Why you should consider not being mad at Valve

B

bamboo

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Valve might not have done anything wrong at all. In fact, the opposite could be true. Vivendi Universal Games could have played a larger role in the postponed release then most are giving credit for.

Valve in the past has treated it's customers and fans with companionship. The amount of fan and developer communication is rare. Gabe Newell has gone as far as publishing his phone number on the boards for people to get in touch with him. Movies and specs have been provided, tons of interviews granted and most directed at small community based outlets. These are not traits of a company that would lie about making a release days before they announce a postponement.

Valve's publisher Vivendi Universal Games is one of the largest distributors of video games. Vivendi Games earned 794 million euros in the fiscal year of 2002. Their releases are managed by a team of market analyst and assorted other sleazy people that's sole concern is to absolutely maximize profits. If market indicators showed that a release date of winter would increase over all sales by 0.1%, then they would force it to be released in winter.

If something like this happened Valve would most likely fight it. Both organization would position them selves accordingly. Valve would act like the September date was valid and Vivendi would make a press release that the release date was set back. Both of which happened. The point I'm trying to make is Valve has been decent to their fans in the past and their might be something that is forcing them not to release that they can't openly talk about.
 
Valve said that there were some major bugs in it, so Valve and Vivendi both said "US holidays", when is IT!?
 
Speculation. I'm not a huge fan of publisher giants, either. But you can't just blindly blame Vivendi for what happened, without any facts whatsoever.

I still wuv Mister Newell.
 
Vivendi IS NOT running the show, Valve own them (hehe) anything Valve say Vivendi have to follow.
(im just saying for anyone who thinks Vivendi did it all.)
 
They themselves should clear it up and say it was vivendy who said that and this who did that and the game is done but that and that.

To clarify things up.
 
Valve needs to stop giving out all of their information through emails and start making official statements.
 
Originally posted by BWMASTER
They themselves should clear it up and say it was vivendy who said that and this who did that and the game is done but that and that.

To clarify things up.

Thats goodly clearings up for me, understands much is very goodly.
thanks :)
 
Well do most game developers divulge the reason for delay? I think what most of us really care about is when it'll actually come out.
 
Originally posted by spitcodfry
Well do most game developers divulge the reason for delay? I think what most of us really care about is when it'll actually come out.
GG spitcodfry
 
Originally posted by Solus
Valve needs to stop giving out all of their information through emails and start making official statements.

But it's so much more fun this way :D
 
yeah i don't get that either........ why are they announcing everything via e-mails...
 
I wasn't making an accusation against Vivendi of wrong doing. I was making a hypothetically plausible story to illustrate my point.

And Vivendi, has far as distribution goes, is running the show. Valve and Vivendi would have signed contracts months ago. It's the way the business model works.
 
yeah it's strange. what was the last official press statement? it seems like everything thats been said in the past two months has been hearsay, emails, info from "reliable sources" and just rumours. Not that it didn't happen, its just strange.
 
Originally posted by Gordon'sFreeman
Thats goodly clearings up for me, understands much is very goodly.
thanks :)

Don't make fun of my spelling of vivendy, they aren't that important so I don't really pay attention to the spelling of it, see :p

Now you're happy :)
 
Gabe missed the release date and thus forfeited his right recieve the 70 virgins .. :(
 
Originally posted by spitcodfry
Well do most game developers divulge the reason for delay?
Most developers don't promise a specific release date up to a week before it's supposed to be released, either, but I guess Valve isn't like other developers. Funny, up till today I always considered that a good thing.

Seriously, the way they've been jerking our chains for the past six months, I'd say we deserve an explanation for this "last minute" delay.
 
if they gave info about why its delayed, that would be the equivalent of throwing baby chickens into a swimming pool full of piranhas to calm them down :D
 
Originally posted by Mountain Man
Most developers don't promise a specific release date up to a week before it's supposed to be released, either, but I guess Valve isn't like other developers. Funny, up till today I always considered that a good thing.

Seriously, the way they've been jerking our chains for past six months, I'd say we deserve an explanation for this delay.

100% Agree
 
yes, an explanation would be nice and I'm sure we will get one soon. They are having two press events coming up, this Friday and of course September 30th. I am willing to bet that the delay wil be explained then.
 
Originally posted by dis
100% Agree
Ditto.

I mean come on. We asked and they gave us information...then all of a sudden they stop? I was quite amazed at all the emails Gabe and Co. was responding to and the apparent "relationship" the main man was having with the games fans. Then....crickets.

Im not "mad" at them just a little disappointed.

But hey what the hell do I know.
 
qckbeam that avatar really freaks me out. I have GOT to get that DVD.
 
Originally posted by qckbeam
yes, an explanation would be nice and I'm sure we will get one soon. They are having two press events coming up, this Friday and of course September 30th. I am willing to bet that the delay wil be explained then.

Well, while neither of those is really their press event (one is the Tokyo Game Show and the other is an ATi event at Alcatraz), I hope some gaming journalist will have the balls to ask Valve why they decided to be so misleading with their fanbase(or just ask why it's been delayed now and why they waited to tell us). But unless someone straight up asks them, then I don't think they'll tell us. Even then I wouldn't be surprised if they just dodge the question or altogether avoid interviews because of this whole fiasco.
 
Originally posted by Aknot
Ditto.

I mean come on. We asked and they gave us information...then all of a sudden they stop? I was quite amazed at all the emails Gabe and Co. was responding to and the apparent "relationship" the main man was having with the games fans. Then....crickets.

Im not "mad" at them just a little disappointed.

But hey what the hell do I know.

You took all of the exact words, RIGHT out of my mouth. That is EXACTLY (can't stress that enough, hehe, it's bizzare) how I feel.
 
Yeah, I'm not holding my breath for an explanation. In fact, I suspect Valve is going to lay low for the next few months and then one day out of the blue, announce the game has gone gold.

Unfortunately, they've taken a lot of the fun of following the game's progress from us. I can't believe they blew this one so badly.
 
words to listen to bamboo.

I agree. even a few bugs wouldn't smack the release date back a few months.

Gues it was an outside source.

be nice to know what really was happening.
 
Originally posted by bamboo
Valve might not have done anything wrong at all. In fact, the opposite could be true. Vivendi Universal Games could have played a larger role in the postponed release then most are giving credit for.

Valve in the past has treated it's customers and fans with companionship. The amount of fan and developer communication is rare. Gabe Newell has gone as far as publishing his phone number on the boards for people to get in touch with him. Movies and specs have been provided, tons of interviews granted and most directed at small community based outlets. These are not traits of a company that would lie about making a release days before they announce a postponement.

Valve's publisher Vivendi Universal Games is one of the largest distributors of video games. Vivendi Games earned 794 million euros in the fiscal year of 2002. Their releases are managed by a team of market analyst and assorted other sleazy people that's sole concern is to absolutely maximize profits. If market indicators showed that a release date of winter would increase over all sales by 0.1%, then they would force it to be released in winter.

If something like this happened Valve would most likely fight it. Both organization would position them selves accordingly. Valve would act like the September date was valid and Vivendi would make a press release that the release date was set back. Both of which happened. The point I'm trying to make is Valve has been decent to their fans in the past and their might be something that is forcing them not to release that they can't openly talk about.

Too late I'm mad. I did all my upgrades on time for HL2, which was $1,250, now its not comming out? You'd be dissapointed to a-hole.
 
I demand an explanation for the unprofessional public relations campaign valve has run.
 
Originally posted by Seikeden
what was the last official press statement?

well, I guess if you count thinks spoken in person to news magazines at conferences, then ECTS at the end of august. before that, E3. But if you don't count those, and only count official press releases, then they have never made one re: HL2.

Even Vivendi never made one (at least it isn't listed on their site, though there are 100s of press releases)
 
An explination as to why the game was delayed I think will be give on 30/9. BAD customer relations.
 
Originally posted by Seikeden
if they gave info about why its delayed, that would be the equivalent of throwing baby chickens into a swimming pool full of piranhas to calm them down :D
Very nice analogy!
It's true that things are pretty f*cked up right now, but they HAVE to make an announcement/explanation/apology soon or they'll simply piss people off even MORE.
 
Yes, but one important question arises. Are the chickens alive?
 
Originally posted by Ares
Yes, but one important question arises. Are the chickens alive?

and if not have they been cooked already?! :eek:
 
Yes, salmon's illa is bad for health of yun grasshoppa on spreen day
 
Originally posted by Ares
Yes, but one important question arises. Are the chickens alive?
Yes, they ARE alive. Which makes things even worse.
 
Dear Sith lord!! What will we do about the chickens!?! Everytime a delay is mentioned, some god kills a chicken!
 
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