Community Pays to Fly Gabe to Australia

[Hectic Glenn]

Gabe will soon be on his way down under after an entertaining email exchange with mod maker Joe W-A. The fund-raising began after Joe heard that Newell had recently flown the leaders of a gaming community group boycotting Valve's upcoming Left 4 Dead 2 to Valve's Seattle, WA headquarters. Joe emailed to ask if Newell would fly him to Seattle so Joe could show him his mod.[br]Gabe playfully replied that he wouldn't fly Joe to Seattle because he was "boycotting" Joe's mod. The Australian-based game designer appealed to the game community for $3,000-the funds necessary to fly Newell halfway around the world-and raised the money in less than 48 hours.

"The power of the gaming community and their ability to rally around a cause - be it serious or fun in nature - is amazing. In 2003, the community helped the FBI and European law enforcement officials find the people who stole the Half-Life 2 source code. This year, the community is putting me on a plane to the other side of the world to meet Joe W-A and see his MOD. It's going to be a fun trip."

Erik Johnson will be accompanying Gabe to stop him getting eaten by spiders during their trip next week. All news on the trip will be posted on the L4D blog. Check out the blog site used to raise the funds for this project!

 

[Acepilotf14]

A fun trip with no Episode 3.

 

[Vegeta897]

And that's the last we ever heard of Gabe Newell.

 

[Warped]

they're going to kidnap Gabe and we're all ****ed!

 

[xdrive]

I have been following this. The guy actually lives in Brisbane but gabe decided he wanted to go to sydney so they are all going to sydney now. Also the $3000 raised was donated to "childs play" charity, gabe and erik are paying there own way down now.

they're going to kidnap Gabe and we're all ****ed!

I have the black van and rope to bound him with all ready to go.

 

[MJ12]

Jesus, this Joe kid has a lot to live up to now. His mod better be great and Gabe's stay better be enjoyable.

I can just imagine how the visit will actually be.

 

[Sheepo]

I think there's been a mix up, I didn't send anything like that to Gabe Newell! I don't even have a mod to show them...

 

[xdrive]

Jesus, this Joe kid has a lot to live up to now. His mod better be great and Gabe's stay better be enjoyable.

I can just imagine how the visit will actually be.

His stay will be enjoyable, he's coming to Australia, not Afghanistan.

 

[hool10]

The funny part is that the member is from our rival website, hl2world.com:
http://www.hl2world.com/bbs/1-vt50327.html?postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

[Vegeta897]

Ah, HL2 World.

Some good times.

 

[Marler]

Surprised he raised that much money. Good of them to decide to donate it though

 

[xdrive]

Hl2 world? never heard of it lol

There website looks shit, no wonder i never heard of it.

 

[hool10]

Hl2 world? never heard of it lol

There website looks shit, no wonder i never heard of it.

They are pretty big in that they actually mod the game and find out stuff way in advance than even hl2.net does. Site has been running since 2003 or so.

 

[Vegeta897]

It was all over the beta too.

 

[Lobster]

Both websites were setup around the same time, when HL2 was being unveiled. They have always had an active mapping community, but its not as active as it was a couple of years ago.

 

[Barnz]

Hl2 world? never heard of it lol

There website looks shit, no wonder i never heard of it.

you're a moron, and you should die

 

[Darkside55]

I was hoping Joe'd raise the money. That's pretty awesome.

you're a moron, and you should die

Agreed. HL2 World is huge. Didn't you even notice when their forums died for like two days and some of their members migrated over here?

 

[Hectic Glenn]

That was Halflife Fallout, not HL2 World.

 

[Hunter-Killer]

As much as I think it’s brilliant that they have raised the cash to get Gabe (and Eric) to travel over I don't understand why he couldn't have just emailed the campaign? Maybe I'm just being a bit cynical but it better be a f**king good one to drag the head of a company half way round the world to see it. When I first read the title I thought he was going over there to try and get L4D2 unbanned. Still well done to the guys and I hope Gabe and Eric have an enjoyable "break".

 

[brad92]

It's sort of coincidental really. Gives Gabe the opportunity to approach the classification issue in Australia regarding Left 4 Dead 2 personally and directly.

 

[Danimal]

I was hoping Joe'd raise the money. That's pretty awesome.


Agreed. HL2 World is huge. Didn't you even notice when their forums died for like two days and some of their members migrated over here?

That was Halflife Fallout, not HL2 World.

 

[Darkside55]

That was Halflife Fallout, not HL2 World.

Well, shit. I'm a moron. Brb, dying.

 

[hool10]

As much as I think it’s brilliant that they have raised the cash to get Gabe (and Eric) to travel over I don't understand why he couldn't have just emailed the campaign? Maybe I'm just being a bit cynical but it better be a f**king good one to drag the head of a company half way round the world to see it. When I first read the title I thought he was going over there to try and get L4D2 unbanned. Still well done to the guys and I hope Gabe and Eric have an enjoyable "break".

Because it's the difference between meeting Gabe or just e-mailing him the campaign? Besides hl2world do these funny antics all the time. Many members are also here as well (like myself). They also sent a pop-tart for Gabe to sign and ironically he did:

http://www.hl2world.com/bbs/-vp593185.html

 

[Hunter-Killer]

Because it's the difference between meeting Gabe or just e-mailing him the campaign? Besides hl2world do these funny antics all the time. Many members are also here as well (like myself). They also sent a pop-tart for Gabe to sign and ironically he did: PopTart Pic

I’m just saying it’s a bloody long trip just to look at a campaign so we would hope it’s going to be a good one. Hell I would be honoured if Gabe came to visit!

BTW Poptart - Random but cool

 

[Ennui]

Well, shit. I'm a moron. Brb, dying.

Aw Darkside you should have not said anything, I thought you had just successfully trolled the **** out of Glenn. You need to conceal the fact that you're human and prone to error if this internet god cult idea is gonna work out.

HL2 World hasn't been HL2net's "rival" since like 2004. They are a very different site though.

 

[xdrive]

As much as I think it’s brilliant that they have raised the cash to get Gabe (and Eric) to travel over I don't understand why he couldn't have just emailed the campaign? Maybe I'm just being a bit cynical but it better be a f**king good one to drag the head of a company half way round the world to see it. When I first read the title I thought he was going over there to try and get L4D2 unbanned. Still well done to the guys and I hope Gabe and Eric have an enjoyable "break".

But the money fun raised isnt going towards the flights, it has been donated to charity gabe and erik are paying there own way to australia.

I don't know why people keep forgetting this when they post, i don't know why it's not in the news post on the main site and i don't know why it's not in the steam news.

 

[Darkside55]

Aw Darkside you should have not said anything, I thought you had just successfully trolled the **** out of Glenn. You need to conceal the fact that you're human and prone to error if this internet god cult idea is gonna work out.

I'll take no credit for unintentional trolls. And I'll admit my errors because so few people on the interwebs ever do. I'm no god. I'm just a man.

 

[Hunter-Killer]

But the money fun raised isnt going towards the flights, it has been donated to charity gabe and erik are paying there own way to australia.

I don't know why people keep forgetting this when they post, i don't know why it's not in the news post on the main site and i don't know why it's not in the steam news.

Fair point but the original reason for raising the money was to get Gabe to go to Australia (or at least give him the incentive to go).
I think it was kind of obvious that they would pay their own way if they were planning on going because lets face it, they have the money.
I don't know either why it's not on the Steam news, maybe after the trip/closer to the time.

 

[hool10]

Well there are other reasons they are going too. Erik Johnson mom I think lives in Australia. Makes a nice vacation too. Lol what am I saying they are a multi-billion corporation. If they want to go to Australia, they are going to Australia.

 

[xdrive]

Well there are other reasons they are going too. Erik Johnson mom I think lives in Australia. Makes a nice vacation too. Lol what am I saying they are a multi-billion corporation. If they want to go to Australia, they are going to Australia.

valves profit was 30 million last year, thats not multi billion.....

 

[DoctorWeeTodd]

Crikey!