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The Absence of Half-Life 3 - What a God Damn Shame.

I

ironcreed

Banned
You know, I just started up Half-Life 2 (yet again) tonight and simply could not contain myself. Shooter after generic shooter we are fed, yet this one never seems to age. It is a testament to the genre that is best described in terms of simplicity... it is timeless.

After firing it up again and seeing the all too familiar intro, I get off the train and I just screamed out loud without even thinking, "where the hell is Half-Life 3?" What is it, 9 years now? How on Earth is it even possible that this game does not have a sequel yet, let alone at least a new episode?

I hear the praises of Valve sung to the moon and I do not deny their talent (Hell, I am begging for more). But the fact remains, that developer after developer (for better or worse) gives us the sequels and conclusions that we ask for. Is Valve somehow beyond reproach for not delivering after so long? Am I unfair for questioning?

We have been teased at best, but have been ultimately led to trails that end cold. What gives, Valve? If you are working on it, is it not high time that you clue us in and at least post a fucking screenshot? Give a dog a bone?
 
T

Tenrius

Member
I always though it was more about letting the Source engine have its run before announcing the successor, but I'm not so sure anymore. They still have one Source game technically in development (Dota 2), though.
 
B

Blackthorn

"hello?" "this is vagina"
I'd be more pissed off if Portal 2 hadn't been one of the best games this gen.

I also prefer the idea of a next-gen Half-Life 3 than them attempting to squeeze more out of Source, as brilliant of an engine as it is.
 
D

Deleted member 80556

Unconfirmed Member
I too started playing it again this year. Ah, that intro is so captivating.

It's been 7 years since the last Half Life game, I think it needs a return. But Valve is probably trying to do it as perfect as possible so we don't kill them for making us wait so much for nothing.

But fret not, my HL-bros! 7 years have passed already, which means that the announcement of the game is nigh!
 
R

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
I'm worried about HL3 finally coming out. Not because I don't think it'll be good, but because I think it'll be the end of focused single player experiences from Valve.
 
S

Skab

Member
Juan29.zapata said:
I too started playing it again this year. Ah, that intro is so captivating.

It's been 7 years since the last Half Life game, I think it needs a return. But Valve is probably trying to do it as perfect as possible so we don't kill them for making us wait so much for nothing.

But fret not, my HL-bros! 7 years have passed already, which means that the announcement of the game is nigh!
Click to expand...

It's been a few months shy of 6 years, not 7.
 
A

Arlecchino

Member
Half-life 3 is actually a meta-game of clamoring for the next game in the Half-life franchise. You're all playing Half-life 3 right now.
 
H

hey_it's_that_dog

benevolent sexism
Valve is in a different position than other developers who simply release a 3rd installment in a trilogy.

HL3 has to be a revelation. It's simply been too long for it to be merely on par with Ep2 or HL2. It has to introduce something new and substantial to the genre, and of course that takes time and worry and failure, but hopefully eventually they'll figure something out. I feel like even if it hadn't been 6 years or whatever, that kind of innovation is crucial to Valve's identity as a developer, so they'd put the pressure on themselves regardless of how long anticipation has been building.

I'll bet they also really don't want to release an "outdated," single-player FPS. And if it does end up being single-player, they're going to monkey with the formula. They'll do something to redefine the nature of single-player FPS. Probably by making it multiplayer somehow.
 
S

sp3000

Member
ironcreed said:
You know, I just started up Half-Life 2 (yet again) tonight and simply could not contain myself. Shooter after generic shooter we are fed, yet this one never seems to age. It is a testament to the genre that is best described in terms of simplicity... it is timeless.

After firing it up again and seeing the all too familiar intro, I get off the train and I just screamed out loud without even thinking, "where the hell is Half-Life 3?" What is it, 9 years now? How on Earth is it even possible that this game does not have a sequel yet, let alone at least a new episode?

I hear the praises of Valve sung to the moon and I do not deny their talent (Hell, I am begging for more). But the fact remains, that developer after developer (for better or worse) gives us the sequels and conclusions that we ask for. Is Valve somehow beyond reproach for not delivering after so long? Am I unfair for questioning?

We have been teased at best, but have been ultimately led to trails that end cold. What gives, Valve? If you are working on it, is it not high time that you clue us in and at least post a fucking screenshot? Give a dog a bone?
Click to expand...

Why don't you play Dota 2. Valve wants you to play Dota 2. You will play Dota 2 because Valve only likes Dota 2.
 
Z

Zaptruder

Banned
HL3 will be the first title on the new Valve/Oculus VR console. That's why they're holding out - they want to make the biggest single announcement in the history of gaming.
 
M

Mononoke

Banned
I feel like at this point, Half Life 3 can never match up to the hype, or the same level of HL2. We are only setting our self up for disappointment.
 
D

dmr87

Member
6 years between Half-Life and Half-Life 2, both released in Novemeber.
In October we are coming up on 6 years since Episode 2, November = profit?

I'm as desperate as all of you but I'm guessing Half-Life 3 will come with the launch/after Source 2, it has to, I can't take much more. The day we get an announcement I'm going to play through the games again in celebration.
 
F

Famassu

Member
Considering how bad Half-Life 2 is as an actual game and not just a great technical showcase of its time, not really missing HL3. Bland gunplay/encounter design, horrible platforming, shitty vehicle sections, gimmicky gravity gun.. I have a hard time convincing myself to give the game another go.
 
I

ironcreed

Banned
Catatonic said:
I feel like at this point, Half Life 3 can never match up to the hype, or quality of the past games. We are only setting our self up for disappointment.
Click to expand...

Fuck disappointment, at this point I just want it. The only disappointment will be not getting it at all.
 
Monado Blade

Monado Blade

Member
What made Half-Life 2 stand apart from the original Half-Life was the new engine and the then revolutionary use of physics combined with the innovative idea of the gravity gun.

I think we won't see Half-Life 3 until Valve comes up with a new Source engine AND the next gravity gun (as in, a brand new groundbreaking innovation in games).

A new engine is doable and in the scale of things, easy. A groundbreaking new idea? Pretty damn tough to come up with.

Portal 2 was only made when they came up with new ideas and tech (thanks to new hires straight out of college). They're probably still looking for new ideas for the next Half-Life, or perhaps they're still trying to make the new ideas work.
 
F

FunkyPajamas

Member
What do you guys think is going to be HL3's "big thing"? HL1 was the narrative and set pieces, HL2s was physics.

Perhaps we'll get to see Gordon's hands while he drives or picks up stuff.
 
L

livestOne

Member
Famassu said:
Considering how bad Half-Life 2 is as an actual game and not just a great technical showcase of its time, not really missing HL3. Bland gunplay/encounter design, horrible platforming, shitty vehicle sections, gimmicky gravity gun.. I have a hard time convincing myself to give the game another go.
Click to expand...

oh here we go
 
C

Clott

Member
Famassu said:
Considering how bad Half-Life 2 is as an actual game and not just a great technical showcase of its time, not really missing HL3. Bland gunplay/encounter design, horrible platforming, shitty vehicle sections, gimmicky gravity gun.. I have a hard time convincing myself to give the game another go.
Click to expand...


What? The game play is that of the greatest shooting game of all time, the variety in each level is still unprecedented.
 
Emerson

Emerson

May contain jokes =>
I would not be surprised if development on HL3 literally had not even begun at this point. All indication to me seems that the company is simply not that interested in working on it.
 
A

andregnreis

Member
Famassu said:
Considering how bad Half-Life 2 is as an actual game and not just a great technical showcase of its time, not really missing HL3. Bland gunplay/encounter design, horrible platforming, shitty vehicle sections, gimmicky gravity gun.. I have a hard time convincing myself to give the game another go.
Click to expand...

Well I dont think HL2 is that bad, but I do think its an average shooter. Maybe if it wasnt done by Valve things would have been different and we wouldnt have so many fans. I do believe that there are far better shooters and even more important ones than HL2 like Bioshock and, yes, even Call of Duty 4 (come at me).
 
I

I H8 Memes

Member
I love the Half Life series to death. But having just finished yet another playthrough of HL2 + the episodes I realized that a HL3 would be almost pointless. It's just been too long. You cant go this long in between sequels with such a story driven game. The momentum of the story is gone. At this point a successor will feel as connected to the previous games as a reboot would. It's just been too long.

I'm sure Valve never intended for it to take this long. And I'm not sure if I was given the choice between a Half Life 3 and a Portal 1 & 2 and Dota 2, that I wouldnt choose the latter. The Portal games were incredible and a uniquely fresh experience, and Dota 2 is without a doubt the finest multi-player game I've ever played. I'm not sure I would trade all of that for just Half Life 3 no matter how incredible it could have been. So I'm not bitter that it happened this way. But my point stands, it's just been too long.
 
I

ironcreed

Banned
Emerson said:
I would not be surprised if development on HL3 literally had not even begun at this point. All indication to me seems that the company is simply not that interested in working on it.
Click to expand...

Oh, you know they have worked on it. Hell, we have even been teased. All I am asking is for them to show at least one card in their hand to let us know something. That is all I ask.
 
S

soulassssns

Banned
Famassu said:
Considering how bad Half-Life 2 is as an actual game and not just a great technical showcase of its time, not really missing HL3. Bland gunplay/encounter design, horrible platforming, shitty vehicle sections, gimmicky gravity gun.. I have a hard time convincing myself to give the game another go.
Click to expand...

FAIL
 
M

Madness

Member
People are getting ridiculous with Half-Life 3, have they ever announced they're even working on it? And yet every year people makes thousands of threads or articles on the game as it's been shovelware in existence for a while.

I get people want it, HL2 was one of the best games I've ever played, but they'll make it when they want. In the meantime we've gotten great games like left 4 dead, tf2, portal etc.
 
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