Portal - related to Half-life?

[Atomic_Piggy]

I was under the immpresion that Portal was something completly different, however, recent statements have confused me. Is this game a new project for VALVe, or is it connected to Half-life? I expect easter eggs in there for Half-life though, like maybe a G-Man sighting, or a crowbar or summat.

[Samon]

It isn't related, and we'll be moving the forums shortly.

[TheMtR]

It isn't related, and we'll be moving the forums shortly.

And how about this?
From gamespy..
Set in the Half-Life universe but taking a more experimental approach, the trailer featured a character with a special weapon who could open up portals in the world from one place to another; the execution looked similar to the portals in the just-released Prey, except players would be able to place the entrance and exit points themselves. Need to cross a chasm? Simply set up portals on opposite sides of the chasm and step through.
Mr. Adrian?:rolleyes:

Edit: Link for lazy-ones http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/half-life-2/718931p1.html

[bbson john]

Mr. Adrian?:rolleyes:

It will be great if there is appearance of Gman

[Samon]

Interesting, didn't see it.

[MadGuy]

They are testing the technology ? maybe later they implement it to a HL game..

[Kadayi]

Wasn't there some thing about the guys behind Prey intending to patent portal technology sometime back so no other game company could copy them?

Yes, I realise that the portals in Portal will operate in a different manner, but I'm pretty sure there was some talk of this floating about.

[jondy]

portal gun, gravity gun, strider buster.... keep 'em coming, the only innovations in FPS weapons design that I can see are coming from Valve

[AKIRA]

Cooooooooll.

[Vass]

So Portal is a story off HL? I'm so confused

[jimmyjam]

gamespy is hardly the most credible source in the world, I'd wait til next week before making any calls on whether it's set in the HL universe

kadayi: that was about ten years ago before
A. They discovered the way they were doing portals in the original Prey engine was highly unlikely to go anywhere
B. Prey collapsed
C. Numerous other games (Unreal, Q3) implemented portals

and I'm no expert in patent law, but I think a feature like that would be pretty hard to patent (and pretty easy to get around)


the other day I was speaking with a friend of mine on the topic of episode 1... I did enjoy it greatly but like a lot of people I felt it wasn't really as fresh as it could have been
my exact words were that I wanted to see valve doing 'the next gravity gun'
and now this shit!

edit: I just realized that I'm not certain if Q3 had portals (but U1 definitely did)

[Max35]

I hope "Portal" is not just a tech demo, and has an actual story. Also, I wonder what the location will be, off-world or earth? Though I suppose it is more than likely it will be set on Earth.

[jimmyjam]

hmm I just noticed that the gamespot thing mentions that it's in the hl universe as well...

The trailer took the form of a training video for a new employee of an advanced corporation in the Half-Life 2 universe.

The video shows a diagram and explains that as an employee of this company, you may have to find the emergency exit to a certain room. However, there are often obstacles in your way, like a gaping chasm. No problem, because all you need to use is your Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device to create dimensional doorways that let you mess with reality.

that seems to imply at least some sort of story

[Max35]

Well, if it's in the HL2 universe, then I'm willing to bet it is off-world. How would there be room for an advanced corporation amid pure chaos and revolution? (Earth) Unless you work for the Combine.

[poo?]

Mess with reality? Portals? Maybe they've created a little minigame where you play AS the GMAN!.. Or at least as Adrian Shepard working directly for the Gman, either way sounds good.

[jimmyjam]

Well, if it's in the HL2 universe, then I'm willing to bet it is off-world. How would there be room for an advanced corporation amid pure chaos and revolution? (Earth) Unless you work for the Combine.

who knows when it takes place

[Samon]

Well, if it's in the HL2 universe, then I'm willing to bet it is off-world. How would there be room for an advanced corporation amid pure chaos and revolution? (Earth) Unless you work for the Combine.


Or unless its set before HL2, or even HL.

[riomhaire]

Maybe it's set in BM! :O
OR THE G-MANS TRAININC CENTRE!
*head explodes from speculated awshensness*

[Max35]

Or unless its set before HL2, or even HL.

I am almost positive that the Gamespy article said it takes place in the HL2 universe (maybe they just meant HL in general), I took it literally. Originally before I saw that I thought it took place during the HL period.

Actually, skimming the post below me jimmyjam has the quote stating it is in the HL2 universe. So, I'm betting it's offworld.

[jimmyjam]

the half-life universe and the half-life 2 universe are the same thing?

[riomhaire]

Do you people know the difference between a universe and a point in time? And universe is hardly a good word to use are there are mulitple universes in the HL story.

[Max35]

Let us note that it said "HL2 universe" instead of just "HL universe". It seemed very specific. Maybe it was just bad wording. Sometimes, reading between the lines is the best course of action.

[jimmyjam]

but the hl universe and hl2 universe are the same thing, so if you say one or the other you always mean both

[Max35]

secondary definition of "universe": particular sphere of activity or experience

For one thing, there are drastic differences between the hl/hl2 worlds. They have dramatic differences. the writer made a point to say "HL2 universe" instead of "HL". HL2 is an extension of HL, therefore he SHOULD have said the latter if he simply meant the HL universe in general. Unless he meant the above definition, which I doubt. He should have said "during HL2 timeline" or something to that effect. Or that he simply didn't know whether it took place during the second or first game.

[prob101]

Any screens of this yet?

[Atomic_Piggy]

secondary definition of "universe": particular sphere of activity or experience

For one thing, there are drastic differences between the hl/hl2 worlds. They have dramatic differences. the writer made a point to say "HL2 universe" instead of "HL". HL2 is an extension of HL, therefore he SHOULD have said the latter if he simply meant the HL universe in general. Unless he meant the above definition, which I doubt. He should have said "during HL2 timeline" or something to that effect. Or that he simply didn't know whether it took place during the second or first game.

*head explodes, chunks of meat go flying and disturb Riomhaire's grave. Dawn of the Dead happens.*:x

EDIT: BTW, prob101, I just got a Steam update mentioning trailers of all three games coming next week.

[Max35]

*head explodes, chunks of meat go flying and disturb Riomhaire's grave. Dawn of the Dead happens.*:x

EDIT: BTW, prob101, I just got a Steam update mentioning trailers of all three games coming next week.

Are you saying what I said was stupid, or were you realing from the sheer complexity of it? :P

[riomhaire]

Any screens of this yet?
Word is there's a trailer next week :E

[el Chi]

Wasn't there some thing about the guys behind Prey intending to patent portal technology sometime back so no other game company could copy them?

Yes, I realise that the portals in Portal will operate in a different manner, but I'm pretty sure there was some talk of this floating about.
Which seems a bit like trying to Valve patent grav guns. They haven't, as far as I know, and good on them for it.
If you did it first, people will still remember you for that. If someone else does it better, then that's too bad - you lose.

[Max35]

Which seems a bit like trying to Valve patent grav guns. They haven't, as far as I know, and good on them for it.
If you did it first, people will still remember you for that. If someone else does it better, then that's too bad - you lose.

I remember RoE implemented something like the grav gun (you could grab fire balls with it, like in the grav gun's citadel mode where you could grab energy balls). Maybe objects, but the physics sucked. Valve did the grav gun first, and nothing has topped it yet.

[riomhaire]

Actualy I heard you can get the grabber in regular Doom 3 with some console commands and Doom 3 came out before HL2 and didn't the latest Turok have some sort of gravity-related gun?

[Max35]

You might be able to use it in D3, but you need the graphic files which can only be obtained with RoE. Don't quote me though, I'm not %100 positive.

[riomhaire]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom_3:_Resurrection_of_Evil#Feature_additions
Resurrection of Evil has come under some criticism about the use of the Grabber due to the prior popularity of the similar weapon in Half-Life 2. The developers have commented that the tool was originally in Doom 3 before Half-Life 2, and was used to create "damaged" rooms; instead of building a ruined room, they would build a pristine room and use the grabber to "damage" it realistically.

[Kadayi]

The principal behind how the Portal game works is found in the game Narbacular Drop, which you can find here:-

http://www.nuclearmonkeysoftware.com/narbaculardrop.html

Valve bought the idea/recruited some/all of the people behind it (Digipen students).

Kudos to Easy_g for bringing this to public notice in the announcement thread:-

http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=109544

I doubt Valves version will have lava turtles in it (though judging by the TF2 characters look...you never know..).

[Absinthe]

Actualy I heard you can get the grabber in regular Doom 3 with some console commands and Doom 3 came out before HL2 and didn't the latest Turok have some sort of gravity-related gun?

They may have had it, but Valve was the first to utilize such a feature in a gameplay paradigm.

As for Turok, I'm not aware of any gravity-related weapons. Of course, the only weapon I do remember from any of those titles is the Cerebral Bore. Kinda left an impression on me.

[victor]

maybe we're getting a subtle hint as to what "the project" is.

[Atomic_Piggy]

Are you saying what I said was stupid, or were you realing from the sheer complexity of it? :P


Don't worry, it was the sheer complexity.
As for the Project hint, I was thinking that myself. I think teleportar's is a little cheesy myself though.:p

[Cyber$nake]

Who knows, but I definately DO want to see Adrian in at least one of these upcoming games, since the end of op4 pretty much leaves u the same as the end of hl1, working for the gman. We shall see.

[riomhaire]

Well, if he isn't in Portal there's always EP4.

[Max35]

The more I think about it Alyx will be the MC in Ep4.

[Adrik_Senturu]

The more I think about it Alyx will be the MC in Ep4.

I doubt they'll do that :| It would take away from the whole "You are gordon/adrian". I also doubt this will feature Adrian :|

[Max35]

I doubt they'll do that :| It would take away from the whole "You are gordon/adrian". I also doubt this will feature Adrian :|

Quite some time ago, Valve was thinking about making "Alyx background levels" furthermore Alyx is Valve's (or at least Gabe's favorite) character, so yes it is very possible. It would also help fill in certain story gaps if they get separated somewhere down the episodic line.

[Adrik_Senturu]

"Alyx background levels"


And im pretty sure by that they mean stuff like Episode 1 :| Meaning you got to see alot more of Alyx, how she reacted to certian things, how she feels about gordon, etc.

[Max35]

No, way before Ep1 was even in development they were thinking out it, but then they switched to the EP1 format. After the episodic trilogy, who knows where HL will take us.

[Adrik_Senturu]

Alright..so if they switched to EP1 format than what would be the point of playing her if were going to get alot more backround on her through EP2, and probably EP3 that is considering she doesn't meet a tragic end D: I think EP4 will most likely be Adrian (just to shut people up) or some new character.

[Samon]

The more I think about it Alyx will be the MC in Ep4.

Wouldn't work, wouldn't happen.

[Max35]

Adrian is likely considering how popular he is. But Valve likes Alyx, so EP4 is a prime opportunity to finish and conclude her story if Gordon and Alyx are separated indefinitely after Ep3, (if she doesn't die in Ep2). Who knows? I'm just saying it is very likely they will use Alyx, but it all depends on how the episodic trilogy concludes.

"Wouldn't work, wouldn't happen"--and I say that is simply your opinion.

[Samon]

Alyx talks. She is a fully fleshed out character in every shape and form. Taking the game to her would not work. As you cannot feel as though you are Alyx - you cannot be Alyx. It wouldn't work and it can't. Gordon works because you are Gordon. Alyx has been brought vividly into the game-world.

[Colonel Sanders]

Going back to the topic of this thread; it could very well be that Portal is part of the Half Life 2 story arc or a tech demo for what will later be implemented in later episodes. The Gman seems to use some kind of portal creating devise since he appears and then disappears before we get a second look at him. He also come out of thin air right in front of us at the end of both Half Life 2 and Half Life 1. Maybe the Kleiner and his fellow scientists found a way to harness his telaporting abilities in a weapon?

[smwScott]

Alyx talks. She is a fully fleshed out character in every shape and form. Taking the game to her would not work. As you cannot feel as though you are Alyx - you cannot be Alyx. It wouldn't work and it can't. Gordon works because you are Gordon. Alyx has been brought vividly into the game-world.

They already have an expansion centering around Barney. Also, I think it would be interesting to play as a developed character in the series who has interactions with other people and an actual personality, though not necessarily Alyx. They could even change the gameplay mechanics to accomodate this, giving the different characters a different feel.

Also, the portal gun will probably create the same type of portals than enemies would flood in from in HL1, so it makes sense that the game could take place during the time period of the first game.

[Max35]

Alyx talks. She is a fully fleshed out character in every shape and form. Taking the game to her would not work. As you cannot feel as though you are Alyx - you cannot be Alyx. It wouldn't work and it can't. Gordon works because you are Gordon. Alyx has been brought vividly into the game-world.

Nobody knows what Valve is doing---or planning--for the future. They are not going to employ the "MC doesn't talk" theme throughout all expansions/episodes that don't feature Gordon. Some think too hard about it. Valve is being new and innovative, they have proven that. In a recent interview, Valve has stated that they might be interested in doing expansion packs focusing on different perspectives. Perhaps not EP4, but in another expansion maybe (IGN I think was the source of the interview). Nothing can be proven or disproven. I, for one, am keeping an open mind.

[Absinthe]

Alyx will never be the main character. Get it out of your heads.

[Max35]

You don't know that Alyx won't be the MC of a separate expansion, deal with it.

[Absinthe]

She won't be. Deal with it.

[Max35]

I don't have to deal with it because neither you nor I know that for sure.

[Absinthe]

...Deal with it!

[Max35]

Sorry, but given the current point in time I don't have to. You are entitled to your opinion, as am I. Let's leave it at that shall we?

[Absinthe]

...No!

[Atomic_Piggy]

She's dead! How can you play her? :p

[okidoki]

She's dead! How can you play her? :p

She's... a zombie! D:

[Samon]

They already have an expansion centering around Barney. Also, I think it would be interesting to play as a developed character in the series who has interactions with other people and an actual personality, though not necessarily Alyx. They could even change the gameplay mechanics to accomodate this, giving the different characters a different feel.

That was Gearbox' game. Blue Shift was centered around a security guard who happened to be called Barney Calhoun. Valve decided to use him for HL2, but you have to understand that he was never intended to be a fully fleshed out character.

You don't know that Alyx won't be the MC of a separate expansion, deal with it.

No. Listen.

She won't be. Deal with it.

Alyx will never be the main character. Get it out of your heads.

[Tamer17]

Ep4 will have a standalone story arc and will be made outside from Valve. That with the fact that Valve decided to make those episodes in-huose , not like in the past with Gearbox expansions , tells us that Ep4 will surley won't have Alyx as the playable char.

[drunkymonkey]

The weapon in it is called Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device
ASHPD
A.SHPD

Ahem.

[Tamer17]

lol

[Max35]

That was Gearbox' game. Blue Shift was centered around a security guard who happened to be called Barney Calhoun. Valve decided to use him for HL2, but you have to understand that he was never intended to be a fully fleshed out character.



No. Listen.


Alright, I emailed LaidLaw (who was kind enought to reply to my bothersome email). Here's what he had to say:



"I personally don't see how that would work. Alyx is a creation of animation and audio. If you were to play Alyx, you wouldn't see any of her animations, and her motivations are (I think) more interesting when they are her own, and somewhat mysterious. But perhaps there would be some way to do this. "


When he put it that way, it makes sense. But, keep in mind he didn't say it is impossible and "perhaps there would be some way to do this"


Chance of Alyx as an MC .0000000001 %

[Atomic_Piggy]

Because she's a Zombie. A new type : Chick Zombie!:O

[Samon]

Alright, I emailed LaidLaw (who was kind enought to reply to my bothersome email). Here's what he had to say:

"I personally don't see how that would work. Alyx is a creation of animation and audio. If you were to play Alyx, you wouldn't see any of her animations, and her motivations are (I think) more interesting when they are her own, and somewhat mysterious. But perhaps there would be some way to do this. "


When he put it that way, it makes sense. But, keep in mind he didn't say it is impossible and "perhaps there would be some way to do this"


Chance of Alyx as an MC .0000000001 %



Which pretty much translates into what I said:

Alyx talks. She is a fully fleshed out character in every shape and form. Taking the game to her would not work. As you cannot feel as though you are Alyx - you cannot be Alyx. It wouldn't work and it can't. Gordon works because you are Gordon. Alyx has been brought vividly into the game-world.


:p ...

But, keep in mind he didn't say it is impossible and "perhaps there would be some way to do this"

Yeah, because he can't exactly provide a definate statement on anything.

[Atomic_Piggy]

Wait, whats Laidlaws email address?

[Max35]

Which pretty much translates into what I said:




:p ...



Yeah, because he can't exactly provide a definate statement on anything.

In regards to the first comment,what differentiated Marc's comment from your own was when he talked about her motivations being more interesting as a secondary character. I guess because he went in more in depth, or something like that :P

In regards to the second, yes, because he is keeping an open mind. Hey, when HL1 launched, they had no idea that they would make an HL2. It's not the same thing, but you know what I'm trying to say. We'll resume this argument about 10 years down the line when Valve has run out of ideas and they contemplate using Alyx as the main character:rolling:

[GordonFreeman911]

Wait, whats Laidlaws email address?

I believe it's laidlaw@valvesoftware.com
But i'll check (I have an email from him)




From : Marc Laidlaw <laidlaw@valvesoftware.com>
Sent : June 18, 2006 5:45:15 PM
To : <alex-gambrel1@hotmail.com>
CC : "Valve" <valve@valvesoftware.com>
Subject : Concerned


Go to previous message | Go to next message | Delete | Inbox
Hi, Alex,

Many of us, including myself, are big fans of the truly funny Concerned--but that's not a Concerned reference. Lots of the citizens in City 17 considered Dr. Breen's broadcasts and announcements to be his "show." I figure that from time to time he broke out of the lecture format and provided a bit more in the way of entertainment. I personally missed the jugglers episode, but the citizens have been talking about it ever since.

Yours,
Marc Laidlaw

[Mikael Grizzly]

Judging by the mention of gun turrets, I believe we may be taken back to the Black Mesa Research Facility, and animate a scientist from the Lambda Complex team, employing an experimental portal-creating device.

Hey, if they manufactured the Gauss gun/Tau Cannon, Gluon gun and the Displacer, what would prevent them from making a portal-ble device? ;)

-- Mikael Grizzly

[jimmyjam]

because if they could make a portal gun which allows instantaneous travel from one place to another, why would they be wringing their hands over point to point teleportation for the entirety of hl2?

and if any reference is made to Concerned, I hope it's Dr. Breen's line from this comic: http://www.hlcomic.com/index.php?date=2005-12-14

[99.vikram]

Let's hope Ep2 has female zombies.

[okidoki]

Let's hope Ep2 has female zombies.

Okay, now you guys are just creeping me out.

[Tamer17]

Don't know if anyone mwntioned it but:

http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Marketing/message/689/?l=english

We can see Portal's "logo".

[Mikael Grizzly]

Let's see. They would dabble in point-to-point teleporttion because...

1. It's experimental.
2. The portal propably can't be too far apart.
3. Living beings haven't yet been tested.
4. Sheer power amount needed by the gun to work.
5. Portal storms interfere with the portals.
6. Nuff said'.

-- Mikael Grizzly

[Flyingdebris]

Er...what if Portal is all about the supposed experimental weapons being developed to fight the combine.

I'd imagine a gun that shot portals would be pretty damn useful

and that perhaps the game Portal is like a huge Hazard Course.
I am intrigued by the A SHPD abbreviation. The abbreviation sounds too damn ackward to not be a coincidence

[Atomic_Piggy]

I just watched the trailer on Steam, and...well it looks AWESOME! I NEED THIS!

[sabre0001]

With this new "gun" is it possible to lob portals or is a straight-forward, portal appears where you shoot?

Looking forward to this trailer though...So many games and mods at once!!!

[AHA-Lambda]

Hey, if they manufactured the Gauss gun/Tau Cannon, Gluon gun and the Displacer, what would prevent them from making a portal-ble device?

Except the portal gun (A.SHPD (GOD I HATE SHEPARD!!)) was made by aperture laboratories.

[VortigauntLover]

I am thinking that maybe it's something to do with G-Man. It makes alot of sense and explains how G-Man gets around so easily.

[AHA-Lambda]

I said that.

[riomhaire]

Nobody knows what Valve is doing---or planning--for the future. They are not going to employ the "MC doesn't talk" theme throughout all expansions/episodes that don't feature Gordon.
Made me laugh.

[mbuchkre]

If I remember well, in Opposing Force, there was already a prototype of portable teleportation device (not exactly the same, of course). It was used to go to special "reload" areas (Xen) to get some bonus heal or ammo. A lot of exotic weapons were designed in Black Mesa (there was the Tau-Gauss canon, the Gluon one,...in HL1), but I suppose the reason we don't get them in HL2 is that there were nuked with Black Mesa in Op4.

[Max35]

Made me laugh.

So, did you regard my statement as misinformed or asinine? I'm not sure why it made you laugh. I simply meant we don't know what Valve is doing beyond the episodic trilogy, Portal, and TF2. Nobody new the last two were going to pop up, and yet they did. My previous point on Alyx has been debunked by LaidLaw's email.

[Laff]

What if this corporation is the organization G-Man works for?

ZOMG ADRIAN SHEPHARD THEORY WARNING. at the end of OP4 you get the message "waiting further evaluation" what if this is the big test Shephard has to go through? When Shephard gets captured by G-Man, he has all of his weapons presumably confiscated, that includes his teleportation device. What if the weapon is a derivative made by G-Man's employers? And we've never actually seen Shephard before so it MIGHT be him. And don't tell me how Valve would never do a story based on Shephard, because we just recieved TF2 who release seemed just as unlikely.

Another theory is that he is a captured rebel who was given the choice to ether be a test subject or become a stalker. What if Portal is the "episode 4" we keep hearing about?


And no, I haven't read all the thread replies yet.

[AHA-Lambda]

NICE THEORY!! :thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

[riomhaire]

So, did you regard my statement as misinformed or asinine? I'm not sure why it made you laugh. I simply meant we don't know what Valve is doing beyond the episodic trilogy, Portal, and TF2. Nobody new the last two were going to pop up, and yet they did. My previous point on Alyx has been debunked by LaidLaw's email.
I laughed because you said no one knows what Valve is going to do and then started asserting what they will do :P

[Max35]

Oh, lol, didn't catch that:rolling:

[Samon]

It isn't episode 4 - which will be developed outside of Valve and released after episode 3.

[Max35]

What if this corporation is the organization G-Man works for?

ZOMG ADRIAN SHEPHARD THEORY WARNING. at the end of OP4 you get the message "waiting further evaluation" what if this is the big test Shephard has to go through? When Shephard gets captured by G-Man, he has all of his weapons presumably confiscated, that includes his teleportation device. What if the weapon is a derivative made by G-Man's employers? And we've never actually seen Shephard before so it MIGHT be him. And don't tell me how Valve would never do a story based on Shephard, because we just recieved TF2 who release seemed just as unlikely.

Another theory is that he is a captured rebel who was given the choice to ether be a test subject or become a stalker. What if Portal is the "episode 4" we keep hearing about?


And no, I haven't read all the thread replies yet.

The teleport device originally used by Shephard is a plot hole in itself. The Lambda portal took minutes to charge up, with all the sophiscated equipment. Yet a lone scrap of metal can teleport Shephard within SECONDS to Xen. Even though it was randomized does not excuse it. Of course, it was an "experimental" weapon, ahead of it's time. It still seems odd to me.

[Atomic_Piggy]

The teleport device originally used by Shephard is a plot hole in itself. The Lambda portal took minutes to charge up, with all the sophiscated equipment. Yet a lone scrap of metal can teleport Shephard within SECONDS to Xen. Even though it was randomized does not excuse it. Of course, it was an "experimental" weapon, ahead of it's time. It still seems odd to me.

Well, to be fair it does open randomly, however, I agree...it should never have existed...Adrian should never have existed.:P

[jimmyjam]

too bad he did
http://www.hlportal.de/images/images/medium/1296.jpg

OH IT FEELS SO GOOD

[DieHard]

I bet you play as the gman.

[Atomic_Piggy]

Jimmyjam, how come your Pit Drones look so nice and beautiful, yet mine look so ugly and crude?

[Max35]

Well, to be fair it does open randomly, however, I agree...it should never have existed...Adrian should never have existed.:P

I already said it opens randomly. And I wouldn't go that far about Adrian should never have existed. Just...who cares, really?

[JoeCLawrence]

It isn't episode 4 - which will be developed outside of Valve and released after episode 3.

Developed outside of Valve? I know I remember them saying that Ep 3 would end the story arc, but never that somebody else would make Ep 4. Where did you hear that?

[riomhaire]

Developed outside of Valve? I know I remember them saying that Ep 3 would end the story arc, but never that somebody else would make Ep 4. Where did you hear that?
They anounced a while ago. It may also not be an FPS IIRC.

[RioBravoXL]

too bad he did
(...)
OH IT FEELS SO GOOD

Ha-ha! I'll second that!