Raising the Bar, Changes?

"Things like the source code leak and release dates are more appropriate for other venues (eg Gamespot)."

This was absolutely the right course of action. Those items don't fit in with the tone and content of what you seek to accomplish with the book. Thank you again Cliffe for your honesty.
 
cliffe said:
Things like the source code leak and release dates are more appropriate for other venues (eg Gamespot).
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So, are we actually going to see new info about this stuff?

EDIT: And I would have still liked to have seen the Gunman chapter. :D
 
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Gamespot will have their "Last Hours of Half Life 2" just like they did with the original and Gabe and the others will be discussing the events of last year in that article.
 
That's pretty effing weak, I hope he publishes his work on some random geocities websites so we can see shit how it really was.. god I hate the things valve does sometimes.. I dont want to read what happened from they're prespective we've been doing that for a year already waiting for they're damn game... ****
 
Did you not read Cliffe's post? This was a mutual decision by Cliffe and David based on input from the ultimate judge of this product: the consumer themselves.
 
Sh4mp00 said:
That's pretty effing weak, I hope he publishes his work on some random geocities websites so we can see shit how it really was.. god I hate the things valve does sometimes.. I dont want to read what happened from they're prespective we've been doing that for a year already waiting for they're damn game... ****
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Look a few posts up
 
So anyway, all I can say is that this book is for you guys. And I hope you like it, I think you will.

One thing that might be noteworthy to you all is that the hl2.net forums have shaped the book quite a bit. For example, based on threads here that ask about certain aspects of the game, I've made sure those levels/creatures/etc were explained and talked about at length. For example, after reading a thread here where a lot of people were asking about the hydra I annoyed Ken Birdwell to write a big bit about the Hydra development. He finally gave in. Another example was the thread on how Gordon's model came about. I read that here and I set out and made a full spread on all the different people used for Gordo reference and how they were morphed and shaped (with accompanying visuals), etc. There have been quite a few examples like this...

Regardless, we can discuss the merits of the book when it's finally out. Looking forward to seeing it on the shelves and reading what you guys think.

Cliffe
 
Wow, an actual -real- answer from someone who works at valve, rather than the usual 1 or 2 sentences with 10 words each that we've come to accept as being "answers" for the last year. Flash in the pan, I bet.
 
Lanthanide said:
Wow, an actual -real- answer from someone who works at valve, rather than the usual 1 or 2 sentences with 10 words each that we've come to accept as being "answers" for the last year. Flash in the pan, I bet.
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Hmm.. Let's find out..

Hey Cliffe, any plans on releasing Half-Life: Source before HL2 comes out in stores, like with Counter-Strike: Source?

Heh, lets see if he answers that. :)
 
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Any idea on the books release Cliffe? I've heard all sorts of dates. Thanks for sharing all of this information with us. It's cool to hear that you've actually molded the book around the online communities :) I look forward to reading it :)
 
OK, so a few of us got a little carried away back there...oops :)
 
Scheduled to start printing by end of week. So, not too long.
 
will there still only be 50,000 (?) copies of it made or will there be more?
 
thanks for the clarification, cliffe. looking forward to the book (and especially the game.)
 
cliffe said:
Scheduled to start printing by end of week. So, not too long.
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I hope you have some pictures for nostalgia, like on this site http://www.planethalflife.com/nostalgia/ , i love the old gordon picutre where he looked like a friggen drawf, and the Dr. Kleiner looked my an actual madman and not just a regular scientist doing crazy experiments...not thinking of the consequences.

Well within normal perimeters my ***! Course without him, Gordon would still be a MIT graduate with zero coolness...Go Dr. Kliener! :cheers:
 
Thanks for clarifying cliffe, I'm excited for the book all over again :)
 
I wasn't sure if i really wanted to buy Raising the bar. Now i know i'm buying it. :naughty:
 
I just hope it'll be readily available as soon as it's out, and not too expensive, and that I can easily attain a copy.

Much to my disappointment, I missed out on the coffee book "From Myst to Riven" making of book, and now it goes for hundreds. I'd hate for this to happen to me again on another of my favorite game series.
 
Cliffe thanks for giving that in-depth answer.. its not normal to see such a thorough answer from a Valve employee so u can imagine how much pple here appreciate u talking about it more than just the normal 2 lines of text we are used to.
 
Huhm... would have been interesting to read more about the leak along with a 'Valve' perspective.

Sounds like a book worth buying though. Anyone know if the book will be released worldwide?
 
InsaneCow said:
will there still only be 50,000 (?) copies of it made or will there be more?
Click to expand...

I'm curious about this too. Will Raising the Bar be limited to 50,000 copies?
 
cliffe said:
One thing that might be noteworthy to you all is that the hl2.net forums have shaped the book quite a bit.
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If thats true, surely you must have seen all the ENDLESS threads about multiplayer? Was there ever a HL2DM? Was it dropped? Was it always CS:S?
Soo.. can we look forward to finding out what the story there is? Either in this book or on the upcomming gamespot article by Geoff?
 
cliffe said:
Woah, now. The Gunman chapter has been a running joke between David and I (most effective with his British accent) ever since it was put on the chopping block. He wanted it gone from the beginning and I agreed with him. The negativity in this thead is a little startling, especially considering that David and I have spent countless late nights for the past couple months trying to make this book a homerun for hardcore fans.

Anyway, people are getting pretty worked up about this without need. All decisions for the book were based on external feedback. Sections that were boring (HL mac, HL PS2 were trimmed while adding much more content on what people thought was cool). David has been great and has continued to contribute to the project and work with me, the whole time. There was no fallout and he is still a key member of the book team. He was fine with wanting to concentrate on "making of" elements and was happy with the decision. Any content that was cool from the earliest drafts of the book was brought forward and remains. Things like the source code leak and release dates are more appropriate for other venues (eg Gamespot). This is a "behind the scenes, making of" coffee table book with a lot of art, not a novel.

Everyone who has seen the early drafts of the book and has seen the final product has said to us that it is a lot better. The whole process had one thing in mind: what you, the fans, would find most interesting. I'm not interested in conspiracies, only making this book something you all would get into. What we think the book should be is meaningless: the only thing that means anything is how those independent, outside potential readers rate it. Based on feedback we've gotten from outside the company, I am confident you guys will enjoy it. The final book is *much* better than the early drafts.

I hope that clears things up.
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Yeah it didn't sound like you were turning it into an art book like Munro said, I also added your email to the hl2 discussion, to show them that.

But removing stuff the usual fan might not be interested in, and that the hardcore fan already knows is a very good idea. Althought it would've been cool to see Valve take on the leak.
 
FISKER_Q said:
But removing stuff the usual fan might not be interested in, and that the hardcore fan already knows is a very good idea. Althought it would've been cool to see Valve take on the leak.
Click to expand...

Just wait for Geoff Keighley's "Final Hours of Half-Life 2" over at Gamespot. That information will no doubt be represented there. :)
 
Well, I guess that clears that up! Too bad Cliffe isn't into conspiracy theories, or he could hang out here with us more often! :cool:

I'd still be curious to see what changed in the book. Personally, I like to read and so a novel to go along with the pitcures and captions would have been really cool for me.

Plus the price is right, so make sure you all go out and find this book... ah, after I do of course!
 
Right, I'll give you twice the regular price of the book and a little bonus if you give me a printout (on your regular office inkjet for all I care, or PDF if possible) of the dropped articles. If you're going to do a making of, there's no point in edting it or you're going to have to do a making of the making of... :sleep: You can just put e'm between the last two pages and ship it to me like that:farmer: . Put it in the same box as my Steam Gold HL2 order, so I don't have to pay shipping and handling AGAIN... If not... it better be available in Europe... :borg:
 
Hey cliffe, just one more thing. Will we be given some sort of look at the ups and down of the development process (especially the end with the long protracted silence from Valve)? As in a version of the Gamespot article but for HL2 this time.
 
subtlesnake said:
Hey cliffe, just one more thing. Will we be given some sort of look at the ups and down of the development process (especially the end with the long protracted silence from Valve)? As in a version of the Gamespot article but for HL2 this time.
Click to expand...
a similar article is currently being prepared by gamespot. it's going to be put up shortly after/before the game's launch.
 
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