I think you’re misunderstanding what I’m saying. You’re free to have your opinion, I am stating the “fact” of what was going though my head. From a production stand-point, the ending was not “rushed”, that is a fact. You might have felt it was “rush” from a narrative stand-point, and that’s fine. I do not, it was exactly how I wanted it. I like the ending, it wasn’t a compromise or rushed through, it was exactly how I wanted it. Reading all these comments, I still would not change a thing about it.
But you are free to dislike it. That’s art. I don’t know if you’ve ever created something like this, but I guarantee that a bunch of people will hate it (and a bunch will love it) That’s the way it goes. I’m used to that. People HATED the ending of Monkey 2 when it came out.
A lot of people like the ending to Thimbleweed Park. I’m glad some people like it, some people hate it, and some people are just confused by it. That was all be design.
And for those who are confused… there’s this forum, and it’s free!!!
I read good comments about significance of the story here, and it’s just a week that the forums are opened. I personally think that there are some criticalities too, but they are not in how the ending itself was handled, but in the significance of the whole story in relation to the computer and adventure game media (given the meta development of the story) and in relation to the irrepressible identification that we players-readers-obeservers build with a story (adventure games are not movies, and e.g. the dreamlike language cannot easily be carried from authors like Lynch) it would take me a great effort to write about it in a constructive way and with references as I’d like to do… but the final result has to be praised for the courage, not easy to find in the industry.
In extreme syntesis, and forcing a bit the definition, I could say I was able to appreciate more the product on an etic point of view, rather than an emic one.
I don’t think I misunderstood what you said at all. I understand the facts as you state them. I just disagree that they accomplished your stated goals, at least in my opinion.
Call it art all you want, it is still a commercially produced adventure game and I am a customer.
I also wonder if there ever could be a reasonable middle ground between “break-the-pace-puzzle-heavy-ending” and “absolutely-uninteractive–and-static-linear-ending”.
I really loved the ending. It was actually one of those things when I hopped online after finishing the game where I was shocked by how many people didn’t like the final act.
I don’t think so. wherever you have puzzles, someone will be stuck, and the pace will be broken. it’s as simple as that.
The only workaround I can see is to have “fake” puzzles, i.e. puzzles that are so easy that nobody will ever get stuck on them. But then you have another problem: game becomes easier in the finale instead of more difficult.
Or, you could have only interactions but no puzzles. optional interactions, in other words.
I throw an idea there, perhaps having a recycling battery bin at Thimblecon where you can throw the depleted battery and Franklin can zap it - that would allow the Pizza guy (or just the flyer) being inside the pillow factory and the whole sekrit place puzzle (deemed by most one of the hardest) part of the final section.
You know, I never made the connection about a secret meeting. I thought the flyer was part of a puzzle to grant me access to the Pillow Factory. The interaction with the Pizza Dude was so slight, that I didn’t think much of it. I picked up the flyer and that’s that. All the time, I was expecting a special code to enter at the gate of the Pillow Factory, so I didn’t pay attention to the mention about a “sekrit meeting place.”
I also saw the people walking over the puddle and thought I had to follow them, but again, didn’t even know it was to some secret meeting. When I finally did follow them, imagine my surprise when I discover an entire new setting – and a new plot twist!
The fence puzzle was not very difficult, but very satisfying, because the fence looked like it had already fulfilled its purpose, so you had to really have the idea.
And it was also funny. That’s what makes the game great.
Judging from the audio commentary of the Monkey Island 2 Special Edition I get the feeling he´s not satisfied with that one now and seems to feel it drags a bit near the end.
