Season 4: Finalization of a Cancelled Project, or an Original Concept?

edited March 2011 in Sam & Max
As we all know, there have been quite a significant number of cancelled Sam & Max projects. The two most notable and well known are, or couse 'Freelance Police' and 'Plunge Through Space'. With Steve Purcell's new S&M blog, he has been posting quite a few pieces of concept art from these two projects, along with some other unnamed projects. This has really sparked my interest in a lot of the cancelled 'S&M' projects - 'Plunge Through Space' most of all; everything that he has posted from this cancelled project just seems really interesting, and I'm sure it could have become something great if it were ever finalized. And I'm sure the same goes for many other 'S&M' projects that have been cancelled over the years. Now, with Telltale and Steve Purcell able to do whatever they like with the franchise, there's is the possibility and opportunity to finalize these projects and turn them into something great.

So, the question is, should they do this? Or should they leave these old projects in the past and focus on something fresh? And if you do want one of the [titled] projects to be made into a game, then which one?

I look forward to hearing your opinions.

Comments

  • edited February 2011
    In a perfect world, they would make a brand-new Sam and Max Season 4, and there would be a way to release Freelance Police and everything they had on Plunge Through Space.

    In a perfect world, there would be no lawyers ¬-¬
  • edited February 2011
    Actually, in a perfect world, Freelance Police and Plunge Through Space would be finished as originally intended, we'd get a 4th season, AND they'd make an awesome remake of Hit the Road.

    Sadly, ours is not that perfect world =/

    If I just had to choose one, then definitely Plunge Through Space first, I'm really interested in the space Desoto mostly.
  • edited February 2011
    SunnyGuy wrote: »
    Actually, in a perfect world, Freelance Police and Plunge Through Space would be finished as originally intended, we'd get a 4th season, AND they'd make an awesome remake of Hit the Road.

    Sadly, ours is not that perfect world =/

    If I just had to choose one, then definitely Plunge Through Space first, I'm really interested in the space Desoto mostly.


    I have to agree, I love the idea of the space DeSoto - and I'd love a remake of Hit the Road made all awesome like the Monkey Island 1 and 2 remakes that have or are coming out. Make it hand drawn and look like Steve Purcell's Sam and Max comic art style, that's what I say! ;-)

    EDIT: I have to take back what I said about the remake bit. I just saw a youtube video and it looks better than I remember. I don't think it needs a remake, just a re-release. :-)


    But sadly just because Steve and TellTale have got the Sam and Max property back doesn't mean they've necessarily gotten the rights on these games exactly. You see, despite Sam and Max being the starring characters, these games as far as I know were created by Lucasarts employees with Steve in an advisory role and as such are the creative properties of Lucasarts, though unreleased. They might give a legal stink if the script, concept art, or any characters created and copyrighted by the Lucasarts team that exist solely within those games and not created by Steve himself are used. For example, in the animated Tick series the characters Die Fledermaus and American Maid were originally not in the comics and were copyrighted by Walt Disney who had inherited Fox's line up of animated shows and could not be used in the following live action series, so instead the creators of the live action had to replace the characters with similar versions known as Batmanuel and Captain Liberty. So, in other words, taking the exact script or excerpts from it would mean stealing the work of the original writer or writers - unless they were brought on board or credited with permission, paid royalties, etc. The same goes for building characters off of concept art from the scrapped games - another example is the Ghostbusters the Video Game for the Wii having a Ray design remarkably like the artist Dapper Dan's concept art. The dispute was settled when the company admitted to using his concept art without legal permission and the compromise was to include Dapper Dan in the game end credits. Anyway, IF this were the case with Lucasarts and the canceled Sam and Max projects, this can't stop TellTale from taking the basic ideas (you can't copyright an unrefined concept - I can still make a superhero comic with similar concepts despite many already existing and copyrighted) of the canceled games - such as a DeSoto in space - and using that. Sure, the story may be different, there may be different characters for Sam and Max to meet, maybe they still have to rescue the Statue of Liberty, but without using the exact script or concept art TellTale can get past the legal barriers (that may or may not exist).
  • edited February 2011
    Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police!

    Yeah, I really think Telltale should do this, regardless of whatever LucasArts tells them to do.
  • edited February 2011
    I don't see why lucasarts can't just let telltale use elements from the cancelled games. It's not like they're going to be using them anytime soon in another game. They should just give them to someone who can use them.
  • edited February 2011
    See, I wouldn't know would they be able to re-work on Freelance Police and Plunge Through Space 'cos they were like for LucasArts and stuff. Other companies. So all that development that they had... I dunno would they need to ask permission from LucasArts in order to continue development and to use that stuff.

    But I'm the same, I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE for Season 4 to be Plunge Through Space. Everything I saw for that was just epic and I'd love to fly around in a flying DeSoto! :)
  • edited February 2011
    ragdoll556 wrote: »
    It's not like they're going to be using them anytime soon in another game.

    Fixed.
    But I'm the same, I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE for Season 4 to be Plunge Through Space. Everything I saw for that was just epic and I'd love to fly around in a flying DeSoto! :)

    I must admit that this is also the number-one reason that I want to see 'Plunge Through Space' made - so that we can use the flying DeSoto to... er, plunge through space!
  • edited February 2011
    Yeah, I mean, how could any fan not want to fly around in this?
    DesotoShip.jpg

    Seriously. I want to fly it and see if every key on my keyboard actually does something like Steve said they would.
  • edited February 2011
    SunnyGuy wrote: »
    DesotoShip.jpg

    *drools in Homer Simpson like fashion*
    SunnyGuy wrote: »
    Seriously. I want to fly it and see if every key on my keyboard actually does something like Steve said they would.

    That for me would be one of the best pieces of gameplay ever.
  • edited February 2011
    This makes Doc Brown's delorean look embarrassing.
  • edited February 2011
    I really wanna see both completed but I dobut it will be, I mean Steve is still very secretive about both games which might mean legal issues, that or he just doesn't wanna tell. Ether way I can't help to wonder what would both games be like and what effect they would of had on the franchise. I also wonder the same thing about Earthbound 64 if that was made. To many good games die to soon :(
  • edited February 2011
    SillyStell wrote: »
    I really wanna see both completed but I dobut it will be, I mean Steve is still very secretive about both games which might mean legal issues, that or he just doesn't wanna tell. Ether way I can't help to wonder what would both games be like and what effect they would of had on the franchise. I also wonder the same thing about Earthbound 64 if that was made. To many good games die to soon :(

    I think Earthbound 64 did come back... on the Gameboy Advance as Mother 3. I wonder if either of those two Sam and Max games will come back this way... if they come back at all.
  • edited February 2011
    I dunno, a lot of concepts of Earthbound 64 got changed and pretty much completly alterd when it was transfered to Mother 3. That's what I kinda wonder about the cancelled projects also, would the fact if it did start a fresh cause it to become a completly different game anyway? Etherway we'd be getting a new Sam and Max so it an't all bad XD
  • edited February 2011
    SillyStell wrote: »
    I dunno, a lot of concepts of Earthbound 64 got changed and pretty much completly alterd when it was transfered to Mother 3.

    There were changes, yeah, but Mother 3 and EB64 are still pretty much the same thing, it's not like they didn't change as much as every other game does from beta to full version.
  • edited February 2011
    True, I still would of loved to of seen both versions.
    Anyway I fear I've lead this thread astray with my talk of Mother D:
  • edited March 2011
    I'm curious and want to look what the got so far in the develop of this games Oo
  • edited March 2011
    lattsam wrote: »
    Yeah, I really think Telltale should do this, regardless of whatever LucasArts tells them to do.

    So you think that they should steal things that belong to LucasArts, and then get sued into oblivion?
  • edited March 2011
    So you think that they should steal things that belong to LucasArts, and then get sued into oblivion?

    I didn't necessarily say they should steal it. I think they should walk right up to the president of LucasArts, and say "I know you want to put Freelance Police behind you, but I want to continue working on it, so I would appreciate it if you would give us permission to continue the project"... or something to that effect.
  • edited March 2011
    If they find away to tie them into a season 4 I'll be blown! :eek:
  • edited March 2011
    lattsam wrote: »
    I didn't necessarily say they should steal it. I think they should walk right up to the president of LucasArts, and say "I know you want to put Freelance Police behind you, but I want to continue working on it, so I would appreciate it if you would give us permission to continue the project"... or something to that effect.

    probably the president would say something like this:
    GIMME SOME MONEY NAAAO

    and the they will decide that is better to do a new and good sam & max game without worrying about the past
  • edited March 2011
    As much as a nice scenario that would be, Lattsam, that's... rather naive of you. No offense.

    Still, that would be pretty cool to have that game back in production. Granted, I'd prefer the 'Plunge Through Space' concept, but really, I'm just up for any new material, regardless of concepts being dredged back up from cancellations, or being completely new.
  • edited March 2011
    As awesome as it would be, the sad truth is we're more than likely never going to see these games come to fruition.

    Freelance Police is still LucasArts property. Telltale can't finish the game, nor can they use anything from it, just like with Hit the Road. Even if LucasArts wanted to finish the game (and they don't), they no longer have the Sam and Max license. You may ask yourself "Can't Telltale and LucasArts work out a deal?" Probably, but it wouldn't benefit either of them as much as what they're doing now. Telltale can make Sam and Max games by themselves just fine without having to share the profits with another company, and LucasArts does well enough by releasing an endless sea of Star Wars crap.

    Plunge Through Space is a different story. Infinity Machine, the company developing it, went bankrupt, so I don't really know its legal status. Did it revert to LucasArts when they re-acquired the Sam and Max license? If that's the case, could it belong to Telltale already since the Sam and Max license is now theirs? Did Steve Purcell get the rights after Infinity Machine went bankrupt since he owns Sam and Max? Are the rights just floating around, belonging to nobody, waiting for someone to get their hands on them? I don't know. But I do know that if Telltale was able and willing to finish Plunge Through Space, it would've happened by now.
  • edited March 2011
    I wish they could make the abandoned game plots into DVD movies or something....
  • edited March 2011
    Irishmile wrote: »
    I wish they could make the abandoned game plots into DVD movies or something....

    What about a book?

    Warcraft-lord-of-the-clans-novel-cover.jpg
  • edited March 2011
    Irishmile wrote: »
    I wish they could make the abandoned game plots into DVD movies or something....

    I think Steve has expressed some interest in making Plunge Through Space into a comic.

    Of course, he's too busy with Pixar to do anything Sam and Max-related right now besides be an advisor for Telltale.
  • edited March 2011
    ragdoll556 wrote: »
    I don't see why lucasarts can't just let telltale use elements from the cancelled games. It's not like they're going to be using them anytime soon in another game. They should just give them to someone who can use them.

    The same went for using the Sam and Max characters in games (Lucasarts abandoned the two). Steve Purcell had to wait for years to get the rights to his own characters back!
  • edited March 2011
    lattsam wrote: »
    Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police Freelance Police!

    Yeah, I really think Telltale should do this, regardless of whatever LucasArts tells them to do.

    I think so too, but George Lucas has more money to spend on lawyers than they do.
  • edited March 2011
    See, I wouldn't know would they be able to re-work on Freelance Police and Plunge Through Space 'cos they were like for LucasArts and stuff. Other companies. So all that development that they had... I dunno would they need to ask permission from LucasArts in order to continue development and to use that stuff.

    But I'm the same, I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE for Season 4 to be Plunge Through Space. Everything I saw for that was just epic and I'd love to fly around in a flying DeSoto! :)

    I wish I had seen the stuff for that... That'd be awesome. But sadly I think you're right about Lucasarts' rights on Freelance Police and Plunge Through Space. There's a lot of original developers that would either need to be credited or further paid as well as TellTaleGames purchasing the rights to those individual games, which they may or may not want or are able to spend the money on.
  • edited March 2011
    I think Steve has expressed some interest in making Plunge Through Space into a comic.

    Of course, he's too busy with Pixar to do anything Sam and Max-related right now besides be an advisor for Telltale.

    I would buy that book.
  • edited March 2011
    SunnyGuy wrote: »
    Yeah, I mean, how could any fan not want to fly around in this?
    DesotoShip.jpg

    Seriously. I want to fly it and see if every key on my keyboard actually does something like Steve said they would.

    I might try to model this.
  • edited March 2011
    I support resurrecting the SCUMM sequel planned for a year or so after Hit the Road, where development was to be headed by Grossman.
  • edited March 2011
    I think Steve has expressed some interest in making Plunge Through Space into a comic.

    Ah, God a new Sam & Max comic would be just what the doctor ordered...

    because, in reality, it's quite a shame that the franchise's original format is almost extinct. :(
  • edited March 2011
    'Plunge Through Space' was based on a story idea Purcell had before production so atleast the core outline of the story would belong to him. 'Space was planned to be an action/adventure, an outlet that I think Sam and Max shoud experiment with. So should Telltale make a game about 'Space? I think if they do they should make it as it was meant to be played, if not they should leave it be.
  • edited March 2011
    'Plunge Through Space' was based on a story idea Purcell had before production so atleast the core outline of the story would belong to him. 'Space was planned to be an action/adventure, an outlet that I think Sam and Max shoud experiment with. So should Telltale make a game about 'Space? I think if they do they should make it as it was meant to be played, if not they should leave it be.

    I wholeheartedly agree. And I've always thought Sam and Max should integrate more action. The Sam and Max from the comics are more likely to use violence than their adventure game counterparts. It'd be nice to have gameplay include using the gun more and beating criminals senseless. You know, like in the source material. ;-)
  • edited March 2011
    Ah, God a new Sam & Max comic would be just what the doctor ordered...

    because, in reality, it's quite a shame that the franchise's original format is almost extinct. :(


    You're right. Although not everyone agrees, as a comic artist myself I would be more overjoyed to hold a new Sam and Max graphic novel in my hands than a new video game. I'm fascinated by ink on paper. Something about lines on paper that really fascinates me and causes me to be a dreamer.
  • edited March 2011
    I think they should do a Plunge Through Space theme, give Max back his Psychic Powers and make them drive to a space statue of liberty in a badass space car with a cannon in the front.
    Of course, it probably will be fresh and new. An older canceled game is highly unlikely as Telltale has said about Freelance Police many times.
  • edited March 2011
    Okay, here's what I want to see:

    First, Steve magically comes by that thing from that show where you go inside and do stuff for a year, and then you come out and only a day has passed, which enables him to make Plunge Through Space as a graphic novel without getting in the way of his other obligations (alternately, Steve gets a gigantic advance which allows him to do away with those obligations without the need for fictional, metadimensional spaces).

    Telltale magically comes into an enormous sum of money which they use to buy the rights to Freelance Police from Lucasarts. BUT, "Freelance Police" isn't Season 4. Season 4 (and 5, and 6, and so on; end list at whatever point Telltale decides to stop making Sam & Max games) proceeds as normal, and Freelance Police is a side project; a small team is dedicated to it and takes a couple of years to work on it while the main staff gets on with their thing.
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