Danger by Design is the fourteenth game in the Nancy Drew adventure series. It is based on Nancy Drew Files #30: Death by Design. In this game, Nancy goes undercover as an intern to discover the reason behind the eccentric behavior of a fashion designer.
This is the first game to feature Nancy's desk, a new cover box design, and Her Interactive's new Nancy silhouette.
Synopsis[]
Go undercover in Paris and unravel a case in style!
You, as Nancy Drew, intern undercover in a prestigious fashion design studio in Paris. The lead designer, Minette, hasn't quite been herself lately and her boss, who is a friend of your father's, asks Nancy to look into her odd behavior. Minette has fallen dangerously behind on her fashion projects and her financial backers are very concerned about her ability to complete her work. She also hides behind a white mask and often throws tantrums, even irrationally firing several employees. Mysterious threats arrive at the old windmill studio and other troubles lurk in the underbelly of the City of Lights. Can you help Minette release her latest clothing line on time? Or will your sleuthing abroad meet an unfashionable end?
- Experience Parisian life - dining at a café, translating French and riding the Metro
- Skin dive and snoop around the catacombs
- Solve puzzles based on concocting parfaits, developing photos and completing circuit boards
Characters[]
Minette[]
Minette's real name is Tammy Barnes. She can charitably be called eccentric, using "rude" as a substitute for "cool" and having a mannequin called Carol for a best friend. Her fashions are designed for plus-size women (at least a size 12).
Heather McKay[]
Heather is Minette's assistant and is surprisingly patient with Minette's sometimes-violent outbursts. She also aspires to be a fashion designer in the future and is working for Minette to get a feel for the business side of things, or so she says.
Jing Jing Ling[]
Jing Jing is Nancy's Australian roommate and is also one of Minette's models. She has a fast metabolism and is trying to go up to a perfect size 12, so she bakes cookies all day.
Dieter von Schwesterkrank[]
Dieter is a fashion photographer who's worked for, and also dated, Minette.
Jean-Michel Traquenard[]
Jean-Mi is the editor for Glam Glam Magazine. In his unofficial "office" at Cafe Kiki, he passes judgment upon any and all fashion.
Phone Friends[]
There are two phones. One is on Nancy's desk and the other is at her apartment.
Bess Marvin and George Fayne[]
Bess and George are cousins and are good friends of Nancy. They can give her advice if she's a Junior Detective.
The Hardy Boys[]
Frank and Joe are detective brothers whom Nancy knows. They can give her advice if she's a Junior Detective.
Prudence Rutherford[]
A returning character from Secret of the Scarlet Hand. Nancy may only speak to her on the phone when she calls the moulin about her designs.
Lynn Manrique[]
Lynn is a historian who persistently attempts to contact Minette about Noisette Tornade, the previous owner of the moulin.
Trivia[]
- This is the first game since The Haunted Carousel in which Nancy loses or does not bring her cell phone on a case.
Continuity[]
- Prudence Rutherford's cowboy boots in her wardrobe were made at Shadow Ranch. (The Secret of Shadow Ranch)
- Your calling card in the game is from Zippy, did the 1930 gas station cross service and international boundaries? (Secret of the Old Clock)
- Emily Griffin sends a fan e-mail to Minette, and mentions her bottles at Moon Lake. (Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake)
- At the Pont Neuf park, park vendor's can be found selling various objects from previous games.
- The arm of spook 10 and the fundae spoon from Captain's Cove Amusement Park. (The Haunted Carousel)
- The doll head from the attic of the Golden Gardenia. (Message in a Haunted Mansion)
- The gnome from Sally's shed. (Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake)
- The monolith key. (Secret of the Scarlet Hand)
- Jane Penvellyn has built a computer game. (Curse of Blackmoor Manor)
- Brady Armstrong and Jeff Akers are featured as faces in Jane's Model Match game. (The Final Scene, Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake)
- A Rose Penvellyn sends messages to Noisette Tornade on the M380, possibly a member of The Penvellyn Family. (Curse of Blackmoor Manor)
- The same UtNe magazine can be found in Jing Jing Ling's apartment and the Copper Gorge museum. (Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon)
Easter Eggs[]
- In Jing Jing Ling's apartment, new newspapers will appear on different days of the game. Some articles mention events relevant to the game (Mint shortage, police in the catacombs, etc..) Some day's paper will even mention the possibility to a newspaper strike. If you progress to day 10 of the game you will be able to hear the voices of protesters outside of Jing Jing's apartment and subsequently new newspapers stop appearing for you to read.
- When doing the photo-developing puzzle, If you flush the toilet 10 times, you get an easter egg and the photos will be all developed automatically.
- If you call the other two numbers on Jean-Michel Traquenard's PDA, you will get surprise messages. One of which is a message in morse code that reads, "keep it down some of us are trying to sleep" and the other being a guitar riff.
- 48-15-16-23-42
- 10-80-01-08-00
- If you sign on to "Jane's Game Portal" early, you'll get a surprise.
- Username: Carol
- Password: Rude
Main/recurring character revelations[]
- Bess is a fan of Hugo Butterly and GlamGlam.
- Joe is a fan of Jing Jing Ling.
- Carson Drew is a friend of Minette's boss.
- Sonny Joon was one of Minette's previous assistants.
- Prudence Rutherford is a client of Minette's
Allusions[]
- Joe mentions the film Moulin Rogue!
- The Ichi-Do book at Pont Neuf looks like it was recently checked out by B. Lee and C. Norris.
Goofs[]
- Nancy is not able to learn why Jing Jing has electrical engineering books. (You can actually have a conversation about this with her and learn why but it is very hard to trigger)
- You can beat the game without solving the "Dodo box puzzle."
- After you take the pictures and Dieter leaves the darkroom, if you go back over, Dieter will still answer on the other side of the door.