How in the hell do I just buy the first episode?

I have tried everything & it only lets me buy the whole season.... I don't have the money for that.... just the first episode.
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Comments

  • edited July 2009
    No Monkey Island for you, poor you...
  • edited July 2009
    You can buy it on Wii this monday, if you have one.
  • edited July 2009
    thin029 wrote: »
    No Monkey Island for you, poor you...

    My... aren't you useful?

    pluizig wrote: »
    You can buy it on Wii this monday, if you have one.

    I have one, but that also is against the point. I only have $9. I would need $20 to buy a wii points card.
  • edited July 2009
    I have tried everything & it only lets me buy the whole season.... I don't have the money for that.... just the first episode.

    If you don't want to/can't commit to the full season, you have to wait longer to get a single episode.
  • edited July 2009
    Pale Man wrote: »
    If you don't want to/can't commit to the full season, you have to wait longer to get a single episode.

    It wasn't like that with any of the other games...
  • edited July 2009
    It wasn't like that with any of the other games...

    It was for Wallace and Gromit.
  • edited July 2009
    It wasn't like that with any of the other games...
    Wallace and Gromit followed this same flawed releasing policy. The idea is that people find episodic gaming confusing, and the multiple options don't make sense to consumers. So, apparently, the best way to deal with a confusing option is to take it out altogether, throwing a lot of what makes episodic gaming attractive out the door.
  • edited July 2009
    You wouldn´t want to buy only one episode anyway, but i agree, they could make them available seperately.
  • edited July 2009
    I only have $9. I would need $20 to buy a wii points card.

    Or, could just spend $10 (anyone can make a simple buck right) and buy 1000 points from the wii shop channel
  • edited July 2009
    Wallace and Gromit followed this same flawed releasing policy. The idea is that people find episodic gaming confusing, and the multiple options don't make sense to consumers. So, apparently, the best way to deal with a confusing option is to take it out altogether, throwing a lot of what makes episodic gaming attractive out the door.

    The way I see it, if you want to commit to the whole season, you get the added bonus of receiving the first episode earlier than those who choose to wait for a single episode.

    There's no flaw about it, if someone is excited for a game, they're going to drop the cash to get the whole season to play it that much sooner.
  • edited July 2009
    Pale Man wrote: »
    The way I see it, if you want to commit to the whole season, you get the added bonus of receiving the first episode earlier than those who choose to wait for a single episode.

    There's no flaw about it, if someone is excited for a game, they're going to drop the cash to get the whole season to play it that much sooner.

    Well you are the only one who feels that way. Times are tough & it isn't exactly easy to shell out $35 on a whim. If I had the money, then hell yeah I would do it, but if you ask me... this system is incredibly flawed... I mean they just lost a sale now didn't they?
    Gman5852 wrote: »
    Or, could just spend $10 (anyone can make a simple buck right) and buy 1000 points from the wii shop channel

    I hate the wii & too be honest, I don't trust giving my credit card number to a major company. People hack that shit all of the time.
  • edited July 2009
    Why are you even on the internet then? People can just hack your Telltale site just as quickly.

    Besides, your credit card number never gets recorded on your Wii.
  • edited July 2009
    Well you are the only one who feels that way...

    That's right. He's the only one.

    The

    Only

    One.

    He may be a pod-person.
  • edited July 2009
    Pale Man wrote: »
    The way I see it, if you want to commit to the whole season, you get the added bonus of receiving the first episode earlier than those who choose to wait for a single episode.

    There's no flaw about it, if someone is excited for a game, they're going to drop the cash to get the whole season to play it that much sooner.

    I can see where you're coming from, but I don't know how you can say there's no flaw. The fact that there's people who want to buy the single episode, but can't, and therefore end up not giving any money to Telltale shows there's a flaw somewhere along the line.
  • edited July 2009
    Badwolf wrote: »
    I can see where you're coming from, but I don't know how you can say there's no flaw. The fact that there's people who want to buy the single episode, but can't, and therefore end up not giving any money to Telltale shows there's a flaw somewhere along the line.

    It's not that they will never be able to. It's that they're too impatient to wait for it.

    I think it's perfectly fair that customers who are putting more of their money down upfront are getting preferential treatment in the form of earlier access. Think of it as "early VIP access."

    If you were saying they should provide a date for when the single episode will be available, I would agree with that completely, but just saying that it's flawed because it isn't simultaneous is something I don't agree with at all.
  • edited July 2009
    Get a job!
  • edited July 2009
    Pale Man wrote: »
    It's not that they will never be able to. It's that they're too impatient to wait for it.

    Which I imagine will lead to people pirating it who would otherwise have paid. Money is money.

    I bought the whole series, but I still don't see why I should get the episode a month earlier than anyone who just wanted to buy one at a time.
  • edited July 2009
    This thread reminds me of a hole being in a bucket.
  • edited July 2009
    thin029 wrote: »
    Get a job!

    I'll get a SECOND job as soon as you get your FIRST life.

    Badwolf wrote: »
    I can see where you're coming from, but I don't know how you can say there's no flaw. The fact that there's people who want to buy the single episode, but can't, and therefore end up not giving any money to Telltale shows there's a flaw somewhere along the line.

    Telltale fanboys see no wrong. Like I said... they just lost my sale. I was ready to shell out the money, & I had my bank card ready... but in the end, it looks like somebody else is going to be getting my hard earned money.

    Pale Man wrote: »
    It's not that they will never be able to. It's that they're too impatient to wait for it.

    You are damn right I am too impatient to wait... why? Because I shouldn't have to. Sure, I could just pirate it & get it not only right now, but also for free, but that is not what I am all about. If I am willing to pay for the game (& I am) then I should be able to do it without having to wait a month later than the people who bought the entire season. They would be making more money off of people like me who want to buy it an episode at a time anyways. Its just stupid buisness sense.
  • edited July 2009
    This is a wee bit awkward.
  • edited July 2009
    If by 'flawed' you mean Telltale did not get the maximum amount of money, maybe you are right. But I am sure they have taken many things into consideration before deciding on this policy.

    They might have lost the $8 or so from people who would only try one episode first, but they would have lost many dollars from people who would have bought one episode first if given the choice. So by denying this choice, they get more money upfront, which in business is always a good thing. 'Collect from your customers as soon as possible, delay paying your suppliers as long as you can' they say.

    Please note that I am not certain whether this policy gets them most money up front or not, but I'm sure they thought about this before they decided on a release policy.
  • edited July 2009
    sabrateur wrote: »
    Please note that I am not certain whether this policy gets them most money up front or not, but I'm sure they thought about this before they decided on a release policy.

    If they don't have total idiots working for them, you're totally right. The most important thing for a company is to earn as much money as it can. It was, it is and it ever will be this way. The thing you normally do is that you try to estimate, how much copies you will sell the one or the other way. If you have finally chosen an option, you don't really care about the people that are unsatisfied with your deciscion, you just go with it because you calculated the amount of people that won't be buying your game because of release policy. So be sure, behind all of this is a plan. I'm saying this as a business major in Germany. Not that i'm trying to show off, i just want you to know that i'm not just getting my arguments from nowhere.
  • edited July 2009
    You are damn right I am too impatient to wait... why? Because I shouldn't have to. Sure, I could just pirate it & get it not only right now, but also for free, but that is not what I am all about. If I am willing to pay for the game (& I am) then I should be able to do it without having to wait a month later than the people who bought the entire season. They would be making more money off of people like me who want to buy it an episode at a time anyways. Its just stupid buisness sense.
    Actually it's smart business sense as they make more people buy it all at once, earning them profits for games that haven't been released yet. Those who don't like a first episode also are forced to pay for the whole thing. Telltale games is nice and everything, but they're still a corporation - they do want your money.

    Your sense of entitlement and your condescending attitude is also unwarranted. Most games don't even come with an episodic break down - you pay $35.00 or $50 always. "I should and I'm too impatient to wait because I shouldn't have to because I don't wanna buy the season?" Telltale nor does any company owe you anything. If you don't like the terms, you can complain about them sure. But in the end it's still your choice to buy it or not. If it's not worth it to you then don't get the game. But don't act like Telltale owes you something.
  • edited July 2009
    PariahKing wrote: »
    Actually it's smart business sense as they make more people buy it all at once, earning them profits for games that haven't been released yet. Those who don't like a first episode also are forced to pay for the whole thing. Telltale games is nice and everything, but they're still a corporation - they do want your money.

    Your sense of entitlement and your condescending attitude is also unwarranted. Most games don't even come with an episodic break down - you pay $35.00 or $50 always. "I should and I'm too impatient to wait because I shouldn't have to because I don't wanna buy the season?" Telltale nor does any company owe you anything. If you don't like the terms, you can complain about them sure. But in the end it's still your choice to buy it or not. If it's not worth it to you then don't get the game. But don't act like Telltale owes you something.


    I'm just going to throw out one simple line that will revoke everything you just said.
    "The customer is always right."

    What that means is that if I am not satisfied, then they lose my sale, which puts them out of money that they could be using to feed there families. Sure you are thinking that a measley $9 isn't going to matter to a big company like Telltale... well think of it this way... do you really think that I am the only one who feels this way? Well I for one know that I'm not. I'm just the only one on this damn forum who has the balls to question there judgement over this. The rest of you are just blinded by the fact that they are actually making old school adventure games... In your mind you think if you question them then they will stop making them... It doesn't work that way.... as long as you have money to spend, then they will take it. All I am saying is that I think it is unfair (& unwise) to release the single episodes a month later & I'm not going to give in on this. If you think I am bitching over nothing, then divert your eyes because I am gonna keep on doing it until I gets some recognition from the people at Telltale. I mean whats the worse they can do? Ban me? Ha... Its not like I am saying anything out of line anyways. I am stating my opinion & why I think this method is just plain stupid. I work to feed my family & I don't have a rich daddy to sponge off of so I can't afford to shell out the $35. So because of this I have to wait a month or maybe even 2 to play the game? I mean the reason I started playing Telltale's games was that I found them to be a bargain. So with what money that I had left over from my check, I started buying there wiiware games for my son to play (yes I have a son & I'm 19... wanna make something of it) & Wallace & Gromit for the 360 for myself, but because all of the money I have left for my Entertainment until August the 10th is $9 (which is the price of a Telltale episode might I add) I can't download the game? Thats just plain out messed up.
  • edited July 2009
    I'm just going to throw out one simple line that will revoke everything you just said.
    "The customer is always right."

    No.
  • edited July 2009
    I'm just going to throw out one simple line that will revoke everything you just said.
    "The customer is always right."

    What that means is that if I am not satisfied, then they lose my sale, which puts them out of money that they could be using to feed there families. Sure you are thinking that a measley $9 isn't going to matter to a big company like Telltale... well think of it this way... do you really think that I am the only one who feels this way? Well I for one know that I'm not. I'm just the only one on this damn forum who has the balls to question there judgement over this. The rest of you are just blinded by the fact that they are actually making old school adventure games... In your mind you think if you question them then they will stop making them... It doesn't work that way.... as long as you have money to spend, then they want it.

    With that line of thinking, "I love this bright shiny Ferrari but only have $1 to spend." Plug in the rest of what you just said and it makes absolutely no sense. nt
  • edited July 2009
    jweir wrote: »
    With that line of thinking, "I love this bright shiny Ferrari but only have $1 to spend." Plug in the rest of what you just said and it makes absolutely no sense. nt



    That is a completely different matter... they don't sell Ferrari's for $1 after one month now do they? Telltale sells games for $9 after one month though... so why can't they just do it from the release date? Its not that F****** hard to figure out what I am talking about.
  • edited July 2009
    I'm just going to throw out one simple line that will revoke everything you just said.
    "The customer is always right."
    First of all: Clearly you have never worked in customer service. The customer is rarely ever right. The customer is an idiot. We pander to the customer to make them think they were right all along, just so they'll come back to spend money again, which most of the time, they probably would anyway even if we proved them wrong.
    I work to feed my family & I don't have a rich daddy to sponge off of so because I can't afford to shell out the $35 I have to wait a month? I mean the reason I started playing Telltale's games was that I found them to be a bargain. So with what money that I had left over from my check, I started buying there wiiware games for my son to play (yes I have a son & I'm 19... wanna make something of it) & 360 games, but because all of the money I have left for my Entertainement until August the 10th is $9 (which is the price of a Telltale episode might I add) I play the game? Thats just plain out messed up.

    I assure you that most of the people on here do not have rich daddies either, but your attitude of "Have money, must spend" and your desire for instant gratification, along with the delusions of entitlement from a corporation, are the reason the United States is in an economic crisis. This didn't happen overnight, it has been building for years as people decided that they just couldn't be bothered to save up money to earn something later, so they got a credit card, then they got in debt, then they got in more debt, then they found out that the more money you put on a credit card, the more they expect you to pay every month, and they couldn't afford it, and when they couldn't afford to pay the banks, the banks lost money because the people had already spent it and couldn't pay it back... aaand we end up where we are now.

    If after all your expenses per month, you are left with only $9, I'm thinking your best bet is to play the games you already have (on the two rather new systems you apparently own, where did that money come from?). Use that $9 to take your kid out for ice cream or something. Hanging out with your kid somewhere other than the couch is going to be a lot better for him in the long-run anyway.
  • edited July 2009
    "The customer is always right."

    Uh. Wow. Just, wow. Did we travel back in time to the Nineteen-fifties?

    As somebody who's spent a lot of time working retail, I can tell you that 99-percent of the time, when a customer says that line, he is definitely NOT right and knows he has already lost. Next comes the rhetorical "Do you know how much money I spend here?", then the stomping out while threatening to never shop in the establishment again.*

    By-the-way, where are we now in the five-stages of grief? Are we still on anger?

    *I invariably see him sheepishly skimming the shelves a week or so later. This is the price we pay for doing away with dickering and the barter system... And feudalism.
  • edited July 2009
    Spidon wrote: »
    If after all your expenses per month, you are left with only $9, I'm thinking your best bet is to play the games you already have (on the two rather new systems you apparently own, where did that money come from?). Use that $9 to take your kid out for ice cream or something. Hanging out with your kid somewhere other than the couch is going to be a lot better for him in the long-run anyway.



    Really... You know me kiddo. I pay my bills, feed my family & save my money for emergencies. I do however allow myself a $25 entertainment fund from every paycheck. I don't waste my money. I don't know who the fuck you are to tell me how to raise my kid. I work my ass of so he doesn't starve. Then I wrestle on the weekends & put considerable strain on my body on top of that because

    A. It has always been my dream to be a professional wrestler
    B. It puts extra money into my bank account & extra food into my kids stomach.


    Not to mention the 2 "New" consoles I have came out in 2005 & that I got them as gifts about 3 years ago

    So before you come on the internet & start judging somebody, you better get your facts straight.
  • edited July 2009
    I'm just going to throw out one simple line that will revoke everything you just said.
    "The customer is always right."
    As jweir said "I love this bright shiny Ferrari but only have $1 to spend." The customer is not always right in every sense. Because you are buying something you do not have the right to get it anyway you want if the seller doesn't sell it - because you're not required to buy it.
    I'm just the only one on this damn forum who has the balls to question there judgement over this. The rest of you are just blinded by the fact that they are actually making old school adventure games... In your mind you think if you question them then they will stop making them... It doesn't work that way.... as long as you have money to spend, then they will take it.
    If Telltale does something stupid, I criticize it - they simply do not make a lot of stupid decisions. I posted a thread in the Bone forum about how much I dislike Bone.

    I wanted the whole season so I bought it all. If I didn't have the money for I'd go sell something or save money to buy it. But Telltale never twisted my arm.
    All I am saying is that I think it is unfair (& unwise) to release the single episodes a month later & I'm not going to give in on this. If you think I am bitching over nothing, then divert your eyes because I am gonna keep on doing it until I gets some recognition from the people at Telltale.
    Unfair? They don't owe you anything. The merits of how wise it is up for debate. Companies that screw up lose revenue. If Telltale screws up, they will go out of business or lose money like any other.

    Telltale also has no obligation to respond to you just because you're intending on being loud and obnoxious. That's the same logic a five year old who wanted candy would reply with. And yeah, while your point of contention is not wrong to assert your attitude about it is uncalled for.
    Rob wrote:
    I mean whats the worse they can do? Ban me? Ha... Its not like I am saying anything out of line anyways. I am stating my opinion & why I think this method is just plain stupid. I work to feed my family & I don't have a rich daddy to sponge off of so because I can't afford to shell out the $35 I have to wait a month?
    They won't ban someone for voicing their opinion, but if you intend on being belligerent that's a great way for them to probably lose sympathy for you and your cause and to make them want to help you even less.

    By the way, my father is the furthest thing from rich (and a great, great man) and he didn't pay for the game. I did with the money I got from my old job that I saved up from over two years ago.

    The insane thing is that they're going to implement what you want in something like a month or so but you're being just as ridiculous about it.
    I mean the reason I started playing Telltale's games was that I found them to be a bargain. So with what money that I had left over from my check, I started buying there wiiware games for my son to play (yes I have a son & I'm 19... wanna make something of it) & 360 games, but because all of the money I have left for my Entertainement until August the 10th is $9 (which is the price of a Telltale episode might I add) I play the game? Thats just plain out messed up.
    It's not messed up, it's a business decision to make more money. It's not even a stupidly bad one. You can save that $9 for a month from now. I have no sympathy for this story (and no problems with you having at son at 19) - but you clearly have a computer and Internet to complain upon. and a Wii and a 360 yet you can't shell out $35 or - *gasp* - wait a month? There are people starving to death in Africa who have real problems. That's actually messed up.
  • edited July 2009
    Cross-Posting: I feel we got off on the wrong foot. I apologize for my hostility in this and the other thread. While I may disagree with your opinion I probably could be politer about it.
  • edited July 2009
    You're right, I don't need to bring your family into this.

    All I'm saying is, there's something to be said for patience and delayed gratification. The wait makes it all that much better.
  • edited July 2009
    For the last time people... I am not saying that they owe me anything. I am saying things should be equal. Give you more of a choice y'know. This damn thing started as me asking how to do something & turned into I'm a cretin who shouldn't be allowed to speak his mind. Every single person on here is apparently against the freedom of choice & wants to be controlled by a gaming company so much that they are talking shit about how I take care of my family. Pardon me, but that is just fucking pathetic. All I want is equal treatment. Is that too much to ask of a video game company who supposedly LOVES there fans? I mean I can't afford to pay for the entire season, but I can afford to pay for an episode. It isn't like I am asking for something outragous here, but you people are making it out to be like I am commiting a crime against nature. I mean it isn't like if I click on Sam & Max right now I have to buy the whole season just play the game. I can just as easily buy a single episode as I can the season (I know they have been out for awhile, but I am sure you get my point). So is it really that crazy to assume that they could release them simultainiously? I mean they are going to release them seperatly anyways... so why not just give you the option to purchase it from the beginning so those who can't afford the entire season can afford to play the game too?
  • edited July 2009
    I think a lot of people saying to just buy the whole thing are glazing over an important issue here.

    A lot of the benefit of episodic games comes from the fact that they are separate games, for one. If you start off the series and don't like it, you can stop. That's a benefit. Telltale's Season Pass has another benefit, that you can buy the whole thing at once if that is your preference. The Season Upgrade option generally combines those benefits. With all three, there's an option for everybody.

    I buy Telltale's season passes because I prefer to buy it in one go. I like to get that message in my inbox each month with my download button. And I have faith in Telltale to deliver an enjoyable, quality product.

    But people don't have to share my opinion or situation. Why NOT allow people to play the first episode before buying the whole season? Why NOT let people who prefer to buy in portions do so?

    And the reasoning is that the customer can't understand the idea of an episodic game, and that's condescending.
  • edited July 2009
    I think a lot of people saying to just buy the whole thing are glazing over an important issue here.

    A lot of the benefit of episodic games comes from the fact that they are separate games, for one. If you start off the series and don't like it, you can stop. That's a benefit. Telltale's Season Pass has another benefit, that you can buy the whole thing at once if that is your preference. The Season Upgrade option generally combines those benefits. With all three, there's an option for everybody.

    I buy Telltale's season passes because I prefer to buy it in one go. I like to get that message in my inbox each month with my download button. And I have faith in Telltale to deliver an enjoyable, quality product.

    But people don't have to share my opinion or situation. Why NOT allow people to play the first episode before buying the whole season? Why NOT let people who prefer to buy in portions do so?

    And the reasoning is that the customer can't understand the idea of an episodic game, and that's condescending.



    Thank you... finally somebody understands what I am saying
  • edited July 2009
    Sayeth Jake in another post:
    Jake wrote: »
    With Wallace & Gromit we turned on individual episode purchases sometime between the first two episodes (or right when episode 2 came out). I don't know our exact plans but I wouldn't be surprised if something similar happens.

    We also have often allowed customers to upgrade from a single episode to the full season for the difference in price -- $26. That also wouldn't surprise me!

    The reason we haven't been having single episodes, full seasons, and upgrades available at launch for W&G and Tales of MI is because, especially for new faces not familiar with episodic gaming, it proved time and again to be amazingly confusing! People come expecting a "new Sam & Max game" or a "new Monkey Island" and then instead of seeing something which says "click here to buy your new Monkey Island!!!" they see "click here to buy chapter one." "already bought the game? click here to upgrade!" "get your full season pass here -- get all five episodes together for less!" and ... well, people were confused.

    We used that model for three game series -- Sam & Max season one, Sam & Max season two, and Strong Bad -- and collected lots of data and ran surveys and talked to customers and figured out that, yes indeed, people preferred simplicity from the outset. So that's what we now offer, and expand it out as things clear up and become more comfortable.

    And there's your answer. Telltale did their homework. Wait another month or so and you'll be able to buy individual episodes to your heart's content.
  • edited July 2009
    Why NOT allow people to play the first episode before buying the whole season? Why NOT let people who prefer to buy in portions do so?

    They will allow that. If buying a single episode by itself is so important to someone, I'm sure they can stand waiting a bit longer for it.

    It's got nothing to do with the customer being "confused," regardless of anything any of them have said. It has to do with getting more sales upfront of the full season. It's the same idea behind the pre-order bonuses, they want to know upfront how many people are going to be sticking around all season.
  • edited July 2009
    And the reasoning is that the customer can't understand the idea of an episodic game, and that's condescending.

    No, it's not, if the customer is genuinely confused. Telltale is selling games using a unique release schedule. Confusion costs them sales (and increases support costs, too).

    In a perfect world, I'd love to be able to buy only the first episode right off the bat. But not everyone is as computer-literate as you and I, and it makes sense for Telltale to ease the process of purchasing for all those customers who don't hang out on message boards every day. That's where the majority of their sales come from. If it's more cost-effective to go this route, then more power to them.
  • edited July 2009
    Wapcaplet wrote: »
    Sayeth Jake in another post:

    And there's your answer. Telltale did their homework. Wait another month or so and you'll be able to buy individual episodes to your heart's content.
    Yes, they did their homework in one regard: They realized that their release model was confusing. But they ended up hacking out a lot of what made it appealing in order to make it accessible, which I think defeats the purpose.

    Pale Man wrote: »
    They will allow that. If buying a single episode by itself is so important to someone, I'm sure they can stand waiting a bit longer for it.
    Why should they HAVE to, though? Especially when this wasn't the case with their Sam and Max seasons or their Strong Bad seasons? A change occurred. It's out of the norm not only for Telltale, but for episodic gaming releases as a whole. Why can't it be criticized? Why *should* people grin and bear it, especially if they think it's a bad idea at all?
    It's got nothing to do with the customer being "confused," regardless of anything any of them have said. It has to do with getting more sales upfront of the full season. It's the same idea behind the pre-order bonuses, they want to know upfront how many people are going to be sticking around all season.
    If that is the case, I don't see why the consumer should advocate it. It may be a good change for them, who knows, but it's going to annoy a lot of people in the process. If that's the case, why exactly should other customers defend the decision?

    What about it improves anything for us, the people buying the games?
This discussion has been closed.