Valve vs. Vivendi

[Erkki]

There's a lengthy news post at GameSpot about a court case involving Valve and Vivendi, breaches of contract, Vivendi publishing Valve's games in cyber cafes, Valve wanting to distribute games through Steam etc.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/09/20/news_6107712.html

I don't understood all of it very well, not having read anything else about the subject, but it would be nice if a developer could kick some big publisher's ass. Although I'm not a big fan of Valve.

[Chris]

What's your problem with Valve?

[Erkki]

I don't have a problem with them. But the continuous delays of half-life 2 don't show them in the best light. No way am I going to believe that the source code theft added a whole year to the developement time. As I recall, it was just a month or so from the release date when the code was stolen.

[Jake]

Developers who support their community, actively go back to their community for support, and work to escape the current developer/publisher relationship suck, clearly

[Erkki]

and work to escape the current developer/publisher relationship suck, clearly

?

Actually, I was just about to edit after my first post and say that i really respect them for doing that.

And should every gamer really be a fan of Valve?

Fuck. I'm tired of this miscommunication -- my understanding of English is not that good -- I don't have anyone to speak English with, my only practice is writing in forums / reading books and texts in the internet, watching TV and movies (and then I usually prefer to read the subtitles) and playing games. Maybe "i'm not a big fan" means the same as "they suck", although it's probably a difference in tone. Unfortunately, I can't communicate the tone very well...

[edit again]And yeah, I know you were at least half-kidding... blablabla

[Twilo]

While Valve may be the absolute worst developer ever for keeping to their own deadlines (pretty much every non-expansion game they've worked on) they can be entirely forgiven for coming out with stuff that we didn't even ask for; Deathmatch classic, TFC, Ricochet (not exactly the best example, but hey, it's free) and their relationship with the community is up there with id and epic.

What a time to be a fps fan.

[Erkki]

I admit I don't know much about those games, as I'm not really an FPS fan, and I generally don't play multiplayer games. I like Half-Life though

[Jake]

[edit again]And yeah, I know you were at least half-kidding... blablabla

Possibly entirely kidding. I didn't actually mean it personally towards you (especially after you qualified what you said -- the code theft delay is beyond dubious). Arbitrary Valve haters (of which you are not one, but they do exist) amaze me though.

[Roderick]

Yeah, they're just like nazi's.

*runs*

[Jake]

*stab*

[Roderick]

*fall*

[Thrik]

I'd just rather wait if the game is all the better. Think of it this way; if it wasn't delayed, the game would most likely have ended up being shit and unfinished.

But yes, Valve are beyond terrible with deadlines. From the highly delayed HL1 to whatever they release in the future, I'm sure we can rely on them to be appropriately late.

[Erkki]

Possibly entirely kidding. I didn't actually mean it personally towards you (especially after you qualified what you said -- the code theft delay is beyond dubious). Arbitrary Valve haters (of which you are not one, but they do exist) amaze me though.

Yeah. Sorry I reacted like that.

[Roderick]

What actually surprises me is the difference in the public's perception of Valve in comparison to Blizzard. The latter is widely known to work on a game until it's perfect, crossing deadline after deadline. This fact is all but adored by the fans, who know damn well they'll get the best there is if only they show some patience. Valve seems to wisely approach gamedeveloping in the same way, but in this case the eager audience speaks of them being 'beyond terrible with deadlines', explaining it as a curse rather than a blessing. A strange way of seeing it, if you ask me.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Not that I'm in the bandwagon of Valve haters (I'm too individualistic for that bullshit), but I've always found it suspicious of them that one month before they were to actually release Half-Life 2 that code theft happened. That in itself was what it was, but how is it that Valve, near gold status of this highly anticipated title, would decide that they needed another year to work on it? Now, it's good and fine that they would like "...to work on a game until it's perfect, crossing deadline after deadline...", but to screw with potential customers' expectations like that is pretty questionable.

[Roderick]

Agreed. If t'would turn out to be a ploy, I'd find it very childish and a needless subterfuge.

[Erkki]

Not that I'm in the bandwagon of Valve haters (I'm too individualistic for that bullshit), but I've always found it suspicious of them that one month before they were to actually release Half-Life 2 that code theft happened. That in itself was what it was, but how is it that Valve, near gold status of this highly anticipated title, would decide that they needed another year to work on it? Now, it's good and fine that they would like "...to work on a game until it's perfect, crossing deadline after deadline...", but to screw with potential customers' expectations like that is pretty questionable.

Same here. I don't mind getting a better Half-Life 2 and I wasn't really going crazy with anticipation, but there must have been some dishonesty in there. I'm not going to speculate though, with the little info I got.

Also it seems Valve hasn't been honest with Vivendi either, from that news. But that is for the courts to decide.