I'm sorry Telltale, but you've failed (kind of)

[mill]

First off, thanks Telltale for waking Sam and Max up again.

You have many fans who will just buy the game automatically because it's Sam and Max. I am one of those. But you are killing us. I'm pretty sure the fanbase will be cut in half since the advent of the new Sam and Max game. Why? Read on.

I've bought the whole season, and played through ep one, two and today three as well. Episode one and two took about three hours for me to finish, and episode three about one hour and a half. The first two were kind of annoying (the kids you know), so even though the last one was the easiest and shortest episode, it was the one I liked the best.

It seems like everyone are complaining about it being too easy and too short. So do I. You (Telltale) said that you didn't want to scare off new adventurers by making the first one too hard. That's a good idea. Normally games are easier in the beginning and harder later on. Not in this case though, atleast not so far.

So why is it too easy? One thing is that is in 3D, and the game is not nearly as detailed as the old 2D counterpart (which I like). Add that you can't combine objects, and that all objects are used throughout the game. The number of "rooms" are way too few as well (yes, even if you combine ep 1+2+3).

I (and the majority of the other buyers) wish that you guys make Sam and Max 3 not in episode style, harder, with more Max, more detailed, and preferably in 2D as well. And a better story, the ones so far are too bad, and too childish. The target audience for this game is around 10 year old kids, and I'm betting the ones who have bought this game are 25+ in average.

[Yohmi]

Waw, you know, you can also answer to other threads, it has already been discussed so much times... we are at the half of the season, the game is very cheap, and is getting better and better episode to episode. It apprently getting harder with next releases. Also, everybody wants a compelte game, but TTG is NOT LucasArts, they need money to start, and you know, Freelance Police was a very very expansive project.
By the way, I'm 19, and I also think that 10 years old can't really understand the insane humour of the game. As I played first Sam&Max when I was ten, and just really understand jokes when I replayed it.

The number of room is too few as well ? but you just combine the first half of a project ! We all want more, and more, and more, but you know what, sam&max is the greatest adventure game I played since Grim Fandango. Name something better recently, and okay, you'll be able to tell they failed. But you know what ? you don't fail until the run's over. And we are on the first half.

About the story... yes, it's childish to enter a toy mafia, as it's childish to want to become a pirate or navigate through time by toilets. And that's probably what makes things accessible to everybody, because we are all childs. You know why Nintendo Wii is working ? because child plays, teenagers plays, men and women plays, third age plays. No need to be dark, bloody, philosophical or something... of course grim fandango is mor "adult" but the first sam&max was as childish as this one.

[mill]

yeah sorry for starting a new thread :/

Funny doesn't mean it has to be "childish". I don't consider the old sam and max to be childish, nor any of the monkey island games, nor grim fandango etc. I like a more edgy humour -- thats all.

Some new (good) adventure games are Runaway, Runaway 2 and Fahrenheit (I think it was called).

[Mother Superior]

Originally Posted by mill

The target audience for this game is around 10 year old kids, and I'm betting the ones who have bought this game are 25+ in average.

Might I point out, that when Hit the road came out you were 13. If that game was intended for 13-year olds, what is wrong with these games being intended for 10-year olds? Not that I think they are, I disagree with your point that they are too childish, I am 18 and derive great pleasure from them, and even though I agree the games are a tad easy, I am always terrible at adventure games that most gamers like yourself wold refer to as classic, such as Grim Fandango, Monkey Island etc. (indeed I played through most of Grim Fandango with a walkthrough, and it's still my all-time favourite game). Fahrenheit was good, but story went awry towards the end btw.

Wanting the game to be in 2d is ridiculous. The third dimension is the hip place these days, it's where the action is and the graphical aspect of the new episodes have been fantastic so far.

I will agree with you that the games could be longer and feature more diversity (I'd much rather see more diversity than just tack on stupid puzzles just to increase the lenght of the game), but Yohmi said it best; Telltale games has revived a beloved game franchise that was dead for so long. But they went from what I can imagine is one of the most well-budgeted game developers ever (Lucasarts) to a recent developer who love the games they make. Give them some bloody time.

More Max: Yes. I agree, more Max please.

Not in episodic format: You are wrong. Telltale games have proven episodic format works. We've gotten three games in as many months. That's much better than one game every year in my opinion.

[mill]

Originally Posted by Mother Superior

Might I point out, that when Hit the road came out you were 13.

I played it a little later, when I was about 15 or 16.

Originally Posted by Mother Superior

If that game was intended for 13-year olds, what is wrong with these games being intended for 10-year olds?

Well the wrong part would be that older people won't enjoy it, me included.

Originally Posted by Mother Superior

Wanting the game to be in 2d is ridiculous. The third dimension is the hip place these days, it's where the action is and the graphical aspect of the new episodes have been fantastic so far.

I still think the new 2D adventure games are pretty cool, but yes, it might be that new (e.g. young) gamers expect all games to be in 3D.

[xChri5x]

Telltale failed? Oh dear... We should tell somebody

[Mother Superior]

Originally Posted by mill

I played it a little later, when I was about 15 or 16.

Damn, you've circumvented my brilliant logic. Well done, old sport.

Well the wrong part would be that older people won't enjoy it, me included.

Well if the game weren't intended for you, then it wasn't intended for you. At this point I would like to again point out that I think you are wrong and that there is humour sophisticated enough to entertain a more mature audience, whilst at the same time offering simpler, what you call childish, humour. In my view, this offers a well-rounded area of comedy.

I still think the new 2D adventure games are pretty cool, but yes, it might be that new (e.g. young) gamers expect all games to be in 3D.

Yes it's true that 3D is the expected standard today, and 2D may indeed scare off a good portion of their inteded audience, but I think Telltale did an excellent job in representing the world in a cartoony, charming way, so why complain?

[mill]

Originally Posted by xChri5x

Telltale failed? Oh dear... We should tell somebody

To me they failed in creating a game on par with the old one, but that's my opinion and everybyde don't share it, of course.

They succeded in making it good looking but to me it as funny as the old one, it is not very replayable after one has finished it, the story is not as interesting as the old one etc. The problem is that it's hard not to compare it to the old one, and the old one being one of the greatest adventure games in history makes it difficult to beat, but still, we all expect the sequel to be better, but they rarely are.

[mill]

Damn, you've circumvented my brilliant logic. Well done, old sport.

Sorry, wasn't trying to be a smartass

[snip] so why complain?

Too high expectations, I guess! I hope the series gets better in the next installment.

[Mother Superior]

Originally Posted by mill

Too high expectations, I guess! I hope the series gets better in the next installment.

Well, I shall admit that had I fallen as in love with Hit the road (ie, had I played it before 2006) as I presume you have I would most likely feel very differentely about this. It's always hard to manage your feelings for games/movies/tv shows you love when they get remade/revived. It's a sort of disease. I propose this syndrom needs a name, and I suggest that we call it "Battlestar Galactica-syndrome"

EDIT* Oh, now this is interesting, a fellow Swede it is I have been arguing with!

[mill]

Well, on the other side, browsing the forum tells the same story -- many complaining about the same stuff; the story, the level of difficulty and lthe ack of edgier humour.

[Mother Superior]

Originally Posted by mill

Well, on the other side, browsing the forum tells the same story -- many complaining about the same stuff; the story, the level of difficulty and lthe ack of edgier humour.

Will you stop using logic and popular opinion against me?! It's very annoying!

[mill]

Originally Posted by Mother Superior

Will you stop using logic and popular opinion against me?! It's very annoying!

Yes.. soon.

[Mother Superior]

Originally Posted by mill

Yes.. soon.

I admit the games have some kinks to work out story and style-wise, but we're only just getting out of the pilot episodes! Give them some time, they'll give Max more to do, make the games a slight longer and more varied (not have Sybil and Bosco play exactly the same roles every single time around for example).

[mill]

Originally Posted by Mother Superior

I admit the games have some kinks to work out story and style-wise, but we're only just getting out of the pilot episodes! Give them some time, they'll give Max more to do, make the games a slight longer and more varied (not have Sybil and Bosco play exactly the same roles every single time around for example).

Well, that was what I was hoping for. Emily said after the first episode that

a) the first episode is easy so that it is appealing for new gamers
b) that it would get harder in ep two and three.

Unfortunately, to me it's been the other way around, hence me not complaining until now :/

[Maratanos]

Originally Posted by mill

I (and the majority of the other buyers)

Sorry. Minor pet peeve of mine...

Only those who are grossly ignorant claim they speak for others, because they are not.

[jp-30]

Originally Posted by mill

Well, on the other side, browsing the forum tells the same story -- many complaining about the same stuff; the story, the level of difficulty and lthe ack of edgier humour.

And how many people who have played the games are not complaining about the story, the level of difficulty and the lack of edgier humour?

[Kunkku-Antti]

Originally Posted by Yohmi

Waw, you know, you can also answer to other threads, it has already been discussed so much times... we are at the half of the season, the game is very cheap, and is getting better and better episode to episode. It apprently getting harder with next releases. Also, everybody wants a compelte game, but TTG is NOT LucasArts, they need money to start, and you know, Freelance Police was a very very expansive project.
By the way, I'm 19, and I also think that 10 years old can't really understand the insane humour of the game. As I played first Sam&Max when I was ten, and just really understand jokes when I replayed it.

The number of room is too few as well ? but you just combine the first half of a project ! We all want more, and more, and more, but you know what, sam&max is the greatest adventure game I played since Grim Fandango. Name something better recently, and okay, you'll be able to tell they failed. But you know what ? you don't fail until the run's over. And we are on the first half.

About the story... yes, it's childish to enter a toy mafia, as it's childish to want to become a pirate or navigate through time by toilets. And that's probably what makes things accessible to everybody, because we are all childs. You know why Nintendo Wii is working ? because child plays, teenagers plays, men and women plays, third age plays. No need to be dark, bloody, philosophical or something... of course grim fandango is mor "adult" but the first sam&max was as childish as this one.

I feel like you didn´t quite understand what he was saying.

[shadow9d9]

I actually warned in my other thread that people who preordered who are now realizing that they are not getting what they thought they were paying for will not invest in future products.

[shadow9d9]

Originally Posted by Kunkku-Antti

I feel like you didn´t quite understand what he was saying.

Most of the rabid fan responses to my thread weren't good at comprehension either. They want so much to respond with defense to what that like that they ignore context/comprehension skills.

When I love things, I criticize them more strongly because I care about them more. I don't blindly defend them against valid complaints.