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Yeah, that's what I was thinking as well. Could be Walking Dead, Silent Hill, Alice Cooper or maybe the theme introducing P&T as our icons? Last year the did the Thing house announcement on July 19th, so possibly we'll just get TWD announcement.

^ Nice, thanks for the info. I'll be waiting to see something on Friday then. If they're sharing IP houses it makes sense to do it at the same time.

Hey! When do you think we'll see the next website update? I was thinking this Friday the 13th is a good date, plus they know there's always information leaks of some sort after the first auditions, so it makes sense to me to make it official right now, or at least they could show us some teaser or advance on this year's event / theme.

Interesting...so we might get the chance to see two houses inside SS22 or Earthquake queue and have 8 houses after all... Thanks for the clarification JWFearman Can't wait for the final reveal!

Maybe is a combination of both, 4 stationary SZ and 4 roaming SZ, that would explain why they were listed in two group of four. I can see 4 of them roaming along the parade route and 4 stationary in the back. Question: Is there still a chance of a dual run house in those listed locations? 7 locations doesn't necessarily mean 7 houses. If that's the case we could go up to 8 houses and 8 SZ...and that'd be sweet

What some people need to realize is that as the event keeps getting bigger and more profitable for UO each year, there will be more executive decisions been made over the HHN A&D team, like new houses, security concerns or censorship restriction. I'm sure A&D had 8 pretty original house concepts by January, and we'll be lucky if we see half of those concepts make it to the actual event. Hell, they even replaced last year's A&D original icon just because it was too gory, so to them it wasn't marketable and it wouln't look good on billboards, so they came with the Lady Luck concept at the last minute. But that's ok, that's the nature of this business, and it happens every year. Maybe when they said this "new era" would only have original concepts they meant it, but again they don't have the final word. There's always a new movie that has to be promoted (e.g. the thing, the wolfman...), or a new partnership that will drag more people to the event (e.g. fangoria, TWD, P&T), or make them buy a t-shirt or a mug. Things like TWD or Silent Hill draws large crowds, not original ideas. At the end that's all that matters to UO, make each year more profitable to them. That been said, it doesn't mean that this year's going to suck. I really trust the HHN A&D team, and I know they will not disappoint us. We had great original houses on past years, but we also had great movie-based houses. Some Houses/SZ that had great concepts ended up being a big flop, and some of those that looked really lame on the board ended up being that year's event big surprise. I know they'll deliver and I'm all for this house list, just be open minded and wait to see the final concept and how they'll tie everything together, it's too early on the game to have an opinion on that. BTW if you've been around for a while you know some people have sources, that's not mere speculation, people like JWFearrman and Dr. Jimmy prove it each year, while it's true that we can see some changes from this stage to the final event, I'd take notice on their comments. What I'd really be concerned about is where are they going to fit the 7th house, how are they going to manage the people flow around the park, how many scarezones we'll have and their locations. I was thinking that maybe if they fit 3 of those SZ in the back, people will have a reason to be there besides B&T. The Amity hallway is wider than last year's Canyon of Dark Souls, put the appropiate music, lighting, fog and throw the chainsaw drill team on the top of that and you'll have the hell of a scarezone. I was in the park yesterday and I saw SS44. It's in pretty bad shape right now, there's no way that thing can be demolished, built up again and have a house built inside in time for HHN. That's just not gonna happen (I'll post some pictures later). I'm really hoping they come out with a new permit this week. At the end if we only get one crappy house out of 7 I'll be pleased, it happens every year, often more than one...

Hey there, it's good to be back! Getting excited already with all the speculation. Anyway, here's a print screen of the phrase on the website: I zoomed in and draw some guidelines in photoshopt to see which letters are raised or larger than the others, and here's the result: So the "T" in "IT'S" slightly raised, the "E" and "R" in "NEVER", the two "O"s in "TOO", the first "O" in "SOON" and the first "T" in "START" are also raised and maybe the last "I" in "PANICKING". So we have TEROOOTI ? TEROOOT? I do't know, maybe it means something or maybe not, what do you think? About the background image speculation, I don't think there's something hidding in there more than the obvious (horizon, sky, light shine, blood splatter), but I think it definitely has the same feel and look as TWD promo pictures and posters. Here's a comparison: Looking forward to seeing the outcome of all this!

Here's the Preview Video

From FB - 2 hours ago Is Hal's luck about to run out?

You nailed it. 100% agree with you Exactly, we are expecting something that blows our minds, we know UO can do much better than this spot, 'cause they've done it before flawlessly. Anyway, as you said, it's not fair to make a snap judgment about her character until we've seen the full reveal, but first impressions last. I still have high hopes for the event, and overall Lady Luck is a great concept...let's wait and see how it goes from here.

This is my biggest fear right now...(see what I did there?)

Well, I'm sure the houses will be great, they all have great concepts, and the theme itself isn't the problem as you guys already said, in fact I was really excited with our Lady Luck speculation until... WTF WITH THIS COMMERCIAL?? It looks like one of those fan-made commercials from youtube. The narrator, the music, the makeup, the acting, what the hell with that accent anyway? AWFUL execution! It looks like HOS '09 commercial meets Desperate Housewives. They better put this MILF with needles in her eyes mutilating people all over the place or something for the final commercial release. Is there any kind of creative filter before stuff like this is being released? (sigh)...dear Michel Roddy, where are you when we need you?

Whoa! What an leaky day! This is a screencap from the commercial at 00:13 Is this Lady Luck's "other side"? Gosh I hope this "other side" is better that the one we already saw on the GTN preview commercial...

That would mean that there won't be an icon house this year, so what's the point of the house of cards on the website? If they're creating this character "Luck" just to be into a scarezone and for marketing purpose, she'd be the same as "Fear", and as I said before, more than disappointing, to me this would be a failure. On the other hand, they could use the notion of "Luck" and "Chance" on every house (like the red button picture), and don't use it as a character, but again, what would happen to all the 1920's atmosphere they created? or who will be the event's marketing face?

With all that has been shown and speculated, I still think we're going to see an icon character (with its icon house) this year, if not, it would be a terrible failure. About the icon, since the first press release, UO was throwing a capitalized name "Luck" everywhere, implying this will be the icon. The haven't built a back story YET, but they keep sending letters about "Luck" with scratches and dried blood splatters on them, they also posted some videos about knives noises and a rabbit's foot being mutilated, that we can easily relate to the mutilated hand we've seen from the beginning. Then, there's the crypt house, which is the only house that we don't really know that much about. They throw a name "Lady Elizabeth Hawthorne", implying some connection between the cemetery/crypts and this woman, we also know its setting in the XIX century. We don't know anything else about her. Coincidence? I don't think so. I don't think they're just going to slip the name "Luck" everywhere for any reason, and I really don't think they are creating this new character (Lady Elizabeth Hawthorne), with all the setting (and presumably a back story), and a game focusing on her, if it doesn't have any connection with the icon. Maybe we won't have a casino house, or maybe not in the way we were expecting it, but there will be an icon house, or a "main house", and if not our "house of cards" on the website would be a waste of time. The facade on the SS22 sketch, reminds me of the house of cards, maybe that's our icon house. What we know for sure is that they need a face for marketing purpose, and I don't think they're gonna pull some rabbit out of the hat the last month before the event. I'm sure we'll know more about this house, and Lady Elizabeth Hawthorne, and we'll understand her connection with Lady Luck. They have to wrap things up, and this is the month to do so. We just have to wait and connect the dots.

I'd like to add the author of each book as it appears on the game: - Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley (1818) - Wuthering Heights by Ellis Bell (London, 1847) - The Rime Of The Ancyent Marinere by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1798) - Vampyre: A Tale by John Polidori (London, 1819) - Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1846) Although it says that is a random choice game, I beat it with the same choices three times. From left to right: - Second & Third books on the top - First, Third and Fourth on the bottom. I hope this works for you.

I've heard it several times, loud with my headphones on. They are speaking spanish in the first 12 seconds, it is spanish from Spain, as black mask said. It is not portuguese. I could identified 2 women (maybe teachers), and several children playing, screaming like normal children do. The problem is that they overlap like 4 dialogue layers, so you can't understand what they are saying. However, between 0:09 and 0:11, I can hardly hear one of the women saying: ¿Cómo? ¿Qué tengo miedo? = What? Am I afraid? But again, it is really intentionally jumbled, so it could be anything. Also after the first 12 seconds they're speaking other language, certainly not spanish.

100% Agreed. It has to be Saws and Steam, and no doubt that the games match the houses. 8 chips = 8 games = 8 Houses Also remember "Nobody beats the House". In the bottom left corner of the game screen there's a button to "The House" a.k.a. the House of Cards. To me, the house of cards is going to reveal our Main House / Icon House / Casino House after we beat the 8 games. I thought the exact same thing, I think this is where it's heading to.

Hey guys, I'm kinda new in all this meetup thing. This will be my 5th HHN, but the first one since I moved to Orlando, and the first one I'll be able to attend more than one night, so I'm really excited about it! Please add me to all the FFP+ nights. I'll be mostly on my own, so I'm looking forward to meeting all of you and have some fun together. I have some questions though, Where's the meetup spot going to be? What time? Do you guys meet to get some drinks before the event? Where? Are you gonna buy the HHN Express or just planing to do the regular lines? Sorry for the all newbie questions!

Dude, like I said before "on his first voyage, he sailed with three ships according to most history books, but recent studies have shown that he actually sailed with not three but four ships". Take a look at these articles: http://staugustine.com/stories/071206/civic_advocate_civav_1.shtml http://thesteineraid.blogspot.com/2004/08/christopher-columbus-fourth-ship.html There's even a published book about this subject: 1492: The Fourth Caravel of Christopher Columbus There's a mystery around this voyage, but the important thing here is that we're on the same page about the possible theme for the house.

Lizz you nailed it. Take a look at these 1960 - 1969 TV Set Advertising and 1970 - 1979 TV Set Advertising, for comparison. The posters in the TV game say "New Color TV" "New! Console TVs!" and "Everything you always wanted in a color TV" The Console TVs was the new thing in the 70's . Now look a this 1971 Admiral "Portable" Console TV poster: Is the exact same poster at the right in the TV game. So, it's early 70's.

Hey I see you've been struggling with that one, Spanish is my mother tongue, so here's the correct translation: "Había cuatro naves y se fue de España; Navegó por el sol, el viento y la lluvia. Tres barcos continuaron explorando, Pero, ¿qué pasó con el número cuatro? " "There were four ships and he/she left Spain, he/she sailed through the sun, the wind and the rain. Three ships continued exploring, But what happened to number four?" Ok, so it has to be about Christopher Columbus first voyage. In 1492 he sailed from Spain to prove the Earth's roundness, but also to search for a western route to the Orient. He ended discovering America and landed in the Bahamas, marking the beginning of the European exploration and colonization of the American continent. In this voyage, he sailed with three ships according to most history books: La Pinta (The Painted), La Niña (The Little Girl) and The Santa Maria (St. Mary). BUT recent studies have shown that he actually sailed with not three but four ships, and the last one - called "San Jose" (St. Joseph) - got lost in the Bermudas Triangle and never made it. I think here is where the clue is heading to: a Spanish ghost ship.

Hey guys, this is my second post, I'm also a long time reader on HNN as well as on the Vault, blah, blah, blah (you know how it goes). Anyway, when I saw the new clue I immediately though about one of my favorite book, Stephen King's horror novel/cult classic movie "Pet Sematary" (yes it's spelled SEMATARY). Now, take a look at the book cover: When Lewis (the main character) follows Victor (the ghost) to the Pet Sematary, he sees this creepy blue light, which is meant to represent some kind of barrier between the world of the living and the world of the dead. He's advised many times not to go there, but well, we all know how it ends. I tried to look for the scene, and the only thing I found was a this fanmade youtube video with some of the movie scenes, (jump to 4:39) Having said that, does this mean we are going to see a Pet Sematary house/scare zone this year? Or could this be a mere coincidence?? Stephen King has so much good material that had never been exploited in HHN (maybe only IT?), a Pet Sematary house could be awesome. What do u think?

Having read last pages of spec, and after reading the Official Press Release, and the possible code names, there are some things that we know for sure right now: 1. This year's theme will be DEFINITELY a Casino theme, or at least the main house will be Casino themed. 2. The setting will be in the 20's or 30's 3. The name "Luck" (capitalized) is everywhere. There are some interesting statements in the official press release like "You are captivated by an intense desire to tempt fate" "Desire seduces you…" "Luck will run out as you are consumed..." which led me to think that this year's icon will be a woman named LUCK (maybe it's too obvious). So, my wild guess is that there will be a Casino/Prohibition Era house, in the same fashion of the Universal Palace Theater, but this time the main icon will be a woman, maybe some Jessica Rabbit kinda girl obsessed with knives (queen of spades anyone?) who seduces you inside the casino and then kills people in the back room...or maybe a really big multiple choice casino house, with multiple paths, or doors, in where you have to spin a wheel or make a decision to which way to go...I don't know, just throwing some ideas. What do you think? Anyway, I hope they'll bring us an all original awesome HHN this year. So far, it looks good.