Suggestions On How To Improve The Game

[mish]

Hi there. While I enjoy your games and have been following each episode, I have been taking notes on how you could make these games even better. I know from your Wondercon panel you guys don't mind suggestions from whiny fans. So here I go:


THINGS TO IMPROVE ON

1. The one thing I have the biggest problem with is that everytime Max speaks, he speaks like he's delivering a pun. It sounds as if he's aware that it's a pun - it's like being proud to tell a joke or attracting attention to the fact you're telling a joke. That really puts me out of the story. It would be better if Max was more sarcastic, rather than a standup comedian.

2. Max speaks after ANYTHING Sam says. That gets really annoying. I hold the old sarcastic Max from "Hit the Road" and the comics dear within my heart.

THINGS TO MAKE MORE OF:

1. Each episode is better than the previous. The Abe Lincoln episode is the best so far because it is targeted at a slightly more mature audience.

2. Music is getting better too. My favourite track is the end of episode 4. I suggest you guys make more Jazzy/Detectivey type music. It really adds to the sarcastic mood. Because Sam & Max taught me all the sarcasm I needed when I was a kid.

3. I noticed nice little animation that adds to the overall gameplay. I have to say, far out for the little stride max does with his arms behind his back when he's walking into the War Room in episode 4.

Also, It would be great if, from episode to episode, you guys would change some wardrobe, like for example, Whizzer, Peepers and Specs should've been wearing suits if they're governors.

If you're gonna whine about the fact that doing that would be outside your target audience, don't bother. "Hit the Road" was as sarcastic as it gets and didn't draw any attention to jokes. God knows what the target audience was, marketingwise, but it hasn't been dubbed "One of the best Adventure Games of all Time" for nothing.

Thanks


Mish

[Armakuni]

The games would be very much improved if the puzzles were harder.

[mish]

I think they're doing a relatively good job on the difficulty, judging by episode 4... it could be a little more difficult but really, that would be asking too much.

[Dangerzone]

you have to remember that most gamers only like to be challenged, not blocked by insanely difficult puzzles

if a game is too hard, it will start to frustrate most players and distract them from most of the humor and overall experience of the game

sam and max is technicly not a "puzzle" adventure game, it is a mesh between a comedy and a role playing adventure game, the fact that it has above average puzzles is only a bonus

if you are looking for some challenging games, then it is a better bet for you to play a homebrew internet flash based game, a common watering hole where 90% of these games eventually turn up is over at The-Geek Forums each thread of the thousands over there contains a link to a different game, are doozies bacause some of these people have no life other than making others fry their brains on a puzzle

[numble]

Originally Posted by mish

Also, It would be great if, from episode to episode, you guys would change some wardrobe, like for example, Whizzer, Peepers and Specs should've been wearing suits if they're governors.
Mish

This actually sounds like it would've been funny, maybe if they kept their soda popper hats and/or had to wear oversized suits? Even normal suits would have been interesting.

[Jake]

You can see an alternate costume for Peepers in the War Song. It didn't make it into the game itself, but it's at least there

[Armakuni]

Originally Posted by Dangerzone

you have to remember that most gamers only like to be challenged, not blocked by insanely difficult puzzles

Have you ever played old LucasArts and Sierra games? I'm not asking for impossible puzzles but I'd like them to be as hard as in Monkey Island 2 and games like those.
That shouldn't be too much to ask for.

[Yohmi]

Originally Posted by laffer

Have you ever played old LucasArts and Sierra games? I'm not asking for impossible puzzles but I'd like them to be as hard as in Monkey Island 2 and games like those.
That shouldn't be too much to ask for.

Fifteen years later, it is. Put any gamer on NES games, you'll se them play about five minutes then quit. Look at the landscape of games... look at the history... Wii's easier than Gamecube which is easier than Nintendo64 which is easier than Super Nintendo, which is easier than NES, which is easier than say... Amiga...
The matter is to entertain people, not boring them It does not bore you to solve difficult problems, as much people play to Myst etc. But I think there is distinct gamers, and TellTales's target is more casual gamers and Adventure Games nostalgics than hardcore gamer stuck too many years ago I can be wrong though...
But I dont expect things to be a lot harder than episode 4. Why not just a bit, but not much.

[Armakuni]

Hey you mentioned both Amiga and Myst, great post

I've finished all the Myst games and I really love the Amiga.. I want difficulty levels like that

But I guess you're right, todays gamers are pussies!

EDIT - but the Telltale games are even easier than a lot of other new games though.

[jp-30]

Originally Posted by laffer

Have you ever played old LucasArts and Sierra games? I'm not asking for impossible puzzles but I'd like them to be as hard as in Monkey Island 2 and games like those.
That shouldn't be too much to ask for.

In Monkey Island 2 you had maybe 15 objects in your inventory and 10 or so locations to visit at any one time. This in itself made some puzzles difficult, something (thankfully) Telltale's games don't suffer from as the episodic nature keeps the scope and narrative much tighter.

Pacing is all important in comedic games, and getting stuck for too long totally ruins the comic timing of the situations.

If the rest of the games this series are on a par with Abe Lincoln, I'll be a very happy gamer.

[Armakuni]

I love having large areas to explore.

[ThomasMink]

Then this series will always continue to disappoint you.

Personally, I think ep4 was perfect for the style of game they're going for. And if I'm a pussy for having to use a walkthrough to get through the old Lucas and Sierra adventures, then so be it. Call me what you will. As for Myst.. *waves his hand in a dismissing fashion*.. us pussies (note: I) want nothing to do with that lameness.

[Sp0tted]

You can drastically improve the games by getting rid of all of the whiny nit-picking fans.

[Armakuni]

You can improve this series by getting rid of the asskissing fans accepting everything just because it's in the rather dried out adventure game genre

To point out that Telltales games so far are TOO EASY is *not* nitpicking or whining so stuff a sock in it.

[ThomasMink]

If it's dried out, why are still here and playing adventure games? Go away.

Thank you.

[tabacco]

Okay guys, let's avoid the insults, alright? If you can't keep this thread civil, it's going away.

[Armakuni]

It's dried out because there are so few good releases these days. I'm here playing adventure games because I love them and that is why I'm pointing out where they can improve these games. That IS what the damn thread is about.

[doom saber]

Originally Posted by Yohmi

Fifteen years later, it is. Put any gamer on NES games, you'll se them play about five minutes then quit. Look at the landscape of games... look at the history... Wii's easier than Gamecube which is easier than Nintendo64 which is easier than Super Nintendo, which is easier than NES, which is easier than say... Amiga...
The matter is to entertain people, not boring them It does not bore you to solve difficult problems, as much people play to Myst etc. But I think there is distinct gamers, and TellTales's target is more casual gamers and Adventure Games nostalgics than hardcore gamer stuck too many years ago I can be wrong though...
But I dont expect things to be a lot harder than episode 4. Why not just a bit, but not much.

I agree. For example,there is some igorant game reviewer on myspace and youtube who reviews old games. In one of his podcast, he reviews castlevania II, giving it a bad review. He claims that the constant dialogue of day turning to night and the lack of tips within the game dialgoue hurts the game. Of course, this is the same game that is considered to be one of the best CV games.

After looking at it, the castlevania games became easier and easier after each platform.

In my opinion, games became easier over the years because of avilibility, experience, and preference. Back then, in the 80's, video games were a relatively a new form of entertainment. As such, not a lot of video game designers knew what was fun and what isn't; their creativity was limited to real life games such as Pong. That is why Pong is quite popular at the time.

Furthermore, games really didn't have an age specific demographics. I mean, teens and up wouldn't be ridiculed playing video games that were aimed for kids like Mario and Sonic. This still hold true with these characters. From what I have seen, one can't really say the same thing in regards to games like Spyro.

Also, one of the biggest problems with adventure games were that they were too difficult and their puzzles are at best, non logical. If you think about it, most difficult puzzles in adventure games during its prime, ignores real world logic. I mean, for example, to let larry swin in the pool in lsl6, one has to use dental floss and a small piece of cloth to make a bathing suit. Even though, Larry is in a cartoon world, it is just bizzare.

I think puzzles in adventure games follow the logic of Mcguyver where anything can be used to help a person escape a trap. As such, I think ppl who have been playing adventure games for 10 years, will have a different way of thinking to someone who just started playing adventure games. For instance, a puzzle such as combining hair spray, a lighter, and a rubberband to defeat a serial killer(police quest4) and using a file, soap, and a key to make a dupilicate is easy for an experience gamer.(lsl6) However, I can imagine a newbie will be stuck on this puzzle for weeks.

As Yohmi said, gamers do not want to be stuck on a single puzzle for a week, especially at this day in age. Unlike the 80's, gamers can be easily turn off by a puzzle and as a result, pay something else. Games can be seen as sports, whereas sports that has been around for centuries are long, "boring", and slow. Sports made this century are short, "exciting," and fast. I am sure telltale doesn't want to make their games mind numbingly hard, resulting in lost of customers.

[Maratanos]

Originally Posted by doom saber

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What happened?

[Armakuni]

Yeah what was that? Did you fall asleep on your keyboard or something?