Slightly off topic, but I've heard Valve brought in consultants to learn more about sign language. Take that as you will, but me thinks this might (partially) be a factor in the longevity of Episode 3's development time.
Carnagath, I never said all content in the past was priced. I'm well aware there were quite a few freebies over the years. Hell, even ID released free stuff over the years. That, however, does not invalidate the fact that free content was, and still is, a rarity.
However, I think we can come to an agreement that Valve's public relations history is just balls (if I were Gabe Newall, I'd have shitcanned Doug Lombardi a long time ago for sitting on his ass). For the most part, you're lucky if you get a two-word answer if you ask them how development is going for their games.
I think it's because of this that they lack a bit of focus on what it is their fans truly want. To put this in perspective, if Valve's next game release was set for the summer, how many people would rather it be Episode 3 over a Left4Dead 3, Portal 2, or all the remaining TF2 updates planned? I guarantee you 99% of Valve fans out there that would opt for Episode 3 in a heartbeat (Yahtzee included).
Just shut up and wait. Don't pressure them to release it, let them take their time. There are plenty of games coming out to buy some time. Its not that big of deal.
However, I think we can come to an agreement that Valve's public relations history is just balls (if I were Gabe Newall, I'd have shitcanned Doug Lombardi a long time ago for sitting on his ass). For the most part, you're lucky if you get a two-word answer if you ask them how development is going for their games.
I think it's because of this that they lack a bit of focus on what it is their fans truly want. To put this in perspective, if Valve's next game release was set for the summer, how many people would rather it be Episode 3 over a Left4Dead 3, Portal 2, or all the remaining TF2 updates planned? I guarantee you 99% of Valve fans out there that would opt for Episode 3 in a heartbeat (Yahtzee included).
The only one I give a crap about would be Episode 3. I can't play TF2 and I've been unable to get Left 4 Dead. I love Portal, but I am NOT looking forward to that sequel <_<
Ah well. I only got The Orange Box last November, and I'm content to play through it and other games until Episode 3. As long as it's good, and more than 10 hours long, I'll be happy.
And for the record, I believe we'll get /some/ news of Episode 3 by Christmas at the latest. Maybe something around June/July. Probably won't be much, but we should at least get news of it this year.
I heard that too. One of the tiny bits of news that they let out, leading to a ton of speculation about why it needs sign language. Didn't they say it was for a "new" character?
I have to agree with outlawsx, RanD00M - just because the game is going to be released for our grandchildren is a strange reason not to buy it. I gotta see how this story is going to end.
Besides, as much as Valve delayed Episode 2, that thing sure came out polished - and the Orange Box was a heck of a deal with all of those games at that price.
I think Episode 3 is going to be awesome. They won't release it until it is. I'm just afraid that as cryptic as their storyline has been, if they don't start providing answers soon instead of continual "to be continued", they're going to start losing their fanbase.
I mean, if they don't, it's going to be as bad as Modern Warfare 2:
Why are we in Brazil again? Why didn't anyone see Makarov on the security tapes at the airport? Why does Captain Price need to fire a friggin' nuke at the U.S. and how does he have the access? Oh hell, I could go on and on.
I mean, just read this for pete's sake: http://www.gamesradar.com/xbox360/f/modern-warfare-2s-glaring-plot-holes-exposed/a-20091120123332495077/g-20090326142018906090
Ok, and back on topic to my point of it all - Eventually, people playing Half-Life 2 Episode 17 or Half-Life 7, whatever the hell it is going to be (and I know I'm being sarcastic about the #'s, I don't think they'll take Gordon's story that far), people are going to be asking themselves "WTF does this even mean? Who the hell is the Gman?" If they are asking themselves those questions STILL because Valve thinks the mystery is what drives the Half-Life series, then the series is going to die.
I mean, the mystery does drive it, and it does fascinate me, but at some point they're gonna have to start giving us some answers. I don't like to start on season 2 of a TV show - I like to start from the beginning. A lot of people that I have talked to have never played Half-Life 1 despite owning or playing the 2nd one. Because of that, they have no idea what really happened in the first game, and they admit to me being "lost" in the story already.
Ok, ok, I'm ranting again. Oh how I love to rant about Half-Life. I'll be that old man sitting on my porch telling stories to my grandkids about how I escaped Black Mesa and killed headcrabs with a crowbar.
I think we can all agree on one thing that Episode 3 desperately needs.
I heard that too. One of the tiny bits of news that they let out, leading to a ton of speculation about why it needs sign language. Didn't they say it was for a "new" character?
From what I've heard, the explanation is that Alyx had a thing for a hearing-impaired resistance member, so she learned sign language to communicate with him. She also programmed d0g with it so they could practice. Evidently, the guy went missing/died/otherwise left the story, but Alyx and d0g still use it when they need to communicate in silence.
I'm guessing that's what will come into play in the actual game.
Episode 3 or Half-Life 3 or whatever ends up coming along could take another ten years and I'd still be happy, because however long it takes, it's guaranteed to be a good game.
So something recently got my panties in a wad
me ANGRY! SmugFrog SMASH!
my groove back
Well... it just pretty much got me ticked off. It was a discussion in another forum about this whole Half-Life Episode 3 fiasco. I thought I would post that discussion here before it starts here as well - which, I suppose by posting it, I'm basically starting it here anyway, right?
Warning! 25% more Epic Rant!
What this was all about was a post by a guy claiming that there were absolutely no similarities between Valve and 3D Realms. I had already stated my opinion on the matter and why I believed it - but he argued that with me anyway. I came back with my resources and reasons. So, here it is:
If you read this article (which I'll summarize), compare that to Valve's Half-Life history, and still believe there aren't similarities between Valve and 3D Realms, then you're either blind or a very deep-rooted Valve fanboy.
You're very correct about Broussard looking at every FPS coming out on the market and making changes to DNF to correspond to what he thought was "cutting edge" and would throw Duke Nukem over the top. With the best of all of the "best" games in DNF, why wouldn't it be a great game? I do NOT believe this is what Valve is doing with their game. Valve has historically (in my opinion) been the one to introduce new gameplay ideas and methods to the FPS genre.
So what similarities am I getting at?
* 1)In April 1997, Broussard announced a follow-up: Duke Nukem Forever...Miller predicted the game would be out within about a year, "well before" Christmas 1998.
Both promised their sequel would be released "very soon". That's a trivial point though; just about every game company in my opinion experiences a delay; especially if they want to release a well-polished game as we know Valve does (and 3DR wanted to).
* 2) Broussard simply couldn't tolerate the idea of Duke Nukem Forever coming out with anything other than the latest and greatest technology and awe-inspiring gameplay. He didn't just want it to be good. It had to surpass every other game that had ever existed, the same way the original Duke Nukem 3D had.
Now, isn't Valve almost in that very same predicament? Prior to this section of the article, they wrote about how technology was advancing and they had to keep improving on what they had already created. Is technology not advancing while Valve is crafting Episode 3? Or did someone put it on hold?
* 3) Broussard was clearly obsessed with making his product as aesthetically appealing as possible.
Also, let me educate you (was bold because he had said "let me educate you" about how there were no similarities between Valve and 3DR). If you paid attention to Episode 2 and followed the trailer after trailer and screenshot after screenshot, then you already know that Valve had the game pretty much complete but kept overhauling the graphics. That's right! They kept adding different types of shaders and lighting effects and what not to make the game look awesome.
* 4) "George's genius was realizing where games were going and taking it to the next level," says Paul Schuytema, who worked for Broussard and Miller heading up the development of Prey, another 3D Realms title. "That was his sword and his Achilles' heel. He'd rather throw himself on his sword and kill himself than have the game be bad."
Do you not believe the same of Valve? I think they'd rather hold off for 10 years on Episode 3 than release it as even mediocre.
* 5) Normally, game developers don't have much cash. Like rock bands seeking a label to help pay for the cost of recording an album, game developers usually find a publisher to give them an advance in exchange for a big slice of the profits. But Broussard and Miller didn't need to do this. 3D Realms was flush with cash; on top of the massive Duke Nukem 3D sales, they had other products that were selling briskly, including several add-on packs for Duke Nukem 3D that they'd outsourced to another developer.
Still no similarities that you see? The only difference here is that Valve is making a ton more money than 3D Realms was due to Steam.
* 6) Yet the truth is, Broussard's financial freedom had cut him off from all discipline. He could delay making the tough calls, seemingly forever. "One day, Broussard came in and said, 'We could go another five years without shipping a game'" because 3D Realms still had so much money in the bank, an employee told me. "He seemed really happy about that. The other people just groaned."
Related to the above - but I don't think Valve is just throwing developer's hard work in the garbage as 3D Realms did. God, I feel so sorry for those level designers, artists, and such at 3D Realms that all of that time and hard work was just tossed in favor of "making it better". So this is similar, but not exactly the same.
* 7) The only serious pressure came from fans. Duke diehards were losing their minds waiting for the game, crowding discussion boards to pester the developer. ("Sometimes I feel like a thousand Dr. Evils are looking at us yelling 'throw me a frickin' bone here!'" Hargrove, the programmer, complained on 3D Realms' Web forums.)
Absolutely NO similarities there, right? Just kidding. You gotta admit, the only one Valve is answering to is us, their fanbase; and they're obviously not too concerned about answering us.
* 8) Van Lierop was excited: From what he'd seen of it, Duke Nukem Forever was so well developed ? and so graphically superior to any other game in production - that if 3D Realms pushed hard for a year, they could release it and "blow everyone out of the water." No, no, Broussard replied. It was two years out. Van Lierop was stunned. "I thought, 'Wow, how many times have you been here, near the finish line, and you thought you were way out?'"
Now, this is more my opinion than anything else, but watching all of those teasers and trailers of Episode 2 where they kept improving the graphics HUNDREDS of times - it feels the same way. They could have released Episode 2, but they wanted it to their level of perfection.
So yes, I believe the similarities are there - and not just because both kept delaying a game. I have absolutely no doubt that Episode 3 will ariive though. Valve has secured themselves financially and they can hold out for as long as they want.
yeah, i guess it will just appear on steam someday. like no promo is good promo and then people are shocked and go nuts about it. if anyone would do it that way, it´s valve.
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Just kidding. You gotta admit, the only one Valve is answering to is us, their fanbase; and they're obviously not too concerned about answering us.
