22-Feb-2006 We join Valve's Robin Walker for earth-shattering details on Half-Life 2: Episode One, including Alyx Vance's role, Dog, plus Episode Two teaser!
You'll have probably already read our exclusive from yesterday, where we brought you world-first details confirming not only the existence of Half-Life 2: Episode Two, but confirmation that work on the second installment of Valve's new episodic approach to the Half-Life universe has been in development for some time.
Well, today we've got even more Half-Life 2 revelations as we're joined by Valve's estimable Designer/Engineer on Episode One, Robin Walker. Speaking in an exclusive interview with CVG, Walker provides further insight into the design process and Valve's new episodic approach.
Even more crucially, there's further revelations on Episode One including Alyx's expanded role, whether Dog will make a reappearance and how the episode will address the big questions like "What happened to the Citadel at the end of Half-Life 2?"; "What happened to Breen, and is he dead?"; and finally "How does the G-Man factor into all of this?".
So, without further ado, we'll turn you over to Robin Walker, Episode One's main man. Take it away Robin.
Episode One is a new 'event' in the Half-Life story. Was delivering such episodes part of your plan for Half-Life 2 since day one of the sequel's conception, or was the idea born at a later date?
Robin Walker: We knew while we were building Half-Life 2 that we needed to find a way to get games to our community faster than every 5 or 6 years. With the success of Steam and the lessons we learned by updating our multiplayer games frequently during Half-Life 2's development, we felt like we could take the same approach on the single-player side. This was a conclusion we arrived at before Half-Life 2 was released.
What particular challenges does penning a plot for an episode throw up, as opposed to penning the plot for a full sequel?
Robin Walker: It's the difference between running a marathon and running laps in a relay race. We set things into motion knowing that we're not going to resolve them immediately, so we want to make sure they have an actual destination and can stand on their own. Instead of wrapping everything up in one bundle, we have to stay several leaps ahead of ourselves. Each episode must both be self-contained and set up plotlines to be resolved or explored in the subsequent episodes. The nice thing for us about working episodically is that during the final polishing stages it's possible to see the whole story very clearly and make smart decisions about which elements need further development. This is much more difficult in a more traditional (non-episodic) game.
Does Episode One reach a satisfying conclusion in terms of plot, and can we expect more of the almost-cryptic style of story presentation we saw in Half-Life 2?
Robin Walker: We wanted Episode One to take players between 4 to 6 hours to play, and our playtests are hitting very close to that mark. But delivering a story in smaller pieces means that we don't have the luxury of delivering a complete narrative story arc from start to finish, which means we have to be considerate to our audience in terms of giving them what they want. Episode One will not end with an all-encompassing conclusion, given that it is the first installment in a series, but there are some specific questions it will address. For example, "What happened to the Citadel at the end of Half-Life 2?" and "What happened to Breen, is he dead?" and "How does the G-Man factor into all of this?"
It's been said that Alyx Vance will have a more prominent role in Episode One than in Half-Life 2. How exactly have you increased her presence/involvement this time around and tell us how this impacts the episode overall?
Robin Walker: In Half-Life 2 you didn't really get to learn much about who Alyx Vance was. Alyx grew up in City 17 and knows a lot more about it than you do, which will be useful to you in a number of ways. Besides being capable in direct combat with the Combine, she's learned a lot about how to deal with their electronics from her father and by building Dog from scrap parts. Alyx is the central character we're focusing on with Episode One, and most of the time will be spent with her.
We've had sneak peaks of Dog in Episode One teaser trailers. How much time and effort has gone into developing that character's role in the story?
Robin Walker: While Dog makes an appearance in Episode One, most of our energy has been spent on exposing Alyx rather than Dog. He'll help you both out early on, but it is Alyx who you'll be spending most your time with.
Let's talk weapons! We know you guys like to keep things secret, but... if there's one new weapon you'd like to have with you to get you out of a scrape, which weapon would it be, and why?
Robin Walker: In Episode One, it'll be Alyx you'll want to have with you.
Should we really trust the Vortigaunts, because we have a sneaking suspicion they're hatching their own plan to take over Earth...?
Robin Walker: The Vortigaunts will play a very important role in what happens in later episodes.
We had to laugh when we used the gravity gun to fire paint tins and zombies (and when we cut them to shreds with rotary saw blades, because we're sick puppies). How important is it to you to include this type of incidental play, and will we see similar in Episode One?
Robin Walker: While the gameplay you describe may come off as incidental, it was our intention that those elements should play a central part of the Ravenholm experience in Half-Life 2. This was a particularly tricky problem we faced when building this part of the game because we had to try and strip the player of as much ammunition as possible and present to them the physics ammunition alternative. Getting there took a long time and watching a lot of playtests, but I think we pulled it off.
What new gameplay features and technology we saw in Lost Coast will feature in Episode One?
Robin Walker: Both High Dynamic Range lighting and the commentary system from Lost Coast will come forward with Episode One.
What new features and modes will Episode One introduce for multiplayer (any plans to include a Source-d TFC, for example)?
Robin Walker:Episode One will ship with Half-Life 2: Deathmatch and a Source-based version of Half-Life 1's multiplayer game.
Is it now your intention to continue and conclude the Half-Life story through the release of episodes, or can we still expect another full sequel from Valve in the future?
Robin Walker:Episode Two has been in development for some time.
As expected, there's numerous Half-Life 2 mods out and also in development. Which of those mods released has particularly impressed you and which forthcoming mods are you most excited about?
Robin Walker:Garry's MOD would stand out as the single most impressive MOD we've seen. Not to take anything away from the software Garry has built, but the specific aspect he's excelled at has been his approach to developing the MOD itself. There has been a trend of MOD teams since Counter-Strike's success to try and deliver what I think to be too broad of an experience in their first release, instead of releasing as fast as possible and course-correcting along the way. The strength of a MOD team revolves around their ability to iterate on a game over time, not in trying to compete with large game developers and publishers with full featured products.
Is it now your intention to continue and conclude the Half-Life story through the release of episodes, or can we still expect another full sequel from Valve in the future?
Robin Walker:Episode Two has been in development for some time.
What's that supposed to mean? Half Life ends with EP2?
The Half Life: Blue Shift expansion was not much longer than that. Besides I would rather play 4 hours of a quality game than 10 hours of a mediocre one.
Should we really trust the Vortigaunts, because we have a sneaking suspicion they're hatching their own plan to take over Earth...?
Chronic misposting of news so it seems. Something's missing...
There’s a second page to the interview if that’s what you’re referring to. Granted though it’s a bit daft to put a question on one page and the answer on another.
For me the critical Episode 1 question is whether or not Valve has done anything to improve the Combine AI, or at the very least given it a more open battle ground for it to really show off its stuff. I guess only time will tell.
The clue's in the title, Episode 1 will merely be an episode, as in a brief section of a literary or dramatic work that forms part of a connected series. It won't cost as much as a full release to reflect the fact that it's not a full release.
Valve are really trying to push episodic gameplay through Steam, and I reckon Half-Life is the best vehicle for it. If done correctly I think the idea will really take off, just look at something like the hugely popular TV show Lost - it drip feeds information and keeps you on the edge of your seat and hungry for more content. I think if episodic gameplay manages to go down that sort of path, it'll be a big success.
True, but Lost you can get every week for the most part - even the gaps between Seasons 1 and 2 isn't that big.
I'm just concerned about how much it's going to cost.
With the success of Steam...
It's only a success because there was no other way you could play one of the most anticipated sequels ever. If you were told to step in a turd then you could have something you really wanted, I think most people would do it. Except with Steam you can't wipe your feet on the grass afterwards.
I'm just concerned about how much it's going to cost.
The Wikipedia directed me to this link which suggests Episode one will cost $19.95
I think this is a little steep for 4-6 hours of gameplay but it being HL2 means I'll get it anyway, grudgingly. The idea of having to shell out $20 again for Episode 2 is not too appealing but we'll just have to wait and see if E1 lives up to expectations.
Huh. Last time I tried to buy something through Steam, it rejected my credit card twice and accused me of fraud for putting in my CORRECT address, as stated from my HSBC statements. That really p**sed me off.
I think I'm going to wait and see if they release a great big version full of all the episodes later down the line. I'm sure I can wait that long, I have other things to do.
Is it now your intention to continue and conclude the Half-Life story through the release of episodes, or can we still expect another full sequel from Valve in the future?
Robin Walker:Episode Two has been in development for some time.
What's that supposed to mean? Half Life ends with EP2?
no, it means they r going to milk u for all the money u got in order to play the FULL game... theyr so clever "EPISODES" LOL!
The Half Life: Blue Shift expansion was not much longer than that. Besides I would rather play 4 hours of a quality game than 10 hours of a mediocre one.
...that was an expansion of HL.
Now that I think of it they are going to develop many "expansions" and call them "episodes" im not falling for it... ...i cant wait to play it :/
The clue's in the title, Episode 1 will merely be an episode, as in a brief section of a literary or dramatic work that forms part of a connected series. It won't cost as much as a full release to reflect the fact that it's not a full release.
Valve are really trying to push episodic gameplay through Steam, and I reckon Half-Life is the best vehicle for it. If done correctly I think the idea will really take off, just look at something like the hugely popular TV show Lost - it drip feeds information and keeps you on the edge of your seat and hungry for more content. I think if episodic gameplay manages to go down that sort of path, it'll be a big success.
Well, for me it will be a big lose b/c I won't buy into their drug-fest. I will most likely play Epi-1 just to get a taste and then quit HL2 for good.
Also, this "episode" idea is really nothing more than a soap opera-esque way of getting their customers (...i mean suckers) to keep coming back for more - like a dealer and his "customers." I aint buyin' into it, but 13 yr. olds with no clue will drool all over it in droves.
HL2 - In the Nutshell: Step 1: go there Step 2: shoot something Step 3: goto Step 1.
HL was totally awesome; the expansions were totally awesome, HL2 was the biggest letdown since Unreal 2 - unbelievable what's passing for "gameplay."
Lastly, the physics and quality of the image is ... beyond words? Ok, the BEST EVER! But I would rather play a dated game like Duke Nukem over and over again than play a pretty fancy new boring one with no plot whatsoever. It's like watching Tom Cruise act in WW.
True, but Lost you can get every week for the most part - even the gaps between Seasons 1 and 2 isn't that big.
I'm just concerned about how much it's going to cost.
With the success of Steam...
It's only a success because there was no other way you could play one of the most anticipated sequels ever. If you were told to step in a turd then you could have something you really wanted, I think most people would do it. Except with Steam you can't wipe your feet on the grass afterwards.
Is it now your intention to continue and conclude the Half-Life story through the release of episodes, or can we still expect another full sequel from Valve in the future?
Robin Walker:Episode Two has been in development for some time.
what a silly teaser... he must be paid to tease us and with-hold info on fair questions
I'm registering just to complain about this. Yeah, 6 years was a really long time for a full fleged sequel to come out, and when it did, it was more of a show case of technology than it was a sequel to a kick-ass game. Valve gives absolutely no warning to when they fire off these little mini games produced off the steam engine, unless its within a week or so. Offering you quick access to videos which make you want to pay the relatively small fee just to buy it. The fact of the matter is, the company has hooked its customers like a drug dealer. Valve will not be "allowed" to blast you away with full sequel gameplay (which really needs it because the story borders non-existent), simply because we'll be too busy playing and paying for it rather than these mini games. The episodic release of the game is far more economical to valve since we'll be paying to play 20 bucks per episode in order to watch them. The only thing on their mind right now, is this company mindset that they will somehow be revolutionary to the gaming industry and as a company in general, in subsidizing its customers into spending lots of money on them in any way possible. This is not an attempt by valve to please its customers at all. Its a money making program, and the scales are tipped in their favor. The customers will not be able to recognize it.
In an old fashioned way, they would stop showcasing technology to a nitpciking extreme (causing us to spend money on their sponsoring video card manufacturers), they would stop feeding us crap-spam in our steam program designed to suck away our money, they would concentrate on using the platform they have now to create a normal sequel or expansion pack which would provide the paying customers with better insight into the story of half-life, which has some really fun gameplay.
But one poster mention the best option that we should take: a full exspansion including all of the episodes will be released one day (probably for cheaper), and I have enough to care about right now, that I can wait until then.
I have to agree with most of you. This episode crap is just a nice polite way of saying, We want to keep our customers happy but we need to keep the company alive. Let's release the game in pieces and and charge more for the total game in parts than trying to be fair and release it as one finished product at the normal release price. Valve You su** no one in their right mind will pay for a complete game broken into episodes that will cost well over $100+ when they can go get a full version game for 60 or less and have more than (4-6hours x episodes) of gameplay. Most full version games out their have well over 2 days of gameplay and that's if you use the easy settings and well over 3-4 days if you use the hard settings and I'm refering if you play without sleep and eating.
Halflife is the best drug a teenager could ever want and it will cost him/her dearly to keep the high going and when he/she finishes each episode before the next episode release he/she will probably feel betrayed and go through withdrawals in waiting for the next 20 dollar high that will just sap his/her dignity away like the episode before.
I'm in my thirties and even though I still play video games HL2 was a big let down in the beginning of the game and the graphics never picked up. The ending was nice and it left you wanting to know how freeman would re-appear in the next HL3 continuation. Most of the younger crowd I've talked to say it's the best game they ever played but I've played better and I wont meantion any of them to prove my point. This HL3(they don't even call it HL3 either) broken into episodes is just a way of getting valve richer and me poorer. I too will end up waiting to see if they release it in a full game at the normal release price of around $60.00. $200+ dollars for a full game broken into pieces isn't worth my attention to this game I'll go elsewhere for my gameing high.
I agree with the last couple posters. Although HL2 fed players the storyline in a unique way, it took entirely too much thinking to put it all together. On top of that, there were and still are numerous annoying glitches and examples of sloppiness throughout the game that should never have made it past beta. Body physics were shotty to say the least. Hell, Hitman 2 (a console game for f**k's sake) had better body physics than HL2. And that was changed only recently. And considering how long the game has been out, there's no excuse for such a late improvement. As far as the Steam client goes, I paid Valve a crapload of money for its surprisingly s**tty games, and the only popups I'll tolerate are news popups, not advertisements to games I never even knew existed. Out of all the game developers in the business I'm familiar with to date, Valve remains the most selfish and incompetant of them all.
With that said, I will not support Valve any further by paying for a missing piece of a storyline that should have been finished in HL2.
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but it is somewhat dissappointing (4-6 hrs)
