Episodic!

[Sulkdodds]

We were always told that 'Aftermath' was just a working title. And now Valve have revealed to gamespot that its true name will be Half-Life 2: Episode One. According to Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi, it will indeed mark the start of a regular stream of episodic content for HL2 - which surely means that we can expect Episode Two and Episode Three somewhere along the line. Yay!

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Now that's a crap name.
They should have called it "Episode One: Aftermath"

 

[Dodo]

Episode One ?! uh.... Star Wars.

-dodo

 

[The Monkey]

Shouldn't it be episode 3? Seeing as Half-Life was epi 1 and HL2 epi 2.

 

[nagual7]

We already knew there were going to be more episodes on an episodical basis ?
Besides, the name doesn't make sense, there is going to be lots of confusion between Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2 : Episode One.

 

[Smigit]

what nagual7 said. Aftermath sounded good and propper, episode 1 doesnt fit really.

 

[jondy]

Well, this is lame.

 

[Mutley]

WTF. I don't want episodes to tell me the story line of HL2. It sounds so cheap and lame.

Wish they just make a HL3. It better be REALLY GOOD.

 

[DelaZ]

What munro said

 

[Majestic XII]

And so it begins.

Valve started their money milking machine.

 

[azumi]

I agree, this is stupid. Aftermath was a great name and there where no confusion about which part was Half Life 2 (the game) and which part was the expansionpack.. now people are gonna be confused!

Lets vote for Aftermath.. I like that name!

 

[jondy]

Valve started their money milking machine.

Listen to the reasoning before making asinine statements like that, there's sound judgement behind the concept of episodic content.

 

[jheaddon]

Omg Maj you posted

This isn't all that suprising really, with all the talks they've been having with Ritual about going episodic

 

[Blood]

There is something for sure....

i will never buy Episodic Content, thats crap, and i dont want to be a slave of a Game Franchise, i will still buy full Games in a box! No Way of Assimilation! No Thx Valve!

 

[Varsity]

This reminds me of Codename: Gordon. C:G was the development name, and when the game was about to be pre-loaded they 'revealed' that the game's 'real' title was Half-Life 2D, which is only slightly less bland than HL2: Episode 1.

Luckily Valve either didn't get the message or ignored them.

[/pointless interjection]

 

[Surrogate]

Hmm okay, didn't expect that. But it's okay i guess... Although i hate waiting :´|

 

[mezz]

Didn't we already know this? In at least one interview in the past Valve have referred to it as HL2: Aftermath Episode 1.
All we know extra now is that they've dropped the Aftermath bit in the name (and I agree, that is a stupid decision).

But Episodic content is not necessarily a bad thing. As long as the eps are reasonably long and up to valve's normal standards then this can only be a good thing. It allows them to take a few more risks, and respond to how the community feels. If they try some new things in Ep1, and we love some bits, and hate others then they can listen to that and build on that in Ep2 - WITHOUT us having to wait years to get that ep.

 

[CyberPitz]

We've known it to be episodic for a LONG time...it's just recently we found out about the crap name. Bring back Aftermath, sounds catchier...Episode One...*grumble*

And personally, I don't find a problem in episodic content. It will come out faster than a game to game basis, so you never play a bit, then wait a year or 2 for a game. It's play a bit, wait a couple mounths, play a little bit, wait a couple months. Personally I like that.

 

[Zeus]

Episodic content is a good idea...as long as the episodes arent 3 hours long. It should be at least half of HL2's original length (which was a very decent length for a full game)

 

[Gorgon]

WTF. I don't want episodes to tell me the story line of HL2. It sounds so cheap and lame.

Wish they just make a HL3. It better be REALLY GOOD.

I agree. They just trying to make more money.....:|

 

[Steven]

How unco' what kind of an effed up name is Half-Life 2: Episonde One?

 

[Asknoone]

Jesus people, we already knew it was going episodic for months now, its no big news. The only new thing here is the name change . Christ. Episode 1 is a crap name though.

And so it begins.

Valve started their money milking machine.

Wow. The absurdity of this statement.

I agree. They just trying to make more money.....:|

How? By releasing smaller games that focus on fine tuning specific gameplay elements and getting them to us in a shorter period of time? Guess that’s Valve just trying to make money!
Couldn't they do the same with a full game release? Oh wait, that might take what - 4/5 years? Probably. Episodic gaming is a new venture in gaming, and Valve and Ritual are taking bold steps in a new direction. If you can't see the benefits, well...

How its much of a shock that its all going episodic is really bizarre, we've know this since August last year.

Well, when you've all emerged from the dense pit.

 

[Mutley]

The question is, how far will the Episodic content take us in the story? To the very end?

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

With episodic content, they can stretch the storyline out as long as they want to.

 

[Beerdude26]

So does Gordon get his legs burned off and transformed in an evil Combine Overlord after which he yells "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" after he hears Alyx died in Episode 3? :O

 

[Sulkdodds]

I should hope so. If not I'll be demanding my money back.

Barney: You were the One Free Man, Gordon! It was said you would destroy the Combine, not join them! You were to bring light to the earth, not leave it in darkness! <sob>

 

[Smigit]

If they try some new things in Ep1, and we love some bits, and hate others then they can listen to that and build on that in Ep2 - WITHOUT us having to wait years to get that ep.

yeah but this is Valve so everything takes years anyway. At least nothing is ever disapointing.

I'm not too fussed really as long as its available in store too. I dont like the name at all but. I woulda prefered Halflife 2: aftermath part 1 or something.

 

[Neutrino]

I don't think I could have picked a worse name even if I tried. Can they be any more unoriginal?

Not going to buy it anyway, so meh.

How? By releasing smaller games that focus on fine tuning specific gameplay elements and getting them to us in a shorter period of time? Guess that’s Valve just trying to make money!

Well, actually ya it is pretty much just them trying to make money. That's what they do. There may be other benefits, but bottom line is it's a business decision. Personally, I don't like it "episodic content" and won't be supporting them. I'd prefer to pay once for a real game, not 10 times for 10 short episodes. It is smart of them tho.

 

[Beerdude26]

Not going to buy it anyway, so meh.

*Large audible gasp by everyone else* :O

 

[Neutrino]

*Large audible gasp by everyone else* :O

Heh, I was quite disappointed by HL2 so it really has no interest for me.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

I'm not shelling out each time for a few pages of a book thats been put into the same game i already own. Sure there might be some engine improvements which would be good, but these are almost based on a 'what happens next...' story telling basis, which i honestly don't care about. One person buy it, play it, post the story of what happens and everyone wins.

Yeah i knew they were episodic and i said it sucked then, i really can't stand episodes, yay? More like neigh.

 

[gweedodogg69]

What's in a name? It's like the reaction people got for Windows "Vista". I was gonna say it sounds a lot like Star Wars too, lol. But oh well, I'm sure it's going to be a great game.

 

[Solaris]

Heh, I was quite disappointed by HL2 so it really has no interest for me.

Burn the heathen!

 

[jerkasaur]

"Episode 1" kinda sounds like starwars series...
Edit: ok, it was already mentioned, my bad.
i agree with Pi Mu Rho, "Episode 1: Aftermath" would sound better.

 

[<RJMC>]

why not someone send to vavlve to change the name back to aftermath?

cuz episode 1 sound boring

 

[oldagerocker]

ugh. What an awful name.

Im not looking forward to episodic content and at the moment, i cant buy the game anyway on steam so im interested in how they market/distribute shelf copies of aftermath (whoops, sorry, episode one!!!111). I'm sure EA won't want to produce new boxes for the next episode every 2-3 months.

I've got a feeling too that these episodes are going to be allot shorter than people want or expect.

Valve had better make Half-life 3 a full game.

 

[mortiz]

I agree. They just trying to make more money.....:|

Well duh, games companies don't make games out of the goodness of their hearts.

Episodic content is a good idea, but I agree, Aftermath was a better name.

 

[jerkasaur]

...make games out of the goodness of their hearts.

you just remembered me of simpsons...
Homer: uuh, what do you mean by suggested donation?
Woman: pay any amount you like sir.
Homer: oooh, i get it, so you mean people are going to pay you, 1.99$, just out of the *giggle* goodness of their *giggle* hearts? hahahahblahblahblah. you bet lady!
*lisa's teacher gives donation, lisa get's dissed in front of him*

 

[PainLord]

I don't see what everyones problem is. You're moaning that the name is bland and predictable. But when HL2 was announced, no one called that bland and predictable, even though it is. It's besides the point anyway. The game will most likely be excellent and i think episodic content is a good idea s long as they dont take too much time between releases.

 

[Bluestrike]

Lol very confusing name indeed and I'm not sure if I like the episode tour.
Oh well it better be worth the money or it stops with episode 1 for me

And what disturbs me most is that episode 1 is already 4 months late,
With episodic I expect regular updates just like episodic comics every week.
For episodic content in a game it would need a subscription type of deal like MMO's and monthly content additions.

Also I wan't to see an end someday, just like a movie ends,
and remember that recently it came in the news that players are bored of sequels so why would episodic be better