Nancy Drew Games and Direction

spygirl

Hey everyone!

For all the Nancy Drew fans out there, I wanted to start a discussion about the games.  This will be a place to talk about all things Nancy drew, all the games, the things you liked, the things you didn't, which one was your favorite and so on.  You can even talk about the books,  I love them all too! 

I've been playing Nancy Drew games since the early 2000's and have so many wonderful memories.  I think I would have to say that TRT is my favorite even though it is one of the older ones, as I played it with my sister when it was winter and it was our second.  

This thread is for girls who aren't afraid of a mouse ;)

VictoryRose

Hey @spygirl ! Thanks for starting this discussion! I've loved the Nancy Drew games since Message in a Haunted Mansion and have played them all so many times. I really enjoyed the older ones, mostly Curse of Blackmoor Manor, Haunted Carousel, and Deception Island, but of the newer games, definitely Ghost of Thornton Hall and Sea of Darkness have been my favorites there.

The things I definitely liked were the much creepier elements or more dangerous ones, like the near-end phone call with Frank and Joe Hardy in Labyrinth of Lies (I'm not giving much away in case people haven't played the games) and the cutscenes with Ghost of Thornton Hall.

The one thing that stands out that I really don't like was the vegetable chore in Secret of Shadow Ranch. I swear, there was so much frustration with that part of the game that there were a lot of times I had to take a break and return due to that one particular part with Shorty.

dazzlerdream

Count me in the Nancy Drew fans @spygirl!

@VictoryRose I completely agree with you, those are all my favorites as well and I've played them countless times!  I think I will add Ghost dogs of moon lake to the list too!  Things I didn't like in Ghost dogs, were that the dogs only attacked once.  I was so freaked out the first time I never wanted to stay out side and night, but then I had to, to be able to talk to the bird guy.  So that was a little sad, I always wanted that if you were outside at night the 'dogs' got you!  But they never did.  

One thing I wish for the Ghost of Thornton Hall is, that when you saw Clara Thornton talk on the phone to someone while looking through the peep hole, that you didn't have the option to spill everything and admit you were spying.  (Hope I don't sound to picky I just like Nancy to be a little more sneaky and not say when she spies on people)

Oh my goodness I know!!  Those chores nearly killed me in shadow ranch lol

I haven't played Sea of darkness however.

Although I LOVE the spooky and near death scenes in all the Nancy Drew's, and I hope Miss Clue has a lot of them in their coming up release 'Trials Of Salem'

VictoryRose

@dazzlerdream I loved Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake! But the thing about it was that there were plenty of opportunities for more jump scares or scares in general since there were 'ghost dogs' that having it only one night made me feel a bit let down. And Red Knott appearing out of nowhere does not count!

And I agree with you on Thornton Hall! Making Nancy kind of take a step back and admit the spying seemed odd to me? Maybe the writers had a specific direction for that to go but the way it played out was so odd!

I hope for that too in Trials of Salem. With the atmosphere and storyline sort of being what they are, I can't wait to be scared this Halloween with the new special!

dazzlerdream

@VictoryRose Exactly!  That's just what I mean!  They had sooo much potential to make it super spooky and they didn't take it!! >:U  Lol love your comment on Red Knott!

My hope is the same for Trials Of Salem, I hope every spooky moment there is, is taken and used to the fullest extent!  I guess within reason though,  you wouldn't want rattling chains and vases shattering or completely un-explainable things happening, but definitely as much scary stuff as possible!

I have to say, when I first played Curse of Blackmoor Manor it scared the pants off me when I saw the red eyes in the darkness at the start!  It was like LET ME IN!!  THERE'S A MONSTER OUT HERE!!! (knock knock knock!)

I'm kind of sad I won't get any more of those moments with HER but I am excited to have Miss Clue fill that gap!  

spygirl

Hi guys!  Thank you so much for continuing my thread!  I've never posted much on any site so this is really exciting to log in and see new posts on something I started!  I'm also excited to be here for the beginning of something new.  Miss Clue is just starting out and it feels like I am getting to be here when things are just starting to roll!  

The one thing that seems to be making people more sad on HER than anything else is the lack of communication, they won't even say WHY they released the characters, they just stuck them out there.  So I really hope that Miss clue keeps us updated with Trials Of Salem!

That being said, I would like to start a new question!  What was your favorite Nancy Drew puzzle?  Mine was the banister puzzle in the Haunted Mansion where you had to turn them to spell out his name!

VictoryRose

@spygirl The lack of communication is so upsetting. I think it really started when Kevin Manthei left the company and then the writers slowly started disappearing and then they sort of upheaved the entire company when CEOs were switched and then they fired Lani and it all just became a huge mess. I was hoping to get their insight on why everything happened but the radio silence really makes me fear for the company, especially since, like you've said, all they have offered are the character designs with little else to go on to discern the character personalities.

That's one thing I like with the VFK team and the Miss Clue team, they keep us updated and in-the-loop and include the players in pretty much every process that even they had us wait a long time for a game, I wouldn't mind since they're so considerate to the players. They've definitely got my full support!

And yes, thank you for the question! I had forgotten about that puzzle, but that was one of my favorites to solve. My ultimate favorite puzzle has to be in Ghost of Thornton Hall and figuring out the scavenger hunt with the right letters.

goldenpuppy

OH MY GOSH!!! I LOVE NANCY DREW GAMES!!  Well, actually that isn't entirely true, I don't love all of them.  When I first found them about 4 years ago my Dad suggested we start at the beginning and work toward the current game so we got to see them progress.  So we got the first one, and me and my sister played it, it was fun!  Then at birthdays and Christmas, my mom and dad, brothers, aunts and uncles...etc got them as gifts for us since we were so into them!  My sister and I were given several of the bundles to, we have 3 copies of the Haunted Carousel hehe!  

Anyway...  To continue, WE LOVED THEM!  everyone was better than the last!!!  We got to Danger by design and my Dad didn't really like the fact that the mystery had to do with a tattoo.  Then we played kapu cave, white wolf, and Crystal skull.  They weren't really what the others had been and kept doing things which made my dad not so happy.  Then we played 'The Phantom of Venice' And that was the end.  Dad said besides the other things he didn't like, that we are not playing a game where you dance on the stage for money.  

So that is the story of my Nancy Drew games, my sister and me haven't played any passed there but we replay the older ones over and over!!  SOO SOO FUN!  We really wanted to play more mystery games and then VFK came out with MISS CLUE!! We literally died!!!  WE WERE SO EXCITED!! (and still are :D )  I just really really hope they keep doing good ones!   But knowing VFK I'm sure they will!!

sorry this is so long o.o  

moonwolf

Hello fellow HER fans!  I just joined and this is my first post.

From what I gather after reading everything here it seems like a really fun place to be. @VictoryRose thanks for your post about this company it makes me feel so much better if they are more on the communicative side of things.  I guess I've been kind of burned and wasn't really sure what to think about Miss Clue, but I am eager to see how they progress and hope to become a Miss Clue fan as well!

I completely agree on both those puzzles, however I have to say that my favorite is the mirror one in Secret of the old clock.  I've always loved reflecting light through mirrors.

VictoryRose

Welcome to the forums, @moonwolf ! And you're absolutely welcome. I wasn't sure what to think myself when first starting up the Miss Clue games, but they're really there for the players and make you feel welcomed and included so I always think that it is a plus when it comes to gaming companies! If you've just started the Miss Clue series, you'll definitely see an improvement as the games progress and you're just in time for Lani's debut in the games when Trials of Salem comes out!

And oh yes, the mirror puzzle! I always thought that puzzle had the coolest cut scene ever after you solved it and I even loved the mini-golf aspect of that game and I'd play so many rounds - I lost a lot of time on that puzzle.

@goldenpuppy I completely understand where your dad is coming from, even I had to take a step back and just kind of go 'why did they choose that as a form of money making?' For me, personally, I loved the older games but the games from Danger by Design until Trail of the Twister really felt like we were just doing chores and not a whole bunch of mystery solving to me. I will say that from Shadows at the Water's Edge until Sea of Darkness, the only two I really didn't like were Tomb of the Lost Queen and The Shattered Medallion.
If you can convince your dad to let you play through a game, he has a good number of choices from the newer games if you can get another shot at the series. Sea of Darkness has gorgeous music and a wonderful atmosphere, The Silent Spy has wonderful puzzles and gorgeous location shots (and a chance to find out about Nancy's mother!) while Ghost of Thornton Hall holds a wonderful storyline a la Curse of Blackmoor Manor and Message in the Haunted Mansion for spooks and scares!

goldenpuppy

I couldn't sleep o.o

Hi @victoryRose!  You're always so nice I like you a lot! :D  My Dad is kind of funny, when he decides something, there are no 'buts' or 'maybes', that is the way it is and that's that.  When one of the new Nancy Drews came out he would reconsider though and suggest we watch the trailer, but he still really didn't like the way they were going.  

You can always tell when he begins to not like something because he gets a funny look and starts shaking his head!  But anyway I'm a total Miss Clue Fan now!!  All the way and that's that :D you can see I'm related! hehe  No really I Love both Nancy Drew and Miss clue!  And I am very very happy and excited for Trials Of Salem!

Keep talking about the games because I love reading about what you guys like about them!

Hugs and sleep well rose!

Puppy

HBforever

Has anybody done Warnings at Waverly Academy? I want to do that one but I want to hear some reviews first. Also on Danger by Design how do you make Minette's tea?

VictoryRose

@goldenpuppy No worries at all! At any rate, you can still enjoy the older games! Those are some of the best in the series in my opinion. I usually only play through the newer games a couple of times, but the older ones are some I never get tired of!

@HBforever Oh, I loved Warnings at Waverly Academy. The atmosphere and the music are gorgeous and you really sort of feel isolated since the only few places are within the school and you do have to abide by the rules in the game, otherwise there are demerits taken off and you can get kicked out with enough of them! I'm a huge Edgar Allan Poe fan so learning about and getting involved with a character from one of his greatest works was a really fun mystery to solve!

Okay, so when it comes to the tea, pay very close attention to what Minette tells Nancy as it is the key to preparing the tea correctly. I'll go ahead and give you the spoiler below in case you wanted to try the puzzle again first.

Spoiler:

If Minette says that her favorite color is red, you need to add the herbs that grow in marshy areas which would be: Breland and Varvaine.

If Minette is not humming, then the herbs that are of a potency of 7 or higher are added and they are: Boojum, Gibbering, Macrophylla, Phyrigia, and Pipsweet.

If Minette says that she happens to be right-handed when you're making the tea, you add the herbs of the Gaviforme family: Callicula, Fennellery, Hog Bone, and Yellow Buttons.

Let me know if the hint helps!

LindsayMarie

Hello, fellow detectives!

I LOVE the Nancy Drew games. I first started out by reading the Nancy Drew books when I was about 7 or 8 (I'm 24 now, so that will tell you how long I've been a fan!) and then I discovered the games a few years later. I am anxiously waiting for the new one to come out!! I am anxious for even a release date or a pre-order date.

I think some of my favorite games are still Stay Tuned for Danger, Treasure in the Royal Tower and The Final Scene. I very much enjoy the new games too, but something about the older ones...I think it must be the nostalgia that comes with them ;)

@VictoryRose I agree with you on that vegetable picking business...while that was one of my favorites growing up, that part was always a pain.

@dazzlerdream I have to admit, Curse of Blackmoor Manor also scared the you know what out of me!! I remember always making my brother stay in the room with me while I was playing! Believe it or not, the parts that made me jump the most were when Ethel would appear out of no where.

And you mentioned not having any more scary moments with HER...did you see somewhere that they said they were not going to make any more games that were on the scary side? This new game looks like it could have some creepy moments.

@HBforever Warnings at Waverly Academy was a great game! I really enjoyed that one, and I highly recommend playing it. 

As far as a favorite puzzle...I don't think I have one. I've never been picky when it comes to the ND games. I think the fans can be a little harsh; it's obviously impossible to make every single player happy, and I think HER has always done their best to put out a good game. As long as they keep making games, I'll keep buying them. I've never regretted spending the money on them.

@spygirl I do understand the frustration over the lack of communication, however. Especially because we were so used to knowing when the games were coming out, what they were about, etc. I think the company has just been really unsure of the details, and hasn't wanted to release any info if it wasn't set in stone. I don't know anything about someone being fired or the CEOs being moved around though...I guess I missed out on some drama!

spygirl

Hi guys and welcome @LindsayMarie!

I love the books so much I have the most fond memories of my mom reading them to me when I was sick in bed. It was fun when they starting republishing them with 1930s covers!

I also played a lot of them with my brother, especially if I got stuck on a puzzle!  such good times :)  I completely agree on the nostalgia part, the older ones certainly have a special place in my heart!

spygirl

Guys! I'm so sad now!  HER finally put out an announcement and said that all they've done for an entire year is talk about characters and the script.  That they don't have anything done on it and can in no way set a release date for MID, all they ask is for us to recommend Codes and Clues to our friends.  I'm so crushed, I have been waiting for them to say something, anything, but I was hoping so much that it wouldn't be this.  Even if the Unity engine was giving them trouble why would it take so long to write the script?  They said they have made "significant progress concerning the script, character concepts and artwork"  That means they still aren't even finished with that.

I'm sorry to tell everyone this.  I don't know what to think now, maybe everyone is right that the company just isn't what it was.  I guess we can always hope for a miracle though right?  

At least we know that the Miss Clue Halloween special 'Trials of Salem' is coming out on the 30th!

dazzlerdream

Hey @LindsayMarie, 

I know exactly what you mean when Ethel would appear, she did that same to me too!  what I meant about not having any more of those moments, is that I've been keeping up with all the updates HER has been doing and it doesn't seem that there will be any new games for the Foreseeable future.  In an interview they said that the team always has 2 games going, one that will be released first and then the second one would be already pretty far along, that is how they were able to do 2 games a year, however, with all the changes they have said that they don't have any other games in the works and that MID seems to be in limbo.  

@spygirl yeah, I saw that too, I'm still kind of sad about it and it looks like most all the fans are bummed too, it's hard not to be.  But let's look on the bright side!  HER has given us so many wonderful games, sometimes things can't last forever, but it doesn't mean we can't enjoy what we already have!  I'm really excited for Trials of Salem too and have the countdown up all the time on my computer!  

Like lindsay said, it's hard to have a favorite because each puzzle is connected to a different story, but if I was to choose it would be

Spoiler:

 the sliding game in Treasure in a Royal tower, the one at the bottom of the Marie Antoinette tower that makes the stairs go out!

What is everyone's favorite character from the Nancy Drew games? or favorite Book?

VictoryRose

@spygirl I saw the letter that they released as well and I am so disappointed! It irritates me that they've kept us in the dark for so long and all they can say is that they've made 'significant progress with the script and characters'. Now that we have confirmation that the games are on hold indefinitely, it makes so sad. They have such a loyal fanbase that really has stuck with them through thick and thin and even though I love the games and wish the company the best, I don't know if I can continue with the company.

It feels as though the fans are on the back burner. The least they could have done is told us up-front about how little they've got on the game and it took so long for them to do that. I don't know. I feel with the loss of most of the company and especially with Lani, the company definitely isn't what it used to be. Now that they sent that letter out, I definitely am not holding my breath or anything for the game's release this year.

And Codes and Clues, really? I get the want to venture into new territory but when that's all they can talk about, it both simultaneously irritates and upsets me. I just, I don't know. It's definitely not the HER I know and adore, I can tell you all that much.

But thank goodness for Miss Clue! They've definitely been the saving grace since the games started. I don't know what I would do without them! 

spygirl

@VictoryRose, I feel the same way, that is what hurts most, the fact that they kept putting us off, making us wait, saying they didn't have any news right now.  On and on for an entire year just to say "sorry nothing here".  since I just read it, I'm still pretty upset by it, I hope I don't sound too irrational lol, but i'm so irritated, mad and hurt that they would do that to their fans, we've been through so much together, I feel they should have been more honest with us.  I'm sure once I've slept a night and let it sink in, I'll be able to look at things more clearly but right now all I want to do is hug Miss Clue as tight as I can and hope they stay here for us!

 

spygirl

Thanks for letting me vent guys, its making me feel a lot better.  I really appreciate it!

dazzlerdream

@spygirl We're glad to be here!  I know how upset I was when I first read it too, so getting to vent some is the best way to make you feel better! :)

LindsayMarie

@spygirl, @dazzlerdream, and @VictoryRose - I'm crushed! Where can I find this letter that was released? I have not been keeping up to date with HER, and I'm anxious to see what was said.

spygirl

Hi @LindsayMarie here is the letter:

http://www.herinteractive.com/about-us/news/october-letter-from-her-interactive/

LindsayMarie

Thank you @spygirl

Wow, so disappointing. I have not been keeping up to date with everything, but I just spent the last minutes reading through different things and I don't like what I am seeing.

Very sad - at this point, I think it's just time to "let it go" and explore other games for now. Hopefully in the future the game will be released and HER will get back on track. Not really sure what's going on, but I understand now why people are saying the company is just not the same anymore.

I also hadn't realized it's been over a year that we've been waiting! I have lost track of time.

@dazzlerdream as far as my favorite character or book...no favorite book, as it's been many years since I've picked one up (I've got a bookcase full of them though, I suppose to should read them again!) but favorite character would have to be Prof. Hotchkiss. 

goldenpuppy

OMG! @LindsayMarie!  I was just about to write that Prof. Hotchkiss was my favorite too!  I love the part where she says you're like a ravenous monkey gobbling up every banana in your path!

ColourzRnice

My favorite Nancy drew book is the one with the spider silk factory! it's called The Secret in the Old Attic!

It seems that someone found a cheat menu for one of the Nancy Drew games and HER asked them to take it down, does anybody know which game and what the cheat menu did? 

VictoryRose

@ColourzRnice The game was Message in the Haunted Mansion. And if you did the cheat correctly, you would come to a menu and be able to get the items that helped in the finale of the game. Once you had those items, you would go directly to where the finale happens and from there, proceed like you would as usual once you hit the end of the game. It allowed you to basically beat the game in about a minute.

Arglefumph posted the cheat on his channel but it was unfortunately taken down by HER.

@dazzlerdream And my favorite character has to be Alexei in Alibi in Ashes. I love the feel of the shop and he definitely has to be one of the few fleshed out background characters that the series has had in a while.

ColourzRnice

Awesome!  Thanks @VictoryRose I couldn't find that out for the life of me!  However, I've always been bad at internet searching  :\">

I wonder why they would ask him to take it down, MHM is such an old game what could it hurt to let him show that?  It might even spark some interest and get some sales.  By asking him to take it down it just makes people unhappy because they are being so irrational right now.  Just my opinion, I guess its their company right?

Also that is a great choice for your favorite character I always like Alexei!

HBforever

Okay! Thank ya'll! I am downloading Warnings at Waverly Academy right now! Wish me luck! Hope I don't get expelled! I really am a very good student!

spygirl

Hi everyone!  I'm feeling much happier now, I know that whatever HER is doing that is their affair and I shouldn't get too wrapped up in what the new management is doing.  I'll always love their games, but I'm moving on to other adventure games Miss Clue included!  Thank for all your help and support!

Someone mentioned that they think they got government money for code and clues because it has to do with girls coding and that is a big push right now, so maybe that is the reason they have dropped MID and are pursuing C&C.

Anyway local news!  The first chapter of Miss clue TOS is coming in 5 DAYS!! 

HBforever

Hi Guys!

I was wondering what you guys suggest for a Nancy Drew game for a beginner. What is the easiest Nancy Drew game you can think of? I am a beginner and honestly, I have never done a full game of Nancy Drew, just free demos. :)) Hehe

Thank ya'll!