CD or not CD

One of our pre-order deals involves a DVD version of Blackwell Deception that you can nab for a limited amount of time.  This "limited time" thing has led to a lot of you asking the same question:  Why, dear Dave, did you decide to do it this way?  And didn't you used to sell the hard copies as a regular part of your store?

You'd be right.  When I started Wadjet Eye, there was a small but eager demand for CD copies, and it seemed self-defeating to not supply that demand.  There weren't enough orders for me to use a CD duplication service, so I constructed and shipped all the hard copies myself.

With some moral support from my friend here, of course.

It was a pretty good system.  I only got a few of those orders a week, so I could easily keep up with them.  The customers got something they wanted, and I got a bit of extra cash. Sometimes I would even sign the CD if the customer asked for it.  It worked well, but... not for long.

Time went on and things got busier, and I began to dread getting those CD orders.  Even though I only got a few of them a week, I found myself with less and less time to deal with them.  Sometimes I would be so busy and harried that I'd almost resent having to fill a CD order. I'd rush through the process, copying a file incorrectly or smudging the ink into something ugly, forcing me to start over and get even more frustrated.  I knew it couldn't last, and round about the time I was working on Emerald City Confidential and Blackwell Convergence at the same time, I bit the bullet and discontinued the CDs altogether.

I hated to do it, but I also had to face a hard truth. In the year they were available, I sold only 30 CD copies of each game.  With so little demand, and as time-consuming as they were, the choice was obvious.  I had to stop selling them.

But as a gamer from forever ago, I remember the sheer joy of holding a physical game in your hands.  One that was actually in a box, with a proper manual (that you actually were expected to read).  I hated that hard copies of my games didn't exist anymore.  So I decided to try another tactic.  If there wasn't a high enough demand for them, why not try and create a demand?

And lo, the "limited edition pre-order CD" offer was forged.  You couldn't just buy the CD whenever you gosh darned pleased.  No sir.  You had to buy it NOW.  Or else it was GONE.  FOREVER.  And it worked. The CD of Gemini Rue became a hot item.  We had to hire a duplication service to handle it all.  Our little apartment began to fill up substantially with all the packages we assembled.

If you ordered a CD of Gemini Rue, your copy is in this pile somewhere.

It worked so well before, that we are doing it again. We are even going all out and throwing more stuff into the package to make it a more attractive deal.  So much that we had to upgrade to a DVD instead of a CD to accommodate it all.  But I'll shut up about it before this turns into a sales pitch (but you should totally buy it anyway).

Anyway, that's why I do it this way.  It seems to work for us, at least for now.

-Dave

Blackwell Deception: Official announcement!

Wadjet Eye Games’ Haunting Mystery Series Continues October 12 with Blackwell Deception

Free demo and limited-time preorder deal at www.rosablackwell.com

NEW YORK – September 14, 2011 – Wadjet Eye Games, an independent developer and publisher of retro-styled games, is officially unveiling the long-awaited fourth installment of its celebrated Blackwell adventure series. Blackwell Deception will release for PC on October 12 from http://www.rosablackwell.com. A free demo is available today to give eager fans a taste of the haunting mystery that awaits.

Starring reluctant spirit medium Rosa Blackwell and her ghostly partner Joey Mallone, the Blackwell games are supernatural adventures in the style of the “golden age” point-and-click adventures of Sierra and LucasArts. Working together, Rosa and Joey investigate suspicious deaths and help restless spirits cross over into the afterlife. The series features retro 2D graphics, compelling interactive storytelling, and unique puzzle-solving scenarios that require switching between the mortal Rosa and otherworldly Joey to make the best use of each character’s unique abilities.

In Blackwell Deception, an unexpected tragedy leads Rosa and Joey to a shady ring of street psychics who are preying on the gullible and milking them dry. When people begin dying, only a genuine psychic (and her wayward spirit guide) can help the victims’ confused spirits find peace. From a seedy downtown nightclub to a penthouse apartment to a luxury yacht on the Hudson River, Rosa and Joey will traverse the New York City streets to unearth the truth about this underground world—including some secrets Joey would prefer to keep buried.

Starting October 12, Blackwell Deception will be available as a PC download for $14.99. For customers who preorder the game between now and launch day, Wadjet Eye is extending two limited-time special offers:

• Downloadable preorder offer: For $14.99, preorder customers get convenient download access to Blackwell Deception on launch day, as well as a free downloadable copy of the series’ acclaimed third installment, Blackwell Convergence, to enjoy right away.

• Limited edition DVD preorder offer: For $24.99, preorder customers can reserve a limited edition DVD that includes all four Blackwell games, an exclusive MP3 soundtrack, animated Blackwell shorts, and other bonus materials. These customers also get a free downloadable copy of Blackwell Convergence to play now and convenient download access to Blackwell Deception on launch day. Limited edition DVDs are expected to ship in late October and free worldwide shipping is included in the price.

To view the Blackwell Deception screenshots and trailer, download the free demo, or place a preorder, visit the official website at http://www.rosablackwell.com.

About Wadjet Eye Games

Founded in 2006, Wadjet Eye Games has developed a reputation for producing award winning and critically acclaimed adventure games for the PC. Committed to creating unique character-driven game experiences around recognizable brands, Wadjet Eye has recently expanded to support and publish games by other independent developers. The company’s award-winning portfolio includes The Shivah and the Blackwell series, both of which have garnered Game Developers Choice nominations, Puzzle Bots, which was selected for the Penny Arcade Expo’s PAX 10 showcase, and IGF Student Showcase winner Gemini Rue. For more information, visit http://www.wadjeteyegames.com.

Contact

Wadjet Eye Games Public Relations

pr@wadjeteyegames.com

Placeholder art: The big reveal!

Wow.  Has it been almost a year since I posted this placeholder art image from Blackwell Deception?

 

How awful of me to leave you hanging for so long.  You all must have been tearing your hair out trying to figure out what it was.  This could be a wedge of cheese, or a network of tunnels, or a box of bagels, or even...

A knotty pine wall! Can't you feel the excitement and pulse-pounding gameplay leaping off the image? Aren't you PSYCHED?  I know I am.

On another note, remember when I said on this blog that the game would come out in April?  Ha ha ho.  This is why I don't officially announce release dates anymore.  But, the game is almost finished and I can safely say that the game is coming very, very soon.  On September 14th, we will be making our official announcement, with a PR campaign and trailer and website and everything.  So set your calendars.

-Dave

The Blackwell Guide to NYC

It is no coincidence that many of the Blackwell locations are places that I visit quite frequently, or places that I enjoy.   

Blackwell Legacy had Washington Square Park, which is a park very close to my apartment.  I pass through there almost every morning while walking the dog:

The dog in the image also looks suspiciously like my own.

Blackwell Unbound had Roosevelt Island.  I used to take walks there quite often, as the tram going over there was close to an improv club I used to go to. The improv club moved, so I don't make it over to Roosevelt Island as much as I used to.

This is my wife Janet, who is not in the game.

 And Blackwell Convergence had this awesome tree in Central Park, by the Gothic Bridge:

A few months ago, my wife and I took a walk on the High Line, an old elevated train track that was recently converted into a park.  It's become one of my favorite places to go, so it was inevitable that it would end up in Blackwell Deception:

 

Maybe I should write a Blackwell Tourist Guide.

-Dave

From programmer art to final art

Hey, who remembers this?

One month ago, I showed off this lovely piece of programmer art for Blackwell Deception.  I drew it myself, using such high-tech drawing tools as a white piece of printer paper and a ballpoint pen.  I then scanned it into my computer and incorporated it into the game so I could program the basics of the location.  I made sure to add the words "This is a yacht" for the benefit of anyone unlucky enough to actually try it out. 

Eventually, Pepe (the background artist) took pity and did a preliminary sketch of the room:

It actually looks like a boat now!  Kinda.  You can faintly see Chelsea Piers in the background, which is where the boat is docked before setting off.   I greedily incorporated this sketch into the game so I wouldn't have to look at my own artwork.  Eventually, after several bouts of going back back and forth with the coloring, the final product emerged:

Overall, I am very happy with this.  It's the very first scene in the game, so I wanted to make a good impression.  There are clouds that drift by and a water reflection that shifts around.  When the boat starts moving there's a nice image of the George Washington Bridge that scrolls in the background.  Simple effects, but they do the job nicely.

Like with Convergence, I plan on releasing a free stand-alone demo to show off the game.  You should see this background (along with a few others) incorporated in that demo a month or two before release.

-Dave