Will Half-Life 3 Outlive Public Interest Because of Development Time?

[SiskoBlue]

I'd say money stopped Half-Life 3. Most people agree Half-Life 1 & 2 were "successful" games but nothing when compared to the money Steam and Dota have made. Why invest loads of time and money in to a AAA game that makes mediocre profits when they seem to be get 10 times the pay out with 10% of the human resources required? They made Counter-Strike off the back of HL and they made the effort to reboot that... because it was financially viable.

Also if look at the way Valve operates games are made based on the interest of employees. I'm sure there are plenty at Valve who would have a crack at HL3, and probably have, but nothing has made the cut of going in to full production. They teach their employees to kill their babies, so to speak, and embrace change.

Thirdly, HL1 & 2 aren't really that connected are they? The stories are connected but only because they made them connected. THere's nothing in the gameplay of HL2 that meant it HAD to be a continuation of HL1. A bit like the way Nintendo use Mario in whatever new game style they've created. HL2 could have been a totally new game, with a new protagonist and story.

Still, I'd look forward to a HL3 game. And as others have said, really clever innovative AI would break new ground. There's a reason "zombies" are used a lot in games besides being the de riguer at the moment. STALKER was the last time I remember anyone making a bold change to AI behaviour.

 

[KilloZapit]

Comparing TF2 and HL3 doesn't make much sense to me. I mean, correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think the original Team Fortress had millions and millions of fans waiting for years of disappointment, latching on to any possible hope of a squeal that may appear, hyping it up until one of the most enduring jokes online have to do with it being even confirmed to exist. In fact, I bet most people that play TF2 have to stop and think for a moment before realizing the 2 in the name implies a first one.

If you think about it, that TF2 took as long as it did, and had much less pressure to conform as a result, only could have helped. Could you imagine TF2, with all of it's cartoony flair and personality, released soon after the original's more "realistic" style? They almost might as well be entirely different series visually. I mean what if it turns out the next Half-Life ends up being radically different form anything most people would expect? In a way that has already happened. Let's not forget that the Portal series takes place in the same universe. Why do we necessarily have to expect the final ending to the Half-Life saga as coming from a game with that title and staring Gorden Freeman?

 

[Flammablezeus]

No more ground to break? Come on, surely Yahtzee can think of a few things! Physics engines, procedural generation/animation, stories, AI and interfaces still feel like they're barely scratching the surface of what can be made. I'm sure there's plenty more too but they were just the first things to pop into my mind.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

No more ground to break? Come on, surely Yahtzee can think of a few things! Physics engines, procedural generation/animation, stories, AI and interfaces still feel like they're barely scratching the surface of what can be made. I'm sure there's plenty more too but they were just the first things to pop into my mind.

Yahtzee's staple mantra for "what's next?" is virtual reality.

 

[Joos]

Honestly everyone talks about HL3 not being able to live up to the hype, but I don't think there truly is much hype anymore, just exasperation. At least for me, all it needs to do is maintain the level of quality of Half-Life 2 and finish the story. Anything else on top of that is gravy.

Also, Ravenholm is one of my favorite levels.

These days i find HL1 holds up better than HL2.

Really? Even with those platforming bits, and the Xen levels, and the 500 scientists who all look and talk alike? I liked the original Half-Life, even though I first played it more than a decade past it's launch, but to me it'll always be a weird quirky game full of mechanics that would never get by today.

Well, I'm currently playing through Half Life 1 for the first time (in the Black Mesa remake/mod) and I think at least the first game holds up really well, I'm enjoying it immensely.

I'll get back to you when I start on HL2.

 

[Olas]

Honestly everyone talks about HL3 not being able to live up to the hype, but I don't think there truly is much hype anymore, just exasperation. At least for me, all it needs to do is maintain the level of quality of Half-Life 2 and finish the story. Anything else on top of that is gravy.

Also, Ravenholm is one of my favorite levels.

These days i find HL1 holds up better than HL2.

Really? Even with those platforming bits, and the Xen levels, and the 500 scientists who all look and talk alike? I liked the original Half-Life, even though I first played it more than a decade past it's launch, but to me it'll always be a weird quirky game full of mechanics that would never get by today.

Well, I'm currently playing through Half Life 1 for the first time (in the Black Mesa remake/mod) and I think at least the first game holds up really well, I'm enjoying it immensely.

I'll get back to you when I start on HL2.

Trust me, Black Mesa is a very VERY big overhaul of the original game, with some bits edited out or altered to fit more modern shooter sensibilities.

Also, I'm not saying the original Half-Life isn't still fun or a good game, just that it definitely shows it's age when compared to it's sequel(s). By which I mean the 10 year old Half-Life 2 holds up better today than Half-Life 1 did when it was the same age.

 

[gold5]

Theyre working on Smell-O-Vision. Its the wave of the future.. All Steam boxes will have an extruder nozzle and replaceable stinktanks inside.