Is that Doctor (Kleiner?), the really nerdy cat killer, up where the mindwashing leader used to be?

Kinda cool. Aftermath was a perfect name.

-------------
Doomriders: the first new band worth a signature - http://www.deathwishinc.com/

Bring forth Assley Putz, and let him stomp his feet and act like a five year old once more...

And yes, I know that's not fair. That gives five year olds everywhere a bad name...

Better make it "two year old"...

--------------------------------------------------------------
GW: Nilaar Madalla, lvl 20 R/Mo / Tolyl Nor, lvl 20 E/Mo / Xylos Gath, lvl 13 W/Mo

http://www.goldfrapp.co.uk/

Roger that.

Kleiner takes over the "Breencast" system after the assault on the Citadel to warn the population of City 17 to get the hell out of Dodge before the Citadel goes critical and wipes the place out

hmmm... still need to get back to beating HL2...

discusses Half-Life 2: Episode One, discussing the plot and describing their frustration at Half-Life 2's six-year development cycle as one reason for the move to episodic content.

Wow Gabe, that touched me. I almost believe it myself.



Episode 1: $20
Episode 2: $20
Episode 3: $20
Episode 4: $20
Episode 5: $20
Episode 6: $20
Episode 7: $20
Episode 8: $20
Alyx Desktop Collection & Mini-game Episode 9: $15
HL2-Episode Source SDK for Mod-Makers: $129
Alyx, Gordon, Barney, Dogg action figures: $80 total
Official Strategy Guide: $20
Episode 10 Finale: $35
Gabe Newell Autographed Crowbar: $50

Zeph is actually equally crazy in all of this.


I mean, the point of episodes being too short is fine.
But the point of there being too many episodes isn't.
Many episodes, if they were priced right for the content, is a wonderful thing.

Zeph leaves out price for the content, though, and just whines about price for the amount.


Let me be the first to say that, if Valve gave us 8 8-10 hour episodes at $20 a pop I'd be all for it. 70 or so hours of FPS for $160 isn't unreasonable.
It doesn't look like Valve is doing that, but Zeph leaves that crucial part out of his arguments, making him look like a dumbass.

-------------
Doomriders: the first new band worth a signature - http://www.deathwishinc.com/

Let's hope they don't spend the same amount of time making the second or third episodes as they did with the first. Otherwise, no one is going to care.

I recently said I wouldn't pay $20 for the episodes. Then I started playing HL and HL2 again the other day.

I'll pay pretty much whatever they charge. I love the HL series....I am officially Valve's bitch.

Now I just gotta build a new rig since I've never been able to play it with any AA or AF...

---
Xfire: GreySpire
GW: Alia Arjel Mo/Me

Bring forth Assley Putz, and let him stomp his feet and act like a five year old once more...

It beats your acting like a three year old by trying to taunt him. If you have a problem with Riley, wait until he actually posts in the thread and then spew your kiddie crap. Otherwise shut your hole or stay on topic.

By the way Riley's nick is an obvious pun, and the best name you could come up with to make fun of it is "Assley Putz." You're pathetic. I guess you'll have to wait until you get to grade school before you learn some good insults.

Let me be the first to say that you are blind. You conveniently forget that some other game developers produce way better games in a shorter timespan and gives the player wonderful hours of it without charging the player exorbitant prices.

I wonder if it were another developer, would you say the same thing or start flaming them for it.

To me, it does seem to look like Valve is milking their cash cow for all that it's worth. They have spent quite a number of years building the new engine and putting in new technology in such as hi-def and such, so why can't they use what they have built and produce good content with a good amount of gameplay hours and make it in to a longer game rather than breaking it up in to episodes. They're saying that Half-Life 2 took 6 years to make, which I believe was due to the engine, physics and gameplay mechanics, not content.
Now that they already have the base to build the content, why aren't they using it to make a longer game in a shorter time ? Most of the features are already in place (Object Oriented anyone), so all they actually need to do is create the story, design the gameplay, create a bit of new art, make the plot, etc.

Well the answer is simple. They want more money for less work. It's simple as that, and they will keep doing it as long as people like you seem to agree with their methods.

Let me ask you this question, would you rather pay $20 for one episode (How many episodes are there going to be ?) or a full game for $49.99-59.99 ?

It beats your acting like a three year old by trying to taunt him. If you have a problem with Riley, wait until he actually posts in the thread and then spew your kiddie crap. Otherwise shut your hole or stay on topic.

If Riley's whining and Valve bashing wasn't inevitable you'd have a point... as it is you are wrong and they are right.

To me, it does seem to look like Valve is milking their cash cow for all that it's worth.

Yeah, because it's been a year and a half and we've been flooded with Valve's episodic content... oh wait, no we haven't. Can we please stop bitching about this? If the content is shit or overpriced then it will fail, if the content is good then gamers are happy and Valve is happy - where's the problem? By all means slag Valve off for lying, missing deadlines, shipping games with barely any content, etc, but not for something that hasn't even happened and doesn't matter anyway.

I know I'd be happy to pay money for the continuation to the story but only if it is worth it to me... if it's overpriced then I'll just go find the torrent.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Emotinomicon: Emoticons of the Dead

I want a Dogg action figure

It beats your acting like a three year old by trying to taunt him. If you have a problem with Riley, wait until he actually posts in the thread and then spew your kiddie crap. Otherwise shut your hole or stay on topic.

Assley has an alt nick - Whoo-hoo!



--------------------------------------------------------------
GW: Nilaar Madalla, lvl 20 R/Mo / Tolyl Nor, lvl 20 E/Mo / Xylos Gath, lvl 13 W/Mo

http://www.goldfrapp.co.uk/

And I want an Alyx blow-up doll.

Now that they already have the base to build the content, why aren't they using it to make a longer game in a shorter time ? Most of the features are already in place (Object Oriented anyone), so all they actually need to do is create the story, design the gameplay, create a bit of new art, make the plot, etc.

From what I've read, their goal is to extend the engine a bit as they go along, like they've already done to add HDR in various places. Thus the Source engine of Episode 10: Gabe Needs a New Ferrari will be snazzier than the original HL2 incarnation of source.

Plus they can't spend two years developing new content using the plain old HL2 engine, or it will look bad when they release it. They have to keep upgrading the engine, one way or the other.

Let me ask you this question, would you rather pay $20 for one episode (How many episodes are there going to be ?) or a full game for $49.99-59.99 ?

Well, that depends on the amount of content in the episode, doesn't it? If it's half of a full game then clearly the episode. If it's less then, well, probably the full game, if only because I won't buy it until it's much cheaper.

The amount of episodes is irrelevant and I can't understand why this keeps coming up. If the demand is there Valve will meet it. Milking? Not if people want it. Only if they saturate the market. And there's clearly demand for more HL.


The problem with episodes is in the amount v. price, and the time between. If everything was perfect we'd get 8-10 hours for $20 every year or just under. How could you complain about that?

The problem is in getting 4-6 hours of the same price in almost any time. You're paying a bit too much and, right when you get into the game, it ends and you're left unsatisfied. Episodic content only works in certain ways. This is why it's so rare in most media - people don't like waiting, especially if it's right when they begin to get into something.

-------------
Doomriders: the first new band worth a signature - http://www.deathwishinc.com/

You'd think that girl would be pissed off at Freeman by now, yet every time I see her she has a smile on her face... I think there is something going on we're not seeing.

I hope GwJ sends someone to review the first episode, I'd like to see some comments based in reality about this thing.

And I'm sick to death of their updates. Just be quiet until your game is done, then come out and say, here it is, and all your fans can buy it.

Mr. Pibb & Red Vines = Crazy Delicious

And I'm sick to death of their updates

True. The numerous steam updates concerning these valve titles and the corresponding news item they trigger make the development times seem even longer.

Released on Steam??
No money for you then.