I E-Mail'ed our boy Gabe. I told him he'd have to tell me his plan over "the next 12 months" or I'd stop developing Elements of War for the Source engine. In his best interest, he spilled the beans!

Just playing. :d Instead, I'mma go ahead and ponder about what's going to happen at Valve or what I think should happen.

1. Localization:
100% free, Valve should create something for Steam that allows users to learn English. Among other languages. Including sign language, cause they did hire those one people after all, right? With every hot chick in the world speaking the only language I know, well, you get the idea. Valve's own Source engine is pretty much English I assume, giving them a greater developer pool. Pirates don't always speak English. Just ask Russians, Gabe did. With education values present, schools would be more willing to install Steam. Valve brings a greater world peace, as more people are talking to each other. Finally, as Blizzard would say, "The battle against spelling continues!" Although I could care less and use Google to spell :D

2. Musicalization:
Music should be one of Valve's top goals. Unlike books, movies, whatever, music can be used while playing video games. I'm sure you've heard these n00bZ before, "I hate video games, go away. oh, I like music... Wait, video game music? I don't compute." Being able to pick your music while in the game and bringing in millions of users who don't play video games is simply a no-brainer.

Did I mention MySpace/YouTube/Whatever is totally ripping off all video game music and doesn't give one penny to Valve or any of you? Ever heard video game music? That's some sweet tunes!

Two of my favs:
http://www.zreomusic.com/listen
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=T...s&aq=f

3. Movies, books, whatever:
See above. oh yeah, while everyone else is making a Gaming Platform, Valve beats everyone to the next jump: The service of be all end all.

4. Valve will control your destiny:
What's one of the most common questions asked all over the InterwebZ about video games? How do I use a controller? It was asked so much, I added it in my own mod:
http://www.moddb.com/mods/elements-of-war/downloads/1337-board-v7

WindowZ XP/Vista/7/8910 allow users to hook up their X-BoX 360 Controller to their computer. Among other X-BoX related devices. Not everybody knows this or can figure out how to use it.

When Valve makes a controller(We know they're doing something), it'll come with the install for Steam. Plus, who has a crappy keyboard and mouse? Who wants a great one handed keyboard/controller thing?

5. Valve is in a battle with Blizzard:
If anyone besides say, Microsoft bringing Halo: Reach and beyond to Games for WindowZ(Same day platform), it's none other than Blizzard's Battle.net that poses the most threat to Steam. (Desura.net aka ModDB.com coming in just behind IMO).
They gotta stop World of WarCraft, StarCraft, and Diablo. I think Alien Swarm was a direct hit to not only the UDK(Epic), but StarCraft and Diablo. As we all know, Valve's next big IP isn't going to be First Person. That just doesn't seem like a good option at all. Instead, I think they'll go with three major views/controls:
Diablo / Zelda / Alien Swarm
Elements of War's sky camera system http://www.moddb.com/mods/elements-of-war/vid...era-system
Or some other type, such as World of WarCraft

Picking the Elements of War style camera or WoW's makes perfect sense. A crap load of skill and just makes D/Z/AS n00biE and boring. Besides, it's a perfect evolution from the First Person View. Not only that, but Elements of War has been in Gold Source since Valve added the few commands to make the view and they created the rest with Alien Swarm.

Finally, what happens when you visit your friend's MySpace/FaceBooK? Bet you'll find a lot of World of WarCraft photos. Why's that? It's all in that armor! Look maw, I gotz new helmetz!!!111

6. Females, the 50% no-brainer:
World of WarCraft is whiping the floor with your game, how do they have such sales compared to everyone else? Not only did they create one of the most epic games in our time, but they also filled the world with women. What does every gamer guy really want? A super hot freaking blood elf gamer chick. DOH! They say we evolved thanks to women. All that chit chat while we went out hunting or fielding the crops. What's the next big evolution? Let's all hunt and chit chat together. Think of all the super powered brains!

7. E-SportZ:
Put some form of Steam TV(aka HLTV) when you load Steam or SteamPowered.com and all of a sudden E-SportZ hits the majors. Counter-Strike, World of WarCraft, StarCraft, Halo, Call of Duty, Street Fighter, you name some of the biggest games of today and what do they all have in common? Multi-Player and nearly every one of them can be played for insane amounts of cash. Fatal1ty.com

8: That one dude from that one event that had tattoos of ads, shirts with ads, advertisements EVERYWHERE ON EVERYTHING. Ads ads adS!
Ads have been around for quite a long time now, seems missing in action from video games. What's up with that? Valve already has Counter-Strike pumping out the ads(Last I played forever ago). SuperBowL ads anyone? Holy poopie think of the money! We could even put them in modifications! You might even be able to cut the price of your game down to ZERO! Whoah!

9: The PC retail strikes back!
When's the last time you *bought a game from a game store(If you play pc only and found Steam)? No counting WoW game cards either. I wouldn't even consider it, unless it came with a Steam version. With controllers and the boxes, Valve could invade retail and put their Steam service ahead of the others. Sometimes having that DVD is really helpful...



// Curtis Turner <IceIYIaN>
// Creator of Elements of War!
// http://www.ElementsofWar.NET
// http://www.ModDB.com/Mods/Elements-of-War