MID Discussion, Release Date, Unity Etc

[mysterylover11]

I, like many others, have been silently reading this for a while now. And, I've been wondering about Unity itself. I don't know much about computers and technology, but, honestly, I wish HeR hadn't even pursued this whole switch to Unity at this point. Seeing how much time has elasped and the distrust the fans feel towards the company, it doesn't seem to be helping HeR in any form. The longer the delay is for MID, the angrier the fans will be, the greater the amount of fans that will stop supporting/show any interest towards HeR, and the less likely they will have the same core fanbase they've been relying on for 34 games now.

I know that the switch to Unity could lead to a bigger and better game experience, and I, no doubt, would be ecstatic about what that could lead to the Nancy Drew games. I know that that could draw in more and more fans and revenue for the business if they joined other popular companies in switching to Unity. But, at the same time, I'm just a fan of a good plot and a good mystery, and I didn't need Unity to keep me hooked on these games.

I was fine with the direction of the games. I was happy with SEA. And, I was happy with the excitement of MID. I would've been just content if HeR stayed the same.

- Mylo

[Lyricalgoose]

I know that the switch to Unity could lead to a bigger and better game experience, and I, no doubt, would be ecstatic about what that could lead to the Nancy Drew games. I know that that could draw in more and more fans and revenue for the business if they joined other popular companies in switching to Unity. But, at the same time, I'm just a fan of a good plot and a good mystery, and I didn't need Unity to keep me hooked on these games.

I was fine with the direction of the games. I was happy with SEA. And, I was happy with the excitement of MID. I would've been just content if HeR stayed the same.

- Mylo

I agree with this!

They said the switch to Unity was going to give the fans what they wanted. What they wanted was more snooping, less puzzles and less random puzzles, etc. All of this was achieved at one point with their engine.

The more characters and more locations aspect I don't see as needing Unity either. The only thing I am not sure on is the length aspect. I don't believe something like that would need Unity to make happen, but realize it couldn't hurt.

Ultimately, I feel like the switched solely for the Mac/mobile devices aspect. Several posters have mentioned that they can roll out the Windows games simultaneously with Mac and other platforms and I feel like this appeals to them, especially the mobile aspect.

But my point ultimately is they didn't actually need to switch their engine to accomplish what we want. They were able to do that in previous games in their engine, so why not with newer ones? (And if someone has the answer to that, by all means let me know :) )

[TeamDrew]

I guess I just don't understand how not putting out MID would be beneficial to HeR... They're a company, so you would think first and foremost they would be concerned about finances. How much would mobile games accumulate? Especially if they drive off the largest portion of their fans by not coming out with any PC games? It's already been dangerously long, compared to the revenue they used to get from having 2 games a year... I assume

[Tedbear2]

Ultimately, I feel like the switched solely for the Mac/mobile devices aspect. Several posters have mentioned that they can roll out the Windows games simultaneously with Mac and other platforms and I feel like this appeals to them, especially the mobile aspect.

But my point ultimately is they didn't actually need to switch their engine to accomplish what we want. They were able to do that in previous games in their engine, so why not with newer ones? (And if someone has the answer to that, by all means let me know :) )

The switch to Unity had virtually everything to do with porting the games easily to other platforms. They put out a "this will benefit the fans" spin on it by talking about how this new engine would cater to what the fans have been wanting, which might have a little bit of truth to it, but I would have been more than happy with future games being the way that they have been before. Using Unity will allow for more freedom of movement, but that's not something I cared about anyway. I don't think they needed to switch game engines to accomplish what the general fan wanted - it was a move to try to remain financially solvent in order to be able to cross-platform future Nancy Drew games. But they couldn't come right out and say, "We are switching to a new game engine because it has the potential to make us more money, which we desperately need," so instead we were given this spiel about more expansive environments, more immersive story lines, etc. I am not knocking the company for explaining things the way that they did, but I do believe that we would have been quite pleased with Midnight in Salem on the old game engine.

It is true that the company was using a proprietary game engine before, which means that future games would have been pretty much limited to what we were already getting. Overall, though, I was quite happy with what we were getting. I am not all sure that this new game engine in and of itself will attract a wider audience, either, but of course we can only hope.

If MID is released, the viability of making more ND adventure games will be on the line, all dependent upon its sales figures.

[sggoren]

As far as I know, Unity is a very versatile engine - can be used to make almost anything for any type of platform, so the only limitations would be who's using it, not the program itself. Plus, one version of it is being offered for free and it seems to have a reputation as a good engine for "indie" developers. So honestly, unless Her hired/outsourced to people who have no idea how to use the engine (and that seems weird to me, since even at least one former employee knew how to use it), I don't think they'd be giving up on it. It's not like they're gonna be stuck with a weird control scheme involving the keyboard, or that the movements would be too jerky; that stuff is, to the best of my knowledge, totally customizable. You also get the bonus of being able to release the game on multiple platforms, which I believe was cited by Her...way back in the day...as one of the reasons they wanted to switch. But yeah, I understand your frustration, sggoren. I'm at the end of my rope too, when it comes to theorizing about what's going on

Good points, good points. I admit I am definitely getting frustrated so I'm throwing out every thought and seeing what sticks.

I will say this... I am frustrated at their lack of communication more so than any delay of the game itself. They could tell me they're hoping for Fall 2017, and I'd be like okay. That 2 year wait kind of sucks, but I'd go about my life and it would come up before I knew it.

Instead, they're playing games with their fans. Playing mental games. We are not children (most of us). Be straight and be honest. Stop beating around the bush and being patronizing. Because they are starting to push fans away.

We check often to see if there are updates, and frankly it'd be easier to unfollow all their social media and just wait to see the game at Wal-Mart than hanging on their every paltry word. I'm done with playing along like a pathetic, groveling fan asking for crumbs of information. They treat the answers they could give like Top Secret classified information. Get over yourselves HeR. You're not big enough to anger and lose any sizable percentage of your *loyal* fanbase.

At first, it was the hardcore fans. Now the more casual players are looking at their calendar going, "Huh, what is going on with that new game?" Then they go to the Facebook or this board and see it's all gone up in flames.

HeR your communication with your customers is appalling and offensive. You DO have information to share, don't lie to us. You just want to play a dangerous game of PR where leading us on is a better plan than being honest. Good luck with that. I'm out. Unfollowing all of your stuff and waiting to check the game out of a library or something.

Peace x

[paperstreet]

I tried to word my question very specific, because I know she has been giving roundabout answers. I spent time thinking about how to precisely word it so it wasn't asking in a roundabout way. LJ, however, is very very good at the roundabout, vague answers. You cannot ask her any more than one question at once and even so, she still finds a way to answer it vaguely.

You worded your question very well. So I went to look at it on the blog and someone else wrote under LJ's Response:

Hi LJ, I’ve been kind of confused lately by some replies I’ve seen to some questions so I’m asking for some clarification:

1) HeR is planning to release MID as their next game, correct?

2) Is MID currently the next game you’re working on?

LJ: Hi Sarah, MID is the next Nancy Drew game in the series, but we don’t have any news or updates on it yet.

Hi LJ!

Sarah asked “Is MID currently the next game you are working on” but you didnt answer. I guess that means you are working a different game first, and then you will do MID after. Yes? Thank you!


But LJ didn't answer anything (she did answer other questions that were posted later). Does her non response suggest that they were correct in their guess? It seems like MID is the next Nancy Drew game, but not necessarily the one they working on, which is the unnamed new project she referred to in the blog the other day? These questions are all super specific and not that complex. You think they would be happy to tell people about their next game to get them revved up, unless it is not MID. I am so confused!!

[TeamDrew]

You worded your question very well. So I went to look at it on the blog and someone else wrote under LJ's Response:

Hi LJ, I’ve been kind of confused lately by some replies I’ve seen to some questions so I’m asking for some clarification:

1) HeR is planning to release MID as their next game, correct?

2) Is MID currently the next game you’re working on?

LJ: Hi Sarah, MID is the next Nancy Drew game in the series, but we don’t have any news or updates on it yet.

Hi LJ!

Sarah asked “Is MID currently the next game you are working on” but you didnt answer. I guess that means you are working a different game first, and then you will do MID after. Yes? Thank you!


But LJ didn't answer anything (she did answer other questions that were posted later). Does her non response to the person who asked the question suggest that they were correct in their guess? It seems like MID is the next Nancy Drew game, but not necessarily the one they working on? These questions are all super specific and not that complex. I am so confused!!

Though it might be confusing, honestly I'm just relieved they're still planning on putting it out. Even if they are working on another project and releasing it before, I don't mind so much knowing that MID EVENTUALLY will be out. Thanks for putting this info here!

[iLoVeNaNcYDrEw]

You worded your question very well. So I went to look at it on the blog and someone else wrote under LJ's Response:

Hi LJ, I’ve been kind of confused lately by some replies I’ve seen to some questions so I’m asking for some clarification:

1) HeR is planning to release MID as their next game, correct?

2) Is MID currently the next game you’re working on?

LJ: Hi Sarah, MID is the next Nancy Drew game in the series, but we don’t have any news or updates on it yet.

Hi LJ!

Sarah asked “Is MID currently the next game you are working on” but you didnt answer. I guess that means you are working a different game first, and then you will do MID after. Yes? Thank you!


But LJ didn't answer anything (she did answer other questions that were posted later). Does her non response suggest that they were correct in their guess? It seems like MID is the next Nancy Drew game, but not necessarily the one they working on, which is the unnamed new project she referred to in the blog the other day? These questions are all super specific and not that complex. You think they would be happy to tell people about their next game to get them revved up, unless it is not MID. I am so confused!!

I saw that, too, and that's how I took it. She chose not to answer. The question is.. why? I mean, it makes sense, because she only answered the one half of the question originally. LJ isn't stupid. HeR has said repeatedly on social media that "they have not and would not lie to fans" but I think the way they get around that is with these little half-truths/not-the-whole-story answers.

[Lyricalgoose]

You worded your question very well. So I went to look at it on the blog and someone else wrote under LJ's Response:

Hi LJ, I’ve been kind of confused lately by some replies I’ve seen to some questions so I’m asking for some clarification:

1) HeR is planning to release MID as their next game, correct?

2) Is MID currently the next game you’re working on?

LJ: Hi Sarah, MID is the next Nancy Drew game in the series, but we don’t have any news or updates on it yet.

Hi LJ!

Sarah asked “Is MID currently the next game you are working on” but you didnt answer. I guess that means you are working a different game first, and then you will do MID after. Yes? Thank you!


But LJ didn't answer anything (she did answer other questions that were posted later). Does her non response suggest that they were correct in their guess? It seems like MID is the next Nancy Drew game, but not necessarily the one they working on, which is the unnamed new project she referred to in the blog the other day? These questions are all super specific and not that complex. You think they would be happy to tell people about their next game to get them revved up, unless it is not MID. I am so confused!!

I directly asked on the blog if MID was shelved and she had not responded yet, though my comment has made it through moderation. I'm not sure if she's had any activity since then, but seeing as it's close to the end of the day if not the end of their day already, I don't think I'll get an answer today, if ever.

The only way I'd be okay with MID being delayed by yet another game is if it's Ship of Shadows. I liked the Dossier series but this wouldn't satisfy everyone.

I understand she can't tell us much more, but you'd think she'd be repeating "MID is coming out, I have no other news to tell at the moment." Instead of weird vague answers that are contradictory.

[nancycluedrew]

I mean She said that its the next game in the series and they have said before that their wont be another codes and clues until after mid so, yah, mid is next? Guys, they aren't shelving it. Give LJ a break. She probably can't tell us much more

I'd give everyone at HER a break, if they answered the questions put to them by fans properly. This roundabout, not quite answering the question way is ridiculous.

sggoren - Your post is wonderful and very much sums up how I've been feeling for some time. HER is giving their fans the runabout, by not just telling us "We're working on MID, we're going to say very soon when you guys can expect it". By now they should know if it's this year or next year. After more than a year since their last PC game, they should have some idea of when MID can be expected. Yes, maybe they ran into some issues, but still, there should be a estimate by now.

[Lyricalgoose]

I'd give everyone at HER a break, if they answered the questions put to them by fans properly. This roundabout, not quite answering the question way is ridiculous.

sggoren - Your post is wonderful and very much sums up how I've been feeling for some time. HER is giving their fans the runabout, by not just telling us "We're working on MID, we're going to say very soon when you guys can expect it". By now they should know if it's this year or next year. After more than a year since their last PC game, they should have some idea of when MID can be expected. Yes, maybe they ran into some issues, but still, there should be a estimate by now.

I completely agree!

[DPL_93]

Only way I can see MID shelved is if HeR is finished as a company. Ship of Shadows getting shelved was different, HeR had Shadow at the Water's Edge, Trail of the Twister and SCK2 coming out in 2010. Could argue having 4 new products on the Market was too much anyway.

[iLoVeNaNcYDrEw]

Only way I can see MID shelved is if HeR is finished as a company. Ship of Shadows getting shelved was different, HeR had Shadow at the Water's Edge, Trail of the Twister and SCK2 coming out in 2010. Could argue having 4 new products on the Market was too much anyway.

Well, I think there's bad news of some sort coming our way regardless. About a month or two ago it was all "fall 2016" and clear, straight-forward answers, that, if they didn't divulge anything, at least weren't confusing. Now, it's all weird, roundabout answers that don't make sense and all of a sudden "no release date has been set." The difference in the message and tone of all correspondences has been a complete 180. I see no way in which this is all to bring about good news (which in my mind is MID being released this year SOMETIME).

I wish I didn't feel this way, and I hope I'm wrong. But HeR has given us ABSOLUTELY no reason to make me feel better or think otherwise. (and if we assume the worst and something else happens- hooray! haha but at least if that doesn't happen we won't be surprised..)

[Sagwa Rah]

I apologize if these have already been mentioned in this thread, but I thought I'd share some YouTube comments that I saw.

Today, a fan commented on HeR's 2nd most recent video (mentioning the RP rating thing) and they said,
"RP.... Something is coming"

And then Indy replied a few hours ago, saying, "In the words of Josiah Crowley, 'Only time will tell!' - Indy"


On the MID teaser trailer video, someone else asked how long we'd have to wait. HeR replied with "A little while longer! We appreciate your patience. Stay Sleuthy!"

So I know it's nothing definite, but I was excited to see a different response than the usual copy-and-paste replies. I'm really crossing my fingers that we'll get an update on MID this month!!

[tsukiakari]

Honestly, I'm starting to wonder if Her is basically trolling us. Like, I can really imagine it...things will go on for a while with zero information, and then one day I'll go to the boards and find out that they've posted a trailer for MID, announced the release date, released info on preorder bonuses, uploaded a demo, posted the plot+character bios+screenshots, and also got Meryl Streep as the new voice of Nancy And I'm saying this seriously (well, aside from Meryl Streep!) because in a way, it almost ties in with what I was thinking about in a previous post, the idea of Her sitting back and relaxing and letting us do all of this viral posting stuff.

Anyway - sggoren, I repped you just the other day, so I will say that I totally agree with your post. I'm beginning to get a sort of "parental" feeling from the attitude Her as a company has taken toward the fans; there's a lot of "because we said so" in their communication. That may be for the best, but as a kid I disliked being spoken to that way, and as an adult I unfortunately still do.

At this point, I really can't think of any reason for nobody to be saying "we are working on the game". Just a few weeks ago, Little Jackalope was saying that they were in the "pre-design phase"; she went on to give a few more details; and now she's just avoiding answering any questions. (I have to give her props for answering people at all - it would be even more frustrating if everything went ignored!) So what has changed? ...which is a rhetorical question, of course!