The Aftermath of AM

[Max35]

So, presuming Valve stays true to it's word, and brings us episodic content every 3-6 months, what would you like the future episodes to focus on?. We already know that vehicles will take a prominent role in the next episode. It seems Valve is focusing on a particular style of gameplay for each episode, and I think this is a good idea, as long as it doesn't get too repetitive. For me, an episode focusing on the broader story, ie: what will the Combine do next, what's happening to the other remaining urban centers; will humanity rise up and achieve intergalatic imperialistic might?, blah blah.

I think an episode centered around the Gman would be interesting; although seeing as how the whole HL series seems to be as well, that might not work out too well. Also, maybe this will be a stupid question, but I wonder if all subsequent releases will have you playing as Gordon?. I wouldn't mind that actually. It brings a "continual existance" feeling to the virtual world. And it wouldn't make sense for Valve to develop a distinct playing style for another central character that would only be used in one small episode. So, I'm of the opinion that we will play as Gordon throughout these episodes. Time will tell, I suppose.

 

[kupocake]

Having voted No, I can't honestly say I believe it . I'd say not every episode would be about Gordon, i'd rather not continually be Gordon, but it does have a likeliness to it :/

 

[hi_ted]

From those 1up.com interviews it looks like every episode will have one key focus. So for Aftermath, it's about character interaction whereas Gabe said there could also be a vehicular focused episode.

 

[Ennui]

I think we'll play Gordon in all of them. MAYBE not, I'd love to be suprised

 

[Mr.Magnetichead]

After Valve have finished Gordons current stoy arche I would like to play something similar to Lost where we see the events or the Warpstorms, 7 hour war and the initial combine invasion through the eyes of lots of different characters from different social backgrounds.

I want to see how those earth shattering events effected everyday people.

 

[BetaMaster]

I imagine they'll be jumping around the timeline, such as the 7-Hour War and the two-week period when Gordon was gone, from the slow-teleportation. In which case, they'll also be jumping around the perspectives, I also imagine. I home they don't stay through Gordon's eyes for everything. That's limited.

 

[little.rebel]

The seven hour war was fought and lost, why on earth would the g-man send any of his people back theere? to die?? That is why he has kept Gordon for so long, until after the Combine has come in and taken over, Combine thinking they are allmighty and are not paying attention , and with the resistance building up reaching a boiling point ready for the uprising, the g-man sends in Gordon to bring them toumbling down.

The seven hours war has been and gone, nothing could be done about it, it could not be helpeed.

Aftermath will concentrate on precisly that, the aftermath of the citadels destruction in hl2, and possibly be big steps in the liberation of earth.

Alyx is going for this point i think, shephard can also be used in something similar. that gives the variety of characters in expansions.

Gordon is the g-mans big winner, he sends him in to do the big deed's and then takes him back out until next time he is needed.

 

[little.rebel]

On another note, i would like to say that, i dont think u will keep playing as Gordon because as i said above, G-man sends Gordon in for the big/main mission and then takes him back out the world again (until the next one), he doesnt send gordon back to linger around.

And yes, valve could do smaller episodes, or sets or episodes/ mini-stories to play as characters that were in the swing of the hl2 story, previously NPC'S but now playable charater in a side-story of thier own, kind of like what they did in HL1 with BS. We could probally be Alyx, Barney or maybe a simple resistance fighter who witnesses the end battle of hl2.

 

[Asknoone]

No idea, it depends whether they continue on as Gordon, or go back to post invasion or the 7-hour war, either way I'm sure it'd be awesome.
I'd hate an episode centered around the Gman, though. It is also worth noting that the next episode will be focusing on vehicles.

 

[Flyingdebris]

i'd rather have nothing overtly focus on the gman, as his air of mystery is what makes him so interesting.

as for the 7 hour war, what does it matter if it was a losing battle and gman would'nt waste his agents on it. People fought in it, somebody experienced it. I'd like to see how it unfolded. Not every character in halflife has to be put somewhere by the gman.

Personally i wouldn't mind either way if the episodes are all gordon related or of different people's povs

 

[Reginald]

I'd love to expirience the downfall of Ravenholm. Maybe as Grigori! *kicks ass* And maybe an episode where you play a Combine against the Resistance in the week Gordon was missing. That could easily be the squad-based episode, including lots of cool implants and APC driving.

 

[Langolier]

I think it'd be cool if they did an espisode where you played as a Combine Soldier. They could use the opportunity to explain them a little better. Maybe set it durring Nova Prospeckt... It was a pretty big facility and I think it'd be pretty fun to fight agaisnt antlions with a squad of Prisonguards.

Any time works too though...

I'd also love to play as a member of Civil Protection... raiding apartments and such.

 

[Asknoone]

I'd love to expirience the downfall of Ravenholm.

Naaah, that'd be pretty darn short. All it'd consist of would be avoiding the headcrab rockets and then trying not to get zombiefied

 

[NeptuneUK]

I'd love to expirience the downfall of Ravenholm..

this guy is ON TO SOMETHING! my coolness detector has gone haywire. cant see myself wantin to play as gregori though, possible him directing the remaining resistance members around and helping out (watching him kick ass)
a small group of rebels holding out somewhere attacked by zombies w00h00.

note the way valve have left loads of things open for expansions, 7 hour war, missing week, ravenholme, BEFORE HL2 starts etc etc

 

[Angry Lawyer]

You'll play as me, in the law office, checking for IP violations. It'll be rather awesome, and rather non-violent.

Alternatively, I'd like an "Invasion of Xen" scenario, after the Combine finally figure out (through Mossman's defection in HL2) that Xen exists. Playing as a Vortigaunt, alongside Alien Grunts, trying to fight of a massive Combine invasion force - now THAT would top the AWESOME scale.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Absinthe]

My guess is that we will be playing in Gordon in all of them. I can't imagine them switching to a different character for the core canon material.

Then again, you never know.

 

[NeptuneUK]

no, no we dont. which is the best thing. they like to keep us guessing

 

[Sam2k]

They won't / can't / shouldn't do the 7 hour war.

Mostly because most of the 7 hours would be Breen negotiating "surrender" while striders walk around lasering stuff up.

Probably some nice big bombs dropped that wipe out most of the cities on earth too.

 

[Sloth]

They can do anything, they are the gods of the Half Life saga.
Anything!

 

[The One Freeman]

i hope the do the 7 hour war and make it seven HOURS!!!:bounce:
it makes sence dosen't it

 

[scarecrow1]

oh yeah, it will be like Independance day and War of the Worlds combined....SWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET
Plus they could create i nice backstroy to the 7 hour episode, maybe base the character on someone yousaw in hl2, a particular face of a resistance fighter that was invovled with the 7 hour war, maybe even BARNEY????

 

[NJspeed]

Cmon, theres no way Valve is going to release episodes every 4-6 months. It's taken them near a year for Aftermath, which they stated at HL2's release was already being worked on.

Then theres Lost Coast, which in February or January 2005 was stated "would be released in a few weeks".

Valve kinda pisses me off with all this delay crap.. Half Life 2 is already looking dated, even at max settings.

I'm not cool with years and years of delayed release dates.. this is absurd...

Not to mention this game (which is awesome) doesn't even have a plot that makes sense. Reminds me of the TV series "Lost" which is a great series, but they just make it up from week to week and they have no clue where it's going and how it's going to end.. other games/movies/books have taken the same approach and they all end up lame in the end.

Anyone read "Wheel of Time" series? You'll know what I'm referring to.

 

[iMMuNiTy]

Not to mention this game (which is awesome) doesn't even have a plot that makes sense. Reminds me of the TV series "Lost" which is a great series, but they just make it up from week to week and they have no clue where it's going and how it's going to end.. other games/movies/books have taken the same approach and they all end up lame in the end.

Tell me, do you work in Gamespot? Because you sure sound like one. And what do you expect Half-Life 2 to look after 2 years (yes, it was made in the 2003, but released in 2004 for a reason we all know)?

About the release dates. Tell me another game that has as such a practical software that self-updates the game THAT often, has THAT many both singleplayer and multiplayer mods, and offers us several expansions, in which the graphical features of the engine is stretched, can you name even one game? I thought not.

 

[NJspeed]

No I don't work at gamespot, although that would be awesome if I did.. lol.. but no need to get upset, I definately love HL2 and think it's the best game ever. For sure. Well maybe after HL1.

I made the analogy to the "Wheel of Time" book series because it was a great series.. for the first 4 or 5 books. It was supposed to be wrapped up in 8 books. However, because of money, the author just kept on writing and writing and making up stuff as he went along, deviating from his original idea for the storyline.. and now it's just absurdly long and clearly became something he didn't intended.... I think I stopped buying the books after #11 or #12 (along with most fans), because you'd read an entire 600 page book and then realize that although it was interesting, and there was action, nothing happened to actually further the storyline...

Same thing with 'Lost' on TV, it's a fact that they make up the story as they go. Although it's interesting from show to show, I really don't see how they can end it smoothly... forcing them to delay the ending and continue to come out with more and more made up episodes.. Sooner or later it's just going to be a big scramble and people won't watch it anymore. The problem with this methodology is that in the end there's always too many loose ends to tie together, too many "What about....?" etc, and then typically the ending will be dumb and leave a million questions unanswered. Half Life 2 already doesn't make sense, so it's scary to think their newest idea is episodes.. something they certainly didn't plan for from a story line perspective.. again, forcing them to make it up as they go... (I have a feeling that even Marc Laidlaw hasn't decided who the G-man is yet)

I love Half Life 2, I just don't want it to turn into making money over making a good game.. and I also don't want to hear about things coming out next month and then seeing it in 10 months, or hearing it's next year and seeing it in 3 years. Valve needs to know what their plan is.. and then go about doing it. I certainly know that none of my clients would be okay with me finishing their work a year late. Valve is lucky we are so forgiving... (mainly because theres few options as far as a really good fps is concerned)

Like the saying goes, "Don't TALK about it... BE about it."

 

[iMMuNiTy]

and I also don't want to hear about things coming out next month and then seeing it in 10 months, or hearing it's next year and seeing it in 3 years.

It's for the greater good. I'd rather see a late, but a great game, than a fast, made "on the go", game.

Don't you have anything else to do? I've a social life, and now a part-time job, school... I have absolutely no time to think about delays. It's done when it's done.

 

[Cole]

I love Half Life 2, I just don't want it to turn into making money over making a good game.. and I also don't want to hear about things coming out next month and then seeing it in 10 months, or hearing it's next year and seeing it in 3 years. Valve needs to know what their plan is.. and then go about doing it. I certainly know that none of my clients would be okay with me finishing their work a year late. Valve is lucky we are so forgiving... (mainly because theres few options as far as a really good fps is concerned)

You are simply a dumbass.
Valve dosn't say a year and plan 3 years.
Look, what if you creating a game that you said would be done in 5 more months. Then at the end of those 5 months you realize....your game just isn't good enough and not up to what it should be. Would you release it? I wouldn't. So valve held off for a year, and in the end released a game worthy of it's title.

Look, some things you just can't foresee. Making a game is a big task. You don't want to rush it because that can screw it all up. You need to take your time, and if the game isn't what you wanted...and isn't what it should be you need to modify it to where it should be.


Let me ask you, if your Client wanted something in 6 months. Then after those 6 months you relize that your work just could be better...alot better. Would you give your client average or below average quality? I wouldn't, an Average or Below Average company isn't something to be proud of. Being late isn't the best, but hey it happens. You can't see the future you can only predict. Unexpected things happen and well there unexpected, you don't prepare for them. And this isn't school, you arn't going to get downgraded for being late.

 

[Adrik_Senturu]

Well Most likely, unless Valve went and said "Adrian FTW" Than I dont see you playing as anyone else. It wont be any characters in the game because they all Talk, and would get rid of that whole "You are the character!" thing Valve uses in Half-life. So expect to see Gordon in all the episodes unless Adrian somehow makes it into the picture (which I doubt =/)

 

[Pesmerga]

Obviously, yes.

 

[Max35]

Not to mention this game (which is awesome) doesn't even have a plot that makes sense. Reminds me of the TV series "Lost" which is a great series, but they just make it up from week to week and they have no clue where it's going and how it's going to end.. other games/movies/books have taken the same approach and they all end up lame in the end.

HL2's story is definitely coherent. As for the few things that you don't know about yet....it's called mystery. Name one plot point that doesn't make sense. Also, I would like for all the Episodes to feature Gordon, as long as the story and gameplay are great. Just like anything, though, if it is drawn on to long it will become diluted, boring, and hopelessly far-fetched, unless you're God's gift to literature. Just want to point out that there is a position for a writer on Valve's website "experience working with a writing team preferred." This has me a little worried, unless they can somehow unify all that creativity. This may be just for writing dialogue, and as long as there is a senior writer (good ol' Marc) it should turn out alright.

 

[Asuka]

Yes

For sure!

 

[safetyswami]

use your imagination, fools!

I think you're all forgetting about the possibilities inherent in the episodic formula:

Half-Life: The MIT Years - Step into the Birkenstocks of a young Gordon Freeman as he struggles for acceptance, sex, and cheap beer during his formative years at MIT. Navigate a deadly gauntlet of treacherous hallways to get to your next class, all while battling a relentless hangover! Race against the clock to turn in that final term paper on time after slacking off all semester!

Half-Life: Black Mesa Janitor - You've just settled down for a nice nap in your closet after mopping the Black Mesa cafeteria floors. Suddenly, you awaken to the sounds of gunfire and strange, alien noises. Upon opening the door, you notice dead bodies and spent casings strewn everywhere, along with a liberal amount of blood. You don't know who's behind it all, but SOMEONE woke you up and ruined all your hard work, and HE MUST PAY. Or at least clean it up for you.

Half-Life: Lamarr's Quest - "Who am I? Just a friend. Heed my words, Lamarr. Your time is running out. Make for the large intestine; all will be made clear then."

Come on guys, there's a GOLD MINE here. We've barely even scratched the surface!

 

[Afterburn3r]

I think after aftermath you will play as another character in the next expansion, barney maybe.

 

[Eejit]

I made the analogy to the "Wheel of Time" book series because it was a great series.. for the first 4 or 5 books. It was supposed to be wrapped up in 8 books. However, because of money, the author just kept on writing and writing and making up stuff as he went along, deviating from his original idea for the storyline.. and now it's just absurdly long and clearly became something he didn't intended.... I think I stopped buying the books after #11 or #12 (along with most fans), because you'd read an entire 600 page book and then realize that although it was interesting, and there was action, nothing happened to actually further the storyline...

Ah, you're one of the bitter ex-fans. Who like to exaggerate and make unfounded statements. E.g. the author making stuff up as he goes along, or stopping at the 11th book (just released). *sigh*

And as a general point I see nothing wrong in evolving and expanding upon a story as and when necessary or if there's demand for it.


P.S. I want Shepard back!

 

[Bergeboy]

Case Closed

Half-Life: Black Mesa Janitor - You've just settled down for a nice nap in your closet after mopping the Black Mesa cafeteria floors. Suddenly, you awaken to the sounds of gunfire and strange, alien noises. Upon opening the door, you notice dead bodies and spent casings strewn everywhere, along with a liberal amount of blood. You don't know who's behind it all, but SOMEONE woke you up and ruined all your hard work, and HE MUST PAY. Or at least clean it up for you.

This has already been done.

(Case Closed http://www.planethalflife.com/caseclosed/ )

 

[jjkoch]

Why is everyone so against doing a game based on the seven hours war? You wouldnt have to play with Gordon. It could just be a random soldier on the battlefield who is among the survivors or one of the last to die. Could you imagine what valve would do with an all out battle like that? Earth taken by surprise? Oh man, it would be hella sweet

 

[Eejit]

Why is everyone so against doing a game based on the seven hours war? You wouldnt have to play with Gordon. It could just be a random soldier on the battlefield who is among the survivors or one of the last to die. Could you imagine what valve would do with an all out battle like that? Earth taken by surprise? Oh man, it would be hella sweet

Because any war that causes an entire planet to surrender in 7 hours would have to be 1-sided as hell, and therefore boring.

 

[jondy]

Because any war that causes an entire planet to surrender in 7 hours would have to be 1-sided as hell, and therefore boring.

The reason it ended in seven hours was because Breen surrendered the planet prematurely; and that aside, there could have been several battles where Earth's forces were victorious, despite the inevitable loss of the war

 

[Eejit]

The reason it ended in seven hours was because Breen surrendered the planet prematurely; and that aside, there could have been several battles where Earth's forces were victorious, despite the inevitable loss of the war

Yeah, ok. Earth was all ready to kick ass etc. when suddenly the Combine announce 'Stop fighting, this scientist just surrendered on your collective behalf!'. And they all did.

Do you think Earth would have really accepted the surrender if they had any other choice or saw any hope of winning?

I still think a 7 hour war expansion would suck, certainly from a human PoV, probably from Combine PoV, and likely from a Vortigaunt PoV too.

 

[jondy]

Yeah, ok. Earth was all ready to kick ass etc. when suddenly the Combine announce 'Stop fighting, this scientist just surrendered on your collective behalf!'. And they all did.

Do you think Earth would have really accepted the surrender if they had any other choice or saw any hope of winning?

Might seem farfetched, but if Breen was able to surrender power to the combine, and there's proof that he was, he must have been far enough up the hierarchy to do so...

But yeah, see your point.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

Might seem farfetched, but if Breen was able to surrender power to the combine, and there's proof that he was, he must have been far enough up the hierarchy to do so...

But yeah, see your point.

Well, there is the theory that Breen knew of the Combine beforehand, in which case he arranged it so that they would only negotiate with him. This would ensure that no matter what situation he was in before 7 hour war (prison, retirement, exile, senile laywer from florida) he was immedeately moved to the top of the foodchain as the only one who could negotiate Earth's surrender, ie saving Earth. I believe there is a paper clipping in BME about Breen being investigated by some human affairs bureau or something so...