when HL2 goes gold...

[andrew_e1]

hello,

do you guys know if that when the game goes gold, will they put it on steam first no matter the game is still not on shelves, or will they wait till its on shelves, then release it on steam...

cause i think there will be a reasonable amount of time of production from vivendi etc...


what do you guys think?

greets

 

[Neutrino]

It wil preload on steam early, but it will release both on steam and in stores at the same time I believe. I've read this, but I don't have time to go search for it.

 

[Johnny]

Of what I read around they are going to "preload" it on steam before it hits shelves then release it after it does hit the shelves. Dono I may be misunderstanding. I would like some clarification on this also.

 

[63]

Simultaneous world-wide release.

 

[Apos]

Six Three is correct. The scenario he describes is 100% likely unless some sort of crazy war breaks out between Vivendi and Valve.

 

[Cutey_Kaite]

It seems like when it'll go gold preloading will begin, and then maybe 2 weeks later the game will be avaliable.

 

[Gossoon]

It seems like when it'll go gold preloading will begin, and then maybe 2 weeks later the game will be avaliable.

I agree. Probably 3 or 4 weeks. But I'm just cranky.

 

[blahblahblah]

Has anybody else thought that Vivendi could be getting a chunk from steam sales? After all, I bet Vivendi has a line in their contract stating that they get a certain percentage from each sale of HL2 (regardless of how it is sold). For all we know, Vivendi could be secretly supporting steam. Think about it, Vivendi/Valve can charge $50 for HL2 without having to produce all of the game boxes, manuals, and CD's. Since they have to produce fewer physical assets, it improves Vivendi's/Valve's bottom line.

On topic, I bet Valve will start preloading HL2 about a four to six weeks before release. Think about it, preloading over 3 Gb of data (thats a guesstimate) on over 1,278,604 computers (number grabbed from steampowered.com).

 

[Apos]

It's possible blahblahblah, but I can't imagine that Valve would really sign up for something like that. I DO think that's more likely a possibility for steam sales of HL1, where Valve wrote the contract long before they knew HL1 would be such a huge hit.

 

[jimbones]

"snip" over 1,278,604 computers (number grabbed from steampowered.com).

And that's just the number of people who have steam currently installed. Think of the people who will sign up for steam because of hl2..

 

[FoxDie]

True, but you have to subtract the amount of people that will buy it in stores. Plus the people who only use Steam for CS, etc. and aren't too interested in HL2. But I see your point, there is as potential for a massive amount of people to install Steam for HL2.

 

[Shuzer]

Simultaneous world-wide release.

Six Three is correct. The scenario he describes is 100% likely unless some sort of crazy war breaks out between Vivendi and Valve.

I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I don't recall a game EVER shipping worldwide at the same time. It's more than likely to come out in the states first.. I could be wrong, but I'm sure a majority of people will have to wait atleast a few days before they're able to get it outside of the states, unless through Steam

 

[Iced_Eagle]

The second it goes gold, they will probably start streaming content, but it won't be unlocked until 12:01am the morning of release, their time probably so like 2:01am is when I officially will start my play time hopefully

I'm sure valve and vivendi get a larger portion of sales when sold over Steam, but they may reduce the price a few bucks due to the fact that there's no physical game you can hold really.

Man I hope VALVe is going to add a few more servers for all those that will pre-load it... Maybe they have a good compression method figured out, besides zip

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I don't recall a game EVER shipping worldwide at the same time. It's more than likely to come out in the states first.. I could be wrong, but I'm sure a majority of people will have to wait atleast a few days before they're able to get it outside of the states, unless through Steam

When tthe game goes Gold, a duplicate of the master disk is shipped to duplication plants across the world. In theory, each region is ready for release on the same day. However, there can be delays with localisation, and countries like the UK have strange laws that mean games can only be released on a Friday (absolutely true)

So although they may be aiming for a simultaneous worldwide release, and it's technically possible, it doesn't usually work out like that.

 

[obiwanquinobi]

Has anybody else thought that Vivendi could be getting a chunk from steam sales? After all, I bet Vivendi has a line in their contract stating that they get a certain percentage from each sale of HL2 (regardless of how it is sold). For all we know, Vivendi could be secretly supporting steam. Think about it, Vivendi/Valve can charge $50 for HL2 without having to produce all of the game boxes, manuals, and CD's. Since they have to produce fewer physical assets, it improves Vivendi's/Valve's bottom line.

On topic, I bet Valve will start preloading HL2 about a four to six weeks before release. Think about it, preloading over 3 Gb of data (thats a guesstimate) on over 1,278,604 computers (number grabbed from steampowered.com).

I'd second all of the above -

 

[FoxDie]

Well at least Steam helps make it possible for us to all get the game at the same time. I have a copy of HL2 reserved at a local game store...but I wouldn't be surprised with myself at all if I ended up preloading it and playing it the minute it came out

 

[iamaelephant]

Dunno what you guys are on about with world wide releases, but they absolutely work. I live in New Zealand, where most things come late, but we get alot of games released on the same day as you guys. The cool thing is we usually end up playing them before you, because we're about 20 hours ahead of USA

 

[poseyjmac]

i think all the first ones who play hl2 will be from everywhere in the world, since there will be people downloading it from steam right when its available.

 

[Kouler]

Steam or not, it's gonna go gold very soon.

 

[deathryuu]

erm i just want this damn game NOW...im running out of games to play..all ive got left now is natural selection...if i get bored of that ill go insane from lack of good games to play.

 

[FoxDie]

It does seem that a large number of highly anticipated games are being released mid to late year. We are in a bit of a game "dryspell" right now

 

[andungen]

sorry for this stupid question, but to preload hl2, i don't have to buy thru steam?i mean, i can download it, go to the store and buy the ratail version and enter the cd-key right?

 

[Apos]

Yes, you can buy the retail.

Basically, think of steam and the cd in the box as the same thing. Steam downloads content onto your hard drive, and the cd installs content onto your harddrive.

Next, think about your credit card on steam, and the cd key in the retail box, as the same thing. The credit card purchase enables you to play the game you bought, and the CD key enables you to play the game you bought. These things are all interchangeable: they play the same functions, just through different mediums.

Supposedly, you can even download all the content for a game, and then enable it via a retail box key: using steam to get the content, and the cd key to authenticate your ownership and right to play the content. That might seem a bit silly (since installing off a cd might be faster) but you could probably do it. Dunno if it works the other way: if you can get a friends' cd, install, and then purchase the game via steam. Probably not, since the cd install probably requires that you put in a cd key first before it will actually install the content onto your computer.

 

[Seppo]

All I know is that the number of heart attacks will be tripled when Half-Life 2 goes gold

 

[Yen Lo Wang]

All I know is that the number of heart attacks will be tripled when Half-Life 2 goes gold

Media frenzy... Crowbar related murders up 150% since the release of the devil game HL2, we here advise parents to not allow thier children to play this vile game

 

[iamaelephant]

How will Steam decide who to preload the game to? It would seem an aweful waste of bandwidth if they just upload it to every Steam user then asked if you wanted it or not. Will a little box, or icon, in Steam pop up that asks if you want it preloaded?

 

[Vegeta897]

How will Steam decide who to preload the game to? It would seem an aweful waste of bandwidth if they just upload it to every Steam user then asked if you wanted it or not. Will a little box, or icon, in Steam pop up that asks if you want it preloaded?

I think it will be like CG, it will be in available games or game ready for preloading or something like that.

 

[RogueShadow]

I think it will be like CG, it will be in available games or game ready for preloading or something like that.

I'm going to say, yeah. I think that's what's going to happen.

It's going to be tempting just to buy it on steam asap and play that seconds, but I would rather wait for some time to get to a store and buy the collector's edition.

 

[Hazar]

I'm almost positive that it will be an option to preload it. Look at the people who don't want 3 gb or so taken up on their hd. Thoes people would be really pissed espically if they didn't know what was going on.

 

[ACLeroK212]

Dunno if it works the other way: if you can get a friends' cd, install, and then purchase the game via steam. Probably not, since the cd install probably requires that you put in a cd key first before it will actually install the content onto your computer.

well if it's anything like the first half-life it won't ask for the key until you boot up the game so i guess that method would technically work too.

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

Jesus.... I just realised how much I want this game..... again! :rolling:

 

[Dr. Freeman]

I'm almost positive that it will be an option to preload it. Look at the people who don't want 3 gb or so taken up on their hd. Thoes people would be really pissed espically if they didn't know what was going on.

yeah.. Valve mentioned (i can't remember where i read it.. somewhere on this forum) they have implemented a system where Steam asks if u would like to pre-load HL2.

so if ur on 56k and don't feel like downloading a 3gb (or more) or if u don't have the space right away.. u have the option not to pre-load.

 

[Moejoe]

Haha i just thought of something. Will half life 2 going gold be one of those moments that you remember forever? You will know exactly where you were, and what was going on when you heard the good news. Me, i probably will be on my ass, in front of my computer. And i'll remember that for the rest of my life

 

[iamaelephant]

Haha i just thought of something. Will half life 2 going gold be one of those moments that you remember forever? You will know exactly where you were, and what was going on when you heard the good news. Me, i probably will be on my ass, in front of my computer. And i'll remember that for the rest of my life

No.

10charlim

 

[Alec_85]

Haha i just thought of something. Will half life 2 going gold be one of those moments that you remember forever? You will know exactly where you were, and what was going on when you heard the good news. Me, i probably will be on my ass, in front of my computer. And i'll remember that for the rest of my life

I will probably remember it for a while. Not much to remember though. It'll standard procedure just like when I buy another big game.

The store will be open until late after midnight on the releaseday. I'll go in to the store around dinner. I'll be in the top 5 of the guys first in line as always I'll get the game maybe 00:15 & then go home by bike (yuck over 10 kilometers...) most likely. Then I'll collapse & won't play the game until the next day (unless I drink 3 m^3 of cola while at the store or something).

Just like every other time I go there

 

[CrazyHarij]

I wonder what the staff guys are going to do when the game goes gold, and where they'll go on vacation.

 

[goldenboi]

This sh*t had better come out before September b/c I don't wanna get addicted when I'm in skool

 

[63]

This sh*t had better come out before September b/c I don't wanna get addicted when I'm in skool

Why not? Then you could spend your free time thinking about HL2 instead of doing your homework (which you were never going to do anyway )

 

[Seppo]

Why not? Then you could spend your free time thinking about HL2 instead of doing your homework (which you were never going to do anyway )

Yeah, but my last year in highscool is gonna start in August, so I better start doing homework.

 

[Kouler]

Owned.

10 character limit...