Episode 4: 'stand along plot'

[OvA]

you don't understand
*shakes head sadly

Umm...are you saying you don't want the questions HL2 raised to be answered?

 

[drunkymonkey]

Well, we're not talking about how you play the game, are we? We're talking about how the story is explained and expanded, right? So do you see how I'm struggling to see your point as relevant?
And besides, I did not say that the expansions were excellent because of who you played as. I said that they were good expansions where you didn't play the same protaganist as in the main game, in answer to you saying that 'that is what expansions do'.

Playing the game is a large part of how good the game is. My point was relevant. You said that the best expansion packs are when you play as other people. I disagreed. A game doesn't have to have a good story to be a good game. It's always nice if it does though, and I have a feeling that's what Half Life 2 Episode 1 is going to give us. An excellent story, and an excellent game.

 

[pomegranate]

. You said that the best expansion packs are when you play as other people

I said no such thing. You're taking a simple observation and intepreting it as a generalisation. Please try and remember what has been said. Honestly, I wasn't saying that as part of my argument about HL2 episodes, I was just pointing out an exception to your description of expansions. Ok?

Samon
Yes, I agree that short episodes can be a good way of playing a game and continuing the plot. SiN episodes will be solid. I even said that HL2 as an entirely episodic project would've worked. But one big bit of narrative that has a large proportion of the plot, followed by piecemeal bits, does not flow, as a whole. I think expansion packs to a full game should be supplementary, not essential.

In what way does it weaken the dramatic impact and the structure of the story?

This way: "this is the story of HL2: start-beginning-end, oh but here's an epilogue, and another one, and another one, which are actually essential to the plot", like I said.

I understand that there are going to be expansion packs, and I would not want to have to wait for HL3 for the story to be continued. But I think little bits of the continued adventures of Gordon aren't the ideal way to do things.
I, personally, would've found it more interesting for the plot to continue after Gordon disappeared, through someone else's eyes. The use of different characters in the HL1 expansions was, let's remember, a fairly radical idea at the time compared to most FPS expansions - being able to be different people enriched the reality of Black Mesa, as (when you reflect on your experience as Gordon) it helped you imagine 'all these characters are people' with their own narratives seperate to my own. Expansions as Gordon feels like a big step back to me. Seeing C17 from someone else's perspective would've made it seem more real. Same as how a movie is rarely ever shown from one persons perspective. Other people's experiences would've made for a stronger narrative. Sorry if this seems to be a meandering argument, I'm really just trying to explain why I don't think HL2 is being expanded is the best way.

I appreciate the effort you went into in replying but like I said before, maybe some people just have a different feeling for how these things should be done.

The Op Forces/Blue Shift thing was a seperate point, as explained above.

Good luck with the exam.

 

[^Ben]

I don't really give a crap, aslong as it's great.

And I'm glad Valve a'int going on another 6 year odessy.

 

[Asknoone]

Well, I for one think its going to work. Yes, it does seem a somewhat odd turn - a full game, with its plot wound up in 3 episodes, but I really like this decision. Its going to give focus, and it saves waiting another 4 years and not only that, it directly ties into the games current events.

The plot is sounding great, the gameplay sounds fantastic and at the end of the day its Half-life. HL2 and 1 are to me, the best games ever made. HL2 perhaps a little on top. Whilst none of HL2's chapters come close to the pure brilliance of Surface Tension, its plot more than makes up for it, and the constant shift in gameplay and enviroment is truly superb.

If I'm getting these sooner, and more tighter focused, then hell - bring it on.

And thanks. I sure hope I don't fail

 

[pomegranate]

Well, I for one think its going to work. Yes, it does seem a somewhat odd turn - a full game, with its plot wound up in 3 episodes, but I really like this decision. Its going to give focus, and it saves waiting another 4 years and not only that, it directly ties into the games current events.

Cool that's all I was trying to say really, and you know what - I honestly hope I'm wrong.

 

[Asuka]

Already posted about this a while ago.

http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?p=1825659#post1825659

 

[UndeadScottsman]

I came into this thread thinking it had probably devolved into a pro/anti-Shephard discussion. Imagine my surprise.

Anywho, I mentioned this in the other thread, but Gearbox recently said

Randy Pitchford: I'll give you a hint - Brothers in Arms isn't the only video game brand Gearbox will build.

Here's another hint: Gearbox is capable of doing several next-gen projects at once. Our lead teams have worked on the best brands in the business and have participated significantly in building our own brand.

Here's a last hint about a couple of the things we're cooking up - When we started Gearbox, we planned to make things we thought would be great and to work on other people's things we think are great. Halo isn't the last time Gearbox will work with something we didn't invent from scratch.

 

[Rizzo]

Intressting.

 

[ríomhaire]

Well that's funny because the expansion packs for the greatest FPS of all time didn't do that at all (being, IMO, HL1), and they're regarded as some of the most accomplished expansions ever released (well Op Forces at least).

I understand what people are talking about - I can see this way of continuing the plot bit-by-bit ruining the drama of HL2. It's like, "this is the story of HL2: start-beginning-end, oh but here's an epilogue, and another one, and another one, which are actually essential to the plot, but you don't have to play them."
It doesn't make for a strong narrative at all, because it weakens the dramatic impact of the ending of main story, and the structure of the story.
If the whole of HL2 had been released episodically, it would have made sense, as the rythym of the story would've been consistent and plot developments would've been spread through the whole. But this way, you only got part of the whole deal when you bought and played HL2. Which sucks.

SPOILERS!
Do you think that these episodes would have been as well recieved if HL2 hadn't come out as a full game? I sure don't. I am sitting here thinking "This episodic thing could be brilliant". If HL2 had been anounced as episodic in the first place I'd probably be more like "Yeah, WTF? Episodes, pfft". And you are talking like the episodes aren't part of the 'main' story. They are supposedly introducing a new third power and the g-man is losing control over you, this is the main story. And the "but you don't have to play them.", you don't have to play any, Valve aren't forcing them down your throat.

 

[Rizzo]

Things will fit.

 

[Dowie]

I don't see how this is any different to OF and BS idea tbh.

Episode 1 just looks like an addon, a standalone addon granted but so was Blue Shift.

Regardless if the Valve quality is there which Im looks almost certain from what we have seen what is to loose. I really can't wait to play Aftermath.


Also I don't think having Ep1-3 as part of Half Life 2 would have worked seems to me these were continuations planned origionally as Expansions. It wouldn't have worked having it all as one. I can't quite express this well in words. I just think the Episodes are going to have a different feel about them, which would have made Half Life 2 disjointed, and possibly drag on too much.

Im not saying you guys are wrong who really knows how things would have turned out, but I think you are making a mistake not getting EP1, its what £10, so £40 for all 4 episodes. Thats the price of one game these days. At 6 hours each thats 24 hours gameplay. Longer than Half Life 2 and longer than most games these days.

Its anything but a ripoff its not even like your paying for them all at one time. Now if you don't mind ive got to revise for my Driving Test, and play Sin 1 (just pre-ordered Sin Episodes 1 with Birthday money ).

 

[Schmiggy_JK23]

Eurogamer: Why did you change the name from Aftermath? We liked the name.

Gabe Newell: Errr... I... I think that Aftermath was almost a temporary name. I always thought of it as Episodes One through Three because that's how we planned the products out. I think people thought we'd need a name for them, and Aftermath ended up being more confusing than helpful.

Probably a better name for it would have been Half Life 3: Episode One, but these three are what we're doing as our way of taking the next step forward, but Half-Life 2 was the name we used.

Erik Johnson: But we can't change the name 24 hours before release [smiles].

Gabe Newell: No, but what I'm saying is this is what we're trying instead of the large monolithic release. Let's take what we would ordinarily do and break it up into three pieces and see.

Gabe readily admits these episodes should probably have been called half life 3, but it was a little late to change it.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

The news is as old as Episode one dude.

 

[Acepilotf14]

Revived?
/bant
Why do you revive a thread that is a year old?