Saturday 16 April 2011

Portal and Valve


So I played the entirety of Portal 1 again today seeing as Portal 2 is coming out in about 75 hours and what I discovered/remembered was that Portal 1 is a really short game, it took me around an hour to complete it playing normally. However even during that quick playthrough I remembered how good the game was, story/gameplay/graphics/everything, and this told me two things, that 1) games don't have to be long to be good (Portal 1 has been speedran under 10 mins), and 2) Valve really knows how to make games.

Another thing Valve is really good at is making people buy their games.
This screenshot shows Valves latest trick to getting people to buy games off steam. The idea behind this is that if enough people (buy) and play the games in their 'Potato Sack' of indie games, GLaDOS will reboot early and Portal 2 will be released earlier. Nice move Valve, nice move.

Now this is a special event that will get people to buy a bunch of games off steam, but almost every day Steam also has amazing sales for the games it sells. This is especially true around the festive seasons.

I've found myself countless times buying a game that I'd never thought of buying just because it was only $5.99 on steam, even buying copies for my friends! Good play Valve.

Oh yeah, Portal 2
So, a short while back I pre-ordered the two pack of Portal 2, going halves on one copy as a gift to a friend with another friend. So I'm rather excited about Portal 2 and hope that it will be a longer game with more to keep me playing it, in other words, the co-op.

Who else is looking forward to Portal 2, going to play it on the release date? going to play the co-op? Want to play co-op with me?

PS. Anyone who wants to play co-op with me or whatever else, just leave a comment with only your steam account, I'll pick it up through moderating, not publish it and add you.

23 comments:

  1. Portal 2 will boost my states shit economy. Everyone buy portal 2. I'm just in it for the GLaDOS and cake.
    :3

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  2. I haven't even played the first Portal. I don't think I even want to. The fanbase turns me off.

    Everything's going to the 'feed Gabe Newell' fund, of course they'd pull something like that.

    Also, I swore off games until at least 2012. On top of that, I've got no money with which to legitimately obtain the game, anyway. Everything looks grim.

    I have to admit, the co-op seems pretty interesting, but I also have no one to play it with. I'd play it with you, but well..

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  3. That is a shame Hip-Hop, the game itself is actually rather good, I don't think I had much experience with the fanbase though.

    Good luck keeping off the games too, I know I couldn't do it.

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  4. Steam as a business model is nothing short of a miracle, to how ever though of it my full respect and admiration.

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  5. I don't know why but every time I try to buy something on steam I screw it up.

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  6. Yeah im down for some co-op bro, this game looks sweet ;D

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  7. Yeah valve gets me with its super deals sometimes

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  8. I hope it isnt as short as the first.

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  9. I think it'll be good, but the first game didn't exactly blow me away. Not sure if I'll buy it right away, but I definitely will sometime down the road.

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  10. I'm totally up for playing some co-op, looks badass.

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  11. portal was/is one of the best games I have ever played

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  12. Like them or not, Valve is good at thinking up ways to get people interested in their releases.

    >I haven't even played the first Portal. I don't think I even want to. The fanbase turns me off.

    The fanbase do tend to be obnoxious, but it's not worth letting them put you off a fun, clever game. I think I'd have to give up all my Japan-related hobbies if I was paying the fanbase much heed.

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  13. i should play portal again....

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  14. Play portal again to get ready for portal 2 ey Mike?

    Well said Serenity.

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  15. I feel like I'm friends or something with Steam itself because of how nice they come off, and I'm not sure if I should feel like that ;_;

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  16. I've watched my friends do it in under 10! It was nuts!

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  17. I really can't wait for it. I always wait until the price goes down though

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  18. I'll pick up portal 2 as soon as i finish the 1st game. I totally forgot that I even had it.

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  19. Portal is an amazing game because it's a creative game. What I love about the game it makes you think :)

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  20. Portal is such a classic, I can't give into portal 2 or my life outside my house will be nonexistant

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