Doug Lombardi Q&A

[The.Spiral]

http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/555/555621p1.html?fromint=1
Here's the Q&A:

Valve / Doug Lombardi Q&A

Voodoo Extreme - Has Valve and VU Games resolved its legal issues related to Half-Life 2?

[Doug Lombardi] No. Trial date is set for March 2005.

Voodoo Extreme - Have you received any feedback about the release candidate you sent to VU on Sept 15? If so, how is testing coming along?

[Doug Lombardi] Yes, and subsequent release candidates have been submitted. We expect to be complete very soon.

Voodoo Extreme - Are you pleased with the initial review scores Half-Life 2 has received from print publications?

[Doug Lombardi] Always nice to hear nice things about your baby.

-- Robert 'Apache' Howarth​

 

[Reaperman]

*thumbs up* sounds like we wont have to wait for the court date for hl2.... go valve and VU!

 

[switch]

Hopefully once its 'complete' VU will announce a release date

I wonder what the reasons where for the previous RC's not being accepted.

 

[Neutrino]

*thumbs up* sounds like we wont have to wait for the court date for hl2.... go valve and VU!

Actually, Vivendi is able to delay Half-Life 2 six months if I remember correctly.

Guess what is exactly six months away... March 2005.

Voodoo Extreme - Has Valve and VU Games resolved its legal issues related to Half-Life 2?

[Doug Lombardi] No. Trial date is set for March 2005.

Scary, no?

 

[cadaveca]

Hopefully once its 'complete' VU will announce a release date

I wonder what the reasons where for the previous RC's not being accepted.

video driver/source engine compatibility issues.

 

[The Bait]

I know this dosent go here but I gotta let it out. Why didnt they make it where if you looked down at your feet you could see your legs and stuff like in Riddick Escape From Butcher Bay?

 

[mchammer75040]

Yea but they are already losing shit loads of sales to steam buyers right now, just think of how many would have bought it on steam by march 05 if they dont release soon...

 

[cadaveca]

I know this dosent go here but I gotta let it out. Why didnt they make it where if you looked down at your feet you could see your legs and stuff like in Riddick Escape From Butcher Bay?

simple...never did in the original.

 

[Mr. Redundant]

I wonder what the reasons where for the previous RC's not being accepted.

obviously wasnt bug free hehe
look at CS:S "full" for a sample

 

[The Bait]

Yes that is true. But with Source it seems this would be possible. When I played Riddick Escape From Butcher Bay it seemed like I really was Riddick. I was just thinking if they put it in HL2 it would make you think you were Gordan even more.

 

[cadaveca]

Actually, Vivendi is able to delay Half-Life 2 six months if I remember correctly.

Guess what is exactly six months away... March 2005.



Scary, no?

Between now and the official trial date, March 21, 2005, Valve and Vivendi will appear in court no less than 10 times for various reasons, such as expert testimony, trial briefs, motion filings, and so forth.

-pc.gamespy.com

court case has no bearing on the release, but on who profits from it.

 

[SpiderPig]

they wont deley the game to march 2005 thatll be the worst thing for them

 

[halflifeguy]

Nobody at VU, in their right mind, would hold
back hl2!! First, they would make a lot more money if they
released it now and second, i think they want to get it out as much as valve does

 

[The Bait]

VU knows if they release the game now they are going to make good money off of it.

 

[UKchaos2]

Somehow, Doug refering to HL2 as his 'baby' sorta lessens its apeal

 

[Orange]

sooner it's released, less VU looses out on sales.

I don't think they'd hold the game back on principle or as a grudge while Valve sells copies online.

Over time, Valve will make more sales. The number increases when Vivendi isn';t offering the hard copies. So they probably want to churn it out ASAP to minimalize losses.

 

[The Bait]

If VU would hold HL2 back as a grudge it would just seem like something a child would do to some other poor kid just to piss em off if you ask me :hmph:

 

[guise]

vivendi not getting the game out before xmas is akin to shooting themselves in the testicles with a harpoon

 

[Alientank]

Actually, Vivendi is able to delay Half-Life 2 six months if I remember correctly.

Guess what is exactly six months away... March 2005.



Scary, no?

That has nothing to do with it. Believe me, they don't get to choose when they have a trial date, the court gives it to them. Too busy with cases to have it so people can pick and choose when.

 

[kaf11]

Yes that is true. But with Source it seems this would be possible. When I played Riddick Escape From Butcher Bay it seemed like I really was Riddick. I was just thinking if they put it in HL2 it would make you think you were Gordan even more.

i know im giving you the cookie-cutter answer, but theyre not trying to make you feel like gordon; you are gordon.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Somehow, Doug refering to HL2 as his 'baby' sorta lessens its apeal

Yeah i don't want to buy a box covered in post-birth blood and ooze.

Assumiing Doug is telling the truth...which is never a good idea....multiple RCs. I wonder what bugs are giving cause to send more release candidates?

 

[Raziaar]

Anybody reminded of seinfeld? The ugly as heck baby episode. lol

 

[BetaMaster]

SHIT SHIT SHIT DAMN DAMN SHIT DAMN! I don't want to have to wait for another six friggen moneths!! I'll be a junior by then! No F'ing way! I'm going to personally storm the VUG headquarters if they do that!

 

[Asuka]

Ill take that as good news.

 

[Ownzed]

SHIT SHIT SHIT DAMN DAMN SHIT DAMN! I don't want to have to wait for another six friggen moneths!! I'll be a junior by then! No F'ing way! I'm going to personally storm the VUG headquarters if they do that!

ME TOO!!! :sniper: :flame:

 

[Iced_Eagle]

simple...never did in the original.

That's the simple answer, the other answer is that it puts in the game more, and it really didn't add much to gameplay.

That's why Gordon never talks... VALVe really wants to make you believe you are Gordon...

 

[cadaveca]

That's the simple answer, the other answer is that it puts in the game more, and it really didn't add much to gameplay.

That's why Gordon never talks... VALVe really wants to make you believe you are Gordon...

exactly. HL was the most immersive gaming experience at the time...and there's a reason for it. They've got that magical formula...why change it?

 

[Dr. Freeman]

Between now and the official trial date, March 21, 2005, Valve and Vivendi will appear in court no less than 10 times for various reasons, such as expert testimony, trial briefs, motion filings, and so forth.

-pc.gamespy.com

court case has no bearing on the release, but on who profits from it.

i would like to direct ur attention to the quote below which was taken from this thread

Originally Posted by Dr. Freeman

i am not trying to dispute anything with u on any delay or non-delay but i was thinking about this court stuff.. and thought.. "hey it isn't too far fetched to think the judge could give orders to halt any publication and release of this game until a decision has been rendered"

any lawyers here want to comment on this thought? whats the likelihood of judge giving such an order?

 

[six_storm]

Valve should just go ahead and release it via Steam. Valve would make a killing!!! HL2 is already complete; PC Gamer has already reviewed it! So why not go ahead and release that thing? Dang. Screw VU, pro Steam.

 

[cadaveca]

i would like to direct ur attention to the quote below which was taken from this thread

yep, and i have already said this much quite a few times.

i'll say it again...valve wants it out...
VUg does too....they need proof that the sales from stema cost them money...and how else can they claim they lost sales from retail, when they don't even have a retail product that they can sell? Once it's on the shelves, and they can say "Steam sold "x" dollars. this accounts for "x" % in sales. From this poll, on this fan forum, this number of people decided to buy via Steam, for these reasons."

why would Vug delay release, when , for the court case, the discovery ends Dec 31st this year? would they not want some evidence to submit?

CS:S is still buggy. Few minor issues, but it's still buggy. I have one setup that will not work. I understand that the RC process is still going....EMT64 for P4's and pci-e just came out...means more testing than ever before...and more possible issues due to driver imcompatibilities, and such.


i posted as much right above YOUR post...in THAT thread...did ya read what i posted?

But what argument does Vu have if they don't release the game before the courtdate? How would have STEAM affected retail sales, when no retail sales have happened? They release before the end of discovery(dec 31st), they just might get a whole lot of evidence to back up thier claim. Makes no sense for them to delay, but, like you say, it IS possible.

If VU wants money, they need numbers as to what they lost because of STEAM. Otherwise it's just speculation, and won't hold in court.

 

[RoyaleWithCheese]

i would like to direct ur attention to the quote below which was taken from this thread

It certainly isn't too far fetched. I'm not a lawyer but it seems a valid point to me. On the other hand, the dispute between the two does not revolve around the actual releasedate, but the revenues to be made and who gets which part. So imo that's irrelevant to time.

 

[grumpycrab]

obviously wasnt bug free hehe
look at CS:S "full" for a sample

Yer, Vivendi asked Valve to remove Steam. :O
--
Grumps

 

[Dr. Freeman]

It certainly isn't too far fetched. I'm not a lawyer but it seems a valid point to me. On the other hand, the dispute between the two does not revolve around the actual releasedate, but the revenues to be made and who gets which part. So imo that's irrelevant to time.

irrelevant?
how do u figure?
well i guess it depends on what perspective u have of the situation.
the judge could see it like this: two companies squabbling over this pie that is HL2 and until it is settled how much they both get, theres no point in a release because things could only get uglier with a release and all the revenue being made.

 

[cadaveca]

that's what escrow accounts are for.