Slashdot Mirror
HL2 Packages Available on Steam
aWalrus writes "The long wait for Half Life 2 and bundled games through Valve's online distribution system, Steam, ends today. Steam news reports that Half life 2 packages will be available at 11 am PST. With HL2 still trapped in publisher approval limbo, these packages don't have the game yet (available upon products' release), but they do have Counter Strike:Source. This could be a good bargaining chip for Valve and a boost to Steam distribution."
You'll pay for it because the package is CS:Source now and also HL2 when it comes out. I certainly agree with you that I probably wouldn't shell out $50 just for CS:S alone. But this will get you both.
"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -David Hume
HL2 is not DNF. At least the source engine is up and functional. I've played the beta. When is the last time anyone has even seen a new screenshot for DNF? I already purchased the preorder and intend to play CS:Source. I think Valves legal woes with VUG are legit, not just smoke. I personally would like to stick it to VUG and therefore have purchased the preorder. Where are you getting untested and buggy? Steam has been out for quite w while, and yes it had some problems, but it is actually quite stable now. I have no Idea how things will play out in the long run, but I think Steam is a move to the future. I see it as the "itunes" of computer software. I choose to make a statment to VUG (right or wrong) that the middle man can be cut out. Just my $.02
I thought I made a mistake once, but I was wrong.
It would seem that at this point, we shouldn't continue to worry about Valve's extensions of the Quake engine, what with their having just delivered one of the 2 best engines on the market? I personally am glad that they did not waste time on the dying engine and instead allocated their resources to the Source engine.
Valve is doing this to get some coin in for its legal fees, don't you see?
Also to threaten VU in that they will be held responsible for holding up HL2 in a future class action lawsuit by $50 'silver' purchasers should that come to pass.
Facts:
1) Halflife 2 was announced 1 1/2 years ago. It has been delayed a total of 1 year to date.
2) DNF has been delayed how many years? Are we up to 7 now?
3) The HL2 release candidate(s) have been delivered to Vivendi. The game is done or very nearly done.
4) Vivendi Universal:Games is the only money losing portion of Vivendi Universal. They need HL2 to be on shelves this year badly. By contract, they can only delay the game a maximum of 6 months but that would be financial suicide.
5) Steam has been extensively tested or did you miss the 30 bizzillion people playing CS? CS:CZ has been sold over steam for quite some time. Just because you had trouble with the beta versions 1-2 years ago doesn't mean it's the same now.
6) HL2 multiplayer has already been revealed to be CS:Source which people have been playing for nearly a month in beta form. The final version is available NOW to people who preorder through steam, and if you read the fan forums, there are people playing right this very minute.
I think you may be reading some other book between the lines.