Hey, Um, What About Us?

[der_ketzer]

I'm pretty sure there will be a PC retail disc in Germany too.

[Gibbeynator]

Originally Posted by Gman5852

They are. Just console exclusive and isn't free for buyers... yeah.

When did they say there wouldn't be a disc?

[Vainamoinen]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

Why not?!

Okay, I'm serious this time. Why aren't they going to have a TWD disc?

Telltale's main area of distribution is digital downloads. I guess the additional boxed DVDs have always been somewhat of a pain in the ass for them. The additional production costs; the schedule between the last episode and the printing; the storage costs for discs which aren't collected; the additional staff for sending the discs out; the rather complicated store programming which seems to lend itself to stupid exploits in that area.

TWD is a full blown Telltale Season sold at 25$ (or less) - a full ten bucks less than those previous games which had an extra disc, especially including the glorious Tales and Devil's Playhouse. It's a fair price, it really_is_fair.

But I do weep for the transition to an all digital PC publisher. Big fat tears. With Steam's all encompassing sudden price drops (which_are_NOT_fair_for_the_developers), normally faster episode deliveries and less download hassle concerning these last problem ridden TWD episodes, the Telltale Store desperately lacks unique selling propositions. And that disc, it definitely was THE thing on your mind whatever you had to endure as a PC customer. You always thought "Yeah, whatever, 'cause I'm getting the DVD at the end and you Steam user/console player don't".

I REALLY wish they got back to the practice for Fables, but I don't see it coming.

Lord, the slipcases they could be doing...

Originally Posted by der_ketzer

I'm pretty sure there will be a PC retail disc in Germany too.

That is VERY likely. Less because of Telltale's popularity, but definitely because of the TV series' popularity. A sad cause with a joyous result.

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Vainamoinen

Telltale's main area of distribution is digital downloads. I guess the additional boxed DVDs have always been somewhat of a pain in the ass for them. The additional production costs; the schedule between the last episode and the printing; the storage costs for discs which aren't collected; the additional staff for sending the discs out; the rather complicated store programming which seems to lend itself to stupid exploits in that area.

TWD is a full blown Telltale Season sold at 25$ (or less) - a full ten bucks less than those previous games which had an extra disc, especially including the glorious Tales and Devil's Playhouse. It's a fair price, it really_is_fair.

So what you're saying is that their primary schtick for encouraging people to buy games directly from them instead of through a third-party takes too much effort and would cost less to go without.

What motivation should anyone have to buy directly from their store, then? If you buy from Steam, you get automatic patch updates and achievements. If you buy from GOG, you get digital extras. If you buy from TTG, you get a free disc with extras and maybe also feelies if you get the deluxe edition.

The reason why people might not be buying physical stuff from TTG, in my opinion, is because their Deluxe Edition stuff has been cheaply made. (...Seriously, printing cardboard cut-out dolls on a DVD slipcase, and using white restaurant napkins to print maps on with an inch of blank border between the map image and the edge of the fabric??)

It's like when the only reason I ate at a certain restaurant was because their 5-Cheese Macaroni dish was fantastic, but then they change the noodles to from little spirals to big fat ones, and the seemingly fresh-made cheese sauce to obviously powdered cheese with water added... which is why I never went back.

[HappyCoincidence]

I totally get that you're diversifying the games you make, Telltale. And that the current series is always going to get the most attention. Nothing wrong with that and from what I've played and what I've read about the games I haven't played, you are knocking it out of the park consistently.
But I don't watch The Walking Dead and have very limited interest in the survival horror genre, or adventure games that are not primarily comedy. That's fine, I can pass on a series and still applaud your work. But your blog and front page, guys, has left nothing of any interest for those not into Walking Dead. Pretty much since last November when Jurassic Park came out. Delays with games are acceptable, but that's just longer that we haven't heard any information about other projects. Come on guys, you have a new freaking King's Quest in the works. You were supposed to be the transparent administration that would save us from hearing about nothing but a hundred Star Wars games from the Lucasarts home page.
Now there is a WD sequel announced and not a word about your next game, originally slated for last quarter, as I recall. I know Walking Dead is a huge deal and clearly where your bread is buttered right now, but is it so much to ask for a blog post or a teaser of something not Walking Dead on the homepage? I'm beginning to forget you exist for extended periods of time while more indie and homegrown developers are focusing on fan service. This isn't you; opaque and obtuse just doesn't suit you very well.

[der_ketzer]

It has always been this way.

[Vainamoinen]

Originally Posted by HappyCoincidence

Now there is a WD sequel announced and not a word about your next game, originally slated for last quarter, as I recall. I know Walking Dead is a huge deal and clearly where your bread is buttered right now, but is it so much to ask for a blog post or a teaser of something not Walking Dead on the homepage?

You want more stuff that suits you better. I get it, so do I. But Fables will be coming. NEXT. And it won't be survival horror. Heck, it might even be somewhat of an adventure game... without QTEs even.

[der_ketzer]

Originally Posted by Vainamoinen

Heck, it might even be somewhat of an adventure game... without QTEs even.

Please. Stop dreaming.

[Vainamoinen]

The other day, you wanted gog.com to hand out Steam keys... I'd say my dream is FAR more prone to become reality.

[BlankCanvasDJ]

I gotta agree. I'm loving TWD, but it would be nice to see something from the other projects that are in development. Even just some concept art. I can't imagine Telltale wants there to be a huge gap between episode 5 of TWD and episode 1 of their next game, so they have to have something they could show us, right? I guess once episode 5 is out, we'll get more info on Fables and King's Quest.

[der_ketzer]

Originally Posted by Vainamoinen

The other day, you wanted gog.com to hand out Steam keys.

It's a more reasonable thought. Really. We didn't have good puzzles since ToMI / Puzzle Agent 2.

[ryannumber1gamer]

All i want is a S&M Season 4 and Season 2 of Monkey Island...Maybe Season 2 of Strong Bad & Wallace & Gromit. But i fear any adventure games from TTG is going to have QTE's in it in someway.

[GaryCXJk]

Who says Telltale won't just make a straight up Real Time Strategy game, or, gasp, a First Person Shooter?

ToMI 2: the FPS Game. Make it happen.

[ryannumber1gamer]

Originally Posted by GaryCXJk

Who says Telltale won't just make a straight up Real Time Strategy game, or, gasp, a First Person Shooter?

ToMI 2: the FPS Game. Make it happen.

Yeah and next we can make a second Wallace & Gromit game with dancing.

[HappyCoincidence]

Naw, it was better at some points. There was talk of Strong Bad during Sam & Max, JP when BTTF was coming out--Wallace and Gromit releases even overlapped with ToMI.
In terms of Fables, it seems like something I could get into more than WD, but I've heard nothing but the original announcement and the wikipedia page saying it would come out by the (now passed) 3rd quarter of this year. Some early-stage concept art would hit the spot for either that or KQ. QTE or not, I'm just interested in hearing about an IP that isn't WD. I'm sure they have a reason for hiring marketing and press people even though the blog goes for weeks at a time without the tiniest update, but I haven't for the lfe of me been able to figure it out.

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by HappyCoincidence

I'm sure they have a reason for hiring marketing and press people even though the blog goes for weeks at a time without the tiniest update, but I haven't for the lfe of me been able to figure it out.

I ask the same question about the website development people and why they can't bother to increase security against spambots. The reason for this is not because they're too busy on the new website. Building a new site might take weeks (or months, in TTG's case), but implementing e-mail confirmation for new accounts and making the human-verification part of the account registration form more effective takes an hour at most.

[Vainamoinen]

Originally Posted by HappyCoincidence

In terms of Fables, it seems like something I could get into more than WD, but I've heard nothing but the original announcement and the wikipedia page saying it would come out by the (now passed) 3rd quarter of this year. Some early-stage concept art would hit the spot for either that or KQ. QTE or not, I'm just interested in hearing about an IP that isn't WD. I'm sure they have a reason for hiring marketing and press people even though the blog goes for weeks at a time without the tiniest update, but I haven't for the lfe of me been able to figure it out.

Yup, they're hiring marketing/press people. What some of you might not have seen is that some of old press people have left during the last months. The new guys will need a while to fill that vacuum.

But I'm on your side in many respects here. It was the most disappointing Halloween blog entry for Telltale since time memorial. Remember how they posted their costumes some years ago? Remember the Halloween contests, announced WEEKS before the fact, year after year? Remember the Halloween store discounts, sometimes calendars full of them? And this is not "due to TWD" - I can not imagine an IP more suited for a massive Halloween blog promotion. Which was just missing.

Whatever franchise is next or after, I'd want the informative and fun nature of the blog restored, and most of all, the tarnished honor of the Telltale store revived.

Originally Posted by GaryCXJk

Who says Telltale won't just make a straight up Real Time Strategy game, or, gasp, a First Person Shooter?

ToMI 2: the FPS Game. Make it happen.

You're needlessly going nightmare here. Telltale is looking for new NARRATIVE horizons, so the direction naturally wouldn't be RTS or FPS. But who says Telltale won't just make a straight up Action Adventure or Roleplaying Game? Think about it.

[JedExodus]

For what it's worth, I personally think that TWD is easily hands down the best story-telling Telltale has ever done, the meat of the gameplay is in your choices and the impact they have, rather than "use gun on cheese".

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

So what you're saying is that their primary schtick for encouraging people to buy games directly from them instead of through a third-party takes too much effort and would cost less to go without.

What you're doing wrong is assuming that people who buy directly from their website are important at all to them. Their margins are probably better here, but it's obvious when you look at recent developments(like deluxe boxed packages being exclusive to Gamestop) that their demographics have shifted to the type of person who picks up boxes at retail stores, buys from major console downloadable portals(XBLA, PSN, even Steam), and that at this point the Telltale store is more of a legacy hang-on that is little more than an afterthought. They're not selling adventure games to the type of person who might actually know what Sam and Max: Hit the Road was anymore, the audience they're milking is far larger and a personal approach just doesn't work.

[Darth Marsden]

Given their expanding market (and sales), it's hard to disagree. But then again, we might see that change with Kings' Quest, which is presumably going to be marketed towards old-school PC types. We might even get a nifty box of goodies with that one, maybe even, dare I say it, a really old-school big box?