#TRN TV

[trnsocial]

Wide World of Toys: Batman 1992 LEGO Build

In the latest Wide World of Toys video, host Ken Spaulding is building a Batman 1992 LEGO set. Check out more photos of Ken’s collection and Top 5 Action Figure Picks of the Week on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ken_wideworldoftoys_trn/

[princess-of-the-corner]

Glad the Imago stuff was of interest! Its fun to play with different Miraculous powers running wild. The Butterfly is best for it, but Trixx's illusions becoming real can be good too.

Speaking of the wily fox, an idea I had for like 1 AU that spread to many, especially those closer to the canon timeline but still distinct. Volpina, is a genuine Miraculous Holder,

Hear me out XD

So in anything with a revised Butterfly, there's room for another lost Miraculous or two if one wants.

& while I like 1 or more ending up with the Tsurugi's who claim to want to supersede Fu as Guardian & to respect the Kwami as deities, though how genuine Tomoe is can vary. They aren't the one that is becoming default, Lila is.

Long story short, Trixx was lost before the order even fell, possibly for the first time or one of many being a trickster. It was easy for them to slip the leash or find a new wielder. As a result they've been bouncing around for centuries in-between long naps; usually causing mischief and doing some good on the side.

In the modern day Trixx wakes up, so to speak, in a second hand store Lila is screwing for exotic looking items to sell her stories & masks for her collection.

She finds the greatest mask of all and Trixx finds a new wielder.

Being a concept first & person second, & a tricky one at that Trixx is not the most pearl clutching moralist, & Lila didn't get up to anything above mischief and petty crime. Thus any worries someone may have had, like say about her compulsive lying and identity issues were either not quite noticed or seen as long term problems.

Then Nooro starts being used to terrorize Paris & Trixx is loyal to family & Lila is not a horrible person, she likes Trixx, she thinks using the true names to command Kwami is vile & she sees how adored Ladybug & Chat Noir already are.

She wants that.

I like to picture them both eating fast food in a fancy hotel at the end of Origins, staring boggle eyed at the tv with food halfway to their opened mouths as the news reports on Stoneheart XD

Anyway, she eventually makes her way to Paris, has a good debut and actually joins the team for awhile. Fu is searching but finding them is not easy even with Lila's penchant to use Glamour and illusions for some petty fun on the side.

Things do trn bad though because:

Her desire to get more attention leads her to potentially staging some stuff to stop.

She prioritizes a personal matter (Saving Adrien) over the mission & they almost lose as Chat Noir is not there.

She neglects the plan in favor of trying to show off and makes things worse.

She gets careless with her identity so she can be a celebrity already.

She's 14, what can one expect XD

The result of this causes her to be found by Fu & her Miraculous taken back. He's not horrible about it, but he is stern and the reaction of Ladybug & Chat vary depending on context though at best/worst they grudgingly go along with it. If they know at all.

Cue Akumatized Volpina perhaps and her becoming one of Hawk Moth's prime targets for ongoing 'observation' like Chloe is. Where things go from there... Well who knows.

Honestly any kind of Lila being a hot mess of fun but like. In the realistic way of 'teenager with issues finds magic jewelry' is GREAT

[nancydrewandthecluecrew]

NANCY DREW CASE FILES: 13

LAST TRAIN TO BLUE MOON CANYON

Invited on board a haunted train to help solve a century-old mystery of the vanished Jake Hurley, only to uncover another one unraveling in present day aboard the train to blue moon canyon.

"You know what they say it's not the destination it's the journey and this is one ride you'll never forget. You don't want to miss this train"

Bobby Cannavale as Tino Balducci

A hot-shot detective riding the fame from an old case with a big win up his sleeve and an even bigger ego.

Kathy Bates as Charleena Purcell

An award winning romance novelist, diving into a darker mystery genre.

Anya Taylor-Joy as Lori Girard

With a love for attention and mysteries only one can imagine what happened to the girl who disappeared?

LaKeith Stanfield as John Grey

Host of TV's Ghost Chasers, with a rumor of the train being haunted by Jake Hurley's wife Camille, he gets to work finding proof of the haunting, rather than the missing girl. Whatever makes for great Tv.

Nick Robinson as Frank Hardy

The older of the Hardy boys and the more rational of the two brothers. His keen eye for detail is great at always seeing something lurking underneath the facade.

Rudy Pankow as Joe Hardy

The younger of the Hardy boys and the more impulsive of the two Brothers. But, his optimism and lighthearted nature is needed in times where the mystery proves harder to solve.

7.DOG 10.SHA 11.CUR 13.TRN 15.CRE 16.ICE 17.CRY 22.TOT

[guerrerense]

Steam Sunday - Drama On The Blue Ridge por David Blazejewski Por Flickr: For Steam Sunday I present this unconventional monochrome silhouette of the Queen of Steam, Norfolk and Western Class J 4-8-4 611, making her round trip from Spencer to Asheville and return via the S Line and the famed Old Fort Loops across the Blue Ridge Mountains. Though she traveled this route many times during her first excursion career in the 1980s and early 90s this trip would turn out to be her one and only time traversing the route during NS' short lived 21st Century Steam program revival. I missed her first rebirth in the 1980s and early 90s and fell in love with her when I watched one of the first railroad programs I'd ever seen on TV...National Geographic's stunning 1984 production, Love Those Trains. She had a brief presence in that show along with other legendary sights of railroading that I had no idea then that I would someday get to see for myself! If you're at all curious and haven't seen that classic program it is a available on YouTube here: youtu.be/JhD-V2tXlYg But I was too young when she was retired for the second time in 1994 and promised myself a few years later that if she came back for a third life I wouldn't miss her! And indeed I didn't. I was there in Spencer when Wick Moorman turned the ceremonial first wrench on the turntable at Spencer in 2014 and then again in 2015 to see her first revenue run as she stormed the Blue Ridge on "home" rails. But the best show ever was the following year when she made this trip from Spencer to Asheville via the NS S-Line and the famous Old Fort Loops. We hiked in on the Point Lookout Trail to this spot between High Ridge Tunnel and McElroy Tunnel. In these views I'm an shooting railroad east as she marches into thr short (77 ft long) McElroy tunnel with her train strung back through the 589 ft Lick Log Tunnel. This is a legendary eastern mountain railroad that was little remarked except by a dedicated few. I always wanted to visit this place and made it on two occasions....and I'm glad I did. Because in May of 2020 thanks the closing of the Linwood hump as part of the continued PSR driven traffic changes all through trains were removed from this route leaving only the daily round trip passage of the Asheville to Bridgewater local, that itself is now in danger with the impending closure of the massive Canton paper mill. But seven years ago there were still two daily pairs of trains that traversed the length of the route along with occasional unit trains, extras, and re-routes. The line is generally flat from Salisbury 111 miles west to Old Fort where suddenly it meets the thrust of the Blue Ridge Mountains and climbs 1000 ft to the Eastern Continental Divide at Ridgecrest, elevation 2535 ft. The top of the grade is only three miles as the crow flies from Old Fort, but it takes about 13 rail miles to get there. There are seven tunnels (including the 1832 ft long one at the summit) on the line and grades as steep as 2.9%. The train is seen here at MP 121 in the third of five found in a mini tunnel district in the span of about 1 1/2 miles. Completed by the Western North Carolina Railroad in 1880 the route ultimately came into the Southern Railway fold and was an important through route for nearly a century and a half. But now times have changed and the future is uncertain. However, the state of North Carolina has longed to bring passenger rail to Asheville via this route, so with the shift of freight traffic away now may be the time. I'm confident the rails here will remain, though the main focus of their economic utility may shift. Only time will tell. To learn more find yourself of a copy the September 2006 issue of Trains magazine. And for a good map showing the remarkable stretch of railroad check out this link from Trains: cs.trains.com/trn/b/staff/archive/2016/01/19/trains-chase... McDowell County, North Carolina Wednesday May 28, 2014

[dailyrugbytoday]

Major League Rugby 2024 Schedule & How to Stream

New Post has been published on https://thedailyrugby.com/major-league-rugby-2024-schedule-tv/

The Daily Rugby

https://thedailyrugby.com/major-league-rugby-2024-schedule-tv/

Major League Rugby 2024 Schedule & How to Stream

The 2024 Major League Rugby season is the seventh season of Major League Rugby (MLR), the professional rugby union competition sanctioned by USA Rugby. The regular season began on March 2, 2024, and will last through June 29, 2024, with the Championship Series to follow

How to Watch Major League Rugby in USA

Yes, Major League Rugby matches are available to stream live on FS2 and FS2 channels, which are available to subscribers of YouTube TV.

Rugby fans in the United States can watch one game a week live on FS1 and FS1, available through Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and DirecTV Stream. Fans in other countries can tune in on The Rugby Network’s paid tier, TRN+

Major League Rugby 2024 Schedule Round 17/18

ROUND 17

23.06. 04:00

NOLA Gold vs New England Free Jacks

23.06. 05:00

Anthem RC vs Chicago Hounds

23.06. 05:30

Miami Sharks vs Old Glory DC

23.06. 08:00

Seattle Seawolves vs Los Angeles

23.06. 08:00

Utah Warriors vs Dallas Jackals

24.06. 04:00

San Diego Legion vs Houston SaberCats

ROUND 18

29.06. 08:30

Utah Warriors vs Los Angeles

30.06. 03:00

New England Free Jacks vs Anthem RC

30.06. 05:00

Chicago Hounds vs Miami Sharks

30.06. 05:00

Old Glory DC vs NOLA Gold

30.06. 06:00

Houston SaberCats vs Dallas Jackals

30.06. 08:00

San Diego Legion vs Seattle Seawolves

  Major League Rugby Champions By year

Year Teams Champion Score Runner-up 2018 7 Seattle Seawolves 23–19 Glendale Raptors 2019 9 Seattle Seawolves 26–23 San Diego Legion 2020 12 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 12 LA Giltinis 31–17 Rugby ATL 2022 13 Rugby New York 30–15 Seattle Seawolves 2023 12 New England Free Jacks 25–24 San Diego Legion

[friendzonefrog]

Movies:

Anatomy of a Fall (crime/courtroom drama)

Clue (one of my favorite comedies AND mysteries of all time)

Se7en (crime thriller where two detectives search for a brutal serial killer with a twisted M.O.)

See How They Run (goofy whodunnit set amidst the cast of a theatrical play)

The Hateful Eight (Tarantino western with whodunnit-ish elements and also a very specific spoiler in common with TRN)

Zodiac (crime thriller about the search for the Zodiac Killer)

TV:

Fargo (crime dramedy with an extremely eccentric ensemble cast)

The Mole (reality show where one of the contestants is secretly sabotaging the group. You won't find out who until the finale! The reboot is good, but the original S1 is my fav.)

Board/Card games:

Bang! (cowboy social deduction card game where different roles give you different abilities and different goals. Reminds me of the saloon slots game in SHA hehe.)

Clue(do) this one should go without saying.

Codenames (team v team card game where, out of a massive grid of words, players must prompt their team to guess their words only.)

Decrypto (very similar to Codenames. Team v team, both teams have 4 words and must get their teammates to guess those words in a specific "encrypted" sequence without giving it away to the opposite team. Hard to explain but fun to play.)

Mysterium (co-op card/tabletop game where one of you plays as the ghost and the rest play as psychic detectives trying to solve your murder!)

One Night Werewolf (social deduction game where the villagers must determine who amongst them is secretly a werewolf. Different roles=different abilities. Kind of reminds me of a game that'd be in CAP.)

Video Games:

Alan Wake, especially the second one. (It's horror, I can't express that enough, but top-tier crime investigation elements)

Darkside Detective (beggingggg yall to play this. episodic point and click adventure mystery. goofy cases with supernatural elements.)

Guilty Party (an old Wii game I used to be OBSESSED with, it has a story mode as well as a competitive party mode. you have to interrogate suspects and gather evidence so you can accuse the culprit. It's made for families so it's innocent (to my recollection) and exTREMELY campy with silly minigames, eccentric suspects, a theme song and everything. ugh love)

Heavy Rain (choice-based narrative game. has so many flaws. so many. but the crime thriller themes warranted an honorable mention.)

Life is Strange (drama/mystery choice-based narrative game. reminds me of WAC kind of, with the school gossip and drama hehe)

The Sinking City (Lovecraftian horror crime-noir mystery!)

can we gather a mass list of clue crew mysteryish/thriller/nancyish media recommendations? i'll start:

shows: columbo, murder she wrote, psych, x-files

video games: ace attorney, pentiment, return of the obra dinn, ghost trick

books: the 7 1/2 deaths of evelyn hardcastle, omniscient reader's viewpoint, (honestly that's it other than nancys I need to read more mystery novels)

movies: knives out series of course, the handmaiden

board games: (idk any I'm sorry just thinking of media categories)

trrpgs: monster of the week, city of mist

[rediscoverthe80s]

This year I've been opening the "Grossest Cards Ever" on the TRN TV YouTube channel for @trnsocial. Tomorrow is the final episode and I bookend the series with another pack of #GarbagePailKids cards AND a giveaway! Make sure you go over to YouTube and subscribe to TRN TV. https://www.instagram.com/p/CkyelQhOcTx/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[prmssm]

[Art posts are filed under “doodlies”]

[Click here for the chronological Art Masterpost]

REALITY LIST under the cut:

All tagged with “e:” for Earth

Links on this page take you to tags on this blog

#### = Official Marvel reality number

TRN### = Temporary Reality Number, from the Marvel fandom wikia

AO3### = Reality number that I personally made up

~

GROUP 1 (Most not actually featured much)

616 - Main Marvel comics continuity. 616 characters tend to lead all the other main Group meetings as facilitators. All 616 characters are semi-immortal preternatural beings who have a meta-awareness of everything that’s ever happened in the comics, regardless of retcons and other paradoxes.

1610 - Ultimate comics universe

65 - The Spider-Gwen comics reality. Earth-65 Tony leads a breakout Meeting for Tonys who aren’t Iron Man.

90214 - Marvel Noir comics

311 - The comics miniseries “1602”

51920 - The comics miniseries “1872.” That cowboy universe.

~

GROUP 2 (What most of the AU/blog focuses on)

199999 - Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). For this AU, everyone is from a vaguely “Infinity War”-ish timeframe. Though they occasionally display meta-awareness of future events.

3490 - A comics reality where Tony is a woman named Natasha (idk why either) and married to Steve Rogers.

38264/TRN814 - Video game “Marvel’s Avengers” (MA). For this AU, characters are from near the beginning of the game. Tony is shaggy and flat broke. Steve is considered missing, but is still able to attend Meetings somehow because it’s funny.

TRN562 - Mobile game “Avengers Academy” (AvAc)

8096 - Cartoon “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” (EMH)

12041 - Connected cartoons “Avengers Assemble” (AA), “Hulk and the Agents of SMASH,” and “Ultimate Spider-Man.” In this AU, Tony Stark and Steve Rogers are married.

~

GROUP 3

534834 - “The Marvel Action Hour,” a collection of connected cartoons from the early 1990s. In this AU, Tony Stark and James Rhodes are married.

AO3919 - An close reality-neighbor to the MCU, based on unused Infinity War concept art. In this AU, Tony Stark and Steven Strange are dating. I’m aware there is a comics reality where Tony actually is the Sorcerer Supreme, but this is not that one.

19250 - A Rule 63 reality from the comics (a “cis-swap,” if you prefer that term). In this AU, Natasha* Stark and Stephanie Rogers are married. *Iron Woman is not actually named in canon, I believe the fanon wikia is just basing that off Earth-3490.

AO314 - Video game “Fortnite.” Canon-wise the Marvel characters are meant to be from 616, but I find it WAY funnier to imagine an entire universe that simply is Fortnite.  

904913 - The cartoon “Iron Man: Armored Adventures.” I have not actually watched it yet, sorry. Tony is just here to be baby.

TRN642 - The anime “Marvel Future Avengers.” In this AU, humans from here sparkle. There is also a cat named Slingshot, who is technically Clint’s cat but tends show up in Tony Meetings.

17628 - The connected cartoons “Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest,” “Spider-Man (2017),” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Sometimes mistaken for Earth-12041 (Avengers Assemble and co.).

~

GROUP 4 (The “Tiny” Meeting)

8311 - The original comics Animal-verse, home to Spider-Ham, Iron Mouse, Captain Americat, etc.

TRN456 - An alternate cartoon Animal-verse, visited by the Spider-Man from Earth-12041 (the Avengers Assemble reality).

91119 - Cartoon “Super Hero Squad.” I simply cannot picture humans with these proportions as anything but toy-sized, so their reality is Small in this AU.

AO373 - Tsum-tsums. Canonly they’re aliens from the 616 reality, but I want them to have their own reality for this AU.

13122 - LEGO universe. Like 616 characters, LEGO characters are meta-aware of every LEGO set, video game, animated special, etc., regardless of continuity paradoxes.

1226 - “M.O.D.O.K”. tv show. It uses “Robot Chicken”-esque stop-motion, AKA everyone is action figures.

AO3168 - Pixie Hollow. Disney owns Marvel now so I do what I want.

~

OTHER / UNSORTED

TRN517 - Video game “Contest of Champions,” which is itself a multiverse crossover. For this AU, I’m using it to house Superior Iron Man and Civil Warrior Steve.

57289 - Comics reality, home to Rhodes Labs. Canon never clarifies, but in this AU, Tony Stark is not Iron Man in this reality. 

AO318 - Reality I made up based on a basic role-reversal trope. Pepper Potts is Iron Woman and Anthony Stark is her personal assistant. Anthony is also the primary Receptionist for the Tony Stark Summit in this AU.

AO333 - Reality I made up based on the Disney park “Avengers Campus.” Basically an MCU parody fanfic reality where everyone is a strange mix of vacationer and Disney employee.

AO300 - Reality I made up, home to that one really dramatic Tony from the Not Iron Man Meeting

818 - Some kind of depressing post-apocalyse comics reality where Tony Stark is Ant-Man for some reason

30847 - Video game series "Marvel vs. Capcom (MvC)

555326 - Cartoon movie “Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow.” Old man Tony raises everyone else’s superkids. I have not watched it yet, sorry. But several people mentioned it so onto the list it goes just in case. 

TRN944 - Comic book series "Captain Carter." Inspired by but not actually the same as the MCU-adjacent "What If...? episode.

[daretosnoop]

Wait a minute, i just thought of something. Is Lori Girard the most evil villain of all games?

She invites three people she knows and likes: Tino, Charleena, John. She dated Tini. She reads Charleena’s books and pitched an idea to her. She loves the tv show John works at. But while she seems to love these guys, they don’t feel the same for her. Tino is embarrassed by her and dumps her. Charleena steals her idea and calls her a spoiled brat. John dislikes her cause she’s rich.

We know Lori wanted these people on the train. What she didnt want were the detectives: the Hardy boys and Nancy. But if she’s uncovering a mystery, why wouldnt she hire detectives first? Okay, Tino is there but like 1/3 people is a cop/detective. Why didnt she make all three in that field?

Course, we can always chalk it up to her idea that Tino would provide the detective skills, Charleena the historical knowledge, and John the ghost detection, but like all three prove to be bad at their jobs. Tino is a lucky cop. Charleena knows little to nothing about Jake Hurley and the train, and John spends the entire time looking at fire sparks. In other words, appearances are deceiving, and who else is like that? Lori.

Lori gets surprised that Nancy figured it out, partly because she underestimated Nancy, but i think it’s also because she wasn’t planning on having Nancy find her but one of the other other three?

Now why them? She didn’t even want Nancy and Hardy boys on the train. So if we assume that she got her way and the trio were not on board, it’s safe to assume that she was expecting either Tino, Charleena, or John to find her. Right?

So, let’s skip to the end. She gets the paper from Nancy and what does she say? “How can I be sure you’ll keep quiet?” This is an interesting statement when you pair it with the fact that Tino, Charleena, John all have a public reception. They’re famous to some extent.

So, when we pair these facts together, i wonder if Lori was planning on getting revenge on one of the three if not all at once (they do work together from the side stories we hear). Of that’s true, then this is one diabolical plan.

But why would she do this? For the same reason she kills Nancy: fame, recognition, and telling the world she is capable, three things Tino, Charleena, John already express a lack of belief in her ability to do. So what if TRN was supposed to be a revenge plan gone wrong?

[trnsocial]

Wide World of Toys: Walmart Toy Hunt, Ep. 2

In the latest Wide World of Toys video, host Ken Spaulding invites you along to check out the toy aisle at his local Walmart and brings home a few new collectibles. Check out more photos of Ken’s collection and Top 5 Action Figure Picks of the Week on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ken_wideworldoftoys_trn/

[deviant-art-stamps]

About FriendzoneFrog

Artist / / Hobbyist / / Varied

📍 United States | Deviant for 2 years

🔗 friendzonefrog.tumblr.com | She / Her

MY BIO

I guess this is my graphic design sideblog? And I thought it'd be fun and giggly, rather than deeply troubling, to simulate my old DeviantArt page???

For now I'll curate cool things to spice up your blog (aesthetic images and graphics, GIFs, dividers, icons, blog themes, so on.) Eventually I'd like to post my own stuff, too! (Once I actually take the time to sit down and learn How This Stuff Works on tumblr.) Idk we'll see!!

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☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

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Favourite Visual Artist

Vincent Van Gogh, David Aja

Favourite Movies

Scream, John Wick 4, Knives Out, Napoleon Dynamite, The Shining, Tangled, Se7en, Little Miss Sunshine

Favourite TV Shows

Chuck, The Bear, Limitless, Death Parade, Psych, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Arrested Development, Criminal Minds, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Great Pretender, Alias

Favourite Bands / Musical Artists

IDKHOW, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Elton John, Billy Joel, ABBA, Shayfer James, Anais Mitchell, Radiohead :')

Favourite Books

A Series of Unfortunate Events, Hawkeye (Fraction and Aja), The Hobbit, The Shining

Favourite Writers

Lemony Snicket, JRR Tolkien, Stephen King

Favourite Games

The Last of Us, Uncharted 4, RE:7, Red Dead 2, Stardew Valley, RE:8, RE:2 Remake, Until Dawn, The Quarry, Nancy Drew pc series (esp. TRN, CRY, WAC), Animal Crossing, Nobby the Aardvark ♡

Favourite Gaming Platform

PS4, Nintendo Switch

Tools of the Trade

Google Docs and Canva

Other Interests

Writing, musical theatre and singing, photography, board games, jewelry diy, ukulele

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

CREDITS:

Gray divider by @ igneysect

Stamps from @ terriblestamps

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[perpetuallylocked]

Tag Yourself: Nancy Drew Game Aesthetics Edition

SCK: opening a new book for the first time, the nostalgia of VHS tapes, coca cola in a glass, remembering your locker combo, letterman jackets, watching true crime documentaries, empty high school hallways, 1950s diners, cramming before an exam

STFD: boxes of chocolates, tape recorders, the click-clack of typewriter keys, catching a taxi, shadows on the wall, stained coffee cups, sitting down to rewatch a tv show, perfume bottles, 1990s fashions

MHM: the sight of dust mixing with light, sightreading old sheet music, crystal chandeliers, old floral teacups, crystal balls, old rotary phones, grand staircases, intricate wooden floors, never-ending house projects

TRT: the glitter of diamonds, worn chessboards, snow-covered gardens, ink-covered hands, butterfly collections, cold tile floors, dull suits of armor, dusty history tomes, footsteps muffled by carpets

FIN: plush red velvet, the scent of popcorn, drawing art deco designs in the margins, worn carpets, old playing cards, the feeling there is still magic everywhere, meeting a childhood idol, movie posters on the wall, catching up with a childhood friend

SSH: jade carvings, steep stone steps, chocolate bars, being the only person in a museum gallery, clean lab coats, amazing sights through a microscope, visiting the hospital, remembering facts you've only heard once, checking the mail for your package

DOG: log cabins, the flapping of bird wings, the distant howling of dogs, the odd sensation when you can see the moon during the day, the scent of pine trees, old glass bottles, strolls along the lake shore, admiring 1920s fashion, long walks in the woods

CAR: antique roller coasters, old postcards, the golden light at dusk, loud band organ music, sounds of a carnival at night, ice cream sundaes for dessert, the delight of riding the carousel for the first time, paint-stained clothes, winning a prize from a carnival game

DDI: a steaming mug of tea on a foggy day, sea caves, light from a lighthouse piercing the fog, messages in bottles, approaching deep water, the sound of seagulls, vintage blue bicycles, spotting a whale on the horizon, crumb-topped blueberry muffins

SHA: worn plaid shirts, sunsets on the horizon, the clip-clopping of hooves, antique blanket chests, forbidden romance, mason jars of flowers, brown and blue eggs, playing piano by ear, faded rugs

CUR: leather-bound books, small potted succulents, curving staircases, old portraits, family secrets, four-poster beds, hearing strange sounds at night, food cravings, spending all day on your laptop

CLK: the ticking of an old clock, pearl and cameo jewelry, the scent of a pie baking, the whir of a sewing machine, reading in a window seat, flouncy dresses, bridges over creeks, driving around a small town, reading Shakespeare for your own enjoyment

TRN: ballet slippers, snow mixed with smoke, faded pastel embroidery, the far-off sound of train whistles, old parchment and wax seals, unwrapping a piece of salt water taffy, quirky local museums, organizing your collections and belongings, light shining through tiffany lamps

DAN: light streaming through stained glass windows, bold red lipstick, freshly baked cookies, tales from your grandparents' youth, long-lost love, twirling in a tulle skirt, the overwhelming desire to visit paris, planning out your outfit for the next day, park benches

CRE: wind in the palm trees, footprints in the sand, rustling in the jungle, small seashells, rope bridges, fruity shave ice, waves tickling your toes, the tangy taste of pineapple, watching surfers from the beach

ICE: frozen lakes, sitting by a crackling fire, snow-covered piles of logs, worn leather ice skates, paw prints, staying in bed after you've woken up, seeing your breath in the cold air, unexpected snowball fights, leather-bound journals

CRY: shadows emphasized by candlelight, dirt-caked fingernails, exploring a cemetery at night, wrought iron fences, the smell after it rains, shelves lined with tchotchkes, going back for second helpings at dinner, moonlight streaming through the window, a grandfather clock at the end of the hall

VEN: gelato cones, orange and brown buildings, soft italian songs, gold lockets, buying flowers for yourself, cobblestone courtyards, leaning over the balcony rail, the overwhelming desire to reinvent yourself, dancing like no one is watching

HAU: ocean waves hitting cliffs, hanging herb bundles, old stone fortresses, white lace and promises, wilting flower bouquets, whistling to keep yourself company, distant celtic music, simple diamond rings, sitting in a peaceful garden

RAN: old gold coins, wading in the cold ocean, a slow-moving hourglass, seeing where the sky meets the sea, old pirate legends, sand between your toes, looking down through clear water, buying yourself new clothes for vacation, eating fruit salad for breakfast

WAC: exploring a college campus, old trophies, distant cello music, milk and cookies, cardigan sweaters, texting your friends, bare tree branches, anthologies of stories, school supply shopping

TOT: wind rustling through wheat fields, creaking wooden staircases, white curtains on the window, golden hay bales, old fences lining the road, watching a storm from the porch, buying a new camera, hanging out in your favorite professor's office, sitting on a tire swing

SAW: the faint scent of cherry blossoms, origami cranes, taking a bath, hearing a new language for the first time, shards of glass, seeing your reflection in the water, buying a new stuffed animal, trying a new food on vacation, listening to your grandmother's stories

CAP: rereading favorite fairy tales, blood-red garnets, red hair in braids, mist in the forest, local legends, playing board games on rainy days, remembering your make-believe games of childhood, puffy-sleeved blouses, watching glassblowers make magic

ASH: blue roadsters, rapidly melting ice cream cones, white picket fences, pastel shop awnings, hand-lettered signs in front of shops, the act of simply being with your friends, revisiting your childhood bedroom, spending all day in an antique shop, visiting your friend's house for the first time

TMB: wind-blown sand, straw sun hats, the warmth of the afternoon, chipped statues, well-used research books, having an egypt phase as a kid, planning your next adventure, drinking cold water on a hot day, pushing your hair out of your face

DED: pencil-covered hands, well-oiled gears, the crackling of electricity, eating your favorite flavor of gummy bears, group projects, keeping to yourself at work, unironically wearing ugly sweaters, publishing your research, organizing your messy desk

GTH: peeling paint on a once-grand house, angel statues, sheet-covered furniture, porch swings, lit matches, lace masquerade masks, grand ball gowns, drinking a hot cup of tea and lemon, looking for treasures in the basement

SPY: old leather suitcases, distant memories, the lingering touch of your true love, piano keys, adrenaline rushes, popped trench coat collars, hugging your mom after not seeing her for ages, looking out the window on a train ride, hearing movie soundtracks in your head

MED: the view from the top of a mountain, the rushing sound of waterfalls, freshly dyed hair, shooting stars, wandering off the trail, vintage comic books, philosophical thoughts, binge-watching reality tv, feeling the sense of deja vu

LIE: hands coated with clay and paint, laurel wreaths, pomegranate juice, books of Greek myths, gold sandals, memorizing a monologue, flowing white gowns, spending all day in a museum gallery, exploring ancient ruins

SEA: the twinkling sound of old music boxes, a night shining with stars, cozy knit sweaters, curling up with your dog, model ships, old barrels, learning your town's history, watching gently falling snow, the beauty of the aurora borealis

MID: the dark colors of herbs, edison bulbs, copper kettles, slowly changing leaves, road trips with friends, carving a jack-o'-lantern, exploring cemeteries at night, small shops surrounding a courtyard, thinking you saw a ghost out of the corner of your eye

[blackjack-15]

All Aboard the Hardy Boys — Thoughts on: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon (TRN)

Previous Metas: SCK/SCK2, STFD, MHM, TRT, FIN, SSH, DOG, CAR, DDI, SHA, CUR, CLK

Hello and welcome to a Nancy Drew meta series! 30 metas, 30 Nancy Drew Games that I’m comfortable with doing meta about. Hot takes, cold takes, and just Takes will abound, but one thing’s for sure: they’ll all be longer than I mean them to be.

Each meta will have different distinct sections: an Introduction, an exploration of the Title, an explanation of the Mystery, a run-through of the Suspects. Then, I’ll tackle some of my favorite and least favorite things about the game, and finish it off with ideas on how to improve it. 

There will be an additional section between The Intro and The Title on the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Supermysteries, as this game is the first to pull from them and because the game (and the Hardy Boys) benefit from exploring and understanding that universe.

If any game requires an extra section or two, they’ll be listed in the paragraph above, along with links to previous metas.

These metas are not spoiler free, though I’ll list any games/media that they might spoil here: TRN, mention of ICE, mentions of WAC, mention of John Grey in SAW, SPY.

The Intro:

Yeah, I’m not sorry for that title.

Coming off a solid, in-joke heavy game like CLK, Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon could have been anything — and it rose to the occasion like few other games in the entire series. It was the unprecedented 13th game in a 12-game series, and boy did they start the next phase with a bang.

Our next jet-setting game, we leave 1930s Titusville behind in favor of the modern day — albeit the modern day inside a train from the late 1800s, staffed with every kind of celebrity from the 2000s — socialites, authors, tv personalities, and Miami-Vice-meets-Ice-T cops.

Honestly, had they included a teenybopper pop star, I would have said that this game wasn’t just an excellent game, but a time capsule for 2005.

This odd location for a game not only solidifies its place in the Jetsetting Games, it also behaves as a Locked Room Mystery, the first one in a while (FIN being the only other one so far). Nancy can’t leave the train until 2/3rds through the game — but neither can anyone else, resulting in not only the perfect place to commit a crime, but also the perfect place to interrogate suspects.

TRN is perhaps most famous for its on-screen appearance of the Hardy Boys, who invite Nancy with them on this invite-only trip to make it more fun for themselves (and so that HER could experiment with playing from a non-Nancy [and even better, a Frank] point of view, even if it is just to make cheeseburgers). Honestly, it should be famous for it. 

Not only is this a huge mechanics change, but it also blasts open the Nancy Drew Universe — the Drewniverse, if you will — and introduces both the games and players to the world of the 80s/90s Supermysteries by basing itself on #8 of the series, aptly titled Mystery Train (which we’ll talk about in the following section).

TRN also boasts one of the largest casts in the Nancy Drew games series, with 7 voiced in-person characters, two phone friends, and 3 extras. The choice to put in more characters into a smaller location really helps the locked room feel of the game, and leads to a game that is slightly more centered around interrogation than concrete investigation (which is the correct choice for a locked room mystery).

While TRN’s historical backstory isn’t quite prominent enough to get its own section here, it is worth dipping our toes in it here in the intro section. This game’s backstory (handled with a light hand) takes place during the late 1800s and finishes early years of the 1900s — 1903, to be exact, during the Edwardian Era and before World War I — when Jake Hurley’s beautiful train is found abandoned with only the dead engineer onboard. It overlaps with the Colorado Gold Rush in the United States, where Americans and immigrants alike made a mad dash out west in order to strike it rich.

This was a time when trains were the beautiful and incredibly fast (relatively) way to travel in America, especially out west as they were safer and quicker than taking the route in covered wagons or handcarts. Public trains were well-furnished and comfortable, but private trains like Jake Hurley’s were luxuriously and gorgeously decorated with all the amenities that were possible at the time and were meant to entertain guests as well as convey them from point A to point B.

The lush decorations in Camille and Jake’s cars are especially good representations of just how comfortable and flashy private trains could be; these trains that exist today in museums or private collections recall a bygone age where travel was a thing to look forward to, rather than a necessary evil to be suffered through.

The last bit of introduction I’ll do for TRN proper before we delve into the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew supermysteries is its wonderful way with locations. By limiting its locations to really one at a time, TRN very neatly creates a semi-linear playthrough while still allowing the player the freedom to solve Jake and Camille’s mysteries in most any order they choose. It’s a great trick to make the game feel a bit more open while still telling a linear story, and TRN pulls it off better than most other early Nancy games.

Now that we’ve introduced the game, let’s get on to the Drewniverse.

The Supermysteries:

Pairing Nancy Drew actively with the Hardy Boys (live and in person) was hardly a new thing in 2005, even though it was the first time it had been accomplished in the game series’ history. The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew TV series from the 70s was the first big screen meetup of the two sleuthing parties, both owned by the Stratmeyer Syndicate. 

While the earlier episodes of the show trade back and forth between Nancy and the boys, the second season saw increasingly frequent mashups of the two separate storylines, allowing for much bigger risks and much more satisfying stories — and, of course, the now famous love line between Nancy Drew and Frank Hardy.

After the TV show, there was now an uptick in Nancy/Hardy Boys interest — the two had become linked by more than just the Syndicate. That interest created the space for the 80s/90s series of books referred to as the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Supermysteries (not to be confused with the series of the same name that came out after the turn of the millennium, which are less flirty, less well-written, and much shorter as a series).

Wildly popular, the Supermysteries have 36 titles to their name and span over a decade of heart-racing, Nancy-tingling fun. The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew are either assigned to sister cases or discover the other party on the same case, and take turns helping the other out. Often, Joe separates (sometimes with whatever party Nancy brings along or with a pretty suspect) and leaves Nancy and Frank to work in tandem, giving opportunities for the two sleuths to flirt (and sometimes more) in relative peace.

If there’s one thing that the Supermysteries are really famous for, however, it’s the relationship between Nancy and Frank. Seemingly every book starts with reminding us that Frank and Nancy both have “steadies” back home, to use Dave Gregory’s terminology, and then promptly describing Frank as an Adonis and setting Nancy’s “tingle” (80s/90s code for arousal) ablaze as they work in closer and closer quarters and have some Experiences together, including an on-screen kiss and a sexy fade-to-black — and then reluctantly going back to their boyfriend/girlfriend at the end of the book.

TRN is based specifically on parts of Supermystery #8, Mystery Train, where the Hardy Boys are lured in by the promise of $25k if they can find the Comstock Diamond, stolen 15 years earlier. Nancy happens to be on the same train, accompanied by the best of the best sleuths of the day — and a beautiful actress that catches Joe’s attention.

You can see the ties to TRN — a ‘beautiful’ socialite, a band of detectives and researchers, a lost treasure — all present in both the book and the game. Though the game takes a slightly different course, it owes its strong foundation to the Supermystery that proceeded it.

The Title:

Harking back to Supermystery #8 (Mystery Train), Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon is one of the finest titles that HER ever came up with. Appropriately pulpy, it gives a sense of urgency, history, and mystery all at once while still pointing to the focal point of the game: the train.

After playing the game, it’s also a little ironic — it might be the last train to Blue Moon Canyon, but it’ll hardly be the last visitor to the historic spot, once the world gets wind of exactly what was there and the history behind it.

Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon is honestly a much better title than Mystery Train, and the title (plus the wonderful cover art) is part of the reason that this game is so well-known among casual and hardcore fans alike.

The Mystery:

Summoned by her good (phone) friends the Hardy Boys, Nancy embarks on a train ride to Blue Moon Canyon, the last known location of wealthy eccentric Jake Hurley’s personal train, and rumored to be the spot where he left his treasure. The train having been purchased and restored by socialite Paris Hil — ah, I mean Lori Girard, it once again houses the notable travelers of the day…and possibly the spirit of Jake Hurley’s wife, Camille.

Not 10 minutes into their journey, Lori disappears with a scream and a crash, and the hunt is on — not only to find their missing hostess, but to unravel the secrets of Jake Hurley’s train, Camille’s ghost, and the treasure that may be hiding in Blue Moon Canyon. It won’t be an easy task even for three seasoned teen sleuths, not with a cagey wonder-cop, irritable historical romance writer, and techy ghost hunter all trying to keep their motivations and actions a mystery.

TRN is superb in most respects, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that the mystery is 90% perfect — barring one unfortunate plot point, which I’ll cover in at least 3 sections below, and the next paragraph. Tightly paced with suspicion spread thickly and nigh-evenly, TRN doesn’t run into the trouble of knowing who the culprit is from the first 20 minutes of the game and doesn’t feel the need to clear one suspect earlier than the others so that they can help Nancy — Frank and Joe take that job instead, leaving a pretty clear field through most of the game.

The biggest problem with TRN is the identity of the “final” culprit — that is, the culprit who leaves Nancy behind in the crumbling mine in order to generate some good publicity for herself and who knows about Jake Hurley’s final “treasure” all along: Lori. Her reveal as the first culprit is wonderful and logical, even if it’s not too hard to figure out that she kidnapped herself. Her reveal as the second culprit, however, is so odd and against her character that it doesn’t just feel like a mistake — it actually reads as a mistake as well.

To have the entire game culminate in a culprit that 1) doesn’t make any sense to be the culprit and 2) must behave in a completely out-of-character way in order to be the culprit is the one black mark on TRN’s otherwise spotless record. Other than that, this mystery is one of the best of the series so far and is a fully enjoyable ride from start to almost-finish.

The Suspects:

Lori Girard, Paris-Hilton-expy and socialite extraordinaire, is the hostess of the little trip down to Blue Moon Canyon with a streak of ruthless camera-whoring that nearly matches the level of the other camera whore on board (see next suspect).

Lori is, rather gloriously, the first culprit — the one who kidnapped herself, showing her love for flair, her smarts, and her enjoyment of detective stories. Kidnapping herself is right along with the character we see she has, and makes so much sense that it doesn’t feel like a let-down that the player (and a few other characters) figure it out — rather, it feels like her character is introduced strongly and well.

Lori is, completely unbelievably, the second culprit as well. Lori’s previous stunts — i.e. her previous ‘kidnapping’ before the story begins, the train disappearance — involve herself, have no danger to them at all, are intensely theatrical, and rely on the willing cooperation of others. Trapping Nancy in the mine and trying to kill her doesn’t involve Lori at all, has a ton of danger (not to mention a death toll), and isn’t theatrical at all — it happens all ‘off camera’.

We’ll get to more problems with this in The Unfavorite, but making Lori the second culprit was a huge mistake, and her character — and the game — suffer from it.

Tony Balducci is a self-described wonder cop and sometime lover of Lori who wants nothing more than to toot his own horn…provided he leaves out some of the less flattering notes. Having caught two bank robbers by luckily being in the right place at the right time, Tony now tries to live up to the name of ace detective — mainly by being a giant douchebag towards everyone.

As a culprit, Tony would have been an interesting choice, as someone driven by the hanging spectre of his own ego, desperately trying to catch it while knowing deep down that he’s just not good enough to do so. He’s just a little too obvious, a little too hateable, and a little too in-your-face to be the proper culprit for this game.

He instead lives to fight another day to show up in ICE, where no one asked for nor wanted him. A douche to the end.

Charleena Purcell of Secret of Shadow Ranch fame is live and in person this time, having accepted Lori’s invitation out of curiosity for what really happened to Jake — and a bit of a guilty conscience.

As a reoccurring character, Charleena wasn’t going to be the culprit, but I do love that she’s a character who does some morally questionable things — like taking Lori’s suggestions for a new book and incorporating them without crediting Lori. While legally she’s fine, it is a total dick move, and she deserves to get reamed for it.

I love that Charleena’s a bit uptight and snappy while still being a ‘good guy’ (or at least not a baddie), and I do love that she did something wrong that has no impact on the actual crime at all. While she’s not in my top 5 of reoccurring characters/characters that appear in more than one game, she is a nice representation of what most authors are like (dedicated researchers and hard workers, not people who have wacky hijinks with the mystical people in their head that talk to them).

John Grey is a ghost hunter who relies more on tech than on spiritual intuition and hosts his own TV show dedicated to proving the existence of ghosts and spirits. He’s convinced — or rather really hoping — that he can prove the existence of Camille’s ghost and attribute her power to all the wacky things happening on the train.

He also really hates it when Nancy plays the piano around his sensitive audio equipment, which is the biggest reason to play the piano around his sensitive audio equipment that I can think of.

Heartbreakingly, John is the perfect culprit; he lies just under the radar enough not to be immediately obvious, but isn’t immediately discounted either. He also has the perfect motivation: with his show failing, he really needs a show-stopping apparition like Camille’s ghost to boost his ratings and save his show. He’d be an Abby Sideris-type culprit Writ Large, but this time he’d be manipulating people’s perceptions of an actual ghost that truly exists on the train.

John’s status as, frankly, no villain at all is the single biggest flaw in TRN, and it makes me sad every time I play it.

Listed officially as a suspect, Fatima of Copper Gorge is a Charleena fangirl and taffy enthusiast, with a temper as wide as Copper Gorge itself. She constantly wears an old-timey miner’s costume — foam head mask and all — and can apparently even sleep in it.

As a culprit, Fatima would have obviously been a poor choice for a Nancy Drew style game — she barely appears, and is there for a puzzle and a task and that’s pretty much it. She is however incredibly intriguing, as…well, she never takes off the mask. As a fair-play mystery, Fatima was never an option; she does stand out among all masked characters as one of the few that is never revealed to the player/Nancy.

Though they’re not officially suspects, the Hardy Boys both deserve a breakdown in this area.

Franklin Hardy is the elder of the two and barely counts as a teenager (being 19), though he does work for ATAC (American Teens Against Crime, which is the funniest acronym in the world). Detail-oriented with a dry sense of humor, Frank is the de facto leader of the Hardy Boys and far less hot-headed than his brother Joe.

A great researcher and planner, Frank knows a little bit about almost everything, and is more cautious (as most older siblings are) about the danger of any particular situation than either Joe or Nancy tend to be. Fiercely loyal and indisputably protective, Frank believes in the power of teamwork and is constantly on watch for people who might want to hurt his friends and family. In SPY, his bio specifies a “strong connection to [Nancy]” as not only an example of this loyalty but also as a point towards his feelings for her.

It would do Frank a disservice to boil his entire characterization down to his relationship with Nancy, but it is worth mentioning briefly. There are hints of his affection towards Nancy pre-TRN, but it’s really post-TRN that it kicks into high gear (probably because of working in close circumstances with her during TRN).

TRN is, possibly coincidentally and possibly not, the last game where Wayne Rawley voices Frank, as the man/myth/legend Jonah Von Spreecken takes over in the next game Danger by Design. Not only is JVS’s Frank a little less subtle about his feelings for Nancy, he’s also a little younger sounding (more like his actual age) and a little more enthusiastic (while still being very dry). As any reader of any of these metas could probably tell you, I find JVS’s Frank to be the best of his VAs, and he’s only enhanced when Nik takes over from WAC on.

Joseph Hardy, to contrast, is the 18 year old younger brother (and, if HER is working off the supermysteries, skipped a grade to be in Frank’s graduating class) and the more impulsive of the two. Generally laid-back in contrast to Frank’s meticulous nature, Joe is no less quick and is noted in his character bio from SPY to be an “extremely proficient tactician” — a role generally reserved by lesser writers for more uptight characters.

While easily distracted and a bit prone to conspiracy theories, Joe is quick to discover interpersonal links and motives and is at least somewhat handy with mechanics. His seemingly odd fixations usually lead (in a roundabout way) to finding out the truth behind crimes and leading him to a cool treasure or historical fact along the way. He’s big-picture in a way that Frank is not, which helps him both as he sifts through Nancy’s mysteries, and when he and Frank are on the job for ATAC.

As of Lani’s departure as Nancy Drew, Rob Jones (Joe’s voice actor) is the only VA to have voiced the same character for the entirety of their presence in the series. As much as I praise JVS in all of his roles (Frank and others) Rob really deserves 90% of the credit for Joe being as loved and wonderful as he is. Rob’s voice gives Joe the correct amount of youthful enthusiasm, glee in bad puns, and continual just plain enjoyment of the world he lives in and the job he has.

The Favorite:

If it wasn’t obvious, TRN is one of my favorite Nancy Drew games — definitely in the top 5, almost definitely in the top 3 — and that makes this section really easy.

First off is the physical presence of the Hardy Boys. It feels really natural to have them appear after being in most of the games leading up to TRN, and they make every second of this game better. From Joe’s cheeseburger face to playing briefly as Frank and eavesdropping (a minigame that would reach its Pinnacle in WAC) to watching Nancy sit down with the boys and pow-wow to figure out the mysteries, the Hardy Boys are a delight from beginning to end,

My favorite moment in the game is that lovely moment where Nancy sees Camille’s ghost dancing along the train window. Camille’s spirit looks so cheerful and effervescent, gently bubbling along her beloved husband’s train, and it’s a beautiful moment. 

It’s also a crucial moment in the Nancy Drew game series and lore as a whole, as it, for the first time, clearly and plainly establishes what it’s hinted at since MHM — that in the Nancy Drew universe, ghosts and spirits are real. They’re almost never the culprit, and they don��t often look like Scary Cartoon ghosts, but they’re real all the same. This moment does so much for the game and for the series that it will forever be one of my favorite moments in the series, not just in this game.

My favorite puzzle would have to be finding and placing all the gemstones. I’ve always loved gemstones, and this game really increased my love of them (and interest in their meanings/folklore). Figuring out which animal goes with which stone — and mastering what the “hand from the deep” actually looks like — is a lot of fun, and the animatic of all the different parts whirring and coming together is beautiful. It’s often placed alongside one of the best quotes of this game: “above all…let nothing happen to my train; it holds wonderful things”.

 I also love the “true treasure” of the game; sure, Nancy’s line about friendship is a bit corny, but ND has always been a bit corny, and it’s a wonderful sentiment that a true gift can simply be your ability to make connections, rather than any material possessions or social standing.

Camille is one of my favorite “historical characters” in the series, and I know I’ve mentioned her ghost just above, but I love how personal and friendly she feels; you really do get the sense as the player that she’s there, helping Nancy along. It’s Jake’s mystery, and Jake’s mine, Jake’s friends, and Jake’s treasure, but to me, Jake Hurley’s train forever belongs to Camille.

The Un-Favorite:

As far as my least favorite puzzle in TRN goes…I don’t think I have one. I enjoy all of them for their varied styles, their tie-ins to the time period and to palace trains in general – they don’t exactly feel like puzzles, even, more like well-integrated plot points. I think this is one of the few — if not the only one — that absolutely no puzzle comes to mind, so good on TRN.

Alright, you knew it was coming. My least favorite moment in the game is where Lori reveals herself as the second culprit and tries to trap Nancy in the crumbling mine (and the fallout in the letter Nancy writes). I’ve already gone into how Lori makes no sense as the actual culprit from a characterization point of view — and TRN runs on characterization — so I won’t repeat it. But I do have problems with it besides that.

TRN feels like it was set up to have a “culprit” — Lori, kidnapping herself — and then an actual culprit. Lori wanting to find Jake’s treasure as a publicity thing is totally fine, but the whole mystery feels like there’s another sinister presence working on Lori and the rest of the cast the entire time, trying to steer them to where they want them for their own machinations.

It would shock me not at all to find out that this scenario was the original plan, cut for time. TRN came out in mid-September of 2005, not even two months after CLK. While I know that different games are worked on simultaneously, that’s still quite a quick schedule to keep — especially since game #13 (TRN) wasn’t in the cards at all, the game series meant to be 12 games in total.

The ending feeling slapdash — “ah, we don’t have time to work out a criminal, let’s just have it be Lori again” — isn’t shocking looking at the timetable and circumstances behind TRN even becoming a game. While I understand it, I feel like the lack of thought put into the last 5 minutes or so of the game is really noticeable, and undermines both character and theming.

The Fix:

So how would I fix Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon?

Unsurprisingly (and since the rest of the game is borderline perfect), the one change/fix I would make is to the identity of the final culprit. John’s ‘arc’ is somewhat anticlimactic — he’s the only character to sort of drop off the face of the game at the 2/3rds mark — and I truly believe that it’s because the seeds are there to reveal him as the true villain, but it was never carried out.

My proposal is this: the vast majority of the game stays exactly as it is. Lori kidnaps herself, is found by Nancy, and rewards her by giving her all the information she has about the location of the mine — there being a small reference to Jake receiving a letter from an “important friend” or some such descriptor.

Nancy, of course, wonders briefly about the letter and then moves on to solving the location of the mind, working in tandem with the Hardy Boys — but because John has listening devices all over the train, he hears about the letter and begins to research on a hunch that this letter has information that can help him “establish” Camille’s ghost better and make her hauntings more plausible.

In this canon, of course, John’s show really is on the brink of being cancelled without being picked up by any major network, and his paranormal tours that the player finds out about in SAW (and is referenced again in TMB) aren’t doing so well either, so he needs a huge boost to his credibility. Camille’s story — and the treasure/letter that Jake Hurley left behind — is the perfect thing to get him back on top, if he could just get the nosy detectives out of the way.

By listening in on Nancy and the Hardy Boys, John knows just as much as they do — and more, thanks to his research team for Ghost Chasers turning up a connection between Jake and Abraham Lincoln — and decides that the best way to frame this for his show is to have “Camille’s wrath” come upon the uppity teen detective, collapsing the mine to protect Jake’s treasure as soon as she finds it (and he can take it from her).

Used to working in the dark and moving quietly, John, directed by Lori (who he’s manipulated into having him follow Nancy with cameras to capture the moment), follows Nancy into the mine, helping out with a few “good guesses” (actually his knowledge from listening in and researching) and snapping a few pictures of the treasure when they find it. After asking Nancy to hand him Lincoln’s letter so that he can film it better, John runs out of the room and blocks up the exit, standing outside to gloat to Nancy.

John talks about how he manipulated Lori, how he listened in, how this is the thing he needs to boost his show up to be the most-watched program in the ghost hunting business, how clever he was to run rings around Tony, Lori, Charleena, and most of all the Hardy Boys and Nancy herself. He then tells Nancy that she won’t live to tell the tale, but he’ll get footage of “Camille” causing a quake in the mine to protect her husband’s treasure — running as the mine begins to collapse.

From there, the game would continue as normal until Nancy catches the culprit (the only difference being who the culprit is) and rides to safety.

While this section seems really long, this change isn’t actually that big in the scheme of things — it just makes far more sense to have Lori only be the first culprit while having the second culprit be someone with a lot more to lose and a lot more to gain. In general with mysteries, your culprit should always be the person with the most to lose (though the detective and/or player shouldn’t know how much everyone has to lose from the beginning), and John suits that far more than Lori does.

That being said, this is the only change I’d make; I think the rest of the game not only was great at the time of its release but has also stood the test of time a decade and a half later. The change I’ve proposed would simply take the game from being a classic with a slight blemish to a truly perfect game.

[nancydrew428]

Nancy Drew Game Ideas

Plot Ideas:

Anarchanoid -

I've always wanted a nancy drew game similar to episode 3 of Sherlock, where she has to solve a mystery quick as every hour or so someone else gets killed. It would add a lot of tension and having people killed in different areas would be a good way to add more areas to investigate as the game goes on.

Anonymous -

A storyline involving a Serial Killer would be pretty dark. Particularly if they killed somebody close to Nancy.

Celiaeqqus -

I came up with an idea for a fan fic (and I really need to get around to writing it), where Nancy is kidnapped by some baddies who've heard about how good she is at solving mysteries. Who told them this? Dwayne Powers, who still has the map from RAN and is using a gang to get Nancy to help him find the treasure. Other prisoners alongside Nancy would be Henrik, since he's doing glyph translations, maybe Prudence Rutherford or Charlena Purcell, since they both have encyclopaedic knowledge about certain parts of history. If they did this as a game, maybe the player could get a chance to play as the other captives, so the majority of it isn't set in Nancy's cell. Of course, in the fan fic we'd see other characters from all over... maybe Nancy could have a TV in the room and sees reports of her family and friends - and people she's helped on past cases - doing their damnedest to find her?

@detectivecatsuitdrew (post) -

Nancy Drew: Music of the Unknown

Nancy and Ned travel to Austria for a long overdue vacation. They have a romantic evening planned at a historic music hall to watch a famous conductor direct an enchanting, almost hypnotizing concerto she wrote herself. Half way through the concerto, the harmony turns to cacophony, the conductor passes out, and the lights go out. Rumors about the conductor fly around the theatre as the show pauses at an early intermission. Some people think the conductor is losing it. Maybe the conductor has pushed themselves too far. Maybe the conductor has a secret no one knows about. Nancy can’t help but feel there’s something more sinister afoot.

Although she promised Ned that there’d be no mysteries on their vacation, she can’t help but be pulled in by the music’s call. Can Nancy help the conductor before she’s pushed too far? Will this mystery break Nancy and Ned’s relationship? Go to Austria to find out. The music of the unknown is calling.

Detectivecatsuitdrew -

Nancy Drew: Mystery of the Vampire’s Curse

Nancy’s investigated werewolves, monsters, mummies, and all sorts of ghosts, so it’s time to head to Romania to investigate a vampire.

Nancy accompanies Carson on a trip to a small town in Transylvania, Romania to pick up a few documents and look into a few things for one of Carson’s clients. It’s the perfect chance to explore a quaint little town and  catch up on some father-daughter bonding time. All of that flies out the window when Nancy herself gets kidnapped! Some of the locals say there’s an actual vampire plaguing the town. Could that possibly be true?

Switch back and forth between Nancy and Carson to figure out who took Nancy and why, and more importantly, find out where she is before it’s too late. The stakes have never been higher, and the consequences of failing never more deadly.

Detectivecatsuitdrew -

Nancy Drew: The Secret in the Vineyard

When a vineyard’s owner dies, there’s no suspicion of foul play. The youngest child of the late owner, however, isn’t convinced. He calls on Nancy Drew to investigate. Her presence ruffles the feathers of the two older siblings. As the tension rises in the house, Nancy concludes that the coroner was right; the vineyard’s owner died by natural causes.

However, there’s a bigger mystery at hand. After learning the vineyard was used as a set in a film made in the 1950s, a film plagued with mishaps and even a crime that ended the film’s production, Nancy learns that the late owner may have taken a secret to the grave. Can Nancy solve a decade’s old crime? Are there other secrets hiding in this vineyard? Travel to Northern California to find out!

Detectivecatsuitdrew -

Nancy Drew: The Asylum Ghost

Nancy isn’t surprised to hear from her friend, Savannah Woodham. She is surprised, however, when she asks her to be her assistant for a new venture. Nancy travels to an old abandoned asylum alongside Savannah as Savannah serves as an expert in a new documentary, directed by John Grey from TRN of all people.

Nancy learns about one of the most infamous patients at the asylum, a woman labeled “Crazy Mary.” As John Grey’s crew works to capture footage and hauntings, Nancy conducts her own investigation alongside Savannah. Both women just know there’s something more to Mary’s story than history’s telling. Can Nancy set the past right?

Detectivecatsuitdrew -

Nancy Drew: The Note in the Sanctuary

Nancy decides to take some time to volunteer at an animal sanctuary with Bess and George. Everything is going smoothly until, one night, there’s a break-in! Someone tries to steal one of the animals, but why? To sell the animal on the black market? To keep it as a pet? Or is the sanctuary not as reputable as it seems?

With the help of her friends, Nancy has to figure out who’s behind the attempted crime before they strike again. More importantly, she needs to know the truth to make sure she’s doing what she originally volunteered to do: take care of the animals and make sure they’re safe.

Fashion77 -

Nancy could be flying to or from River Heights (whichever) and the plane could crash! The mystery could be to find out what caused the crash, find her missing friends (they were in the plane crash too), and/or find her way out of they jungle they crashed in (with no food or water she would only have so much time to survive)!

The Key Clue :) -

[They explained how the first game would end, so I put that under “Ending Ideas.”]

OK, so for the second game, it picks up where we left off and we learn a little more about what happened. The plane's been hijacked and unless Nancy is able to retrieve a device from a representative of the Australian branch of Krolmeister that's being sent to the US for testing, "her fellow passengers will pay the price." Nancy is told that they've brought enough fuel on the plane to allow them to stay up in the air for days and also have a secret island they'll be hovering around where they can refuel. They also disabled the device on the plane that allows them to be tracked before the plane took off. So the second game is basically Nancy being the only one who knows what's going on, has to tell the other passengers a reason made up by the hijackers for the odd event, and find and essentially steal this hidden device for them. If she succeeds, everyone will be OK and the plane will go back on course home. She has to hurry up, or else everyone (including air traffic control) will get suspicious. If any passengers find out what's going on, the hijackers cover will be blown. This whole event is supposed to be a secret from Krolmeister. If she contacts the police in any way, she'll suffer the consequences. I figure though that she can somehow reason with the hijackers to let her phone her friends for help, as long as they don't contact the police. They do tell Nancy, however, that if the police show up anywhere near them, "everyone will suffer the consequences." So Nancy is in a situation where she has to comply.

Likealonewolf -

I'm partial to Sweden because it's the only place I've been outside of the U.S. There's a lot of fun cultural things they could put in there. Lots of yummy pastries and deserts too. Maybe Nancy could have to pose as a volunteer at an open air museum similar to Skansen? That way they could have cute animals and incorporate the different parts of the country into one game without excessive travel. And there is train travel that Nancy could utilize. Also, it would actually make sense for the local characters to speak English because most Swedes can speak English.

Mardropkick -

I want another game similar to Phantom of Venice where you get to do a lot of undercover work, but make it be into some sort of organization. Ooh! maybe you have to go undercover as part of an organization to learn its secrets and spy on them for someone else.

Mardropkick -

The other thing that would be cool is a National Treasure type game where you had to travel to different locations, but make the background and story line darker. Maybe something about an unsolved case?

MississippiJoel -

A human trafficking theme.

Nancy is called to investigate the disappearance of a cute teenaged girl, snatched from the streets in a third world country.

As she digs deeper, she meets escaped former slaves from a shadow organization that kidnaps people and forces them into hard labor. Eventually, she sneaks into a labor camp, frees the girl, finds the diamonds the slaves were searching for (think Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom), they have a daring escape, and Nancy presents convincing evidence to the authorities of the existence of the kidnappers, leading to the liberation of the camp and the prosecution of the criminals.

I think that would be the perfect way to raise awareness of modern slavery, and would lend itself to the perfect amount of danger while telling the story in a compelling way.

Nanfanhan -

[Playing as the culprit] Let's say this is ICE you're playing. You have a checklist, but nothing else. You are out in the mountains, with a bomb. When you check your checklist, it says {} Let loose bomb on Avalanche Hill. {} Make sure no one gets suspicious. You can't see any part of yourself, or hear your voice, and you don't have money, inventory, other suspects around, or a cell phone, so you can't tell who you are. [What, you thought you'd know who you were?] You put down the bomb in the designated spot, then it goes... ..........EXPLOSION NOISE.......... [You switch to Nancy] "What was that noise?" And so on.

Pandaplusbunny -

If I had to write a darker-than-usual story, I'd probably make it something that affects more than just the characters in the story. A threat of bioterrorism (similar to the plot of Inferno maybe?) or a huge corporate or government scandal that could rock the nation/economy. I guess just make it more of a realistic threat instead of "Oo a spooky ghost!"

The problem is that tension is immediately dissolved when Nancy is sent on errands. They need to keep the thread going, with Nancy commenting, "I better get this task done or else xyz!"

Rrieger -

It's gonna sound horrible when I word it this way, but I'd love to see the target be an old fan favorite character instead of someone close to Nancy. Like, if they offed one of the cowboys from Secret of Shadow Ranch. I think this type of plot would serve a few points -- more emotional investment = more motivation to solve the game, a familiar place for old fans would bring that touch of nostalgia that sells so well, and new fans would want to play the old game to understand the whole deal. Win win win

Sedimentally -

I agree with bioterrorism. Like maybe someone breaks into the CDC and steals a new strain of deadly virus. They catch the guy but he won't give up where he hid it. While in custody, he tries to get a message out to his friend (he had to change the dropoff location at the last second when the police were on his tail.) The police intercept it but the message is coded. Now nancy is racing to find the stolen viles before the other guy can.

Tyrianpurple -

I think it would be cool if Nancy had to go undercover and infiltrate a cult based on an anonymous tip from someone on the inside asking to be saved, but because it was anonymous Nancy doesn't know who among the characters is the one asking to be rescued so she needs to maintain her cover. Snooping and investigating would have to take place at night and she would have to avoid getting busted. All the suspects would seem shady so it would be up to Nancy's investigating to figure out who is the one that asked to be rescued.

Ultimate game objective would be to not just save the victim but also implicate the cult leader.

Veryveryinteresting -

Maybe a plot based in a hospital, Nancy has to visit the morgue, patients, blood bank, something like that. Maybe one of the staff has disappeared or bodies gone missing, or the hospital is on lock down due to an outbreak of some kind. She could visit each floor of the hospital, including roof and creepy basement!

@yiikesyikes (post) -

I’d love for the next Nancy mystery to be set on a cruise ship like they’d planned on doing for the dossier games. The spooks! The waves! The mortal danger of being trapped on the ocean with a ruthless criminal!!!

They could even steal the entire plot from the 70s TV show. They had an immaculate episode where Nancy had to protect a mystery novelist who was being forced to live one of his murder mysteries. “The Mystery of the Ghostwriters Cruise” would be a Nancy game to remember!!

Storyline Ideas:

Archaeology - milk-eyedmender

Countess Bathory - skmdk64

Municipal parks department - mermaid_k

Poachers - mermaid_k

Radio broadcast - kai_okama

The Romanovs - alyssarcastic

Sasquatch - allieadmade

Sci-fi - livelaughtacos

UFO Pacific Northwest - allieadmade

Vampires  - skmdk64

Vandalism - mermaid_k

Vlad Tepes - skmdk64

Working with animals - skmdk64

Young Frankenstein vibes with vampires + folklore - tuf00234

Clues/Findings:

Finding tracks in the dark - mermaid_k 

Secret passageway in the Taj Mahal - nandydrew

Puzzle/Side Game Ideas:

Collecting plastic/trash from beach - mermaid_k

Find clues

Cooking cultural foods - mermaid_k

Garbage run - mermaid_k

Drive, change garbages, find clues

Flower painting - mermaid_k

Lawn-mowing game - mermaid_k

like ice-clearing in ICE but instead of falling through the ice, you get lawnmower (industrial 3 deck mowers) stuck in wet ground because you sunk

mow without hitting trees/damaging things (adjust how wide you are from lifting and putting down your mower decks)

Pick up littered cans - mermaid_k

exchange for money to buy things

Weedwhacking - mermaid_k

Work at cemetery (spooky) - mermaid_k

Grass care

Learning Ideas:

Learn about endangered species - skmdk64

Learn about species of sea turtles - mermaid_k

Learn about the Civil War/plantations - itoldyousoanysayo

Learn about the Incas - empresslanfan

Learn Cyrillic code - withoutreservation

Learn more about Maori culture - anonamouselle

Learn more Spanish - empresslanfan

Learn some Swahili - empresslanfan

Research Cold War history (in Russia) - tuf00234

I would love to see Nancy go to Amsterdam, Holland for an awesome downtown experience or perhaps Beijing, China for some Great Wall/Forbidden City action!

Location Ideas:

Amsterdam downtown - haeniym

Angkor Wat - milk-eyedmender

Australia - kai_okama

Central America - mermaid_k

China - kai_okama

Conservation area (in Africa)  - skmdk64

Costa Rica - mermaid_k

Forbidden City - haeniym

Great Wall - haeniym

Hong Kong - mothprincess

Hungary - skmdk64

India - nandydrew

Istanbul - mothprincess

Kenya - tatertoski

Los Angeles - mardropkick

Ocean liner - hayleyhairball

National park - allieadmade

New York - mardropkick

Peru - empresslanfan

Romania - countrygirl2487

Romania castle - tuf00234

Russia - alyssarcastic

Russian playgrounds (creepy) - tuf00234

Safari - tatertoski

South America - empresslanfan

South Korea - kai_okama

Space - writhingroots

Sub-sahara Africa - alyssarcastic

Sweden - likealonewolf

Switzerland - mothprincess

Tanzania - tatertoski

Zoo (in Africa) - skmdk64

Ending Ideas:

Anonymous -

I want a Nancy Drew game that features Hotchkiss as one of the characters and at the end, it looks like the culprit is going to get away with their crime, but Hotchkiss comes over at the last second and hits them over the head with a guitar, saying, "Rock and roll, dear."

The Key Clue :) -

So, in the first game it would be Nancy in Australia - something we all want! I have absolutely no idea what the plot would be, but my idea involves more of the ending of this game. The game ends in a cliff-hanger. Just after Nancy explains the solution of the mystery and before the credits come up, Nancy is boarding her plane home. The plane takes off and an announcement comes over from the pilot. Something along the lines of "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached our cruising altitude of 30,000 feet and the weather looks..." The pilot stops speaking abruptly and you here a crash over the PA system. The plane takes a nose dive and quickly comes up again back onto its regular course. A strange voice comes over the system and says "Would Nancy Drew please come to the cockpit immediately. If she refuses to comply with our wishes, her fellow passengers will pay the price." Something threatening along those lines. And that's it. The game ends.

Mayaw1010

Along the lines of SPY though, one aspect I really liked about that game and Ghost of Thornton Hall that I want to see more of is when we get to make choices that affect the game. I loved how GTH had multiple endings and SPY gave you the choice to work with the opposing group or not. For me, making choices that actually matter really creates tension.

Sugarplumninja -

Catch animal poachers

[papenniesandbentoboxes]

MBTI Typing Nancy Drew Characters - George Fayne

George Fayne! I’ve typed her before, but since then, I’ve done a lot more character analysis of George and the types themselves. I believe in some of the Girl Detective Books, she seems like more of an ENTJ, and I know some ENTJs that heavily remind me of her, but after more research into her character in different games and media, I’ve re-typed her as an ESTP. It seems more fitting to her as a character and explains a lot more.

ESTPs are adventure seekers. After Nancy, George is the most adventurous person in the River Heights crew. She’s into extreme sports, she’s not afraid of anything, and she’s always looking for new experiences, which is from the Se function. She also channels this drive to do new things into her love of technology and science.

Another aspect of ESTPs is the Ti function, which helps these people be more logical and think outside the box. We see that quite often with George. She strives for more knowledge and more information, which is another way she bonds with Nancy. In SAW, we see her in her element, a technology expo where she’s surrounded by brilliant minds and loads of new tech and research. Ti helps this type find answers and helps them master their skills.

ESTPs also tend to be impatient at times. We see this in ASH when George talks to both Deirdre and Brenda. Judging by the way she speaks with them and her tone of voice, and the fact that she clearly could be doing something else with her time, she clearly thinks that her talking with them is a waste of time (especially with Brenda). She can’t stand Brenda constantly changing the subject and not answering her. Another example of George being impatient can be observed in TRN when she’s helping Bess paint the room. While also loving and wanting to help her cousin, she has trouble with the fact that Bess tends to be a daydreamer and can sometimes waste time. There’s a time where George just drops the paintbrush and says something along the lines of, “That’s it, I’m leaving,” just to get Bess to pay attention again and get the job done.

In short, this typing to be more accurate than my first typing of her. She’s way more adventurous than most ENTJs and explores new things as much as possible. From technology expos to reality TV shows, she’s always seeking adventure and excitement. I love George, and I really do believe that this typing fits her better.