There are a few explanations to Tim's early success.
More than a name or a franchise, it's both a legacy and a whole genre that people were backing. He knocked the ball out of the park on so many occasions that over time he became the embodiment of this dying genre. The idea of his second coming surely appealed to many gamers who were touched by his games for over a decade.
I don't think the boys over at Access ever received full credit for their influence. I say this purely as a gamer, not as a fan. It's true that this campaign will strictly be one to resurrect Tex, not a rallying call for the guys. To non-industry people, their names can't be that well-known.
Besides appealing to fans who never truly forgot, they will need to find new gamers as well. The key to this, I believe, is to sell an experience. This is especially complicated because they probably have nothing to show for right now of the new project, and can't use the old material. 1998 is just painfully too far behind to showcase to a new audience, no matter how advenced the experience was back then. If you haven't played games in the 90's you can't possibly understand what was so unique about their franchise.
The only thing that can hit a new gamer in the face is how unique the experience would be, by today's standards. They have to be as much awed by the game now as we were in 1994.
The good news is that the table is fully set for a true cinematic experience. A game like Uncharted impresses gamers and the press alike, and yet the experience is far behind what you could get from playing Pandora, or Deus Ex. Arkham City, which was the closest thing to an old school experience I've played in years, has proven this by achieving overwhelming success.
More than a name or a franchise, it's both a legacy and a whole genre that people were backing. He knocked the ball out of the park on so many occasions that over time he became the embodiment of this dying genre. The idea of his second coming surely appealed to many gamers who were touched by his games for over a decade.
I don't think the boys over at Access ever received full credit for their influence. I say this purely as a gamer, not as a fan. It's true that this campaign will strictly be one to resurrect Tex, not a rallying call for the guys. To non-industry people, their names can't be that well-known.
Besides appealing to fans who never truly forgot, they will need to find new gamers as well. The key to this, I believe, is to sell an experience. This is especially complicated because they probably have nothing to show for right now of the new project, and can't use the old material. 1998 is just painfully too far behind to showcase to a new audience, no matter how advenced the experience was back then. If you haven't played games in the 90's you can't possibly understand what was so unique about their franchise.
The only thing that can hit a new gamer in the face is how unique the experience would be, by today's standards. They have to be as much awed by the game now as we were in 1994.
The good news is that the table is fully set for a true cinematic experience. A game like Uncharted impresses gamers and the press alike, and yet the experience is far behind what you could get from playing Pandora, or Deus Ex. Arkham City, which was the closest thing to an old school experience I've played in years, has proven this by achieving overwhelming success.
Part-Time Nomad
Hi all.
Love the enthusiasm, but figured I'd weigh in on this issue since it was brought to my attention. I also know that Jack Allin guy pretty well (what with him being me
), and can state emphatically that any advertising by Jane Jensen has no bearing on anything else done at AG. We go to great lengths to separate business and editorial, but since ultimately you either accept that on faith or don't, I won't go on about it.
The drop to #3 on our Hype-o-Meter really isn't about names either. Both Jane and Access are genre legends on pretty equal footing in that regard. What you need to remember is that our Hype-o-Meter is a fluid, here-and-now reflection of current buzz as we see it. We're totally stoked about a new Tex, but the fact is that in the past month or so there's been infinitely more hype about Jane's new game, for obvious reasons. The #2 ranking reflects that. As soon as more concrete details about next-Tex start coming, and/or the Kickstarter campaign gets going, then it's back in the news and may very well reclaim #2. No conspiracies needed; just common sense reasoning.
More importantly, we're already planning our first feature article on the new Tex (free of charge, even!
), so it's not like we're ignoring it or undermining it in any way, even while we're "demoting" it on the list. We've always been big supporters of the series, and although the game may slide around a bit on the HoM over time (as most games tend to do), we'll certainly be doing more than our fair share of covering the game.
Love the enthusiasm, but figured I'd weigh in on this issue since it was brought to my attention. I also know that Jack Allin guy pretty well (what with him being me
), and can state emphatically that any advertising by Jane Jensen has no bearing on anything else done at AG. We go to great lengths to separate business and editorial, but since ultimately you either accept that on faith or don't, I won't go on about it. The drop to #3 on our Hype-o-Meter really isn't about names either. Both Jane and Access are genre legends on pretty equal footing in that regard. What you need to remember is that our Hype-o-Meter is a fluid, here-and-now reflection of current buzz as we see it. We're totally stoked about a new Tex, but the fact is that in the past month or so there's been infinitely more hype about Jane's new game, for obvious reasons. The #2 ranking reflects that. As soon as more concrete details about next-Tex start coming, and/or the Kickstarter campaign gets going, then it's back in the news and may very well reclaim #2. No conspiracies needed; just common sense reasoning.
More importantly, we're already planning our first feature article on the new Tex (free of charge, even!
), so it's not like we're ignoring it or undermining it in any way, even while we're "demoting" it on the list. We've always been big supporters of the series, and although the game may slide around a bit on the HoM over time (as most games tend to do), we'll certainly be doing more than our fair share of covering the game.
Hey Jack, thank you so much for taking the time to come and comment! You run a nice tight ship over there, and I'm very glad that you will be spotlighting our hero in the days to come. I hope all of these new adventure projects are funded, there's plenty of room at the table for all.
Hugs and again thanks!
Jen
PS Frank, we don't know that they don't have anything to show. My impression from the Gamers UK article was that they had been working on the game. I could be wrong, but I think they'll have some goods to parade around come launch time.
Hugs and again thanks!
Jen
PS Frank, we don't know that they don't have anything to show. My impression from the Gamers UK article was that they had been working on the game. I could be wrong, but I think they'll have some goods to parade around come launch time.
they better show something. like cub did, but not the intro - maybe pre-rendered prototype gameplay video - that would definitely spark the interest and distinguish tex from schafer and jensen projectsFrank wrote:The key to this, I believe, is to sell an experience. This is especially complicated because they probably have nothing to show for right now of the new project
but if it`s too complicated - links to show-reels of to-be-used technology stuff (like sai`s and cub`s here) won`t harm also
I've got to admit it-- although I've played and liked some, I don't like Adventure Games all that much. ( 
)
Like I state in my Teximonial, I think that it's heart that really set the Tex series apart. Corny, I know. It was being made by people who loved what they were doing, and you could see it.
If it wasn't for Chris, I would've forgotten about Tex. To me, he is Tex Murphy; There was a Tex before the games, after all. Which is why I least want a low-budget film or something else if the game doesn't pan out. Doug's son can make Lego videos. I'd watch Lego Tex Murphy, wouldn't you?
Yeah, happy thoughts. I gotta think happy thoughts...
) Like I state in my Teximonial, I think that it's heart that really set the Tex series apart. Corny, I know. It was being made by people who loved what they were doing, and you could see it.
If it wasn't for Chris, I would've forgotten about Tex. To me, he is Tex Murphy; There was a Tex before the games, after all. Which is why I least want a low-budget film or something else if the game doesn't pan out. Doug's son can make Lego videos. I'd watch Lego Tex Murphy, wouldn't you?
Yeah, happy thoughts. I gotta think happy thoughts...
I wasn't quite fair in my statement. Considering the head start they gave themselves, and the fact that they have been working on Project Fedora for much longer than this sudden Kickstarter game outburst, surely they have something to show for. I just don't know how prepared they were for an actual video showcase before Tim showed up and changed the deal for everyone.PS Frank, we don't know that they don't have anything to show. My impression from the Gamers UK article was that they had been working on the game. I could be wrong, but I think they'll have some goods to parade around come launch time.
Their initial video was amusing, but its main purpose was to excite the nostalgic. Chris showing up at the end, and the green screen image leak is proof enough of this, and it certainly did the job. This new video, it has to entice others. People who may hear of the campaign, but do not know the household name. In that regard, I don't know what they have to show for. Nothing short of an actual experience will do the trick, hence the comment.
We know they truly understand gaming experience however, so I'm quite hopeful they will come up with something good. Now I just have two more weeks to kill!
Part-Time Nomad
Moebius looks great from what's been shown so far, speaking as someone who hasn't played any of Jane's games beyond the Gabriel Knight series. I'm hoping that if a kickass Kickstarter page is made for the Tex Murphy project then similarly a new Tex Murphy game will be looking great to a good amount of people, including those who haven't played any of Chris & Aaron's other games.
Great post Jack, awesome to hear somethings in the works.
Great post Jack, awesome to hear somethings in the works.
(Ruri_Ayanami from the old Tex Murphy ezboard).
"I don't believe in intuition, don't know why... just a feeling." - Tex Murphy
"I don't believe in intuition, don't know why... just a feeling." - Tex Murphy