Can you skip it?

[THATWACKYDANTE!]

What if Valve totally wanted to suprise us, skip the gold date (as in telling no one but Vivendi) and then they release the game and we all get little calls saying our copy of HL2 has came in and we're all like huh? Can they do that?

 

[Dr0ndeh]

no they couldnt.

 

[laz]

Yes they can but people that will package hl2 will leak the info

 

[Bobcat]

Well they stated they'd shoot the flares once they were gold...

But technically speaking, I suppose they could.

 

[A|2SENIC]

Yah, they wouldn't do that. They already said that when it turns gold it will be announced.

 

[The Mullinator]

If Vivendi could begin production all on its own all robotically then maybe there is a possibility that they could do it if they wanted too.

However there are far too many people to force to keep such a secret, far too many employees working at these production companies. Besides in order to maximize sales you need to maximize hype, by keeping it secret you are essentially minimizing hype.

Character limit.

 

[king John I]

maybe they will hide copys of half-life 2 in our coat pockets and only tell us a year later

 

[kiwii]

"However there are far too many people to force to keep such a secret, far too many employees working at these production companies. Besides in order to maximize sales you need to maximize hype, by keeping it secret you are essentially minimizing hype."

havent this game gotten enough hype as it is?

 

[|LGW|Mith]

yea, even if they tried, they couldnt contain it. Some people might think all the clues going around lately are pointing to the fact HL2 went gold already and is coming out, and vivendi/vavle is shutting them all up >> that magazine, planet hl countdown, overstock (with the extremlely hot AD girl) etc

but thats just wishful thinking, the moment HL2 goes gold, they'll wanna tell us the news, not sit on it and 'surprise us' when we see it in stores.

 

[The Mullinator]

havent this game gotten enough hype as it is?

The majority of sales come from people who are not hardcore fans like we are, most people I have talked to who play games don't actually know much about the HL2.

 

[Biozeminade]

Releasing a game without tellling anyone would be stupid.

If you released a movie without advertising it, then it wouldn't get so much attention on opening night, and then less people would see it, and then less people would tell their friends about it, and less people would care.

 

[GuNzABlaZiN]

Actually, I think they could do that. Think about it, the people that are gonna be packaging the game are the average Joe's just like the rest of us, if they went on a forum and said "yeah uhh I work at the Vivendi's production plant and today I was packing copies of HL2". Do you think anybody would actually believe them? Probably not, and if someone actually did, they would email Gabe and he could easily deny it. Valve could ask Vivendi to not make a press release although that would probably kill the hype that Vivendi wants.

 

[alehm]

It could probably happen, except the part where we're all like huh?

Some people would complain Valve is a crappy company because they ship games without announcing it. LOL

 

[Bait]

What if Valve totally wanted to suprise us, skip the gold date (as in telling no one but Vivendi) and then they release the game and we all get little calls saying our copy of HL2 has came in and we're all like huh? Can they do that?

No.

(Damn 6 character minimum)

 

[westie]

No.
Yes this 6 charceter limit is annoying.

 

[CTTcrew_MrBlue]

Your sig makes no sense since HL never had a Desert Eagle Westie

 

[RoguePsi]

I think its possible. I mean, if I said now that I work for Vivendi and we've just approved HL2 for gold last week and its production is in full swing (its true!), would you believe me? Valve are all about innovation and unique approaches - why should this be different?

By the way, just because Valve don't say its gone gold doesn't mean they won't advertise the games release. It'd be amazing to see an advert on TV for HL2 saying it was out the next day and it turned out to be true. What better way to create a frenzy around your game?

 

[Chris D]

Your sig makes no sense since HL never had a Desert Eagle Westie

Unless it was the Counter-Life mod or Opposing Force...

 

[Bait]

I think its possible. I mean, if I said now that I work for Vivendi and we've just approved HL2 for gold last week and its production is in full swing (its true!), would you believe me? Valve are all about innovation and unique approaches - why should this be different?

By the way, just because Valve don't say its gone gold doesn't mean they won't advertise the games release. It'd be amazing to see an advert on TV for HL2 saying it was out the next day and it turned out to be true. What better way to create a frenzy around your game?

There's one problem there. Valve already stated they are going to do a full blown press release once HL2 goes gold. It won't be a secret. Gabe won't hide in a corner stroking the gold disk muttering "My Preciousssss........F U NUBZ0RZ!!11"

Valve is gonna be happy to announce the game is done and over with. Any one who says otherwise is wrong.

 

[CrazyHarij]

They'll announce it, there's absolutely nothing in the world that'd prove not announcing it with fireworks and all that would be of any more worth.

 

[THATWACKYDANTE!]

Let's hope so.

 

[TinyKilbasa]

I don't see why they wouldn't annouce it. After years of working on the game, they most likely would want to shout to the gaming community, "It's done!!!" and then a long deserved party....

 

[noluck]

wow.. some guys make it sound like they DONT want valve to announce it. i want to know when hl2 goes gold so tell my mates never to talk to me again, dump my girlfriend and kill my family and just have a phone next to me to order pizza.

or is that too much ?

 

[halflifeguy]

Valve would tell people so the communtity would get off their backs about release dates

 

[dkelly]

Valve would tell people so the communtity would get off their backs about release dates

I somehow doubt that it's a huge annoyance to them.
People pawing and scraping over every little scrap of information they can find about your masterpiece. I bet they just eat it up.

I could totally see Gabe or someone flipping through these forums reading threads about people looking for hidden meanings in the barnacle picture and giggling, or the whiteboards (which is probably just a sick joke or something).

But seriously, "off their backs" no way dude, it's what keeps 'em ticking. Better than coffee

 

[Element Alpha]

What better way to create a frenzy around your game?

Answer: Allowing people to download an image of the game for free, and having it just sit there.

I can already imagine the poor kids staring at the "pre-load complete" screen, and not being allowed to buy the game by their parents, or not having the money or the computer to handle it.