Hl2 Intentionally Held Back By Vivendi?
DOOManiac
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
<div class="IPBDescription">Half-Life 2: Special Edition</div> Saw this on <a href='http://www.bluesnews.com' target='_blank'>Blue's News</a>:
<a href='http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/09/24/news_6108100.html' target='_blank'>Half-Life 2 held hostage?</a>
Snipplet:<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->"Valve has announced that it will deliver a release candidate version of Half-Life 2 (HL2) (a game required under the 2001 SPA) to Sierra/VUG within the next few weeks. If Valve delivers a release candidate version that complies with the contract and is a Final Milestone, then VUG will have six months to release the product under the 2001 SPA. Valve is pressing VUG to release the product early within that six month window, and its representatives have made a number of public statements without our consent or concurrence that the product will be published and released to the general public in September of this year."
The statement's implication is that VUG, angry with Valve's "public statements," could sit on Half-Life 2 for up to six months. But would VUG use this six-month window as leverage to force Valve to back down from demands contained in its original August 14, 2002 lawsuit? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There was another article somewhere, I forgot where, that alleged Vivindi did this w/ CS:Condition Zero, and it was their fault, not Valve's, that the game went gold and then sat in limbo for several months before shipping.
But that's not to say HL2 is even finished, as quoted from near the end of the above article:<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->When asked if VUG could be targeting a "late-cycle" release date for Half-Life 2, Lombardi said, "We've been asking, but Vivendi has refused to communicate an expected retail release date for Half-Life 2." Additionally, Lombardi clarified Valve's perspective when it came to the company's desire to get the game into the hands of gamers. "We delivered the first release candidate last week, and hope to deliver the final version very soon," Lombardi said. For its part, VU Games declined GameSpot's requests for comment.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They delivered their release candidate last week, yet they say they hope to deliver the final version soon. To me this sounds like their release candidate got rejected. Whether it was due to technical (bugs) or political (lawsuits) reasons, who is to say.
This is turning out to be like watching a divorced redneck couple fight over ownership of the trailer and their 4 dogs on some stupid talk show...
In other news, Gamestop has put up their page for the <a href='http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=645921' target='_blank'>Half-Life 2: Special Edition</a>.
Bonus features include:<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->- In addition to a limited edition DVD-ROM version of Half-Life 2, this Collector’s Edition also includes:
- Counter-Strike: Source – The next generation of the #1 online action game
- Half-Life: Source – Digitally remastered version of the original critically acclaimed PC game
- Free Limited Edition T-shirt – Offered in men’s size XL only
- Half-Life 2 Prima Book – Information on character backgrounds, the making of the game, and more than 100 pieces of artwork<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Digitally remastered? it wasn't analog in the first place!
<a href='http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/09/24/news_6108100.html' target='_blank'>Half-Life 2 held hostage?</a>
Snipplet:<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->"Valve has announced that it will deliver a release candidate version of Half-Life 2 (HL2) (a game required under the 2001 SPA) to Sierra/VUG within the next few weeks. If Valve delivers a release candidate version that complies with the contract and is a Final Milestone, then VUG will have six months to release the product under the 2001 SPA. Valve is pressing VUG to release the product early within that six month window, and its representatives have made a number of public statements without our consent or concurrence that the product will be published and released to the general public in September of this year."
The statement's implication is that VUG, angry with Valve's "public statements," could sit on Half-Life 2 for up to six months. But would VUG use this six-month window as leverage to force Valve to back down from demands contained in its original August 14, 2002 lawsuit? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There was another article somewhere, I forgot where, that alleged Vivindi did this w/ CS:Condition Zero, and it was their fault, not Valve's, that the game went gold and then sat in limbo for several months before shipping.
But that's not to say HL2 is even finished, as quoted from near the end of the above article:<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->When asked if VUG could be targeting a "late-cycle" release date for Half-Life 2, Lombardi said, "We've been asking, but Vivendi has refused to communicate an expected retail release date for Half-Life 2." Additionally, Lombardi clarified Valve's perspective when it came to the company's desire to get the game into the hands of gamers. "We delivered the first release candidate last week, and hope to deliver the final version very soon," Lombardi said. For its part, VU Games declined GameSpot's requests for comment.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They delivered their release candidate last week, yet they say they hope to deliver the final version soon. To me this sounds like their release candidate got rejected. Whether it was due to technical (bugs) or political (lawsuits) reasons, who is to say.
This is turning out to be like watching a divorced redneck couple fight over ownership of the trailer and their 4 dogs on some stupid talk show...
In other news, Gamestop has put up their page for the <a href='http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=645921' target='_blank'>Half-Life 2: Special Edition</a>.
Bonus features include:<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->- In addition to a limited edition DVD-ROM version of Half-Life 2, this Collector’s Edition also includes:
- Counter-Strike: Source – The next generation of the #1 online action game
- Half-Life: Source – Digitally remastered version of the original critically acclaimed PC game
- Free Limited Edition T-shirt – Offered in men’s size XL only
- Half-Life 2 Prima Book – Information on character backgrounds, the making of the game, and more than 100 pieces of artwork<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Digitally remastered? it wasn't analog in the first place!
Comments
And man am I getting tired of it. I wish they would just ditch the publisher somehow, someway, and just distribute through steam. But of course that isn't gonna happen because not everyone has broadband and not everyone can make ginormous dowloads whenever they please. Still, it bugs me that their publisher is trying to control them. This is an abusive relationship, just like any good redneck couple on a talkshow should be eh?
Valve should have got a new publisher 4 years ago back when anyone would have thrown heaps of money at them.
Game publishers and the people who do CD Sales for Music are bred from the same stock. A very horrible stock indeed.
Game publishers and the people who do CD Sales for Music are bred from the same stock. A very horrible stock indeed. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Oh yeah. Then again, were in America: Screw land of the free, its the land of the lawyers!
Also, just to keep things fair, remember Valve hasn't exactly been angels over this either. This isn't big mean company vs poor little underdog, its big mean company A vs big mean company B
Agreed. If they hadn't made Big Badass Game C but instead made Stupid Game D (a.l.a. something on the scale of Daikatana), then none of us would even be here right now, let alone bother to argue for or against valve in this conflict. Since Valve was the one to make the product that brought us here, they should be more valuable than the people seeking to control them.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> You greatly overestimate the impact Steam will have on retail sales. Honestly I will drop my jaw in disbelief if even 5% of HL2 sales are through Steam.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's sad but true. This just can't compete with CD Sales, no matter how much we want it too. We just don't have the bandwidth (on average, per possible player) to make this a valid option. It's a good idea that just came before its time.
Is it a local game store? Go tell the to switch your pre-order to the special edition. They'll do it. If not, cancel your pre-order and get a refund, then go somewhere else where you can pre-order the special edition...
WHEN WILL THE MADNESS STOP?!
Yeah, sucks for me too <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I get Half-Life 2 with my ATI voucher. Now I don't get HL Source unless I buy a whole 'nother edition <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Damn it, the shirt is only men's XL. -_- i could probably wear that thing like a formal dress...
In the end, hard pick
A formal HL2 dress...
You'd be beating the nerds away with a crowbar... XD
Yep that's why were all still talking about it.
Now ask yourself this. You were lied to by an associate. Because of this you're going to go bankrupt. Would you not drag his sorry butt down with you? I sure as hell would.
And those who preach steam as the end to publishers are living in a dream world.
It won't be for another 10 years atleast before it would even be considered to do something like that. And notice how games are getting larger and larger? Not sure if I want to download 8gigs over the course of 12hrs or drive 10 minutes to the store and pick it up. Gee hard call on that one.
We got Blue shift wich blew. They crapified CS, and DoD. Those were the two best mods. GG valve.
Although I hope HL2 lives up to expectations, I look forward to it.
Honestly? The mod scene may just make it all worth it. The engine will probably be more flexible and more things would be possible. The mod scene has always been Valve's cash cow. You just can't get stupid enough to ruin that. So they won't. I don't believe they will.