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Half Life 2 |
tsumake - Nov 15, 2004 |
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schi0249 | Nov 15, 2004 | |||
I already have it pre-loaded through steam. Once it's available, all I do is buy and then play time. |
it290 | Nov 16, 2004 | |||
There is a backup feature, yes, but I don't think it's activated yet. |
SkankinMonkey | Nov 16, 2004 | |||
Apparently there are some issues between Vivendi and Valve delaying the release. |
schi0249 | Nov 16, 2004 | |||
And as a result, HL2's release is being held up. Damn it, I guess I will be playing Vampire before HL2 at this point. Sad, so sad. |
it290 | Nov 16, 2004 | |||
Well, I just got done playing the game for about four hours.. and all I can say is WOW. This game was truly worth the wait- it's an incredibly immersive and fun experience. Yes, the Steam stuff is a major headache, but once you get past that and start playing, you'll forget about it completely. HL2 has everything that made the first Half-Life so good, but also throws a more varied experience at you with killer visuals. It really makes you feel like you're inside a great sci-fi/action movie, and not playing a game. Hardly ever does the game lull to the point where you're thinking 'man, I just want to get to the next area'.. almost every bit is great fun. |
schi0249 | Nov 17, 2004 | |||
What kind of system are you playing it on? Also, did you get a hard copy from the store, or did you get it from Steam? |
it290 | Nov 17, 2004 | |||
Retail copy. System is an XP2600+, 1 gig RAM, Radeon 9500 pro. The game runs superbly, I'm playing at 1024x768 with 2xAA and 2x aniso, with everything set to full with the exception of water reflections (which are set to 'world only' rather than 'everything'.. not sure how much of a performance hit that would make), and I have yet to encounter any significant slowdowns. Even in larger areas with lots of action, the framerate feels fluid. |
tsumake | Nov 17, 2004 | |||
I finally got HL2 off of Steam, and I've played it for about an hour. Jesus. This game is so good, it feels unreal. Do any of you get that feeling as well? I mean, it's so well put together, so well thought out, that it seems like an alien experience to me. I'm so used to playing Medal of Honor Pacific Assault or Doom 3, that playing a game so polished seems alien to me. Hell, even Far Cry wasn't as immersive. And speaking of immersive, all this time Warren Spector was talking about "immersive entertainment" and yet I find myself more involved with this game than any other title I've played. I've lived in Prague for a year, and I think City 17 really captures at least some of that Central European feel, except for the fact that everyone speaks english.... (well, ok, maybe Prague with all the American tourists.....). And, it's very easy to see the weaknesses of the Source engine, but honestly who gives a shit? It doesn't look like Doom 3, but frankly Doom 3 didn't scare me at all. In the hour I've played HL2, however, my blood was pumping. There was real urgency to haul Gordy's ass on that rooftop, I tell ya (I hope this isn't a spoiler, but to say that you run across a rooftop isn't that big a deal, IMO). The only thing I don't like is the voice acting. I loved the feeling of dread when you enter the station, but when, all of a sudden, you hear some of the main NPCs talking in a cheerful american way, it really killed the mood for me. It was like finding yourself immersed in the Soviet Union under Stalin, and then all of a sudden Jimmy Stewart starts talking to you. This irritation leaves when you enter the world of the NPCs though, and then it's fine. It's so surreal to play something this good. Ok, so tell me I'm hyperbolizing. Regardless I still enjoy the game Though sometimes, I feel like playing MOH: PA, just to feel "safe again" to console me that "yes, this is an FPS, HL2 is over there, just continue playing me. Continue going through preset paths, bad AI, mindless shooting sprees." |
Ammut | Nov 18, 2004 | |||
I'll be getting the collectors edition tomorrow, did anyone get that yet?. While I am definitely looking forward to the great single player, I was kind of dissapointed that there is no HL2 specific multiplayer mode though since I'm not a big CS fan. Speaking of which...apparently normal retail version of the game does not install properly if you choose 'no' when asked if you also want Counterstrike source, a bit of a gaffe for such a big name game. I hope to see some sweet new multiplayer mods out in the near future that fully take advantage of the new engine. |
it290 | Nov 18, 2004 | |||
Well, Sven co-op will definitely be out before too long, and also there is an unfinished multiplayer component in the game already so we just need someone (possibly Valve) to finish it up. Shouldn't be too hard... the only thing that's really needed is a nice Gordon model. (I wonder if the one that's been used for promoting the game could be used?) |
Alexvrb | Nov 24, 2004 | |||
I've got two friends who (after I showed them the game) decided to wait until Natural Selection shows up, which I told them may be a really long wait. Anyway, I'm somewhat disappointed with HL2. I find myself all too often wondering when and where they crossed the line between good, complicated level design and overdone, tedious level design. Walk around in circles through buildings while some old guy yells at you. Drive on a road, stop, kill soldiers, repeat. Don't step on the sand. I'll step where I damn well please, stupid bugs... Plus the stupid retail version requires a CD for both HL2 and CS: Source. No Steam game has done this before, not even if you used your old HL1 CD key to install HL through Steam. As for the interaction, it's great at times, but limited at others. Further, BECAUSE you can haul objects around (especially once you get the gravity gun) they force you to do so constantly. I liked the gravity gun once, now I don't even like looking at it, but I still have to use the stupid thing. Then, they decide to severely limit ammo on my favorite weapons, because they know they're fun. |
it290 | Nov 24, 2004 | |||
Wow... that's surprising. I think the level design is fantastic (although I found the Sand Traps section kind of irritating as well). Not only that, but I haven't had any ammo supply problems whatsoever, and I'm playing on hard. Unless your favorite weapon is the Magnum, I guess you just suxxor. |
Alexvrb | Nov 24, 2004 | |||
I was referring mainly to the magnum, yes. But the bow too, since I just love the joink-thwack action on that. I mean come on, I can hold hundreds of bullets, but only have enough room for 12 spare magnum rounds and 9 crossbow bolts (not counting the 6 and 1 loaded, respectively)? Also the combine gun, when I use it, I really use it. So I run out of ammo till the next time. Anyway, I think SOME of the levels are awesome, but some of them just go too far in forcing me to prance around like an idiot. Hurray, I now get to move more stupid barrels around or some such garbage. |
it290 | Nov 26, 2004 | |||
Yes, but consider that 1 magnum bullet or 1 crossbow bolt is enough to take down a Combine soldier, whereas you usually end up dumping half a clip with the SMG to take them out. The Combine gun does run out of ammo quickly, but you get lots of it.. grenades for that gun do seem to be kind of scarce, though. |
Alexvrb | Nov 26, 2004 | |||
Yes, and I find the standard throwing grenades to often be pathetic. Sometimes they're incredibly useful, but I do wish they'd act more like the SMG nades and just go boom splat. I think playing CS and trying to (re)adapt to its style has screwed up my aim, and vice versa, other games have me screwing up in CS. I need to stop playing CS. It's ghetto. Call of Duty had a far, FAR superior method of handling accuracy/recoil/scoping/etc. The different firing positions were handled perfectly, people had scope wobble when non-prone (snipers don't have that problem in CS Oops, I went on a mini rant. CS needs to stop being so damned popular so I can play something with less abnormal firearm behavior. |
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