ValveTime TalkTime - Episode 4: Half-Life Hopes

[Omnomnick]

In the fourth episode of ValveTime TalkTime, Glenn, Nick, James and John discuss what they would like to see Valve do for the next Half-Life game, and argue about what does or does not need to be done for the game to be considered a success. Don't forget to leave your questions in the comments below as TalkTime Episode 5 will be a question/answer session where the ValveTime staff will talk about what you submit!

Feel free to leave your feedback regarding what you think of this series! If you would like to see more, let us know! If not, tell us! Our series can only improve with your help.

 

[trunk_slamchest]

can we please kill HL related topics of conversation until valve actually does something HL related? it is counter productive and only exacerbates frustration caused by valve's silence.

after ~7 years of "what ifs" and "maybes" or "id like to see <blank> added or removed," it has gotten stale, and is turning sour.

do you want to know what HL needs to be considered a success?

it needs to be released.

 

[Dr. House]

I hope it's not open world or with different endings, etc. Most of the time they're empty and copy-pasted spaces.

GTA games for example. Yes, they're big, but you have enormous deserts, lakes, empty mountains, entire mountains with just copy-pasted trees, etc.
However Half-Life 2 for example doesn't have very big spaces, but most of the time you have something concrete to do, not just run around killing things, and every corner has a purpose.

I understand games have to evolve, but change the genre?
Would you accept that Half-Life 3 would be a card game? A pinball game? An MMO?
Then why would you accept it to be an Skyrim-like game?

Just because some games get it well doesn't mean every game has to copy their concept. Some games are made to be linear and some don't. Making them all the same would be killing variety.

 

[Vegeta897]

Would you accept that Half-Life 3 would be a pinball game?

Yes, yes I would.

 

[ThePerson5]

Yes, yes I would.

Hell yeah, Half-Life pinball would be awesome.

 

[Dr. House]

The G-Ball.

 

[ThePerson5]

Pinball with rollermines versus Combine soldiers.

Please?

 

[Danny_ZQ]

Yes, yes I would.

Close enough.

 

[ThePerson5]

Close enough.

Want.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

Honestly, I don't think Valve will announce anything this year. It's all about Steambox, Linux/steam pipe conversion and Dota 2, imo.

And I don't think Valve will debut a new game on the new engine other than Half-Life 3, because using something else on Source 2 would make HL3's impact less when it does get revealed. That said, I agree with James that the Half-Life 3 is a very long time away from being shown, or even mentioned. But we'll see.

 

[Dr. House]

Then what a poor year. DOTA 2 is practically released. With everyone giving copies away for free the only difference between the beta and the release is the name.
Linux is only relevant to 1% of people.
The SteamPipe conversion is irrelevant to the average user. Yeah, it's better, but it's not something the average Joe will see.

So basically the only interesting thing would be SteamBox... what a year. Compare that to 2004 or 2007...

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

It's very depressing. With Valve not attending E3, I don't see any big game announcements this summer.

 

[Vegeta897]

It's very depressing. With Valve not attending E3, I don't see any big game announcements this summer.

How would you be able to predict that?

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

I'm basing it on the past announcement/reveals of big games by Valve: Half-Life 2, Portal 2, Left 4 Dead 2, etc.

They've all been shown during E3, I doubt that would change. Inb4 Valvecon

 

[Vegeta897]

Oh, I thought you meant any game announcement.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

Nah, cause Dota 2, CSGO and Alien Swarm were not shown at a trade show, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[trunk_slamchest]

Half Life is becoming a dirty word around these parts.

like ****ing voldemort.