Half-Life 2 for Sale?

Valve sends an explanation for why Half-Life 2 is not being activated at this time in spite of the couple reports of it being available at retail already:
Half-Life 2 For Sale?

If you have purchased a copy of Half-Life 2, we are sorry you are still waiting to play. This is not Valve's choice. Vivendi is insisting that the game has not yet been released, and has threatened that Valve would be in violation of its contract if we activate the Half-Life 2 Steam authentication servers at this time.

Thanks for your patience and we will update you when we have more news to share.
View : : :
239 Replies. 12 pages. Viewing page 10.
Newer [  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  ] Older
59.
 
Re: No subject
Nov 13, 2004, 22:19
nin
59.
Re: No subject Nov 13, 2004, 22:19
Nov 13, 2004, 22:19
nin
 
If Steam wasn't a part of this, everyone would be playing HL2 right now...


That's exactly what the publisher wants you to remember. That's the only card they still hold at this point.

And if it wasn't for VU, we'd be playing through Steam RIGHT NOW.

Go figure...




http://www.placeboworld.co.uk
This comment was edited on Nov 13, 22:21.
58.
 
Re: No subject
Nov 13, 2004, 22:16
58.
Re: No subject Nov 13, 2004, 22:16
Nov 13, 2004, 22:16
 
Neelyman,

Thanks for setting me straight. Hope I didn't ruin your evening. Very smooth recovery though. You're a frosty one!

Sincerely,
Dr. Pissant Douche

57.
 
An Eye for an Eye...
Nov 13, 2004, 22:14
57.
An Eye for an Eye... Nov 13, 2004, 22:14
Nov 13, 2004, 22:14
 
http://www.vugames.com/contact.do

I say we all load up on VU and Vent our frustrations out on them Via- Email. eheheh

56.
 
An Eye for an Eye...
Nov 13, 2004, 22:14
56.
An Eye for an Eye... Nov 13, 2004, 22:14
Nov 13, 2004, 22:14
 
http://www.vugames.com/contact.do

I say we all load up on VU and Vent our frustrations out on them Via- Email. eheheh

55.
 
An Eye for and Eye...
Nov 13, 2004, 22:14
55.
An Eye for and Eye... Nov 13, 2004, 22:14
Nov 13, 2004, 22:14
 
http://www.vugames.com/contact.do

I say we all load up on VU and Vent our frustrations out on them Via- Email. eheheh

54.
 
So there I was...
Nov 13, 2004, 22:11
54.
So there I was... Nov 13, 2004, 22:11
Nov 13, 2004, 22:11
 
...in Northern Siberia, manning a RADAR station during the Winter of 2015. Feeling the pinch of nostalgia, I fired up my copy of Half-Life 2 on my laptop after a trouble-free install.

"Sorry, unable to connect to the Steam servers for authentication"

FECK!

***

I don't give a rats about their need to authenticate my copy. I want to be able to play this POS until the end of time if need be! Not just while the freaking authentication servers are up.

Honestly... this trend is shiiite.

53.
 
Re: No subject
Nov 13, 2004, 22:10
53.
Re: No subject Nov 13, 2004, 22:10
Nov 13, 2004, 22:10
 
Valve didn't have to sign any CONTRACT with V/U - or any other publisher if they wanted to sell the game via Steam...

This was a choice they made - as did they when saying last year that HL2 would be out September 30... and after pulling in as many ATI videocard sales as they could, finally admitted the game wasn't ready yet... Karma - it be a bitch...

If Steam wasn't a part of this, everyone would be playing HL2 right now...

52.
 
The Plot Thickens!!!!
Nov 13, 2004, 22:06
52.
The Plot Thickens!!!! Nov 13, 2004, 22:06
Nov 13, 2004, 22:06
 
ERR!!! I think is this the most talked about game EVER!!! YES, IM sitting here waiting for my copy of Half-Life 2 to be Unlocked on STEAM.. WHY CAN'T WE UNLOCK THIS NOW>>"because of money"... VU wants to hold off customers from buying off of Steam until all retail boxes reach the stores. And Valve wants to release the game now to make more money off of Steam.. Hmmm!! what a fucking mess this game turned out to be. I mean i hope the game isn't a fucking mess- imagine if this game does suck.. Wow!! Heads would roll.

51.
 
*shrug* Valve signed the agreement
Nov 13, 2004, 22:03
51.
*shrug* Valve signed the agreement Nov 13, 2004, 22:03
Nov 13, 2004, 22:03
 
So they need to live with it.

50.
 
Re: No subject
Nov 13, 2004, 22:01
nin
50.
Re: No subject Nov 13, 2004, 22:01
Nov 13, 2004, 22:01
nin
 
Venvendi has nothing to lose at this point. They know Valve wants to publish themselves through Steam, and this is their last jab at making Valve look bad to their customers.

What a bunch of assholes...If I was Gabe, I'd flick the damn switch anyway, just to give VU the middle finger.



http://www.placeboworld.co.uk
49.
 
Re: No subject
Nov 13, 2004, 21:58
49.
Re: No subject Nov 13, 2004, 21:58
Nov 13, 2004, 21:58
 
No, I know perfectly well what a street date is. And I'm very conscious of how the whole process works. I just didn't think I'd have to type a 10-page essay to get my point across because of some little pissant like you who only reads through these posts for a chance to flame someone. F*** off. Most people who read Blue's site know that release != shipping to retailers.

The only thing I was trying to say, and should have just typed a helluva lot more in the first place, was that VU is arguing semantics at this point. Saying that the game hasn't been released yet is bullshit otherwise we wouldn't be reading about people who have already purchased the game, would we?

I'm not confused about anything. And I hope you feel sooo much better since you've displayed such a fine understanding of the oh so complex process of releasing a game. What a douche.

48.
 
Re: No subject
Nov 13, 2004, 21:57
48.
Re: No subject Nov 13, 2004, 21:57
Nov 13, 2004, 21:57
 
For those people who have seen the retail boxes, do they have sticker or something prominently saying you need an internet connection to activate the game, or that it won't work until the 16th? Seems to me that they shouldn't hide something like Steam in the tiny system requirements font...
47.
 
activate this
Nov 13, 2004, 21:56
un4
47.
activate this Nov 13, 2004, 21:56
Nov 13, 2004, 21:56
un4
 
The whole idea of having to go online to activate a game i want to play offline sickens me...so ill save my 50 bucks
and dload the free version

46.
 
No subject
Nov 13, 2004, 21:45
46.
No subject Nov 13, 2004, 21:45
Nov 13, 2004, 21:45
 
Whoever it was who said this:

That's total crap. I work in retail and we've had our copies of HL2 in our security room for about 3 days now. Don't say it isn't released when it really is. If you wanna just say, "We can't activate it right now because the street date is Nov. 16th," then fine.

Having a job with a nametag doesn't mean you know the industry, obviously. Release dates are used for the distribution of music, movies, and video games for several reasons. One reason is, of course, to coincide with the machinations of marketing departments. But it also maintains a level playing field for all of those various retail vendors who expect to sell the product when it's fresh on the street.

It would be easy and understandable for one retail company, for example GameStop, to sue Vivendi if EB (as a company, not a few isolated franchise stores) broke the street date and Vivendi did not act on it.

There's also the fact that having a street date let's everyone in consumerland know when, in fact, we can expect to find the product on shelves. I'm sure as a retail employee you don't want to answer calls of "Is Mega-Action Bombface 4 in yet?!" weeks in advance of the game's arrival.

Also, you're apparently confused as to what a release date is. Just because many companies end up shipping the product to stores just in time for the release date doesn't mean that the release date is whenever the product arrives.



*edit*
...that's some bizarre markup
This comment was edited on Nov 13, 21:48.
45.
 
Relax, we understand j00
Nov 13, 2004, 21:34
45.
Relax, we understand j00 Nov 13, 2004, 21:34
Nov 13, 2004, 21:34
 
Folks, it seems to me the next "evil publisher" you'll be hearing a lot about is Valve themselves. Well, evil remains to be seen, but at a minimum I see them trying to leverage Steam as a legitimate product distribution channel as opposed to simply a piece of technology.

It's obvious they hate the old style model and if anything can shake up the antiquated retail model, Steam is it. Lots of developers are sick of the Vivendis and EAs of the world, and would far rather their publisher be a *developer* who "gets it." Not to mention, if you take pressing CDs, packaging, inventory, and the salaries of all those suits at head office out of the picture, it's a hell of a lot cheaper to create games that are distributed electronically. (The next obvious question is: Will electronic distribution result in a glut of low-quality games, when you no longer need to create a blockbuster to break even?)

Now the big question is whether Valve will only offer to be the distribution system, or whether they will bankroll projects as well. Heaven knows HL2 will be a money factory, it's not out of the question they will start doing some of the traditional things publishers do.

I'm no Valve flunkie, but I like anything that shakes up old-media oligarchies and forces them to listen to their customers for a change. I'm behind Valve 100% on this one...

44.
 
HL2 Install
Nov 13, 2004, 21:31
44.
HL2 Install Nov 13, 2004, 21:31
Nov 13, 2004, 21:31
 
I put this is the "HL2 Early?" thread, but I'll put it here too since I feel like bitching/whining about it.

Got the game from Best Buy, go to install, can't select the drive and directory? WTF? Am I mistaken, or is this the 21st century? JFC.


The truth is brutal. Prepare for pain.
This comment was edited on Nov 13, 21:32.
“Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.” -- Carl Sagan
43.
 
Re:
Nov 13, 2004, 21:29
43.
Re: Nov 13, 2004, 21:29
Nov 13, 2004, 21:29
 
Do you really think a judge is gonna listen to VU say "well Gabe said a few years ago when the technology wasn't available and that Steam couldn't handle online sales, and now 3 years later the technology is available. We want you to reverse your previous decision." The Judge will laugh in their face.


I hope and agree, but you never really know, do you? A judge made McDonald's pay because some fucktart spilled coffee in its own crotch. There's no telling what shit a judge will whip out.

42.
 
No subject
Nov 13, 2004, 21:28
42.
No subject Nov 13, 2004, 21:28
Nov 13, 2004, 21:28
 
and since the game is required to have an internet connection, even on the retail box...how come Valve can't just disable activation until 16th and make the whole issue moot?

a lot of people have an encrypted copy of HL2 and can't play it...tell me how having a CD and not being able to play it is any different?

41.
 
Re: StarForce? In a DEMO?
Nov 13, 2004, 21:28
41.
Re: StarForce? In a DEMO? Nov 13, 2004, 21:28
Nov 13, 2004, 21:28
 
Just because Vavle says they can't don't mean it is true.

They could just be blowing smoke, and they didn't have the needed people in the server rooms ready for the storm. After all, they might have thought it is the 16th, no ifs ands or buts, so they sent everyone home.

*blink*

*blink*

----------------------------------------------------------------------
What Would Fred Do?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Both the “left” and the “right” pretend they have the answer, but they are mere flippers on the same thalidomide baby, and the truth is that neither side has a clue."

- Jim Goad
Avatar 10137
40.
 
Re:
Nov 13, 2004, 21:22
40.
Re: Nov 13, 2004, 21:22
Nov 13, 2004, 21:22
 
prove to me that Vivendi actually released the game and that its not just some greedy retail shop jumping the gun and you'd have a valid arguement.

till then, its all hype..just like HL2

239 Replies. 12 pages. Viewing page 10.
Newer [  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  ] Older