Longer deadline for HeR, or more game developers ? Or both?

[NancyLvr101N]

Lately I've been pretty disappointed with the Nancy Drew games that have been put out. They seem very thrown together, and the puzzles are not as fun, imaginative, or thought out as they used to be.
I propose that either HeR sets a more realistic deadline in which they don't have to rush to put together a game, or they hire more workers and bump the price of the CD up just a bit.

The last game I LOVED was White Wolf of Icicle Creek, and I would much rather pay a little extra, or wait longer for a GREAT game like that than spend $20.00 after waiting 6 months only to find myself disappointed or annoyed.

[oceanxatlantic]

I feel the same way, though I'm not sure if the time frame has anything to do with it, because if I'm not mistaken, they've been using this pattern of releasing games for a while now.

But you do make a very good point I completely agree with. To me, the main things seem to be the dialogue, plot, and location.

Conversations are unnatural and the emotions of the characters make little to no sense in many situations. Even the order in which Nancy can ask questions seems off-- she can bring up something, then not talk about it for the rest of an interaction, and then randomly bring it up again. It just seems very off-putting and strange. When something exciting or emotional happens, the characters switch emotions from high to low in a blink of an eye. There is no cohesiveness anymore, it seems.

The plots of the game also seem thrown together. The past two games, I feel, nothing is pulled together nicely. There are rampant red herrings and plot holes and...ugh. I felt so lost at the end of TMB and DED, completely shocked and disappointed that I didn't get the satisfied realizations I've gotten game after game since the series started.

Lastly, location. In both TMB and DED, the environments were tiny, the places to explore boring, with nearly nothing to click on, observe, etc. While games like DAN and VEN and SHA had multiple places to explore and visit, TMB and DED took place in one tiny environment. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing, HER has made it work before with games such as TRN or MHM, but I think the haphazard plots and character interactions mixed with that just make for a completely disappointing and utterly confusing game experience.

I don't know exactly what it is, if they are writing the games in a different style, taking a different creative approach, or maybe you're right, they just would benefit from more time to real put together a cohesive game. Whatever it is, I wish it would shift back to games more like SHA, FIN, TRT; pretty much any game before CAP.

[mysterielover13]

I completly agree.I just finished DED, and i feel like prettymuch nothing tied together. I recently played TMB too, and I feel lik tee was so muh more they culd have done to make the game more enjoyable. I think after the trnado game (I cant remeber what its called), the game quality went down by a lot.
I remember playing the old gameslike SHA and DAN and even SAW and notbeeing able to tell who the culprit was, and i feel as if that is oneof the major things in a gam that determine its quality. When i played DED, i knw who the culprit was not even halfway through the game. Also, the DED setting wa tiny. I agree wit what you said about how HeR made small settings work in the past, but it isnt really working anymore.
I also see what you are sayin about time, and even thoughtis is their regular trend, we could give them like maybe nine months or s to come up with a new, good,original idea to make a new, good game that is as much fun as the older games.

[WWNDD12]

I think we will have to agree to disagree.

I have actually liked the games and enjoyed playing them. When I got TOT I wasn't impressed but then decided to enjoy it anyways because Her Interactive does spend countless hours for one game. I think they are disappointed when fans don't like the games and they take into consideration what we like. DED I think has been there best in a while although I did like the others. They are trying to take it back to the 'original games' as we say and make them spooky or have the music intense. Also they will be achieving this with GTH because it is supposed to be even spookier then SAW!

I know that that isn't the only reason why people are getting disappointed it is because they set such High hopes for the games. There is nothing wrong with that but most new games don't even start to compete with your favorite game. You want it to be better then your favorite game, but sometimes not even thinking about it we don't even let it try to compete with that game. I know I didn't with CAP at first but then I played it again and acted as if it was my first time playing that game and any other ND game. I then really enjoyed it and set aside what I thought of the other games and really loved it!

Again Her Interactive can't always add stuff that we want in the games. They are a company (Which some of us forget sometimes I know I do!) and the only way to keep the company going is to do what they have been doing for years, make two games a year and sell them at $20.00. Most people that haven't played the games before don't want to buy a game that is thirty dollars that they have no idea if it will be good or not, I wouldn't even really want to spend twenty but thats just me. I think that Her Interactive is trying to get up to date, if they don't then new buyers won't want to buy and there goes there company.

I Don't want HI to think we are not thankful and I don't think anyone on this thread isn't thankful because I think you really are. It is just sometimes we don't think of the business standpoint, I mean they should know what there doing! There professionals!

I don't know, thats just what i thought. sorry for the long post!
-Trey

[mysterielover13]

I can say that I somewhat agree with you, because even though I only talked about the cons in DED and the other games, they were still good. I agree that we have such high hopes after the first games, since they were so amazing, and that doesnt make the newer games bad. This usually happens though, having the original being better than a sequel or triqual(i just kinda made that word up). I also agree that the music in DED was good. I think it was probably my favorite background music in the Nancy Drew games yet. All i really saying is that I miss not knowing who the culprit is until the end and that surprise and thrill that it gave me. Thats all.

[WWNDD12]

Yes I am not saying that every game is perfect. HI can improve as well, (Everyone can) I'm not trying to make you guys sound like the bad guys. Because your not and I'm shore HI really appreciate that people do take the time to tell them how they can improve!

[oceanxatlantic]

I totally understand the opposite viewpoint as well, and you do bring up a good point that they're a company that has to do what they've got to do to be successful.

I didn't mean that they should bend to anything and everyone's wishes, if anything I just feel they've entered a new...what should I call it..."phase" with the games.

For example, the first 5 were similiar I feel, in script and plot arch basics. Same with the next 10 or so. I feel from CAP on, the formula/writing of the games has changed significantly. Others may like it, some people, including me, are not very big fans at all. But I'm glad there are people out there who have loved recent games, and I am always thankful for the games HER puts out, whether I like them or not :)

[WWNDD12]

Yes they do seem to go through a sort of phase. Like so far now they are going through a more updating phase, But at the same time trying to make good games. Everyone has different styles of games they like. I wasn't an extreme fan of games 16-19. I understand that some were not thrilled with the newer games, and that's fine by me. We all have our 'favorite type of game' should I say, and some might not be what Her Interactive is producing now.

I defiantly get that and I hope you are more happy with GTH, and it will soon be a new favorite!

[~Snuggle Girl~]

Something that's interesting to note is the fact that similar threads like this and these concerns have existed after every "phase" of HER. Way back in the day when I was a youngin' people critiqued the shortness/easiness of CAR. I don't remember what was said of DDI, but it would be interesting to read the very first reviews of it... unrealistic mystery about a big whale comes to mind. Then, the 3 day structure of SHA and tasks weren't very popular. Nor was the difficulty of CUR. Later CLK with the tasks and driving... etc. If you're ever bored on the boards, it's fascinating to read the first reviews (1-3 months after the release) or snoop online to read other site reviews. Anyway, my point is that opinions like this basically exist for every game, even your own personally favorite game.

I even wrote a similar opinion of how the games were declining in quality when WAC was being released (here).

Yes, with every "phase" it seems like HER concentrates on something different and for a while it was international adventures or unique settings. Sometimes I can't help but think it's even marketing (RAN was made when everyone was into pirates because of Pirates of the Caribbean, CRY with the crystal skull when the movie Indiana Jones Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was in development, and maybe even WAC within the popularity of the show Gossip Girl).

I also think these changes have a lot to do with the teams who work on the games. In ASH there seemed to be two groups of people who worked on creating the characters (notably Toni's appearance vs. Alexie's, etc). And of course, with the years I'm sure changes in employees also affects our mysteries and whatnot.

And my very final point I'd like to make (almost done, haha), is that your very first time playing a game will almost never be recreated, especially if you play one that goes along with your own personal interests. After 3-5 games you know what to expect, the general feel of ND games still exists, thus when a new game is coming out you have high hopes for it thinking it can rival your favorite and that doesn't happen often. You're probably older now and a portrait with eyes that follow you doesn't spook you anymore and doesn't have the same effect. A memory puzzle is now easy because you've solved countless others... You might even be able to guess the culprit!

While you might claim to play ND games forever and love the boards right now, who knows what happens when you become older and suddenly high school or college or personal life takes over. I almost stopped after TOT disappointed me and college was much more interesting, haha. But yet, I'm still here and I still lurk. CAP brought on a new phase that I like.

The most important thing is that there is an ND game out there for everyone. Someone somewhere really likes a game that you might have hated. This is due to the huge variety of mysteries and the uniqueness of each and every single game. That is the best aspect of HER, in my opinion.

The end. *hugs*

[Suki02998]

I agree completely! The games from 25 on for me have very boring! The plot is very boring and I really don't like how the game is put together and the endings aren't as fun as they used to be.
The layout isn't the best either but I would accept either more workers, longer deadlines or both just to get those good games back that seemed to be more thought out and longer worked on!
I actually have really high hopes on the GTH game. With the previews it seems like the old ND games but I really hope that they put more thought into this game than the previus games that they have done.

[Jokerbug]

...

I would like to give you an internet high five. Thank you. You were able to put into words what I was thinking.
Although I agree that the last few games have been hit or miss with me, I also have to acknowledge that I am older and not in middle school anymore. Nancy Drew games are directed towards the younger girl audience so the games and puzzles are going to be made so they are able to play the game. This may mean not every game is going to be one I like, but it won't stop me from trying them all because HeR Interactive has a unique game and I can't find the same gaming experience anywhere else. Trust me I've tried finding mystery games that aren't all about the hidden objects (Bleh!). The only ones I've found are Scratches, Barrow Hill, and Dark Fall. (Though these games are for late teens-young adults since they are a lot scarier than Nancy Drew and have some violence to them.)
So even if I haven't enjoyed the most recent games, I know other people have. HeR Interactive has a type of game that no one else really makes and that's what makes the Nancy Drew games special. Therefore I like that they are taking chances with trying different stories and genres for the overall feel of the game so they can bring in as big of an audience as possible with these games. :)

[Ndfan1234]

I'm sorry, I have to diagree with you, NancyLvr101N. I think that the new games have been the best so far! I mean, I like the older games, but I really started actually playing them about the time HAU came out, so you could call me a "newbie" if you want. I had only played a few a couple years before and almost lost interest in them until I found an old disc for SHA. Anyways, at first TOT, ASH, and TMB seemed a little boring. But then as WWNDD12 said, I realized that they put so much effort into them, and they're really not that bad. I sometimes see people on here saying something like, " I hate TOT (or TMB) Im never gonna play it again!" and I'm like, really? Can't you just give it a chance? I'm not trying to be rude, but really they aren't that bad. Anyways that's just my two cents. I think Trey (WWNDD12) said what I thought really well!

[mysteryslover12]

Most other series of games, I play (besides Nancy Drew) they will create like the first one in the series, but the second and etc. will not be released for like 6 months and a year, and usually that can help to make the next game in the series better, I am not saying that every game company should do it but it has been so far, very successful. I do love the Nancy Drew games, but lately I have lost interest in trying to buy every single one, there are a few reasons, of why (I am just giving my opinion and not being rude) such as they are not scary enough for me (it is really hard to scare me, virtually no computer game scares me anymore) the plot did not make sense, or was not linear, the game was to short, or I lost interest in a game very early on.