Developer getting cold feet

[donroberto]

Early last fall, Trilobyte licensed the T7G IP rights to a small company (who shall remain nameless for the time being) who planned on developing a remake of the original title for several platforms for the casual games market. The plan was to make a more robust, expansive and improved game while staying faithful to the original. If things went well, they would turn their attention to doing the same with The 11th Hour.

Due to the economic downturn, their investors are now getting cold feet, and so the project has been put on hold for an indeterminate time... perhaps forever.

I have tried to assure them that there is a substantial, built-in fan base out there who would welcome an improved incarnation of the title, and that there are many who would especially look forward to a third in the series - a 7th Guest Part III.

Perhaps with your help and support, we can assure them that this is indeed a goal worthy of pursuing, and to encourage them to continue their plans and make this thing happen.

[nemo88]

I think re-making them would be lovely indeed. I would certainly buy copies.

[Varchild]

   I'm sorry, but I just don't think a hidden object / puzzle game like the 7th Guest series could ever not be successful in today's market.  Especially considering the successful, lucrative, video game franchise "Mystery Case Files" by Big Fish Games.  Their hidden object / puzzle style games have sold more than 3 million units thus far.  That's not counting, my purchase of over $40 for their games.  "Mystery Case Files" is clear evidence that remaking the absolute best hidden object / puzzle style game in Video Game history just isn't the way to go.

And if you are still not convinced that the 7th Guest franchise, and video game genre, just isn't worth your time, then perhaps this will convince you / demoralize you.

Cause, let's face it.  No one can stomache remaking the 7th Guest just as no one could possibly stomache the idea of being the owner of www.pogo.com.  Who in the heck would want thousands, even millions, of people sucking up bandwidth visiting your website to check out your video game product?
That kind of grief which provides tons of advertising money opportunities is a big deterrant.  You could also face the disgrace of having your name, your company's name, and your product's name getting rave reviews by Gamespot and various video game Magazines. 

Could you possibly see yourself tolerating relentless phone calls for interviews by famous video game reviewers?
I mean the hassle to your life that being famous, rich, and successful can cause is cause for deep concern here.

Any attempt to put together a video game with great game play, great atmosphere, but lacks modern graphics and animation has only made millionairres out of people.  Money and Fame corrupt, and bringing back the 7th Guest will give you both.  Who in their right minds wants to bring back Henry Stauff, one of the most interesting villains in video game history?  You'd have to be nutz!

Please don't ban me from these forums when I say...I don't blame them for having cold feet here! 
I don't...really.     

[magicdanw]

</sarcasm>

[hibiki_takami]

I was about to rip Varchild a new one and then I read closely into it and laughed haha.

Let me suggest iPhone games? I mean I'm sure you guys read about that guy who made $600k in a month because of iShoot! The App Store is the ultimate gamer instant gratification device. I think I have like 3 pages worth of games on there right now!

[nemo88]

I was about to rip Varchild a new one and then I read closely into it and laughed haha.

Let me suggest iPhone games? I mean I'm sure you guys read about that guy who made $600k in a month because of iShoot! The App Store is the ultimate gamer instant gratification device. I think I have like 3 pages worth of games on there right now!

That's a good idea. Myst has already been ported to the iPhone and Palm Pilot. I'd certainly be more interested in purchaseing an iPhone if The 7th Guest were available for it. 

[Chapel Pain]

To quote Rob ...

"I have tried to assure them that there is a substantial, built-in fan base out there who would welcome an improved incarnation of the title, and that there are many who would especially look forward to a third in the series - a 7th Guest Part III."

Let's look at this backwards for just a second.  While not specifically due to 7/11, the reason DOSBox and the other old timie emulators are out there is to - play the old games (yeah, news bulletin, I know  ).  My point is this -- I know I'm not the only one who has spent oodles of time with my old CDs of 7/11 is beacuse the environment, the story and the feel are still there.  A good 3rd installment?  Heck ya it would sell!

If this doesn't work and the current license be withdrawn, is there any possibility that TByte would consider reconstituting a small development crew?

[donroberto]

If this doesn't work and the current license be withdrawn, is there any possibility that TByte would consider reconstituting a small development crew?

Not much of a chance. Personally, I've got a graphics business of my own that takes up most of my waking hours (and some of my sleeping hours). Trilobyte Games exists mostly as an entity to oversee the licensing and proper implementation of any and all titles under the 7th Guest IP.

I do game design consultation and creative direction. I would consider coming out of retirement to work full time with a team to develop a T7G III. I feel the series needs one more to complete the trilogy. But that would require a visitation from an angel, her right arm laden with gold, and her left hand holding signed distribution deals.

[SpIrIt]

I would consider coming out of retirement to work full time with a team to develop a T7G III. I feel the series needs one more to complete the trilogy. But that would require a visitation from an angel, her right arm laden with gold, and her left hand holding signed distribution deals.

I cannot believe that it is this hard to find interested parties for a successor to a game that was so incredibly succesfull and brilliant... I honestly hope that you will find (insanely rich) parties that believe in this project... I for one would buy anything that says: "The 7th Guest"...

[Bones]

Hi Rob,
it's great to see that there are plans for a revival of the 7th guest. I know I'd love to play it
on the Wii and I think that platform in particular is well suited for it. I always regretted that
I never managed to play the CD-I version. Playing this game on your living room couch with
some friends and the lights turned low always seemed like the best set up for the game.

Let's hope the toymaker can find his way back into the limelight and show modern day videogame villians
who's pulling the real strings.

Paul "Bones" van der Meer
www.prettylogic.nl

[donroberto]

Hey Bones,

It's an honor to have you drop by and add your thoughts. The forum is officially "blessed".

[nsullivan]

Hey Rob,

When you say the project has been put on the backburner, maybe forever, is that the most likely outcome of this, or unduly pessimistic? Or is it really just that everything's so very uncertain that it's impossible to say?

There does seem to be an irritating trend with these projects being put off - why is it that only we enlightened types on this board can see the potential of them? 

I have to say actually, that having fired it up a while ago, even the original 7th Guest game doesn't look too shabby graphics-wise - how many years now after its release?? A remake would be truly remarkable.

Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[mishima666]

I'd be all over a) updated versions of the classics, especially if they'd run well without the usual standing-on-my-head-1000-lit-candles-infant-sacrifice-rituals that old games require, and b) a sequel. I may not have a machine that'd run 'em just now, but that hasn't stopped me from buying games and saving them up before. I'd vastly prefer the house be a part of that, mind, but I'd really like to see a return of single-player games.

If y'all -really- want my money, release a Linux port Heck, I'd pay extra!

But really, I'd love to see this. I'm sick and tired of the computer games = MMOs paradigm. If I'd known, when I was a UO tester, that this was where we'd be 10-15 years later, boy would I have worked against that sucker.

[BlackFrost]

I just played through The 7th Guest again recently on my newer computer (that Bishop puzzle still makes me wince), and not only were there audio problems, but because my computer was so much more advanced the AI difficulty of the microscope puzzle was next to (if not completely) impossible. 

As such, I would love to play a remake of these games and would definitely purchase them if they were released.  Not only because of the reason above (I could easily install the game on my mom's computer and play it like it's meant to be played) but because it would be a nostalgic experience and would be a great way to introduce some of my friends to the series who never had a chance to play it.

Please convince them.

As for the iPhone idea... it's a good one, but I really can't afford an iPhone.

[donroberto]

Hey Rob,

When you say the project has been put on the backburner, maybe forever, is that the most likely outcome of this, or unduly pessimistic?

Forever is a long time. But it seems like forever for a remake or sequel to be made. But no, I am not all that pessimistic. I do have a sense that something will finally happen within the next year or two. And in no small part due to all you who are showing up here to lend your good will and support.