Q&A With the Team

[Dave Grossman]

Originally Posted by Gryffalio

I've got a question for Dave Grossman (or anyone else could probably answer I guess)
In the Facebook Q&A he did, he said about LeChuck's voice actor being a she, and I took it as a joke, but then in this thread people seem a little confused.

Is LeChuck really a girl?

No. I just like to stir up trouble whenever possible.

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by MarkDarin

We aren't doing previews for this one. We want to use up every single second of time to make sure the episode itself is as perfect as we can get it. And every single free byte of space on the Wii for the game itself!

So by that same logic, you're working to make the Tales episodes larger? My biggest issue with SBCG4AP was that the Wii release always seemed to be "holding back" the PC release wherever you turned, especially in terms of release dates(which you seem to have worked out for the PC players, woohoo!).

[Secret Fawful]

Originally Posted by Dave Grossman

No. I just like to stir up trouble whenever possible.

It was a great rumor. You should've let it go on until release. It would've been legendary. XD

[Jake]

Originally Posted by Rather Dashing

So by that same logic, you're working to make the Tales episodes larger? My biggest issue with SBCG4AP was that the Wii release always seemed to be "holding back" the PC release wherever you turned, especially in terms of release dates(which you seem to have worked out for the PC players, woohoo!).

While it's true that most of the space Strong Bad used for minigames and previews and such went into the main game for Monkey, that doesn't mean there's a 1:1 correlation of "one extra environment" or whatever. More than anything, it's not so much the pure pixels and polygons used, but the effort that went into those things has gone into the main game, so hopefully the experience will just feel richer.

[Lena_P]

Originally Posted by hplikelike

In defense of the people who want it (I couldn't care less, but I like this idea), one could also look at it as a book. Books are divided into chapters, (Think "episodes"), that can end suspensfully, and you can stop at the end if you want. If you want to fluidly keep going, you don't have to put down the book in order to get the next chapter.

(Yes, I also see the other side, where a book ends suspensfully and you have to wait for the sequel, but I still think its a good point.)

Bringing back a somewhat-dead topic I know, but I've been busy lately so haven't had a chance to ride the behemoth that is "Q&A With the Team" lately.
I see the different episodes less as chapters, and more like short stories part of a single collection. I have read more early twentieth century serials than most women my age, which isn't saying a lot, and they really do feel different from chapters in one continuous story. They might have arcs that spread across the stories, but in the end they are still separate entities unto themselves as well, and that really changes the rhythm of the telling. I might read two or three stories at a time, but I never read a whole book of them at once. In a weird way, it makes me feel like I'm rushing the characters. They make it so evident that time has passed for them from one story to the other, that they have been working "behind-the-scenes" in a way to make this story happen. It's kind of an odd thing to describe, but it makes me kind of wish there were still magazines printing serials. Maybe that's one reason I like Telltale so much, they're modern day Frank L. Packards.

[EeK85]

Originally Posted by Dave Grossman

Sacrilege!

Hahah, I know, this is going to be the first MI game without any kind of reference to Sam & Max, apparently.

But, Dave, you co-designed DOTT! You should be honored. Unless you were expecting royalties or something.

BTW, I can't believe Dave Grossman replied to my post. I mean, even though he sneakly avoided the first part of the question (DAMN, YOU! *shakes fists*), it's still THE Dave Grossman. For an old time adventure gamer such as myself, I can't stress enough how cool this is. Thanks TTG for existing and allowing that moment to happen.

You won't get rid of my question that easily, though. Here it goes again:

Originally Posted by EeK85

Also, I have a question for the fine people at TTG: Monkey Island is a series of games known for its spoofs, humorous references, in-jokes and Easter eggs. I'd like to know how much of that kind of thing can we expect from the TOMI episodes. More specifically, are we getting anything related to Lucasfilm properties, like Star Wars and Indy (since TOMI is being developed by TTG under license from LucasArts), or, at least, to Sam & Max (now that TTG is their new home and because they have been in every MI game so far)?

I'd ask the LA guys the same thing if I had the chance. It appears that they have replaced the statue resembling our favorite pair of dog and rabbity thing for one of the equally beloved Purple Tentacle, at the entrance to the giant Monkey Head in SOMI:SE (due to their S&M license being expired and all).

[Gryffalio]

Originally Posted by Dave Grossman

No. I just like to stir up trouble whenever possible.

It would have been so cool to find out LeChuck's a girl (though more in-game than VO) :<

Originally Posted by EeK85

BTW, I can't believe Dave Grossman replied to my post. it's [...] THE Dave Grossman.

This forum is sweet. Dave Grossman, Mike Stemmle, Sean Vanaman and Dominic Armato have all answered questions from me.

... now I can go to work happy

[Cyphox]

Originally Posted by EeK85

BTW, I can't believe Dave Grossman replied to my post. I mean, even though he sneakly avoided the first part of the question (DAMN, YOU! *shakes fists*), it's still THE Dave Grossman. For an old time adventure gamer such as myself, I can't stress enough how cool this is. Thanks TTG for existing and allowing that moment to happen.

Yeah, i think he should change his usertitle from "Cranky Game Designer" to "Worship me! Obey me!", he's so GODLIKE!

just joking... you're absolutely right, i completely understand your feelings

[Tramb]

Hi guys,

a few technical questions for the coders! Writers and artists won't get all the fame, I swear!

I wanted to know what is the amount of geometry, textures, code and sound assets in an episode with the Telltale engine?
Is geometry purely polygonal or with higher order primitives?
Do you have custom data compression schemes for all this?
Do you hire for twice my current wages?

I'd love to hear about your engine and its constraints!

Cheers from another commercial game 3D engine programmer in love with Monkey Island since the beginning!

Bertrand
(Eugen Systems)

PS : Hi fov, remember you from adventuregamers, nice to see you on the other side of the gaming fence!

[syntheticgerbil]

Will there be more drug usage in TOMI than in the previous games in the series?

[Jake]

Originally Posted by syntheticgerbil

Will there be more drug usage in TOMI than in the previous games in the series?

Guybrush is moving up from Yellow Beard's Baby, syrup of ipecac, and spiked hangover cures to skipping class to smoke pot on the roof of the parking garage. We're close enough to the release that I think I can reveal that this is a Very Special Episode of Monkey Island.

[Junaid]

So I was wondering... are you still tweaking the game up til the release?

[seanvanaman]

Originally Posted by Junaid

So I was wondering... are you still tweaking the game up til the release?

Always! We fight tooth and nail to keep tuning things up while Production desperately tries to lock the game.

[Silverwolfpet]

Originally Posted by seanvanaman

Always! We fight tooth and nail to keep tuning things up while Production desperately tries to lock the game.

That's why we love you guys! Keep up the good work! We support you 100%!

[Dastardly]

When designing a game, especially an episodic game, do you think in terms of film, for example - beginning, middle and end? If you play it through, the player might get bored here so tune this, or remove this for a better flow?

[Ignatius]

Do you ever had some kind of party/toast/champagne bottle/victory dance/celebration for when a game or episode is finally over?

Or that would make the productivity meter to go down and automatically neurotoxins would be released?

[Weeblerjake]

I have to ask: When you say some content inappropriate for children, what does that mean? Basically, what content? Oh, and no spoilers.

[seanvanaman]

Originally Posted by Dastardly

When designing a game, especially an episodic game, do you think in terms of film, for example - beginning, middle and end? If you play it through, the player might get bored here so tune this, or remove this for a better flow?

Yeah, definitely. I think momentum and pace are really important in games, especially adventure games. I think about the Secret of Monkey Island and when you show up on Melee, the pace is really great. You're meeting new people, figuring out your tasks, exploring, seeing things you can't get past yet, and you never know what's going to be on the next screen. Actually, that right there: never knowing what to expect on the next scene is something that I really love about SMI and MI2LR.

At this stage, we're making far fewer big-ticket changes like that and really just tinkering/enhancing/fixing bugs. But around playtest time (when we bring in strangers to get their hands on the game) we can make bigger changes to things that effect the flow of the episode.

[seanvanaman]

Originally Posted by Ignatius

Do you ever had some kind of party/toast/champagne bottle/victory dance/celebration for when a game or episode is finally over?

Or that would make the productivity meter to go down and automatically neurotoxins would be released?

We do indeed like to get our "drank on" when something ships (for WG103 I brought in champagne for some mandatory morning mimosas. also known as "funmosas") -- However, at Telltale there's always another episode that needs some immediate love, so we can't party for too long.

[PariahKing]

When's playtest time? Like 1 day from release?