If you put smod on the orginal Half Life 2 your weapons feel a lot more heavy. Makes a huge difference.
It's interesting as it demonstrates that it's certainly not the engine's capabilities that had them opting not to include flying viscera and extreme knockback :P
And it's also interesting to think that both BioShock games have come out in the time since the last Episode... not exactly speedy.
It'd be awesome if Portal 2 and Episode 3 were the same thing!
This is basically what I am assuming the announcement is going to be. Any Half-Life game without the Portal gun at this point would be completely pointless.
SpecTrE3353 on
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
edited March 2010
Also, keep in mind that Valve is completely independent. EA publishes for them, and they have their own distribution channel, but when it comes to the day-to-day they answer to no one but themselves and their fans. And given how much playtesting they put into their games (see www.teamfortress.com right this second), it's fairly obvious they hold to a pretty damned high standard.
They also realized sometime back that announcing a game 2+ years out was a bad idea. And in general, that seems to be the approach quite a few of my favorite companies are taking, sans Blizzard which would be crucified if they didn't announce something every now and then.
It'd be awesome if Portal 2 and Episode 3 were the same thing!
This is basically what I am assuming the announcement is going to be. Any Half-Life game without the Portal gun at this point would be completely pointless.
Unless the plot dictated that he wasn't to find it just yet. After all, the Portal gun would be pretty much the ultimate weapon to use against the Combine, considering the amount of energy it took to even fire up the portal storms.
I still think that HL2 should have taken place in Black Mesa, it would've been even better in that setting.
This may be because I have brain problems!
Valve specifically had Gearbox nuke Black Mesa at the end of Opposing Force JUST BECAUSE they didn't want to get caught in the cycle of putting the next game there.
Its been over 3 years since Episode 2 released, how long was the gap between Half Lifes launch and the HL2 reveal? 4, maybe 5?.
My recent assumption has been that Episode 3 has been reformed into Half Life 3 using a heavily modified Source engine, but that might be stretching things.
It's barely even been two and a half years since the Orange Box, dude. (Middle October of 2007 vs Beginning of March of 2010)
But to answer your question, Half-Life came out November of 1998, and HL2 was announced.. I think February of 2003, so that's a little over 4 years. The actual game came out in November of 2004 so that's a six year "gestation" period. Hilariously enough, the time in-between HL2 and Episode 3 is approaching six years. (November 2004 to November 2010 will make 6)
Episodic hasn't worked out quite the way they expected.
Anywho, for all the talk of Episode 3 = Portal 2, I don't think that's going to happen directly like that. I do think we'll see both of them, and Portal 2 will take place at another Aperture Science facility, this time
With the rumored Cave Johnson AI pulling the strings
meanwhile Episode 3 will lead up to the Borealis, which would wind up having it's own mini-facility, complete with a newer version of GLaDOS and a portal gun. And apparently something powerful enough to teleport an entire icebreaker + part of the dock.
I mean, seriously, we're all talking about Portal 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode 3 and here Valve drops a bunch of images insinuating Source engine games for the mac.
I googled protocol 602 and aside from some TCP/IP pages, I found that in Pennsylvania, protocol 602 is the treatment for victims involved in a explosion of some sort (terrorist or industrial explosion, something goes boom). Specifically, its followed for when a victim is suffering from
c. Tertiary blast injuries (from patient falling or being thrown by blast or pinned by debris)
2. If multisystem trauma – see Protocol # 602
Most likely has nothing to do with portal but considering the ending, this would be the sort of injury that Chell would be suffering from.
mmm. Maybe but remember...there is more then enough evidence to prove that portal is occuring in the HL2 world, in a post-7 day war setting. In case you dont accept this comment at face value here are my reasoning:
1) During your final fight with Glados she talks about how you dont know what its like up there. This suggests to me that Chells been in suspension of some kind (I would expect that Glados has several subjects on ice somewhere).
2) The Boreallas has the apature logo
3) The slide show you can see through a window in portal makes references to black mesa.
Also, consider this quirky idea. Sure chell may have suffered that trama. But so did glados.
My point being that I doubt standard protocal numbers would be used in a world that has little civillian communication and / or medical facilities.
Just nitpicking really, but it's the 7-hour war, not 7-day war.
Man, Source on Mac? Thats exciting, considering Valve pretty much is my reason for PC gaming right now. If Valve were to support OSX full stop, I would not bat an eyelash at buying an apple laptop.
Hmm.. I wonder if that's why the achievements showed up in Steam for a short while. If you're going to bother to port HL2 and Ep1 to Mac, you might as well include the achievements.
Undead Scottsman on
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
edited March 2010
So 6 images total.
Huge images:
So all we are missing is image #6... Which, to be frank? Would be a REALLY good place to tease Ep. 3 / Portal 2. Unless it's been found since I made this post.
I mean, seriously, we're all talking about Portal 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode 3 and here Valve drops a bunch of images insinuating Source engine games for the mac.
I believe that these teasers aren't actually the first mention of Source on Mac. The internets tells me that the game Postal 3 is going to run on Source and that it has been announced that it'll have Mac and Linux versions.
AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
edited March 2010
They found Mac assets in the Steam Beta anyways, so we knew this was coming. Though I didn't until now, but it makes sense.
Note that the Steam updates and the HL2/Portal updates are not mutually exclusive. If anything, wouldn't releasing a brand new game on Mac and PC simultaneously be a damned nice way to launch the platform?
... The OP's title should be updated with this news. Some mention of the Apple II needs to be made.
They found Mac assets in the Steam Beta anyways, so we knew this was coming. Though I didn't until now, but it makes sense.
Note that the Steam updates and the HL2/Portal updates are not mutually exclusive. If anything, wouldn't releasing a brand new game on Mac and PC simultaneously be a damned nice way to launch the platform?
... The OP's title should be updated with this news. Some mention of the Apple II needs to be made.
yeah I reckon the GDC announcement will include mac nd portal/Ep3 news
Just seems more logical than assuminga big bait-and-switch like some of the blogs are doing
They found Mac assets in the Steam Beta anyways, so we knew this was coming. Though I didn't until now, but it makes sense.
Note that the Steam updates and the HL2/Portal updates are not mutually exclusive. If anything, wouldn't releasing a brand new game on Mac and PC simultaneously be a damned nice way to launch the platform?
... The OP's title should be updated with this news. Some mention of the Apple II needs to be made.
yeah I reckon the GDC announcement will include mac nd portal/Ep3 news
Just seems more logical than assuminga big bait-and-switch like some of the blogs are doing
Is the GDC normally a place for big gaming announcements though? I thought it was mainly a talking shop where Devs could get together and attend lectures on aspects of game development and publishing.
Have Valve made any major announcements at previous GDC's?
subedii on
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
edited March 2010
Major announcements have been made at GDC, yes.
Hmmm... so... I wonder if image #6 is in the BBS anywhere? Or is that hoping for too much awesome?
They found Mac assets in the Steam Beta anyways, so we knew this was coming. Though I didn't until now, but it makes sense.
Note that the Steam updates and the HL2/Portal updates are not mutually exclusive. If anything, wouldn't releasing a brand new game on Mac and PC simultaneously be a damned nice way to launch the platform?
... The OP's title should be updated with this news. Some mention of the Apple II needs to be made.
yeah I reckon the GDC announcement will include mac nd portal/Ep3 news
Just seems more logical than assuminga big bait-and-switch like some of the blogs are doing
Is the GDC normally a place for big gaming announcements though? I thought it was mainly a talking shop where Devs could get together and attend lectures on aspects of game development and publishing.
Have Valve made any major announcements at previous GDC's?
Spore and Gears of War 2 were announced at GDC
I don't think Valve has ever announced anything there though.
Meh, looks like Orange Box on Mac, along with Steam.
Nothing too exciting.
Nothing too exciting?
I can finally play TF2 and L4D without having to fucking reboot into Windows.
That's more exciting than any Portal 2 or Episode 3 announcement in my book.
Also it's pretty damn hilarious that Valve's gonna support the Mac before the PS3.
I guess I should have made it clearer that, yes, this is exciting news.
What I'm really interested in now is how this'll work into Steam overall. I already own the Orange Box/L4D on Steam, so will I be able to download them onto my macbook and play them there without having to re-buy the Mac port?
Meh, looks like Orange Box on Mac, along with Steam.
Nothing too exciting.
Nothing too exciting?
I can finally play TF2 and L4D without having to fucking reboot into Windows.
That's more exciting than any Portal 2 or Episode 3 announcement in my book.
Also it's pretty damn hilarious that Valve's gonna support the Mac before the PS3.
I guess I should have made it clearer that, yes, this is exciting news.
What I'm really interested in now is how this'll work into Steam overall. I already own the Orange Box/L4D on Steam, so will I be able to download them onto my macbook and play them there without having to re-buy the Mac port?
You raise a good point. I would hope Valve takes a page from Telltale's recent Mac announcement and allow all current customers to get Mac versions of their games for no extra charge.
AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
edited March 2010
Do you honestly, HONESTLY think that Valve is going to segregate Steam into two separate bases?
I mean, it is a possibility, but it just doesn't seem to gel with their style. I could see other companies requiring you to buy the mac and PC versions (maybe with a discount on the second?), but in general I think Valve to be a bigger/better company than that.
At the same time though, their development costs are most definitely non-zero. And given how good Valve has been at supporting their game and services, I think that perhaps re-buying them might not be the way they recoup some of those costs.
Perhaps, they'll instead provide an option to add the Mac port to your list of games for some nominal cost. Say $5 or so.
However, I hope that they'll just add them to your list for free.
Posts
It's interesting as it demonstrates that it's certainly not the engine's capabilities that had them opting not to include flying viscera and extreme knockback :P
And it's also interesting to think that both BioShock games have come out in the time since the last Episode... not exactly speedy.
This is basically what I am assuming the announcement is going to be. Any Half-Life game without the Portal gun at this point would be completely pointless.
They also realized sometime back that announcing a game 2+ years out was a bad idea. And in general, that seems to be the approach quite a few of my favorite companies are taking, sans Blizzard which would be crucified if they didn't announce something every now and then.
Unless the plot dictated that he wasn't to find it just yet. After all, the Portal gun would be pretty much the ultimate weapon to use against the Combine, considering the amount of energy it took to even fire up the portal storms.
Valve specifically had Gearbox nuke Black Mesa at the end of Opposing Force JUST BECAUSE they didn't want to get caught in the cycle of putting the next game there.
It's barely even been two and a half years since the Orange Box, dude.
But to answer your question, Half-Life came out November of 1998, and HL2 was announced.. I think February of 2003, so that's a little over 4 years. The actual game came out in November of 2004 so that's a six year "gestation" period. Hilariously enough, the time in-between HL2 and Episode 3 is approaching six years. (November 2004 to November 2010 will make 6)
Episodic hasn't worked out quite the way they expected.
Anywho, for all the talk of Episode 3 = Portal 2, I don't think that's going to happen directly like that. I do think we'll see both of them, and Portal 2 will take place at another Aperture Science facility, this time
http://www.shacknews.com/screenshots.x?gallery=14017&game_id=4049#img150805
I mean, seriously, we're all talking about Portal 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode 3 and here Valve drops a bunch of images insinuating Source engine games for the mac.
Just nitpicking really, but it's the 7-hour war, not 7-day war.
Also, not apature, aperture.
Nothing too exciting.
Yeah, but the timing is exquisitely obfuscating.
I hope we hear some news about Portal 2/Episode 3.
I think just hearing that there's some news from Valve is making me excited.
That being said
We need to roast Gabe's nuts over a fire until he releases HL2 Ep3
I want me some half-life episode 3 goodness!
Huge images:
So all we are missing is image #6... Which, to be frank? Would be a REALLY good place to tease Ep. 3 / Portal 2. Unless it's been found since I made this post.
Hitler hates different too, but not as much as Francis. Why do you think he kills the infected? It's not just to survive.
I believe that these teasers aren't actually the first mention of Source on Mac. The internets tells me that the game Postal 3 is going to run on Source and that it has been announced that it'll have Mac and Linux versions.
Note that the Steam updates and the HL2/Portal updates are not mutually exclusive. If anything, wouldn't releasing a brand new game on Mac and PC simultaneously be a damned nice way to launch the platform?
... The OP's title should be updated with this news. Some mention of the Apple II needs to be made.
yeah I reckon the GDC announcement will include mac nd portal/Ep3 news
Just seems more logical than assuminga big bait-and-switch like some of the blogs are doing
Is the GDC normally a place for big gaming announcements though? I thought it was mainly a talking shop where Devs could get together and attend lectures on aspects of game development and publishing.
Have Valve made any major announcements at previous GDC's?
Hmmm... so... I wonder if image #6 is in the BBS anywhere? Or is that hoping for too much awesome?
I don't think Valve has ever announced anything there though.
Some guys gonna be like "Aw yeah, I was right!"
Internet tells me that Steam was announced at GDC 2002.
Nothing too exciting?
I can finally play TF2 and L4D without having to fucking reboot into Windows.
That's more exciting than any Portal 2 or Episode 3 announcement in my book.
Also it's pretty damn hilarious that Valve's gonna support the Mac before the PS3.
Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
GG, Valve. I am your whore.
It's a 3 image spread recreating the 1984 commercial.
Enjoy the superior version of TF2.
You know; the one that actually gets updated?
Well I guess that's one less group of raging fanboys vying for Gabe Newell's head.
I'm "The Guy Who Liked the Airboat."
I guess I should have made it clearer that, yes, this is exciting news.
What I'm really interested in now is how this'll work into Steam overall. I already own the Orange Box/L4D on Steam, so will I be able to download them onto my macbook and play them there without having to re-buy the Mac port?
You raise a good point. I would hope Valve takes a page from Telltale's recent Mac announcement and allow all current customers to get Mac versions of their games for no extra charge.
Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
heavily surprised if valve makes you buy the port version
doesn't sound like them
I mean, it is a possibility, but it just doesn't seem to gel with their style. I could see other companies requiring you to buy the mac and PC versions (maybe with a discount on the second?), but in general I think Valve to be a bigger/better company than that.
That is my hope, at least.
Perhaps, they'll instead provide an option to add the Mac port to your list of games for some nominal cost. Say $5 or so.
However, I hope that they'll just add them to your list for free.