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)
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.
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:Early and often (Score:1)
However, this is Half-Life 2 we're talking about. It could be 2 hours of gameplay at $20 and a year apart between releases and people would still buy it. I know I will.
Re:Early and often (Score:3, Insightful)
And with that statement, you just justified the entire episodic content business model.
Re:Early and often (Score:3, Informative)
Maybe for Valve, but Valve is trying to change what happens with the INDUSTRY here, not just with their games. You have a few iDs and Valves out there for whom this is true, but you have a thousand times more Rituals for whom it's not so true. I won't be buying Sin Episode 2 if it's not delivered in a timely manner. Remember: video games are a $7 BILLION industry [theesa.com] [PDF Alert!]. Valve has multi-million dollar games[1], bu
Makes sense (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Makes sense (Score:1)
Re:Makes sense (Score:3, Informative)
20$ was too much to ask for, but 8$ was just about right.
Re:Makes sense (Score:1)
Re:Makes sense (Score:2)
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:Makes sense (Score:2)
With the exception of Ravenholm (still creeps me out), most of the combat in HL2 is against things that shoot back which I prefer.
I refer to Ravenholm as the "silent hill" section of the game. Personally I don't like it that much, its dark, creepy, and not all that entertaining. Unlike other sections where I usually go off and explore every corner of the map, in Ravenholm I usually just try to go straight from beginning to end of the map. Actually if you think about the "big picture" the HL2 map is kind
Re:Makes sense (Score:2)
Re:Makes sense (Score:2)
I'm not even a fan of long shooters. I prefer shorter, tighter designs with less repetiion to longer
$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:$10 is the magical price point (Score:2)
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 oth
Re:$10 is the magical price point (Score:2)
Agreed. Also, I have to say that the gameplay in Ep. 1 was extremely tight. I enjoyed HL2, but there were long periods that felt a lot like filler (eg, "get out of the buggy, cross the bridge, disable the forcefield, cross back, get back in the buggy..."). Not so with episode 1. I'm playing through it again now for the third time.
Re:$10 is the magical price point (Score:1)
$7.99 at Circuit City (ends on Saturday) (Score:2)
Re:$10 is the magical price point (Score:1)
Re:$10 is the magical price point (Score:2)
Re:$10 is the magical price point (Score:2)
Re:$10 is the magical price point (Score:2)
They can reuse a lot of artwork, models, engines an stuff in episodic content, so comparing it to a full game deveolped from scratch isn't fair, its additional content, not a new game so it should be priced lower. Beside from that new PC games are still more in the range of $40-$50, not $60 (thats only XBox360), so something like $15-10 seems like a much better price for
Not delayed (Score:1, Informative)
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3151546 [1up.com]
Re:Not delayed (Score:4, Insightful)
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 seas
Re:Augh! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Augh! (Score:1)
Seriously? Try HBO. Good content even if the seasons are a bit short (10-12 episodes) and you have to wait a year for the next season. Sounds ridiculous right? Except it's some of the best programming on TV... It works for me, and for the moment, so does HL2E1.
Re:Augh! (Score:1)
damn them (Score:1)
anyways, i guess its back to looking for some good mods to pass the time. or maybe its time to switch to a new engine entirely....i wonder if there is a oldschool command and conquer mod for CnC:Generals. that would be fun...bah..t
WRONG WRONG WRONG (Score:5, Informative)
Mod Parent Up (Score:1)
Re:WRONG WRONG WRONG (Score:2)
ep 1 (Score:2)
Steam support is terrible and no one seems to know a cure. Anyone got an idea?
Re:ep 1 (Score:1)
Re:ep 1 (Score:1)
Re:ep 1 (Score:1)
Re:ep 1 (Score:2)
Re:ep 1 (Score:1)
Re:ep 1 (Score:2)
Re:ep 1 (Score:2)
I'm ready to go up there and beat the ever-living shit out of everyone in the Valve office, personally. I bought this fucker a year ago and still have not had my issue resolv
Had the same thing happen to me (Score:1)
When I finally got to installing the game, Steam told me the key was registered. I was pissed at first, but then took digicam pics of the serial and the receipt and sent them to Valve via their support site [steampowered.com], along with a message where I described the situation. They took nearly a week to respond, but when they did, their response was to grant me my key back
Magazine lead time miscommunication? (Score:1)
Is PC Gamer the only source of this Spring 2007 release date? I know this is Valve we're talking about, but I'm still thinking it could be a miscommunication, and Valve still thinks it's coming out at the end of 2006.
Episodic Content a Total Failure (Score:1)
You know, forget that Valve makes really great games, or that they're probably really hard to make. They just need to work harder.
Seriously, what the hell? How many years do we wait between movie sequels? TV seasons? Are you really saying that episodic content as a concept is a
Re:Episodic Content a Total Failure (Score:2)
Now, maybe I'm very wrong here, but shouldn't the dev time be much shorter when the engine is done, the character models (or most of them at least) are done, and many of the environments can be recycled from the first game?
Isn't all that's left writing the story, placing the enemies, and scripting the events?
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
Re:Episodic Content a Total Failure (Score:2)
This way, you've got people developing for an engine they know doing things that are very familiar to them. The balance issues have already been worked out, the weapons are a
Re:Episodic Content a Total Failure (Score:1)
Re:Episodic Content a Total Failure (Score:2)
Re:Episodic Content a Total Failure (Score:1)
I am an independant game developer. I can tell you that engine development is really a relatively small part of the picture. It's important, no, critical, obviously, but not, in my opinion what takes the most time to get right.
By your logic, it shouldn't take any time at all to make, say, a movie, because they don't have to invent cameras and the actors already exist. There's just a lot more too it than that
Re:Episodic Content a Total Failure (Score:2)
Re:Episodic Content a Total Failure (Score:1)
I can understand the 6 months(Looks like that 2007 date is wrong, still on track for december apparently). I thought that the writing, placing, and scripting should be pretty simple too, but after playing through the commentary mode, I can appreciate the amount of time it takes. I was suprised to find out how complicated their design process is. You may or may not have played the game through again on commentary mode.
I found it enlightening. Added a bit of extra value I appreciated.
For those reading who hav
Still a valid point on several points (Score:1)
Re:Still a valid point on several points (Score:2)
60 expansion? (Score:2)
I got episode 1 and enjoyed it till the ending, it left me wanting more but as time has gone on I have started caring less and less. I'll end up getting EP2 when it's released as I will ep3 but I Might just wait till all 3 episodes are out before I do.
I knew Episodic content was
Re:60 expansion? (Score:1)
HL3 (Score:2)
If the writer isn't even aware that these episodes are HL3, then I don't put much stock in his release dates either. As the inter [eurogamer.net]
Re:HL3 (Score:1)
My point was that grand, glorious upgrades that require year long delays should not be part of an episodic content release schedule, and was not some pedantic reliance on whaterver naming scheme they want to use or not use. If they ever do another big monolithic Half-Life game (which may or may not ever happen) it will probably be called Half-Life 3.
Thanks for reading th
Re:HL3 (Score:2)
Release Date (Score:1)
I think most of you have no idea what goes into making a game, in terms of skills, time, anything like that. As an experienced mappe
Re:Release Date (Score:2)
I think everyone wants Episode 2 to be amazing. Valve isn't trying to make a 22-episode season here.
Vs. Episodic series (Score:2)
Argh... Valve... (Score:1)
So now I look forward to 25% of a game every year? I've given up on the story... since apparently they have too. How about answering some questions about what the hell is going on? I've lost track of the dead-end plot points and supp
Patch please (Score:1)