Anthology Series in Games?
 

I've been thinking about Telltale's episodic model for some time now. I will completely give them that they kinda feel like a TV studio with Sam and Max. Fans get to follow the same characters from one episode to the next. But I'm wondering if an anthology series, similar to The Twilight Zone or Jim Henson's The Storyteller, would appeal to game fans.

Hmm... you mean that there would be a bunch of short episodes, with different characters in each one? I personally think it's the same thing. You're comparing Telltale Games to a cable TV channel (which was a great analogy by the way), and they really are like that. As long as they would also release Seasons, like with Sam and Max, it could work.

When you have a cable TV show, that's great for everyone who has cable (or Gametap in this case?), but then you also release a Season of it, and you get more money from all the people without cable.

Personally, I think it's an interesting idea. It would be like buying a book of short stories... or a DVD of The Twilight Zone.

This is off topic a bit:

Sam & Max isn't just on GameTap. For the second season, the episode is released on GameTap, then one day later it's available for download on Telltale's site (the first season, there was a 2 week gap). They'll put all the episodes on one DVD/CD at the end like they did for Season One too (for those who want a physical CD).

I think it's a great model for some stories whereas others lend themselves to one longer game. The Jim Henson one sounds great!

An anthology series is a type of series, or so says wikipedia.

Television Program, Series
Anthology Series

In developing an anthology video game series, developers could explore a specific game feel or theme in a variety of ways. Terry Gilliam refers to Time Bandits, Brazil, and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen as a trilogy of movies although no characters repeat. His trilogy exists to more fully explore the idea of the "craziness of our awkwardly ordered society and the desire to escape it through whatever means possible" than any one movie could. Likewise, anthological games could explore universal questions in an approachable and entertaining manner.

I think that's a very interesting idea. You could make an anthology of games all centered around a fictional location (with different characters taking center stage), or you could use a thematic umbrella (like Gilliam's trilogy). There are really so many different directions that you could go with something like this, and done well, it might really be great.

An anthology would be nice.

Mock ad:
Star Trek: The Unknown Stories.

Follow the adventures of small time people in the federation. Encounter strange species on the fringes of the sectors, deal with deceit and evil. Cameo appearances of famous characters such as Jean Luc Picard, and even dock at DS9 and unravel a mystery with the help of Odo. See strange places, strange aliens, and strange cosmic events.

EPISODE 1: Temporal Anomalies Detected
A strange anomaly has caused the passengers on your freighter to act oddly. They are slowly changing in attitude and personality, and the ship has suddenly lost most of its power. Who, or what, is behind it?

Could be interesting... just using Star Trek as an example though.

I'd love to play that. Though it had better start off with a more compelling tale- like, say, the beginning of the Romulan War from a political perspective.

Yeah... that would be awesome...