Half Life 2 has been released in Savannah Georgia

snoleopard · Post by **snoleopard** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 4:43 pm

I just read this on the Steam forum. When asked for facts, the poster gave them, and it seems legit. Don't know if they should have went so far as to fire the person since people can't play the game anyway, but I'd guess EB won't be releasing games early anymore.

In an E-Mail sent to all EBGames associates, the president of EBGames has stated that the persons who broke the street date at their stores have been terminated. As well, should anyone else break the street date the employee, manager, and district manager will all be held responsible. The e-mail was sent yesterday at aprox 5:30 PM EST.

Just goes to show, street dates are NOT to be broken.

qp · Post by qp » Fri Nov 12, 2004 5:03 pm

Al wrote:
qp wrote:So are some smart people in the position to get a free XBox, or 6800 graphics card or something??
There's rumors going around that are similar to the anecdote the msduncan related. People could get in trouble so stores are trying to get them back but what I've heard is that they're willing to give a token half-off credit or something similar.

Well that's what I was kind of wondering - but if it's really a major breach of contract with the publisher, I wonder if some people might have more leverage than 50% off your purchase? Like a free copy or better. And what can they do if you say no?

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 8:23 pm

To speak quite frankly:

I think these 'launch day' rules set by publishers are stupid as shit.

When the stores get the damn game -- SELL THE DAMN GAME.
So what if some of you bed wetting liberal pansies get your feelings hurt because some dude gets his the day before you do. It's not worth firing someone over (this guy in the local EB looked like he was terrified for his job and he had just made a stupid mistake during his first week being employed with them).

/rant off

Post by **godhugh** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 8:43 pm

msduncan wrote:To speak quite frankly:

I think these 'launch day' rules set by publishers are stupid as shit.

When the stores get the damn game -- SELL THE DAMN GAME.
So what if some of you bed wetting liberal pansies get your feelings hurt because some dude gets his the day before you do. It's not worth firing someone over (this guy in the local EB looked like he was terrified for his job and he had just made a stupid mistake during his first week being employed with them).

/rant off

Wow, just....wow. That's an entirely out of place political insult.

Biyobi · Post by **Biyobi** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 8:45 pm

msduncan wrote:To speak quite frankly:

I think these 'launch day' rules set by publishers are stupid as shit.

When the stores get the damn game -- SELL THE DAMN GAME.
So what if some of you bed wetting liberal pansies get your feelings hurt because some dude gets his the day before you do. It's not worth firing someone over (this guy in the local EB looked like he was terrified for his job and he had just made a stupid mistake during his first week being employed with them).

/rant off

What's so wrong with the publisher wanting to make it an "event"? I totally agree that somebody losing their job over it is more than a little lame, but I can't fault Valve/Vivendi wanting to make a big deal out of one of the most anticipated PC games in recent memory.

Alefroth · Post by **Alefroth** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 9:18 pm

msduncan wrote:To speak quite frankly:

I think these 'launch day' rules set by publishers are stupid as shit.

When the stores get the damn game -- SELL THE DAMN GAME.
So what if some of you bed wetting liberal pansies get your feelings hurt because some dude gets his the day before you do. It's not worth firing someone over (this guy in the local EB looked like he was terrified for his job and he had just made a stupid mistake during his first week being employed with them).

/rant off

Sounds like it's the mama's boys, stick-up-the-ass, conservatives who are having the tantrum because they can't wait 4 more days to play

Ale

p.s. Since it hasn't been officially released, shouldn't it be in that unreleased games forum?

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 9:23 pm

Alefroth wrote:p.s. Since it hasn't been officially released, shouldn't it be in that unreleased games forum?

I demand that we create a "On my comptuer but not unlocked by the developer" forum.

Incendiary Lemon · Post by **Incendiary Lemon** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 9:56 pm

msduncan wrote:To speak quite frankly:

I think these 'launch day' rules set by publishers are stupid as shit.

Part of its timing the marketing crescendo right but they also need consider equity. One shop getting a shipment early the other not, they can't do that to the shops.

bluefugue · Post by **bluefugue** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:10 pm

Er, duncan, you were being facetious with the "liberal pansies" bit, right?

My beef is this. Suppose you are Bob Shmoe and you buy the game in the evil date-jumping store. You have all the requirements listed on the box including the internet connection. You go home and install it but you can't play it! Aren't you effectively being sold a faulty product at that point?

-- Unless the box warns of the 11/16 activation date. Does it?

-- To those who'd say "you must be living in a cave if you don't know about the activation date" I'd respond that cave dwellers have a right to shop at EB too.

I find this whole idea of having to wait to "activate" a product you shelled out for, kinda weird and not in a good way. Of course I am in the same boat with the Steam purchase that is on my hard drive, but I can still think of it as a "pre order" at this point. I don't see how it's a "pre order" if you go to the store and buy the box and take it home though. Sure the stores shouldn't have sold it, but that's not the customer's fault.

Vidiot · Post by **Vidiot** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:26 pm

msduncan wrote:To speak quite frankly:

I think these 'launch day' rules set by publishers are stupid as shit.

When the stores get the damn game -- SELL THE DAMN GAME.
So what if some of you bed wetting liberal pansies get your feelings hurt because some dude gets his the day before you do. It's not worth firing someone over (this guy in the local EB looked like he was terrified for his job and he had just made a stupid mistake during his first week being employed with them).

/rant off

Think of it this way.

You are VU.. your game is getting shipped out to the stores.

Now, if you let the store sell it the second they get it you better damn well make sure all the major chains get it at the exact same time. How pissed off at you do you think EB would be if GameStop somehow got it a day before them? Do you want to risk pissing off someone like Walmart because the shipping co mixed up who gets a shipment first?

WTF this has to do with liberals I have no idea. Bush was the one that was all gungho about small businesses, and they would be the one really screwed without release dates like this. Do you think any publisher is going to worry if Joe's Game Shop gets their supply the same day as GameStop? Hell no, Joe's Game Shop buys 1/100000th the items GS does so who cares if you piss Joe off.

Raven_13 · Post by **Raven_13** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 12:17 am

hepcat wrote:ya know, i'm such a gaming whore that i'm tempted to purchase it now over steam just so i can play the new source version of Half Life 1. has anyone played that yet? is it any good?

Here's what PCGamer had to say:

...don't expect a whole new experience. Except for radically upgraded water textures and an updated physics engine, Half-Life:Source looks and plays almost exactly like the original. (Same old character models, same old lighting...

They go on to say that "a few mod teams" have approached Valve about remaking HL1 in the Source engine, but I'm sure that'll take a while.

disarm · Post by **disarm** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 1:02 am

bluefugue wrote:My beef is this. Suppose you are Bob Shmoe and you buy the game in the evil date-jumping store. You have all the requirements listed on the box including the internet connection. You go home and install it but you can't play it! Aren't you effectively being sold a faulty product at that point?

the product isn't faulty though...it was designed to be unplayable until the official release on the 16th, and it will play exactly like it's supposed once the release date hits (assuming verification doesn't get messed up). you can't call the game "faulty" when everything is working exactly as the company intended. personally, i'm pretty impressed with how well Valve has handled this one...one of the biggest PC games in years and it hasn't been played early or pirated yet. i'd say they've done a pretty good job with their system.

bluefugue · Post by **bluefugue** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 1:05 am

But does Bob Shmoe know this aspect of the product when he is buying it? Unless a warning is on the box, he will have every reason (assuming he is a cave dweller, or a casual gamer, nothing wrong with either) to assume it works like other games -- you buy it, you go home and install it, you play it.

So again, the store will have sold a product that simply does not work for the first several days Shmoe owns it. That's not a good thing. As far as the buyer knows what to expect when he sees it on the shelf, it is in fact faulty.

Now of course Valve had no intention for any games to be sold prior to 11/16. But fact is, Bob Shmoe is getting taken for a ride here IMO.

**note: if such a warning is on the box, that changes things. But AFAIK there isn't one.

wankerjr · Post by **wankerjr** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 1:16 am

snoleopard wrote:I just read this on the Steam forum. When asked for facts, the poster gave them, and it seems legit. Don't know if they should have went so far as to fire the person since people can't play the game anyway, but I'd guess EB won't be releasing games early anymore.

In an E-Mail sent to all EBGames associates, the president of EBGames has stated that the persons who broke the street date at their stores have been terminated. As well, should anyone else break the street date the employee, manager, and district manager will all be held responsible. The e-mail was sent yesterday at aprox 5:30 PM EST.

Just goes to show, street dates are NOT to be broken.

Yep. After seeing all the pics on the net I called up my store. The assistant manager of the next closest store got fired today for selling one early. I was hoping they'd unlock it but I guess they are sticking to the street date.

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 12:02 pm

bluefugue wrote:Er, duncan, you were being facetious with the "liberal pansies" bit, right?

Of course! Actually I was just trying to fit my conservative stereotype.

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 2:41 pm

I was thinking of starting another thread, but I figure that soon enough there will be 50 threads on the first page about Half Life 2. But I wanted to say Half Life 2 has been released to Best Buy! I just picked the game up about 20 minutes ago. The Best Buy employee said they got their orders from the top to release it.
And if you're from the Chicago area and can't wait to buy it, it's the Best buy in Aurora on Route 59. Of course I don't know if Valve's servers will authenticate the game yet to let me play.

tals · Post by **tals** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 3:14 pm

Post if they do - would be interesting for sure

disarm · Post by **disarm** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 3:20 pm

Tony wrote:Of course I don't know if Valve's servers will authenticate the game yet to let me play.

and the answer to that question is a big No right now...all any gets is a some space taken up on their hard drive until tuesday.

tals · Post by **tals** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 3:23 pm

hehe well steam has meant that the space has been taken up for some time now

I am pretty sure that even if you buy the boxed version you can just unlock the game by inserting your cd key into steam (after release date of course). Rather than having to go through the various CD's. Me i'm probably going to just purchase it on steam when I am ready to play it. EQ2 dependant

Tals

bluefugue · Post by **bluefugue** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 4:18 pm

Until then, Tony, you will get to enjoy one of the great experiences in gaming -- Drooling Over the Box.

rrmorton · Post by **rrmorton** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 4:31 pm

The manager at my Gamestop handed me the Collector's Edition earlier this afternoon...

But only to hold and fondle, not to take home and love.

bluefugue · Post by **bluefugue** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 4:32 pm

Are these guys trying to get fired?

Kagath · Post by **Kagath** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 4:43 pm

The Best Buy at Grandville, MI was selling both types when I was there. It took a whole lot of self restraint to refrain from getting the collector's edition...

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 5:11 pm

Yeah, they had the Collector's Edition too, but I wouldn't have anywhere to put that huge box. And it was 70 something bucks! Ugh!
I wasn't even planning on purchasing it for awhile, but when it comes to games my willpower is weak.

Kagath · Post by **Kagath** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 5:31 pm

Yeah that price drove me off as well. Even so I AM a Valve supporter so it was truly hard. They were promoting signing up for thier credit card for 10% off as well which made it tempting. Is their gaming card good for PC software as well as console games?

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 5:36 pm

Valve needs to unlock this.

Average consumers shop Best Buy. They are going to get VERY angry when they get home and can't run it.

Mr. Sparkle · Post by **Mr. Sparkle** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 5:50 pm

*tin foil hat time*

Do you think Vivendi is covertly pushing these retailers to release early, since they make more money off of box copies than Steam downloads?

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 6:11 pm

IGN has now picked up on the early release story:

http://pc.ign.com/articles/565/565590p1.html

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 6:12 pm

msduncan wrote:Valve needs to unlock this.

Average consumers shop Best Buy. They are going to get VERY angry when they get home and can't run it.

That's a good point. The game was prominently displayed in the front, and from the many empty spots on the cardboard shelves it was selling very quickly. People are going to be confused when they can't install it and will think something is wrong with the cd.

And as an aside, for my $54, I wanted more than paper sleeves for my 5 cds.

disarm · Post by **disarm** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 6:54 pm

for what it's worth, i was just in BB for other reasons and picked up a copy of HL2...they had a display full of them in the front of the store, along with the CE and Prima guide, so i grabbed mine a little early.

so what's in the box? you get the 5 discs in paper sleeves, a 6x4.5" reference card with install instructions on one side and controls on the other, and a mail-in rebate card good for $20 off an ATI video purchased by March 1, 2005. that's it...unless you consider the box art to be something special (i got the G-man). although there's not much to see, i've thrown up a picture here if anyone is curious.

in the end, having it now does me absolutely no good because it isn't playable yet...but it does save me another trip to BB later. the other upside is that i should be able to unlock it early on Tuesday morning at the same time as all the Steam buyers and get some play time in right away. in any case, i have my copy now and it only cost me $46 thanks to a handful of those BB Bucks from McDonalds 8)

bluefugue · Post by **bluefugue** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 6:59 pm

So is this like a mass thing now? I mean how many Best Buys are doing this...?

Gabie's gonna be piiiisssed...

disarm · Post by **disarm** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 7:05 pm

bluefugue wrote:So is this like a mass thing now? I mean how many Best Buys are doing this...?

Gabie's gonna be piiiisssed...

the word around the net is that BB corporate has officially given all stores permission to start selling the game...not that it does anyone much good. i was planning to pick it up tuesday like everyone else, but i was in the store already and it was available. i thought long and hard about buying it through Steam to support Valve, but i was able to get it a little cheaper in-store today and took the plunge.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 7:41 pm

Just chiming in to say that this is a royally stupid situation. Once Best Buy is selling it, it needs to be unlocked. Valve is just setting themselves up for a lot of bad PR as thousands upon thousands of people get home with their unplayable game.

Announced on the net or not, as someone else mentioned unless there is a note on the box, in the box, or at the store prominently displayed warning people that they can't play until 11/16, they are receiving a faulty product and I'm sure we'll see at least one or two salivating lawyers on this one.

[Edit - forget 'in the box.' That'd still be action-worthy, IMO.]

disarm · Post by **disarm** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 7:49 pm

i haven't bothered to actually install the game yet, but from what i've seen around the net, it doesn't sound like you even get a message from Steam to explain what's going on when you try to run the game. there are going to be a lot of confused people i think...

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:07 pm

Now that's encouraging - the Steam forums are down because of overload.

bluefugue · Post by **bluefugue** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:14 pm

THE PTA HAS DISBANDED!!!!

/jumps out window

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:23 pm

So let's recap here:

Best Buy customers -- you know the ones. They aren't hard core gamers. These are the DeerHunter purchasers. They're going ot stroll into Best Buy today and tomorrow (and Monday for those that are counting) in droves, see the gigantic Half Life 2 displays front and center in the store... and they're going to pick the box up to see what's what.

"Gosh Nellie! This game sure looks purty. Let's buy one up!"
"Shucks! That there Doom 3 we bought was fun! Let's give it a whirl!" says Nellie.

They get home.... install the thing. Nothing works. No message. It just doesn't work.

"What was that Bubba tole us? Ah yeah... go to their web page and lookie for the technical support part where folks will be askin around!"

Uh oh... forums are not available.

Game doesn't work. Forums aren't up.

"This sona bitch is goin back to the gawd dam store tomorra!"

BAD PR VALVE! UNLOCK THIS F'IN GAME!

bluefugue · Post by **bluefugue** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:28 pm

"Gosh Nellie! This game sure looks purty. Let's buy one up!"
"Shucks! That there Doom 3 we bought was fun! Let's give it a whirl!" says Nellie.

So these are Red-state Best Buy customers?

The Blue State version:

"I say, Francois, this morsel of electronic entertainment looks spiffing, n'est-ce-pas?"

"Mais oui, Raindrop. As soon as I finish sipping my latte, I will take a closer look at le box."

"Just think of the moral values we can flout while indulging in this anarchic bit of tomfoolery!"

"Load up the Segway -- it's time to roll!"

No no, I kid.

msduncan · Post by **msduncan** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:29 pm

Orpheo · Post by **Orpheo** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:30 pm

Octopus Overlords

Half Life 2 has been released in Savannah Georgia

Re: Does anyone read, or even notice this part?