Marc Laidlaw (Writer of Half Life) Leaves Valve - Polidicks

I want to believe the reason Laidlaw left Valve is because Half-Life 3 or any other project he worked on is nearing completion. I doubt he would leave any project unfinished drastically by departing Valve like this. Back in August 2013 it was told that HL3 was in 'bits and pieces, mostly elements, [URL="http://gamingbolt.com/half-life-3-apparently-exists-but-in-bits-and-pieces"]no story[/URL]', and a number of about [URL="http://www.geek.com/games/valve-has-56-people-working-on-half-life-3-1572498/"]50 employees[/URL] were working on those elements. Which left Laidlaw a long two years of time to finalize a story for HL3.

[QUOTE=MasterKade;49492700]i'm just extremely curious about how Episode 3, which was likely planned since long before The Orange Box's release in 2007, came to be stuck in limbo for 8 years.[/QUOTE] Well its understandable how it started. First of all, Breen VA died right after EP2, that is important, Breen was not gone yet, EP1 does the most in your face foreshadowing that Breen did infact get a host body(advisor) Then people who accept that foreshadowing also think he was the Advisor in the barn, at the silo, and the one who personally kills Eli. Breen is also one of the only people who is aware of Gordons otherwordly "contract", most people miss that fact since its dropped so casually at the end of HL2 in a long conversation, but he knows a lot more shit than others. Breen was clearly going to have a big role in HL2 story arc aside from the first game. Then the VA died, and what if they wrote themselves into a corner because what they had at first 100% needed Breen and the VA? Then I think it just started losing steam(lol) because people were having a hard time figuring out where to go, and it slowly just kinda was put on the back burner. Thats at least my theory on why EP3/HL3 at least started to get stuck in limbo. Right now its obvious its in limbo because of all the steam money and MP hat money Valve makes.

[QUOTE=HoodedSniper;49493295]Well its understandable how it started. First of all, Breen VA died right after EP2, that is important, Breen was not gone yet, EP1 does the most in your face foreshadowing that Breen did infact get a host body(advisor) Then people who accept that foreshadowing also think he was the Advisor in the barn, at the silo, and the one who personally kills Eli. Breen is also one of the only people who is aware of Gordons otherwordly "contract", most people miss that fact since its dropped so casually at the end of HL2 in a long conversation, but he knows a lot more shit than others. Breen was clearly going to have a big role in HL2 story arc aside from the first game. Then the VA died, and what if they wrote themselves into a corner because what they had at first 100% needed Breen and the VA? Then I think it just started losing steam(lol) because people were having a hard time figuring out where to go, and it slowly just kinda was put on the back burner. Thats at least my theory on why EP3/HL3 at least started to get stuck in limbo. Right now its obvious its in limbo because of all the steam money and MP hat money Valve makes.[/QUOTE] Losing a single[B] voice actor[/B] is nowhere near as big of a deal as you're making it out to be. Fucking Dumbledore was replaced in the Harry Potter movies.

Ep3 got stuck in limbo because Valve decided to do L4D2 in a year and it burnt everyone out.

[QUOTE=elfbarf;49493310]Losing a single[B] voice actor[/B] is nowhere near as big of a deal as you're making it out to be. Fucking Dumbledore was replaced in the Harry Potter movies.[/QUOTE] Yeah, like at the very start, and both had the looks, the looks is all that mattered. Not hard to find old men and put them in robes. Not even close to the same thing. It was by like the 3rd movie lol. When your VA is so iconic to your game, yeah it can be a big fucking deal, especially if he had a lot of exposition planned. Breen was instantly iconic, the second you heard "Welcome, Welcome to city 17" the voice was burned into your head. Hes about as important to Breen as Guy Cehi is to James Sunderland. They tried changing that voice in the HD collection, completely changes the character and it sounds awful and its god damn Troy Baker, a really good VA. It absolutely ruins James as a character only by his voice, its the same lines, the same game, only difference is the voice.

[QUOTE=HoodedSniper;49493295]Well its understandable how it started. First of all, Breen VA died right after EP2, that is important, Breen was not gone yet, EP1 does the most in your face foreshadowing that Breen did infact get a host body(advisor) Then people who accept that foreshadowing also think he was the Advisor in the barn, at the silo, and the one who personally kills Eli. Breen is also one of the only people who is aware of Gordons otherwordly "contract", most people miss that fact since its dropped so casually at the end of HL2 in a long conversation, but he knows a lot more shit than others. Breen was clearly going to have a big role in HL2 story arc aside from the first game. Then the VA died, and what if they wrote themselves into a corner because what they had at first 100% needed Breen and the VA? Then I think it just started losing steam(lol) because people were having a hard time figuring out where to go, and it slowly just kinda was put on the back burner. Thats at least my theory on why EP3/HL3 at least started to get stuck in limbo. Right now its obvious its in limbo because of all the steam money and MP hat money Valve makes.[/QUOTE] I don't think losing Breen's VA should be that much of an issue, especially if he were going to reappear not as a human but as an advisor. You could just take another voice actor with a similar cadence and run his voice through some filters since he's now speaking as an advisor and be done with it. I don't think it's reasonable to assume the Half Life writers couldn't write past a dead Breen VA.

[QUOTE=srobins;49493991]I don't think losing Breen's VA should be that much of an issue, especially if he were going to reappear not as a human but as an advisor. You could just take another voice actor with a similar cadence and run his voice through some filters since he's now speaking as an advisor and be done with it. I don't think it's reasonable to assume the Half Life writers couldn't write past a dead Breen VA.[/QUOTE] Its not that I think they couldnt write past it, my point was thats what I believe was the first step in why its in limbo. I feel like it threw them off course, and at the same time they were probably seeing how popular portal was and A LOT of Valves devs and the HL team members all worked on Portal 2. So I think it initially messed them up, so a lot went to Portal 2 and shit maybe thinking they will go back to HL3 after, but then just nobody really did or something. Breens VA death is not the reason HL3 doesnt exist, I just think personally, it was the first event that started off HL3 ending up not being done today. Shit like Mann Co/Steam are way way way bigger reasons why we dont have HL3 right now.

Oh, whatever. There's other games and companies I care about now. Valve can suck a fat one.

[QUOTE=HoodedSniper;49493295]Well its understandable how it started. First of all, Breen VA died right after EP2, that is important, Breen was not gone yet, EP1 does the most in your face foreshadowing that Breen did infact get a host body(advisor) Then people who accept that foreshadowing also think he was the Advisor in the barn, at the silo, and the one who personally kills Eli. Breen is also one of the only people who is aware of Gordons otherwordly "contract", most people miss that fact since its dropped so casually at the end of HL2 in a long conversation, but he knows a lot more shit than others. Breen was clearly going to have a big role in HL2 story arc aside from the first game. Then the VA died, and what if they wrote themselves into a corner because what they had at first 100% needed Breen and the VA? Then I think it just started losing steam(lol) because people were having a hard time figuring out where to go, and it slowly just kinda was put on the back burner. Thats at least my theory on why EP3/HL3 at least started to get stuck in limbo. Right now its obvious its in limbo because of all the steam money and MP hat money Valve makes.[/QUOTE] He voiced a character in 1 game. He had no other lines for episode 1 or 2. With how popular the games were, they could have found someone who sounded the closest to him and then hired them. Further, his body was destroyed in the citadel, so there is no knowing whether his character, whether in an advisor or another host body, would even have the same voice. His character is the one that I'm least interested in - what the fuck happened to Calhoune? He took a train out in the end of episode 1 and never appeared again in episode 2.

[QUOTE=adamsz;49492779]Like Ross Scott said. "Optimists are retards." [..] "And if ya see Gabe Newell, tell em I said, F-CK YOU!" [img]http://www.tombstonebuilder.com/generate.php?top1=Valve+Software&top2=1998-2016&top3=%22I+can%27t+Believe&top4=I+ate+the+whole+thing%22&sp=[/img][/QUOTE] I understand not liking optimists, but I don't get why that's a blank check to completely obliterate your reality. You're like one step away from saying "VALVE CONFIRMED FOR HITLER" and it is as funny as it is sad. [editline]9th January 2016[/editline] Another problem is if they say, "Yes, we're working on it", people aren't going to be satisfied with that. They're going to want more. And then Valve is going to be in an endless limbo where if they don't say anything, they're back to square one with hateful and overly pessimistic conspiracy theorists, and if they do say something, they're starting to dissipate what makes Valve's identity - the secretive group of people in the back that are working on games at their own pace without intervention. If you're amped up because game companies make games faster, that's a personal problem. There's no clearly defined rate in which game companies should produce video games. You can't make one without being arbitrary or whiny about it.

[QUOTE=jazzpunk;49493100]L4D2, Alien Swarm, Portal 2, CS:GO and Dota 2. Save for one small free new IP barely anyone cared about, it's all safe sequel after safe sequel.[/QUOTE] Alien Swarm wasn't a new IP. And it's also a sequel.

[QUOTE=ColossalSoft;49494446]Alien Swarm wasn't a new IP. And it's also a sequel.[/QUOTE] Neither was Counter-Strike and neither is Half-Life. Is making a new IP really the guidelines that Valve has to meet? "Valve, you can only make a sequel if it's for that one game I like. Otherwise, it's gotta be a brand new IP." As it stands Portal 2 is my second favorite game of all time, with my first being DOOM 2.

[QUOTE=wauterboi;49494460]Neither was Counter-Strike and neither is Half-Life. Is making a new IP really the guidelines that Valve has to meet?[/QUOTE] I was just correcting his misconception chill the frick out

[QUOTE=Karmah;49494389]He voiced a character in 1 game. He had no other lines for episode 1 or 2. With how popular the games were, they could have found someone who sounded the closest to him and then hired them. Further, his body was destroyed in the citadel, so there is no knowing whether his character, whether in an advisor or another host body, would even have the same voice. His character is the one that I'm least interested in - what the fuck happened to Calhoune? He took a train out in the end of episode 1 and never appeared again in episode 2.[/QUOTE] Barney spent the time in episode 2 looking for an intact ice cold beer to give Gordon.

why don't they hire more staff for PR to make sure steam fucking works oh and work on half - life

[QUOTE=adamsz;49492779]Like Ross Scott said. "Optimists are retards." Fans have been on a long road to accepting that Valve is a different company that doesn't give a shit. Maybe with this last gasp, people will realize just how incompetent the "savior of PC Games" really is. I knew that my practice of not buying anything on Steam until Half Life 3 was announced would save me money, I just didn't realize it would happen so fast. I only spent money on Steam once actually, when I bought Black Mesa a while ago. Now I can relax and watch Valve succumb under its own weight. Now I wonder what start up company will take its place. Oh I forgot one thing. "And if ya see Gabe Newell, tell em I said, F-CK YOU!" [img]http://www.tombstonebuilder.com/generate.php?top1=Valve+Software&top2=1998-2016&top3=%22I+can%27t+Believe&top4=I+ate+the+whole+thing%22&sp=[/img][/QUOTE] Holy fuck this post is edgy. [editline]9th January 2016[/editline] Whats the deal with people going fucking ballistic every time Valve doesnt do something they 100% love and that follows their specific niche? Fuck me some of you are putting them in the same category as EA, Activision, and Konami. You have to be out of your mind if you honestly believe that.

[QUOTE=Coffee;49494661]Barney spent the time in episode 2 looking for an intact ice cold beer to give Gordon.[/QUOTE] Everyone is worried about Breen and the advisors and the Borealis, I'm just concerned about the very first cliffhanger, that beer Barney owes Gordon.

Where is all of this suddenly coming from, anyway. An employee left the company. Under his own free will. Okay? And? How does this make them Hitler 2.0? What the fuck is the issue here? Because he's the writer for Half-Life? I mean even he said that the story for those games are essentially made up as they go along in development. [editline]9th January 2016[/editline] Like, i get that HL3 probably wont feel exactly the same as the others without his involvement (ASSUMING they scrap everything he was part in during its development, which i kinda doubt, they'll probably keep a lot of the general stuff they likely discussed) but theres more to Half-Life than just Marc Laidlaw.

[QUOTE=AaronM202;49495118]Holy fuck this post is edgy. [editline]9th January 2016[/editline] Whats the deal with people going fucking ballistic every time Valve doesnt do something they 100% love and that follows their specific niche? Fuck me some of you are putting them in the same category as EA, Activision, and Konami. You have to be out of your mind if you honestly believe that.[/QUOTE] Because they took one of the most popular PC franchises of all time, left it on a cliffhanger, and don't even have the balls to tell us it is cancelled.

[QUOTE=matt000024;49495205]Because they took one of the most popular PC franchises of all time, left it on a cliffhanger, and don't even have the balls to tell us it is cancelled.[/QUOTE] You're making wild assumptions. You shouldnt make wild assumptions. We literally had leaked code not even 4 months ago.

[QUOTE=Johnny Joe;49495167]Everyone is worried about Breen and the advisors and the Borealis, I'm just concerned about the very first cliffhanger, that beer Barney owes Gordon.[/QUOTE] Barney was really the chillest dude in the series, I was really sad when he vanished

[QUOTE=AaronM202;49495211]You're making wild assumptions. You shouldnt make wild assumptions. We literally had leaked code not even 4 months ago.[/QUOTE] Isn't their some shit leaked about it every year or something now? I used to be an optimist about HL3, but now I honestly don't believe we'll ever get it.

[QUOTE=matt000024;49495235]Isn't their some shit leaked about it every year or something now? I used to be an optimist about HL3, but now I honestly don't believe we'll ever get it.[/QUOTE] Thats not "not being optimistic" thats being blindly pessimistic. Valve has long development cycles, and they just finished work on a brand new engine. You really think HL3 will be on Source 1? They probably switched to Source 2 quite some time ago.

[QUOTE=AaronM202;49495170]Where is all of this suddenly coming from, anyway. An employee left the company. Under his own free will. Okay? And? How does this make them Hitler 2.0? What the fuck is the issue here? Because he's the writer for Half-Life? I mean even he said that the story for those games are essentially made up as they go along in development. [editline]9th January 2016[/editline] Like, i get that HL3 probably wont feel exactly the same as the others without his involvement (ASSUMING they scrap everything he was part in during its development, which i kinda doubt, they'll probably keep a lot of the general stuff they likely discussed) but theres more to Half-Life than just Marc Laidlaw.[/QUOTE] It's not so much this specific event more that this is another of many events indicating what Valve has become and people feel the need to vent.

[QUOTE=fear me;49495227]Barney was really the chillest dude in the series, I was really sad when he vanished[/QUOTE] I liked him in Kleiner's lab when he just outright made fun of Gordon's Ph.D. Really sets him apart in a world where Gordon is treated like science Jesus.

[QUOTE=Atlascore;49489507]None of those are linear SP FPS like HL, #2, #8, #11, & #19 are all open world games using various genres, and #6 & #7 are both sandbox games with no campaigns, comparing any of these to HL is dumb.[/QUOTE] Well if the most recent leak has any credibility then it's not so dumb [editline]9th January 2016[/editline] Whoops didn't realize there were two more pages

[QUOTE=AXidenT;49495253]It's not so much this specific event more that this is another of many events indicating what Valve has become and people feel the need to vent.[/QUOTE] I guarantee you those same people will be foaming at the mouth and praising Valve the moment they show anything related to Half-Life in the future. [editline]9th January 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=Pelf;49495261]Well if the most recent leak has any credibility then it's not so dumb [editline]9th January 2016[/editline] Whoops didn't realize there were two more pages[/QUOTE] Open World Half-Life is an interesting proposition, i wont lie.

[QUOTE=Johnny Joe;49495167]Everyone is worried about Breen and the advisors and the Borealis, I'm just concerned about the very first cliffhanger, that beer Barney owes Gordon.[/QUOTE] Personally I'd like the series to end on Magnusson making the perfect microwave casserole, then Lamar teleports into the middle of it.

[QUOTE=AaronM202;49495247]Thats not "not being optimistic" thats being blindly pessimistic. Valve has long development cycles, and they just finished work on a brand new engine. You really think HL3 will be on Source 1? They probably switched to Source 2 quite some time ago.[/QUOTE] been hearing this exact same argument for years now.

[QUOTE=Bread_Baron;49495280]Personally I'd like the series to end on Magnusson making the perfect microwave casserole, then Lamar teleports into the middle of it.[/QUOTE] The series better end with Gordon drinking that beer.