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Mod edit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1005365109/jane-jensens-pinkerton-road-2012-2013-csg

Who or What is Pinkerton Road?

Pinkerton Road is the new game studio started by game veterans Jane Jensen and Robert Holmes. Our focus is 3rd person adventure games for PC and tablet with rich stories, gorgeous art and seamlessly fun play. The studio will use a new model, "Community Supported Gaming" (CSG) to fund and develop their games.

Jane is known for games with complex, dark plotlines ala Dan Brown. She created the Gabriel Knight adventure game series at Sierra On-Line and the recent Gray Matter. And in the past eight years, she designed and directed leading casual games including Women’s Murder Club, Dying for Daylight and Deadtime Stories at Oberon Media/I-Play Studio. Now she's returning to her roots and founding an adventure game studio. Robert, Jane's husband, produced GK1 and has written music for many of Jane’s games. His endlessly hip band, The Scarlet Furies, did the toe-tapping themes in Gray Matter and Dying for Daylight.

The Pinkerton Road studio is located on a remote outpost of gamedom -- Jane and Robert's farm in Lancaster County, PA.

OK. What is CSG?

CSG = Community Supported Gaming. We stole the idea from CSAs – Community Supported Agriculture -- where customers subscribe to a small organic farm for a season and get a basket of just-picked produce each week. This supports the small farmer while the customers get the freshest food available and a direct relationship with the person growing their food.

Our CSG will work in a similar way. Sign up as a Pinkerton Road CSG member, and you'll get all of the awesome games we produce for one year*. The CSG model will help our studio survive financially so that we can make the kinds of games that YOU and WE want to play (not what some big publisher’s marketing department has decided will be the next big hit).

But, let’s be honest, this brilliant idea goes beyond that! We want our customers to feel like part of our studio family (as many did in the Sierra On-Line days). As a CSG member, you’ll get regular video updates on what we’re doing, peeks at the newest art, glimpses of our games in development and the inside scoop what it's like to operate a game studio. It’s like you’ll have a virtual desk right next to ours. Just don't hog the stapler!

This model will also be ridiculously useful to us, as developers. We'll have a customer base to get feedback from through A/B testing and early beta tests. If we have a slot for one more game next year, how would you like to decide if it’s Concept A, B or C? As a CSG member, you will. If fact, May 1 those who have signed up will vote on one of the 3 concepts below as our very first Pinkerton Road adventure game! Update: Voting for the games has been bumped up to April 14-15

* Note: If we do any work-for-hire for another company we will not be able to offer that free to our CSG members since we won’t own the rights. But rest assured that we will keep our season full of original studio content! After all, that's the point!

---------

Update #1

Game concept A: Gray Matter 2

Story: Renegade Oxford Neurobiologist Dr. David Styles and his assistant, American street magician, Samantha Everett, continue on David's quest to research powers of the mind. In this game, they visit the home of a dead student who had the power to unleash a fiery force when her emotions were charged. What is the nature of her genetic lineage? Was her devastating gift a fluke? Or do the xenophobic residents of her small island home harbor secrets they’d rather the world not know?

Art Style & Mechanic: Like Gray Matter, this game will have a pre-rendered 3D art style (aka "2.5 D"). It will be a 3rd person adventure game with a point-and-click mechanic like Gray Matter and an improved magic interface -- and more time playing Dr. Styles!

Game concept B: Moebius

Story: Malachi Rector is an antiquities dealer who hunts down artifacts all over the world. After losing everything in a fire, he's hired by a Manhattan millionaire to investigate a series of events and document them in his meticulous way. But Rector soon realizes that the events hold a bizarre significance, as does his own existence. This is a metaphysical thriller ala Dante’s Equation and Gabriel Knight.

Art Style & Mechanic: 2D, graphic novel look and feel (like an updated GK1). It will be a 3rd person adventure game with a point-and-click mechanic and lots of sophisticated puzzles.

Update #2

Game concept C: Anglophile Adventure

Story: Evangeline learns that her beloved Little Nidd Farm is in desperate financial straits following her father’s death. She finds a threatening letter from the local Viscountess among her father’s papers and decides to apply for a governess position at the great estate. She’s determined to get to the heart of the ominous-sounding secret mentioned in the letter. She disguises herself as a dowdy frump in order to keep the Viscountess’s notorious rake of a son at bay. Sex, scandal, ghosts and lies abound in this historical mystery/romance set in the Cotswolds in Regency England.

Art Style & Mechanic: High resolution, high detail 2D (resolution set for ipad3) in a realistic cartoony style. Point and click adventure with classic adventure puzzles appropriate to the historical period.

-----

A banner appeared on adventuregamers.com, leading to this youtube channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/PinkertonRoad?ob=0&feature=results_main

One video is from the opening of Gray Matter, the other is from the ending of Gabriel Knight 3

then there's this countdown site: http://pinkertonroad.com/

And Jane recently opened a facebook page too: http://www.facebook.com/janejensenhomes

 

[SparkTR]

Isn't Jane working on Cognition?

 

[CecilRousso]

Awesome news! Gray Matter is a great adventure game, one the most underrated games of 2011.

 

[Bebpo]

Isn't Jane working on Cognition?

Helping out. Like Obsidian's involvement in wasteland 2 but probably a smaller role than even that. This would be her own game, written by her, designed by her.

 

[Dog Problems]

Adventure game about Weezer, I'm sure.

 

[GhaleonQ]

Helping out. Like Obsidian's involvement in wasteland 2 but probably a smaller role than even that. This would be her own game, written by her, designed by her.

Do we know this? I assumed otherwise when I saw it on Adventure Treff.

 

[Ignis Fatuus]

Do we know this? I assumed otherwise when I saw it on Adventure Treff.

She's never been advertized as anything more than a "consultant" on Cognition.

 

[Lissar]

Well if this is something new from her I'm completely on board. I guess we'll just have to wait. :x

 

[mescalineeyes]

Adventure game about Weezer, I'm sure.

Sure hope she doesn't make any games after that then. On simply can not go and top Pinkerton amirite?

 

[Dog Problems]

Sure hope she doesn't make any games after that then. On simply can not go and top Pinkerton amirite?

Haha, for sure.

I wonder if this will be a Kickstarter project.

 

[TheChaos]

Glad to see Jane Jensen is still around, she does a good job crafting stories.

 

[fushi]

Why isn't Gray Matter on Steam? At least then people would know that a Jane Jensen game was released fairly recently...

 

[SmZA]

I always think it's this Jane Jensen. Great album if you can find it. She also starred in Tromeo and Juliet. But she's not the same Jane Jensen as the game designer. So carry on.

 

[Spectacular Dr Dawg]

A banner appeared on adventuregamers.com, leading to this youtube channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/PinkertonRoad?ob=0&feature=results_main

One video is from the opening of Gray Matter, the other is from the ending of Gabriel Knight 3

then there's this countdown site: http://pinkertonroad.com/

And Jane recently opened a facebook page too: http://www.facebook.com/janejensenhomes

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is one of the best adventure games ever so I'm really looking forward to this.

 

[Santiako]

I though this was going to be a spin-off of the gnome from baldurs gate 2.

 

[LiK]

Gray Matter disappointed me. Hope this is better.

 

[BassForever]

Hopefully this game can match the magic of the first two Gabriel Knight titles, only games of hers I've played to competition but both were fantastic. I started playing GK3..... but never really got far, wasn't very enjoyable.

 

[MMaRsu]

Give me a new gabriel knight pls!!

 

[StrongArmSteady]

Give me a new gabriel knight pls!!

Yes! I need my SchattenJaeger fix..

 

[sloppyjoe_gamer]

Anyone else immediately think of her when they read the thread title?

 

[MrBud360]

I was thinking, maybe she is working with Telltale Games on the new King Quest......

 

[LiK]

I was thinking, maybe she is working with Telltale Games on the new King Quest......

that would be awesome....

 

[Boerseun]

Jane Jensen has yet to produce a great game outside of the now defunct Sierra On-line, in my opinion. Gray Matter spent ages in pre-production before starting a long development cycle, and yet still has glaring problems with unbalanced pacing and an atmosphere that varies constantly between serious psycho-drama and horrible B-movie cheese. I still enjoyed it (for what it's worth) but I'm hoping whatever she does next is a step up in quality.

I was thinking, maybe she is working with Telltale Games on the new King Quest......

Telltale getting the King's Quest license still makes me cry.

Spoiler

*sob*

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

GK4? Please?

 

[Jiguryo]

Anyone else immediately think of her when they read the thread title?

This could be the "Shut up and take all my money" image for the previous century.

 

[Dennis]

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is one of the best adventure games ever so I'm really looking forward to this.

THE best, my friend. THE best.

 

[Joseph Merrick]

Helping out. Like Obsidian's involvement in wasteland 2 but probably a smaller role than even that. This would be her own game, written by her, designed by her.

only the chris avellone and tools part of her is working on that, the rest of her is working on this :O

 

[QisTopTier]

Anyone else immediately think of her when they read the thread title?

LOL looks like she has lazy eye

 

[GhaleonQ]

She's never been advertized as anything more than a "consultant" on Cognition.

Oh, I know, but I thought this was news on that.

 

[Family Fry]

Well apparently it's leaked.

Jane is founding a new studio and will be asking for $300k to kickstart 3 projects, kickstarter backers will get to vote which one comes first.

Grey Matter 2

Mobius
"A man investigates a series of events around the world for a mysterious benefactor and learns a secret that changes his entire world view."

Anglophile Adventure
"Visit Regency England for a little sex, lies and scandal."

The $300k will fund ALL 3 projects.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

D. none of the above

 

[BassForever]

Well apparently it's leaked.

Jane is founding a new studio and will be asking for $300k to kickstart 3 projects, kickstarter backers will get to vote which one comes first.

Grey Matter 2

Mobius
"A man investigates a series of events around the world for a mysterious benefactor and learns a secret that changes his entire world view."

Anglophile Adventure
"Visit Regency England for a little sex, lies and scandal."

The $300k will fund ALL 3 projects.

Well Mobius sounds interesting :X

 

[maquiladora]

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is one of the best adventure games ever so I'm really looking forward to this.

Its one of the best games ever, not just adventure games.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

Fine with me, a new Jane Jensen studio sounds great. Let's hope she's got a team of dedicated folks. Moebius sounds intriguing, supposedly there is concept art floating around? Will contribute to the Kickstarter without a doubt.

I'm all giddy seeing this resurgence of point-and-click.

 

[Dog Problems]

Well apparently it's leaked.

Jane is founding a new studio and will be asking for $300k to kickstart 3 projects, kickstarter backers will get to vote which one comes first.

Grey Matter 2

Mobius
"A man investigates a series of events around the world for a mysterious benefactor and learns a secret that changes his entire world view."

Anglophile Adventure
"Visit Regency England for a little sex, lies and scandal."

The $300k will fund ALL 3 projects.

It'll be worth alone it for Grey Matter 2, the other two are just icing on the cake.

 

[AndyMoogle]

Well apparently it's leaked.

Jane is founding a new studio and will be asking for $300k to kickstart 3 projects, kickstarter backers will get to vote which one comes first.

Grey Matter 2

Mobius
"A man investigates a series of events around the world for a mysterious benefactor and learns a secret that changes his entire world view."

Anglophile Adventure
"Visit Regency England for a little sex, lies and scandal."

The $300k will fund ALL 3 projects.

She is going to make three games with 300k. Meanwhile, the Leisure Suit Larry remake needs 500k for some reason...

 

[Family Fry]

There was apparently links to the new website that were live.

http://pinkertonroad.com/news
http://pinkertonroad.com/games

but the links are now dead and re-direct to main page.
They had some info about kickstarter and the 3 main games looking to be funded, haven't found any site art yet seems no one right clicked saved anything or took some grabs.

 

[CecilRousso]

Hope they fix the page soon, and get the Kickstarter up and running.

 

[SparkTR]

She must have acquired additional funding or be extremely good at management, since $300,000 for three games is incredibly thin. Throwing $100 down.

 

[CecilRousso]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1005365109/jane-jensens-pinkerton-road-2012-2013-csg

Can you really make a great adventure game for $300K?

A 3rd person adventure game like the one we're planning would normally cost at least twice that. But we are putting in some funding as well, and the team is taking less up front in exchange for rev share. So this project already has committed believers behind it. The last piece we need is you!

 

[duckroll]

Edited OP and changed the topic.

 

[CecilRousso]

It seems like it of to a slow start, but I hope people will support it. For $600 000 we will get two adventure games from them. And we need Gray Matter 2.

 

[speedpop]

Backed with the might of Odin. Too many awesome projects.

 

[Vinterbird]

That was a really really cool pitch video they did, will back them.

 

[Saty]

So what’s included in the Pinkerton Road 2012-2013 CSG season?

This first CSG season will run from the present through end of June 2013. How many games will we do in that period? That depends on what we raise during funding.

If we meet our Kickstarter goal the season will include:
* Lola and Lucy’s Big Adventure (a kid’s e-book/game written by Jane that we’ve funded ourselves as a bootstrap studio project. It’s nearly finished and will be released Summer 2012.)
* An all new original adventure game by Jane in the vein of Gabriel Knight and Gray Matter (no pun intended) on PC download, due approximately Mar 2013.

If we raise $600K or more the season will ALSO include:
* A second Jane Jensen adventure game on PC download, due approximately June 2013. We have a white board full of concepts that have been crawling around in Jane’s brain for years. Or it might be another of the 3 concepts below -- if it gets enough of your votes.

Do they really have a big\good enough studio to potentially release two adventure games in the span of the 3 months and having each being a meaty and worthy game?

 

[CecilRousso]

Do they really have a big\good enough studio to potentially release two adventure games in the span of the 3 months and having each being a meaty and worthy game?

Well, after the development of Gray Matter 1, you can be sure that they know just about everything about the troubles they can run into in these kinds of projects. They have the experience, so I choose to believe them.

 

[MrBud360]

Pleged with 110$. I will vote for Moebius!!! If it's like Gabriel as she said, i'm in!!!!Go Jane Go Jane!!!

 

[this guy are sick]

I'm kind of confused as to why her anglophile adventure appears to be set in Venice and not some murky English canal. Hope she makes her target!

 

[Lissar]

Hmm, can't imagine this will make $600k... I love Jane Jensen, but well, I doubt many people will remember if they know who she is at all. Well, I guess we'll see.

 

[CecilRousso]

Pleged with 110$. I will vote for Moebius!!! If it's like Gabriel as she said, i'm in!!!!Go Jane Go Jane!!!

Noooo! Gray Matter 2!