However, they also have to make it work for an episodic game, which makes the writing process all the more difficult overall
Over the course of about a month, they need to write an entire episode roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes long, and make meaningful choices along side that. Then they have to write another episode the next month, and figure out how to connect and wire together the choices from the last episode. Then they make another, and have to wire together choices from the previous two episodes. Then they have to do it again, and then again, all while trying to wrap it into, or ensuring that it remains, one cohesive package by the end of it.
A company like Bioware, not even counting the difference in employee numbers, has years to write and create their games. On top of more employees and resources, they have more time afforded to all teams across the board, including their writing team. They have a lot of time to plan out a story, write it, iron out kinks and figure out how to make things work, and ship it. And since it's a full game, and not made in chunks/episodes, they are able to fully write out the entire story all at once. They don't have to be confined to a projected trajectory on where their story goes; they can fully map out the trajectory of it prior to it even taking off.
Telltale on the other hand, due to their episode model and live development process, have a lot less time to plan an episode out, write it, iron it out and ship it. The process is condensed into roughly 2 months total, with what I'd imagine 1 month of that being dedicated to the writing process. On top of that, the process also removes the ability to fully write out the entire story planned for the season/series. At most, they can make a floor plan for the season, a projected path for the story over the course of the season. They can establish the major story beats and what such, but all of the finer and more intricate details between episodes can't be made that long in advance due to their design decisions. As many doors as an episodic, live development process opens up, it also closes its fair share as well.
All of this together means that fully polishing and working everything out, especially in the choices department, just isn't going to happen unless they completely do out with, or completely change up the current episodic model that they have going for them. And given that episodic gaming is and has been a staple of Telltale since the beginning, I don't see that happening any time soon.
Also, all of this would be made under the assumption that the writers aren't being shifted around from one project to the next. Adding even more games for them to juggle between an already difficult and taxing process required for just one game makes the whole situation even more complicated.
Difference is telltale only has to make the choices connect for an 8 hour game (usually how long all episodes together are). While Bioware h… moread to make it connect for like 80 hours across 3 games. In short I believe telltale can do it they just chose not too.
Since when in real life has every choice you've ever made automatically led to consequences? How would that be realistic. We humans like to have this illusion over control over our lives, but really - stuff happens, good and bad, regardless of our actions. That's what I like about TTG. Some choices matter. Many don't.
The problem for me is, since the game really has to be written in a way that our choices only change minor details, why make the identity of the traitor essentially meaningless? Why base that on our decision rather than make the traitor the same person for everyone and give him real meaningful motivation (like the Maester being a Whitehill theory) rather than being betrayed by either fighter guy or diplomatic guy because you didn't agree with him enough times. It cheapens their characters to me.
Comments
I have heard a lot of people bash Telltale for their games because choices don't really matter, but here is what I want you to think about.
Do you enjoy the story?
Do you like the characters?
Do you get attached to the characters?
Does the story keep you interested?
If you answer yes, they have done their job. The writing is well done and the characters are amazing. Yes its an illusion, but the story is amazing.
However, they also have to make it work for an episodic game, which makes the writing process all the more difficult overall
Over the course of about a month, they need to write an entire episode roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes long, and make meaningful choices along side that. Then they have to write another episode the next month, and figure out how to connect and wire together the choices from the last episode. Then they make another, and have to wire together choices from the previous two episodes. Then they have to do it again, and then again, all while trying to wrap it into, or ensuring that it remains, one cohesive package by the end of it.
A company like Bioware, not even counting the difference in employee numbers, has years to write and create their games. On top of more employees and resources, they have more time afforded to all teams across the board, including their writing team. They have a lot of time to plan out a story, write it, iron out kinks and figure out how to make things work, and ship it. And since it's a full game, and not made in chunks/episodes, they are able to fully write out the entire story all at once. They don't have to be confined to a projected trajectory on where their story goes; they can fully map out the trajectory of it prior to it even taking off.
Telltale on the other hand, due to their episode model and live development process, have a lot less time to plan an episode out, write it, iron it out and ship it. The process is condensed into roughly 2 months total, with what I'd imagine 1 month of that being dedicated to the writing process. On top of that, the process also removes the ability to fully write out the entire story planned for the season/series. At most, they can make a floor plan for the season, a projected path for the story over the course of the season. They can establish the major story beats and what such, but all of the finer and more intricate details between episodes can't be made that long in advance due to their design decisions. As many doors as an episodic, live development process opens up, it also closes its fair share as well.
All of this together means that fully polishing and working everything out, especially in the choices department, just isn't going to happen unless they completely do out with, or completely change up the current episodic model that they have going for them. And given that episodic gaming is and has been a staple of Telltale since the beginning, I don't see that happening any time soon.
Also, all of this would be made under the assumption that the writers aren't being shifted around from one project to the next. Adding even more games for them to juggle between an already difficult and taxing process required for just one game makes the whole situation even more complicated.
Since when in real life has every choice you've ever made automatically led to consequences? How would that be realistic. We humans like to have this illusion over control over our lives, but really - stuff happens, good and bad, regardless of our actions. That's what I like about TTG. Some choices matter. Many don't.
The problem for me is, since the game really has to be written in a way that our choices only change minor details, why make the identity of the traitor essentially meaningless? Why base that on our decision rather than make the traitor the same person for everyone and give him real meaningful motivation (like the Maester being a Whitehill theory) rather than being betrayed by either fighter guy or diplomatic guy because you didn't agree with him enough times. It cheapens their characters to me.