Valve's CEO Thinks Half Life Series Deserves Hurt Locker-Level Respect

[Irridium]

Well, maybe that's because Hurt Locker (and all other largely respected movies) don't have yearly releases which results in the previous Hurt Lockers becoming inconsequential.

Quite a few people don't respect games as an art form because the publishers themselves don't respect games as an art form. The developers do, sure, but since Publishers are the ones providing the money, the developer must bend to their will.

 

[MammothBlade]

-facepalm-

CoD is one of the worst possible examples, because it does glorify killing and warfare and violence and all that, to extreme levels.

You want a war game which is actually respectful? Go right back to Medal of Honor: Frontline. That was a serious tribute to WWII which didn't really sugar coat warfare.

/blah blah probably rubbish

 

[SyphonX]

When I thought it was Gabe Newell saying this, I agreed completely, though I thought the comparison of Hurt Locker to Half Life was a bit weird.

When I heard it was CEO of Activision...I still agree entirely. The CoD games are absolutely fantastic, honed to perfection and added a lot of innovation. Granted, CoD is a little more mindless action oriented and isn't a perfect correlation to the more dramatic and thoughtful Hurt Locker, but the point still stands.

Your avatar fits you well.

Is this whole thread some sort of 'live-action satire' or .. what ?

 

[Ovoon]

I liked Half-Life, I don't like CoD. Half-life is art and should be recognized as such. CoD is a yearly cash in by Kotick.

I liked the Hurt Locker, I didn't like The King's Speech. The Hurt Locker is art and should be recognized as such. The Kings Speech is an Oscar bait movie.

Kings Speech was excellent. Hurt Locker was excellent.

Personally, I liked Kings Speech more.

Oh, and both are works of art.

 

[Blind Sight]

Wait, so Call of Duty is a commentary on something now? On what? The SAS torturing people is ok? Russians being evil? America/Europe being invaded is bad? I mean, I get that you could probably dig something out of it, but it's all so ham-fisted and brief that it won't be anything meaningful. If they're really commenting on current events they're focusing on the clean presentation the media gives. Call of Duty will never show you the broken body of a twelve year old you accidentally killed with a predator missile and provide meaningful commentary on it.

 

[ResonanceGames]

That interview makes a lot more sense now that I know you're full of shit. I thought Newell was drunk when they interviewed him or something.

 

[Zhukov]

I'm confused.

I'm guessing you were planning on having people agree because you put Valve and Newell in there, then you could turn around and say, "Ah ha! It was Call of Duty all along you dirty hypocrites!"

But that doesn't make sense because Half Life and Call of Duty are different games. Comparisons that can apply to one do not necessarily apply to the other.

Besides, I think that argument is bullshit regardless of which game you apply it to. While I didn't particularly enjoy Hurt Locker, it was making, or at least attempting to make, some kind of commentary on current events. That's where the respect comes from. Call of Duty does not do that... at all, and I'm pretty sure it isn't trying to. Half Life definitely isn't doing anything of the kind.

Nice try, but you come across as bitter rather than insightful. I suspect there might be a hint of, "Leave CoD ALONE" behind this.

 

[Throwitawaynow]

Would you all have prefered Minecraft/Notch, Dota/Steam (Seeing as how that game and that company gets fawned over so much and are so story driven)? Probably should have gone for a Skyrim/LOTR switch.

Nah, the part were it says 'artistically interprets and comments on current events' kinda kills it for those games too.

That quote in the removed context was directed at the movie and not a comparison for games. It was not saying their game is interpreting current events but that the movie was viewed as such.

Edit: Reread original post. Even with context he says CoD does NOT aim for commentary.

 

[cookyy2k]

I think half life and half-life 2 are over hyped below average FPSs. There are better games in every area, and were at the time too so their age doesn't win em any prises.

 

[health-bar]

Is it bad I've never even heard of The Hurt Locker? :/

I haven't heard of it either. Apparently it was a great film.

got good movie reviews but every iraqi vet i've asked said it was shit.

 

[Smeggs]

Half-Life is not one of the games I'd use to define how games are art.

It's got a good story, sure, and pretty nice graphics at the highest settings, and evene plays good, but really?
Newell is a bit full of himself...or full of doughnuts. *Episode 3 delayed another two months*

 

[DarkRyter]

I haven't seen the hurt locker. My understanding of the film is that it may possibly involve a locker, and said locker may be in some sort of pain.

I don't know if that's really oscar material, but whatever.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Is it bad I've never even heard of The Hurt Locker? :/

Probably not but it probably is bad that I have no respect for the movie what so ever. Also, based on what I read of the article, wouldn't it be more appropriate for the makers of 6 Days in Fallujah (butchered that: I apologize for the spelling) to talk about this kind of thing? Half-Life and Hurt Locker are vastly different, or so I thought.

 

[Vigormortis]

Oh aren't we clever? Trolling around the forums, posting fake articles or altered articles to stir up controversy.

Except that what you posted there makes no sense at all and anyone who actually has listened to Newell talk in interviews would immediately know that was not him speaking.

Comparing Half-Life to the Hurt Locker? Please. Try a little harder next time if you're gonna try to troll bait people.

You know, it's funny. So many people on these forums ***** CONSTANTLY about Half-Life and always ask why people praise it so or talk about it so often. Thing is, the only people actually talking about it or posting topics on it are the people who are bitching about it.

Seriously, do a forum search for threads on the topic of Valve or Half-Life. Guess what you'll see. For the past few years (yes, years) you'll see a hand full of ones about ones love of the series and about a thousand or more on people whining about how much they hate it.

Christ's sake people, move on. If you want people to stop talking about, stop bringing it up. But I guess that would require people to be willing to accept that not everyone shares their views. Crazy, I know.

 

[octafish]

-facepalm-

CoD is one of the worst possible examples, because it does glorify killing and warfare and violence and all that, to extreme levels.

You want a war game which is actually respectful? Go right back to Medal of Honor: Frontline. That was a serious tribute to WWII which didn't really sugar coat warfare.

/blah blah probably rubbish

I think the Brothers in Arms series is quite respectful as well. Of course Gearbox/Ubisoft is shitting all over this with their WW2 Borderlands clusterfuck.

 

[Throwitawaynow]

'Maybe when (or if) a game somehow artistically interprets and comments on current events in a way comparable to movies like The Hurt Locker, people will call some games art like they do for some movies.'

That quote isn't in the article, or are you saying that's how you feel? I'm not sure of your intention on that one.

I was talking about, "I don't think we've made choices based on avoiding or aiming for commentary."

Minecraft, Dota, Half Life, and CoD are all poor examples of 'these games are art and should be respected/received like Hurt Locker and Flight 93' ect ect

I have Jamais vu when it comes to art. People have argued about it so much that now I can't define it nor agree/disagree with your statement.

snip

I really enjoyed Half Life, and steam is a great online service that I use to buy most of my pc games.