POLL: Are you going to pay $19.95 for HL2:EP1?

[GTaudiophile]

Title says it all!

Release Date is June 1, 2006.

Text

 

[nitromullet]

Nope... Already got it for $17.95...

 

[remagavon]

If I still have my PC at the time, probably.

Edit: I bought HL2 Gold and wish I got this for free. I was really dissapointed in DoD. (It's fun but has NO staying power).

 

[firebyyrd]

No, I'm not spending on companies that release "episodes" .. or "boosters" to gain some extra money. It should be free.

 

[compgeek89]

For 5 hours of gameplay on last years graphics? NO, I might pay $10, I know i'd pay $5, but I cant justify more.

 

[anandtechrocks]

If it's fun then i don't really care what year the graphics were developed. I'll wait to see how others like it first.

 

[Polish3d]

Originally posted by: compgeek89
For 5 hours of gameplay on last years graphics? NO, I might pay $10, I know i'd pay $5, but I cant justify more.

Yeah, I might do 15, it sounds petty but 20 just seems like a bit much. Of course my main beef is I like being wowed with better graphics in a great game (ie, I love Oblivion now post visual mod-frenzy) and it's a major part of the enjoyment for me

 

[JBT]

Originally posted by: nitromullet
Nope... Already got it for $17.95...

ditto

 

[Ackmed]

The poll is flawed. I paid $17.95 to reload it.

 

[Trevelyan]

Change the poll to say $19.95 (or $17.95 if you preload).

 

[evenmore1]

nope...I'm too cheap

 

[DeathReborn]

No. I paid for HL2 and was disapponted so i'm not going to be purchasing any more Valve software. I might be tempted if I can install & play the game without having to touch Steam but fat chance of that happening.

 

[wylecoyote]

I paid 17.95 for it too... however I'd pay 20 for it no problem. Maybe even 25. And I am broke.

Why?

Indeed, it has last year's graphics (which, by the way, are still pretty spectacular at 1680x1050 with HDR and AA's) and sure it's just a short episode... But Valve have proven to be second to none with gameplay. Half-life and Half-Life 2 took gameplay to a whole new level with it's immersive story and awe-inspiring level design. Compared to it's contemporaries such as FEAR (incredibly repetitive level design, uninspired story) or Doom 3 (can they think of anything else other than demons popping out of closets or warping in?), Half-Life 2 was much more intense, immersive, and well, downright fun. I'd pay the same amount for an Episode from a top-rate developer such as Valve rather than a full game from a someone who goes for pretty graphics over the requisite elements of gameplay (story, pacing, level design, realism, etc.).

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: firebyyrd
No, I'm not spending on companies that release "episodes" .. or "boosters" to gain some extra money. It should be free.

An expansion should not be free. More and more games are going this direction, so either you will get used to it, and limit yourself from playing a lot of newer games.

 

[Creig]

Are you going to pay $19.95 for HL2:EP1?

No need to. I still have it on preorder for $11.99 shipped.

 

[golem]

He said booster or episodes. Not expansion. Expansions are almost never free.

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: golem
He said booster or episodes. Not expansion. Expansions are almost never free.

They are one in the same.

 

[golem]

They are one in the same.

Since when? Expansions have been around forever. Booster or episodes are relatively rare. Isn't Sin the only other episode?

 

[Noema]

Originally posted by: nitromullet
Nope... Already got it for $17.95...

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

Originally posted by: golem

They are one in the same.

Since when? Expansions have been around forever. Booster or episodes are relatively rare. Isn't Sin the only other episode?

Yup, and it sucks. Obviously someone thinks that episodes may be more profitable than a full expansion release. If your first episode sucks, though, you may be shooting yourself in the foot. I guess the good news is that the developer has to keep performing to get buyers to return for each new episode.

Stephen King also tried releasing a novel in episodic format. It failed.

 

[firewolfsm]

No, but that doesn't mean I won't be playing it

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: golem

They are one in the same.

Since when? Expansions have been around forever. Booster or episodes are relatively rare. Isn't Sin the only other episode?

Since they started coming out?

Its pretty obvious that HL2: EP1 is an expansion. It extends the story line, and picks it up where HL2 left off. The only difference between it and an "expansion" is that its broken down in smaller parts. Same thing for booster packs. Adding maps, and weapons, is what an expansion does. An expansion and EP1/booster both do the same thing, just in a different way.

There are more games coming out in chunks, instead of all at once later this year.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Not until they ditch Steam.

 

[golem]

Since they started coming out?

Its pretty obvious that HL2: EP1 is an expansion. It extends the story line, and picks it up where HL2 left off. The only difference between it and an "expansion" is that its broken down in smaller parts. Same thing for booster packs. Adding maps, and weapons, is what an expansion does. An expansion and EP1/booster both do the same thing, just in a different way.

There are more games coming out in chunks, instead of all at once later this year.

If there is a difference then they are not the same, the terms are multually exclusive. Multiple episodes can link together to be an expansion, but If the eposides are not popular then they can be stopped and you don't have the whole story arc. This is not the case with an expansion since it contains the whole story arc.

So no they are not the same.

Also, name one expansion ever, that cost 19.95 msrp that only contained 5 hours of gameplay? Not because you became bored of the game, but because that was all there was to it?

 

[skooma]

Don't waste your breath golem. His mind is made up

I won't buy games in episodes.