When would it have to go gold by to make Sep 30?

[spitcodfry]

I've been reading all manner of opinions in regard to this topic, and am pretty confused, to say the least. When a game goes gold, how long does it usually take for it to be sent off to the pressing factories and into the stores? In other words, what date at the latest would Half-Life 2 have to go gold by in order to make the Sep 30 mark?

 

[Ralphus]

2 or 3 weeks, so it should go gold by the end of this week or very soon afterwards to make that date.

 

[Kamakiri]

On the way home in the car shopping I was thinking about this.

Warcraft III: Frozen throne was a full month. You know something Gold announcement could be any day now maybe...

But I think usually companies only need two weeks. pressing is done all around the world aswell.

 

[spitcodfry]

Originally posted by Ralphus
2 or 3 weeks, so it should go gold by the end of this week or very soon afterwards to make that date.

I hope it goes gold this next week. To get just that affirmation that its gonna be here by the end of the month will let me rest easy. I don't doubt the powers that be at Valve as far as that date goes, but it would sure take a load off of my mind anyhow.

 

[infin|ty]

2-3 weeks? It takes a couple days to bust out the actually disks and boxes. Shipping might take days-week depending on location. They have some time to tweak still.

 

[Goombatommy]

With UT2K3, it took less than a week to go gold, send off to publish, to ship to stores, and was on store shelves 3 days before offical release date. Anything can happen.

 

[spitcodfry]

Originally posted by Goombatommy
With UT2K3, it took less than a week to go gold, send off to publish, to ship to stores, and was on store shelves 3 days before offical release date. Anything can happen.

Well I certainly hope this is the case for Half-Life 2. Probably just wishful thinking, though. I was on the boards at planet half-life today and some appear to think that the new Radeon 9800 XT will ship with Half-Life 2 on Sep 15. How, exactly, is a game that hasn't gone gold yet, going to be on store shelves in less than ten days? Not to mention that according to some on there, that it will only be available with the XT on that date? WTF is up with that?

 

[Goombatommy]

well, we can look at that only as rumors. I didnt even know that the 9800TX was going to be released in Sept.? I heard more later November, early December.

 

[papa jake]

They wouldn't not tell everyone about it going gold, would they?

 

[spitcodfry]

Originally posted by papa jake
They wouldn't not tell everyone about it going gold, would they?

I don't think so. T'would be a bad marketing decision. Unless, of course, that they manage to pull off some insanely original and mind-boggling publicity stunt at Alcatraz, like having dudes dressed in Combine outfits rappeling down from helicopters, to imprison the bulk of the international gaming press. That would garner a few news spots, I'd think.

 

[Xtasy0]

do you guys remember when ut2k3 was almost done, cliffyb has the webcams in their offices, and they had that light message board and people could change the text on it (from an applet on the website), and like, when the game went gold cliffyb made a sign and held it up, and then everyone rejoiced...ahh those were the days.

 

[Typhon]

conspiracy theoryies aside, I think we'll know as soon as it goes gold.

 

[spitcodfry]

Originally posted by Xtasy0
ahh those were the days.

What, like a year ago? Maybe less? Speaking of gone gold stuff, I remember reading an article (maybe IGN) around the time HL went gold five years ago, and it showed a big multiplayer deathmatch party that Valve was throwing in their offices. Cool pics of Gabe and Co having a go at each other via DM.

 

[papa jake]

[OT]Xtasy0, is that Trent Rezner in your avy? VERY talented musician!:thumbs:[/OT]

 

[Sunbeam]

If u hear no word from the 13-16th thats its gone gold, consider it delayed.

 

[nsxownzme]

WTF does going ''gold'' mean?

 

[spitcodfry]

Originally posted by nsxownzme
WTF does going ''gold'' mean?

When a game has been decreed finished. In other words, the game's head designers make a decision that the game is of enough satisfaction and quality to be made for mass production. They make a master copy of the final product, or a 'gold' copy, that they send off to the press warehouses for mass-production.

EDIT: The only period now that would prevent Half-Life 2 from going gold in time for its projected Sep 30th date is if Valve finds any bugs that are of so significant a nature, AND that they cannot be resolved before going gold in time. I remember reading an interview with Lombardi (think that's who it was, someone correct me if I'm wrong) and he said the current stage they're in right now is playtesting. The game itself is finished, they just have to ensure that they're no bugs in it. Then it can go gold if they find none. Even if they miss some, they probably won't be that big, and can easily be fixed with a patch download later.

 

[nsxownzme]

kthnx

 

[Chris D]

Originally posted by spitcodfry
When a game has been decreed finished. In other words, the game's head designers make a decision that the game is of enough satisfaction and quality to be made for mass production. They make a master copy of the final product, or a 'gold' copy, that they send off to the press warehouses for mass-production.

EDIT: The only period now that would prevent Half-Life 2 from going gold in time for its projected Sep 30th date is if Valve finds any bugs that are of so significant a nature, AND that they cannot be resolved before going gold in time. I remember reading an interview with Lombardi (think that's who it was, someone correct me if I'm wrong) and he said the current stage they're in right now is playtesting. The game itself is finished, they just have to ensure that they're no bugs in it. Then it can go gold if they find none. Even if they miss some, they probably won't be that big, and can easily be fixed with a patch download later.

patch download? pffft

Automatic Steam update!

 

[Goombatommy]

Originally posted by Sunbeam
If u hear no word from the 13-16th thats its gone gold, consider it delayed.

Yea,I agree with you. Chances are, they'll just keep their mouths shut, and either announce is later on when all is said and done.

 

[Feath]

Originally posted by Sunbeam
If u hear no word from the 13-16th thats its gone gold, consider it delayed.

No you bloody hell won't.

Just because Valve doesn't announce it's gone Gold by a certain date, don't consider it delayed.

Particularly with the dates you have given. I mean, Half Life went Gold on the 7th and was released on the 11th. That's only 4 days between the Gold Date and the Release date.

I may strangle people who post on the 17th "Well, it hasn't gone yet, consider Half Life 2 delayed". There isn't a Law where Valve have to tell you it's gone gold.

Your post should've said this. "If you can't buy it on 30th September, consider it delayed".

 

[Mountain Man]

Originally posted by Sunbeam
If u hear no word from the 13-16th thats its gone gold, consider it delayed.

And you know this how?