Gabe Newell Acknowledges Frustrations With Half-Life 3
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
Meh, I'm in the mindset where I don't really wanna know what they're doing about it. It'll be done when it's done. I'd rather hear about it when it's near to completion...whenever that may be.
I'm actually getting kinda tired of every single interview with Valve employees having to have some mention of Half-Life 3.
I'm actually getting kinda tired of every single interview with Valve employees having to have some mention of Half-Life 3.
No, I don't, because they already have this. Wans't Left4dead 2 released a year after the original..? not even that? that was the most blatant cashgrab I have seen in a long time, not to say that Left4dead 1 wasn't a cashgrab to begin with. The problem I have with valve is they have to be bitched at endlessly to get them to make anything that requires any actual effort, Like Portal 2. We would have got Portal 2 a LOT sooner if it wasn't for the Left4dead games, and taking that in to consideration, I think that validates everyone's frustration.Sgt Pepper said:
I think this situation is more a 'this is what we want you to make' rather then a 'we want it now' complaint with Half Life 3.
That said I don't want Half Life 3 now, I want to wait for the new generation of hardware for both PC's and consoles before it comes out, that way if falls short of Halflife 1 (like 2 did for me) at least it will be pretty. I enjoyed Half Life 2, but not really as much as 1. It's graphics were it's only saving grace; if I am going to walk down endless empty streets doing nothing, then they have to be pretty at least.
They could just say that they don't feel like making it and don't know where the story is going to go. I mean, they released Portal 2, LFD and LFD2 and I'm sure people wouldn't have minded if they saved their work on LFD2 for HL3 instead.
You want to make a great story, but Don't know what that story is. You want to give the people something but don't have anything. You don't want to tell them you don't have anything so they will stay so you don't say anything. You don't say anything, the people will stay and wait with large hope-filled eyes until the dissapointment becomes too much to handle. So every few years, they say something and nothing to keep the people, until one day they find something to show them. Hopefully, before I have grandkids.
I gotta say though...Dude would make a great politician. He's got that whole saying everything and nothing at the same time thing down.
You want to make a great story, but Don't know what that story is. You want to give the people something but don't have anything. You don't want to tell them you don't have anything so they will stay so you don't say anything. You don't say anything, the people will stay and wait with large hope-filled eyes until the dissapointment becomes too much to handle. So every few years, they say something and nothing to keep the people, until one day they find something to show them. Hopefully, before I have grandkids.
I gotta say though...Dude would make a great politician. He's got that whole saying everything and nothing at the same time thing down.
Yes, but presumably you didn't charge people for half the drawing, which was so amazing and fanatastic, but then didn't give them the change to buy the other half for over five years.ThaBenMan said:
This I have to agree with. But let's just hope that Half-Life doesn't become another victim of "Duke Nukem: Forever Syndrome", where the studio doesn't complete the game for over a decade and where the title has been in the works for so long that there's no coherent tone to it. For now my hopes have been high, but that's only because of the quality of Valve's portfolio.Sgt Pepper said:
I didn't expect any less from Valve. I'd rather not play Half-Life at all than some rushed out version.
But there has been a lot of speculation and unjustified hype around Half-Life lately. I know it's the fans doing it to themselves but that's just how we are and Valve knows that. I think it would be nice if they would talk to us more, in a way which wouldn't harm any of their important plans and projects.
A lot of frustration could be prevented that way.
Before I forget, Mr. Chalk I'm really disappointed in you, I had such high expectations. How could you forget to mention something so crucial. It's probably the most interesting part of the whole Penny Arcade interview. Gabe Newell has grown awesome beard!
But there has been a lot of speculation and unjustified hype around Half-Life lately. I know it's the fans doing it to themselves but that's just how we are and Valve knows that. I think it would be nice if they would talk to us more, in a way which wouldn't harm any of their important plans and projects.
A lot of frustration could be prevented that way.
Before I forget, Mr. Chalk I'm really disappointed in you, I had such high expectations. How could you forget to mention something so crucial. It's probably the most interesting part of the whole Penny Arcade interview. Gabe Newell has grown awesome beard!
All these assholes who feel like they are somehow "owed" a new Half Life need to remove their craniums from their rectums. A game company has no obligation to bend to your will and make any game you wish. Until you have payed for the product you are not entitled to shit. Game design should never be led by public opinion, and those who feel like they somehow know better than the developers need to step back and reevaluate their standing.
Valve could've easily have made Half Life 3 (and it would be amazing) if they hired more staff...but nooooooo Valve knows that a small staff means all the money gets shared with less people and I am sure that EVERY staff member at Valve is quite happy with how it is now.
Well. I think it's enough to discern that they are working on it by this.
And seriously, take your time. This is just what most (reasonable) people were asking you to tell us.
And seriously, take your time. This is just what most (reasonable) people were asking you to tell us.
What the heck kind of response is "maybe we're not even making it, maybe we're just talking about making it, kudos are in order"?
Um, maybe you're a bunch of lazy millionaires are in order? Your riches have made you greedy and lazy. You have expanded a bunch of titles to become richer, not to make good games. -.- thats the impression this careless, thoughtless, "haha, look more vague hints at nothing" reply give me...
I could be wrong, I could be being silly, but I'm a little pissed off. I would gladly trade all of their subsequent games for episode 3. I hate cliff hangers with a passion and I hate having an unfinished story in my mind. I wouldn't care if they never made another game again - just FINISH half life 2's story. Don't leave us hanging. God forbid you go out of business or get bought out by microsoft or something and we never see HL again. It could happen. The fallout games almost died out. Bethesda saved that series but yeah... could happen
Um, maybe you're a bunch of lazy millionaires are in order? Your riches have made you greedy and lazy. You have expanded a bunch of titles to become richer, not to make good games. -.- thats the impression this careless, thoughtless, "haha, look more vague hints at nothing" reply give me...
I could be wrong, I could be being silly, but I'm a little pissed off. I would gladly trade all of their subsequent games for episode 3. I hate cliff hangers with a passion and I hate having an unfinished story in my mind. I wouldn't care if they never made another game again - just FINISH half life 2's story. Don't leave us hanging. God forbid you go out of business or get bought out by microsoft or something and we never see HL again. It could happen. The fallout games almost died out. Bethesda saved that series but yeah... could happen
Granted, but considering the stories behind Episode 2, Left 4 Dead 1 & 2, and Portal 2 were all masterminded by Wolpaw and Faliszek, I'd say they have a flair for telling a good story.The_root_of_all_evil said:
(I consider Ep2 to be the best in the HL series)
My sole problem is that I seem to recall being promised shorter, episodic releases in a planned trilogy, and I'm still waiting on the third game that was supposed to come out. If Valve had gone and said, "Hey, we're only making two episodes," I'd be perfectly fine waiting for a third game. Or even if they just came out and said, "Episode 3 has been scrapped. We're making an entirely new Half-Life 3 game," then I'd be happy. I know it takes them forever to release their stuff--well, some stuff--and I'm fine with waiting. I'm not fine with being told something is coming, and then not getting it, nor getting any information on it.
Hear hear. I mean, I really want to see a conclusion (or just another chapter <.<) to the series, but it irritates even me to see people demanding Valve stop everything else and make Half-Life 3. (I still laugh when people say Episode 3. apparently these people don't listen to what Valve actually says.)Spencer Petersen said:
Have any of you actually bothered to see what Gabe said they're working on? Just read the interview. They're extraordinarily busy. Experimenting with biometrics and wearable computing? For God's sake people, most other devs are just now getting around to working on Kinect enabled games and motion tracking. Valve's over there working on some Blade Runner/Minority Report type tech. Not to mention the few titles they've officially announced.
And, if you read carefully, you'll notice that he's even a bit pensive at revealing that info. Which leads me to thinking they're working on a few other, probably bigger things. So...maybe instead of whining like little children who just HAVE to have their way, let's wait and see what they're doing first. M'kay?
Sounds to me that they're working on it and they don't want to create hype too early. Makes me think of what Bethesda did with Skyrim.
Oblivion came out in 2006, was a huge hit, and fans have been begging for a new TeS game for years and they only announced it a year before release even though they were working on it years before hand. Bethesda avoided creating hype too early that could frustrate their fans.
Oblivion came out in 2006, was a huge hit, and fans have been begging for a new TeS game for years and they only announced it a year before release even though they were working on it years before hand. Bethesda avoided creating hype too early that could frustrate their fans.
They did. They said they were dropping the episodic model in favor of a "games as a service" model.Sniper Team 4 said:
It still fascinates me that people are still stuck on the "episode 3" thing. It's been known for years they aren't going to be making Half-Life 2: Episode 3.
But I agree to an extent. The lack of any info beyond that has been frustrating.
[edit] If you would like a link for a source, I'll find one per your request.
You do realize that none of that makes sense right? Portal 2 began production less than a year after Portal/Orange box hit. They didn't wait until the Left 4 Deads were done to start.xPixelatedx said:
Also, Left 4 Dead 2 wasn't a cash grab. Despite what the boy-cotters (ha!) would have you believe. L4D2 was everything they had wanted to put in 1 but didn't have time or the resources to flesh out. It was enough content that a single update or DLC pack wouldn't have worked. At all.
Unlike other devs who have 500+ employees all working on one title at a time, Valve has less then 300 working on several game titles, Steam updates, DLC, etc, at the same time. In fact, Portal 2's core team was comprised of 28 people. Just 28. Yet, they cracked out that masterpiece in under 3 years. Say what you will but I call that impressive.
just some side info:
Portal 1's core team was comprised of just 8 people.
Left 4 Dead was released on Nov. 17, 2008. Left 4 Dead 2 was released Nov. 17, 2009. Exactly one year apart. Both have received regular updates since release.
Haha good now I know it wasn't just my half-life starved brain misinterpreting it the first time.Viridian said:
Now Gabe saying he doesn't want Half-Life to suffer "Sequelitis' is probably the most ridiculous statement I have heard from him. There's a difference as to how games become stale, playing the same shooter year in year out with no redeeming qualities and a non-existent multiplayer will succumb to a case of 'Sequelitis' quite quickly.
A game like Half-life, on the other hand gave me a smart fps/puzzle hybrid, with a deep story and rich characters and ended on an amazing cliffhanger will give me an extreme case of 'Wantitnowherpes!' I just can't shake it and I inadvertently pass it on to any other half-life fan! It's sick!
Saying you don't want to churn out constant sequels is a fair point if your franchise was growing stale, but with major interest almost 5 years after the last sequel I would say that Valve has no chance of that being so. I doubt they have written themselves into a corner story wise either, it seems like the 3 episode arc was ready to go ahead of time. I say it's simply grown bigger than they imagined and to do it justice are giving it their own standalone game with a whole new engine. Or have abandoned it altogether.
Ah, fair enough, I wasn't aware they had a track record other than red barrelsVigormortis said:
Tough call.
Ep 2 had a few really good scenes (One awesome one - though I think that depends whether you prefer action or horror); but it didn't feel like a journey for Gordon.
HL1 leapt around all over the place - but had a definite arc. HL2 had an Empire Strikes Back feel - especially the end. Ep 1 sucked imho, just consisting of Alyx fawning over Gordon while doing most of the work. And Ep2 is a set-up, more than a fully realised arc.
This is what frees them for Ep 3 I think, and what could also be killing it. We've got the "nooo" moment set up at the end, the "dragon's lair" already set up - but nothing else. And especially not where the Gordon/Alyx arc is going - and that may be the killer.
Because you know ep 3 has to resolve - or partially resolve Gordon/Alyx - and there's where the problems just keep coming - Player resoloution/Script resoloution/Sacrifice/Alter PoV?
(Without even touching on the big end scene - that's already your main arc.)
Now that you know all of Ep 2's "shocks", can you keep adding without descending into farce, railroad or away from what the series is?
I'd have a huge problem with something as simple as Alyx/Gordon without the other big thing.
And then we have no more Breen.
I see several comments from people saying to just stop bugging Valve and let them work on Half-Life 3 (I understand they dropped the Episode bit once it became apparent nobody was buying that shit after 3 years...)
Im not a fan of Valve, but I can appreciate that stance, just look at Blizzard, they still havent finished StarCraft 2 yet. But I want to ask, what evidence do we have that they are actually working on HL3? And I mean curant evidence, not some files that somebody hacked into Valve to find that are back from 2007.
I view Half-Life 3 (or HL2:Ep3 for some) as Schrödinger's Game; Is it being worked on? or have they not even bother with it? or did they start and than just kinda stopped to work on something else, only to never start back up HL3? I can somehow picture some guys in Valve read on the internet about people wanting HL3, with one guy turning to the other:
Guy 1: Hey, all these gamers are talking about HL3 like we're making it right now... are we?
Guy 2: Pfff, no. We havent bother with it since we released Left 4 Dead.
Guy 1: Than shouldnt have Gabe went out and said that there was no HL3 in development?
Guy 2: He would have, but after all the fat jokes, He decided to fuck with them.
Guy 1: Lol, thats awesome...
Guy 2: Lol, I know... Hey, did you know Gabe's growing a beard?
I amused myself for a moment typing that...
Im not a fan of Valve, but I can appreciate that stance, just look at Blizzard, they still havent finished StarCraft 2 yet. But I want to ask, what evidence do we have that they are actually working on HL3? And I mean curant evidence, not some files that somebody hacked into Valve to find that are back from 2007.
I view Half-Life 3 (or HL2:Ep3 for some) as Schrödinger's Game; Is it being worked on? or have they not even bother with it? or did they start and than just kinda stopped to work on something else, only to never start back up HL3? I can somehow picture some guys in Valve read on the internet about people wanting HL3, with one guy turning to the other:
Guy 1: Hey, all these gamers are talking about HL3 like we're making it right now... are we?
Guy 2: Pfff, no. We havent bother with it since we released Left 4 Dead.
Guy 1: Than shouldnt have Gabe went out and said that there was no HL3 in development?
Guy 2: He would have, but after all the fat jokes, He decided to fuck with them.
Guy 1: Lol, thats awesome...
Guy 2: Lol, I know... Hey, did you know Gabe's growing a beard?
I amused myself for a moment typing that...