Valve's new IP?

That's a nasty assumption! I never even saw a papaya in my entire life, how would you know if I'd drool over one?

(Also, should've seen this coming: thread hijacked by Episode 3 hysteria)

I really hate the assumptions that a new IP is automatically superior to an old IP. Daikatana was a new IP, Half life 2 was a sequel. Sequels can innovate just as much as new IP's, just they're already into a new story structure.

And most people can't tell the difference between a new IP and a sequel unless they're told its a sequel - look at Red Dead Redemption.

^The difference:

A new IP is more interesting than yet another sequel in a franchise that's been accused of stagnation.

A sequel to a new IP that wasn't good raises hopes for improvement.

A good sequel can also effectively revive a stagnant IP. Case in point, Sonic Colors.

I don't even know what an IP is.

Intellectual Property. Original universe/plot/characters, whatever, that belong to the writers and aren't used with someone else's permission.

For instance, Mega Man is a Capcom owned IP. So is Dm C.
Portal is a Valve owned IP. As are Half Life and Left 4 Dead.

edited 7th Apr '11 9:44:20 PM by Zeromaeus

Guess that's my fault for using a real world analogy, I should have asked "why does every gush about how new IPs will be better than sex?" simply on the basis that its a "new".

Nothing is inherently wrong with a new IP, but it often just follows the example of the competition's new newest cash cow or critical darling. That or it could very well be a sequel to an old franchise that they've lost rights too or are tired of making excuse plots for. Maybe it had a good plot even and they wanted to give it closure, but the expectations that can be assumed from how the game will play are usually more important to me than IP status. I'm inclined to see if it tried a standout art style or unconventional player character than oh looky, new intellectual property which may be an expy due to licensing issues. Will it use different race courses, weapons or mechanics than other available titles?

edited 7th Apr '11 10:26:14 PM by Cider

Lots of things are better than sex.

^^ Given its Valve, odds are it will be an FPS

Also, it'll use their engine. T Husly, the art direction can be caricatureish, but not something like cel shading, or like Little Big Planets cloth world.

^Doesn't TF2 already use Cel Shading?

Also, don't doubt the Source Engine. The fact that it's lasted this long combined with the fact that its roots can be traced all the way back to QuakeWorld must be telling of something (that, and its modularity).

Or it could be telling that its due for an upgrade. I think that might be why Half Life 3 is taking so long, they're making a new engine for it.

An upgrade that could just simply a major build of Source. Admittedly, though, I say this because the Source Engine builds in the games that shipped with the Orange Box were collectively referred to as the Orange Box Engine, Episode 2 Engine or Source 2007, and were markedly different from the builds of pre-Orange Box games.

If that is the case, I do wonder what the new version of Source will be called.

edited 8th Apr '11 11:31:01 PM by RocketDude

Source 2030. Aftr the year it was supposed to ship but got delayed about 20 years.