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So... is Sam & Max Season 3 inspired by...

ChemBroChemBro
edited April 2010 in Sam & Max
I get the feeling, that the guys at Telltale are playing non-Telltale-games (:eek:) and take some of the ideas from these games to their own.

For example:

- film grain effect (from Mass Effect)
- conversation system (from Mass Effect)
- Mass Effect-like music in Bosco Tech (from Mass Effect)
- Space! (from Mass Effect)
- "graphic jump" from season 2 to season 3 (Mass Effect 1 --> Mass Effect 2)
- Paragon/Renegade system (from... oh, there is no such system in Sam & Max...)
- game launcher uses QtWebkit (like... the new Steam?)
- this computer in the moleman room? (from Portal?)


... actually I wanted to say, that I played too much Mass Effect this year. If Mass Effect would be a MMO, I would have no life anymore.

But do you noticed any other influences? And do you agree with my assumptions?

Comments

  • Giant TopeGiant Tope
    edited April 2010
    Actually more like the twilight zone and 70's sci fi.
  • Rather DashingRather Dashing
    edited April 2010
    A film grain filter is not a Mass Effect innovation. Though, I do think Mass Effect's filter is a lot "softer" and looks better overall, this one looks like there is some sort of interference going on(not sure if that was intentional or not).

    Also, Mass Effect didn't invent space, or even first apply outer space to video game(that would be SPACE WAR).

    ...also, I don't know what you're talking about. Any Sam and Max track will kick any Mass Effect track's ass to town and back in an instant.

    The wheel UI, um, I guess possibly.

    The influences are more in the world of film, but Chuck has explained them so there's not too much to talk about. Oh, except Max is called Harvey, which I think is awesome because I love that movie. Tons of great references. Oh, and that blatant reference to the book with The Phantom Tollbooth and Chronicles of Narnia was hilarious.
  • lersveenlersveen
    edited April 2010
    You're probably just too obsessed with Mass Effect.

    - The film grain effect is hardly something that's only before used in Mass Effect
    - The conversation system looks like the one in The Sims too
    - I didn't really listen closely enough to the music in Bosco Tech
    - I wouldn't say there's THAT much space in season 3 (at least not yet) and that wouldn't really count as being inspired by Mass Effect anyways, that's just farfetched
    - Paragon/Renegade system doesn't exist in s&m as you said
    - Choice of such a technical solution is not "inspiration"
    - Didn't really see the computer

    Conclusion: There's inspiration from lots of places, but I doubt Mass Effect had much of an influence.
  • taumeltaumel
    edited April 2010
    With the narrator, the spaceship and offering a gift to mankind i instantly was reminded of the Twilight Zone's episode To serve man. A completely different story, btw. on of the better ones, but the idea was there.
  • JakeJake Telltale Alumni
    edited April 2010
    The dialog presentation definitely took inspiration from the great work done in both Mass Effect and The Sims (a series which Chuck worked on when he was at Maxis/EA). I don't think Mass Effect has any direct influence on anything else, though.

    We put the film grain in because we wanted the series to feel like a washed out, badly transferred 70s b-movie. In those movies everything is brown half the time, then turns green in the next scene, or a little red/purple the next, and black and white never exist properly -- they're always tinted slightly, horribly.
  • Thriftweed Fancy PantsThriftweed Fancy Pants
    edited April 2010
    That's how the 70's looked in real life to most people too.
  • der_ketzerder_ketzer
    edited April 2010
    psycic powers == Psyconauts
  • NickTTGNickTTG Telltale Alumni
    edited April 2010
    ChemBro wrote: »
    - this computer in the moleman room? (from Portal?)
    this one was way too obvious...

    http://silverstairs.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/hal9000.jpg
  • JJoyceJJoyce
    edited April 2010
    NickTTG wrote: »
    this one was way too obvious...

    http://silverstairs.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/hal9000.jpg

    Yeah well, your own fault for going with the female voice. And not having it sing Daisy Bell or call anyone Dave. :D

    Now that we can talk freely, the references throughout were fantastic as usual, although the one that stood out most in my mind is Harry's brief reenactment of a key scene from Soylent Green (and Max's response, of course.)
  • IrishmileIrishmile
    edited April 2010
    Giant Tope wrote: »
    Actually more like the twilight zone and 70's sci fi.

    that.... I think any similarities would be because that game would be referencing the same sources as S&M is.
  • Pak-ManPak-Man
    edited April 2010
    Wouldn't it be awesome if there WAS the same sort of cause/effect as in Mass Effect, though? You could solve the puzzles different ways and it would affect the ending...
  • FalancaFalanca
    edited April 2010
    ChemBro wrote: »
    - "graphic jump" from season 2 to season 3 (Mass Effect 1 --> Mass Effect 2)

    True! No other sequal does that!
    der_ketzer wrote: »
    psycic powers == Psyconauts

    It made me feel that way, too. But then, I played the game.
  • Brass_MonkeyBrass_Monkey
    edited April 2010
    I loved all the references in the episode. There were a few obscure ones (or at least I would call them obscure), like the one from Scanners :)
  • FalancaFalanca
    edited April 2010
    *ahem*
    Say hello to my little buddy!
  • Rather DashingRather Dashing
    edited April 2010
    Jake wrote: »
    We put the film grain in because we wanted the series to feel like a washed out, badly transferred 70s b-movie.
    "Badly Transferred". That's what I was looking for. I wasn't exactly sure if the film grain was a bit harsh intentionally or not, it did feel like there was more "noise" in the filter than a proper release(for example, Criterion Collection) would have.
  • Dark ByteDark Byte
    edited April 2010
    Don't forget simon the sorcerer 5 where you get to play as the wolf and you get to use psychic abilities like : Influencing minds, reading minds, Seeing the future of objects, and telekinesis
  • WillWill Telltale Alumni
    edited April 2010
    ChemBro wrote: »
    - game launcher uses QtWebkit (like... the new Steam?)

    Hey, we totally beat Steam to the punch on that one! We converted to webkit for the Mac version of Monkey Island, then shortly thereafter they announced they switched to webkit for much the same reason (not relying on IE for Mac versions of the wrapper).
  • ChemBroChemBro
    edited April 2010
    NickTTG wrote: »
    this one was way too obvious...

    http://silverstairs.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/hal9000.jpg

    Yeah, well... Never saw the movie. I couldn't get through the first 5 - 10 min.


    And I thought this thread would be more a fun-thread. Maybe I should use more smileys next time. :( I thought, it was obvious, that I'm joking. :( Okay, it's not that bad. :o
  • Giant TopeGiant Tope
    edited April 2010
    NoFunAllowed.jpg
  • DaleDale
    edited April 2010
    Will wrote: »
    Hey, we totally beat Steam to the punch on that one! We converted to webkit for the Mac version of Monkey Island, then shortly thereafter they announced they switched to webkit for much the same reason (not relying on IE for Mac versions of the wrapper).
    Glad you did too. For the first time since the great cow race, a TTG title launched on my desktop without a single problem.
  • Pantagruel's FriendPantagruel's Friend
    edited April 2010
    Jake wrote: »
    everything is brown half the time, then turns green in the next scene, or a little red/purple the next, and black and white never exist properly

    Are you quite sure you wanted to make the game look like that? :D
  • pheephpheeph
    edited April 2010
    The game does seem to have that Twilight Zone setting... I actually thought the music had a Doctor Who feel to it...
  • Secret FawfulSecret Fawful
    edited April 2010
    Rather Dashing wrote: »
    A film grain filter is not a Mass Effect innovation. Though, I do think Mass Effect's filter is a lot "softer" and looks better overall, this one looks like there is some sort of interference going on(not sure if that was intentional or not).

    Also, Mass Effect didn't invent space, or even first apply outer space to video game(that would be SPACE WAR).

    ...also, I don't know what you're talking about. Any Sam and Max track will kick any Mass Effect track's ass to town and back in an instant.

    The wheel UI, um, I guess possibly.

    You haven't played Mass Effect have you.
  • Rather DashingRather Dashing
    edited April 2010
    Secret Fawful wrote: »
    You haven't played Mass Effect have you.
    Played 1 and 2 at release. And read the books. And read the first issue of the comic and decided it was a crap series that I wasn't going to continue reading.
  • Secret FawfulSecret Fawful
    edited April 2010
    Rather Dashing wrote: »
    Played 1 and 2 at release. And read the books. And read the first issue of the comic and decided it was a crap series that I wasn't going to continue reading.

    Okay, just making sure you weren't just...you know....saying it.
  • Rather DashingRather Dashing
    edited April 2010
    Secret Fawful wrote: »
    Okay, just making sure you weren't just...you know....saying it.
    Nope. My opinion is just as informed as anybody's. It can be challenged, but not on the grounds that I have never experienced the work in question.
  • guitarsareboringguitarsareboring
    edited April 2010
    I thought the way you acquire the psychic powers was a little nod towards Bioshock.
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