Will Half-Life 3 Outlive Public Interest Because of Development Time?

[Yahtzee Croshaw]

Will Half-Life 3 Outlive Public Interest Because of Development Time?

We assume Half-Life 3 is in development, but how long is too long to wait? Granted we could get a Team Fortress 2 and forgive delays, or we could get Duke Nukem Forever.

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[Zontar]

Half Life 3 would be nice (though I feel as though the theory that it won't be developed until the Source Engine 2 is complete is true, as it would make sense to do so), but can we get Episode 3 already? It was announced already and even got a release date set for 2007. 8 years later still no episode 3. I don't care if it isn't some grand innovation, leave that for the main titles, but can't we just have some sense of closure with the last third of a game we've been waiting almost a decade for?

 

[Evonisia]

The idea that Half-Life 3 could genuienly end up like Duke Nukem Forever is a bit disheartening, but those last few paragraphs certainly make it seem like a possibility. Mechanically HL is still fine, but it's not exactly a super special thing to be a well-balanced shooter in the singleplayer department. Then there's the weak story.

I mean, do you want Half-Life 2's story style? Play BioShock, it's got the stronger story.

 

[PMAvers]

I'd just be happy with resolving the massive cliff-hanger Episode 2 left on.

 

[flying_whimsy]

I would still like an episode 3 to be made, and I get the impression that whatever they had for it got thrown into the trash. That said, I've been wondering the same thing: when HL3 comes out, will it be a case of too little, too late? I've been under the impression that Valve was waiting to use it as a showcase, too; and just like Yahtzee says I'm not sure there's anything left. Cynically, I'm worried that HL3 will just be used as a way to push sales of the steam boxes and controllers.

Kingdom Hearts III already lost me because it took nearly a decade longer to release than it should have, I'm really hoping half-life doesn't go down the same road.

 

[Thanatos2k]

Half Life 2 Episode 2 was just a bad idea from the start. It's clear they really had no plan with development and were flying by the seat of their pants.

I want to know who at Valve decided to cancel episode 3's development and what was so important at the time.

Kingdom Hearts III already lost me because it took nearly a decade longer to release than it should have, I'm really hoping half-life doesn't go down the same road.

At least they've been making all sorts of other games in the mean time, as opposed to NOTHING.

 

[Scars Unseen]

But if that's the case, why do I always feel like I have to push myself to start the next session? Why do I feel relieved when daylight hits my eyes at the tunnel exit? Surely it can't be because I don't enjoy Ravenholm as a gameplay experience. What nonsense. I love getting lost in cramped, unintuitively laid out buildings and scrabbling around floor textures looking for a carelessly-flung sawblade. OH GOD FINE I admit it. I don't like Ravenholm much.

I've noticed a lot of games I play have "that level." Relevant at the moment is the Gutter in Dark Souls 2. Between the darkness, the constant threat of falling to your death, and the poison spitting statues, that level can fuck right off.

Anyway, if I was to put out my guess, I'd say that if they're ever going to make HL3, it's going to be after they've gotten used to making games for their upcoming Vive VR HMD.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

I have a conspiracy theory that a/the creative director for the continuation of Half Life possibly experienced a form of mental breakdown, due to the stresses and criticisms of their work. Whereupon they burnt/destroyed/stole all the remaining script and designs for the series, prompting Valve to headhunt, torture for information of the documents, kill then dispose of said director's body. They use their virtual muscle to erase any evidence of this person, however they still fail to find or salvage any plans of Half Life's intended narrative direction. In fear of messing up the franchise, they lock it down until they can obtain the technology to sift through the dead guy's brain which they keep in an underground cryogenic lab.

Just a theory for now. Or that source 2 idea probably seems more likely

 

[loa]

Well valve is big on the virtual reality thing now.
There's your new ground to break.
The design philosophies of "ego shooter" don't quite apply if you can turn your head and have depth perception.
You will notice the gun stapled to your cheek, your lack of body, the floating HUD and how does one even "aim" that way?

 

[Yahtzee Croshaw]

These days i find HL1 holds up better than HL2.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

This made me wonder, did episodes 2.1 and 2.2 (which I haven't played) break any ground in the sense HL1 & HL2 did? Or where they just re-runs of HL2?

 

[Dying_Jester]

Honestly, my guess is that if nothing is announced when Source 2 and Vive are both just about ready to go or recently on market, it's never gonna happen. As you said, half-life is meant to showcase innovation, and nothing is going to turn heads in the direction of Source 2 and Vive more then the announcement that Half-Life 3(or Episode 3, though it definitely feels like that train has definitely left the station).

 

[Fox12]

So Half Life is a tech demo? No wonder I didn't like it. Of course, it was already aged by the time I played it.

 

[GrumbleGrump]

Frankly, I don't really give a shit at this point. Half-life can get a rhythm game for a sequel for all I care. They've taken so long to release it that I don't even care that Eli died. Not anymore, anyway.

Yeah, they will probably release it as the first game for their Vive thing, because that's the only innovation they have at this point. In gaming I mean, if they don't do that then the game better come with a free cure for muscular dystrophy.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

I doubt they ever will release Half Life 2 episode 3 or even a Half Life 3 because it doesn't seem like it's gong to ever happen and people should just stop getting their hopes up...

 

[Sofox]

I do think there's new ground to break in shooters. For instance, consequences. In a HL2 demo video, you could knock something over during a "cutscene"-esque part and Kleiner would stop what he was doing and say "careful with that Gordon". Half Life has a rich cast of characters, and in the first game you could control some of their movements, hear a bit from them, and guard them. In HL2, I thought that would be expanded, with a better set of ways of communicating with the other characters, making decisions that affected them, that sort of thing. Instead, when one character does predictable betrayal, you can't even stop them from escaping even though their in perfect gun range.

If games want to be more real, one gulf they have yet to even start crossing is more realistic interaction with the people in the games, ways to talk, influence, learn from and cooperate with. If Valve want us to to feel HL3 is more "real", they could start by making it so it actually feels we're part of a team with a common purpose, not just a guy standing around a stage while everyone recites their lines.

 

[ForumSafari]

I think realistically HL3 has already outlived public interest. I think aside from the odd '1+2=3, half life 3 confirmed' joke no one really gives a shit about it any more. I know I was eager to play it after ep2, I was for about 3 years, but after that I just lost interest in it. even if they do release it now I doubt it'll be a full price purchase, I just don't care enough any more.

 

[The_Darkness]

This made me wonder, did episodes 2.1 and 2.2 (which I haven't played) break any ground in the sense HL1 & HL2 did? Or where they just re-runs of HL2?

2.1 felt like a re-run of HL2 in some ways (though I suppose they were breaking ground by trying out the episodic format). There was some minor new stuff co-oping with Alex's AI (one of you has a gun, the other has a torch. Can't remember which way around it was).

2.2 broke some open-world ground with the car, but even that only really came into its own at the end section. Also, I remember the Dev Commentary explained that they tried out a new way of coding the Striders, but it didn't seem to change much on the player end (especially since it was only for one cutscene-esque encounter). Alex felt like a constant co-op presence in 2.2, which worked somewhat well.

Honestly, I think they're missing a trick here. Release Half-life 3... and have Gordon acquire the portal gun in the first half-an-hour. Boom, FPS with portals. The Combine won't know what hit them... (I have to assume they've tried this, and that it didn't play well for some reason. Pity...)

 

[Olas]

Honestly everyone talks about HL3 not being able to live up to the hype, but I don't think there truly is much hype anymore, just exasperation. At least for me, all it needs to do is maintain the level of quality of Half-Life 2 and finish the story. Anything else on top of that is gravy.

Also, Ravenholm is one of my favorite levels.

These days i find HL1 holds up better than HL2.

Really? Even with those platforming bits, and the Xen levels, and the 500 scientists who all look and talk alike? I liked the original Half-Life, even though I first played it more than a decade past it's launch, but to me it'll always be a weird quirky game full of mechanics that would never get by today.

 

[G00N3R7883]

Half Life 2 is my favourite FPS of all time and it would probably be in my top 10 games of all time. But even I'm losing interest in Half Life 3. I wanted to see the end of the story, but its been so long that I can barely remember it. There was a time when the FPS genre as a whole was a massive disappointment to me, when every FPS was trying to copy Call of Duty. I had a massive desire for Valve to restore the fun and save the genre. But the last 2-3 years has seen lots of fantastic FPSes so that's not a factor either.

Honestly I don't think Valve care about making games anymore. They care about selling other developers' games, and they care about selling digital hats (which is hard to do in a singleplayer game).

Of course, if Half Life 3 came out tomorrow, I'd definately play it. But what I'm saying is I no longer care if it never happens.

Btw Yahtzee, that whole innovation thing you were talking about? AI. Enemy AI. NPC AI. Characters that react to the player's actions in believable ways. It can influence FPS tactics. It can influence RTS and TBS tactics. It can influence open world games and narrative driven games. But it also requires developers to drop their obsession with graphics so ... not holding my breath.