Steam Episode 3... Very expected news inside

What I don't get is, why havn't we had Episode 3 already? Given Episodes 1 & 2 came quite close together I would have thought it logical that Episode 3 was developed at the same time (or at least straight after EP2).

I don't mind waiting for Half life 3 as this will no doubt have a new engine, new story and new episodes of its own but EP3 should be here already.

 

Ya, its said that Ep3 and HL3 will be running on a "source engine 2"

 

Left 4 Dead 3. Duh. With 5 new gamemodes, 7 new special infected, 35 new weapons, 5 new campaigns, and 4 new characters! It'll also have an SDK at time of launch, and be followed rapidly by lots of DLC.

 

I still haven't played Episode 2.

 

then what the hell are you doing on a forum ? go play already !

 

DAMN THIS ALL TO HELL

wtf are they waiting for dx12 ??????

 

Exactly what are people expecting to change if Ep3 did use DX11? Slightly shinier water perhaps? Marginally better looking vegetation?
I like my new versions of stuff as much as the next nerd, but there's barely been any changes since DX9 .

also
I WANT EP3!

 

Valve are pretty much the only developer i trust to wait until its perfect, so we wait... i'll only bitch if i die before it's released.

 

Well I seem to be in the minority of not giving a toss about HL2 EP3. It's been so long now and given how I just couldnt work up the enthusiasm to play more than an hour of each episode it's just white noise to me. I mean L4D2 was just a console cop out that could have easily been an expansion. Honestly Valve's games dont really interest me that much and havent since well Orange box I'm much more interested in the continued development of steam and the chances other developers get from the service.

Unless it is Source 2 in which case that would definitely be interesting but I suspect for not much more than engine appreciation and even then it will have some way to go to beat out Cry Engine 3 which is supposed to be here this year or early next.

 

They might as well call it Half Life Forever!!!

 

Damnnation, another delay on one of the few games that I'm really looking forward to.

I find it curious that typically Eps1 & 2 came out about 18 months from their previous games but this one is taking a lot longer. Does this mean that there is going to be a major difference between 2 & 3 either in game length or game engine?

Personally I suspect there will be an engine change as the source engine is getting on a bit now, despite constant updates.

Whilst we are on the subject of delayed Half Life material, I see that Black Mesa Source missed its 2009 release date (can'y say I'm surprised), anyone want to run a sweep on which game gets released first?

 

Too busy designing hats for TF2...

 

ugh ><

 

Im with ya homie

 

@D-Cypher, you probably didn't live the first half life release did you?

 

Source engine was fine for two years ago, but it is very old and needs to be revamped. DX9 is functionally dead and forward looking companies like Valve would do well to update their main engine to dx11. Now all you whiners on ancient equipment/os may or may not realize that dx11 can downshift to dx9. It can also downshift to dx10.
Developing for dx11 makes sense for vavle since all of their ProMods (TF2, L4D, etc) are based of of source. Something that would shake people in their boots is if they made this source2 update so that ALL the games based on source would be upgraded to dx11.

I would love for L4D2 to be dx11, along with all the other source games.

The time has passed for dx9, enjoy the tessellation.

Yours in DX11 Plasma,
Star¤Dagger

 

Thankfully this is only rumors, but still....what annoys me the most is that Valve are starting to put a few blemishes on what used to be a perfectly clear record. delays here and there and the muck up with the L4D extra content is very disappointing. The only reason they're forgiven is because the quality of the end game has always been fantastic.

For the record, I think the Source engine is still perfectly acceptable.

 

The problem Valve has is they take so long over each episode, that they then feel obliged to update the source engine each time. That must make development quite a lot longer.

I'm sure the original idea was:

• HL1 - 1998
• HL2 - 2004

HL2 - meat of the game. Then they expand and finish the story with episodes using the same game engine - quicker and easier to make.

• Episode 1 - 2006
• Episode 2 - 2007
• Episode 3 - 2011?

Looking at the release dates at least shows that the episodes *have* sped up the release cycle....but only because Valve took so long from HL1-2. It's probably best to look at each HL game as a fully fledged sequel rather than an episode.

It's difficult to get annoyed when the quality of each game is so high. It's definately frustrating hanging on for so long, but I imagine most people would rather wait for something brilliant than get a game sooner that's only "pretty good".

 

If a "pretty good" newly released HL game ever comes out it is time to exit life once and for all.

 

I already have tesselation from since my Radeon 8500 so that's not a new features for me