My Review/Rant of the first episode

2

Comments

  • edited December 2010
    Farlander wrote: »
    *cough* Ice Station Santa :p (and yeah, it really is my favorite S&M Season 2 episode)

    A very good episode? Yes. Better than Chariot of the Dogs? Have at thee, sir!
  • edited December 2010
    A very good episode? Yes. Better than Chariot of the Dogs? Have at thee, sir!

    It's a matter of opinion. :p
    For me, Moai and Night of the Raving Dead have went WAY downhill in comparison to Ice Station, and though Chariots and What's New? are better than the second two, and even though I do like some jokes and aspects from the Chariots (ESPECIALLY when past Sam and past Max steal the time elevator and we then have to interact with them), the last two episodes of the second Season were still a pretty frustrating experience for me and I did not like them that much.
  • edited December 2010
    Farlander wrote: »
    It's a matter of opinion. :p

    I know, I'm just joking.
  • edited December 2010
    I also want to add that, if we judge this game as "an interactive movie", it's probably one of the worst ever. And it's definitely not matching any production that is made in 2010 ...

    So they should REALLY try to turn that into a decent adventure game.
  • edited December 2010
    I know, I'm just joking.

    I know. But I did feel obligated to point that out before the other S&M fans would form a mob and pile up on me :p
  • edited December 2010
    And, actually, by your definition of "losing", there *are* those moments in the game. In the Simon-like puzzle in Young Emmett's lab, if you don't do it right, you have to start over.

    thats the ONLY example though in the soup kitchen you cant really do something wrong your just forced to do things in the right order i know that sounds stupid but yeah lol
  • edited December 2010
    Okay, today is christmas, so let's be nice and say something good about interactive movie games, maybe TTG will build the basis for a new genre with interactive movies like LucasArts once did with adventures?!

    Some of the advantages are:

    a) You can be sort of diverted (drugs, mental handicapped, distracted by your environment, ...) and still successfully complete the game. Even beeing on a road of degeneration this could give your ego a boost.

    b) As there isn't much to do in these type of games, you don't need to buy them anymore. It's already enough to browse your favourite video streaming site, make yourself comfortable and just enjoy the show. And with enjoy i also mean the funny stark and stiff style in BTTF in which the mimics and gestures are done. Who would have thought that TTG not only would dig out a over 20 years old franchise, no, they also adapted video games technology back from the old days, that's true commitment.

    c) The steering issues, they've introduced, finally become obsolete because as you're only watching, it simply doesn't matter anymore. Only the guy who plays the game will have to suffer from the lack of proper point&click support but i guess he'll getting some sort of compensation.

    d) No more hardware issues anymore. It doesn't matter what kind of hardware you're having as long as you can stream and decompress the videos and contrary to services like OnLive not even fast reaction times are needed.

    e) Beside of the platform independence it's DRM free. Just give the videos to everyone you would like to. You want to play, sorry, watch BTTF on Android? There you go, no problem.

    Ahh children are awake, i have to quit. I'm sure you can find some more benefits.

    Merry christmas!
  • edited December 2010
    taumel wrote: »
    Okay, today is christmas, so let's be nice and say something good about interactive movie games, maybe TTG will build the basis for a new genre with interactive movies like LucasArts once did with adventures?!

    Some of the advantages are:

    a) You can be sort of diverted (drugs, mental handicapped, distracted by your environment, ...) and still successfully complete the game. Even beeing on a road of degeneration this could give your ego a boost.

    b) As there isn't much to do in these type of games, you don't need to buy them anymore. It's already enough to browse your favourite video streaming site, make yourself comfortable and just enjoy the show. And with enjoy i also mean the funny stark and stiff style in BTTF in which the mimics and gestures are done. Who would have thought that TTG not only would dig out a over 20 years old franchise, no, they also adapted video games technology back from the old days, that's true commitment.

    c) The steering issues, they've introduced, finally become obsolete because as you're only watching, it simply doesn't matter anymore. Only the guy who plays the game will have to suffer from the lack of proper point&click support but i guess he'll getting some sort of compensation.

    d) No more hardware issues anymore. It doesn't matter what kind of hardware you're having as long as you can stream and decompress the videos and contrary to services like OnLive not even fast reaction times are needed.

    e) Beside of the platform independence it's DRM free. Just give the videos to everyone you would like to. You want to play, sorry, watch BTTF on Android? There you go, no problem.

    Ahh children are awake, i have to quit. I'm sure you can find some more benefits.

    Merry christmas!

    Im not feeling it :eek:
  • edited December 2010
    Compared to 50 hour adventure games like the LA Monkey Island games, none of the Tell Tale stuff stands up. The worlds are too small, the games are too easy and they are waaay too short. I think I beat BTFF in 3 hours and I was doing a bunch of other stuff at the same time.
    Still I thought the game was fun to watch, and I expect that the games will get more interesting after the first episode. The Tales of Monkeys Island games just kept getting better (although I was disappointed by the last episode).
    I personally would rather see these bigger games exist than the episodic ones, but that is not what Tell Tale does, and I am very very happy they are doing adventure games at all.

    I am not a gamer. I never have been. The only games I play are adventure games and Tell Tale is one of the only people making them. I DONT want to die. I DONT want to have to steer something. I DONT want to have to jump over pits. I want to use items together, explore interesting worlds and have a fun time solving puzzles.

    So my biggest complaint with the Tell Tale Games (other than my previously mentioned issues with the episodic nature of the games) is that you don't get to play with as many items as older adventure games. I want to pick up, look at, use on, etc... But whatever...

    My point is to the guy who started this thread and the other BTTF fans who don't understand how adventure games work...

    I am sorry this franchise you love became an adventure game, but leave us adventure fans alone.

    And there is my rant...
  • edited December 2010
    igor79 wrote: »
    My point is to the guy who started this thread and the other BTTF fans who don't understand how adventure games work...

    I am sorry this franchise you love became an adventure game, but leave us adventure fans alone.

    And there is my rant...

    There you people go again using that "adventure" word do you even know what it means?

    a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

    how is this game portraying risk other then asking the wrong question??

    no penalty just have to listen to him say no dont do that =/
  • edited December 2010
    kanoba wrote: »
    There you people go again using that "adventure" word do you even know what it means?

    a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

    how is this game portraying risk other then asking the wrong question??

    no penalty just have to listen to him say no dont do that =/

    That's not what the genre of 'adventure game' is though.
  • edited December 2010
    kanoba wrote: »
    There you people go again using that "adventure" word do you even know what it means?

    a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

    how is this game portraying risk other then asking the wrong question??

    no penalty just have to listen to him say no dont do that =/

    "Adventure" games are not the same things as adventurous games or something. It is a type of genere of games. Look up Police Quest, Kings Quest, Maniac Mansion, Monkey Island, Sam & Max and Grim Fandango.

    Those games are called adventure games. They have nothing to do with the definition of the word adventure.
  • edited December 2010
    Who the hell is Eisenstein?!?!
    I think you mean Einstein.... or Eini

    Jesus Christ and you call yourself a BTTF Fan?!?!?!?!
  • edited December 2010
    Who the hell is Eisenstein?!?!
    I think you mean Einstein.... or Eini

    Jesus Christ and you call yourself a BTTF Fan?!?!?!?!

    Great Scott, chill out dude. I don't necessarily agree with kanoba on all the points, but people DO make typos.
  • edited December 2010
    Who the hell is Eisenstein?!?!

    Maybe this is an alternate universe where Doc is a film buff instead of a science buff? ;)
  • edited December 2010
    kanoba wrote: »

    Gameplay:


    I dont know what i excepted seeing as the only other TTG i have played is Agent Tethers Puzzle Agent, Personally I dont think they nailed this on the head at the very least i was expecting a adventure more then a interactive movie. Yes the animation as nice but you do move past that and start to focus more on how you as a player interact with the world and So if you love being able to say more then one preset thing to a person this game is defiantly for you but the MAJOR downfall in this game (and please dont take this out of context i am talking JUST about the chat interaction)
    unlike other games like fallout where the interaction you have with the person alters the story line or how that person perceives you where as in this game the story line is extremely linear which gives it very little replay value, onto my next point. There is no penalty system in this game this was a HUGE let down seeing as your only messing round with THE SPACE TIME CONTINUUM I mean come on i want to be able to show the young Doc to the old Doc and blow the universe up is that to much to ask? i mean you cant even say the wrong answer and then have to stop and load again i didn't have to save the game once. even After playing Agent Tethers Puzzle agent i feel disappointed because that was much more of a challenge. also I must have pestered Aurthur Mcfly in his apartment at-least 10 times before i figured out i had to go round to the soup kitchen and pester the guy to put salt into soup at-least 30 times before i figured out to wait for him to put the lift down.

    The Questions raised in this part are:
    1. Where was the challenge? I know you make kids games but the Fan base for this game are a lot older
    2. It almost seemed like you Rushed this together please take your time so you can get it right next time? Especially the game play aspect
    3. More Consequences? be it in chat or in doing something the wrong way?
    4. Less linear with more little fun bits on the side?

    All up the game play was a let down i do understand the TTG isn't the biggest game company out there but please try to make the rest of the series more of a challenge then just a interactive movie

    Gamplay Overall 4/10

    I feel like I should say a few things about gameplay.
    1.Yes the game is a lot different than puzzle agent obviously(by the way how did you guys like it) but telltale generaly does things like that. But they are usualy are harder than what this was. I hope they will bump up the difficulty
    2.Interactive movie is basicaly what an adventure game is. Of course as stated they are usualy harder.
    3.Telltale does not trying to punish gamers for exploring the game and possibly screwing up in the process. Although they did handle death very well in the tomb of sammunmak, and that would fit well into the next few episodes.

    So yeah.
  • edited December 2010
    Without making my reply to this thread TL:DR I'll say this.

    I'm a huge Grand Theft Auto fan. Probably my favorite gaming series of all time. I've been a Street Fighter player since it SFII was in the Arcade. I play Call of Duty, Left for Dead, Madden Football, and God of War just to give you guys a round about idea of what sort of gamer I am (and how old I am! :P)

    I mentioned all the games I play to sort of show that while I love other Genre's, and play them in 99% of my gaming time, I also enjoy Adventure games (Whoever mentioned Day of the Tentacle and Maniac Mansion... Kudos to you). Adventure games are very, very different from other Genre's.

    Now, with that being said, Back to the Future is an Adventure Game! Ad-friggen'-venture game. kanoba is killing me here with his definition of adventure. I'm not trying to flame you out man (or wo-man!) but you've got it all wrong, it's not what YOU think an adventure game is, it IS an Adventure Game.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_game
    An adventure game is a computer-based game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film, encompassing a wide variety of literary genres.

    Right off the top of the article there. :)
  • edited December 2010
    If Telltale keeps up with this trend of making their games too easy I'm going to have to question whether I want to continue to support them or not. They're not turning into the adventure-reviving company I had thought they were. In fact, they're moving farther and farther away from it...

    BTTF episode 1 proves that an adventure game can have a fantastic story and still suck because of the gameplay.

    And yes, 'Adventure' is a notable game genre with standards and staples that have been solid and true for years. It's not just an adjective used to describe a game.
  • edited December 2010
    Me too, i thought at some point everything would turn out great again but instead of getting better their games get worse&easier. TellTaleGames kind of turns into TellTaleVideo or TellTaleMovie whilst both the movie and the tale aspects aren't exciting as well. It's sad. I'm not sure how many people who actually enjoy adventures on their own still work for TTG. I have the feeling that TTG is ruining itself like LucasArts once did just in anther way. Instead of just axing adventures, they more shift their focus away from what's an adventure game to me but it ends up the same. I strongly hope that there will be a change and that i can buy/play their games again.
  • edited December 2010
    taumel wrote: »
    worse&easier.
    Something I wonder: Why do "bad" and "easy" always have to go hand-in-hand when talking about adventure games? Can't there be a good easy adventure game? Just as there can be a bad difficult adventure game? :confused: BTTF is by far the easiest adventure game I've ever played, but I still thought it was a good game.
  • edited December 2010
    I think easy works if it is a) a part of the game and complements with more complexity (otherwise i feel kind of superfluous in the game), b) if it's very interesting and unique (like the monkey riddle in TOMI) or if other aspects just blow you away (but afterwards you would still complain).

    I've watched a very good video walkthrough of BTTF E1 and i don't know what i should do in there. In my opinion that's an interactive movie whilst i'm unsure if the movie fans aren't annoyed by having to step in at certain points as it can be stressing switching between active and passive mode in your brain. Moai better blues was the worst game by TTG so far but in my opinion BTTF E1 tops that with its lack of beeing a proper adventure.
  • edited December 2010
    markeres wrote: »
    Something I wonder: Why do "bad" and "easy" always have to go hand-in-hand when talking about adventure games? Can't there be a good easy adventure game? Just as there can be a bad difficult adventure game? :confused: BTTF is by far the easiest adventure game I've ever played, but I still thought it was a good game.

    I'm very excited about BttF and liked the first episode very much, BUT. It's not 'easy' The term 'difficulty' is practically non-existent in BttF, even in an easy way, and that's, in my opinion, bad (and I hope TellTale will do better). You have a dog and a shoe from 1931, and have to find a clue to learn where in time to go - that's not 'easy', that's a 'no-brainer'. After that, when on the street, the only person to interact with being an old lady (and having a shoe from 1931) - that's not easy, that's a no-brainer.

    I'm not saying that ALL the stuff in the first episode are no-brainers, but in general it is. And that's disappointing, because I generally liked the puzzles that there actually WERE in the game, and they were easy. So my main complaint over the puzzles is not their DIFFICULTY, but their QUANTITY, which is very, very small.
  • edited December 2010
    Farlander wrote: »
    I'm not saying that ALL the stuff in the first episode are no-brainers, but in general it is. And that's disappointing, because I generally liked the puzzles that there actually WERE in the game, and they were easy. So my main complaint over the puzzles is not their DIFFICULTY, but their QUANTITY, which is very, very small.
    That's a good point. I could have used 2 or 3 more puzzles to round out the game. Either that, or ramp up the difficulty a bit of 2 or 3 of the puzzles that were in the game.
  • edited December 2010
    kanoba wrote: »
    There you people go again using that "adventure" word do you even know what it means?

    a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

    That is not an adventure game though.
    Adventure games are where use blank with blank is what you do most of the time. What you seem to talk about is an action adventure game which are completly different. For one uses your mind and the other uses stab kill dodge roll and survive with some puzzles here and there.

    Monkey island is an adventure game
    The legend of zelda is an action adventure game
    Sam and max is an adventure game.
    Kingdom Hearts is an action adventure game
    Back to the future is an adventure game, but really easy.
    Banjo Kazooie is an action adventure game(sortof)

    So yes Back to the future is an adventure game. Deal with it.
  • edited December 2010
    Gman5852 wrote: »
    That is not an adventure game though.
    Adventure games are where use blank with blank is what you do most of the time.
    Not really. In its roots, an adventure game is really a game in which solving puzzles, generally intertwined with and being provided by a narrative, is the mode of progression. Your narrow definition does not include, for example, Loom, Myst and many other prominent examples of adventure games in which "Use _____ with _____ is not the only form of puzzle-solving(and adventures in which there isn't an inventory at all!). Until LucasArts came around, this generally also involved death and death scenes(though not always).
  • edited December 2010
    301 was very easy too, although 302 (with the time-swapping) wasn't.

    So I am not going to abandom hope so soon already.
  • edited December 2010
    Gman5852 wrote: »
    So yes Back to the future is an adventure game. Deal with it.

    i think you ment to use interactive movie there buddy
  • edited December 2010
    The only thing I remotely disagree with kanoba on is when he said Telltale makes games for children. Outside of that, he's right or at least close to right. If this isn't an interactive movie, it's close enough that one might as well call it one. Actually, I prefer to call it a demo and expect the next episodes provide some actual difficult gameplay worthy of a full game.

    Telltale even stated that the first episode should be treated as a demo, although this has only been said once and in this topic.
    @Strayth: He wants multiple demos. Duh.

    But yeah, the first episode is basically a demo. More media is on the way (no timeframe on that) but it's coming.
  • edited December 2010
    I think that refers more to its "mostly free via a public code" nature. Even then, generally a good demo finds a way to give you a sense of what you're about to play by giving you a good assortment of different elements you'll be able to use, rather than avoiding gameplay at all costs to make you buy the final product based on how much you like the story.
  • edited December 2010
    I think that refers more to its "mostly free via a public code" nature. Even then, generally a good demo finds a way to give you a sense of what you're about to play by giving you a good assortment of different elements you'll be able to use, rather than avoiding gameplay at all costs to make you buy the final product based on how much you like the story.

    Oh the other hand, demos are ALWAYS in a low difficulty setting (even the BTA), and if you liked the demo, you can get a longer, harder, and complete experience. (Well it's supposed to be)

    So if Telltale went that way... maybe it will indeed get much better.

    I also think they were affraid of scaring adventure noobies...
  • edited December 2010
    Everyone was new to gaming once. Hell, how many children grew up on Super Mario Bros or Monkey Island? They figured it out, and children are stupid.

    ...Actually, you know, I take that back. Children are better at learning and adapting than adults. There's a genuine curiosity and ingenuity there that is only hampered by a lack of knowledge. I've given Monkey Island to I don't know how many 5-10 year-old kids who have come to fall in love with it, dated graphics or not.
  • edited December 2010
    Strayth wrote: »
    I also think they were affraid of scaring adventure noobies...

    Which was a stupid stupid idea. We were all adventure noobies at one time, even if they were the first type of video game we played. We all keep playing them for a reason. I started playing adventure games in 2003, before which I played Escape From Monkey Island on the PS2. Before that I was a console gamer who played games like Ocarina of Time and Goldeneye. Yet I played adventure games like Monkey Island and Sam and Max and I kept coming back. Why? Because they were quality. Because I enjoyed the challenge. If someone is going to want to play adventure games or is going to keep coming back, Telltale's new policy is not what will do it. No one is going to respect games that are too easy and have no substance. After finishing a Sierra, Infogrames, or Lucasarts game I feel satisfaction because I earned a story that was worth earning. Yes, I want a good story, but those games made you earn it and they made you earn it hard. And it was so satisfying. These games drew you in, and even if I didn't feel like finishing them right away, or if they frustrated me, I always came back because they were quality and because they were worth it and because they were so good I wanted to see them through.

    The Secret of Monkey Island or Shadow of the Comet or Quest For Glory or Full Throttle or Grim Fandango or Broken Sword; these games are mesmerizing. They all have flaws or puzzles you hate with a passion, but you can forgive these things and you will always come back to these games because these games are so damn good you don't give a shit. Telltale are slowly deciding that these flaws make the whole bad, so they have thrown the whole out altogether. This is a ridiculously awful thing that they are doing, and I didn't believe it until I played It's About Time.

    I just hope their next few games will prove me wrong and they haven't abandoned this key element of what makes an adventure game great. Not wanting to play a game for a little while because of a frustrating puzzle is better than not wanting to play a game at all.
  • edited December 2010
    I can deal with easy puzzles, but if you're going to have a built-in robust hint system that actually gives you the answer to the puzzle on the last hint, why not take the opportunity to have harder puzzles? It should be either/or: Either easy puzzles, or an answer-giving hint system, but not both.

    I really do hope there will be some at least medium difficulty puzzles along the way. Being "casual" adventure games, I don't think they necessarily have to be "think about for a week" stumpers, but "satisfying challenge", yes.
  • edited December 2010
    The gaming audience has changed, though. People are no where near as patient to learn and experience a new game with a completely different approach to gameplay than other popular titles of this day and age. So they're being cautious for ratings' and publicity's sakes. Which is unfortunate, but not unexpected.

    And someone mentioned the first episode is technically a demo? Well that makes a lot more sense actually. I don't know why I didn't deduce that from the price reduction and the first episode being free. That's a bit of a relief, actually. Good to know! I feel better about it already...time will tell for sure. I guess seeing as the next episode isn't due until February instead of January is also a good sign seeing as they're putting more time and work into the next episode. Judging from the preview of it in at the end of the first episode, it seems that it would be the type of thing that's a lot more complex and difficult. Fingers crossed!
  • edited December 2010
    Everyone was new to gaming once. Hell, how many children grew up on Super Mario Bros or Monkey Island?.

    i was one of those kids hahah give me a job a i think i could get some massively good ideas that would make the game extremely fun with out compromising the newbie friendly-ness of it
  • edited December 2010
    The gaming audience has changed, though. People are no where near as patient to learn and experience a new game with a completely different approach to gameplay than other popular titles of this day and age.

    yeah but that doesnt mean you have to tone it down to as the kid in BTTF 2 said "thats a babies toy" you just have to keep it fun as you teach them bit by bit
  • edited December 2010
    kanoba wrote: »
    i was one of those kids hahah give me a job a i think i could get some massively good ideas that would make the game extremely fun with out compromising the newbie friendly-ness of it

    I think he was speaking of kids who grew up playing them upon their original release, you seem far younger than Super Mario Bros. & the original Monkey Islands.
  • edited December 2010
    I think he was speaking of kids who grew up playing them upon their original release, you seem far younger than Super Mario Bros. & the original Monkey Islands.

    i never played monkey island but did play mario bros
  • edited December 2010
    And, just to be clear:

    Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, etc. Super Mario 64 and onwards doesn't count. =P
  • edited December 2010
    And, just to be clear:

    Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, etc. Super Mario 64 and onwards doesn't count. =P

    understand the concept is what counts ^.^
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