I had a tour at the Valve HQ recently, this is what I found out. - Games

Hi, A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend a tour at Valve HQ as I was passing through Seattle on my way back up to Vancouver. I've come here because there were a few interesting bits and pieces that I was told about current Valve franchises. Portal: I asked about portal, because it's my favorite valve game if you exclude DOTA. I was told that whilst Valve are not working on a Portal 3 as such, there is a small team working on porting over the community puzzles to Source 2 for release as a separate product. Apparently the main benefit is that it provides a much more streamlined interface, and much more control over the creation process. I asked if a Portal 3 was ever going to arrive, and was basically told they aren't working on it at this stage. VR: I asked what was happening in terms of VR, and what I found was quite interesting. Valve heavily incentivised the non-crucial team members of their projects to move over to SteamVR in early November, and most are yet to move back to their projects. Apparently there were 3 main projects that were to be released in VR, and that the 3rd hasn't been released yet. After it is released, most people will return to their previous teams. This does not mean they have finished writing VR products though, as there is still a large VR team. Other Projects: I tried asking about Half-Life, but was told they can't talk about it at this stage. I also asked about DOTA however the people I was with didn't have much to do with it. I was looking around for any possible concept art, or unreleased products open on monitors, but it appears they're quite thorough on their sweeps before letting people into their offices. Thanks

If they're refusing to talk about HL "At this stage" then something is in the works. Or its typical valve question dodging. The portal thing does sound nice

[QUOTE=Jelman;50548100]If they're refusing to talk about HL "At this stage" then something is in the works. [/QUOTE] don't start this i bet valve has a button on each desk that makes all the walls rotate and transform like in some bond movie to hide all the wip projects from any visitors

[QUOTE=Jericho_Rus;50548103]don't start this i bet valve has a button on each desk that makes all the walls rotate and transform like in some bond movie to hide all the wip projects from any visitors[/QUOTE] But its always fun to start up the hype train and watch it crash and burn a few days later. Here, let me fuel the fire some more: [B]STEAM. SUMMER. SALE. ARG.[/B]

[QUOTE=valvefriend;50548060]VR: I asked what was happening in terms of VR, and what I found was quite interesting. Valve heavily incentivised the non-crucial team members of their projects to move over to SteamVR in early November, and most are yet to move back to their projects. Apparently there were 3 main projects that were to be released in VR, and that the 3rd hasn't been released yet. After it is released, most people will return to their previous teams. This does not mean they have finished writing VR products though, as there is still a large VR team.[/QUOTE] 3 main projects to be released in VR? What do you mean, like game projects? Do we know what these projects are? That is quite interesting for sure.

[QUOTE=valvefriend;50548060]I was looking around for any possible concept art, or unreleased products open on monitors, but it appears they're quite thorough on their sweeps before letting people into their offices.[/QUOTE] Oh and, for a good reason apparently.

[QUOTE=Jarokwa;50548121]any proof of your visit?[/QUOTE] I'm not sure really, I didn't take any photos. They do tours often though [QUOTE=Bat-shit;50548119]3 main projects to be released in VR? What do you mean, like game projects? Do we know what these projects are? That is quite interesting for sure.[/QUOTE] I think the first is The Lab, and the second one is Destinations

First post, just joined, no proof, not even any snappies lol ok I'm not buying it. There are 0 reasons to trust them unless proof is given as a sign that they can be trusted. there are so many people saying so many things about so many companies. And even if this is true they could end up canceling projects at a moments notice or changing plans. Only trust direct releases. [QUOTE=Bat-shit;50548126]Oh and, for a good reason apparently.[/QUOTE] For those who don't know. HL2 was leaked originally, or at least its beta was. BIG fucking leak, one of the biggest even. [url]http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Half-Life_2_Beta#Source_code_leak[/url]

[QUOTE=J!NX;50548152]First post, just joined, no proof, not even any snappies lol ok I'm not buying it.[/QUOTE] I just joined because I've never posted here before and I heard this was a good place to post it. They don't let you have cameras, and I don't know what other proof I can give

[QUOTE=Jericho_Rus;50548103]don't start this i bet valve has a button on each desk that makes all the walls rotate and transform like in some bond movie to hide all the wip projects from any visitors[/QUOTE] As someone who's toured Valve, everything is kept behind sheeted walls, where you'll usually find lots of attached fan art and hats. The TF2 cabal was beautiful in that it was attached with so many people's fan art from all around the globe in different styles - some 3D, some 2D, some painted, some seemingly drawn by really young people - but it was also very concealing. The only projects my family was really allowed to see was the HTC Vive a year before its release and the Steam Controller a year before its release. I couldn't play anything with the Steam controller, but I was able to feel the touch pad vibrating and stuff like that - it looked exactly like the one currently sitting on my desk. And I saw the HTC vice on the floor in a room full of barcodes all over the walls with a standing mount for a desktop and monitor. Their descriptions of both projects were extremely vague. I got far more in-depth information about the rooms within the place itself, and how the employees live their lives. It was definitely not something like the OP described, with in-depth info on how their games were going to play out, which is why I'm leaning towards calling bullshit. Valve doesn't really have any reason to give that kind of info to people just visiting. They'll give you a tour and show you around - you might meet some developers (my tour guide was the electrical engineer behind the Steam controller too!) - but they're not going to give you the inside scoop. They really value their privacy, and they asked me kindly not to divulge certain details like how to get there or anything like that, because ultimately these people are trying to exercise their creativity with that barrier between them and the fans to keep as much pressure away as possible. If they're not telling the rest of the fans, you're not going to get anything when you talk to them in person.

[QUOTE=wauterboi;50548169]As someone who's toured Valve, everything is kept behind sheeted walls, where you'll usually find lots of attached fan art and hats. The TF2 cabal was beautiful in that it was attached with so many people's fan art from all around the globe in different styles - some 3D, some 2D, some painted, some seemingly drawn by really young people - but it was also very concealing. The only projects my family was really allowed to see was the HTC Vive a couple years before its release and the Steam Controller a couple years before its release. I couldn't play anything with the Steam controller, but I was able to feel the touch pad vibrating and stuff like that - it looked exactly like the one currently sitting on my desk. And I saw the HTC vice on the floor in a room full of barcodes all over the walls with a standing mount for a desktop and monitor. Their descriptions of both projects were extremely vague. I got far more in-depth information about the rooms within the place itself, and how the employees live their lives. It was definitely not something like the OP described, with in-depth info on how their games were going to play out, which is why I'm leaning towards calling bullshit. Valve doesn't really have any reason to give that kind of info to people just visiting. They'll give you a tour and show you around - you might meet some developers (my tour guide was the electrical engineer behind the Steam controller too!) - but they're not going to give you the inside scoop. They wouldn't do it for the rest of the fans, and so they're not going to do it for you.[/QUOTE] That's basically what I got, it was only afterwards that I was chatting with some people, because I got the tour through a mutual friend with a Valve employee.

tbh I'd just shower Valve with steam controller questions because FUCK YES I love it I would come with a disconnected vive on my head

A photo outside valves office or something that proved you personally was there.

[QUOTE=J!NX;50548181]tbh I'd just shower Valve with steam controller questions because FUCK YES I love it[/QUOTE] Haha, what questions would you have asked? Like I said, the guy that showed me around was responsible for mapping out all the wiring and stuff within the thing and we ended up talking about how he used to do work with the electrical aspects of military vehicles and airplanes.

[QUOTE=wauterboi;50548189]Haha, what questions would you have asked? Like I said, the guy that showed me around was responsible for mapping out all the wiring and stuff within the thing and we ended up talking about how he used to do work with the electrical aspects of military vehicles and airplanes.[/QUOTE] Probably about how they built so cleanly, that any novice could easily take it apart and repair it with only PC building knowledge. I took one apart and every part pretty much fit together perfectly. Easily put back together. I would probably would just ask questions about where they'll take the software and what they'll do if they ever decide to remodel it and sell the "2nd gen" editions the software's way the fuck better than logitechs. I'm used to both a keyboard and controller so what they have going is literally perfect for me.

[QUOTE=Shakma;50548182]A photo outside valves office or something that proved you personally was there.[/QUOTE] I didn't have photos taken, I don't like photos of myself. Is there anything else you'd take as proof?

[QUOTE=Shakma;50548182]A photo outside valves office or something that proved you personally was there.[/QUOTE] Here's my evidence - just don't mind me being a fat fat fatty back in early 2015: [t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/965202/Visiting%20Valve/family_in_front_of_logo.jpg[/t][t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/965202/Visiting%20Valve/family_in_front_of_sentry.jpg[/t][t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/965202/Visiting%20Valve/gatoraidboi_looking_at_hats.jpg[/t][t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/965202/Visiting%20Valve/lobby_guitar.jpg[/t][t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/965202/Visiting%20Valve/lobby_wall.jpg[/t][t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/965202/Visiting%20Valve/logo.jpg[/t][t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/965202/Visiting%20Valve/pyro.jpg[/t][t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/965202/Visiting%20Valve/sentry_opposite_corner.jpg[/t][t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/965202/Visiting%20Valve/7th_floor_coat_hangers.jpg[/t] I'm in the gray striped shirt. Oh, and those Valve coat hangers are just outside of Gabe Newell's office, which my mom took a picture of and I didn't see. I also said "UHHHHH" right in front of Gabe Newell's bearded face, and my brother accidentally saluted him (he was visiting on the off-time from being on a military base). He smiled and laughed at us as he went to the literally top-secret floor that we weren't allowed to see with some HTC business man.

Next FPer do in a tour please ask them as what kind of company they see themselves nowadays and if actually making games is even their interest anymore

[QUOTE=valvefriend;50548197]I didn't have photos taken, I don't like photos of myself. Is there anything else you'd take as proof?[/QUOTE] Did you manage to get some of gabe newells mighty beard and urine? specifically his urine. I need Zonesylvania to run a DNA analysis so I can uhhh, not clone him, that's what!

[QUOTE=J!NX;50548201]Did you manage to get some of gabe newells mighty beard and urine? specifically his urine. I need Zonesylvania to run a DNA analysis so I can uhhh, not clone him, that's what![/QUOTE] I would imagine Gabe 2's first words being, "Uhh, this isn't working."

[QUOTE=J!NX;50548201]Did you manage to get some of gabe newells mighty beard and urine? specifically his urine. I need Zonesylvania to run a DNA analysis so I can uhhh, not clone him, that's what![/QUOTE] No, I forgot to grab some of GabeN's urine :P

[QUOTE=wauterboi;50548208]I would imagine Gabe 2's first words being, "Uhh, this isn't working."[/QUOTE] hopefully he won't be looking down while sitting. [sp]this is a blatant penis joke FYI. Just hitting the nail on the head here. Gotta be clear you know?[/sp]

[QUOTE=valvefriend;50548197]I didn't have photos taken, I don't like photos of myself. Is there anything else you'd take as proof?[/QUOTE] It's not really us to decide what proof you should use. If you don't have it, you don't have it. If you do, you do. There's plenty of people that sign up on Reddit and other forums claiming to be someone in on the big scoop, or the friend of someone at Valve with the hot new details. Throwaway accounts minimize the amount of legitimacy you appear to have and while I'm always eager for Valve news, people have to be wary - especially with an entity as quiet as Valve.

[QUOTE=wauterboi;50548212]It's not really us to decide what proof you should use. If you don't have it, you don't have it. There's plenty of people that sign up on Reddit and other forums claiming to be someone in on the big scoop, or the friend of someone at Valve with the hot new details.[/QUOTE] I don't really have any proof sorry, I didn't think to grab some. I could probably prove I was in Seattle with a credit card statement, but not at Valve HQ.

[QUOTE=valvefriend;50548219]I don't really have any proof sorry, I didn't think to grab some. I could probably prove I was in Seattle with a credit card statement, but not at Valve HQ.[/QUOTE] I don't think anybody needs that. I think people can just wait for Valve to announce or release things on their own. If Valve told me stuff was going to happen, I wouldn't feel compelled to tell anyone about it nor would I feel like it would be of any use. I'd have to establish credibility and that's hard stuff. Throwaway accounts make it even worse. But what I think we can all agree on is that you spending money in Washington is great because Washington is great. Be in Washington, not in Las Vegas. :(

[QUOTE=wauterboi;50548223]I don't think anybody needs that. I think people can just wait for Valve to announce or release things on their own. If Valve told me stuff was going to happen, I wouldn't feel compelled to tell anyone about it nor would I feel like it would be of any use. I'd have to establish credibility and that's hard stuff. Throwaway accounts make it even worse.[/QUOTE] This is only a throwaway account because I don't have an account on here, I don't usually use this site.

Who visits Valve HQ and not take a single photo?

a liar

calling yourself valvefriend with such a low amount of posts and no proof isn't helping.

OP I don't care, I hope you had fun at Valve HQ. But like established, they probably wouldn't disclose any information to you that they wouldn't disclose publicly to everyone. Edit: on a later notice, the "I don't care" sounded a bit harsh, but wasn't meant to