Ex-Valve Writer Marc Laidlaw Releases Would-be Half-Life 2: Episode 3 Story

[Raevenlord]

In what might sadly be the closest we'll ever get to knowing Valve's original plans for Half Life 2: Episode 3, if you will, Ex-Valve lead writer on Half-Life Marc Laidlaw has released a prospective, would-be script for the game that never came to be. The writer, who recently left Valve after 18 years working for the company, posted the story entitled "Epistle 3" on his personal blog (which is, naturally experiencing heavy traffic). He then gave a heads-up through his Twitter account, commenting on the fact that his website was brought down by the sheer amount of traffic it generated, Laidlaw said "I guess fanfic is popular, even a genderswapped snapshot of a dream I had many years ago."

Whether or not this closely resembles the would-be script for that third Half-Life installment only Laidlaw knows; perhaps this is just the writer's own take on what the story should have been, lacking any of the changes that it would incur during the development process. The fact that Laidlaw says this is fanfiction can be interpreted as a line of defense against lawsuits - as is the fact that he slightly altered the character's names from their originals (Gertrude Fremont seems a lost opportunity for Gordon Freeman's actual name...) Perhaps some crafty, dedicated users will create a mod that brings this story to fruition? Time will tell; for now, this seems to be as much closure as we're ever going to get. Follow the source links for Laidlaw's site, as well as GitHub and Pastebin links for the corrected story. There are also some interesting hints for a subsequent Half-Life 3, but alas, that one is even more of a mirage.



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[Nuke Dukem]

Poor server just had no idea what was going to hit it... RIP

 

[punani]

Internet is overreacting as usual, HL3 will come some day I'm sure.

 

[oxidized]

Internet is overreacting as usual, HL3 will come some day I'm sure.

Yeah how? With what story? Skipping EP3?

 

[qubit]

What bugs me is that Valve is still selling an unfinished story on Steam that's never gonna be finished. I think that they should have a disclaimer on the store page explaining that it's unfinished so customers can make an informed choice before spending on this series of games.

 

[Prima.Vera]

Internet is overreacting as usual, HL3 will come some day I'm sure.

My thoughts exactly. I think some other company will buy the rights from Valve and release a new game, since it's too much money grab not to catch the opportunity. Hopefully NOT EA or Ubisoft...

Yeah how? With what story? Skipping EP3?

75% chance is going to be a reboot...

 

[oxidized]

What bugs me is that Valve is still selling an unfinished story on Steam that's never gonna be finished. I think that they should have a disclaimer on the store page explaining that it's unfinished so customers can make an informed choice before spending on this series of games.

This, they could've just do the third episode like a year after the second, same engine and everything, just close the story, and maybe years later the could've continued with another story, from another point, another character, calling it hl3, now this wouldn't make any sense.

My thoughts exactly. I think some other company will buy the rights from Valve and release a new game, since it's too much money grab not to catch the opportunity. Hopefully NOT EA or Ubisoft...


75% chance is going to be a reboot...

Nah, Valve won't sell it, why would they, they'll just let the saga die, killed by his own writer, at least we can thank him.

 

[Solaris17]

What bugs me is that Valve is still selling an unfinished story on Steam that's never gonna be finished. I think that they should have a disclaimer on the store page explaining that it's unfinished so customers can make an informed choice before spending on this series of games.

I think the fact that is unfinished is half the selling point.

 

[Roph]

I'm guessing in time, modders will team up and create this story as an unofficial ep 3

 

[qubit]

I think the fact that is unfinished is half the selling point.

Perversely, that's probably true. Isn't there an unfinished symphony in the classical music world?

 

[Solaris17]

Perversely, that's probably true. Isn't there an unfinished symphony in the classical music world?

Actually as a ex-violinist (13 years!) I can tell you you are right! Symphony number 8!

 

[qubit]

Actually as a ex-violinist (13 years!) I can tell you you are right! Symphony number 8!

So hang on, you can play a violin without it sounding like nails on a blackboard?! Who wrote it? I really don't know much about the classical music scene.

We're gonna have to get "back on topic" after this though.

 

[Solaris17]

So hang on, you can play a violin without it sounding like nails on a blackboard?! Who wrote it? I really don't know much about the classical music scene.

We're gonna have to get "back on topic" after this though.

Schubert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._8_(Schubert)

I could play without sounding like nails on a chalk board* I used to be a 1st string violinist. I stopped some years ago though. age and time stole it from me. I spend my time off teaching myself piano now.

 

[neatfeatguy]

I wasn't overly impressed with Episode 1 or Episode 2. I found it really annoying when Episode 1 was basically built around the gravity gun through most of the game....as neat as the gun was from HL2, the novelty of it wore off real fast and the game felt like a big, boring chore. Episode 2 was better, but felt a lot shorter than Episode 1 and it didn't leave me at a point wanting to know what happened next.

If Episode 3 or even a HL3 came out, I wouldn't bat an eye and go about my life. I'd never play it. I can't see what people really saw in the last couple of entries of the game

 

[rtwjunkie]

I spend my time off teaching myself piano now.

Good for you!! I always regret quitting piano at 14. I had 6 years, then started rebelling and my mother gave me the option to quit. I called her bluff and did. I wish she never had. At least I can still read music well enough to sing along, so all is not lost.

 

[oxidized]

I wasn't overly impressed with Episode 1 or Episode 2. I found it really annoying when Episode 1 was basically built around the gravity gun through most of the game....as neat as the gun was from HL2, the novelty of it wore off real fast and the game felt like a big, boring chore. Episode 2 was better, but felt a lot shorter than Episode 1 and it didn't leave me at a point wanting to know what happened next.

If Episode 3 or even a HL3 came out, I wouldn't bat an eye and go about my life. I'd never play it. I can't see what people really saw in the last couple of entries of the game

Get outta here.
Jk

While ep1 was a bit boring the story was still pretty good, and the gameplay was good either, i agree that ep2 was better, and the part of the story was also better, we just wanted a playable ending of the saga, what we get almost 10 years later, is the plot wrote by its creator with obfuscated names, and reading this, the game would've been even better than ep2 which was already pretty good. It's fine you don't like how they managed episodes, you probably didn't like the saga that much to begin with, otherwise i don't think you would ignore such launch as ep3 had it ever come out.

 

[Steevo]

Meh.


The two episodes were good, very good. But not the same caliber as HL or HL2, Portal, or Portal 2.

I would have rather them leave Episode X as spin-off instead of part of the primary storyline.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Valve makes too much money as a game platform. I predict there will never be an episode 3 or a HL3. It's too much of a risk compared to the sure thing they have now.

 

[oxidized]

Valve makes too much money as a game platform. I predict there will never be an episode 3 or a HL3. It's too much of a risk compared to the sure thing they have now.

Thing is they wouldn't even lose anything if they do something wrong, dota2, csgo and even tf2 player base is just too large, to even lose anything, so making no games, and making no half life really makes no sense, they wouldn't lose anything, but something like this, will be a huge (hopefully) hit for them, the community won't take this lightly

 

[Prima.Vera]

Thing is they wouldn't even lose anything if they do something wrong, dota2, csgo and even tf2 player base is just too large, to even lose anything, so making no games, and making no half life really makes no sense, they wouldn't lose anything, but something like this, will be a huge (hopefully) hit for them, the community won't take this lightly

They are afraid I think of pulling another Duke Nukem 4Ever...

 

[Prince Valiant]

They are afraid I think of pulling another Duke Nukem 4Ever...

I thought DNF was fine enough as long as most expectations were checked at the door.

My guess is Valve doesn't see any point in spending time and money on HL3 development. Why spend money when they can maintain the stranglehold on the PC platform and continue sucking up money instead?

Edit: I see Rtwjunkie beat me to the point on Valve.

 

[neatfeatguy]

Get outta here.
Jk

While ep1 was a bit boring the story was still pretty good, and the gameplay was good either, i agree that ep2 was better, and the part of the story was also better, we just wanted a playable ending of the saga, what we get almost 10 years later, is the plot wrote by its creator with obfuscated names, and reading this, the game would've been even better than ep2 which was already pretty good. It's fine you don't like how they managed episodes, you probably didn't like the saga that much to begin with, otherwise i don't think you would ignore such launch as ep3 if it had ever come out.

I liked Half Life and Half Life 2 - hell, I even enjoyed Half Life: Opposing Force (not so much the Blue Shift game, it was still better than EP1 or EP2 if you ask me). I even enjoyed Half Life 2: Lost Coast (missing level) they released.

I recently played through the original Half Life game again - good times. I may hop into HL2, again soon. I just didn't care for how they focused the game in Episode 1 and how boring it was. Episode 2 picked things up, but it wasn't up to par with the original HL or HL2 games. The episodes didn't leave me wanting more.

The HL series kind of faded from my interest, much like the The Elder Scrolls games did after Morrowind. Oblivion sucked and whatever the last one was (can't think of the name of it) wasn't much better. At first I was in awe with Oblivion, but after a good chunk of time playing the story was found to be awful and the game play was rather lacking. Only thing it really had going for it was the environments (not the people, the animations weren't great for all the hype given) you could explore. I played even less of the last one released - thankfully I didn't spend much on it.

Damn....I think I may have to go back and play Opposing Force and Blue Shift now that I'm thinking about them. I miss the snarks - my favorite weapon when playing Deathmatch back in the day. I'd just laugh my ass off as I'd find some obscure spot to hide and as people ran by I'd dish out my 10 (or maybe could hold 15) snarks and watch the people panic as they got nicked to death...so awesome!

 

[INSTG8R]

I'm just trying really hard not to read it...I've actually been puttering through HL2 again with the HL2 Update mod on it. Plan on Ep 1. And 2 if I get through it.
For me HL2 is where my Steam account began 12 years ago now. I still hold a small glimmer of hope to see "the end"

 

[oxidized]

I liked Half Life and Half Life 2 - hell, I even enjoyed Half Life: Opposing Force (not so much the Blue Shift game, it was still better than EP1 or EP2 if you ask me). I even enjoyed Half Life 2: Lost Coast (missing level) they released.

I recently played through the original Half Life game again - good times. I may hop into HL2, again soon. I just didn't care for how they focused the game in Episode 1 and how boring it was. Episode 2 picked things up, but it wasn't up to par with the original HL or HL2 games. The episodes didn't leave me wanting more.

The HL series kind of faded from my interest, much like the The Elder Scrolls games did after Morrowind. Oblivion sucked and whatever the last one was (can't think of the name of it) wasn't much better. At first I was in awe with Oblivion, but after a good chunk of time playing the story was found to be awful and the game play was rather lacking. Only thing it really had going for it was the environments (not the people, the animations weren't great for all the hype given) you could explore. I played even less of the last one released - thankfully I didn't spend much on it.

Damn....I think I may have to go back and play Opposing Force and Blue Shift now that I'm thinking about them. I miss the snarks - my favorite weapon when playing Deathmatch back in the day. I'd just laugh my ass off as I'd find some obscure spot to hide and as people ran by I'd dish out my 10 (or maybe could hold 15) snarks and watch the people panic as they got nicked to death...so awesome!

Fair but i don't agree, whatever.

For me HL2 is where my Steam account began 12 years ago now. I still hold a small glimmer of hope to see "the end"

Same here. My account was created on Christmas' day of 2005

 

[sweet]

I wasn't overly impressed with Episode 1 or Episode 2. I found it really annoying when Episode 1 was basically built around the gravity gun through most of the game....as neat as the gun was from HL2, the novelty of it wore off real fast and the game felt like a big, boring chore. Episode 2 was better, but felt a lot shorter than Episode 1 and it didn't leave me at a point wanting to know what happened next.

If Episode 3 or even a HL3 came out, I wouldn't bat an eye and go about my life. I'd never play it. I can't see what people really saw in the last couple of entries of the game

Ep 1 and 2 are more about the physics engine and AI of Source. Ep 1 like you said, revolved around gravity gun and its physics. Ep 2 asked the player to work with Alyx Vance, who was powered by a top-notched AI at that time.

Maybe that's why Valve didn't bother with Ep 3, Source has nothing left to show off.