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News Stardock: Steam may be holding Valve back

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by CardJoe, 13 Apr 2011.

  1. Lenderz

    Lenderz Minimodder

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    Please note I was drawing a comparison to TF2 and how it's development cycle involved it being scrapped, it was initially announced in 98, along with screenshots of a realistic looking military shooter and released in 07 completely differently. A whole 9 years in development if you only count from release of the initial information, more realistically 10 years + of development.

    If anyone has a track record of long drawn out development cycles bringing results it's valve. I was simply applying the credit they've earned.

    I'm 29 now, and played the original when I was 16 or so, it's still along with deus ex one of the games I remember most and remember most fondly. As for other valve games, I still play L4D 1&2, TF2 and CS:S with friends. Very few other games have that kind of life span.


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    Last edited: 13 Apr 2011
  2. Da_Rude_Baboon

    Da_Rude_Baboon What the?

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    Portal, L4D and DOTA where all initially in development by third party developers before valve bought them. TF2 and Episode 2 are the last games fully developed and released by valve.
     
  3. HourBeforeDawn

    HourBeforeDawn a.k.a KazeModz

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    lol they have separate teams and divisions, its not like they have a handful of people for EVERYTHING lol.
     
  4. Lenderz

    Lenderz Minimodder

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    Actually Portal was built entirely in house, Narbacular Drop was the inspiration which was also the project by some students that prompted Valve to pick up the guys who made it and said. "Make a game" and gave them the resources to do so, it doesn't get much more in house.

    Depending on how you define "completely developed" you could argue that Alien Swarm was also completely in house, although it was a port of a UT mod.

    You're right about L4D though that was originally at development Turtle Rock Studios.
     
  5. Eiffie

    Eiffie What's a Dremel?

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    I'm happy to wait as long as Valve continues to make games worth the money. At least it's not the call of duty series where every 9 months or so your tripping over a new entry into the series and the standard 3 DLC packs to round out the game experience, whatever the -H- -E- -Double Hockey Stick- that means.
     
  6. Cthippo

    Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag

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    As much as I want it to be otherwise, I don't think HL2E3 or HL3 are coming. Multi-player is where the interest is and the universe of Gordon Freeman just isn't as well set up for that.
     
    Last edited: 14 Apr 2011
  7. HourBeforeDawn

    HourBeforeDawn a.k.a KazeModz

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    fixed that for you and yes they are coming because Valves bread and butter will always be Half Life :)
     
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  8. Toploaded

    Toploaded What's a Dremel?

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    I love valve. Love that they are soon making my dream come true and that I will be able to play a game (Portal 2) on either PS3 at my GF's place, or PC at home, and still be able to play with the same friends in co-op online.

    I also love that due to my courtesy steam account I don't have to pay for any Value games, past or present :)

    So I forgive them for making me wait many years for EP3.
     
  9. PingCrosby

    PingCrosby What's a Dremel?

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    Never under estimate the power of steam, I once badly blistered my thumb on a dodgy kettle, it stung like hell I can tell yer.
     
  10. feathers

    feathers Minimodder

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    I was talking to a friend some day ago about the lack of new HL episodes. He jokingly said EP 3 was coming, I asked "when?" and he said he was kidding. I agree with Stardock's Brad Wardell, Steam has become so big as a digital publisher that they are no longer concerned with developing their own games. Half Life 2 was revolutionary because of it's physics but now of course the source engine is very dated.

    They have failed to keep the engine up to date or develop a better engine. If you remember, the purpose of releasing HL in episodic format was to reduce development time so fans wouldn't have to wait many years between new releases. The episodes are released so far apart now that people will lose interest.

    I no longer care to see another HL episode based on the same outdated source engine. I would like to see valve create a new and revolutionary game engine again.
     
  11. feathers

    feathers Minimodder

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    :)
     
  12. leveller

    leveller Yeti Sports 2 - 2011 Champion!

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    I don't think you'll be disappointed.
     
  13. rhiridflaidd

    rhiridflaidd What's a Dremel?

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    I predict that Valve's profits are second only to Microsoft and Google
     
  14. Xir

    Xir Modder

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    I don't get it,
    why would a game developing company use it game development specialists to do something entirely else? (run Steam)
    They'd just get poeple who are specialists in digital distribution (but that don't design games) to do this, no?

    If that's what his company did, it's no wonder they're a lot smaller :D
     
  15. scousechris

    scousechris What's a Dremel?

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    If StarDock has been acquired by GameStop does this mean they will now distribute Battletoads for the Wii?
     
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  16. Tangster

    Tangster Butt-kicking for goodness!

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    I'd rather they perfect Steam, but that's only because I haven't actually liked any of the Valve games.
     
  17. Sloth

    Sloth #yolo #swag

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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but last I heard Steam was run by a dozen or so people on a dedicated team. The key there being "dedicated", a.k.a. no effecting the game development teams.
     
  18. Rezident

    Rezident GFWL failed

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    I've always been happy to wait for Valve's 'done when it's done' because it's worth it and it's always better to wait for quality rather than some of the rushed buggy messes that other dev s churn out jus to meet the Christmas sales period or watver, but I do wonder if there is some truth in this article.

    It would make some sense, successful as they are Valve is still relatively small (around 250 staff) although apparently they're more profitable per employee than Apple and Google.

    I still think HL3, I mean Ep 3, will be well worth waiting for. And there's always loads of other games (Steam weekend sales) to play in the meantime.
     
  19. impar

    impar Minimodder

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