Half-Life 2: Aftermath Update

[Chris D]

I'm sure most of you will have recognised by now, that a full scale release of the next Half-Life 2 episode, Aftermath, isn't really going to be possible in the November ETA that has been speculated on previously. I've had this confirmed to me by Doug Lombardi this evening, with a revised ETA:

Just wanted to give you a quick update on Aftermath, specically its ETA. We're working very hard to finish this new episode for HL2, however, its going to take us a bit more time to get it into top shape. As such, the target release for this one is now Feb/March of next year.

Undoubtedly many of you will fail to see the positive side of this, so allow me to elaborate. Judging by Doug's statement there, it seems as though Aftermath isn't finished or if it is finished then it's currently not good enough to be appreciated by us all.[br]More news coming in the next few weeks.

 

[Captain M4d]

Arrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh

 

[xrikazen]

Valve will be Valve. What are we to do but wait?

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

Lets also note, they never gave a specific date, just said November. I can wait that long, especially since they are adding stuff to DoD:S and CS:S.

 

[Glo-Boy]

Hopefully they're giving themselves a lot of extra time so that they may release it in December or January as a surprise, but that's probably not the case.

Maybe they'll take this as a hint to begin work on Half-Life 3 early and not focus on an episode that will take 1 day to beat, and two days to grow tired of.

 

[Ennui]

Oh well

I can live with it.

Quality is more important.

 

[russ_uk]

i expected this , it is valve after all (lies again)

 

[Cunni]

Thats OK, I'll just play Lost Coast until then:rolling:

I've only played through HL2 1.5 times (half way through the second time). Maybe I'll just start over, play a little at a time, and finish just in time for Aftermath.

Oh well

I can live with it.

Quality is more important.
__________________

-I have to agree.

 

[CptStern]

well that's it for my christmas games shopping list ..first oblivion now this

 

[atakgrbl]

Okay then, no gripes here. We're often going to deal with this considering how open Valve is with releasing info.

Hm, maybe Alex developed more of an attitude than expected, perhaps went sentient even. Someone run with that concept. Or not.

 

[kaf11]

understandable. i want it just as bad. take your time valve.

 

[JNightshade]

well, at least it'll give me more time to focus on BF2: Special Forces...

 

[satch919]

It'll probably be a better game because of the delay. Im sure it'll be well worth the wait. Look how HL2 turned out! :thumbs:

 

[nvrmor]

UFB :dozey:

 

[Asuka]

Very cool, i think they will make it insanely good!

 

[Zeus]

wow a delay..like Im surpised with valve software

 

[Azlan]

More time is cool, but five months? Chricky!

 

[GonzoBabbleshit]

Yeah. There's a delay and there's a delay!

When I started reading this I was thinking "Oh well, Decemeber then!?" but February/March? That's insane!

I can cope, but I'd feel a lot better about a lot of delays if there was some sort of reason explained!

 

[vetebulle]

I'm just wondering when betting agencies will accept bets on these kind of things.

Heh, I wonder what kind of delay-odds they'd give Valve.

 

[diluted]

NNOOOOOOOO!
;( ;( ;(

And in February they'll be all like, "It'll be done around May/June, we're serious this time"...

ugh

 

[nutcrackr]

I saw it and thought straight away ok december is ok, can't imagine how they'd need 4 more months, they said they were pumping out the gameplay very well near end of HL2. Meh.

 

[DarkStar]

Very cool, i think they will make it insanely good!

Very cool? For a delay?

I mean, I guess it's nice they're polishing it up, but I don't know if "very cool" is the phrase I'd use.

I mean, what if it was like.....delayed until 2009? That would have to be ULTRA COOL!

 

[Lazy_Moron]

Well the game has to go through Gabes rigourous tests, to make sure its a quality product. I heard it took Valve 3 times to design Half Life 2, before Gabe approved of it. Even though the delay does make me kinda mad, im all for it. It wont be half assed, and be a good quality game. I hope they put back the non-scripted A.I in this expansion like Half-Life 2 was suppose to have.

 

[-smash-]

Eh, w/e. These months will fly by.

 

[Snowden]

If this will make the game better, I'm 100% for it. In the meantime I'll just read RTB and play around with hammer.

 

[aeroripper]

Expect it next summer

 

[Roland Deschain]

As expected. Good it's coming out just as school ends and before I'm off to Europe, if it came out now I'd fail my exams, so thanks Valve I guess.

 

[TheBlackViper]

So? Don't get pissed, the later it is released, the better it will be

 

[Geogriffith]

Does that rule apply to Duke Nukem Forever?

I'm sure Valve is pissed about missing the Christmas shopping season. That'll knock down their sales for sure.

 

[CookieCuttah]

Well at least they didn't rush it for x-mas, it just proves that money isn't all that important to them. Which is something to be happy about, because it's more of a friendly customer/developer relationship.

 

[bryanf445]

bummer, but if they are making it better i cant complain

 

[mbrithoms]

sorry but a delay is a delay, they had it pinned for Nov a while ago, then they wait till the freaking 10th of november to pull a 4/5 MONTH delay, you would have thought they would have learned their lesson with release dates. Great job (yet again) Valve

 

[Teta_Bonita]

[SARCASM]Like wow, I'm sooo surprised...[/SARCASM]

 

[Element Alpha]

I don't care. I really don't. I'll buy it when it comes out. I won't read any reviews. Those devs have never let me down. They care about their product. It doesn't change anything. Even ricochet rocked. I never understood ricochet, but it rocked. Rock and roll rocked. All I can say is: rock and roll?

 

[Ikerous]

I don't care. I really don't. I'll buy it when it comes out. I won't read any reviews. Those devs have never let me down. They care about their product. It doesn't change anything. Even ricochet rocked. I never understood ricochet, but it rocked. Rock and roll rocked. All I can say is: rock and roll?

quoted for truth

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

I don't care. I really don't. I'll buy it when it comes out. I won't read any reviews. Those devs have never let me down. They care about their product. It doesn't change anything. Even ricochet rocked. I never understood ricochet, but it rocked. Rock and roll rocked. All I can say is: rock and roll?

I wanna rock and roll all night. And party every day!:smoking: :afro: :sniper:

 

[Pajari]

I don't care. I really don't. I'll buy it when it comes out. I won't read any reviews. Those devs have never let me down. They care about their product. It doesn't change anything. Even ricochet rocked. I never understood ricochet, but it rocked. Rock and roll rocked. All I can say is: rock and roll?

Valve's target audience.

Valve let me down quite a few times. In fact, I think the only time they didn't let me down was when they released the Source SDK. Hardly the thread for a blanket statement like that, but I had to say it sometime. If Aftermath is the same old thing as Half-Life 2 then I'll avoid it, but if it's a radically different and better experience I'll pick it up.

But still not without trepidation.

 

[Sparta]

It'll probably be a better game because of the delay. Im sure it'll be well worth the wait. Look how HL2 turned out! :thumbs:

Exactly. Half-Life 1 & 2 were both delayed, and both turned out to be epic. If the price i have to pay for an epic game over a good game is another 4/5 months, i'm cool with that. Besides i have a life (and also saw this coming from a mile away. I mean, its Valve)

 

[Physicles]

Kudos, Valve.

The game isn't done; thanks for saying so. It'll be better for it. I can handle an honest delay announcement. (What I can't handle is when they wait until the last possible moment to admit to a delay that will end up lasting fifteen months...)

Maybe in the future, Valve should multiply estimated completion times by about 1.5, and release that number. Of course, delays are an epidemic in the industry, but Valve would be the first company to release something ahead of schedule.

I'll remain in my media blackout (no trailers, no screenies, nothing about Aftermath) until release. Then, party! :cheers:

 

[VictimOfScience]

I figured since it is only an episode that it wouldn't actually involve all that much more. I guess they are trying to make sure it can stand with the rest of the games that will be releasing around the same time. I am thinking they are going to go even further than they had at first imagined with it and that should be good for all of us. Besides, there are so many games to play now that it is actually a good thing that I don't have to try to get this one too. When its done is just fine.