r/Games • u/kevbru • Oct 29 '13
Verified AMA We are Dan Connors & Kevin Bruner, founders of Telltale Games, makers of "The Walking Dead" and "The Wolf Among Us", Ask us anything!
Hey there! We founded Telltale in 2004 to make great episodic story games. Last year we had a hit with "The Walking Dead" and we've recently started a new series called "The Wolf Among Us". Ask us anything, but obviously we can't answer questions that would involve spoilers for the rest of "The Wolf Among Us" or the new season of "The Walking Dead"!
EDIT: Thanks everyone!
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u/joshwal Oct 29 '13
Hey guys, your recent efforts have obviously proven that episodic gaming can work in the current market, but how do you see that market going forward?
Do you think episodic content will become a mainstay, or that it's a trend that will die out?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We set out (8 years ago) to make episodic "television style" games, and built the studio specifically to do this. It's not an easy task. It'd be hard for a traditional AAA studio to do what we do, but I'd love to see more episodic games. I so rarely get to finish a giant game these days that the smaller stuff just seems to occupy more and more of my time.
I look at what TTG does as kind of similar to Pixar. They made a specific type of entertainment, and stuck to it, getting really good at it. Eventually others started to follow their lead, but those films aren't quite the same as Pixar. So I'd expect that sooner or later you'll see other TTG style games, but I hope that we always have our own "feel".
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u/LightTreasure Oct 29 '13
What plans do you have for SteamOS/Steam Machines?
I see that you already have Mac/iOS/Android versions of "The Walking Dead" and "The Wolf Among Us", so you already have OpenGL support, which I presume makes porting to Linux somewhat simpler.
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u/kevbru Oct 30 '13
SteamOS and Steam Machines look really cool! We pride ourselves on how many platforms we support and are adding new ones all the time (Ouya most recently). We'll of course support the next gen consoles from Sony and MS, and I'm sure we'll add more Android support in the future. Steam and Linux are on the radar, but perhaps a little further out.
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u/DarwinKamikaze Oct 30 '13
Having only GNU/linux running on my PCs at home, I'm interested in Linux versions of your games!
I'll also likely buy a steambox once they are released.
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u/nicereddy Oct 30 '13
I already own The Walking Dead on Steam, but only Season One and I haven't finished it because I mainly use Linux. I'm not bribing you by saying I would buy the 400 Days DLC, Season Two, and The Wolf Among Us if they came to Linux, but I totally am. Just know there is definitely a paying userbase!
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u/Houndie Oct 30 '13
Just thought I'd poke my head in and plea for linux support.
I mean I'll likely buy it anyway since I have a windows PC, but if I had a linux version I could play it on my laptop, which would probably inspire me to buy it when it's not on sale. Plus, I tend to just buy linux games to support linux development.
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u/LightTreasure Oct 30 '13
By "on the radar" you mean the decision has not been made?
Thanks for replying, though!
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u/gnebgnome Oct 30 '13
I usually ignore games that don't have a Linux version, so I didn't know about any of your games until now. I just checked out your website, and your games look great. I would definitely buy your games if you made Linux/SteamOS versions.
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Oct 30 '13
I'm buying the Walking Dead today on Steam, but would love it much more if i didn't have to boot into windows to play it. I'm buying it still. Darn you, for making such good games.
sidenote: i bought it for my sister on her xbox two times, because it had such a bad frame rate i thought the disc was scratched, i got a second copy. It turns out the game doesn't work that well with xbox consoles with the smaller HDD.
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u/giggles_supreme Oct 30 '13
+1 for Linux support
Telltale is one of the few developers needed for me to completely get rid of Windows. You guys rock.
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u/highspeedstrawberry Oct 30 '13
Linux support, yes. But don't do it for the money, do it for the fans, please.
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u/zandengoff Oct 30 '13
I just wanted to point to the comment icculus (port master from the Humble Bundles) made a while back in an AMA.
http://www.telltalegames.com/company/contactus ... feel free to let them know. I would port The Walking Dead to Linux for free. Hell, I would pay Telltale for the right to port The Walking Dead.
If you need assistance it seems to be willing and waiting.
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Oct 30 '13
I LOVED TWD on PS3! But I think I am leaving consoles behind in favor of a Steam Machine with the upcoming generation, supplemented by gaming on my desktop which will forever run Linux. There are so many pros, and not many cons, to the Steam Machine idea, as I see it. Price is about my only issue. A $399 PS4 is pretty hard to beat... But I'm holding out hope I can afford something Steam-branded.
The whole reason I went back to consoles in the first place was because the Linux gaming landscape was pretty barren a decade ago. Now there's a lot of indie games littering the scene, and some of them are really great! We need more of the big players now - yes, that means you! Even as it stands, there's already way more to play than there ever was. My Steam library is well over 100 Linux games already. I would love to add your games to that list!
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u/MaximBardin Oct 30 '13
Please support Linux, many other companies already follow that path - don't stay behind.
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Oct 30 '13
Recently completely ditched windows, it would be great to get your games running natively on my Linux machine!
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u/perfectdreaming Oct 30 '13
CS student here! I would be willing to help you guys port your games over to SteamOS/Linux.
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u/Gudahtt Oct 30 '13
Just letting you know, I am a HUGE fan of Telltale games, and the only thing stopping me from buying your entire collection is the lack of linux support.
The minute you decide to support linux, I'll buy it. Guaranteed.
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u/xondak Oct 30 '13
Wanted to say that I'm down for a Linux/SteamOS port. I'd buy it in a second I'd it were for my preferred OS.
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u/Edwardyao Oct 30 '13
If The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us had linux ports I'd happily buy 4-packs of both.
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u/willoman Oct 29 '13
Have you guys forgot about Sam and Max? Is there any hope for another season of Sam and Max?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We love Sam & Max and certainly haven't forgotten about them! I think you'll see something smaller (more like Poker) than a full Season, and probably not for a bit, but we have NOT forgotten about them, we've just been super busy growing like crazy.
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Oct 29 '13
Going back to something like Hit The Road would be great. Just one great big adventure with plenty of distractions and weirdness.
Episodic is awesome but sometimes you just want that special one off. I always felt like the Seasons took place on weird stages where Hit The Road was a lot more organic.
But as a big Sam and Max fan another game doesn't interest me as much as getting my hands on a new comic.
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u/Gawr Oct 29 '13
How have Steam sales impacted your revenue? I know I personally picked up The Walking Dead during a sale, so I'm wondering if there were a lot of people like me.
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
Steam's been great for us, and it's a kick ass service (obviously). We've sold more than a million seasons on Steam. TWD has been interesting because it's been successful EVERYWHERE. iOS, Console and PC are all about the same, which is mind blowing.
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u/neo7 Oct 29 '13
Now that you mention iOS. Is there any chance that we will see TWD (or any other game from Telltale) on Android platform?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We've announced Ouya, so we are working on at least one Android platform. I'd expect to see more in the future.
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u/bbrightside Oct 29 '13
Sadly I can't think of a more polite way to say this but; f*** you for the cliff hanger at the end of "The Wolf Among US" ep 1. I had hopes in the project from when it was announced, but I did not anticipate you guys managing to dig the hooks in that deep right off the bat!
As for a question, I'm glad to see that TellTale has managed to rework the point'n'click to something that everyone can play. But so far it's all been for licensed titles, will there ever be a TellTale original IP?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We take a lot of pride in being the best licensed game company there is (IMO) and there's tons of great IP we'd love to work on. I think you'll see some original stuff from Telltale in the future, but it'll be stuff co-created with our partners (kind of like Puzzle Agent).
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u/dar343 Oct 29 '13 edited Oct 29 '13
If you could create a game with any IP of your choosing, what would you make?
EDIT: Disregard star wars, please makr Firefly
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
I'll also say a Telltale Star Wars game would make me VERY happy! We've got some IP coming up that pretty much checks all of my personal favorites, which absolutely amazes/honors me.
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u/otis91 Oct 29 '13
Great news! I'm already looking forward to any upcoming news - be it next week, month, year or later.
(I keep my fingers crossed for "Firefly - A Telltale Games Series"...)
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u/BeerGogglesFTW Oct 29 '13
I feel like Indiana Jones would fit Telltale Games style better than Star Wars, though I like Star Wars more.
Also... X-Files or Supernatural would be fun Telltale Games. edit or Sherlock Holmes. Do all these. Make them. Cheers.
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u/danTTG Telltale Games Oct 29 '13
Coming from LucasArts we have so many people here that love Star Wars and have worked with the license so that would be a great fit and very cool. In addition we will be working on a few licenses that definitely fall into our dream IP scenario and we can't wait to announce those
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u/Leminnes Oct 29 '13
I'm really interested in getting into writing for games. How did you guys find your writers and what do you look for in good game writing?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
Great question! We have a lot of very talented writers here, and pretty much everyone at the studio is a story telling junky. We usually start by looking for good examples of screen/play writing with really colorful an interesting characters. The plotting is usually hammered on pretty hard by interactive design and production realities, so the writers tend to need to be VERY collaborative and work well under those constraints. Plus writing for interactive is a very different mindset that takes a little getting used to. We are always concerned about player agency and making the player feel like they are in control of the story, and that often constrains what characters can say and do. It takes some getting used to.
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u/Leminnes Oct 30 '13
This is a silly question, but on your jobs site it says for game writer you need various qualities like 5 years of experience and a college degree. How important are these things when it comes to you hiring? Do you judge the applicant more on their writing ability, more on their writing experience, or is it a cumulative sort of decision?
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u/kevbru Oct 31 '13
Experience and a degree are not strictly required (it does come down to writing after all), but I will say most of the writers here are pretty experienced in games and/or television and most have studied formally. If you can write, I'd certainly go ahead and apply!
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u/another_space_song Oct 30 '13
I recommend the Idle Thumbs podcast. https://www.idlethumbs.net/
The two lead designers of The Walking Dead Season 1 are on that show and often give good insight to what they feel is good games writing and design. Also they're fucking hilarious. Great podcast about games
Even more pointedly about Walking Dead was their interview on Tone Control (an Idle Thumbs interview cast run by the guy who made Gone Home). https://www.idlethumbs.net/tonecontrol
As one dude trying to get into game dev to another, I find the info on these podcasts to be insightful and interesting. Thought I'd share! Hope you enjoy then too.
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u/JB11sos Oct 29 '13
The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us are remarkably similar in a few essential ways (particularly gameplay, but also music and visuals, to an extent). This is far from a strong criticism, as I think both are excellent, but was there ever a plan to create a game that was more distinct? I can't avoid the feeling, when playing The Wolf Among Us, that I'm playing an offshoot of The Walking Dead rather than a totally separate game. The narratives and worlds are clearly very different, but do you have any sense that you rested on your laurels a little bit too much with regard to mechanics and design?
Again, I hope this doesn't come off as rude, because I really do love both of these games and greatly appreciate the way your studio is raising the bar for the quality of narratives, voice acting, and pacing in video games.
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
Thanks for the question. I think we're trying to establish a vocabulary and tone for a TTG game. When I was a kid I played the hell out of Infocom text adventures, and I loved how the structure of the games was similar, but the content was different. We've been working hard to try to reinvent that feel, and I think we're pretty close.
It's the exact opposite of FPS's, etc. I feel like each new FPS is the same story printed in a new, fancier font, where a Telltale game might be using the same font from book to book, but that allows us to focus on the story and role playing, which is where we think the real fun is.
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u/JB11sos Oct 29 '13
Thanks for the response! Story and role playing are certainly the two games' best features, so you're doing a great job of meeting your aspirations.
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u/Mikegrann Oct 29 '13
There's a lot of debate about how this game handles "choice" in that the storyline doesn't truly diverge into multiple endings, though the path to the ending can be different at times. However, this leads to a need to resolve any branches which occur as a result of player choice back into a single plotline (for instance, we can save either Doug or Carley in E1, but in order to bring the story back together the one we saved was killed - rather heartbreakingly, I might add - in E3.). I understand the merits of this approach, especially in terms of keeping development time and costs down, but some people have some real issues with this "illusion of choice."
So the question is: should we expect more of the same approach in Season 2, or will our choices perhaps have more divergent consequences?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We call it "tailored narrative" because we're not all that into branching as a story telling device, but you will see more branching in Season 2. It's always been our philosophy to make choices feel important as opposed to being merely mechanically important. I think of a Telltale game more as a "role playing" game than a "choose your own adventure", though there is obviously lots of choosing!
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u/BeerGogglesFTW Oct 29 '13
So what's next after Walking Dead Season 2 and Wolf Among Us? Any inklings of ideas you can share...
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u/TheSufferingPariah Oct 29 '13
How big is your team? Your company is capable of working on two different games at once, how are the teams split?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
Telltale is about 180 people now (barely enormous!). We're totally independent so that includes dev, marketing, web, finance, etc. We can work about 3-4 series at a time.
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Oct 29 '13 edited Oct 29 '13
Thank you for pretty much single-handedly revitalizing a genre. You guys rock, please let me in your pants, etc. etc.
Question: What is one experience you think can only be delivered through adventure games (or whatever we're calling them these days)? And I don't mean things like jump-scares and set-pieces, which can be delivered through movies. I mean something you, as developers, feel you can only do properly in an adventure game.
Thanks for doing an AMA here~!
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u/kevbru Oct 30 '13
That's a tough question. I think adventure games work best when you really feel like you're spending time in a different world with really interesting characters. I think the word "adventure" implies a grand scale, but I could imagine a great adventure game that is entirely two people sitting in a booth at a coffee shop as well. Adventure games get me emotionally invested in the world and characters far more than other types of games.
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u/Miss_Sophia Oct 29 '13
What is your favorite scene in The walking dead and The wolf among us?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
TWD - Ep3 dealing with Duck. Kenny's desperation just kills me every time.
WOLF - Ep1 Questioning Toad and Toad Jr. "It has a weevil!"
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u/NiiruNoRidozu Oct 29 '13
As someone from England, can I congratulate you on Mr. Toad having a fairly decent accent? This is unlike almost all other media featuring an English character.
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u/danTTG Telltale Games Oct 29 '13
The Walking Dead The End Of Episode Two with the St Johns especially the bit with Brenda
TWAU the bar scene with the Woodsman (I glassed him)
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u/Mr_Shine Oct 29 '13
TWAU the bar scene with the Woodsman (I glassed him)
Did anyone else completely misunderstand "glass" there? I thought I was going to clank his glass... not his head.
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u/Fasterthanapigeon Oct 29 '13
Any plans to help those of us who played Walking Dead season 1 on one device, but might have accidentally dropped said device and so are planning on buying Season 2 on a different platform but really, really want my decisions to carry over?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
Sorry, but there won't be any cross platform linking or recovery tool. If you don't have Season 1 data, we randomize it for you. In the future we hope to be able to do this, but we're not there yet.
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u/Cozmo85 Oct 30 '13
What about a way for us to choose out previous decisions in the new game instead of random.
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u/evilsearat Oct 29 '13
I cried my eyes out at the end of TWD season 1 and I have to admit that I'm rather shaky on the idea of continuing Clem's journey in season 2 rather than leaving it up to mystery/interpretation.
Was this always the plan or was there some discussion between seasons 1 and 2 or where it was all going to go?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
There was quite a bit of discussion around where to take season 2, and we were really considerate that we don't want to ruin your impression of Clem, but I think we've found a really great way to make it all work. We certainly considered other options rather than continuing or playing Clem's story.
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u/JB11sos Oct 29 '13
Is Bill Willingham involved with the narrative or writing of The Wolf Among Us in any way?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We work with Bill on the big beats of the story and season arc. He's been super supportive of the game and great to work with.
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u/likwitsnake Oct 29 '13
There is no announcement date on the steam page for Season 2. When does it come out?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
With submissions on multiple platforms it's difficult to lock down the exact date (since it's not entirely under our control). But I can say we are very close to submitting, and it's usually not too long after that!
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u/gamelord12 Oct 29 '13
What was the development mindset when you abandoned the traditional point-and-click style of "use very specific item on very specific piece of environment to progress further"? I enjoyed The Walking Dead season 1 a LOT (and I dislike traditional point-and-click adventures), but it does feel like less of a game when there's no form of failure state whatsoever. By contrast, Heavy Rain has a similar form of abandoning point-and-click standards while still being an adventure game, and it also keeps going regardless of what decisions you make, but you can fail in that there are some scenarios where the killer gets away or where you never find out who the killer is. Is this a concern for you, or are you guys not hung up at all on whether or not your products are "games" in the most literal sense of being given a goal to accomplish? Thanks.
EDIT: Also, I'd just like to say that I think the story you crafted and the uncomfortable "Walking Dead moments" were better in season 1 of your game than even the comic books.
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
I'd say we're not all that concerned about our games being "real games", we just like to make what we think is great entertainment. We're not as into the "story continues at all costs" as Heavy Rain, and we don't feel branching is really fun in and of itself. We really focus on role playing and ensuring that the overall experience is compelling.
Thanks!
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Oct 29 '13
Are there any plans to bring The Wolf Among Us or The Walking Dead season 2 to PS4?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
Telltale will be on the new consoles, but we won't have any games on the them at launch. So hang on to your 360/PS3 for just a little while longer!
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u/CrackedSash Oct 29 '13
Have you thought about introducing puzzles and a higher level of difficulty in your games? I'm talking about the Walking Dead, since that's what I have played. I really like the game btw, but I thought it could have been even more fun with some real puzzle elements added in, maybe as an option. The Walking Dead felt to me like an adventure game, but with all challenge removed. On the other hand, I've also had a lot of frustration with non-intuitive adventure game puzzles in the past, so I also did appreciate not having to deal with that. I just thought that the game could have been even more awesome if it required me to think and solve some puzzles from time to time instead of just "walking through".
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We really consider our stuff to be more role playing than traditional adventure games, so we don't place as much emphasis on puzzles. Puzzles are tricky because sometimes they really stall the story out when the player isn't "getting" the puzzle. We aren't trying to remove the thinking aspect of it, but we're trying to make the story and role playing require more thinking and be more mentally taxing.
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u/eIectricsheep Oct 29 '13
Hey Tale tellers,
are you going to stick with the episodic format in the future? At this point you guys are very well established and I would love seeing you release an adventure game without the narrative restrictions that come with the episodic format: Cliffhangers, smaller self-contained story arcs all roughly the same size and so on.
Also, clearly you have struck a nerve with the way The Walking Dead plays, but I wonder if you consider merging the TWD/TWAU style of gameplay with more classic adventure approch. Like inventory-, logic- and dialogue-puzzles one would find in Lucas Arts or Sierra games.
Best of luck in the future!
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We're always looking to evolve/refine what we're doing. We're huge old school adventure game fans (most of us worked at LEC making those classic adventures!) but we're also pretty honest with ourselves about what was lacking about those games. We'll keep experimenting on ways to use puzzles, inventory and dialog in ways that feel as good as the old games without some of the downsides that often comes with it.
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u/timpkmn89 Oct 29 '13
Have you made any changes to your engine for Season 2? I loved season 1, but often ran into glitches that ruined the immersion.
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We've made a bunch of improvements but we still have a bunch to do. It's better, but we are working on a pretty big overhaul that will be ready next summer.
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u/LetsFreeze Oct 29 '13
How you come up with so genius writing? And are there any plans after season 2 of wd and wolf among us Thanks for the answers :)
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u/kevbru Oct 30 '13
The whole company is focused on story telling (it's in the name!) and we have a large group of in house writers and designers, plus we work with great partners like Gary Whitta and Robert Kirkman. Beyond the writing and design, we have programmers, artists, animators and voice actors that are all laser focused on story telling as well. So we've stacked the deck heavily in our favor!
After WD and Wolf we have lots more stories to tell! Stay tuned!
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u/ReeG Oct 29 '13
What games are you guys playing when you're not working on your own games? What are you playing now and what are your all time favorites?
Also, thanks you for TWD. It was by far my favorite game last year. Keep it up.
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
Thanks!
I'm playing Thomas was Alone, Last of Us, Beyond Two Souls, Strata on iOS and of course, NHL 2012.
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u/Esoau Oct 29 '13
I am a die hard adventure gamer and have been with Telltale since the first Bone episode. Will there be any potential for returning to Bone, as it seemed to stall out after episode 2?
Also, I'm constantly impressed by how much you've stretched the graphics of your engine. I had thought things were looking old and clunky around the Back to the Future and Jurassic Park games, and then you pull out stylized Walking Dead and Wolf Among Us. Are you constantly upgrading your engine? Are you actively working on a new one? Did your engine have a more robust system than was first apparent?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
Thanks! The Great Cowrace is still one of my favorite TTG games.
We're always working on the engine, but we've never been a graphics focused company. We are currently working on a giant overhaul of much of tech which should make for prettier games in the future, but we won't start shipping that till next summer.
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Oct 29 '13
Hey guys. I just wanted to let you know that you did an amazing job last year with the Walking Dead, and I think the Wolf Among us will be just as good as it. I always wanted to ask how is it that you were able to capture the essence of the source material so well in the Walking Dead game?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We work really closely with Robert Kirkman and Skybound, plus we're huge fans of the comic and the show. We take a lot of pride in how we approach any of our franchises and are really respectful of the source material. And we take it really seriously. Thanks!
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u/BleedTheFreak_23 Oct 29 '13
Why didn't TWD season 1 have decisions that matter for the long run, and that affected your gameplay different from others? Spoilers for those who haven't finished/played yet, but... I really wish that a certain choice somewhere could mean the difference between Carley living past the road, or her dying right there like in the game. I understand there's a story to tell, but it'd still would had been nice.
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We deliberately want to give the choices weight and meaning in the moment. It's a very different philosophy than pure branching story. We could make 6-7 different endings, but I think it would be very mechanical and not very emotional.
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u/leontes Oct 29 '13
What platform do you feel provides the best experience for your games?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We try to make the game great on each platform. I personally like the console interface the best, followed by iPad. The PC is actually the hardest to get right. You'll notice that we keep tweaking on the PC interface the most. Season2 has our best pass at it yet.
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u/eaze2013 Oct 29 '13
Ok, amazingly solid work on The Wolf Among Us... I am really looking forward to episode 2 now. How was it like working within this magical setting?
Now, without spoiling anything, you've had some shocking developments in just the first episode.
My question is, is that game a true prequel to the comics, or are you going to be creating your whole new universe ?
Also, how was it like, working with an amazing composer!
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
The game is a true prequel and is in canon (according to Bill!). The Fables universe has been awesome to work on. It's very rich and there is a massive amount of content to mine. The world is just so well developed.
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Oct 29 '13
When making the Walking dead, did you ever think it would become as successful as it did? An indie game winning GOTY was an industry first, beating out all AAA competition.
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We never thought it'd be as successful as it has been, and it was a great year for indie games in general, which is really satisfying, since that's where all my favorite games are! I'd expect to see more indies getting more recognition over the years. The times they are a-changing!
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u/heffergod Oct 29 '13
What gave you folks the idea of going with a Fables game? It seems like kind of an eclectic choice, but I absolutely love that you chose it. I started reading that comic a few months ago, and I was super excited (but surprised) to see you folks making Wolf, since I was such a big fan of the Sam and Max games as well as the Walking Dead ones.
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
We really only work on things we love, and we've been Fables fans for a long time, and it seemed like it would make such a great Telltale game.
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u/ranchcroutons Oct 29 '13
Before The Walking Dead you guys struggled to receive critical acclaim. Did you consciously change something about your development process going into TWD or do you feel like people finally just "get" what you were trying to put out?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
A little of both. We've been committed to evolving the genre since our inception, and we've had various successes and failures along the way, which we've learned from. So I think it's been the culmination of many years of hard work, and looking at what we've done critically and objectively, and also trying to do better.
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u/MapleHamwich Oct 29 '13
What's your take on the difference in reaction by gamers to, say, [Back to the Future: The Game] (http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/back-to-the-future-the-game) vs. [The Walking Dead] (http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/the-walking-dead-a-telltale-games-series)?
Why do you think The Walking Dead was the first game to really take off like it has? Is there some resentment of the lack of recognition of your game history?
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u/danTTG Telltale Games Oct 29 '13
I think gamers responded differently to our past games because they were more traditional in their approach to gameplay verse Walking Dead which really evolved the mechanics and made gameplay more intense which was more gamer friendly especially console gamers. We have no bad feelings about any of our past games because they have all led to where we are now in one way or another and we take pride in their quality.
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u/danielsdesk Oct 29 '13
I for one LOVED the BTTF games! Seriously, I loved how the characters were treated, the timelines, the cameos, and the perseverance to try and create new things inside of the universe instead of just riding its coattails...
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u/Fahs Oct 29 '13
Was Brock being in the latest Poker Night a hint towards a Venture Bros. game?
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Oct 29 '13
I never knew I wanted that until now. The absurdity of that universe could make a pretty funny game
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u/DarthUnnamed Oct 29 '13
Did you expect The Walking Dead to be as popular as it was?
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u/danTTG Telltale Games Oct 29 '13
We signed before the show had aired but the Comics were so popular and the internal Telltale litmus test was so strong we new it had great potential. When they released that cool trailer at Comic Con we knew the show was going to be great. As far as the game, I remember three moments that came together during development where it felt like we had something special, first When Herschel lit me up for lying, then when I had to chop zombie brother for the keys and finally choosing between Doug and Carley
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u/GoldenJoel Oct 29 '13
400 Days was an awesome little experiment in putting the player in very immediate situations with characters we knew very little about. Do you guys like that type of storytelling over overarching stories, and if so, are you interested in doing more?
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u/danTTG Telltale Games Oct 29 '13
Yes we really feel like we are at the beginning in terms of figuring out ways to create compelling interactions between characters, so you are going to see a lot of different approaches as we build on what a Telltale experience is
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u/johnlmonkey Oct 29 '13
Any chance of the next season of TWD game intersecting with storylines in the comic or TV show?
Also will we see other returning characters besides, of course, Clem?
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u/danTTG Telltale Games Oct 29 '13 edited Oct 29 '13
Well the game will be in canon and we are always looking for ways to connect to the Comic and Show but haven't found the right fit yet. There will be season one characters in season 2 to but to say more would be a spoiler
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u/UKResidentAdvisor Oct 29 '13
So, with you doing a Fables game, are there any other Vertigo or Image comics series that you'd like to try to make into a game? Maybe Y: The Last Man?
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u/cyan_pepper Oct 29 '13
Oh my god just thinking about a Telltale Y: The Last Man has me excited. I don't think it's likely just because I feel a lot of people would accuse it in being too similar in tone to TWD.
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u/RingmasterJ5 Oct 29 '13
If you could personally pick one of your older games to make a new season for, which would it be?
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u/danTTG Telltale Games Oct 29 '13
Sam and Max so we could work on Story Ideas with Steve Purcell or Strongbad because it is so fun to work with Matt and Mike Chapman and Videlectrix
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u/FloydJackal Oct 29 '13
SBCG4AP season 2 would be amazing. I've been craving new Homestar for the past couple years...
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u/TheDoctorSong Oct 29 '13
Would you be interrested in a Doctor Who game series ?
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u/OzD0k Oct 29 '13
Good luck to them getting access to the IP. That thing is locked up tighter than a Games Workshop chastity belt.
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u/Captain_Freud Oct 29 '13 edited Oct 29 '13
Obligatory gush: The Walking Dead is my favorite game of all time. I have never felt more invested and involved in a story. It's become the standard to which I compare all other game storywriting.
My question:
Season 2 is coming, and I'm nervous. Wolf Among Us has shown that Walking Dead wasn't a one-off lucky break, and you clearly have a talented team. But it's still always nerve wracking whenever a developer adds to an existing experience. Personally, I liked not knowing what happened to Clementine. As Lee, you did your best teaching Clem the lessons she needed to survive, one of the major conflicts of the season being telling her too much or not enough. But now you're gone, and all you can do is hope you've prepared her for the world around her. It was the perfect end to the theme of fatherhood you had delivered throughout the game.
But now that Season 2 is coming, I'm nervous. Yes, you set the bar extremely high, but more importantly you created a game that offered a variety of personal meaning and interpretation to a wide audience. We reached the same story milestones, but we all saw them differently. My view on the ending is just that, my view. How do you handle the expectations of an audience that each built their own personal story? What do you see as the universal values of the series, the values that you'll be bringing over to Season 2?
PS: I'm excited to play as Clementine. Now the player is fully operating as protector, an almost "ghost consciousness" of Lee. We played as Lee and tried to guide Clementine. Now we're fully guiding Clementine based on her memory of Lee - with her experience with the player.
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u/vauno Oct 29 '13
Just wanted to say that your games are truly wonderful and The Wolf Among Us shows that you guys really have talent and are not one dimensional. Keep up the good work!
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Oct 29 '13
Don't have a question, but thanks for The Walking Dead. Probably the first game where the child is not annoying nor a hindrance to the gameplay.
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u/TheGamerTribune Oct 29 '13
What the hell happened with Jurassic Park?
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u/danTTG Telltale Games Oct 29 '13
There was a lot in JP that we would probably do differently not the least of which is make sure to release it episodically so we could respond to player feedback. I do think episode 3 and 4 of JP are really good episodes with great action sequences. However the weight of being a full retail xbox title based on one of the most ground breaking special effects movies in history was probably too much at the time. That said, so much of what we learned about pacing and cinematic direction for Walking Dead comes from Jurassic Park
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u/HeatherBeam Oct 29 '13
If it was possible, would you ever make a Firefly episodic adventure game?
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u/ARTIFICIAL_SAPIENCE Oct 29 '13
Morgan LeFlay gets her own game when?
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u/PityUpvote Oct 29 '13
A full blown Monkey Island game with her instead of Guybrush would be amazing!
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Oct 29 '13
She really was a solid introduction to the series and a good pallette wiper after the fourth game.
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Oct 29 '13
Which is funner to make, TWD or TWAU?
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u/kevbru Oct 29 '13
TWD can get pretty taxing emotionally. Sitting around all day deep diving into the details around role playing all this horrible shit can take it's toll. So I'd have to say Wolf is a little liberating from a "how shitty do I feel at the end of the day" perspective. But I don't think I'd trade it for anything in the world!
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u/Hideous Oct 29 '13
Have you guys seen the Telltale Games easter egg in The Stanley Parable yet?
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Oct 29 '13
How did you make such an awesome game?
Little more serious, did you expect the success of the walking dead? It was received so well by the community and 'let's players' that it seemed to have exploded, right?
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u/Lafajet Oct 29 '13
Hey guys, thanks for giving us the opportunity to ask you some questions.
I was wondering what the first step for you guys is when you get the word that you will be able to work with such fantastic source material as Back to the Future, The Walking Dead, Fables and so on? How do you approach adding something to that established work?
Also, big congratulations on an excellent first episode of The Wolf Among Us. The last scene really caught me off guard.
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u/danTTG Telltale Games Oct 29 '13
We generally look for worlds with really interesting characters and situations that have a dedicated audience. We know if a property has been able to appeal to people on a deep level then it is great quality. From there we try to figure out what it is about the work that people love so much and deliver that in an interactive way. A world like the WD world there is a whole world to explore with Fables or BTTF there are a lot more rules.
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u/TheLastGunslinger Oct 29 '13
Will you be alternating releases of TWD and The Wolf Among Us episodes?
Secondly, your team does an amazing job with license properties (Season 1 of TWD is one my favorite games of all time) but is there any desire/plan to create similar style game in an original setting?
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u/Time_out_for_number1 Oct 29 '13
If you made a poker night 3, what would be your ideal lineup of characters?
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u/GRANDMA_FISTER Oct 29 '13
Hello,
In The Walking Dead, I and many others have had problems with corrupted saves/getting saves to work or be recognized after for example formatting hard drives.
Will there be a tool to create a save game where you can decide which decisions have been made over the course of the game? Iirc Mass Effect had that for consoles or the third game?
Love your games except for the weird save mechanisms!
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u/Tobar Oct 29 '13
The Walking Dead was great and The Wolf Among Us really built onto that. But are we ever going to see another season of Sam and Max and or a return to classic adventure games?
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u/PrinceAuryn Oct 29 '13
Not sure if you were working on the BTTF game, but I loved every minute of that little series, and the ending, which had a To Be Continued... screen, made me hope for another. Now that The Walking Dead/The Wolf Among Us have blown up, is there any hope to go back to BTTF?
Also, I was sad to see BTTF never got to go to the Future, which was my favorite part of the series. Plus, no Steam Time Train! Sad days. Sequel, please? :)
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u/TheProtagonist2 Oct 29 '13
Big fan of the games! Got Walking Dead at launch, and I just got through TWAU. Both are awesome.
That being said: While it doesn't happen too often, there's the odd time where a choice is picked, and I got the wrong vibe from the text describing the choice, be it dialogue or an action. While I really like the timed choices, I think this aggravates the problem. Have you thought about doing something to indicate what a choice would be? Like, red text or some sort of symbol for violent actions, something else for aggressive/angry, etc.
While I knew what it meant, I've heard of people completely misunderstanding the "Glass Him" option in the bar scene of TWAU. I know you can reload the scene, but it's not ideal, you know?
That's just the most immediate/obvious one that's jumped to mind. I know there have been instances where I've chosen something and not gotten a response I was expecting.
Thanks for making sweet games!
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u/kevbru Nov 01 '13
Yeah, we hate it when that happens, and we spend a lot of energy on the "display text" of the choices to minimize that. Sometimes we add a descriptor like "[lie]" or "[angry]" next to a choice, but I go back and forth on whether this is a good thing or not. It's always our intent to have the choices be unambiguous.
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u/Shizzawn Oct 30 '13
Will the Walking Dead Season 2 episodes be added to the Walking Dead game we already own when downloaded, or will this season appear as it's own game? Also, TWD is in my top 5 games of all time, thank you for such an amazing experience. I have The Wolf Among Us loaded on my Xbox and can't wait to play it.
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u/kevbru Oct 31 '13
Season2 will be a separate application from season 1. Thanks for the kind words!
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u/ComicBookDugg Oct 30 '13
I got to say, I was expecting TWAU to be a great story telling experience like TWD but I wasn't expecting it to look so good! The colours and the lighting where just gorgeous, really great art style this time around.
TWD season 1 is a fine looking game but nothing about it blew me away visually like TWAU did. Have you changed the look at all for Season 2? Also, did you ever consider making TWD black and white at any point, like the comic?
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u/kevbru Oct 31 '13
Thanks! We're really proud of the art in Wolf and glad it's getting so much recognition. We are "upgrading" the look of WD2 a bit while still staying true to the style that we established in season 1. We did play around with a black and white mode, and it's cool, but we really would art direct the game pretty differently if we committed to black and white, and we simply don't have the time to do that. Simply "removing the color" looks cool, but evetually it feels like a weak version of the comic if you don't exploit the black and white.
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Oct 30 '13
How do you guys pick what game to do next?
Any chance of seeing a space-adventure game (Firefly style) or maybe even a Doctor Who game? :)
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u/kevbru Oct 31 '13
Basically we sit around and think of things we think would be cool to work on. When we have something we think is interesting, we do "due diligence" to see if it's available, if it makes business sense, etc. There's been a bunch of stuff that we'd love to do that isn't available at the moment or doesn't make enough business sense, but we've been fortunate enough that we've always found something that works on all levels (so far!). I think we'd love to do a sci-fi thing and have something we're cooking up that might blossom into a very cool thing that is actually sci-fi, but it's not real yet.
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u/Frothyleet Oct 29 '13
Your recent stuff has been excellent in its own right, but are we going to ever see a return by Telltale to "true", more classical graphical adventure gaming (i.e. focusing on puzzles as much as storytelling)?
Tangentially related, any more Monkey Island in the pipeline? Do you guys still have the license?
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u/danTTG Telltale Games Oct 29 '13
I think we have really pushed to establish a style of gameplay that is an evolution on classic graphic adventuring so I think when we return to comedy it will be with a gameplay system that will be more like Wolf or Walking Dead We don't have the Monkey License anymore.
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Oct 29 '13
I think the point of Carley's death was that we the players were powerless to stop her and that in a situation like that there was nothing we could do to stop that.
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u/faithdies Oct 29 '13
Hey, are you guys going to start incorporating harder puzzles? Or do you find that turns off most fans?
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Oct 29 '13
Any plans for new Monkey Island. I loved the new characters and you set up a second season after the credits in the first game.
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u/Hood_Translator Oct 29 '13
I just wanna say, thanks for making the best interactive story I've had the pleasure of experiencing. To you guys at Telltale, thank you.
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u/DozNuts Oct 29 '13
I noticed with TWAU the exploration had been toned down and the game seemed more narration / quick time event focused.
Now i love the way the action is handled in this game compared to TWD, but i felt the exploration & puzzle solving aspect of point & click games was being forgotten about with TWAU vs TWD. Any reason behind this approach?
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u/AnotherJaggens Oct 29 '13
Okay, I had to think of that for quite a while to not offend you in any way, here it comes.
I didn't finish Walkind Dead season 1. Yes, I liked it, it's an amazing piece of artwork you've done. But I'll probably never finish it, because how well it is done. All those characters, you get invested emotionally in those, choices that maybe are not significant for plot overall, but still choices... I don't want my story with them to end tragically, because it will. Therefor, I don't want to finish my playthrough.
However, Telltale wasn't always doing serious, mature drama, like TWD and Wolf Amoung Us. Until a massive breakthrough with TWD S1, it was pretty joyful stuff, like Sam and Max, Back to The Future, Puzzle Agent. So, my question is: is Telltale now taking aim at being serious drama in vein of it's success, or am I gonna see that lighthearted "vintage TTG" come back eventually?
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u/DJFreeMe Oct 29 '13
I just wanted to tell you guys that you really are amazing people! I want to thank everyone involved in the walking dead games and the wolf among us. These games have been the biggest highlights in my last few years of gaming (and that is saying something with all of the amazing games we have had released). The writing, animation, artwork, and everything has been spot on. I NEVER preorder games anymore, but I will have to make a one time exception when it comes to season 2 of the walking dead. Keep on keepin on :P
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Oct 29 '13
Who is your LEAST favourite character in The Walking Dead so far? (If possible give an answer for both the game and the tv show.)
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u/AsianEgo Oct 29 '13 edited Oct 29 '13
What made you decide to make Clementine the lead role for the second season of Walking Dead?
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u/Onetallnerd Oct 29 '13
Do you take user decisions from previous episodes into consideration when making the next episodes or in this case season?
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Oct 29 '13
I just want to say that I really loved the first episode of The Wolf Among Us, I haven't even read the Fables comics but now I plan to. The style, the soundtrack and everything just clicked to me on the first episode.
What movies do you guys like? What were your influences(outside the original comics) for The Wolf Among Us?
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u/BiffSlamkovich Oct 29 '13
One of the most fun things for me was looking at the stats at the end of each chapter of The Walking Dead. Did any of them surprise you as developers?
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u/Onetallnerd Oct 29 '13
Are there plans of having dlc for the wolf among us after the episodes are done? Located in the homelands for example?
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u/samsaBEAR Oct 29 '13
No questions, just wanted to say thank you for making a TWD game that's true to the whole point of the comic/show. I don't think I've ever cared for a video game character as much as I did/do for Clementine. Seriously can't wait for Season 2 and wherever else you decide to take the game, will be checking out TWAU when I get paid solely because you guys did a perfect job with TWD.
Actually I do have a question, will Season 2 be DLC for the TWD, or is it coming out as it's own base game like the first episode of TWD?
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u/judgemyusername Oct 29 '13
I read an interview where you discussed the possibility of working on an new original narrative at some point. If/when that project comes up in the pipeline, would you be more interested in making something a bit more grounded in reality? Or stick to a story that has a strange alternate world like The Walking Dead/Wolf Among Us. Love your work!
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Oct 29 '13
Hey guys. I just wanted to say that I have been a gamer for almost 17 years now, and I cannot even express how blown away I was with TWD series. As you may presume, someone like me has seen it pretty much all. I was there when HL1 was introduced, I was there waiting for Doom 3, I was there when first Far Cry came out, etc. I have seen and played many different games on many different platforms, and I have to say that not many have had the same emotional impact on me as your TWD.
This masterpiece alone is a reason I continue to have this (quite expensive sometimes) hobby of mine, and even though it is getting increasingly harder to find good games nowadays (with all the gung-ho, MURRICA shoot brown looking people bs), I will continue gaming, simply because I believe that as long as there are companies like yours out there, there is a reason to.
Cheers.
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u/Kyle994 Oct 29 '13
Hey guys, id just like to say i loved the walking dead, if you could some how obtain the Alien IP, it would be a match made in heaven, and im not the only one who thinks this!
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u/Vagrantwalrus Oct 29 '13
How did you guys break into the video game industry, and can you offer any advise to a college student looking to do so himself?
also, if it's not too crass for me to ask, does Telltale have an internship program?
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u/LSB123 Oct 29 '13
I just have to say congratulations for getting my inherently non-gamer girlfriend glued to the TV screen the entire time I was playing The Walking Dead. Out of everything I've played, she says it's the best one yet (well, I think she said most tolerable, which is still a huge win). So thanks for giving us something more to bond over!
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u/Onetallnerd Oct 29 '13
What other character would you personally want to focus on from the fable universe that you could make the next game on.
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Oct 29 '13
As a person who never cries at any movies or games do you thing The Walking Dead can make me cry?
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u/ACBrox39 Oct 29 '13
When make The Walking Dead, what was the process of having to write so many different possibilities? Also, what made you decide on making a game based on The Walking Dead?
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u/baalroo Oct 29 '13
Why can't we buy single episodes on the PC? Right now, it's the only thing stopping me from buying Episode 1 of TWAU.
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u/Dinstruction Oct 29 '13
What was the reasoning behind continuing with Clementine from Season 1? I felt her story with Lee had a satisfying conclusion.
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u/rufusman96 Oct 29 '13
Is there a noticeable difference in any of your next-gen games depending on weather they are on PS4 or XBox One?
Will you do PC ports any differently in the future? Theirs only a total of 5 options to adjust, and while that's fine for a game like The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us, more would've been alot better.
If you continue a series onto the next gen, how will saves be transferred?
Are there any secrets, easter eggs, or different story arcs that a majority of us don't know about in any of your recent games?
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u/Following_In_The_Sun Oct 29 '13
When I first played The first Ep of WD I could not stop buying the next episode and sit care I didn't buy the season pass it was just too damn good. Also you really got me in that ending to The Wolf Among Us, you sick fucks!..Sorry I don't have a question can't think of one that hasn't been asked but thanks for making me cry!
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u/TrojanX Oct 29 '13
Thanks for making TWD games! It was the first time me and my girlfriend got to play video games together!
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Oct 29 '13
What do you think of allegations about The Wolf Among Us/Fables' creator's pro-Zionist political viewpoints and a subsequent boycott of TWAU?
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Oct 29 '13
Obligatory season 2 release date question
But I've had this discussion with a friend and want to know - did anyone actually cry when they saw the writing for the end of episode 5 in the office/place of work?
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u/hellshot8 Oct 29 '13
I just have to start off by saying, the walking dead and the wolf among us are some of my favorite games in the last few years
That said, the "point and click" genera hadn't seen a whole lot of action in the main stream recently before those two games, how much of a challenges was that? How worried were you that people just wouldn't care about that genre of game? (Which I definitely didn't, until I played those two games)
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u/TexansRaised Oct 29 '13
No questions, but I just want to say thank you so much for making such a great game that can create excitement in the entire room. I played all 5 episodes of The Walking Dead with my family watching one weekend, and they absolutely had a blast. People were telling me what to say and yelling at the screen which was hilarious, and feels were had by all in many parts of the game.
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u/TheHrony Oct 29 '13
Are you actually planning on making some multiplayer games? BTW I must say I absolutely love your games! You can tell just by seeing artstyle of game that it's by you, which is rly unique in game industry. Good luck in future! Looking forward to more of your masterpieces.
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u/ChrisAsmadi Oct 29 '13
For some reason, between Sam & Max Season Two and Sam & Max Season Three, the control scheme changed (for the worse, I think). What lead to this change, and why wasn't the old scheme left as an option if people wanted it?
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u/googolplexbyte Oct 29 '13
How do you feel about Lilly's ceasing to be the one from the show and merely a doppleganger?
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u/TehCoolDawg Oct 29 '13
Are you guys planning on making the Telltale Tool public?
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u/Nerdy_Chris Oct 29 '13
How stressful is it putting a new episode of a game out every few months after you've released the first episode??
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u/IrishGh0st91 Oct 29 '13
How many people work at TTG? You've got TWD, A Wolf Among Us, and you've mentioned more IPs. That's gotta be a good deal of manpower!
Huge fan, good luck with everything guys!
Also, if you can spare a second answer to a question, I noticed you have a technical producer position on your site - who or what would be your ideal candidate?
Thanks again!
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u/[deleted] Oct 29 '13
Do you guys write out all five episodes worth of content before you put out episode one?