Future Unclear For New Penny Arcade Games

[Logan Westbrook]

Future Unclear For New Penny Arcade Games

A schism has appeared in the Penny Arcade camp over their dalliances with videogame creation.

We're two episodes into Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness, but whether or not we'll see a third is anybody's guess as Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins - better known as Gabe and Tycho - have very different opinions on game creation.

"I discovered that I had no desire to make games ...With [Penny Arcade Adventures], I worked on that for two years, but my work was all concept, right? None of that work shows up in the game. Nobody sees it. I get no feedback," said Krahulik this weekend at PAX.

Holkins on the other hand, is much more enthusiastic: "For me, a lot of ideas that, under the ordinary strictures of the writing process, would be gone, I was able to keep and then polish up. I found that process of characters having conversations in my head that I would transcribe very enjoyable."

The pair say they are "on the cusp" of an announcement about the series' future. Speaking as a fan, I hope they decide to finish them off before calling it a day.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/penny-arcade-adventures-future-iffy]




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[Doug]

I hope they at least complete a third game, even if it wraps up the story too quickly really - I just want them to finish what they've started.

 

[Geoffrey42]

Ditto that I want the story finished out.

If they can somehow integrate Mike's work further into the final product, that would be great. I can certainly understand where he's coming from, all that work and nothing tangible in the end product that you can say "there, that, that's mine". Just, "Hey, that looks vaguely like my concept art, and is generally in a style that I've been cultivating over the last decade."

 

[KeyMaster45]

Aye, I really enjoyed the first two games and am eagerly awaiting a third; I just can't get enough of the universe they created with those games.

Please gabe and tycho, don't quit just yet.

 

[twilinova07]

Krahulik sounds a bit like he's whining, but then I can understand where he's coming from.

The dude has to spend a lot of time to draw a lot of stuff throughout the year for the comic, companies, promotional work, ect. All he does for the game is the concept work, spending hours talking to the team on getting it accurate. Holkins gets his writing abilities on full display. Mike just doesnt feel that involved in the game, and therefore has no drive.

I still hope they finish it though. I'm a big fan.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

i still have to play the first two parts, been meaning to for a while and i hope they finish it

 

[joystickjunki3]

So was Krahulik bitter and angry about the whole thing? Sometimes the written word doesn't convey the emotion the speaker had at the time. I'm just curious.

 

[randommaster]

So was Krahulik bitter and angry about the whole thing? Sometimes the written word doesn't convey the emotion the speaker had at the time. I'm just curious.

Doesn't seem like he's angry, just that he doesn't want to work on this if he doesn't get credit. If you spent two tears working on a project and never got credit, you'd be hesitant to continue as well.

I hope they can find a way to resolve this so that the gmaes continue to come out. It would be a shame to leave the story where it is.

 

[shMerker]

I, for one, am looking forward to the text-only episodes presaged by this article.

 

[SimuLord]

Krahulik's a notorious whiner and behaves like a true artiste, while Holkins loves anything that allows him to spend more time in the writing process he adores. Those two are radically different personalities to begin with, sort of the McCartney and Lennon of webcomics. How they've gone over a decade collaborating without killing each other is a mystery of Delphic proportions.

 

[joystickjunki3]

So was Krahulik bitter and angry about the whole thing? Sometimes the written word doesn't convey the emotion the speaker had at the time. I'm just curious.

Doesn't seem like he's angry, just that he doesn't want to work on this if he doesn't get credit. If you spent two tears working on a project and never got credit, you'd be hesitant to continue as well.

I hope they can find a way to resolve this so that the gmaes continue to come out. It would be a shame to leave the story where it is.

Definitely true about the not wanting to work if I didn't get credit.

Still, I'd like them to continue w/ the series before it sputters out.

 

[Echolocating]

It's interesting to hear Mike's dissatisfaction about making the PA games. I guess there's a potential story there for some Escapist journalist to delve into. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

 

[Fortesque]

And all this time I was waiting for a third, I really really hope it goes ahead.

 

[mambodog]

Maybe they should make a 2d game, so Mike can do all the artwork.

 

[SharPhoe]

Speaking as a fan, I hope they decide to finish them off before calling it a day.

As do I. I only got to play a demo of Episode One, but my friend bought Episode Two specifically because I had him try it, and it blew our minds.

 

[randommaster]

So was Krahulik bitter and angry about the whole thing? Sometimes the written word doesn't convey the emotion the speaker had at the time. I'm just curious.

Doesn't seem like he's angry, just that he doesn't want to work on this if he doesn't get credit. If you spent two tears working on a project and never got credit, you'd be hesitant to continue as well.

I hope they can find a way to resolve this so that the gmaes continue to come out. It would be a shame to leave the story where it is.

Definitely true about the not wanting to work if I didn't get credit.

Still, I'd like them to continue w/ the series before it sputters out.

Maybe if they don't do a game they will continue with a book or something.

 

[ccesarano]

I honestly think Krahulik is looking at this the wrong way.

Even though I know the Penny Arcade guys didn't come up with the gameplay design itself, as I play it everything just screams "Penny Arcade". The very look of it is, well, Penny Arcade. Even if he didn't develop the character models or even the cut-scenes and only developed the concept art, it would not be a Penny Arcade game without his contributions.

I understand where the guy is coming from, but the simple fact of the matter is that he is wrong. He defines the look of the game, and probably the tone in addition.

If they don't finish this, I'm going to be super-pissed. The Penny Arcade game is one of my favorite RPG's to come out in the past decade because of it's style. Not to mention that if they can't finish it, it'll reflect incredibly poorly on them.

 

[Pimppeter2]

I doubt there wont be a third game. But Im guessing we'll have to wait a little