[Hannes]

Originally Posted by Monolith

And we are talking about Jane Jensen, a renowned writer and game developer. It may not get the attention of most gamers, but it will for her audience. Based on the controversy of GK3, it shouldn't be hard for her to sell Gray Matter. You make it out as if Jane hasn't received such attention for her works. You are a very sad person.

Thanks . I'm actually a fan of Jane Jensen, but being a fan of someone doesn't make me blind. It's been over 10 years, wake up. We might love her and we might always think she's the best, when it comes to great stories in games, but the mainstream audience has moved on from ags and her. That's the truth, whether you like it or not. If there's good promotion, it'll do well. But like this....

[AndreaDraco83]

What do we mean with 'do well'? Everyone know how big of a fan I'm of Jane's works, but we'd be fool to think this game can sold like Dragon Age: Origins or Mass Effect 2. Nevertheless, I certainly hope that it fares as good as Telltale's adventures.

[Roper Klacks]

Originally Posted by AndreaDraco83

Nevertheless, I certainly hope that it fares as good as Telltale's adventures.

I dont think it will tbh. Telltale reached a position that even console centric gamers with no attatchment to adventure games genre know their games and even buy them. Gray Matter will never reach the same level of awareness, at least not with a massive marketing campaign. Yes Telltale dont have a lot of publicity, but they are delivering good games for some years now (and with well recognized IP's). It wont be even close, at least in sales i'm afraid.

Even if they make a really big push with advertisment, linking Jane's name to the game that wont make a big difference to outside players. Jane jensen is not a big name anymore, its sad, but true, new gamers dont know who she is.

[Sughly]

Originally Posted by Roper Klacks

I dont think it will tbh. Telltale reached a position that even console centric gamers with no attatchment to adventure games genre know their games and even buy them. Gray Matter will never reach the same level of awareness, at least not with a massive marketing campaign. Yes Telltale dont have a lot of publicity, but they are delivering good games for some years now (and with well recognized IP's). It wont be even close, at least in sales i'm afraid.

Even if they make a really big push with advertisment, linking Jane's name to the game that wont make a big difference to outside players. Jane jensen is not a big name anymore, its sad, but true, new gamers dont know who she is.

Yeah I have to agree with this. It's unfortunate that the game's level of success will most likely come down to good marketing, and with the coverage and exposure given in the production stage it doesn't seem very promising.

I would have quoted Amanita Design with Machinarium who seem to have made quite a success of the title (though I can't find exact sales figures ANYWHERE ) off of only $1000 in marketing, but they had a vastly original art style that got people's attention. Unfortunately, as beautiful as Gray Matter may be, it doesn't have that same immediate appeal.

Well, it's a given all of us in here will buy it at least! Let's just hope the right people bring it to enough of the 'others' . Get them to peer away from killing things for 5 seconds and see if we can hold their short attention span long enough.

[Ascovel]

Originally Posted by Sughly

I would have quoted Amanita Design with Machinarium who seem to have made quite a success of the title (though I can't find exact sales figures ANYWHERE ) off of only $1000 in marketing, but they had a vastly original art style that got people's attention. Unfortunately, as beautiful as Gray Matter may be, it doesn't have that same immediate appeal.

Machinarium has won several notable indie game awards already during its production, which helped the sales immensely. It also had the great fame of Samorost games to back it up. Jane doesn't have any recent hits like that on her hands.

The most impressive to me is the success of Time Gentlemen Please! which had no marketing budget whatsoever - all marketing (as far as I know) was the creators persistently asking a great number of people to try their game, support it, put it up on Steam etc.

[Hannes]

It's pretty impossible to say how the game will do eventually. I mean, if they really push the release and promote it well, it might do really well. But... As others have said, it's not likely, considering how much info we've been given now and what the promotion has been so far. I mean, bitch, it's JANE JENSEN! She needs a red carpet and you need to bow before the queen before you ask your silly questions about Gabriel Knight again (The answer is: If she could, she would. Stop bugging her about it and call Activision).

Trust me, I love Jane Jensen and I've played GK1-3 like 10x (actually, playing gk3 atm).

[Kazmajik]

All I know is, I can't wait for the Oxford press conference! I have a feeling good things are in store.

[Sughly]

Originally Posted by Ascovel

Machinarium has won several notable indie game awards already during its production, which helped the sales immensely. It also had the great fame of Samorost games to back it up. Jane doesn't have any recent hits like that on her hands.

The most impressive to me is the success of Time Gentlemen Please! which had no marketing budget whatsoever - all marketing (as far as I know) was the creators persistently asking a great number of people to try their game, support it, put it up on Steam etc.

I did say I could have mentioned Machinarium, but I understand there are other forces at stake there . Just merely pointing out, as you have, that it is possible for adventures to gain attention off little to no marketing.

'Tis true about Time Gentlemen Please, but the same can be said for Samorost. No marketing, just word of mouth. Amanita Design built their success of the same beginnings.

My personal opinion though is that the games mentioned above have a distinctly different art direction to what players can get in mainstream games, so they're being offered something completely different and they like that. To me I think a lot of adventure games similar to Gray Matter in look and art design fade a little into obscurity because they don't have that same immediate appeal artistically. They look kind of like all the other games people are playing, only adventure, and it makes it harder for them to be noticed. It seems the general atittude is something akin to thinking 'we get that in Mass Effect 2, but much better (in their opinion, of course), so why try it? It's just an adventure title', whereas a Time Gentlemen Please has the immediate 'wow what's this? looks new' appeal in which being an adventure is less important

[AndreaDraco83]

New website: http://www.graymatter-game.com/

[teme]

Originally Posted by AndreaDraco83

New website: http://www.graymatter-game.com/

Looks nice, but I don't know how get the english text...

[zobraks]

Just click on one of those two names (Sam, David) at the start and you'll get a new screen with GB/USA flags combined in the top right corner. Click on that double-flag and the English text will be shown.

[Fien]

Have you tried clicking the flags? No English. Fortunately, I can read German.

[Igor]

Hm, screenshots don't load as well..

[zobraks]

Originally Posted by Fien

Have you tried clicking the flags?

Off course I have.

Originally Posted by Fien

No English.

Screenshot made 40 seconds ago:


In case this is German, it looks very much like English.

[Little Writer]

Clicking the flags has no effect with me, either. Not in Explorer, not in Firefox.

[zobraks]

Originally Posted by Igor

Hm, screenshots don't load as well..

If you're referring to these:


they (also!) do show on my PC.
Try allowing scripts if you're using NoScript plug-in for Firefox.

[teme]

Originally Posted by Igor

Hm, screenshots don't load as well..

I have a same problem with IE, but in Firefox they worked correctly.

[teme]

By the way, clicking the game sleeve in the bottom left goes to DTP site, which says that the release date is 2010-10-29. So the game has been delayed once again, because the earlier Play.com/Amazon release date was September 24th. I think releasing this game so close to Christmas isn't very clever, because there are tons of high profile games coming out at the same time and stealing publicity from other games (and customers have limited budget too).

[Kazmajik]

I'm just so fricken glad to see something, anything, new! Yah, there are a few bugs in the new website and Jane's blog is gone, but let's not focus on those negatives. It's just great to see some action picking up, and I anticipate more from the press conference.

[MoP]

Right, the blog redirects to the site. 'Work in progress' I suppose.
Speaking of which, so is the cover art. And I hope that means it'll change 'couse it sure rubs me the wrong way. Ugh.