PC Hopes and Worries about the Telltale Closure and Future of Console Edition

[skillz_over_9000]

What??? They sold the console rights to TT. If you really truly think they couldn't do the PC version without console you are crazy. They have sold more copies on PC to do what they have been doing without console. You really truly have no clue what you are talking about based on several of your comments so say what you want I'm done talking about it with you. Have a good one.

No i really think it is you who are clueless if you are trying to argue TFP didnt gain large sums of money off the port. Money which was used to further the pc development. Pc would not be where it was based only on the kick stater and sales they had. Until 2016 when the port happened the games was a relative unknown without any real backing. To that end the massive updates within a year of that deal are the changes which largely shaped the game and brought in the fan base. The addition of traps, electricity, alpha 15, 16 etc all happened within a year of the port....coincidence TFP suddenly pushed massive updates frequently after that or the result of cash influx you decide

 

[SylenThunder]

No i really think it is you who are clueless if you are trying to argue TFP didnt gain large sums of money off the port. Money which was used to further the pc development. Pc would not be where it was based only on the kick stater and sales they had. Until 2016 when the port happened the games was a relative unknown without any real backing. To that end the massive updates within a year of that deal are the changes which largely shaped the game and brought in the fan base. The addition of traps, electricity, alpha 15, 16 etc all happened within a year of the port....coincidence TFP suddenly pushed massive updates frequently after that or the result of cash influx you decide

This post again? Maybe you missed my other response.

No and we dont really need them? It's dumb to assume TFP didnt see any profit from the console sales and no matter what percentage that may have been the fact is they used to it further pc development. If its 1% or 70% the money was spent to develop a product other than the product the sales were generated from. For the pure sake of argument lets say they sold 1 million copies on ps4 and a million on xbox at a conservative $10 a copy (way below the $29.99 tag it came out with). Even at 1% that means they had a profit of $200,000. Is anyone seriously going to argue that with even a 1% sale revenue TFP couldnt have worked towards finishing the console versions?

Actually you do if you want to support your argument.

Let's take a gander.

30% of sales to MS and Sony. This is a known number.

5-10% of sales to TFP for licensing. (Unknown, but pretty common amount)

50% of sales to Iron Galaxy to fund development. (Again, unknown. We know it's not cheap though.)

Remaining 10-15% goes to Telltale profits.

Now, you can also argue that that small % that went to TFP, was used to pay for the support they gave IG in developing the console version. It also could have covered legal fees, and other things regarding the console version itself.

You can't just assume that it directly supported PC development. You can guarantee that it's not enough to cover finishing the console versions.

Which lets be fair, is something TFP have said that they want to do. There are some issue with doing that though, and they've given you a heads up about it.

You guys seem to forget that they are still working on solving this issue. You're all treating it as if TFP said it's the end, for which they most certainly did not.

You keep showing that you quite obviously have no clue about how things really went down, how things work, or have much of a grasp on reality.

You're just making things up to suit your agenda.

Knock it off.

 

[irjvik]

Hello.

Here is my personal point of view, hopes & worries included !

What I read in TFP news :

The Fun Pimps have re-acquired full console publishing rights

Great news !!!

…and we do not have the resources or expertise to do ports/updates to the console

Bad news, but not unexpected. TFP is neither Electronic Arts nor Activision in size and resources.

... we have to evaluate the expense and risk of porting any future versions of the game to consoles relative to the income it could generate.

It seems very logical and expected.

They have a way to "evaluate the risk" : open a poll topic on this forum asking who will be interested in buying a future version of 7DTD. Although incomplete, full of lost promises, they would have a gross idea of their future customers.

Full console ports cost into the millions of dollars

Err, with Electronic Arts as a porting company perhaps, but there are plenty cheaper console companies doing ports.

Anyway, using 3rd party partners is always very expensive, and there are right to be cautious.

With Sony and Microsoft, no matter how small, any update has to go through a rigorous testing/submission process.

They forgot Nintendo with the Switch, but a zombie-survival game is more fit for Sony/Microsoft consoles and customers.

Anyway, there are 100% right, those two are pityless on QA testing.

In summary as I personally see this news :

For TFP --> It's good news, at least TFP bring their baby back home. Now they have to decide what's next.

For 7DTD players --> Just sit (err, play current 7DTD) and wait, something will eventually emerge now FTP owns the rights back.

Thank you for having read my post.

 

[Acidspittingemu]

Everyone on console was waiting on an update that TT promised.

This is something else that confuses me. If Telltale, as the original console publishers, promised an update, isn't there a legal (or at least moral) obligation to uphold that promise? Now that Telltale has been necroed back into existence, shouldn't they be held responsible for at least one further console update? Regardless of whether or not it's technically the same company, by taking on the name "Telltale", they've taken on the previous company's baggage, imo. Telltale made promises, not just to TFP, but to the players of this game, and I think they should have to follow through with those promises. Even though TFP have the rights back now, the "new" Telltale should still be held accountable for their "old" screwups. In the past, I have bought quite a few Telltale games (7D2D, TWD, Batman, etc.), but I can guarantee that I'll never buy another one. If the "new" Telltale wants to wipe out the bad name that the company currently has, following through with old promises for the sake of the customer, regardless of cost, would be a damn fine way to show it.

 

[irjvik]

If Telltale, as the original console publishers, promised an update, isn't there a legal (or at least moral) obligation to uphold that promise?

Only a written contract is a legal promise and can be enforced by a judge. Everything else is pure chit-chat.

 

[crazywildfire]

Only a written contract is a legal promise and can be enforced by a judge. Everything else is pure chit-chat.

That and also the fact they did bankrupt so would matter if they are back or not.... I made a promise to make my credit card payments on time but I failed and I went bankrupt. Now I'm back on my feet that doesn't mean I take back over those old debt that is what going bankrupt means. No different with a company that does bankruptcy. So no TT does not have to do anything at all no matter if at the time was written or chit chat promise.

 

[Acidspittingemu]

I guess I just don't like the fact that Telltale gets to screw over a small independent gaming company and well over 100,000 customers and get away with it scot-free, with their "bankrupted" company still intact, even. I feel like there should be some compensation for their inadequacies somehow.

 

[irjvik]

should would be a moral conduct, alas in business the only moral is : earn money at any cost.

Don't dream ...

 

[HungryZombie]

I guess I just don't like the fact that Telltale gets to screw over a small independent gaming company and well over 100,000 customers and get away with it scot-free, with their "bankrupted" company still intact, even. I feel like there should be some compensation for their inadequacies somehow.

I don't think it's the same company now. Someone aquired the name and assets I think.

 

[SylenThunder]

I don't think it's the same company now. Someone aquired the name and assets I think.

Yeah basically. This isn't the same company at all. It's a totally different entity that is just using the same name and has rights to most of the titles from the previous company. The new Telltale is extremely removed from the old Telltale.

 

[Ralco]

It's been almost a year since anyone even cared to talk about the future of this game. Developer or player. That tells you where it's at. The console version is dead, sure we still play, but on the development side it's most certainly a corpse. I personally think they should try allowing modding on the console version, let the community make the updates. 

 

[meganoth]

It's been almost a year since anyone even cared to talk about the future of this game. Developer or player. That tells you where it's at. The console version is dead, sure we still play, but on the development side it's most certainly a corpse. I personally think they should try allowing modding on the console version, let the community make the updates. 

One of the TFP staff talked about console just a few weeks ago in one of the videos for Alpha19. I didn't see it, but I heard it didn't contain anything you haven't read here already.

 

[Ralco]

It was actually a bit worse than what's been said here, he essentially said they're going to release it as a new game on next gen consoles, and of all the ridiculous things hes ever said he expressed his desire to have crossplay...they cant even update a game on consoles why do they think they can manage crossplay?

 

[meganoth]

It was actually a bit worse than what's been said here, he essentially said they're going to release it as a new game on next gen consoles, and of all the ridiculous things hes ever said he expressed his desire to have crossplay...they cant even update a game on consoles why do they think they can manage crossplay?

The info that the game will only come to next-gen isn't new. That info is already in the age-old blog message (what may have changed is that any doubt this is the only course has vanished).

They don't need to manage crossplay on consoles, They need only to manage the half on PC, the other half will surely be done by the console developer doing the port.

 

[Laz Man]

It was actually a bit worse than what's been said here, he essentially said they're going to release it as a new game on next gen consoles, and of all the ridiculous things hes ever said he expressed his desire to have crossplay...they cant even update a game on consoles why do they think they can manage crossplay?

It was a miracle the A15 game even ran on current gen consoles.  Aside from costs, current gen is most likely dead due to any feature updates would most likely break game saves which is a no no in the sony/MS world.

 

[Ralco]

The info that the game will only come to next-gen isn't new. That info is already in the age-old blog message (what may have changed is that any doubt this is the only course has vanished).

They don't need to manage crossplay on consoles, They need only to manage the half on PC, the other half will surely be done by the console developer doing the port.

If they even decide to hire out ander for console again if they were going to then they would before next gen.

It was a miracle the A15 game even ran on current gen consoles.  Aside from costs, current gen is most likely dead due to any feature updates would most likely break game saves which is a no no in the sony/MS world.

Every update made us have to reset saves already how is it just now an issue? There was already another update in progress before telltale closed so that update alone would work and fix at least a few things. If they release the game again on next gen after a hard stop on support for the current gen that's a scummy move. Console is barely less than 10k average users behind pc and pc only beats console in player numbers directly after an update, whose actually supporting this game again? The people who only come back for an update or those who are 3 years without one and still beat out average pc players? If minecraft can run on a phone and have way more moving parts how can 7dtd not run on the current generation of consoles? This game literally runs worse than fallout 4. 

 

[meganoth]

If they even decide to hire out ander for console again if they were going to then they would before next gen.

Why should they make the same mistake again and have the game ported before it is finished? It was a near-desaster last time. Some people learn from mistakes.

 

[Laz Man]

Every update made us have to reset saves already how is it just now an issue? There was already another update in progress before telltale closed so that update alone would work and fix at least a few things. If they release the game again on next gen after a hard stop on support for the current gen that's a scummy move. Console is barely less than 10k average users behind pc and pc only beats console in player numbers directly after an update, whose actually supporting this game again? The people who only come back for an update or those who are 3 years without one and still beat out average pc players? If minecraft can run on a phone and have way more moving parts how can 7dtd not run on the current generation of consoles? This game literally runs worse than fallout 4. 

Your guess is as good as mine regarding save game breaking.  I was just quoting something Rick mentioned in one of the dev streams.  As far as stopping support for current gen being scummy...yeah it sucks but thats sorta the reality of things.  The console version was never intended to keep pace with the PC version if you ask me.

As far as supporters are concerned, its not a loyalty contest.  TFPs are a PC development house, it was Iron Galaxy and Telltale that did the porting to console.  As far as minecraft is concerned, the only things 7d2d has in common with it tech wise is the use of voxels but thats about it.  They don't even use the same game engines.  7d2d is far more complex and resource intensive then minecraft...

 

[Ralco]

Why should they make the same mistake again and have the game ported before it is finished? It was a near-desaster last time. Some people learn from mistakes.

Heres the issue, and alot of people are quick to say "it's not tfp its telltale" this game is now solely in tfps hands which means they cannot shift blame anymore. 

Your guess is as good as mine regarding save game breaking.  I was just quoting something Rick mentioned in one of the dev streams.  As far as stopping support for current gen being scummy...yeah it sucks but thats sorta the reality of things.  The console version was never intended to keep pace with the PC version if you ask me.

As far as supporters are concerned, its not a loyalty contest.  TFPs are a PC development house, it was Iron Galaxy and Telltale that did the porting to console.  As far as minecraft is concerned, the only things 7d2d has in common with it tech wise is the use of voxels but thats about it.  They don't even use the same game engines.  7d2d is far more complex and resource intensive then minecraft...

I was never asking it to keep pace with the pc version simply wishing they wouldnt have even tried, yeah fine updates are great but every update hurt the game worse, sadly I'm not sure how much of what the dev's say can be trusted after how they handled the news about the game rights. They held onto the info until after an update dropped likely to hide behind the uptick in players so they can say "the game is just more popular on pc" most games dont do massive overhauls so I cant say one way or the other if this is true. My comparison to minecraft was intentional yeah the graphics are better on 7dtd but minecraft was made by one dude and changed hands twice after that, the game has far more in terms of content and again runs on a phone on its latest version, people are quick to say the issue is with the consoles but far more intensive games run just fine on them, the issue is with the engine not the system I mean come on ARK can run on consoles, dayz was ported, yet this game of all games just somehow gets a pass for not being able to run, also looking at where the consoles are right now graphically they aren't too intense.

 

[meganoth]

Heres the issue, and alot of people are quick to say "it's not tfp its telltale" this game is now solely in tfps hands which means they cannot shift blame anymore. 

This doesn't answer my question. I didn't dispute that they are now at the helm. Why should the do the same mistake again and start a port to console before having a finished game on PC?

I was never asking it to keep pace with the pc version simply wishing they wouldnt have even tried, yeah fine updates are great but every update hurt the game worse, sadly I'm not sure how much of what the dev's say can be trusted after how they handled the news about the game rights. They held onto the info until after an update dropped likely to hide behind the uptick in players so they can say "the game is just more popular on pc" most games dont do massive overhauls so I cant say one way or the other if this is true. My comparison to minecraft was intentional yeah the graphics are better on 7dtd but minecraft was made by one dude and changed hands twice after that, the game has far more in terms of content and again runs on a phone on its latest version, people are quick to say the issue is with the consoles but far more intensive games run just fine on them, the issue is with the engine not the system I mean come on ARK can run on consoles, dayz was ported, yet this game of all games just somehow gets a pass for not being able to run, also looking at where the consoles are right now graphically they aren't too intense.

It does not matter on which platform the game is more popular, like Laz Man said. TFP is a PC developer, their knowledge is in PC development. They will not do the port themselves.

Therefore even if they had to say "the game is more popular on console" it would not matter. They would still finish the PC version. As owners of the company and IP they could ignore console even if the PC version only had 1 player and the console version 1 million players. Please find a better conspiracy theory, this one isn't really good.

Minecraft looks blocky and like crap. When 7D2D in alpha1 was still blocky and looking like crap it probably could be played on relatively low-end PCs. I could play A15, the version similar to the console version, on my old PC in full HD with 80 FPS (while the console is at 30FPS for that version). The same old PC can not run A19 even with all graphical settings turned low at full HD with more than single digit FPS. I bought a new PC last year because of 7D2D. It is easy to see it can't work.

7D2D is by far the most sophisticated voxel game with voxels fully down to bedrock. To play A19 fluidly you need relatively current hardware with an SSD and 16G RAM.

Which game (except for maybe Star Citizen), would you say, is more intensive than 7D2D? I show you both side by side on a PC with max settings and I guarantee you 7D2D will have lower FPS. Whether that is because of the developers, the engine or the sophisticated voxel world doesn't matter, it won't fit on the current gen consoles.