Telltale Games

RAnthonyMahan · 11/03/2010, 07:04 pm

All right. This is a question I've had on my mind for a little bit.

So, a while back there was the deal where you pre-ordered The Devil's Playhouse and got three Sam and Max items in Team Fortress 2. Now they're giving out a bunch of items for Poker Night at the Inventory.

It's cool that Valve is trying to give more attention to Telltale, but at the same time I feel like it might potentially backfire. I mean, there are quite a bit of crazy TF2 fans who will do whatever is necessary for a new item. There have been people who bought The Devil's Playhouse, claimed their items, and never touched the actual game, which is a shame. I know you have to actually play Poker Night to get most of the items, but like with the Alien Swarm Parasite hat, the compulsive item-collectors would probably just see it as grinding. They'd play as much as necessary to get all the items (without any actual interest the entire time), then forget it entirely.

Telltale might decide a sale is still a sale, but I'm worried sales boosts like this might make it seem like interest in their titles is higher than it actually is. I mean, I'll be getting Poker Night personally because I think the game will be funny, but I can already guarantee the majority of sales will be people who want the TF2 items. I know Telltale wants to make "At the Inventory" into a series (though could it be a point-and-click adventure?

). They see how well their pilot game has sold, and begin spending their time and money onto a full series of it, only for it to turn out fan interest was only a small fraction of what they thought, and unless those games come with TF2 items too it could end up a commercial failure.

I love Telltale, I love Valve, and I'm hoping "At the Inventory" manages to blossom into a full series, but if anyone on the Telltale Team is reading this, I just want to say that I hope you can find a better way to convert people into real fans.

Sorry if I'm coming off as insulting or anything, by the way. That's not my intent.

Elvenmonk · 11/03/2010, 07:19 pm

Weren't there some people here posting about how they pre-ordered it on like 5 steam accounts?

GinnyN · 11/03/2010, 07:25 pm

Well... if everything is as online as Steam, they could know if a player stop playing after get all the items. I mean, we know we have our stats on Steam and everyone can check it, so Telltale can do that too. It's going to require more than simple count how much money they get but they can do it because the data is there.

I mean, that it's the first thing I can think off.

LuigiHann · 11/03/2010, 07:25 pm

I'm sure any future "At The Inventory" games would come with TF2 items as well, since Valve seems to be really into the idea. There's really no major downside to this, except to the extent that PNatI will sell better than Puzzle Agent, and therefore will influence future development, but I think Telltale is intelligent enough to chalk that up to marketing, and it'll all be evened out

*Shauntron* · 11/03/2010, 07:27 pm

Relax? We've got this

LuigiHann · 11/03/2010, 07:30 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shauntron

Relax? We've got this

I'm freakin' out here man!

Elvenmonk · 11/03/2010, 07:34 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuigiHann

I'm sure any future "At The Inventory" games would come with TF2 items as well, since Valve seems to be really into the idea. There's really no major downside to this, except to the extent that PNatI will sell better than Puzzle Agent, and therefore will influence future development, but I think Telltale is intelligent enough to chalk that up to marketing, and it'll all be evened out

We need PA items!

OttersPod · 11/03/2010, 08:47 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elvenmonk

We need PA items!

Three words, my friend: blood-stained Pac-Man watch

(It's for the Spy)

RingmasterJ5 · 11/03/2010, 08:52 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by OttersPod

Three words, my friend: blood-stained Pac-Man watch

(It's for the Spy)

No, he meant items based on Telltale's own Puzzle Agent, not Penny Arcade.

Elvenmonk · 11/03/2010, 08:52 pm

I don't care they could make it a gnome for scout to attack with, aslong as it gets items to boost the sales so we can get a season. :P

Yeah I forgot Penny Arcade existed since I dislike said comic.

OttersPod · 11/03/2010, 09:08 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by RingmasterJ5

No, he meant items based on Telltale's own Puzzle Agent, not Penny Arcade.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elvenmonk

I don't care they could make it a gnome for scout to attack with, aslong as it gets items to boost the sales so we can get a season. :P

Yeah I forgot Penny Arcade existed since I dislike said comic.

...oh. My bad. Sorry!

Bunnyman · 11/03/2010, 09:37 pm

This time, people actually have to play the game to get the items, aside from the visor.

der_ketzer · 11/03/2010, 10:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyman

This time, people actually have to play the game to get the items, aside from the visor.

a good idea actually.

BiggerJ · 11/04/2010, 01:47 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyman

This time, people actually have to play the game to get the items, aside from the visor.

Holy crap! No wonder I couldn't find info about TF2 Item Rounds! That's genius!

As for Puzzle Agent items... Tethers' hat? Gnome hat?

TJF588 · 11/04/2010, 05:22 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by BiggerJ

As for Puzzle Agent items... Tethers' hat? Gnome hat?

A "back gnome". It's hanging onto your back, looking over your shoulder. Perhaps with its own gibs, in addition to the player's corpse's.

Elvenmonk · 11/04/2010, 06:26 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by OttersPod

...oh. My bad. Sorry!

It's cool. It's easy to mistake.

Sammun_Fox · 11/08/2010, 06:40 am

The only thing that bothers me is that I Won't be able to play the game the day of the release,because everybody will be downloading the game for the items

**Jake** · 11/08/2010, 06:59 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sammun_Fox

The only thing that bothers me is that I Won't be able to play the game the day of the release,because everybody will be downloading the game for the items

That's an unlikely thing to happen, I think. I mean, I hope everyone downloads the game

but I don't think the numbers will be high enough to murder Valve or TTG's servers...

Jub · 11/08/2010, 07:16 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake

That's an unlikely thing to happen, I think. I mean, I hope everyone downloads the game

but I don't think the numbers will be high enough to murder Valve or TTG's servers...

Speaking of that, November's ticking away, will we be getting any sort of news this week, maybe?

S@bre · 11/08/2010, 08:07 am

For some reason this reminds me of this, starring Shaun as Flanders.

11/03/2010, 07:04 pm	#1
RAnthonyMahan Hyperkinetic Humany Thing Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,620	TF2 Paranoia. All right. This is a question I've had on my mind for a little bit. So, a while back there was the deal where you pre-ordered The Devil's Playhouse and got three Sam and Max items in Team Fortress 2. Now they're giving out a bunch of items for Poker Night at the Inventory. It's cool that Valve is trying to give more attention to Telltale, but at the same time I feel like it might potentially backfire. I mean, there are quite a bit of crazy TF2 fans who will do whatever is necessary for a new item. There have been people who bought The Devil's Playhouse, claimed their items, and never touched the actual game, which is a shame. I know you have to actually play Poker Night to get most of the items, but like with the Alien Swarm Parasite hat, the compulsive item-collectors would probably just see it as grinding. They'd play as much as necessary to get all the items (without any actual interest the entire time), then forget it entirely. Telltale might decide a sale is still a sale, but I'm worried sales boosts like this might make it seem like interest in their titles is higher than it actually is. I mean, I'll be getting Poker Night personally because I think the game will be funny, but I can already guarantee the majority of sales will be people who want the TF2 items. I know Telltale wants to make "At the Inventory" into a series (though could it be a point-and-click adventure? ). They see how well their pilot game has sold, and begin spending their time and money onto a full series of it, only for it to turn out fan interest was only a small fraction of what they thought, and unless those games come with TF2 items too it could end up a commercial failure. I love Telltale, I love Valve, and I'm hoping "At the Inventory" manages to blossom into a full series, but if anyone on the Telltale Team is reading this, I just want to say that I hope you can find a better way to convert people into real fans. Sorry if I'm coming off as insulting or anything, by the way. That's not my intent. __________________ None of your damn business, Sam. My new book! My old book! My writing blog!

11/03/2010, 07:25 pm	#3
GinnyN An Armed Lagomorph Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ask the earth Posts: 2,426	Well... if everything is as online as Steam, they could know if a player stop playing after get all the items. I mean, we know we have our stats on Steam and everyone can check it, so Telltale can do that too. It's going to require more than simple count how much money they get but they can do it because the data is there. I mean, that it's the first thing I can think off. __________________ Because we have nothing, we want to do everything --- - My Zazzle Store! - My DeviantArt Account! #nadaesimposiblehueonniunawea.

11/03/2010, 07:25 pm	#4
LuigiHann Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,660	I'm sure any future "At The Inventory" games would come with TF2 items as well, since Valve seems to be really into the idea. There's really no major downside to this, except to the extent that PNatI will sell better than Puzzle Agent, and therefore will influence future development, but I think Telltale is intelligent enough to chalk that up to marketing, and it'll all be evened out __________________ "I think it's the idea that counts, not the actual method. As long as you set out to cause a horrible death through insects eating the person, you're good." - apenpaap

11/08/2010, 08:07 am	#20
S@bre Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Blighty Posts: 356	For some reason this reminds me of this, starring Shaun as Flanders. __________________ "In this country we find it pays to shoot an admiral from time to time to encourage the others" — Voltaire "Beer is proof that God wanted us to be happy" — Benjamin Franklin > Sam & Max on Wikipedia > Tales of Monkey Island on Wikipedia

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11/03/2010, 07:19 pm	#2
Elvenmonk Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Arlington,TX Posts: 976	Weren't there some people here posting about how they pre-ordered it on like 5 steam accounts?

11/03/2010, 07:27 pm	#5
Shauntron Telltale Video Man Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 487	Relax? We've got this

11/03/2010, 08:52 pm	#10
Elvenmonk Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Arlington,TX Posts: 976	I don't care they could make it a gnome for scout to attack with, aslong as it gets items to boost the sales so we can get a season. :P Yeah I forgot Penny Arcade existed since I dislike said comic.

11/03/2010, 09:37 pm	#12
Bunnyman Friend of Rabbitdog Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: United States Posts: 213	This time, people actually have to play the game to get the items, aside from the visor.

11/08/2010, 06:40 am	#17
Sammun_Fox Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 13	The only thing that bothers me is that I Won't be able to play the game the day of the release,because everybody will be downloading the game for the items

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