Going to Valve - Suggestions, Questions, And Also What Hotel Should I Stay At - Games

Ask about HL2: Raising the Bar and if they're ever going to start making them again. I want one new that isn't $200, dammit. Or ask about any similar books they might write. I always enjoy reading those kinds of things. [editline]4th January 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Chrispy_645;34004050]Ask if they've ever thought about (or are currently thinking about) pursuing an open-world kinda game (or some game which is not linear, like most of their games). (I know that L4D originally was going to be open-worldish...?)[/QUOTE] Prospero was supposed to be done directly after Half-Life. Gabe mentioned possibly doing it after TF2, but we've seen nothing of it.

[url]http://imgur.com/a/lyKcm#0[/url]

Awesome, I visited Valve HQ once. Tell me if you see a replica HL2 crossbow, I gave it to them when I visited.

Keep an eye out for new concept art!! Sometimes they forget to cover that stuff

and every question you ask, should be about episode 3 or hl3.

[QUOTE=Mega Tuna;34007316]Ask to see the hat wall. Ask about any TF2 promos that might be getting launched soon. Ask the concept artists what their inspirations are. [/QUOTE] Find my hat! Its the "compulsive collector: Collect every hat" achievement cap...the really crap one.

Okay, I just got back to my hotel room after the tour. I'll be uploading pictures and writing stuff or something right now. Don't expect much from it all, I didn't see Gabe or Robin or anyone, I didn't get to ask very many questions, but it was still really cool to go. [sp]I got a Dr. Pepper from their cafeteria.[/sp]

Awesome pics thumb'd because of awesome [t]http://i.imgur.com/sLlyZ.jpg[/t] Awesome. [t]http://i.imgur.com/oThxE.jpg[/t] OHGODARETHEYSELLINGTHES- [t]http://i.imgur.com/441iY.jpg[/t] scratch that, ARE THEY SELLING THESE [editline]6th January 2012[/editline] They're selling the wheatley flashlight things on thinkgeek! \o/ [url]http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/lights/ea43/?srp=36[/url]

[QUOTE=AlbinoGlowStick;34060705]Awesome, I visited Valve HQ once. Tell me if you see a replica HL2 crossbow, I gave it to them when I visited.[/QUOTE] This was in his album: [t]http://i.imgur.com/PHCsM.jpg[/t]

[url]http://imgur.com/a/lyKcm#0[/url] [img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/vm43I.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/sLlyZ.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/aNkSv.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/dpHWE.jpg[/img_thumb] [B]Subjectively Notable Stuff that I did there:[/B] - Sat around for a half hour because I was a half hour earlier - Was escorted by the tour guide (Christine) into the offices - Walked by the fan mail board. Christine told me that they get a lot of it, and they respond to all of it, but have no idea what to do with it, and so put most of it there. I saw a Valve Time clock (the numbers were replaced with Eventually, Soon, Rapture), and some kick-ass Robot-Heavy concept art someone sent - Walked past the administrative offices and a room containing the knife collection (didn't get a good look, though), and also a few rooms with people talking about... stuff... I dunno. The last room on the main floor was the IT department, where they have a bunch of contracters build equipment for employees - Christine talked about how Valve is looking towards educational development, like using games to teach and stuff like that - Down a floor was where most of the employees work. Saw a wall filled with some cool Portal 2 concept art and screenshots - Down a ways on the same wall was some of the swag they're going to put in the store. I think I can describe some of thSCARFS WITH CLASS SYMBOLS AND TEAM LOGOS AND AN ARCHIMIDES PLUSH AND STICKERS AND BOOMER STATUE AND HENGENGENGENGENGENGENG - Found out that the colors they have on the walls is called Dustbowl Red - Saw their cafeteria. You get anything you want, any amount you want, and you can make requests (the request board had SLURPEE MACHINE on it) - Talked with Christine about job opportunities, how it is to work at Valve (you do whatever the hell you want to because no one tells you what to do), what someone has to do to get a job there (they focus on the portfolio you give them, since it actually shows what you are capable of. Degrees mean nothing. Christine said that they pay attention to the things that the community and Valve employees "consume" (like community made maps in TF2 that get played a lot)). Valve loves people who are adaptable, since no one is in a department. Being able to expand and change focus is a quality they look for - I tried asking about Meet the Pyro, but she wouldn't tell me anything. I also asked about the big pink cookie, but she had no clue what those were. - I asked what their directions were with single-player games. She told me that they really have no idea what they want to do, except for Portal stuff and educational things. I assume she figured that I was asking about Episode 3, but I really wasn't. There you go. My [sp]relatively uneventful[/sp] trip to Valve. I really wish I'd seen someone like Robin or Gabe, but they were either on the floors we didn't go to or weren't there. I didn't want to push my luck on anything, so sorry. The swag I got was honestly a little lame (a shirt, sticker, keychain light, and tote bag), but it was free and from Valve, so no complaints.

That Heavy Comic page looks to be something new, I don't recall seeing it in any of the current comics.

Was really hoping you'd be able to get some confirmation on whether or not the medic'll be getting domination lines at any point. Ah well.

Glad to hear you had a good trip! Thanks for the pics, that Atlas statue is a new one, I hadn't seen that before.

Ah good to see they actually put my crossbow somewhere <3

[quote]Walked by the fan mail board. Christine told me that they get a lot of it, and they respond to all of it, but have no idea what to do with it, and so put most of it there. I saw a Valve Time clock (the numbers were replaced with Eventually, Soon, Rapture), and [B]some kick-ass Robot-Heavy concept art someone sent[/B][/quote] I don't think SOMEONE sent it... [t]http://wiki.teamfortress.com/w/images/thumb/4/4a/Cp_foundry_photos.jpg/800px-Cp_foundry_photos.jpg[/t] :v:

"I saw a Valve Time clock (the numbers were replaced with Eventually, Soon, Rapture" I made that :) To prove it said Thanks Joel or From James or something and the word soon twice.

[url]http://imgur.com/a/sUipW#0[/url] Just a few more images from my last day in Washington. [img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/pX0d5.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/rA2Qh.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/iGrtL.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/zFeOb.jpg[/img_thumb]

Where'd you get the Bison from? The Market?

Yeah, from some collectible store.

HOLFFUCKAREYOUKIDDINGMEIMAMSOJELLYRIGHTNOW

[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;34086478][img_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/zFeOb.jpg[/img_thumb][/QUOTE] "I don't always use rayguns, but when I do they're retrofuturistic." First thing I thought of.

Its a shame you didn't go later. You could of placed a crowbar on gabe's desk.