I'm beginning to hate Valve.

[bug_of_war]

Similarly, Valve is not going 'Hey let's build up hype for HL3 and then never ever ever make it!' After the release of Episode 2 they never hyped HL3. I suspect part of the reason they're so tight-lipped about it is to avoid this kind of backlash from building up expectations.

To be fair, they did do that thing on April Fools Day where they 'revealed' a pre order for HL3 this year. It was all in good taste, but that is kinda like bating your audience and then wrenching right from out under them.

I don't hate Valve, I don't like them. They've done many a thing that I disagree with but I also enjoy Left 4 Dead and Steam so it would be hypocritical of me to take a side. I will say however that they seem to steer clear of a lot of flak that other companies seem to get such as reusing the same engine for over what, 8 years? reusing sound effects and graphics (I know this kind of goes hand in hand with the engine, but you can still change the two while keeping the same engine so...). They are very much against giving refunds (Somewhat fair, but I had to go through a 3-4 month process to prove that the game I had purchased was unplayable, and they weren't exactly friendly about the whole ordeal).

In the end, they're a business first and your friend second, so long as you remember that you should get along with them just fine.

 

[AlbertoDeSanta]

Whenever I see things like this, I point back to the source. Half-Life 2 and it's Episodes were very well polished games with immense replay value. We've waited 5 years, and that's a long time, but good things come to those who wait. When other companies release long awaited games that are shit (AKA: Duke Nukem Forever, Colonial Marines) we scold them for it. Has Valve released it yet? No, they've just abandoned a schedule like they've done before. TF2 is another example of this, as numerous times during the early 2000's it SHOULD have been released, but they didn't want to release a game that they didn't like; so they didn't. Who knows when we shall see it. We may get news at E3, we may not. It's what's happened in previous years and will continue to happen until Valve deem it able to be released.

 

[Gameguy20100]

Run away dude run away and never speak of this again before you end up like me.

 

[rbstewart7263]

I know that's akin to sacrilege among gamers, but I was just playing Half-Life and it occurred to me that it has been 5 years since Episode 2 came out. 5 years. The entire thing they said about releasing them in episodic format was so that we wouldn't have to wait so long. Well that was fucking bullshit.

And that's what gets me. Valve blatantly lies about their plans, stays all secret and then someone thinks because they are Valve it is all okay to treat their fans like shit. And yet people eat it up and defend them. "Oh, that's just how Valve does things," people say. "They're probably waiting for the next engine/console/big gaming thing to be ready." "Valve never releases 3's of their games"

We don't take that shit from other companies. This whole fiasco with Bioware and Mass Effect and more recently Gearbox and Aliens proves that. So what makes it okay for Valve? How is blatantly lying about their plans for a game any different from releasing bullshit like ACM?

I don't get it. I don't think it would be so much of an issue if they would just communicate and say they were not interested in making it right now or that they were indeed waiting for the technology to catch up with the vision. But nope. They're content to treat us all like shit and then people defend them tooth an nail.

What do you think? Agree? Disagree?

well I know a few who love to eat gearboxes shit. they dont care just so long as BORDERLANDS! they dont care about them swindling sega or aliens fans it doesnt affect them. theyve bought at least over 100 with borderlands2 i know that.

 

[Terramax]

I think Valve are aware that when you're doing something against the wishes of, or that'll upset fans, often the best tactic is to just not say anything at all. Most gamers will simply grumble then keep on buying their crap.

All game companies with fans will eventually cross-wires with them somewhere down the road. Companies don't have loyalty to their customers. And customers don't have to have any loyalty to companies.

I learnt years ago never to expect a sequel to materialise until the day you see copies on the shelf. And even then, be aware that it may not be what you were expecting or hoping for.

 

[Bat Vader]

I don't hate Valve and while I am a fan of them I would not consider myself a fanboy of them. Yes, I like Half-Life, Half-Life 2 and both episodes as well as Portal and Portal 2. At the same time though they do kinda anger me when they don't release any new information on games they are working on.

I understand they release games when they are done and not before but I don't think it would hurt for them to say how close they are to being finished or release a few screenshots.

I am almost worried that they have cancelled and consider the Half-Life series dead but are too scared to officially confirm it due to fan outrage.

 

[NLS]

The episodic release format wasn't working for them in the end. Just look at what happened to Sin Episodes. It tanked after 1 episode.
Would you call the producers of any movie or tv-series that ended on a cliff-hanger for liars just because a sequel or next season never made it?

 

[Rastrelly]

I know that's akin to sacrilege among gamers, but I was just playing Half-Life and it occurred to me that it has been 5 years since Episode 2 came out. 5 years. The entire thing they said about releasing them in episodic format was so that we wouldn't have to wait so long. Well that was fucking bullshit.

And that's what gets me. Valve blatantly lies about their plans, stays all secret and then someone thinks because they are Valve it is all okay to treat their fans like shit. And yet people eat it up and defend them. "Oh, that's just how Valve does things," people say. "They're probably waiting for the next engine/console/big gaming thing to be ready." "Valve never releases 3's of their games"

We don't take that shit from other companies. This whole fiasco with Bioware and Mass Effect and more recently Gearbox and Aliens proves that. So what makes it okay for Valve? How is blatantly lying about their plans for a game any different from releasing bullshit like ACM?

I don't get it. I don't think it would be so much of an issue if they would just communicate and say they were not interested in making it right now or that they were indeed waiting for the technology to catch up with the vision. But nope. They're content to treat us all like shit and then people defend them tooth an nail.

What do you think? Agree? Disagree?

It's simple. For now Valve at most failed with making as many games as gamers want. It's hard to pick a game made/released by Valve and say "It's shit, it's below any standards and it's a pure disappointment". Even more - until now Steam (with all its flaws) is still the best place to shop for games online. It's comfortable, cheap and constantly developing something new. While EA and co just straightly tries to rob their customers with overpriced useless crap.

 

[bafrali]

SNİP

You do know those april fool jokes were the work of fans who has to much time on their hands right? Like Valve said it is community trolling itself.

OP: I think you need to lay off the false accusations. Valve never made any promises other than stating their plans pre-production and we all knew they were bound to change because Valve time. There were no timetables, release dates, preoerders or anything else that might suggest even the ongoing development of the project unlike your other examples which are blatant false advertisings.

Look I want Half Life 3 as much as the next guy. Heck I nearly had a stroke when I heard they weren't attending to E3. But it is no reason to go on a killing spree...yet.

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

Just the name of the main character, and a crowbar instead of a knife.

Yes, that and the plot of fighting back against an alien/extra dimensional invasion. And the focus on the powers of science, and the potential dangers contained within. And the G-Man with his background plot of meddling with the universe. And the Vortigaunts(refereed to as slaves in the half-life map editor) now having their status known as slaves known in the actual plot. And the head crabs and the zombies with head crabs. The barnacles. The Icthyosaurs. And most of the same weapons with the same features: the crossbow, the tau cannon, the RPG with a tracking red dot. And most of the characters are from black mesa; Dr Kleiner is even mentioned in the HL1 manual as being one of Gordon's professors. Oh and the same general game mechanics like the fast running speed or the shielded HEV suit.

But yeah other than that, it's totally lyke omg not even the same game series.

 

[Lazy Kitty]

Plans change, unfortunately.
It's not like they signed a contract to deliver Half Life 3 or Episode 3.

I assume they're just not making it because they don't know what to make because the fountain of creativity has dried up.
And that would mean it's a good thing they're not making it, because if they did make it while they don't have any good ideas for it, many gamers would be disappointed.

 

[veloper]

I know that's akin to sacrilege among gamers, but I was just playing Half-Life and it occurred to me that it has been 5 years since Episode 2 came out. 5 years.

Do what everybody else does: play something else to entertain you. Don't wait for anything.

No company is ever obliged to make a certain game for the fans. You can only piss on a company when they release a bad game and charge you money for it.

 

[cainx10a]

I predict Episode 3 will be some sort of prelude/demo to set the stage for HL 3. But honestly, it's not like we are in a rush to see HL3 materialized. Valve can take their time.

There are so many good games out there, and barely enough time to enjoy a lot of them.

So yes, Valve can take their time.

 

[Sunrider]

And before people say they have released many games over the years, aren't dota 2 and CS GA both betas? That have you pay to enter nowadays, and yes I am aware that right no CS GA is no free to try and will be on sale for half off for those that played it, but still a game in beta that has to be pay for, Anyone else think that is wrong?

I don't know about CS:GO, since I have no interest in it, but no, you don't have to pay to get into DOTA 2, nor will you have to pay for it when it is released. You CAN pay to get into it if you'd like, but with the massive amounts of invites floating around (I personally have 23 lying around), saying that you "HAVE" to pay to get into it just isn't accurate. If the invites were scarce, like in the beginning of the beta (at a time when they DIDN'T have the buy-to-get-in system in place), maybe this would be a good example. Right now, it's not.
Additional reasons:
http://steamcommunity.com/id/dota2bot
http://www.reddit.com/r/sharedota2

As for CS:GO, as I said, I don't know enough about it to comment with full confidence. I'll let someone else do that.

 

[Ratties]

Know I think they are an average company as a whole. I like their games, there is usually something else I want to play by another company first. Is a part of me that knows I won't ever play it again once I have beaten it.

 

[Ishigami]

You hate them for not releasing a game?
Well I guess you are good off then. I hate them for Steam.
Try dealing with that when you love PC gaming... it is freaking impossible to avoid Steam unless you either pirate or miss most (all? Since the other half is on Origin... or U-play...) releases.

 

[Smertnik]

I thought this was going to be a complaint thread about trading cards..

What exactly has Valve been "blatantly lying" about? I don't remember them ever giving a definite release date for the next HL sequel. And, more importantly, how does not releasing the said sequel equates to your "fiasco" examples? You don't make any sense.

Either way, Valve doesn't really need the HL franchise anymore, they're making more than enough money from their other games, Steam and microtransactions. And I doubt many consumers need it, either, aside from diehard fans maybe. I bet it'll come out at some point but why exactly is the project so important that not releasing it in timely fashion makes Valve such scumbags as you're making them out to be?

 

[Furioso]

I think I'll let Gabe Newell answer for me...

It's not like no good games are coming out while we wait, I'd rather they take their time rather than rush it, in the meantime I'll just play some other stuff, it really isn't that big of a deal.

 

[minimacker]

Hate? No. Angry? No. Disappointed? Yeah.

 

[Elijin]

I always just thought it was because no one really cared.

I mean sure there are still the few diehards who live every day waiting to see a new HL game, but from where I sit, most people seem to have stopped caring about HL a long time ago. Not to say they dislike the games or anything, they just arent really concerned about an IP which hasnt seen any official content in years, and is a running (bad) april fools joke.


And that to me, explains it. You're wondering why people are accepting of these delays, and not outraged at the company for shoving us in the dark. But whats to be outraged at? They havent released a product that most people stopped anticipating a long time ago. I mean sure, if it came out, most of us would give it a look over, see how it turned out.

But if it didnt? Well that would just be life as normal.