HL2: Expansion delayed

[BobtheCkroach]

http://megagames.com/news/html/pc/h-l2expansionslips.shtml

I don't know why this surprised me. It shouldn't have. That's how valve does things. Sigh...

At least they gave us a little more knowledge about what we'll be dealing with.

Sigh...

[MassacreAL]

is this really going to be that short? 5 hours?

[BobtheCkroach]

Yes, although people are making such a huge deal out of it. You're paying 19.99 for 5-7 hours of gameplay.

Half-life 2 was almost 60 (3x19.99) and there was 15-20 hours of gameplay in that (3 x 7, give or take)

It's the same, just broken down so you get content more often.

[Speedsweeper]

Bob, do you mean they will be releasing the game a piece at a time?

[Seriously Deadly]

naw. an add on for the game is what that means

[BobtheCkroach]

Bob, do you mean they will be releasing the game a piece at a time?

As far as this specifically goes, no. This is basically an expansion, but rather than release it all at once, they're going to release it episodically. It'll probably let them do some things that stand releases can't. For instance - if you do a stand release, you can't intertwine 2 or 3 people's stories well...the best you can do is have them see each other, etc. It doesn't make sense for you to switch people within the confines of 1 game.

But when releasing episodically, they'll be giving everything good break points. Then they could easily stick in a barney release, an alyx release - whatever.

So right now, no. They're not really releasing a full game busted up. Just several, small expansions rather than 1 big one. I like it, sorta. Obviously the 20 per kinda sucks,b ut it's really no different than a full price for a full box.

I have, however, heard discussion that they might cut up HL3, which I think is an awful idea. It's fine when you're expanding on an existing story. I think they're probably going to use this to tell 1 story per relese - that makes the most sense. Maybe one episode that really explains the G-man, another that reveals what happened between HL1 and 2. A third telling you very in depth details about the Citadel and the "Benefactors", etc.

Once they bring out HL3 and there's a full new plot to deal with, though - you want that full action. You cut it up, it'll get crappy, in my mind.

Only time will tell.

[Seriously Deadly]

[totoly unrelated] bob in ur sig is relient k a band or something, or a poet?

[BobtheCkroach]

band. The song is "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been."

If you're interested in them, search purevolume.com for relient k - they'll be some stuff you can listen to (mostly like that song, among others)

[Seriously Deadly]

ok, thanks

[Speedsweeper]

As far as this specifically goes, no. This is basically an expansion, but rather than release it all at once, they're going to release it episodically. It'll probably let them do some things that stand releases can't. For instance - if you do a stand release, you can't intertwine 2 or 3 people's stories well...the best you can do is have them see each other, etc. It doesn't make sense for you to switch people within the confines of 1 game.

But when releasing episodically, they'll be giving everything good break points. Then they could easily stick in a barney release, an alyx release - whatever.

So right now, no. They're not really releasing a full game busted up. Just several, small expansions rather than 1 big one. I like it, sorta. Obviously the 20 per kinda sucks,b ut it's really no different than a full price for a full box.

I have, however, heard discussion that they might cut up HL3, which I think is an awful idea. It's fine when you're expanding on an existing story. I think they're probably going to use this to tell 1 story per relese - that makes the most sense. Maybe one episode that really explains the G-man, another that reveals what happened between HL1 and 2. A third telling you very in depth details about the Citadel and the "Benefactors", etc.

Once they bring out HL3 and there's a full new plot to deal with, though - you want that full action. You cut it up, it'll get crappy, in my mind.

Only time will tell.

Thanks Bob.

:)

[BobtheCkroach]

They've released a new interview about the upcoming expansion. They really answer some questions in this one. Warning, there are some spoilers about the end of HL2, so if you haven't finished, you might not wanna read this:

http://pc.ign.com/articles/703/703602p1.html

From what they're talking about, I gotta say that the expansion really sounds good. I'm anxious.