Does anyone like the writing of this series?
Personally, the writing in this series is kind of predictable, and quite dark and ridiculous as it goes by. One of my main gripes with The Walking Dead's Telltale is that it pushes the dark tone too much, that it wants to you feel like your nerves are about to coil. I just hate that. Here are also other things that grind my gears:
- Predictable plots.
- Zero plot-twists
- One-dimensional characters existing there to be evil and brutal. That's it.
- Darker and Edgier storytelling. Look, I get it, it's "The Walking Dead". But do we need the writers to make us feel sorrow for the characters that worked their way into this? Just tone it down already, sheesh.
- Hard choices. Sometimes, the choices you want are secretly hidden in your dialogue choices.
- Art style. In my opinion, I didn't like the art styles in season 1 and 2.
- Brutal deaths by other characters. I nearly felt nauseated when I saw a video about Javier smashing Badger's skull.
- This one is personal, and quite sad. Not rescuing David, after rescuing Kate and Gabe. I get that the series needs us to show that another character is going to die eventually, but wouldn't it be best if we take the third option here?
Who else has their complaints with this series writing?
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I don't think these complaints are a matter of bad writing but more just personal preference. No judgment in that. If you don't like it, you don't like it.
Sometimes I wonder if it's fair and righteous to complain about someone else's work if you know within your heart that you could never have done better if put in a similar position..its mostly impossible to know what's going to be a hit or miss. You'd have to be a profit for that pun intended. Quiet as kept no one knew that the first Walking Dead game would be a hit. Pretty much it's a gamble that gets exponentially tougher each sequel and I can understand enough to the point of cutting the development team a slight break from the original installment because for every release to be a classic would be just short of a miracle. And then the only reward for that monumental feat is the verbal pat on the back. They all can't be winnners most likely but maybe the key is to try and get as many winners out as possible with the tools, team and abilities presently in possession. Sometimes it shows that they don't try much like with season three because to this day I still do not know what on earth was going on and why. But loooks like they are trying with season 4 again hopefully like the first two seasons of the games.
The first season writing is totally excellent.
We pay them money, at least, so we have a right to get a good (and LONG) game
ANF is a non-profit gambling then.). If to be honest, I think that the only reason of ruining ANF was the lack of time that TTG left for development. You know, many fans theories and self made scenarios are really better than official one written by “professionals”. Who asked TTG to let “veteran-writers” go? Nobody. The only way to save the series is to listen to good writers and some of fans desires.
I don’t agree with your gambling comparison.
I've had my gripes with some of the directions they've taken over the series, but the comic-like art style of S1 and 2 and the dark tone of the series in general is no where near that list. Probably because the game is based on the comic series The Walking Dead, so I knew what I was getting into.
I agree with some of your points as far as one-dimensional characters and whatnot. As far as Darker and Edgier storytelling and brutal deaths, I completely disagree. The main issue with ANF to me was that it wasn't Dark or Edgy ENOUGH. And your point about third options? Come on bro. This is a Telltale game. There needs to be some hard choices and higher stakes here and there to make things interesting. That's just the way it is.
They are tough to find if they exist because most that I've read have always given me goosebumps from how cringeworthy they come off. The pros aren't perfect but they usually have better odds of getting a decent story mostly experience also helps even so called pro developed storylines.
Maybe they didn't have to if they quit. Haven't so far ever read about them mass firing a bunch of good employees.
Half agreed they do need to make corporate leave the writing team be and give them appropriate time before deadlines to finish but some fan wishes are odd and can ruin the legitimacy of the story like some want Lee back alive seeing Molly again though its unlikely ditto with the 400 days group. Some thought Kenny should have been main character also many feel Clementine should be immortal because she's cute and has been protagonist twice and a quarter times and because of x,y,z etc..
It's cool ?.. Still has some truth within it. Anytime you cannot know the outcome of an investment in some ways it's like a gamble. They are rolling the dice ?
against more challenges to be more creative, unique and interesting than the previous version of the game. Season one was a hit making all have super high expectations for season two then when season two failed to in general please the way season one did now that game was most in contempt by the fans at the time. Enter A New Frontier a couple or so years later and they dropped the ball even further earning that most recent game the title of being most in contempt and making season two look amazing by comparison. If they defy odds to get season four out as a hit then they'll have restored the fans faith in them and possibly retract what they said about this being the final season but still season four is a gamble because they already released two very mediocre games earning a bad rep kind of like bad credit from critics compared to the first and they can either succeed triumphantly or fail abysmally to fans.
Season 1's storytelling, characterization, tone, and themes were pretty up there, collectively speaking. And I'd like to say that the intent/idea of things that came afterwards were generally well conceived and interesting on paper.
Unfortunately, following installments/seasons struggled, took shortcuts, prioritized in skewed manners, and/or outright overdid/undersold themselves in a variety of egregious, contradictory, disillusioning, and not very longrunner friendly ways.
I haven't liked the writing in this series since episode 2 of Season 2, but some of your points are just weird.
Agreed.
Agreed. Cabin group, anyone?
Sigh... Yup. Joan, Carver in episode 3.
I don't know where you got this from. Did you play the original versions of Season 2 & Season 3 A New Frontier? Those were suppose to be extremely dark, compared to the final products, and it's a shame they weren't. You're supposed to feel sorry for the characters that were put in the situations that they're in. Unfortunately, Telltale did a really shit job at that, post-Season 1.
That's a first, I've ever heard someone say. That has absolutely nothing to do with the writing though, so I'm not gonna even bother.
You're complaining about literally the best part of ANF? Fucker had everything that was coming to him. Only reason I stopped was because the game only let me smash his head so many times. If it bothers you that much, then just let him turn, or don't watch, in your case. The choices are there.
I wish I could have saved him too. But doing that, also means you have to save Gabe. So unfortunately, a sacrifice had to be made, and it was David. As for the question about a third option, maybe, if these were different characters.
Ok, I mostly agree with you about fans (some of their stories are really terrible) but completely not about “gambling”. Ok, didn’t you wait Clementine as a main hero in S3 (which became ANF)? I think it wasn’t so hard to predict that normal fans wouldn’t wait a “GARCIA HEARTBREAKING LOVESTORY” instead of Clem’s story? But eventually TTG decided to make sweetpea a background character. Is it gambling?
I wait Clementeen to finally pack it up so we can truly move on.
I hope so too.
If i comment on the writing from S2 up until this point...id ban myself xD..so no comment
I find the writing to range from good to fantastic midway through season 2. Then it all went downhill with some small bumps here and there in a episode
I think you may have meant "want" but in regards to them changing the protagonist not being a gamble they heard a few gripes from players of season two back when the game was just released or something that folks didn't like being reduced to a little girl or kid and wanted to play as an adult again this may have given them the idea of bringing up Javier. This is also a gamble because they didn't know how well Javier would be received by fans of the games and how pissed off Clementine fans would get (righteously so because doing that ruins the flow of the series that was mainly surrounding Lee and Clem from the beginning). But they ultimately could have pleased both sides if they divided the hero focus evenly between Javier and Clementine. They took a risk because they didn't know how bad or good bringing Javier in would be thus a gamble again essentially. This is likely why Javier will not be making a huge impact on season four as with three because it pissed of too many fans that they bumped Clem to the back for some new clearanced Negan weirdo.
Must've been what Telltale was drinking when making ANF. xd
Maybe. The only hope for today is that TTG writers know EXACTLY what to add into the season (not to gamble this time).
If you could make a Telltale IP, what would it be/based off and why?
Wrong thread?
I felt that Telltale Games believed that the darker and edgy tone of the series needs to settle down for interesting dynamic. I actually felt better for ANF to do that. Because it gives Clementine a break from what she had experienced from Season 2. Sheesh.
I know it's a Telltale game for higher stakes and things, but at least just make it hidden so that we get the "Golden Ending". Imagine if you want to get the best some of things in the game, and lower as many casualties as you want. That's something people are craving for in storytelling choice games.
You know what? Since no one else so far as outright said they like the writing yet, I'm going to take one for the team and do it.
Yes. I still like the writing in this game. I can understand why other people don't, but I still see something here that manages to grab my attention, that I can actually enjoy for the most part. Although ANF in particular I don't take as seriously as the first two. I don't think it's terrible, but I have trouble looking at it as a serious dramatic story like the first two were.
I guess I'm in an unfortunate position where, despite there being games that are probably objectively better written than this, I just simply haven't found a game where I've felt the same level of investment and attachment as I have for TWD. The game series is something uniquely special to me, something that I haven't been able to find any suitable replacement for yet. I mean, I love a game like The Last of Us, but despite all the achievements and polish of that game, I just can't bring myself to care as much about its world and characters as I do for TWD.
Yeah, that was pretty much the vibe I got. And for the most part, appreciated.
You know what, that is kinda-sorta pretty much my thoughts when playing Season 2 and ANF.
Of course! You don’t need to know how to cook to be able to taste.
Assuming you had a discussion on exactly how you needed the meal prepared beforehand. Which Telltale hadn't done until recently with an AMA session. Making a story without asking what most are looking for is a gamble for all involved.
Not about sequels, is it?
What about sequels?
I mean, sequel’s story shouldn’t be made “without asking” at all
To be honest, I've enjoyed the writing. In my opinion, I feel like it's made strides from where it began. Back in Season 1 you had Lee talking to himself, pointing out the obvious. He'd say things like "This is a hammer," just as a rough example.
A lot of people hate the writing, but it might just be because I'm not very picky about that type of stuff in this series. For me, the bad writing hasn't been very noticeable.
I think this brought a sort of lightness at approapriate times to the fucked up world of twd. Its kinda funny for example when in S1 ep4 youre coming up the sewers into crawford and you have to take a peek into the street, but if u look at the lid Lees like "I cant peek at the street if i dont lift up this lid"
"...you dumb mothafucka."