HL2 Episode 2 Not Until Spring 2007

eToyChest has an article up entitled Half-Life 2 Bite-Sized Contempt. The author registers his dissatisfaction with the state of episodic content so far on Steam. While he liked Episode One, the projected released date early next year makes it hard to be excited. From the article: "Episodic content could really take off if done correctly, something which so far hasn't been the case. Episodes need to be of decent quality, arrive in a timely manner, and be made available for an attractive price. Then you will create a slam-dunk impulse-buy environment that solidifies the marketplace as a viable one — think iTunes Music Store for games."

Comments

Early and often

[PIPBoy3000]

As someone who put out a number of Neverwinter Nights mods (for free), the more successful mods are those that came out soon after the game's release. After that, having regular sequels ever few months was key. Anything more than six months or so is too long to keep people's attention.

Re:Early and often

[Volante3192]

But this is Valve. HL2 was delayed eons, but it was still spectacular. And HL2E1 was great.
Valve is like Pixar. I'll take the delay because I know I won't be disappointed with what they crank out.

Re:Early and often

[gEvil (beta)]

However, this is Half-Life 2 we're talking about. It could be 2 hours of gameplay at $20 and a year apart between releases and people would still buy it. I know I will.

And with that statement, you just justified the entire episodic content business model.

Re:Early and often

[chrismcdirty]

I haven't bought the first episode, but I will give my opinion anyway.

I'd have no problem if they had a single game that was delayed for 1 or 2 years. I know I'd be getting quality in the end. But if I just bought the first part to a game, then realized I'd have to wait a whole year before I saw how the story continues, I'd be fairly angry.

And then how's it turn out if I wait a year or two, then the second and third episodes aren't really good? Then it'll just seem like the Matrix.

Re:Early and often

[ionpro]

And with that statement, you just justified the entire episodic content business model.

Maybe for Valve, but Valve is trying to change what happens with the INDUSTRY here, not just with their games. You have a few iDs and Valves out there for whom this is true, but you have a thousand times more Rituals for whom it's not so true. I won't be buying Sin Episode 2 if it's not delivered in a timely manner. Remember: video games are a $7 BILLION industry [PDF Alert!]. Valve has multi-million dollar games[1], but they're just a big fish in an enormous pond.

[1] I'm having trouble finding numbers for this, since Valve isn't publically traded, but I did find confirmation of 1.7 million units sold in late 2005. That's well over $30 million even at half the retail price on average, but well shy of the $7 billion mark.

Makes sense

[Lord Bitman]

They're still playing half-life, a game that came out two years ago. Doesnt that imply that they arent the type to drop money on "new" content every month?

Re:Makes sense

[hal9000(jr)]

Doesnt that imply that they arent the type to drop money on "new" content every month?

Not necessarily. I think it means that HL1 is that good. I have both HL1 and HL2 installed but I mostly stick with HL2 mainly becuase I like the game play better. With the exception of Ravenholm (still creeps me out), most of the combat in HL2 is against things that shoot back which I prefer.

However, I think HL1 had better, more engaging, combat against soldiers. The warehouse asassins were fun to shoot. The endless mob fights got tiresome, however

I would happily pay for eposodic if the fights were unique and challenging enough.

Re:Makes sense

[eht]

If you're in the US, Circuit City has it on sale this week for 8$, or grab their flyer and take it to most anyone else that price matches.

20$ was too much to ask for, but 8$ was just about right.

$10 is the magical price point

[eln]

$20 is too steep for 5 hours of gameplay. If they had released this same amount of content for $10, you wouldn't be seeing nearly as much complaining. The reviews on this game are almost universally positive, with the only complaints I've seen being the price for what you get.

As far as how long it takes between episodes, I'd rather Valve take the time to make each episode fun and engaging rather than throwing out half-assed garbage every 3 months. Of course, one of the primary problems with episodic gaming (and episodic novel writing, or episodic television, or whatever) is there is an enormour amount of pressure to rush out new content to keep the salivating masses happy, and quality can easily suffer.

Re:$10 is the magical price point

[Volante3192]

I'd disagree. Premium DVDs float around the $20-$25 mark (or very premium in the $30-$40 realm) and on a personal level I think Valve is worth it.

People would always find something to complain about. If everyone's focusing on price that just means they had to find something TO complain about, and it defeats the purpose. "I'd like all the story, interaction, scripted events, fluid gameplay, commentary track and everything else you gave us...but for half the price."

Plus you still have replay value, and other difficulty levels. 5 hours, maybe, but on Easy, Normal and Hard.

I do have a complaint about HL2E1 though... ALYX got to use the smegging sniper rifle and I'm still stuck with the cheezy crossbow. *sigh*...guess it's back to CS or DoD for my sniper fix.

Augh!

[bombshelter13]

Auuuughhh! Gaaaahhh! Grrrrr! That's a right pain in the ass, isn't it?

You know what, this just may have changed my mind on the whole episodic thing. Not that Episode One wasn't great - it was absolutely awesome in content, if an hour or two shorter than I'd have liked, but spacing the episodes this far appart really makes this model a lot less attractive. It's bad enough with TV, where by the time one season premiers you've totally forgotten or just lost interest in the cliffhanger from the previous season's finale, and that's usually just a three or four month gap.
Seriously, the individual episodes need to be much closer together than that for people to maintain an interest in the series. At least every six months, if not every four... three would be heaven. Twelve is simply insane.

Re:Augh!

[TychoCelchuuu]

Valve says they're still releasing this year. Whoever wrote this article says he got his news from the PC Gamer article, and print magazines are almost always out of date.

WRONG WRONG WRONG

[Doytch]

Who the HELL wrote this story?

Re:Not delayed

[PhotoBoy]

Given how dishonest and inaccurate they were over the HL2 release date I wouldn't put much stock at all in what Gabe says is the release date.

Re:Episodic Content a Total Failure

[Ford Prefect]

Isn't all that's left writing the story, placing the enemies, and scripting the events?

Absolutely. Why, personally I can build a new MINERVA episode every week or so, starting work on a Monday and releasing on a Friday. It's just throwing some pre-existing game content together, after all. The hard work has been done already, hasn't it?

...
Actually, it takes me about six months to produce half an hour to an hour of gameplay. Yes, that's in my spare time, but I have to keep 90% of what I produce - I don't do the intensive testing, throwing away, redesigning and retesting that Valve designers perform. And they're introducing new gameplay devices; I'm usually just regurgitating old ones. Episode One was spectacular in its near-total lack of padding - all the new gameplay elements were carefully introduced where required, and never overstayed their welcome. Except maybe the shopping trip near the end. But still, it was in complete contrast to the usual copy-and-paste design present in games like Halo...