Half Life 3 / Half Life 4: Who wants it? Does pc gaming need it?

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PS3

[H]ard|Gawd
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First off, happy holidays to everyone here, it's good to see that you guys have been loading up on eggnog rather than the usual protein shake diet.

Going to have to say that HL/HL2 is probably the best shooter I have ever played / and the best shooting game series for that matter. Great graphics for it's time, but it was the story and characters that really made this game shine. I think it's games like these that actually gravitate people towards the PC platform. It's different now though I guess, since the orange box did make it to console eventually...making the half life series not just exclusive to pc.

That said, what's up with Half Life 3 or Half Life 4. Some say that half life 3 were the two small episodes(kind of like expansion packs) that came after half life 2, which is why I went ahead and threw Half Life 4 out there. Whatever the next half life is going to be called, I will be eagerly anticipating it, and I think pc gaming needs a strong pc exclusive title like this back in it's corner - but undoubtedly, if it did come out, they probably will make it for console.
 
Valve has made it very clear that they are intent on seeing if this 'episode' program for its bigger games works out. I have to agree with them that the idea at first was a great idea. But when's the last time we've seen a new HL2 episode???
With DirectX11 out in full force and programmers learning the API, I'd guess that unless Valve's Left4Dead series gets unGodly popular, we may hear some rumors in the next year for Half-Life 3... That's just my guess however.
 
Episodes as an idea - Great. Delivery - Fail.

Skip Episode 3 and give us a full, proper HL3 game. I would really like to see how's it gonna end in my life time.
 
Well, if they didn't use each episode as an excuse to shove tons of new stuff in the engine then the episode releases would have been, well, released within a more reasonable time frame for episodic content. However, they use each one as a showcase for the new features they shoved in the engine.
 
I would stop everything I have planned over the next 3 or 4 days, buy both HL3 and 4 and play them until completion.

I understand that the next 3-4 days includes Christmas.
 
I want more half life games of any kind, and more valve games of any kind. They are too good.
 
Valves plan was that Episode 1, 2 and 3 is technically HL3. It will end that story and maybe be that last of Freeman. From what I've read they want Episode 3 to go out with a bang, increasing the length, improved graphics, etc. This is Valve so who knows?!

Oh and if you haven’t played Episode 1, 2 you better before 3. You’ll be so confused with the story without them.
 
I seemed to lose interest around episode 2. I still haven't finished it even after starting it a dozen or so times. I think episodes have to be released within months not years to be successful. In the PC gaming world more than a year or two between episodes/sequels means you need an upgrade in engine/gameplay/graphics/something to stay competitive. Episode 1 rolled out about a year and half after the original and Episode 2 rolled out 3 years later. By the time Episode 2 came out, the gameplay and graphics were a bit dated for me.
 
I've just about given up on Episode 3. Valve has unquestionably dropped the ball for episodic gaming. I think one can only conclude that their development and testing model for Half-Life, which is possibly the best in the industry, does not lend itself well to quick turnaround for releases. It's been 2 years and change since Episode 2 launched, and I would be quite surprised if they announced anything for Ep3 in 2010. It was "only" 1.5 years between Ep1 and Ep2, so what the hell is the holdup here? Obviously, they have assets working on TF2 and L4Dx, but I am pretty sure Valve has enough people to handle the task.

It is getting hard to care anymore.
 
I remember when Lost Coast demo came out, it looked amazing as to what Source engine was upgraded to and could do at the time. I have kind of stopped caring, I like innovation and source engine is getting a bit too old for me to keep on buying games utilizing it. Sure, TF2 looked really good with higher textures and all, but I want something new already :(.
 
aFive said:
I remember when Lost Coast demo came out, it looked amazing as to what Source engine was upgraded to and could do at the time. I have kind of stopped caring, I like innovation and source engine is getting a bit too old for me to keep on buying games utilizing it. Sure, TF2 looked really good with higher textures and all, but I want something new already :(.
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+1, the Lost Coast demo blew me away back when i played it on my X1800XT. and i agree, at this point we're ready for something new.
 
snaggletooth said:
I would stop everything I have planned over the next 3 or 4 days, buy both HL3 and 4 and play them until completion.

I understand that the next 3-4 days includes Christmas.
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I'd doubt this if your Christmas schedule included stopping by at the playboy mansion.
 
Mark_Warner said:
I've just about given up on Episode 3. Valve has unquestionably dropped the ball for episodic gaming. I think one can only conclude that their development and testing model for Half-Life, which is possibly the best in the industry, does not lend itself well to quick turnaround for releases. It's been 2 years and change since Episode 2 launched, and I would be quite surprised if they announced anything for Ep3 in 2010. It was "only" 1.5 years between Ep1 and Ep2, so what the hell is the holdup here? Obviously, they have assets working on TF2 and L4Dx, but I am pretty sure Valve has enough people to handle the task.

It is getting hard to care anymore.
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Well I care, seeing that this is a great series and let's face it...there is a big lack of quality titles out there. Might be time for Valve to show IW how to make a real shooter.
 
PS3 said:
Whatever the next half life is going to be called, I will be eagerly anticipating it, and I think pc gaming needs a strong pc exclusive title like this back in it's corner - but undoubtedly, if it did come out, they probably will make it for console.
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The PC definitely needs as many exclusives as it can get. But it is extremely unlikely Episode 3 will be PC exclusive, it will almost certainly come for 360/PS3 as well.
 
nerdydesi said:
The PC definitely needs as many exclusives as it can get. But it is extremely unlikely Episode 3 will be PC exclusive, it will almost certainly come for a 360 exclusive as well.
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Fixed that for you. Valve hates the PS3.
 
Mr. Bluntman said:
Fixed that for you. Valve hates the PS3.
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Yes, but the publisher EA doesn't. They will probably bring it to the PS3, have another studio to port it, just as with The Orange Box to PS3, despite it being a lackluster port.
 
nerdydesi said:
Yes, but the publisher EA doesn't. They will probably bring it to the PS3, have another studio to port it, just as with The Orange Box to PS3, despite it being a lackluster port.
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EA does not control Valve in any way. EA publishes under the EA parters program. They do not fund Valve, so Valve is not indebted to EA. Thus, Valve does what it wants, and EA waits patiently. EA manufactures and distributes Valve games in retail, and they retain a portion of the profit for payment of that service.

Just because EA may want Valve to make PS3 versions doesn't mean that Valve has to do it. Valve may license EA to bring it to the PC via another studio, but that is up to them, not EA.
 
I'll take more HL if i goes back to the way HL1 was and doesn't continue down the ass path of HL2
 
I can only hope Valve invests the time/effort to do EP3 right. HL2 was an insult (except Ravenholm and The Cathedral), EP1 was a joke. EP2 was the only part of this series that deserved any kudos. I'm actually more interested in Black Mesa... though it might never see the light of day, either.
 
Mr. Wolf said:
I can only hope Valve invests the time/effort to do EP3 right. HL2 was an insult (except Ravenholm and The Cathedral), EP1 was a joke. EP2 was the only part of this series that deserved any kudos. I'm actually more interested in Black Mesa... though it might never see the light of day, either.
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Ravenholm scared the living fucking shit out of me. Totally did not expect a level like that in the game.

I expect Episode 3 in 2012. I can't really afford to actually think about it though, because I'll just get disappointed if I do. It's one of those things where it's best to just forget about it and then be surprised when it's "only" 6 months away.
 
It's one of those things where it's best to just forget about it and then be surprised when it's "only" 6 months away.
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I tend to do that will all games, no reason to dwell on things that you cannot change. When it comes, great, i would like to play it. But right now there is work / other games to be had.
 
I couldn't care less if they did a massive update to the engine. They've left the rest of the story untold; if they left it that way, it would be unforgivable.
 
I'd like Episode 3 to be an epic conclusion to the Half Life saga,no loose ends,no "to be continued". If they want to bring back Freeman and company later in a completely different storyline,fine.But leave the Episodes format behind,it just doesn't work if you have to wait so long for each one.
 
If Portal 2 comes out in the meantime, I guess I don't care as much about the delays. I certainly want Ep3, but I don't think PC gaming needs any title.
 
Mr. Wolf said:
The Padre was my favorite character!! I'd love to see him return... if he survived.
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It's not a matter of if he survived, it's a matter of did he leave enough crab heads for Freeman to even make a Half Life 3? Dead? I think not!
 
How can anyone with true conviction say HL1 and HL2 sucked, or HL2-ep 1,2 sucked etc... I must have low standards... I want Episode 3 to come out too, but why end it there? Make HL3, but design a new engine around the DX11 API and keep the story-lines/characters from the original. Hollywood does it, why can't great game companies do the same!? :) (granted, crappy original games need not apply)
 
I say with true conviction that HL1 was immaculate... and HL2 sucked. ;)
 
After reading that article about DNF it doesn't seem so strange that EP3 is taking so long. Half-Life has been met with nearly universal acclaim thus far, and it's no surprise that Valve wants to make sure the next episode doesn't let people down. And let's face it, Source isn't exactly a brand-new engine anymore and if Valve wants to impress they're probably trying to fit new features into the episode and creating the same kind of bloat that dragged DNF down. I can't think of many other reasons why an expansion pack would take so long.
 
I will take whatever Valve gives me - more Left 4 Dead and Half Life is preferred but I'm not picky.

Come to think - I think I'll load up Half Life 2 and play it this week.
 
Valve has said that episode 3 will end the current story arc. I think the reason that it's taking so long is that there are just more lose ends to tie up to give the story a proper ending, I'll bet that episode 3 will have the most content of the 3. In the end all you can do is forget about it and play other games, at least Valve didn't pull a Diablo III on everyone by announcing the game and releasing a ton of info and videos for it and let the release date slip for 3 years (2008-2011).

Load up cinema mod and play through the whole series again, and don't hold your breath for Black Mesa: Source.
 
When it comes out, I will buy it regardless of how bad it looks. And so will all of you, and that is the problem. Valve knows that it really doesn't matter how long they take because we will purchase it anyway. In the mean time they can release a bunch of other games to capitalize on the twitch happy shooter market.

PS3 said:
. Whatever the next half life is going to be called, I will be eagerly anticipating it, and I think pc gaming needs a strong pc exclusive title like this back in it's corner - but undoubtedly, if it did come out, they probably will make it for console.
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PC gaming doesn't need Valve, and neither does it need Half Life. Its rediculous to stake the future of the platform on a private company that obviously follows its own interests.

Darundal said:
Well, if they didn't use each episode as an excuse to shove tons of new stuff in the engine then the episode releases would have been, well, released within a more reasonable time frame for episodic content. However, they use each one as a showcase for the new features they shoved in the engine.
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I hardly call what they added to the Source engine, "new." More like industry standard features you need to have in order for your game to not look like total crap.

Mr. Wolf said:
I can only hope Valve invests the time/effort to do EP3 right. HL2 was an insult (except Ravenholm and The Cathedral), EP1 was a joke. EP2 was the only part of this series that deserved any kudos. I'm actually more interested in Black Mesa... though it might never see the light of day, either.
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I really hope Black Mesa comes out.
 
I'm pretty sure Valve said Half-Life 3 (not Episode 3) would be the end of the series and they planned for a trilogy since the beginning.
 
I'm honestly at the point where I would be surprised if episode 3 ever came out. I wonder if it IS the next Duke Nukem.

Personally, I would have preferred if they had just released episodes every 4 months, with no graphics improvements or gameplay changes.
 
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