There may actually be an ARG

[trunk_slamchest]

that neoGAF thread was extraordinarily entertaining, i must say.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

pls dn't double post scrub

nvm trunk is not nick

T̷̶̵̩͔͍̹̪̜͎̱͎̤̖͚̼̦͍͂ͮ͂͛ͦͦ̈̈ͪ̔́͟H̢̗̤̜̤̱͙ͯ̀ͤ́̓́͞Ḙ̵̭̪̬̱̖̻̬͖̜̪̳͔͙̪̦͍̻͎͋̈͐͒ͮͧ͒ͯ͛̆͢͠Y̨̜̞̤̣͈͇̳̱̖̐̈̋ͪ͛͊͑̑ͧͪ̎ͣͫ͘͜͞ ̯̩͈͖͈̰̭̭̬͕͇̗̼̱̝̓̉̆ͬ̈̒̓͑͠ͅͅJ̵̷̛̾̆̏̇͊̐̊̑͆̇̔̽̃ͭͬ̉̍ͨ̚҉̦̬̠̗U̵̡̪̹̪̮͓͚̩̯̭̭͇͌́͋̇ͪͮͨ̆ͫ̅ͮͫ̓ͦ̕͢͡S͂͆̚͡҉͚͇̦͚͍̬̝͙͔͉͇͚͉̙͉̦̺̰T̴̪̬̬̙͓̞̰̜ͬ̓̏̃̉͐̇̍̎͜ ̨̧͖̰̖͙̳̝̲̦͍ͣ̈̀̓̂́͒̔̏̊͆ͧͮ̾̌̇̊̀̕B̴̯̣̲̙̖̱̘͈̠̬̭̽̇ͭ̃ͩͫͤͦ̑ͩ̀͢͠ͅȎ̧̭̫̺̞̃̆͑ͮ̿ͮ̌͌̾ͮ̐͋ͤ͛ͬͫ̀̚T̯̘̠̰̱̖͎͉̯̙̘̹̬͚̪͍͓̃̾̔̇͋ͬ̇̈́̓ͥ͆͞Ḩ̴͚͓̟̭̭̣̩̠͖̯͐͋̌ͥͫ̿͘͜ ̴̢̼̲̩̪͔̤͚̱̘̬͇̦̼̥͓ͤ̔ͫ̅͆̓ͪ́́͊̔͐ͮͫ͆̂̏͗̎ͅL̴̵̲̻͍̮̞̣̜ͤ̈̿̿͛̒͛̍ͬͬ̇͆̐ͣͫͯ̊͘͢I̴̶̻̦̱̣̠̦̯͔͔̙͇̫̖̥̥͉ͩ̋̔̔ͩͭͨͨͣ̀͟͜ͅK̷̆͋ͭ͌̀͝͏̝̻̯̯̫͚̣̜̞̦̘̭͙̭̱̪͕Ê̶̯̭̥͚̺͖͖ͯ̾̌ͮ̇̏̆͋̒ͪ͞ ̧̡̣̞̼̲̤̼̘͚̝͕̠̻̞̼̘̬̖̳͗͐͑̾ͨ̓̍̈ͥͪͯͮ̔̕͘ͅT͋̉ͦ͐͌̀͌͒̓ͯ̋̌ͧ͑ͪ̚͝҉̨͙̫̤̬̪̫̖͔̹͞E͒ͭ̎́̇̇́̎̓͐ͧ̅̀͢҉͎̘̳̖̘̩͇̳Ä̸̪̹̖̞̤̗̫̗̦̮̑ͩ͛̀̽̆ͭͣ̉̚̕͜ͅM̵̹̺̥̬̺̟͊̃ͯ̉̔̇ͥ͂ͅS̡ͣͮͥͥ̓͒ͪ̄ͫ̐̏ͨͤͨ͑̎͗̄҉̯͙̹̱̰̼͙̞̱͓̭͟ ̷̶̨̫͚̳̤̣̼ͭͧ͒̈ͨ̾ͩͤ̐ͭͩ̑̽̉́F̯̦͔̮̳͔͕̘͎̟̐͆͗ͩ̐̔ͬͦͪ̐̋̒̌ͭ͊͒̚̚͜͠͡Ǫ̭̪̭̝͔̬͚͔̘̽͊ͤͬͬͬ͌͑̏̐́̉͒ͭ̄͘R̴̨̋́ͤͮ̆ͤ͋ͦ̀҉̼͉̦̗̥̫̺͓̫̀T͙͉̦̺̮͈ͧ̓̃̆͊̾͛̉͊̇ͬ̀̏ͣͪ̒ͨ̀͟͞R̨̼̮̬̞͖̤͚̙̘̺̠͍̳̟͉ͥ̊ͮ̍̃ͪ́͞͝͠E̶̱̪̠̱̖ͭ̏ͣͣ̉ͩ̑S̨̱̬͚̤̙͙̀ͮͫ̂̽̈́̍̓ͤ̂ͫ͊͞͡ͅS͒ͭ̉ͣ͒ͨ̈̔ͨ̃͂̿̽̎̚͏̷̛̩͙̮̮͙̦̀ͅ ̡̔͌͌ͥ̎̀͘҉̵̮̣͉̬͉͍̻̪̹̬̣̮͙͎̯2̛̭̮̠̙̫̞̙͔̝̤͓͓̩͓̤ͤ͛ͮ̅͌͟ͅḨ̵͍̲̻̤͉̥̻̝̘̤̱̠̜̩̻̞̾͊ͬͭ̀͠͡Ā̸̛̜͍̦̮ͬͣ̅ͦ̓͛ͧ͝T̓̋͐̉̋ͩ̓̄̓͐͊̈́̍͜͏̖̫̭̹̼͓̳̬̳͉̠̺͙͎̣̯͓ͅ,̵̧̧̭̟̪͙͉͙̬̮͌̿ͩ̀́͟ͅ ̧̣̹͍͔̪ͭͪ́̕W͇̦͚͇̻̯͍̩̼̙̬͚͔̗̆̋ͮ̉̅ͧ̄͟͞͡O̡̧̡̤̝̲̳̩̜̦̪̻͖̞͎͛͒̈́̌ͩͣ́R̷͍̠͓̭̟̖̥̖͓̜̰̗̼͇̭͍͕ͥͫͨͮ͗͐̎̀̐͊̌͗ͦ̀͆̃͝Ş̣̖̺̮͙̻̝͚͔̹͍̹̥͖̪̳͐̾͐̈ͯ̔̔ͫ̐̈ͫ̅̋̑̊̀̚H̔̌̐͑҉̷҉̩̯͓̻Ǐ̛̏͗ͥ̊́̀̂̌͊ͣ̎̃̀̚͟҉̺̱̳̹͙̟̼̘͕͚͙̣̺̱ͅṖ̴͚̰͓̝̺͕̞̮̺̖͉̟̇͆̇͝ ̷̧̡̤͚͔̥̳̠̝̘͈̘̞̭͛̽̊̔̃̑͋͛ͣ̉̀̓ͨ̎̓ͦ̓ͥͥ͢ͅS̵͐̒̎͗҉̮̯̰̗͉̹̪̗͙̯̗͇͈͔͈̳̀͘Å̸̴̳̰̬̝͙̥͕͚͉̠̪̰̊ͮ̔̀͢T̨̡̡̳̮͍̱̻͈͕͎̳̝̳̞͕̖ͫ̒́͂̽́ͬͯ͟ͅA̴̧̲̥̞̱̻̙̰̟͙̥̽ͤ̌̂ͫͮŅ̲͕̣̦̪̼̱̬͇̞͕̤͖ͭͨͬ͌ͧ͗̋̉̎̐̓ͣͥ̾̀̚͜ ̷̸̧͊ͯͧ̈̽ͭ҉̷͔̬̠̟̦̩̖̟̭B̧͊ͫ̎̊͏̵̻̳͖͙͉̘͖̰̼̰̹͎͙͔̠͔̯̱̭́͢R͎̮͍͎̬̩͉̳̫̝͉̞̲̰͈̲ͣ͛ͥͮ͒ͩ̿ͩ̊̏͢͡͠A̧̫̘̠̺̾ͦ̂ͤ̓̓̓̌ͦ̿̆̊̃̎͞H̨̰̖̯̬̬̝͍̠͍̰̞͆̽͆̎̓ͣ̈ͥͨ̀͆ͦ͌̓̊̈̀ͯ͘͘͝

 

[trunk_slamchest]

tryna catch me ridin dirty

 

[JossiRossi]

I repeat.

ARG Speculation people are the worst. ARG investigators are ok though.

I am so glad we don't post idle rumors on the main page.

 

[MFL]

Told you it was nothing. No one ever listens. They get their hopes up so much that they become blind to their own ignorance.

You had just as much evidence that there was nothing that I had that there was something. Nor have I ever claimed that any speculation be tied to reality, I lay out the possibilities based on loosely related circumstances that when put together can have a higher than normal chance at being something. You're damn straight I'm hopeful. If there's something wrong with that, I guess I'm wrong. But at least I'm not hopeless.

That post made me laugh, so much of it is wrong.

It's wrong now. It wasn't necessarily so eight hours ago.

Your haughty attitudes belie themselves. Oh woe is the man who searches and doesn't find, yet who are you to say that there is nothing there? You were right by circumstance just as I was wrong.

Unless, of course, you would like to take the time to explain your counter-arguments, maybe even when we're talking about it, then I'll respectfully listen.

Spouting off, "HURG, HATE THE HOPE, THERE IS NO LIGHT, LETS HUDDLE IN THE WARMTH OF THE DARKNESS AND NEVER SPEAK OF THE SUN, IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO NOT MAKE FOOLS OF OURSELVES. WE CAN'T BE WRONG, WE MUST NEVER BE WRONG.", is really ****ing rude. And it's your right. You can absolutely do that. Just pointing out that it's really shitty.

And I've been here just as long as most of us. I've seen every single god damn tired chance at something come and go, but I haven't let it rag at me. It doesn't get me down when people look for shit, except when there's no context. And that's a slippery threshold to define on this side of the line. Not all of us have the proximity to Valve that I know some members have. You're tired of people getting their hopes up time and time again? Congratulations, you're a cynic. A broken, hopeless cynic. That's not gonna stop me though.

If you have something important to contribute, feel free, I don't care if it's a net positive or negative as applies to the validity of any particular argument. If you're just gonna shout, "Hurr, you so DUMB. Why do people always gotta be so WRONG.", and not have any follow up to that, well, you can go **** yourself.

 

[Omnomnick]

It's wrong now. It wasn't necessarily so eight hours ago.

The map hardly looks like the area of the statue base in question, maybe we'll be close with a few earthquakes and mass landslides.

The hat Alyx is seen wearing has little to do with North Korea. The symbol shown is a generic communist hammer and sickle badge which, considering Half-Life 2 takes place in an ex-soviet state, most likely has more connection to Russian/Iron Curtain communist states than North Korea.

The character shown on the character's hat is Chinese, and apparently means Sky, although this might just be a bad translation.

The Mil Mi-8 helicopter seen in the 2008 art and at the end of Half-Life 2: Episode 2 is Russian, not North Korean.

The Korean message in the Steam support message was a reference basically telling people that things can and will go wrong with patches like this. The Korean localization glitch was an "unforeseen consequence".

The Korean text on the base of the Medic statue in Surgeon Simulator actually reads "Time", and has little relevance to what was claimed in the post.

I'll say it again. The post was wrong.

 

[MFL]

The map could drastically change with time due to the context as was addressed and would be closer to the figure on the statuette should the water level drop. It was still a huge stretch, only even worth looking at alongside other circumstances.

The connection from NK to the hat was developed literally by googling "north korean cold weather hat" and going into the image section. Not the best research method, but there were plenty of examples of the exact same symbol. The generic communist symbology of the hammer and sickle is a neutral attribution in this case. It could be NK, it could be RU.

Thank you for the information about the Chinese character. At least we're in the right part of the world.

Mil Mi-8 helicopters were sold to both China and North Korea. The markings on the side are actually Vietnamese.

The Korean localization glitch was an "unforeseen consequence".

That was a possible interpretation at the time. Equally valid that it could have been something else.

The Korean text on the base of the Medic statue in Surgeon Simulator actually reads "Time", and has little relevance to what was claimed in the post.

Little relevance other than being Korean text in a Valve contextual asset, metaphorically by time, physically by statuette.

 

[Omnomnick]

The map could drastically change with time due to the context as was addressed and would be closer to the figure on the statuette should the water level drop. It was still a huge stretch, only even worth looking at alongside other circumstances.

If it's a huge stretch, it means people are looking way too far into things while trying to create patterns that don't exist.

The connection from NK to the hat was developed literally by googling "north korean cold weather hat" and going into the image section. Not the best research method, but there were plenty of examples of the exact same symbol. The generic communist symbology of the hammer and sickle is a neutral attribution in this case. It could be NK, it could be RU.

The reason it came up with the "exact same symbol" is because that icon is a pretty generic communist badge and, while it was most likely used by the North Koreans, the Russians used it so much more prominently on clothing and imagery, which is especially important when you consider the maps below.

Supposed setting of Half-Life 2 and the episodes, showing distance to Moscow.​

​

Supposed setting of Half-Life 2 and the episodes, showing distance to North Korea. Which is more likely to be relevant?​

Mil Mi-8 helicopters were sold to both China and North Korea. The markings on the side are actually Vietnamese.

Regardless of whether or not the helicopters were sold to other countries (since they were also used in over 60 other countries), the Mil Mi-8 was used primarily by Soviet Union controlled states, which just so happens to be where Half-Life 2 is set. The markings on the side are also not Vietnamese, and are actually numbers (most likely classifications) and, once again, generic red stars, flags and markings which were also used by so many other communist states.

​

 

[trunk_slamchest]

LOOK AT WHAT YOURE DOING VALVE!

YOURE TEARING US APART!

 

[Gangwolf]

prepare for unforeseen coincidences

 

[MFL]

people are looking way too far into things

After originally having dug through page sources, the Potato Sack ARG, the SSTV data, and the dial-up modem in whathisname's apartment, we're pretty far gone past what is in the realm of possibility.

Which is more likely to be relevant?

Given the context of the HL2 Korean localization patch, bugs, and the content in SS13, the bias was there to draw lines.

The markings on the side

I was referring specifically to the star, circle, and bar.

 

[Gangwolf]

LOOK AT WHAT YOURE DOING VALVE!

YOURE TEARING US APART!

actually its surgeon simulator 2013 that's doing it

 

[Shem]

Actually let's just blame it on God. No one likes Him anyways.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

Regardless of how silly the Surgeon thing was something is certainly stirring at valve moreso than usual. By that I mean they might actually be ready to announce something not horribly boring in the next couple of decades.

 

[Shem]

I'll have kids by then. They'll let us have kids without having wives. Because I'm never getting a wife. Too smelly.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

You can already have kids without having a wife?

 

[Shem]

I don't know, can you? Not if you practice abstinence. Which is shit. Who can resist having sex before they're married?

 

[Gangwolf]

I can't shake the feeling that half life news (or rather rumors) has increased in frequency, am I wrong?

 

[-smash-]

I lay out the possibilities based on loosely related circumstances that when put together can have a higher than normal chance at being something.

This community is drawing their own imaginary lines between two things that are obviously unconnected. And to me, after years of drawing imaginary lines, it's become extremely boring. So excuse me while I express some resentment towards the community that continues to chase ghosts.

This community needs to sit down and think about one fact; the fact that when the time does come for a Half-Life ARG or announcement, there will be no hesitations, and there will be no doubts, about its absoluteness.

 

[Shem]

Time... Is it that... time again?

-Gman

My God! Long time no see! This man hasn't been here since 2011.

And his post count is currently 1337. Can't get any cooler than that.

 

[Gangwolf]

This community is drawing their own imaginary lines between two things that are obviously unconnected. And to me, after years of drawing imaginary lines, it's become extremely boring. So excuse me while I express some resentment towards the community that continues to chase ghosts.

This community needs to sit down and think about one fact; the fact that when the time does come for a Half-Life ARG or announcement, there will be no hesitations, and there will be no doubts, about its absoluteness.

weren't there doubts about the portal 2 ARG?

 

[MFL]

And to me, after years of drawing imaginary lines, it's become extremely boring.

Ok.

 

[-smash-]

Ok.

Hey you can attempt to belittle my opinion all you want. But if you have the right to speculate on bullshit, I have the right to call you out on it.

weren't there doubts about the portal 2 ARG?

Dinosaur or Potato? Both were pretty damn obvious.

 

[MFL]

I wasn't belittling your opinion Smash, I was accepting it.

Belittling an opinion would be something to the effect of calling something imaginary, or obviously incorrect, or extremely boring, or ghostly insubstantial, or worthy of resent.

 

[-smash-]

Not one of these Half-Life 3 ARG's over the years has turned out to be such just means these connections are false.

 

[MFL]

just means

No it doesn't.

That does not logically follow.

 

[Stigmata]

The moment we lapse in our vigilance, if even only for a second, is the moment we lose the Big Scoop™ to some second-rate spamhole. The only logical path to take is to analyse every potential ARG as HL3 until it becomes true.

 

[Gangwolf]

Even if this didn't turn out to be HL3 it still was fun to try to figure out if it was or not and that is the sport of it and why people will keep trying to figure stuff out even when we have doubts.

 

[rikt]

Nevermind about all that. Just focus on the upcoming Steam Summer Sale and move on...

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

This community is drawing their own imaginary lines between two things that are obviously unconnected. And to me, after years of drawing imaginary lines, it's become extremely boring. So excuse me while I express some resentment towards the community that continues to chase ghosts.

This community needs to sit down and think about one fact; the fact that when the time does come for a Half-Life ARG or announcement, there will be no hesitations, and there will be no doubts, about its absoluteness.

I believe I can speak with a bit of authority being as I've been here a majority of my life now in saying that this community was brought forth upon the legs of wild, occasionally overly optimistic speculation. I understand your frustration but do understand that these sorts of things are still a great deal of fun for some people.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

Regardless of how silly the Surgeon thing was something is certainly stirring at valve moreso than usual. By that I mean they might actually be ready to announce something not horribly boring in the next couple of decades.

Or Valve is turning into Epic, and won't make a sequel to their once "flagship" franchise. Instead will make games based on the more profitable F2P business model. Rather than the expensive single player games.

Gayben already said that Portal 2 was the last single player game. So I doubt HL3 is even a thought.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

That's funny because Portal 2 isn't a single player game.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

The campaign we play as Chell is single player.

The rest including Co-op and steam workshop maps, is largely multiplayer.

 

[JossiRossi]

Gayben already said that Portal 2 was the last single player game. So I doubt HL3 is even a thought.

That is currently not a confirmed certainty. It's just been mentioned that they feel that traditional singleplayer is going to be very different in the future. This might mean things like L4D coop features, or having humans play enemies. Things like that. I hightly doubt they ended Portal 2 and were like, "Naw we're good. No need for more Half-Life" and then ceased all work on a highly anticipated installation of the series.

 

[rikt]

So what, from now on we will all be forced to play multiplayer just to get through the main story?

Why not turn it into a F2P MMORPG while we are at it? I shiver just to think how possible this may be...

Having separate online/offline mode to play is just fine, but I think it's a big mistake if they plan to "Force" everyone to play constantly online. I probably won't.

 

[Shem]

Maybe they'll make it a strategy game. That would be lovely.

 

[rikt]

I don't know, it's not unheard of that a company takes a perfectly working game model and then "retools" it, resulting in a total and utter FAIL!!!


All of a sudden I am reminded of the Final Fantasyseries...I used to love the stories and turn based battle systems, etc. And then they innovated the series by removing the ATB system and turning it into a stright line running marathon... they ruined it for me and the last one I played was FFXII. From the footage on FFXV seems like I won´t play that one either, they turned it into a sort of God of War...good job Square-Enix see you never again!

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

By that (completely bizarre and disjointed) logic, I guess we're safe until about Half-Life XII. We'll also be far too dead to be disappointed.

 

[rikt]

By that (completely bizarre and disjointed) logic, I guess we're safe until about Half-Life XII. We'll also be far too dead to be disappointed.

It's just an example of how a franchise changed a lot in a couple of games. Simple.

 

[Shem]

It's like how a band changes over time. Take Radiohead for example. With Pablo Honey and The Bends they started off as a simple alternative rock act. 1997's OK Computer changed that, and from then on they focused mainly on electronic and experimental. They are now one of the best groups in the world in my opinion. But my point is, in order for bands and companies alike to survive or at the very least thrive, they must be willing to evolve with the current trend. Irrational did it with BioShock; Bethesda with Fallout 3. But you know what? The core elements were still retained. That's really the best anyone can do: have the ability to adapt while still holding on to your values. That's true quality.