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[Prophet Steve]

I have 16 potatoes at the moment and, while I have a lot of work to do, I am severely tempted to go home and work on getting the rest before it launches. Think it's possible?

I'm doing the same now with the same number. Although I think I have had the hardest ones. Still need the one in Amnesia, everything in Defense Grid, the ones in Audiosurf, the ones in the Ball, Rush, Cogs and Super Meat Boy. Is going to be hard.

 

[Twig]

Is your sole purpose on this forum to troll? Seriously )

I'm not trolling; I'm raging.

 

[shuyin_]

I'm not trolling; I'm raging.

Keep this up and you may soon be ignored

Except the journey has also taken a turn for the shit, and that is what everybody defending Valve seems to forget.

I don't think there's anyone defending Valve at this point.

 

[EatChildren]

Something something not the destination but the journey, or something.

Except the journey has also taken a turn for the shit, and that is what everybody defending Valve seems to forget. As I said in the other thread; my issues with what they've done here have next to nothing to do with expecting the game to get early, but everything to do with the underwhelming and anticlimatic end to what has been an amazingly well built ARG.

They took an involved, community driven treasure hunt full of puzzles and mystery and turned it into a monotonous grind. They turned a game into work. The fun side of the ARG died as soon as that original timer hit zero. This extension is pointless and a waste of everybody's time.

 

[f0rk]

Hoped I could get up to it today, now it looks like its going to launch in the day tomorrow when I'm out all day gutted
I think you guys are right about weekend valve, isn't TF2 kinda broke right now as well?

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Hay.

Hay guys.

You know what happened in 1912?

Can you guess?

I'll give you a clue.

It involved a boat.

One of the most important nuclear scientist happened...

Born: April 19th, 1912... 99 years ago as of tomorrow.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_T._Seaborg

Boom. GAF Explodes.

 

[The Elite]

Except the journey has also taken a turn for the shit, and that is what everybody defending Valve seems to forget. As I said in the other thread; my issues with what they've done here have next to nothing to do with expecting the game to get early, but everything to do with the underwhelming and anticlimatic end to what has been an amazingly well built ARG.

They took an involved, community driven treasure hunt full of puzzles and mystery and turned it into a monotonous grind. They turned a game into work. The fun side of the ARG died as soon as that original timer hit zero. This extension is pointless and a waste of everybody's time.

It stopped becoming about playing the games for fun with a neat bonus at the end and turned into a grind around Saturday at noon I would imagine.

This feels like a lesson in futility.

Collecting potatoes is futile.

 

[Twig]

Keep this up and you may soon be ignored

...Okay? Cool? I'm not sure what you want or expect me to say. I don't think I've ever seen you post until now, so clearly we don't travel in the same circles. Ignore away, pal!

Except the journey has also taken a turn for the shit, and that is what everybody defending Valve seems to forget.

I'm not forgetting; I simply don't give a shit. It was still a lot of fun while it lasted, and I'm quite capable of ignoring and even forgiving a single fault that, in the end, doesn't change anything for me. Hell, before this ARG started, I didn't even know Portal 2 was supposed to release this Tuesday. Which I guess is "tomorrow" by now! Moreover, knowing Valve's track record, they'll only improve in any future ARGs they may do.

 

[Phantom Limbs]

HEV suit uses Auxiliary power.

 

[Hawkian]

I guess it was futile but it was fun.

 

[Phantom Limbs]

I can't believe The Ball has only risen 20% in the last....what? 7-8 hours?

 

[JaseC]

I can't believe The Ball has only risen 20% in the last....what? 7-8 hours?

It needs 120k hours. That's around twice as many as any previously completed game thus far.

 

[Mister_Bubbles]

I can't believe The Ball has only risen 20% in the last....what? 7-8 hours?

Heh. Really, you can't believe that?

 

[badrockjones]

No one can say I didn't do my part. And it only cost me my ENTIRE FUCKING WEEKEND FOR NOTHING. It was fun though, like a gaming iron man triathlon. Except, thirteenathlon. Or whatever.

 

[shuyin_]

...Okay? Cool? I'm not sure what you want or expect me to say. I don't think I've ever seen you post until now, so clearly we don't travel in the same circles. Ignore away, pal!

Well. I remember you from last night, you're the one with the cognitive dissonance. I remember you because at some point you basically said you don't care about other people's opinions, which made me realize you were simply trolling. Now you seem to be trolling again.

That's why i said i'd ignore (which isn't something i usually do). I just don't really like troll replies. Don't worry, i've nothing against you.

EDIT: i think we should've clarified this over pm, as to not fill the topic with these messages. A mod will probably clean it though.
EDIT 2: i was probably too tired last night to get the joke. Sorry

 

[Twig]

Well. I remember you from last night, you're the one with the cognitive dissonance. I remember you because at some point you basically said you don't care about other people's opinions, which made me realize you were simply trolling. Now you seem to be trolling again.

That's why i said i'd ignore (which isn't something i usually do). I just don't really like troll replies. Don't worry, i've nothing against you.

Oh, you're that guy. As I explained last night, that was a joke, not a troll - indicated by the all-caps and the fucking smiley. If you can't get that, ignore me. Or not. Whatever bumps your Borealis, baby. I have no intention of carrying on this ridiculous conversation, so end it now. EDIT: You already did. Well done.

It was fun though, like a gaming iron man triathlon. Except, thirteenathlon. Or whatever.

I think it's a tredecathlon. But I'm not really sure. MATHS. Who needs 'em!

 

[Woffls]

uhh, am I reading this correctly? We're not getting it unlocked for another 21 hours? If I'd pre-ordered a copy from retailer, as usual, I'd have it by now! I could walk into a store tomorrow at 9am and still get it half an hour earlier! What an utter waste of time.

I don't expect it early, I'm not one of those people, but Valve should manually overclocked it or something to avoid pissing people off.

[edit] Apparently it's not in stores until Friday, but websites are showing it as in stock?! I have no idea what's going on here.

 

[JaseC]

Oh, you're that guy. As I explained last night, that was a joke, not a troll - indicated by the all-caps and the fucking smiley. If you can't get that, ignore me. Or not. Whatever bumps your Borealis, baby. I have no intention of carrying on this ridiculous conversation, so end it now. EDIT: You already did. Well done.

fryiseewhatyoudidthere.jpg

uhh, am I reading this correctly? We're not getting it unlocked for another 21 hours? If I'd pre-ordered a copy from retailer, as usual, I'd have it by now! I could walk into a store tomorrow at 9am and still get it half an hour earlier! What an utter waste of time.

I don't expect it early, I'm not one of those people, but Valve should manually overclocked it or something to avoid pissing people off.

Unless you got a console copy from a retailer, you'd still be at the mercy of Steam.

 

[evlcookie]

Did killing floor just increase for no reason? I know that was mentioned on the valvearg.

Maybe valve are tweaking the numbers so it looks like we are actually doing something!

 

[OmegaDragon]

Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the ARG.

Please assume the grief counseling escort submission position

 

[Twig]

fryiseewhatyoudidthere.jpg

Yeah, I'm actually quite proud of that. Topical. Alliterative. And phallic! U:

 

[Gandie]

Did killing floor just increase for no reason? I know that was mentioned on the valvearg.

Maybe valve are tweaking the numbers so it looks like we are actually doing something!

I'm pretty sure they've been doing this since the beginning.

 

[Woffls]

Unless you got a console copy from a retailer, you'd still be at the mercy of Steam.

So the PC disc version also unlocks at the same time? That kinda sucks if I'm honest. It also sucks that console gamers will probably be playing it before the PC gamers who got suckered into buy £30's worth of potato games and spending all weekend on it. Hopefully they'll get it right next time. Luckily I had Nintendo 6 rumours to think about all weekend so I'm not particularly bothered!

 

[wind_steaker]

I realised somewhere while analysing a graph of Potatoes and CPU cycles that this really is Potato Fools Day.

 

[JaseC]

Yeah, I'm actually quite proud of that. Topical. Alliterative. And phallic! U:

Three of my favourite things in the world!

So the PC disc version also unlocks at the same time? That kinda sucks if I'm honest. It also sucks that console gamers will probably be playing it before the PC gamers who got suckered into buy £30's worth of potato games and spending all weekend on it. Hopefully they'll get it right next time. Luckily I had Nintendo 6 rumours to think about all weekend so I'm not particularly bothered!

Yeah. It's a Steamworks game, so it runs through Steam.

Edit: Actually, IIRC some people have said that retail copies of some Steamworks game unlock at midnight. No idea if that is something Valve practices, though.

 

[Corky]

I realised somewhere while analysing a graph of Potatoes and CPU cycles that this really is Potato Fools Day.

It's especially funny if you actually paid 30$ and had 20 steamclients up in order to speed up the process.

 

[darkressurection]

I think this is maybe the first time in history that I have felt disappointed by Valve. Let me put it this way, if I am able to go drive a few minutes to a 24 hour walmart and pick up a PS3 copy of the game BEFORE the steam version unlocks, Valve done fucked up.

 

[Mr Cola]

I mean the interesting thing from my point of view is this

Whether the ARG failed or not alot of people are pissed off, rightly or wrongly valve have pissed off alot of people, that much is true. Now im betting on this being the kinda "oh shit l4d2 was due to release on time then a server crash happened and it released 2 hours latere argaerhgehgioe im pissed i want to play it now" over a "well valve is now evil" type of deal. The former means that, like the l4d2 release debacle, no-one will give a shit 5 minutes after launch

As it should be.

 

[Lime]

Shouldn't Portal 2 unlock at the local midnight? So in Europe (GMT+1), the game will unlock 10 hours from now.

 

[StuBurns]

I think this is maybe the first time in history that I have felt disappointed by Valve. Let me put it this way, if I am able to go drive a few minutes to a 24 hour walmart and pick up a PS3 copy of the game BEFORE the steam version unlocks, Valve done fucked up.

This brings up an interesting point, I wonder if it'll even be possible to play the steamworks functions of the PS3 version before the PC launch?

 

[darkressurection]

This brings up an interesting point, I wonder if it'll even be possible to play the steamworks functions of the PS3 version before the PC launch?

I think I have seen a couple of non media people on Steam playing Portal 2, I am assuming it has to be a PS3 version that they got early.

 

[JaseC]

This brings up an interesting point, I wonder if it'll even be possible to play the steamworks functions of the PS3 version before the PC launch?

I wouldn't think they have Portal 2-related Steamworks servers locked down considering only legitimate users could use them.

People have been playing the PS3 version over in the OT, and surely it would've been brought up if Steamworks was non-functional.

 

[Woffls]

The real problem for Valve is next time they try and do this a lot of people just won't bother, and that really won't help for something so dependant on crowd mentality. Unless it's Episode 3, then everything goes out the window and we all hop on our treadmills for 2 weeks.

 

[wind_steaker]

also what is the point in switching to the ball at this point? - it's ETA is past the release date we might as well finish Audiosurf.

 

[JaseC]

also what is the point in switching to the ball at this point? - it's ETA is past the release date we might as well finish Audiosurf.

Apparently, it should knock off a fair amount of time. Much more than that of Audiosurf, for example.

 

[darkpaladinmfc]

also what is the point in switching to the ball at this point? - it's ETA is past the release date we might as well finish Audiosurf.

I think Audiosurf will finish in time any ways, it had a decent amount of players from the start.

 

[ArjanN]

It's especially funny if you actually paid 30$ and had 20 steamclients up in order to speed up the process.

Oh no, someone payed 30$ for 13 hit indie games, oh, the humanity!

 

[Corky]

Well I guess I can do nothing other than commend people for actually trying to get the game out earlier even though be now people should realize it's a lost cause. It's just a shame that the amount of effort required to even achieve a sizeable difference is ludicrous.

Oh no, someone payed 30$ for 13 hit indie games, oh, the humanity!

I don't even know what to reply to moronic statements like these. All I can say is if I ever manage to run a multimillion software company, then dear God let my future clients gobble up any kind of treatment and eat it up like ArjanN. That revenue.

 

[Twig]

The real problem for Valve is next time they try and do this a lot of people just won't bother, and that really won't help for something so dependant on crowd mentality. Unless it's Episode 3, then everything goes out the window and we all hop on our treadmills for 2 weeks.

The people who are into ARGs will still bother, because they love solving the puzzles. And the people like me who are into following ARGs will still bother, because we love watching people solve the puzzles.

But if they even pretend to try another grindy thing like this weekend again, yes, you're right, people won't bother - with that part.

The ARG audience is already a tiny fucking minority. Even the people who did nothing for the ARG other than leave 13 games open while they slept are the minority. This has still done a great job at reminding people that Portal 2 is coming tomorrow. So, from that point of view, it's a success.

EDIT: haha i said huge minority what a SILLY GOOSE

 

[Jintor]

No, Valve already failed (even if it releases early). I'm just surprised you can't see it.

A weekend's worth of work, for a few hours that for some (like me) won't make ANY difference at all. And you're telling me this isn't an epic fail? How?

Because the only people who are frothing at the mouth are the people who already bought the game (lack of financial fail) and even this won't dent Valve's permenant record as being the best dudes in the industry, especially if they apologise for fucking up.

 

[matrix-cat]

I think Audiosurf will finish in time any ways, it had a decent amount of players from the start.

Rationally I know it should finish soon, but it feels like the Audiosurf bar hasn't budged in hours. I just can't wait to hit that 'Delete Local Content' button and forget I ever bought it after trying for hours to get that second potato (and still failing, I should add).

 

[StuBurns]

I think I have seen a couple of non media people on Steam playing Portal 2, I am assuming it has to be a PS3 version that they got early.

I wouldn't think they have Portal 2-related Steamworks servers locked down considering only legitimate users could use them.

People have been playing the PS3 version over in the OT, and surely it would've been brought up if Steamworks was non-functional.

I wonder if PS3 users can get Portal 2 on Steam with their codes and play it now then.

As for 'legit' users, that's a fair point, but that's also true of retail Portal 2 copies, I'm guessing they can't play yet.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Because the only people who are frothing at the mouth are the people who already bought the game (lack of financial fail) and even this won't dent Valve's permenant record as being the best dudes in the industry, especially if they apologise for fucking up.

Did they take away potatoes of people who unlocked it unethically?

 

[Hot Coldman]

Rationally I know it should finish soon, but it feels like the Audiosurf bar hasn't budged in hours. I just can't wait to hit that 'Delete Local Content' button and forget I ever bought it after trying for hours to get that second potato (and still failing, I should add).

The fuck? Audiosurf is fantastic. I can't get enough of it.

 

[Jintor]

Sure, but they still contribute to the Aux power... maybe... possibly.

Besides, they got that shit unethically.

 

[Twig]

Did they take away potatoes of people who unlocked it unethically?

Yes.

 

[StuBurns]

Besides, they got that shit unethically.

This obscene waste of resources is unethical.

 

[marrec]

Oh no, someone payed 30$ for 13 hit indie games, oh, the humanity!

Plus the additional content created for the games... I would NEVER have played The Ball if not for this and boy am I glad I did. Not only is the main game great the additional content is top notch. I haven't even touched Defense Grid yet and Bit.Trip Beat is fantastic. Amnesia is going to haunt my dreams... Oh and Killing Floor is pretty dope too. There are other games in there too, the only real stinker is 1, 2, 3...

I get why people are miffed about the buildup but man did I have fun getting potatoes and playing these games that otherwise I wouldn't have touched.

 

[Sn4ke_911]

Did they take away potatoes of people who unlocked it unethically?

 

[Corky]

This obscene waste of resources is unethical.

Bu-bu-but those starving indiedevs?

Fucking bet my ass that they're 10x wealthier than people dare realize.