Telltale Games

allyjweir · 02/09/2007, 11:08 am

I believe that Steam would be an exellent way to distibute the Sam and Max series through. I would be more tempted to purchase through steam because if I ever reinstalled windows it would be there for a straight download.

I dont buy off the website becasue i dont feel very comfortable with that and not having it linked to my steam account or have a disc.

It would be brilliant !!!!!

Waterbottle · 02/09/2007, 11:19 am

After purchasing a game through this site you may download it again at your leisure by going into the past purchases section. So you have it straight for download even without using steam.

Mother Superior · 02/09/2007, 11:25 am

I've never had any problems or felt insecure about purchasing Sam & Max with the current system, though I do find Steam to be more user-friendly, which maybe isn't too surprising, as I am assuming Valve has a bit more money available to their distribution system budget than Telltale games

Yohmi · 02/09/2007, 12:31 pm

Already two threads about that :

http://telltalegames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1652

http://telltalegames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1499

Good reading ^^

S@bre · 02/09/2007, 02:04 pm

I've got to agree with this, distributing via Steam may well allow TellTale to distribute to a larger audience, and certainly get more recognition. Consider recent additions to Steam in the last few months: Combined with the standing of Valve's Half-Life series, ActiVision's Call of Duty series has gone up, SimBin looks slated to release its future racing games across Steam, Creative Assembly have hooked Medieval II: Total War onto it, even Sid Meier has gone on with Civ 4. Steam is expanding, and as it does its user base is increasing. Its not like Sam & Max will be without company, Tim Schafer's Psychonauts is there as well.

I don't think it could be done this season though, with GameTap most likely holding a legal contract grip on Season One. However Steam's major advantage lies in how it has an international market; unlike GameTap, Valve is not just limited to the USA. It certainly seems a distinct possibility though, Steam provides the perfect UI for the distribution of episodic content, even if Ritual's SiN Episodes has been kicked into the long grass (a good number of their staff left, give them that.) and Valve is moving a bit slow with Half-Life Episode 2.

numble · 02/09/2007, 02:14 pm

Regarding Gametap versus Steam, it is not automatically true that you can't be on one without being on the other--Civilization 3 is actually on both Steam and Gametap--but nobody knows the details of S&M's specific contract with Gametap.

xChri5x · 02/09/2007, 02:35 pm

Steam?! Why didn't I think of that!

mill · 02/09/2007, 02:55 pm

The problem with using Steam is that it's too expensive -- Valve charges quite a bit for it.

Mother Superior · 02/09/2007, 02:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mill

The problem with using Steam is that it's too expensive -- Valve charges quite a bit for it.

No they don't. Steam is free.

mill · 02/09/2007, 03:01 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mother Superior

No they don't. Steam is free.

What?! It is?! Hmm I read somewhere that it was too expensive. Oh well, sorry for that then.

Mother Superior · 02/09/2007, 03:03 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mill

What?! It is?! Hmm I read somewhere that it was too expensive. Oh well, sorry for that then.

You sure they didn't mean the games on steam are too expensive then? It's not true, most games are pretty reasonably priced and Steam is a fantastic platform for delivering updates and patches, it's very secure and stable despite what some people might have you believe.

mill · 02/09/2007, 03:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mother Superior

You sure they didn't mean the games on steam are too expensive then? It's not true, most games are pretty reasonably priced and Steam is a fantastic platform for delivering updates and patches, it's very secure and stable despite what some people might have you believe.

No.

Found it:

"Hollenshead: I’ve spoken to them about Steam and I’ve looked at it for our back catalog, and the royalty Valve was getting—and we have a publisher that still has distribution rights we’d have to share—and by the time we go through all of the royalties, you end up making less money distributing it over the Internet, which is the opposite of the way you think it should be."

from http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Sto...034.htm?Page=5

**Jake** · 02/09/2007, 05:03 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mother Superior

No they don't. Steam is free.

Steam is free to end users, of course! Charging for Steam would be like charging someone to walk into an EB Games.

Valve does take a cut from every copy of a game sold over Steam, though, (which, to continue the analogy, is just like EB Games making a profit off of a sale done at their store).

Maratanos · 02/09/2007, 05:10 pm

Okay, so basically, here's the deal, I think:

GameTap offered a better deal. They took it. Don't complain.

Mother Superior · 02/10/2007, 02:42 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maratanos

Okay, so basically, here's the deal, I think:

GameTap offered a better deal. They took it. Don't complain.

I'm not complaining. The current system works fine. Steam would work fine too is all I'm saying. But, if it's more expensive, then of course GameTap is better for the moment.

VoodooKing · 02/14/2007, 06:22 am

I would have preferred Steam since it's so easy to update your games and also it's available almost everywhere.

ReverendTed · 02/14/2007, 08:33 am

I'd be curious about Telltale's agreement with GameTap.
GameTap probaby sees the S&M exclusivity as a way to increase their visibility, and hopefully compete with Valve's online distribution system, so it wouldn't surprise me if there was a clause in the exclusivity agreement about not using another commercial digital distribution dohicker.
Of course, it also wouldn't surprise me if Telltale was smart enough not to enter into an agreement with those types of restrictions.

Udvarnoky · 02/14/2007, 12:30 pm

Why does everyone assume that Gametap is the reason Sam & Max isn't on Steam? How about the fact that Telltale built its own digital distribution channel, Telltale Now, which serves the exact same purpose as Steam? The whole point of using the online space to sell games is to not have to resort to a second party. Why would Telltale sacrifice part of their revenue by putting their games on Valve's service, when they have their own, perfectly acceptable one? Having control over selling your own products is the point of digital distribution. What makes it so worthwhile and exciting is the fact that any company can conceivably make their own service and sell their games their own way. Saying that everything should be under Valve sort of defeats the purpose.

Obviously I'm not saying Telltale's games will never be on Steam or that it makes zero sense for them to ever be there, but what compelling reason is there for that to happen right now? Telltale's system allows for you to re-download games that you deleted or want to put on a different computer just like Steam does. Steam is useful for games like Psychonauts to show up on because it gives games that may not have had the best performance at retail something of a second life, sort of like Telltale offers Ankh and Al Emmo through its service. But Telltale itself is trying to do what Valve is doing with their own games. It's like asking why Valve doesn't have Telltale sell Half-Life. I don't see how Steam would get it out to more people, either...this is the Internet. Telltale's games are as available to Steam users as they are to anyone else. I don't understand why everyone wants the games on Steam so bad in the first place...most of the reasons I've seen were based on inadequacies with Telltale's system that don't actually exist. Sure, it would be convenient for me if every single game I ever bought online were under one service, but I don't exclusively shop at Walmart.

doom saber · 02/14/2007, 01:36 pm

Just that people (myself included) thinks that telltale games made an exclusive contract with Gametap to make Sam and Max games. I mean, Gametap gave them the money to Telltale to make the series, which is why their logo is displayed when you load the episodes regardless if you got it from telltale or Gametap. I am sure Gametap inquired Telltale games to make the game and give them money way before it was announced on this site. With that said, I believe Gametap doesn't want to compete with another company that they helped paid for.

I checked yahoo games which previously sold the bone eps for 20 to check if they have sam and max. They techincally do as in there is a short description of the game and they tell you to check it out, but they send you to the gametap page. I suddenly realized from the banner on the main games page on yahoo that they sponser gt, so no surpise there.

It is pretty much like if Nintendo (or any other console manufactors out there) helped some third company to make a crossover game like super mario and [insert game developer company's mascot here] Surely, you won't see this type of game on the xbox 360 or ps3

Udvarnoky · 02/14/2007, 02:10 pm

I didn't read this thread as thoroughly as I should have. It seems like there's two discussions going on, Steam vs. Gametap and Steam vs. Telltale's system. Obviously I was responding to the latter.

To me the question of why Telltale chose Gametap over Steam as their co-producer doesn't really matter. We can assume Telltale made the choice that served their best interests. How do we even know Valve was a potential partner anyway? Do they normally fund games for the same reason? The (apparent) deal with Gametap is that they help fund the game in exchange for the exclusive period. After that Telltale seems to have complete control over how they sell the games. If you replaced Gametap with Valve in the above deal (again, where's the evidence that this is something Valve was even interested in?), it's hard to believe that Telltale would have the same freedom. After all Steam and Telltale Now more or less serve the same purpose; Gametap is a different animal altogether. The only issue with Gametap is the fifteen days. That's a pretty small issue.

02/09/2007, 11:08 am	#1
allyjweir Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1	Sam and Max on Steam I believe that Steam would be an exellent way to distibute the Sam and Max series through. I would be more tempted to purchase through steam because if I ever reinstalled windows it would be there for a straight download. I dont buy off the website becasue i dont feel very comfortable with that and not having it linked to my steam account or have a disc. It would be brilliant !!!!!

02/09/2007, 02:04 pm	#5
S@bre Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Blighty Posts: 356	I've got to agree with this, distributing via Steam may well allow TellTale to distribute to a larger audience, and certainly get more recognition. Consider recent additions to Steam in the last few months: Combined with the standing of Valve's Half-Life series, ActiVision's Call of Duty series has gone up, SimBin looks slated to release its future racing games across Steam, Creative Assembly have hooked Medieval II: Total War onto it, even Sid Meier has gone on with Civ 4. Steam is expanding, and as it does its user base is increasing. Its not like Sam & Max will be without company, Tim Schafer's Psychonauts is there as well. I don't think it could be done this season though, with GameTap most likely holding a legal contract grip on Season One. However Steam's major advantage lies in how it has an international market; unlike GameTap, Valve is not just limited to the USA. It certainly seems a distinct possibility though, Steam provides the perfect UI for the distribution of episodic content, even if Ritual's SiN Episodes has been kicked into the long grass (a good number of their staff left, give them that.) and Valve is moving a bit slow with Half-Life Episode 2. __________________ "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

02/09/2007, 05:10 pm	#14
Maratanos Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 851	Okay, so basically, here's the deal, I think: GameTap offered a better deal. They took it. Don't complain. __________________ I'll combine your MOM with those items!

02/14/2007, 12:30 pm	#18
Udvarnoky Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 855	Why does everyone assume that Gametap is the reason Sam & Max isn't on Steam? How about the fact that Telltale built its own digital distribution channel, Telltale Now, which serves the exact same purpose as Steam? The whole point of using the online space to sell games is to not have to resort to a second party. Why would Telltale sacrifice part of their revenue by putting their games on Valve's service, when they have their own, perfectly acceptable one? Having control over selling your own products is the point of digital distribution. What makes it so worthwhile and exciting is the fact that any company can conceivably make their own service and sell their games their own way. Saying that everything should be under Valve sort of defeats the purpose. Obviously I'm not saying Telltale's games will never be on Steam or that it makes zero sense for them to ever be there, but what compelling reason is there for that to happen right now? Telltale's system allows for you to re-download games that you deleted or want to put on a different computer just like Steam does. Steam is useful for games like Psychonauts to show up on because it gives games that may not have had the best performance at retail something of a second life, sort of like Telltale offers Ankh and Al Emmo through its service. But Telltale itself is trying to do what Valve is doing with their own games. It's like asking why Valve doesn't have Telltale sell Half-Life. I don't see how Steam would get it out to more people, either...this is the Internet. Telltale's games are as available to Steam users as they are to anyone else. I don't understand why everyone wants the games on Steam so bad in the first place...most of the reasons I've seen were based on inadequacies with Telltale's system that don't actually exist. Sure, it would be convenient for me if every single game I ever bought online were under one service, but I don't exclusively shop at Walmart. Last edited by Udvarnoky; 02/14/2007 at 05:48 pm.

02/14/2007, 01:36 pm	#19
doom saber Coffee addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bay Area(Alameda), California Posts: 809	Just that people (myself included) thinks that telltale games made an exclusive contract with Gametap to make Sam and Max games. I mean, Gametap gave them the money to Telltale to make the series, which is why their logo is displayed when you load the episodes regardless if you got it from telltale or Gametap. I am sure Gametap inquired Telltale games to make the game and give them money way before it was announced on this site. With that said, I believe Gametap doesn't want to compete with another company that they helped paid for. I checked yahoo games which previously sold the bone eps for 20 to check if they have sam and max. They techincally do as in there is a short description of the game and they tell you to check it out, but they send you to the gametap page. I suddenly realized from the banner on the main games page on yahoo that they sponser gt, so no surpise there. It is pretty much like if Nintendo (or any other console manufactors out there) helped some third company to make a crossover game like super mario and [insert game developer company's mascot here] Surely, you won't see this type of game on the xbox 360 or ps3 Last edited by doom saber; 02/14/2007 at 01:39 pm.

02/09/2007, 11:19 am	#2
Waterbottle Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 10	After purchasing a game through this site you may download it again at your leisure by going into the past purchases section. So you have it straight for download even without using steam.

02/09/2007, 11:25 am	#3
Mother Superior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 49	I've never had any problems or felt insecure about purchasing Sam & Max with the current system, though I do find Steam to be more user-friendly, which maybe isn't too surprising, as I am assuming Valve has a bit more money available to their distribution system budget than Telltale games

02/09/2007, 12:31 pm	#4
Yohmi Papapishu Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Taipei Posts: 317	Already two threads about that : http://telltalegames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1652 http://telltalegames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1499 Good reading ^^

02/09/2007, 02:14 pm	#6
numble Glottal stop Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Super Happy Farmland Posts: 524	Regarding Gametap versus Steam, it is not automatically true that you can't be on one without being on the other--Civilization 3 is actually on both Steam and Gametap--but nobody knows the details of S&M's specific contract with Gametap.

02/09/2007, 02:35 pm	#7
xChri5x Marketplace Reality Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: GTA, Ontario Posts: 1,629	Steam?! Why didn't I think of that!

02/09/2007, 02:55 pm	#8
mill Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 27	The problem with using Steam is that it's too expensive -- Valve charges quite a bit for it.

02/14/2007, 06:22 am	#16
VoodooKing Grim Reaper Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hospitals mostly. Posts: 30	I would have preferred Steam since it's so easy to update your games and also it's available almost everywhere.

02/14/2007, 08:33 am	#17
ReverendTed Headclicker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Texas, USA Posts: 336	I'd be curious about Telltale's agreement with GameTap. GameTap probaby sees the S&M exclusivity as a way to increase their visibility, and hopefully compete with Valve's online distribution system, so it wouldn't surprise me if there was a clause in the exclusivity agreement about not using another commercial digital distribution dohicker. Of course, it also wouldn't surprise me if Telltale was smart enough not to enter into an agreement with those types of restrictions.

02/14/2007, 02:10 pm	#20
Udvarnoky Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 855	I didn't read this thread as thoroughly as I should have. It seems like there's two discussions going on, Steam vs. Gametap and Steam vs. Telltale's system. Obviously I was responding to the latter. To me the question of why Telltale chose Gametap over Steam as their co-producer doesn't really matter. We can assume Telltale made the choice that served their best interests. How do we even know Valve was a potential partner anyway? Do they normally fund games for the same reason? The (apparent) deal with Gametap is that they help fund the game in exchange for the exclusive period. After that Telltale seems to have complete control over how they sell the games. If you replaced Gametap with Valve in the above deal (again, where's the evidence that this is something Valve was even interested in?), it's hard to believe that Telltale would have the same freedom. After all Steam and Telltale Now more or less serve the same purpose; Gametap is a different animal altogether. The only issue with Gametap is the fifteen days. That's a pretty small issue.

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