In Release Candidate Stage for Sure

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richpull100

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The concept of a release candidate is that no game material is approved for release until after it is tested extensively after the submission of the release candidate. The only way which Valve could be sure that the sound files, the models, and such could be ready for preload is that they have been approved by Vivendi through testing the release candidate. I postulate that Vivendi is doing a meticulous RC testing phase now and has completed testing all aspects of the now preloaded data. All that is left to do with the RC testing phase is a unified test of the entire game with many iterations to test the level code and the Source engine itself. We should see gold when this is completed.

Please comment.
 
sounds feasable enough to me

but hey, what the hell do i know about RC testing or the production of a game?
 
well, it's logical what you're saying, i hope you're correct :)

..good post
 
I thought the same thing when the first pre-load happened. Why would they be pre-loading stuff that wasn't "OK'ed" by the publisher?

The more pre-loads there are the closer we are to getting a gold date. Then when the final stuff is "OK'ed" they will begin manufacturing the CD's and Packaging.

At leasts that's how I see it. Good post. I support your idea.
 
Really, it isn't that logical.
They are only pre-loading the stuff they are SURE will be in the game. Like textures and sounds. Do you think vivendi will go like

"Nah, sorry valvE, this RC won't do, I mean will you LOOK at those textures? They really don't match my carpets!
And those sounds...aw, really horrible, I know this is your game and all...but I just don't like these sounds. Do you mind making it all over again?"
 
MAx said:
Really, it isn't that logical.
They are only pre-loading the stuff they are SURE will be in the game. Like textures and sounds. Do you think vivendi will go like
Click to expand...
how isn't it logical?
and, of course they are only preloading stuff that's sure to be in the game, else why preload... that's kinda the point. but do you think they'd be preloading crap that vivendi haven't okayed?
 
agreed, they might deem some textures/graphics un-acceptable ect.
 
MAx said:
Really, it isn't that logical.
They are only pre-loading the stuff they are SURE will be in the game. Like textures and sounds. Do you think vivendi will go like

"Nah, sorry valvE, this RC won't do, I mean will you LOOK at those textures? They really don't match my carpets!
And those sounds...aw, really horrible, I know this is your game and all...but I just don't like these sounds. Do you mind making it all over again?"
Click to expand...

Actually, they very well could. But beyond that, Valve shouldn't be releasing anything to the public for download unless they've already had it oked by Vivendi. Now either they have checked these files over, or Valve could be in for some serious problems if Vivendi wants to make changes when they do submit the Gold disk.

Good post, though.
 
i would pay $100 and give up my ps2 if i can get hl2 right now!
 
AFAIK vivendi have absolutley no control over what valve distribute via steam. they don't, and can't, approve anything. Vivendi make no money from Steam sales of hl2 IIRC.

if they objected to something in the RC, valve could just update the preload content to match what goes out in the boxed edition.

or mebbe we get special "steam" edition hl2.
 
I theorized a few months back that the game could be made available for download/purchase on Steam. If Valve did that, they would get all of the profits without Vivendi even seeing a cent (hence Valve wanting to become its own independant developer/publisher).
 
The major counterpoint to my theory is that Vivendi does not have jurisdiction over what Valve supplies as HL2 over steam, but since both the retail and steam versions should be identical then content for preload should have been reviewed by Vivendi.

A question that this whole steam distribution method raises is: How is Vivendi handling this? They stand to make substantially fewer sales with an electronic distribution method competing for their sales. I am surprised that Vivendi didn't use its corporate muscle to convince Valve to give them an exclusive distributorship; perhaps Vivendi will be charging Valve higher publishing fees on a per copy basis than the industry standard as a penalty. Remember that very few publishers are capable of distributing a great number of video games, and the oligopolistic competition should have given Vivendi strong bargaining power.
 
While it's true Vivendi is one of the more capable publishers out there, Valve is doing something kinda revolutionary, eliminating the need for a publisher. It's really a win/win situation for everyone except Vivendi. Valve saves by not having to pay a publisher, the end-user saves as a result of that (not to mention in-store mark-ups), and the environment saves because there are no boxes, manuals, etc. Obviously they can't phase out the publisher all at once tho, Australia would be pissed!

I'm also wondering about how Vivendi feels about all this. Wouldn't it be funny if say a week after we got the gold announcement we got another announcement saying Vivendi has taken legal action against valve. We would have to wait until the case was resolved, which could take years!
 
ktimekiller said:
i would pay $100 and give up my ps2 if i can get hl2 right now!
Click to expand...

dude, you should do that anyway....(getting rid of the ps2)
lol
 
We should see gold when this is completed.
i love you! you make sooo much sense
 
um we we even know if VU has their finger in steam? i mean, we dont know the terms of the contract betweeen them do we? They normally cover exclusive publishing rights by all forms of distrubution (net, cd blah blah)
 
Yombi said:
um we we even know if VU has their finger in steam? i mean, we dont know the terms of the contract betweeen them do we? They normally cover exclusive publishing rights by all forms of distrubution (net, cd blah blah)
Click to expand...

You are correct. The sources that I have been reading as of late seem to indicate that Valve is doing this Steam on their own, but they haven't produced any reasons or proof as to why. This causes a question to be raised.
 
richpull100 said:
You are correct. The sources that I have been reading as of late seem to indicate that Valve is doing this Steam on their own, but they haven't produced any reasons or proof as to why. This causes a question to be raised.
Click to expand...

Yeah, because i was just thinking that VU would be having fits and take them on a long long lawsuit or something? Something that EA would do. BUt i wouldn't go around saying "Im gonna go buy off steam so VU don't get mah muney!" since we dont know if they do :S

So im buying from store because i want to know i have the game :) Just doesn;t feel the same looking at a 'Half-life 2' in your game list. Smell the new manual print :laugh:
 
The main point of an RC is to make sure the thing works without bugs etc. Its not really for critical comment/changes as they are basically Valves domain. Yes Vivendi could say "You must change thy texture", but they won't unless they find one that has a hole in the middle with gabes face poking through going "Helllooooo".

Even if they did, Valve could update that 1 texture without doing a whole pre-load phase again.

Much as I would love to believe HL2 is RC1 (Or more) it isn't. Or rather, maybe it is, but the fact we have preloaded some artwork etc dosen't really indicate the fact. Shame really.
 
I don't think so.
1) Vivendi is simply a publisher
2) With a name to keep up ..thus
a) An RC check by Vivendi would most likely be a small run through the game. Make sure they're credited, and the general game doesn't look/feel like trash
3)If I remember, Sierra only RC'd HL1 for 2 days. Do you honestly think a GIANT coporate is going to waste time testing everyaspect of HL2?
No, they're going to spend less than 1 week. They have the man power to do it in one day I bet you anything.
 
What I think it boils down to is Valve has enough clout in the industry to pretty much set the terms with any publisher. If Vivendi wanted more than Valve was willing to give them, they'd just pull the offer off the table and take their business elsewhere.

Plus look at this from Vivendi's perspective...HL2 is arguably the most anticipated game in recent history. Even if they're getting somewhat undercut by Steam, they're still going to make more money by distributing the game than they would if they sat on their hands and did nothing. They'd like to be the sole distributor, yes, but they can't push Valve into that position. Valve has the framework to distribute the game on their own so Vivendi more or less has to agree to their terms.
 
Hmmmm... the other day I was surfing and found out that NVidia is making a new Video Card (Geforce 6600), which I can assure you that it's going to be more powerfull than all Ati's cards that have already been made... BUT! ATi's actually going to release another Video Card with same specifications than NVidia's video card. It's going to be released by October so ... I guess hl2 is being released by the time Ati's card is released well... thats what I think :S
:afro:
 
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