Half - Life 2 NEW INFO RELEASED

TREV · Post by **TREV** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 6:16 pm

Developer Valve has revealed that it plans to offer a $9.99 monthly subscription system to purchasers of Half-Life 2, as well as releasing three separate versions of the game - which has now seemingly slipped to November.

In an email, later confirmed as authentic, posted to forums on Half-Life2.net, and a later follow-up on the forum thread, Valve boss Gabe Newell confirmed that the company intends to offer an optional subscription which will grant members free additional content for Half-Life 2, delivered over the Steam digital distribution system.

This content would include Valve's official modifications such as Counter-Strike 2 and Team Fortress 2, and any other content released officially for the game during its life span - which will also be made available to non-subscribers for an additional fee.

The subscription plan is entirely optional, but according to Newell, "we're pretty sure that the $9.95 guys are going to get the better value, as we've been pretty good over the years at generating a lot of content."

The company is also planning to offer three different SKUs of Half-Life 2 at launch, with a basic version of the game stripped of its multiplayer and mod capabilities being the cheapest, followed by a "standard" edition which includes these capabilities, and a "collector's edition" which will feature what Newell describes as "lots of cool bonus stuff".

Some of these versions will be available for download on Valve's own Steam service, which is sure to be watched with interest by publishers and retailers alike - as it represents the first concerted effort by a developer to bypass the traditional value chain and deal directly with its customers.

However, both gamers and interested industry observers may have to wait longer than expected to see Half-Life 2. Although Vivendi maintains that the release date for the game is "TBC", and Valve issued assurances at ECTS last week that the game would make its ship date at the end of September, UK retail chain GAME this week informed customers who had pre-ordered the game that it has slipped back to November.

It's not clear whether this is based on new information received by GAME which is not being circulated widely by Vivendi, or whether the company is simply responding to earlier rumours that the game had slipped - which were denied categorically by Valve.

Post by **I.D.O.** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 10:08 am

I posted that on the front page on Sept 4th and posted a link in the formus to the front page.

There is a new HL2 movie as well showing the advanages of DX 9!!
FileShack
FilePlanet
IGN
Gamearena
NoFrag

Undead_Mercenary · Post by **Undead_Mercenary** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 1:00 pm

Also, there is a client you can install to play Half Life, Counter Strike and the new version of Team Temple.

Post by **I.D.O.** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 1:28 pm

You mean Team Fortress..

Undead_Mercenary · Post by **Undead_Mercenary** » Sat Sep 13, 2003 9:56 pm

But of course. Force of habit, my bad.

TREV · Post by **TREV** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 6:39 am

yea..Steam Software.

And I never see the front page cuz I got a direct link..lol. Meh.

Undead_Mercenary · Post by **Undead_Mercenary** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 3:28 pm

Well I guess I misunderstood that Steam client. You still need the Half Life, Counter Strike and Team Fortress CDs to use it. Gay.

DrkMasaMune · Post by **DrkMasaMune** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 7:32 pm

yea this pay to play shit is really pissing me off.. one would think that 50 bucks would be enough... i guess not!

XoR · Post by **XoR** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 5:02 am

I understand completely, however Valve is only going to see maybe 7 bucks of the 50.

I actually agree with pay to play. We need a centralized system of mandatory logins to play. The old style system of anonymous ad hoc discovery and cheating on privately run servers is thankfully being scrutinized under the microscope once and for all.

All of us in PHX want the world to be wiped clean of cheaters, but we know this will never happen. However, a mandatory login/authentication system will take giant strides in regulating cheaters/hackers.

And let's be honest. Game companies want to make profit. This is the way capitalism works. If you do a good job and the marketplace applauds your efforts, you get to drive a Ferarri.

Now, with that said, I will expect value for this monthly fee I will shell out month after month. And this is where the rubber's gonna meet the road. To me, actively hunting and striking down cheaters so hard that they'll need 3 therapy sessions just to talk again is my hope.

Cheaters Mom : Has my son finally started talking? Its been 3 weeks

Therapist : Well, we're making progress ... he said the word "Valve" today, but then curled up and started sucking his thumb in the corner again. Next visit, I'm going to try and have him say CounterStrike.

Post by **Archangelus** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 10:11 am

What they need to do is offer a cheaper version where you can get it through download. You sign up for maybe a mandatory $29.99 which gets you the game and all updates for three months. You download the game from the developers. This keeps their distribution costs low and prevents people from subscribing for one month, getting the game, and canceling the subscription.

The end result is, the developers pay less for distributing the game, which means less need to pass those additional costs onto us poor players. Instead, they are only trying to recoup some of the development costs. This in turn means that my initial purchase should be cheaper for a game requiring a subscription method. $30 vs. $50. Now, with a subscription method, the recoup of the initial and future development continues, which should ensure better quality updates and more frequent updates.

Now there are definitiely arguements to the contrary and I could discuss this for hours on the pros and cons of such a model, but I like my job and don't feel like getting fired for typing a novel on such a subject.

I bid you adieu and VIVA LA SWG!!!

-Arch

BadAsh · Post by **BadAsh** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 4:11 pm

Man I'd love to spend $50 on a new-release game. too bad up here they are all $80+. As for a downloadable $9/month (that's about $13/month CDN) pay-to-play type of scenario, in a game like this I just don't see them putting out enough new content monthly for it to be worthwhile, if they could pull it off I would jump on it in a second but as it is most MMORPG's can barely put out enough content in a monthly update to make their subscriptions worth while.

Undead_Mercenary · Post by **Undead_Mercenary** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 4:41 pm

I have to agree. It would be cool if they could arrange a way where you can dand not be obliged to pay monthly.

Dr.Death · Post by **Dr.Death** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 8:39 pm

My god, next you will have to pay to fart! Pay to Play, I don't think so! It looks like I'll be playing SOF2 forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Levangles · Post by **Levangles** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 10:19 pm

but this is not going to be a 10$ "pay for play" deal.... unless i am understanding this wrong-- buying the cd with the mutiplayer possible will LET you play the game multiplayer without a fee..... what they are charging this 10 bones for is for all their other bullshit that they want to beef the game up with-
"expansion products, TF 2, and presumably other games"
.... and whatever else they can think of conning people into getting. xor raises a very good point that the centralized system is, as of now, the only way to ensure that cheaters get their fair due and attention.... but this 10 dollars will have s*** all to do with dealing with cheaters, am i not correct....?
one good thing is this, which almost makes the monthly thing decent:
"The good news is that there is no suggestion that people pay in the store and then pay a monthly fee on top of that Ã¡ la MMORPG "
but i am left wondering-- if you are going with the monthly deal do you apy the retail purchase price of the game? or do you recieve a lessened price as a result of your subscription?

XoR · Post by **XoR** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 4:07 am

Duh 'oh, yep, you are correct Levangles. The subscription is to be able to download MOD's and such. pfft, big deal... unless you won't be able to get CounterStrike2 without it. What a shaft that would be. Which makes me wonder, will HL2 ship with a multiplayer that resembles the first one? read : trashheap

This is going to be an interesting evolution.

All I gotta say is, BF1942 you drive TANKS, PLANES, BATTLESHIPS. I mean come on people... why aren't you all playing this game? Ditch Hitler and come and play a real FPS ... heheh