HL2 expansion

I haven't seen this posted here before, but apparently there's an HL2 expansion in the pipeline (with rumours of Alyx and D0g being playable, along with a co-op mode), and an announcement about TF2 in the Spring.

http://www.forumplanet.com/planethalflife/topic.asp?fid=6549&tid=1580074 for that, and some Norweigan-translated banter about the Hydra and other monsters that were cut... would have loved to have seen the Cremator in-game!

From the site (pasted for those who are lazy)-

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[color=silver][color=silver]Petter Engelin got himself a talk with Doug Lombardi about last years best experience, and the things that didn't
reach the final game.
Many of you behind the monitors have ask os about what actually happened with the parts of Half-Life 2
which was shown at the E3 2003, only to disapear later, and be impossible to find.
We called the boys at Valve to hear the history behind it all.

[Question]Half-Life 2 was awarded game of the year in 2004 by a agreed council (not quite sure how to translate "Redaktionspanel". It means thoose behind the news. Thoose who write them) How does it feel?
[/color]
[Answer] Ofcause it is a great honor for everyone who works at Valve, and I deffiently belive that it is the first award
which Half-Life 2 so far have recived - At least of what I know about.
The first game won more than 50 award. But thanks alot for the award, it is extremly nice to hear.

[Question]There are parts of Half-Life 2 which was shown at the E3 2003 and later ECTS 2003, which never
found itself all the way to the complete game. For example the episode with the Blue waterworm -
what happened to thoose pars of the game?

[Answer]
It was actually more than 10 scenes we showed at E3 and ECTS, which was later cut, or changed a lot
in relation to the complete game. We proberbly have had more than 30 other enemies and a bit more vehichles,
we also had to cut. The main reason to why it was cut, was actually that we found another and better way to
create a feeling of drama, or thrill. That's the way it is with games. It is a flowing proces, where changes and improvments always happen.
Sometimes stuff must be changed for a better result. When we are talking about the Water Worm also know as "The Hydra"
then it was actually a quite painfull decision both for the design team, and Ken Birdwell, who was behind the grafical challenge, and the AI,
to drop the idea.

Most of all it hurt because a whole chapter of the game actually was build around that odd creature.
We had created som big enviroments which The Hydra could move in, and there was a lot of exciting stuff included
in that meeting. At last we dropped it all. We also had to cut a Combine-Executer called "Cremator", a
so called Stalker, a flying vehichle called Synths, and a creature from the spaces, which is captured by the combined
and is later used in the battle against Gordon. Until a Year ago the little boat actually was a Jetski, with a machinegun attached.
The reason why it was changed was because i actually felt more like running or driving in sted of sailing.

[Question]Half-Life 2 have allready sold really good, and the total gamepress descrive the games as the best ind the world.
The best action game ever. Did you expect that?

[Answer]When we are talking about the game-sold-number-thing (I don't know in english. The number of how many copies of the game there has been sold)
then we are offcause always hopping for the best. But we had not expectet that it would sell that good, and that fast.
We where, as always, very nervous just before the game was released. When it comes to thoose incredible nice reviews
, then it feels nice to have reached your goal we had decided.
We wanted to give the gamers a follower which lived up to it's name, a follower that made some movement in the
game development in the game buisnes. And in the same time gave thoose many who played the first half-life a
incredible continue, excatly as the wanted. A good game is infact, by us, a little like a good movie. Except the main person doesn't know the scdript.
Of what we have heard and read, well then we seem to have acomplished that.
The development of the game, was a large task, and it has taking a lot of time to finish it.
It has taken all the employers of Valve a lot of work, and in the last months we have worked hard to make it perfect. And it has been worth it.
You can feel that clear enough, when you see the reactions we get back from the many gamers.

[Question]What is the idea behind the registration proces on steam?

[Answer]
Our goal with the registration on steam, was to limit the pirating of our game.
In the lates years we have seen how some of the greates expectet games, from the other companies have been
laid of for download weeks before the release date. And we did not want that to happen for Half-Life 2.
We had some problems with the large number of gamers who suddenly all regged there game on the same time on steam the 16. november,
but we quickly solved it, and haven't had problems since.

[Question]Excatly how long did the development of Half-Life 2 take?

[Answer]
We started in february 1999.

[Question]Who, or what is the Combine?

[Answer] The Combine is in many ways a word for a evil empire which in half-life 2 has invaded Earth.
The Combine isn't a specie, but more like a power (force) that live and develop in advance of there strength of apdaption.
Their way to do so, comes in form of there specialisation ability.
None of the civilizations the Combine so far have invaded, and inslaved have made a lot of resistance.
Because The combine hits with a lot of different attacks, and a ocean of different spicies.
Restistance seems almost meaningless. The humans are just the latest race which the Combie has lead to inslavement.
We see that in Half-Life 2 in form of the Metro Cops and Combine Soldiers.

[Question] When Gamereactor last spring visited your office, Gabe Newell almost said to much.
He revealed in fact parts of the plans you at Valve had for Half-Life 3.
Can you tell us a bit more of thoose plans?

[Answer]
Of course we're interested in telling more about the universe we have created and therefore we will continue making sequels to the game.
At the moment we're working on a game where you play as Alyx and her well known robotdog - Dog...
I can't tell more at the moment.

[Question] When will we get to play Team Fortress 2?

[Answer]We work on full steam (get my translation joke? HAHAHSWOAWLRIJ) on realising Team Fortress 2, which ofcause wil run on the same game engine as Half-Life 2.
We will tell more in the spring.

[Question]Here at last, are there anything you wish to say to Gamereactors many readers?

[Answer]That must be, Thank you all who have bought the game, and enjoyed it. We love to create these expansions
and will, as said, continue to develop games in that universe.
I hope the many games vil continue to play them.

[/color]According to Gabe Newell, who is in charge at Valve, the company is allready working on Half-Life 3, which takes place some time aftes the latest game. They are also working, as Doug Lombardi revealed, a expansion where you take control over Alyx. Some rumors says that this expansion vil give the gamer the opporunity to play Half-Life 2 as a Co-Op experience. One as Gordon, and one as Alyx.

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[color=#ffffff]As for the cremator... if you knew what it looked like I'm not sure if you would want it... If you don't mind I can post a screenshot of what it looks like (pretty stupid looking). The combine look was changed quite a bit to become what is in the game now. The older ones seemed a bit spacey...

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please post screenshots. i never have seen the e3 movies.

Errrr, just search on the net, the interview didn't contain any screenshots and I can only post pictures of the alpha if lep says its ok, which is most likely not possible.

fileplanet.com or planethalflife.com has them.

If you can play as Alyx, i hope martial arts substitutes the crowbar. Remember in the beginning when she kicked all those combine dudes asses?

Yeah, that was cool. I really hated that level. I hate running around getting shot at with no suit!

bumps

will look nice next to the pretty green snark :biggrin:

Not sure about making D0G playable, unless they treat it as a buggy/boat style section.

His size and lack of weapons, plus the fact it would essentially be
Mechwarrior kind of puts me off introducing him as a fully playable
character...

Meh, who cares - more single player goodnes is all worthwhile in my eyes.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Leperous</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>... and some Norweigan-translated banter ...</DIV></DIV>
You are an ignorant fool. Its Swedish.