone on hiatus to relaunch the games without having announced a new game, at least there would have been closure.

[Tedbear2]

It doesn't bode well that they have changed their reply on Facebook as to when MID is coming out.

During the Twitter party for Codes and Clues, they indicated that the Codes and Clues series was indeed going to be continued.

I have thought all along that a more realistic release date for MID would be 2017, but in recent weeks, due to the change in reply on Facebook and LJ's use of the word "pre-planning" when responding to the status of MID's development progress, that feeling has become cemented.

It would also seem that little to no work was going on with MID while Codes and Clues was in development.

I really wish they hadn't released the trailer for MID - if they had not, this situation would still be miserable, but we wouldn't have anything tangible to go on and I think I would feel a tad less frustrated. I felt that way about Ship of Shadows too - I wish there had never been a trailer for it.

What I fully expect to see (probably in the fall?) is another letter to fans, explaining that MID will not be released until 2017.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I think what pains me the most about all of this is knowing that if Codes and Clues hadn't reared its ugly head (it's probably a nice game, but hard to get enthused about a game for little kids on a mobile device, even though I know the decision to release it prior to MID was in the hopes of earning more revenue), that we probably would have seen the release of MID this year. I know that money has to come first, but now virtually the entire user/fan base of the ND series has been alienated. This, on top of the terrible decision to get rid of Lani, really makes me feel disgusted as to the way this has all been handled.

It's the overall disregard for the fans, the people who bought their games for the last 15+ years, that bothers me the most. If they had sat down with a list entitled "How to Completely Turn Away Our Loyal Customers," the way this has been handled, I feel sure, would reflect that this list has been followed to the letter. It would almost be funny if it wasn't so tragic. Couple that with the vague, ambiguous, sometimes-contradictory replies that we have received in answer to our questions about the status of MID over the past months, and it's just...sad at best, insulting at worst.

[iLoVeNaNcYDrEw]

It doesn't bode well that they have changed their reply on Facebook as to when MID is coming out.

During the Twitter party for Codes and Clues, they indicated that the Codes and Clues series was indeed going to be continued.

I have thought all along that a more realistic release date for MID would be 2017, but in recent weeks, due to the change in reply on Facebook and LJ's use of the word "pre-planning" when responding to the status of MID's development progress, that feeling has become cemented.

It would also seem that little to no work was going on with MID while Codes and Clues was in development.

I really wish they hadn't released the trailer for MID - if they had not, this situation would still be miserable, but we wouldn't have anything tangible to go on and I think I would feel a tad less frustrated. I felt that way about Ship of Shadows too - I wish there had never been a trailer for it.

What I fully expect to see (probably in the fall?) is another letter to fans, explaining that MID will not be released until 2017.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I think what pains me the most about all of this is knowing that if Codes and Clues hadn't reared its ugly head (it's probably a nice game, but hard to get enthused about a game for little kids on a mobile device, even though I know the decision to release it prior to MID was in the hopes of earning more revenue), that we probably would have seen the release of MID this year. I know that money has to come first, but now virtually the entire user/fan base of the ND series has been alienated. This, on top of the terrible decision to get rid of Lani, really makes me feel disgusted as to the way this has all been handled.

It's the overall disregard for the fans, the people who bought their games for the last 15+ years, that bothers me the most. If they had sat down with a list entitled "How to Completely Turn Away Our Loyal Customers," the way this has been handled, I feel sure, would reflect that this list has been followed to the letter. It would almost be funny if it wasn't so tragic. Couple that with the vague, ambiguous, sometimes-contradictory replies that we have received in answer to our questions about the status of MID over the past months, and it's just...sad at best, insulting at worst.

I, sadly, agree completely with all of this. The other thing that really bothers me is one of LJ's latest comments (or maybe it was Indy?) but someone said on the blog that "they couldn't tell us about MID" or something to that effect. This worries me. I was not of the mindset the MID would never be released, but I am starting to join in that frame of mind. Why else could they not talk about it, if they weren't possibly canceling it or delaying it indefinitely? Regardless, comments like this and the other vague stuff really don't help to alleviate our (the fan base that has kept the company running for 20 years, mind you) fears and worries.

[1999BroadwayPlz]

Hey guys, we have no idea how Her runs on the inside or their reasoning to do certain things and it's not helping anything to speculate and bash Her. Lets remember what the message boards are supposed to be about.

[paperstreet]

During the Twitter party for Codes and Clues, they indicated that the Codes and Clues series was indeed going to be continued.


What I fully expect to see (probably in the fall?) is another letter to fans, explaining that MID will not be released until 2017.

This, on top of the terrible decision to get rid of Lani, really makes me feel disgusted as to the way this has all been handled.

If MID isnt going to come out until 2017, are they going to wait til its finished to do another Codes & Clues? I cant see them only putting out one tiny app for all 2016 and hope to survive. But if they do do another codes and clues won't that just delay MID? If they release another app before MID I think I'll scream, lol.

I agree about the Lani thing. If they knew they were going to put the games on hiatus, since Lani is a contractor, they should have just left it, and then let her know at the relaunch of the game that they would be using a totally new actress. I think people would have seen it is a an entirely new series, a reboot, and not been upset about Lani going. I get what they are doing, but they are doing it in the worst way possible, as you said.

A good company would make the fans happy and excited about the delays and the wait. Like on Kickstarter when people are late, but everyone is really happy about it because they are kept updated and the product sounds amazing. HeR is running things like a 20th c. company, when things were offline and secret.

I really like the idea of MID, if I hadnt know it, I wouldnt be so impatient : )

[Ndfan1234]

I've tried to stay optimistic throughout all of this. I so desperately want to believe that HeR will come back from this long lull better than ever, but even I am starting to doubt that. There is absolutely no response about anything! Honestly, I feel like it's this new CEO's fault. I feel like she's completely changed HeR's values of just making great games for her own agendas. I hope MID comes out this year, or even at all, but I'm really doubting that for the first time. HeR needs to get their act together, because they are losing very strong, long time fans, who will always buy the games, like me. I find myself coming to the boards less and less. There's nothing new. You know the demographic for the games, and this literally makes no since to start a branch of kids games. You know your side projects never work out. Why not stick to the big money maker, which is the adventure games? It makes absolutely no since, and I'm feeling pretty used as a customer. I have next to no loyalty left with HeR.

[emikat80]

Hey guys, we have no idea how Her runs on the inside or their reasoning to do certain things and it's not helping anything to speculate and bash Her. Lets remember what the message boards are supposed to be about.

^^thank you for this^^

If MID isnt going to come out until 2017, are they going to wait til its finished to do another Codes & Clues? I cant see them only putting out one tiny app for all 2016 and hope to survive. But if they do do another codes and clues won't that just delay MID? If they release another app before MID I think I'll scream, lol.

I agree about the Lani thing. If they knew they were going to put the games on hiatus, since Lani is a contractor, they should have just left it, and then let her know at the relaunch of the game that they would be using a totally new actress. I think people would have seen it is a an entirely new series, a reboot, and not been upset about Lani going. I get what they are doing, but they are doing it in the worst way possible, as you said.

A good company would make the fans happy and excited about the delays and the wait. Like on Kickstarter when people are late, but everyone is really happy about it because they are kept updated and the product sounds amazing. HeR is running things like a 20th c. company, when things were offline and secret.

I really like the idea of MID, if I hadnt know it, I wouldnt be so impatient : )

I don't quite understand what you're saying about the Lani situation.. In order to save the fans some anguish, they should've strung her along for an indefinate amount of time, only to inform her, after the wait, that they're actually done with her? I know that we, as fans, are not completely irrelevent to the business decisions HeR makes, but I really think they owed Lani more than to treat her that badly. If you think about it, they were very considerate to her, and it was she who actually gave us quite a bit of anguish. She chose to make SEA her last game instead of MID, and she used the opportunity that HeR gave her to say goodbye to her fans on her own terms, to drum up bad feelings against HeR, and she even came on these boards more than once to personally fuel the conflict.
All that aside though, it doesn't seem to me that a company should hold the feelings of their customers in such high regard that they let it interfere with their professionalism and etiquette amongst their peers. And most of us probably would've disapproved of that method anyway.

[paperstreet]

^^thank you for this^^




I don't quite understand what you're saying about the Lani situation.. In order to save the fans some anguish, they should've strung her along for an indefinate amount of time, only to inform her, after the wait, that they're actually done with her? I know that we, as fans, are not completely irrelevent to the business decisions HeR makes, but I really think they owed Lani more than to treat her that badly. If you think about it, they were very considerate to her, and it was she who actually gave us quite a bit of anguish. She chose to make SEA her last game instead of MID, and she used the opportunity that HeR gave her to say goodbye to her fans on her own terms, to drum up bad feelings against HeR, and she even came on these boards more than once to personally fuel the conflict.
All that aside though, it doesn't seem to me that a company should hold the feelings of their customers in such high regard that they let it interfere with their professionalism and etiquette amongst their peers. And most of us probably would've disapproved of that method anyway.

Lani is a freelancer, that is the way it works. They tell you when they renew your contract, not when you finish your last one. Or they could have said we are doing a reboot, thus justifying the long hiatus as well as giving a reason for getting rid of lani that could be more easily digested and allowed her to save face.

(What went down between Lani and HeR is a bit of she-said, HeR said, so who knows what went down, that is more gossip, as opposed to trying to understand business strategy).

It just feels like HeR is acting like a start-up and not a 20 year old business. I mean even Miss Clue can get their act together, and is acting more professionally than HeR. They miss their deadlines all the time, but they tell fans with updates, and it keeps the positivity up. Their games are filled with problems but eveyone on their boards are super happy.

This one thread is for MID discussion and the only thing to discuss is what is going on, unfortunately. If you don't want to talk about MID (which for now is only delays) than there are many other threads, or you can start your own on a topic you are enthusiastic about. The purpose of the boards isnt to only be positive, it is to exchange respectful opinions, and let people engage on ideas : )

[tsukiakari]

I really wish they hadn't released the trailer for MID - if they had not, this situation would still be miserable, but we wouldn't have anything tangible to go on and I think I would feel a tad less frustrated. I felt that way about Ship of Shadows too - I wish there had never been a trailer for it.

Y'know, I feel like, judging by the trailer, Her was planning to make and release MID with the old creative team, despite the new voice for Nancy (which, honestly, I've been overlooking almost constantly at this point, what with everything else going on). I mean, despite the "coming soon" that they used at the end, it seems odd that they would have created something so detailed only to delay it constantly. This isn't a AAA studio work that takes five or six years to complete, after all. No matter how much increased movement Unity might offer, MID will be just as short as all the other games if it sticks to the format and uses Katie Chironis' script. (Heck, I've seen heavy criticism of more mainstream games having a runtime of 3-4 hours, and that's what we consider to be a medium-length ND game!)

And speaking of the level of movement, remember how long ago it was that the LIE Unity teaser and such came out? These days, Her has such an emphasis on being quiet until they have something to say; it seems weird for them to talk about Unity if MID's development and release was still very far away. That implies to me that they had expected to segue into hints for MID, and that it was then delayed, for whatever reason.

What I fully expect to see (probably in the fall?) is another letter to fans, explaining that MID will not be released until 2017.

I wouldn't be surprised to see this either. But at the same time, I think it's worth noting that our speculations right now are virtually all going by the "we're just beginning to design the game" interpretation of what Little Jackalope said in the blog comment. While I don't specifically have hope that she meant something different, I also wouldn't be particularly shocked if we were all wrong