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[DaBuddaDa]

Forgotten in the hubbub is that a bunch of small, indie games are getting a shitload of exposure and sales because of all of this. Valve continues to do whatever they can to cultivate and support the PC community.

 

[Baha]

Whats frustrating is this blanket generalisation that anyone who is disappointed is over-reacting.

I think most of the debate going on in this thread has been constructive and honest, and no-one has gone straight for the "oh lolz, I give up, cancelling my steam account and boycotting the game" as far as I can see.

Actually I could've sworn I saw 2-3 people say they were cancelling their steam pre-orders for console versions.

 

[dimb]

And it is going to be released many hours early by all calculations.

Depends when it is released. If it is any time on Tuesday I find it hard to feel like I got the game early, because that was the scheduled release date.

 

[taoofjord]

I think the work put into the ARG should have reaped a better reward. I don't know about Friday at Noon but actually being able to play it at some point over the weekend before everyone had to head back to work would have been great. Instead, Valve had people grinding all weekend, for what, a few hours on Monday. Maybe.

The result doesn't equal the time and energy put into it. That's the problem. The ARG was great until Friday at Noon.

If Valve can release it before the official release date why not release it friday at noon? If bad blood between them and the retailers isn't an issue then what other reason could there be for them to not release it on friday? I don't see one.

 

[Red]

The whole disappointment thing has absolutely nothing to do with the game releasing early or not, at least for me. The problem I have is that the ARG was brilliantly executed up to a certain point but then ended with a four-day grinding session. They dangled the carrot of an early release and that kept people going as a "reward" for all the work they've done collecting potatoes, but it seems clear now there's nothing users could have done that would have shortened the release in any considerable way. It never would have come out on Friday, or Saturday, or Sunday. All signs point to a midnight launch tonight, and it feels like it had nothing to do with what the community did since Friday afternoon.

Yes. That's what the problem is and where disappointment should rightfully stem from. It was a poor way to end the ARG, whether or not you care at all about an early release you must recognize this.

 

[XeroSauce]

Whats frustrating is this blanket generalisation that anyone who is disappointed is over-reacting.

I think most of the debate going on in this thread has been constructive and honest, and no-one has gone straight for the "oh lolz, I give up, cancelling my steam account and boycotting the game" as far as I can see.

Of course not, you're exactly right.

It's the "I'm gonna complain about complainers" people that are muddling this thread up. This isn't MW2 or L4D2, where there was a legit boycott that pattered to nothing; most of us have our game and just want to play. And I don't see how they are contributing anymore then we are, especially since we've been here since the beginning and they're just hoping in on the hype.

 

[TheExodu5]

Guys, don't hold out for a release this evening. I would expect 12:01 AM EST at the earliest (with 12:01 AM PST being the latest). I have to assume at this point that there's a retailer agreement in place that prevents them from releasing the game before the 19th in the US.

 

[ahoyhoy]

Actually I could've sworn I saw 2-3 people say they were cancelling their steam pre-orders for console versions.

Didn't know you could do that.

 

[clip]

I hope I get to play it tonight. Otherwise I'll have to wake up early to play before work.

 

[The Elite]

If Valve can release it before the official release date why not release it friday at noon? If bad blood between them and the retailers isn't an issue then what other reason could there be for them to not release it on friday? I don't see one.

I was cool with the one last hoop on Friday. They teased that and I was expecting it. I thought it might take a few hours or a day to compete and it gave people an opportunity to play some great indie games. The problem is that the whole thing became a grind at some point on Saturday when everyone realized this wasn't going to end before the weekend was over. That really killed the experience for me.

 

[Drkirby]

Actually I could've sworn I saw 2-3 people say they were cancelling their steam pre-orders for console versions.

I am pretty sure most of them were just getting it at best buy, because I think you can get the game for $35 and get $20 in giftcards.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

I, for one, completely agree with the outrage over this issue.

 

[Twig]

Actually I could've sworn I saw 2-3 people say they were cancelling their steam pre-orders for console versions.

You're correct.

There have been plenty of gross overreactions to what is, in the end, completely inconsequential. And there will continue to be gross overreactions as long as the game is not out, because people love to complain. Human nature! :3

 

[Baha]

Didn't know you could do that.

Steam support ticket, works with all pre-orders afaik. The only time you can get a refund post-release is for technical issues I think.

 

[The Elite]

Guys, don't hold out for a release this evening. I would expect 12:01 AM EST at the earliest (with 12:01 AM PST being the latest). I have to assume at this point that there's a retailer agreement in place that prevents them from releasing the game before the 19th in the US.

If that really is the case, I can't imagine why they would have thought this whole "early release" thing was a good idea. What a foolish plan.

 

[Blizzard]

I am pretty sure most of them were just getting it at best buy, because I think you can get the game for $35 and get $20 in giftcards.

I think it's only $10 in giftcards and you have to pay sales tax on the purchase, but yeah. It's reasonable if it really is true that the retail version would unlock at midnight but the Steam version might be, say, 3 a.m. EST or something.

 

[TheExodu5]

Yes. That's what the problem is and where disappointment should rightfully stem from. It was a poor way to end the ARG, whether or not you care at all about an early release you must recognize this.

My issue was with how misleading the "Release Portal 2 Early" campaign has turned out to be. Valve seemed to give the impression that this might result in us getting the game days earlier, but it's clear now that it could only result in a midnight launch instead of a 7/10 AM launch.

 

[enzo_gt]

The whole disappointment thing has absolutely nothing to do with the game releasing early or not, at least for me. The problem I have is that the ARG was brilliantly executed up to a certain point but then ended with a four-day grinding session. They dangled the carrot of an early release and that kept people going as a "reward" for all the work they've done collecting potatoes, but it seems clear now there's nothing users could have done that would have shortened the release in any considerable way. It never would have come out on Friday, or Saturday, or Sunday. All signs point to a midnight launch tonight, and it feels like it had nothing to do with what the community did since Friday afternoon.

Nail on the head.

Oh and for some of us, this release means the "early release" is just a few hours earlier, but still in the night when we have to sleep for work, etc. the next day. No real gain for any of us because minimal progress is no progress in practice.

 

[The Elite]

I, for one, completely agree with the outrage over this issue.

You're just happy to see Liu Kang banned. You've always been bitter rivals.

 

[dave is ok]

At best it was a 'bait and switch'

At worst it was gross manipulation of your fanbases time and money

 

[dollartaco]

Yes. That's what the problem is and where disappointment should rightfully stem from. It was a poor way to end the ARG, whether or not you care at all about an early release you must recognize this.

See, I don't recognize that because I don't agree at all. The ARG resulted in people working together -- not just a handful of people to come across some crumbs, but thousands working cooperatively -- to get a game released early. I like that.

Those potatoes would have run out by now had nobody simply reinvested themselves in the effort.

 

[L00P]

Oh my god the potatoes are depleting!!!!

11 hours!!! I'm so ready!!!

 

[dave is ok]

You're just happy to see Liu Kang banned. You've always been bitter rivals.

They're good friends irl

I miss Liu Kang already, although I don't agree with him on this one. The ARG was filled to the brim with hints at a weekend release. People have a right to be pissed

 

[Red]

My issue was with how misleading the "Release Portal 2 Early" campaign has turned out to be. Valve seemed to give the impression that this might result in us getting the game days earlier, but it's clear now that it could only result in a midnight launch instead of a 7/10 AM launch.

Well that's certainly a part of it. The problem isn't that the game is or is not releasing early, it's about the presentation of the ARG -- especially all of GLaDOS@home. It was poorly designed and intentionally misleading, and amounts to what is little more than a trolling of the ARG's player base.

It would have been a great ride if we were continually tasked with something, instead of having the whole thing devolve into a "fill up bars" exercise.

 

[heyf00L]

Honestly I believe that part of the problem was how people handled this whole game completion thing. It makes no sense to fill up the bars one at a time. Once the bar is full anyone that plays that game is wasting cycles. It would have made a lot more sense to have spread the CPUs out more.

All those wasted CPU cycles might've added up to a few hours of an earlier release.

 

[CrookedRain]

Guys, don't hold out for a release this evening. I would expect 12:01 AM EST at the earliest (with 12:01 AM PST being the latest). I have to assume at this point that there's a retailer agreement in place that prevents them from releasing the game before the 19th in the US.

Joke post? If we finish the computations for one more game, the new release time is already before 12:00AM PST...

 

[epmode]

You're just happy to see Liu Kang banned. You've always been bitter rivals.

You don't even know.

/salute

 

[Sethos]

See, I don't recognize that because I don't agree at all. The ARG resulted in people working together -- not just a handful of people to come across some crumbs, but thousands working cooperatively -- to get a game released early. I like that.

Those potatoes would have run out by now had nobody simply reinvested themselves in the effort.

Working together to boost the static, pre-determined bars, woop.

 

[Seiru]

I for one absolutely did change my plans to buy the PS3 version, and pre-ordered Portal 2 on Steam. Kind of really regretting that now, because I wanted to try out Steamworks for PS3.

Oh well. At least I'm not the only one who was taken for a ride.

 

[TheExodu5]

See, I don't recognize that because I don't agree at all. The ARG resulted in people working together -- not just a handful of people to come across some crumbs, but thousands working cooperatively -- to get a game released early. I like that.

Those potatoes would have run out by now had nobody simply reinvested themselves in the effort.

This is where you're simply being played by Valve. You're working on the assumption that it actually mattered how many people contributed to the effort. All signs are pointing to this not being the case whatsoever.

Joke post? If we finish the computations for one more game, the new release time is already before 12:00AM PST...

Yeah, and how does that conflict what what I wrote? I said it would release in between 12:01 AM EST and 12:01 AM PST. It depends on their retailer agreements.

How are these things usually handled? How are Blizzard game launches handled for those on the West coast? Can you guys download and play the game at 9:00PM PST (12:00 AM EST), despite a midnight launch at retailers?

 

[th3dude]

Nail on the head.

Oh and for some of us, this release means the "early release" is just a few hours earlier, but still in the night when we have to sleep for work, etc. the next day. No real gain for any of us because minimal progress is no progress in practice.

Completely agree with you and the quote in your post. Pretty much worthless and a poor ending of an otherwise great ARG.

 

[blamite]

Have we figured out yet if the depleting potatoes are speeding up the game progress bars? Killing Floor will never get finished otherwise.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Audiosurf is done. Did the timer reduce? lol.

 

[Seiru]

Have we figured out yet if the depleting potatoes are speeding up the game progress bars? Killing Floor will never get finished otherwise.

The valvearg wiki seems to think that the potatoes have effectively doubled the CPU times for all games.

 

[thunker 9000]

Audiosurf is done. Did the timer reduce? lol.

By 80 minutes or so.

 

[Gandie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUSN7fqVBio

This is me right now.

 

[gregor7777]

I for one absolutely did change my plans to buy the PS3 version, and pre-ordered Portal 2 on Steam. Kind of really regretting that now, because I wanted to try out Steamworks for PS3.

Oh well. At least I'm not the only one who was taken for a ride.

Making purchasing decisions without all the facts often leads to disappointment. Sorry.

Of course, Valve wasn't ever clear, and that's their fault, but you still made up your mind based on speculation.

 

[Phantom Limbs]

edit: NINJA'D

 

[CrookedRain]

Honestly I believe that part of the problem was how people handled this whole game completion thing. It makes no sense to fill up the bars one at a time. Once the bar is full anyone that plays that game is wasting cycles. It would have made a lot more sense to have spread the CPUs out more.

All those wasted CPU cycles might've added up to a few hours of an earlier release.

Actually, it made sense because now people can focus on the bigger games while the overclock is active. They did encourage people to start switching once a game got close to 95% complete so that the idlers who weren't at their computer could finish off games.

 

[blamite]

The valvearg wiki seems to think that the potatoes have effectively doubled the CPU times for all games.

Doubled the progress you mean? Halved the required time remaining?

 

[EternalGamer]

There is no argument to be had. "I think it's disappointing" versus "I do not think it's disappointing" are the only arguments that can be made. The whole discussion is pointless, so when people continually complain about it the people that don't mind get really sick and tired of hearing about it.

There is an argument to be had about people's ridiculous sense of self entitlement in regards to an ARG which:

1) was free
2) was entirely optional
3) results in an earlier release (regardless of how early)

 

[Doopliss]

It seems to me that the PAL users are really scoring here. They are getting the game a few days early.

That doesn't make me feel any better about the ARG, it was always simultaneous worldwide release on Steam. And regardless, it feels more like not-getting-it-late, the way it should be.

 

[Lasthope106]

It looks like the community is focusing in the harder games, and disregarding the "focus" on the ARG wiki.

 

[Seiru]

Making purchasing decisions without all the facts often leads to disappointment. Sorry.

Well I'm not saying it's not my fault, but the big flashy "RELEASE PORTAL 2 EARLY" announcement did have something to do with it.

 

[dollartaco]

This is where you're simply being played by Valve. You're working on the assumption that it actually mattered how many people contributed to the effort. All signs are pointing to this not being the case whatsoever.

No signs point to that. Games are being completed based on the order in which the community has decided, and the accumulated CPUs have reduced the projected launch time accordingly. If nobody played these games, Portal 2 would have launched as scheduled.

 

[CrookedRain]

This is where you're simply being played by Valve. You're working on the assumption that it actually mattered how many people contributed to the effort. All signs are pointing to this not being the case whatsoever.



Yeah, and how does that conflict what what I wrote? I said it would release in between 12:01 AM EST and 12:01 AM PST. It depends on their retailer agreements.

Sorry, I was typing up the post before you edited it.

 

[The Elite]

They're good friends irl

I miss Liu Kang already, although I don't agree with him on this one. The ARG was filled to the brim with hints at a weekend release. People have a right to be pissed

Really? Their choice of usernames was oddly complementary.

C'mon potatoes... give me my Portal 2 goodness!

 

[OmegaDragon]

The overclock really helps. The Ball is being completed for sure. Perhaps even SMB can get completed. That should be another hour off the timer.
If as many people are active as during the weekend peak hours, perhaps more games could be completed.

 

[Treefingers]

There is an argument to be had about people's ridiculous sense of self entitlement in regards to an ARG which:

1) was free
2) was entirely optional
3) results in an earlier release (regardless of how early)

Please read the last page man.

Anyway what's the focus after The Ball?

 

[Seiru]

Doubled the progress you mean? Halved the required time remaining?

Correct. It will probably only last until the potatoes run out, but it seems we all got enough potatoes for this to be a non-issue.