A way to make choices matter
I think the game should tally up the choices you make throughout the game, and instead of a final choice I think the game should make the choice for you based on the previous choices you made. Kinda like when you let the time run out on the shoot/don't shoot lee at the end of series one, when Clem decides based on your decisions.
Any thoughts/critisms of this idea?
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That's really just taking choice away from you.
The best way to make choices matter in my view is to make the ending you receive a culmination of all the previous choices, rather than a 'simple' choice at the end (yeah, implementing choices/branches isn't simple).
You could/should still get a say in the final choices, but the results should be influenced by previous choices, basically (as well as, possibly, the options you have). Another way is to get alternate scenes, or have characters remain throughout the story even though they could die, rather than funnel you along a A-B-C scene route no matter your choices. But this all said, I'm a simple writer. I don't work for anyone, so no deadlines, and no financial concerns. It's easy for us to sit here and say how to make choices matter when we're not the ones working at Telltale and we don't have budget limits etc.
I do feel they are implementing choices better now though and they should, hopefully, get even better as they go on. Protagonists in GoT, for instance. Minecraft: Story Mode having separate story branches/scenes in episode 2 based on episode 1's ending choice.
Also, it's worth mentioning that while it's factual that many games follow the same overall trajectory, story wise, it is subjective for each person as to whether the choices matter or not. Also, the first playthrough is incredibly important when you're making the choices and have no idea how things will turn out.
I think it should work like this - you get to choose the Ending but what happens during the Ending is dependent on your previous choices - say let someone live - they won't prevent you from going East or West but they could end up returning to kill a new character in the ending you chose, different consequences for different endings I guess.
Apart from making it matter in the game, they should also strive to make choices matter to the player, not much point in worrying about consequences if the choices don't impact you in my opinion.
What you said hits the nail on the head. I feel the best thing a writer can do is aim to touch people emotionally or to get them thinking. Any story that manages it deserves 5 stars in my view and it is my aim, for the most part, when I write. As it happens, I feel interactive fiction is the best fit for making people think and question things, as they're actively forced to make a choice. Of course, the story and writing needs to be good for that to happen though. So, while I do see the value in stories truly branching, I don't think it should be the measuring stick. What's important is how people feel when they're making the choices, especially when story branching doesn't automatically make a story better. It could make it worse.
As I always do, I'll point towards TWD S1 as an example. If people could get a different result at the end, would it be as well regarded? I'm sure Telltale, from the start, worked towards that ending and it resulted in a better narrative than people would have gotten if it had truly branched. You know, they focused on their efforts on one good story, rather than creating several weaker ones? That are also potentially shorter.
Yeah! I think it all boils down to the player really, they could love a choice-based game with little consequences from making choices because the story has quality and they could hate a choice-based game with major consequences from making choices because the story lacks that quality they crave.
Definitely.
By the way, I was looking at a youtube video the other day and it was probably linked to on this forum, but I saw you . . . not sure what the right word is, so let's just say 'conversing' with someone in the comments. I'm surprised you stuck at it and how someone can say that it's not subjective to each person as to whether the choices matter is beyond me.
Oh? Which video was it? I comment allot on Youtube so you probably saw me lol, and yeah, I believe that whether a choice matters is entirely subjective, I mean, just because it has an effect doesn't mean it matters, just because it has no effect doesn't mean it doesn't matter either. Whether a choice matters is completely subjective, whether a choice has consequences and benefits is objective because it isn't dependent on an opinion but depends on whether a choice in the game does have consequences or benefits(Even if those consequences or benefits are effective outside of the game, i.e., a choice that doesn't make a difference within the game can made the player feel sad, objectively showing the possibility of emotional effects, well more so confirmation of).
This video:
I was tempted to reply, but while I sometimes do so, there's really not much point debating with them and the comments were a few weeks old anyway. The irony of them calling you a kid, amongst other things, was rather funny.
Regardless, what you said was factual and you shouldn't have needed to go through that 'conversation'. What matters for me may not matter to you and vice versa as you say (when we're not discussing the overall story progression, as you will always go to the farm in TWD S1 E2 for instance). Sometimes I wonder if people would argue about the sky being blue for instance.
Only if you don't make the choice yourself. You don't play as yourself you're just shaping someone else's character and that means you don't need to make every decision for them. Leaving the character to choose for themselves would be quite if you can't choose or want to see how you've changed your PC.
This could lead to having a much more memorable series ending, in my opinion. I think it would work not only having certain character come back, but also have the PC react to something or do something depending on how you shaped them throughout the game.
Oh that video, yeah, I didn't like it and I disliked how people kept spreading lies about how decisions don't matter at all and that everything is the same no matter what you pick, it felt like some people hadn't played the game more than once or seen multiple playthroughs :x I wasn't defending TTG out of being a fan of their games, I just wanted to correct people that what matters is subjective and the game objectively does change depending on your choices(regardless of how little or big the impact is).
I found it pretty entertaining myself, it's rather unpleasant that whenever I have an argument or conversation(whilst be on the opposing side) that I almost always end up being called names or mocked at, I mean there's no need for that kind of behavior in arguments, especially when the one your arguing/conversing with is trying to be respectful of your opinions and the evidence you show :x
Thanks for understanding what I was saying! As for arguing about the sky being blue - Yes, people have done that xD I've heard the arguments both in real life and on the internet... yeah, I think people can find a way to argue about pretty much anything, I mean look at Forums, there's often an argument in allot of the Threads.
That would be neat indeed, have a cold hearted Clementine from Season 2 - in Season 3 if she finds Christa, she won't care much, but if you made Clementine a nicer person - when she finds Christa, she gives her a hug, it would be nice to have more noticeable differences in terms of relationships between the PC and NPCs depending on the behavior the PC expressed in the previous Season or the behavior they express towards the NPC in the next Season. I guess what I'm trying to say is like the Lee and Kenny/Lilly relationships in Season One which were pretty different, except making relationships even more different this time around, which could make more unique playthroughs
What if there's the middle ground of the previous decisions you've made will change what outcomes you can pick from, in this sense the PC could decide say to go North by themselves because you've influenced them into finding the snow is more tactful and the PC will leave their group members behind as you influenced them into thinking that being alone is the safest option and once you reach North, you get a decision of what to do now depending on who/what you're character has become.
Lee and Clem didn't have a definite personality. They were bland characters that could make a 180° turn in any second just because the player (us) decided that they would.
I think Telltale should also change the choices you can make depending on the personality you gave the PC, though that might be a little too complex to do.
You're most welcome and I feel you regarding being called names. My favorite is being called a fanboy, despite being nothing of the sort and even criticising the company itself in some areas.
Yep, people really can argue about anything and with you mentioning the forums, I found the whole Sasha - Fiona thing rather . . . amusing.
Anyway, unless you're a sad person like me and have a lot of free time, probably best to ignore them even though it can be quite hard.
I think my favorite is being called a ' Lover' lol it's funny how people make such implications without knowing your actual opinion on the subject matter, defend something and you're labelled as a fanboy, dislike something and you're labelled as a hater, the internet these days lol
Forums are so big on arguments, I mean look at the TWD Section, over 1 year later and there's still debates about 2 characters, I must be honest though, I kind of find them amusing at times xD just get some popcorn and read the comments, although Youtube arguments are worse because they have allot less restrictions... aaah, the Youtube comments section, a good place to lose your faith in humanity
I wouldn't say having a lot of free time makes you a sad person
I could be finishing/starting allot of things instead of taking part in arguments but as you said, it's quite hard to ignore and I find it kind of amusing xD I don't know, I guess I just like debates 
as long as there's no fowl play.
Yes! I would honestly love that, although they should keep like one option that lets the PC change(overtime that is, not instantly!) I think it could be possible considering how TTG has progressed, although I'd be alright if they couldn't do this due to making Season 3 different based on the Endings ;p
I think, if anything, the internet has renewed my faith in humanity.
On the topic of this, it would be cool if they did something similar to Spec Ops: The Line. In that game, the protagonist gets more and more deranged as the game goes on, becoming more aggressive and apathetic to the things going on around him. A less linear version of that would be a neat concept to experiment with.
Like, if you are consistently choosing the more harsh options, you'd start getting dialogue options that are more aggressive or confrontational. If you hurt or kill a lot of people, not only would it open up more options to continue to resort to violence, your character would get more and more used to it. And having some slightly variation in how certain lines are said would be neat, too. In Game of Thrones, there's a section where after you choose to beat up another character, the protagonist's lines has 4 different variations in tone, depending on how badly you beat him. That's something they could try to implement more.
I agree with you
I guess the internet has both made me temporarily lose and regain my faith to be honest lol
Definitely! I am glad to hear that Telltale is starting to do something similar in their games. I love the idea of keeping the lines the same but changing the tone and pauses; in that aspect, they were overlooking both the ability of their VAs to do so, and the impact of the way that lines are delivered to us human beings. A subtle change in how a character talks can get us thinking "they completely agree with us" or "they didn't seem to agree with us" or "are they up to something?".
Also going along with that, subtle changes to the facial animations could help, too. Small, subtle things like a character having a happy expression if you've been nice to them, or more of a condescending, angry look if you've been against them. There's a small example of that in the beginning of episode 3 when you're with Kenny; depending on the meat locker choice, he'll either have a smile or a sneer on his face.
I can be a sarcastic git at times.
But honestly, what I said is true in some ways. Take away all of the trolling, arguing over stupid things, people thinking they have the right to dictate how creative people tell their stories or whether they work, and I have found a few good things. I met a few good friends online despite never meeting and people I knew from a writing forum supported me by buying a few of my short stories. Then there's the people who try to do good, support strangers and such.
So yeah . . . does show there are good aspects and good people around as much as I might be jaded/cynical.
Fair points
I think there are more good people than there are bad 
Rather than "choice" I want different outcomes.
Moments like Rodrik and Asher having the same exact fate in the end of GOT despite the differences previous to that...yeah, that´s the moment the whole season goes to shit in any TellTale game. I´m fine with my choices affecting relationships rather than the whole plot in every turn, I get it, but it won´t kill TellTale writing staff to come up with different outcomes from time to time. Walking Dead season 2 for instance was great in that regardless, but seriously, we all know something will happen that makes the season 3 eventually be on the same road regardless of that ending, which is starting to feel really lazy.
That would be awesome, too. But I think it should be subtle. A little grin or glare or facial cue, not a death stare.