I recently posted about the Sam and Max Lucasarts was going to produce but cancelled. Now I'm here to post about the Telltale Game's Sam and Max. I must say that it was probably a good idea that Lucasarts didn't produce the next game. The game probably would have upset fans instead of pleased them. Sure, it might have been amazing too, but chances are they cancelled it because they got some poor feedback from early testers or something. I'd have to say: from what I've seen so far, this game has some great potential. Not really enough to bring back the adventure game to it's "golden age" status but really get a whole lot of new people involved in the genre. This game (if executed correctly) could really help the industry out by bringing some originality and risk back into the business. This could really help other developers decide to take the risk of brining out more unique ideas and genres. But what do I know...I've only been playing games for years...
But seriously...this could (and I stress could) be a great thing for the industry to experience...
later
Pessimism tells me that Telltale Games is an invisible company, and will always be invisible. Nothing they do is going to change the general public’s opinion on gaming, especially something like making adventure gaming popular again. What they are doing is nice for the small online community of nerds that will find it and will have the ability to pay for it (the latter I lack). The big American companies (EA, Lucasarts, Ubisoft …) will never look at telltale’s strategy and recognize it as something that they will want to emulate. They’ll keep the system that they have been establishing for years and selling it to the general public because a large company won’t ever deter from what the general public wants. I hate the general public.
It's ok...most of us do too I think...
While Telltale may never become a global superpower, I think episodic gaming is only going to increase. Xbox Live Arcade on the 360 sells bite-sized games for $5-10 a pop, and Valve Software - inarguably a heavy-hitter in the world of mainstream gaming - is making large waves in both the gaming community and the press with their distribution of Ritual games' SiN Episodes, and their in-house production of Half Life 2: Episodes. Telltale was doing the episodic model a year or two ago but they're not the only ones around with those plans (thankfully).
I think it would help the popularity of a game like Telltale's Sam & Max if it was distributed through Valve's Steam. Though I know many people won't like it because they hate Steam (though personally I've had no problems with it), it wouldn't be the first third party game to be released using Valve's broadband distribution system. I would love to be able to just sign into Steam and see Sam & Max among all of my Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike stuff, just ready to be played.
I'm hoping positive word of mouth will help Sam and Max out (better than it worked for Psychonauts at least). Anything Sam and Max related has great potential, well officially Sam and Max that is. That fan game that's been milling about for a while doesn't get me all giddy.
If Sam & Max gets good word of mouth, it will certainly help it more than it did Psychonauts. The game was poorly distributed in the first place, and when it didn't sell well it simply stopped being stocked. I could not find a copy in any physical store I went to six months after release. People just couldn't get the game unless they made a conscious effort to look for it. Sam & Max won't have that availability issue, so anyone who gets interested only has to go download it, whether they discover the game six months or six years after it comes out. The biggest challenge will be getting people who aren't already Sam & Max folks to find out about it in the first place and where to get it.
Yeah well some packages of Psychonauts had a sticker on the front telling you that you could win $5000 if you bought the game. How is that not good marketing?
The biggest challenge will be getting people who aren't already Sam & Max folks to find out about it in the first place and where to get it.
I guess the computer gaming world cover-story is a great start... anyone who is familiar with Hit The Road who sees this cover on the stands in August will surely browse the magazine, even if they don't actually purchase it.
http://www.telltalegames.com/resources/assets/samnmax_cgwcover.png)
More here (
http://www.telltalegames.com/blogs/telltale/?permalink=C0464E4DB14553EE9FC50569287EF7A0.txt&smm=y), including the 3 other cover design idea sketches, plus a higher res version of the finished art without all the type
You'd have to be a fool to not be intrigued by that cover!
It's like the 90's again!
It's like the 90's again!
You can say that again... (
http://www.macobserver.com/columns/slackersguide/2006/20060707.shtml)
Say what you will about the 90s, but some amazing stuff came out during this era. Over in the LucasArts camp, the writers behind the video games had apparently lost their minds.
And the games they produced couldn't have been better.
Among titles like Day of the Tentacle and Full Throttle, Sam and Max Hit the Road climbed to the top of the heap for offbeat adventure games with a dark, cynical and deranged humor all its own.
I liked the 90's, albiet I liked the late 90's better because I was more aware of what I had by then.
Nope, but thats thanks to my thourough self check up everyday. If thw guy next to you seems to be having a problem you can help him out too.
Have to be careful where you do self check-ups these days, never know who has a camera phone.
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/340923p-291030c.html)
Oodles of new info (start date, game frequency, hints at plot, some renders of locations & characters);
http://cgw.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3152218&did=1)
I like it much, thank you bastard man you is my hero
I do hope they fix Max's ears, their too damn rigid, like Gerbils penis while watching "The Price is Right"
I do hope they fix Max's ears, their too damn rigid, like Gerbils penis while watching "The Price is Right"
Thank you for that horrifyingly vivid imagery. I'm sure that will haunt my dreams for years to come.
I wish they could get different voice actors. I preferred the voices in both the game and the TV show to the ones they've cast.
You're scared now, just wait till I tell you about "The Bob Hope Man"
I dunno...the Sam voice in the TV show bothered me for some reason...I much prefered the game voice...same goes for Max
Anyways, I don't have a problem with either voice in the upcoming game...
I think a Telltale forum invasion is in order, I want a recap of crap that never happened (Ala "The Thing that wouldn't stop it").
Edit: I gotta pick up the Augest issue of CWG, we get another ****ing board game yay!
I just don't know what to say to you hoodlums anymore.
Anyways, why can't they just get Bill Farmer and the guy who played Max the first time?
You forget Computer game designers (With the exception of Gilbert and Schafer) are douschbags
Dutch braggarts? You must be joking.
They think they're so good with their ****ing wooden shoes
You could get a wicked splinter doing that.
The previews so far look pretty decent though.
Anyways, why can't they just get Bill Farmer and the guy who played Max the first time?
They're probably either too expensive or have really busy schedules (Nick Jameson was Max by the way, aka a guy who played a bit part on 24). Apparently in Telltale's trailer both Sam and Max were voiced by the guy who played Fone Bone, though they say that won't necessarily be the case in the actual game. Kind of cheap to keep re-using actors, but I suppose if your budget's microscopic it's better to put it toward the game itself rather than specific voice talent.
Taking a look at those animation tests..apparently Telltale is a big fan of having their characters slam their fists into their hands, shaking their fists, and flipping their hands palm side up. All the ones that weren't from Bone looked awesome though (Max eating his bellybutton lint, etc.)
It's a Calarts thing I'm guessing. The fists thing.
They said something about Max stabbing somebody, I wanna see that.
All the ones that weren't from Bone looked awesome though (Max eating his bellybutton lint, etc.)
Yes, I was quite taken with that sequence myself. Always good to change up the icon from time to time...
and let you rape me?!? I don't think so!
This thread is now about buttsecks.
In the end, there's always going to be penetration on the Sam and Max board.
This game has lots of potential, but I think it will depend on the reviews on how well it sells. I have Hit The Road and at the time it was a great game. But unfortantly, Im not one of those that will go out and buy all the unknown amount of episodes. I'd prefer to wait for that final DVD which has the whole thing, for probably a lot cheaper price.
*Initiate elaborate and confusing hazing ritual*
That's the seriously abridged version of the quote though. "You know, I learned at a very early age that what kind of social system or political system prevails is very important. Not just for your well-being, but for your very survival."
Too much man, groovy, great scene. Great light show, baby.
Episodes seem like they will work out nicely. I just wish Telltale was bigger and richer and gave Max's buttocks more fancy bumpmapping.
Man, you made me think of giving Max a colonoscopy. Or going in him a la Fantastic Voyage.
Hazing almost complete, close your eyes, open your mouth, and you'll get a big surprise.
"Surprise" not garunteed to make everyone happy
Damn, I'm late again. Is it over yet?
No, he still has to tell me he liked it, then I do it again
To his sister
Phew, good, I didn't miss it. Let me grab my camera really quick. Oh boy, I can't wait.