Some actual real Half Life developments...

[MiracleOfSound]

So Valve dropped a message in the Portal ARG in the form of some kind of memo, where someone is clearly talking about the Borealis.

While I'm not quite as optimistic as this ecstatic journalist (I mean come on, it's Half Life - the gaming world's biggest in-joke at this stage), it's certainly nice to see Valve at least referencing Half Life's future like this:

http://www.gamesradar.com/pc/half-life-2-episode-two/news/half-life-reveal-teased-in-valves-portal-arg-now-teasing-half-life-clues-about-to-appear-in-the-orange-box-heres-the-pant-wetting-evidence/a-2011041810641257029/g-2006022216628546001

Here's the message:

---LOG FROM [ REDACTED ], BY J.H. TO C.J.---


1. We designed the entire thing to be very, very durable. It was easy to get the materials since everyone's been thinking
it's a simple icebreaker ship. Ha.

2. We have made sure to strip it of anything not necessary, so that we have plenty of space for it. It doesn't have any
backup supplies in the event the crew runs out of food, though. And there isn't much food onboard in the first place.

3. In the event you need to send it off all of a sudden, use the OR box with code 'hb1'.

That's all, C.J. Not much else I can tell you other than this won't leave a blight on our record. Mesa is going to be sore
when they see what we've done.


Do you think we could be in for a HL3 reveal soon?

 

[darth.pixie]

I think so. There are a lot of references of Episode 3 in Portal 2.

Let's hope for an official announcement soon.

 

[Gabanuka]

Why do I have a deep seated fear that episode 3 is gonna be shit?

 

[Nightcraft66]

Why do I have a deep seated fear that episode 3 is gonna be shit?

Same here, maybe because it's been so god-damn long since the release of Half-Life 2, and nothing makes me want to re-play it...

 

[NoNameMcgee]

I wont get my hopes up too high in case I get let down again. Interesting developments though.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Why do I have a deep seated fear that episode 3 is gonna be shit?

I think at this stage it'll be Half Life 3, with huge updates to the engine and gameplay. Too late for Ep 3 now.

 

[repeating integers]

Why do I have a deep seated fear that episode 3 is gonna be shit?

Same here, maybe because it's been so god-damn long since the release of Half-Life 2, and nothing makes me want to re-play it...

Well to be fair, it's not the most replayable game in the world. Lots of scripting. Still, this is vaguely exciting news - and this painting is beautiful:

 

[NoNameMcgee]

Why do I have a deep seated fear that episode 3 is gonna be shit?

I think at this stage it'll be Half Life 3, with huge updates to the engine and gameplay. Too late for Ep 3 now.

Out of curiosity, what kind of "huge updates" do you expect from the gameplay? To be honest I think Half-Life 2 has aged extremely gracefully, I can still replay it today because the gameplay is fun in a simple, smooth, and satisfying kind of way. Its not bogged down by gimmicking additions that become obsolete after a generation, and thats something I really like about the game, because I think in general games don't age very well. I think if there were any "huge updates" to the gameplay it wouldn't really be Half-Life anymore.

There's nothing wrong with the gameplay of the Half-Life series, the brilliance of it comes from the environments, scripting, characters, all these things that pull you into the world; with the gameplay only needing to flow smoothly around all that and be fun and energetic... Which it is already. I want more of this; in new environments, with more character development and expanding the story, some new weapons, new enemies, and graphical improvements... With the core gameplay remaining pretty much the same. Because why fix what isnt broken? I hope Valve have the same opinions...

 

[AceAngel]

Why do I have a deep seated fear that episode 3 is gonna be shit?

Valve is like the Cohen Brothers, they make games that attract the most pretentious group of people who try to act better than you for knowing more about it. Playing Portal and Half-Life plus all the bull-crap spin-off from GearBox somehow makes you better than everyone else. What this entails is picking cheap liners from the game, and repeating them ad nausea because no one appreciated the dark humor of Glados, but felt the need of saying "Cake" which was the 'weirdest' part for me, not the funniest.

For HL3, what this entails is hype. Simple and clear hype on the largest scale possible. Even if it's bad, Valvites won't admit to it being bad. They'll say it's great and epic and everything a game has to be.

This is the problem, HL3 will be good, just like Batman AA or Portal was, what it comes down to is the hype of said game, will you believe or will you not? Personally, I was very disappointed in my personal case with Batman AA due to all the hype around it, as well as Crysis. They were not bad games, just shallower then given credit to, and this is the fight Valve has ahead of itself with HL3.

Captcha: gentlmen, ourres

 

[NoNameMcgee]

From another perspective:
Half Life 2 is a revolutionary 2004 games which plays like an average 2010 game. I meant that in the nicest possible way.

I disagree though, and most Half-Life fans would too.

Can I just say also for the record that I'm not biased or a valve fanboy. I didn't enjoy the Left4Dead games at all and I was bored of Team Fortress 2 after 10 hours. Nor am I blinded by nostalgia (I don't like nostalgia and I openly admit most games I liked back in 2004 are now average or shit) I just genuinely think Half-Life 2 is still a brilliant game today.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

[
Out of curiosity, what kind of "huge updates" do you expect from the gameplay? To be honest I think Half-Life 2 has aged extremely gracefully, I can still replay it today because the gameplay is fun in a simple, smooth, and satisfying kind of way. Its not bogged down by gimmicking additions that become obsolete after a generation, and thats something I really like about the game, because I think in general games don't age very well. I think if there were any "huge updates" to the gameplay it wouldn't really be Half-Life anymore.

I would hope for stuff like improved enemy AI, larger scale battles, graphical improvements (as gorgeous as HL2 was when it came out, it does look dated now), no clumsy platforming sections, no more see-saw puzzles, new and interesting ways to use the physics engine, maybe even some use of the Portal guns?

EDIT: Also, this is coming from someone who has HL2 as number 3 in my fave games of all time

 

[NoNameMcgee]

I would hope for stuff like improved enemy AI, larger scale battles, graphical improvements (as gorgeous as HL2 was when it came out, it does look dated now), no clumsy platforming sections, no more see-saw puzzles, new and interesting ways to use the physics engine, maybe even some use of the Portal guns?

Oh fair enough I suppose, I thought you were talking more along the lines of the core gameplay (the way you move around the levels, the speed of the game, getting rid of linear environments, etc) which I don't think would be good changes to the game.

Other than "larger scale battles" I mostly agree with you.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

I would hope for stuff like improved enemy AI, larger scale battles, graphical improvements (as gorgeous as HL2 was when it came out, it does look dated now), no clumsy platforming sections, no more see-saw puzzles, new and interesting ways to use the physics engine, maybe even some use of the Portal guns?

Oh fair enough I suppose, I thought you were talking more along the lines of the core gameplay (the way you move around the levels, the speed of the game, getting rid of linear environments, etc) which I don't think would be good changes to the game.

Other than "larger scale battles" I mostly agree with you.

No, I wouldn't wish for any of the core stuff to change. I love HL2!

 

[Vault101]

Why do I have a deep seated fear that episode 3 is gonna be shit?

youre expectatiosn will be unreasonable?

anyway I think I have an Idea who C.J. is but J.H.?

 

[repeating integers]

[
Out of curiosity, what kind of "huge updates" do you expect from the gameplay? To be honest I think Half-Life 2 has aged extremely gracefully, I can still replay it today because the gameplay is fun in a simple, smooth, and satisfying kind of way. Its not bogged down by gimmicking additions that become obsolete after a generation, and thats something I really like about the game, because I think in general games don't age very well. I think if there were any "huge updates" to the gameplay it wouldn't really be Half-Life anymore.

I would hope for stuff like improved enemy AI, larger scale battles, graphical improvements (as gorgeous as HL2 was when it came out, it does look dated now), no clumsy platforming sections, no more see-saw puzzles, new and interesting ways to use the physics engine, maybe even some use of the Portal guns?

EDIT: Also, this is coming from someone who has HL2 as number 3 in my fave games of all time

You forgot new guns. The current guns are cool, but going 3 games without even a small change to them is enough I'd say.

Also, I'd quite like more enemy variety when it comes to the Combine. Episode 2 took a step in the right direction with the Hunters, now I want to see more!

 

[RA92]

I would hope for stuff like improved enemy AI, larger scale battles, graphical improvements (as gorgeous as HL2 was when it came out, it does look dated now), no clumsy platforming sections, no more see-saw puzzles, new and interesting ways to use the physics engine, maybe even some use of the Portal guns?

Oh fair enough I suppose, I thought you were talking more along the lines of the core gameplay (the way you move around the levels, the speed of the game, getting rid of linear environments, etc) which I don't think would be good changes to the game.

Other than "larger scale battles" I mostly agree with you.

What I'm waiting for the most is the environment designs. HL1's Black Mesa setting and the Xen world were nothing like HL2's Orwellian East European cities, expansive countrysides and subterranean Antlion lairs. Same goes for the enemies - Xen creatures were vastly different from the Combine synths.

Also, I'd quite like more enemy variety when it comes to the Combine. Episode 2 took a step in the right direction with the Hunters, now I want to see more!

Too true. The Combines weren't nearly as varied as the Xen ecosystem. Maybe they could go back there?

Valve is like the Cohen Brothers, they make games that attract the most pretentious group of people who try to act better than you for knowing more about it. Playing Portal and Half-Life plus all the bull-crap spin-off from GearBox somehow makes you better than everyone else.

... ouch.

To be fair, every successful franchise will attract some idiots.

 

[Gregg Lonsdale]

I think they've spent this much time on episode 3 because they really want to make it good. Something truly climactic that will leave the audience fully satisfied. Perhaps there won't even be a HL3, and that's just fine. If the recent upsurge of sequels has taught me anything it's that some series should just die in their prime instead of outstaying their welcome. In that case I'd much rather wait another couple of years or however long it takes for Valve to finish it properly, rather than rushing it out and leaving me dissatisfied or confused.

 

[UltraXan]

Valve is like the Cohen Brothers, they make games that attract the most pretentious group of people who try to act better than you for knowing more about it. Playing Portal and Half-Life plus all the bull-crap spin-off from GearBox somehow makes you better than everyone else.

... ouch.

To be fair, every successful franchise will attract some idiots.

Indeed! Look at the Call of Duty games! Yes, I went there.

OT: Well, since Duke Nukem is out of the "never gonna come out" spot light, naturally hl2 ep3 is gonna take it's place. Now I respect Valve, I've loved everything they've released (with the exception of l4d2, that was... meh), so I hope they do what they can to get episode 3 out the door, and hopefully it will be a pretty damn good game. Although I'm not too worried about that since Valve has a pretty good track record of games that have always been really good, although that just might be my Valve biased self talking there. All the same, I love what Valve does, and I trust episode 3 will also be good.