Designing MANHUNTER III.

[Tawmis]

Well, the game at the end of Manhunter II clearly leads to the idea that there might be a third... so where would the ship go? Another city? What city?

The idea came to me to post some threads about other Sierra games, when I was just digging through my email and found an ancient story I had written where the next King's Quest game would be Edgar (from King's Quest IV) seeking out Rosella to try and win her hand in marriage. It was, in my head, a cool idea because Edgar would technically be a king (with his mother - spoilers! - now dead).

So, I thought - given the chance, if you were brought in to help, or pitch ideas, or help direct (so let's avoid answers like, "I'd call in Jane Jensen/Al Lowe/Roberta Willians/Scott Murphy/Lori & Corey Cole/Mark Crowe/Christy Marx/etc" - and assume they're there too ) - to work on the next game.

So in this case - if you were a part of the creative team, what would you hope for in the next MANHUNTER III?

[notbobsmith]

It should take place in London, like originally planned.

I've wondered how the game could be finally wrapped up. How do you defeat the Orbs? One thing I was thinking is that perhaps in the climax, you take control of an orbital weapon and wipe out Orb installations globally. This would also fit with the endings of the other games where you take control of something (a ship in Manhunter 1 and a control room in Manhunter 2) to destroy Orb facilities in the city you're in.

[Tawmis]

It should take place in London, like originally planned.

I've wondered how the game could be finally wrapped up. How do you defeat the Orbs? One thing I was thinking is that perhaps in the climax, you take control of an orbital weapon and wipe out Orb installations globally. This would also fit with the endings of the other games where you take control of something (a ship in Manhunter 1 and a control room in Manhunter 2) to destroy Orb facilities in the city you're in.

London would have been an awesome setting; though undoubtedly bleak like New York and San Francisco!

And that would actually be a cool way to wrap up the game.

[Tawmis]

It should take place in London, like originally planned.
I've wondered how the game could be finally wrapped up. How do you defeat the Orbs? One thing I was thinking is that perhaps in the climax, you take control of an orbital weapon and wipe out Orb installations globally. This would also fit with the endings of the other games where you take control of something (a ship in Manhunter 1 and a control room in Manhunter 2) to destroy Orb facilities in the city you're in.

London would have been an awesome setting; though undoubtedly bleak like New York and San Francisco!
And that would actually be a cool way to wrap up the game.

This got me digging around - and I found this about Manhunter 3. Then found this: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic ... mFHdSYTXog

Hi.

Just to set the record straight:

1. Evryware did not leave because of poor sales. Not to brag but...
Manhunter was very profitable and actually was "Game of the Year for 1986".

We are now contacting Sierra about the rights (as JuntMonkey) said, to redo the originals and hopefully carry-on due to high demand. As little information as I can give, it will most likely use the Wild Tangent engine and will be release in small "episodes" (days, if you know the series) and available for download. The first will be free and the next will be very cheap, maybe $1 or $2.

2. The Link for Manhunter 3 was taken down because we decided to remake the originals like I said.

3. Where did Evryware go? We decided to focus on web design and are now also working with record companies and independent artists.

One more thing, we are looking for modelers, level designers, and texturers for the game. If you are interested, contact me.

-Thanks
--Michael Murry
--Evryware Inc.

That was back in 2000. So it's been 18 years. And it looks like the deal (obviously) fell through.

[notbobsmith]

I remember seeing the Manhunter 3 link in the early 2000s. There was a flash animation there which had already been taken down by the time I discovered it. I've wondered who has the rights to the game, but it sounds like Sierra (or Blizzard Activision now) still owns them. It's a shame they couldn't make Manhunter 3 happen.

I've read Ken Williams account of what happened between Sierra and Evryware and I still think some details are not quite right. The Ancient Art of War came out before Manhunter in 1984. So they were involved with Broderbund already when Manhunter was released.

This was probably just a typo on Michael Murry's part, but Manhunter was released in 1988, not 1986.

[Collector]

I imagine that the Murrys own it.

[Tawmis]

I imagine that the Murrys own it.

I don't know. Sounds like Sierra still owns it based on this:
We are now contacting Sierra about the rights (as JuntMonkey) said, to redo the originals and hopefully carry-on due to high demand.