Does Telltale Listen? Answers Within.

TelltaleGames

The question has been posed on our forums in no uncertain terms. Does Telltale listen to its fans? Well the answer is simple: Quite possibly. [readmore]




Okay, the answer is yes, I just wanted to drag on the suspense for a bit longer.




Yes, we listen very carefully to every review, forum post, MySpace comment, and fortune cookie written about our games. Why? Because we want to make the best games conceivable by the human mind, and we know you can help.




Just this moment, for example, a flaming pigeon came flying through my window, gripping in its talons a lightly crisped scroll of parchment on which was inscribed the enigmatic phrase, "TOO EASY". Now, sure, I could have ignored this, and in my personal life I certainly would have, but this is my job, and I obviously take it very seriously, excessive comma usage notwithstanding.




Speaking specifically for the Sam & Max team, I can say that we have indeed been listening to the critiques of our first episode (Culture Shock, available at a company store near you), and we very much appreciate the suggestions for improvement. In particular, we have heard the pleas from many adventure game fans to increase the difficulty level, and I assure you that we're giving them due consideration.




In fact, many of you have already correctly guessed that we aim to gradually increase the difficulty over time, so be patient. As it happens, we just finished the design of Episode 5 the other day, and when I played it in my mind, I thought to myself, "Pretty challenging." (I also thought, "Great graphics and stunning sound," but then my mind has a killer rig running the game.) I expect even the experienced gamers will have to pull out their sweat-stained thinking caps before we're through.




We do have a vision at Telltale, though. Not like a vision of the Virgin Mary appearing in a side of cole slaw, more like a dream. Our dream is to make games that give everyone the chance to become the stars of fun, engaging stories. We're working hard to give the more experienced players food for thought, but we must give newcomers a chance to get in the swing of things too. We can't have people giving up in the first episode, or they won't ever want to play any more, we'll go bankrupt, all games of interest will vanish from the Earth, and a second Dark Age will descend upon us.




Surely you can see why Sam & Max can't be forced to prove Fermat's last theorem in their first case. The fate of civilization hangs in the balance.




Our dream, too, is to make games that bring to life beloved characters and worlds in the truest way possible. The Sam & Max comics are brief, punchy adventures, and we're hoping to design games that make you feel as though you're in the midst of one of those comics. Sam & Max find creative solutions to problems, to be sure, but they're not exactly Thomas Alvae Edisons either. We want you to keep moving, keep laughing, and have a blast from beginning to end. Hey, kinda like Sam & Max themselves!




So let me warn you now, when you play the next episode of Sam & Max (Situation: Comedy, available soon in a company store near you), be prepared for a gentle introduction. It will get more challenging, and we're just making sure everyone's on board before the wild ride to come! So go play it and save civilization as we know it!