Telltale Games

Rubber John · 01/24/2007, 08:56 am

I don't know if anyone has already suggested this, but it would be great to be able to download some sort of 'front end' that we can place all of our episodes in and play them as a full season.

Maybe it could run episodes into each other, so that when you have finished one, the credits don't roll, but the next episode starts, therefore turning them into one big game.

Or maybe just a simple front end that when opened, displays all the episodes in some sort of selectable list.

Rubber John · 01/24/2007, 08:57 am

... and maybe even slot the Machinima shorts in the list too.

**Jake** · 01/24/2007, 10:47 am

We haven't really started working on exactly how season launcher type things will work, but I'll add that idea to the list. Thanks!

Rubber John · 01/24/2007, 02:17 pm

Cool, thanks!

Zeek · 01/24/2007, 07:05 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake

We haven't really started working on exactly how season launcher type things will work, but I'll add that idea to the list. Thanks!

Can I suggest something before it's too late or will there be a future stickie posted asking the community what or how they would like the full game to work?

**Jake** · 01/24/2007, 08:47 pm

Say whatever you'd like, now's as good a time as any!

numble · 01/24/2007, 09:03 pm

Trailers! For Bone, CSI, that secret license game, and other Telltale Now goodies.

Derwin · 01/25/2007, 01:47 am

How about a sidebar, like the kind they use in office. That would increase S&M productivity tenfold.

Ok, so a launcher would be better. Possible Ideas:

Easier solution: Launcher that launches launchers of individual games.

Slightly sleeker: Launcher launches straight into games, but each must be individually chosen.

What I would like: Launcher where you can choose which episode you would like to start off in. At end of episode, choice of return to launcher or to continue on to next episode immediately.

Extras: Every movie/screenshot you have released on Gametap and here. Behind the scenes documentary. Wallpapers. Numble's listed trailers. Desktop calendar, featuring TTG employees in seductive poses. OST. Minigames (like whack-a-rat). Comics. Best of fanart and fancomics. My autograph on every box.

That about does it.

Zeek · 01/25/2007, 02:33 am

Main GUI: Easy on the eyes but still indicative of Sam & Max as far as aesthetics goes. Max's desk is a good start, or even some kind of twisted Sam & Max style photo album since when you save a game, you're saving a photo.

There should also be a universal option setting. The one thing that I didn't like when Episode 2 started was that I had to immediately reconfigure it once the intro was over just so it would run properly. In the final run, whatever options you set should only be set once and then kept consistantly with the rest of the episodes.

There should also be, as meantioned by Derwin, an extras option featuring the Machina shorts, the soundtrack, Desktop wall papers, and other things that Sam & Max fans may or may not be interested (my own personal list will be included later).

Launcher: For those that are playing through the game the first time, they should experiance each episode back to back with a massive credit sequence at the end. For those of us that have already played through each part, we would go straight to the GUI as if we were coming back to the game after saving it and then quitting for the day, similar to how the episodes launch now.

Naturally, their should be an option to pick between either playing the game as one big thing or in episodes.

Extras: Each extra should be an unlockable depending on what you do in the game. Get pass the Embarassing Idol puzzle and unlock a special Embarassing Idol logo desktop image. You know, that kind of thing that may or may not be easily hacked and/or distributed among the interweb. Naturally, the more rewarding the extra, the harder it is to get.

My personal list of extras and how I would like to unlock them are as follows:

Machinena Shorts - Each of the three shorts unlocks after you play the episode it relates to (similar to how they are uploaded now)

Soundtrack - Initally, only the Sam & Max theme, office and street tracks will be available to listen to on Sam & Max's answering machine (What? They can use it as a radio!). As you complete each level, you get access to more and more tracks, as well as a preview track from the next batch.

"Next Time" trailers - If the game is set to the episodic setting, the trailers would come up at the end of each episode (barring the one for Episode 1, of course) as a way to make it seem more like a TV show before returning to the main menu. If not set to the epsiodic way of playing, they don't play but end up being unlocked anyway.

Desktop Images - Fun images like Sam & Max with Hugh Bliss (both the normal shot and the cover of the Alien Love Triangle times), the Soda Poppers head shots and various "OH, is he still alive?" images, Max's desk top itself, etc., etc. Each would involve something related to the desktop in order for it to be unlock, making people replay the episode again to find whatever it is to unlock it. (see example above)

Trailers and Links to other Telltale Games - Available initially.

"The Making Of" Documentary - Should be unlocked after playing all of the episodes the first time through. For those of us that played each episode individually, it would be already unlocked for us.

Character Gallery - A collection of Steve Purcell and the other artists 2D renderings and concept sketches for Bosco, Sybill, the Soda Poppers, Myra, the Director, etc. Available after you meet those characters in each episode.

The extras I would like but probably won't get because of legal issues:
The inclusion of the original Sam & Max: Hit the Road game.
All of the Sam & Max: Freelance Police cartoon episodes on an extra DVD that comes with the box.

Rasher · 01/25/2007, 03:27 am

No activation, or off-line activation. Maybe just a code that comes with the disc?

TextureGlitch · 01/25/2007, 08:07 am

I agree with the no activation thing!
You still want people to be playing these games 13 years from now, don't you? Eh? Eh?

LGH · 01/26/2007, 08:48 am

Oh, and while you're at it, include optional subtitles for the machinima shorts as well. Would make it much easier for the non native English speakers.

Maratanos · 01/26/2007, 08:52 am

And how much will such a CD cost for those of us who are playing through GameTap?

Zeek · 01/26/2007, 08:21 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maratanos

And how much will such a CD cost for those of us who are playing through GameTap?

Probably the same amount us Season Subscribers had to pay.

dunkpork · 01/27/2007, 07:44 am

My suggestion: Try a new art style for Season 2.

Not because the art style is bad. I like it. Just because mixing things up keeps things fresh. Of course, I know Telltale is not a powerhouse animation studio, so it could be difficult.

I'd just like to see different takes on the art. Kind of like the different musical styles used by the game's soundtrack.

Kefky · 01/27/2007, 03:38 pm

Strange as it might sound, I would actually prefer if there WEREN'T an option for you to play whichever of the episodes you want. I mean, isn't the main complaint about the format that they feel too short when played individually? Then just make it all one big game. I'm sure all six episodes will add up to a very complete gaming experience.

Sir Lemming · 01/27/2007, 03:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kefky

Strange as it might sound, I would actually prefer if there WEREN'T an option for you to play whichever of the episodes you want. I mean, isn't the main complaint about the format that they feel too short when played individually? Then just make it all one big game. I'm sure all six episodes will add up to a very complete gaming experience.

Why not at least allow people to do it? It's either that or people have to keep a bunch of savegames stored up. A lot of games let you do a mission/chapter select (Splinter Cell, Half-Life 2), so with a game that was episodic to begin with, I think it's only natural.

Kefky · 01/27/2007, 04:02 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Lemming

Why not at least allow people to do it? It's either that or people have to keep a bunch of savegames stored up. A lot of games let you do a mission/chapter select (Splinter Cell, Half-Life 2), so with a game that was episodic to begin with, I think it's only natural.

Okay, point. But it would be nice if you could play it both ways seamlessly.

**Jake** · 01/27/2007, 07:56 pm

When you have all six episodes sitting there, its no trouble to just start up the next one. It's like Lost - despite that show having a rabid fanbase, there are quite a lot of people who loudly complain that "not enough happens each episode." To remedy that, however, they can get out their Lost DVD and just watch 3 episodes in a row. You don't need to cut out the opening titles and credits to achieve such a thing. That's taking things to an extreme. Plus, I think it would be pretty disjointed and a bit weak, structurally, if that happened. If Sam & Max defeated Brady Culture, then it showed the hypnotized guy on TV, then with nothing in between it faded out and faded in to Sam & Max in their office getting a call from the commissioner to go to the TV studio and investigate Myra... that doesn't seem right to me.

Mattb · 01/27/2007, 08:09 pm

How about every episode has the intro and every 2nd episode has the credits...?
Or the credits are translucent and they scroll over the intros....

01/24/2007, 08:56 am	#1
Rubber John Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 15	When the Season is finished.... I don't know if anyone has already suggested this, but it would be great to be able to download some sort of 'front end' that we can place all of our episodes in and play them as a full season. Maybe it could run episodes into each other, so that when you have finished one, the credits don't roll, but the next episode starts, therefore turning them into one big game. Or maybe just a simple front end that when opened, displays all the episodes in some sort of selectable list.

01/24/2007, 09:03 pm	#7
numble Glottal stop Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Super Happy Farmland Posts: 524	Trailers! For Bone, CSI, that secret license game, and other Telltale Now goodies. __________________ "Well, it's like that guy who's banging his head against the wall, and it's like, 'Why are you banging your head against the wall?' 'Cause it feels so good when you stop.' Adventure gamers are a little bit like that." -Tim Schafer

01/26/2007, 08:52 am	#13
Maratanos Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 851	And how much will such a CD cost for those of us who are playing through GameTap? __________________ I'll combine your MOM with those items!

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01/24/2007, 08:57 am	#2
Rubber John Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 15	... and maybe even slot the Machinima shorts in the list too.

01/24/2007, 10:47 am	#3
Jake Telltale Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 5,843	We haven't really started working on exactly how season launcher type things will work, but I'll add that idea to the list. Thanks!

01/24/2007, 02:17 pm	#4
Rubber John Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 15	Cool, thanks!

01/24/2007, 08:47 pm	#6
Jake Telltale Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 5,843	Say whatever you'd like, now's as good a time as any!

01/25/2007, 01:47 am	#8
Derwin Max's PH-Neutral Chewtoy Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 736	How about a sidebar, like the kind they use in office. That would increase S&M productivity tenfold. Ok, so a launcher would be better. Possible Ideas: Easier solution: Launcher that launches launchers of individual games. Slightly sleeker: Launcher launches straight into games, but each must be individually chosen. What I would like: Launcher where you can choose which episode you would like to start off in. At end of episode, choice of return to launcher or to continue on to next episode immediately. Extras: Every movie/screenshot you have released on Gametap and here. Behind the scenes documentary. Wallpapers. Numble's listed trailers. Desktop calendar, featuring TTG employees in seductive poses. OST. Minigames (like whack-a-rat). Comics. Best of fanart and fancomics. My autograph on every box. That about does it.

01/25/2007, 02:33 am	#9
Zeek Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 2,127	Main GUI: Easy on the eyes but still indicative of Sam & Max as far as aesthetics goes. Max's desk is a good start, or even some kind of twisted Sam & Max style photo album since when you save a game, you're saving a photo. There should also be a universal option setting. The one thing that I didn't like when Episode 2 started was that I had to immediately reconfigure it once the intro was over just so it would run properly. In the final run, whatever options you set should only be set once and then kept consistantly with the rest of the episodes. There should also be, as meantioned by Derwin, an extras option featuring the Machina shorts, the soundtrack, Desktop wall papers, and other things that Sam & Max fans may or may not be interested (my own personal list will be included later). Launcher: For those that are playing through the game the first time, they should experiance each episode back to back with a massive credit sequence at the end. For those of us that have already played through each part, we would go straight to the GUI as if we were coming back to the game after saving it and then quitting for the day, similar to how the episodes launch now. Naturally, their should be an option to pick between either playing the game as one big thing or in episodes. Extras: Each extra should be an unlockable depending on what you do in the game. Get pass the Embarassing Idol puzzle and unlock a special Embarassing Idol logo desktop image. You know, that kind of thing that may or may not be easily hacked and/or distributed among the interweb. Naturally, the more rewarding the extra, the harder it is to get. My personal list of extras and how I would like to unlock them are as follows: Machinena Shorts - Each of the three shorts unlocks after you play the episode it relates to (similar to how they are uploaded now) Soundtrack - Initally, only the Sam & Max theme, office and street tracks will be available to listen to on Sam & Max's answering machine (What? They can use it as a radio!). As you complete each level, you get access to more and more tracks, as well as a preview track from the next batch. "Next Time" trailers - If the game is set to the episodic setting, the trailers would come up at the end of each episode (barring the one for Episode 1, of course) as a way to make it seem more like a TV show before returning to the main menu. If not set to the epsiodic way of playing, they don't play but end up being unlocked anyway. Desktop Images - Fun images like Sam & Max with Hugh Bliss (both the normal shot and the cover of the Alien Love Triangle times), the Soda Poppers head shots and various "OH, is he still alive?" images, Max's desk top itself, etc., etc. Each would involve something related to the desktop in order for it to be unlock, making people replay the episode again to find whatever it is to unlock it. (see example above) Trailers and Links to other Telltale Games - Available initially. "The Making Of" Documentary - Should be unlocked after playing all of the episodes the first time through. For those of us that played each episode individually, it would be already unlocked for us. Character Gallery - A collection of Steve Purcell and the other artists 2D renderings and concept sketches for Bosco, Sybill, the Soda Poppers, Myra, the Director, etc. Available after you meet those characters in each episode. The extras I would like but probably won't get because of legal issues: The inclusion of the original Sam & Max: Hit the Road game. All of the Sam & Max: Freelance Police cartoon episodes on an extra DVD that comes with the box.

01/25/2007, 03:27 am	#10
Rasher Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 256	No activation, or off-line activation. Maybe just a code that comes with the disc?

01/25/2007, 08:07 am	#11
TextureGlitch Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 73	I agree with the no activation thing! You still want people to be playing these games 13 years from now, don't you? Eh? Eh?

01/26/2007, 08:48 am	#12
LGH Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 36	Oh, and while you're at it, include optional subtitles for the machinima shorts as well. Would make it much easier for the non native English speakers.

01/27/2007, 07:44 am	#15
dunkpork Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 86	My suggestion: Try a new art style for Season 2. Not because the art style is bad. I like it. Just because mixing things up keeps things fresh. Of course, I know Telltale is not a powerhouse animation studio, so it could be difficult. I'd just like to see different takes on the art. Kind of like the different musical styles used by the game's soundtrack.

01/27/2007, 03:38 pm	#16
Kefky Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 63	Strange as it might sound, I would actually prefer if there WEREN'T an option for you to play whichever of the episodes you want. I mean, isn't the main complaint about the format that they feel too short when played individually? Then just make it all one big game. I'm sure all six episodes will add up to a very complete gaming experience.

01/27/2007, 07:56 pm	#19
Jake Telltale Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 5,843	When you have all six episodes sitting there, its no trouble to just start up the next one. It's like Lost - despite that show having a rabid fanbase, there are quite a lot of people who loudly complain that "not enough happens each episode." To remedy that, however, they can get out their Lost DVD and just watch 3 episodes in a row. You don't need to cut out the opening titles and credits to achieve such a thing. That's taking things to an extreme. Plus, I think it would be pretty disjointed and a bit weak, structurally, if that happened. If Sam & Max defeated Brady Culture, then it showed the hypnotized guy on TV, then with nothing in between it faded out and faded in to Sam & Max in their office getting a call from the commissioner to go to the TV studio and investigate Myra... that doesn't seem right to me.

01/27/2007, 08:09 pm	#20
Mattb Matt Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 23	How about every episode has the intro and every 2nd episode has the credits...? Or the credits are translucent and they scroll over the intros....