So... Half Life 3...

[Eggsnham]

So... I uh... I made a complete contradiction of myself and decided to go PC.

Well, sort of, anyways. I've got a laptop which can handle some fairly high graphical quality games now, and I spent a ton of money on a variety of games from Steam, among other things.

Of course, one of the bare necessities for anybody new to the PC gaming master race genre is Valve's Orange Box. Seeing as I never bothered to get it for any of the consoles and never had a gaming worthy computer up until now, I only recently decided to buy it.

Now, it's not that I've never played any of the Half Life games before, I've played through the original Half Life (my dad was a big fan when it first came out, apparently) and briefly played a torrented version of HL2; but I never really got into the series... until now.

Yes, I now have a healthy amount of love for the Half Life universe and all of its denizens.

That said, I now give that much more of a shit about the release (or lack thereof) of Half Life 3 (or Half Life 2: Episode 3, whatever they decided to call it).

I actually consider myself kind of lucky in the fact that I only really got into HL recently, effectively skipping 5+ years of waiting for HL3's release.

So, discussion: what are your ideas regarding the series, and what are your expectations considering the long wait for the next installment of said series?

 

[Bayushi_Kouya]

Valve is off making the entire world a better place for video games, innovating the shit out of everything and making all of our lives easier, increasing communication and experience, and still people ask for the third installment to something they did in '98.

They're smart cookies, those Valve folks. They see what happened to Duke Nukem Forever. You will never get Half-Life 3 until the IP is sold to someone else.

 

[Pink Gregory]

After this wait, it's not going to live up to expectations, even if it does end up being as good as HL2.

Fans don't end up having realistic expectations after such a long wait, some might even assume that they've literally been working on it for all that time.

So I can see why they'd just not want to make it at all, quit while yer ahead and all that.

 

[aguspal]

With all the respect to the half life fans, but screw it.

I rather want Left 4 dead 3 or maybe Portal 3 rather than a sequel so an averaguey game.


Or, even better, just create all of those games Valve...

Rigth, my expectations... I honestly dont belive that even someone like VALVE can handle all the hype for this one. It just seems impossible by now.

 

[Nieroshai]

Valve is off making the entire world a better place for video games, innovating the shit out of everything and making all of our lives easier, increasing communication and experience, and still people ask for the third installment to something they did in '98.

They're smart cookies, those Valve folks. They see what happened to Duke Nukem Forever. You will never get Half-Life 3 until the IP is sold to someone else.

2007. Episode 2 came out in 2007. And while Steam is an innovation, a promise is a promise and they have not stated that they have cancelled anything. What no one seems to remember is that Valve technically has no head. No one tells anyone what to do. This leaves a very simple assumption: they don't want to work on it, but they want us to think it's still coming out. They go as far as to hint at the next installment in Portal 2. This is a cocktease, pure and simple. They didn't just announce it, they have been flaunting it since the beginning. Just because a company does good things doesn't mean they will never pull dick moves like this.

 

[DoPo]

Valve is off making the entire world a better place for video games, innovating the shit out of everything and making all of our lives easier, increasing communication and experience, and still people ask for the third installment to something they did in '98.

1998 Half-Life
2004 Half-Life 2
2006 Half-Life 2: Episode One
2007 Half-Life 2: Episode Two

The last one ends with a cliffhanger, so people sort of want that resolved. Oh, and Valve did initially announce at least three episodes. So you're doubly wrong - one it wasn't 1998, two, people aren't "asking" they are "expecting". And to be also clear - the former is saying "Hey, guise can you make another one of these?" the former is "Guise, where is the other one?"

 

[GoaThief]

As much as I like Half Life, I'd much rather see Left 4 Dead 3 until technology advances enough for Valve to give us something a bit more special than a good, but otherwise standard entry into the HL series using the Source engine.

I know Source is upgraded periodically and has come on somewhat, but overall it's not massively different from it's Counter Strike: Source/Half Life 2 début.

 

[Doom972]

Valve is off making the entire world a better place for video games, innovating the shit out of everything and making all of our lives easier, increasing communication and experience, and still people ask for the third installment to something they did in '98.

They're smart cookies, those Valve folks. They see what happened to Duke Nukem Forever. You will never get Half-Life 3 until the IP is sold to someone else.

Half-Life 2: Episode Two was released in 2007, not 98 (That's Half-Life). People don't "ask for it", it's just that Valve said that they'll make three episodes, and people want to see them make that come true.

OT: I don't even care whether the game blows my mind or not. I just want to know how it ends.
I hope that they'll make it, but I get the feeling that they don't want to.

 

[ohnoitsabear]

As much as I like Half Life, I'd much rather see Left 4 Dead 3 until technology advances enough for Valve to give us something a bit more special than a good, but otherwise standard entry into the HL series using the Source engine.

I know Source is upgraded periodically and has come on somewhat, but overall it's not massively different from it's Counter Strike: Source/Half Life 2 début.

You must have missed the news. Gabe Newell has stated (in no uncertain terms) that Valve is working on a new, full-fledged engine. So when the next Half Life does come out, it won't be a Source game.

But yeah, Valve better show us something soon, or at the very least tell us that there won't be anything to show us for a while. Seriously, it's been five years since Episode 2, we should have at least heard something by now.

 

[bafrali]

Well once it got released it will open a wide array of opportunities. It will probably come with Source 2 with updated visuals. Once everyone is done with playing it, several mod projects will pop up. Most of these won't be completed but that is OK. It will probably (better be) come with new enemies, new weapons, improved AI. Then we can get new versions of the old mods like G-MOD, Nightmare House etc in the new engine.

Once it gets going, we can get an Half Life 3 Episode 1 or 2 hell even a new expansion pack with Shepard in it. One thing they should avoid however is Co-op mode. I know there are some genuises who think it would be a great idea.(the same people who like the idea of "Half Life the sandbox game" ) But No nononononono.

Can you imagine the promotional items for TF2? Maybe a crowbar skin for scout's bat or a headcrab hat(double the infestation).

Yeah i think it will be fun.

 

[TheTechnomancer]

I'm not waiting for HL3.
I'm waiting for the orange box 2! Containing L4D3, TF3, HL3, and Portal 3.
It's the only way Valve can get around the 3 problem I can think of (other than just not making them *shudder*).

 

[Frezzato]

Valve is off making the entire world a better place for video games, innovating the shit out of everything and making all of our lives easier, increasing communication and experience, and still people ask for the third installment to something they did in '98.

1998 Half-Life
2004 Half-Life 2
2006 Half-Life 2: Episode One
2007 Half-Life 2: Episode Two

The last one ends with a cliffhanger, so people sort of want that resolved. Oh, and Valve did initially announce at least three episodes. So you're doubly wrong - one it wasn't 1998, two, people aren't "asking" they are "expecting". And to be also clear - the former is saying "Hey, guise can you make another one of these?" the former is "Guise, where is the other one?"

Half Life Opposing Force and Blue Shift never get any love. I enjoyed them, especially being able to play the security guard at the beginning of the tram ride from HL.

 

[bigfatcarp93]

I just want a really dark, tragic ending.

...


...What? Oh, like Half-Life has NEVER had a bittersweet ending before.

 

[Pyromaniacal]

Me and my friends have imagined a perfect scenario for Valve announcing Half - Life 3

Create a blank page on Steam and online. The page has a 5 second long trailer basically saying "The Wait is Over" and having one screenshot. Valve then sits back and watches the collective population of the Internet flip a shit

Anyway, I've heard from a friend that the Aperture Science test vessel the Borealis will be in it as well, though I haven's seen it become official.

My expectations, while I'm hoping it will be on par with the original Half Life and Half Life 2, and I'm hoping that it will be better than those.

 

[Rad Party God]

I actually consider myself kind of lucky in the fact that I only really got into HL recently, effectively skipping 5+ years of waiting for HL3's release.

Consider yourself lucky to wait for another 5 years then.

Seriously though, Half-Life 2 is one of my all time favorites (can't really decide between HL1 or HL2) and yeah, Episode 2... by far it's not the worst cliffhanger, but it's one hell of a cliffhanger and a huge teaser for what's coming (or what we all assume the game's going to be like).

So yeah, glad you enjoyed the series... now, let's cry along in the corner for the lack of a sequel (I bought The Orange Box a mere month after it released... so yeah, I'm one of those who has "patiently" waited... and waited... and waited...)

 

[Best of the 3]

Yeah, that escaping the waiting thing, that'll catch up. I was excited to have skipped the wait 2-3 years ago now. But now I'm in the denial stage or given up hope stage.

And as for expectations, I don't want any. Expectations lead to disappointment. No expectations can only mean positive.

 

[fix-the-spade]

So, discussion: what are your ideas regarding the series, and what are your expectations considering the long wait for the next installment of said series?

At some distant point in the future it will simply drop from the sky.

Much like Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead, Portal and Counter Strike: Source.

Everyone will have moved on, no one will be thinking about it, then Valve will be 'Oh hai we finished this game it's out in three months k thx bai!'

And then around the world masses of shits will be lost.

In the mean time, I recommend you play the STALKER series, the first two Call of Duties and anything with the words Unreal Tournament attached to it. But be warned the experience will ruin a lot of console games for you.

 

[DoPo]

Valve is off making the entire world a better place for video games, innovating the shit out of everything and making all of our lives easier, increasing communication and experience, and still people ask for the third installment to something they did in '98.

1998 Half-Life
2004 Half-Life 2
2006 Half-Life 2: Episode One
2007 Half-Life 2: Episode Two

The last one ends with a cliffhanger, so people sort of want that resolved. Oh, and Valve did initially announce at least three episodes. So you're doubly wrong - one it wasn't 1998, two, people aren't "asking" they are "expecting". And to be also clear - the former is saying "Hey, guise can you make another one of these?" the former is "Guise, where is the other one?"

Half Life Opposing Force and Blue Shift never get any love. I enjoyed them, especially being able to play the security guard at the beginning of the tram ride from HL.

Not made (entirely) by Valve, though - I pointed out the Valve releases from the HL franchise.

And yes, I did like them both. A lot. Even Blue Shift

 

[Wolfhowl the shadow lurker]

I don't really mind what it is. As long as they give us it sometime, its kind of unfair to just leave it and not end it after all these games, that would be like puting a random and meaningless ending to mass effect 3 that was full of plot holes.