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[ashecitism]

From Polygon's long article about this event: http://www.polygon.com/features/2017/2/15/14616192/gabe-newell-interview-vr

Several people were wondering what the reason for this event was. Maybe a preview for new projects? No:

The only reason why this event is happening, it turns out, is because he did a Reddit AMA and it went well, but it also made him think he ought to open up a bit, just a little bit, about what goes on at Valve.

That said, nothing of substance is revealed at this meeting. When he’s asked about screw-ups like the Skyrim mod payment fiasco or Counter-Strike esports gambling, his replies are boilerplate. He doesn’t get defensive. He just doesn’t seem that interested. His general attitude seems to be a shrug that says, these are problems that will be sorted out in due course. (It’s not helped by the fact that this is a group interview, and it’s hard to drill down on any one subject.)

This meeting is more of a friendly catch-up. Valve has provided a box of supermarket cookies, some soda and a pot of stone-cold coffee by way of hospitality.

The article is about the event and Gabe himself. Some excerpts:

The way he talks bears this out. He's unscripted, exploratory. He ranges far from corporate dogma and empty visionary horseshit. He admits when he’s been wrong in the past, or that he might be wrong right now about one of the biggest gambles of his career.

I like this about him: the act of engaging with journalists without a script, enjoying an actual conversation, prodding ideas that might be important outside the confines of a media event.

One of his Valve co-workers — part of a panel assembled for the day — is talking about virtual reality. Maybe a dozen members of the press sit around, taking notes. Newell doesn't interrupt, but at any given moment, he's almost always the next person to speak. It's not merely a matter of deference. Everyone in the room wants to hear what he has to say.

I've interviewed hundreds of game developers and hundreds of CEOs. My job is to try to get them to say something off-script, something interesting, something true. There are times when I succeed and there are times when I fail.

But Newell requires no great effort. He doesn't seem to care about messaging or image. He gives the impression of a man who says whatever's on his mind. He's not one for familiar anecdotes or cheesy pitches. He listens and he thinks and then he talks. I'm as certain as I can be that it's not a front.

A YouTuber at the meeting, clearly well versed in the many conspiracy theories and conjectures that surround Valve's activities, takes an admirable shot at asking Newell about “Half-Life 3,” but it doesn't really go anywhere. Everything Newell is talking about here suggests that his company is moving on, that energy spent on not-VR is energy wasted. But I may be wrong about this. We’ll see.

 

[kulapik]

What event are you talking about? First time I hear about this.

 

[Abilidebob]

A YouTuber at the meeting, clearly well versed in the many conspiracy theories and conjectures that surround Valve's activities, takes an admirable shot at asking Newell about “Half-Life 3,” but it doesn't really go anywhere.

That was Tyler for sure. Really enjoyed the interview.

What event are you talking about? First time I hear about this.

At Valve News Network there are a bunch of videos showing the interview.

 

[Moobabe]

But Newell requires no great effort. He doesn't seem to care about messaging or image. He gives the impression of a man who says whatever's on his mind. He's not one for familiar anecdotes or cheesy pitches. He listens and he thinks and then he talks. I'm as certain as I can be that it's not a front.

And this is the benefit of not having an in house press team or PR - it allows him to be "off message" and just chat.

 

[OBias]

What event are you talking about? First time I hear about this.

The one where Valve announced three "big" games for VR.

 

[Massa]

This meeting is more of a friendly catch-up. Valve has provided a box of supermarket cookies, some soda and a pot of stone-cold coffee by way of hospitality.

Fucking monsters.

 

[Servbot24]

And this is the benefit of not having an in house press team or PR - it allows him to be "off message" and just chat.

That's alright when you're Gabe or Kojima orr someone like that. Most devs however would be completely unsuited for this and would be crucified by fans for the slightest inaccuracy or off-kilter statement.

 

[Man Called Aerodynamics]

Kinda hard to reconcile this:

That said, nothing of substance is revealed at this meeting. When he’s asked about screw-ups like the Skyrim mod payment fiasco or Counter-Strike esports gambling, his replies are boilerplate.

and this:

He doesn't seem to care about messaging or image. He gives the impression of a man who says whatever's on his mind.

Newell seems to be the master at leaving people with the impression that he's being direct and transparent, while not actually imparting any hard info.

 

[Moobabe]

That's alright when you're Gabe or Kojima orr someone like that. Most devs however would be completely unsuited for this and would be crucified by fans for the slightest inaccuracy or off-kilter statement.

Oh yeah of course - I'm just saying in this instance, and with this dev, it works for them.

 

[JaseC]

A YouTuber at the meeting, clearly well versed in the many conspiracy theories and conjectures that surround Valve's activities, takes an admirable shot at asking Newell about ”Half-Life 3," but it doesn't really go anywhere.

I wonder if he asked about the game specifically or tried something more general. Fans and journalists alike have an annoying tendency to try and pry the confirmation of either the cancellation of Episode Three or the existence of Half-Life 3 out of Valve and it serves only to continually shoot themselves in their feet -- Valve's not going to admit that Episode Three has been cancelled without a successor on the cards and it's not going to acknowledge a game that hasn't actually been announced. I feel that Gabe would be a little more forthcoming if someone simply said, "I realise you can't comment on Episode Three or Half-Life 3, but does Valve still intend to continue the franchise?".

 

[UserDoesNotExist]

That's alright when you're Gabe or Kojima orr someone like that. Most devs however would be completely unsuited for this and would be crucified by fans for the slightest inaccuracy or off-kilter statement.

I think it has more to do with Valve being privately owned. They won't scare the shareholders by being blunt, because they're the shareholders.

EDIT: Didn't see "by the fans". My bad.

 

[John Kowalski]

That's alright when you're Gabe or Kojima orr someone like that. Most devs however would be completely unsuited for this and would be crucified by fans for the slightest inaccuracy or off-kilter statement.

Eh, Kojima is not a great speaker. Gabe is just very naturally adept at setting a relaxed tone in a conversation.

 

[ashecitism]

What event are you talking about? First time I hear about this.

The recent influx of Valve threads weren't suspicious?

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1342678&highlight=valve
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1342912&highlight=gabe
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1342712&highlight=gabe
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1342701&highlight=gabe
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1342726&highlight=valve
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1343316&highlight=valve

they invited some press and youtubers to chat

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5RKbiAPqSC_mUIjCpx3xg

VNN has been uploading vids

I wonder if he asked about the game specifically or tried something more general. Fans and journalists alike have an annoying tendency to try and pry the confirmation of either the cancellation of Episode Three or the existence of Half-Life 3 out of Valve and it serves only to continually shoot themselves in their feet -- Valve's not going to admit that Episode Three has been cancelled without a successor on the cards and it's not going to acknowledge a game that hasn't actually been announced. I feel that Gabe would be a little more forthcoming if someone simply said, "I realise you can't comment on Episode Three or Half-Life 3, but does Valve still intend to continue the franchise?".

That has to be VNN. Haven't watched this vid yet, but I know he asked about the HLVR strings.

 

[M0nochromatic]

A YouTuber at the meeting, clearly well versed in the many conspiracy theories and conjectures that surround Valve's activities, takes an admirable shot at asking Newell about “Half-Life 3,” but it doesn't really go anywhere. Everything Newell is talking about here suggests that his company is moving on, that energy spent on not-VR is energy wasted. But I may be wrong about this. We’ll see.

Like, what did he think was going to happen, that Gabe would finally spill the beans?

 

[Nzyme32]

You can watch a video of the interview.

Some of what Polygon writes and then concludes doesn't match what he says if you ask me, but judge for yourself.

Also there are still more parts to this interview on various topic. Polygon seem to only have bother with the above video section on VR.

 

[inky]

Like, what did he think was going to happen, that Gabe would finally spill the beans?

There are no beans to spill. People asking on and on about HL3 are not really asking "when?", they are trying to will it into existence because Valve stopped giving a shit a long time ago.

 

[Nzyme32]

There are no beans to spill. People asking on and on about HL3 are not really asking "when?", they are trying to will it into existence because Valve stopped giving a shit a long time ago.

The question is in regards to a recent troll from Valve, which has an HL3 icon on the screen - so the question was justified.

They didn't answer the question other than Gabe alluding to the fact that some Valve employees (likely most) like to have a laugh with it

 

[Mivey]

Newell seems to be the master at leaving people with the impression that he's being direct and transparent, while not actually imparting any hard info.

They don't care too hard about paid mods. They want to do to it because it feels right, but since the community went ballistic over it, they let it go for a while. They are not scheming how they can "steal your money" every night, Pinky and the Brain style.

 

[Jackpot]

Good lord that is one fucking terrible article.

Gabe Newell sits perfectly still, leans forward. His hands are laid on his lap. Only his eyes are moving. They shift rapidly from left to right and back again. He's physically here, he's sort of listening, but I'd say he's also somewhere else, mentally untangling the knots of the future.

The way he talks bears this out. He's unscripted, exploratory. He ranges far from corporate dogma and empty visionary horseshit. He admits when he’s been wrong in the past, or that he might be wrong right now about one of the biggest gambles of his career.

I like this about him: the act of engaging with journalists without a script, enjoying an actual conversation, prodding ideas that might be important outside the confines of a media event.

How much shit do you have to wade through just to get to the actual quotes from Gabe?

 

[Nzyme32]

Good lord that is one fucking terrible article.



How much shit do you have to wade through just to get to the actual quotes from Gabe?

Honestly you are better off watching the actual video of the interview and skipping over the hyperbole and flavor text - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMpQWSqQFK0

 

[TheVoidDragon]

There are no beans to spill. People asking on and on about HL3 are not really asking "when?", they are trying to will it into existence because Valve stopped giving a shit a long time ago.

No. If you'd paid attention to what Valve has been saying, you'd know that the reason it hasn't been announced yet is because they aren't ready to show it. They've said at least twice that because they're the sort of developer who will keep working on something until they're entirely happy, they don't want to announce it before they're sure that won't happen again. Things changing vastly between announcement and release is something that has happened with with most of their games, they said they don't want that to happen again.

 

[Elixist]

Gabe Newell sits perfectly still, leans forward. His hands are laid on his lap. Only his eyes are moving. They shift rapidly from left to right and back again. He's physically here, he's sort of listening, but I'd say he's also somewhere else, mentally untangling the knots of the future.

wut the fuck?