SmugFrog said:
I just don't believe they even really know where to go with the story. I think they kind of wrote themselves into a corner and they're not sure how they're going to proceed with it.
I'm actually not entirely convinced of that. They have a "bible", or a "rubicon" if you will, of all the key events, locales, and characters of the series. From what I've heard they have the story line plotted out well beyond the events of Half-Life 2 and it's episodes.
So, for my money, I'd wager the delay isn't because of narrative uncertainty.
Not only that, Half-Life 2 really brought that "interactive physics" to the PC, and changed FPS games. Everyone wanted to copy that, with Doom even having an expansion with a weapon similar to the Gravity Gun. So what is Half-Life 3 going to bring that is jaw-dropping and amazing? Better graphics? Better physics? I can't fathom how they're going to recapture that magic of that E3 announcement showing off Half-Life 2. A lot of newer generation of gamers don't understand what the big deal was; but in that video you can hear the shock and amazement as they were seeing things never done before in a game. For comparison to those people I point out that Half-Life 2 released the same month and year as Halo 2. Huge difference in graphics and physics, and the episodes they refined to a beautiful form (where I personally believe Episode 2 is a far better game than HL2).
Just want to say first that I agree in regards to Episode 2. I think it's the most cohesive and well executed entry in the series. Not perfect by any stretch, mind you, but certainly the one that displays the evolution of the series concepts.
As for your other point, who can say? Maybe that's part of the reason for the delay. A desire to include some new ground-breaking mechanic but not knowing of one to use.
Though, I have read that they had such an idea in mind. I recall Newell being quoted as saying they were attempting something "no one had ever done before". I can't for the life of me find the interview, so feel free to disregard that point as pure speculation.
If they did have such an idea, whether that idea panned out or floundered is anyone's guess. I'm inclined to think it may have, given the long delay, but there's also the possibility that it's taken much longer to design around than they expected.
From what I've been reading about Valve, no one is forced to work on a project really; and if they don't really know where they're going with it or how they're going to blow people away with something new and amazing, they're not going to do it.
This is mostly true. But at the same time many of those working at Valve have a deep-seeded love of the series. Many of them came to the company
because of that love; that admiration for Valve's design philosophy.
So I doubt it would be hard for someone to gather up a few coders and artists to start working on the project. I could be wrong, of course.
Do you think we will see a release or announcement before 2018? If they're truly working on it, 4 years from now would be adequate time (on top of whatever they might already have) to at least announce something. I don't think we'll hear about it before then. I'd put my money that it won't be until after 2018 that it is even announced.
Could be the case, sure. If I had to guess, I'm not sure I could. I have no idea. It could be announced next month and be released a week later. It could be announced next year and not see release until 2020.
With nothing to go on I can't really venture a guess. I
hope it sees the light of day in the near future, but I'm assuming nothing.
I really do hope you're right though. I'd love to see something announced, some bit of news, a screenshot or concept art; but that's not how Valve works. I hope to see a message from you saying "told you so!".
Nah. I'm not that petty. A smug wink maybe, but no I-told-you-so's.
I don't take any of it seriously anymore. "Guy spots someone wearing a Half-Life 3 shirt!" "Guy takes picture of Valve offices and Half-Life 3 written on a board!" on and on. Who knows. We won't know anything unless there's a true leak or Valve decides to do a release. I hope they release a book or information letting us all know what happened during all this time and their thoughts about all the rampant speculation.
I'm mostly with you on this. The vast majority of things being rumored are just that...rumors. Vagaries and whispers created and perpetuated by the community and gaming news publications.
As I said, I presume nothing that I can't verify. Everything I speak of about the project is based on actual evidence. Like the interviews specifically quoting Newell, the JIRA leaks, SFM and Source 2 content assets, etc. This is why I only say that there's evidence the project is in progress, nothing more.
Though, there's stronger evidence for active development of
Left 4 Dead 3, at this point.
As a final thought, I believe a second
Raising the Bar book isn't beyond the realm of possibility. If one is made, it'll probably be an e-book in the same vein as the Portal 2
The Final Hours book, if only because it's easier (and cheaper) to make a digital book and distribute it via Steam than it is to print thousands of hard-covers.
