Episode 1 to Stand Alone

[CSN NewsBot]

There are murmerings from Eurogamer that Half-Life 2: Episode 1 will be a stand alone game (IE: It won't require Half-Life 2 to run). Even more, Episode 1 is slated for 4-6 hours of gameplay at a price of $19.99. For that price though, Valve is including Half-Life 2 Deathmatch and Half-Life Deathmatch: Source. Here's a bit of what Valve's Doug Lombardi shared with Eurogamer.

The change from Aftermath to Episode 1 was "simply a name change" he says, when asked about the shift to episodic content - which wasn't a shift at all, he adds, since "the format of episodic releases was decided before Half-Life 2 was made available".



Nor has the name-change meant any alteration to the content. "It is worth noting, however, that one of the benefits of developing an episodic game is that the team is able to produce more iterations of each aspect and flesh out each scene far more than in the production of non-episodic games. The result: Episode 1's complexion and density is markedly richer than Half-Life 2."

The article goes on to talk briefly about Episode 2 and how far along in development the game supposedly is. $20 for three games doesn't sound too bad, especially if one of them is a remake of the old Half-Life 1 Deathmatch.

[pistachio]

So it seems Half-Life Deathmatch: Source will be released around the time this will be out. I was wondering what happened to that, good to know.

[[Mage]wildwest]

wouldnt that be hl2dm that is already out last i checked?

[Pan the Goat God]

Bah, I never liked HLDM. I'd ask for a tfc:source, but the Fortress Forever team seems to be doing a good job.

[K0brakai]

Edited by [user="114582"] @ [time="1140913893"]

Meh, just release it all as separate entities, in categories relating to each product's worth, and let people pick and choose what they want, perhaps with special offers/reductions for multiple selections. (I haven't really thought about these, it's just an example)



Category 1 (base)

HL2



Category 2

CSS

DoDS

Episode 1



Category 3

HL2M

HL:Source + HLDM:S

Condition Zero/CS

Half Life

(Day of Defeat)



I already have the silver pack, which already entitles me to everything except perhaps HLDM (if its not for those with HL:S already). As a result, I would have to pay for an game that's overpriced for extras I already have :/



I know this way that people will only buy the games they want, and not experiment, but I've only opened HL2DM a couple of times so it really doesn't make any difference to me if I have it or not, and I knew that before I bought the pack. DoD:S on the other hand I knew I would like to have, and if I could have ordered that at the same time as HL2 (if it was this way) for a group rate, I probably would have done so. Keep the retail packs as they are, but use the flexibility of the web to give people options.



IMO, if a game doesn't take off by being in a selection process, you have to look at the time you spent making that game and the finished product and price, and compare it to producing what might have been a more popular game (dare I even say TFC2?).



This was not a direct flame at Valve in any way, other than perhaps their marketing, despite what it sounds like :)

[kerosine99]

[Mage]wildwest wrote..

wouldnt that be hl2dm that is already out last i checked?

Yeah it's that and then a Source port of the original HLDM (ie. egon gun, gauss rifle, hivehand, SNARKS!, and all the other weapons we've been missing).

[-:Nighthawk:-]

K0brakai, I don't think anyone would take your mellow, thought-out comments to be a "flame" of any sort.



Anyway, we'll see how this all pans out. If there really is no other option but to pay $20 for HL2:E1 as a stand-alone game, odds are I won't put down my money for it. My Silver package already includes HL2DM, and after seeing what a depressing job they did with HL:S, I don't really have any desire to obtain HLDM:S.



They seem to be doing a 10% discount on all pre-orders, so that drops the potential price to $18 for web orders if you want to forego the box.



Still, I paid $60 for a package that includes (HL2, HL2DM, HL2LC, CS:S, DOD:S, CS1.6, CS:CZ, CS:CZDS, DOD, HL, HL:BS, HL:S, Op4, DMC, Ricochet and TFC). Additionally, it gave me access to all of the free mods out there, of which I currently have 14 for Source and 35 for HL.



That's well over 60 games, roughly 15 of which are officially included. So how is roughly $20 for an additional fraction of one of those games that I do want, one I already have, and one I won't like, supposed to sound like a good deal?



I'm really hoping they'll come up with additional discounts for HL2 owners, but we'll see what happens. Right now, though, that's not looking like good entertainment bang for my buck.

[Sava]

20 bucks for 4-6 hours of gameplay?



no thanks



I only bought HL2 because of CS:S and DoD:S anyways... personally, I think the HL games suck. I have no interest in this expansion, whether it's stand-alone or not.



You got to give me more than just 4-6 hours of gameplay...



and HL2DM is zzzzzZZZzzzzzzZZZzzz



I'd rather play Quake 3 Arena (if I'm going to play a multiplayer game that is DM)



Nighthawk is right about the Silver package. I got the same thing. Although, all I really play is DoD:S and CS:S. I don't care about most of that other crap. I beat HL2 the day it was released/available for activation. There's no replay value in that game at all.

[thepingofdeath]

[/flame on]



This is rediculous. HLDM:Source? Thanks a lot Valve. Instead of creating a substantial expansion to HL2, or, God forbid, you fix the numerous bugs in the games you've already released (oh, and maybe release enough maps to make DoD:S worth purchasing), you spend time re-developing an old game. Where's TF2? Vaporware. $20 is a rediculous amount to charge for a 4-6 hour game (it will probably be more like 2 or 3 hours for experienced players like us anyway), and I for one don't want to re-purchase HL2DM or ever purchase HLDM:S because they're both the calibre of your typical dumbass mod. Who the hell gets away with only releasing DM as multiplayer for their game these days anyway? Valve could easily have included an HL2CTF, but instead they left it up to the community to do that.



My point is this: since the beginning of Valve's HL2 era, they've been doing half-assed development jobs and releasing incomplete games or games that lack enough content to justify their price or even make them competitive in today's game market. The hell of it is, they're still charging the same amount as other, much more complete and content-filled games.



Episode 1 might be worth $20 if it came in a box with, say, a poster of some sort. Most expansions of this size cost $20 at your local Wal-Mart. There is absolutely NO excuse selling something this devoid of content for the same price over the internet where they are paying NOTHING for boxes, CDs, manuals, etc. What Valve is doing is tantamount to price-gouging.



And HL2 was practically a new IP anyway. The story was shitty and had almost no continuity with the original game. Aliens just appearing out of nowhere, giant holes opening in the ground and mile-high citadels materializing in the space? Yea, and I have a 12-inch penis. Actually, that's true--bad example I guess.



I for one am tired of Valve raping my metaphorical ass and everyone else's and getting away with it because they got Game of the Year in 1998 and bought a couple of mods and their teams that one time. I won't be purchasing another Valve product unless HL3 kicks enough ass to oust Kim Jong Ill.

[ph03nix(k)]

Read this and tell me the story isnt related moron..

http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/timeline.htm

[Agent 00Shoe]

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[tspoon1066]

thepingofdeath wrote..

[/strap on]Yea, and I have a 12-inch Dildo.

Dude, if it angers you so much just don't buy the game and get over it.

SHEESH.



People get far too angry about this as if they're owed something.

[peagle]

Sava wrote..

20 bucks for 4-6 hours of gameplay?

I read this comment a lot, in fact, its probably the #1 negative response to playtime on modern games. I'm not sure this analogy stands, but I can't help but think... Dinner at a cheap-ass restaurant... or ... a couple mixed drinks ... or ... a couple cinema tickets ... or ... well I think you see where I'm going.



Even if its $30 for 6 hours of entertainment, that's dirt cheap, filthy cheap, dime-whores-on-5th-avenue cheap for a fun diversion and a bit of escapism in the half life world. Try and entertain yourselves for less without dropping your pants.

[kerosine99]

Well said peagle.

[Sava]

Considering I can spend my money (or acquire) better games that have more replay value, I don't see why I should settle.



But hey, thumbs up for low standards. :b: