I am a Valve Consumer whore, so i'll buy it (no questions asked) on the spot.

I doubt there'll be an 'Orange Box 2' until Valve makes a new engine.

If there was an "The Orange Box 2", I'd get it because more games in one.

If the Orange Box 2 was composed of Portal 2, Portal 3, Portal 4, Portal 5.. then.. definitely!

If they released an Xbox version with Garys Mod in it, that would be kinda cool.

there is no reason to create the orange box again. all Valve has to do is create a box set of Half life with all the games in them. and throw in some collector edition stuff in there and there we go.

I'll just wait and see what VALVe does. I trust them to do it right, like they have in the past, so I can be patient. Secretly, though, I hope that HL2e3 is as long as HL2 was. Granted, this is highly unlikely, but I'd like a thorough ending of my favourite series. (Whether it explains Gman or not!)

On an unrelated note, am I the only one who liked TFC over TF2? I find the respawning routine just nauseating in TF2. And a little infuriating when it makes a big show of who killed you, with the little freeze-frame cinematic. But, that's just me ranting.

I'm sorry to say that most of the "I hopes" in this thread aren't really in keeping with things people from Valve have actually said.

Half-Life 2: Episode 3 is probably going to be a standalone for a couple of different reasons. First, because it isn't really harder to release it with a standalone executable than to release it as an expansion pack. It's just a matter of packaging the appropriate files together. It isn't even harder to download via Steam as it will piggy-back on the cache files for other source games, so downloading it will essentially be like downloading a mission pack in terms of size. It also means that you can play it even if you haven't played any previous Half-Life games. I think it's better to start at the beginning, but I can't blame Valve for not wanting to say "To play this game you have to own these other products" a statement that is anathema to many gamers (See Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles).

Secondly, Valve are almost definitely going to be using a newer version of Source than in the Episode 2, since the Left 4 Dead version contains numerous new features, and since they'll probably be adding more features specifically for Episode 3.

As far as length goes it will probably be in the 5-8 hour range since that was the whole point of doing the episodes in the first place. It's not that the couldn't do a 20 hour Half-Life game, it's just that it would take 6 years. On the other hand if they release Episode 3 before 2010 and it contains 7 hours worth of gameplay then they've essentially made Half-Life 3 (20 hours of Half-Life content released after 6 years of development) in the time it took them to make Half-Life 2 but have also released two thirds of it in two sizable chunks over the first 4 years of that time. I leave it to you to decide which way you'd rather have it (Hint: if they had been working on Half-Life 3 instead of the episodes it still wouldn't be out for another year).

As far as a new version of Source goes, maybe you haven't been paying attention. There were new versions of Source bundled with Lost Coast, Episode 1, Orange Box, and Left 4 Dead. All with improvements ranging from HDR lighting to the response rules system that has replaced sycophantic resistance members constantly telling you to reload and since evolved from Alyx occasionally dropping hints and one liners to the survivors in Left 4 Dead exchanging not-entirely-scripted banter.

Man, looking back over this post I realized that I've become quite a Valve fanatic in the past 2 years. I also just remembered that there was supposed to be an episode 3 trailer by the end of '08 that still isn't out. That's Valve time for you.

The Shade:
On an unrelated note, am I the only one who liked TFC over TF2? I find the respawning routine just nauseating in TF2. And a little infuriating when it makes a big show of who killed you, with the little freeze-frame cinematic. But, that's just me ranting.

You are decidedly not. Go check the Steam forums and you'll see what I mean. There is a large group that plays TFC or Fortress Forever instead of Team Fortress 2 as well as people who beg valve to make TF2 more like classic and even a few people doing mods and maps to make TF2 more like classic.

Personally I like the freeze-cam, in part because it gives me an opportunity to taunt people and in part because I often get to watch the demise of my killer. Also, you're supposed to be angry. Use that to go get revenge. Also, there are fast/instant respawn servers out there if you want to spend less time waiting to play.

it will be called brown box, for it will be the shit.

NO!!!
Don't tell them to do CS2 as well!
It will take years!
I want my episode 3 now, not in ten freaking years!

It'd be interesting to see and damn good if it had a low price point too.

I don't think it'd be Orange Box 2 though.

Maybe a different color.

A friend of mine threw the phrase "Black Box" by me but he was referring to a different Valve venture if I remember correctly.

Damn it, I wish I remembered exactly what he was talking about...

There is no sign of a counter strike 2 so far. I'd say that it'd have left 4 dead, portal 2, episode three, and maybe something unexpected like Black mesa source or Opposing force 2.

Holy crap. There was enough outrage at CS: Source, which was little more than an engine and graphics update. CS2 is going to get torn to pieces.

LornMind:
A friend of mine threw the phrase "Black Box" by me but he was referring to a different Valve venture if I remember correctly.

Damn it, I wish I remembered exactly what he was talking about...

The Black Box was going to be an alternative to the Orange Box, with just the new stuff: Episode 2, Portal and TF2, without HL2 and Episode 1. They ended up cancelling it for some reason.

The Green Box?

Probably no Portal 2 as most rumours point to GlaDos & the portal gun appearing in Episode 3
possibly hinted at in "Still Alive"?

Wow...Just having Portal 2 and Episode 3 as a package wuld be a treat. I've never played counter-strike be a nice multiplayer commonent like tf2 would be welcome. Do I think its going to happen? Seriosuly doubt it. The Orange Box was a special treat for Valve fans, but you can't expect Valve to chuck all their money away. If Episode 3 is still in development, Portal 2 has only just started, and Couter-strike 2 is merrily a twincle in Gabes eye then I don't find it lightly they'll all be released together.

I'm personally just going to cross my fingers for Portal 2 and Eps3, and dream of CS2.

Fightgarr:
They're making a second Portal?
I loved the game, but the story was a closed composition, nothing needs to be added to it. What are they going to do? Another test subject? Doing the exact same thing?
I'm skeptical of its creation. I'll wait and see what the plot is before I make any real judgments though.

News is it'll be a prequel, and from what I've read, theirs a chance theres no GLaDoS. I'm a little warry. But its Valve, so thats pretty much a garantee of quality, if not Portal genius.

LornMind:
It'd be interesting to see and damn good if it had a low price point too.

I don't think it'd be Orange Box 2 though.

Maybe a different color.

A friend of mine threw the phrase "Black Box" by me but he was referring to a different Valve venture if I remember correctly.

Damn it, I wish I remembered exactly what he was talking about...

I think the Orange Box was origanally going to be called the Black Box.

elmaxx:
I am a Valve Consumer whore, so i'll buy it (no questions asked) on the spot.

There are worse companies to be a consumer whore for.

Anyway I'd probably buy it quickly after it's launch. If they do another Orange Box

Predictions: CS2, HL EP:3, Portal 2

I did not see CS 2 coming at all it looks like it needs another game. Either way im buying whats the release date?

Portal 2, you say?

You've got my money. :]

elmaxx:
I am a Valve Consumer whore, so i'll buy it (no questions asked) on the spot.

Me too.
Except, if they take out Half-Life or Portal in favour of another game.

I'd get it for Portal 2 and HL2 EP3. I really don't care for Counter-Strike, but it would be nice to try if they really did make it different.

(Then again, I got Orange Box for TF2 and Portal, and since it came with HL2, I played HL2. It's one of my favorite games of all time now.)

A second Orange Box would be awesome, but Valve probably won't have enough games to sell them together. I'd be happy with Episode 3 alone.

Leekilicious:
I hate CS so much. Why do I have to wait 3 minutes to play when I die?

I used to hate CS for the same reason, but these days, I find you can just try playing on servers with fewer players on them. Typically about 5 or 6 per team is my limit.

Or you can learn to play so you die less. :)

If they were to make a second Orange Box for PS3, they better include Team Fortress 2 with those fucking upgradeable weapons

No.

No way.

It will take 10 years to put tons of bonus's to get half life 2: episode 3. CS is basically the perfect twitch shooter, so really no need to upgrade that. Portal two would be relatively like HL:E2, as in not as good as the first.

It's not called CS2, It's called CS Online. It's a rather redundant title, but I think it means that, in terms of server management at the very most, it's going to be more like an MMO.

Oh agreed definitely, there are worse :)

but to be 100% honest, Valve so far has a great record of great games vs disappointment (for me at least) compared to... say.... EA ;P

So yeah, looking forward to whatever Valve comes up with :)

I hear Half Life 2:Episode 3 isnt even in early development and may not be for some time. From what I read in a blog by one the devs, they say they will work on it when the time is right. Certain things they did not mention can impede their progress, be it money (I doubt it), the technology, or just the manpower. But when it comes, it should be great.

I never played Half Life, so I feel like I've missed out, although I have played a flash version of Portal so I know how much better it probably is in 3D. I was planning to get Half Life soon anyway and The Orange Box soon after, this is making me want that even more now :D.