Back from another... TRIP TO VALVE!

[merc]

Hey everyone, I recently just got back from (you are all going to hate me for this) another trip to Valve ... Yep, I was lucky enough to be able to go there and playtest Half Life 2 for about an hour and a half. I am not going to tell anything about the part that I played however, as it was the end of the game. The game is so dang awesome and they are pretty much complete. It was sweet, I was escorted into a room with this big widescreen monitor and Klipsch surround sound speakers and I played Half Life 2 while about 5 or 6 Valve employees watched me play and took notes. Afterwards they asked me questions such as, did I like it and what parts I didn't like, and how hard I thought it was etc. etc... Well it was extremely fun and I ended up giving them that Half Life crowbar that I had as thanks for letting me do all this. I may just be making some more trips to Valve for some more playtesting and what not in the next few weeks also! And oh yeah guys, you are going to love this, you know this pictures I deleted? Well while I was there I went back into that room with the writing on the wall and took pictures of the board again... You guys persuaded me into letting you see as I know you have all been wanting some really good information. Here is one picture, and some of the writing got cut off due to my stupidity of not getting the whole board in the picture...

I don't know what you guys might make of this but some of the stuff looked pretty interesting.. Also the link on the upper left said screenshot archive so I don't know what that is all about as I haven't tried going to it yet..

-merc

 

[disruptioN_]

I hate you.

Gordon/Alyx love scene? lol

 

[Dedatorv]

Dang you got to play near the end of Half-Life 2? Too damn lucky. Lol I think the board is a joke, look under Cut Items and you'll see Eli's Leg, :cheese: :cheese: . Xen2? AWP? Second Love Scene Gordon/Alyx?To do List for Collector's Edition cleary scribbled out? It was definitely a joke to get us all in a frenzy. EEEK!!! Look on the far left of it and you see something about easter egg/trick and above that is a website!! Bah should have gotten a picture of the entire board.

 

[Neutrino]

Leash for dog??

Hehe .......

I predict the impending doom of 20 pages of speculation on the writing in this new picture.

 

[Shuzer]

I believe you DID get to play HL2, but I very much doubt they let you play the end of the game. I could be wrong, but you may have misinterpereted it

As for the whiteboard pic.. oh boy, more speculation time

 

[Sushi]

w00t, finish collector's edition by Monday!

great picture merc!

edit: ahaha, new hairdo for Barney. Anyone with photoshop skills, make a pic of Barney with a 'fro...

 

[The Dark Elf]

Hehe .......

I predict the impending doom of 20 pages of speculation on the writing in this new picture.

Oh dear god your right

Mods, to your posts!

oh yeah, leash for dog.. maybe you can get it to carry your gear like in morrowind :E

 

[evil^milk]

You are one lucky dude! Awesome, so, what new improvements have you seen? (no spoilers, please)

 

[merc]

Alright well I am not going to tell you guys about anything about the end of the game, but from what I understand I played THE end of the game as in I played about the last 45 minutes or so of Half Life 2...

-merc

 

[Ownzed]

Damn that kicks ass. Very lucky. I bet HL2 pwned. Can't wait to play it and how was all the physics engine? Like the wood breaking and throwin stuff with the manipulator. :thumbs:

 

[klown]

Just curious.... when they asked you questions afterward did you NOT like anything? And did they just invite you back? P.S. is there ANY new info you could tell us about without spoiling the game?? :cheese:

 

[Sushi]

Hehe .......

I predict the impending doom of 20 pages of speculation on the writing in this new picture.

20 pages? Come on, stop being so very leniant. I predict 20 pages alone on guessing what that 452 on the left side of the picture means.

 

[blahblahblah]

Realistically, what would you rate each aspect of Half-Life 2? (Graphics, Gameplay, Sound, AI, Level Design, Physics) You don't have to spill specific instances, but can you honestly rate each item for use, please?

 

[Rico]

This could probably be either a doctored image or a pun by Valve. Wouldn't believe any of the info there if I were you.

 

[bayaraa_us]

Dude,

I don't believe you. Are you cousin of one of the Valve employees or a beta tester?
I didn't read the whole trip to Valve thread but I doubt they let you play the ending of the game.

 

[merc]

Well yesterday when I went on my first visit Gabe mentioned me possibly playtesting, so when I got home last night I emailed Erik and talked with him about it and he told me to come back around 3 pm pst today and so I did... And I really couldn't find anything that I did not like, the game is downright amazing... I am still trying to think if I didn't like something and am breaking everything down, but I just can't find anything!? I guess that is a good thing

-merc

 

[Tinneth]

*cough*bullshit*cough* I find this very hard to believe

The board shot is so staged.

 

[evil^milk]

Yeah, that's gonna be a good one for speculation

What can you tell us you found awesome, like explosion graphics or something?

 

[Sushi]

Dude,

I don't believe you. Are you cousin of one of the Valve employees or a beta tester?
I didn't read the whole trip to Valve thread but I doubt they let you play the ending of the game.

I believe him. And besides, Valve wants opinions on their ending so they can see if people like it, otherwise they need to tweak it. And the only way to get opinions is to obviously get people to playtest.

 

[Xcellere]

You The Man!

 

[Dedatorv]

Well yesterday when I went on my first visit Gabe mentioned me possibly playtesting, so when I got home last night I emailed Erik and talked with him about it and he told me to come back around 3 pm pst today and so I did... And I really couldn't find anything that I did not like, the game is downright amazing... I am still trying to think if I didn't like something and am breaking everything down, but I just can't find anything!? I guess that is a good thing

-merc

What questions did they ask you about? Did the parts you go through show you could use the physics in some way to your advantage(The swinging bar, freight crate)?

 

[klown]

So to playtest all you have to do is ask?? lol Imma make my own visit to valva now!! WTF... how could he be lying when he has a friggin pic???

 

[Sushi]

Just out of curiosity, did the manipulator play a big role in the parts of the game you played?

 

[blahblahblah]

rate each section, please.

 

[guise]

lol @ the whiteboard pic

at the side of the board it says easter eggs/tricks... valve playing games?

edit: btw merc did u actually play through to the end of the game? i.e. watch the end sequence?

 

[BaNDiT]

How were the graphics? better or worse than the screens?

 

[Shuzer]

The board shot does look pretty staged, but who knows..
They did seem to block out the CE information, so it may be real

Either way, I STILL don't believe they'd let you play the end of the game

 

[Thorinos]

merc, Do you think that a release in august/september is possible ?

 

[merc]

Realistically, what would you rate each aspect of Half-Life 2? (Graphics, Gameplay, Sound, AI, Level Design, Physics) You don't have to spill specific instances, but can you honestly rate each item for use, please?

Graphics = Best I have every playn in action so far in my life
Gameplay = Very fun and the physics play a huge role
AI = The AI is very good and I died quite a few times, but enjoyed every last battle.
Level Design = The area I played took place in City 17 and the environment felt very real... They really created the place amazingly.
Physics = VERY FUN! I love the physics in the game just for doing fun things as well as using the physics for parts of gameplay.

-merc

 

[merc]

merc, Do you think that a release in august/september is possible ?

A release by the end of the summer is VERY possible and I don't doubt it at all. Expect to be playing Half Life 2 before you go back to school kiddies

-merc

 

[blahblahblah]

One last question, what is the best looking FPS you have played? Thanks again

 

[merc]

lol @ the whiteboard pic

at the side of the board it says easter eggs/tricks... valve playing games?

edit: btw merc did u actually play through to the end of the game? i.e. watch the end sequence?

I didn't watch the entire ending sequence but I can guarantee that from my knowledge of Half Life games it was the ending sequence...

-merc

 

[Xcellere]

Ahhhhh Woohooooo I Love You

 

[Dr. Freeman]

omgomgomgomgomg!!!!

merc u lucky son of headcrab!!! lol j/k!!!!!
wow.. this has been quite a week for u eh merc?

okay so heres my question.. did u remember to ask about the Collectors Edition?!

 

[merc]

One last question, what is the best looking FPS you have played? Thanks again

Far Cry

-merc

 

[evil^milk]

w00t

10chl

 

[Silent_night]

did u ask them ne questions? and what weapons did u try ? did u do ne nice kills , tell us about them.

 

[Half-ChemEng]

Well you can't say Valve don't have a sense of humour. I mean Cut 'hair'... Perhaps its Gabes to-do list.

One thing does look odd though, the top corner of the board underneath "To do for collectors edition", why is writing scribbled out roughly? Isn't it easier to wipe it? But I'm sure it isn't a photoshop job, its too convincing.

And the fact they're testing the end bodes well for release I hope!

 

[Sashswash]

woah...you're lucky man! (Did you have to sign something...or swear not to talk about anything you saw???)

-Sashswash

 

[Sushi]

A release by the end of the summer is VERY possible and I don't doubt it at all. Expect to be playing Half Life 2 before you go back to school kiddies

-merc

:E You just made my day!