#geekdad

[kurmi]

(vía Usagi Yojimbo- Ten Thousand Plums # 1- A Brand New Adventure)

[mar-ruiz]

(vía Hellboy: The Crooked Man & The Return of Effie Kolb)

[ndconceptarchive]

Wired Interview -

Secret of Shadow Ranch Mobile Mysteries with Megan Gaiser

This interview was done in promotion for the Secret of Shadow Ranch Mobile Mysteries and published on March 10, 2011, by Jenny Williams for Wired magazine.

It contains some of the highest-quality images I've been able to find for this game.

I recently had an opportunity to interview Megan Gaiser, President and CEO of Her Interactive, the company that makes Nancy Drew computer games and other related titles. Megan is a force in the gaming world, helping the company receive 20 consecutive Parents' Choice Awards, and being a very influential woman in the game industry. Millions of copies of Nancy Drew games have been sold.

As we've written before at GeekDad (and also at GeekMom), Nancy Drew computer games are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. There is enough help built in for kids to play (age 10 and up, perhaps), and enough difficulty and logical thinking required to entertain adults.

In addition to creating the beloved computer games featuring Nancy Drew (and sometimes The Hardy Boys), Her Interactive has recently developed Nancy Drew Mobile Mysteries® for the iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch, the first of which is Shadow Ranch. It seems to be set in the same location as one of the Nancy Drew computer games, but the new playing environment has given the opportunity for plenty of new game functionality. From what I can tell, it's one part Choose Your Own Adventure-type book, one part game and one part puzzle, and completely awesome.

GeekDad: Obviously these games are based on the Nancy Drew books and need to include the intrigue and suspense, but why is there a need to make the music scary and have people jump out and surprise you, especially since these games are intended for children?

Megan Gaiser: We make lots of different types of mystery games. Some have more adventure to them and others we try to make them a bit scary. We try to use music that both immerses the player and also adds to the story content. We use scary music at the appropriate times and we’ve found that most of our fans like it.

GD: Which games do you recommend to those who prefer less scary fare?

Nancy Drew Mobile Mysteries. Image: Her Interactive

MG: I think a good rule of thumb is to pay attention to the ESRB rating. Our most recent release, Shadow at the Water’s Edge was our scariest game yet, but we try to create games with more adventure like Warnings at Waverly Academy, The Phantom of Venice, Treasure in the Royal Tower.

GD: How close to the original books are the games?

MG: We do take inspiration from the Nancy Drew books. For instance the new iPad game is based on the best selling Nancy Drew book “The Secret of Shadow Ranch.”

GD: Which game is your favorite? What do you like about playing the games yourself?

Nancy Drew Mobile Mysteries. Image: Her Interactive

MG: Right now I’m very excited about our new Mobile Mysteries series for the iPad/iPhone, Shadow Ranch. With our modern twist on the interactive storybook, you’re not just reading a Nancy Drew mystery – you’re engaged and making decisions about how that mystery unfolds.

GD: How will the upcoming Mobile Mysteries compare with the PC versions? What similarities and differences will they have?

MG: The Nancy Drew Mobile Mysteries Series of Apps from Her Interactive is a mystery gaming adventure that introduces a new category of interactive entertainment-on-the-go for the 21st century by innovatively merging books and games so that players discover a new adventure with every turn of the page, mini-game played or decision made.

GD: At what age do you feel kids can do these mysteries on their own? I've done them with my 9 year old daughter for a few years, but don't feel she'll be able to figure most of it out on her own for a few more years yet.

MG: Many of our games allow players to choose difficulty level. They can choose to play as a Junior or Senior detective which allows players of all skill levels to solve the mysteries. Some mysteries are more challenging than others and we think it’s okay for kids to play along with their parents. We are working on ways to make these PC games more accessible to welcome a broader audience.

Nancy Drew Mobile Mysteries. Image: Her Interactive

GD: Will there be more Hardy Boys games coming? They bring a different feel to the gameplay.

MG: There are no plans for Hardy Boys games at this time, but we often have male characters in our games helping Nancy solve the mysteries. Stay tuned!

GD: What type of research do the game developers do when developing the games? Do they travel to ranches and oceans and the desert to get a better feel for the setting?

MG: We take pride in the fact that we do a lot of research using the internet, books, photos, etc., to ensure we create authentic settings. We also learn a lot about the culture so we can incorporate cultural discovery into our games. For example, in Shadow at the Water’s Edge, there is calligraphy and tea ceremonies.

GD: How long does the average adult player take to finish a game?

MG: 5 hours.

GD: Some games are more interesting than others. Do you have more than one design team?

MG: There are around 30 employees at Her Interactive, several who have been with us since the beginning. Everyone on the team contributes to creating the game. I am proud to say we have mastered the art of creative collaboration. We have the designer, creative director and art director who set the general direction and the look and feel, the writer who gives the story life, the artists who create the beautiful environments, the sound and music directors, the programmers, etc.

My daughter and I have played half a dozen of the Nancy Drew computer games. They're fantastic for playing as a team or a family, since there is something for everyone to do. There are puzzles to solve, decisions to make, information to write down, and conversations to have. If you're looking for several hours of a family (or individual) challenge, check out Her Interactive. To get more information, visit the Her Interactive website, or try out some of the games in the Nancy Drew franchise!

[amastodonofconflict]

Geekdad: *watches the No Man's Land scene for the umpteenth time*

Geekdad: *switches over to Lynda Carter's first episode*

Queen Hippolyta: No, Diana, you can't compete in the masked competition to see who gets to be in the rest of the episodes.

Diana: *flounces off to summer palace*

Chilnerd#1: ...

Chilnerd#1: She's totally gonna Merida this shit, isn't she.

[matthew-s-armstrong]

". . . you'll regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon. And for the rest of your life. " • It's the classic Casablanca movie poster!!! With turtle power!!! • Vote link in bio! https://shirt.woot.com/derby/entry/116644/cowabunga-casablanca • #matthewart #shirtwoot #tmnt #starwarsart #shirtwootderby #tshirtdesign #tshirtlife #casablanca #casablancamovie #tmntmemes #tshirt👕 #mashup #memesdaily #dankmemes #memestagram #matthewarmstrong #geekdad @shirtwoot #teenagemutantninjaturtles #teenagemutant #teenagemutantninjaturtlestattoo #teenagemutantninjaturtlescomics #apriloneil #turtlesofinstagram #turtles�� #movieposters #movieposterart (at New York, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCjymGIHImW/?igshid=codk9to9hxse

[holysmotez]

Ugh. Ugh ugh ugh. I appreciate this write-up and the courage of this investigation, but warning: it is hard to stomach. Disappointed, horrified, yet not surprised Shiro’s treatment was not just some horrible, oopsy-daisy snafu that DW did some sloppy and tone-deaf damage control for, but now it’s become something a blueprint. I haven’t watched any She-Ra tbf, but yikes.

DreamWorks has yet to comment but I’m not ‘bout to hold my breath on that.

[gonzobuddhist]

How to "Roll Out" with the squad, and still be in isolation. #transformers #transformerscollection #rollout #babybomb #photobomb by #constantlywinter #teachthemyoung #inlife there's #morethanmeetstheeye #geekdad #blissjoypeace #gonzobuddhist (at Iowa City, Iowa) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-xsk77jco1/?igshid=12etyp4yetfqx

[vapingandvideogames]

#fishtank #fish #neontetra #aquarium #aquascape #pokeball #pokemon #nerd #geek #gamer #gamerdad #geekdad https://www.instagram.com/p/B7rC6x4ANz5/?igshid=1evl4jpjez6dz

[dr-archeville]

RPGs came about in a time when so many things didn’t exist: pre-World of Warcraft, pre-HBO-Game of Thrones, and pre-internet.  In those early days, players sat down and let their imaginations provide the imagery, the sounds, and the story.  All you needed was some paper and a pencil (often the GM was the only person who had dice) and some friends and you were in business.  Early RPGs were a shared secret that we geeks enjoyed (secret until the media got wind of it, that is, and put its sensationalistic spin on our hobby), and it allowed us time together to fly the nerd flag proudly because we were saving the world… or maybe just a small village under attack by goblins.

These days, being a geek/nerd doesn’t necessarily come with all the negative baggage.  Ron Moore’s Battlestar Galactica is sci-fi and Game of Thrones is fantasy, but many non-geek viewers are happy to ignore these facts and enjoyed them for the story and characters.  Geeks and non-geeks anxiously await the newest Marvel Cinematic Universe releases.  And let’s not even try to tackle the effect Harry Potter has had on the world.

The fact is… it’s cool to be a geek.  (Of course, it’s still standard procedure for people, old and young, to make fun of geeks even if they conveniently forget that last night they watched the latest episode of [fill in obviously-geek show of your choice here].)  And one of the absolute coolest geek merit badges you can pin to your backpack or briefcase is the one called RPG.  Back in the day, most RPGs were fantasy themed, with a few science fiction ones available.  Today, just about any genre you can imagine probably can be found in an RPG form, and that means there’s no excuse to not try your hand at playing one (assuming you’ve never played one before).

This site being GeekDad.com, we typically write about geek-related things for adult males with children (most of our staff are dads), but RPGs are for moms… and grandparents… and teachers… you get the idea.  RPGs can be enjoyed by everyone.  And that also means… kids.  If you’re a parent or legal guardian or after-school club leader or whatever… and you’ve never played an RPG, let alone played one with kids, let me offer you some thoughts on why you might want to gather these young players around a table and get them playing.

---

[kurmi]

(vía Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow #5: The End of the Crow Villain)

[mar-ruiz]

(vía ′Anansi Boys # 5′: Where Fat Charlie Finds Himself in Bed With Another Woman)

[silvandar]

Voltron s8 spoilers

.

.

This is just one issue with season 8 of Voltron. There's also the fact that the only death in the main cast is the female POC coded character. A second odd note is that the two main villains both get a last minute redemption, one largely due to the death of that character 😥

Overwriting much of the in universe lore of the previous 7 seasons was just the last slap in the face.

[thegeekmamablog-blog]

It’s coming! Click on the link in my profile to sign up for notifications when the fun begins! . . Logo by @dc2designs . . . #geekmama #geekmamablog #coming soon #blog #parenting #geekparenting #geekmom #geekdad #homeschool #booknerd #naturalliving #ecofriendly https://www.instagram.com/p/BvtxKxjBFz1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1vkoi4qc67jzk

[boartendo]

Omg! How cool is this!!! There will be a new Carcassonne game. What's new? It will the first one that introduces co-op.... two types of new meeples and some other cool stuff. You can play this one as a standalone version or integrate it with your bigger collection of Carcassonne... Shut up and take my money!!!! #Carcassonne #tiles #bggcommunity #bgg #bordspellekes #bordspeler #giochidatavolo #juegodemesa #jogosdetabuleiro Instabuy!!!! #picoftheday #gamerdad #geekdad #boardgamephotography #bordspelfotos (bij Merksem) https://www.instagram.com/p/CaXqRzQr7CM/?utm_medium=tumblr

[matthew-s-armstrong]

WIZARDS RULE!!! Always remember: Wizards come in all shapes and sizes and colors and creeds and all wizards rule! Wizards are also never late... nor early... they ALWAYS arrive precisely when they mean too. At least that’s what I tell my loved ones. Often. • • (ᵔᴥᵔ) • #matthewart #starscream #matthewarmstrong #merlin #characterartist #faceyourart #faceyourartchallenge #faceyourart2020 #faceyourartchallenge2020 #wizardingworld #characterart #originalartwork #characterdesign #characterart #wizardart #wizardsofwaverlyplace #cartoonist #cartoonistsofinstagram #geekdad #wizard101 #spacewizard #wizardingworldofharrypotter #blackmage #magicthegatheringartwork #mage #magicthegathering #gandalf #odin (at The Endless Sea of Stars) https://www.instagram.com/p/CD9w_W8Hw6Z/?igshid=144mvxe7tyu5s

[bearwildered]

Who needs lamps when you have fairylights? #girlsbedroomdecor #bedroomdecor #teenagersbedroom #fairylights #bunnings #kmart #gaydad #geekdad #myprincess (at Daddy Bear's house) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnuLikqFfdz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=12qtp9lwx6bje