Half-Life 3 after 2013, to be open world?

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gladiatorua

Member
Nov 21, 2011
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Why would anyone have faith in Valve regarding HL3? They do NOT have a proven track record in regularly coming up with new ideas, they have only made 2 games, they mainly buy in ideas, so there is no reason to expect that HL3 would be good or better than other games in terms of being open world.
But I don't want an idea. I want HL3.
Sure, Valve is not very good at coming up with new and original ideas, but they are really good at making games. They did not buy fully established IPs, and in case of portal, not even fully established idea. And yet they make stellar games.
And not even in some original genre. HL - generic scripted on rails FPS, TF and CS - team multiplayer FPS, L4D - co-op zombie survival, Portal - one gimmick puzzle game... And you can't even copy them. Well, you can, but it won't be nearly as good. The quality of execution is the key.
Valve is Apple of gaming, only without all the Apple BS.
 

blastingcap

Diamond Member
Sep 16, 2010
6,654
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Valve does buy franchises, whether Portal or the Left4Dead team or TF2 team. Not fully developed, sure, but they do hire people who have already done quite a bit of the legwork.
 

Lonbjerg

Diamond Member
Dec 6, 2009
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Who cares if they come up with new ideas? Do you enjoy their games? I do, every single one of them. I have no doubt HL3 will be any different.

I liked HalfLife....HL2 just got boring...from the weak sounds to the dead enviroment...HL3 will most likely suck...but people will praise it anyways...stupid lemmings...
 

blastingcap

Diamond Member
Sep 16, 2010
6,654
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I liked HalfLife....HL2 just got boring...from the weak sounds to the dead enviroment...HL3 will most likely suck...but people will praise it anyways...stupid lemmings...

Still sore over NV's problems with Half Life 2 and DirectX during that time period? ;)
 

VulgarDisplay

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2009
6,193
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I liked HalfLife....HL2 just got boring...from the weak sounds to the dead enviroment...HL3 will most likely suck...but people will praise it anyways...stupid lemmings...

The dead environment was a feature of the post apocalyptic future.
 

Bobisuruncle54

Senior member
Oct 19, 2011
333
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The dead environment was a feature of the post apocalyptic future.

Not to mention a limit likely due to the hardware at the time.

I find it interesting that Lonbjerg can claim that HL2 feels dead when HL1 is even worse in that respect. Playing through Black Mesa reminded me just how barren that game is.

Path - find switch - path - find another switch - path - encounter a couple of soldiers - path - find more switches - path.

HL2 was a massive upgrade from that, so let's not pretend HL1 can stand up to HL2, rose tinted glasses and all that.
 

VulgarDisplay

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2009
6,193
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In half life 2 the combine had some type of device that stopped humans from breeding. It doesnt really say how long freeman was away from earth but it was long enough for the population to decline.
 

TakeNoPrisoners

Platinum Member
Jun 3, 2011
2,600
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Not to mention a limit likely due to the hardware at the time.

I find it interesting that Lonbjerg can claim that HL2 feels dead when HL1 is even worse in that respect. Playing through Black Mesa reminded me just how barren that game is.

Path - find switch - path - find another switch - path - encounter a couple of soldiers - path - find more switches - path.

HL2 was a massive upgrade from that, so let's not pretend HL1 can stand up to HL2, rose tinted glasses and all that.

Actually I found Black Mesa to be quite refreshing after not having played HL1 in so long. What really stands out to me was the trip mine puzzle where you had to avoid millions of the things and one misstep would mean instant death.

I really don't think HL1 was so bad as some people make it out to be. It aged quite well.
 

TakeNoPrisoners

Platinum Member
Jun 3, 2011
2,600
1
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In half life 2 the combine had some type of device that stopped humans from breeding. It doesnt really say how long freeman was away from earth but it was long enough for the population to decline.

Most likely 10 or so years, Eli aged considerably since HL1.
 

VulgarDisplay

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2009
6,193
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Actually I found Black Mesa to be quite refreshing after not having played HL1 in so long. What really stands out to me was the trip mine puzzle where you had to avoid millions of the things and one misstep would mean instant death.

I really don't think HL1 was so bad as some people make it out to be. It aged quite well.

It's not at all that half life 1 has aged well. Game development just hasn't measurably improved since half life 1 was released.
 

Smoblikat

Diamond Member
Nov 19, 2011
5,184
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Do not want, I just want them to make HL 3 like they did HL2 and 1. But as we all know HL3 will never be released so whats the point of this thread anyway.
 

wuliheron

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2011
3,536
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Very much hoping this is the case. There's a pretty desperate need for a AAA FPS to come out and set a new standard. Things have gone stale (COD) and even regressed (BF3) so my main hope is that HL3 becomes the new measuring stick if it ever comes to fruition.

You can't force creativity and that's why Valve has been so consistently successful. They specialize in hiring creative people and retaining them including one person who worked with Jim Henson's Muppets. Until Hollywood moves into business lock, stock, and barrel Valve will always have that edge over the competition. What would blow me away is if HL3 uses motion capture for facial animations.
 

Bobisuruncle54

Senior member
Oct 19, 2011
333
0
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It's not at all that half life 1 has aged well. Game development just hasn't measurably improved since half life 1 was released.

I agree that HL1 hasn't aged well but HL2 did move things in quite a dramatic fashion, mainly due to its highly advanced physics engine. When it comes to the games industry at large it's only content to go for sure fire hits with big budget titles. This means console games that the average 360/PS3 owner will want to play, not cutting edge games on the PC, hence we have the static COD series and a regressive BF3.

Another good example of this is the contrast between Crysis and Crysis 2. The original game encouraged tactical gameplay in a sandbox environment, while Crysis 2 was a rail shooter designed for consoles.
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,709
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Open world just doesn't make sense unless the opening cutscene is the G-Man shrugging and saying "Eh, whatever. Do whatever the fuck you want."

Gordon Freeman just does whatever the G-Man wants. It's linear because that's what the story is supposed to be.
 

gladiatorua

Member
Nov 21, 2011
145
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I doubt Valve would mess with HL... Another spin-off game - yes. Like Portal 2.
But I certainly can see the possibility that Valve can't make HL3 much better than HL2 was.
But I can't see HL3 as an open-world RPG shooter. Big part of HL2 was pacing.
It would be better if HL3 never came out then be disappointing.
 

pwoz

Member
Aug 27, 2012
43
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How does one accept a quest... if they're unable to speak?

I hope it stays linear. Not that I have anything against open world, but it doesn't seem like it would feel right as Half-Life
 

Martimus

Diamond Member
Apr 24, 2007
4,488
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i can also see the portal gun being including in HL3
Yeah. Especially since both Episode 2 and Portal 2 go out of their way to link the Portal game location with the destination of episode 3. I won't post any additional spoilers, but anyone who has played both games and paid attention will know what I am talking about.
 

Childs

Lifer
Jul 9, 2000
11,450
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Open world games in general are fairly linear. I can see this working in HL fairly easily. You have the main quest featuring G Man that continues the HL story. Then you have side quests where you can maybe get some different weapons, weapon upgrades, or generally just explore.

The main problem I would see with an open world HL game is the map size. When I think of HL2 I think of that long stretch where you are in the buggy, then in the boat, then in the buggy again. Seemed like you were driving forever. I'm not sure how big the map would need to be to cover all the areas in a HL game.
 
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KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,235
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116
I prefer a well-done linear game over the best open-world game by a long shot. I enjoy games that feel sort of like movies; the HL series has always felt like that and is why I love the games. Breaking that could work and I would have faith that Valve could do it properly within the HL world, but I honestly just want another chapter using the same style as before. Don't fix what ain't broke in my opinion.

KT
 

festa_freak

Member
Dec 2, 2011
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It's interesting and I'd be worried if another game studio could pull it off. I think Valve will nail it though.

I don't think valve would release a sub standard on its definitive IP.
 

Crow550

Platinum Member
Oct 4, 2005
2,381
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The only reason why this rumor was created is because Black Mesa gave Half-Life some buzz again.

It hasn't been in the News feed in awhile. I'd take it with a grain of salt.

I'm sure Half-Life episode 3 or just Half-Life 3 will be coming. Just whenever Valve finishes it or begins work on it.
 
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