Q&A With the Team

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  • edited June 2009
    I bet Ron Gilbert has been spending all these years trying to think up another secret of monkey island... To go with the other three/four :)
  • edited June 2009
    Will Guybrush look the same in the special edition as he does in TMI?
  • edited June 2009
    skraftgis wrote: »
    Will Guybrush look the same in the special edition as he does in TMI?

    I can answer that for you. No. There are images of how he looks in both SE and ToMI all over the place. Try -

    http://worldofmi.com/
    http://www.monkeyislandspecialedition.com/
  • edited June 2009
    Okay. I wanted to be sure I was seeing things right.
  • seanvanamanseanvanaman Telltale Alumni
    edited June 2009
    There definitely be a "previous on Tales of Monkey Island" but not quite the way you think. We've got a neat little story device set up for it.
    Winther wrote: »
    Oh! I've got one. Since the episodes of Tales are more closely connected than those of your previous efforts, any chance we'd maybe get some "Previously on/Next on" action? For some reason, that notion really appeals to me.

    "Previously... on Tales of Monkey Island" I mean, come on. That's awesome.
  • edited June 2009
    There definitely be a "previous on Tales of Monkey Island" but not quite the way you think. We've got a neat little story device set up for it.

    Nice. And intriguing.

    A somewhat silly one: What's the first word spoken in the game? I figure if we get it out of context, without any explanation, it can't be that spoilery...

    (Also, if it's something like "I", "A", "The" etc, could we maybe get the first two words?)
  • edited June 2009
    A few years back, there was talk about a public version of the Telltale Tool. Has there been any progress on this, or was that just a wild rumor?

    To keep this on-topic, will the Scumm Bar be known as the Tool Bar in TMI?
  • edited June 2009
    There definitely be a "previous on Tales of Monkey Island" but not quite the way you think. We've got a neat little story device set up for it.

    Very Intriguing. Will it be playable?
  • edited June 2009
    There definitely be a "previous on Tales of Monkey Island" but not quite the way you think. We've got a neat little story device set up for it.

    If I had to hazard a guess - and I'm probably wrong - it'll be in the form of those diary entries that were on the back of the MI boxes (and I believe at the beginning of the 3rd and 4th game). That would seem like an ideal and thematic way of doing a recap.
  • edited June 2009
    inso wrote: »
    If I had to hazard a guess - and I'm probably wrong - it'll be in the form of those diary entries that were on the back of the MI boxes (and I believe at the beginning of the 3rd and 4th game). That would seem like an ideal and thematic way of doing a recap.

    I'm guessing it'll be like this. Posted in spoilers because the theory contains spoilers for the beginning of the game.
    Scene from Chapter 5 where Guybrush is relating the story or writing a diary entry on the events leading up to this moment.
    Credits transposed on map pieces or on diary pages with the game title and theme song.
    Right into the heart of the action with Lechuck (It all started when I was headng out to confront Lechuck for the umpteenth time and save my love Elaine....)
    Lechuck is defeated.
    Chapter title
    Guybrush washes up on Flotsam.
  • edited June 2009
    Will you guys sell "treasure chests" or something similar to the Sam and Max Case Files?
  • Dave GrossmanDave Grossman Telltale Alumni
    edited June 2009
    How good would you say you are at writing serious versus writing comedy?
    Since TMI will have both, I'm curious if you struggle with writing serious storylines versus the comedic sections.

    For me personally, comedy comes easier. I think it's mainly a comfort-level thing, but it also seems like comedy is more forgiving than drama is. You can afford a few clunky moments in a comedy, in fact you can even poke fun at them, but a drama really has to click all the way through.
    How was it to work with Ron again on a Monkey Island game, even for a short time?

    I always like working with Ron, and I highly recommend it if you get the chance. Great designer, great collaborator, fun to hang out with. Decent poker player, too.
    And how do YOU feel about being the very head of a Monkey Island game, the very one that will bring the series back and that fans have waited for for years, "in the throne" so to speak(with nobody to blame but you and you alone if it fails miserably)?

    I'm not really the head: Mark and Mike are, despite the fact that they have to listen to what I say. Which means it's even worse than you make it sound: If the game's good, it's their fault, and if it's not, it's mine.
    BTW, it's kind of funny that by the time the "Q&A With Dave Grossman" topic shows up, people will have already asked you most of the TMI related questions they could have. Then all we'll have left is Day of the Tentacle questions, and questions such as "What's your favorite transformer? Can I shine your shoes? Do you know who killed Jimmy Hoffa?"

    Yikes, you're right! I should stop reading this thread.
    PS: Don't ask me about Hoffa.
  • edited June 2009
    I believe I personally gave them that rhyme. I had come up with it for a Pajama Sam game where I needed rhymes for all the primary colors for some reason.
    (Seems to me Tim also called me for a rhyme for "fandango" in that same general time period....)

    Edit: Chuck just walked past my desk, and he claims he came up with door hinge independently. We're going to have to duke it out.
    (He also claims not to have played Pajama Sam, if you can believe that!)
    Hey mate sorry to go of on a bit of a tangent, but seeing as though you were in the know how with the Humongous Entertainment (HE) games such as PJ same back when it existed, I was hoping you could fill me in a bit in regards to what the future holds for the HE characters, specifically Spy Fox.

    Are the classical HE character series going to be revisited in a similar fashion to perhaps whats happening with MI. I remember Infogames (who did #3) did a remake of the Spy Fox series with the same graphics and stuff but yeah I havn't really heard much about any of the other HE characters since, besides the HE classics being available on the Nintendo Wii.

    or possibly by use guys down at Tell Tales, from memory it was pretty popular but yeah was never sure what happened to it.

    These games were pretty popular back in the hey day and I get the sense that you blokes if you wanted to would be able to make hella good sequels to these games such as Spy Fox series. Perhaps even in the 3D which from memory none of the HE characters ever featured in.

    I reckon it would be pretty cool to see what they would look like in 3D, you don't by any chance have any artwork or something stashed away featuring this kind of stuff for me to look at do you buddy?

    Cheers and thanks for your time!
  • edited June 2009
    Mostly while I was still at LucasArts. I remember suggesting various sequels which were anagrams of "Day of the Tentacle." My favorite was "Lacy Hat of Detente," about four chatty English ladies who control international relations over tea.

    Anyone else thinking of more titles?


    The Fatal Net Decoy

    The Clayton Defeat

    The Oat-Fed Latency

    They Clone A Fat Ted

    Only Attached Feet

    They Flatten a Code

    Located The Fan Yet?

    The Lofty Tea Dance

    The Neat-Coated Fly

    Tony the Flea Cadet

    The Decay of Talent

    Felt the Acne Today

    Fatty Led the Ocean



    And my favourite



    THE ANAL TOY DEFECT



    No? Just me then... :)
  • edited June 2009
    Dave,

    One small question: What was the first thing you wrote down regarding ToMI? i.e. One of Guybrush's lines, or the entire plot summed up into one sentence, or a sketch featuring Murray etc.
  • edited June 2009
    Anyone else thinking of more titles?
    THE ANAL TOY DEFECT
    Awesome! :D

    At the risk of derailing this thread...eh, just a few:
    A Decently Hot Fate (Involving volcanos?)
    They Deflect An Oat (The gang must stop Hoagie from dieting at all costs!)
    A Tentacled Foe, Thy (It's time travel, so Ye Olde Yoda-Spake applies)
    The Data Of Cycle Ten (An action-packed spy thriller)

    Oh, and two small questions (which might've already been answered):
    -> Will much of the classic Monkey Island music will be reused/remastered for Tales, or should we expect to hear a lot of new, awesome tunes that we'll be humming for decades?
    -> Any plans for any songs during the season?
  • edited June 2009
    Anyone else thinking of more titles?


    The Fatal Net Decoy

    The Clayton Defeat

    The Oat-Fed Latency

    They Clone A Fat Ted

    Only Attached Feet

    They Flatten a Code

    Located The Fan Yet?

    The Lofty Tea Dance

    The Neat-Coated Fly

    Tony the Flea Cadet

    The Decay of Talent

    Felt the Acne Today

    Fatty Led the Ocean



    And my favourite



    THE ANAL TOY DEFECT



    No? Just me then... :)

    Well, I am NOW, so I had to stop reading yours so I wouldn't be unduly influenced. But unfortunately all I've managed to come up with so far is

    'Tale of the E.T. Candy'

    and 'Defeat the Toy Clan!'
  • edited June 2009
    Lena_P wrote: »
    Will you guys sell "treasure chests" or something similar to the Sam and Max Case Files?

    Please, please! Pretty please? Pretty please with sugar on top?

    :D
  • edited June 2009
    Answer: funny ones.

    And it's not so much "rejecting" jokes as it is spitballing until a joke is good enough. That being said, I don't really write punch-line like jokes, as much as I like to write funny scenarios with quipy dialog. All of the writers have different senses of humor though.

    Which is great, in fact! :)

    That means we'll have five different takes on Monkey Humor(TM) to taste, all in a well-rounded coherently-directed whole!

    Too sweet to be true... but it is :D
  • edited June 2009
    The Lofty Tea Dance

    The Decay of Talent

    THE ANAL TOY DEFECT

    No matter what the content, I would buy fifty of each of the above titles :)
  • edited June 2009
    Anyone else thinking of more titles?

    Thy Anecdotal Feet

    Hefty, Lactated One

    Hmmm...
  • edited June 2009
    Pure....Quality.
  • edited June 2009
    Well, at least if any fanfic comes as a result of that we'll know who to blame.
  • edited June 2009
    Not sure if this has been asked or answered, but are there going to be a choice of interactive actions, like all the previous Monkeys? Or is it going to be the simpler modern style of just clicking on something and having it automatically do the right thing?

    I, for one, hope for the former.
  • edited June 2009
    Will you be keeping the traditional Ctrl+W super shortcut key resident in each previous MI game in the episodes?
  • Dave GrossmanDave Grossman Telltale Alumni
    edited June 2009
    You people are really good with the anagrams!
    By the way, I believe "The Decay of Talent" was also on my list way back when. (Imagine a game in reverse, where you started out really powerful and wound up weak at the end. Neat!)
  • Dave GrossmanDave Grossman Telltale Alumni
    edited June 2009
    Stubbs wrote: »
    Are the classical HE character series going to be revisited in a similar fashion to perhaps whats happening with MI. I remember Infogames (who did #3) did a remake of the Spy Fox series with the same graphics and stuff but yeah I havn't really heard much about any of the other HE characters since, besides the HE classics being available on the Nintendo Wii.

    I haven't heard about anything, except for the part about the old titles being on the Wii.
  • edited June 2009
    For some reason I keep forgetting any questions I have about writing and character development and any other pseudo-intellectual type stuff every time I come here, so I'll just ask this for now.

    Will we be seeing Elaine punch anyone? Specifically, will she be punching Guybrush at any point?

    Is it weird that I enjoy seeing my favorite characters getting smacked around?
  • Dave GrossmanDave Grossman Telltale Alumni
    edited June 2009
    Dave,

    One small question: What was the first thing you wrote down regarding ToMI? i.e. One of Guybrush's lines, or the entire plot summed up into one sentence, or a sketch featuring Murray etc.

    I suspect it was probably Mark Darin's name. Followed by Mike Stemmle's. The first thing I had to figure out was not what it would be about or what it would look like, it was this: Who's going to be the best person in the design group to own the season? Mark and Mike have wound up doing a bang-up job of it as a team.

    Which means that either of them would probably have a more interesting answer to this question than I do. They came up with the basic story while I was out one week and pitched it to me when I got back (since then, of course, we have spent many many hours pounding it into a nuanced, shimmering beauty). I'm wondering what their notes from that week look like.

    I do have a note from early in the story phase that reads "Touch of LeChuck" - my idea for a title, which a lot of people thought sounded too creepy so I eventually had to give it up.

    And of course, the pad I was writing on at the very beginning also has a note on it that reads simply, "consult w/ Ron."
  • edited June 2009
    For those of us who grew up on HE, what was it like working on those games? How was the transition from a teen/adult audience to a children audience? and how did you convince people that it would make money? and how exactly did HE "die"?
  • edited June 2009
    Also, there are some people over in the normal MI forum who were clamoring about the usual Telltale VO sound quality. They seem to be hoping that MI will be different. I feel this should be head off at the pass. Will it?
  • edited June 2009
    Geez Will, thanks. What's episode 3, chopped manatee?

    Happiness is a warm manatee. - Blue Beard
  • edited June 2009
    So here is a question for anybody on this thread as it has been bothering me for a long time and honestly, I don't know a better collection of people to ask.

    I grew up playing the Monkey Island games. LeChuck's revenge was my first, followed somewhat quickly by SMI. I collected CMI and EMI later and loved them for just being more monkey island. It has maybe been two years since I replayed through any of them (and reading all these posts makes me want to do it again! But I'm holding back in anticipation for the special edition because I'm a masochist).

    I bring this up because I believe in CMI or maybe EMI it was introduced that Guybrush had something against Porcelain. And for the life of me I can't figure out why. It was definitely a game with voice acting because I can hear Guybrush's voice going 'ewww, its percelain". Does anybody else remember this?

    And more importantly, can anybody shed light as to why?

    My only theory is related to Secret of Monkey island in the governor's mansion and the vase in the entry way. But it dunno...
  • edited June 2009
    i always figured it was either bad-memories-of-vomitting-too-much related, or that it was just a completely random personality quirk he had for humor's sake, or maybe an irrational phobia
  • edited June 2009
    That was Curse of Monkey Island. I know because I remember it, and I never played Escape.
  • edited June 2009
    Nojh wrote: »
    It was definitely a game with voice acting because I can hear Guybrush's voice going 'ewww, its percelain". Does anybody else remember this?
    And more importantly, can anybody shed light as to why?
    I think it was just a random quirk - I don't remember them ever explaining it in-game.

    Thinking of random plot points - I've always been puzzled by the dream sequence in Monkey Island 2. Did the 'LeChuck destroying Guybrush's spiritual essence' bit actually do anything, or was that just a dream? Was there some plot point I missed?
  • edited June 2009
    I finally got chance to pre order, and I can now say thank you Telltale! This is my second biggest video game I have ever played!


    Sorry if this was asked, but I couldn't read all 46 pages to find out. Does Leilani Jones return as the Voodoo Lady?

    Thanks for this, keep up the good work! :)
  • edited June 2009
    Okay! Good. I was thinking the porcelain thing was just a random quirk but it always bugged me.

    So heres where I open myself up to attacks but I figure I'll ask anyway: Why are some people saying there is an MI5 and that it isn't ToM? Was there something somewhere that I missed?
  • edited June 2009
    Nojh wrote: »
    Why are some people saying there is an MI5 and that it isn't ToM? Was there something somewhere that I missed?

    MI5 is an imaginary 40 hour epic. ToMI takes place after this imaginary game:
    For when ToMI takes place, Dave Grossman does a bang-up job of explaining where and why Tales takes place in an interview he did with gamespot here: http://e3.gamespot.com/video/6210456/ . Basically, we imagine MI5 would be a grand 40 hour epic (if you're here, you probably know 40 hour epics aren't our thang) and TMI takes place after the presupposed events of that story.

    This is the most sequential, interconnected story Telltale's ever told. Mike and Mark have a glorious plan for the arc of the entire season and we hope to be revealing as many questions as we do answers to the series' questions every month. I get psyched just thinking about it.
  • edited June 2009
    Thespis wrote: »
    MI5 is an imaginary 40 hour epic. ToMI takes place after this imaginary game:

    I was told later on by someone, that these statements were just jokes. We'll see when the first episode is played.
This discussion has been closed.