Dear Telltale...

edited April 2012 in The Walking Dead
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In response to everyone who has posted a reply to this, let me be clear: My sole reason for this post is to address the fact that The Walking Dead is a point-and-click game, but such information is not given on the game's Steam store page.
========END EDIT========





Dear Telltale Games,
Please take the following as a bit of advice with no intent of malice or offense:

I'd love to buy The Walking Dead, but not without knowing what it's all about and frankly, Telltale, you have done a really sh*tty job of marketing it. Steam lists the genre as "adventure." That's pretty F*cking vague. On top of that your trailers and screenshots on the Steam store show only bits of cut scenes or random in-game stills. Honestly, I don't think it's too much to ask that you provide me with a good idea of what I'm getting for my $25. When I see your game advertised at a Point of Sale, should I really then have to go poking around the internet just to find out if the game is first person or third person?

So what kind of game is this? What do you actually do? Do you get weapons or do you always run away? Do you have to solve puzzles or just make it from point A to point B alive?

Please consider this in future advertisements.

Signed,
Planex
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Comments

  • edited April 2012
    Planex wrote: »
    Dear Telltale Games,
    Please take the following as a bit of advice with no intent of malice or offense:

    I'd love to buy The Walking Dead, but not without knowing what it's all about and frankly, Telltale, you have done a really sh*tty job of marketing it. Steam lists the genre as "adventure." That's pretty F*cking vague. On top of that your trailers and screenshots on the Steam store show only bits of cut scenes or random in-game stills. Honestly, I don't think it's too much to ask that you provide me with a good idea of what I'm getting for my $25. When I see your game advertised at a Point of Sale, should I really then have to go poking around the internet just to find out if the game is first person or third person?

    So what kind of game is this? What do you actually do? Do you get weapons or do you always run away? Do you have to solve puzzles or just make it from point A to point B alive?

    Please consider this in future advertisements.

    Signed,
    Planex

    This will get deleted so Fast i might not even be able to read it:)

    Alright, I read it now and don't want to be affiliated with this poster's remark. A simple Google Search would've cured it:) or read reviews, or video reviews....
  • edited April 2012
    I completely agree. I would love to play this game also. Oh wait, there still isn't a release date or eta for IOS version. Instead of having a time frame I have to continuously check the site or forum to see if there is any news. Which I'm sure that's what telltale wants. I don't understand the marketing when u know u have tons of people waiting for any news about the Iowa version and the only reply we get is there is no eta. So instead just set a date for today and not deliver and have someone else deliver the game and everyone complains about glitches etc. I along with a lot of others r left in the dark getting more pissed by the second but hey as long as telltale gets their money who cares.
  • edited April 2012
    A simple Google Search would've cured it:) or read reviews, or video reviews....

    The entire point was that I shouldn't have to. I mean, they are actually trying to sell copies of this game, right?
  • edited April 2012
    Planex wrote: »
    The entire point was that I shouldn't have to. I mean, they are actually trying to sell copies of this game, right?

    Trust me, the fact that it's hard to describe the game should be a good thing. Try a google search I'm sure we do for even the games we know how they play such as cod and Crysis...

    This just seems like knit picking imo, but you are entitled to your opinion.

    If any1 is a Shenmue fan, I'd just like to refer to it as the QTE games:)
  • edited April 2012
    tolli wrote: »
    I along with a lot of others r left in the dark getting more pissed by the second but hey as long as telltale gets their money who cares.

    Well, vote with your wallet. If you don't buy the game then they won't get their money.
  • edited April 2012
    Planex wrote: »
    Well, vote with your wallet. If you don't buy the game then they won't get their money.

    There is definitely a lesson in this, I wouldn't go as far as buying but from now on...I mean I won't but still, pre ordering is for suckers;) <---This I'm going to promise!

    Learned my lesson the hardway twice:

    Sonic Generations (at least this booted up and there was a manual fix)
    Walking dead
  • edited April 2012
    the "Adventure" Genre has been around as long as PC gaming has existed...
    TTG makes adventure games...

    They have shown gameplay on their own website..
  • edited April 2012
    Try a google search I'm sure we do for even the games we know how they play such as cod and Crysis

    I didn't have to. Infinity Ward and EA did such a good job marketing those games that I knew what I was getting before I bought them.
  • edited April 2012
    I think they did an excellent job at advertising it. I never pre-order games... but I did for Walking Dead. They had that nice one-on-one with Robert Kirkman about the story/characters, a few trailers and then enough gameplay not to ruin the game.
  • edited April 2012
    EA is one of the biggest corporations in the world.. they spend more on marketing games then most games cost to make... FYI.
  • edited April 2012
    Planex wrote: »
    I didn't have to. Infinity Ward and EA did such a good job marketing those games that I knew what I was getting before I bought them.

    Really? hmmm

    I had to search google for COd to see if it was completely the same as 2 and Crysis 2 if it was open world like the first.

    :)

    P.S

    Both Disappointed:) but they were decent games. I still play Cod.
  • edited April 2012
    If you watched the videos hosted on thewalkingdeadgame.com, you would've seen some of the game play. It is also pretty easy to find around 10 minutes of game play on youtube.com. I agree that maybe stills weren't the best way to go, but I doubt Steam would want to host a walk through of the game.
    Tolli, with the quick responses from mods, admins, and programmers alike, I'm surprised that you're acting like Telltale is simply after money. They're a business, of course they want money, but they take care of their customers and make the business feel very friendly and personal. With as hard as they're working to identify what's causing the bugs (which, as far as I can see, is usually a user's problem such as having out of date equipment), it's hardly a "we have your money now p*ss off" situation.
  • edited April 2012
    Irishmile wrote: »
    the "Adventure" Genre has been around as long as PC gaming has existed...
    TTG makes adventure games... They have shown gameplay on their own website..
    Desmodus87 wrote: »
    If you watched the videos hosted on thewalkingdeadgame.com, you would've seen some of the game play.

    As I said, "Adventure" is far too vague for the current state of the gaming world. And again, why aren't these videos shown at Point of Sale? Why do I have to go to an outside site and track them down?
  • edited April 2012
    Telltale did 3 episodes of a behind the scenes making of the game and the last show (with Kirkman had actual gameplay on show. It is an adventure game as everyone knows it. You point and click to get around, find items and make choices, but all your choices have consequences and not just for the episode you make them in. If you visit IGN or Youtube, you can easily find additional footage to make your decision, but really the "Playing Dead" behind the scenes video should be enough.
  • edited April 2012
    Desmodus87 wrote: »
    If you watched the videos hosted on thewalkingdeadgame.com, you would've seen some of the game play. It is also pretty easy to find around 10 minutes of game play on youtube.com. I agree that maybe stills weren't the best way to go, but I doubt Steam would want to host a walk through of the game.
    Tolli, with the quick responses from mods, admins, and programmers alike, I'm surprised that you're acting like Telltale is simply after money. They're a business, of course they want money, but they take care of their customers and make the business feel very friendly and personal. With as hard as they're working to identify what's causing the bugs (which, as far as I can see, is usually a user's problem such as having out of date equipment), it's hardly a "we have your money now p*ss off" situation.

    To be fair all companies would do that if they could, and private companies need to play it extra safe;)
  • edited April 2012
    Planex wrote: »
    The entire point was that I shouldn't have to. I mean, they are actually trying to sell copies of this game, right?

    Way to be a responsible consumer. Nothing like buying random games based on pretty pictures and marketing hyperbole.
  • edited April 2012
    You point and click to get around

    THANK YOU! Seriously, I mean it. That one sentence told me more about the game than all of the information on the Steam store page.
  • edited April 2012
    ... Uh... Its ON their website.. multiple videos.. some with gameplay.
  • edited April 2012
    Gennadios wrote: »
    Way to be a responsible consumer. Nothing like buying random games based on pretty pictures and marketing hyperbole.

    I wish I said this:) Unfortunately this is true for some and untrue for most...such as the wide spread boot problems ppl are having.

    Sigh*
  • edited April 2012
    Gennadios wrote: »
    Way to be a responsible consumer.

    That argument is so false I don't even know how to being tackling it. I'm asking them to market better and you're telling me to... what? Shop harder? That's not how capitalism works - not if you want to actually sell your product anyway.
  • edited April 2012
    Seriously buddy, please learn a little about game development and marketing before you project your ignorance on innocent bystanders. As much as I'm sure Telltale would love to knock on your door personally, present you with a live performance of the first 10 minutes by the staff then give you a blow job and steak dinner before leaving...they have a little thing called a budget. I'm sure they make the best effort they can with the resources afforded them.

    People are getting a little too spoiled :/
  • edited April 2012
    As much as I'm sure Telltale would love to knock on your door personally, present you with a live performance of the first 10 minutes by the staff then give you a blow job and steak dinner before leaving...they have a little thing called a budget.

    Reposting to Steam a few higher quality videos (which they've already produced) isn't going to cost them much in terms of how many more units they're likely to sell.
  • edited April 2012
    As I said, "Adventure" is far too vague for the current state of the gaming world.

    Actually, the definition of "Adventure game" has not changed since its inception. Monkey Island? Full Throttle? Maniac Mansion? All adventure games. The fact you are confused by this is partially willful ignorance and partially the gaming industry's fault for coining phrases such as "Action/Adventure." Adventure games are now as they always have been: puzzle based games with an objective driving the player to solve them.
  • edited April 2012
    Actually, the definition of "Adventure game" has not changed since its inception. Monkey Island? Full Throttle? Maniac Mansion? All adventure games. The fact you are confused by this is partially willful ignorance and partially the gaming industry's fault for coining phrases such as "Action/Adventure." Adventure games are now as they always have been: puzzle based games with an objective driving the player to solve them.

    I loved MANIAC MANSION! + Hugo's House of Horrors!
  • edited April 2012
    I have read all the info, watched all the videos, checked the site every couple of hours and still nothing on an iOS release date. I say I've been pretty rabid trying to get any kind of answer other then "we don't have an eta ". Sounds like horse shit. Let's release an anticipated game to all platforms but lets only release it to Mac and pc first and fuck that release up while we r at it. I have am iPad screw a Mac or pc.
  • edited April 2012
    Adventure games is not vague. It is a category. This current generations need to break everything down is annoying. I remember when you different types of music and one was Rock. Now there are 20 sub categories of rock and why? Is it truly necessary. An adventure game is an adventure game. It isn't an action/adventure game. It isn't an action game. It isn't an RPG. It isn't a FPS. So what is so hard about adventure game?

    No sir what I think you are trying to get at is how this particular adventure game plays out. There are plenty of videos on here and youtube that show that. I always look at gameplay videos before I purchase a game. It should be common practice and not considered extra work.
  • edited April 2012
    Adventure games are now as they always have been: puzzle based games with an objective driving the player to solve them.

    You do realize that "puzzle based games with an objective" is vague, right? Is Half-Life a puzzle based game? Yes. Is it a first person shooter? Yes. Is Minecarft a puzzle based game? No. Is it an adventure game? Yes.

    All an adventure game means is that you're doing something adventurous. Hence... you know... the word "adventure." It says nothing of how the game actually PLAYS.
  • edited April 2012
    Planex wrote: »
    Reposting to Steam a few higher quality videos (which they've already produced) isn't going to cost them much in terms of how many more units they're likely to sell.

    Oh well if you are going to complain that you had to go to the actual developer's site to watch the videos I have only one thing to say to you, sir.
    funny-gifs-terminaters-gonna-terminate.gif
  • edited April 2012
    Planex wrote: »
    You do realize that "puzzle based games with an objective" is vague, right? Is Half-Life a puzzle based game? Yes. Is it a first person shooter? Yes. Is Minecarft a puzzle based game? No. Is it an adventure game? Yes.

    Actually...no it isn't. Its a crappy rpg.
  • edited April 2012
    Actually...no it isn't. Its a crappy rpg.

    I'd say it's more of sandbox creation game. I don't see RPG elements implemented into it. At least with a function:)
  • edited April 2012
    Actually...no it isn't. Its a crappy rpg.

    That doesn't disprove my argument... You want to take another crack at that?
  • edited April 2012
    Planex wrote: »
    That doesn't disprove my argument... You want to take another crack at that?

    Um...you realize rpgs are a completely different genre of games, right?

    Here, I'll do it for you.

    http://bit.ly/I3Qa4H
  • edited April 2012
    Um...you realize rpgs are a completely different genre of games, right?

    What I'm saying is that "adventure" does not adequately describe the mode of play.
  • edited April 2012
    Have to agree with Planex really. Until recently I was still not fully convinced I had a real grasp of the gameplay mechanics. I had a vague idea, but had no idea if you could walk around using WASD or was it more point and click. Even with the trailers it was very vague on just how you control the character. I just went with what I knew about Jurassic Park. Which was not great to go by since the game suffered using those mechanics. Im glad its been improved on but still, it was very vague information.

    Granted Ive an idea how Adventure games work, big fan of Maniac Mansion, Day of the Tentacle and all the classics really but it was still vague. There have been some examples of adventure games that required you to use WASD and control the character more. Grim Fandango I thought was an adventure game but you could control his movement via WASD. Older version of the MYST series as well. Point and click movement would of been enough for me to know the mechanics a little better.
  • edited April 2012
    *points to his edit above.*
  • edited April 2012
    They are porting to consoles so you know wasd will be in there... thats kind of a no brainer. Plus if you checked out any of telltale's work prior to the jurassic park debacle you will see that both mouse and wasd are pretty important.
  • edited April 2012
    *points to his edit above.*

    Point to my last post and wait for you to make an intelligible argument that fits the context, which I reiterate is mode of play.
  • edited April 2012
    The bottom line is the information is extremely easy to find. You're overreacting. Most people who want to learn more about a game check 1up, ign, giantbomb, kotaku, etc. All of these sites, which are mainstream and accessible have the information you crave; and I guarantee you all of them have posted previews of the game. The information is more then clear on the developers website, it's got more then enough info on steam. And #1, no one is making you buy the game. If you're "curious" about it, but not convinced, either do some more research or simply don't buy the game. Telltale would love nothing more then to gain more exposure, but hey, thems the breaks.
  • edited April 2012
    *points to his post* A little research into the company you are planning on putting money into would have told you the answers you were looking for. Hell, even youtube have recognized that telltale is one of the only companies still making adventure games.
  • edited April 2012
    *points to his post* A little research into the company you are planning on putting money into would have told you the answers you were looking for. Hell, even youtube have recognized that telltale is one of the only companies still making adventure games.

    Exactly, this is the internet. There's almost no excuse besides laziness to be ignorant.
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