Episodic!

[dogboy73]

I think this episodic content idea could be a double edged sword. On the one hand it sounds cool as the potential is there for this to go on for some time which is what we all want. Or is it? Valve are going to have to include something pretty special to keep everyones interest along the way. You can have to much of a good thing & how long will it be before we get sick of it? Will Valve just milk the life out of HL2 until we're all sick to death of it? Will most of us witness an end to the HL saga or would we have gotten sick of it long before then? You know those TV programs that go on for say 2 seasons & then the plug gets pulled because the TV company no longer wants to finance the production costs? No conclusion! Who would want that for HL?

I think Valve should make the originally proposed Aftermath SP mod for HL2. Make it big & worthwhile. Give us a good SP game. Then move on to HL3 & wrap this saga up! We can still have other games set in the HL world but Gordon Freeman's story must reach a good conclusion before with been Half lifed to death! I'll wait for feedback on Episode 1 (what a daft name!) & see how much it costs before bothering. I hope that a lot of people do the same. Many HL2 fans have a tendency to DL any HL2 content the instant it's made available. Could Valve take this for granted? Lets reserve judgement & be honest about what we're getting for our money. Lets not have another Lost Coast with everyone saying how great it was & well worth the wait. Lets be honest, it wasn't at all really was it? 10 minutes of gameplay or glorified tech demo? Hardly worth wetting your knickers over even if it is HL2! Lets all keep our feet on the ground for the good of the game we all love.

 

[ríomhaire]

I think this means that dial-upers are f*cked.
And I'm sure the name is meant to be
Half-Life 2: Episode 1; Aftermath
Like the Start Wars films. But wouldn't episode 2 be more apropriate?

 

[Asknoone]

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.

But it isn't just about story. Its about fine tuning gameplay, such as AI, or vehicles. I can't believe people don't see the up sides to Episodic gaming.

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

You people complain about the stupidest shit ever. It's a damn name for the game, don't get your panties in a bunch, seriously. If it irritates you so much cut your wrist or something, because it isn't a big deal that you're making it out to be.

 

[oldagerocker]

But it isn't just about story. Its about fine tuning gameplay, such as AI, or vehicles. I can't believe people don't see the up sides to Episodic gaming.

Valve : "oh... sorry the last episode you paid £20 for was pants! hey, buy the next one.. its much better, honest! "


:|

 

[Asknoone]

Its episodic content in general people seem to have their knickers in a twist about. I mean christ, you haven't even seen it in action :|

Valve : "oh... sorry the last episode you paid £20 for was pants! hey, buy the next one.. its much better, honest! "


:|

Whats that got to do with anything? Its kinda like saying "Oh wait, the last full game release we made was crap, but buy the next one in a year or so, it'll be much better, honest!" Sept, more money.

Its already confirmed how much Aftermath, or episode 1 rather is going to be. £12.

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

Well they aren't forcing you to buy it are they? By the responses on this thread, I feel like I'm in one of the threads on sp.com/forums that are nitpicking something completely stupid. If you don't like the "episodic content" don't ****ing buy it, simple. Don't sit around on a forum bitching about it, because all you are doing is wasting your own damn time.

 

[Puzzlemaker]

I think its a great idea. Often games are rushed, because they have to meet a deadline, like B&W2, and HL2 to some extent. Now they have the time to fix up all the little problems and really focus on this one part of the game.

Quite cool.

 

[joule]

I don't like it. But eh, it's the game, not the name, that really matters.

 

[Snowden]

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

Or Aftermath: Episode One

 

[Glo-Boy]

I just want Half-Life 3.

 

[Darkside55]

I bet "Aftermath" will turn up as one of the chapter titles. Probably the last chapter of Episode One.

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>

I lol'd.

 

[Gorgon]

ok guys, are these eipsods part of HL2 story (already has been told by HL2), or are they expand the story to more original theories ?...... :S

 

[Xune]

It's like a great movie being spun off into a TV series. Except every instance of movie to TV crossover I can think of was shit.

Oh well.

 

[A.I.]

I'm disappointed with this because;

1. I already hate watching episodes on TV (ah, the neverending-to-be-continued stories)
2. I do not own a credit card (no HL in a box for me, no money for Valve from me)
3. I hoped Valve would make HL3 in a couple of years and then end the saga. And try to make some other game, or at least a game with a completely different story. Valve is now stepping on the path of id. Not good.:|

 

[Quak_66]

OMG, not EPISODIC!!! GAWD!!! We'll be waiting and waiting for the episodes, and we may never see the first one. Just like Sin: Episodes... Of course 50$ for each episode.

 

[JNightshade]

I LOVE this idea! Aweshens!!!

 

[Asuka]

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

True buts its iight.

I like this episode content but one thing im hoping for and i dont think it would really matter. Its just 3 episodes would be really cool. After that a full Half-Life 3 would be the shit.

 

[kupocake]

I'm not convinced by the Episode One name because this is surely "episode two" in the larger picture of things. I think they should name the episodes "Half Life 2 Aftermath: Episode One, Two, Three" etc. Then if they were to release episodes out of the continuity, they could have "Half-Life 2 Prelude: Episode One, Two" or whatever.

 

[mortiz]

Who's to say they haven't got people working on Half-Life 3? I doubt their whole team is devoted to just creating new episodes for Half-Life 2, it's probably a maximum of 5 or 6 people.

If you want to argue about something you could technically say that with episodes you're simply paying for single player modifications, albeit high quality ones.

 

[alphadec]

I want a add-on but I also want half life 3.

 

[huntingbear]

maybe later in life, all 3 episodes will be bundled in a package called "HL: Aftermath" makes sense

 

[KagePrototype]

Silly name. :x Call it Aftermath Episode 1 ya fewls.

 

[slashandburn]

Should half-life 2 then be called Episode 0, The prequel to Aftermath. I'll still buy it, I need my hl2 fix, and I hate boxes and cd-roms.

 

[KaiserPanda]

GENERIC OUTRAGE AT NAMING CONVENTIONS!:imu:

If you build it, they will complain...

 

[Ruubie]

Guys, could you just imagine how the short version of the name would be like? First episode is okay:

HL2: EO

But the second en third (lol rofl)

HL2: ET
HL2: ET

Yeah right ET is showing up and Steven Spielberg will meet Gordon Freeman :E

 

[nvrmor]

Silly name. :x Call it Aftermath Episode 1 ya fewls.

they are. the aftermath name isnt going anywhere. this is about the confusion that game "journalists" and idiot forum posters who cant read, continually calling aftermath an expansion. expansion implies more game than what aftermath episode 1 will be. valve is just trying to quash the idiocy before it starts. omg!!1wtf1!! aftermath is only 4 hours what kind of expansion is that valve teh sux0rs11!!11.

 

[Geogriffith]

Gentlemen, it's time to fire up your Gmods, and start cranking out Star Wars parodies!

 

[Link]

My god in heaven some of you are full of it.

Problem 1 - The name. The name? Who cares. They can call it the fluffy ****ing adventures of capitain penis for all I care, it has no bearing on the game.

Problem 2 - Dislike episodic games. How do you know? What was the last episodic game you played? would you compare HL1 or 2 to a movie? No? Then don't compare this episodic content to TV shows.

Problem 3 - Price. £12? You can't afford the price of 2 tickets to the cinema 3-4 times a year? Wow, you must have a dull life. Anyway, at minimum wage, this is only 3-4 hours work. Get a paper round or something.

Problem 4 - Delivery. Oh noes, my 14.4k modem will take forevar!!! Except no ones cares. Get broadband or pay someone to mail you the GFC's on a disc.

As you can see, the complaints on this thread are either unfounded, or are based on assumptions that have no founding. Stop standing in the way of progress, it will still win anyway, and you will be left holding your dick in your hand and looking stupid.

 

[polyguns]

what about episode 3/ cause thats really what it is.


they'll need to get their sh*t together to release episodes on a regular basis. one minigame per year just won't cut it

 

[Kanehdian]

It should be episode 2, since what we have right now could be counted as an entire episode.

 

[Steven]

The episode idea, if there's three episodes will save me ten bucks, not much of a saving so I coulden't care less if they divided Half-Life into episodes just as long as it's fun.

Anyways fire up Gmod and start telling the star wars like future of Half-Life.

 

[Asknoone]

My god in heaven some of you are full of it.

Problem 1 - The name. The name? Who cares. They can call it the fluffy ****ing adventures of capitain penis for all I care, it has no bearing on the game.

Problem 2 - Dislike episodic games. How do you know? What was the last episodic game you played? would you compare HL1 or 2 to a movie? No? Then don't compare this episodic content to TV shows.

Problem 3 - Price. £12? You can't afford the price of 2 tickets to the cinema 3-4 times a year? Wow, you must have a dull life. Anyway, at minimum wage, this is only 3-4 hours work. Get a paper round or something.

Problem 4 - Delivery. Oh noes, my 14.4k modem will take forevar!!! Except no ones cares. Get broadband or pay someone to mail you the GFC's on a disc.

As you can see, the complaints on this thread are either unfounded, or are based on assumptions that have no founding. Stop standing in the way of progress, it will still win anyway, and you will be left holding your dick in your hand and looking stupid.

Quoted for goddam truth.

Some of you are dense. Roll on episodic content I say.

 

[Bluestrike]

My god in heaven some of you are full of it.

Problem 1 - The name. The name? Who cares. They can call it the fluffy ****ing adventures of capitain penis for all I care, it has no bearing on the game.

Problem 2 - Dislike episodic games. How do you know? What was the last episodic game you played? would you compare HL1 or 2 to a movie? No? Then don't compare this episodic content to TV shows.

Problem 3 - Price. £12? You can't afford the price of 2 tickets to the cinema 3-4 times a year? Wow, you must have a dull life. Anyway, at minimum wage, this is only 3-4 hours work. Get a paper round or something.

Problem 4 - Delivery. Oh noes, my 14.4k modem will take forevar!!! Except no ones cares. Get broadband or pay someone to mail you the GFC's on a disc.

As you can see, the complaints on this thread are either unfounded, or are based on assumptions that have no founding. Stop standing in the way of progress, it will still win anyway, and you will be left holding your dick in your hand and looking stupid.

1- Name does not matter for the quality indeed, but at least they could have been a bit more orriginal no?

2- Doesn't really matter if you compare it or not, People still want quality for their money and if they have concerns they should let them hear,
so Valve does extra work to make it worthwhile/prove us wrong.
And like other mentioned, Some want to see HL come to end end and see if Valve has more up its sleeve then HL2 and mods.

3- 12€ HL2:ep1 25€ Sin episodes, 50€ TF2, 60€ year MMO fee , 12€ HL2:ep2 etc. Well no problem for me if its worth it.

4- Sounds easy for you but isn't for a whole lot of players

 

[BloodyL]

Naming: sure, Half Life 2: Episode 1 in it's own right stinks, Half Life 2: Aftermath Episode 1 is so much better.

Episodic content: Everyone so far has been so anal about a name that they've forgotten the real reason for the idea of episodes, namely the fact that game creation has now become so complicated that the time needed for development has increased by several orders of magnitude.
Modellers for example need to build every single 3d item in the game ranging from the smallest detail such as chipped cups with mouldy coffee right through to the largest of end of game baddies.
basically, as the gamers ask for more features the more manpower and development time is needed to grant the wishes of those who understand lots and appreciate little.

Link: forget the last episodic game you've played, try remembering the first, mine was 3DRealm's Commander Keen series released through Apogee.
My point?, every game you've played with a sequel, prequel or other addition to a story timeline is basically an episodic game series.

As for the downloading argument...hell...even aunty Mabel who gmails her family tree every 10 minutes is on 1mb AOL broadband, wtf are you Steam subscribers still doing on dialup?

 

[ríomhaire]

Problem 4 - Delivery. Oh noes, my 14.4k modem will take forevar!!! Except no ones cares.

F*ck you.

 

[MultiVaC]

People have always wanted something new in the industry, well episodic content is something new. Anyone who complains about episodes should never complain about the industry stagnating again. Because here you are whining about something new before you've even tried it. A single episode will cost about as much as a new CD. And you get about 4-6 hours of play time for it. Plus you get new on every few months. I'm glad devs like Valve and Ritual aren't afraid to try something new. When Valve took their new approach to FPS game with HL1 I'm sure there were some people going "lol gay i want mor munsters and biger gnus lol id makes perfekt gaems lolololllollloool!!11!!1!" It's different and it could be really good.

Btw the name sucks. It should be "Half-Life 2: Aftermath'. Or if they must have the 'Episode 1' they could have it be 'Half-Life 2: Aftermath- Episode 1' or 'Half-Life 2: Episode 1- Aftermath'. Just keep the 'Aftermath'.

 

[TheMastahC]

How about we do this...

Just keep calling it Aftermath.

I like Aftermath more, but at least it's not "Half-Life 2 EXTREME!" or something lame.

I don't mind so much about it taking time... I just want at some point to continue playing the HL series... and I don't want them to wrap it up.. The longer it goes, the better for me.

Also, why do they need to make a new engine? They can just keep upgrading Source.
Making a new engine would take way to long, when it's not really needed.

And people that bitch about having to download things on a 56k... What the hell?

and Link, I love you.

 

[NeoNight]

How about Half life 2: Redux Half life 2.5 or even better! halfe life 2: substance substance! j/k

 

[Patriarch2000]

What a stupid idea.

Does this make HL2 "Episode Zero" ?

And does that mean that HL1 is "Episode Negative One" ?

Puh-lease.