TWD Pet Peeves
I thought this might be a good sister (or third cousin) to the "details.." and "general questions" threads. What are your pet peeves regarding all things walking dead? That can be regarding plot problems, game play, setting, whatever. Be specific. Don't say things like badwriting or {insert character here} and not explain. And this is very important!! if someone posts an opinion and u disagree with them be an adult and don't start an argument. I don't want this to become another anti-Kenny, or anti-Gabentine, or whatever type thread....and please put spoiler tags on season 3 info. Almost no one is doing this and not everyone has played until episode 4 yet. Thanks.
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Season 3 - doesn't feel like there is enough chemistry, scenes and character dynamics between 2 characters. For example, Kenny and Lee had extended scenes where it was just them (supply run at the start of ep 3, the boat supply run). Clementine and Lee had a lot of these scenes as well, Mark got introduced with a fairly long scene with just him and Lee, Jane in season 2 when they were looking for Sarah, etc.
Some of these types of scenes might exist in Season 3 but it doesn't feel like characters are bonding to me. It's basically problem number 62147 with season 3.
How some episodes have hubs and branching dialogues but then some have none at all
I think the things that I miss more than anything now are those nice sit-down sections we had in between locations - the ones where we could explore the area and talk to the characters, learning about where they came from, who they were and what actually happened to them. I want to be able to get to know and actually feel for these guys again, the same way that we could feel for Kenny, Lilly, Katjaa, Ben, Christa, Omid, etc. back in the season 1 days.
My biggest pet peeve for ANF has to be this lack of characterization and emotional depth. I'll put it to you this way - when we met him, I learned more about Kenny within the first episode alone than I have with an entire season of Tripp. Hell, it might've been the same amount as when we first met the guy back at Hershel's farm. We learned he was a family man, that there's an inside joke about his son being as dumb as a bag of hammers, that Duck almost got eaten by walkers at a gas station, that they were from Fort Lauderdale and trying to get back home, and the fact that he could sometimes be as scared as the rest of us when he ran away from saving Shaun. Hell, he could even ask you stuff about yourself, too; like who you were and whether or not you'd raised any kids. And that's all within the span of like 15 to 20 minutes if you take your time.
Tripp? Oh, okay... let's see, umm... he's from Prescott, I guess... has romantic feelings for Eleanor, probably has some anger issues... aaaaand, yep. That's all I could come up with.
How is anybody supposed to care about this big lug if you can't maintain a rapport with him?
I don't think he was scared I though he was just getting his son away from the zombies.
Yeah. I miss those times. I think the problem is just that there is too much action nowadays. Season 1 at least had peaceful, secure-ish areas where it could be safe to talk to others. (Hershel's Farm, Motor Inn, Outside the Dairy Farm, EP3 Supply Run etc.) Now, there isn't much time or aren't even safe moments to talk. It's just Action! - Hide And Seek! - Intrigue! - Planning time! - Action Again! - Oh No Walkers, even more Action time!! - Cliffhanger! END
EDIT: Yes, we still see those in ANF but even then, they are either too short or don't let us talk to people very much. Only notable things I can come up with are Junkyard (but why would you want to know their backstory, you're their uncle! Oh right, you're not. You're the PLAYER CHARACTER), Prescott beginning of EP2, By the Overpass in EP2.
Exactly. For some strange reason, Telltale might be afraid of slowing the game down and potentially "boring" the players with long sections of exploration and down-time, but if that were the case, then don't you think those kind of people wouldn't want to play a point-and-click adventure game in the first place? They're not designed to be as fast-paced and action-packed as first-person shooters or sports games. I'd prefer sitting back in a chair, roaming around the different sections, looking at and investigating every nook and cranny I can get my grubby mitts on, and actually talk to the people we're travelling with.
I don't think I could come up with a better description
And it's not just about getting to know people better either. All of that optional dialogue with differentiating responses and outcomes creates some of the best world-building you could possibly ask for. One of the best examples I can think of occurred with Starved for Help and Long Road Ahead, particularly when you compare the group dynamic of the motor inn to that of ANF. Telltale hit us over the head constantly with clues about how the group was experiencing difficulties, and tensions were mounting as the dialogue choices we made cemented alliances and tore us apart with others. Kenny and Lilly's in-fighting made it clear to us that things weren't going to last for very long, and we could go around in episode 3 asking people what they thought of the current situation.
That's what we need again. We need to feel invested into the story and actually believe that shit out here is dangerous. It might be weird to say it, but when somebody looks hurt, disappointed or even outright pissed off at me, I want to feel sad or angry about it. I could never in a billion years help Kenny smash Larry's head in because I had held onto the hope that there was a chance I could save the big guy and redeem myself in Lilly's eyes. The blood-curdling screams we could hear in that meat locker made me lean back in my chair and go "wtf just happened?" And yeah, maybe I'm overdramatizing things a little, but you get the point - we don't really get that same feeling anymore. When Tripp got up in my grill about Conrad in episode 4, I literally didn't give a shit that he was annoyed with me. More than anything, I kind of just shrugged my shoulders and said "whatever", then proceeded to get annoyed with Gabe for squealing on me.
It's just not the same anymore, which is a shame. They had such a good formula going, but now they seem to think sometimes that block-buster action and suspense is better than solid storytelling and character development.
The good character will always die, no matter what. If you are family orientated or the protagonist, you live a long life. Why are a majority of the Walking Dead women are hated? come on Kirkman and co.
Unless you're a villain, Nick, or Sarah.
Yeah, that's been starting to bother me a little as well.
Do you mean hated by the fans? Or do you mean by the characters?
In some cases,both. I would say that majority of the most hated characters would be women characters.( Sherry(comics), Kate(game), Bonnie(game), Lorrie(comics and show), Rebbeca(game), Megan(novel series), Becca, Beth(tv earlier seasons), ETC.
Cast member gets no development until they are about to die then they get a little mini arc to get you to care before they get eaten. Biggest offender was T-dog, remember that guy?
I see what you mean almost all of the women are betrayers in some way. Maybe Kirkman had some bad break ups. Philip k. Dick also wrote women in a very harsh light and I think it was because he went through a rough divorce or two. I don't remember a Becca in the show, but who could forget Beth.
You forgot Andrea. :P
Clementine is the only survivor.
Bumping this for all your ANF complaints.
Not really a true angering, the constant presence of Kenny-type characters who are damn near ripoff-level, especially given what happened with the original, is gotten a bit stale. Need more variety is all.
Gonna bump this in respect to the OP.
So, is there just a thing against writing consistent villains and story directions?
what, so when forum members come back you check their profiles or something?
To answer the question I never liked how whenever a character says 'calm down' another responds with 'Calm down?..' what? It's a pet peeve.
Nah, actually I just found it again while searching for some things and thought the intent was worth given another chance.