Why remove the trailer scenes?

[Fortigurn]

I personally don't think this is really something to get upset about, or blame Frictional/TCR for "bait, and switching".

I don't think there was any bait and switch, not by Frictional nor by TCR. There was however an unrealistic expectation built up by the marketing (though I don't believe that was deliberate).

If they did I think it would be really weird if FG came out, and said "Hey guys just so you know after a year, this trailer is completely outdated, and the game will be nothing like this!"

Weird or not, if you don't do it then you need to realise you're risking player disappointment. I am very satisfied with MFP, which I believe is a sufficiently solid game to stand on its own two feet, without needing to piggyback TDD (pun intended). But I was disappointed that it doesn't have features I expected, and I do prefer the Frictional style of interactive gameplay for this kind of game.

I loved Dear Esther (I played the original), but I went into that game completely knowing what to expect, and I was delighted to have that experience delivered exactly the way I expected. The story telling was brilliant, the environment well crafted (they didn't try to do anything spectacular with the Source engine, which was good, they just let it do what it's best at), the atmosphere was outstanding. Harrington's narration was utterly haunting, and Curry's music is top shelf (it's first class in MFP). I could not fault Dear Esther, and still regard it as one of the best games ever made (arguably the best in that very small genre).

With regard to MFP, I agree with another member here who observed that the game provided more interaction than Dear Esther, but less than TDD, falling between stools somewhat, and frustrating certain players (including myself). I feel control of the game is sometimes wrestled away from me, and I'm led by the nose, only to be 'allowed' to interact again when the game is ready for me. If it were either consistently Dear Esther style or TDD style, less people would be complaining (as long as it had been marketed as being Dear Esther style).

But all in all I think a lot of the negative feedback has come from players frustrated by a deeply immersive game which satisfies at many levels, but which doesn't live up to its full potential. And all in all I think TCR should take that as a compliment. Regardless of the initial reviews, I believe this is a game which will gain a mature following within the Amnesia community, and if it becomes moddable its rich lore will undoubtedly become the source of some outstanding community extensions.

Incidentally I found that being able to interact with objects in Dear Esther was immensely satisfying, despite the fact that absolutely no objects in the world had anything to do with the plot. In fact being able to pick up bits and pieces of junk, searching for something meaningful but never finding it, and being able to do nothing else except toss them aimlessly aside, contributed significantly to the game's atmosphere of hopelessness, loss, and despair. Free interaction with objects on the player's terms in this way certainly enhances immersion. I've never yet seen anyone say 'The less I can do in the game, the less I can interact with the environment, and the less control I have, the more immersed I feel'.