CecilRousso
Member
I think it would be very strange for a fan of the genre to hold a puzzle from GK3 against this kickstarter. Point&click fans really can´t afford to be THAT picky.
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Jane Jensen's Pinkerton Road Kickstarter project [Ended, $435K funded]
- Thread starter =GabrielKnight=
- Start date
CecilRousso
Member
First $10 000 backer for the project. 
Would be great to know who it is.
Would be great to know who it is.CecilRousso
Member
Maybe they can tone down the kids game they include, but other than that, I think it´s a pretty good page actually. Their problem is getting more people to visit it.
Is she on twitter? If not, she should get on that and try to get her friends in the industry to tweet about it. So far, every kickstarter and/or adventure game maker I follow seem to have ignored it.
Spectacular Dr Dawg
Member
Yeah that's wierd. I expected Fargo or Schafer to tweet about it.
Signing up for Kicking It Forward might gain them some plublicity at least.
Versipellis
Member
First update: more info about the firts two concepts (the third one will be online tomorrow). Nice!
Moebius > GM2
Moebius > GM2
CecilRousso
Member
Moebius sounds interesting, but I still want the Gray Matter sequel before that.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
It's funny when you look at the GK series as representative of the adventure game medium's evolution. 2d pixel art, FMV, 3d. It never really had a chance to get its groove in one format.
Versipellis
Member
I never tire of stating this. I really liked that interface: just the fact that you didn't have to wait for Gabriel to move from one point to another put it above other interfaces. It was "first person without being first person".
Dog Problems
Banned
Thanks for the info on that. I'll check out the links later on when I get more time, seem like good reads. I've tried going back to finishing the third game but at this point the incredibly dated 3D graphics put me off.
lol The third game bothers me but not enough to never support Jane again. Gray Matter, for me, more than made up for the disappointment that GK3 was.
"Game Concept B: Moebius"
Story: Malachi Rector is an antiquities dealer who hunts down artifacts all over the world. After losing everything in a fire, he's hired by a Manhattan millionaire to investigate a series of events and document them in his meticulous way. But Rector soon realizes that the events hold a bizarre significance, as does his own existence. This is a metaphysical thriller ala Dante’s Equation and Gabriel Knight.
Art Style & Mechanic: 2D, graphic novel look and feel (like an updated GK1). It will be a 3rd person adventure game with a point-and-click mechanic and lots of sophisticated puzzles.
THIS IS THE ONE!!!!!!
Story: Malachi Rector is an antiquities dealer who hunts down artifacts all over the world. After losing everything in a fire, he's hired by a Manhattan millionaire to investigate a series of events and document them in his meticulous way. But Rector soon realizes that the events hold a bizarre significance, as does his own existence. This is a metaphysical thriller ala Dante’s Equation and Gabriel Knight.
Art Style & Mechanic: 2D, graphic novel look and feel (like an updated GK1). It will be a 3rd person adventure game with a point-and-click mechanic and lots of sophisticated puzzles.
THIS IS THE ONE!!!!!!
Moebius sounds really cool, i just hope it's not like an improved casual adventure like a... motion comic or something like that, I want high production values. But first of all i want a new Gray Matter, i like the characters and the mood, i would love to see more of David and Sam.
Spectacular Dr Dawg
Member
Moebius is exactly the kind of game I was hoping for when I heard about her kickstarter.
They've also changed the Dan Brown part in their kickstarter. It now says:
They've also changed the Dan Brown part in their kickstarter. It now says:
CecilRousso
Member
$50 000 reached.
CecilRousso
Member
They will be done in 2013 if the kickstarter reaches $600 000. Two out of three concepts will be done then, and I can´t possibly think that the Anglophile Adventure will be choosen over Gray Matter 2.
Versipellis
Member
If Moebius is an updated GK1, it can't be a casual adventure. At least, I hope so!
About GM2: I liked the setting of the first one (even though the ending felt rushed), but I think it was lacking in the puzzle compartment. The idea of magic tricks is good, but the game has you using each of them only once (or maybe twice in one occasion, I don't remember) and you have to follow a list of things to do: you know which items to use and in which way. That's not my idea of "puzzle". The update says the magic system will be revamped; let's wait and see.
I'm sure this will make it just sad it started slow. Just crazy how well the Al Lowe one did given its just an HD remake. He does have a big newsletter following so that helped no doubt.
Jane and her family need to be making games all the time there's no doubt about that. She is a great writer. All of her games feature plots that are so above and beyond the typical game. Her husband is an amazing composer. The GK and GM soundtracks are movie quality. And her step daughter's songs for GM were amazing. And she seems to be a pretty decent actress in her own right and would likely be a good fit for a main character voice over.
As for improving the page, I agree the one downside is that it is less defined than others. Here's the games we'll vote on, etc. probably gives some apprehension. If it were more specific it may have helped speed it up. If it was for GK4 it probably would have exploded. Whomever has the rights to that is just being a dick I mean, come on.
Jane and her family need to be making games all the time there's no doubt about that. She is a great writer. All of her games feature plots that are so above and beyond the typical game. Her husband is an amazing composer. The GK and GM soundtracks are movie quality. And her step daughter's songs for GM were amazing. And she seems to be a pretty decent actress in her own right and would likely be a good fit for a main character voice over.
As for improving the page, I agree the one downside is that it is less defined than others. Here's the games we'll vote on, etc. probably gives some apprehension. If it were more specific it may have helped speed it up. If it was for GK4 it probably would have exploded. Whomever has the rights to that is just being a dick I mean, come on.
Prequel will be Blue: The Beginning
Family Fry
Member
Funny you should mention Raleigh Holmes doing some voicework, she's voicing main character Erica Reed, in new a previous kickstarted point n click, Cognition.
Also isn't it Activision the current license holder for Gabriel Knight?
Yeah I knew that, still tossed that out there. I will definitely be picking up Cognition.
On GOG it says that GK is from Activision / Blizzard. And they can rot for not giving up the IP. Maybe Jane shoulda got a dollar figure to get the IP back and kickstarted for that too.
Family Fry
Member
Ahh good good, news deserves to be out there. Heard some sound clips they recorded and shared with the kickstarter, she sounds good. Loved the music on Gray Matter too.
Versipellis
Member
That would be nice, but I think a kickstarter for buying an IP wouldn't be the right idea. The current owner could get greedy, if the campaign exceeds expectations.
The IP acquisition could be a consequence of a KS, not the declared goal.
secretanchitman
Member
probably going to put in $50 as soon as i get paid. any new games by jane jensen needs to come out asap!
Versipellis
Member
Interesting, indeed, even though it may be a bit superflous in a time where walkthrough are easily accessible. But if that's a way to cater to a more casual audience and it doesn't hamper the quality of the 'true adventure path', why not?
I think we need a new OT, with updates on the first page, with screens and a new title! I don't speak English so well to create it. But i think it's a good time to do it
I think one of the problems is that theres no focus on a particular game, its 3 concepts being thrown out there. Probably too late to take that back now tho. Going a bit more in-depth into each game is a good start. More videos always seems popular, maybe a seperate video for each of the concepts, setting the scene and tone of the game (and it gets you on news sites).
I always feel more satisfied when I solve a puzzle myself. I guess a casual mode would be designed to discourage casual players from spoiling themselves silly via GameFaqs.
harriet the spy
Member
I am extremely skeptical about the concept --
"You'll get all our games for a year*,**"
* Granted we make at least one game in a year
** unless we are paid by someone else to make a game in which case you get nothing, lol.
.
But, it's Jane Jensen, so I'll happily pitch money. At least because of all the good memories with GK.
Also, for a few seconds I was extremely confused and thought that Jane had aged extremely well when the video started.
"You'll get all our games for a year*,**"
* Granted we make at least one game in a year
** unless we are paid by someone else to make a game in which case you get nothing, lol.
I know I am exaggerating / being disingenuous, but still, the concept seems half baked to me
But, it's Jane Jensen, so I'll happily pitch money. At least because of all the good memories with GK.
Also, for a few seconds I was extremely confused and thought that Jane had aged extremely well when the video started.
What i kind of interface you want to see on the new Jane Jensen Adventure?
GK1
GK2
GK3
For me i go with GK 1 icons, it gives the possibility of more sophisticated the puzzles, with GK2 dialog interface.
PS: I didn't post the Gray Matter interface because i didn't like it at all, You only have 2 to 4 points to click per scene, with name highlights, and just one action. Too easy and too simple for my taste. You just click on everything and see what happens...
GK1
GK2
GK3
For me i go with GK 1 icons, it gives the possibility of more sophisticated the puzzles, with GK2 dialog interface.
PS: I didn't post the Gray Matter interface because i didn't like it at all, You only have 2 to 4 points to click per scene, with name highlights, and just one action. Too easy and too simple for my taste. You just click on everything and see what happens...
harriet the spy
Member
GK2's interface was the best for me. It was very simple yet enable cool but not nonsensical puzzles. I think SCUMM like interfaces have to go away. They made sense at some point, but they were never all that great.
edit: my god was GK3 ugly. The transition to 3d was not kind at all for older games.
Yeah, but Gray Matter is how all adventure games are these days. You just click on everything and have an inventory. If you're doing full voice it saves a ton of lines for different variations of look/talk/use for every object. Loses a bit of charm, but it's not a big deal and it saves a lot of production costs.
Dog Problems
Banned
Hah, no kidding. I'd fund a Kickstarter to have the game remade.
If i remember well, GK2 had different actions with the mouse too.
harriet the spy
Member
I don't mind 'simpler' SCUMM system ala Full Throttle. Just meant that the super long list of verbs was a waste of space / time.
Looking more at that GK3 pic, it's a miracle gaming survived that transition
In this case, though, even the little 2d icons are ugly. That vampire icon, lol - what the fuck were the artists doing there?For me its the big deal. We don't need voices, we need stories, emotions. When we have more icons options, you end listening more of the character opinion. If you remember GK1, Everywhere you look at, Gabriel say something about his life. Even when you try something wrong he says something great. This is how we stay close to the character. On Gray Matter you just had 3 spots to click. Sometimes you just want to look at something, and you end moving or using that. Sorry for my english
I learned english by playing adventure games, yes its true. I started with:Open the door, close the door, take the money. Climb the tree....... Good times........
I don't mind 'simpler' SCUMM system ala Full Throttle. Just meant that the super long list of verbs was a waste of space / time.
Looking more at that GK3 pic, it's a miracle gaming survived that transition
In 1999 the others game looked like this:
Asheron's Call
Crazy Taxi
Croc2
So GK3 was not so bad.......
Beautifully Shaped Monsters
Member
It was a huge let down for me personally, and I think it had a lot to do with the downfall of adventure. Most 3D games from before 2000 (and a lot from later than that actually) were mind boggling ugly. When one year you would have things like Broken Sword, which was amazingly beautiful, and still holds up today, and then 3 years later we saw GK 3 which, even when it came out, was not considered pretty, but today is practically unplayable.
That and the sudden focus on action sequences (again something GK3 messed up).
Actually, I think Tim was right. Grim Fandango more or less killed Adventures indirectly. After it bombed, everybody struggled to redefine the genre, each attempt failing more spectacularly then the last.
Ah well, I will probably back this for the good times I had with her games.
But for me GK3 was the best of three, and i think it was the best 3d interface for an adventure game ever made. The fact that you could fly with the camera and later with Gabe or Grace, for me added some incredible immersion to the game.
GK3 > GK2 > GK1
harriet the spy
Member
I am not saying that GK3 was out of the ordinary ugly (though it was both ugly and had fairly poor graphical design), but instead that all games of that era were indeed mind boggingly ugly.
I agree with the poster above that ugliness probably precipitated the downfall of adventure games (this may seem to contradict what i wrote above, since all games were similarly ugly, but in the case of adventure games, i think it completely broke the immersion).
I am surprised you like GK3 the best, but to each its own. My favorite is the first, but I am one of those guys who loved the second very much as well. The video were kind of goofy, but the story was wonderful.
edit: i loved GK3's soundtrack. I am so glad Holmes is on board. He is a big part of GK for me.
Beautifully Shaped Monsters
Member
I agree. GK3 had a very well realized 3D UI which actually, for the most parts, did a really good job utilizing 3D in new ways. In fact, it's quite remarkable how different the UIs in all three GK games is.
It still does not negate my point that the game is ugly, even compared to the first which was 90% VGA (with some sprites being SVGA which was a bit odd).
Beautifully Shaped Monsters
Member
I agree, if Jane does a half decent job of keeping the flame alive, it'll make it.
The Emperor
Member
This is VERY exciting.
I love her games.
Really hope it'll hit 300K at the least!
Gonna go for the $55 tier.
I love her games.
Really hope it'll hit 300K at the least!
Gonna go for the $55 tier.
DiscoJer
Member
The first game was originally on floppies, but then when the cd-rom version came out, it was in SVGA and had voice acting.
I actually lost interest with GK2, I didn't like the live action stuff much. Worked for the Tex Murphy games, but they did it from day one. It was a pretty big shift from beautiful hand drawn art to digitized actors, as well as going from Tim Curry & Mark Hamil (great voice actors) to people who were not great actors....