HL2 Episode 2 Not Until Spring 2007 78
eToyChest has an article up entitled Half-Life 2 Bite-Sized Contempt. The author registers his dissatisfaction with the state of episodic content so far on Steam. While he liked Episode One, the projected released date early next year makes it hard to be excited. From the article: "Episodic content could really take off if done correctly, something which so far hasn't been the case. Episodes need to be of decent quality, arrive in a timely manner, and be made available for an attractive price. Then you will create a slam-dunk impulse-buy environment that solidifies the marketplace as a viable one — think iTunes Music Store for games."
Early and often (Score:4, Insightful)
Makes sense (Score:4, Insightful)
$10 is the magical price point (Score:3, Insightful)
As far as how long it takes between episodes, I'd rather Valve take the time to make each episode fun and engaging rather than throwing out half-assed garbage every 3 months. Of course, one of the primary problems with episodic gaming (and episodic novel writing, or episodic television, or whatever) is there is an enormour amount of pressure to rush out new content to keep the salivating masses happy, and quality can easily suffer.
Re:Early and often (Score:3, Insightful)
Valve is like Pixar. I'll take the delay because I know I won't be disappointed with what they crank out.
Augh! (Score:2, Insightful)
You know what, this just may have changed my mind on the whole episodic thing. Not that Episode One wasn't great - it was absolutely awesome in content, if an hour or two shorter than I'd have liked, but spacing the episodes this far appart really makes this model a lot less attractive. It's bad enough with TV, where by the time one season premiers you've totally forgotten or just lost interest in the cliffhanger from the previous season's finale, and that's usually just a three or four month gap.
Seriously, the individual episodes need to be much closer together than that for people to maintain an interest in the series. At least every six months, if not every four... three would be heaven. Twelve is simply insane.
Re:Early and often (Score:3, Insightful)
And with that statement, you just justified the entire episodic content business model.
Re:$10 is the magical price point (Score:3, Insightful)
People would always find something to complain about. If everyone's focusing on price that just means they had to find something TO complain about, and it defeats the purpose. "I'd like all the story, interaction, scripted events, fluid gameplay, commentary track and everything else you gave us...but for half the price."
Plus you still have replay value, and other difficulty levels. 5 hours, maybe, but on Easy, Normal and Hard.
I do have a complaint about HL2E1 though... ALYX got to use the smegging sniper rifle and I'm still stuck with the cheezy crossbow. *sigh*...guess it's back to CS or DoD for my sniper fix.
Re:Augh! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Makes sense (Score:5, Insightful)
Not necessarily. I think it means that HL1 is that good. I have both HL1 and HL2 installed but I mostly stick with HL2 mainly becuase I like the game play better. With the exception of Ravenholm (still creeps me out), most of the combat in HL2 is against things that shoot back which I prefer.
However, I think HL1 had better, more engaging, combat against soldiers. The warehouse asassins were fun to shoot. The endless mob fights got tiresome, however
I would happily pay for eposodic if the fights were unique and challenging enough.
Re:Not delayed (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Early and often (Score:3, Insightful)
I'd have no problem if they had a single game that was delayed for 1 or 2 years. I know I'd be getting quality in the end. But if I just bought the first part to a game, then realized I'd have to wait a whole year before I saw how the story continues, I'd be fairly angry.
And then how's it turn out if I wait a year or two, then the second and third episodes aren't really good? Then it'll just seem like the Matrix.
Re:Episodic Content a Total Failure (Score:3, Insightful)
Absolutely. Why, personally I can build a new MINERVA [hylobatidae.org] episode every week or so, starting work on a Monday and releasing on a Friday. It's just throwing some pre-existing game content together, after all. The hard work has been done already, hasn't it?
Actually, it takes me about six months to produce half an hour to an hour of gameplay. Yes, that's in my spare time, but I have to keep 90% of what I produce - I don't do the intensive testing, throwing away, redesigning and retesting that Valve designers perform. And they're introducing new gameplay devices; I'm usually just regurgitating old ones. Episode One was spectacular in its near-total lack of padding - all the new gameplay elements were carefully introduced where required, and never overstayed their welcome. Except maybe the shopping trip near the end. But still, it was in complete contrast to the usual copy-and-paste design present in games like Halo...