Half-Life 2: Episode 4 Could Have Looked Like This

Steven Bogos

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Jan 17, 2013
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Half-Life 2: Episode 4 Could Have Looked Like This

Additional model renders from Arkane's cancelled Half-Life 2: Episode 4 aka, Return to Ravenholm have surfaced.

ValveTime [http://www.valvetime.net/threads/further-half-life-2-episode-4-images-found.243532/] has gotten its hands on some additional model renders from the cancelled Half-Life 2: Episode 4 project, and have analyzed them along with prior information to try and determine just how the game may have played out. The spin-off was apparently to have an new, yet unnamed protagonist return to the headcrab-zombie-infested town of Ravenholm.

Back when Half-Life 3 wasn't the new Duke Nukem Forever of the gaming industry, Valve had ambitious plans for the episodic content format. In a 2007 interview, Doug Lombardi said that Episode 3 would bring Gordon's story to a close, but further episodes would flesh out the rest of the universe. Episode 4 also known as Return to Ravenholm was a project aiming to do just that, and was under development by Arkane Studios (of Dishonored fame) before it was cancelled some time between then and now.

The video spotlight from ValveTime talks about the original images from the cancelled project that were discovered some time ago. Those images were very early on in development, leading people to believe that the project was scrapped pretty quickly after it started.

However, the new models renders discovered suggest that the project was further along in its development when Valve pulled the plug, as ValveTime thinks that such detailed models would only come along late in the development cycle.

The video then goes into some speculation on how the new models may have related to the project. Among the speculation is a new drive-able vehicle, and some kind of hospital-based level and puzzles.

Half Life 3 is still completely missing in action, with Valve giving no hint on the game's release date, or if it is even in development anymore, over the past several years.

Source & Image: ValveTime [http://www.valvetime.net/threads/further-half-life-2-episode-4-images-found.243532/]

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josemlopes

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Jun 9, 2008
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Really... Episode 4 now, did they just really just decided to jump the mighty number 3?
 

bafrali

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Mar 6, 2012
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You should stop making articles that start with "Half-Life 2 Episode...". Now I have to take my heart medicine...again.
 

Steven Bogos

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Jan 17, 2013
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Mr.Tea said:
So Ravenholm means zombies, the models are all basically clutter, there is a hospital level and it was scrapped a long time ago already...

I'm sorry, why the fuck wasn't Left 4 Dead the first thing that popped into their heads? Oh right, because if one puts HL:Ep4 in one's title, one guarantees oneself those sweet sweet page views...
Prominent Valve employee Mark Laidlaw confirmed the existence of episode 4 [http://lambdageneration.com/posts/marc-laidlaw-on-the-cancelled-half-life-spin-offs-return-to-ravenholm-and-episode-four/]. Since these images are copyright 2007 by Arkane studios and are for the source engine, it makes sense that they were for episode 4 and not left 4 dead.
 

AstaresPanda

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Nov 5, 2009
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i think it was scrapped coz they had L4D in the works also ? Could not really bring out 2 zombie themed games. But if Ep4 was so far in the making then HL2EP3 must have been pretty dam far along, before im guessing they scrapped HL2EP3 to make source 2 and HL3. E3 2014 HL3 ;)
 

bjj hero

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Are people really still crazy over ep3? Its years now let it go.

Id love a follow up to vagrant story or shining force but its not happening. Time to move on, I dont get why it keeps coming up.
 

bafrali

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bjj hero said:
Are people really still crazy over ep3? Its years now let it go.

Id love a follow up to vagrant story or shining force but its not happening. Time to move on, I dont get why it keeps coming up.
Because and it is confirmed to be in development for years now? Geez, sombody has a lot of catching up to do.
 

Maerx

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Sep 15, 2010
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I'm calling Half Life 2: Episode 3 or Half Life 3 to be a launch title for the Steam Box.

But in all seriousness, Half Life 2 Ep.3 owns Duke Nukem's place as vaporware. Valve better releases a master piece so epic that marks the end of the world.
 

A Satanic Panda

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bafrali said:
bjj hero said:
Are people really still crazy over ep3? Its years now let it go.

Id love a follow up to vagrant story or shining force but its not happening. Time to move on, I dont get why it keeps coming up.
Because and it is confirmed to be in development for years now? Geez, sombody has a lot of catching up to do.
Sources please? After Ep 2 was released Valve just kinda kept quiet about the next part, not even a confirm. They did say they were ditching the episodic structure, so maybe just Half Life 3, but no specific news on it.
 

Falsename

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Oct 28, 2010
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So!
I log into the Escapist, and see TWO different articles with Gordon Freeman on the cover! Advertised three times on the overall page.

So I see three Gordon Freemans looking back at me, the HL2 sign and two different articles!


Thanks for the freaking heart attack Escapist. I thought the impossible had finally happened!

*sighs* Colours seem less bright again, and my expectations are still lowered, lower than ever before.
 

mad825

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Mar 28, 2010
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Someone replace the commentator, if he became any more monotone Stephen Hawking's speech aid might make a cameo. Still, if it's not being developed by Valve then why should any of us care? Its Valve's magic not some other random studios.
 

Vivi22

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Aug 22, 2010
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I'm not really buying that the game was as far into production as they seem to think just because of a few relatively finished models. Assuming it was being built on the Source Engine then the tech and it's limitations were completely known variables. There'd be little need for half assed placeholder assets to use until the engine specs were nailed down, and no shortage of readily available content to use as placeholders that were already used in HL2 and the other episodes. And for that matter, if you know you need models for things like fire extinguishers, floor signs, etc. and the tech is already basically finalized, why not just make them instead of wasting time making place holder art that you don't even need?

Honestly, the video is assuming way too much for the sake of making up a headline to get some hits. And what do we glean from this limited information? There was probably going to be a truck you drive and a hospital level in a game that hasn't been in development for five years?

Well done. Highly informative. That deserves a slow clap.
 

Vivi22

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Aug 22, 2010
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Capitano Segnaposto said:
Ivalice was reset thanks to a bunch of kids in Final Fantasy Tactics: Advanced. Therefore, the Ivalice of the original Tactics/Vagrant Story no longer exists.

Unless they do a Vagrant Story in their new Ivalice, there would be 0 way to make a meaningful sequel.
This is kind of way off topic, but this isn't really true. If Square wanted to make a game in the same Ivalice as Vagrant Story they absolutely can. Hell, they already did. It's called FFXII and came out three years after Tactics Advance.