Interview with Robin Walker

[CSN NewsBot]

Expanding on the brief tidbit of the Half-Life 2: Episode 2 news from yesterday, CVG has posted their entire interview with Valve's Robin Walker. Contained in the interview are just a handful of tasty news morsels for your reading delight.

It's been said that Alyx Vance will have a more prominent role in Episode One than in Half-Life 2. How exactly have you increased her presence/involvement this time around and tell us how this impacts the episode overall?



Robin Walker: In Half-Life 2 you didn't really get to learn much about who Alyx Vance was. Alyx grew up in City 17 and knows a lot more about it than you do, which will be useful to you in a number of ways. Besides being capable in direct combat with the Combine, she's learned a lot about how to deal with their electronics from her father and by building Dog from scrap parts. Alyx is the central character we're focusing on with Episode One, and most of the time will be spent with her.

There's plenty more where that came from!

[BBG]

Wow, that was insightful.

[ph03nix(k)]

Cool stuff, still a little mad about the 4 hours of gameplay though, i better have fun playin it.

[kerosine99]

Crikey, when did fun become so serious?

[woah]

Who ever really cared about Alyx, anyways? Would it really make the game so different if she didn't exist? No. She is annoying and pointless--only an obstruction to gameplay.

[Jobbeh]

Edited by [user="373066"] @ [time="1140712984"]

I'm not buying it. I'm put off by this episodic content and unless it's absoloutley amazing, genre defining stuff.. But apparently this is the future..



I would have to say thanks but no thanks. Of course the PR machine's wheels have already began to turn.......I think Valves got enough cash from me, for now at least.

[washuplushie]

I think the episodic content is to keep the fans from getting pissed. if you think about it, lets say the expansion is 4 episodes, 6 hours apiece. That's 24 hours of gameplay total. If they release the episodes once every few months and continue making the next one on the series, people will be happier than if they release the whole enchilada but it takes them the whole year or whatever to develop it. I think Valve is sick of the 'valve sux they take 2 long and disappoint me and take my cash :'(' type of bitching that has become the norm.

[Jobbeh]

Like I said if it's good enough, I'll buy it.



I think all these hours people are quoting is a bit off. to be honest, 6 hours for one gamer could be 8 or 12 for another, just depends if you want to fly through it, or take your time, or whatever...everyone has different skill levels.



But for now, the Jury's still out.

[entRo]

as long as you can shoot Alyx in the mouth right off the bat and not have to deal with her throughout the rest of the game, it seems worth playing.