Udder Pops

I've been reviewing some video footage, logos, and some art today, and I haven't tired yet of listening to Nancy Drew music. I also have been browsing the message boards to read the reactions of the Alibi in Ashes cover art...always fun to hear people's thoughts!

Take a look at this. A fan named Emily created this full wrapper of Udder Pops from Trail of the Twister! Pretty cool, right?Although Udder Pops wouldn't be my first candy choice, it's still a fun and unique candy and wrapper!

Twitter Quote contest is today, head over for a chance to win The White Wolf of Icicle Creek digital download. :)

~Little Jackalope~

Alibi in Ashes Box Revealed!

This is why we were super busy yesterday: getting ready to show you this!!

~Official box art for Nancy Drew: Alibi in Ashes!~

So what do you think for our 25th game art? For more information on Alibi in Ashes, head over to our product page, where there is one date that you might want to make a note on your calendar for. ;)

Tomorrow is the Twitter Quote Contest! Refresh your memory and come back then to participate.

~Little Jackalope~

An Exciting Week

Whew! Look at the time! I'm posting rather late today. It's because I'm in a bit of a rush, and so I can't talk long.

Looks like you savvy sleuths pretty much got the former weekend puzzle #117! After following the solution on Thursday, August 25th's post, this is the slightly unscrambled answer you should get (many of you pretty much got it! Nice work!). Answer from #117 [Written in the report]. Bravo! But what could it mean?

Looks like the detectives also solved puzzle #118 rather quickly! Here's how you do it: [Create a 5x5 grid of the alphabet] taking out the J. Then take the numbers listed and [go across the columns with the first part of the number given] and then take [the second part of the number an follow the rows down]. Example: 2.5 mean [move two columns across, and 5 rows down] you should get [the letter W].

The end answer is [Was seized by]. Yep, it makes perfect sense to me! *Evil laugh* I love being sneaky. ;)

Gotta run! Come back tomorrow to find out what's been keeping us so busy! It's going to be a smidgen of an exciting week.
~Little Jackalope~

Weekend Puzzle #118

Happy Friday savvy sleuths! Time for a weekend challenge? Have a go at this:

Hint: A then D. (And take out the J)

2.5
1.1
3.4
3.4
5.1
4.2
5.5
5.1
4.1
2.1
4.5

I'm going to sit back, relax in the sun, and wait as you detectives solve tricky puzzles these next few days. ;)
~Little Jackalope~

Games on a Shelf

I spent a little time collecting games from all around the office to try to put together a complete collection in one shelf. The boxed games I found scattered on a nearby shelf, many of the DVD cases were hiding in a secret place in a corner of the office, and the missing ones I took from our stash in the front office. Once I procured every title, arranging them on one shelf proved a little difficult. A few had to be propped up two-games deep, but it worked. Ah yes, organizing games is fun *cough* I mean work.
Looks like the weekend puzzle was a real tough one! Here's how to do it:
Puzzle part one: Use the [railroad] cipher to line them all up properly.
Puzzle part two: Use a variation of the [playfair] cipher. The hint "no keywords needed" means [make a 5x5 grid of the alphabet without shifting any letters. Group I and J together]. This cipher was hinted at by the "put them in pairs" clue.

Let's see if you sleuths can figure out the answer, before I give it to you on Monday. ;)
New puzzle comes tomorrow!
~Little Jackalope~

Three Meetings and a Sleepy Storyteller

I had three back-to-back meetings this morning. That usually means there is a lot to do, a lot to plan for, and a lot coming our way!

One meeting was about our game's testing results. This is where we learn what is good, great, and what needs fixing in the current adventure we are sending Nancy on.
Another meeting was to plan for an event we are attending, and the third was a meeting about some video work.
Speaking of video work, I've been looking through some footage I had stored of Renate. Here's an image of one where she is sleeping:I love the opportunity to snoop while characters are sleeping. Malachi Craven of Creature of Kapu Cave is another example. It's really exciting to snoop where getting caught is a high risk.

Extended puzzle hint: Pairs make things easier, try it with a regular alphabet...no keywords. ;)

Good luck!
~Little Jackalope~

Why We Love Boxes

This is why we love boxes: stuff can put inside and when it's time to re-open them, one can be surprised and thrilled to find what was placed inside. Yep... that sounds a bit silly, especially read aloud. Yet it is true that long ago someone put these items in a box and when we rummaged through it today, discovered them all over again!

Look here: Nancy Drew shamrock key chains, and magnifying glass chain necklaces.How about that detective? Looks like great accessorizing!

Looks like some progress has been made on the weekend puzzle! You guys have a part of it correct, and at that point it wasn't intended to make sense. The second step is a variant of a cipher. :) Extended hint will be saved for tomorrow.

Keep those minds working sharp!
~Little Jackalope~

Out-of-Office Snooping

Sounds a little dangerous and sneaky, right? A fellow worker and I went on a little field trip to our storage space off-site. After driving through a small maze of storage buildings, we parked in front of a door identical to several others, save for the numbers printed on the wall. When we opened it we stepped into a dark hallway with several locked doors lining either side:
It looked a little ominous. I took a picture of us trying to unlock the tricky padlock, which needed a little coaxing to open. ("It's locked!")
Once inside, we rummaged through a few boxes of stuff. There were file cabinets, boxes with empty cases, boxes of information discs, and lots of paper documents. Seen below are some back-up copies of a few of the games:
After we were done snooping, I took a box of junk with me for further inspection. Before leaving, a few additional boxes were added to the collection. All in the cleaning cycle: take boxes to storage, bring another back to sift through and toss out.

Looks like the weekend puzzle has yet to be solved. Hmm, hint moment, anyone? Make tracks before trying to decode.

Good luck!
~Little Jackalope~

Weekend Puzzle #117

It's the weekend! Time for some brain-trickery and teasing. ;)

This puzzle requires no keyword, and is actually a two-step puzzle.

RDDHOKBOQ
MOUOSCUNS

Good luck detectives!
~Little Jackalope~

Puzzle Boxes

We like puzzle boxes! The easy-to-carry, easy-to-hide-things-in boxes are always so creative. They are decorative to perplex your mind, and complex for you to solve.

Take for example the puzzle box in Shadow at the Water's Edge: this one's a slider sort of puzzle. It is a simple concept that has you fingering the panels of wood in the right order to release the mechanism. Or think about the more tricky puzzle box from Curse of Blackmoor Manor: five of the six sides of this cube-shaped box have individual solutions. You need to know the answers before switching the colors and adjusting the stage of the moon.

Look here, I have a designer's sketch of the early stages of this box design:
Wouldn't it be cool to have your own puzzle box to store secrets or items? What would you hide inside?

~Little Jackalope~

Sneaky Sleuthing

I was in need of some blank DVDs to burn some content onto, but the case of discs I had in mind were missing from their original location. Time to solve a little mystery!

After questioning a few suspects and eye-witnesses, I went on a search for those missing blank DVDs. My first stop: my old desk. When moving desks with a few fellow team members, I distinctly recall the case of blank DVDs sitting on a shelf. I then realized that when the said desk became occupied, the discs were moved.

I questioned our tech expert. Next stop: The supply closet. He thought the chances were that someone moved the spare discs into that closet. Bingo! I found a small case. But sadly, there wasn't enough inside.

Next mission: ask Production department if they can spare a few. I was suggested to ask Robert. Walking around the to the other corner of the office, I came upon an empty desk. "Out to Lunch" said the sign on the window. Ah bother! Perhaps if I sent an email, I thought, he will get it sooner than I notice his return from the other end of the building. It worked! Once I procured permission, I made my way to the production department.

It was awfully quiet back there! Many workers were thinking deep thoughts and I didn't want to disturb those genius minds. It started to feel like a Nancy Drew game, particularly The Creature of Kapu Cave where Nancy must sneak in between plants at the Hilihili without getting spotted. Taking quiet steps, I sneaked past the cubicles to the end of the hall where I found a half-empty space hiding my treasure:At the complete opposite end of the building I took what I needed and like stealth, crept back to my desk. I wonder if anyone noticed?

More adventures and mysteries to come, I hope!
~Little Jackalope~

File Formats

There are several different video formats that you can create, edit, and view. On of the current struggles at a few of our desks here is getting the right file made. Some captured videos capture only one type of format, yet the video editing software can only import other kinds. When that happens, it's time to bring in the middle man: a video converting program.

Getting all three programs to work with various video files is like trying to get Shorty, Tex, and Dave all around the same campfire and agree to have a good time at the cook-out despite the awful food and poor singing.

Yep, it's a technical sort of day today. But in the end, we learn how the files work best in order to get the best possible output.

Back to file converting!
~Little Jackalope~

The Sharp Eye

Today I've been looking at some printing proofs. Sometimes the paper samples look so similar and the differences so minuscule that any normal person would not notice a difference. Although, I bet some of you super sleuths have a trained eye for finding differences! This is an important detective skill to have and practice. For one moment you have an opportunity to view a room, but when you turn your back, something is different! Think you are good at these kind of puzzles? Try playing Difference Detective in the game The Haunting of Castle Malloy. Here is one half of a picture:New Monday download: There is a new desktop wallpaper for you to download from The Haunted Carousel. Check out "Carousel Horses" now in the downloads section.

Also, Robert has a new post up featuring Treasure in the Royal Tower! Read it now for more behind-the-scenes tidbits from the making of this beautiful game.

Sounds like the weekend puzzle was solved in a flash! First off, decipher it using [Morse code]. Then read it like this: [beginning in the center, go up one block and start reading clock-wise]. If you read it this way, it will say [Play some midway arcade games]. A reference to [The Haunted Carousel]. Bravo sleuths!

~Little Jackalope~

Weekend Puzzle #116

OK savvy sleuths, here's a little teasing for your brain over the weekend. (This one's rather easy, so I don't expect it should take very long). ;) If you'd like to discuss this puzzle, the "Blogs and Tweets" forum on the Message Boards an awesome place to do so.

My message to you:

Good luck!
~Little Jackalope~

Office Lingo

While in several of the Nancy Drew games we have the opportunity to hear and learn a few different languages, such as Spanish, French, Italian, German, and a wee bit 'o Cockney, here at Her Interactive we have our own language: English. That is, English with a bit of computer speak.

We have words that are often spoken that not very many outsiders would understand...(I bet you might recognize most, though). Here are some common words I hear:

Render, pixelated, beta, alpha, pass, CAL, bug, convo, build, scrum, blocking, bink, resolution, doc, and of course, many of us refer to the past games by their 3-letter acronym. We say clock, dan, train, cur, and cap for example.

Look here, this is my favorite quote for it's use of colorful language:

It says "We've got some loop de loop, bangers and mash, a real fine pinky and perky, and a delicious Dog's Eye me fork and knife just rubber ducked." -- Tommy from Curse of Blackmoor Manor.

Got to love the ole Cockney sounds!
(If you don't have Curse of Blackmoor Manor, consider the Collector's Edition Fan Favorites set, which is now available at 50% off, now $24.99.)
~Little Jackalope~

Like a Horse Race

Sometimes in the circle of Her Interactive life it feels like we are in a horse race, like in Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon: The horses represent tasks and the finish line is the deadline. Each horse has a position they need to finish in before another task (horse) can place. This might sound like a silly comparison, but perhaps the horse race from another part of the game would be a better example: Some tasks have hurdles to jump in order to succeed and make it to the finish. If the horse runs into the hurdle, the horse might need to start over.

A specific example here could be the art for the game box. You have to have the art and screenshots chosen before you can write a caption for them, but both have to be done nearly at the same time.

I'm going to go tend to my racehorses now...
...oh wait! There are a few things I should mention:

~If you are a member on the message boards, there are some new avatars from The Captive Curse available for you to use. Check them out!
~Twitter quote contest today! Do you know who said today's quote?
~Nancy Drew TXT Challenge: If you deleted your 10% off coupon text, you can text "CODE" to the same number and we will re-text you back that code.

~Little Jackalope~

Hidden Clues

I was thinking about puzzles just now, and how I love adventure movies with puzzles that requires cracking codes and finding clues.

Have you noticed that we often hide clues to our next games? Some are pretty vague, and if you don't pay attention, you can easily miss them. Some random text or image could lead you astray as well. Be careful with these, as they could be true or false bits of information. ~.^ Anything could be a clue, so keep your eyes peeled!

See this book found in Secrets Can Kill Remastered? There is at least one clue leading to The Captive Curse in here, but you have to read the text inside:Because of all this puzzle thought, I'm brainstorming a new puzzle that may or may not involve immediate future game info satisfaction, and dropping hints in random places sure could tease the mind. ^.^ No promises, and my lips are sealed.

~Little Jackalope~

Another Monday Checklist

After a relaxing weekend of...well, call me guilty, but I played a Nancy Drew game and read a little of a Nancy Drew book. Yeah, some of us Nancy Drew geeks cannot let it go. But then, does Nancy ever really take time off from what she does? ~.^

This week's task list is as follows:

1. Make sure production department burns enough discs for testing.
2. Take some video footage from the game and submit it.
3. Don't lose our minds from trying to make #1 and #2's deadlines
4. Find a cookie
5. Eat a cookie (we can substitute with cupcakes if we can't find cookies)
6. Create a really wacky password
7. Remember to post the answer and solution from the weekend puzzle

While I'm thinking of it, let's check off number seven:

Looks like this weekend's puzzle was cracked in about an hour and a half! Wow, this must mean I need to create a really tough one for next weekend. o.O

Here's the solution: [shift the letter the number of times to the right. Ex: B shifted one to the right is C. Y shifted 2 to the right is A, since we cycle back to the beginning of the alphabet. M=P and so on.]
Here's the answer you should get [Captain's Quarters Hotel] referring to The Haunted Carousel.

Nice work sleuths! I'll be sure to give you a trickier one next time.

~Little Jackalope~

Weekend Puzzle #115

It's Friday! That means it's time for a puzzle to boggle your minds with.

Good luck super sleuths!

~Little Jackalope~

Installing New Games

Many of us are piecing together a few important parts of the game we are working on. One of my projects is to put together a few pieces of art that production will add to the installer. I went through one of my old notebooks and found this sketch of the installer slides re-design:

--Before and After--

And this is how it turned out:
If you've experienced the waiting forever for your game to install, you've probably seen these. Now we are working on adding them to the next game, you will get to view CAP's slide when ND25 comes out.

Hopping back to work!

~Little Jackalope~

Before Deadlines

Much of the office is grinding away at one of our deadlines. The artists are making fixes while the production department has their eyes fixed to the computer screens, fingers quick and precise. I inquired on their progress and was relieved that everything was going quite smoothly! Much thought is going into the next game, and early planning and awesome designs at the beginning resulted in less problems in the current work. When they complete their deadline, it's my turn to work on an important part of it.

Until it is ready for me to pick up, this is what I'm doing:

Watching older videos.

Yep, it sounds like I don't have much to do but sit and watch trailers all day, but this is actually an important study. I will be putting together a video for the current game in order for it to get approved and rated.

Distraction: Twitter contest is today! Head over for a chance to win Danger on Deception Island download!

~Little Jackalope~

Ring-Around-the-Office

I came in to the office today, walked over to my cubicle and found a crime scene. Can you tell someone has been here? My computer and phone were gone.It only took me a moment to recover from my 2-second shock and remember that today a couple desk changes were made. Me and another office employee switched desks because it strategically made sense. I found my phone and computer around the corner in a new cubicle.
Already a few people walked by and were confused why it looked like I had vacated the premises, and after explaining the switch, I began to wonder how many others would get confused. Hm, shall I send an email out letting everyone know that I'm on the other side, or be cruel and let them think I disappeared?

This reminds me of Sonny Joon's desk in Secret of the Scarlet Hand. Evidence of Sonny Joon's presence was left in the lab. His desk had candy wrappers and a journal with his notes and doodles, but there was no Sonny to be found...

Until tomorrow, (the weekly Twitter quote contest is then)!
~Little Jackalope~

Texting Day!

I'm posting a wee bit late today because we've been busy with a special contest. If you haven't heard already via our message boards, home, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube page, then here's the news:

The Nancy Drew Txt Challenge is up and running! If you have a cell phone and can text messages, this contest is for you. Check out the page for more details and learn what awesome prizes are included for the grand prize winner. ;)Other news for today:
~The Haunted Carousel is this month's special. It's on sale for 25% off only through our site.
~The first available download for The Haunted Carousel is up! Download the Midway wallpaper for your computer.

As for the weekend puzzle... It looks like a few of you savvy sleuths have solved it! Congrats! Many of you still seem stumped, so I'll give you a hint [CLUE has four important letters. Don't over think this one ;)] If you have already solved the puzzle and want to check your answer, click here.

Stay sleuthy!
~Little Jackalope~