telltale is a great gaming company for the adventure game fans not just for the walking dead series neither they been around. I love pretty much all their games. Just dont like their lack of communication especially after you have already forked over the cash and paid for a whole season pass especially when they kinda force it on you. then after they delay part of the game like an extra month. other than that negativity great game makers.
It's now wednesday the 4th of july and still no season 2 for us in Europe.
What we must do is unite and make sure the bastards don't get away with this. I'm fed up and I want my money back. This is pure false advertisement: "monthly episodes". There are laws against that. Even if Xbox and PSN US users already got to play season 2, it was still a month late so they got screwed as well, just not as much as us. I for one swear I will never buy any games from them ever again and I'm advising everybody I know in real life to do the same. Small companies like Telltale thrive on mouth to mouth advertising, they screwed that up all over Europe big time now. To be absolutely clear, this has nothing to do with Sony. Sony didn't take my money and then went back on our purchase agreement, Telltale did. If I buy a jar of Nutella at a store and I get home and it turns out the store clerk forgot to put the jar in my bag, I'm not going to call up Nutella to ask for my jar or a refund.
At this point we're all individuals to them, so they don't care. We're ants, a couple of complainers who won't do anything anyway. Most of their customers are semi happy because they finally got to play season 2 and will forgot about the false "monthly episodes" promise untill the same problem occurs with season 3. But if we unite we can get those nerfherders right where it hurts, their wallet. There are more people in Europe who aren't able to play the game they paid for almost 3 months ago then there are in the US who finally got to play a month to late. There are literally thousands of us, so lets say if 10.000 of us unite and ask for a refund, that will cost them 200.000$, a small company like Telltale will definitely feel that. It's also pretty easy to accomplish a petition like that through facebook and other social media sites these days. If everybody on this forum alone finds 10 people we're already set.
The thing that pisses me off most about all of this is their total lack of communication. I'm pretty sure they're not reading any of these comments on this forum, which is fine of course. But the fact that they're totally ignoring the problem and the complete arrogance which they display by advertising on big gaming sites is shamefull. "SEASON 2 AVAILABLE NOW". Even if it was available to us, it's still a month to late you bastards, so that's nothing to be proud of. And if you have the kind of money to buy huge amounts of advertising space on sites like IGN you might as well spent a little of that cash to hire a PR Manager or a communications expert who makes sure everybody knows what's going on.
Telltale, you went from being the lovable underdog to a despicable company and I hope we can get you down to the level you deserve to be.
The thing about Telltale, is you can't deny that they create excellent games. Really, I have almost every one in one form or another, and I've loved every one of them.
While I'm a bit surprised and a lot disappointed about the lack of communication during this last delay, I know there was some reason for it. Perhaps it was legal or something (that's got me really frustrated over at mystmovie.com)
But I still love Telltale. They consistently put out great games that are usually delivered on time (with the occasional delay). I am constantly amazed at what they are able to do in such a short time with so few resources. Reminds me of Cyan of old.
I have not played any other TT games before TWD, but I musy say this is by no means a great game. I am a huge TWD fan and have to say I'm a little disappointed how this game has been treated. Story wise this game is great, but with all of the techniquel problems, and the illusion that this game is completely tailored to how you play bugs me a little bit.
I hate to say it, but if TT does anything other than TWD related... i don't see myself buying it.
I think TTG has talent when it comes to storyline, voice acting and characterisation and I think The Walking Dead universe suits their style of making video games more than any other IP I can think of. That's why I think they should make season 2. To me, TTG's The Walking Dead is the only game that has conveyed real emotions. Trust me, as a fan of video games that try to portray real characters, TTG beat contenders like Quantic Dream and BioWare by far.
However, as much as I enjoyed TWD, I don't think they can rest on their laurels. To me, they are probably the best company but they could fall by making mistakes (Too much linearity like in Jurassic Park).
All in all, I think Telltale Games' strength lie in
1. Story, characters, voice-acting
2. The Walking Dead universe
3. Non-linearity by introducing choices and consequences
Though I've become a big fan, I can't guarantee I'll be interested in any game they present (Other than TWD SEASON 2 of course lol)
thats why i never buy a season pass because they don't get my money all in one go i know its more expensive but i don't like the sound of them season passes when things go wrong
I'm very pissed at telltale atm. To change "Monthly Episodes" in "Seasonal Episodes" is just MISLEADING. I paid for the Monthly Episodes release pass ( seasonal pass) and i feel ripped off and lied to. Especially the lack of communication about the games holdup are, nicely said: redicilous. If they would just be so nice to open a new thread about this topic, and explain to the community what the hold up is. An "The game will b there ASAP" isnt a answer you should give.. i mean c'mon. This is the last product i will buy from them, period. And ofc i am warning everyone in rlf about the problems and the lack of careing for fans across the ocean. Europe is pissed off and fed up with the delay it's getting. If anyone knows a way of getting my money back, pls let me know.
I'm very pleased with my experience so far. For those who don't appreciate the episodic gaming approach, I'm sorry you're frustrated but it's what they do. It's how they work. And I think the "Choice Matters" element will really bring episodic gaming the attention and praise it deserves. Without space in between, you wouldn't have this fantastic hand in how the game unfolds or great semi-in-jokes. Like if you keep Carly at the end of episode 1, they make a joke about the battery puzzle with the radio in episode 2 and you can't tell me that's not in response to the people flipping over that. I mean, you can try to tell me, I guess. I won't believe you, though.
I'm stoked that we're only two episodes in and the game has already reached such a high caliber and epic story. This would usually make me afraid that the subsequent releases will start to slide but in Telltale's hands, I'm confident the story will continue to improve. Wouldn't surprise me if after episode 5's release, Telltale unleashes a zombie Apocalypse onto the world. The game was only their training. And now the real games begin...
For those pissed at waiting, that sucks. But making such a tailored experience means building multiple games within one and that takes time.
I'm sure the community has varying opinions about TellTale at this point. What do you, the player, have to say regarding their execution of the Walking Dead Game so far?
Personally, I've done my best to remain hopeful, thinking that the two-month wait for episode 2 was typical of TellTale's release strategy. We finally get episode 2 and, lo' and behold, we have an assortment of bugs to contend with. Some are having their saves corrupted, choices from the previous episode don't tranfer, some were unable to start the game to begin with, and others are simply unable to download the second episode at all. On top of this, many are already speculating that the third episode won't release until next month!
My hope is running out, and disappointment is gradually setting in at this point.
This is the first TTG product I've tried. I can say that I am a completely satisfied customer and TTG can count on my continued demand for their products. I like this game and have had no technical issues with the game. Very happy with this style/format of an adventure game (I actually prefer strategy games like CivV)
As far as the delay goes, I've recovered but it sure would be cool if TTG threw in a bonus episode where Lee and Carley go back to the farm, find Mark, put him down and bury him. He was one of us and our friend damn it!
For those pissed at waiting, that sucks. But making such a tailored experience means building multiple games within one and that takes time.
I'm sure Episode 2 is quite masterful, but unfortunately, a number of us (Mac users) can't even download it yet now almost a week after the release, so it's so-so with the tailored experience so far.
I 'discovered' this game June 25th, so I didn't have to put up with that 2 month wait between episodes, although it does worry me that I might have to wait until mid-August for the next one. However, I've been extremely happy with the game so far, so I'd say I have a good opinion of them.
I think TTG has talent when it comes to storyline, voice acting and characterisation and I think The Walking Dead universe suits their style of making video games more than any other IP I can think of. That's why I think they should make season 2. To me, TTG's The Walking Dead is the only game that has conveyed real emotions. Trust me, as a fan of video games that try to portray real characters, TTG beat contenders like Quantic Dream and BioWare by far.
However, as much as I enjoyed TWD, I don't think they can rest on their laurels. To me, they are probably the best company but they could fall by making mistakes (Too much linearity like in Jurassic Park).
All in all, I think Telltale Games' strength lie in
1. Story, characters, voice-acting
2. The Walking Dead universe
3. Non-linearity by introducing choices and consequences
Though I've become a big fan, I can't guarantee I'll be interested in any game they present (Other than TWD SEASON 2 of course lol)
Pretty much agree with those strengths. Ever since Sam and Max Season 1, I have admired how strong the writing has been in so many of their games. They are usually pretty good at capturing the qualities that make their respective properties feel true to their source material, whether it is the goofy vibe of Sam and Max or the character driven drama of the Walking Dead.
Of course, not all of their games are hits. Jurassic Park was a good idea in concept, but in execution the story completely lost weight in the last two episodes and the gameplay throughout was just shallow (I usually don't mind this "cinematic game" style but it did not work there).
The main issue to is that they SERIOUSLY NEED TO UPDATE THEIR GAME ENGINE! They have only made small increments since Sam and Max and it is SERIOUSLY showing its age. They need to take a risk and create a new engine or their games will just not be able to support any bigger and better games they could be making.
That said, I am willing to give Telatle a shot still. They have made mostly enjoyable games so far and I think they still have some juice left in them. I think it boils down to a few key things they need to do:
1.) Try to experiment with more solid original properties. The few they have pumped out just feel underdeveloped next to their mainstay adapted ones. Bioware had to have Mass Effect to get out of KOTOR's shadow so Telltale needs a distinguishably original property of their own.
2.) A new engine. After using the same engine over and over and over, we are seeing it being pushed to its limit with The Walking Dead. Even if the game still looks fantastic, I think it could be even better if they worked on restructuring the engine to smooth out the glitches and bugs. Time consuming yes, but I think it would pay off.
3.) Put a bit more funding into production values. The cutesy computer orchestrated music can be fine in games like SBCG4AP and Back to the Future, but in The Walking Dead it is starting to feel a bit too low tech. If they could get more funding to put higher quality into music, graphical power and such, it can really amp the value of the game.
4.) Solid release schedule. Delays are nothing new in the gaming world and more often than not we are forgiving of delays if there is a solid expectation for when it will be delayed to. As much as I was angry that Bioshock Infinite and The Last of Us were delayed, knowing they had more or less a solid "coming out at this time" date plan helped. It is just frustrating when a company delays something and only announce a release date shortly before the game or content's release (I am looking at you Bioware and your Extended Cut!). So if we had more assurance of a release date or at least an expected by estimate, we would be more patient with the wait I feel
Pretty much agree with those strengths. Ever since Sam and Max Season 1, I have admired how strong the writing has been in so many of their games. They are usually pretty good at capturing the qualities that make their respective properties feel true to their source material, whether it is the goofy vibe of Sam and Max or the character driven drama of the Walking Dead.
Of course, not all of their games are hits. Jurassic Park was a good idea in concept, but in execution the story completely lost weight in the last two episodes and the gameplay throughout was just shallow (I usually don't mind this "cinematic game" style but it did not work there).
The main issue to is that they SERIOUSLY NEED TO UPDATE THEIR GAME ENGINE! They have only made small increments since Sam and Max and it is SERIOUSLY showing its age. They need to take a risk and create a new engine or their games will just not be able to support any bigger and better games they could be making.
That said, I am willing to give Telatle a shot still. They have made mostly enjoyable games so far and I think they still have some juice left in them. I think it boils down to a few key things they need to do:
1.) Try to experiment with more solid original properties. The few they have pumped out just feel underdeveloped next to their mainstay adapted ones. Bioware had to have Mass Effect to get out of KOTOR's shadow so Telltale needs a distinguishably original property of their own.
2.) A new engine. After using the same engine over and over and over, we are seeing it being pushed to its limit with The Walking Dead. Even if the game still looks fantastic, I think it could be even better if they worked on restructuring the engine to smooth out the glitches and bugs. Time consuming yes, but I think it would pay off.
3.) Put a bit more funding into production values. The cutesy computer orchestrated music can be fine in games like SBCG4AP and Back to the Future, but in The Walking Dead it is starting to feel a bit too low tech. If they could get more funding to put higher quality into music, graphical power and such, it can really amp the value of the game.
4.) Solid release schedule. Delays are nothing new in the gaming world and more often than not we are forgiving of delays if there is a solid expectation for when it will be delayed to. As much as I was angry that Bioshock Infinite and The Last of Us were delayed, knowing they had more or less a solid "coming out at this time" date plan helped. It is just frustrating when a company delays something and only announce a release date shortly before the game or content's release (I am looking at you Bioware and your Extended Cut!). So if we had more assurance of a release date or at least an expected by estimate, we would be more patient with the wait I feel
This. Besides the Technical errors, the game is gold.
4.) Solid release schedule. Delays are nothing new in the gaming world and more often than not we are forgiving of delays if there is a solid expectation for when it will be delayed to. As much as I was angry that Bioshock Infinite and The Last of Us were delayed, knowing they had more or less a solid "coming out at this time" date plan helped. It is just frustrating when a company delays something and only announce a release date shortly before the game or content's release (I am looking at you Bioware and your Extended Cut!). So if we had more assurance of a release date or at least an expected by estimate, we would be more patient with the wait I feel[/B]
Big BIG difference though, is that they have already "sold" the product on the basis of a schedule that they have now broken.
They have taken people's cash for all five episodes and have communicated nothing with regards to the delays.
That is completely unacceptable, whichever way you want to look at it.
Yeah, it's "only a game" but they have still sold a product and not delivered on the conditions they set out in the beginning.
They should be giving the customers a discount at the very least.
The love I have for their 'Walking Dead' games is matched only by the disdain I have for their contemptible treatment of it's fans and paying customers over the past month or so. Delays are excusable, silence isn't.
In future, any small amount of communication at all would go a long way towards improving my overall opinion of them.
It also makes me wonder what horrible truth they were hiding that made them think complete silence would be a better alternative. I don't think TTG are stupid, no game developer would risk alienating their fanbase unless they had a damn good reason for it.
ASIDE FROM GAME-BREAKING GLITCHES THAT CORRUPT YOUR SAVE FILES AND ERASE THEM AFTER 3rd PLAYTHROUGH OF EPISODE 2( PS3), FORCING YOU TO REPLAY THE GAME AD NAUSEUM WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF NOT WORRYING IF IT WILL BE FIXED, AND THEN HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE FRUSTRATION OF NO ANSWER IN SIGHT, TO THEN REALIZE THIS PROBLEM WILL BE EVIDENT THROUGH ALL EPISODES... pretty decent. Although treating a TellTale representative with the same affection you'd give a Zombie if you had a hammer in your hand, might make me feel better.
"Look for yourselves. Episode 2 is upstairs with NO FUCKING RELEASE DATE!"
Kenny: Did you find something Lee?
Lily: Lee what the hell are you talking about?
Larry: Don't humor him it's always something with this guy. Now sit down TTG has made you a game.
In my opinion TTG is a typical business. The bottom line is that dollar bill so thats what comes first. Cant say as a customer I like it but the primary function of most if not all businesses is to make money.:D
coolsome... you're not only in the wrong thread. You're at least in the wrong sub-forum if not in the wrong world. Get out before I call the "Whatever" guys.
making a homestar runner game before the creators dissappeared into an alternate universe and stopped updating their website {i know they had babies but a TTG dev is working on this game and he's a new dad he should get a special credit} was a bad idea?
I like TT Games, S&M, HomeStar, BTTF, JP, WD. I like the stories and gameplay, but I'm always disappointed by the technical execution and the post-release support which is non-existent as far as I can gather. Whereas some game companies seek to rectify buggy products, TT just seem to let it slide, like the problem will just disappear by itself.
I like TT Games, S&M, HomeStar, BTTF, JP, WD. I like the stories and gameplay, but I'm always disappointed by the technical execution and the post-release support which is non-existent as far as I can gather. Whereas some game companies seek to rectify buggy products, TT just seem to let it slide, like the problem will just disappear by itself.
This.
Plots and gameplay are damn good and I love this things from them. But technically the games have some bugs that are so obvious (like the cursor disappears on JP or the savegames issue with TWD) and Telltale, once they completed the season, they forget about giving support to the game or fixing this bugs with patches.
I can understand that, because of episodic releases there is no time for beta testing... but at least fix this issues when you've completed the season!
It's safe to say that after three weeks of not being able to download WD ep. 2, one week with no replies to my email, and not even a single word about the issue in public, much less a solution to it, my opinion of Telltale has deteriorated to a point I would not have imagined possible just two months ago.
It is certainly the last time I have bought a game directly from them. I guess whether it will be the last time I buy their games at all will depend on how they deal with this in the next couple of weeks or so. I'm not optimistic.
Plots and gameplay are damn good and I love this things from them. But technically the games have some bugs that are so obvious (like the cursor disappears on JP or the savegames issue with TWD) and Telltale, once they completed the season, they forget about giving support to the game or fixing this bugs with patches.
I can understand that, because of episodic releases there is no time for beta testing... but at least fix this issues when you've completed the season!
Yeah, I thought about that too.
I think the best thing they can do is finish the game and release it when it is complete and then maybe sell add on's and the like. That way they can have a continued stream of revenue and it is still profitable to smash bugs and the like.
And when I say add on's I mean story lines and options that may have not been available from the first release.
Go into the Walking Dead game, bombs and won't open after I have already completed episodes 1 and2, reboot and then get in, but it now asks for a user id and password and all of my saved games are gone? Was there some of phantom update to the software I didn't know about? Not impressed with this event, bugs, story line or game play.
The only bug that ever stopped me from enjoying my game was in Back to the Future when doors didn't work in an area. Aside from that, I still don't have any problems.
The only game I have from Telltale is Walking Dead. From the standpoint of game design, they have done an adequate job. I like the game, it is interesting and entertaining.
From the standpoint of customer service, they are terrible. I hesitate to purchase another game from them in the future. If I had not already paid for the entire Walking Dead series (and failed to get a refund when the second episode was so late) I would probably not continue to purchase the new releases. Being late with the game is not my primary issue. Not keeping the customers informed of what is going on, that is piss poor business ethics. Are these guys a bunch of twelve year olds pretending to run a business? If this is the way they normally do things, Telltale is not long for the world.
BTW, the fact they managed to finally get the second episode out does not make up for the lack of information. I can't think of anything Telltale can do to get back in my good graces, ever. Some may say I'm just one guy so why should they care. Well, I guarantee numerous others feel the same way and just don't show up to the forums to vent. When a friend asks any of them about Telltale or Walking Dead game, what are they likely to say? An Indie company like Telltale survives on word of mouth and good will of their customer base. They have lost that with me and many others.
I'm mad, because I have a game-crippling bug that doesn't allow me to play episode 2 at all and so do many others, and absolutely nothing has been done about it by them or can be done about it by us.
The only game I have from Telltale is Walking Dead. From the standpoint of game design, they have done an adequate job. I like the game, it is interesting and entertaining.
From the standpoint of customer service, they are terrible. I hesitate to purchase another game from them in the future. If I had not already paid for the entire Walking Dead series (and failed to get a refund when the second episode was so late) I would probably not continue to purchase the new releases. Being late with the game is not my primary issue. Not keeping the customers informed of what is going on, that is piss poor business ethics. Are these guys a bunch of twelve year olds pretending to run a business? If this is the way they normally do things, Telltale is not long for the world.
BTW, the fact they managed to finally get the second episode out does not make up for the lack of information. I can't think of anything Telltale can do to get back in my good graces, ever. Some may say I'm just one guy so why should they care. Well, I guarantee numerous others feel the same way and just don't show up to the forums to vent. When a friend asks any of them about Telltale or Walking Dead game, what are they likely to say? An Indie company like Telltale survives on word of mouth and good will of their customer base. They have lost that with me and many others.
Sums up exactly how I feel. First game with this company and will likely be my last.
When LucasArts killed off its adventure game department in favour of producing high-revenue earning licence games with bad gameplay it was dark days, but when Telltale rose from the ashes and helped make adventure games relevant again it was a brilliant f-you to all the greedy publishers out there that care more about profits than making great games. But now, in the face of everything they were built on, Telltale themselves have turned to producing high-revenue earning licence games with bad gameplay.
But now, in the face of everything they were built on, Telltale themselves have turned to producing high-revenue earning licence games with bad gameplay.
To be honest most of the current problems have little to nothing to do with the IP being used. In my opinion the main "problem" is that Telltale is now trying to release their games on all platforms at the same time. In the past the PC version would be released first and then the Mac and console versions would be released a few weeks or months later. This gave the developers enough time to properly concentrate on each platform.
Now that all versions are released within a few days of each other there is significantly less time to iron out any platform-specific bugs and release times have increased overall. As a PC gamer I wish Telltale would go back to the old release schedule.
Comments
What we must do is unite and make sure the bastards don't get away with this. I'm fed up and I want my money back. This is pure false advertisement: "monthly episodes". There are laws against that. Even if Xbox and PSN US users already got to play season 2, it was still a month late so they got screwed as well, just not as much as us. I for one swear I will never buy any games from them ever again and I'm advising everybody I know in real life to do the same. Small companies like Telltale thrive on mouth to mouth advertising, they screwed that up all over Europe big time now. To be absolutely clear, this has nothing to do with Sony. Sony didn't take my money and then went back on our purchase agreement, Telltale did. If I buy a jar of Nutella at a store and I get home and it turns out the store clerk forgot to put the jar in my bag, I'm not going to call up Nutella to ask for my jar or a refund.
At this point we're all individuals to them, so they don't care. We're ants, a couple of complainers who won't do anything anyway. Most of their customers are semi happy because they finally got to play season 2 and will forgot about the false "monthly episodes" promise untill the same problem occurs with season 3. But if we unite we can get those nerfherders right where it hurts, their wallet. There are more people in Europe who aren't able to play the game they paid for almost 3 months ago then there are in the US who finally got to play a month to late. There are literally thousands of us, so lets say if 10.000 of us unite and ask for a refund, that will cost them 200.000$, a small company like Telltale will definitely feel that. It's also pretty easy to accomplish a petition like that through facebook and other social media sites these days. If everybody on this forum alone finds 10 people we're already set.
The thing that pisses me off most about all of this is their total lack of communication. I'm pretty sure they're not reading any of these comments on this forum, which is fine of course. But the fact that they're totally ignoring the problem and the complete arrogance which they display by advertising on big gaming sites is shamefull. "SEASON 2 AVAILABLE NOW". Even if it was available to us, it's still a month to late you bastards, so that's nothing to be proud of. And if you have the kind of money to buy huge amounts of advertising space on sites like IGN you might as well spent a little of that cash to hire a PR Manager or a communications expert who makes sure everybody knows what's going on.
Telltale, you went from being the lovable underdog to a despicable company and I hope we can get you down to the level you deserve to be.
I have not played any other TT games before TWD, but I musy say this is by no means a great game. I am a huge TWD fan and have to say I'm a little disappointed how this game has been treated. Story wise this game is great, but with all of the techniquel problems, and the illusion that this game is completely tailored to how you play bugs me a little bit.
I hate to say it, but if TT does anything other than TWD related... i don't see myself buying it.
However, as much as I enjoyed TWD, I don't think they can rest on their laurels. To me, they are probably the best company but they could fall by making mistakes (Too much linearity like in Jurassic Park).
All in all, I think Telltale Games' strength lie in
1. Story, characters, voice-acting
2. The Walking Dead universe
3. Non-linearity by introducing choices and consequences
Though I've become a big fan, I can't guarantee I'll be interested in any game they present (Other than TWD SEASON 2 of course lol)
I'm stoked that we're only two episodes in and the game has already reached such a high caliber and epic story. This would usually make me afraid that the subsequent releases will start to slide but in Telltale's hands, I'm confident the story will continue to improve. Wouldn't surprise me if after episode 5's release, Telltale unleashes a zombie Apocalypse onto the world. The game was only their training. And now the real games begin...
For those pissed at waiting, that sucks. But making such a tailored experience means building multiple games within one and that takes time.
This is the first TTG product I've tried. I can say that I am a completely satisfied customer and TTG can count on my continued demand for their products. I like this game and have had no technical issues with the game. Very happy with this style/format of an adventure game (I actually prefer strategy games like CivV)
As far as the delay goes, I've recovered but it sure would be cool if TTG threw in a bonus episode where Lee and Carley go back to the farm, find Mark, put him down and bury him. He was one of us and our friend damn it!
I'm sure Episode 2 is quite masterful, but unfortunately, a number of us (Mac users) can't even download it yet now almost a week after the release, so it's so-so with the tailored experience so far.
Pretty much agree with those strengths. Ever since Sam and Max Season 1, I have admired how strong the writing has been in so many of their games. They are usually pretty good at capturing the qualities that make their respective properties feel true to their source material, whether it is the goofy vibe of Sam and Max or the character driven drama of the Walking Dead.
Of course, not all of their games are hits. Jurassic Park was a good idea in concept, but in execution the story completely lost weight in the last two episodes and the gameplay throughout was just shallow (I usually don't mind this "cinematic game" style but it did not work there).
The main issue to is that they SERIOUSLY NEED TO UPDATE THEIR GAME ENGINE! They have only made small increments since Sam and Max and it is SERIOUSLY showing its age. They need to take a risk and create a new engine or their games will just not be able to support any bigger and better games they could be making.
That said, I am willing to give Telatle a shot still. They have made mostly enjoyable games so far and I think they still have some juice left in them. I think it boils down to a few key things they need to do:
1.) Try to experiment with more solid original properties. The few they have pumped out just feel underdeveloped next to their mainstay adapted ones. Bioware had to have Mass Effect to get out of KOTOR's shadow so Telltale needs a distinguishably original property of their own.
2.) A new engine. After using the same engine over and over and over, we are seeing it being pushed to its limit with The Walking Dead. Even if the game still looks fantastic, I think it could be even better if they worked on restructuring the engine to smooth out the glitches and bugs. Time consuming yes, but I think it would pay off.
3.) Put a bit more funding into production values. The cutesy computer orchestrated music can be fine in games like SBCG4AP and Back to the Future, but in The Walking Dead it is starting to feel a bit too low tech. If they could get more funding to put higher quality into music, graphical power and such, it can really amp the value of the game.
4.) Solid release schedule. Delays are nothing new in the gaming world and more often than not we are forgiving of delays if there is a solid expectation for when it will be delayed to. As much as I was angry that Bioshock Infinite and The Last of Us were delayed, knowing they had more or less a solid "coming out at this time" date plan helped. It is just frustrating when a company delays something and only announce a release date shortly before the game or content's release (I am looking at you Bioware and your Extended Cut!). So if we had more assurance of a release date or at least an expected by estimate, we would be more patient with the wait I feel
This. Besides the Technical errors, the game is gold.
Big BIG difference though, is that they have already "sold" the product on the basis of a schedule that they have now broken.
They have taken people's cash for all five episodes and have communicated nothing with regards to the delays.
That is completely unacceptable, whichever way you want to look at it.
Yeah, it's "only a game" but they have still sold a product and not delivered on the conditions they set out in the beginning.
They should be giving the customers a discount at the very least.
In future, any small amount of communication at all would go a long way towards improving my overall opinion of them.
It also makes me wonder what horrible truth they were hiding that made them think complete silence would be a better alternative. I don't think TTG are stupid, no game developer would risk alienating their fanbase unless they had a damn good reason for it.
"It's PEOPLE!"
"Look for yourselves. Episode 2 is upstairs with NO FUCKING RELEASE DATE!"
Kenny: Did you find something Lee?
Lily: Lee what the hell are you talking about?
Larry: Don't humor him it's always something with this guy. Now sit down TTG has made you a game.
Are they like the Nobodies off Kingdom Hearts?
Have fun playing virtual Lego in the future SirP urple.
This.
Plots and gameplay are damn good and I love this things from them. But technically the games have some bugs that are so obvious (like the cursor disappears on JP or the savegames issue with TWD) and Telltale, once they completed the season, they forget about giving support to the game or fixing this bugs with patches.
I can understand that, because of episodic releases there is no time for beta testing... but at least fix this issues when you've completed the season!
It is certainly the last time I have bought a game directly from them. I guess whether it will be the last time I buy their games at all will depend on how they deal with this in the next couple of weeks or so. I'm not optimistic.
Yeah, I thought about that too.
I think the best thing they can do is finish the game and release it when it is complete and then maybe sell add on's and the like. That way they can have a continued stream of revenue and it is still profitable to smash bugs and the like.
And when I say add on's I mean story lines and options that may have not been available from the first release.
From the standpoint of customer service, they are terrible. I hesitate to purchase another game from them in the future. If I had not already paid for the entire Walking Dead series (and failed to get a refund when the second episode was so late) I would probably not continue to purchase the new releases. Being late with the game is not my primary issue. Not keeping the customers informed of what is going on, that is piss poor business ethics. Are these guys a bunch of twelve year olds pretending to run a business? If this is the way they normally do things, Telltale is not long for the world.
BTW, the fact they managed to finally get the second episode out does not make up for the lack of information. I can't think of anything Telltale can do to get back in my good graces, ever. Some may say I'm just one guy so why should they care. Well, I guarantee numerous others feel the same way and just don't show up to the forums to vent. When a friend asks any of them about Telltale or Walking Dead game, what are they likely to say? An Indie company like Telltale survives on word of mouth and good will of their customer base. They have lost that with me and many others.
Sums up exactly how I feel. First game with this company and will likely be my last.
To be honest most of the current problems have little to nothing to do with the IP being used. In my opinion the main "problem" is that Telltale is now trying to release their games on all platforms at the same time. In the past the PC version would be released first and then the Mac and console versions would be released a few weeks or months later. This gave the developers enough time to properly concentrate on each platform.
Now that all versions are released within a few days of each other there is significantly less time to iron out any platform-specific bugs and release times have increased overall. As a PC gamer I wish Telltale would go back to the old release schedule.