HL3 - Episode 3 'Leak' by lead writer

[~>Dg<~]

Its just been far too long, boat has sailed.

this tbh.

i find single player games so boring generally now.if you wernt hand held through every title it wouldnt be so bad.

my vision of half life 3 would be a vr lawnmower man type deal.totally nuts and all VR.thats from someone who doesnt think VR is doing much yet but in this instance could be fresh and push the boundaries.thats why many liked half life 2 when it came out.it was new fresh idea.

 

[Curunen]

But what happens to Alyx???

Good point - I take it no "happily ever after" ending then. Or maybe he wanted to leave it open for potential further games.

 

[smogsy]

Or watch a movie again.

could say the same about playing another football match.

 

[Souness]

There's a reddit thread about this at present, and I cannot believe how entitled folks are about all of this. The Valve pitchfork squad is in full motion over a game! Folks are forgetting that they are a business for the most part now and just thinking that they're owed so much.

Actually no, folks ARE remembering that Valve are a business, and this is what makes this so depressing. This is just a harsh reminder that at the end of the day, no matter how much you think a developer cares for the games, it's all about money. Valve created a game that will always be special to me in so many ways, and they didn't have the balls to finish it. Let's not forget the fact that for many years after Ep2, Gabe repeatedly said they were working on Episode3. Gamers just feel cheated by someone they though they could trust, which is totally understandable.

 

[Secret_Window]

The thing is, Valve are making extremely safe and easy money now. They don't have to risk anything by making new games anymore. In fact, I think they don't want to make games anymore fullstop. Look at the things they have invested in and mostly it has been things like steam box, as well as the developments with the steam software platform, which they even dub the "ultimate entertainment platform" now, and this seems to be where their main focus lies. People also forget that Gabe once worked for Microsoft before he made games and left MS to do his own thing, and out of that spawned HL1. It seems like an inevitable transition for him from making games to software focused platforms / operating systems which is where things are now. You might even say, the success of HL1 and CS were the necessary steps to get to where things are, and may have been part of the plan all along, who knows.

I think looking forward, we will see more software focused developments from Valve, and ways for them to contiunually provide a competitive platform that makes gaming constantly more accessible.

 

[x-st]

I think looking forward, we will see more software focused developments from Valve, and ways for them to contiunually provide a competitive platform that makes gaming constantly more accessible.

Improving the customer service experience would probably be a good first step!

 

[Smeghead]

I used to have a big place for Valve in my heart, but their lack of respect for their own IPs have just completely shattered any goodwill I had for them. You look at TF2 when it launched, and how they really wanted to preserve the look and art style even with the new weapons they initially introduced, and today where it's just a complete mess of pink unicorns and pirate hats; it's just a complete embarrassment. Likewise with the way HL has been completely forgotten about.

But instead of using their time giving fans what they really want and will be guaranteed to sell, they develop amazing projects like Steam OS and Steam Machines, which have been hugely popular...ahem.

 

[Secret_Window]

I used to have a big place for Valve in my heart, but their lack of respect for their own IPs have just completely shattered any goodwill I had for them. You look at TF2 when it launched, and how they really wanted to preserve the look and art style even with the new weapons they initially introduced, and today where it's just a complete mess of pink unicorns and pirate hats; it's just a complete embarrassment. Likewise with the way HL has been completely forgotten about.

But instead of using their time giving fans what they really want and will be guaranteed to sell, they develop amazing projects like Steam OS and Steam Machines, which have been hugely popular...ahem.

Me too, I have a big place for Valve in my heart with HL and CS, and later the l4d series. Good memories. But times have changed, and Valve have moved on. They have left behind the past, and are now focused on different things. I personally think this is wrong, and their new focus as you rightly point out has been far from successful, but the things that are successful have been other games using steam as a main platform and the ingame purchases, which is easy money.

The thing that I think that annoys most fans about all this, is the previous close community relationship that Valve had of making great games, to the more financially driven focus of expanding itself into more than what just making games. From their perspective they would probably argue they still are close to the community with the Steam Direct aspect, but if anything, it seems just another easy way for them to generate money, by not actually making any games. CSGO, TF2 and Dota 2 are still updated by Valve because there is a steady income from ingame purchases, so there is an incentive to still be involved and update those. But as far as making something new, like a new HL or L4D3, I get the impression now that time has gone. What I think also rubs people the wrong way, is the way Gabe now looks back upon HL1 as a very flawed and almost regrettable game - the sort of George Lucas negative type of appreciation of his former work, if you will.

 

[Smokey Deza]

If this was about L4D 3 I'd read the OPs post, because hey, that's actually a game worth waiting for (and will give me 600 hours gameplay, not 6).

On the gaming end of things, I found Hl2 medicore at best. Great engine, poor npc ai, rubbish sounding weapons excluding the shotty and boring levels excluding Ravenholme. Episode 1 did nothing for me but ̶E̶p̶i̶s̶o̶d̶e̶ ̶2̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶l̶o̶t̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶e̶x̶c̶i̶t̶i̶n̶g̶. HL1 bettered the lot of them.

This really. So mediocre.

Indulge in the long wall of troll if you like. HL2 and beyond are SO overrated.

 

[StriderX]

It's great fun to look back several years after much better games have come out, to call something mediocre.

But you know sure... Go ahead, the issue is ultimately the industry itself has gone headlong into greedy ****, it's become vastly aggravating and will hopefully trash the industry like last time.

On the topic of continuing half-life, I don't see the point anymore, if they had done what they originally said they would with ep3, then it'd be fine... Releasing the same idea a decade later? It'd be disgustingly out of depth, and probably not evwn worth a chat at valve hq anymore. I certainly don't care anymore, and the only way they could salvage the now dead brand is to roll everything into one game and have much more free, engrossing story. Anything less is just fan-service and would do valve a disservice.

 

[Rezident]

So glad that Marc gave us something. At least know we know what happens.

But why did Valve not make it? Gabe left his spectacularly well paid job at Microsoft to makes games instead. Makes the best game ever. Twice, at least. And then right before the finale, they just leave it hanging. Unless Gabe really is really waiting for it to be finished in VR, it doesn’t make sense. I get that Steam became so wildly successful that they had to move their best people on to it but FFS! Finish the flippin’ game!

 

[G-MAN2004]

Am I the only one who hasn't read it yet? I feel like it's the same as reading the script for the finale of Game of Thrones and spoiling it for myself.

Unless Gabe really is really waiting for it to be finished in VR, it doesn’t make sense. I get that Steam became so wildly successful that they had to move their best people on to it but FFS! Finish the flippin’ game!

That's what I'm thinking. Either it's dead or they're thinking of a way to make even more money from it (VR, etc.). Who knows.

 

[Rezident]

Me too, I have a big place for Valve in my heart with HL and CS, and later the l4d series. Good memories. But times have changed, and Valve have moved on. They have left behind the past, and are now focused on different things. I personally think this is wrong, and their new focus as you rightly point out has been far from successful, but the things that are successful have been other games using steam as a main platform and the ingame purchases, which is easy money.

The thing that I think that annoys most fans about all this, is the previous close community relationship that Valve had of making great games, to the more financially driven focus of expanding itself into more than what just making games. From their perspective they would probably argue they still are close to the community with the Steam Direct aspect, but if anything, it seems just another easy way for them to generate money, by not actually making any games. CSGO, TF2 and Dota 2 are still updated by Valve because there is a steady income from ingame purchases, so there is an incentive to still be involved and update those. But as far as making something new, like a new HL or L4D3, I get the impression now that time has gone. What I think also rubs people the wrong way, is the way Gabe now looks back upon HL1 as a very flawed and almost regrettable game - the sort of George Lucas negative type of appreciation of his former work, if you will.

Does he? It was pretty much the best game ever and the starter for everything Valve is now. Then HL2 got people on to Steam and the rest is history. Also, they basically re-made HL1 when Gabe wasn’t happy with it, just to get it right, so I’d be surprised to hear he wasn’t happy with it.

 

[x-st]

Does he? It was pretty much the best game ever and the starter for everything Valve is now. Then HL2 got people on to Steam and the rest is history. Also, they basically re-made HL1 when Gabe wasn’t happy with it, just to get it right, so I’d be surprised to hear he wasn’t happy with it.

I think without context regret might be too strong a word -

"The issue with Half-Life for me is that I was involved in a much higher percentage of the decisions about the games, so it's hard for me to look at them as anything other than a series of things I regret," Newell wrote. "There's no information in my response about what we'll do in the future. It's simply easier for me to be a fan of things that in which I was less directive." (From that phrasing, we can guess that the series is neither confirmed alive nor dead; it's just a less than fond memory in his own eyes.)

When asked by another fan what his biggest regrets were, Newell answered, "If you are involved in a game, everything ends up being a set of trade-offs. Anything in a game is a sacrifice of things not in the game. I just feel those more personally about Half-Life for a bunch of reasons. And Xen."

 

[mrk]

Check this out, by far the most comprehensive rundown of events since at least HL2 and how that all transpired to the current day.

I think the two scenarios he proposes both hold solid ground. On one hand what if it is a social experiment by Valve, a feeler if you will to gauge how loyal fans of HL still are. Laidlaw is said to still be in contact with members at Valve, and given how secretive Valve have been over the years about any story development on the HL ep3 front, I can't see them allowing something like this to slip through without consequences.

I think we've not seen the end of this yet.

At least one thing is clear, we know Valve are working on HL VR, because Gabe has mentioned it numerous times. Whether this means HL3 is a VR title, or a completely new story in the HL universe is anyone's guess. As for Episode 3, well that's what we're all trying to figure out.

It would be extremely foolish to abandon HL as it's one of the most successful game franchises in history, every "leak" makes the internet go crazy. I do think Valve won't release anything until all platforms are ready. We know they are more focused on money now than back then.

So what are they waiting for? Perhaps they want console platforms to be up to PC levels of power and VR performance, so all platforms can have a release of what they are working on at the same time, with the same quality. Total speculation of course but maybe this is a good thing?

 

[Mark A]

If this was about L4D 3 I'd read the OPs post, because hey, that's actually a game worth waiting for (and will give me 600 hours gameplay, not 6).

Meh, some slightly different campaigns using all the same tired old assets with a few extra guns and boring characters thrown in like L4D2 was. No thanks.

 

[sports_brah]

Check this out, by far the most comprehensive rundown of events since at least HL2 and how that all transpired to the current day.

I think the two scenarios he proposes both hold solid ground. On one hand what if it is a social experiment by Valve, a feeler if you will to gauge how loyal fans of HL still are. Laidlaw is said to still be in contact with members at Valve, and given how secretive Valve have been over the years about any story development on the HL ep3 front, I can't see them allowing something like this to slip through without consequences.

I think we've not seen the end of this yet.

At least one thing is clear, we know Valve are working on HL VR, because Gabe has mentioned it numerous times. Whether this means HL3 is a VR title, or a completely new story in the HL universe is anyone's guess. As for Episode 3, well that's what we're all trying to figure out.

It would be extremely foolish to abandon HL as it's one of the most successful game franchises in history, every "leak" makes the internet go crazy. I do think Valve won't release anything until all platforms are ready. We know they are more focused on money now than back then.

So what are they waiting for? Perhaps they want console platforms to be up to PC levels of power and VR performance, so all platforms can have a release of what they are working on at the same time, with the same quality. Total speculation of course but maybe this is a good thing?

See if that is the plan I'd say it had backfired...seems quite a muted reaction.

Personally I wouldn't buy another valve game if I can help it.

They have treated fans poorly with HL series, and have ruined counter strike...

@G-MAN2004 agreed also haven't read it. Doesn't feel right.

 

[Rezident]

Check this out, by far the most comprehensive rundown of events since at least HL2 and how that all transpired to the current day.

I think the two scenarios he proposes both hold solid ground. On one hand what if it is a social experiment by Valve, a feeler if you will to gauge how loyal fans of HL still are. Laidlaw is said to still be in contact with members at Valve, and given how secretive Valve have been over the years about any story development on the HL ep3 front, I can't see them allowing something like this to slip through without consequences.

I think we've not seen the end of this yet.

At least one thing is clear, we know Valve are working on HL VR, because Gabe has mentioned it numerous times. Whether this means HL3 is a VR title, or a completely new story in the HL universe is anyone's guess. As for Episode 3, well that's what we're all trying to figure out.

It would be extremely foolish to abandon HL as it's one of the most successful game franchises in history, every "leak" makes the internet go crazy. I do think Valve won't release anything until all platforms are ready. We know they are more focused on money now than back then.

So what are they waiting for? Perhaps they want console platforms to be up to PC levels of power and VR performance, so all platforms can have a release of what they are working on at the same time, with the same quality. Total speculation of course but maybe this is a good thing?

I think it seems to take a lot longer to make a VR game than a normal one, there still don’t seem to be any full length games out for VR, most of them are short trailers or demos or else just wave shooters.

I think there’s a good chance Gabe had a go of the Vive and said ‘this is awesome, this is how we’re doing half-life’ because VR really is amazing, and so they had to go back to the drawing board again. That would delay it by another few years or so maybe that’s why Marc left, how long ago did he write the story and how long has he been waiting for it to be made? Poor lad must have been sitting around at Valve for the last decade or so just waiting…

Gabe’s vision is usually right though. I still believe

 

[StriderX]

VR is dead though

 

[K1LLSW1TCH]

All this HL3 chat just makes me want to re install HL2 and the episodes but I'm waiting for them to finish Xen in Black Mesa so I can have a marathon.