Truth and Reconciliation

[Zyphria]

I don't want this thread to be another 'disappointed that the game is delay' or 'Valve sucks', etc. The purpose of this thread is to make a statement on the current status of Valve's public relations, and how a nearly flawless grassroots campaign could result in a public backslash. We need the truth and we need some reconciliation.

You might find it quite ironic that the title of thread is the same as the latter part of the title of Microsoft's Halo, a game promised for the PC, then stolen away and delayed two years.

Here's the problem:

#1. By all intentions, by concealing development of Half Life 2 for so long, (more than four years) and then boldly stating a release date that never waivered beyond "No comment" or "We'll see" until a little over a week before the announced date, the entire community went from reaching an apex of excitement to a confused and angry state.

#2. Up until this point, the developers had made a huge effort to be as forthcoming as possible. There were statements which I'll paraphrase like "We control the release dates, not Vivendi."

There has *yet* to be any official announcement in the form of an official webpage and that is absolutely unforgivable, given the fact that the eagerly awaiting audience has had to weather other such announcements from publishers and retailers. We went from "only believe Gabe" to "Who the hell do we believe in now?"

I guess the one word resting somewhere in the depths of what I would think is close to 200,000+ individuals is that of betrayal. We wanted the truth, were were even prepared for a while to accept a delay. Delays that are announced months in advance are not a problem. Even a 'When it's done' gets by....but that hard date set for 9-30-03 stayed right there. Valve didn't try to downplay it....they didn't even try to spin it.

It is past time. Well past time for reconciliation. To let the community know the truth and then explain to them as best as you can. You would have thought that UT2k3's (just another week (times four or five) would have been lesson enough for the gaming industry. Lets put our differences aside and come to an understanding. If it is because of the whole Nvidia issue, then say it right here and now. If it is a showstopper bug, lets hear it! If it is because the multiplayer is non-existant, speak up! If it is because Steam only has 5 terabytes of bandwidth and demand is far more than you expected, then get over it.

Lets drain this murky pool and fill it up with nice clear information.

 

[TheRook]

here here

TheRook
:smoking:

 

[Apos]

Given that a book is coming out detailing the entire design process, I tink we'll learn at least the basic facts sooner or later.

 

[richpull]

if your going to paraphrase dont use direct quotes , such as "the boy went to the store". Use indirect quotes like this 'the girl went to the shop'.

 

[BloodyL]

An excellent post.

I'm just a little confused as to how you reached the conclusion that steam has 5Tb of bandwidth?

 

[JonTheCanuck]

Originally posted by TheRook
here here

TheRook
:smoking:

yur right rook, that is indeed a worthwhile post.... i'm catching on as to what makes yur posts so great

 

[Guest]

This is my first post here after reading the forums for bloody ages, and I have to say, excellent post there Zyphria

 

[VoidWraith]

It's so we'll buy the development journal book thingamajig.

Added: What a nice and poignant first post MrAssFace

 

[Mjolnir]

excellent post....maybe you should e-mail this to Valve, you might even get a response??!!?!

 

[creationist]

right on.. valve has messed up big time and they owe us, the community, the people that pay for the game, the money that we spend on their game pays their bills.. so i say we need an apology and an explanation, its the only way for valve to dig themselves out of the hole they are in.

 

[TheRook]

Originally posted by JonTheCanuck
yur right rook, that is indeed a worthwhile post.... i'm catching on as to what makes yur posts so great

at least mine are on topic...

so get ur head outta your ass and read them before posting...

TheRook

 

[Joneleth]

Eh, it's just a delay (happens to most games). Valve is only a company made of human beings, and human beings often make mistakes. Most companies that delay their games don't give formal apologies, and I don't think Valve is really that different. I think they only really hurt a small portion of their fanbase (because, to be quite honest the bulk of the people buying their games didn't think the game was coming out on the 30th anyway, due to the release dates on retail sites). While I agree they could have handled the situation better, I don't really think they need to apologize for anything. If they released a buggy, crappy game, then I'd want an apology.

Until that happens, though, I'm happy.

 

[Maskirovka]

Originally posted by richpull
if your going to paraphrase dont use direct quotes , such as "the boy went to the store". Use indirect quotes like this 'the girl went to the shop'.

if you're going to correct someone, don't use your for you are

your doesn't mean you are

as far as the topic goes, well said...valve could at least give us some info instead of letting us hang...the unknown just creates all this speculation, etc.
we loyal fans deserve at least that...i guess. of course valve doesn't have to do anything....
but it does make you wonder...why answer all those emails, etc, just to end up making a vague statement a few days before the supposed release? it just doesn't jive and it feels weird.

 

[Letters]

Originally posted by MrAssface
This is my first post here after reading the forums for bloody ages, and I have to say, excellent post there Zyphria

Welcome, assface!

Hehe... :cheese:

 

[creationist]

pwned.

 

[JonTheCanuck]

Originally posted by TheRook
at least mine are on topic...

so get ur head outta your ass and read them before posting...

TheRook

here here? thats very on topic, good input too, i like that, very detailed indeed. Also, u see, i decided to post the congratulate post in that thread because the other option was making a new thread dedicated to it, and i'd rather not bother people, as u seem to enjoy

 

[Apos]

Obviously, Valve doesn't owe us the game at any given time: it's up to them, and there's no problem with that. But an explanation would be pretty nice, because they had built quite a lot of trust and rapport with the community. A delay IN NO WAY would hurt that trust: but a delay that was clouded by secrecy, and may have even involved them knowing about it long before they told us: that kinda sucks. I hope they had good reasons.

 

[mknlb50]

Originally posted by Apos
Obviously, Valve doesn't owe us the game at any given time: it's up to them, and there's no problem with that. But an explanation would be pretty nice, because they had built quite a lot of trust and rapport with the community. A delay IN NO WAY would hurt that trust: but a delay that was clouded by secrecy, and may have even involved them knowing about it long before they told us: that kinda sucks. I hope they had good reasons.

clouded by secrecy? nah

more like clouded by uncertainty :afro:

 

[Letters]

Originally posted by creationist
pwned.

More like...

 

[Draklyne]

Either way, we should send SpitCodFry back there with a mask on and a rifle and have him demand the playtest version of HL2 that they so flippantly mention they've been 'testing for 3-4 months.'

 

[Athlon7]

Amen sir!

 

[kelisis]

Great speech. I totally agree. I would diffenetly like it if Valve just stood up and told us why it's being delayed.

 

[XtAkm4p]

just thought of this...

<dreamworld>wat if the valve dudes are crammin so hard to finish by 930 that they arent saying anything</dreamworld>

 

[kelisis]

Originally posted by XtAkm4p
just thought of this...

<dreamworld>wat if the valve dudes are crammin so hard to finish by 930 that they arent saying anything</dreamworld>

Heh, I wish.

 

[Feixeno]

This is the only thing i really liked about Beta Testing SOE, the dev's would actually say WTF is wrong and how they will fix it.


I know that if Valve said why we have this delay i would gain so much respect for them, that i can promise, at least they would do the smart thing and show people that they want more than just money, although its kinda obvious that Valve is the Microsoft of the gaming community, but still they make pretty good games, just without Gabe they would be nothing, but he should still stop this damn cat and mouse game while he is ahead

 

[Apos]

clouded by secrecy? nah

Whether you like frag or not, you have to admit that he makes a good point when he notes that gaming mags have to prepare their spreads a month or two in advance. Given that they didn't plan their final big HL2 blowout issues to come out at the end of this month, but rather, they seem to have been scheduled for a month or more later, that suggests that SOMEONE told them to push back the coverage a lot earlier than this/last week. If you believe frag's email, this was Doug Lombari himself.

 

[Zyphria]

I guess as the old story goes "You were talking to the wrong guy, kid."

 

[Ares]

Originally posted by Apos
Whether you like frag or not, you have to admit that he makes a good point when he notes that gaming mags have to prepare their spreads a month or two in advance. Given that they didn't plan their final big HL2 blowout issues to come out at the end of this month, but rather, they seem to have been scheduled for a month or more later, that suggests that SOMEONE told them to push back the coverage a lot earlier than this/last week. If you believe frag's email, this was Doug Lombari himself.

Fair enough, but if Valve did say a month or two ago to push their magazines back, then why did they continue to tell everyone else (the fans) that it's going to be a 9/30 release. Valve would had to have told the magazines mighty early to push back or else we would be having magazines announcing reviews and hands on play all October. If that's the case, then I again ask : Why continue to mislead the fans? I mean, the most recent case would be that guy on the IGN Insider boards. He was instructed to push for the 30th release date and then all of a sudden they change without even notifying him? The poor guy was left to hang scarring his reputation.

Bah, I'm not mad at Valve, don't get me wrong; I'm disappointed however.

 

[Apos]

Fair enough, but if Valve did say a month or two ago to push their magazines back, then why did they continue to tell everyone else (the fans) that it's going to be a 9/30 release.

Why indeed? That's why they may have some explaining to do. Maybe there is a really good explaination, I dunno. They don't have to give us one, of course. I mean, it's US that get so worked up about this stuff, to the point where we go apepoopy over every little detail and delay. But hey, we're demanding people who enjoyed feeling like they were being straight wiht us. It'd be nice to understand what the heck happened.

 

[toast]

Where and when is this book going to be available?

 

[Mr Neutron]

Originally posted by Feixeno
This is the only thing i really liked about Beta Testing SOE, the dev's would actually say WTF is wrong and how they will fix it.

I think the problem there is that Valve likes to keep facts about the game secret. That their policy has been 'stumm!' even now makes me think that the delay is due to content, not really bugs: the SP game wasn't up to scratch when played all the way through, so they're going back and including things they previously decided to cut. I don't think they'd have delayed for MP content or even bugs because MP users are sophisticated, and the MP game content can be upgraded and fixed over the life of the product; SP, on the other hand, must be all there out of the gate, and even minor bugs could ruin a user's experience (otherwise it's like saying that it's OK to screen a movie where the projector always breaks and the sound pops in and out but that's OK because people can just watch it later).


BTW, why all the fawning over the orginal post here? My thread said the same stuff yesterday:

http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9479

*boohoo* ;(

 

[SpaceRain]

I don't believe for a second that it was a bug. Everything indicates they've known about the delay for a long time and bugs that they haven't spotted for five years don't take three months to fix. They must be very, very minor.

I am extremely disappointed in Valve. I can't believe they did this to us. I would have been fine with a delay too, I really would. I just didn't need it six days before the release. There are a lot of shitty developers out there, but I never thought Valve was one of them. Now that they've pulled this stunt, I'm trying to think of another developer who's ever betrayed our trust so much and I can't think of anyone! If they had announced the delay just a day or two later fans would have already been camping outside game stores.

Valve damn well knew that the game wouldn't be on shelves on the 30th as they assured us over and over. How can they just lie like that and don't even care? I'm afraid even if we get both an explanation and an apology now (I don't think we'll get either), it will be too late. I can't imagine anything that they can say that will change the fact that I'm now a bitter old man.

 

[nsxownzme]

Originally posted by SpaceRain
I don't believe for a second that it was a bug. Everything indicates they've known about the delay for a long time and bugs that they haven't spotted for five years don't take three months to fix. They must be very, very minor.

I am extremely disappointed in Valve. I can't believe they did this to us. I would have been fine with a delay too, I really would. I just didn't need it six days before the release. There are a lot of shitty developers out there, but I never thought Valve was one of them. Now that they've pulled this stunt, I'm trying to think of another developer who's ever betrayed our trust so much and I can't think of anyone! If they had announced the delay just a day or two later fans would have already been camping outside game stores.

Valve damn well knew that the game wouldn't be on shelves on the 30th as they assured us over and over. How can they just lie like that and don't even care? I'm afraid even if we get both an explanation and an apology now (I don't think we'll get either), it will be too late. I can't imagine anything that they can say that will change the fact that I'm now a bitter old man.

I agree with you, %100. Everyone's saying, "Good, it wont have bugs!" Or "Do you want them to put a game out that's not done?!" Give me a break, he said holiday release, sounds like a marketing ploy to me. Either way you get flammed for speaking your mind.
Nonetheless, I spent shitloads of money on upgrades before HL2, just on time for Sept. 30. Now I have a maxed out credit card and for no reason. Not to mention I'm on my vacation from work, I took off for HL2 and its not going to be here anytime soon. I hope someone dies.

 

[burnzie]

Originally posted by nsxownzme
I hope someone dies.

ouch!

 

[MoJo|Night]

Originally posted by Joneleth
Most companies that delay their games don't give formal apologies, and I don't think Valve is really that different.

Yeah a lot of games companies do delay their games but then most companies announce the delay on their website or official forum. Valve has neither and instead seems to do it's official information posting by sending solitary emails to a randomly determined news site.

I think the community contact in replying to email etc has been outstanding but why do the frills and not the basics of community communication? The emails and irc chats should be added bonuses additional to a central location where valve can post delay information. It would take 10 minutes to add a news story on the valve site sayin "Sorry game officialy delayed, we'll let you know more when we can".

 

[el Chi]

It's all gone a bit Daikatana, don't you think? I mean, iobviously we haven't reached that COMPLETELY farcical stage yet, and as we have yet to receive reasons for the delay then it's not entirely fair to pass judgement. However comparisons can be easily drawn.
Daikatana was hugely hyped and was supposedly set dead on for a certain date/season. Then things went tits up and coverage was asked to be scaled down so as to calm expectations somewhat.
Ring any bells? I'm not saying HL2 will be delayed for like 2 years or whatever and then be balls, anything but. I just find it slightly eerie.
An explanation's needed, and soon. Great post as always Zyphria.

 

[Tropico]

On this forum there are only 7000 users.
Even on the other forums around the net the numbers arent that high.
Half life sold something like 5 million copies right?
So people thta follow a game like we are doing are a minority.
They are interested on the casual gamer they said that themselves.They will have copies with only Sp for the casual gamer.
So only a few will be irritated with the delay and we will buy the game anyway.
The rest will go in a store in 3 months look at the cover art and say "wow this looks nice i´ll get it"
Thats why holiday is important.Maybe the game isnt finished i doubt that.

 

[slap]

Good post, lets wait and see if Valve have the B**ls to speak up and and give us some correct information on the "REAL" situation with the release and the current state of the game..!

 

[-JeZ-]

Good post mate. Eloquent and not over the top. If you haven't already done so I would email it to VALVe and see what kind of response you get. :thumbs:

 

[Mountain Man]

Originally posted by Zyphria
We went from "only believe Gabe" to "Who the hell do we believe in now?"

I'd say that about sums it up.