I went to a birthday party at around 7 years old with all the kids in my class and the birthday movie was Jurassic Park. Mom and Dad weren't too happy and pulled me out while the opening credits were running. At least that's how I remembered it. Mom and Dad weren't actually there so I don't know how I left. All I remember is seeing the opening credits and hearing the creepy music and then nothing...
The children of the 80s are now of childbearing age, and the toys/franchises they remember being awesome are an easy sell because there's an emotional attachment there - they want to share that with their own kids. Like jp-30, if I had any kids I'd be making letting them watch BTTF.
Yeah, you should see my kid's LEGO collection. All we did back in the day was make Star Was ships (and smash up derby cars), when LEGO got the SW license I screamed for joy, which is kinda lame when you're in your late 20s.
I'm pretty sure I saw Jurassic Park around the time it came out in 1993, which would've made me 6 or 7. What I know for sure is that by the time I got my Sega Genesis in 1994 or 1995, I had already played the video game on my grandpa's Genesis, and I know I saw the movie before playing the game...
I was too young to see it when it came out, but my best friend's mother took us to see it anyway... pretty sure she didn't realise how gory it would be. She spent half the movie forcibly covering our eyes.
I think I was pretty scared to be honest, but I was too cool to let on. :cool:
Not to be a huge party pooper, but does anyone else feel like Telltale's sold out? I don't want to see TTG making crap movie games for a quick buck. Don't get me wrong, I love the movies in question and (of course) TTG, but I don't want the fans-myself included- to be left in the dust while Telltale starts riding the metaphorical gravy train swimming in dough from lackluster games. PLEASE, prove me wrong.
Not to be a huge party pooper, but does anyone else feel like Telltale's sold out? I don't want to see TTG making crap movie games for a quick buck. Don't get me wrong, I love the movies in question and (of course) TTG, but I don't want the fans-myself included- to be left in the dust while Telltale starts riding the metaphorical gravy train swimming in dough from lackluster games. PLEASE, prove me wrong.
It's hard to sell out when you're doing exactly what you set out to do from day one.
Also, it's not like they've jumped on the latest bandwagon, Twilight for instance. They've acquired solid licences that have been quiet of late and resurrected them.
You're twisted. 5-10 is way too young to watch Jurassic Park.
I saw it when I was five. My mum only made me cover my eyes when... the guy hiding in the toilet got eaten by the T-Rex, I think? I don't remember anything from the movie and I'm relying on a parody I read more recently, but I know there was a T-Rex doing something scary. I spaced my fingers so that I could still see what was going on, and wasn't bothered by whatever it was at all. I know that other people in my kindergarten class had seen it as well, because I remember the teacher asking for some reason.
It's hard to sell out when you're doing exactly what you set out to do from day one.
Also, it's not like they've jumped on the latest bandwagon, Twilight for instance. They've acquired solid licences that have been quiet of late and resurrected them.
if telltale ever did anything to do with the twilight series, i would in all honesty fly over to the bay area and raid the offices with garlic bombs.
You're twisted. 5-10 is way too young to watch Jurassic Park.
Yup. The funny thing is, though that I must've watched Jurassic Park and The Lost World at least twenty times (probably more), all the way through during the 5-10 age bracket, I absolutely refused to stay in the same room when watching Annie. Ms. Hannigan scared the bejesus out of me and I would flee for the kitchen every time she came on screen.
I guess I was more frightened of drunk people than dinosaurs and gore.:p
I haven't read the whole thread, so I'm probably beating a dead horse here:
I don't like this idea one bit. While Telltale has used other companies' intellectual properties for pretty much all of their former games, I can't think of any they've released that were not based on original storylines. Creating an enjoyable, challenging adventure game based on a storyline that most of the players already know is a very difficult thing to do, much harder than if you're telling a completely new story.
As for the franchises - BttF and JP - they're old, venerated franchises, but a game or series of games based on either one of them is only likely to be successful if its released in conjunction with a new movie in the series that doesn't suck, since a real event for these franchises would be a movie, not a video game (which is more of a promotion or merchandising accessory), so independently-released games in these series' would likely fall flat. This is especially true when we're so far removed from the series' themselves. Other examples that take this theory in different directions are Rockstar's The Warriors, which was intended to increase hype for the new movie which never happened, and ended up failing commercially, and the new TRON game, which is coming in conjunction with a new TRON film, which will likely boost the commercial viability of both products.
Then, of course, there are the technical hurdles - representing these series' well graphically will be a challenge for a company that has most of its experience in cartoonish graphics, and getting appropriate voice actors to represent the characters in movies that are two decades old (or more) could be a challenge, though I know a lot of the original actors are still alive.
Finally, if Telltale focuses on these series, it's at the cost of their proven franchises, or of original properties being developed by the team (something they are hopefully attempting with their new pilot game program or whatever they call it). I don't know about the general populace, but there are a thousand things I would rather see as adventure games than these two franchises, especially as stale and dated as they are.
This may come off as Telltale Fanboy-ism, but here it goes anyway:
This NBC/Universal Deal is great. I am sure that the BttF and Jurassic Park games will be awesome. Why? Because pretty much everything Telltale has touched has turned to gold. Monkey Island and Sam and Max, while obviously already having devoted followings, received MASSIVE critical acclaim and have apparently sold like hot-cakes. Bone, although not very popular, proved that Telltale had great writers and could make the episodic model work and also received nice critical reviews. Wallace and Gromit is really fun if you have a small kid in your house. My 4-year-old can solve some of the puzzles herself and the writing in those games is awesome. Strong Bad = Made of Awesome. Even the CSI games were okay; especially considering that there is not exactly much room to innovate in a formulaic game like that.
So bottom line: These new games will be great too. It will certainly, once again, expand the Telltale audience. Furthermore, even if no one who is into Monkey Island, Sam and Max, etc buys these games, new customers will and every penny Telltale makes is good for everyone. I root for all of Telltale's franchises to be popular and make money, even if I have no intention of buying them, because it makes it more likely that the company will be strong and make more games that I DO like in the future.
Telltale, you rock. Keep on keepin' on.
PS: This is definitely me being a FanBoy, but I am ridiculously proud to have been a Telltale supporter from the beginning. When I bought the first Bone game (for like $20 btw) I knew I was investing in an awesome company and you guys have proved me right again.
I don't like this idea one bit. While Telltale has used other companies' intellectual properties for pretty much all of their former games, I can't think of any they've released that were not based on original storylines.
What about Bone?
Besides, like jp-30 said, there's no reason to think that the games won't have original storylines.
Some of these points are valid - okay, Bone was based on an existing story (apparently, I'm trusting you guys on this one), and the press release does at least leave room for the Universal-licensed games to follow original plot lines. They've also released other games (i.e. CSI games) in the past, though only one of them coincides with the release of an episodic series, which indicates to me that they're a distraction from the format Telltale has both pioneered and excelled at.
I expect that Back to the Future and Jurassic Park will take up a year of Telltale's time. Fanboyism be damned, these franchises are withered and dead right now, and I don't expect that Telltale can revive them. Besides, for the people who think that these licenses are instant cash for Telltale, don't forget that these are franchises that saw their glory days decades ago and targeted moviegoers in those days - taking a pop-culture classic movie trilogy from 20+ years ago and turning it into a computer game now doesn't ensure success, at least, not if the title doesn't say "Star Wars". Then there's Jurassic Park, a series that's been going south since the first sequel, not to mention it's hardly suited to point'n'click adventure gaming. No, I just don't have much hope for these games.
The optimist in me says that the year that Telltale ties itself up in these two potential disasters will yield two major benefits - broad creative focus on the pilot program, creating great potential for Telltale to outgrow its licensed-franchise limitations and do something fresh for a change (yes, a Full Throttle or Grim Fandango season from Telltale would be loads of fun, but until Telltale can wow me with their own game universe, they're still second-rate), and significant engine improvements, to accommodate both the stylistic and gameplay alterations that the new series (especially Jurassic Park) are going to demand.
On the other hand, the pessimist in me is afraid that the games will fall very flat and Telltale will be put in a bad financial position because of it, with the result being either the eventual dissolution of the company or, worse, the company being forced to shill out more and more rubbish tie-in games by NBC-Universal until they become that affiliate of the big network that did something cool way back when.
Some of these points are valid - okay, Bone was based on an existing story (apparently, I'm trusting you guys on this one), and the press release does at least leave room for the Universal-licensed games to follow original plot lines. They've also released other games (i.e. CSI games) in the past, though only one of them coincides with the release of an episodic series, which indicates to me that they're a distraction from the format Telltale has both pioneered and excelled at.
Leave room to follow original plot lines? The explicitly state these are to be new stories in those worlds.
CSI was episodic too (though I know your point was more about multiple game releases during the same time frame), but the episodes were compiled on disc rather than released monthly via digital distribution. The model was basically unchanged, apart from the delivery method.
Leave room to follow original plot lines? The explicitly state these are to be new stories in those worlds.
CSI was episodic too (though I know your point was more about multiple game releases during the same time frame), but the episodes were compiled on disc rather than released monthly via digital distribution. The model was basically unchanged, apart from the delivery method.
Where in the press release do they explicitly state that the games are original stories? I'm willing to concede at this point that they probably will be (my first skim of the release missed a couple crucial sentences), but that's based on assumptions rather than a direct statement in the press release.
Regarding CSI, while the games do work episodically (at least, from the little I know of them), I haven't observed Telltale to emphasize the term 'episodic' with them, they seem to reserve that for serial games. Granted, I'm not a huge follower of TTG (I buy the games and play them, but haven't participated much in the metacommunity), but the terminology they use makes me think that BttF and JP will be their next two monthly game series. Granted, I'm not clamoring for Sam and Max Season 4 or Tales of Monkey Island Season 2, but, as I've stated before, if they're going to stick to licensed IP's for now, I'd simply prefer they went with better ones, either by reviving old AG series (Indy, Full Throttle, Grim, Space Quest, Broken Sword, etc.) or by tapping into more appropriate franchises.
Connors said the games, which are in the early stages of development, would tell new stories extending the "Back to the Future" and "Jurassic Park" lore. He teased that the "Back to the Future" games may include a DeLorean ride back to the 1970s while the "Jurassic Park" games would be intense and add new backstories to the series' man-versus-dinosaur mythology.
"The games are going to exist within these worlds," said Connors. "I wouldn't call these games sequels per se but a new interpretation of their worlds for a new medium. For one generation, it's an introduction to these series. For another generation, it's a thing they can look back on and something they can share warmly with their family and friends."
Regarding CSI, while the games do work episodically (at least, from the little I know of them), I haven't observed Telltale to emphasize the term 'episodic' with them, they seem to reserve that for serial games. Granted, I'm not a huge follower of TTG (I buy the games and play them, but haven't participated much in the metacommunity), but the terminology they use makes me think that BttF and JP will be their next two monthly game series.
The only reason CSI wasn't released as an episodic game is that Ubisoft didn't want them to, the entire publication of the game was up to Ubisoft. Probably didn't want TTG to release it via their store because they don't use invasive enough DRM, or something. :rolleyes:
Quantum Leap would be awesome as an episodic game. Solving puzzles to make people happier, changing history so their lives are better, then an awesome ending where he saves someone's life then leaps, then he leaps into a different time, possible as the same person, possible making a series where he leaps 5 times in different parts of their lives, also it doesn't even have to be in order. We find out something in one episode and make it happen in another or something like that.
If your talking about Sam and Max astral projecting into a movie then it can't happen, Sam and Max have to astral project themselves into another version of themselves, say their grandparents or the clones of sam
Comments
Yeah, you should see my kid's LEGO collection. All we did back in the day was make Star Was ships (and smash up derby cars), when LEGO got the SW license I screamed for joy, which is kinda lame when you're in your late 20s.
Well I saw it when it came out and I was 8, didn't affect me negatively.
Gotta go, my parole officer is coming.
*oh wait, I was 10.
Yeah, I'd probably agree with this, certainly for the younger end of that age bracket. To lazily quote myself from another thread:
I think I was pretty scared to be honest, but I was too cool to let on. :cool:
Don't worry you're not the first, and no I don't, for the 10th time.
It's hard to sell out when you're doing exactly what you set out to do from day one.
Also, it's not like they've jumped on the latest bandwagon, Twilight for instance. They've acquired solid licences that have been quiet of late and resurrected them.
I saw it when I was five. My mum only made me cover my eyes when... the guy hiding in the toilet got eaten by the T-Rex, I think? I don't remember anything from the movie and I'm relying on a parody I read more recently, but I know there was a T-Rex doing something scary. I spaced my fingers so that I could still see what was going on, and wasn't bothered by whatever it was at all. I know that other people in my kindergarten class had seen it as well, because I remember the teacher asking for some reason.
Well, I most certainly hope Telltale isn't sold out...because I still want to buy a copy!
[boos echo as tomatoes get thrown in my direction]
if telltale ever did anything to do with the twilight series, i would in all honesty fly over to the bay area and raid the offices with garlic bombs.
Yup. The funny thing is, though that I must've watched Jurassic Park and The Lost World at least twenty times (probably more), all the way through during the 5-10 age bracket, I absolutely refused to stay in the same room when watching Annie. Ms. Hannigan scared the bejesus out of me and I would flee for the kitchen every time she came on screen.
I guess I was more frightened of drunk people than dinosaurs and gore.:p
I don't like this idea one bit. While Telltale has used other companies' intellectual properties for pretty much all of their former games, I can't think of any they've released that were not based on original storylines. Creating an enjoyable, challenging adventure game based on a storyline that most of the players already know is a very difficult thing to do, much harder than if you're telling a completely new story.
As for the franchises - BttF and JP - they're old, venerated franchises, but a game or series of games based on either one of them is only likely to be successful if its released in conjunction with a new movie in the series that doesn't suck, since a real event for these franchises would be a movie, not a video game (which is more of a promotion or merchandising accessory), so independently-released games in these series' would likely fall flat. This is especially true when we're so far removed from the series' themselves. Other examples that take this theory in different directions are Rockstar's The Warriors, which was intended to increase hype for the new movie which never happened, and ended up failing commercially, and the new TRON game, which is coming in conjunction with a new TRON film, which will likely boost the commercial viability of both products.
Then, of course, there are the technical hurdles - representing these series' well graphically will be a challenge for a company that has most of its experience in cartoonish graphics, and getting appropriate voice actors to represent the characters in movies that are two decades old (or more) could be a challenge, though I know a lot of the original actors are still alive.
Finally, if Telltale focuses on these series, it's at the cost of their proven franchises, or of original properties being developed by the team (something they are hopefully attempting with their new pilot game program or whatever they call it). I don't know about the general populace, but there are a thousand things I would rather see as adventure games than these two franchises, especially as stale and dated as they are.
Just pretend that these games are filling the slot that CSI would normally fill and pretend it's not happening if it pleases you.
This NBC/Universal Deal is great. I am sure that the BttF and Jurassic Park games will be awesome. Why? Because pretty much everything Telltale has touched has turned to gold. Monkey Island and Sam and Max, while obviously already having devoted followings, received MASSIVE critical acclaim and have apparently sold like hot-cakes. Bone, although not very popular, proved that Telltale had great writers and could make the episodic model work and also received nice critical reviews. Wallace and Gromit is really fun if you have a small kid in your house. My 4-year-old can solve some of the puzzles herself and the writing in those games is awesome. Strong Bad = Made of Awesome. Even the CSI games were okay; especially considering that there is not exactly much room to innovate in a formulaic game like that.
So bottom line: These new games will be great too. It will certainly, once again, expand the Telltale audience. Furthermore, even if no one who is into Monkey Island, Sam and Max, etc buys these games, new customers will and every penny Telltale makes is good for everyone. I root for all of Telltale's franchises to be popular and make money, even if I have no intention of buying them, because it makes it more likely that the company will be strong and make more games that I DO like in the future.
Telltale, you rock. Keep on keepin' on.
PS: This is definitely me being a FanBoy, but I am ridiculously proud to have been a Telltale supporter from the beginning. When I bought the first Bone game (for like $20 btw) I knew I was investing in an awesome company and you guys have proved me right again.
Besides, like jp-30 said, there's no reason to think that the games won't have original storylines.
Bone is a graphic novel.
Ooh, I guess I read that backwards. I thought the person you quoted said none of their games was an original IP, and you said Bone was.
Nevermind, yeah, Bone follows the existing story indeed.
I expect that Back to the Future and Jurassic Park will take up a year of Telltale's time. Fanboyism be damned, these franchises are withered and dead right now, and I don't expect that Telltale can revive them. Besides, for the people who think that these licenses are instant cash for Telltale, don't forget that these are franchises that saw their glory days decades ago and targeted moviegoers in those days - taking a pop-culture classic movie trilogy from 20+ years ago and turning it into a computer game now doesn't ensure success, at least, not if the title doesn't say "Star Wars". Then there's Jurassic Park, a series that's been going south since the first sequel, not to mention it's hardly suited to point'n'click adventure gaming. No, I just don't have much hope for these games.
The optimist in me says that the year that Telltale ties itself up in these two potential disasters will yield two major benefits - broad creative focus on the pilot program, creating great potential for Telltale to outgrow its licensed-franchise limitations and do something fresh for a change (yes, a Full Throttle or Grim Fandango season from Telltale would be loads of fun, but until Telltale can wow me with their own game universe, they're still second-rate), and significant engine improvements, to accommodate both the stylistic and gameplay alterations that the new series (especially Jurassic Park) are going to demand.
On the other hand, the pessimist in me is afraid that the games will fall very flat and Telltale will be put in a bad financial position because of it, with the result being either the eventual dissolution of the company or, worse, the company being forced to shill out more and more rubbish tie-in games by NBC-Universal until they become that affiliate of the big network that did something cool way back when.
Leave room to follow original plot lines? The explicitly state these are to be new stories in those worlds.
CSI was episodic too (though I know your point was more about multiple game releases during the same time frame), but the episodes were compiled on disc rather than released monthly via digital distribution. The model was basically unchanged, apart from the delivery method.
Where in the press release do they explicitly state that the games are original stories? I'm willing to concede at this point that they probably will be (my first skim of the release missed a couple crucial sentences), but that's based on assumptions rather than a direct statement in the press release.
Regarding CSI, while the games do work episodically (at least, from the little I know of them), I haven't observed Telltale to emphasize the term 'episodic' with them, they seem to reserve that for serial games. Granted, I'm not a huge follower of TTG (I buy the games and play them, but haven't participated much in the metacommunity), but the terminology they use makes me think that BttF and JP will be their next two monthly game series. Granted, I'm not clamoring for Sam and Max Season 4 or Tales of Monkey Island Season 2, but, as I've stated before, if they're going to stick to licensed IP's for now, I'd simply prefer they went with better ones, either by reviving old AG series (Indy, Full Throttle, Grim, Space Quest, Broken Sword, etc.) or by tapping into more appropriate franchises.
From Dan Connors in the original AP story
The only reason CSI wasn't released as an episodic game is that Ubisoft didn't want them to, the entire publication of the game was up to Ubisoft. Probably didn't want TTG to release it via their store because they don't use invasive enough DRM, or something. :rolleyes:
Ah, all I'd seen was the press release on the TTG site.
Posting is cool, and thread resurrection is cool too. But you do know you can edit your previous posts, so that you don't have to multi-post right?