Half-Life 2: Episode One is preloading on Steam

[warning]

I really liked the title "Aftermath" much better but at least we know there's more to come.  If you preorder you get 10% off the $19.95 cost through Steam.

Between this and the Sin episode that's due out in a week or two this spring should be interesting.

At least for a couple of hours anyway.   :lol:

[frost]

any idea how many hours of gameplay is expected out of epi-1?

[whiteboyskim]

any idea how many hours of gameplay is expected out of epi-1?

My guess would be 4-6 depending on the player. That seems to the be the goal per episode of those developing this kind of content. I'm one of those that actually agrees with the $20 price point since I pay that for my DVDs and technically get about the same of content but only two hours of which (the movie, not the special features) I'm willing to watch again.

[depward]

I still need to finish the main game.  Though, I have no ambition to for some odd reason...

[Calvin]

I will buy it and I will like it!

[Ridah]

Ah, yeah almost forgot to pre-order my copy....

[ScubaV]

Overpriced.  That translates to a 10-15 hour game for $50.  Unfortunately it's unlikely to ever go down in price.  Knocking it down like $5 or adding a few more hours of content would be about right, but what does Valve care?  They've made a good series so they know they've got the players by the balls and they're going to squeeze.

[warning]

Overpriced.  That translates to a 10-15 hour game for $50.  Unfortunately it's unlikely to ever go down in price.

A 10-15 hour game that costs $50 (or even $60 - Hello Xbox 360!) isn't all that unusual.

[farley2k]

Overpriced.  That translates to a 10-15 hour game for $50.  

Like Tomb Raider, Max Payne, God of War, etc.?  

Seems pretty much in line with normal pricing.

[Creepy_Smell]

I still need to finish the main game.  Though, I have no ambition to for some odd reason...

Me too. Think I'm in Chap12 or so but dont remember. While I like the game I just feel too confined (Some levels are more open but as a whole I feel confined). I hate that in a building with lots of doors there is only 1 that will open. I would like it so much more if the door would open even if it was a room that led nowhere.

I've been playing too many more open ended FPS and dont want to go back to 1 path forward only games. While its still fun, its just not as much fun as the other games I'm playing.

[Calvin]

I think this is just about the price that most shooters have been lately in terms of length vs. cost. Now with this coming out so soon, I need to go ahead and replay and finish HL2 again! Woot!!

[EddieA]

"Unfortunately it's unlikely to ever go down in price."
That's my one big concern with digital distribution.  I rarely pay full-price for a game, and while 10-15 hours is an acceptable length for a game, there's no way I'd pay more than $10-$15 for it.  With DD, the price rarely ever drops, meaning I'd never buy the game.  I know some people like this seeming trend of digital distribution and episodic releases, but personally, I hope it fails.

[Sarkus]

"Unfortunately it's unlikely to ever go down in price."
That's my one big concern with digital distribution.  I rarely pay full-price for a game, and while 10-15 hours is an acceptable length for a game, there's no way I'd pay more than $10-$15 for it.  With DD, the price rarely ever drops, meaning I'd never buy the game.  I know some people like this seeming trend of digital distribution and episodic releases, but personally, I hope it fails.

I don't know why people think this.  First, most digital games have a hard copy version in stores as well.  HL2 has already dropped in price in stores, for example.  Second, plenty of other digital distribution companies are dropping prices as time goes on.  Just because Valve hasn't doesn't mean it's not happening.

[mikeg]

I would be all over it if had run well enough on my pc the first time.  It was playable, but just that.  Too close for my comfort.

[-Lord Ebonstone-]

"Unfortunately it's unlikely to ever go down in price."
That's my one big concern with digital distribution.  I rarely pay full-price for a game, and while 10-15 hours is an acceptable length for a game, there's no way I'd pay more than $10-$15 for it.  With DD, the price rarely ever drops, meaning I'd never buy the game.  I know some people like this seeming trend of digital distribution and episodic releases, but personally, I hope it fails.

Pricing isn't DigDistro's fault.  If it was up to Valve/Stardock/whoever, they'd drop their prices and have sales and stuff like a real store.

The problem is, the physical retailers, like EB/Gamestop and the omnipotent Wal*Mart, will drop their products like a sack of molten potatoes if the Digital Distribution attempts to be competitive in retail.

[whiteboyskim]

Also, if by Episodes 4-6 the cost on DL'ing Episodes 1 and 2 might drop since demand will have dropped. If you're that gung-ho about only paying $10-15 for it then wait a year and it should drop. In my theory.

[EddieA]

As long as there's also a boxed copy, it's fine.  I'm just worried about companies dropping the in-store product in favor of DD only.

[Jumangi]

I could see it happeing more in the future but its going to be years before it occurs.