[quote name='coltyhuxx']IMO, I don't think that a 5 hour linear game that you download for $20 should be the accepted norm. I'll be the first to admit, I'd rather have a good short ride than a long artifically padded adventure . I dunno, I probably shouldn't be so vocal, seeing as I didn't go "for the whole ride" myself. I think what's bumming me out, compounded with the price, is the amount of time we waited for this. I don't understand why they couldn't deliver something, basically, the same length as the first one. What the hell have they been doing for a year and a half? They already had the basic engine.
The main problem I have with this expansion being so short is that there isn't much in the way of replayablity in Half Life, also, so I'm taking that into consideration in my decision (at this time, at least) to not purchase it. At least in FarCry you could try different paths and such. Now that was a meaty game.[/QUOTE]
The basic engine, as for as I know, has been heavily overhauled since Half Life 2, which could add to the delays.
Like Casey said, it was announced LOOOOOOOOONG ago the expansion would only be 4 - 6 hours, and downloading it isn't the only way to get it. I paid $15 for mine at Target, and 5 hours is a decent amount... hell, Call of Duty 2 isn't much longer and that's $40 - $50, same with Quake 4. The Doom 3 expansion was short, as well.
This is an expansion, not a new game, so of course it's not going to be the same length as HL 2, that makes no sense. Again, like Casey said, most expansions are only 4 - 6 hours... Half Life: Opposing Force was this same amount as well back in the day, along with other numerous expansions.
You said yourself that you enjoyed a short ride over something drawn out, so I'm not quite getting what you want.