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[Campster]

Disappointed. Not because I can't play it early, but because it's an extremely anti-climatic and poorly thought out ending to a great ARG. I still laugh at the people whining about Valve though. They don't have to release anything early if they don't want to. Besides, who knows what antivalvetime particles will do to the space-time continuum.

I think the blade cuts both ways on this one.

One one hand, yeah. A free ARG, a huge sale on 13 amazing indie games, potato-achievements in each game, weeks worth of speculation, new content for all 13 Potato games, and the possibility of releasing the game early? Yeah, Valve's awesome and this has been a blast. Regardless of what happens in the next few days I can't wait to play Portal 2.

On the flip side, this end game is poorly thought out. It's not that it's disappointing, or that it's not what I wanted it to be, or that I really hoped I'd be playing Portal 2 or any of that. It's that it requires a massive time investment from thousands upon thousands of people to unlock the game all of 12 hours early - which as Exodu5 has pointed out sort of sucks for anyone with a job or school. It turns 13 amazing indie games people should be excited to actually play into obnoxious obstacles blocking the path to the Big Prize. I think it's fair to complain to Valve about how mis-handled this last bit has been. Not out of a place of entitlement - the argument can't be "BUT I WANT PORTAL 2 NOW!" - but out of a position that argues that this commodifies the indie games they were trying to promote while not really getting Portal 2 out the door any quicker. I can spend all weekend letting my computer run Amnesia in the background while I go out and play in hopes of getting Portal 2 at 11 PM on Monday, or I could actually go play games to actually play games.

If nothing else, I think this stands as a really powerful message against "gamification" and extrinsic rewards.

 

["God's Beard!"]

How is this work? They're encouraging you to PLAY games - you don't have to - Portal 2 is still going to release and you'll still get to play it. You don't have to sit around playing the games for days on end, some of the attitudes in here are completely baffling - Valve could have done NOTHING and release the game on friday and you wouldn't complain; people assumed, incorrectly, that the game was releasing this week and now they've been disappointed by their own expectations.

No, they're not. They encouraged us to play and have fun with the actual ARG. There was new content and interesting things to do. If the reward was a funny message from glados, I would have been satisfied. We already spent all week playing indie games, and the payoff is them telling us to play them harder. Or not at all, but at least run them. It's work because it's an arbitrary quota that can only be filled by repetition. It's not a clever puzzle, there's no unique goals. Just buy the games, sit down, and run them for days. Who could possibly think it's a fun idea?

And fuck anyone who brings up expectations or entitlement arguments. Of course we feel entitled, we're fucking consumers. Valve isn't a fucking charity, so why should we act like this is an act of kindness?

 

[BobTheFork]

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle.
I can totally see people being angry. Most people didn't really want to buy those games or they would own them already. Valve also has a history or dedicated (ravenous) fan who will pretty much go nuts on whatever valve does or says. So Valve whips up a fury and gets people to buy a bunch of these games for some possible reward that doesn't really pay off. Yeah I'd be pissed if I bought the games, but it would be my choice and my fault. I think these ARG's are tilting from Community fun to major marketing. Hopefully Valve doesn't try to lead people around by the nose again too soon and maybe people will slow the hell down, think and not go crazy before of after it happens.

 

[Gandie]

What? No. We get it maybe 10 hours early. Where are you getting this 3 days from?

The game was originally slated to release on Tuesday at 10AM EST. It's currently slated to release around Monday at midnight.

Scheduled EU release was April 19th iirc.

 

[afternoon delight]

GODDAMMIT THEY'RE MAKING ME PLAY VIDEO GAMES!

:lol

 

["God's Beard!"]

I don't buy into this moderate bullshit. Valve always got our money by being clever and funny. Here's some hats while we support our games for years. Here's a cool new video. Check out these comics. Look at these amazing discounts.

This isn't any of that. This is Valve saying "like me on facebook, follow me on twitter, subscribe so I get ad revenue". They're abusing goodwill they built up by dangling carrots, and it's insulting. There's no pretense that it's anything but "give us more money because we want it and we know you will because we're Valve".

They might as well just say to click on ads 500,000 times like a monkey in a skinner box trying to get his fix.

 

[Campster]

Scheduled EU release was April 19th iirc.

As far as I'm aware Steam generally releases globally all at once. This little game of theirs doesn't bring the console release forward at all.

 

[Duke Togo]

File this under #firstworldproblems

 

["God's Beard!"]

File this under #firstworldproblems

Yeah we should all be grateful that we're not digging around for crumbs that rolled down the walls of Maslow's pyramid.

 

[shuyin_]

GODDAMMIT THEY'RE MAKING ME PLAY VIDEO GAMES!

:lol

Actually, they're making you run (and maybe play, but i'm not sure about this one ) games you wouldn't play otherwise, so that you can play Portal 2 a few hours earlier!

Spoiler

Which won't happen unless thousands of other people also play these games that they don't really want to play right now

:lol

 

[Deleted member 17706]

I don't buy into this moderate bullshit. Valve always got our money by being clever and funny. Here's some hats while we support our games for years. Here's a cool new video. Check out these comics. Look at these amazing discounts.

This isn't any of that. This is Valve saying "like me on facebook, follow me on twitter, subscribe so I get ad revenue". They're abusing goodwill they built up by dangling carrots, and it's insulting. There's no pretense that it's anything but "give us more money because we want it and we know you will because we're Valve".

They might as well just say to click on ads 500,000 times like a monkey in a skinner box trying to get his fix.

It might just be more of an encouragement to their fanbase, who bought the potato sack simply for the TF2 hat, to actually play some of the games.

 

[Nabs]

It might just be more of an encouragement to their fanbase, who bought the potato sack simply for the TF2 hat, to actually play some of the games.

They encouraged us with the potatoes. This is just a joke.

 

[BobTheFork]

I don't buy into this moderate bullshit. Valve always got our money by being clever and funny. Here's some hats while we support our games for years. Here's a cool new video. Check out these comics. Look at these amazing discounts.

This isn't any of that. This is Valve saying "like me on facebook, follow me on twitter, subscribe so I get ad revenue". They're abusing goodwill they built up by dangling carrots, and it's insulting. There's no pretense that it's anything but "give us more money because we want it and we know you will because we're Valve".

They might as well just say to click on ads 500,000 times like a monkey in a skinner box trying to get his fix.

You do realize that that's simply how it works now right? The social media and network stuff is a totally new market and these companies and tripping over themselves to get in on it because it's all viral and self perpetuating. It's like the COD 'one million likes and we'll show you a trailer'. They have found a way to get people to do their marketing for them for free. I don't like it but it's crazy how well it works. It would be more silly IMO for them not to take advantage of it.

 

["God's Beard!"]

It might just be more of an encouragement to their fanbase, who bought the potato sack simply for the TF2 hat, to actually play some of the games.

Then why not release the game early to each person that gets a certain amount of potatoes? Or anything that actually involves playing the games and not just getting fuck tons of people to buy shit from steam?

You do realize that that's simply how it works now right? The social media and network stuff is a totally new market and these companies and tripping over themselves to get in on it because it's all viral and self perpetuating. It's like the COD 'one million likes and we'll show you a trailer'. They have found a way to get people to do their marketing for them for free. I don't like it but it's crazy how well it works. It would be more silly IMO for them not to take advantage of it.

And yet people are still kissing Valve's ass for it.

 

[iNvid02]

lol just found out whats going on

 

[BobTheFork]

Then why not release the game early to each person that gets a certain amount of potatoes? Or anything that actually involves playing the games and not just getting fuck tons of people to buy shit from steam?



And yet people are still kissing Valve's ass for it.

hmmm, true. People were up in arms about how scummy it is for BattleField and COD to do this.
You buy games, and the ARG gets them tons of free eyes and press.

 

[Seraphinianus]

be sure to drink your ovaltine


and yeah, this is bad like EA's, which I thought was pretty slimy, but this is much worse. A $5 minimum to contribute to the unlock after an already drawn out ARG. Ha!

 

[FreedomFrisbee]

I think the blade cuts both ways on this one.

One one hand, yeah. A free ARG, a huge sale on 13 amazing indie games, potato-achievements in each game, weeks worth of speculation, new content for all 13 Potato games, and the possibility of releasing the game early? Yeah, Valve's awesome and this has been a blast. Regardless of what happens in the next few days I can't wait to play Portal 2.

On the flip side, this end game is poorly thought out. It's not that it's disappointing, or that it's not what I wanted it to be, or that I really hoped I'd be playing Portal 2 or any of that. It's that it requires a massive time investment from thousands upon thousands of people to unlock the game all of 12 hours early - which as Exodu5 has pointed out sort of sucks for anyone with a job or school. It turns 13 amazing indie games people should be excited to actually play into obnoxious obstacles blocking the path to the Big Prize. I think it's fair to complain to Valve about how mis-handled this last bit has been. Not out of a place of entitlement - the argument can't be "BUT I WANT PORTAL 2 NOW!" - but out of a position that argues that this commodifies the indie games they were trying to promote while not really getting Portal 2 out the door any quicker. I can spend all weekend letting my computer run Amnesia in the background while I go out and play in hopes of getting Portal 2 at 11 PM on Monday, or I could actually go play games to actually play games.

If nothing else, I think this stands as a really powerful message against "gamification" and extrinsic rewards.

Just to add to that, it is completely counter intuitive to release games for sale, and then expect people to play the games several weeks after they were probably done with them. IE: Whoo I just bought this indie pack! I sure do love indie packs! Imma play the shit out of these! -Week later- Oh, they want me to play these games I've already played the shit out of... Wish they had wanted me to play these games sooner...

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Then why not release the game early to each person that gets a certain amount of potatoes? Or anything that actually involves playing the games and not just getting fuck tons of people to buy shit from steam?



And yet people are still kissing Valve's ass for it.

Do you have any idea how big the shit storm would be if they released the game early only to people who bought the potato sack and had time to play the games?

 

[BobTheFork]

be sure to drink your ovaltine


and yeah, this is bad like EA's, which I thought was pretty slimy, but this is much worse. A $5 minimum to contribute to the unlock after an already drawn out ARG. Ha!

lol, oh man I remember seeing Radio Days when I was 10 and getting mad at that. That is kind of what this feels like.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Do you have any idea how big the shit storm would be if they released the game early only to people who bought the potato sack and had time to play the games?

As opposed to only releasing the game early if thousands of people buy the games and spend dozens of hours playing them? And then the game still only releasing a day early? And that day being a day most people have work and school?

 

[Deleted member 17706]

As opposed to only releasing the game early if thousands of people buy the games and spend dozens of hours playing them? And then the game still only releasing a day early? And that day being a day most people have work and school?

Yes?

No one is entitled to an early release. The game has a set release date. Valve isn't obligated to release it early. If, through this campaign, the game gets released early for everyone, then great!

How can you think that's worse or even on the same level as releasing the game early to a few select people?

 

[∀ Narayan]

Pretty sure Valve will never do this again, considering the backlash.

 

[Campster]

be sure to drink your ovaltine


and yeah, this is bad like EA's, which I thought was pretty slimy, but this is much worse. A $5 minimum to contribute to the unlock after an already drawn out ARG. Ha!

The ARG only went for about two weeks, which as far as ARGs go is pretty short.

Also, the cheapest game is Toki Tori which is only $2.50. You can contribute to the cause for the price of a TF2 key. Plus it's not like these are games that were only just released; most people have a copy of at least one of 'em. Toki Tori was big when it was on sale for cheap several months ago, Super Meat Boy lit up the charts, Amnesia is popular among survival horror enthusiasts, AaaaAAaaAAaa was on sale when Valve did its treasure hunt thing... it's not like suddenly it's a surcharge to engage in this ARG.

 

[DarkKyo]

As opposed to only releasing the game early if thousands of people buy the games and spend dozens of hours playing them? And then the game still only releasing a day early? And that day being a day most people have work and school?

You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. Want it released early? Then play the games or let other people do it.

Otherwise just wait for the release date and stop being a little bitch about it.

 

[DarkKyo]

Pretty sure Valve will never do this again, considering the backlash.

If there's something I've learned about Valve, it's that they take their fans' complaints with a grain of salt. They know how to get their fans to do what they want...

Want a special hat? Pay $2.50 for a 1% chance of one where you will most likely get another Equalizer. People complain and complain but nothing changes because they keep paying the money to try again and again.. Or in this case, people bitch but then actually go and play the games to expedite the release. They actively participate in an activity they have a problem with because Valve is adamant and thoughtful about what they are doing.

Either way Valve probably won't do this again purely because they aren't a one-trick pony. They'll devise some other clever way to troll their fans!

 

[Campster]

You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. Want it released early? Then play the games or let other people do it.

Otherwise just wait for the release date and stop being a little bitch about it.

But but but! I'm a paying consumer and I'm therefore entitled to get anything I want at any time for no cost to me!

Seriously, this last bit has been poorly designed, but the number of people insisting that this is an insane cash grab or that Valve is the most evil company in the world for offering to release their game early is just absurd.

 

[Seraphinianus]

The ARG only went for about two weeks, which as far as ARGs go is pretty short.

Also, the cheapest game is Toki Tori which is only $2.50. You can contribute to the cause for the price of a TF2 key. Plus it's not like these are games that were only just released; most people have a copy of at least one of 'em. Toki Tori was big when it was on sale for cheap several months ago, Super Meat Boy lit up the charts, Amnesia is popular among survival horror enthusiasts, AaaaAAaaAAaa was on sale when Valve did its treasure hunt thing... it's not like suddenly it's a surcharge to engage in this ARG.

A lot of people have these games, but apparently not enough to speed this up to play on the weekend, which is kinda what people were really hoping to do.

I guess unlocking Monday afternoon or night is worth something, but given how slow the timer and unlocking happens, it seems like the idea was to get a massive Valve love-in going on forums and get people to virally sell these games to people who don't own them.

 

[CrunchyFrog]

Anybody here who wants to be really cool and awesome and junk should gift me Killing Floor (generously provided by Captain N. Tenneal) and/or Super Meat Boy. Unless, of course, you're a commie. ACrunchyFrog

EDIT: Honestly I see no issue with this whole thing. You're supporting indie developers. Valve likely doesn't see a dime. The game has been projected to release at the current date for a while now, so this is a nice surprise more than anything. Finally, it's Portal fucking 2, not some trailer of reused clips. It's worth. If you do nothing, it's not like it's gonna get dela-OH FUCK I SHOULDNT HAVE SAID ANYTHI

 

[BobTheFork]

But but but! I'm a paying consumer and I'm therefore entitled to get anything I want at any time for no cost to me!

Seriously, this last bit has been poorly designed, but the number of people insisting that this is an insane cash grab or that Valve is the most evil company in the world for offering to release their game early is just absurd.

Why would they have to be the most evil company in the world for this to be a cash grab? This is clearly a cash grab by Valve, but they had a long, planned out 'game' for the players that just didn't end well.
Totally a cash grab, that doesn't make them evil, it makes them a company.

 

["God's Beard!"]

You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. Want it released early? Then play the games or let other people do it.

Otherwise just wait for the release date and stop being a little bitch about it.

Also, the cheapest game is Toki Tori which is only $2.50. You can contribute to the cause for the price of a TF2 key.

This is unbelievable.

When people start charging for trailers and demos, I'm sure there will be fans acting like this.

 

[Campster]

This is unbelievable.

When people start charging for trailers and demos, I'm sure there will be fans acting like this.

I'm afraid that yes, there will be people acting rational then, too.

Look, I'm not blindly defending Valve. My post at the top of this page is dedicated to how badly designed this last bit is. It's boring, turns fun indie games into laborious chores to play, and despite the combined efforts of thousands of people we're pushing the release date forward all of 12 hours. It sucks, it's stupid, it shouldn't have happened this way. Two weeks to hype up an early release of less than a day ahead of schedule is stupid.

But at the same time, it's hard to complain. The game's still coming out - early, even - and I'm getting what I paid for. Valve isn't making me spend any additional money, and at no point were you required to pick up any of the games in the Potato pack. I really can't see the comparison between an ARG involving some indie games and charigng for demos and trailers. There aren't hidden costs here; there's no subscription fee or surprise activation charge; this isn't a cell phone. I paid $45 for a videogame to come out on Tuesday, and now the game looks like it might come out late Monday instead due to no effort on my part. I'm struggling to see how this is a bad thing.

 

[FreedomFrisbee]

Pretty sure Valve will never do this again, considering the backlash.

No, they'll do it better.

 

[gregor7777]

I still don't get what makes people so angry about this, bt I've prosted a milion times about it already.

But hey, I got a nice new Killing Floor map out of it and also played SMB for the first time. So yeah.

 

["God's Beard!"]

And the monkey can hit the button for water once instead of hitting the button for cocaine 10,000 times, but we all know that monkey is dying of thirst.

 

[BIONIC-ARRRMMM!!]

And the monkey can hit the button for water once instead of hitting the button for cocaine 10,000 times, but we all know that monkey is dying of thirst.

I hate it when gaffers make up incomprehensible shit like that...

 

[EatChildren]

The biggest crime for me isn't the actual concept of this. I dont really give a shit about that. It's a game, not a trailer, or demo. A full game. A full game with a release date. You either get it early or you dont. Nobody is 'paying' to get it early or anything. It's a set release date, and anything on top of that is a bonus. Plus, ironically, the more people who own the games and the less they play them the harder it is to actually get the bloody thing out early. I dont necessarily think this is the way Valve should be doing it, but I dont find it offensive or mean.

No, what I consider the biggest crime is that this is the way they've ended what has been a stunning ARG. They've taken a very involved treasure hunt and game, one that crossed multiple titles and included fresh content, with a pretty cool story integrating Portal 2's themes into real life, and ended on the most bland, uncreative and boring note possible.

Someone called this 'work' and thats exactly waht it is. They turned a game into work, and that just aint fun.

 

[gregor7777]

The biggest crime for me isn't the actual concept of this. I dont really give a shit about that. It's a game, not a trailer, or demo. A full game. A full game with a release date. You either get it early or you dont. Nobody is 'paying' to get it early or anything. It's a set release date, and anything on top of that is a bonus. Plus, ironically, the more people who own the games and the less they play them the harder it is to actually get the bloody thing out early. I dont necessarily think this is the way Valve should be doing it, but I dont find it offensive or mean.

No, what I consider the biggest crime is that this is the way they've ended what has been a stunning ARG. They've taken a very involved treasure hunt and game, one that crossed multiple titles and included fresh content, with a pretty cool story integrating Portal 2's themes into real life, and ended on the most bland, uncreative and boring note possible.

Someone called this 'work' and thats exactly waht it is. They turned a game into work, and that just aint fun.

People may accuse me of being a Valve supporter or whatever, but with this I can agree 100%.

I hate it when gaffers make up incomprehensible shit like that...

But would you rather we keep reiterating the same points over and over? lol Besides, he looks smart right?

 

[shuyin_]

No, they'll do it better.

They'll make you play a dozen games non-stop or Half Life 3/Episode 3 will be canceled

 

["God's Beard!"]

I hate it when gaffers make up incomprehensible shit like that...

This is what you're doing.

 

[CrunchyFrog]

The biggest crime for me isn't the actual concept of this. I dont really give a shit about that. It's a game, not a trailer, or demo. A full game. A full game with a release date. You either get it early or you dont. Nobody is 'paying' to get it early or anything. It's a set release date, and anything on top of that is a bonus. Plus, ironically, the more people who own the games and the less they play them the harder it is to actually get the bloody thing out early. I dont necessarily think this is the way Valve should be doing it, but I dont find it offensive or mean.

No, what I consider the biggest crime is that this is the way they've ended what has been a stunning ARG. They've taken a very involved treasure hunt and game, one that crossed multiple titles and included fresh content, with a pretty cool story integrating Portal 2's themes into real life, and ended on the most bland, uncreative and boring note possible.

Someone called this 'work' and thats exactly waht it is. They turned a game into work, and that just aint fun.

well said

 

[gregor7777]

This is what you're doing.

Yeah shit it sucks Valve has forced me into this situation. Why can't they just release Portal 2 on Tuesday like they said they would?

 

["God's Beard!"]

Yeah shit it sucks Valve has forced me into this situation. Why can't they just release Portal 2 on Tuesday like they said they would?

I'd rather they did that.

 

[1-D_FTW]

I think the blade cuts both ways on this one.

One one hand, yeah. A free ARG, a huge sale on 13 amazing indie games, potato-achievements in each game, weeks worth of speculation, new content for all 13 Potato games, and the possibility of releasing the game early? Yeah, Valve's awesome and this has been a blast. Regardless of what happens in the next few days I can't wait to play Portal 2.

On the flip side, this end game is poorly thought out. It's not that it's disappointing, or that it's not what I wanted it to be, or that I really hoped I'd be playing Portal 2 or any of that. It's that it requires a massive time investment from thousands upon thousands of people to unlock the game all of 12 hours early - which as Exodu5 has pointed out sort of sucks for anyone with a job or school. It turns 13 amazing indie games people should be excited to actually play into obnoxious obstacles blocking the path to the Big Prize. I think it's fair to complain to Valve about how mis-handled this last bit has been. Not out of a place of entitlement - the argument can't be "BUT I WANT PORTAL 2 NOW!" - but out of a position that argues that this commodifies the indie games they were trying to promote while not really getting Portal 2 out the door any quicker. I can spend all weekend letting my computer run Amnesia in the background while I go out and play in hopes of getting Portal 2 at 11 PM on Monday, or I could actually go play games to actually play games.

If nothing else, I think this stands as a really powerful message against "gamification" and extrinsic rewards.

Sounds like the pre-Christmas raffle/hat sale. Kind of glad I didn't get sucked into this one. I tend to handle moderation poorly and probably would have been very annoyed.

 

[gregor7777]

I'd rather they did that.

Well, good news then friend. The game will release by Tuesday, as promised. Better yet, you don't have to do anything. Simply, wait.

 

[TheExodu5]

I'd rather they did that.

Same.

The problem here is that some of us, including myself, have set ourselves up for disappointment. Through my own fault, it's killed a lot of the enthusiasm I had going into the launch of the game.

 

[gregor7777]

Same.

The problem here is that some of us, including myself, have set ourselves up for disappointment. Through my own fault, it's killed a lot of the enthusiasm I had going into the launch of the game.

Valve certainly had a hand in it. But yeah, that's definitely the problem.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Well, good news then friend. The game will release by Tuesday, as promised. Better yet, you don't have to do anything. Simply, wait.

I haven't. I played Justine a few days ago because it was an expansion for a game I already had but that's it. It's too bad, because it was a really good expansion that I thought was clever. I was hyped for Portal 2 after playing it. Now I'm just kind of annoyed.

 

[traveler]

Well, this is totally selfish I know, but I'm actually pretty relieved this happened. I would have cancelled my PS3 preorder and bought the game on steam had it released yesterday only to find out my graphics card is overheating and can't even handle hl2 anymore. Now I get the best deal and a copy that will actually run since my impatience wasn't tested.

 

[Zeliard]

You guys will be fine once the game is out and you're enjoying it.