Discuss Half-Life 2:Episode 3 here.

I was googling around since I was bored and a little birdie said that Episode 3 may be released with Black Mesa Source. ( http://www.blackmesasource.com/ ) this could explain why there hasn't been any real update from them for a few months. I also heard that there is a slight chance it may be released THIS YEAR since once Ep. 2 was being finished up, that's when they started Ep. 3.

I hate valve for making is wait. DAMN YOU GABE, DAMN YOOOOUUUUU

In the mean time, check out Valve's old intro. Pretty cool looking.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Yuzow4zxRuE

Nope. Valve took a break for a few months after the Orange Box was released to play in their pool of money.

Also, they change the name (Ie: Half Life to Half Life 2. Not episodes.) when they work on a different engine. So if they use Black Mesa Source then it would be called Half Life 3, and I'm pretty sure they would make a few (More than three.) episodes before working on a real sequel.

Quote from Guest.

So if they use Black Mesa Source then it would be called Half Life 3,

Not entirely true, Black Mesa Source is being created to work on the current Source engine, no new engine required.

Ah, didn't know that.

I hope they don't upgrade it, I like it how it is.

I really hope they use the beachfront scene that they planned from the beginning.

Alyx almost dies, mid battle, or something. I don't remember, it's in the HL2: Raising the Bar book, though.

I think the source engine is a little outdated.


The amazing physics scenes in hl2: ep2 were just cheating. They used rendered animations, not physics driven objects. I do like the flashlight update though.

Quote from Dudeman.

The amazing physics scenes in hl2: ep2 were just cheating. They used rendered animations, not physics driven objects.

Blasphemy !

Quote from Dudeman.

I think the source engine is a little outdated.


The amazing physics scenes in hl2: ep2 were just cheating. They used rendered animations, not physics driven objects. I do like the flashlight update though.

LIES. LIES AND SLoNDER.

Quote from Dudeman.

I think the source engine is a little outdated.


The amazing physics scenes in hl2: ep2 were just cheating. They used rendered animations, not physics driven objects. I do like the flashlight update though.

LIES!

I'm actually glad they did do that though. Imagine if they were to actually do that with just the physics engine, it'd need an entirely new engine which means we may not have Ep. 3 right now. The engine would need to give physical properties to the metal to make it bend like that, it'd also make it harder for the event to actually trigger itself. Not to mention it'd jack up the system requirements to that of Crysis which would really suck. That's the kind of stuff in that new star wars game coming out. It'd be cooler and more advanced, but it would have taken longer. Valve is always about gameplay and storyline, not graphics or physics.

Quote from MiniMan

LIES!

I'm actually glad they did do that though. Imagine if they were to actually do that with just the physics engine, it'd need an entirely new engine which means we may not have Ep. 3 right now. The engine would need to give physical properties to the metal to make it bend like that, it'd also make it harder for the event to actually trigger itself. Not to mention it'd jack up the system requirements to that of Crysis which would really suck. That's the kind of stuff in that new star wars game coming out. It'd be cooler and more advanced, but it would have taken longer. Valve is always about gameplay and storyline, not graphics or physics.

I know why they did it. I don't know about you, but people aren't going to be impressed when they see more distant things collapse time after time.

I love the Half life series, but the engine is more of a hinderance now. All of the physics interactions/puzzles are completely predictable. The melee system is starting to seem less involving when you compare it to other games. The story is still rock solid, but they really need to update the games. I can even start seeing the textures repeated.

True, about the texture thing. It's even more so when you do plenty of mapping and you get really familiar with the textures. But I don't mind, the quality of their maps is amazing. Once you try to map things yourself you really get an appreciation for Valve's work.

I think the Source engine is fine.

I played HL2 last year and it is still one of the better games out there.

Quote from MiniMan

True, about the texture thing. It's even more so when you do plenty of mapping and you get really familiar with the textures. But I don't mind, the quality of their maps is amazing. Once you try to map things yourself you really get an appreciation for Valve's work.

Actually, you start to realise the engine's faults. Same goes for the maps.

Too many times where I see mess ups and other stuff Valve did.

Things you'd never notice on your first few play throughs though.

Half Life 2's engine, and just the game itself, is wayyyy ahead of it's time. Seriously, it came out before Halo 2 did. Thats like 4 years ago, and it still is awesome.

Firstly, you need to understand that Ep3 is the last episode of HL2. They said so on the commentary on Ep2. This means that they can get to work on a new engine for HL3, just as Source begins to look dated.

Quote from Ash

Firstly, you need to understand that Ep3 is the last episode of HL2. They said so on the commentary on Ep2. This means that they can get to work on a new engine for HL3, just as Source begins to look dated.

...the episodes, according to Valve, are technically HL3.

Which is stupid because each episode only added a few things other than new levels.

Oh well though, because they've stated HL isn't stopping at just a trilogy.