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49 Comments
- omenmedia, on 10/12/2007, -2/+24"but I wish the levels weren't so corridor-boxy in general"
ever play Halo? - omenmedia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+20"Wait there, brother, and defend yourself, while I send over the slowest moving cable car on Earth to collect you!"
- tanger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17Gold means it is headed for final printing and shipping to stores soon.
- Otto, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11FEAR does not surpass HL2 except in very specific ways. The problem with FEAR was simply that it was hours of wandering through buildings and shooting guys that all look exactly the same. Every once in a while that evil little girl scared the ***** out of you, but the actual rest of the gameplay kinda sucked. 12 hours of going room to room killing thugs in masks is not my idea of a good time.
Now, FEAR's faked up AI was indeed better, HL2 was very scripted in that respect. But that's about all you really got out of FEAR. On a system that can handle it, HL2's graphics still blows most everything else away. The Lost Coast demo shows what else can be done, and by god it's impressive on a machine with the power to do it. Admittedly, that's a $3000 machine, but still...
But yes, I'm still looking forward to Crysis. Definitely. - BugMeNot2, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13Of course, knowing Valve, it will not conclude on Christmas of 07', but rather Christmas of 08'. :D
j/k. - Brak710101, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10Awsome, but I pre-ordered a while ago on Steam, I want all my money to go to Valve, not EA the retail publisher.
Anyways, this is going to be another hit like HL2 was, and I too am hoping for no more Ravenholm.
My nightmares forever changed that day, a gutter pipe, a skinless zombie crawling up it, myself with a shotgun, and a wack-o priest sending over a cable car to save me. yeeey..... - MisterCookie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9I just hope to God there isn't a Neo Ravenholm
**shudders at the thought of those leaper zombies** - MisterCookie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7http://www.hlcomic.com/index.php?date=2006-01-11
- Lane5slacker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7My relationship with Steam is a love/hate. I love that it gives me so many great games but I hate it when it randomly holds my games hostage for days at a time.
But like a battered wife, I keep returning to the monster. - rewritable, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10I hope this lasts more than 5 minutes
- pronouncable, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Maybe because it wasn't gold a month ago.
- spect3r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5"How is this new news? you could preorder a month ago.."
Steam allows you to preload certain content, so save you in the future from having to download everything all at once. It also helps them ease some of their pain on release day.
Things like models, textures, maps, anything really, can be preloaded - and changed last minute.
That's why I'm a big fan of the Steam system. :)
Anyways, I can hardly wait for HL2 E1!!
You may also all want to know this too:
1) Steam Media Section has a new trailer for Ep 1
2) Original Valve Press Release - http://www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=news&id=629 - Otto, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4No, 4 to 6 hours in length is correct. They're trying for an episodic thing. Sin Episodes is doing much the same thing. Sin Ep1 only takes about 6 hours to play (assuming you don't die every 5 seconds due to a bug in the initial rollout that makes the auto-balanced AI *way* difficult). The idea is that a normal full out game usually costs like $60, so a three part series at $20 each is about the same. And making smaller episodes like that is a lot easier when you already have the engine.
The game industry has been focused on 3d rendering engines for a long time now, ever since Doom, really. Virtually every game came with it's own engine, and gamers get pissed because it takes them several years to come up with a sequel. So the thinking is that if you build a solid engine like the Source engine, then release content on a more or less continuous basis, you can keep content coming while the developers can work on the next engine. Because the people that write engines and the people that make levels and graphics and content are never the same people. Keep them all working constantly, get more , smaller, games out the door at a lower price, and thus get more money. Hook the customers on the storyline, actually *create* storylines that don't suck, and you get a more consistent revenue stream without the need for external funding between games. - cquinnd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Its news inasmuch as its a better announcement than another surprise delay.
But yes, this was pretty much expected. Hopefully I will have finished my run thrus of Sin eps 1, and Half Life 2 again just in time to start HL2E1. - manfrin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Yes, but this means it's actually finished.
- spartan777, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4of course its shipping, i preloaded it weeks ago (approximately). i paid for it a few days ago, can't wait.
@anananananamammananan man, have you played lost coast? obviosly not, or you don't have the hardware to handle it. i think that still kicks fear. episode 1 will have updated graphics, you can bet on it. i mean, this is hl2 here, not halo or something (jk). - Protoss, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Well don't blame the stuttering on the engine, or Valve at all...it sounds like your system isn't up to spec for the Source engine buddy.
- omenmedia, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I'm guessing he and Lamarr are the new administrators for the Combine overwatch.
- tizz66, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I know this is cynical and I really am looking forward to playing these, but let's do some maths... 3 episodes, average 5 hours each, so 15 hours of gameplay. £14.99 per episode, so £45 for the 3 - compared to around £30 for a single game, and a good game should provide at least 15 hours of gameplay, or more. So we're paying significantly more for a game based on a game that we've already paid for simply because it's in 3 pieces?
I know it has been predicted that episodic games are going to become big. I thought it might have something to do with being able to charge more for each part than the whole put together, but I didn't realise it'd happen so soon.
(Note: convert currency as necessary) - Sk8SkaNJ, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4PC gamer gave it a bad preview, but I don't believe them.
- toekneebullard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Doesn't that just figure. Literally, last night I put together a beautiful gaming rig...and I'll be going out of town from the 2nd to the 7th. Just my luck.
- FlakPyro, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2The sound of the gutter pipes as the skinless head crab monsters climbed...one of the most memorable moments in PC gaming. Valve is very good at immersing you in the game. I've already preloaded EP1
- Otto, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Matttk: Which game are you talking about? I've read 6 hours for HL2 Ep1 ever since it was announced. I never read anything for SinEp1, but I can beat it in god mode in about 4 hours, and in 6 using the easiest mode on the sliders. That's mostly just the time it takes to walk through and kill everybody along the way. Turn those sliders up just a bit though, and yeah, it gets tough to do it in under 12.
- tizz66, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Yeah, £14.99, and that's on amazon. The RRP is £20. For comparison, Oblivion is £25. That's why I don't like the idea of these episodic games!
- Chakz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Fix your pc before u bitch about valve, ever heard of formatting and not clicking FREERUSSIANBRIDESMP3SONG.EXE
- kamikazecow, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1ohhh man, only 6 more days till the fresh smell of combine blood floods the air. Cant wait to see who the gman is and who the 3rd party is (hopfully they are on earths side :D )
- Otto, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2tizz: "£14.99 per episode"
Well, you're just getting screwed over on the episode costs then. Here in the US, generally it's about $60 for a full game (which corresponds to your £30 price), but only $20 per episode (which is roughly £10). Actually, preorders through Steam were knocked down to $17.95. Less if you ordered it with other games (like if you had never actually bought HL2 or something). - eddiez, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Beware on the right is the most annoying, distracting, seizure-inducing ad EVAR. EVAR !
- kamikazecow, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1actually there website says "Discover what’s become of City 17, Dr. Breen, and the G-Man" so..... maybe we get something.... :D
- VeganG, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Well, I wouldn't recommend playing this if you haven't played HL2 just for story reasons alone. But if you have, I think it was worth 20 bucks.
- Dustyb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@BugMeNot2 or christmas "when its done"
- middleman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I would hope its shipping soon, its scheduled to come out in a week.
- Phyltre, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Really? An ATI X800XL, a P4 running at 3.06, and my computer isn't up to specs? Check the Valve support forums.
- Otto, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Well, that only lends itself even more to episodic content, since you're most likely using the same characters and models and such as from previous episodes, only creating new maps, story, visuals, etc.
- Teaboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0You'll be waiting a long time to find out who G-Man is. They'll probably wait until Half-Life 8: Episode 327
- MatttK, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I read it was more like 9 hours.
- samuraiswordsmn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I just got hl2: Episode one through Steam this morning, and I beat it just now, and let me tell you; it's worth at most a day's worth of gameplay. It's definetly good, but it's not worth it if you have'nt played Half-Life 2. The gameplay just is'nt long enough, and not much has been added to the story.... So, unless you're itchin' to blow 20 bucks, or If you REALLY like killing headcrab zombies, Don't get this game.
- wileefilmer, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1There was a quote that it is only 4 - 6 hours is length. That isn't right is it? If so, episodes 2 and 3 aren't going to make it into my steam account given the $20 price tag ($30 retail).
- rollo1337, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0anyone know if you'll be able to play right at midnight june 1st?
- echeese, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Hey, what's Kliener doing up there?
- tobias1482, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1actually it's not the engines that take so long to make. It's the asset creation. This is mostly due to normal mapping and leaning towards more complex looking models (as opposed to simpler low poly stuff such as WOW, which looks good, too). It used to be that artists only created a few meshes per asset. The primary one would usually only be a few thousand polygons with simpler LODs based off that. Now, not only do they create the base asset and LODs, but they also usually create an extremely high density and detailed model for normal map generation. Some of these are film quality in detail. It used to be that a character could be created in a few days. Now it sometimes takes several weeks. Programs like zBrush help this, but only so much :(
- bonoes, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2I hate steam. But I love me some Half Life!
- anamanaman, on 10/12/2007, -5/+3I think the game itself will probably be less than stellar. I mean, the graphics and gameplay will probably be the same as Half-Life 2. Great for 2 years ago, but too much other great stuff out now like FEAR which far surpasses it. They should have released this around this time last year if they really wanted to do the episodic content at prime time. Most gamers have moved on to bigger and better things, especially looking forward to Crysis
- tw0bit, on 10/12/2007, -9/+6How is this new news? you could preorder a month ago...
- SilentPurity, on 10/12/2007, -8/+2Better yet buy Oblivion! =D
- Gremlinclr, on 10/12/2007, -14/+6as much as I loved HL2 and am looking forward to Episode 1 I need to point something out.
"trilogy of episodes that will conclude by Christmas of 2007" - irriadin, on 10/12/2007, -18/+5Finally. I was wondering if this had fallen off the map. Hopefully Episode 1 The Phantom Men---
I mean, hopefully Episode 1 will meet or exceed the extremely high bar set by HL2. - Phyltre, on 10/12/2007, -21/+4I loved HL2, but I wish the levels weren't so corridor-boxy in general. You almost never got to fight in an environment that let the AI really challenge you--the major strengths of the game were physics, graphics and story. Fighting the Combine, for most of the game, took a mental back seat.
That being said, I'm not sure if I'll be buying these new episodes yet. I'll fire up Steam and see if Source games are still stuttering on my system like they were a few months back. - byoung, on 10/12/2007, -25/+5jst a question, how many units is gold sales?
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