I think it's just about time....

[ACLeroK212]

i hate to be too optimistic but i seriously doubt they'll miss a summer release date.

i think valve is quite aware of how much anticipation there is for their game.

if they were to miss a summer release it would be a pretty bad public relations blunder. if you think the backlash of anger after missing last september's release was bad i can only imagine what it would be like a second time around.

 

[ferd]

LOL at this thread.
We cant be sure HL2 is going to go gold any day now...

 

[oldagerocker]

Valve have allot of time, according the Coomers link, Summer ends 22nd September
i have a niggly feeling that we are in for a long wait...

 

[RoguePsi]

Doug did say they were targetting a mid-summer release before E3. He has since stated that the project is till on target meaning the game will be released mid-summer. September is not mid-summer in the slightest, so I expect the game to be on the shelves in mid-august at the VERY latest.

The game will go gold in the next 2 weeks.

 

[oldagerocker]

u better be right !
In your next post RoguePsi... say, il win the lottery or something. please.

 

[ACLeroK212]

Doug did say they were targetting a mid-summer release before E3. He has since stated that the project is till on target meaning the game will be released mid-summer. September is not mid-summer in the slightest, so I expect the game to be on the shelves in mid-august at the VERY latest.

The game will go gold in the next 2 weeks.

:knocks on wood:

 

[Wsh]

I really hoped I would see it before August (because in the beginning of August there's a certain huge lan party :naughty: ), but.. looking at it realistically: HL2 is a big game (estimate: between 1 and 4 gigabytes). It takes a long while to preload it. This great post reveals that they will give enough time for everyone to download it. A month(more?)? And it would be sensible if they announced beforehand when they are about to start the preload. We were supposed to be given more info on the other products before the release as well, be it before preload or before actual 'unlock' dunno. We haven't seen either of these yet.
I *think* that we are likely to hear about or see something/"promising progress" (not the game itself, yet) after at least 1 month (mid July). And from that point it takes time for the game to get released (the preloads, media, etc). Earlier is possible but unlikely (rushing it would be fatal :| ) So if Valve is fast we could be playing it in August, in which case Valve would have to start their advertising and stuff quite soon. If we don't hear anything from Valve in a week or 2 it will be September.
</really shaky estimations>

 

[wayne white]

i agree with elephant ,if they really means summer release they`ll do it before school stars...they wanna cash on the kids.

 

[obiwanquinobi]

i hate to be too optimistic but i seriously doubt they'll miss a summer release date.

i think valve is quite aware of how much anticipation there is for their game.

if they were to miss a summer release it would be a pretty bad public relations blunder. if you think the backlash of anger after missing last september's release was bad i can only imagine what it would be like a second time around.

yes indeedy - big OUCH!!

 

[ACLeroK212]

i agree with elephant ,if they really means summer release they`ll do it before school stars...they wanna cash on the kids.

this might possibly be the most hyped up game of all time.

everyone and their grandmother is waiting in anticipation for it.

i highly doubt valve is worried about hitting a certain time frame to cash in.

 

[freeorangeshoes]

an all new unforgettable adventure that will be remembered in gamers minds forever and generations to come.

you are talking about a video game. you know that, right?

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

Well, heres to hoping we see it as soon as is physically possible eh!!


Oh and Welcome Greg. Big fans of valve here in case you didnt notice!

 

[Rupertvdb]

My pleasure Alec...heh

Yeah i think the sooner the better now, i have gotten over that whole 'hey guys, let them release it when it's ready' phase....gimme gimme gimme

 

[goldenboi]

How the hecka are we supposed to even know if Half-Life 2 goes gold? They don't even update their sites. Maybe someone should email how we will know that the game has gone gold.

 

[ACLeroK212]

How the hecka are we supposed to even know if Half-Life 2 goes gold? They don't even update their sites. Maybe someone should email how we will know that the game has gone gold.

because whenever a game goes gold it's a major announcement and you can bet your ass every game publication will be all over that story

 

[oldagerocker]

it'll be in the news section of Halflife2.net for a start, always your first port of call for news on Half-life 2.
Go there now! www.halflife2.net , now with FREE pop-ups!

 

[PatPwnt]

The game was suppose to come out a year ago. Release it already! please...

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

lol wow Greg posted on my thread, I'm honored anywho i'm glad the attitude around here has become slightly more optimistic towards actually getting the game . I love how in touch with the community Valve is

 

[RoguePsi]

I think Greg should tell us Gabe's waist size, favourite snack and where he got his shoes from. Also tell us how far Valve are from going gold. It'd be nice.

Oh, and as requested: I'll win the lottery (even though I dont play it).

 

[Apos]

If it's going to be finished up by the end of summer, then it's a fall release for sure with all the time it'll take to pre-load and manufacture.

 

[ACLeroK212]

If it's going to be finished up by the end of summer, then it's a fall release for sure with all the time it'll take to pre-load and manufacture.

man... for the last time... they said SUMMER RELEASE

and manufacturing does not take that long. there's been games that have gone gold and hit the shelves in a matter of a couple weeks. i don't know why everyone thinks it's going to take a month or more for the game to release once it's gone gold. why would they just sit on it for a month and take there time manufacturing instead of trying to get it out and start making money on the beast. that just doesn't make sense. it's not like vivendi is just sitting on their ass right now twiddling their thumbs either. your crazy if you don't think they're preping for the release.

 

[Gossoon]

I'm pretty sure Valve has been careful to say they would finish making the game this summer. There has been no mention of when it would actually be released. Two completely different things. And yes, semantics count in this case. If anyone has any quotes to prove me wrong, please post.

 

[iamaelephant]

If any of you fools actually read Greg Coomer's post properly there's no way in hell you could find it reassurring.

Hi. The game's almost done -- we're still planning on finishing it up before the end of the summer. Can't say for sure if it'll be Sweden summer or your school's summer or good old U.S. of A. Summerhttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0907866.html.

Now I'm not sure when Sweden's summer is, but I'll bet it goes well past September. Any Sweeds wanna shed some light?

 

[Shuzer]

If any of you fools actually read Greg Coomer's post properly there's no way in hell you could find it reassurring.



Now I'm not sure when Sweden's summer is, but I'll bet it goes well past September. Any Sweeds wanna shed some light?

If you read his reply, he emphasized the US summer the most, seeing as how he linked to a site with its specific dates

Of course, you're right that it wasn't overly reassuring, just saying

 

[iamaelephant]

it'll be in the news section of Halflife2.net for a start, always your first port of call for news on Half-life 2.
Go there now! www.halflife2.net , now with FREE pop-ups!

http://www.ada-ware.com/

Half Life 2.net has no popups, clean up your computer.

 

[ACLeroK212]

I'm pretty sure Valve has been careful to say they would finish making the game this summer. There has been no mention of when it would actually be released. Two completely different things. And yes, semantics count in this case. If anyone has any quotes to prove me wrong, please post.

Subject: RE: simple and short question
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2004 08:05:46 -0700
From: "Yahn Bernier" <[email protected]> View Contact Details
To: "Albo Frank" <[email protected]>

Yes

-----Original Message-----
From: Albo Frank [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 1:14 AM
To: Yahn Bernier
Subject: simple and short question

Is Half-Life 2 still on for a "Summer" release date?
Thanks in advance

-Cow

taken straight from the valve info thread......

that a good enough quote for ya?

(emphasis on the word "release" in the email)

 

[mrchimp]

I think the fact people from Valve are turning up on forums across the community is a sighn something is about to happen, maybe not a release date announcement but the media offensive might begin. There's other things like the SDK and benchmark tool that might be on there way.

 

[Murray_H]

I think the fact people from Valve are turning up on forums across the community is a sighn something is about to happen, maybe not a release date announcement but the media offensive might begin. There's other things like the SDK and benchmark tool that might be on there way.

I'm thinking it's to stop a community split, they sign up to lots of forums - eliminates favouritism.....that's my theory

 

[Alec_85]

I'm pretty sure Valve has been careful to say they would finish making the game this summer. There has been no mention of when it would actually be released. Two completely different things. And yes, semantics count in this case. If anyone has any quotes to prove me wrong, please post.

If those two things doesn't mean the same thing, they bloody should imho

 

[Gossoon]

taken straight from the valve info thread......

that a good enough quote for ya?

(emphasis on the word "release" in the email)

Hmm, I guess so. But, you have to admit, in most of their statements they have said "finishing the game", not releasing. I'm just trying to imagine their press release (oh wait, they don't do press releases) after Sept rolls around. I'm sure they'd make a case about never saying the game would be released in the summer and blaming it on vivendi. I mean, Valve has definitely built in for themselves a lot of escape hatches this time if anything goes wrong. It's smart, from their perspective, but it doesn't give us a lot of hope.

 

[ACLeroK212]

Hmm, I guess so. But, you have to admit, in most of their statements they have said "finishing the game", not releasing. I'm just trying to imagine their press release (oh wait, they don't do press releases) after Sept rolls around. I'm sure they'd make a case about never saying the game would be released in the summer and blaming it on vivendi. I mean, Valve has definitely built in for themselves a lot of escape hatches this time if anything goes wrong. It's smart, from their perspective, but it doesn't give us a lot of hope.

i don't think they're building themselves escape hatches. i just think they don't want to commit to anything like last year. missing the date last year created a lot of negative criticism of valve and they're just trying to avoid that if something were to come up again and they, for some reason, weren't able to make the new release date.

 

[Gossoon]

I agree. I'm just saying that you can't really take their word as gold at this point. I'm not completely negative though. I don't think valve is evil or even driven by greed or anything. I just think they're not all that great with communication and that we should all be prepared to be disappointed, at least for awhile.

 

[ACLeroK212]

I agree. I'm just saying that you can't really take their word as gold at this point. I'm not completely negative though. I don't think valve is evil or even driven by greed or anything. I just think they're not all that great with communication and that we should all be prepared to be disappointed, at least for awhile.

the glass is half empty for you i guess then

although i wouldn't say their communication is any better/worse than any other company trying to meet deadlines. people just seem to be A LOT more critical of every word that comes from valve than they are of anyone else. there's a lot of anticipation following this release and honestly i'd say they haven't done too bad of a job handling the situation. you have to admit, it could be a lot worse. take duke nukem forever for example :cheese:

 

[GorgeousOrifice]

There's other things like the SDK and benchmark tool that might be on there way.

SDK won't come out until after the game for spoiler reasons.

I haven't heard anything from Valve on the benchmark in quite some time. I imagine that if they release it at all, it may not be until after the game ships for the same reason.

I don't think they know when they're going to be done. They're going through an iterative process -- playtest, find bugs/suggestions, integrate the good ones, repeat with next playtester. The list each time through will (hopefully) contain fewer new problems and fewer suggestions. It sounds like they think that, if the current rate at which problems go away continues, the game will be releaseable in a couple months ("summer") and then off it goes.

I doubt they have a specific day written in stone somewhere for gold.

 

[Rupertvdb]

yeah that always bothered me, the SDK will contain key aspects of HL2, releasing it before hand might screw the game up for some people, would be a shame.

 

[mrchimp]

maybe they won't release either, but they said they would.

 

[ACLeroK212]

i would rather they not worry about a benchmark or anything and just concentrate on getting the game out.

all anything else would do is just make me even more impatient to get my hands on the actual game. :E

 

[digsy]

I'm hitting UCL to do some English Literature, i am actually quite bright despite the standard of my posting

hehehehe

 

[Kouler]

They should release the new SDK as soon as HL2 goes gold