Sorry about the vague explanation about the situation, but I'm not a member of Telltale staff (I just volunteer some of my free time to help out on the forum), so I don't have any inside information. So I can only give information based on what I read in interviews and based on my own (not associated with Telltale) experience with non disclosure agreements with large corporations.
I don't know about why the game is taking so long, but there was no release date schedule set for The Wolf Among Us (it was only ever said the releases would be released periodically, rather than a specific time frame like was said for The Walking Dead: Season Two). It's very likely that Telltale had always planned for the second episode to release a bit later than usual. Like The Walking Dead, they're trying out new game mechanics with this series, so they're likely taking fan and critic feedback to refine it for future episodes (like they did in The Walking Dead, and have done since all the way back in their first episodic series, Bone). A delay between the first and second episodes is traditionally common with Telltale's games. The good news though is that once the second episode is out (which is where they take the extra time to tweak the game based on feedback), the remaining episodes come out at a quicker rate.
This is a somewhat plausible explanation for why have no updates and why tt is not transparent on a release date.
It is NOT an explanation,… more apology, or statement of any kind why a <2hour episode has been so ridiculously delayed, and let's be frank, it is so DAMN delayed. At this point, a sincere, heartfelt, candid apology is better than vague statements explaining why everything has to be so vague.
Don't trust release dates unless they come from Telltale staff, either on these forums, on Telltale's blog, on Telltale's twitter, or in interviews with large gaming websites (and don't trust release dates from these sites either unless they're accompanied by official interviews, since they commonly make placeholder release dates based on guesses for their game databases).
Yeah, I had speculated on this earlier. When they told us the devs had worked through the holidays, I didn't feel reassured so much as guilty and sad. Like, I wish I'd been asked about that beforehand, 'cuz I would've spotted them three or four days, at least. Like, honestly, man, that's when you tell people "relax, it's just a game." But I digress.
Now, obviously, in getting involved with these big name projects like the Walking Dead and Fables, Telltale had to lose some degree of transparency.
they should have seen such an impatient reaction from the fanbase coming
You know, I honestly wonder if the XBox/PS ports aren't worse than the big names. MS and Sony have such colossal leverage that they can do anything they please. TT's not going to walk away. It's one thing to leave some money on the table for the sake of maintaining intangibles like reputation, but it's quite another to walk away from a dumptruck full of money for any reason that doesn't threaten your very existence. You can shop around for IPs if one company's giving you a hard time. You can't shop around for XBox gatekeepers.
I'm reluctant to offer the benefit of the doubt to anyone who'd let this happen in the first place (if ill-intentioned, it's very convenient) but a part of me really does wonder if maybe TT is nearly as infuriated by the situation as we are.
Thanks for that, Jennifer.
Out of curiosity, are they contractually obligated to the point where they can't even say "We're contractually o… morebligated to remain silent?"
Because I've seen similar situations before, where a fan asks someone associated with a certain media something they're legally prevented from talking about. However, in such situations, the person being asked the question (whether it be a producer, actor, or what have you) actually says "Yeah, uh, I can't actually talk about that" or "I'm not allowed to answer that, sorry", rather than saying absolutely nothing and walking away. Telltale hasn't even given us a "We can't say that, sorry!", they've just given us "We're still working on it", which isn't really the same thing.
Now, obviously, in getting involved with these big name projects like the Walking Dead and Fables, Telltale had to lose some degree of transparency. But I feel like going from a company well-known for in… [view original content]
At this point obviously there's some kind of major production problem, which is more forgivable than just being really bad at marketing. Just have to wait and see.
I will say this, these Steam discounts on TT games season preorders really piss me off. I'm a loyal TT fan, I've bought every one of their games (even the CSI ones) on one platform or another, and made it a point to purchase the season early, and directly from telltale so they won't lose the Steam commission. But it really tarnishes that pedestal I put TT on when loyalty is rewarded by watching casual fans also preorder the rest of the season at a discount.
Complaining about downvoting is one of the silliest things on this entire forum especially when multiple posters come up saying 'lol at you guys downvoting me'. It doesn't matter if someone disagrees or dislikes your post. What matters is what's in the content of your post and how actual good the content is. That's what should contribute to discussion; not someone putting an extra number to your thumbs up or thumbs down button.
I just checked the thread, and no one has suggested that this is the end of the world. Also, what is trivial to you may not be trivial to the rest of us. Let's allow people to have their own opinions, shall we?
I have been waiting and patiently waiting. I swear if they don't release the second episode soon I'm going to demand my money back on the season pass. Not speaking ill of the walking dead, it's one of my favorite games. But they seem to be more concerned releasing it than they do a wolf among us. WTF?
Agreed. When people are frustrated, it's easy to go into insults and vulgarity which is understandable, but ultimately, this is an official public forum. Not Reddit, 4chan, or any other type of public forum that allows absolute free speech. People should be allowed to complain, voice their criticisms of the game, the company, etc., but it needs to be done without insulting other users.
I'm only removing comments of @fusedmass which personally insult and harass users. I am not removing negative feedback just for being negative feedback.
I agree with this since while I think $25 is good for the quality of games that Telltale delivers, but not allowing PC users to buy single episodes without any clear explanation while they do so with the consoles is unfair.
The good news though is that once the second episode is out (which is where they take the extra time to tweak the game based on feedback), the remaining episodes come out at a quicker rate.
What? Really? Okay, look, I'm just going to come out and admit that I started complaining without doing a lot of research. Maybe everyone knew this, and I just look like an ignorant fool, but if I'm not alone on this one, I think this fact should be more broadly disseminated. Repeatedly. Like, along with "we're working hard" include "episode 2 always takes the longest." Don't shut up about it. That's my advice. I have like three or four posts extrapolating release schedules of upcoming episodes based on this crazy three month interval that isn't even over yet. I knew it wasn't statistically sound when I did it, but I was angry and wanted to make a point ... kinda feel bad about that, now ...
Okay, you know what? Upvote this if you didn't know about the ep1-2-takes-forever thing. Downvote if you knew this already because you're not a dumbass like me. :P Let's get a sense of where people are at.
Sorry about the vague explanation about the situation, but I'm not a member of Telltale staff (I just volunteer some of my free time to help o… moreut on the forum), so I don't have any inside information. So I can only give information based on what I read in interviews and based on my own (not associated with Telltale) experience with non disclosure agreements with large corporations.
I don't know about why the game is taking so long, but there was no release date schedule set for The Wolf Among Us (it was only ever said the releases would be released periodically, rather than a specific time frame like was said for The Walking Dead: Season Two). It's very likely that Telltale had always planned for the second episode to release a bit later than usual. Like The Walking Dead, they're trying out new game mechanics with this series, so they're likely taking fan and critic feedback to refine it for future episodes (like they did in The Walking Dead,… [view original content]
fusedmass crossed the line a few times, I can't deny that, but I'm almost certain English is not his first language, and I hope that this will be considered when reviewing his comments.
I'm only removing comments of @fusedmass which personally insult and harass users. I am not removing negative feedback just for being negative feedback.
Buying early for anything means you're going to pay more. You can either pay for say.....Mass Effect 3 when it comes out or wait a few months for it to go down to $20-$30. I do agree that it is disheartening though with a sale and the first episode being released before the second even comes out. Heck, I'd agree in all cases except if the season was almost over.
At this point obviously there's some kind of major production problem, which is more forgivable than just being really bad at marketing. Just … morehave to wait and see.
I will say this, these Steam discounts on TT games season preorders really piss me off. I'm a loyal TT fan, I've bought every one of their games (even the CSI ones) on one platform or another, and made it a point to purchase the season early, and directly from telltale so they won't lose the Steam commission. But it really tarnishes that pedestal I put TT on when loyalty is rewarded by watching casual fans also preorder the rest of the season at a discount.
The mods think centralizing this much hatred and angst in one place is a good idea? Wow... I understand the need to do so, but there is some blistering nerdrage up in this place... (;o_O)
It's like a swirling vortex of misery and anguish, swallowing up all that is good and decent in the world. I look around this place and all I see is torment... and all I hear is the violent gnashing of teeth....
What have you done, TTG???? WHAT. HAVE. YOU. DONE?!
I don't believe they mentioned friday, through I didn't check beforehand.
But if they did and then went hey, we didn't tell that we didn't mean first friday in 2015, right? I'd be more irritated than for broken promise. I just hate when someone purposefully tries deceive me this way and take offense at it.
I don't believe they mentioned friday, through I didn't check beforehand.
But if they did and then went hey, we didn't tell that we didn't … moremean first friday in 2015, right? I'd be more irritated than for broken promise. I just hate when someone purposefully tries deceive me this way and take offense at it.
The mods think centralizing this much hatred and angst in one place is a good idea? Wow... I understand the need to do so, but there is some b… morelistering nerdrage up in this place... (;o_O)
It's like a swirling vortex of misery and anguish, swallowing up all that is good and decent in the world. I look around this place and all I see is torment... and all I hear is the violent gnashing of teeth....
What have you done, TTG???? WHAT. HAVE. YOU. DONE?!
Eh, maybe. But even if, it's not like doing such petition is a long work and neither is signing it. Moreover, the work is done already: so why not try it?, even if it eventually comes futile.
A new indie publisher released their first game on Steam the other day, a game called Consortium. Unfortunately, the title released with a number of serious, game-breaking bugs, causing crashing and some graphical errors. So how do the Devs respond when faced with a serious hiccup? They immediately fess up to the problem and take full responsibility for the issues players are facing, going so far as to place a warning on the Steam store page alerting potential customers, and offering a heartfelt apology. In addition, they've also gone over in-depth how the problems arose, how they plan on dealing with them, and provide a general schedule for when news and updates can be expected.
See the difference in the situation?
How does that apply for TTG being quiet about release-dates? TTG did exactly the opposite. They didn't release pre-maturely, and don't have to answer to "game-breaking bugs". So should TTG "warn" the players, that their game might be mostly bug-less?
The "going in-depth" costs also time, that I'd rather have them on spending making the game.
Just wanted to drop this here for interest:
http://steamcommunity.com/games/264240/announcements/detail/1387407098673485374
A new indie pu… moreblisher released their first game on Steam the other day, a game called Consortium. Unfortunately, the title released with a number of serious, game-breaking bugs, causing crashing and some graphical errors. So how do the Devs respond when faced with a serious hiccup? They immediately fess up to the problem and take full responsibility for the issues players are facing, going so far as to place a warning on the Steam store page alerting potential customers, and offering a heartfelt apology. In addition, they've also gone over in-depth how the problems arose, how they plan on dealing with them, and provide a general schedule for when news and updates can be expected.
This is how you treat a consumer base, and it's really sad when companies get so far from their roots that they lose site of that.
I'm just as excited for the next episode for The Wolf Among Us as every other person on this board, but jeez. Even while waiting for the first episode of season two from The Walking Dead (where I was huddled in the corner foaming at the mouth for the remainder of the duration since the first official statement) I wasn't as crazed as some of the posters here. I get the feeling of entitlement, and at the same time, I don't. Of course I'd love any morsel of information that Telltale would throw my way, but regardless, I know that they've got enough to worry about as it is without worrying about satisfying me. And I've seen plenty of people saying, "Well, I just want them to reinstate the fact that they are, indeed, working on the next episode and are hard at work!"
But... why? It's already common sense that Telltale is in fact working on the second episode. What would be the point of them just rehashing something we already know to be true? Because that'd show they care? Believe me, they care. Without us consumers, they'd be no where. So, I suppose, this is where the whole entitlement thing comes into play. On the one hand, we did purchase the game and do expect to receive the product in a timely manner. At the same time, we as gamers should realize all of the hard work that goes into a video game, regardless of how long the actual playtime is. Instead of adding fuel to the fire by pressuring a development team to pitch out a shitty episode because of zero patience, why not instead relate to all of the hard work that they're going through? I'd much rather wait for months on end for an amazing episode that'll stick with me, as opposed to something that was rushed and is, at best, mediocre.
Sure, the episodic nature of the game shouldn't cause for such delays. But when you've got so much that goes into even a "simple" game like this, it takes a lot of time... and even more time besides. And Telltale currently has a lot of projects going on, from the sounds of it. Now, do I think that's smart? While I may be extremely excited already for Game of Thrones, and to a lesser extent Borderlands, I feel it'd have been a wiser move to put those games on the backburner while focusing on TWD and TWAU. But, it is what it is. So long as each of the episodes for every game holds the same amazing quality, then I don't care how long I'll have to wait.
I've also seen a few wanting refunds for purchasing a season pass... but surely you should have known that Telltale could possibly be delayed? Doing even the tiniest bit of research would have given you the idea that Telltale had been on the slow side with The Walking Dead's first season, surely it would have been a no brainer that they'd be a bit more worse off this year because of season two AND The Wolf Among Us. I get being a bit miffed, but why must the complaints never stop? Every day I do check to see if there are any updates, but even with the disappointment, I know it'll come eventually.
Seriously. Just be patient. Quit being so melodramatic. It'll be awesome when it comes out, and that's all that matters.
Yeah. I posted more for did they say which Friday? comment: as I honestly don't like oh, I didn't mean this Friday! excuse. If my friend would promise me that he e.g. buys bread on Monday, wouldn't do it on Monday, and (confronted) would confess not this Monday! afterwards, I would be even more irritated than for broken promise.
I can understand that someone can forget about promise, etc., etc. On the other hand, if someone promises something in the words that are bound to be misunderstood, he's trying to deceive person he's swearing an oath... from the start. And it generally signifies more falsehood that just breaking promise.
this is not targeted at you Jennifer but honestly, your "update" is even more disappointing to me than the continued delay. you put into words something I have dreaded for some time...that Telltale Games is now more focused on corporate interests (NDAs, IP licenses, contracts, etc.) than in having a warm and transparent relationship with their fans. there was a time when I was buying everything Telltale released, even including all the cool trinkets they used to sell in their store. I was coming here on a regular basis and felt I was communicating not just with fans but with a cool company that values their fans (and not just for the revenue opportunity we represent).
but it seems those days are behind us...and that is a really big disappointment for me.
will I demand my money back and swear off Telltale forever? no, probably not. I am still excited about playing the rest of TWD season 2 but only mildly interested in the rest of TWAU. HOWEVER, I can say honestly that I am done with buying ahead of time. any future purchases I make from Telltale will be after they have completed the game and then only if I am very interested in the game. no more impulse buying because I love the company.
so thanks for the update I guess. I wish Telltale was more like the Telltale Games I used to love.
The Telltale staff is making as many updates on the situation as they can. I know that some of you don't like the "we're still working on it"… more updates, and I'll admit I'd like it if they could be more specific, but the fact of the situation is that this is the best they can contractually give us until they are ready to release (and Telltale's PR people Laura Perusco (puzzlebox) and Job Stauffer post a message like that about every week, so it's good to know that they're there to keep us informed as much as they can rather than just keeping completely silent).
Telltale's early days of open transparency are just not possible anymore. Before they only released games on their online store and GameTap, and had much lower profile licenses. Now that they are working with large corporations such as Warner Bros (which owns Vertigo, which is an imprint of DC Comics) for Fables, and with big name licenses like The Walking Dead, and have to deal with dist… [view original content]
Jeez, get a grip, I was just choosing colorful language because I was goofing around... I actually do think this thread is bordering on shitstorm territory and if that makes me laugh, I'm soooo (not) sorry.
I'm actually on your side and think what TTG did is terrible. That doesn't change the fact that this thread is madness, and funny (in a sad way).
It sucks that I can't indulge in some gallows humor because all you guys can see is red. Thanks for taking any fun that I could find out of this insanity. Great job making sure we're all miserable together... jerks ;P
Jeez, get a grip, I was just choosing colorful language because I was goofing around... I actually do think this thread is bordering on shitst… moreorm territory and if that makes me laugh, I'm soooo (not) sorry.
I'm actually on your side and think what TTG did is terrible. That doesn't change the fact that this thread is madness, and funny (in a sad way).
It sucks that I can't indulge in some gallows humor because all you guys can see is red. Thanks for taking any fun that I could find out of this insanity. Great job making sure we're all miserable together... jerks ;P
Jeez, get a grip, I was just choosing colorful language because I was goofing around... I actually do think this thread is bordering on shitst… moreorm territory and if that makes me laugh, I'm soooo (not) sorry.
I'm actually on your side and think what TTG did is terrible. That doesn't change the fact that this thread is madness, and funny (in a sad way).
It sucks that I can't indulge in some gallows humor because all you guys can see is red. Thanks for taking any fun that I could find out of this insanity. Great job making sure we're all miserable together... jerks ;P
It's like a swirling vortex of misery and anguish, swallowing up all that is good and decent in the world. I look around this place and all I see is torment... and all I hear is the violent gnashing of teeth....
Sounds like good reference for the fragments where Fabletown turns on Bigby, suspecting him for murders!
The mods think centralizing this much hatred and angst in one place is a good idea? Wow... I understand the need to do so, but there is some b… morelistering nerdrage up in this place... (;o_O)
It's like a swirling vortex of misery and anguish, swallowing up all that is good and decent in the world. I look around this place and all I see is torment... and all I hear is the violent gnashing of teeth....
What have you done, TTG???? WHAT. HAVE. YOU. DONE?!
Eh, maybe. But even if, it's not like doing such petition is a long work and neither is signing it. Moreover, the work is done already: so why not try it?, even if it eventually comes futile.
(Also, I agree with Silent Dan.)
Of course I'd love any morsel of information that Telltale would throw my way, but regardless, I know that they've got enough to worry about as it is without worrying about satisfying me.
What exactly are you referring to? You say that as if satisfying their customers is something Telltale shouldn't have to worry about.
I'd much rather wait for months on end for an amazing episode that'll stick with me, as opposed to something that was rushed and is, at best, mediocre.
Okay, but I'd much rather prefer an episode that's "rushed" (i.e. released within a reasonable amount of time) and of acceptable quality. I would also be content with an episode of acceptable quality that takes a ludicrous amount of time to release, but only if an acceptable reason was given for the delay. I don't think those are unreasonable things to expect. As of right now, the episode is taking a ludicrous amount of time to release, no reason has been given at all (aside from Jennifer's possible explanation, which I covered in my previous post), and the quality, while likely going to be very good, is as of yet unknown. Thus, I am not content, and am completely justified in being a bit pissed off.
Seriously. Just be patient.
I was patient. For roughly three months. Now it's becoming a bit ridiculous.
It'll be awesome when it comes out, and that's all that matters.
Really? That's all that matters? The release timeframe of the episodes in an episodic series doesn't matter at all? So, if Episode 2 didn't release for another two years, it'd be fine as long as the episode was awesome?
It's getting to the point where many players have begun to forget the decisions they made in Episode 1. I think that's a pretty good indication that the release times do matter.
Furthermore, the interaction between a game company and its customers is also incredibly important. In fact, it's one of the things Telltale is well known for, and I kinda thought that that was the entire purpose of the episodic format; To maximize the customer/developer relationship into making a better game. Lately, that relationship has been incredibly one-sided, which is another thing I think is completely valid to get disgruntled over.
I'm just as excited for the next episode for The Wolf Among Us as every other person on this board, but jeez. Even while waiting for the firs… moret episode of season two from The Walking Dead (where I was huddled in the corner foaming at the mouth for the remainder of the duration since the first official statement) I wasn't as crazed as some of the posters here. I get the feeling of entitlement, and at the same time, I don't. Of course I'd love any morsel of information that Telltale would throw my way, but regardless, I know that they've got enough to worry about as it is without worrying about satisfying me. And I've seen plenty of people saying, "Well, I just want them to reinstate the fact that they are, indeed, working on the next episode and are hard at work!"
But... why? It's already common sense that Telltale is in fact working on the second episode. What would be the point of them just rehashing something we already know to be true?… [view original content]
I'm just as excited for the next episode for The Wolf Among Us as every other person on this board, but jeez. Even while waiting for the firs… moret episode of season two from The Walking Dead (where I was huddled in the corner foaming at the mouth for the remainder of the duration since the first official statement) I wasn't as crazed as some of the posters here. I get the feeling of entitlement, and at the same time, I don't. Of course I'd love any morsel of information that Telltale would throw my way, but regardless, I know that they've got enough to worry about as it is without worrying about satisfying me. And I've seen plenty of people saying, "Well, I just want them to reinstate the fact that they are, indeed, working on the next episode and are hard at work!"
But... why? It's already common sense that Telltale is in fact working on the second episode. What would be the point of them just rehashing something we already know to be true?… [view original content]
Note that I'm not a member of the Telltale staff (I just volunteer my free time to help around the forum), so don't take my post as an official update.
I was just trying to spread a little light on the situation based on what I've read in interviews and on personal (non-Telltale related) experience with non-disclosure agreements from large corporations.
Sadly, legal red tape is the nature of the beast when dealing with large corporations. It's just part and parcel with working with larger licenses. You have to remember that in the early days their licenses came from creators who owned their own work (Jeff Smith owns the Bone license, Steve Purcell owns the Sam & Max license, The Brothers Chaps own the Homestar Runner license, etc). So, those licensors gave Telltale more freedom with what they could do with fans, since the creators owned the properties outright. That kind of freedom just isn't possible when dealing with licenses owned by large corporations.
It's true that the nature of interaction between Telltale staff and the fans isn't the same as it used to be, but I wouldn't say that Telltale cares about corporate interests over their fans. Puzzlebox comes on these forums every week to say that the episodes are still progressing, and she and Job Stauffer post updates about the progress of the episodes (that they're undergoing testing, etc) on twitter quite often. Plus, they listen to fan feedback and incorporate them into the episodes, and they brought back the bonus discs to the Telltale store because of numerous fan requests. Telltale is also still really generous with what fans can do with their material. They have a very open policy with what fans are allowed to release in regards to their videos (there are no restrictions of which I know, you can post lets plays, music videos, and even full videos of a complete play through of Telltale's episodes without any problems).
this is not targeted at you Jennifer but honestly, your "update" is even more disappointing to me than the continued delay. you put into words… more something I have dreaded for some time...that Telltale Games is now more focused on corporate interests (NDAs, IP licenses, contracts, etc.) than in having a warm and transparent relationship with their fans. there was a time when I was buying everything Telltale released, even including all the cool trinkets they used to sell in their store. I was coming here on a regular basis and felt I was communicating not just with fans but with a cool company that values their fans (and not just for the revenue opportunity we represent).
but it seems those days are behind us...and that is a really big disappointment for me.
will I demand my money back and swear off Telltale forever? no, probably not. I am still excited about playing the rest of TWD season 2 but only mildly interested in the rest of TWAU. HOWEV… [view original content]
Ha ha, I'm not sure there are even that many KR0 fans here. I'm one, but I only just picked it up over the holidays, so obviously delays have yet to become a concern for me. From what I understand, Cardboard Computer has been pretty tight-lipped too, and they don't have the excuse of NDAs. It was also a Kickstarter project, which means some folks invested more than the cost of the game over a year ago. However, they're a genuinely indie studio consisting of two people, so I think they deserve to be cut some slack. Plus, they've released two free "intermission" games between episodes that have tied into the main story in really interesting ways. KR0 is treading in some seriously uncharted waters. There's really nothing else out there quite like it. Treating it like a product to be consumed on a monthly episodic release schedule would only hamper the wildly experimental nature of the project.
So I guess it's an interesting comparison. Telltale is using TV as it's narrative and structural model for episodic gaming, which naturally implies a tight, consistent release schedule. KRO's model is...theater. I have no idea what that implies.
I AM FUCKING BORED OF NOT SEEING A RELEASE DATE FOR EPISODE 2!!!!!!! Thank God I didn't buy the game for PC just the 360! I'm only gonna buy it for the PC when episode 2 is released!
I have a hunch that EP 2's release is imminent...but so is Broken Age. Sorry TWAU, every other game I own, books I'm reading, social engagements, my job, sleep, and personal hygiene. Back of the line, motherfuckers.
Of course satisfying the customers should be a priority for Telltale. However, my satisfaction comes from playing a good game, which is exactly what they deliver. The delivery may not be a speedy one, but it's something that takes time anyhow. The company shouldn't be expected to keep us up to date on every little thing. When there's actual, concrete news, they'll let us know.
I suppose that's where you and I differ. I don't want "acceptable" - I want something that is of genuine quality. If that takes more time that far exceeds reasonable, so be it. That said, I do admit that 2 years is a bit of stretch (and a tad bit of an overestimation, really). If this was such a concern among buyers though, why not then wait until all of the episodes were released before purchasing the game? Or, at the very least, buying the episodes separately instead of a season pass if the time frame between the episodes bothers you (and I mean that generally) that much? Telltale never made a guarantee that we'd see the episodes in a reasonable time. They gave us a general, tentative time frame, but nothing that was set in stone. We were promised all of the episodes, but never the speed in which we'd receive them.
I wouldn't refuse better communications from Telltale, but their silence is not much of a concern. They do keep us up to date when they have something they feel is worth sharing. In the meantime, it's just known that they're working hard. Maybe it's because of all the hype they've received lately, and the numerous game projects they've taken on, that's caused the difficulties with communication. I only know of Telltale because of The Walking Dead, so I have no idea how well they did on this prior to the time that they've come under my radar.
There's no qualms from me about being upset or even pissed that the episode hasn't seen a release yet (I'm edgy myself), but in the meantime, I'm sure everyone complaining or throwing rage fits isn't hurrying them along any either.
Of course I'd love any morsel of information that Telltale would throw my way, but regardless, I know that they've got enough to worry about a… mores it is without worrying about satisfying me.
What exactly are you referring to? You say that as if satisfying their customers is something Telltale shouldn't have to worry about.
I'd much rather wait for months on end for an amazing episode that'll stick with me, as opposed to something that was rushed and is, at best, mediocre.
Okay, but I'd much rather prefer an episode that's "rushed" (i.e. released within a reasonable amount of time) and of acceptable quality. I would also be content with an episode of acceptable quality that takes a ludicrous amount of time to release, but only if an acceptable reason was given for the delay. I don't think those are unreasonable things to expect. As of right now, the episode is taking a ludicrous amount of time to release, no reason has been give… [view original content]
To be perfectly fair, at no point in my post did I directly compare IDGI to Telltale. The inference was obvious, but it was yours to make.
Ignoring that, the post had a more generalized intent. Allow me to blunt the statement: a company runs into a hiccup after the release of a title, a hiccup that could potentially damage their reputation in the industry and disrupt the consumer base's fragile brand dedication. In this instance, the company did the responsible thing and appealed to their consumer base, bringing them up to speed and laying out a plan to address the issue. I'd say looking at the kind of response seen across this thread, whether genuinely earned or a knee-jerk over-reaction, it's an apt point to make.
I also think it's worth noting that that response from the Devs of Corsortium has garnered 15 pages of almost entirely positive responses. This post currently sits on page 64 of a decidedly negative thread regarding TTG's response, or depending on personal perspective, lack thereof. Take from that what you will.
A new indie publisher released their first game on Steam the other day, a game called Consortium. Unfortunately, the title released with a num… moreber of serious, game-breaking bugs, causing crashing and some graphical errors. So how do the Devs respond when faced with a serious hiccup? They immediately fess up to the problem and take full responsibility for the issues players are facing, going so far as to place a warning on the Steam store page alerting potential customers, and offering a heartfelt apology. In addition, they've also gone over in-depth how the problems arose, how they plan on dealing with them, and provide a general schedule for when news and updates can be expected.
See the difference in the situation?
How does that apply for TTG being quiet about release-dates? TTG did exactly the opposite. They didn't release pre-maturely, and don't have to answer to "game-breaking bugs". So should TTG "warn" the players, that their gam… [view original content]
I'm sure it will come out this month. I'm just thinking the last week of the month. My gut feeling about the release date for TWD season 2, episode 1 was right. As much as I hope I'm wrong and we get the new episode of TWAU earlier, I doubt it.
I don't know if it matters... The Australian Classification page has rated the second episode yesterday.
http://www.classification.gov.au/P… moreages/View.aspx?sid=mjO8T4BCpjf7caTiJNm9eQ%3d%3d&ncdctx=57qIdAWcPoxYWh5Yng29tUXofnMLRJAX6UgoTttzW2RqawLmVA0tWHsHBG9lWpXU
This means that Smoke And Mirrors could be released this month.
Comments
Sorry about the vague explanation about the situation, but I'm not a member of Telltale staff (I just volunteer some of my free time to help out on the forum), so I don't have any inside information. So I can only give information based on what I read in interviews and based on my own (not associated with Telltale) experience with non disclosure agreements with large corporations.
I don't know about why the game is taking so long, but there was no release date schedule set for The Wolf Among Us (it was only ever said the releases would be released periodically, rather than a specific time frame like was said for The Walking Dead: Season Two). It's very likely that Telltale had always planned for the second episode to release a bit later than usual. Like The Walking Dead, they're trying out new game mechanics with this series, so they're likely taking fan and critic feedback to refine it for future episodes (like they did in The Walking Dead, and have done since all the way back in their first episodic series, Bone). A delay between the first and second episodes is traditionally common with Telltale's games. The good news though is that once the second episode is out (which is where they take the extra time to tweak the game based on feedback), the remaining episodes come out at a quicker rate.
Don't trust release dates unless they come from Telltale staff, either on these forums, on Telltale's blog, on Telltale's twitter, or in interviews with large gaming websites (and don't trust release dates from these sites either unless they're accompanied by official interviews, since they commonly make placeholder release dates based on guesses for their game databases).
Yeah, I had speculated on this earlier. When they told us the devs had worked through the holidays, I didn't feel reassured so much as guilty and sad. Like, I wish I'd been asked about that beforehand, 'cuz I would've spotted them three or four days, at least. Like, honestly, man, that's when you tell people "relax, it's just a game." But I digress.
You know, I honestly wonder if the XBox/PS ports aren't worse than the big names. MS and Sony have such colossal leverage that they can do anything they please. TT's not going to walk away. It's one thing to leave some money on the table for the sake of maintaining intangibles like reputation, but it's quite another to walk away from a dumptruck full of money for any reason that doesn't threaten your very existence. You can shop around for IPs if one company's giving you a hard time. You can't shop around for XBox gatekeepers.
I'm reluctant to offer the benefit of the doubt to anyone who'd let this happen in the first place (if ill-intentioned, it's very convenient) but a part of me really does wonder if maybe TT is nearly as infuriated by the situation as we are.
At this point obviously there's some kind of major production problem, which is more forgivable than just being really bad at marketing. Just have to wait and see.
I will say this, these Steam discounts on TT games season preorders really piss me off. I'm a loyal TT fan, I've bought every one of their games (even the CSI ones) on one platform or another, and made it a point to purchase the season early, and directly from telltale so they won't lose the Steam commission. But it really tarnishes that pedestal I put TT on when loyalty is rewarded by watching casual fans also preorder the rest of the season at a discount.
Complaining about downvoting is one of the silliest things on this entire forum especially when multiple posters come up saying 'lol at you guys downvoting me'. It doesn't matter if someone disagrees or dislikes your post. What matters is what's in the content of your post and how actual good the content is. That's what should contribute to discussion; not someone putting an extra number to your thumbs up or thumbs down button.
I have been waiting and patiently waiting. I swear if they don't release the second episode soon I'm going to demand my money back on the season pass. Not speaking ill of the walking dead, it's one of my favorite games. But they seem to be more concerned releasing it than they do a wolf among us. WTF?
Agreed. When people are frustrated, it's easy to go into insults and vulgarity which is understandable, but ultimately, this is an official public forum. Not Reddit, 4chan, or any other type of public forum that allows absolute free speech. People should be allowed to complain, voice their criticisms of the game, the company, etc., but it needs to be done without insulting other users.
I agree with this since while I think $25 is good for the quality of games that Telltale delivers, but not allowing PC users to buy single episodes without any clear explanation while they do so with the consoles is unfair.
What? Really? Okay, look, I'm just going to come out and admit that I started complaining without doing a lot of research. Maybe everyone knew this, and I just look like an ignorant fool, but if I'm not alone on this one, I think this fact should be more broadly disseminated. Repeatedly. Like, along with "we're working hard" include "episode 2 always takes the longest." Don't shut up about it. That's my advice. I have like three or four posts extrapolating release schedules of upcoming episodes based on this crazy three month interval that isn't even over yet. I knew it wasn't statistically sound when I did it, but I was angry and wanted to make a point ... kinda feel bad about that, now ...
Okay, you know what? Upvote this if you didn't know about the ep1-2-takes-forever thing. Downvote if you knew this already because you're not a dumbass like me. :P Let's get a sense of where people are at.
fusedmass crossed the line a few times, I can't deny that, but I'm almost certain English is not his first language, and I hope that this will be considered when reviewing his comments.
Buying early for anything means you're going to pay more. You can either pay for say.....Mass Effect 3 when it comes out or wait a few months for it to go down to $20-$30. I do agree that it is disheartening though with a sale and the first episode being released before the second even comes out. Heck, I'd agree in all cases except if the season was almost over.
The mods think centralizing this much hatred and angst in one place is a good idea? Wow... I understand the need to do so, but there is some blistering nerdrage up in this place... (;o_O)
It's like a swirling vortex of misery and anguish, swallowing up all that is good and decent in the world. I look around this place and all I see is torment... and all I hear is the violent gnashing of teeth....
What have you done, TTG???? WHAT. HAVE. YOU. DONE?!
I don't believe they mentioned friday, through I didn't check beforehand.
But if they did and then went hey, we didn't tell that we didn't mean first friday in 2015, right? I'd be more irritated than for broken promise. I just hate when someone purposefully tries deceive me this way and take offense at it.
Don't recall a "Friday" being mentioned. It must've been a guess from a user.
It's not nerdrage, or angst, to want something you paid for. Or even updates on something you paid for.
Eh, maybe. But even if, it's not like doing such petition is a long work and neither is signing it. Moreover, the work is done already: so why not try it?, even if it eventually comes futile.
(Also, I agree with Silent Dan.)
See the difference in the situation?
How does that apply for TTG being quiet about release-dates? TTG did exactly the opposite. They didn't release pre-maturely, and don't have to answer to "game-breaking bugs". So should TTG "warn" the players, that their game might be mostly bug-less?
The "going in-depth" costs also time, that I'd rather have them on spending making the game.
https://www.facebook.com/telltalegames - and you can easily find it, if you click Blog on the top, same with Twitter account.
I'm just as excited for the next episode for The Wolf Among Us as every other person on this board, but jeez. Even while waiting for the first episode of season two from The Walking Dead (where I was huddled in the corner foaming at the mouth for the remainder of the duration since the first official statement) I wasn't as crazed as some of the posters here. I get the feeling of entitlement, and at the same time, I don't. Of course I'd love any morsel of information that Telltale would throw my way, but regardless, I know that they've got enough to worry about as it is without worrying about satisfying me. And I've seen plenty of people saying, "Well, I just want them to reinstate the fact that they are, indeed, working on the next episode and are hard at work!"
But... why? It's already common sense that Telltale is in fact working on the second episode. What would be the point of them just rehashing something we already know to be true? Because that'd show they care? Believe me, they care. Without us consumers, they'd be no where. So, I suppose, this is where the whole entitlement thing comes into play. On the one hand, we did purchase the game and do expect to receive the product in a timely manner. At the same time, we as gamers should realize all of the hard work that goes into a video game, regardless of how long the actual playtime is. Instead of adding fuel to the fire by pressuring a development team to pitch out a shitty episode because of zero patience, why not instead relate to all of the hard work that they're going through? I'd much rather wait for months on end for an amazing episode that'll stick with me, as opposed to something that was rushed and is, at best, mediocre.
Sure, the episodic nature of the game shouldn't cause for such delays. But when you've got so much that goes into even a "simple" game like this, it takes a lot of time... and even more time besides. And Telltale currently has a lot of projects going on, from the sounds of it. Now, do I think that's smart? While I may be extremely excited already for Game of Thrones, and to a lesser extent Borderlands, I feel it'd have been a wiser move to put those games on the backburner while focusing on TWD and TWAU. But, it is what it is. So long as each of the episodes for every game holds the same amazing quality, then I don't care how long I'll have to wait.
I've also seen a few wanting refunds for purchasing a season pass... but surely you should have known that Telltale could possibly be delayed? Doing even the tiniest bit of research would have given you the idea that Telltale had been on the slow side with The Walking Dead's first season, surely it would have been a no brainer that they'd be a bit more worse off this year because of season two AND The Wolf Among Us. I get being a bit miffed, but why must the complaints never stop? Every day I do check to see if there are any updates, but even with the disappointment, I know it'll come eventually.
Seriously. Just be patient. Quit being so melodramatic. It'll be awesome when it comes out, and that's all that matters.
Yeah. I posted more for did they say which Friday? comment: as I honestly don't like oh, I didn't mean this Friday! excuse. If my friend would promise me that he e.g. buys bread on Monday, wouldn't do it on Monday, and (confronted) would confess not this Monday! afterwards, I would be even more irritated than for broken promise.
I can understand that someone can forget about promise, etc., etc. On the other hand, if someone promises something in the words that are bound to be misunderstood, he's trying to deceive person he's swearing an oath... from the start. And it generally signifies more falsehood that just breaking promise.
this is not targeted at you Jennifer but honestly, your "update" is even more disappointing to me than the continued delay. you put into words something I have dreaded for some time...that Telltale Games is now more focused on corporate interests (NDAs, IP licenses, contracts, etc.) than in having a warm and transparent relationship with their fans. there was a time when I was buying everything Telltale released, even including all the cool trinkets they used to sell in their store. I was coming here on a regular basis and felt I was communicating not just with fans but with a cool company that values their fans (and not just for the revenue opportunity we represent).
but it seems those days are behind us...and that is a really big disappointment for me.
will I demand my money back and swear off Telltale forever? no, probably not. I am still excited about playing the rest of TWD season 2 but only mildly interested in the rest of TWAU. HOWEVER, I can say honestly that I am done with buying ahead of time. any future purchases I make from Telltale will be after they have completed the game and then only if I am very interested in the game. no more impulse buying because I love the company.
so thanks for the update I guess. I wish Telltale was more like the Telltale Games I used to love.
Jeez, get a grip, I was just choosing colorful language because I was goofing around... I actually do think this thread is bordering on shitstorm territory and if that makes me laugh, I'm soooo (not) sorry.
I'm actually on your side and think what TTG did is terrible. That doesn't change the fact that this thread is madness, and funny (in a sad way).
It sucks that I can't indulge in some gallows humor because all you guys can see is red. Thanks for taking any fun that I could find out of this insanity. Great job making sure we're all miserable together... jerks ;P
I understand where you're coming from, but your statements can easily seem pejorative.
I thought it was funny. "swirling vortex of misery.."
Sounds like good reference for the fragments where Fabletown turns on Bigby, suspecting him for murders!
There are some pretty good change.org success stories..
You never know...
I believe they don't give updates on weekends, so see ya in two days. Bring your torches and pitchforks!
cough cough Serenity
What exactly are you referring to? You say that as if satisfying their customers is something Telltale shouldn't have to worry about.
Okay, but I'd much rather prefer an episode that's "rushed" (i.e. released within a reasonable amount of time) and of acceptable quality. I would also be content with an episode of acceptable quality that takes a ludicrous amount of time to release, but only if an acceptable reason was given for the delay. I don't think those are unreasonable things to expect. As of right now, the episode is taking a ludicrous amount of time to release, no reason has been given at all (aside from Jennifer's possible explanation, which I covered in my previous post), and the quality, while likely going to be very good, is as of yet unknown. Thus, I am not content, and am completely justified in being a bit pissed off.
I was patient. For roughly three months. Now it's becoming a bit ridiculous.
Really? That's all that matters? The release timeframe of the episodes in an episodic series doesn't matter at all? So, if Episode 2 didn't release for another two years, it'd be fine as long as the episode was awesome?
It's getting to the point where many players have begun to forget the decisions they made in Episode 1. I think that's a pretty good indication that the release times do matter.
Furthermore, the interaction between a game company and its customers is also incredibly important. In fact, it's one of the things Telltale is well known for, and I kinda thought that that was the entire purpose of the episodic format; To maximize the customer/developer relationship into making a better game. Lately, that relationship has been incredibly one-sided, which is another thing I think is completely valid to get disgruntled over.
If that's all that matters, let them vent a little. It's not healthy to keep that much anger bottled in, you know?
Note that I'm not a member of the Telltale staff (I just volunteer my free time to help around the forum), so don't take my post as an official update.
I was just trying to spread a little light on the situation based on what I've read in interviews and on personal (non-Telltale related) experience with non-disclosure agreements from large corporations.
Sadly, legal red tape is the nature of the beast when dealing with large corporations. It's just part and parcel with working with larger licenses. You have to remember that in the early days their licenses came from creators who owned their own work (Jeff Smith owns the Bone license, Steve Purcell owns the Sam & Max license, The Brothers Chaps own the Homestar Runner license, etc). So, those licensors gave Telltale more freedom with what they could do with fans, since the creators owned the properties outright. That kind of freedom just isn't possible when dealing with licenses owned by large corporations.
It's true that the nature of interaction between Telltale staff and the fans isn't the same as it used to be, but I wouldn't say that Telltale cares about corporate interests over their fans. Puzzlebox comes on these forums every week to say that the episodes are still progressing, and she and Job Stauffer post updates about the progress of the episodes (that they're undergoing testing, etc) on twitter quite often. Plus, they listen to fan feedback and incorporate them into the episodes, and they brought back the bonus discs to the Telltale store because of numerous fan requests. Telltale is also still really generous with what fans can do with their material. They have a very open policy with what fans are allowed to release in regards to their videos (there are no restrictions of which I know, you can post lets plays, music videos, and even full videos of a complete play through of Telltale's episodes without any problems).
Ha ha, I'm not sure there are even that many KR0 fans here. I'm one, but I only just picked it up over the holidays, so obviously delays have yet to become a concern for me. From what I understand, Cardboard Computer has been pretty tight-lipped too, and they don't have the excuse of NDAs. It was also a Kickstarter project, which means some folks invested more than the cost of the game over a year ago. However, they're a genuinely indie studio consisting of two people, so I think they deserve to be cut some slack. Plus, they've released two free "intermission" games between episodes that have tied into the main story in really interesting ways. KR0 is treading in some seriously uncharted waters. There's really nothing else out there quite like it. Treating it like a product to be consumed on a monthly episodic release schedule would only hamper the wildly experimental nature of the project.
So I guess it's an interesting comparison. Telltale is using TV as it's narrative and structural model for episodic gaming, which naturally implies a tight, consistent release schedule. KRO's model is...theater. I have no idea what that implies.
I AM FUCKING BORED OF NOT SEEING A RELEASE DATE FOR EPISODE 2!!!!!!! Thank God I didn't buy the game for PC just the 360! I'm only gonna buy it for the PC when episode 2 is released!
I don't know if it matters... The Australian Classification page has rated the second episode yesterday.
http://www.classification.gov.au/Pages/View.aspx?sid=mjO8T4BCpjf7caTiJNm9eQ%3d%3d&ncdctx=57qIdAWcPoxYWh5Yng29tUXofnMLRJAX6UgoTttzW2RqawLmVA0tWHsHBG9lWpXU
This means that Smoke And Mirrors could be released this month.
I have a hunch that EP 2's release is imminent...but so is Broken Age. Sorry TWAU, every other game I own, books I'm reading, social engagements, my job, sleep, and personal hygiene. Back of the line, motherfuckers.
Of course satisfying the customers should be a priority for Telltale. However, my satisfaction comes from playing a good game, which is exactly what they deliver. The delivery may not be a speedy one, but it's something that takes time anyhow. The company shouldn't be expected to keep us up to date on every little thing. When there's actual, concrete news, they'll let us know.
I suppose that's where you and I differ. I don't want "acceptable" - I want something that is of genuine quality. If that takes more time that far exceeds reasonable, so be it. That said, I do admit that 2 years is a bit of stretch (and a tad bit of an overestimation, really). If this was such a concern among buyers though, why not then wait until all of the episodes were released before purchasing the game? Or, at the very least, buying the episodes separately instead of a season pass if the time frame between the episodes bothers you (and I mean that generally) that much? Telltale never made a guarantee that we'd see the episodes in a reasonable time. They gave us a general, tentative time frame, but nothing that was set in stone. We were promised all of the episodes, but never the speed in which we'd receive them.
I wouldn't refuse better communications from Telltale, but their silence is not much of a concern. They do keep us up to date when they have something they feel is worth sharing. In the meantime, it's just known that they're working hard. Maybe it's because of all the hype they've received lately, and the numerous game projects they've taken on, that's caused the difficulties with communication. I only know of Telltale because of The Walking Dead, so I have no idea how well they did on this prior to the time that they've come under my radar.
There's no qualms from me about being upset or even pissed that the episode hasn't seen a release yet (I'm edgy myself), but in the meantime, I'm sure everyone complaining or throwing rage fits isn't hurrying them along any either.
To be perfectly fair, at no point in my post did I directly compare IDGI to Telltale. The inference was obvious, but it was yours to make.
Ignoring that, the post had a more generalized intent. Allow me to blunt the statement: a company runs into a hiccup after the release of a title, a hiccup that could potentially damage their reputation in the industry and disrupt the consumer base's fragile brand dedication. In this instance, the company did the responsible thing and appealed to their consumer base, bringing them up to speed and laying out a plan to address the issue. I'd say looking at the kind of response seen across this thread, whether genuinely earned or a knee-jerk over-reaction, it's an apt point to make.
I also think it's worth noting that that response from the Devs of Corsortium has garnered 15 pages of almost entirely positive responses. This post currently sits on page 64 of a decidedly negative thread regarding TTG's response, or depending on personal perspective, lack thereof. Take from that what you will.
I am truly disappointed in telltale games. The way you feel when your 15 year old daughter gets knocked up. You know? !
I'm sure it will come out this month. I'm just thinking the last week of the month. My gut feeling about the release date for TWD season 2, episode 1 was right. As much as I hope I'm wrong and we get the new episode of TWAU earlier, I doubt it.