Some suggestions

edited September 2008 in Sam & Max
I just finally ordered season 1 after about 2 years of playing demos on release days and downloading free games when given. I guess I wasn't completely satisfied with episode 1 when I bought it the first day, but I must say things rapidly improve and my season 2 purchase will be before too long (does the price drop when season 3 is released, in the way that season 1's did?) You guys made quality games, and nearing the end of episode 5, I'm overjoyed to have a puzzle I'm stumped on.

But as I said, I've played the demos of season 2 as well as my free Ice Station Santa for signing up for the e-mail list and have a good idea of how it continues, which is fantastic. I thought I might offer a few ideas, since the Season 3 Ideas forum is getting way too long to think anyone from telltale will read my post.

I think the biggest one is about old characters. I love how you guys built all of these characters and have them recurring from the first couple episodes into the second season and (probably) beyond. A thing commonly overlooked in adventure games, but much needed. But what about the old characters--from hit the road? Not to put yours down but there's a nostalgia that accompanies buying a sam & max adventure game that doesn't necessarily mean one's read the comic. Lucasarts can't possibly have all those old faces copyrighted (written?). I'm just saying it'd be amazing to have a cameo (or preferably episode/season written with) conroy bumpus, bruno the bigfoot, trixie the giraffe-necked girl, or any of the amazing characters that graced our vga monitors 13 years ago.

Next, I noticed in the demo of Strong Bad the points and collectibles system that gives it an extra...flair. Do that! Do that, give us unnecessary collectibles or ranks to achieve for. Talk about replay value beyond more pithy comments (I don't even know what pithy means).

I guess those are my two things, but great job on them. That's what you miss out on when you're too cheap.

Comments

  • edited September 2008
    I mean 15 years ago. My how time has flown.
  • edited September 2008
    Season 1's price didn't really drop... it's just that one episode (104) was released for free to everyone, so they reduced the price of the entire season as appropriate. Unless one of the S2 episodes is also released for free, I wouldn't expect S2's price to drop just because S3 is coming out.
  • JakeJake Telltale Alumni
    edited September 2008
    ILucasarts can't possibly have all those old faces copyrighted (written?).

    Sadly, they do. We could have a mole man appear who isn't Doug or the other guy*, we could have a bigfoot appear who isn't Bruno, but we can't have actual characters from Hit the Road just waltz in unannounced, unless they were in the comics first. Characters created just for HTR, as far as I know, fall under LucasArts' domain to enough of a degree that we can't just use them.
    Next, I noticed in the demo of Strong Bad the points and collectibles system that gives it an extra...flair. Do that! Do that, give us unnecessary collectibles or ranks to achieve for. Talk about replay value beyond more pithy comments (I don't even know what pithy means).

    While not as advanced as Strong Bad's system, the driving games in Season Two do have a season-wide upgrade and collectibles mechanic for the DeSoto, where if you get everything, it becomes fairly ridiculous by the end of the year.

    * spoiler: we did!
  • edited September 2008
    Thanks for your prompt reply. Sad about copyrighting, but you of course have one-upped Lucasarts beyond all means--by keeping the genre alive and well (not to say that your characters aren't every bit as lovable and memorable as theirs). I did notice that the molemen were a nod in that direction, certainly. And I also noticed the mini-game which allowed for collectible decals...
    What I'm trying to say is that what you're doing is not going unnoticed--keep up the amazing work! While my interest in the SB universe has dwindled over the past few years, I still have that to consider once I've purchased Season 2, and Wallace and Gromit looks to be another fun series.
    So keep innovating, keep adventure games strong, and keep on truckin'. Oh, and finish Bone someday!
  • edited September 2008
    Well, just finished season 1. Great job, expect my purchase of season 2 in the coming days or weeks. I'm a bit sorry I had peeked ahead and played the demos and played Ice Station Santa out of order--I can only imagine a better reaction not having known Abe and Sybil would end up together. From now on, I'm playing in order and probably avoiding demos, as I will be purchasing season 3, I'm sure, upon arrival. Thanks again, keep up the good work.
  • edited September 2008
    Next we learn the magic of the [spoilers] tag!
  • edited September 2008
    Jake wrote: »
    Sadly, they do. We could have a mole man appear who isn't Doug or the other guy*, we could have a bigfoot appear who isn't Bruno, but we can't have actual characters from Hit the Road just waltz in unannounced, unless they were in the comics first. Characters created just for HTR, as far as I know, fall under LucasArts' domain to enough of a degree that we can't just use them.

    But, shouldn't Steve Purcell have the rights to use them?

    He made them after all.
  • edited September 2008
    Steve Purcell and Hit the Road's designers did in fact create characters, but they created them for LucasArts. That's what happens when you work as a designer or creative type for a company. They're paying you in exchange for creating ideas and IP for them, which they will own. This is hardly some anomaly! By your logic Ron Gilbert should be pumping out Monkey Island games since he conceived the universe. Or that the artists who drew the background art for Day of the Tentacle somehow own the rights to that art, because they're the ones who drew it.

    Obviously, Steve Purcell owns the actual Sam and Max characters, as well as any characters that he created for comics, but anything original that appeared in the LucasArts game is owned by LucasArts. That's just how it works, or at least how it worked in that case. (I suppose if you're someone with enough clout and money like George Lucas or something, you can keep the rights to your IP despite it being funded by another party.)
  • edited September 2008
    The guys at Lucasarts are *insertinsult*
    They don't want to make the sequel but they
    also don't want to give away the rights.
  • edited September 2008
    I'm actually surprised you could use the name 'Bosco' as LucasArts could have a case against it.
  • edited September 2008
    Ah, but what if Lucasarts were to suddenly shut down (and that's a big IF, by the way)? If there was no more Lucasarts, would the rights to those characters, or any characters they own, be up for grabs?
  • edited September 2008
    Well, if LucasArts did just close, the rights would stay property of LucasFilm which, believe me, isn't going anywhere. That's not a company that's going under or even being purchased anytime in the near future.
  • edited September 2008
    But what if LucasFilm were to suddenly shut down?
  • edited September 2008
    At that point, you might as well be asking what happens if Microsoft shuts down.
  • edited September 2008
    What if an 'accident' happens there?
  • edited September 2008
    The internets is not your personal army!
    Although, it's not like they're coming out with anything I'm interested in...
  • edited September 2008
    tabacco wrote: »
    At that point, you might as well be asking what happens if Microsoft shuts down.

    Okay, then, Mr. Wise Guy... I'm going to ask this instead... what happened when Enron shut down?
  • edited September 2008
    Hi. I don't think getting mad that nobody else cares will help your case?


    I mean, if Telltale or whoever managed to get the Freelance Police code, and actually released it, all well and good. But getting mad because people aren't answering "what-if" questions doesn't really seem to be getting you anywhere.

    If it really means so much to you, I guess you could start up a rival company, making Star Trek games or whatever, and then just buy out LucasFilm.
  • edited September 2008
    Bad Asp wrote: »
    Okay, then, Mr. Wise Guy... I'm going to ask this instead... what happened when Enron shut down?

    ...and this thread just passed out of the lands of utility and into the futile wastelands.
This discussion has been closed.