Half Life 2 Episode 3 Discussion - Games

[QUOTE=supersoldier58;33072583]I want race x, You might not think its canon, but you have no proof. If valve added it, its canon, if not, its up to us to decide. I decide for myself that its canon.[/QUOTE] [url]http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Race-X[/url] - Official Valve Developer Wiki

[QUOTE=Mio Akiyama;33073303][url]http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Race-X[/url] - Official Valve Developer Wiki[/QUOTE] Oh, that's what it is. I had no idea and I assumed Race-X would be a level in which you race on a Snowmobile or something. That idea is much better.

[QUOTE=RikohZX;33071496]If I remember right, going out to the ocean area via noclip might allow you to find the Ichthyosaur and it actually swims around with AI. But that was probably just a Garry's Mod SNPC video, so i've got no clue how valid that is.[/QUOTE] SNPC Video, actual NPC is constrained by path tracks (Much like a gunship or helicopter) and fails to attack properly amongst other bugs. [QUOTE=TCB;33072355]Didn't they cut them out of the oceans because players would try and fight them?[/QUOTE] I think it was more because players would be unhappy if they couldn't kill it, and if they could there was no incentive for them to avoid the water which would impact gameplay. [QUOTE=Mio Akiyama;33073303][url]http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Race-X[/url] - Official Valve Developer Wiki[/QUOTE] "Race-X has not been deemed canon by Valve." I'm pretty sure they did however confirm that Adrian is a canon and may make an appearance in the future.

Adrian and the nuking of Black Mesa were both deemed canon. If the Race-X wasn't, however, we'll have to assume that Adrian is just a badass marine survivor of the Black Ops and Xen invasion.

[QUOTE=RikohZX;33078603]Adrian and the nuking of Black Mesa were both deemed canon. If the Race-X wasn't, however, we'll have to assume that Adrian is just a badass marine survivor of the Black Ops and Xen invasion.[/QUOTE] When Gearbox were making Op4 they wanted to add new gameplay elements. Upon discussing their ideas with Valve, it became apparent that Valve didn't want any more aliens adding from Xen, or modifying existing ones. Therefore they developed Race X to allow them to explore these new gameplay styles and enemy ideas without affecting existing canon. Working with Valve storywriters then developed a compromise. Adrian Shepard has been confirmed as canon. Race-X have not, and neither has the destruction by a nuclear warhead. If you can prove me wrong, please cite a direct quote from Valve.

[QUOTE=ViralHatred;33079316]When Gearbox were making Op4 they wanted to add new gameplay elements. Upon discussing their ideas with Valve, it became apparent that Valve didn't want any more aliens adding from Xen, or modifying existing ones. Therefore they developed Race X to allow them to explore these new gameplay styles and enemy ideas without affecting existing canon. Working with Valve storywriters then developed a compromise. Adrian Shepard has been confirmed as canon. Race-X have not, and neither has the destruction by a nuclear warhead. If you can prove me wrong, please cite a direct quote from Valve.[/QUOTE] [quote=Marc Laidlaw] Originally Posted by Marc Laidlaw Thanks for your letter. Adrian Shepard is a bit like Schrodinger's cat he's neither canon nor non-canon, depending on whether or not the G-Man may or may not have a use for him.[/quote] [url]http://forums.steamgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=920482[/url]

I stand corrected on Shepard. Thankyou.

Alright, so I've been thinking a lot about the Ichthyosaur. We all know that he was supposed to be in the coast levels to keep Gordon from swimming out too far, but was replaced by leeches. What if the Ichthyosaur isn't as evil as we all seem to think it is? Maybe it was only angry at Black Mesa due to being taken out of it's homeworld. If the player tries to swim too far out, maybe the Ichthyosaur would try and scare him, only so that Gordon would return to the shores. Maybe there's something worse in the ocean, and the Ichthyosaur is guarding Gordon? [sp]of course this cant be true because of the leeches[/sp]

[QUOTE=Meatpuppet;33080763][url]http://forums.steamgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=920482[/url][/QUOTE] [quote]Originally Posted by [b]Marc Laidlaw[/b] [i]Whoa! I never thought of that! We messed up! Actually, we try not to think about these things too much. We're making a game...can't take it all too seriously. He put a helmet on in HL1, but then you know the G-Man let him keep his suit but then Dr. Kleiner gave him new one and now I think of it as a Heisenberg suit. I figure the HUD is projected on those phat spex. Maybe his hair shields him from fallout. Certainly his upper lip and chin are safe.[/i][/quote] :v:

[quote]I figure the HUD is projected on those phat spex[/quote] Oh, Marc.

[QUOTE=Mio Akiyama;33073303][url]http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Race-X[/url] - Official Valve Developer Wiki[/QUOTE] Completely missed my point, but I think you faulted at "it might not be canon. you have no proof..." No, thats not what I meant. VALVe is leaving us on a cliffhanger here, we dont know if its canon or not. Just because VALVe doesnt say anything doesnt mean its non-canon OR canon. Were stuck in the middle here. I cant say that heavy will be in, but we dont know do we? The only point of no return here is if VALVe says its NOT canon, which they havent, they can add it when ever and call it canon, everythings fine. Right now im just repeating my self so the point is nothing has been said, nothing is guarenteed. So until proven other wise im deeming Race-x (FOR MY SELF REMEMBER, others might think its not canon so they are doing the opposite of my opinion). So, lets drop this race-x conflict because we have just exposed its possible canonity. Nothings official untill valve says so. But I hopeing they add it to a half life game after OP4 (Doesent have to be half life 2 ep3/half life 3). I MIGHT be wrong here, so if you have an official source (Direct source, not spuf quotes), please show me. Thanks. Link just to get up to date on info: [url]http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Race_X[/url]

The destruction of Black Mesa was confirmed canon. VALVe did this so they would never have to return to Black Mesa in future games. They're done with it.

[QUOTE=supersoldier58;33088988]Completely missed my point, but I think you faulted at "it might not be canon. you have no proof..." No, thats not what I meant. VALVe is leaving us on a cliffhanger here, we dont know if its canon or not. Just because VALVe doesnt say anything doesnt mean its non-canon OR canon. Were stuck in the middle here. I cant say that heavy will be in, but we dont know do we? The only point of no return here is if VALVe says its NOT canon, which they havent, they can add it when ever and call it canon, everythings fine. Right now im just repeating my self so the point is nothing has been said, nothing is guarenteed. So until proven other wise im deeming Race-x (FOR MY SELF REMEMBER, others might think its not canon so they are doing the opposite of my opinion). So, lets drop this race-x conflict because we have just exposed its possible canonity. Nothings official untill valve says so. But I hopeing they add it to a half life game after OP4 (Doesent have to be half life 2 ep3/half life 3). I MIGHT be wrong here, so if you have an official source (Direct source, not spuf quotes), please show me. Thanks. Link just to get up to date on info: [url]http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Race_X[/url][/QUOTE] From Marc Laidlaw [quote] racex was purely a gearbox creation that doesn't figure at all in my thinking about the world. Understand, they wanted to come up with a set of creatures that would create gameplay they knew how to make. They could have been making an original title or an add-on for some other franchise, and plugged racex into that--the reason being that they had gameplay they wanted to explore and needed the freedom of their own race of critters to conduct those experiments with. If gearbox had kept making hl games, i suppose we might have seen these threads develop. Since blackops are not a gearbox creation per se, but an opportunistic use of existing real-life elements, i don't see how the idea of canon applies to them. [/quote]

Marc Laidlaw is such a bro.

[QUOTE=Kahgarak;33089066]The destruction of Black Mesa was confirmed canon.[/QUOTE] Destruction yes. But by a thermonuclear warhead? To the best of my knowledge Valve has never said that was canon. As for Race X, it doesn't figure into Marc's thinking with regards to the HL universe. Doesn't mean they can't spin it off again though should they choose to flesh it out. (But with Valves current gaming history that seems incredibly unlikely)

And that is exactly why I would prefer any of these game series, keep their original dev teams at least. We were lucky with Gearbox not making a lot more uncannon things with HL, because more could of happened. Like, changing Gordon's story or something, but I can name a bunch of other series that were compromised due to dev team switching. Fallout Tactics, would probably be that compromised example in the sci-fi genre. As for Black Mesa, I still feel the teleport disruption in HL2, where Lamarr jumps off into the road in the desert chasing the crows was the deserted road that led back to where Black Mesa was. Otherwise, I don't know why that dessert road would be accessible via teleport. If that was the case, it would have had to mean others were still going back and forth from Europe to America. I don't suspect that was going to reference anything later.

The teleport was malfunctioning, the road was an accident, just like the icthyosaur incident. G-Man was probably behind ending up in Breen's office though.

[QUOTE=Cows Rule;33096213]The teleport was malfunctioning, the road was an accident, just like the icthyosaur incident. G-Man was probably behind ending up in Breen's office though.[/QUOTE] The teleporter was only malfunctioning due to Lamarr, but for all we know that could have been an intervention by the GMan. Breen's Office was like the result of it's proximity to the Combine Teleporter.

Happy Birthday Gabe. I don't have a present for you.

[QUOTE=supersoldier58;33072583]I want race x, You might not think its canon, but you have no proof. If valve added it, its canon, if not, its up to us to decide. I decide for myself that its canon.[/QUOTE] No, that's not how it works. Nothing is is fully canon. Things are Retconned all the time - E.g Alot of dates in Portal 2, The date of the Black Mesa incident Etc. It is canon until Valve says otherwise. And they have not said it isn't canon, so it is.

[QUOTE=nightlord;33102837]No, that's not how it works. Nothing is is fully canon. Things are Retconned all the time - E.g Alot of dates in Portal 2, The date of the Black Mesa incident Etc. It is canon until Valve says otherwise. And they have not said it isn't canon, so it is.[/QUOTE] The date of the BMI has pretty much always been May 16/17 200- Calhoun was assigned to Blue Shift the day before on May 15th.

[QUOTE=Bamboo;15493208]hee iz gordan. I want a trailer for this soon. So all us VALVe fans can jizz for joy watching it over and over and over again.[/QUOTE] Also so We can look for secrets! because Valve always sticks in secrets in trailers!

[QUOTE=Antimuffin;33102639]Happy Birthday Gabe. I don't have a present for you.[/QUOTE] Hopefully his birthday was... worth the wait.

[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/98/battlelife32.png/][IMG]http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/6727/battlelife32.th.png[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/217/battlelife3.png/][IMG]http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9744/battlelife3.th.png[/IMG][/URL] Shows how bored I get at school.

[QUOTE=Cows Rule;33015429]I just hope it doesn't get influenced by all these hyper realistic shooters. I happen to enjoy not having ironsights and carrying an menagerie of weapons at my disposal.[/QUOTE] I agree. Lots of "super action hero" in Standard Modern FPS are pretty much juggernauts, 40k's Space Marines-style, capable of absorbing waves and waves of bullets. In HL2, I enjoyed using the sprint function offensively a great deal, turning Gordon into a glass cannon and running up to enemies to greet them with a shotgun to the face. For me, speed is a very important factor to make me feel powerful in games. That's why I don't enjoy games with terribly slow characters, even while sprinting, or ironsights a lot. They can adjust the pacing if you're sniping or aiming from a hidden spot, but in the middle of the action the crosshair does its job very well. [QUOTE=JustGman;33030794]They need to add bullsquid, houndeye and ichthyosaurs back in. Fighting four combine soldier recolors with some hunters thrown in has gotten a bit old.[/QUOTE] Maybe you're in luck, in HL2 and Epi1 you were just fighting the City 17 soldiers, and in Episode 2 you fought those that managed to evacuate. How the Combine militarized in other areas is anyone's guess. I doubt someone with their name and reputation/conquering tactics is completely uniform.

I'd love a co-op campaign with Griggs and Sheckley.

[QUOTE=brandonsh;33183444]I'd love a co-op campaign with Griggs and Sheckley.[/QUOTE] Fighting antlions erryday

[QUOTE=TCB;33183693]Fighting antlions erryday[/QUOTE] Be adequate.

[QUOTE=TCB;33183693]Fighting antlions erryday[/QUOTE] As long as you don't step on their grubs they shouldn't hear you that far from the nest.

[QUOTE=brandonsh;33183701]Be adequate.[/QUOTE] What the hell does that mean anyway? A Griggs + Sheckley co-op would be AMAZING.