Portal 2 DLC Available Next Week for Free

CommanderFrank · Oct 1, 2011

Today Valve has confirmed the release of “Portal 2: Peer Review.” The content was originally scheduled for summer, but unspecified delays pushed it back. The DLC will also introduce co-op Challenge Mode, featuring a new game mode and leader boards. And best of all, the whole thing will be free. No, this is not a trap. “Portal 2: Peer Review” will be available for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on October 4.

ryken · Oct 1, 2011

Free DLC game content, pay for DLC outfits.

I can't believe anyone complains about Valve, at all.

SilentLunatic · Oct 1, 2011

So Oct 4th I get Rage and Portal 2 DLC.

PTO Day at work?

Hmmmm.....

DeathPrincess · Oct 1, 2011

ryken said:
Free DLC game content, pay for DLC outfits.

I can't believe anyone complains about Valve, at all.

Because they release games to great acclaim even though they have most features other companies are bitched and low rated for yes valve gets an automatic 1000/10 and voluntary human centipeding. ("console" ports, horrible physics, crappy textures, linear level design, dated engine missing "modern" features, fake screenshots...[So pretty much crysis 2

], terrible communities for multiplayer, microtransactions, day one DLC)

...and the steam client is still terrible...after how many years? Yet most people just ignore that it's missing basic features, and next to 0 effort is put into it (where the hell is the "downloading client update" which has been promised for so long!?).

I don't hate valve, and most of their games are good...but people don't seem to be able to view anything objectively/relative to anything else when it comes to valve...

Especially as they SHOULD damned well be releasing content for their game!

Sickb0y · Oct 1, 2011

DeathPrincess said:
...and the steam client is still terrible...after how many years?

Terrible? I never had problems but whatever drugs you are doing please pass it on have midterms next week -_______-

heatlesssun · Oct 1, 2011

Sickb0y said:
Terrible? I never had problems but whatever drugs you are doing please pass it on have midterms next week -_______-

I've been on Steam since the about the begining, going on like eight years now I think and I've NEVER had a serious issue with it or any game I've ever purchased through it. Steam has simply revolutionized PC gaming.

DeathPrincess · Oct 1, 2011

Sickb0y said:
Terrible? I never had problems but whatever drugs you are doing please pass it on have midterms next week -_______-

Not released to "problems" so much (it does have a few, like weird hanging bug some people have) more to lack of features. Take the download client...no download priorities? No download cueing? No setting of download location? No download caps? No schedules updates? What is this 2003?

Eisenblut · Oct 1, 2011

I would like a 64-bit Steam client, though.

Soggy · Oct 1, 2011

DeathPrincess said:
Not released to "problems" so much (it does have a few, like weird hanging bug some people have) more to lack of features. Take the download client...no download priorities? No download cueing? No setting of download location? No download caps? No schedules updates? What is this 2003?

Serious? you think that makes Steam terrible? if you want to give priority to one download then you can pause the other downloads. your right no cueing. go to View->settings->download+cloud, to set your download region, if you meant you want the be able to tell the program where to download the games to...that was back in the initial setup of steam.

TheCAD · Oct 1, 2011

ryken said:
Free DLC game content, pay for DLC outfits.

I can't believe anyone complains about Valve, at all.

I love valve and I'm glad they are offering this for free. Even on xbox? I thought microsoft insisted all DLC cost you money.

That said, I'm not real happy what has happened with TF2. I paid for orange box and thought I was buying portal, a half life episode, and a team based FPS.

That team based FPS has turned into some kind of pseudo MMO where I either play a ton, pay more money, or don't have access to weapon load outs others do.

Its like saying I have to either "find" or buy the AWP in CS or something. Its kind of silly. If you bought the game you should have all weapon load outs available at all times.

kllrnohj · Oct 1, 2011

DeathPrincess said:
Because they release games to great acclaim even though they have most features other companies are bitched and low rated for yes valve gets an automatic 1000/10 and voluntary human centipeding. ("console" ports, horrible physics, crappy textures, linear level design, dated engine missing "modern" features, fake screenshots...[So pretty much crysis 2 ], terrible communities for multiplayer, microtransactions, day one DLC)

lol, wut? Can't tell if trollin or serious...

None of Valve's games are console ports (unless you mean they ported the PC version to consoles - but who cares about that?)

Horrible physics? Surely you jest.

Crappy textures + dated engine: Doesn't matter because the game is *FUN*. Graphics and fun are not related - at all.

Linear level design: Again, it's fun. Sandbox worlds are good some of the time, and linear worlds are good others. Calling it linear is not an insult at all. Portal has the most linear levels of all time - and they are among the *BEST* levels of any game ever. Ditto for HL2.

Fake screenshots: No idea what you are referring to

Terrible communities for multiplayer: Bwahahahaha, holy shit please tell me you're joking. You're talking about the company that literally *hired* the developers of popular mods and paid them to make full versions. As far as I know they are the only company to do that - most just sue the pants off of mod makers. Valve has repeatedly provided great tools and services for the community.

Day one DLC + microtransactions: Only for purely cosmetic stuff, and you can unlock it if you just play the game. This is why they aren't hated - in no way is the DLC or microtransactions a part of the *game* at all - it's just an easy mode for people with more money than brains.

...and the steam client is still terrible...after how many years? Yet most people just ignore that it's missing basic features, and next to 0 effort is put into it (where the hell is the "downloading client update" which has been promised for so long!?).

Steam is awesome, and no, it isn't missing basic features. It may be missing advanced features that you want, but that is very different. And what "downloading client update" has been promised? Pretty sure nothing was promised there.

sinisterDei · Oct 1, 2011

TheCAD said:
I love valve and I'm glad they are offering this for free. Even on xbox? I thought microsoft insisted all DLC cost you money.

That said, I'm not real happy what has happened with TF2. I paid for orange box and thought I was buying portal, a half life episode, and a team based FPS.

That team based FPS has turned into some kind of pseudo MMO where I either play a ton, pay more money, or don't have access to weapon load outs others do.

Its like saying I have to either "find" or buy the AWP in CS or something. Its kind of silly. If you bought the game you should have all weapon load outs available at all times.

Correct me if I'm wrong (which I'm not), but you paid for the Orange Box, which included TF2, and at the time of release, everything was unlocked. I suppose it's possible you bought TOB much later than initial release and some DLC was already available, but for the purposes of my argument I'll assume you were an early-ish adopter.

So you got the same stuff in the box as everyone else. Same classes, guns, maps, etc. And in the interim between then and now, Valve has easily tripled the size of the game with new maps, guns, cosmetic items, and more. And they haven't charged for it. And, somehow, in your book, that's a negative? It's not like they gave all that stuff for free and instantly to everyone EXCEPT you; I believe we're all on an equal playing field here.

And you likening the concept to purchasing CS and having to "find" the AWP is flawed; the AWP was in the box when you bought it. And, not to mention, the concept of earning guns through achievements and play is not exactly foreign - you don't get the M16 and all it's attachments or whatever in any of the Modern Warfare games until you've achieved some rank and/or challenges in those games.

I can understand the argument, a bit, that compels folks to rail against allowing real money to influence a game in any way. And, in the purest sense, TF2 has violated that; money can influence the game. However, to me, the spirit behind that argument is not to allow someone to buy their way to the top of whatever fictional leaderboard you're tracking. And in that sense, Valve and TF2 certainly have violated no trust. Not only can you acquire any gameplay-changing item without spending a dime (and indeed, now the game itself without spending a dime), but the items themselves are designed with balance in mind; each positive has a drawback, and to everything there is a counter. There are far less fair and balanced paths that could have been followed to get us to where we are now, I should think.

drako · Oct 1, 2011

Oh shit.. not this again! Valve good... Valve bad!

Whatever. I'll be enjoying this addon next week. Can't wait for more Portal 2 content!

ryken · Oct 1, 2011

TheCAD said:
I love valve and I'm glad they are offering this for free. Even on xbox? I thought microsoft insisted all DLC cost you money.

That said, I'm not real happy what has happened with TF2. I paid for orange box and thought I was buying portal, a half life episode, and a team based FPS.

That team based FPS has turned into some kind of pseudo MMO where I either play a ton, pay more money, or don't have access to weapon load outs others do.

Its like saying I have to either "find" or buy the AWP in CS or something. Its kind of silly. If you bought the game you should have all weapon load outs available at all times.

This statement about TF2 shows how little you have actually played.

First, the new weapons are mostly garbage. With only a few exceptions, most good players are still playing with original loadouts.

Second, the new weapons in the game are incredibly easy to craft. You can play for a couple of hours and find enough materials to craft the one or two weapons you really want.

Third, weapons are generally VERY easy to trade for. People are always willing to give away the weapon upgrades. These are players that have 4 copies of everything and are just destroying everything by now.

Fourth, Orange Box came out four years ago. They are making changes to a four year old game to keep it fresh for people. Call of Duty has released 3 (THREE!) $60 games in the series since then. Valve has been releasing free maps and character upgrades that are easily obtained for free, or can optionally be purchased.

There is just no justification in arguing Valve has fucked up on TF2. None.

Sabrewulf... · Oct 1, 2011

DeathPrincess said:
Because they release games to great acclaim even though they have most features other companies are bitched and low rated for yes valve gets an automatic 1000/10 and voluntary human centipeding. ("console" ports, horrible physics, crappy textures, linear level design, dated engine missing "modern" features, fake screenshots...[So pretty much crysis 2 ], terrible communities for multiplayer, microtransactions, day one DLC)

...and the steam client is still terrible...after how many years? Yet most people just ignore that it's missing basic features, and next to 0 effort is put into it (where the hell is the "downloading client update" which has been promised for so long!?).

I don't hate valve, and most of their games are good...but people don't seem to be able to view anything objectively/relative to anything else when it comes to valve... Especially as they SHOULD damned well be releasing content for their game!

Wow, better watch where your walking from now on, that was some big, nasty, steam

ing pile of shit you just stepped in, wasn't it?

DeathPrincess · Oct 1, 2011

Soggy said:
Serious? you think that makes Steam terrible? if you want to give priority to one download then you can pause the other downloads. your right no cueing. go to View->settings->download+cloud, to set your download region, if you meant you want the be able to tell the program where to download the games to...that was back in the initial setup of steam.

No, I mean I cant change download directories to a different one to the install file. Why the hell not? I have a 512GB+ steamapps folder, would be nice to spread this around to several drives. I have program files folders on 3 different drives and i'm not destroying any laws of physics. I know I could do links, but why should I have to? Why can't I just install games and download games to wherever I want outside the initial install directory? Why is it all or nothing? Because of poor design. What if I had 3TB+ of games? Do I have to sit around and wait for hitachi to bring out their 4TB models?

Thats just the download section. There are a pile of other little irritations. No tabs in the store window? No sending messages while appearing offline? Offline mode is still reliant on you having been online to start with, so if you internet cuts out while your computer is off, no games for you (which is something other download clients dont do). I'm not saying its unbearable, but you can hardly say it's without fault and the pinnacle of software design and doesn't need any improvement.

kllrnohj said:
None of Valve's games are console ports (unless you mean they ported the PC version to consoles - but who cares about that?)

Crappy textures + dated engine:

Linear level design:

You miss the point. Look at ANY damned PC game thread. Look at the hordes of people bitching and moaning because the game is linear, has crappy graphics/textures (thus a "console port") and is missing things like DX11. Now look at any valve game. It's linear, crappy textures and missing recent tech. Yet why is it fine for valve, yet heretical for everyone else? Thats a double standard. Like how EA (just and example) is moaned at and boycotted for "locking" BF3 to origin, yet it's fine for valve to lock games and only sell them via steam.

Horrible physics? Surely you jest.

Source titles have things that break into the same 3 peices. Every. Damned. time. Its very...2003

Fake screenshots: No idea what you are referring to

Look at the portal 2 store page (might be different now, but prerelease, screenshots were definately not the delivered product).

Terrible communities for multiplayer:.

Play public games for l4d2. Youll soon understand

Day one DLC + microtransactions:

Still annoying.

Steam is awesome, and no, it isn't missing basic features. It may be missing advanced features that you want, but that is very different. And what "downloading client update" has been promised? Pretty sure nothing was promised there.

Read up. Tabbed browsing, a working offline mode and basic features are not really "advanced". The download client updated was announced months ago (there is mentions of it in several of the steam platform updates, something like "prep work for download client update".) Yet still nothing. I don't hate valve, just don't automatically let them off the hook for everything, and don't understand why they get a stack of "get out of jail free" cards. ALL companies need a kick in the ass.

rdz5008 · Oct 1, 2011

DeathPrincess sucks ass at Valve/Source games and is blaming the engine. I see.

Go play COD, baby gamer.

DeathPrincess · Oct 1, 2011

rdz5008 said:
DeathPrincess sucks ass at Valve/Source games and is blaming the engine. I see.

Go play COD, baby gamer.

How do you get that? DId I say valve kiddy games were hard?

Never played CoD...even the first one, no interest. (but hey...valve games were ID tech mods, and what is CoD

)

rdz5008 · Oct 1, 2011

DeathPrincess said:
No, I mean I cant change download directories to a different one to the install file. Why the hell not? I have a 512GB+ steamapps folder, would be nice to spread this around to several drives. I have program files folders on 3 different drives and i'm not destroying any laws of physics. I know I could do links, but why should I have to? Why can't I just install games and download games to wherever I want outside the initial install directory? Why is it all or nothing? Because of poor design. What if I had 3TB+ of games? Do I have to sit around and wait for hitachi to bring out their 4TB models?

Research the "linkd" feature.

You miss the point. Look at ANY damned PC game thread. Look at the hordes of people bitching and moaning because the game is linear, has crappy graphics/textures (thus a "console port") and is missing things like DX11. Now look at any valve game. It's linear, crappy textures and missing recent tech. Yet why is it fine for valve, yet heretical for everyone else? Thats a double standard. Like how EA (just and example) is moaned at and boycotted for "locking" BF3 to origin, yet it's fine for valve to lock games and only sell them via steam.

Because Steam has the market cornered. Its unrealistic to install origin for the one game people want.

Source titles have things that break into the same 3 peices. Every. Damned. time. Its very...2003

What? How can something be very 2003? I'd like some examples of the 3 stages thing, aside from HL2 episode series.

Play public games for l4d2. Youll soon understand

Uh which popular multiplayer community doesn't have a shitty spread of a community?

Read up. Tabbed browsing, a working offline mode and basic features are not really "advanced". The download client updated was announced months ago (there is mentions of it in several of the steam platform updates, something like "prep work for download client update".) Yet still nothing. I don't hate valve, just don't automatically let them off the hook for everything, and don't understand why they get a stack of "get out of jail free" cards. ALL companies need a kick in the ass.

Sorry, I'll use my web browser to browse with tabs.

kllrnohj · Oct 1, 2011

DeathPrincess said:
You miss the point. Look at ANY damned PC game thread. Look at the hordes of people bitching and moaning because the game is linear, has crappy graphics/textures (thus a "console port") and is missing things like DX11. Now look at any valve game. It's linear, crappy textures and missing recent tech. Yet why is it fine for valve, yet heretical for everyone else? Thats a double standard. Like how EA (just and example) is moaned at and boycotted for "locking" BF3 to origin, yet it's fine for valve to lock games and only sell them via steam.

It's fine for Valve because the games are really, really good and really, really fun. Also, Valve's levels, although linear, tend to not actually feel linear. Rarely does an HL2 level feel as linear as it actually is. Also, the textures are far from "crappy". Are they cutting edge? Nope, but that's OK because performance is excellent and the game is FUN. You also talk about recent tech, but let's not forget Valve doesn't exactly have any recent games, either. Portal 2 is pretty much it. The next newest, L4D2, is 2 years old already. The Orange Box and TF2 are now 4 years old. There really isn't a double standard at all - either the game is fun or it isn't.

As for Origin, it's largely timing plus the fact that EA is the scum of the earth. If Blizzard or Bethesda, for example, tied one of their next games to their online distribution, I would be OK with that. I wouldn't enjoy it, but I'd play along. EA, though, not so much. When Valve created Steam there really wasn't another online distribution store - they pretty much single handedly made that a reality.

Source titles have things that break into the same 3 peices. Every. Damned. time. Its very...2003

Perhaps, but having just played BF3 Beta I can tell you 2011 isn't all that much better. Breakable stuff breaks at the same points, and non breakable stuff is indestructible for no obvious reason (for example, a grenade will take out a chunk of the wall, but the parked vehicle next to the wall won't even dent if you shoot a rocket into it)

Your timeline is also quite off. HL2 came out in 2004, and it pushed game physics very far forward.

Look at the portal 2 store page (might be different now, but prerelease, screenshots were definately not the delivered product).

I just did, and it looks a hell of a lot like the game I played. Perhaps you forgot to turn up your graphics?

Play public games for l4d2. Youll soon understand

So it's Valve's fault/problem that there are idiots on the internet?

Read up. Tabbed browsing, a working offline mode and basic features are not really "advanced". The download client updated was announced months ago (there is mentions of it in several of the steam platform updates, something like "prep work for download client update".) Yet still nothing. I don't hate valve, just don't automatically let them off the hook for everything, and don't understand why they get a stack of "get out of jail free" cards. ALL companies need a kick in the ass.

Are the features you want particularly advanced? No. Are they in any way crucial or a serious omission from Steam? Nope. Oh, and you're wrong about offline mode. You only need to sign into the computer once at some point in the past and check the "remember me" or whatever. You can absolutely boot into no-internet and launch steam, I've done it many times.

Also, how do you know the download client wasn't updated? An updated client doesn't necessarily mean new features or obvious visual changes.

Hornet · Oct 2, 2011

Nice to see some good news in gaming this week

First was the witcher 2 free DLC on PC platform, and now this. I'm so glad to see there are still developers who put out extra content for free.

Rebel44 · Oct 2, 2011

DeathPrincess said:
Not released to "problems" so much (it does have a few, like weird hanging bug some people have) more to lack of features. Take the download client...no download priorities? No download cueing? No setting of download location? No download caps? No schedules updates? What is this 2003?

AFAIK, Valve is currently building new distribution infrastructure (HW and SW) which will allow them to implement such features.

Bigbacon · Oct 3, 2011

sweet! I wonder how many new co-op maps there will be... Wife and I will be pleased

Cerulean · Oct 3, 2011

hmm, so is this how they get me into actually buying Portal 2 so that I can have the free DLC?

Portal 2 DLC Available Next Week for Free

Cat Can't Scratch It

2[H]4U

Gawd

Fully [H]

2[H]4U

Extremely [H]

Fully [H]

[H]ard|Gawd

[H]ard|Gawd

Gawd

Supreme [H]ardness

[H]ard|Gawd

2[H]4U

2[H]4U

Gawd

Fully [H]

Limp Gawd

Fully [H]

Limp Gawd

Supreme [H]ardness

Supreme [H]ardness

2[H]4U

Fully [H]

[H]F Junkie