Valve Outgrows Its "Episodes Phase"

[Frotality]

you know im pretty sure alot of people dont like the constant crap piled onto TF2 as much as you do, gabe.

of all developers valve should know the value of a contained and polished experience....but no, it seems they just want to rip off modders some more.

 

[Legendairy314]

Come on now, they're practically announcing Half-Life 3 by now. At first they tell us Episode 3 is coming soon and then they say they're not doing episodes anymore. I'm pretty sure we can expect the announcement from them at E3 this year. On a lighter note, those that predicted Episode 3 won't ever come out were actually correct. Though now I don't think we could even consider it vaporware. It looks like they were just using it for a cover while they updated the source engine.

 

[EternalFacepalm]

I don't know about you, but I'm happy about the end of episodic stuff. I don't see what's wrong, really; longer game, and (probably) not that long until a release date, either.
Or he may have been sarcastic with the "shorter development time"-thing. If so, Gabe, I salute you, you're the most successful troll I've ever seen.

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

I think this is cool, but it does create some problems. Reviews are going to be reviewing products that simply don't reflect what they are 2 or 3 years later (or, potentially overcompensate) and very few other companies are in the situation where they can do this (continual development for a single fee product).

That's a good point, but the review system seems to have already found a way to cope with MMOs and the way that they completely change over 2-3 years. If that's still not enough, maybe it'll do more to bring about the end to the current 'score' system that treats a 7 out of 10 as a failure.

Either way, I think Valve are really smarting up here. The part about 'outgrowing' episodic content made me laugh, but then no one in gaming ever admits they really messed up unless it's a marketing ploy to get you to buy their next game (and I think we all know who I'm talking about here...) As much as people complain about hats and DLC, the fact of the matter is that games like TF2 have a far longer 'shelf life' than the current AAA model where a game costs upwards of several million in development to be selling only for a year before a sequel is released. The success of TF2 and Minecraft shows that this kind of continual, evolving development not only keeps people interested and copies being shifted, but it also means that more content gets added to games, instead of them becoming cut down affairs like most AAA games. So really, it's good for both the publisher and consumer.

 

[MahouSniper]

Um, from what I understand, Robin Walker is not the co-founder of Valve. He's just one of the head software programers and the co-creator of the original Team Fortress.

 

[Hijax]

Shut up, stop working out smart business models, and put out the next half-life game. NAOW!

 

[iDerp]

I want Half-Life 3. Call it an episode or a new game, I don't care.

"In general, our approach to our customers is, every day, to ask what we can do for them."

Answer this:
Half-Life 3 is coming out [DATE GOES HERE].
OR
Half-Life 3 isn't going to happen.

That's what you can do for me.

 

[tweedpol]

I was somewhat late to the HL party: only played HalfLife2 last year sometime, then got both episodes and played through them. It didn't take long. And even I'm thoroughly sick of the interminal wait for ep3. I would rather have full finished games with maybe some updates/patches every so often to fix bugs or add maps or whatever, or expansion packs which they've made an effort on and last more than 90 minutes.
I can't abide the idea of continual trickle updates, adding like 30 minutes every 3 months or whatever, it's like reading one of those webcomics where each plot point takes months because they update twice a week and each comic takes all of 2 seconds to read. No flow, no immersion and no bloody fun!

 

[BabyRaptor]

I'm sure 300 angry valve fans have beaten me to it buuuuuuuuut
"In general, our approach to our customers is, every day, to ask what we can do for them."

Make! Episode! Three! RRRRRrrrrr!

He said "ask." Nowhere did he mention actually doing what they get told.

 

[The_Puppy_Prince]

In Valve speak it means "IT'S NEVER COMING OUT, HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA *strokes a white cat*".

Lol thats exactkly what i was thinking XD

 

[Muggizz]

I don't care really. As long as they make good games (and they really have) I'm happy.

 

[Slinker07]

Mark my words... E3 2011 will show Half-life 3!

 

[Unknower]

Half-Life 2 was released in 2004. By 2011, they have released two short episodes.

That's kinda... sad.

 

[archaicmalevolence]

Half-Life 2 was released in 2004. By 2011, they have released two short episodes.

That's kinda... sad.

and their numerous other games like the l4d series, portal series, counter strike: source, , orange box, updates to steam and updates to the source engine.

 

[Unknower]

Half-Life 2 was released in 2004. By 2011, they have released two short episodes.

That's kinda... sad.

and their numerous other games like the l4d series, portal series, counter strike: source, , orange box, updates to steam and updates to the source engine.

Yeah, but Half-Life is kinda like their main product.

 

[VanityGirl]

I'm guessing that's not the only thing Gabe Newell has outgrown

Ha! Gabe Newell fat joke! They never get old.

OT: So no Episode 3? I could have called that. I mean it's been so long since Episode 2 was released... I'm just throwing a big "meh" to the wind. I really don't care to be frank. If you don't want to make it, I don't want to care.