Valve score one for Developers!

[BOC]

yup, after their long running domestic dispute, Vivendi and Valve has decided to divorce! For use who can't be bothered keeping up on this story, or even checking the below link, Vivendi where kicking up a shit storm saying that Valve's steam delivery system violated their distribution rights:

http://xbox.ign.com/articles/608/608602p1.html

basically they where crying cause they'd not be making any dough from online sales over steam. So to settle Valve has broke away from them, and as of the end of august vivendi will no longer publish their titles.

gotta say im glad to hear it, and a little worried too. glad because it shows that not all developers are the bitches of publishers. Not only did they defy Vivendi, but managed to leave them with intellectual property (i.e. half-life) in tow.

publishers are always well known for throwing their weight around to get developers to do what they want (i.e. make generic shoot 5 - release that game before its right so we can cash in on christmas sales). maybe this will serve to teach publishers that they have to treat developers a little better.

my blood still boils when i think of kotor 2, and how unfinished it was. or vampire bloodlines...

but frankly im a little worried. now that Valve are shot of Vivendi, will they bother getting themselves a new publisher? they may just decide to release all their stuff over steam in the future, which places offline buyers and 56k'ers in the shit! Not to mention those will limited hard disk space or even just those who dont like sitting four hours downloading games.

but as they intend to release hl2 on xbox, a publiser will be needed for at least that, and i don't think valve are stupid enough to cut normal sales methods out altogether, as that would eat into their business. and piss off alota fans.

fact of the matter is they are hot property and publishers will be falling over themselves trying to sign them up. Assuming they will take on another publisher, who do you guys think is worthy of the next instalment of half-life, or whatever Valve intend to pull outa the hat next?

I hope its one of the smaller publishers, to give them a boost.

I'd like to see sega get it, but after the half-life 1/dreamcast thing relationships may be strained.

just as long as they don't get devoured by EA.

PEACE!!!

[SpikeOtacon]

I don't like this. I like the feeling of buying the game in a store, with a box, and a CD, and Instruction Manual.

[Stormsworder]

Wow. This is old news. They had this on Planet Half-Life I dunno HOW long ago. And it was also on the Steam Update News a while back. You're behind on the times, BOC.

[Deathscythealpha]

On 2005-05-01 11:28, BOC wrote:
my blood still boils when i think of kotor 2, and how unfinished it was. or vampire bloodlines...


Ah, know how you feel on that one. The game was fast becoming one of my favourites until lazy bug testing destroyed the experiance. Borken cutscenes, broken animation, broken...well everything after you hit the halfway mark! I never had the will to finish off the game because of that, and it could have been one of the greatest game son PC last year.

Valve better find a publisher quickly, as lingering in an online only land will slowly kill their fanbase off. People really like put their money into somethign material, not so much data they have to download.

[BOC]

On 2005-05-01 14:30, Stormsworder wrote:
Wow. This is old news. They had this on Planet Half-Life I dunno HOW long ago. And it was also on the Steam Update News a while back. You're behind on the times, BOC.



what can i say, i was in a drunken state for a few weeks and have only just fought off the hang-over demons.

...Holy shit, the pope died! When did that happen http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif



Ah, know how you feel on that one. The game was fast becoming one of my favourites until lazy bug testing destroyed the experiance. Borken cutscenes, broken animation, broken...well everything after you hit the halfway mark! I never had the will to finish off the game because of that, and it could have been one of the greatest game son PC last year.

i can't say ive actually played it, my pc is still shitty, but i have a few friends who spent a good month after its release bitching about how bad it is, and how good it could have been with a little extra time.

And i feel your pain simply because my buds made me feel their pain - nothing worse than a 4ft gollum look-a-like moaning about a buggy game when hes drunk and ud really rather be flirting shamelessly with the hot bar maid.

but kotor was really a fucking shame. anyone who has played it will know just how incomplete it is. Half the storylines aren't followed through to conclusion, the last section was rushed through, and events happen, that SHOULD have been explained, but weren't (goto following the targeting droid - why?). were just thrown in.

a few dudes poked around on the disk and found a buncha sound files that where supposed to make it into the game, but didn't.

http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?s=055b9d8e277293650c7168bf79e56ef7&showtopic=29764&st=105

worth checking out, if only to hear HK take the piss outa bastilia and Carth.

boils my blood just thinking about it. And i really don't think they had any real reason for trying to rush it out before christmas. ITS STAR WARS FOR CHRIST SAKE! has anyone ever made a star wars game that has never sold well? FUCK if they'd held off for a few months the game would have easily surpassed the first. Not to mention that this is the year that the FINAL star wars movie is getting released.

now, i may not be a marketing expert (not yet anyway), but releasing the sequel to one of the best games of 2003 would have sent people to the cinema in their droves - more movie profit. Or alternatively, if its any good, drive the movie goers to buy the game!

ARGH!! if Obsidian wasn't just a start up, it wouldn't have happened. they are financially weak, and under the thumb of the publisher.

Its hardly like they where new to the game, they where made up of ex-black Isles dudes, biowares best buddies!

but now im ranting and getting of subject. To close:

BOC NOT HAPPY. KILL JEDI.

PEACE!!!