Half-Life 2: Episode 3 is rumored not to be coming in 2010

What is an embargo, in terms of real journalism?

Say a reporter on Thursday found out about a new product that some drug company was announcing on a Monday, a product that would be of vast interest to lots of people; would that reporter write a story about this new product so that their readers would know about it on Friday?

Anyway, Half-Life 3 will be Half-Life 1 and 2 in a time-travel mode. Half-Life 2 introduced manipulation of Physics, Portal introduced manipulation of Spaaaaace, and Half-Life 3 will introduce manipulation of Time. I do hope we see HL2:Ep3, because I want to know what happens next after the ending of HL2:Ep2.

Scratched wrote:
kuddles wrote:

I think it's increasingly possible to believe that Half-Life 3 exists in a showable form and at one point Valve considered showing it.

Given what they've been through with HL2 (the leaks) and with the episodes apparently being 'promised' every three months, I'm not sure I can blame them. If they are working on it, it would be a nice alternative to an extended hype period if they just released it one day with no fuss.

I think it'd be hilarious if, once they have it ready, they keep it under wraps until the next time Gabe is asked about it in an interview, and he just releases it for his answer.

Atras wrote:

What is an embargo, in terms of real journalism?

Say a reporter on Thursday found out about a new product that some drug company was announcing on a Monday, a product that would be of vast interest to lots of people; would that reporter write a story about this new product so that their readers would know about it on Friday?

It's an agreement, you agree not to tell anyone about what we're about to show you until (date), otherwise we're not going to show you. The alternative is finding it out yourself, which is kind of hard when finding out involves closed companies and employees with NDAs.

Scratched wrote:

Given what they've been through with HL2 (the leaks) and with the episodes apparently being 'promised' every three months, I'm not sure I can blame them. If they are working on it, it would be a nice alternative to an extended hype period if they just released it one day with no fuss.

I'm fine with them holding back instead of over-saturating us with media or letting us down with multiple delays. At this point, though, I just want some evidence that I will get to play Half-Life 3 before I die or become too arthritic is all.

Call of Duty sequel features multiplayer mode. Man, what a scoop! Journalistic careers are built on hard-hitting exclusives like that. A second opportunity for a story like that for GI AU won't come around again for at least... one year.

When, and not if, they release HL3 I hope that they don't run any cover or games site first- I hope they just advertise pre-sells on the Steam frontpage.

I'd like for Valve to just release it. Put it up on Steam a couple days early to allow for some preloading, then BAM it's out. I suppose they can't do that because people still buy games in boxes...

BreechLoad wrote:

I'd like for Valve to just release it. Put it up on Steam a couple days early to allow for some preloading, then BAM it's out. I suppose they can't do that because people still buy games in boxes...

I had some thoughts on that, the only way that can happen is if it's a PC/Mac only release. Valve are now a multi-platform company, and if it's going on consoles, it has to go through certification and details of it would leak.

The other side to that, and a retail release would be how 'big' a game it is. I think if it was just an episode, similar to ep1/2 then they would do it just digital, but to go for a big release would mean more preparation and either doing a full "HL3" game or packing ep3 with a bunch of other stuff, and the currently know about projects DOTA2/CS:GO are all accounted for.

They've released something every year for quite a while now, and unless the 'release' of DOTA2 is in 2013 then I'd their next game/project is going to be revealed "soon".

HL3 to take place on a staircase: http://totalgamingnetwork.com/conten...

Scratched wrote:

HL3 to take place on a staircase: http://totalgamingnetwork.com/conten...

Well, I'm now more excited than I was before. That's some nice staircasing going on there!

Hey, so... Is anyone here actually excited about HL3? I mean, I like the series and all, but I'm way more excited about other stuff. The anticipation for HL3 at this point is essentially satire.

I guess I am, when I think about it. I suppose I'm excited for HL3 the way some people were excited for Duke Nukem Forever when Gearbox took it over-- more of a curiosity thing, except that I know no matter when HL3 gets released, it will actually be pretty good.

Yeah, I'm more or less the same. I'm not excited about HL3 the way I'm not excited about people landing on Mars. When it happens I will be tremendously excited and it will be awesome (though obviously not on the same scale - HL3 will be much more important)

Spoiler:

Joking!

but until then it really doesn't affect me very much.

Yeah, same. I'll not excited either. My anticipation fizzled about a year ago. Valve, on their game side, has pretty much flat-lined for me since Orange Box. I hate the direction they took TF2 (items), I'm indifferent to L4D, and Portal 2 just didn't have the same magic to me as Portal. Also, couldn't care less for DOTA 2 and CS:GO.

Grubber788 wrote:

Hey, so... Is anyone here actually excited about HL3? I mean, I like the series and all, but I'm way more excited about other stuff. The anticipation for HL3 at this point is essentially satire.

It's hard to say because Valve had pretty much said next to nothing about ep3/hl3. All we've really got is speculation following the end of ep2 and a handful of concept art. I think you're right with the 'satire' comment, until Valve reveal something all it does is show there's still a demand and interest in the game and it's story.

What I do know is that I want more of the HL gameplay, and there's only a few really good mods to sate that hunger. If Valve released just more HL2 episode type stuff, I'd be happy with that, but I just hope they don't try too hard for whatever comes next (if there is more coming). Like with CS, I think if they really want to try something new and 'fix' something that's broken, to put it in a new game, rather than be too perfectionist with HL. I've said in the past that if they don't want to do another HL game, the least they could do is finish the story that they've started, and that doesn't need to be in game form when they've got good comic artists/writers.

I want more HL gameplay too but I'm not even sure what kind of HL game Valve would make at this point. It wouldn't surprise me if that game is something I'm not interested in. The last Valve game that I really enjoyed was probably EP2. I'm not really a fan of the direction they've taken with their game design and business models.

Yeah, I'd still like to finish the game that Episode 1 & 2 of HL2 started. If it were to release I'd be pretty stoked, wouldn't take me long to get right back into the world of Half-Life, but until something concrete is revealed it's hard to still be excited years after finishing Ep2.

And while I'd rather finish the story in game form, I'd even accept a comic or a Valve-authored Source film at this point.

kyrieee wrote:

I want more HL gameplay too but I'm not even sure what kind of HL game Valve would make at this point. It wouldn't surprise me if that game is something I'm not interested in. The last Valve game that I really enjoyed was probably EP2. I'm not really a fan of the direction they've taken with their game design and business models.

Yes, it's something that's becoming more and more obvious with Valve games as time goes by, they have a reputation for polishing, but pretty much everything after HL2 seems like they're polishing out a fair bit of character when taking out irritations.

I suppose the best example is Portal2, where there wasn't as many options for portal placement, clever lighting and level design tricks to guide you to the solution, it takes something away if you're being herded too much. While I don't agree with the extent some people had a problem with it (Portal 1 wasn't that unguided), I can see the pattern. I can appreciate what they're doing, trying to add a layer of guidance onto the game without breaking immersion (GPS, arrows, etc), but after a while it feels too slick.

I feel like HL3 is more notorious due to the protracted development cycle and has taken on a life of its own aside from the actual game itself. As pointed out earlier, it's the same situation as DNF, SC2, Diablo 3, etc. At this point I'm more interested in there being some sort of closure to the development than the actual game.

That said, I'm thinking if these screens are legit and there is an NDA for HL3 (or something completely new), that they probably didn't do an announcement at Gamescom to try and give some breathing room for all the other pies in the oven for this month. If there is an announcement impending it'll probably be after PAX Prime and the Dota 2 International. That should put it far enough away from most of their current projects that are launching or going into beta at the end of this month.

shoptroll wrote:

I feel like HL3 is more notorious due to the protracted development cycle and has taken on a life of its own aside from the actual game itself. As pointed out earlier, it's the same situation as DNF, SC2, Diablo 3, etc. At this point I'm more interested in there being some sort of closure to the development than the actual game.

I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt on this issue. The time passed since ep2 is still less than HL1-HL2, and much less than TFC-TF2, D3, SC2, or DNF. It's also not as though it's the only thing Valve have been working on so I don't think it's as though ep3/HL3 has been in a 5 year death-march.

However, it has taken longer than I'd expect for 'just another episode'. An overhaul of the engine and a transformation of the project into something bigger would explain it, but that's all rumours currently.

I wonder what did happen to their initial plans to conclude the HL2 story, I did read what the HL2 beta was supposed to do, and what we know of ep3 plays into that, so it does seem like there would be a major change involved if they didn't just go ahead and do that, besides the excuse of just no-one wanting to work on it.

Scratched wrote:

I wonder what did happen to their initial plans to conclude the HL2 story, I did read what the HL2 beta was supposed to do, and what we know of ep3 plays into that, so it does seem like there would be a major change involved if they didn't just go ahead and do that, besides the excuse of just no-one wanting to work on it.

I'm thinking EP3 ballooned out of the original episode scope and with enough time passed + engine change they decided to just make it "Half-Life 3".

Scratched wrote:

HL3 to take place on a staircase: http://totalgamingnetwork.com/conten...

Ugh! I still have nightmares about the staircase in Metal Gear Solid.

shoptroll wrote:
Scratched wrote:

I wonder what did happen to their initial plans to conclude the HL2 story, I did read what the HL2 beta was supposed to do, and what we know of ep3 plays into that, so it does seem like there would be a major change involved if they didn't just go ahead and do that, besides the excuse of just no-one wanting to work on it.

I'm thinking EP3 ballooned out of the original episode scope and with enough time passed + engine change they decided to just make it "Half-Life 3".

The only other thing I think about for the size of the project is the commercial viability of a small episode, perhaps by itself, versus a full game. They've said before that making something as involved as HL is a whole lot more work than something like CS.

Personally, I can't wait for HL3. Valve has given such an awesome, immersive experience in the HL games, that I have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Scratched wrote:
kyrieee wrote:

I want more HL gameplay too but I'm not even sure what kind of HL game Valve would make at this point. It wouldn't surprise me if that game is something I'm not interested in. The last Valve game that I really enjoyed was probably EP2. I'm not really a fan of the direction they've taken with their game design and business models.

Yes, it's something that's becoming more and more obvious with Valve games as time goes by, they have a reputation for polishing, but pretty much everything after HL2 seems like they're polishing out a fair bit of character when taking out irritations.

I suppose the best example is Portal2, where there wasn't as many options for portal placement, clever lighting and level design tricks to guide you to the solution, it takes something away if you're being herded too much. While I don't agree with the extent some people had a problem with it (Portal 1 wasn't that unguided), I can see the pattern. I can appreciate what they're doing, trying to add a layer of guidance onto the game without breaking immersion (GPS, arrows, etc), but after a while it feels too slick.

I don't always agree with Scratched, but when I do, it's about this.

Nevin73 wrote:

Personally, I can't wait for HL3. Valve has given such an awesome, immersive experience in the HL games, that I have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

This all the way. I'm at a point now where the whole anticipation/let down thing doesn't bother me any more. The only thing that'll put ants in my pants is when the release ARG is discovered. (unless they decide to just drop it on page 3 of the new release tab).

Quintin_Stone wrote:
Scratched wrote:

HL3 to take place on a staircase: http://totalgamingnetwork.com/conten...

Ugh! I still have nightmares about the staircase in Metal Gear Solid.

I have nightmares about every staircase in every Grand Theft Auto game. That point in which you lose sense of direction and it becomes a maelstrom of metal and stone, twisting you back whence you came just to twirl you round again, is truly horrifying.

Half Life 3? I'm super stoked. I play through 2 and episodes at least once a year. There's something about the world it's set in, the atmosphere, the way the story is told, Dog, the way Combine soldiers crumple, the sound of the pistol, everything...

The one thing that bothers me is leaving the audience hanging for so long. It makes me cautious to invest in another story-based Valve game. I want to finish this story. I want to see the Borealis. I want to know if/how Aperture intersects. I'll play more Valve games, but I'll have a hard time letting myself get invested in them the same way I'm into the story of Gordon Freeman. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Unless Valve somehow turn HL3 into some sort of free to play multiplayer competitive enviroment, it's a sure buy for me(if it actually exists, of course). I've always loved the setting of the game, and am absolutely uninterested in the more common "modern military" FPS that is the norm nowadays. I also loved L4D and L4D2.
That said, I have to agree with the folks that have mentioned that Valve's current offerings hold no interest for me. TF2 is nearly unrecognizable at this point, and CS:GO and DOTA are practically the antitheses of what I enjoy about gaming.

From above link:

above link wrote:

Update: It seems as though Christian trolled everyone just for a few more hits to his Twitter account. His latest Tweets (1,2) state the following:

"Who the "awesome environment" and wants to see real life lighting "of the last pictures that you want to visit the St. Michels Church. Soon a fine article about Hype Trains in the blog. Hope on Half-Life 3, Valve back door! Thank Internet for all the hype train-news <3"

Tweeted just for a "Hype Train" social experiment? Excellent way to lose what little credibility you had left.

That's the downside to having a situation like this, there's a lot of people who have something they want to see, and some people are only to willing to show them. Without Valve providing an official news source, it's going to happen.