Half Life 2 Books Out Today

[Icarus]

If you have been living under a rock for the past week (or just didn't see the news release) then you might not know that the Half-Life 2 Books, Strategy Guide and Raising the Bar, are being made available today.[br]
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[br]Personal Note From Icarus: I'm holding my books in my hands as I write this, and can say without a doubt, these are an ESSENTIAL part of the Half Life 2 experience. The Strategy Guide alone weighs in a 316 pages and is loaded full on every page. From the first time you open and read the introductory page, you know how good this book is. It covers this game is so much depth, it's unbelievable. Be warned, if you go out and read it from front to back before playing the game, you will have the entire plot spoiled, but that’s not how this book was intended to be used, it’s designed to be your companion as you venture into the Half-Life 2 world.[br]
Don’t get me wrong, this book is more than just a walkthrough, so much more. It’s loaded with so much extra content that I would recommend this book even if you had already played through the game, because I guarantee you missed a LOT. There are so many Easter Eggs and hidden areas, and just little things that you might not notice if you aren’t going through the game with a fine tooth comb (Which I know many of you are).[br]
The presentation of this book is astounding, everything from the raised “Half-Life 2” on the front to the pages full of mouth watering text. It also includes a Counter-Strike: Source Section that isn’t just something slapped into it. Any other time, the CS:S section would be sold as a standalone guide. [br]
I don't just have to speculate anymore, I can say without a doubt, these books are a must have. And no, my saying this is not influenced by anything other then my own encounter with these books. I'm not just recommending these books, I'm saying they are a MUST have, and not just for the hardcore fans, for anyone that wants the full Half-Life 2 experience.

 

[63]

Real gamers don't need guides.

 

[B3@$T]

meh screw the kind I must go find me raising the bar stupid eb games they lied to me!!!(they said they didnt have it) Thanks for the info Icarus

 

[Sashswash]

Hey Icarus, mind telling us which stores you picked them up from? (all my local stores still seem out of it as to the release of these... ).

 

[Dr. Freeman]

well the local bookstore did not have this book today, so i will probably go back tomorrow and see if they have it...if not, i feel confident that i will get it eventually on Monday be it from that bookstore or another one

 

[wilka91]

Where do I get them if I live in ... let's say, France!

Huh? It's nowehere to be seen

 

[Icarus]

Hey Icarus, mind telling us which stores you picked them up from? (all my local stores still seem out of it as to the release of these... ).

I didn't get them from a store. They were shipped to me directly from Prima so I could look over them before they came out.

Update: I just recieved word that in many places they haven't arrived yet. So be paitent, you should be able to get them tomrrow or Monday.

 

[Quad]

Got the guide today...Its everything you said it was..but my local eb games isnt carrying "Raising the Bar" Anyone know a store that has it?

 

[Sashswash]

I didn't get them from a store. They were shipped to me directly from Prima so I could look over them before they came out.

Update: I just recieved word that in many places they haven't arrived yet. So be paitent, you should be able to get them tomrrow or Monday.

You lucky person!
Yea, i'm going to be calling places bright and early as they open tommorow.

Do stores tend to get shipments during hours that they are open, or when they are closed? Maybe i should call tommorow evening, to give time in case they are receiving them that day. But, i don't want to miss my copy either....I guess calling morning, then evening if they don't have it will work! :thumbs:

 

[63]

You lucky person!
Yea, i'm going to be calling places bright and early as they open tommorow.

Do stores tend to get shipments during hours that they are open, or when they are closed? Maybe i should call tommorow evening, to give time in case they are receiving them that day. But, i don't want to miss my copy either....I guess calling morning, then evening if they don't have it will work! :thumbs:

I doubt staff wait around off duty to recieve shipments.

 

[Johan_Tayn]

I called three different bookstores around here and none of them have it..

BN.com says Nov23rd is the publishing date, but Amazon has it in stock(I think).

 

[tic]

anyone know where this book is sold in australia? & when? heard it was now like the US. ta.

edit. that was the raising the bar book btw. the other comes with the collector's edition right?

 

[Asuka]

Thx for the info. Im going to get both.

 

[CyberSh33p]

I never did like strategy guides though...

 

[Wesisapie]

interesting, i might just pick those up, because im hardcore.

 

[rocklegendfm99]

well the local bookstore did not have this book today, so i will probably go back tomorrow and see if they have it...if not, i feel confident that i will get it eventually on Monday be it from that bookstore or another one

on monday it wont matter because half-life2 will be out the next day.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

on monday it wont matter because half-life2 will be out the next day.

hmm..for some reason i get the impression u think this book "Raising The Bar" is a strategy guide.. and i notice quite a few pple are confused on this issue.

"Raising The Bar" is not a stragey guide...it is a book which gives insight on what goes on behind the scenes at Valve HQ so while pple may confuse this book with the stragey guide, its not that.

anyway i will probably end up getting it Monday because i have a pretty busy weekend coming up.

 

[SIN55]

hmm..for some reason i get the impression u think this book "Raising The Bar" is a strategy guide.. and i notice quite a few pple are confused on this issue.

"Raising The Bar" is not a stragey guide...it is a book which gives insight on what goes on behind the scenes at Valve HQ so while pple may confuse this book with the stragey guide, its not that.

anyway i will probably end up getting it Monday because i have a pretty busy weekend coming up.

Yeah, but Icarus's message was mostly about the Strategy Guide, not Raising the Bar.

 

[UKchaos2]

Wow i might actually buy a prima strategy guide for the first time in my life.

 

[Wesisapie]

im not really interested in raising the bar actually. its going to be a lot of shallow crap like that gamespot article was.

that gamespot article basically said about 3 new things, over a span of 25 pages.

strategy guide will be interesting though, after i've finished the game once or twice of course.

 

[Icarus]

My post concerned mostly the strategy guide, I will post a Raising the Bar one tomorrow.

 

[Sashswash]

im not really interested in raising the bar actually. its going to be a lot of shallow crap like that gamespot article was.

that gamespot article basically said about 3 new things, over a span of 25 pages.

strategy guide will be interesting though, after i've finished the game once or twice of course.

Actually, i've heard from some people that the Gamespot article goes more in-depth in those sort of things than the Raising the Bar does. I think that the Raising the Bar book is loaded with artwork, screens, and information about the development of characters, artwork, and other things.

 

[A-Train]

So if I purchased the gold edition for 90 bucks isn't this included? Speaking of which, anyone have any details on when I am to expect all the 'extras" in the mail?

 

[NB.]

Do you have raising the bar yet? It's good of you to post your opinions on the guide but quite a few gold buyers have had it for a couple of days now. RTB will be what most people are interested imo

 

[AzzMan]

Damn I had my Raising the Bar ordered on Amazon, sent the check and everything, but now my order's nowhere to be found on the site. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[Mujuro]

I want Raising The Bar so badly...

 

[SubForce]

A quick note for those of us in the USA, gamestop, ebgames, and B&N show a release date of 19 November. I am in Washington. Believe me I just spent the last couple hours store hopping. Meh..

 

[DarkGhost86]

I will buy that "Raising the Bar " Book

 

[Darkside55]

Is Raising the Bar the book that comes with the HL2:CE? Because if so then I've got that one all nice and reserved.

Sucks that I didn't read that the books weren't available at retail stores today; I could've saved myself the whole day driving around to every bookstore and gamestore in the city looking for them. Borders bookstore said they had none on order (curiously enough though they sure had a ton of Halo 2 art books and guides prominently displayed at the front of the store), but the computer said that the books wouldn't even be available until November 23rd.

 

[Operator]

Real gamers don't need guides.

How true your words are my friend....

I want raising the bar, I just got finished with the gamespot article..erm short story...25 pages, it was pretty entertaining I might say. Before I read that I didn't know how the hacker got caught, and the way he did just made me laugh. Gabe owned him so bad. gogo Gabe!!!

 

[johnnypoopoopant]

rasing the bar....coolness :farmer:

 

[wibblemonster]

No stores in plymouth UK that have the books.. one GAME store told me the game itself wasn't out till next friday.. what a load of crap.

 

[azz0r]

Does raising the bar talk about Steam, CSS and the leak?

 

[Ecthe|ioN]

I won't buy them because that would certainly spoil the game. But it seems like they put a great effort into it though. Stratguide over 300p long. That's crazy.

 

[dogboy73]

Strategy guide???

Be warned, if you go out and read it from front to back before playing the game, you will have the entire plot spoiled.

How fu***ng stupid is that? So never mind that the crackers could unlock the game & start revealing the plot all over the internet, Now you can just go out & buy a book & find out what it's all about.

But that’s not how this book was intended to be used, it’s designed to be your companion as you venture into the Half-Life 2 world.

Fair enough but the info is out there from today for people who will be happy to ruin it for everyone else. Absolute bo***cks. I'm sure these books are very nice but come on - Releasing a strategy guide to a game that hasn't even been relesed yet??!! Words fill me.

 

[Alec_85]

A friend of mine is checking book stores & local game stores for me today. I doubt he'll find the RTB though. I'll check it myself on Monday. It should've arrived then if my bookstores even ordered it...

 

[dogboy73]

A friend of mine is checking book stores & local game stores for me today. I doubt he'll find the RTB though. I'll check it myself on Monday. It should've arrived then if my bookstores even ordered it...

AARRGGHHH Whats wrong with you people??? :flame:

If you buy the book, You'll have the whole plot in your hands which will ruin the game if your tempted to read it!! Are you going to tell me your going to buy a book & not at least flick through it? If your not then don't buy it! It's a no brainer really. If you was going to see a movie you wouldn't want some arsehole coming up to you beforehand & telling you the ending would you?? Now your going to buy a book that's a metaphor for that very same arsehole!!! As I said, I'm sure these books are very nice but it's HL2 fever gone made! The whole idea of these books (2, Not 1 book but 2 books!!) is to cash in on that fever anyway!! don't succumb to it!

 

[Dekstar]

If you buy the book, You'll have the whole plot in your hands which will ruin the game if your tempted to read it!!

Yeah, that's true. I have the strategy guide (God, it smells soooo good), and My mum wont chop my hands off, and i've gotten into the second chapter. I haven't spoiled anything for myself since I knew all this from watching binks and so forth, and half of it was common sense. This game will be sh*t-scary though, but I'm still sticking by my word that I won't use cheats 'till I've completed it.

Also, the start will not be a surprise. Seriously.

-Dekstar

 

[X-Vector]

I'm holding my books in my hands as I write this, and can say without a doubt, these are an ESSENTIAL part of the Half Life 2 experience.

No they are not, the only essential part of the Half-Life 2 experience is the game itself.
This is like saying the EU books and the docs on the Original Trilogy DVD set are essential parts of the Star Wars experience.

I don't just have to speculate anymore, I can say without a doubt, these books are a must have. And no, my saying this is not influenced by anything other then my own encounter with these books. I'm not just recommending these books, I'm saying they are a MUST have, and not just for the hardcore fans, for anyone that wants the full Half-Life 2 experience.

So Prima got this sales pitch for free?

 

[dogboy73]

I have the strategy guide (God, it smells soooo good), and My mum wont chop my hands off, and i've gotten into the second chapter. I haven't spoiled anything for myself since I knew all this from watching binks and so forth, and half of it was common sense. This game will be sh*t-scary though, but I'm still sticking by my word that I won't use cheats 'till I've completed it.

You see. What did I say? Your on the second chapter already!!! Don't give in to further temptation. Burn the damn book!! Burn it right now!!!

Also, the start will not be a surprise. Seriously.

Most of us have seen the start from the videos released. It's a shame. It would have been nice to play the game having not seen any of it in the video's. To late now though