Hi everyone, my name is Amanda and I am the creator of the Aveyond series on BFG. Someone in the games industry who enjoys your community told me I should come here to ask for your help.

I love my RPGs, but I've decided to branch out and make something new and exciting. Specifically, I want to make a HOG. I have an idea for the game, but I thought I would check with you first to get your opinion. I also want to make sure that I don't make any silly mistakes before I get started.

If you have time, can you help me with a couple of questions?

-What is the worst thing in a HOG? What should I absolutely avoid?

-What is the funnest HOG you've played?

-Are there some must-have features that I shouldn't leave out?

-Have you played the Mortimer Beckett or Flux Family Secrets games? Did you like these games?

-Are vampires very interesting? I have a cool vampire idea, but I'm not sure that vampires are in right now.

-Is there a specific story that you wish someone would create?

Thank you so much for your time!
Amanda

Hi Amanda and welcome

The worst thing is timers - only have it together with a Relaxed Mode.

And things to avoid is too dark areas, where it's hard to see anything.
Of course if you plan to have Tools, then a flashlight is handy

I played Mortimer Beckett and Flux Family and have to say I liked both of them.

Hi Amanda

First I want to tell ya that I just played Aveyond and I loved those games! you did a Grrreat job!!
I played both Flux Family & both Mortimer games they
were both Excellent games.
I think your Vampire idea is great!
I just read the Twilight series and saw the movie.
Vampires are very popular right now look in any book
store, everyone is writing about Vampires trying to get
another hit like Twilight.
I don't like timed games and dark fuzzy pictures, and
using the same room for different hidden objects.
Must have features I'd make limitless hints and relaxed
modes and good pictures.
I played the adventure game The vampyre story and
that was the funniest game I ever played! I
laughed my head off through the whole game!
I think you should definitly go with the Vampire story.

G'Luck Doc

Hi Amanda and I myself don't mind the Timers in a game but it nice to have a choice.Teeny Tiny items,and dark areas I don't like!I have played both the Mortimer and Flux games they we're great!I think a Vampire game would be good,I wish you luck and will look forward your next game

Hi Amanda

- The worst thing to me is dull, fuzzy graphics. Also a timer - i prefer that to be optional.

- The funnest HOGS are the interactive ones- Samantha Swift, Magic Enclopedia, Mortimer Beckett - they are all fun.

- Please include fun puzzles - and also a good hint system if your puzzles are hard a skip button would be handy.

- Yes played both Mortimer and Flux and really enjoy these games

- Vampires well, I guess any story is interesting if done right. I would not say I would buy a game for a vampire theme but would not avoid it if the game was good.

- Specific stories - I like any story that is told well in an entertaining way. I do like my games to have engaging storylines

Good luck with your venture
Bella

Do a search here on IHOG and timers--that will help with what we like and don't like. Also check out best hogs list. Might want to try Treasure Seekers: Visions of Gold, Samantha Swift ones, and Mushroom Age. Have played both Aveyonds and Grimm's Hatchery and like them.

I like a good story. Variety in type of searches and puzzles that fit the tale. Mostly would say make it unique, give it your own spin. Would like to see more fantasy or even a sci-fi one. If you're going to do a period piece, more items from that time would be nice.

I'll try to answer more of your questions when I have more time, but I did think of an effect I thought might be interesting when I was playing the latest Samantha Swift.

I was taking forever in one room and just for a minute I thought it had gotten darker.

It occurred to me that that would be a neat effect, i.e., the scene gets darker the longer you're there until eventually you're forced to search with the flashlight.

I believe the gradual room-darkening effect has already been done somewhere (Dr. Lynch: Grave Secrets, perhaps, and definitely in the splash screen of James Patterson's Women's Murder Club: Death in Scarlet) but the scene was never darkened to the extent where the player was reduced to having to use a flashlight, which, of course, has also been done - I believe I first saw it in one of the first Mystery Case Files, but it's been done many times since. So I guess what I'm thinking of would integrally combine those two existing effects/techniques.

I suppose to make things easier the flashlight could be constantly "on" if selected for use, thus allowing it to be used even if the room were only becoming dark.

YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL TALENT, BY THE WAY! I'm extremely grateful for the hours of rest and relaxation made possible by artists like you and it grieves me that I don't have the opportunity to express that more often.

And I definitely agree with DRMOJO - "Twilight" is absolutely the rage and I don't think I've seen a vampire HOG, so the idea would seem to be an excellent one that should have broad appeal.

(Ah, yes, memories of Dark Shadows ... )

-What is the worst thing in a HOG? What should I absolutely avoid? Too much reading (prefer voices)
-What is the funnest HOG you've played? Steve the Sheriff

-Are there some must-have features that I shouldn't leave out?
Option for timer, clear graphics and mopst of usare getting tired of straight HOGS... We like them interactive or (IHOG)

-Have you played the Mortimer Beckett or Flux Family Secrets games? Did you like these games? Yes to both of them and loved them!

-Are vampires very interesting? I have a cool vampire idea, but I'm not sure that vampires are in right now. Most here love the scary HOGS and IHOGS... Everyone loved Mystery Legends Sleepy Hollow.

-Is there a specific story that you wish someone would create?
Most like the Mystery Games - Egypt has been pretty much done and redone.

Glad you can use our opinions. Good luck with the game.

Thank you SO much for your advice! I'm printing out all of these notes. Oh yes... if I put a timer in the game, you have my permission to send me hate mail each day for one month after the game comes out.

I'll keep watching this thread just in case something else comes up.

I am a manager at Books a Million here and vampires books are very popular with adults/teens. Twilight series and the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris (HBO's True Blood series is based on her) among others. I think that vampires would make an interesting hog or ihog. I like games that have the option of a timer and the choice to skip puzzles.