Unreleased Half-Life games#Junction Point Studios episode
{{Short description|Unreleased video games}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Unreleased Half-Life games}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}Half-Life is a series of first-person shooter games created and published by Valve. Since the release of the original Half-Life for Windows in 1998, several ports, expansion packs and sequels have been canceled, including projects developed by other studios.
In 1999, Valve canceled a Half-Life port for Mac developed by Logicware. Half-Life: Hostile Takeover, an expansion pack for Half-Life developed by 2015, Inc, was cancelled in 2000. In 2001, Sierra, the publisher of the original Half-Life, canceled a port for Dreamcast after Sega announced its discontinuation.
After releasing Half-Life 2: Episode Two in 2007, Valve struggled to settle on a direction for a new Half-Life game. Episode Three was canceled after Valve abandoned episodic development and began developing a new game engine, Source 2. Another Half-Life 2 episode, by Junction Point Studios, was canceled after Junction Point was acquired by Disney Interactive Studios. Valve moved the project to Arkane Studios, who developed it as Ravenholm, set in a town infested with zombies. Valve canceled it as they felt it was creatively restrained.
Valve developed Half-Life 3 between 2013 and 2014, experimenting with procedurally generated levels, but canceled it as the Source 2 engine was still unfinished. A virtual reality (VR) game set on a time-travelling ship, Borealis, was canceled as the VR technology and tools were not complete.
''Half-Life'' era (1998–2004)
= ''Half-Life: Hostile Takeover'' =
On November 23, 1999, GameSpot reported that 2015, Inc. was developing a Half-Life expansion pack to follow Half-Life: Opposing Force. 2015, Inc declined to comment.{{Cite web |last=Ajami |first=Amer |date=November 23, 1999 |title=New Half-Life Add-on Coming |url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_11/23_pc_halfadd/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000301003051/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_11/23_pc_halfadd/index.html |archive-date=March 1, 2000 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=GameSpot}} On March 18, 2000, the Adrenaline Vault reported that the new expansion was named Half-Life: Hostile Takeover, and that it had appeared on retail product lists with a release date of late August.{{Cite web |last=Laprad |first=David |date=March 18, 2000 |title=New Half-Life Expansion Coming |url=http://avault.com/news/displaynews.asp?story=3182000-91229 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000607145116/http://avault.com/news/displaynews.asp?story=3182000-91229 |archive-date=June 7, 2000 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=The Adrenaline Vault}} On August 7, the Adrenaline Vault reported that Sierra, the publisher of Half-Life, had informed them that Hostile Takeover had been canceled. The stock keeping unit for Hostile Takeover was repurposed by online retailers for Half-Life: Counter-Strike.{{Cite web |last=Laprad |first=David |date=August 7, 2000 |title=Confusion Surrounds Half-Life Add-On Pre-Sales |url=http://avault.com/news/displaynews.asp?story=872000-133010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010521163812/http://avault.com/news/displaynews.asp?story=872000-133010 |archive-date=May 21, 2001 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=The Adrenaline Vault}} On June 21, 2001, Valve filed a video game trademark for "Hostile Takeover". After several extensions, the trademark expired on October 3, 2004.{{Cite web |title=HOSTILE TAKEOVER |publisher=United States Patent and Trademark Office |url=https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=76275717&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch |access-date=August 11, 2020 }}
= Dreamcast port =
On February 14, 2000, Sierra announced that a port of Half-Life for the Dreamcast console was in development by Captivation Digital Laboratories with Valve and Gearbox Software. It would feature improvements including higher-polygon character models and new lighting effects. Gearbox, who had developed Opposing Force, created a new single-player campaign for the port, Half-Life: Blue Shift, focusing on the security guard Barney.{{Cite web |date=February 14, 2000 |title=HALF-LIFE(tm) COMING TO SEGA DREAMCAST(tm) |url=https://www.bluesnews.com/pressreleases/hld.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423010222/https://www.bluesnews.com/pressreleases/hld.shtml |archive-date=April 23, 2019 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=Blue's News}}
The port was delayed to September 2000,{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDjFRH6hzA8 |title=Half-Life Dreamcast commercial |date=August 9, 2010 |publisher=Combine OverWiki |access-date=July 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814212108/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDjFRH6hzA8 |archive-date=August 14, 2016 |via=YouTube |url-status=live}} then November,{{Cite web |date=February 14, 2000 |title=Half-Life: Blue Shift Announced |url=https://www.bluesnews.com/a/61 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107114414/https://www.bluesnews.com/a/61 |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=Blue's News}} when game publications began to receive early copies for review. Reception was mixed, with criticism for the inconsistent frame rate, long loading times and lack of online play.{{Cite journal |last=Nair |first=Chandra |date=January 2001 |title=Half-Life |journal=Dreamcast Magazine |publisher=Paragon Publishing |issue=15 |pages=56–58}}{{Cite journal |title=Half-Life Dreamcast Review |journal=Computer and Video Games |issue=228}} Sierra planned to release a version with online multiplayer using SegaNet. The Gearbox CEO, Randy Pitchford, said he suggested adding multiplayer modes and mods from the Windows version, including Team Fortress Classic and the multiplayer modes from Opposing Force.{{Cite web |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |date=September 26, 2000 |title=Half-Life Dreamcast Multiplayer |url=http://eurogamer.net/articles/article_29304 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107021506/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_29304 |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=Eurogamer}}{{Cite web |title=Dreamcast Previews: Half-Life Feature Preview |url=http://zdnet.com/gamespot/stories/previews/0,10869,2653878,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010225172303/http://zdnet.com/gamespot/stories/previews/0,10869,2653878,00.html |archive-date=February 25, 2001 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=GameSpot}} Sierra delayed the port again and said they hoped to finish development that year.{{Cite web |last=Satterfield |first=Shane |date=November 8, 2000 |title=Sierra Explains Half-Life Delay |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sierra-explains-half-life-delay/1100-2651756/ |access-date=October 26, 2008 |website=GameSpot}}
On March 29, 2001, Sierra announced that Blue Shift would be released for Windows{{Cite web |date=March 29, 2001 |title=Ready to Jump Back into the Black Mesa Research Facility? |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/092/092908p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205024123/http://pc.ign.com/articles/092/092908p1.html |archive-date=December 5, 2008 |access-date=August 26, 2008 |website=IGN}} along with the character models developed for the Dreamcast version, as part of the Half-Life High Definition Pack.{{Cite web |date=May 3, 2001 |title=Half-Life: Blue Shift Q&A |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-blue-shift-qanda/1100-2716373/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124003406/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-blue-shift-qanda/1100-2716373/ |archive-date=November 24, 2015 |access-date=October 26, 2008 |website=GameSpot}} On June 16, 2001, four days after the release of Blue Shift, Sierra announced that it had canceled the Dreamcast port, citing "changing market conditions".{{Cite web |last=Satterfield |first=Shane |date=June 15, 2001 |title=Half-Life for the Dreamcast officially cancelled |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-for-the-dreamcast-officially-cancelled/1100-2776155/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916025446/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-for-the-dreamcast-officially-cancelled/1100-2776155/ |archive-date=September 16, 2016 |access-date=October 26, 2008 |website=GameSpot}} It was weeks away from its release date and virtually complete.{{Cite web |last=Chau |first=Anthony |date=June 18, 2001 |title=Not Given Half A Chance: The Cancellation of Half-Life |url=http://dreamcast.ign.com/articles/095/095905p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020812170803/http://dreamcast.ign.com/articles/095/095905p1.html |archive-date=August 12, 2002 |access-date=July 23, 2020 |website=IGN}} In 2013, a late version of the Dreamcast port leaked online, featuring complete versions of Half-Life and Blue Shift.{{cite web|title=Beta Half-Life for Sega Dreamcast|url=http://www.nextdimension.org/betahalflife/dc.htm|access-date=July 28, 2013|website=nextdimension}}{{Unreliable source?|certain=yes|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:NOTRS).|date=February 2023}}
= Mac port =
A version of Half-Life for Mac OS was announced by Logicware on April 23, 1999.{{Cite web |title=SIERRA STUDIOS TO DELIVER BEST-SELLING HALF-LIFE TO THE MAC |url=http://planetfortress.com/syndicate/files/HLmac1.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000511065753if_/http://planetfortress.com/syndicate/files/HLmac1.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=2000-05-11 }} However, Valve canceled it a few months later in October 1999.{{Cite web |title=Mac Half-Life Cancelled - Blue's News Story |url=https://www.bluesnews.com/s/6736 |access-date=2023-12-11 |website=Blue's News}} The Valve CEO, Gabe Newell, said the port was substandard, citing a separate multiplayer network, no automatic update utility and the inability to include Valve's multiplayer mod Team Fortress Classic. He said he did not want to make Mac players "second-class customers" and preferred to write off the investment rather than "take money from Mac customers and short-change them". Rebecca Heineman, the co-founder of Logicware, denied this, saying that Valve cancelled the port as Apple had angered them by misrepresenting sales projections. She said the port was complete and three weeks from release.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPTLPXNtb2I&ab_channel=RMC-TheCave |title=Rebecca Heineman - Developer & Co-Founder of Interplay {{!}} Retro Tea Break |date=2 February 2023 |time=1:36:41 |via=YouTube}} In 2013, Valve released a port for OS X.{{Cite web |last=Ingraham |first=Nathan |date=2013-01-25 |title=Original Half-Life finally available for OS X through Steam nearly 15 years after its release |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/1/25/3915338/original-half-life-finally-available-for-os-x-through-steam |access-date=2023-02-04 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}
''Half-Life 2'' era (2004–2007)
= ''Half-Life 2: Episode Three'' =
{{main|Half-Life 2: Episode Three}}
In May 2006, Valve announced a trilogy of episodic games that would continue the story of Half-Life 2 (2004).{{Cite news |date=May 24, 2006 |title=Half-Life 2: Episode One gold, Two dated, Three announced |work=GameSpot |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-2-episode-one-gold-two-dated-three-announced/1100-6151796/ |url-status=live |access-date=May 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131125150657/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-2-episode-one-gold-two-dated-three-announced/1100-6151796/ |archive-date=November 25, 2013}} Episode One was released in 2006, followed by Episode Two in 2007.{{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/half-life-2-episode-one/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=Half-Life: Episode One on Metacritic|website=Metacritic|access-date=August 18, 2020}}{{cite web|access-date=August 18, 2020|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/halflife2episode2|title=Half-Life 2: Episode Two|website=Metacritic}} Episode Three was initially announced for Christmas 2007 and was highly anticipated.{{Cite news |date=May 24, 2006 |title=Half-Life 2: Episode One gold, Two dated, Three announced |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-2-episode-one-gold-two-dated-three-announced/1100-6151796/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131125150657/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-2-episode-one-gold-two-dated-three-announced/1100-6151796/ |archive-date=November 25, 2013 |access-date=May 18, 2007 |work=GameSpot}}{{Cite news |last=Gilbert |first=Ben |date=25 August 2017 |title=The world's most anticipated game may never come out — so its writer leaked the story |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/half-life-2-episode-3-story-marc-laidlaw-valve-2017-8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825225028/http://www.businessinsider.com/half-life-2-episode-3-story-marc-laidlaw-valve-2017-8 |archive-date=August 25, 2017 |access-date=August 26, 2017 |work=Business Insider |language=en}} Valve released little information in the following years, and in 2011 Wired described it as vaporware.{{Cite magazine |last=Calore |first=Michael |date=January 3, 2011 |title=Vaporware 2010: The Great White Duke |url=https://www.wired.com/business/2011/01/vaporware-2010-the-great-white-duke/#slideid-72634 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728083047/http://www.wired.com/business/2011/01/vaporware-2010-the-great-white-duke#slideid-72634 |archive-date=July 28, 2013 |access-date=July 30, 2013 |magazine=Wired}}
Valve canceled Episode Three as they had become fatigued with Half-Life and struggled to identify new gameplay mechanics. They eventually abandoned episodic development, as they wanted to create more ambitious games.{{Cite web |last=Marks |first=Tom |date=March 23, 2020 |title=Valve Explains Why Half-Life 2: Episode 3 Was Never Made |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/valve-explains-why-half-life-2-episode-3-was-never-made |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200323171744/https://www.ign.com/articles/valve-explains-why-half-life-2-episode-3-was-never-made |archive-date=March 23, 2020 |access-date=March 23, 2020 |website=IGN}}{{Cite web |last=Grayson |first=Nathan |date=March 23, 2020 |title=Why Valve gave up on 'multiple' Half-Life 3s |url=https://kotaku.com/why-valve-gave-up-on-multiple-half-life-3s-1842450268 |access-date=March 13, 2021 |website=Kotaku |language=en-us}} Additionally, as developing Half-Life 2 and the original Source game engine simultaneously had created problems, Valve delayed development of a new Half-Life until their new engine, Source 2, was complete.
In 2017, the Half-Life writer, Marc Laidlaw, released a short story that journalists speculated was a summary of the Episode Three plot. In 2024, Valve released footage and concept art of Episode Three as part of a documentary about the making of Half-Life 2.{{Cite news |last=Wilde |first=Tyler |date=2024-11-16 |title='My personal failure was being stumped': Gabe Newell says finishing Half-Life 2: Episode Three just to conclude the story would've been 'copping out of [Valve's] obligation to gamers' |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/my-personal-failure-was-being-stumped-gabe-newell-says-finishing-half-life-2-episode-3-just-to-conclude-the-story-wouldve-been-copping-out-of-valves-obligation-to-gamers/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}
= Junction Point Studios episode =
File:11.30.10WarrenSpectorByLuigiNovi1.jpg (pictured in 2010) led development of a canceled Half-Life 2 episode.]]
Another Half-Life 2 episode was developed by Junction Point Studios, led by Warren Spector. The episode showed how the town of Ravenholm from Half-Life 2 became infested with headcrabs and zombies, with the return of the character of Father Grigori.{{Cite web |last=Scott-Jones |first=Richard |date=March 27, 2017 |title=Ravenholm features in another cancelled Half-Life 2 episode, now with snow and magnetism |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-life-2/half-life-2-episode-snowy-ravenholm-junction-point |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328105333/https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-life-2/half-life-2-episode-snowy-ravenholm-junction-point |archive-date=March 28, 2017 |access-date=March 27, 2017 |website=PCGamesN}} It included a "magnet gun", which fired projectiles that magnetized metal surfaces and attracted objects and enemies, and was used for combat and puzzles.{{Cite web |last=Benson |first=Julian |date=September 20, 2017 |title=Warren Spector reveals how the magnet gun would have worked in cancelled Half-Life episode |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-life-3/half-life-3-ravenholm-episode-warren-spector-junction-point |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921000718/https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-life-3/half-life-3-ravenholm-episode-warren-spector-junction-point |archive-date=September 21, 2017 |access-date=September 20, 2017 |website=PCGamesN}}
Junction Point worked on the game for a year, producing enough content to demonstrate one section, and a vertical slice that demonstrated the magnet gun. Valve lost interest in the project and Junction Point, who had been acquired by Disney Interactive Studios partway through, canceled it to instead develop Epic Mickey.{{Cite magazine |last=Turi |first=Tim |date=April 24, 2015 |title=Abandoned Half-Life Episode Featured Magnet Gun, Warren Spector Says |magazine=Game Informer |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2015/04/24/half-life-abandoned-lost-episode-magnet-gun-valve-warren-spector.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813045505/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2015/04/24/half-life-abandoned-lost-episode-magnet-gun-valve-warren-spector.aspx |archive-date=August 13, 2019 |access-date=May 19, 2015}}{{Cite web |last=Lane |first=Rick |date=November 8, 2017 |title=Warren Spector discusses his cancelled Half-Life 2 Ravenholm Episode |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/warren-spector-discusses-a-return-to-ravenholm-in-his-cancelled-half-life-2-episode/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108210135/http://www.pcgamer.com/warren-spector-discusses-a-return-to-ravenholm-in-his-cancelled-half-life-2-episode/ |archive-date=November 8, 2017 |access-date=November 8, 2017 |website=PC Gamer}}{{Cite news|title=Disney buys game developer Junction Point|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jul-13-fi-disney13-story.html|date=July 13, 2007|access-date=January 15, 2022|work=Los Angeles Times}} Images of the game appeared in early 2017.
= ''Ravenholm'' =
{{Anchor|Episode Four|Return to Ravenholm}}In 2007 or 2008, Valve gave the Junction Point project to Arkane Studios in Lyon, France. They developed it into a game with the working title Ravenholm,{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4kdqwdbZZ8 |title=The Untold History of Arkane: Dishonored / Prey / Ravenholm / LMNO / The Crossing |date=May 26, 2020 |publisher=Noclip |time=33:00 |access-date=May 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527035500/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4kdqwdbZZ8 |archive-date=May 27, 2020 |url-status=live |via=YouTube}} referred to by some sources as Episode Four.{{Cite web |last=Sheridan |first=Connor |date=2020-05-21 |title=Half-Life 2: Episode 4 footage emerges a decade after it was canceled |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/half-life-2-episode-4-footage-emerges-a-decade-after-it-was-canceled/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=GamesRadar |language=en}} Players controlled Adrian Shephard from Opposing Force, working alongside Father Grigori, who had taken refuge in an abandoned psychiatric hospital. Grigori was experimenting with the effects of headcrab venom on himself, and would mutate through the story. The player would use the magnet gun and traps created by Grigori against enemies. Arkane also implemented a nail gun that could create paths to conduct electricity and set traps.
Valve gave Arkane freedom to develop Ravenholm, as they had with Gearbox and Opposing Force, providing feedback and technical support. With approximately one year left of development, Valve canceled the project. The Arkane founder, Raphaël Colantonio, believed that Valve decided it would be too expensive. Laidlaw said Valve felt the premise was creatively constrained,{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2012 |title=Marc Laidlaw On The Cancelled Half-Life Spin-offs: Return To Ravenholm And "Episode Four" |url=http://lambdageneration.com/posts/marc-laidlaw-on-the-cancelled-half-life-spin-offs-return-to-ravenholm-and-episode-four/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116020035/http://lambdageneration.com/posts/marc-laidlaw-on-the-cancelled-half-life-spin-offs-return-to-ravenholm-and-episode-four/ |archive-date=January 16, 2012 |access-date=July 19, 2013 |publisher=LambdaGeneration}}{{Cite web |last=Savage |first=Phil |date=January 15, 2013 |title=Half-Life 2: Episode 4 was being developed by Arkane; now cancelled |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/01/15/half-life-2-episode-4-was-being-developed-by-arkane-now-cancelled/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714192321/http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/01/15/half-life-2-episode-4-was-being-developed-by-arkane-now-cancelled/ |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |access-date=July 8, 2014 |website=PC Gamer}}{{Cite web |last=McLeand |first=Kirk |date=December 5, 2015 |title=Half-Life 2: Episode Four - Return to Ravenholm forgotten screens surface |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-life-2/half-life-2-episode-four-return-to-ravenholm-screens-surface |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328022247/https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-life-2/half-life-2-episode-four-return-to-ravenholm-screens-surface |archive-date=March 28, 2017 |access-date=March 27, 2017 |website=PCGamesN}} and that Arkane, like Valve with Episode Three, had struggled to discover fun new game mechanics with the Half-Life 2 tools.{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |date=2024-11-15 |title=Valve reveals early gameplay of canceled Half-Life 2 Episode 3 and why it never got finished |url=https://kotaku.com/valve-half-life-2-episode-3-hl3-update-canceled-ice-gun-1851701011 |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=Kotaku |language=en}} Ravenholm was first shown publicly in a 2020 Noclip documentary. Noclip released an hour of gameplay footage in 2022.{{Cite news |last=Wheeler |first=C. J. |date=2022-05-06 |title=A full hour of Arkane's scrapped Half-Life game Ravenholm has emerged |language=en |work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/a-full-hour-of-arkanes-scrapped-half-life-game-ravenholm-has-emerged |access-date=2022-05-18}}
Source 2 era (2007–2020)
= ''Half-Life 3'' =
{{Redirect-distinguish|Half-Life 3|Half-Life 2: Episode Three{{!}}Half-Life 2: Episode Three|Half-Life: Alyx{{!}}Half-Life: Alyx}}
Half-Life 3 was in development between 2013 and 2014. Valve planned to use procedurally generated levels alongside a "crafted experience", similar to the Left 4 Dead series; the game would generate different routes through environments each time it was played. The team took new scans of the face of Frank Sheldon, whose likeness was used for the G-Man character in Half-Life 2. The Source 2 engine was still unfinished and the project was canceled early in development.{{Cite web |last=Skrebels |first=Joe |date=July 9, 2020 |title=Details of multiple cancelled Valve projects revealed, including Half-Life 3 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/half-life-3-left-4-dead-3-details-cancelled-valve |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713154054/https://www.ign.com/articles/half-life-3-left-4-dead-3-details-cancelled-valve |archive-date=July 13, 2020 |access-date=July 19, 2020 |website=IGN |language=en}}
= ''Borealis'' =
Before his departure from Valve in 2016, Laidlaw led a virtual reality project on the Source 2 engine, Borealis, set on the time-travelling ship mentioned in Episode Two and Portal 2. The game would skip between the Combine's conquering of Earth before Half-Life 2 and a time set shortly after Episode Two. A minigame in which players would fish off the bow of the ship was also proposed. Laidlaw said the project ended because it was too early to be working in VR: "When people are struggling with the basic tools they need to rough out a concept, it's hard to convey any sort of vision, and it all evaporated pretty quickly."{{Cite news |last=Peel |first=Jeremy |date=March 1, 2023 |title='The narrative had to be baked into the corridors': Marc Laidlaw on writing Half-Life |language=en |work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-narrative-had-to-be-baked-into-the-corridors-marc-laidlaw-on-writing-half-life |access-date=March 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302232014/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-narrative-had-to-be-baked-into-the-corridors-marc-laidlaw-on-writing-half-life |archive-date=March 2, 2023}}