Possible BTTF Season 2 ideas/speculation/suggestion
ok first things first, I have made this page in hopes of gathering some reasonable suggestions to making the possible BttF: Season Two more enjoyable, not so everyone can post whats been said a million times about the puzzle difficulty, so here goes...
Make Puzzles more Complex/Fun/Creative/Etc.. (its said, moving on...)
One thing I been thinking about a lot these past few days is Jurassic Park, and how it will be the first game that Telltale will give you the option, or misfortune, of dying. I was thinking that we can incorporate a similar concept into the BttF series, which i would like to call "Caught Scenes". In the next paragraph I take 2 examples of this concept and explore possible scenarios from season one.
1931, when you and Doc are getting ready to jump into the Delorean, Officer Parker walks up and tries to put an end to the fun. Well what if you failed to get the keys and jump in the Delorean in time, and Parker catches you. Would he shoot/arrest you and Carl Sagan, altering the future forever?
When you are back in 1931 hiding behind the tree, what would happen if you failed to lure your alt self away from that tree? "Caught Scene" begins of you coming face to face with your alternative self, breaking rule #1 of time travel, causing irreparable damage to the time space continuum?!?!
personally i have found that if your not allowed to generally suffer some type of consequences for your actions, and puzzles essentially play on a harmless loop, the game just becomes repetitive and kinda boring. As a BttF fan, i think this would also be an exciting and safe way to explore the consequences of time travel and paradoxes etc. without having to have it play into the actual storyline. this alone could lead to some really exciting ideas.
as we know from the "its a wrap" video, telltale listens to us at the forums and values our opinions. this is a great chance to give our two cents, for whatever it might be worth! even if they use just use one or two suggestions everything can make a difference!
Make Puzzles more Complex/Fun/Creative/Etc.. (its said, moving on...)
One thing I been thinking about a lot these past few days is Jurassic Park, and how it will be the first game that Telltale will give you the option, or misfortune, of dying. I was thinking that we can incorporate a similar concept into the BttF series, which i would like to call "Caught Scenes". In the next paragraph I take 2 examples of this concept and explore possible scenarios from season one.
1931, when you and Doc are getting ready to jump into the Delorean, Officer Parker walks up and tries to put an end to the fun. Well what if you failed to get the keys and jump in the Delorean in time, and Parker catches you. Would he shoot/arrest you and Carl Sagan, altering the future forever?
When you are back in 1931 hiding behind the tree, what would happen if you failed to lure your alt self away from that tree? "Caught Scene" begins of you coming face to face with your alternative self, breaking rule #1 of time travel, causing irreparable damage to the time space continuum?!?!
personally i have found that if your not allowed to generally suffer some type of consequences for your actions, and puzzles essentially play on a harmless loop, the game just becomes repetitive and kinda boring. As a BttF fan, i think this would also be an exciting and safe way to explore the consequences of time travel and paradoxes etc. without having to have it play into the actual storyline. this alone could lead to some really exciting ideas.
as we know from the "its a wrap" video, telltale listens to us at the forums and values our opinions. this is a great chance to give our two cents, for whatever it might be worth! even if they use just use one or two suggestions everything can make a difference!
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Comments
Anyway getting back on track I think this could be a good idea but it might be a bit harder than Jurassic park because you're put in dangerous situations less often in BTTF. Perhaps if they if they did it so that instead of dying, your actions in the past could cause alternate realities to come into exsistance. Although if this could end up with a game almost like Chrono trigger with the idea of different endings. But I think that would be a great idea too.
Totally agreed.
2.Work a bit on animations, Martys running animation was a little odd.
3.No bugs. The glitches Rather Dashing found in episode 3 for straying a little off track or just bad.
Agreed!
Personally, I wouldn't care to much for that, I don't like those constant games that are Unwinnable by Design.
Nothing against telltale as these episodic point and click puzzle games are their bread and butter but there's so many awesome things you could do with a BTTF disc based game
I don't mean they should ever be unwinnable. Preferably if you get yourself into a situation you can't get back to, it will restore you to a point in time where you can do something about it. I'm all for having dead ends, but can live without the old Sierra ability to unwittingly save yourself into a dead end permanently.
Like in Monkey Island 4, where destroying the space/time continuum just dumps you at the start of the maze before you created a paradox?
Those sorts of glitches are in every game.
kind of yeah, just start at the beginning of the puzzle or close by, it also sucks when u die/fail and gotta trek back through 45 minutes of a game, but the monkey island reference works good with what im talking about.
Being a BttF fan, i've always been interested in what would happen if Marty failed his missions, if the pictures went completely empty, paradoxes and such. it would be cool if we could get little "what if" kinda failure cut scenes before we retry each puzzle. (Example: Cut Scene: MArty sees real Marty hiding behind tree, real Marty yells ohh crap!! then poof!! no martys left at all) "ohh so thats what would happen.." hahaha
very vague but you get the idea i hope :P
I second this notion.
I also agree with the suggestion of the 'Caught Scenes' outlined in your initial post. It would really give a sense of urgency to the players and would improve the 'linear pattern' it's currently demonstrating. I've mentioned it before but one of my most vivid memories from my childhood is this screen:
Just like with DKC, I would like to see screens that show the consequences of your actions; screens that really make you realise how much you screwed up. The 'Caught Scenes' would be a great addition to Season 2.
Maybe with that route they could even slip in a "but the future refused to change" reference.
I believe a sequel to this game, especially if they listen to a few friendly suggestions, could come out great. yeah theres always gonna be room for improvements, but i think they can pull it off
it was lacking a lot compared to pretty much all the other recent telltale games. so heres a couple suggestions...
i would like to see you be able to combine things and puzzles that involve using multiple things in the inventory, but bttf doesnt even give us that option. just simple things like "put the gum on the stick" tasks can spice up a puzzle. (vague example, i think the game that popped into my head was beavis and butthead virtual stupidity... great, stupid adventure game :-) )
and also, i'd like to be able to pick up some things that dont necessarily effect the storyline, but would add some nice dialogue. the one example i have for that would be at doc estate sale, you see his "mind reading" helmet device. i'd like to be able to have that in the inventory to be able to use on random characters and see what they are thinking, like biff would be one thats bound to have some funny/evil random thoughts. (although i guess stabbing random people in the face with that plunger might not go over too well with most people... :-P )
So what's the point? Make a season 2 that's exactly the same, I mean do you really want that? There is fan fiction out there that is much much better and is brilliantly written.
Firstly I didn't see the point of setting the game in the 1980's, right after the events of BTTF 3. That may have made sense 20 years ago, but now? Give me a break.
It just seemed to me that TTG caved in to the fan demands of featuring teenage Marty and the Delorean even though it probably wasn't the best decision from a creative standpoint.
Marty is pretty much a developed character, and there is not much to work with there. The Delorean was destroyed, that particular vehicle's story is over. Sure, Doc can rebuild it, like he did in the Kristen Sheley fanfic. Later on the Delorean also got permanently destroyed and it was replaced with another model from the 2030s.
But coming up with a retarded justification that the car was duplicated when it was hit by lightning just to keep the damn car is insulting.
I don't even see why the game had to have Marty as a playable character at all; they could have used Jules and Verne as the main antagonists, who have grown up with time travel and for whom there are excellent opportunities for development.
Or the story could (should even) have branched out from our present time, and involved puzzles across time periods. Not just alternating between 1986 and 1931.
So unless TTG actually wants to touch on the BTTF universe and make changes they shouldn't even think about a second season.
But if they can make a good story that interacts with the BTTF world and involves time travel as a more central theme, then I'm interested.
I agree with your basic idea, but not the conclusions you come to. For example, I think the Telltale game's story skeleton could have actually been made into something that actually has worth, and that wasted potential is one of the game's biggest issues.
Look at the first film. We have limited time travel, where the time travel exists mainly as a facilitator of the story about a kid getting to know his parents. Here, we had a chance to really explore another relationship, the friendship between Marty and Doc. The first episode actually sets this up very well, and made me think the story could actually be good. Consider a version of events in which it WAS Marty that caused Doc Brown to go down the wrong path the whole way through. Consider him having to deal with essentially ruining his best friend's life. The alternate Doc could have been used to really explore the character, as could the younger version. It's only the poor story execution that leaves the concept seeming lacking in worth, but the plot actually had potential at one point, and I disagree that this aspect was doomed from the early conceptual phases.
It's actually worse than that. Looking in the game files, you can actually find a handful of recorded DeLorean explanations. So not only did they come up with a stupid means to bring the car back, but it was literally shoehorned in as "We're bringing back the DeLorean, let's come up with an explanation" without it having anything to do with organically growing from the story. Essentially, the very worst aspect of sequel writing is applied here, "Let's do that thing again, who the fuck cares if it makes sense or does anything for the story, fans will like it".
First off, the DeLorean... It screams Back to the Future, its like the 3rd main character and pretty much no one would even know what a DeLorean is if it wasnt for the movie, but come on lets just stick a fork in that one, its done... although, just as a kind of respect I think it would be cool to see a DeLorean easter egg or two hidden around or maybe a cameo haha, but I'd like to see where else we can bring the time machine ideas...
Secondly, i agree on how we should have (to vaguely say it) more time travel. 1931, 1986 and back and forth is getting slightly repetitive to say the least, I wish it didnt take till episode five to actually visit the past present and future, but then that almost goes to favor another season or two (haha yeah i said it...) just so we can get to see more years/timelines and such... do it correctly and we can get some of these revelations, developments and timelines we are looking for.
As for the things I don't necessarily agree with:
Setting the game in 1986 vs. Present Day - i would have liked to see present day marty but again, future seasons bring that possibility. they clearly went into this season wanting to push the relationship between doc and marty, and giving us a view into young doc, FCB and of course Original Doc really lets us see in various stages of Doc's life and various timelines, how that relationship grows and falls apart. Like Rather said in the previous post, they had a chance to jump head on into another pivotal relationship in the storyline, whether or not they successfully accomplished that or not, we'll have to wait till episode 5 to find out. but i believe the best way to attempt to fully explore this relationship would be in the past rather than the present or future.
As for deaths and character development, deaths really have never been a part of the BttF franchise, and in my opinion shouldnt really be either. the whole point of the movies was to try making things better and to avoid anything that would alter the future. With the new Edna character and her developments (although everything we learn about her is a development) and young doc's timeline being altered to the point he becomes FCB theres a couple great developments there. not to mention the developments with shoe salesman turned officer parker and punk jennifer... remember again, more seasons = more developments (I hope?)
and lastly for now, and I'm sure I'll catch flak for this one, but Marty not as the playable character? ok, I'm sorry but Marty Mcfly IS back to the future. Having Jules and/or Verne as main playable characters would have been a terrible idea. lets throw two kids in a game which so far, hasn't even involved their mother meeting their father? cant work. maybe in a yet again, future season, but not this story. Plus wasn't BttF the cartoon centered on the Brown Family, mainly Jules and Verne? well we see how well thats gone over in the past... only 2 seasons right? ouch...
I mean in the end guys, ya just gotta take it for what it is... a video game based on a movie. if your a big enough fan of the movies, then just sit back and enjoy 15 more hours of new back to the futureage in season two. If ur not a fan, then thats cool too, ya dont gotta get it. all im sayin is if there were a season two, what suggestions or changes do we think would make it better?
Second of all, Jules and Verne as the main playable characters? That is the most horrible idea I have ever heard. Marty is the main character of the BTTF films, and you really can't have the story on anyone but him; let alone two kids who had 20 seconds of screentime and no dialouge. No one cares about them.
This game is all about revisiting the universe of the original movies, not going off in a completly new direction.
Seriously, Jules and Verne as the main characters? I feel stupider just having listened to that idea.
I think that's what you meant.
pro·tag·o·nist /proʊˈtægənɪst/
–noun
1. the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.
an·tag·o·nist /ænˈtægənɪst/
–noun
1. the adversary of the hero or protagonist of a drama or other literary work
Maybe not as the main characters but having them as extra characters you can play or at least being able to meet them would good. I'd really like to see what it would be like playing Doc.
-there are no main character deaths in ANY of the films for a reason aside from deaths which get reversed (Doc, george)
-you don't think the whole citizen brown timeline showing how characters would have ended up under different circumstances count as charater revelations?
-so biff and georges fathers are not important revelations about the past? Or Doc as a teenager who was supposed to be a LAWYER?
-you have NO idea whether or not everything will end the way it started.
-teenage marty and delorean were what the fans wanted. Plus an adult marty doesn't work as well as a sidekick. Anyhow the 'present' isn't heavily relevant since it's only shown for 10 minutes aside from alternate timelines. Does it really matter heavily whether we're travelling from 1986 to 1931 or 2011 to 1931?
-seriously Jules and Verne as the main characters? That would be like an indiana jones vehicle with Shai Labeoufs character as the main character instead of Harrison Ford or a Batman vehicle starring alfred. Especially when it's continuing the pattern of peicing the McFly's an Tannes
-time travel wasn't exactly the central theme of part III: there were only 2 time travels and not really huge effects on the timeline. Each of the last 3 epsiodes of the game have been directly centred on the timeline itself.
-telltale did a poll and used the responses the fans wanted. God forbid giving your paying customers what they want. I'll assume you're not self employed because no business is successful by saying "I'll do things the way i want instead of giving the paying customers what they want"
I agree, i would LOVE to be able to play as Doc. I think that would add a great twist to the gameplay.
As for Jules and Verne, i don't think they really have a relevant role in the Back to the Future story as of yet, and throwing them in the spotlight so suddenly as a playable character would be kinda pointless. I have a feeling by the end of episode 5 we will learn more about them though, and i hope if there are future seasons, they incorporate them and evolve them as characters. who knows, maybe once we know who they actually are, teenage Jules and Verne can eventually fill teenage Marty's shoes.
off topic... it's great to have a logical conversation on here for once, its been kinda brutal around here lately.... :-P
I also agree with caeska that future stories, if they absolutely must be made, could really afford to move away from Marty and Doc. And that Jules and/or Verne would be great for shifting the focus onto. Two amazingly untapped wells of potential plot.
...just not for this first season, for which Marty as the protagonist fits better.
I can't believe theres so much love for Jules and Verne. You realize they were shown for about 30 seconds in the trilogy and neither had a line between them.
Thirty seconds was all Verne needed to make his presence known.
Joking aside, while I'm interested in seeing what Jules and Verne look like when they're older, I don't think they could ever fill the shoes of the protagonists. Ask anyone who their favorite character is and I doubt Jules or Verne would come up as frequently as the main characters would. They are simply not a fundamental part of the trilogy. Playing as Doc for a few levels? Fantastic. Playing as Jules/Verne for the entire game? Pass.
Of course there's nothing wrong with that...it's what any new game does with you anyway...but the difference here is that you come into it expecting a certain something from it, and you get something completely different. Rather like the dick move pulled on you in Metal Gear Solid 2. (And I say this as a FAN of Raiden.)
And if they were to do that any much more, the franchise would quickly turn into a sad parody of itself. That right there is reason enough to stop and leave it as it is. Otherwise, it has to evolve in one direction or another. (Actor's conditions is another reason to shift focus from Marty, but isn't as important in anything that isn't live action).
As for the kids, it's not about any development they had at all. It's all about potential. As the Doc's kids they are already pretty important to start with, and they've grown up with unique access to time travel, so they kinda happen to be in the best position ever for this sort of thing.
I've brought up other aspects of this in threads before. Like how they've got to have had the coolest childhoods ever. They even spent their early years stuck in the 1800s, so you know this crazy stuff didn't become mundane for them. Also gotta wonder just how much doc passes on, because of how dangerous he views time travel. And that the cartoon did quite a bit with them. Yeah, I know, it was silly, but whatever.
At the very least, it's hard to hate steampunk.
To a lesser extent, Jennifer is another character who doesn't have enough involvement in the plots as she should.
I believe if Telltale incorporates them into some stories, first even as very minor characters, would be great for us as fans to begin our relationship with the two, and eventually they wont be just the two kids on the train and never had any lines. Maybe once we feel more comfortable with them we will be willing to "pass the torch" so-to-say. i think if we include little martin mcfly jr., we got a pretty rockin trio!!!
Although the series takes place after the films, co-creator of the Back to the Future series Bob Gale has stated that it and the comics take place in their own 'what if' and alternate timelines and not part of the main continuity.[1]
So since its all a "what-if" and alternate timeline, Telltale can pretty much take the Jules & Verne idea and get really create them from the ground up.
I still dont know what i think of the idea. I'd really like to get to know them more before i was force to "be" one of them in the game. Let them grow up a bit then we can go from there, i dont think any of us are necessarily looking for a "Back to the Future Jr."
as always... just thoughts
Although if you think about it to be able to play as Jules or Berne they might have to brought along on one of Marty and Doc's adventures which is usually a bad idea because they could just become extra weight. Do you remember what they said about the second film? If the had known they would be making a sequel, they wouldn't have brought Jennifer along in the car.
I also think that they should focus on Jennifer more in the game. I loved the role she had in 3rd episode and I think it would be cool to see more of her.
Didn't you notice? In the first film Marty is in every scene.
Like someone said, its like making an Indiana Jones movie with Mutt Williams as the main character. Lucas and Spielburg suggested the same thing you people are; slowly shifting the series to him, and fans went nuts eventually forcing them to apologize for the suggestion.
Its not to hard of a concept.
Back to the Future = Marty.
There can never be another main character.
Your right Marty is the main character and I'm not saying get rid of him or anything. But it might be interesting to be able to just play Doc for one level or something. Doc is a pretty main character as well after all.
Despite the fact that the DeLorean in the original trilogy didn't have nearly as much time traveling in the three films combined as we have now in the game?
I think that putting the focus more on the time traveling would take away from the already thin plotline. There's a reason the original trilogy didn't feature nearly as much time traveling as we want in the games.