Effervescent Refractions » valve

Valvetacular

Stephane — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:09:16 +0000

It seems that the Leipzig Gaming Convention has yielded further footage of Valve’s new expansion pack, including HL2 Episode 2, but more importantly TF2 and Portal. In my relatively recent discussions about both games I mentioned my excitement for Valve’s new directions in mod development. The new videos (available on YouTube for TF2 and Portal or in high-resolution here and here) have only augmented my enthusiasm.

Doubts had been raised regarding the new graphic style used in TF2, which indeed is remarkably reminiscent of Pixar’s work. The extent to which this was true could not be fully comprehended from the teaser alone, but this in-game footage is far more revealing. It is clear now that Valve aims to push the limits of gaming and erase its boundaries with cinema. The fact was already conveyed by the Source Engine’s new rendering capabilities first exhibited through Day of Defeat in which film grain, desaturation, motion blur and depth of field were implemented, but it becomes obvious in TF2’s animation style. Whether it is the Soldier’s flailing legs as he floats through the air, the ludicrous speed of the Scout or the subtle phlegm of the Spy, detail is key and in this case portrayed by Valve’s excellent sense of humor. I am impressed and impatient.

Concerning Portal - am I surprised? Absolutely not. The footage is a natural continuation of our first encounter with the game which itself evolved very organically from Narbacular Drop. Am I excited? Beyond the realm of reason.

Watch this. Now.

Stephane — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 09:33:49 +0000

I mentioned it in my last post but Portal’s first trailer was released last night. I’m glad I told you to look out for this one because it just looks freaking amazing. The concept from Narbacular Drop appears simply translated to a new engine, but this Source-ified version just radiates flair. Both the lead developer’s site and Nuclear Monkey’s (the studio originally composed of DigiPen students) seem to have exploded, but as soon as they’re back up some congratulatory comments will be due.

Many have already made comparisons with the game Prey (which I haven’t played) and the similarity is striking but considering Narbacular Drop was conceived more than three years ago, I’m not sure we can say who copied whom. In addition, Prey does not allow you to create your own portals which severely limits the gameplay possibilities. In any event, the scope seems different and I’m glad to see a breath of creativity in the seemingly stagnant FPS genre. Portal already seems destined for single-player only, but I wonder if a multi-player could be imagined. The puzzle-solving aspect seems perfect for two or three person co-op, but there’s no denying that an eruptive space-time gravity gun deathmatch rampage sounds enticing.

Valve Lets Off Some Vapor

Stephane — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 10:03:59 +0000

Valve announced yesterday that the release of the long awaited Team Fortress 2 would coincide with that of HL2 Episode 2. Valve has received a considerable amount of deserved criticism over the years particularly regarding what seems a latent behavior on the release of new games and updates. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see TF2’s “holiday” release delayed a few more months. However, I must say I was extremely impressed by the teaser artwork published in the announcement. To my surprise the reactions on the Steam forum seem primarily negative, essentially arguing that Valve should have continued its series of direct ports to the Source Engine.

Valve is a studio that arguably favors quality over quantity, and what they have produced in recent months with Day of Defeat and Episode 1 has only corroborated this tendency. The move to a cel-shaded cartoon-like style seems very appropriate for the franchise and the company itself. If you look at Valve’s two primary mod franchises, Counter-Strike and Day of Defeat, you’ll notice that while different in gameplay, these two games mirror each other as two realistically inclined war based games that diverge in essence only by the time period they describe. With Team Fortress, Valve explores a futuristic fantasy team deathmatch that has absolutely zero credibility as a conceivable world. The cartoon appearance in this case works perfectly and in a way makes the game more believable because it intrinsically loses its reliance on the real world. Moreover, Valve already proposes the alternative through HL2DM, and if that’s not enough Fortress Forever will probably be nearing release by the time TF2 comes out.

The style in itself seems very promising, but we’ll have to hope the level design can keep up especially in maps such as 2fort that will undoubtedly be recreated. I wanted to make special note of the short paragraph on the other release, that appears dwarfed by the behemoth everyone is talking about. Portal is also due for release along with Episode 2, and while there has been very little detail about it, the puzzle solving approach it suggests immediately uncovered who was behind this game. Back when I was an active member of the Natural-Selection community one talented member gave us the first glance at his project, Narbacular Drop. The graphics were very raw but as a proof of concept it was quite enticing. The team was what seems almost instantly hired by Valve, and Portal seems to be the result. Be sure to look out for that game.

Update: It looks like Valve released the TF2 trailer. It’s introductory but very exciting. The 2fort remake seems very well done - less generic and prefabbed, more fun. The graphics are as announced, Pixar-like within the cel-shaded style (think The Incredibles meets No One Lives Forever) - detailed and unique. Can’t wait to see some gameplay videos.