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Valve News Network: Boneworks is a secret Half-Life game

Asbsand

Asbsand

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
9,901
Denmark
The newly released VR game by Stress Level Zero was allegedly targeted to be a Half-Life game some time ago, when the company approached valve with it, using Half-Life 2 assets, and while they got turned down to use the property, Valve felt dwarfed by their accomplishments with physics in VR, which ended up directly inlfuencing HL:Alyx. It was put on something called the Valve "Master-List" - a list of all the company resume of games that employees have to try to be on the same page.

In the source video he claims they were told not to touch Half Life as to "not confuse consumers what is the real Half-Life game".


So if you're just dying for that Half-Life experience, maybe try Boneworks already?
 
Turin Turambar

Turin Turambar

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,780
How "indie devs propose to make a HL game, get turn down by Valve" is transformed into "it's a secret HL game!" ?
 
Tuco Benedicto Pacifico

Tuco Benedicto Pacifico

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
8,466
Birdseye said:
Does it make you want to puke like Half-Life and Half-Life 2?
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Apparently it does. Well, someone claims it does, more specifically.

Personally? Never had a single problem with neither of the two Half-Life actually.
If anything I've always found them among the best titles of their time in giving you the illusion of being physically immersed in a 3D space.
 
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Deleted member 4494

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,798
I am glad that there was something here for Valve to learn from, or be inspired by, but I'm also pretty happy that they didn't sign off on a HL project with this. Boneworks looks interesting, and out of curiosity I'll probably pick it up when I get my Index, but it looks really, really messy and uncomfortable to play. Between the awkward bugs I've seen, the clear infringement on the player's locomotion expectations, and overall lack of polish, this just wouldn't be the thing I'd put in front of people to usher the world of Half-Life back in to the conversation. As a technical demonstration of how far you can push VR -- regardless of comfort -- I am glad they got to explore what they wanted, and that the entire community can learn lessons from that even if it meant ignoring the lessons of others to get there.

I suspect when Half-Life: Alyx comes out we'll see strong philosophical and technical "disagreements" between the two games actualized in how they play and present various implementations. Valve will almost certainly lean into comfort and polish at the expense of wild exploration, but I think that is the right call for the property, especially as HL:A will almost certainly be the first VR experience of many players finally getting into VR.

As far as taking inspiration from HL, well, it's pretty clear they did, and it's no surprise why, since the HL series always represents an inflection point in game design, and Boneworks is clearly trying to be that. Also, they probably did a lot of work when they were pitching to Valve, and probably didn't have time to redo anything there (like, the boxes have a very similar texture as HL ammo / resource boxes).
 
OP
OP
Asbsand

Asbsand

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
9,901
Denmark
Spoo said:
I suspect when Half-Life: Alyx comes out we'll see strong philosophical and technical "disagreements" between the two games actualized in how they play and present various implementations. Valve will almost certainly lean into comfort and polish at the expense of wild exploration, but I think that is the right call for the property, especially as HL:A will almost certainly be the first VR experience of many players finally getting into VR.
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I fully expect modern valve to make Alyx more about scripted action than Half Life 2.
 
Foffy

Foffy

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
16,395
Wasn't aware of this game, but hearing this story and seeing the gameplay footage in the video, I'm impressed that even though they were told they weren't allowed to the use the Half-Life IP, it very clearly looks to be in the same vein.

Makes me wonder if the community is going to try porting over the older H-L games to VR if this and Alyx set a standard to follow.
 
Youngfossil

Youngfossil

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,670
Foffy said:
Wasn't aware of this game, but hearing this story and seeing the gameplay footage in the video, I'm impressed that even though they were told they weren't allowed to the use the Half-Life IP, it very clearly looks to be in the same vein.

Makes me wonder if the community is going to try porting over the older H-L games to VR if this and Alyx set a standard to follow.
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Older HL games are in VR already
 
Vash63

Vash63

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,681
I'm a few levels in and to me it feels somewhere between Half-Life and Portal. More puzzle and platforming than HL, but still some pretty solid gunplay and such like HL. Secret rooms and the way the story is delivered feels very Portal 1. And of course lots of small, destructable and movable objects and weapons like HL.

I got a bit tired of it yesterday after playing for 90 minutes and having it crash, losing progress due to the lack of save system... but other than that it's absolutely amazing and probably one of my favorite games of the year already.
 
Messofanego

Messofanego

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,201
UK
What is Valve News Network? Is it more than an obsessed fan conspiracy channel?

It was put on something called the Valve "Master-List" - a list of all the company resume of games that employees have to try to be on the same page.​

Umm can I get a source for this from other than some Youtuber? Is this verified?
 

Deleted member 8468

User requested account closure
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Oct 26, 2017
9,109
The game features headcrab robots. It isn't really a secret lol. At the very least, the devs wanted to make a half life game at some point.
 
Alec

Alec

Hero of Bowerstone
Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,729
Louisville, KY
Messofanego said:
What is Valve News Network? Is it more than an obsessed fan conspiracy channel?

It was put on something called the Valve "Master-List" - a list of all the company resume of games that employees have to try to be on the same page.​

Umm can I get a source for this from other than some Youtuber? Is this verified?
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Tyler is legit and yes, it was temporarily added to the Master List at one point.

By "secret Half Life game," he means in gameplay and aesthetic only. Not actually a game taking place in the HL universe.

Source for it being on the Master List:

Changelist #5587285

12 months ago Ā· December 21, 2018 ā€“ 05:40:16 UTCChangelist #5587285
 
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Cleve

Cleve

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,022
It feels like it was designed to be a Half-Life fan game but if it was brought to them, Valve shot it down due to it's quality issues.

The level design, puzzles, and storytelling are just lacking the polish you'd associate with a Valve product.

That doesn't make it a secret HL game at all.

My friend compared that claim it to being told you were gonna see your favorite Michael Crichton movie adaptation, going to the theater, sitting down and realizing the movie was Congo instead of Jurassic Park.

Half-Life inspired at best.
 

BAD

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,565
USA
That is a clickbait title lol. It implies it is a project in the Half Life franchise secretly and has some clues to suggest so. In reality it was an indie pitch for a VR Half Life game that failed and was redone as an original IP.
 
Messofanego

Messofanego

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,201
UK
Foffy said:
He's followed Valve stuff for years. Knew about Alyx and its specifics before Valve even announced it themselves. He has a lot of interest around him now because he called so much of it.
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He's an insider, oh ok. How does he have access to such details, anyone know?
Alec said:
Source for it being on the Master List:

Changelist #5587285

12 months ago Ā· December 21, 2018 ā€“ 05:40:16 UTCChangelist #5587285
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Thank you!
 
Messofanego

Messofanego

Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,201
UK
Alec said:
He's built up a number of sources that he trusts over the years which have given him a lot of good info. And he's a good dude, so I'm happy for his success. It's nice to see good, genuine people be successful. Hopefully this post doesn't age poorly!
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As long as he doesn't have far right connections šŸ˜‰
 
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