I think you are confused as to what "selling out" means, and exactly where Valve came from in the first place.

I may be, but I love to use the term when I don't get my way : )

Last I recall, Half-Life released in 1998 was the game which made Valve the company it is today. Is there some back plot I don't know of where Gabe Newell and Valve had Portal in production prior to the release of Half-Life and they waited all this time to drop this gem of a game upon us ignorant heathens who wrongly appreciated the Half-Life series over Portal?

Valve is the video game equivalent of a garage band that proceeded to conquer the world. The stories of Portal and Half-Life are basically the same: ambitious indie projects that become much more explosively huge than anyone had any right to expect.

I never finished portal and also have spent late nights pondering why so many love it so. I somewhat enjoyed what I tplayed. though it was compelling it was not that fun.

Now I love Half life 2, but didn't like episode 1 and didn't do two yet, but I really would prefer another full length half life game than portal anything

Don't get me wrong for jesting with you. Valve has every right and every need to pursue projects other than Half-Life. Valve themselves promised three episodes for Half-Life 2:

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/halflife2episode3/news.html?sid=6274868&om_act=convert&om_clk=newsfeatures&tag=newsfeatures;title;3

I am just irritated because it has been 6 years now since Half-Life 2 and 3 years since Episode 2. Such a length of time makes me wonder where their priorities are concerning the Half-Life series. I have no doubt they plan to ride off of Portal's success with Portal 2.

Then again, Portal was released in The Orange Box bundled with Half-Life 2, Episode 1, and Episode 2. What I am implying or rather saying explicitly is, I don't think Portal 2 will do as well standalone in the same manner Portal prospered being bundled with Half-Life 2.

In a similar vein, preorders for Portal 2 are not underway yet leading to further questions:

1. Why haven't preorders started for Portal 2 when it is scheduled to be released in April 2011?

2. Does Valve care more about critical reaction for the Portal series than actual sales?

3. Will Portal 2 be released as a bundle with Half-Life 2: Episode 3 to compel sales of a game when the desired game is Half-Life 2: Episode 3?

4. If Portal 2 is bundled, can we expect Portal 3 to be bundled with Half-Life 3 making Portal the first truly bundled series?

I don't anticipate any answers to my questions as they are my thoughts. What I do anticipate is what Valve has promised us will be a very revealing year in 2011.

I don't mean to be misunderstood either.

I've been waiting to play Episodes 1 and 2 until 3 was out.

I have been waiting quite a long time myself.

Blasphemy.

I think Valve's POV can be summed up with:

1. For Portal 2 we will do what fans want and everyone else will follow the brilliance of Portal.... it's that good!

2. Half Life 2 Episode 3 is so good, people are willing to wait for it's brilliance!

As long as Valve deliver the goods (and I'm still alive) then I'm happy.

Btw: Sorry for the typos (if any), but I'm quite drunk.

I love portal. It's a breath of fresh air and full of great humor.

I loved Half life, OF, Blueshift, HL2, Ep1 & Ep2 they were all great games the top of there class.

But I don't believe the development of Portal or even the left for dead series had  much impact on the time it has taken to bring HL3 to market. The time between HL and HL2 was about 6 years. Valve simply has a very strong case of Nintendo syndrome - it HAS to be perfect and ground breaking before it's released.

I "believe" Portal 2 and left for dead series are done by different teams to the ones working on HL2: Ep3 (and Hopefully there will eventually be a HL3.) I read that Valve has greatly expanded in recent years.

As far as Halflife 3 is concerned I can tell you in two words what the true evil that has delayed it for so many years - " Episodic gaming"

I have made my peace with it due to the Orange Box.

I'm sure going to enjoy Portal 2 - I just hold on to the belief that they are working hard on HL2:3 and maybe soon after we will be surprised with HL3 on a brand new engine?  HL2 eventually came - I have faith.

I always felt Portal was a nice bonus for The Orange Box, but was not worthy of a full retail release.  Even the $20 on Steam it goes for is too much for it... it felt more like a simple tech demo or mod (which it was) than a full-fledged game.

Thankfully, Portal 2 seems to be a fully fleshed out game complete with a decent length campaign, as opposed to just more going from room to room and solving simple physics puzzles.  Still, I'm as peeved as the next person that its been over 3 years and still no concrete release day for the next Half Life game.  We'll be on Left 4 Dead 4 by the time Episode 3 or HL3 comes out!