WTF Research : TB & Genna Play Broken Age - Part 1

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Thanks to Kenshito for the awesome thumbnail! -- kenshito.devian...

[@GennaBain]

Broken Age is such an awesome game. Check out Part 1 of our Livestream from last night. Enjoy!

[@madgreenb]

I already watched most of the stream but now I can watch the beginning :D

[@JoriDiculous]

Thanks for uploading :) Already played Ep.1 of this, still will be fun watching (well, hearing) you two :)

[@Torthak]

Merak sounds like Rif Raf from Rocky Horror Picture Show.

[@blackbluenblazin]

I'd have to agree with Genna that there are people who'll watch the first episode of the game and then play the rest of it themselves - the best comparison I can make is reading spoilers for a TV show instead of watching the show (which sounds ludicrous). So what's the rationale for making a point-and-click game if it's essentially a movie with some clicking thrown in? Genna's point about sating natural curiosity is that you can't explore a movie and figure out the properties of the world that your character is moving around in, and that is novelty of the game medium in this situation. In this particular case, the storyline itself is so interesting that you hardly mind that there's only one of them. Broken Age and branching storyline games like The Witcher are trying to do very different things, both legitimate.

[@SmolBloof]

Jesse beat you guys to it c:

[@LDHulll]

That thumbnail is really well designed.

[@PirageYT]

D'aww genn you shouldn't have spoiled it for him, he was probably not gonna figure it out for another month or two.

[@woggie001]

And then there's the 5th group of people, who really suck at playing a type of game, but they want to come in contact with the story or dynamics of the game. So a Let's Play lets them watch the thing and enjoy the actions someone took because if they, themselves attempted to play, it would result in a frustrating experience.

[@SpencerS145]

Jmz Haz There's a 6th group, too; those who *cannot afford* to buy the game, but still want to expereince it, like in the case of some RPGs and in these kind of games. Some of these people in the 6th group feel it is not fair to be deprived of a game's content due to financial situation. I'm in the 6th group.

[@woggie001]

Medic! Steam sales would be for you, then. :)

[@SpencerS145]

Jmz Haz I wouldn't even be able to afford buying this on a steam sale; I'm just that poor.

[@woggie001]

I wait for the sales that bring the price below two dollars. You could maybe scrape together two bucks if you planned ahead. Put your hoped for games on a wish list and check it every so often.

[@woggie001]

Humble Bundle is another good place for getting games very cheap.

[@seacrest73]

omg this is the cutest thing I have ever watched in my entire life. it is so adorable. it's like an animated water color children's book with some snark and darkness. I LOVE IT!!! I want to pinch its cheeks. Such a creative storyline. I am going to explode from how adorable it is.

[@AusMasterProductions]

I love that TB and Genna do these kind of videos together. I absolutely adore you guys. You guys are the 1 in a million couple that are absolutely meant for each other. Hopefully one day I will get someone who I can do this kind of stuff with. :D

[@povgames]

The argument about the corset makes no sense no matter how you look at it; A corset is what you happen to have in the situation, and in most point and click games you must innovate ortherwise it would be far too obvious and I can image that TB would say the game babies you, for example, if you had a saddle or a collar to latch on to the bird... why would Vella just have a saddle or a collar on her? She wouldn't, it would have nothing to do with the situation, she had a corset and in that situation which looks better? a knife, a towel or a corset?

[@Ravashak]

I just had some weird experience: I clicked this video, watched a total of some 20 seconds of gameplay and spontaneously decided, that I was gonna buy the game. And then, after scrolling a little further, I found myself listening to you rambling about the pros and cons of Lets-Plays for like 10 minutes - you guys are just awesome :D

[@RobiePAX]

I think Genna you shouldn't have spoiled what was happening in the end for people. When I was playing for the first time I was under the theory that the wolf actually is working for the "mother" computer giving a false illusion that the Captain Sweetie was doing something more serious. You comment would have made me sad if I wouldn't have beaten it already.

[@Circenn]

You post "I think Genna you shouldn't have spoiled what was happening in the end for people." But then go on to spoil it in the comments for the people whom read comments before watching the video? So wrong.

[@RobiePAX]

Ankarus Thane diminishing returns effect. Either I will spoil it or Genna will... Also I only spoiled the fact that my original theory was not true, I didn't spoil the ending unlike Genna :)

[@TragicTopGun50]

RobiePAX "Genna spoiled it, so why can't I," call it what you want, that is all you are saying. In other words, you are acting like a child. Doesn't matter if your theory was wrong or not.

[@DM_Dad]

If you don't want it spoiled, why are you watching a play video? I am watching it because I'm with TB per his comment on his WTF that he'd rather watch than play this. I'm curious but haven't seen anything worth dropping money on.

[@DM_Dad]

***** But if you're watching a play rather than a review or his WTF series, you have to be prepared for Spoilers. Jenna didn't spoil anything you couldn't have figured out if you were paying attention to the details. And she didn't tell all of what was going on. What was left made me curious enough to buy it when it went on a big sale. I haven't played it yet though.

[@luckyeddie44]

Hug attacks, the bane of... Bain.

[@atreides213]

Totalbiscuit is the prettiest maiden sacrifice :)

[@Nintendude4life]

When the annotation says you may encounter some spoilers it means that Genna basically spoils the end of the game at one point. Basically, watch up to 57 minutes and you'll be fine because that's when she spoils it. c:

[@gennabain5712]

Spoils Act 1 of the game, perhaps. I think anyone who switches back and forth between the two characters could probably have put 2 and 2 together by the point where I "spoil" it. ;(

[@Nintendude4life]

Luckily I had played before I watched the stream, I had suspicions but the ending was still kind of a mind=blown moment for me and the others who were watching me play. Just thought I should warn people more specifically, you're still awesome Genna. :3

[@GennaBain]

Retcon Np. I felt horrible as well at the time of this stream and just after I said what I said I was like... awww fuuuuuu... I put in an imminent warning for spoilers again around 57 minutes in. I hope ppl heed it if they plan on playing.

[@tomc.7243]

I feel that the spoiler is actually something that people will be like "What a twist!" and may actually get people into playing the game because a spoiler without context isn't really all that valuable and if you were interested in the first place

[@Enke796]

Retcon Really? Connection between the stories wasn't really hard to notice.

[@Phobosinadamant]

Sam & Max: Hits the Road is still my favourite point and click, was playing it with my parents when I was in nursery

[@PurpleDerpy]

I feel like the title should be "TB Attempts to Find Logic in a Cute Cartoon Point-&-Click Game While Genna is the Only One Who Get's That it's Supposed to Be Cute" But I think that's a little long. How about "TB Overthinks Cartoon Game Logic, Genna is Smarter"

[@UmbraAtrox_]

to add to the discussion at about 52:00 i think tb is right but there is a 5th group of people. people like me who watch the game because like he said those games are, for some people, a better experience to watch. but (and here is the difference) buy the game because they enjoyed the story. for example gone home is a game i would never buy to play it because i rather play games with mechanics, but i did watch a lets play on youtube enjoyed the story and bought the game afterwards to support the developer.

[@StickyTank]

i want face to see TB and Genna on cam, together :D the difference between them has got to be hilarious :D

[@vissenekku]

You're talking about reaction LPs. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with interactivity. Blind LPs of Stanley Parable are gold because the game plays the player, and people want to see that.

[@KuraiKingdom]

"Stick my head right into it", "I'm sure he had his reasons!", "It could be a delayed fracture.". The amount of ideas and witty things characters say in this game, as well as the amazing environments and characters developed is just.... unbelievable. Just when I thought Schafer's previous games already approximated a peak. Just -genius-.

[@OmniChrome]

I love TB's amazing thought process and ideas.

[@ilDuderoni]

I actually loved how TB had turned his Portal 2 video into a large joke. Was one of the best laughs I've had. APPLES! APPLES!

[@MurraySwe]

Genna, you need to calm down. I'm starting to like your channel moreso than TB's. Your arguments with TB are so much fun. :)

[@TheGamingDroid9000]

Genna your attitude and personality always make the videos full of laughs :D Thank you for sharing

[@sitromxe9472]

TB perceives videogames as being sets of game mechanics slightly dressed up with stories... I perceive videogames as being narrative experiences which are manipulated through game mechanics... The key difference between us is the emphasis we place upon these two core elements of videogames... ... To me, the design competence and coherency of the world which a game is attempting to articulate takes precedence over the method through which I can interact with it... Further, games which value gameplay over story, or worse exclude story aspects altogether, fail to provide even a modicum of entertainment for me and I tire of them almost immediately... ... Elaborating further, from my perspective, such games are akin to rolling a six sided dice ten times, tallying up the score and then rolling again with the ambition of beating your previous score... Without the substance and context provided by a solid narrative gameplay ultimately lacks purpose, it's just hollow, repetitive, hopelessly trivial busy-work...

[@timothyholley2546]

You. I like you.

[@TheLastWanderingBard]

I know the comment is three years old, thus the chance of reply is slim, but I wonder what you (or anybody who agrees that story>mechanics) thinks of games that tell their story in a minimalist way. So things like Team Ico's games or FromSoftware's stuff. They by no means lack story but bury it deep within the game. Not going to type the rant out here (especially since I may not get a reply) but there is a lot to be said for that approach (particularly when it's done to the standard that Team Ico do it). But one thing that it definitely does is begin to blur the line between story and mechanics.

[@SLGS-productions]

Rewatching, rip and thanks for everything

[@thgsMASK]

this video has the most adorable thumbnail i have ever seen. whoever drew that. you got a little sigh from me :3

[@bindair_dundat]

I like the thumbnail (or whatever the hell that little picture is called) of the video. Creative.

[@Wertsir]

Oh genna, of course they have towels, for in the words of sir Douglas Adams: "A towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag discovers that a hitchhiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, washcloth, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet-weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitchhiker might accidentally have "lost". What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with."

[@popcioslav]

Something tells me that this will be my most favorite adventure game of all time.

[@manictiger]

TF2 has hats; this game has cereal.

[@Morec0]

I'm not even 30 seconds in and these two are ADORABLE TOGETHER!

[@Vodhr]

I did watch it, and I did buy the game. Will probably not play it. But I have enough disposable income , and I feel the game provided enough entertainment for the asked price. Even if I were not the one playing. To bad not everyone can, or will do that.

[@underlord2132]

Well, you'll get the rest when it comes out ( I think ), so theres that. Could be a reason to play it.

[@Vodhr]

underlord2132 Why? It's still a point-and-click which remains better watched then played in my case.

[@MrPicklesAndTea]

For the record, I bought the game after watching it on KZbin, didn't know it existed, watched it, bought it. Basically I'm defending lets plays right now because I make lets plays myself(.... I'm a lazy bugger about making videos though x.x)

[@Enke796]

1st episode of Jesse's Broken Age let's play got 105k, 53k people stick with him till the end. We have no idea how many of those 53k are legitimate "lost sales" and not just beautiful butterflies or dumb-dumbs (like me), who couldn't solve a puzzle to save their lives and just enjoyed puzzle-free experience.

[@talahar123]

One minute in, "It's a good game, people should buy it..." Genna, you are one efficient youtuber! :D

[@GennaBain]

Thanks! Just wanted to get that in before TB poured his bias against point & click games onto everyone.

[@Durzaka]

they got Genna properly mic'd. I am so happy.

[@shaneclifton7379]

As a person focused on world-building in games above all else, watching a Let's Play of Broken Age (Yogs Hannah) for the first few episodes convinced me to buy the game when I otherwise wasn't going to. Then after I finished it I watched the rest of Hannah's playthrough. Then I watched Jesse Cox's playthrough. The minimal interactivity of controlling a character makes a narrative game worlds apart from a movie.

[@dalannar]

Thank you for uploading this. I love these, and I can't watch the streams, so I wish you would upload them all. I know you want the money from the subscribers but I think you wouldn't lose many of them.

[@LilyStarflame]

Primordia is a point-and-click that has meaningful choices for the story experience. And you can do some things in different ways.

[@VsRawr]

I think it's less of a problem that the logic in point and clicks doesn't work or make sense, and more just a personal logic problem.... Most point and clicks require what I'd call a certain "mindset". It's the same mindset that a game like say Antichamber requires... You have to be able to look outside the visual box, or sometimes be able to look right into that box... They just require a different way of thinking that a lot of people have a hard time acquiring... :) Least that's my personal opinion.. :)

[@VsRawr]

Drax Quin Personally I believe a lot of people(like me) aren't the type that simply rub every X on Y until it works, nor go through every option looking for the correct one... At least when I play point and clicks(like let's say The Cat Lady) everything seems to go together with a lot of sense and I find myself immediately figuring out what to do based on the logic that is specific to that game... After a few puzzles you sort of get the jyst of how things tend to fit together(whether sensical or nonsensical) and the rest usually follow the same logistics.... Every logic in any game is learn-able, whether or not it would make sense out of that specific context... Like you said, because a brute force works just as well as a logical, calculated one, you think it defeats the purpose... But the people who are just brute forcing their way through, aren't really the people or demographic these games are really aimed towards.... Antichamber is an odd puzzle game because, yes, they start to train your mind and you start to learn what the logic is, but as soon as you do, they flip back to the old way of thinking and then you are again lost because the way you've been thinking and approaching it has changed again....(which is probably why it's one of my favourites.) A good point and click, in my opinion should be fairly solvable without too much difficulty, or should create a moment of eureka(as in "I was way over thinking that") Going through Broken Age I didn't really have much trouble for the most part figuring out what to do, and a lot of it made sense to me.... just requires outside-the-box thinking sometimes and seeing objects as things other than what they literally are...(ie: using a corset as a harness) Even puzzle games as silly and nonsensical as Octodad have a fair logic in them for the most part and are often over-thought.... I do get your point though and I do agree that most to all games involve some kind of puzzle, I just think we're in different demographics of gamers :) And guess what? It's totally okay and fine xD

[@RobiePAX]

This game probably spent 90% of the budget on voice acting, because it's fucking amazing!

[@Revenante_of_Asylum]

"Well there's no heroic genius here." Do you mean that TB is not heroic, or not a genius? Or both?

[@SarahWeisters]

HUG ATTACK was SUPER EFFECTIVE!

[@darmus3524]

Just wanted to say that the thumbnail art is super cool!

[@Peepswhatup]

The thumbnail is great!

[@doctorwhosuperfan23]

I just realized the meaning of this game. Its that you can't have just danger or safety you need both. I mean look at the girl her family is gonna sacrifice her way to much danger and the boy as to do missions without an inch of danger way to much safety. And then they both break free because they only get one or the other that's why we need both.

[@Mr1Knut]

Knackered Time! The hints of Spenny accent were delicious.

[@Zackreaver]

I think the important thing about the discussion at the end to take note of. Even if there's potentially a lost sale from someone watching the games story on youtube instead of buying it and playing it themselves, by them watching the story they showed enough interest in the story that they wanted to have it entirely spoiled. Like genna mentioned, they could spread the word of their opinion toward the games story to their friends and spread the popularity by word of mouth. This whole action creates publicity for the game and also confidence in the developer's potential future work. This game was kickstarted, so other games made by this developer could potentially also get kickstarted as well because other people realize they liked the story even though they didn't buy the game, they might want to pay to see a new one. Fan loyalty can be a very powerful thing.

[@shotgunvsheart4751]

yes, but that doesn't result in more first month sales and that is all the big companies care abour, ship a shitty game that sells better then a well designed one the first month and the bugfix it afterwards... this approch combined with youtube does not inspire confidence so they hate youtube for something that is their fault.

[@rafagd]

Genna, I did the other way around (Vella -> Shay) and it kept the "AHA!" moment to the end of it all. Maybe you need to finish both storylines to get it.

[@Sephiko]

The spoon would've went on for quite a while if you let him talk.

[@Nerevaar]

The voice of the mother is actually the voice of fem shep ._.

[@Hwarming]

And Shay is Frodo.

[@SamurottofMinnesota]

And I'm pretty sure that "fun size" chick was played by Cree summers (I may or may not be thinking of the right person).

[@Stickarms99]

Lol TB's description of a good game story is exactly what Warcraft 3 Arthas campaign is

[@KleinerKokiri]

Well I can tell for a fact that Deadelic sells more copies of their games when someone popular does a Let's Play. One of their developers said that. So it's pretty clear it's a win-win situation. That's simply statistics. No need to argue here.

[@BrandonBlume]

What the heck she just blew the whole reveal for him!

[@commode7x]

I just realized that I'm completely of the fourth category. The only reason why I found this channel in the first place was because I wanted to see what TotalBiscuit thought of FTL. I went through and watched his WTF is videos of every game I've played, then some videos of interesting games I'd like to play, and then stumbled upon his wife's channel.

[@waterkoyje]

At first I thought they had Dodger there or in a call or something. Genna did a "Hi Guys" pretty good

[@mtechgaming4598]

"The 4 basic food groups of people...". Wow. I didn't know that TB was a cannibal.

[@Thunar7]

wow, john needs to play the myst series

[@Crimsen13]

those last five minutes of gameplay got me to buy it.

[@LordUzaki]

I feel like this would be a lot better if it was a movie rather than a video game.

[@MegaDaveo1]

I have watched literal entire games on KZbin. In fact, there are countless story-based games like this, The Walking Dead and Life is Strange I've watched in their entirety over a long period of time. So yes, even if I am the only one, people like myself who watch these games do exist. Why? Because I'm able to legally and fully experience the game in its entirety in the company of my chosen KZbin personality for free.

[@JETWTF]

I agree with Genna more on the argument about point and click games, lets plays, and piracy. and I think Heroines Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok is a good example of one that supports her side. It is also an example of old school point and click games that are not rub X on Y to continue and that's it one playthrough and you saw everything. There are choices and character class changes the story. And Genna, you have a lovely voice and great sense of humor, TB and you make a great couple.

[@sullgass]

Argh! TB kept talking about waiting to hear dialogue and then he some how misses all the bonus dialogue with the spoon, which is the best one!

[@despadas]

awww Genna, you should have made him wait for all of the spoon's lines

[@Amgarrak]

Enjoying this wtf research. :)

[@troncek]

A hug attacked crashed the game? :)

[@dizzt19]

I love the Alien parody :D

[@Vodhr]

I am curious as to how the relationship between TB and Jessie really is. Because Jessie focuses heavily, if not only, on let's plays. His Broken Age let's play as an example. And TB even mentioned it in this video about heavily story based games such as this do spoil the game with little to add to the experience when used in Let's Plays.

[@popcioslav]

The only pretty bad thing about it is that Genna spoilers most of puzzles for TB, so he skips a lot of funny and great dialogue.

[@GlodChip]

Unlike some other p&cs this has pretty reasonable riddles overall, so that's not an excuse TB can make.

[@Ralfast]

I'm still waiting for the game to start.

[@jtsiomb]

The thing that adventure gamers, like me, look for in adventure games is: depth of characters, story telling, plot, and dialogue (essentially the same as in movies). But also imaginative puzzles, and the satisfaction of solving them. We would never watch an adventure game instead of playing it. That would greatly diminish the sense of exploration and achievement. And cut scenes are not pointless fluf for us, but reward for solving the puzzles and advancing the story. Having said all that, Broken Age act1, is not particularly heavy on the puzzles, and while I enjoyed playing it, I think it fails to have the impact of classic adventure games. The story seems good, but the puzzles are extremely easy and forgettable for the most part.

[@paolobarresi6215]

The Wolf sounds just like the rat from the movie "Fantastic Mister Fox"

[@tehownerer1547]

If this were in theaters, I would cough up $15 to see it.

[@leilahnicki2111]

Look, the point and click adventure has always been very story focused, that is what makes them appealing. You complain that the games are too basic but you forget that this is what makes them attractive. The type of person who avoids buying a game by watching the gameplay was never gonna buy the game anyway, they aren't invested enough to consider it. P&C has a very caring community that will support any good P&C's anyway that they can, i wouldn't worry about KZbin ruining them.

[@Ave117]

I really had to facepalm when Genna told TB about that AHA Moment and just right after that she spoils it....Come on. Its really Hearbreaking to see such an Awesome twist get spoiled :(

[@DM_Dad]

I'm with TB that I'd rather watch than play. I'd gladly play, but not enough to buy it. However, I think they did a good job of making the subtle mirrors between the two stories.

[@EntropieEfemera]

wow,the thumbnail is looking pretty good😉

[@defosh369]

Ok, who else watched the thingy in the middle as TB was speaking somewhere from 44:30 or 45:25 and noticed thay do align quite nicely? It is kinda funny I must say. I actually had quite a giggle out of this.

[@xandermagne2141]

Huh, Elijah Wood being put in weird situations by a humanoid doglike friend. Haven't seen that before.

[@Zei33]

TB, I watched Jesse's lets play for 15 episodes and was like, fuck it I'll buy it.

[@demigee394]

When are they releasing part 2 of Knackered Time? Also will you guys be doing part 2?

[@EbonMaster]

As far as point and click logic goes, this game made more sense that I thought it would... but less sense that hoped it would.

[@PurpleDerpy]

Probably because it's a cartoon and logic shouldn't really apply

[@EbonMaster]

PurpleDerpy Like I said it made more sense than point and click adventure games tend to make but there were still parts where the solution was basically one that you had to stumble upon by random chance instead of actually figuring it out and as far as video games go that's poor design imo. There were only one or two parts like that in though so I can definitely forgive it. P.S. Its a game, not a cartoon.

[@PurpleDerpy]

EbonMaster "It's a game, not a cartoon." That doesn't mean shit. It's a cartoon game. Okay so you're telling me if a Looney Toons game was made, Bugs Bunny hitting Elmer Fudd on the head would kill him forever and he would be officially and canonically dead. Okay. Also, I need an example of "stumbling" upon the solution by random chance.

[@EbonMaster]

PurpleDerpy I think you missed the point completely. I have no problem with people walking on clouds or trees talking or people falling hundreds of feet and being perfectly fine (all of which happens in this game). My problem lies with situations like when you talk with the mayor and the the only way to get him to give you his hat is to pick the choice in his dialogue options that makes the least amount of sense. iirc the game never hints that he's the type of person to respond to that the way he did which if the solution is that silly, I feel that it should.

[@PurpleDerpy]

EbonMaster That's not exactly random chance it's just silly.

[@SirWarkwark]

I bought Bioshock Infinet after watching half with Jesse's lp. Then I complited it, and later watched the rest of the lp. And of course Jesse found more content and had other thoughts than me. Had full jackpot!

[@samwightman1]

Can someone link to where I can buy the discworld point and click??? I have never played it but read tonnes of the books and wanna try it, but it's hard to find...

[@jeffreyhoon]

After listening to TB talk, I've drawn the conclusion that... TB is more of an action gamer, those that prefers dynamic to the story and not really a casual gamer that takes the time to listen to the story on their own as he would rather just watch other people play it.

[@junaidi2]

That is true. He mentioned in the Dead Island first impressions that he prefers game mechanics over game's story. Brothers A Tale of Two Sons is a rare gem in which TB likes it for the story I think. He hates puzzle games and that game is his game of the year. So that means the story has to be something to pique TB's interest.

[@eewweeppkk]

It's not come up in a long time, but a LOT of TB's early gaming was fighting games like Street Fighter and mortal kombat.

[@BlakeFaeMorton]

Here's the point were I agree with TB, and my thoughts on how to critique point and click in general. As a general gamer, I feel I'm excluded from the genre these games are focused towards. I did like Myst because the puzzles were hard and atmosphere good. Nancy Drew games also actually did feel like legit puzzles I was solving. I got that experience of putting two and two together sometimes. Series is hit and miss on how good each one is. I will say if you like game over screens from deathtraps and I think maybe even some mildly locked content that does have them. If I had the money and time I would probably play Telltale games. And I'm fine with normal games having some point and click sidequests or elements. I even suggested that to a Dev on SW:TOR. The problem is that those still have higher elements to them, and I think the normal point and click market doesn't want higher elements. Honestly, from what I have seen a modern Telltale game has more in common with a branching RPG than a point and click. It's the RPG with the combat ripped out and that's hard to argue with given that a lot of those games have horrible combat.* But, I get the feeling that's not really what the target audience wants. It's like those older people that play solitaire all the time. You have one or two that's serious about it, but form watching my own mother I started to notice they are just mashing things together till they get a reward. It's just a brainless task to relax. As "serious gamers," for want of a better phrase, we are way past that in some respects. I'm sure some of us type of people like to rewind with something mindless, but as a core experience we want a challenge. That's why I am addicted to HALO of all things. It actually gives a challenge right from the start with variable AI no BS and good difficulty scaling that never gets spongy aside from the mini-bosses and that's kinda refreshing. So really, I think you just have an audience that wants something, kinda weird for a "core gamer" to look at. It's bad, so you have to kinda accept that this is a different logic and then critique it from there. I like what Genna said that it should never be so hard you look it up. I mean, I don't mind the idea of wiki games like Pokemon and Minecraft, but it seems completely counter intuitive to the audience of people not really wanting to be quite that involved. Other things I would look at would probably be how cute the puzzle is if that makes sense. What's the subject matter? How do items interact when you put them together? It's like, does this make me feel almost like I petted a kitty? If I'm invested is this giving the Nintendogs type of audience something to coo over? Am I helping a character I intrinsically like? Do I want to hear more about them? Is the puzzle making me dislike them and distracting from the cutey movie experience? Of course, no all Point and Clicks have to have "cute" as their theme, but I think that's probably one of the best emotions to target. Others can work, like is this rad? Do I feel rad imagining I'm somehow involved past the superficial veneer? I think probably the worst way to go would be a classic Point and Click with a dark atmosphere. Walking Dead as a fail till you succeed Point and Click? Oh nononono. Please no. Watching Hannah during the needles scene was bad enough and I swear if I had the cash and bought that game there would be many more stereotypical girlish shrieks in my future. Eeek. Like I said, you probably want some Nintendogs or Pokemon-Amie type stuff. Strong animations, strong characters, less ugly Pokemon like Emboar and more attractive stuff like Ninetales, ect and so on. Of course, you could just watch it as a movie and I would rather do that, but I think some people do want that thin veneer of being, "active." It helps to have background or optional side stuff that's also really cool. I distinctly remember a lot of Humongous Entertainment's games I played as a kid nailing that bang on the head with dumb junk like being able to take your taking car to get painted or screw around with the pointless minigame forever. Those were just fun and I honestly haven't seen enough of that in this video. *Let's take KoTOR as a case study: Great story. The combat? Absolute balls. KoTOR could be forgiven somewhat because the character building for combat was actually pretty good because it was nicked from DnD, It wasn't fantastic because skills couldn't directly effect combat, mechanics like Bluffing would have been nice, there just weren't enough feats, and absolutely no reason on earth to switch between the different combat attack feats. None at all. You get the ones for free with your class and that's it. Yet, on the flip side its still a lot better for nicking from DnD than the vast majority of pre-fab builds with small stat changes and maybe a neat effect. I understand they are there so players don't screw up and make a bad build, but sometimes it's bloody fun to have the option to make a bad build or to make a build which makes something horrid great. SW:TOR probably should've decided between saying screw the casuals or catered to them by not having trinity BS instead of trying to have its cake and eat it too. In a sense, Telltale is making that decision which is smart. I can appreciate that. I probably will never love them as much as KoTOR II, all praise to Chris Avellone and curse his holy name for making XP of all things explained by the plot, but still it seems like a nice experience. Wow, I put way too much into that.

[@JetSetAlchemyst]

I wonder if this bowl is as sick of cereal as I am.

[@TheShadow7771]

TB made the criticism that point-and-click gameplay is just filled with gratuitous rubbing of items on other items and don't allow for enough player agency. It reminded me of an article written by Yahtzee about adventure games that says a similar thing, but provides an example of how such a game can reward critical thinking on the part of the player: www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/10959-The-Magic-of-Old-Adventure-Games

[@GeorgeGrekOFF]

You two are great :) i hope for more

[@ardbug9577]

Damn I can't watch this, I still haven't played it :)

[@qrowz1366]

i think that Vela's little sister is adorable x3

[@Brainbread]

Last group of people! People who bought the game, but were so frustrated with gameplay that they watch an LP of it instead. Like me.

[@BrisingrFan55]

On the idea of Let's Plays = lost sales. I typically try to watch things I have no intention of buying for that reason. If I end up watching something like this that I hadn't heard of, but started wanting to buy, and I watch the entire thing, I sometimes still buy it. If I see that a game is incredibly good, I try and buy it just to support the devs. It's the same reason I bought the Electronic Super Joy soundtrack even though it's super easy to get on KZbin, it was worth the money even if I didn't have to give it.

[@cynicalbrit]

Yeah but the thing about Electronic Super Joy is it has no story, you buy it because you enjoy the soundtrack and you want to play the game. Lets Plays = Lost sales only really applies when 1) The game sucks and the Lets Play makes that clear or 2) The game is so heavily story-driven that you can have an equivalent experience by simply watching videos of it rather than playing it

[@BrisingrFan55]

TotalBiscuit, The Cynical Brit I fully agree with that, but my point is that I bought the game for the soundtrack because I thought it was good, even though I often watch the soundtrack on KZbin. The free item was the soundtrack (which I bought anyway), not the story. There is a bit of a fifth group, the people who see something really good, and even if they don't need to pay for the experience, they will anyway. That would be the ideal, but I'm sure there aren't many people like that. Also, now I feel a little internet famous. :D

[@dayman888]

They didn't lose any sales here. It's really cool though!

[@calibanrockz]

"Use the spoon" - There is no spoon!

[@Vetis213]

ever played Rama? amazing point and click, until you have to do maths in base 8 and base 16.

[@cixxar]

Regarding your comments of the genre - you should play the old Sierra games - where you can die - still point and click BUT you can get permanently stuck if you use the wrong things or forget them and such.

[@JDGansGaming]

When TB was making the groups of different people who watch lets plays, maybe not for this game, but could do another group of people who have boughten the game get stuck and watch a lets play to get unstuck. Hell I've boughten games cause I've seen others play on KZbin, including "Long Live the Queen"

[@Crimsen13]

so around 50 minutes in im sitting here and listening to tb trying to convince me to watch the game instead of playing it. i want to get it but i mean it would take me 2 extra hours to download it.

[@kshadehyaena]

That really is a nice thumbnail.

[@duncanelliff4394]

It is damn awesome indeed!