Petition to give Telltale all rights & money to make the non-episodic Monkey Island 5 [Archive]

Lockmort

10/31/2009, 10:08 pm

I really hope from the bottom my heart Lucasarts will see what an enormous succes Tales was and they'll give Telltale the rights to make Monkey Island 5 (or 6 if you wanna count Tales as 5).

Telltale, you're doing an amazing job. Lets not forget most fans turned their backs at the series after Escape (which I still hate), but you totally turned that around.
Ofcourse you guys have major restrictions, these are all short episodes and you cant have long streching puzzles or many more optional jokes, but you still make it into perfection.

I would buy a 1000000 extra copies of Tales if that would make Lucasarts give Telltale money to make a non episodic, full blown, Monkey Island 5 game.

Please Lucasarts, have a heart, give the new kings of adventure gaming your game rights, pay them a shit load of money, and let us get Monkey Island 5!

LowMoralFiber

10/31/2009, 10:12 pm

Lockmort

10/31/2009, 10:14 pm

I actually really like the episodic format. It builds the suspense and makes you think about what you did and what might happen next. It's much more exciting, really...

Not that I wouldn't buy a full blown non-episodic game, but I think that Tales has made me really appreciate episodic gaming.

Ofcourse they did and the episodes are awesome, but a full blown game with bigger puzzles and more jokes would be even awesomenederer

Frogacuda

10/31/2009, 10:19 pm

This is Monkey Island 5. I don't feel like it's a compromise like that.

reneshenp

10/31/2009, 10:30 pm

I like the episodic format.

Olegdr

10/31/2009, 10:33 pm

Someone who works for TTG pointed out that they themselves prefer the episodic format. And that their whole work structure is set up to support an episodic release schedule.

Flah

10/31/2009, 10:41 pm

Why call it Monkey Island 5? I don't recall there ever being a Monkey Island 4 before it. And, if there were, it certainly wouldn't have ended with a giant robot monkey fighting a statue of LeChuck.

tmsmyth4

10/31/2009, 10:43 pm

I like the episodic format buts thats not to say i wouldnt prefer a full blown game. The episodic format means they have to put more emphasis on story, and I would like to see a monkey island game with deeper, more involved puzzles. I still love what Telltale has done with the MI, and would look forward to further seasons if Lucasarts/TTG contine down that road but I'd still like to see more puzzles

Lockmort

10/31/2009, 10:52 pm

Why call it Monkey Island 5? I don't recall there ever being a Monkey Island 4 before it. And, if there were, it certainly wouldn't have ended with a giant robot monkey fighting a statue of LeChuck.

Seems like we had the same nightmare.
Imagine that and a mad Australian

der_ketzer

10/31/2009, 11:11 pm

Seems like we had the same nightmare.
Imagine that and a mad Australian

You cannot be serious here. An Australian in a Monkey Island game?
The only thing that would be worse would be puzzles with a duck.

Nachtnebel

10/31/2009, 11:15 pm

It'd probably revolve around getting a hold of something silly too, like an ultimate insult or anything.

Fury

10/31/2009, 11:57 pm

Well, TOMI is Monkey Island 5, with a metaphorical Monkey Island 4 occurring between Curse and TOMI.

So they already have rights?

Do you mean MI4?

Plus, Episodes are way better.

Todesreiter

11/01/2009, 12:17 am

I think Telltale is perfect in Episodic Games, it`s great to join Guybrush
in it`s Adventures over a long time... so they should make more episodic
Monkey Island Titles.

For a non-episodic MI Game Lucas Arts must got Gilbert, Schafer
and Grossmann (and Tiller vor Backgrounds *g) again to build up a
new fulltime Epos ;)

Fronzel

11/01/2009, 12:23 am

PetitionOn the internet
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KnfQgPpM2eg/So3Ea_MOinI/AAAAAAAAARY/hs_QJBEnXQU/s320/Awesome+Face.png

bobtheskutter

11/01/2009, 01:05 am

How are episodes any different from splitting a full game into parts? Unless my memory is wrong, the games have always been split into parts.

Having more involved puzzles could be done in the episodic format, couldn't it?

FitzoliverJ

11/01/2009, 01:08 am

As a number of people have pointed out, if the hypothetical MI5 ends just before a cliffhanger, it's going to look a bit rubbsh, even to people who are familar with "Launch of the Screaming Narwhal".

*On the other hand*, it might be fun if somebody used the Telltale Tool to create a mini-movie covering all this prelude to put on the DVD. Well, either that or having a "I Wonder What Happens Before Tales of Monkey Island". Or preferably both.....:)

StarEye

11/01/2009, 01:13 am

Only problem with the episodic formula is we'll probably never see a chapter as big as Part II in MI2. Travelling between full blown islands, solving puzzles in any order, completely non-linear in a way. But then again, none of the other games had that either. But I'd still love a chapter like that again (no Spinner Cay doesn't really count).

Also, you can be sure that if LucasArts decides to make a big budget Monkey Island game, it will be 3D. Not an issue for me, since today 3D can be potentially incredibly good looking. But I would assume Bill Tiller wouldn't be an option, since he's basically a 2D artist.

janezkranjc

11/01/2009, 01:44 am

that part 2 really was the best part of monkey island

Hayden

11/01/2009, 01:50 am

I really liked the episodic format, but I am all for this idea!

Fury

11/01/2009, 01:59 am

I really liked the episodic format, but I am all for this idea!

But that's all it is, an idea.

Financially, it doesn't work. Episodic games do.

And to the post creator, if you seriously would "buy a 1000000 extra copies of Tales if that would make Lucasarts give Telltale money to make a non episodic, full blown, Monkey Island 5 game", then why don't you? It would work, so go ahead. Do it. Right now.

I'll wait here until you realize you're an idiot.

Voodoomaster

11/01/2009, 02:01 am

I actually really like the episodic format. It builds the suspense and makes you think about what you did and what might happen next. It's much more exciting, really...

I totally agree with this...

Irishmile

11/01/2009, 06:54 am

We lose a little content in the episodic format.. like I cant help but feel we do not get as many explorable locations.. but I do think it creates a unique community of fans here at the boards.. If it was a full game most people would have chatted for a couple weeks and have been gone... This way here we are months later still chatting.... Its been an all together amazingly fun experience. I feel I have gotten to know many of you as well as you can get to know strangers over the internet... well maybe not as well as those lonely hearts club dating sites but you get what I mean... Besides I do not think I want to get to know Majus or SWP that well...

Lockmort

11/01/2009, 06:57 am

We lose a little content in the episodic format.. like I cant help but feel we do not get as many explorable locations.. but I do think it creates a unique community of fans here at the boards.. If it was a full game most people would have chatted for a couple weeks and have been gone... This way here we are months later still chatting.... Its been an all together amazingly fun experience. I feel I have gotten to know many of you as well as you can get to know strangers over the internet... well maybe not as well as those lonely hearts club dating sites but you get what I mean.... Besides I do not think I want to get to know Majus or SWP that well...

Well at least give us a season 2 then :)

thehardmenpath

11/01/2009, 07:10 am

MI2 chapter 2 was for me the best part of a MI game ever, as well.

But I also think I wouldn't have the patience to go through that again. Times have changed, I am older and I think I prefer to spend a day every month with every release than a week in a single big puzzle, as I did then.

Lennie Melvin

11/01/2009, 07:13 am

Can't we give Ron Gilbert all the rights and money to make Monkey Island 5?

Irishmile

11/01/2009, 07:25 am

Can't we give Ron Gilbert all the rights and money to make Monkey Island 5?

this one I vote this one, but to be fair Ron had plenty of help making his games great it wasn't just him.

Zhadnost

11/01/2009, 07:29 am

Well, TOMI is Monkey Island 5, with a metaphorical Monkey Island 4 occurring between Curse and TOMI.

So they already have rights?

Do you mean MI4?

Plus, Episodes are way better.

Err, I don't understand this, there was clearly a big gap between SMI and MI:LCR and a gap between MI:LCR and COMI, so why is the gap between COMI and TOMI a space for another game?

Irishmile

11/01/2009, 07:40 am

Err, I don't understand this, there was clearly a big gap between SMI and MI:LCR and a gap between MI:LCR and COMI, so why is the gap between COMI and TOMI a space for another game?

I have been arguing that point for a while... its a lost cause.

108 Stars

11/01/2009, 07:59 am

Episodic format sucks.
It really does. Having to wait to be able to play further...I don´t really see the positive thing about it.
After all, you could still divide one big game into multiple chapters; then it is up to you whether you want to play more immediately or if you wanna wait another month. It´s not like people with little free time are forced to play through a game in one session; the amount of time they spend is 100% up to them.
But if you have one big game the people like me who enjoy experiencing the whole adventure within a week or so can do that.

The episodic format is nothing but a good business-model for developers in a genre regarded as risky. Instead of spending a whole lot of money for a complete game that may be a flop, they only invest in episodes and can cancel further development if the response is not good enough.

For me as a player this gives me more adventures, and that´s what´s good about it. But the fun I have is reduced a bit. So business and risks for the developers aside, big games are superior imo, but getting epiodic adventures is much better than not getting adventures at all.

PirateUnwritten

11/01/2009, 08:00 am

I hate to be ask this but can anyone please direct me to a site that shows that TOMI is a success?

Katsuro

11/01/2009, 08:17 am

I wouldn't want to replace the episodic format of "Doctor Who", "Life on Mars", "Ashes to Ashes" and all the shows I love for a full blown movie in the cinema.
Why should I want that for ToMI?

Longer production times and the game prolly would only hold for a weekend or two.
Right now I had a few MONTH of expectations, anticipation and so on. Wouldn't want to miss that to be honest.

Katsuro

11/01/2009, 08:19 am

I hate to be ask this but can anyone please direct me to a site that shows that TOMI is a success?

Sure :D
Here. (http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=tales+of+monkey+island+is+a+success&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8)

PirateUnwritten

11/01/2009, 08:24 am

Sure :D
Here. (http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=tales+of+monkey+island+is+a+success&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8)

I want a source directly from Telltale itself not sites that says "the launch exceeded Telltale’s expectations" etc. I want numbers! :D

Irishmile

11/01/2009, 08:24 am

Or look at the thread count for ToMI's Monkey Island board
http://www.telltalegames.com/forums/index.php

Vs.

Lucasarts
http://forums.lucasarts.com/category.jspa?categoryID=10

mark

11/01/2009, 08:28 am

Personally I feel the episodic games have been very well received in majority.
What I would like to see though is for Ron Gilbert to make Monkey Island 3. Yes I'm calling it Monkey Island 3. We had The Secret of Monkey Island, then LeChuck's Revenge.
Then we had some games with the Monkey Island name attached, but really I didn't feel felt like Monkey Island. Ron has always said that he wanted to finish his story (he wasn't involved with Curse / Escape from Monkey Island), and would really like to see that.

Friar

11/01/2009, 08:49 am

I'm not sure which i prefer. I have a tendency to replay prior episodes before the release of a new one, which leads to the first episode being played too much, and the last chapter, not enougth.

If tellatle were to have the option to stitch them alltogether for the DVD release, i would probably buy that, and it would solve the issue for me.

bobtheskutter

11/01/2009, 09:56 am

Episodic format sucks.
It really does. Having to wait to be able to play further...I don´t really see the positive thing about it.

You don't have to wait in between the episodes if you start playing after the final episode has been released.

It's nice that people have the option. Like with tv shows and dvds. I know plenty of people that wait until the dvds of a show (like BSG, Lost etc) are out and then blast through them in a massive sitting. I prefer watching weekly just to be a part of the internet dicussion and I kind of like to count down the days between episodes (anticipation is part of the fun). Different strokes... and it's okay, no one forces anyone to adapt to an episodic structure or watch in a marathon. It's a choice for the individual.

Tirink

11/01/2009, 01:35 pm

I'm not 100% sure what my opinion of this is, but if Telltale works on MI 5, I'd like it to be episodic so it fits with their style and they don't muck things up. However, I don't know if I prefer episodic over feature length. I do know, however, that I would like Telltale to have some input on MI 5, even if most of it is done by LucasArts.

Toothless Gibbon

11/01/2009, 02:13 pm

I actually really like the episodic format. It builds the suspense and makes you think about what you did and what might happen next. It's much more exciting, really...

Not that I wouldn't buy a full blown non-episodic game, but I think that Tales has made me really appreciate episodic gaming.

Agreed also.

When is everyone going to get the fact that episodic is just what TTG do? And do it amzingly well IMO.

108 Stars

11/01/2009, 04:03 pm

I think everybody knows that. But that doesn´t mean you cannot prefer it another way, and there is always a chance for a company to expand into making games in various styles.:)

Miaharpy

11/01/2009, 04:28 pm

108 Stars

11/01/2009, 05:00 pm

Not quite; because even if you are a hater, it is incredibly hard to resist (especially for such a long-awaited thing as a MI-sequel) all the teasing you read and hear about everywhere for half a year or so!

I tried it, and resisted until after chapter 2 was out; but there is a point where human willpower cannot prevail without the help of Voodoo.

And I could say full games are for lovers and haters alike; you can play them through in a weekend if you like, or you can play it in little bits and pieces; especially with MI games being divided into chapters anyway. :P

Miaharpy

11/01/2009, 05:13 pm

That's true..... But I still think playing a new once a month is better than waiting a whole year. And if I recall, I learned about the series before the first chapter was announced. And before it came out, I found a way and played all 4 games. So.... Thank you Telltale!

Lup

11/02/2009, 03:21 am

i have one wish for any upcoming seasons or full blown games: I want to use stuff ON Guybrush! would lead to some great jokes ;)

coolsome

11/02/2009, 03:56 am

id donate so they can make full Monkey Island 6 cos Tales is monkey island 5

The Silent Man

11/02/2009, 04:02 am

This is for me the first episodic game.
I actually like it, the wait between the chapters is part of the experience. I don't think it's better to play the whole game in a couple of days. Anyway, if you wait for the DVD release, you will get a whole game at once.

I also think that LucasArts will never give all the Monkey Island rights...

Voodoomaster

11/02/2009, 04:02 am

Episodic is great for lovers and haters :D If you want to play it right away, just play a chapter each time it comes out. For haters, wait till the last episode comes out. It's a win-win for everyone XD.

I agree !!!
Sorry, but I love this episodic format, and I love the waiting for the next episode in forums and communities, sharing comments with other fans, and similars...

Toothless Gibbon

11/02/2009, 04:37 am

serializer

11/02/2009, 08:26 am

When I first started the series, I posted something along the lines of "please please make a full-blown game in the future.

Now I've got used to it, however, I'd agree that the advantages mostly outweigh the disadvantages.

There's only one thing I massively miss from the old games: the world map. It really, y'know, tied the game together.

I know we get maps at Spinner Cay and Flotsam; but in the old games where you had the map showing ALL the big islands, you really got a sense that you were travelling around adventuring in this huge world. Because we don't see that for the most part in ToMI, you feel like you're stuck on a more linear path.

My suggestion would be to keep the episodic format, but gradually increase the number of places you can visit over the course of the episodes (maybe have it start with a blank map and islands are gradually added as you find out where they are).

You can keep the old islands the same throughout the game, there doesn't have to be any new dialog for the old characters. (Except where it was relevant to a puzzle where you had to travel back to an old island to see someone new or do something you couldn't do before)

I realise that download size is a problem, but perhaps you could have the successive chapters share content from old games (meaning you'd be required to buy the earlier chapters before the later ones, but realistically how many people buy only a single episode from part-way through a series?) Alternately you could have a shared content system where earlier episodes' content is downloaded but not the actual executable required to play them.

The really nice things about episodic content are:

- You get to start playing the game months before you would otherwise
- It's nice having an extra something to look forward to every month
- You can add extra jokes and respond to the community in some quite unique ways
- It means I don't sit and mission the entire game for however long it takes, and have no other life during that time ;)
- It makes me take the time to stop and click on every single thing to get the most out of each episode, because I know it's going to over quickly
- As a developer I can totally see the advantages in terms of production cycle and the reward of delivering good, solid releases, and on time at that! Bigger projects are way more prone to "deadline creep" and burnout...

Rather Dashing

11/02/2009, 08:44 am

I realise that download size is a problem, but perhaps you could have the successive chapters share content from old games (meaning you'd be required to buy the earlier chapters before the later ones, but realistically how many people buy only a single episode from part-way through a series?) Alternately you could have a shared content system where earlier episodes' content is downloaded but not the actual executable required to play them.
Well, there are the logistical issues with that. First of all, you don't only have to buy the earlier episodes, but you also have to keep them on your hard drive for six months. I honestly delete an episode when I'm done with it, and don't play it again until after the DVD comes out.

Secondly, you can't share content on Wiiware, and they're already cramming as much as they possibly can into that space. So the solution would have to be 1/5 of the content to allow us to explore it all.

Third, there's the issue of actually IMPLEMENTING it without failure.

And fourth, well, WHY do it in the first place? If you have nothing to do when you go back, there really isn't a reason to allow you to go somewhere that you'll be unable to use for DOING anything.

serializer

11/02/2009, 09:19 am

Yeah I'm aware of all the issues and realise it probably won't happen.

But, that world map DID tie the game together ;)

108 Stars

11/02/2009, 09:33 am

You cant really blame TTG for your lack of will power.

Of course I can! Demanding so much willpower is a form of psychological torture!
If they would just reduce the quality a bit I could wait....maybe I should ask them to make the games shittier.

It's like waiting to watch a whole season of a TV on DVD. Doesn't meant they should wait only release it as a movie.

I wouldn´t wait for a DVD either. But there are a few differences; most episodes of a TV-series do not end in a cliffhanger. Most episodes have a self-contained story good enough to stand on its own, with a a larger story-ark over it. The ones that do always end in cliffhangers are and require regular viewing daily soaps; and those are broadcast daily as the name implies, the average TV series is at least weekly.
Now ToMI has the cliffhanger endings and pretty much stories that only work with knowledge of the other chapters; like a soap, but you have to wait 4 - 6 weeks to see what happens!

If ToMI was an open end series that comes monthly for as long as it sells, I´d be happy with it....but it is really one fully planned story already, a full and it´ll be over.

And beside that...and many people will wanna behead me...today´s TV-series are 95% crap!

Since the slowly falling quality of Enterprise, there has been no series I have been looking forward too! Stuff like Monk or Psyche is okay, but I am certainly not looking forward to it all week.. Now ToMI is an EVENT I really look forward too!

Now I know I can´t change anything...but when the question about episodic or non-episodic comes up like in this thread I will tell my honest opinion, and that is that the episodic format is the only flaw of ToMI in my eyes.

serializer

11/02/2009, 09:42 am

And beside that...and many people will wanna behead me...today´s TV-series are 95% crap!

I totally agree, but then I have always played a lot of computer games instead.

At the moment I'm watching South Park and Heroes every week. Heroes is mostly pretty lame but still has some occasional great moments, the series is starting to pick up now by episode 6/7. I don't even HAVE a TV ;)

Toothless Gibbon

11/02/2009, 01:01 pm

The kind of TV shows I had in mind all feature cliffhanger endings and are weekly. 24, LOST, Heroes, Flash Forward etc and it's part of what makes them great IMO.

Irishmile

11/02/2009, 01:10 pm