New Interview with Doug Lombardi

[Vormulac]

There's some nice information in this new interview. Some of what we suspected is confirmed and some info I've not seen before.

5. Computer Games Romania: More important, will Counter-Strike: Source be free for Half-Life 2 owners?
Doug Lombardi: It will be included with Half-Life 2.

11. Computer Games Romania: Are there any anti-cheat measures in Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Source?
Doug Lombardi: Yes. VAC will be extended to Source and activated upon launch.

http://www.computergames.ro/articole.php/optiune-show_interviews/interview-524/index.html


Vorm

 

[Vidrio]

There's some nice information in this new interview. Some of what we suspected is confirmed and some info I've not seen before.





http://www.computergames.ro/articole.php/optiune-show_interviews/interview-524/index.html


Vorm

I'm sure both of those have been confirmed 2 fold ;x

 

[CrazyHarij]

Sweet, thanks.

 

[slicktick]

Nice interview, some old rehash, but still a good find.

 

[ACLeroK212]

8. Computer Games Romania: Do you plan to release a demo of Half-life 2 when the time comes?
Doug Lombardi: Most likely - but not until the full game is done.

do you think he means when they're done with the work on the game or when it actually ships?

i always understood that a demo was coming but not until after the game "ships"

maybe possible that we could see something a little sooner?

 

[63]

do you think he means when they're done with the work on the game or when it actually ships.

i was always under the impression that a demo was probably going to come but not until after the game ships.

maybe possible that we could see something a little sooner?

I think he meant after it ships..

 

[Silent_night]

so i guess we will play the game in the fall NOT SUMMER !

 

[Ansur]

Always nice to read that...

 

[Vormulac]

I think he meant after it ships..

/me agrees

 

[Mr-Fusion]

so i guess we will play the game in the fall NOT SUMMER !

Yeah that was confirmed through a half-life radio interview with Doug quite awhile ago.

That wording will change during fall to

"We plan to deliver a release candidate to Vivendi in November and hope to release it by Winter"

*I gurarantee* -> would you stop saying that!!!

 

[lePobz]

Still no benchmark information? They were supposed to release this over a year ago :|

 

[Vormulac]

They really seem to be promoting ATI too.

Vorm.

 

[ACLeroK212]

Doug Lombardi: Unfortunately, we never stop working here. For instance, our work on TF2 will continue and I'm sure we'll be working with the community as HL2 takes off. That said, the very first thing happening after the release of Half-Life 2 involves much tequila.

ah, cmon doug

after 6 or so years working on this game you can surely do much better than tequila :cheers:

 

[63]

From: Gabe Newell
Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2004 9:25 PM
To: Six Three
Subject: Re: Rating? - quick


Right now we're targetting a July 30th release candidate. This means we give what we think is a shippable version to VU. Usually you go through a couple of RCs before you reach Gold, which means that you have what you are going to manufacture. After you manufacture it, it goes to stores.

In our last conversation with the ESRB, we were looking at a teen rating.

- Gabe


looks like I might be right about the rating

 

[Dr. Freeman]

nice read
thanks for that link :thumbs:
just assures stuff already known. anyway... yeah the hype train is rolling!! :E

edit: heres my fav part of the interview:

10. Computer Games Romania: Should we expect a Collector's Edition of Half-Life 2 close to its release date? Can you give us some details about its contents?
Doug Lombardi: It is my understanding that the Collector's Edition willbe released at retail at the same time as the standard edition. I do not have the final contents, but I can tell you that it will include a mix of extra playable content as well as some collectable type of items.

 

[Gunner]

They really seem to be promoting ATI too.

Vorm.

Hmm, you mean you hadn't noticed?

 

[Mr-Fusion]

From: Gabe Newell
Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2004 9:25 PM
To: Six Three
Subject: Re: Rating? - quick


Right now we're targetting a July 30th release candidate. This means we give what we think is a shippable version to VU. Usually you go through a couple of RCs before you reach Gold, which means that you have what you are going to manufacture. After you manufacture it, it goes to stores.

In our last conversation with the ESRB, we were looking at a teen rating.

- Gabe


looks like I might be right about the rating

Interesting. So Valve give Vivendi what they think is the finished game. Then Vivendi run it through more testing? Evidently that is what happenend to condition-zero.

Valve gave Vivendi the finished copy. Then Vivendi spent 5 months testing and getting things ready for the release.

Interesting times ahead. Interesting times.

 

[RoguePsi]

do you think he means when they're done with the work on the game or when it actually ships?
i always understood that a demo was coming but not until after the game "ships"
maybe possible that we could see something a little sooner?

For Valve, the game (and the work) is only done after it has shipped.

Interesting. So Valve give Vivendi what they think is the finished game. Then Vivendi run it through more testing? Evidently that is what happenend to condition-zero.
Valve gave Vivendi the finished copy. Then Vivendi spent 5 months testing and getting things ready for the release.
Interesting times ahead. Interesting times.

CS:CZ was shite which is why it took so long. Half-life 2 will probably have a couple of RC's before shipping in mid/late August.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

For Valve, the game (and the work) is only done after it has shipped.



CS:CZ was shite which is why it took so long. Half-life 2 will probably have a couple of RC's before shipping in mid/late August.

What if the HL2 RC Valve give to Vivendi is also shite?

 

[lans]

What if the HL2 RC Valve give to Vivendi is also shite?

It won't be "shite" as Cs:CZ wasn't valve's own developed game so they didn't care - HL2 is valve's own hardwork and they wouldn't want vivendi to screw around with it.

 

[RoguePsi]

What if the HL2 RC Valve give to Vivendi is also shite?

Well, given the standard to which most of Valve's games are and the length of development, it would be surprising if Vivendi had many gripes about the final build which needed to be altered. CS:CZ on the other hand was made by a plethora of bad 3rd party developers and was pretty much bodged together in comparison to Half-life 2. Simple.

Something I forgot to mention before is that TFC fans can now shut up about TF2 being HL2's 'secret' MP. It's absolute confirmation that TF2 will be released seperately well after HL2.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

Something I forgot to mention before is that TFC fans can now shut up about TF2 being HL2's 'secret' MP. It's absolute confirmation that TF2 will be released seperately well after HL2.

yeah thank god!!
it was getting annoying with HL2 + TF2 speculation.. :|

 

[Mr-Fusion]

The cynic inside of me is screaming.

Hopefully something finally goes right for Valve. Hopefully that RC they give to Vivendi in the next month is as close to perfect as you can get. PRAY MOTHER****ERS!!

 

[Vormulac]

a mix of extra playable content

That should start the rumour mills grinding!


Vorm

 

[lans]

I just hope valve doesn't screw up the gore just to get the "T" teen rating. Heck, half the people who played the original like me were 11 -14 then and we had gibbing. Now that we're 16 + and all and no blood and extreme gore would suck.

That should start the rumour mills grinding!


Vorm

Knowing valve - It'll just be the source ports, at best.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

We've seen lots of gibbing and blood in the bink videos. If they've taken all that out to get the teen rating.....i will raise all kinds of heck!!

 

[Vormulac]

Knowing valve - It'll just be the source ports, at best.

Can't be, looks like the source ports will ship with HL2 as standard. Unless you only get HL:S and TFC:S if you get the Collectors Editions /me Sniffs

 

[FISKER_Q]

No multiplayer in Half-Life: Source more speculations for the HL2 MP threadmill

If we're lucky we might see a gold statement at the end of august or at the start of september.

Which would mean we could actually make it just in time for the 21st september, which coincidently also is a tuesday.

 

[lans]

We've seen lots of gibbing and blood in the bink videos. If they've taken all that out to get the teen rating.....i will raise all kinds of heck!!

Count me in brother. The whole HL2 community will take pitchforks and stuff and burn the valve offices if they remove all gibbing and blood and replace it with mucus.

 

[Sai]

wait, may be it's optional and on default it's on the teen version with may be like green blood or crap, but you may be able to turn up the gore factor in the settings, that makes sense

 

[SnowBall]

wait, may be it's optional and on default it's on the teen version with may be like green blood or crap, but you may be able to turn up the gore factor in the settings, that makes sense

Then it would still be rated mature. In Soldier of Fortune you could turn all blood and gore off and it was still rated M.

 

[bme]

We've seen lots of gibbing and blood in the bink videos. If they've taken all that out to get the teen rating.....i will raise all kinds of heck!!

may the force be with you then
"god hope it never happen"

 

[slicktick]

Then it would still be rated mature. In Soldier of Fortune you could turn all blood and gore off and it was still rated M.

YEah snowball is right, if it can be turned on then it has to be that rating. You could turn the gore off in HL1 but it was still mature. I dont think they are going to cut content just to get a teen rating, only that is what ESRB may have said they were looking at.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

They really seem to be promoting ATI too.

Vorm.

Even though they plan to release it on XBOX as well (even though thats got a modified GeForce3 in it). But I guess that they will optimise HalfLife2 to run on the NEXTBOX (Because that will contain an ATI card).

That makes me wonder if HalfLife2 won't come on XBOX, but will be available once the NXTBOX are distributed.

Do you think that HalfLife2 will determine if you got an XBOX or an NEXTBOX and provide more graphical effects accordingly?

 

[Sai]

wait didn't sof2 have two versions, one with a lot of gore and blood, one with not so much? what was the rating of the toned down version?

 

[tokin]

Yeah, looks like TF2 will be out way after HL2...so now all that fuss is over with....oh well. Looks like HL2 won't be out until earliest October. Summer ends sometime in September and they are saying they will release it in the fall. So yeah October at the earliest...this kinda sucks.

 

[ACLeroK212]

Yeah, looks like TF2 will be out way after HL2...so now all that fuss is over with....oh well. Looks like HL2 won't be out until earliest October. Summer ends sometime in September and they are saying they will release it in the fall. So yeah October at the earliest...this kinda sucks.

If you'd look like 22 posts up, gabe stated in an email that a release candidate is targeted for July 30th. Assuming this is the most accurate release/gold info we currently have HL2 should ship in August or early September at the latest.

 

[Razor]

However, in the case of Half-Life 2, the number 1 upgrade I can recommend is the latest GPU from ATI - that will result in more enhanced detail and superior framerate.

That sounds like marketing talk and not a proper answer. Both Nvidia's and Ati's latest cards are equally good, with Nvidia offering more technology, and probably, more speed in the months to come.

 

[Axyon]

That sounds like marketing talk and not a proper answer. Both Nvidia's and Ati's latest cards are equally good, with Nvidia offering more technology, and probably, more speed in the months to come.

Of course it's marketing talk, ATi are sponsoring Valve. I do like how you edged in a little of your own fanboyism into the post, though.

 

[tokin]

If you'd look like 22 posts up, gabe stated in an email that a release candidate is targeted for July 30th. Assuming this is the most accurate release/gold info we currently have HL2 should ship in August or early September at the latest.

1. Computer Games Romania: First of all, can you tell us what shape Half-Life 2 is in? Still standing for a summer release or should we fear a delay towards the end of 2004 or spring 2005?
Doug Lombardi: Things are progressing very well. We are planning to deliver a release candidate to Vivendi in August and we're hoping to see the product on store shelves this fall but we do not have a confirmed ship date at this time


Gabe also says they go through a few RC and copies until they get the right one down. They are HOPING for fall release, so yeah could be past October.