MagicWithEarvin
Member
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Marc Laidlaw reveals Half-Life 2 Episode 3's story synopsis
- Thread starter dex3108
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Rickenslacker
Banned
You don't have to imagine, the actual note the series died on was far worse.
Valve can't make games any more and outside of the first Half Life game they never have.
They steal or purchase ideas or modify them just enough so they are their own. Then instead of treating their customers like any other company they move their desk to another beta and project that will never come out. The cycle repeats itself and game devs go their to collect benefits once they are focused on retiring and enjoy the perks of having happy hour in Hawaii for a week.
Bottom line is they have no pressure to change and no pressure to their customers. They basically have fans create content for Dota2, CSGo, and TF2.
Its still a far better place to end than Episode 2.
Manabanana
Member
I'd rather the blog post than an ND take on Half-Life.
truestatic
Member
Betrayed is a strong word. She took a way out that was not available to you. At worst she regretfully abandoned you to a fate she could do nothing to save you from.
guybrushfreeman
Unconfirmed Member
AHA-Lambda
Member
It's been said a million times before but yeah we were never entitled to anything and all that, but really the worst part is Valve's attitude more than anything. It stinks.
After all this time, heck much before even, it's clear it was dead. But they stayed mum, or even hinted that if you just kept waiting it would all work out.
Business decisions can be argued and fairly rationalised, but Valve's treatment of its fans has been simply and utterly shameful.
Even an admittance that it wasn't happening would have been more closure than anything we've had from them. Instead people have sat on tinterhooks since 2007 and less than even an acknowledgment from them.
And now we sit here reading the end to one of gaming's perennial series as a blog post. Pathetic.
After all this time, heck much before even, it's clear it was dead. But they stayed mum, or even hinted that if you just kept waiting it would all work out.
Business decisions can be argued and fairly rationalised, but Valve's treatment of its fans has been simply and utterly shameful.
Even an admittance that it wasn't happening would have been more closure than anything we've had from them. Instead people have sat on tinterhooks since 2007 and less than even an acknowledgment from them.
And now we sit here reading the end to one of gaming's perennial series as a blog post. Pathetic.
disappeared
Banned
That sounded pretty cool.
The cliffhanger I guess solidifies that Episode 3 was not somehow morphed into full blown HL3.
The cliffhanger I guess solidifies that Episode 3 was not somehow morphed into full blown HL3.
Valve traded on the goodwill of the Portal/HL fanbase until they didn't need them anymore.
Absolutely. This is 100x a more satisfying note to end on than EP2's. Do I still want to know the nature of G-man? Sure. But I can deal.
CharminUltra
Member
I speel my dreenk
Member
Whoa... shit. I kinda gave up on an actual game ever materializing a while ago, but this sounds like it would've been an incredible conclusion. Can't believe this is just out there now - but I'll take it 
That last paragraph, holy fuck. Wow, wow.
That last paragraph, holy fuck. Wow, wow.
If they were a publicly-traded company then I think there's no doubt that they would've made another Half-Life. Guaranteed 10 mil+ sales, a massive boon for their online platform, and a launch-pad for new tech? No other publisher, given the means to do so, would not make that game. External pressure from external stakeholders has its upsides.
Frozenprince
Banned
I think it just stopping mid-story is honestly better than pointing towards way more shit happening then never ever getting anything after that.
RoyaleDuke
Banned
It's dead jim.
Well, I am going to go cry for a bit.
It all sounded perfect.
Well, I am going to go cry for a bit.
It all sounded perfect.
I just don't think Valve would deem that worth their time at this point. Despite not beeing a publicly traded company.
But it's Valve. Who knows what they're doing all day anyway.
Damn, that sounds like a great plot summary for a game I would have loved(and would still love) to play. That last paragraph is sad as shit. Goodbye Half Life, thanks Marc for caring enough to at least give us something to close on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH2w6Oxx0kQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH2w6Oxx0kQ
Lasthope106
Member
Sweet mother of god. What must have drove Mark to post this. Well this is how we get closure at last.
Fuck you Valve.
Fuck you Valve.
JoeyJungle
Banned
Wow, I don't understand how this got into development hell. I figured they didn't know where to take the plot, but apparently the conclusion was there all along. The episode seems pretty succinct, with just an intro and three short acts (capture, infiltration, boarding the Borealis + conclusion).
I really don't understand what fell apart. Did they just not figure out how to implement the time mechanics/whether they should be mechanics or just neat visual effects?
I really don't understand what fell apart. Did they just not figure out how to implement the time mechanics/whether they should be mechanics or just neat visual effects?
TheSecondSpitter
Member
This is absolute nonsense
EmCeeGramr
Member
I think the worst part is all the rumors and outright sentiment from Valve about how they couldn't talk about it because it would be more frustrating than not saying anything, and how golly gee the expectations were so high and the meanies would hate on it if it wasn't perfect (because valve has never taken a long time to release a manically hyped sequel and gotten accolades for it anyway).
Guess what, guys? You were wrong!!
Guess what, guys? You were wrong!!
TheSecondSpitter
Member
How did the first Half Life finish?
Hierophant
Banned
Oh hay, remember when Marc Laidlaw made those bizarre @breengrub posts? They make more sense now.
https://mobile.twitter.com/breengrub
http://lambdageneration.com/discuss...reengrub-teaches-us-about-the-half-life-saga/
https://mobile.twitter.com/breengrub
http://lambdageneration.com/discuss...reengrub-teaches-us-about-the-half-life-saga/
old manatee
Banned
It reads like the epilogue to the Harry Potter books.
Well, I guess that's that.
I'm seeing some complain about another cliffhanger, but I think it wraps up all of the plotlines since HL2 pretty nicely and leaves things off in a much better place than Episode 2 did.
Not sure that this being the last we'll ever hear of Half-Life has really sunk in for me yet. But I guess this is goodbye to the series for the foreseeable future...
I'm seeing some complain about another cliffhanger, but I think it wraps up all of the plotlines since HL2 pretty nicely and leaves things off in a much better place than Episode 2 did.
Not sure that this being the last we'll ever hear of Half-Life has really sunk in for me yet. But I guess this is goodbye to the series for the foreseeable future...
Atom Heart Mother
Banned
GUYS why do you always complain about valve?? can't they make the games THEY want??
/s
truestatic
Member
That was 2012. They put out Portal 2 with a large single player component in 2011. It's reasonable that there was still some expectation that not all HL development was over.
Honestly if i worked at a company wasting away my talent to write for single player games id lose it too and just post my hard work.
guybrushfreeman
Unconfirmed Member
Yeah I think it's fun Breen Grub made it in there. It's an interesting concept to play around with
That section where Gordon has been left to die on the time missile ship and he sees how vast the Combine fleet is the most appropriately depressing thing and still fitting in the context of the series.
This world should not be impossible to tell stories in. The fact that Valve treats it like garbage when it had played such a role in creating Valves early legacy is baffling. Truly baffling.
I'm glad this is out. It's a hell of a read.
This world should not be impossible to tell stories in. The fact that Valve treats it like garbage when it had played such a role in creating Valves early legacy is baffling. Truly baffling.
I'm glad this is out. It's a hell of a read.
The series died like a dog in an alley.
I don't have a word that describes how dissapointed and angry I am. All I know is that
