I have had it with Valve

[Hybridwolf]

......Huh? Valve?

Oh yeah. Portal and all that shit. I gave up caring shortly after the crap that was the sacrifce. God, that was dreadful. The console version of TF2 got murdered, Portal 2 got delayed again and even if I could remember half the story in Half Life, I doubt I'd have the PC to run Episode 3. Half life wasn't even that good, maybe at the time it was amazing, but it's aged badly in my opinion. Almost like everything these days.

 

[SmokingMirrors]

After reading your little rant I couldn't help but think you had Valve confused with Bethesda.

 

[Flac00]

When was the last time Valve [http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/meanwhile.jpg] announced a completely new series? L4D...how long ago was it?

Now they just announced Portal 2...or should I say Portal: More of the Same."

I mean, at least they could have it on a new engine, but NO!

They have used the same engine for an entire decade.

WOW!

Not to mention they have completely forgotten their best franchise! Hey guys! Remember Dr. Freeman! You know, the whole of Earth and stuff!

There should have been no "episodes" in the first place for HL2, and they should have all come out in the same year considering around five minutes were put into each section.

They are the perfect example of a lazy company, stop using the nasty Source engine, and get their engineers to make something that doesn't have Gamecube graphics.

I give up. I can't be pacified with TF2 updates forever. If Valve doesn't announce Episode 3, or HL3 running on a new engine soon I'm just done with them as a developer.

Actually I think they were done with Ep. 3 a long time ago, Gabe just ate it.

What do you think about the company?

Stop being impatient. Just play some other games, by the time you hear about Valve again, HL3 will be released.

 

[JordanMillward_1]

Don't fix what isn't broke I suppose.

The L4D series is very popular and very good.

Nearly everyone is excited for Portal 2.

The TF2 updates are free. I don't complain about free stuff.

EDIT: I care little for the Half Life games so HL3 doesn't bother me.

 

[JayJayinMay]

Well...

Ive played....

L4D2
Half-Life(just started it)
Portal(Gotten to the boss battle)
TF2(Still play it )
The engine they use doesnt matter,its what they do with it that matters.Sure,you could uuse a top-of-the-range, 2010-11 graphics engine,but its the narrative,and the the gameplay that matter.

 

[Communist partisan]

Seriously, I never liked valve, I played TF2 and got bored after 3 months and the rest is yust boring. I didin't even compleate HL1, L4D stops being fun after you've compleated the stages not after 500 fucking times (same whith L4D2)....

All games are eventually boring after a while of being played over and over. WoW may be a rare exception, so I'm told, but I think it's because it's reinforced by the friendships made online, which are also found on community games like CS, Halo, and Quake.[/quote]


Nah, All games don't get boring, I'm still playing the first fable (whith lost chapters included) and that's 5 damn years, also I played wow and what hit me whith making a game like that so "attractive" for so many years is beacose It's allways different at the same time as it's exactly like before y'know? New experience same ol'crap. Also, you don't need to enjoy communicating for making a game last longer, I hated communincating I didin't spend my time in guilds too much green text while I tryed to kill big hairy vikings, boars and stuff....

You see where I'm going whith this?

But I'm supporting your theory 100% about all the communicating, everbody don't enjoy being a lone wanderer if we shall call it that....

Have a good day now.

 

[Anaphyis]

Yeah, I knew this thread was worthless when I saw the title but boredom got the better of me. But hey, whining about their graphics engine in this day and age when graphics have reached a very brown and boring plateau is kinda new I suppose even if sandwiched between the usual bitching about HL 3.

 

[JayJayinMay]

When was the last time Valve [http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/meanwhile.jpg] announced a completely new series? L4D...how long ago was it?

when was the last time any company released something new. early 90s?

uhmmm...indie games?

 

[Foxbat Flyer]

what would you prefer? lots of games which are crap, or few games that are awesome? I take quality over quantity, thus why i love valve so much...

 

[Merkavar]

When was the last time Valve [http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/meanwhile.jpg] announced a completely new series? L4D...how long ago was it?

when was the last time any company released something new. early 90s?

uhmmm...indie games?

yeah the OP is complaining that valve hasnt released any new series, but other big companies havent really released any thing new either. and valve releases indie games too

 

[Voodoomancer]

You're allowed to not introduce any new IP's for years and years if nothing you ever make is considered less than spectacular.

 

[CaptainKoala]

When was the last time Valve [http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/meanwhile.jpg] announced a completely new series? L4D...how long ago was it?

Now they just announced Portal 2...or should I say Portal: More of the Same."

I mean, at least they could have it on a new engine, but NO!

They have used the same engine for an entire decade.

WOW!

Not to mention they have completely forgotten their best franchise! Hey guys! Remember Dr. Freeman! You know, the whole of Earth and stuff!

There should have been no "episodes" in the first place for HL2, and they should have all come out in the same year considering around five minutes were put into each section.

They are the perfect example of a lazy company, stop using the nasty Source engine, and get their engineers to make something that doesn't have Gamecube graphics.

I give up. I can't be pacified with TF2 updates forever. If Valve doesn't announce Episode 3, or HL3 running on a new engine soon I'm just done with them as a developer.

Actually I think they were done with Ep. 3 a long time ago, Gabe just ate it.

What do you think about the company?

Half Life 2 took 10 years to develop.

The fuck is this shit?

Half-Life 1 came out 12 years ago, Half Life 2 took six years to develop.

Sorry, I got the number wrong. But thanks for snipping out the 50 OTHER lines of text I posted along with that.

 

[CaptainKoala]

Do you HONESTLY THINK that they 'gave up' on Half-life? JESUS CHRIST THIS IS SUCH A HIGH-BUDGET STUDIO I REALLY DOUBT THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT JUST TO TROLL THE FANBASE.

Exactly! Valve only hires the best in the business. They have fewer than 100 employees. Look at all the things they did with updates/expansions/mods/and engine changes just this year. They do all that AND develop new games. They work extremely hard, they get things done in their own good time. And when they're done its dammed amazing.

 

[redisforever]

Did you know that developers still use Unreal Engine 2?

Technically, it's more the Unreal 2.5 engine. Just me getting a crazy urge to correct people, but yeah, you're totally right.

Since the Source engine has had several version updates as well, I figured that I might as well count UE2 and 2.5 as the same thing.

At this point, Source may as well be Source 2.

 

[monkey_man]

[
excuse me?
Ugly? Compared to what?

Gee, I dunno.... just about every other recent major release.

Spoiler: some images

L4D 2

The lighting effects, textures and modelling are clearly inferior to all of the below.... look how that white balcony barely looks pasted onto the wall, and the big blocky 'gamey' looking hands. Ugly.

Other games....

[sub][small]still don't get it.
I think today's graphics spoiled you big time It still looks fine to me, and the other games look slightly better, but not noticable.
Besides, Valve games aren't about graphics, they are about gameplay. Which, in my opinion, matters most.
Like MW2. It's completely arse in it's big sellingpoint; the multiplayer. Oh sure it LOOKS good. but that isn't important when I am not playing the game anymore. I am still playing l4d2 from time to time.
(haven't played the others, so no opinion.)[/small][/sub]

Gee, I dunno.... just about every other recent major release.

-Incredible speech of Epic Win.- go read it nao

You just said everything that was needed. Thank you

 

[monkey_man]

This really has nothing to do with the topic, but seriously WHAT THE FUCK is up with people's obsession with bacon?

It's nature's perfect food.

If you don't want your share, I'll take it...

You're seriously going to tell me that bacon is better than say, steak?

Steak is the solution to ALL of life's problems...

...But bacon adds +5 awesomeness to those solved problems.
and then some more problems, and then those are solved (in about 2 seconds)adding +5 awesomeness, etc etc.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Gee, I dunno.... just about every other recent major release.

And why should we care about graphics now? I don't care if L4D2 doesn't look as good as the other games. I mean really, there are a bunch of reasons why this is a GOOD thing for L4D.

Thanks for your wall of text, but I never said anyone should care about graphics, nor did I say they were more important than gameplay.

I just pointed out that L4D2 was visually ugly, someone disagreed and I posted pictures to back it up. You're talking to someone who spent a big part of this year playing Morrowind, Fallout 1 and 2, Silent Hill 2 and Ocarina Of Time so spare me your graphics v gameplay lecture.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Besides, Valve games aren't about graphics, they are about gameplay. Which, in my opinion, matters most.

Funny, I keep hearing this 'graphics don't matter!' argument from the same Valve fanboys who 6 years ago were constantly boasting about how good Half Life 2 looked (and probably bitching that it was coming to consoles).

Beside, I never said graphics were more important than gameplay. But it'as nice when a game gets both right, it helps suck you into the experience.

HL2 is one of my top 3 games of all time, and a big part of my enjoyment stems from living in the world they created, which is given its atmosphere and feel from being beautifully visually designed.

 

[airrazor7]

Being a PS3 owner I can only judge Valve on the few games of theirs that I have played and My verdict is: pretty good. Keep in mind Valve hates my chosen console. I played portal and the orange box and loved it. I have a few 360 owning friends and when I have access to their consoles I cannot put down Left 4 Dead 2 (or Gears, or Vesperia but I'll stay on topic). Sorry to you L4D fans but I didn't jump on the L4D train till the 2nd game was released and I have to say it would be a different game if Ellis was not in it. In one moment your adrenaline is pumping, you're anxious and maybe a little scared then Ellis will randomly say something hilariously stupid that makes you laugh and breaks the tension. "This one time my buddy Keith [insert Ellis trademark punchline]", sorry but that added greatly to my experience. Also another apology to you fans of Valve, I do not find the cult classic series Half-Life to be entertaining. I am an avid gamer so I respect Half-Life in all its glory for what it is but it just isn't my brand of whiskey.

With all that being said, I think Valve is pretty good. I think we have learned that for the most part, and I will repeat for emphasis, 'for the most part', games that take a while to come out are worth the wait (let us not think of exceptions like FF13 for the moment) so I've got no problem waiting for Portal 2. Also, what is the big deal about engines? Do you realize how many games run off of the same engine even if they seem newer or better than their previous iteration? Do you even know just how many games are using the Havoc and Unreal engines?
First of all, a software engine is usually very versatile so it can be used in may different ways and what kind of software is used only a part of what makes a great game. The most important thing about a game is its overall presentation; it is all about how well it performs with what it is working with. We all keep crying for better graphics and new engines but I challenge you to find just one gamer who does not still enjoy classic games. Heck, that's why Nintendo is still making money. Also, crying for new software is dangerous talk. If those types of cries were always answered by developers then you would be crying "games shouldn't cost so much." If you noticed, developers have a strong since of high financial entitlement, which is not unreasonable. So if they deliver more, they believe they're paychecks should be higher we the gamers should be willing to gratefully pay more. I know have stated more than you have asked yet I just wanted to share a few thoughts.

 

[JediMB]

I just pointed out that L4D2 was visually ugly

It's not. Despite all the zombies running around, L4D2 is actually quite aesthetically pleasing.

You could argue that the graphics are aged, but not that they're ugly. Different things, and quite subjective, unless you're incapable of judging a picture by anything but technique.