Doug Lombardi interview from Japan

In game making context, "it's finished. Doing localization and system tuning," is just saying that the content portion of the game is done, but the game itself is not done. System tuning, especially since they are targeting such low computer specs, may take a while (if I understand what system tuning is).

Be thankful, though. Halo, despite being a 3 year old game, apparently takes a super computer to run well. :-(
 
Originally posted by Democritus
Be thankful, though. Halo, despite being a 3 year old game, apparently takes a super computer to run well. :-(
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Or an 179$ Xbox :)
 
Originally posted by Someone
Also, a game released at Christmas will sell more than a game released during September, that's just marketing and there is no arguing it. And it can NOT be said that they will LOSE money because they lost two months of time, because the people who WOULD buy it in september WILL buy it two months later. So on that end it all evens out. But, add to that christmas sales and in fact they will make more money. If you saw a game which was 2-3 months old would you buy it as a present? You MIGHT, but you would also hesitate because the person you're buying for may already have it at that point. But a game just released you would not hesitate on. So, people who WILL buy it now, will have it whenever it comes out (no money lost), but people will also not hesitate to buy it as a gift because it's "new" and new things sell better during the holidays. That's simply fact.
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This is silly. Yes people prefer new things, but the casual uninformed people you talk about wouldn't know HL2 from their ass in the ground [sic] no matter if it were released today, tomorrow, last century, or millions of years into the future. Released now, HL2 would remain on the 'new release' shelves well into February.
 
Aknot:
>> Hmmmm what is this? Is this translated to the "Special" DVD edition?

No.
Lombardi mentioned the expansion of Half-Life 2 (like "Opposing Force" to HL1).

My rough translation:

Mr. Lombardi insisted that "Right now I can not reveal the detail of the expansion of Half-Life 2,
but we are planning to release the expansion next year."
 
I'd like to hear more about Half-Life 2's story in the mean time. I feel we've been deprived of imagery and information.
 
things i want to know about....and things i don't...


THINGS I WANT TO KNOW ARE...

1) why delay.
2) announcement
3) when the official release date is going to be.
4) want to know when new footage will arrive.

THINGS I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ARE...

1) storyline (would be better to experience it for yourself)
2) mp (would be better to see for yourself
3) demo (spoil the game.)
 
Of course it's money as well as polishing the game.

Valve is a privately owned company, ie. they are not responsible to shareholders. They fund the game by themselves (ok, there's the ATI deal and probably some other deals too). Half-Life 2 is/was financed with their own money, giving them as much time as they need, without any rushing by the publisher. It just makes sense to make as much money as possible, so they can make even better games/sequels/whatever.

It was said by some Valve guy (probably Gabe) in some interview that all the money they earned from Half-Life went to fund Half-Life 2. So isn't it just common sense to make as much money as possible?
 
but what doesn't make sense is the fact that no matter when they released it, HL2 would still make a shitload of cash!

The gigantic hype-machine that Valve exposed us all to ensured that anyone who didn't live under a rock had heard nothing but good things about HL2. Thusly creating the same (or extremely close) amount of money whether they shipped it for x-mas, or today!
 
So it can't be delayed that long if it's just tuning/localizing. They wouldn't delay just for the sales. They wouldn't. THEY WOULDN'T!

*runs away crying
 
Yeah, I definately don't want to know the story or very much new information. Surprises are wonderful
 
Originally posted by Siirolon
Valve is a privately owned company, ie. they are not responsible to shareholders.
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But Vivendi is

It was said by some Valve guy (probably Gabe) in some interview that all the money they earned from Half-Life went to fund Half-Life 2. So isn't it just common sense to make as much money as possible?
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You can create the whole game yourself, but you need someone who is publishing it for you. And that's Vivendi and they have the power to change the boxed-version release date if they want because they create and publish those boxes. The only thing Valve can control is their Steam release. BUT, if they don't agree to delay the Steam release until the boxed version is localized and finished, Vivendi maybe told them to go to hell in future... so Vivendi HAS some influence on Valve.
 
Originally posted by toast
Yeah, I definately don't want to know the story or very much new information. Surprises are wonderful
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My kind of headcrab. :)
 
yes you know that

1) max payne 2
2) mohaa series (i love but...)
3) alot of games....

well they put so much info on the internet, that when you buy the game it is nothing special.

HALF LIFE 2 is different how ever, because we don't really know the story... we haven't played it and we have only seen what they showed in MAY!

so when we get this game we will be more WOWed and surprised!
love the game more. enjoy all new elements and well the mulitplayer will speak for its self! :)
 
Originally posted by UndeadScottsman
You know, that doesn't even really make sense.. If anything, it will make Half-Life 2 sell LESS copies, since it will have been on shelves for a shorter period of time and there would be less to go around during the Christmas rush, whereas if Half-LIfe 2 were to be released earlier, those who buy it right when it comes out wouldn't have to contend with the holiday shoppers.

I mean, the people who are going to buy it right when it comes out will buy it if it comes out in September or December, no matter what. Meanwhile, the people who are going to wait until the holidays to purchase it will purchase it when the holidays roll around, not before. (Unless their weird and buy their gifts months ahead of time...) And since no retailer in their right mind would remove Half-Life 2 from the shelves after 3 months, there'd be no chance of them not buying it because it had already come and gone.

Seriously, DELAYING a game for a holiday release to make more money just plainly does NOT make sense, IMO. (Releasing something early is another matter entirly though..) I really can't see ANY major trend of missed sales caused by releasing Half-Life 2 early. Can you guys?


Sincerely,
Jeremy Dunn
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Uhh, you are not looking at the bigger picture. It isn't about VALVE getting more money on a holiday release as it is about Vivendi and ATI. STEAM has already, and will continue to cut into Vivendi's profits, because if the HL2 game was released NOW then most people would get it on STEAM, not bothering to go to stores, and STEAM already has 500,000+ subscribers(that's roughly $25million+ in lost sales for Vivendi), so that business would be instantly LOST. That is a given.

ATI wants to bundle the game with thier Radeons, and Vivendi wants this too as they are the ones publishing the OEMs that will be bundled with the ATI deal. Also, to sweaten the deal, ATI paid Valve a nice advance bonus of some millions I will wager. I heard somewhere in the ballpark of 8 million. That's pretty damned good for a game that hasn't even hit shelves yet, aye? and that's not to mention the kickback that Vivendi has probably ponied up as well.

So you see, Valve will still make a buttload of money, it's just Valve trying to appease these two very large companies(and gettin a nice bonus cash pot in the process). You don't go backstabbing you publisher in this industry, it would jus tbe bad business. Releasing on a holiday maximizes profits for Vivendi and ATI. Period.

Valve SHOULD have told us that it would be a holiday release months ago, but they were too indecisive, and look where it's gotten them!!
 
Originally posted by MadsMan
Uhh, you are not looking at the bigger picture. It isn't about VALVE getting more money on a holiday release as it is about Vivendi and ATI. STEAM has already, and will continue to cut into Vivendi's profits, because if the HL2 game was released NOW then most people would get it on STEAM, not bothering to go to stores, and STEAM already has 500,000+ subscribers(that's roughly $25million+ in lost sales for Vivendi), so that business would be instantly LOST. That is a given.
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Not all 500,000 subscribers would buy HL2 over the internet. Most would have to ask their parents for a freakin' credit card.

Retail store sales will still make up 80-90% of the sales, because most casual gamers don't even know about Steam and its purchasing methods yet. And if they did, they most likely would still buy it at a store.
 
Originally posted by Kitarist
at least the game is finished :)
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:D happy for that. i bet if the game wasn't finished it would of been delayed till 2004.
 
Wow cool that the game's finished, just localisation and such issues.

Then maybe a November 14th release is real?
 
Originally posted by Someone
Wow a company creating a game to MAKE money...that's shocking ;)
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Yes it is. Since the making money part almost each time goes into more developement. And rarely more money to the developers.


I believe it has to do with optimizing codepaths for graphics. Especially nvidia cards.
The localization is just stupid. English is international, and it shouldn't be a problem to use addons later on.

Also the R420 and NV40 should be around done at christmas and then a month or 3 sample and testing. Before retail release.
 
I honestly don't think I'll believe any more dates until I see a statement that the game has gone gold, otherwise I'll just be getting my hopes up.

Gabe had said that Steam would be useful in places like Korea, where most people have broadband but the retail setup isn't as good, but not as useful in places like England, where 2-3% of the people have broadband. I think it was in an interview earlier. So, while Steam might not be the most popular thing in America, it might be super popular somewhere else.
 
Look at this quote:

arrival of the equipment and material is late with the trouble of the airplane, says, the rendering image which was videotaped inevitably was screened, but on main day 28th of last day the safe equipment and material arrived,
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does this mean that the halflife 2 demonstration is today, and therefore we will hear about it tommorow?

EDIT:

because i definetly get the impression from this that some of their equipement was late to tokoyo for whatever reason.
 
Originally posted by toast
Gabe had said that Steam would be useful in places like Korea, where most people have broadband but the retail setup isn't as good, but not as useful in places like England, where 2-3% of the people have broadband. I think it was in an interview earlier. So, while Steam might not be the most popular thing in America, it might be super popular somewhere else.
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That's true, I didn't think about other countries. But old-fashioned retail store sales will still make about 80-90% of the sales.
 
Originally posted by Combat-Wombat
Look at this quote:



does this mean that the halflife 2 demonstration is today, and therefore we will hear about it tommorow?

EDIT:

because i definetly get the impression from this that some of their equipement was late to tokoyo for whatever reason.
Click to expand...

It's done already, I believe. There's nothing new.
 
That's true, I didn't think about other countries. But old-fashioned retail store sales will still make about 80-90% of the sales.
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More like 99%
 
Combat-Wombat:
>> does this mean that the halflife 2 demonstration is today, and therefore we will hear about it tommorow?

ATI had demonstrated the HL2 theater at Tokyo Game Show during September 26th-28th.
It had been finished already. In Japan now is September 29th AM 02:00.

26th and 27th:
They had played the "Movie" of Half-Life 2 because of the delay of the equipment.
The HDR demo movie was played.

28th:
They had demonstrated with the equipment (demo playback function of the game).
The HDR demo movie was Not played.

Here is another Japanese site.
There is nothing new information about the game. But some specs and pictures of theater equipment:
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20030927/tgs_ati.htm
 
Originally posted by alco
Not all 500,000 subscribers would buy HL2 over the internet. Most would have to ask their parents for a freakin' credit card.

Retail store sales will still make up 80-90% of the sales, because most casual gamers don't even know about Steam and its purchasing methods yet. And if they did, they most likely would still buy it at a store.
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Uh, no, you are wrong. The cost of owning the game over STEAM is the cost of the $10 subscription fee per month. Also, the fact that STEAM will have all patches, and new content as part of the monthly subscription makes it even more appealing. Nice try, though.

I myself would like to buy a carbon copy, because I am old fashioned. But I can see the benefits of having STEAM as well. I just might buy both. The Collector's Edition + Steam. :cheese:
 
Patches are free for everyone, and that's all I'm really looking for.
 
That $10 dollar a month subscription is an OPTION. You can choose to go that route to get all Valve games. i.e. HL2, TF2, HL2 expansion, etc. You don't have to pay for patches and whatnot.
 
I will probably only subscribe to STEAM when they release the new Hi-def pack, and expansion packs. which probably wouldn't be till next year.

UHHH AND I NEVER SAID THAT YOU HAD TO PAY FOR PATCHES. Idiots.
Try reading what I said again. Maybe it will sink in.
 
I am now f***ing pissed off. The game is done, but we have to wait like 2-3 months to get it. Hey, I got an idea, instead of bull****ing your fans until a week before the release, just tell it to us straight months in advance.
 
Originally posted by MadsMan
Uh, no, you are wrong. The cost of owning the game over STEAM is the cost of the $10 subscription fee per month. Also, the fact that STEAM will have all patches, and new content as part of the monthly subscription makes it even more appealing. Nice try, though.

I myself would like to buy a carbon copy, because I am old fashioned. But I can see the benefits of having STEAM as well. I just might buy both. The Collector's Edition + Steam. :cheese:
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I was never arguing over which method is better.

Casual gamers still make up the majority of the sales, and they'll just buy the game when they see it on shelves. Purchasing/Streaming games from the internet isn't a popular technology yet, it's an emerging one.
 
Also, the fact that STEAM will have all patches, and new content as part of the monthly subscription makes it even more appealing.
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That sort of makes it sound like you DID say it. No need to get angry
 
Originally posted by ilove64
I am now f***ing pissed off. The game is done, but we have to wait like 2-3 months to get it. Hey, I got an idea, instead of bull****ing your fans until a week before the release, just tell it to us straight months in advance.
Click to expand...

The game isn't 'done,' the content is. They are still working on it (tuning etc), not sitting on the game till the holidays come.
 
Nowhere did I say that you could ONLY get patches if you subscribed to STEAM. Don't be so quick to jump on someone before you have a chance to think it through.

My point was that STEAM will make sure that you always have the latest version of the game due to automatic patching + new content as soon as they become available, which is why some might find it appealing.
 
Nowhere did I say that you could ONLY get patches if you subscribed to STEAM. Don't be so quick to jump on someone before you have a chance to think it through.
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I did think it through, and it looked a little like that was what you were saying. Let's keep this up and have heart attacks at a young age.

Even with the normal retail package (SP and MP) you'll still have Steam to get the patches automatically.
 
Your original point was that Steam would heavily cut into Vivendi's sales, which it won't.

The end.
 
I was never arguing over which method is better.

Casual gamers still make up the majority of the sales, and they'll just buy the game when they see it on shelves. Purchasing/Streaming games from the internet isn't a popular technology yet, it's an emerging one.
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Uhh, not sure what you mean there, but 500,000+ customers are already lost to STEAM. When HL2 comes out, that number should easily triple. And you underestimate the popularity of purchasing ove rthe internet. 500,000 people in under the first week of operation is a pretty damned good indication of it's potential. And remember, STEAM can appeal to international countries as well, not just America. Tons of other countries may not have as good a deal as we do. the idea of $10 Us dollars a month as opposed to say $80 in xCountry on the shelf is way more appealing. Steam's unification of the point of sale will actually boost sales in foreign countries. So your arguement is bottomless, and holds no water.

I understand that you are trying to rationalize your own disappointment at not getting the game, but you aren't clearly thinking this through. Maybe a year ago, your assumptions would be correct, but things are different today, and continue to evolve as we speak.
 
HALF LIFE 2!!! E3 version - hacked and ripped by DaMasSTeR.zip

HALF-Life_II_CD1&2.iso

There're some pretty funky things to find on the net...

I won't bother downloading it though, it's about 1.3 Gb...
 
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