Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective HD - Kickstarter!

[Kitsune Sniper]

Remember that old Sherlock Holmes game on the Sega CD? Remember its grainy video and somewhat odd gameplay? What if I told you the original developer wants to release it in HD, for PC, Mac, iOS and Android?

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1920171553/sherlock-holmes-consulting-detective-adventure-mys

There's lots of different tiers to choose from, too, ranging from DRM free versions of all nine episodes to being included in the game to super rare board games.

The best part is, David Marsh owns the rights to the OTHER classic Icom games he worked in, including Shadowgate, Deja Vu, and Uninvited - including the Shadowgate sequels that were never made. If this gets funded then there's a good chance the other games will follow behind.

I intend to donate the minimum $9 sometime in the future. How about you?

[Parodius Duh!]

Ive always been skeptical about these kickstarter pages.....if it never happens, do you get ur money back? I donated $20 towards an unreleased album to be released, and its been about 3 years since....



Of course this seems like a more professional endeavor, and its Sega CD. Ill put 9 smackarinos towards it!

[Gameguy]

Wasn't this game released on the PC? I'm pretty sure I have this, but haven't got around to playing it yet. I think I have the sequels for it too.

[macdude22]

Ive always been skeptical about these kickstarter pages.....if it never happens, do you get ur money back? I donated $20 towards an unreleased album to be released, and its been about 3 years since....



Of course this seems like a more professional endeavor, and its Sega CD. Ill put 9 smackarinos towards it!

You don't get charged until its funded so it's sort of legit. It's still sort of a gamble but I'd rather gamble on games than poker. I've done a couple.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

If they re-do the game with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman I'll play through it again!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_1sxKbII3i0/TyaWO-tJsxI/AAAAAAAAB0g/X_j_yw-rMcY/s1600/bbc_seriado_sherlock_holmes_1_temporada_epis_dio_0 1_02_a_study_in_pink_the_blind_banker_2010.jpg

Otherwise, no thanks.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Wasn't this game released on the PC? I'm pretty sure I have this, but haven't got around to playing it yet. I think I have the sequels for it too.

Yes it was, but that was for DOS and it was grainy as hell.

The video footage would be converted from the originals at the highest quality possible. :)


If they re-do the game with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman I'll play through it again!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_1sxKbII3i0/TyaWO-tJsxI/AAAAAAAAB0g/X_j_yw-rMcY/s1600/bbc_seriado_sherlock_holmes_1_temporada_epis_dio_0 1_02_a_study_in_pink_the_blind_banker_2010.jpg

Otherwise, no thanks.Who's the zombie next to Arthur Dent?

[LiquidPolicenaut]

Volume 1 was actually released on DVD and has, obviously, the best quality out of all of the releases. Oddly enough, somehow, the cleaner video now makes the acting even more cheesy to me lol. Here's my video for it on YouTube:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I2OQ4QcG0Y


Still, I, too, would love to see this in HD especially for the more rare volume 3 of the series. I also see that David Marsh worked on the DVD version of Dracula Unleashed and would like to bring that out as well...thumbs up! :)

[JSoup]

You had me with Sherlock Holmes, then lost me with all this interactive-FMV garbage.

[jb143]

Pretty interesting, I'm a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories and adaptations. I haven't actually played these outside of testing the Sega CD game but it's on my list. Though I'd almost rather them redo it with animations in the style of the poster artwork they show on the site....or does "Recapturing the video" mean they're refilming it?

[madman77]

Ive always been skeptical about these kickstarter pages.....if it never happens, do you get ur money back? I donated $20 towards an unreleased album to be released, and its been about 3 years since....



Of course this seems like a more professional endeavor, and its Sega CD. Ill put 9 smackarinos towards it!
I don't understand Kickstarter and similar projects at all. People basically want total strangers to finance their business that they will profit from and in return I get some totally shitty "reward" for giving you free money?

[Kitsune Sniper]

Pretty interesting, I'm a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories and adaptations. I haven't actually played these outside of testing the Sega CD game but it's on my list. Though I'd almost rather them redo it with animations in the style of the poster artwork they show on the site....or does "Recapturing the video" mean they're refilming it?No, they're taking the original video footage, and capturing it in higher quality with modern hardware - so it looks cleaner and not compressed to hell.
I don't understand Kickstarter and similar projects at all. People basically want total strangers to finance their business that they will profit from and in return I get some totally shitty "reward" for giving you free money?Well it worked for Double Fine, and it's worked for other causes. If you think it's worth it, then you donate. If you don't, then you don't.

That "shitty" reward is worthless to you. It's not to some people. And that's it.

[Bojay1997]

I don't understand Kickstarter and similar projects at all. People basically want total strangers to finance their business that they will profit from and in return I get some totally shitty "reward" for giving you free money?

Although I wouldn't put it in exactly those terms, that's sort of accurate. I personally have supported the Double Fine and the Wasteland project, but I'm starting to get burnt out on these the more of them that pop up. In this case, as someone already pointed out, a DVD release already exists, so I don't understand the urgency or frankly the need to raise $55K. It seems like they could do the necessary video work for a few thousand dollars (you can literally get a lab to do an HD transfer from film for a few thousand dollars with color correction, there is no crazy restoration that has to happen here like with a classic film that has deteriorated or something), drop the new visuals into the existing code and just sell the enhanced version to recoup their costs and probably make a healthy profit which they could then use to pay for the Android and iOS versions.

There are interesting legal ramifications to all this and oddly, if these companies tried to solicit investment from total strangers, they couldn't do it without some very detailed prospectus documents and filing with the SEC and state authorities. Even then they couldn't take money from just anyone. Because they aren't providing anyone with a profit share or a security interest in the company, they can basically take everyone's money (subject to taxation) and do with it what they will. I suspect that at some point a developer is going to get in over their head and not deliver and this whole funding mechanism is going to come crashing down. I do agree with you though that it's getting to the point where developers that can actually afford to take some risks are just relying on crowd funding to finance commercial ventures which likely will be profitable making the process completely risk free for them. I don't know that Kickstarter or any other tool should be used in that way as I feel like the intention was to help non-profits and other ventures that benefit society, not to do an end run around normal business financing techniques and legal regulation.

[c2000]

I'd love a 32X CD version that makes use of the 32X palette.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Although I wouldn't put it in exactly those terms, that's sort of accurate. I personally have supported the Double Fine and the Wasteland project, but I'm starting to get burnt out on these the more of them that pop up. In this case, as someone already pointed out, a DVD release already exists, so I don't understand the urgency or frankly the need to raise $55K. It seems like they could do the necessary video work for a few thousand dollars (you can literally get a lab to do an HD transfer from film for a few thousand dollars with color correction, there is no crazy restoration that has to happen here like with a classic film that has deteriorated or something), drop the new visuals into the existing code and just sell the enhanced version to recoup their costs and probably make a healthy profit which they could then use to pay for the Android and iOS versions.

There are interesting legal ramifications to all this and oddly, if these companies tried to solicit investment from total strangers, they couldn't do it without some very detailed prospectus documents and filing with the SEC and state authorities. Even then they couldn't take money from just anyone. Because they aren't providing anyone with a profit share or a security interest in the company, they can basically take everyone's money (subject to taxation) and do with it what they will. I suspect that at some point a developer is going to get in over their head and not deliver and this whole funding mechanism is going to come crashing down. I do agree with you though that it's getting to the point where developers that can actually afford to take some risks are just relying on crowd funding to finance commercial ventures which likely will be profitable making the process completely risk free for them. I don't know that Kickstarter or any other tool should be used in that way as I feel like the intention was to help non-profits and other ventures that benefit society, not to do an end run around normal business financing techniques and legal regulation.

1: Yes, that's the point. $55 K isn't just for kicks, programmers don't come cheap... especially for four different platforms.

2: Project Zomboid.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Who's the zombie next to Arthur Dent?

Benedict Cumberbatch!

Arguably the best actor to play Holmes since Jeremy Brett!

If you like Sherlock Holmes I implore you to watch this series.

There are only 6 episodes (spanning 2 seasons) so far, but it's an AMAZING modern-day take on the mythology.


http://youtu.be/YcFHeTaS9ew

[jb143]

In this case, as someone already pointed out, a DVD release already exists, so I don't understand the urgency or frankly the need to raise $55K. It seems like they could do the necessary video work for a few thousand dollars (you can literally get a lab to do an HD transfer from film for a few thousand dollars with color correction,

That's sortof the same range they give...

Recapturing the video/editing - $2000 each (x8 games) = $16,000

It's interesting though that $19,000 of the $55,000 they're trying to raise is going to taxes, fees, and to pay for all the rewards they're giving to donors.

$36,000 is still a huge chunk of money but not impossible to self fund. Especially looking at only $4500 per game(story?). In reality though, this is probably acting as not only a free way to get funding for the project as others have suggested, but also a free way to test if will be a market for it when it's done...otherwise, if it was self funded, it may had been a complete waste of time and money.


Benedict Cumberbatch!

Arguably the best actor to play Holmes since Jeremy Brett!

If you like Sherlock Holmes I implore you to watch this series.

There are only 6 episodes (spanning 2 seasons) so far, but it's an AMAZING modern-day take on the mythology.


QFT. I love the BBC interpretation. For as much as the stories are updated, they still hold to the spirit of the originals. The portrayal of Watson also feels much closer to the stories than most of the "stout & bumbling" interpretations we've gotten over the past 100 years. Though Jude Laws was fairly close as well.

[madman77]

Although I wouldn't put it in exactly those terms, that's sort of accurate. I personally have supported the Double Fine and the Wasteland project, but I'm starting to get burnt out on these the more of them that pop up. In this case, as someone already pointed out, a DVD release already exists, so I don't understand the urgency or frankly the need to raise $55K. It seems like they could do the necessary video work for a few thousand dollars (you can literally get a lab to do an HD transfer from film for a few thousand dollars with color correction, there is no crazy restoration that has to happen here like with a classic film that has deteriorated or something), drop the new visuals into the existing code and just sell the enhanced version to recoup their costs and probably make a healthy profit which they could then use to pay for the Android and iOS versions.

There are interesting legal ramifications to all this and oddly, if these companies tried to solicit investment from total strangers, they couldn't do it without some very detailed prospectus documents and filing with the SEC and state authorities. Even then they couldn't take money from just anyone. Because they aren't providing anyone with a profit share or a security interest in the company, they can basically take everyone's money (subject to taxation) and do with it what they will. I suspect that at some point a developer is going to get in over their head and not deliver and this whole funding mechanism is going to come crashing down. I do agree with you though that it's getting to the point where developers that can actually afford to take some risks are just relying on crowd funding to finance commercial ventures which likely will be profitable making the process completely risk free for them. I don't know that Kickstarter or any other tool should be used in that way as I feel like the intention was to help non-profits and other ventures that benefit society, not to do an end run around normal business financing techniques and legal regulation.
The problem I have with it is people are asking for what is essentially free money so that they can start a business and then profit off that business. They're not asking for investors who will see a return on their investment, they're asking for free money and giving out t-shirts or some other nonsense. I'm not singling out this project in particular, I've seen links to all sorts of things where people want money to buy the machinery needed to start their business. It's just a sign of this self-entitled society we're living in in America today. If these were non-profit ventures, that is one thing, but if I'm giving money to help someone start a profitable business, I should get a return on my investment if they're successful. Otherwise me and other strangers are taking all the financial risk of starting the company while they have absolutely nothing to lose, but everything to gain. It's completely backwards.

[Bojay1997]

The problem I have with it is people are asking for what is essentially free money so that they can start a business and then profit off that business. They're not asking for investors who will see a return on their investment, they're asking for free money and giving out t-shirts or some other nonsense. I'm not singling out this project in particular, I've seen links to all sorts of things where people want money to buy the machinery needed to start their business. It's just a sign of this self-entitled society we're living in in America today. If these were non-profit ventures, that is one thing, but if I'm giving money to help someone start a profitable business, I should get a return on my investment if they're successful. Otherwise me and other strangers are taking all the financial risk of starting the company while they have absolutely nothing to lose, but everything to gain. It's completely backwards.

I wouldn't say it's about being "self-entitled" whatever that means, but I do agree with you that it sort of goes against the free market principle of taking a risk as an entrepreneur and then either failing or profiting as a result of your risk taking and hard work. As I noted earlier, there are significant legal barriers to you seeing a return on investment from a Kickstarter or Indiegogo pledge. I understand there has been some legislation in Congress to get around those barriers, but it's stalled as of now. It's possible that projects of this type could be done on a micro-lending type model where the donors are the lenders and a reasonable interest rate is attached, but I am guessing these developers won't want anyone to have legal recourse if they fail.

Ultimately, I think this whole funding mechanism is going to go away as more and more of these projects will pop up and fewer and fewer will be fully funded and then finally one that is well funded will result in the release of either a broken or just plain bad game and the glow will be gone for good.

[jb143]

I thought the whole idea of Kickstarter was "I just have to see this guys low budget zombie movie he's been dreaming of making! Here's $20 to help him out." Same with games, someone comes up with some awesome idea for a game that other people get excited about but probably has no real chance of seeing the light of day without some sort of funding. These established developers that already have contacts in the industry and could go a more traditional funding route do seem to be stepping over the line a bit. On the other hand though, it probably puts croudfunding in better light when they actually have people completing their projects...to pad their success stories as it were.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I thought the whole idea of Kickstarter was "I just have to see this guys low budget zombie movie he's been dreaming of making! Here's $20 to help him out." Same with games, someone comes up with some awesome idea for a game that other people get excited about but probably has no real chance of seeing the light of day without some sort of funding. These established developers that already have contacts in the industry and could go a more traditional funding route do seem to be stepping over the line a bit. On the other hand though, it probably puts croudfunding in better light when they actually have people completing their projects...to pad their success stories as it were.

Even successful developers can't get funding these days. Why did the Double Fine kickstarter come to exist to begin with? A lot of people decided to help with that because of Psychonauts (and despite Brutal Legend, haha).

Contacts mean nothing to the people who actually handle the money. So devs take this to the people who'll actually PLAY the games.

[Guntz]

To the people in here who dislike Kickstarter, consider this: If it weren't for the option of public funding, no intelligent company would risk investing in these kinds of projects. Guaranteed. That and the simple fact the fans have a real choice in the development of non-mainstream projects is a huge thing. As each of these kickstarters become successful, it will show these companies that there is money to be had in something that isn't an FPS or abbreviates as COD. (that or they will learn people are money sponges)

EDIT: Also, the new Sherlock BBC show kicks serious ass! It's so well written, definitely a fan. :D

[jb143]

Even successful developers can't get funding these days. Why did the Double Fine kickstarter come to exist to begin with? A lot of people decided to help with that because of Psychonauts (and despite Brutal Legend, haha).

Contacts mean nothing to the people who actually handle the money. So devs take this to the people who'll actually PLAY the games.

I don't disagree with you. In fact, I completely agree with you for the most part. My point is that if they were that strapped for cash, then they could do them on a per episode basis which they are clearly saying is only $4500. I've had to raise a lot more than that before and didn't need kickstarter...just patience. These aren't zombie movie director wannabes, these are established game developers. I like the idea of kickstarter type programs, it just seems like it's the 'in thing' right now for developers and could quickly become abused. Almost how people are getting tired of all the Humble Indie Bundles. It worked once so now everyone is doing it and killing the whole idea in the process.

[madman77]

I thought the whole idea of Kickstarter was "I just have to see this guys low budget zombie movie he's been dreaming of making! Here's $20 to help him out." Same with games, someone comes up with some awesome idea for a game that other people get excited about but probably has no real chance of seeing the light of day without some sort of funding. These established developers that already have contacts in the industry and could go a more traditional funding route do seem to be stepping over the line a bit. On the other hand though, it probably puts croudfunding in better light when they actually have people completing their projects...to pad their success stories as it were.
Yea, it's that sort of project that I would have no problem funding. Some guy or group of people out to do something that isn't necessarily to start a profitable business. I've paid for various homebrew carts just to support the developers and their projects. At least there I'm paying $$ and getting a game in return. Basic free market principles. I've just seen so many of these kickstarter things where people want the public to assume all the risk of starting a business with absolutely none of the reward.

And there are other ways to get the money, the only options aren't just a bank loan or free money via kickstarter. How about getting loans from colleauges or friends in return for a percentage ownership stake? Anyhow, sorry for the rant and taking this off topic from the games, it just really gets under my skin to see this sort of thing.

[klausien]

While I'm all for HD releases of classics, we don't need this game. The DVD version was much appreciated, but it was good enough considering the age and resolution of the source material. I mean no disrespect, but it really wasn't that great of a game to begin with. It's also more of a single playthrough kind of thing (I have the DVD, Sega CD & Turbo CD versions of both 1&2, so I've beaten it to death). That said, it was at least a true game of its own that was not just a shooter with FMV backgrounds.

What we need are HD versions of the Make My Video series! Just kidding. While it too is more of a single playthrough experience, the FMV game I'd like to see given the HD treatment is Burn:Cycle. I would donate seed money towards that.

The recent Sonic CD HD release is fantastic. An HD combo pack of Gate and Lords of Thunder would be truly heavenly. The possibilities are endless. Although the likelihood of it happening is low, a ToeJam and Earl collection with online play would be a day one purchase for me. On a slightly less related note, someone should put Cyber and Battle Morph together with both original visuals & audio, and updated versions and release it. The first game would only be a curiosity to most at this point (though I love it), but the second almost feels like a rudimentary Rogue Squadron with old school twitch physics. What a great game.

Anyway, I wish you luck in your endeavor.