Valve, why are they loved?

[ward0630]

valve is successful because it understands how to make consumers fiercely loyal. They started with a slew of excellent titles and remarkable deals (orange box, steam), and kept going from there. Steam is basically a dominant force in the PC gaming market, and even with such a monopoly on the market, Valve continues to put out 50% and 75% off deals on AAA games that have only been out for a few months. They also have a very, very good reputation for making games, see Portal and Half life. Although that has made me wonder recently if Valve are afraid to ever commit to half life 3 because of the expectations and the fact that they are unfulfillable. That would be sad. Hope that answers your question OP.

 

[Vigormortis]

Did they either:

A: fire him after
B: make him stay on his first project (so in this case pong, with valve, l4d2) while another (newly hired) team makes the next game?

Because you know, that's probably what people don't like about valve.

Edit: Because some people don't seem to get this.

I don't hate valve, if you're going to accuse me of that over not agreeing with one thing they do, you need to think more

I'm sorry, but where are you getting your info? I keep hearing so much misinformation on this topic as of late and it baffles me.

Valve didn't "fire" anyone from their projects. People leave Valve because they wanted to, usually to go do their own thing. (see Kim Swift and Minh Le) The only time anyone would be fired is if they were doing fuck-all. As in, being a detriment to the company.

Also, why is it people still assume Valve works like other developers? Has it not become clear that's not the case with the "leak" of the Valve new employee handbook?

They don't have some managers sitting on-high delegating projects out to the lowly designers. The designers themselves choose what project to work on. THEY pick what to do. If someone else on another project (once finished) likes what another team is doing with their project, he/she has the option to go work with that new team.

This is what happened with Left 4 Dead 2 and Portal 2. The moment the first games were complete part of the original teams decided, "You know. There's a lot more we can do with this. I'd like to try..." and, after a sharing of ideas, they started work on the sequels. As their work progressed, more people from within Valve started joining up with those teams.

What they certainly didn't do is say, "Well this game was successful. I want you people over there to make a sequel ASAP and you, the original team, to fuck off. We don't need you anymore."

 

[Vigormortis]

Some people just want to see the hero fail, I guess.

Valve is loved by so many because Valve treats customers with respect. They LISTEN to us. They try to provide us with the services WE want.

Why do I love Valve, personally? Well, I had always loved their games, but the main reason..

I emailed the L4D team about where they got Ellis' coveralls for L4D2 because I was going to dress as him for Halloween.

I was emailed back the same day with an answer.

A few days later, a package from Valve HQ showed up in the mail. Inside was Ellis' hat, the one available in the Valve store.

They just looked up my billing info from my purchases and mailed me the hat. For free. Just because I wanted to dress like one of their characters for Halloween.

What other company does things like that?

I'd just like to say...that's fantastic. I recall a story of them sending someone a gift package after he sent in a "coupon" that was featured in a TF2 update comic. But this...this is much better.

And people on this forum still ask why we love Valve. :/

 

[Smeggs]

The summer sale just started and I've already bought the Penumbra series, Oblivion and F:NV with all expansions, and Shogun 2: Total War.

I have only spent about forty-something dollars, for five games that will give me fun that will last for quite some time. Can't wait to get the mod installer for NV downloaded.

This is why people love Valve. Yes, they want to make more money, but they do it by making their fans actually want to spend their money, not by shoving online passes in their face, requiring them to buy a game new to use the multiplayer.

 

[Vigormortis]

You really think Valve, a multi-BILLION dollar company, would ever really have THAT much trouble getting any updates/DLC to their console releases?

Actually, yes.

They don't use a "standard" model of patching. They use a much more fluid, open system. One that allows them to continually and progressively update, at a moments notice. They are also of the sort to include a hefty does of extra content within their patches.

To put it simply, their update model just doesn't "jive" with the system Microsoft (and to a much lesser extent) Sony employ. Though, it is far less the case now with Sony; given their more open system when compared to the Xbox.

Now of course you're going to say, "Well. They should just learn to deal with it." Thing is, they honestly don't have the resources to do it. Despite what Forbes estimates their value at, Valve employs a relatively small number of people. And, given the number of projects they work on at any given time, the number of people they have for each project is greatly diminished. As such, they don't have a lot of people to sit around and code a completely different set of updates, along side their core updates and content patches, simply to align with Microsofts update system. It would drastically slow and hamper the update system they already employ. One that works exceptionally well for other systems. (that aren't the Xbox)

*sigh* I remember the time when I could go "Hey, I played this game from these guys and I liked it. Then I played another game by them and I liked it. I think I like those guys." and I wouldn't be questioned over this every week or two. Those were good times, remember, anybody? I hope so. Why can't it be like then - simple. With a lot less need to justify your every thought and action. Multiple times.

I do. Those were the good days, weren't they? Sadly, The Escapist has devolved into a cluster-fuck of hate-theads, spam, and trolls over the years. I guess it's an inevitability with anything great that shows up on the internet. The internet just sort of wears it down.

Still, it seems there are at least a few people; mods and posters; left here that want to keep it civil and non-confrontational. Shame most of them are drowned out by the din of the disruptive masses.

Are you thriled for more, Escapees?! Stay tuned for next week's episode of "Why do people like something I don't like?"!

Nah. No thanks. That show jumped the shark years ago. Every weekly episode is the same. Only occasionally bringing in those quirky little kids to push peoples' "daawwww" buttons. What were their names again? Hal and Cal? Sounds close enough...

 

[ToastiestZombie]

Isn't there a sale on Steam like... All the time?

Yep, when Midweek Madness ends the Weekend sale begins, and vice versa. Also the daily deals. Also the few amazing times of years like now where the massive sales happen.

OT:Because they're not dicks, they've never been dicks and they never will be dicks. Pretty much every other publisher has done some sort of dick move that gives shitty DRM (steam's DRM sure, but the only problem with it is offline mode and really, if you're playing on your desktop it doesn't matter), they've never made it looks like they think everyone is a potential pirate and they actually do things for the goddamn consumer. When Left 4 Dead 2 was announced, a lot of people got butthurt because it's not like Valve to release a sequel so early, they thought it would be rushed and terrible. What did Valve do? Invite the main boycotters over to their HQ and explained to them exactly why they were doing it and gave them a free tour of the plac,e and an early look at the game. What would EA do? Call them pirates then put always online DRM on the game.

 

[Souplex]

That's a very good question.
Oh, on the Escapist.
Because there is a lot of overlap between ZP fanboys and Valve fanboys.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

Valve's games tend to be quirky and contain mountains of easter eggs. They also play to the idea of player freedom, in that they never take control away from the player at any time.

But in terms of gameplay and quality of writing, Valve is not much. I'd say their games are far outdone by companies like Ubisoft, BioWare and Namco.

Well, as awesome as they are, they do take control from the player quite a lot. Half Life 2 had the bit where you were stuck in that pod going to Breen's office I think. But I see what you mean, they never force you to look anywhere.

 

[willsham45]

First I liked valve because it made good games, I loved half life, I was unsure about half life 2 until I actually got an internet connection and a Pc powerful to actually play it by that time the game was in the discount bin. I loved the orange box and later I started really liking steam.

Valve is a company that at least to the outside looks like it cares for its fans, they are truth full and when they do something people don't like they try to sort it in the most affinity way that actually makes us go OK this is why they are doing it.

They take more risks than other companies and they release games when they are finished and not when they are half done. If they ever buy an IP they will make good on it.

Yes we complain about half life 3 but they have never said they are they are actually working on it. Maybe they cannot think of anything new and fun to do in it. Maybe it is in the pipeline they just want to get the new stuff out the way first. Who knows what they are working on.

 

[Chknboy]

"One thing that we have learned is that piracy is not a pricing issue. It?s a service issue. The easiest way to stop piracy is not by putting antipiracy technology to work. It?s by giving those people a service that?s better than what they?re receiving from the pirates." -Gabe Newell

OT: It's because all they care about is service, customers are happy, Valves happy. Also their method to developing games is pretty cool, everyone just chooses what project they want to do and then joins up with that group. No titles, no hierarchy, everyone's on an equal standing during the development process for maximum intellectual freedom.

 

[dimensional]

Dont know I mean the few games they put out are usually ok to good if pretty samey most of the time but it certainly wouldnt be enough to sustain them if they didnt have steam to fill their pockets.

Ive largely been indifferent about them but I am not a fan of steam its just another barrier to play games as far as im concerned which always annoys me and so I dont give them any money (but had to install it once to play a game I bought in a shop for gods sake). Sure they can act like they dont care about money and champion the creation of interesting new games its easy when your rich and cant see an end to the tidal flow of cash but they never seem to do anything that different its pretty much all FPS for a start although they are tackling a DOTA mod now? er ok and most IP they just buy the people who were making it and fund them which is nice but really you would have thought they could create a few more innovating games internally.

They have built up a nice reputation really but I dont see them as any different to any other big company well actually they are they put on a caring face and try and appear all buddy with you which is nice but I really dont care. Anyway in my eyes Valve are ok I suppose I dont particularly like them or hate them and to be honest I doubt the internal workings of what projects get green lighted are much different from any other company despite what we hear.

 

[Triforceformer]

I like them because I like their games and Steam.

Is that not enough?

 

[Atmos Duality]

Preface: I'd prefer to not have to use any sort of system attached to the games, but apart from obvious illegal means, I have little to no say if I want to purchase and play games on PC.

(do not bother suggesting consoles)

That said, Valve is the least evil of my options and there are things I like:

-Does not require CONSTANT internet connection (just long enough to appease the DRM)
This is useful for people who are prone to dealing with shitty/intermittent net service. Like me.

Of course, there have been instances where this has bit me in the arse, and since I started using Steam, the window for activating Offline Mode has downgraded from 4 weeks to "current session".

-Chat/VOIP/Etc is useful and works in (most) games via overlay.
Self-explanatory.

-Sales
Obvious benefit. Minimizes potential loss if nothing else.

-Good/Decent Games
The theme of Half-Life really isn't my cup of tea, but I do like the level design if nothing else.
I was gifted Portal 2 recently, so I'll see what that's all about.

ASIDE: *sigh* These Captchas continue to hit new lows.
It gave me an error for not posting this immediately (new Captcha since they are time-dependent), and the new captcha it gave me is exactly the same as the old one.

Fucking Murphy.

 

[Khazoth]

They screw their fans the least, they own steam, when they DO release a game its usually pretty good.


That's about it.

Its sad when the gaming communities standards are forced to be....


"Well.. You didn't screw us over yet."

 

[mirage202]

Why so many Valve fans end up here, I have no idea. As to why I am a Valve supporter? They haven't gone out of their way to screw PC gamers over yet.

I dislike DRM as much as the next guy, and Steam is a large steaming pile of DRM, yet it gives an incredible amount of benefits to make up for that fact.

Who besides Valve does that?

 

[Pink Gregory]

Y'know, these 'why' threads always come off with the same impression, so I'll use this one as an example.

Does it actually OFFEND people that SOME people 'love' Valve?
Does it REALLY keep someone up at night that Valve exists and isn't universally hated?
Does it?

 

[dando300]

Our Father in Valve, hallowed be thy name.
Thy company come, thy will be done
On towers, as it is on laptops
Give us each day our daily discounts
And forgive us our piracy, as we forgive those who lawsuit against us
Lead us not into the temptation of overpriced AAA titles
But deliver us from inferior, less reliable DRM programs
Pray with me, brothers and sisters. The summer sale is finally upon us.

 

[Meight08]

its a company created by Quake modders that in turn hires other modders that has fortunately grown big enough by being the first to step into digital distribution to tell the corporate "publishers" to fuck off...that's it in a nutshell from my pov.

Valve is the biggest thing we have that was born from us...in a way.

are they perfect ? no.

but they are a damn sight better than what we have as alternatives and personally i think they still "care about games and gaming" in a way those alternatives do not.

Sorry nitpick but gabe worked at Microsoft and worked on the first 3 releases of windows and became a Microsoft millionaire, With those millions he started a gaming studio and HIRED a group of quake modders to create the game.

 

[Meight08]

I had some long reply written out but lost it so basically the gist of what I was trying to say is that Valve doesn't give a shit about it's console players then that lumps them into the mediocre developer category.

And before you give me the "MICROSOFT/SONY WON'T LET THEM SUPPORT THEIR CONSOLE RELEASES!" excuse, just think for a second, think of all the support other, "lesser" developers are able to give their console releases. You really think Valve, a multi-BILLION dollar company, would ever really have THAT much trouble getting any updates/DLC to their console releases?

The thing is all that dlc costs money and valve rarely releases paid dlc.

 

[RedDeadFred]

I don't know. I think they are alright but they haven't made any game that I have ever really thought of as GOTY wrothy. I liked Portal/Portal 2 a lot but puzzle games don't have very much replayability (if any) and that is a big detractor in a game for me. I like to have a reason to go back and play the game again. I enjoyed every second of Portal 2 but I only rented it because I knew I wouldn't need to play it again.

As for Half Life, I wasn't really much of a gamer when those games were new. I'm sure they were great when they came out but I can't really see Valve living up to the hype of Half Life 3.

As for TF2 and Left 4 Dead, I've never really been a fan of playing online first person shooters. I realize that TF2 probably has significantly more substance than most other shooters but I just feel like these types of games get old way too fast IMO.