Revisiting HL2

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: AbAbber2k
HL2 wouldn't work as a non-linear game. You're in a city that's TIGHTLY controlled by some kind of military force. You have very little freedom... something the environment, scripting... everything... really conveyed well. And I'd say if you really enjoyed HL2, then Episode 1 is definitely worth the $20.

sure it would ... IF they wanted it to make it appear non-linear.

but then as some of you pointed out ... it ain't no DE ... it is totally lacking *depth* ...
... but it IS a decent shooter with a *stock* story.

. . . and how can you guys handle the lack of interactive shadows?
:Q

i want to see a working flashlight



with out the ssss .. . SSS .... SStttutter

now that i think about it - the Engine is a *Perfect Match* for it's Flagship game

:laugh:

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: apoppin

i want to see a working flashlight

PM me your address, I'll send you a flashlight you can turn on while playing HL2. Then maybe we can put this dog to bed.

KT

 

[BFG10K]

I personally enjoyed HL2 especially the air-boat sections. My only gripe with the game is that the weapons were a bit weak.

 

[dighn]

ugh I hate the weapons in HL2. It's not that they are weak, but that they are inaccurate as hell. That makes them extremely annoying to use.

 

[Xyclone]

Originally posted by: schneiderguy

Originally posted by: Kromis

Originally posted by: Xyclone
I played HL2 with the Cinematic mode and LOVED it. It was great!

Cinematic mode? Wazzat?

HL2 Cinematic Mod

I think he added an extra "e" on the end of "mod"

Oops! Thanks for the link! :thumbsup: Install this!

 

[TheRyuu]

Originally posted by: Xyclone

Originally posted by: schneiderguy

Originally posted by: Kromis

Originally posted by: Xyclone
I played HL2 with the Cinematic mode and LOVED it. It was great!

Cinematic mode? Wazzat?

HL2 Cinematic Mod

I think he added an extra "e" on the end of "mod"

Oops! Thanks for the link! :thumbsup: Install this!

Cinematic Mod=Best mod eva!!

Ok, maybe not the best ever but easily in the top 5.
Doesn't really change the game at all. But it does change the gameplay and the graphics (high res textures) to make it more realistic (also, like 1 to 2 shots will kill you or the enemy. That makes it "realistic")

Just make sure your video card can handle it

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: apoppin

i want to see a working flashlight

PM me your address, I'll send you a flashlight you can turn on while playing HL2. Then maybe we can put this dog to bed.

KT

that isn't my point

HL2 is a lot like their 'flashlight' ... if you look at it *superficially* ... it looks [and plays] *nice*

upon *close inspection* ... it is *deeply flawed*

 

[clamum]

Deeply flawed? Hahaha! How is that?

 

[QuantumPion]

Originally posted by: DonVito
I liked HL much better than HL2, but I still think the latter is a quality product, just nothing groundbreaking. Actually, when it comes to 2004-era shooters, I thought Doom 3 was highly underrated, and HL2 just the opposite.

I am the same way. I thought HL2 was a decent game, but not evolutionary nor revolutionary. Just a regular, well-polished FPS. Doom 3 was different, it had mood, atmosphere, and it was genuinely scary. Doom 3 was better for what it was (a horror game along the lines of Undying or even Resident Evil). HL2 just felt like an amusement park ride.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: clamum
Deeply flawed? Hahaha! How is that?

not in the eyes of fanboys .... for 'them' HL is *perfect*

instead of repeating its many flaws ... just look at my [and others'] criticisms --posted previously

it is a "decent" fps ...

 

[NYHoustonman]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: clamum
Deeply flawed? Hahaha! How is that?

not in the eyes of fanboys .... for 'them' HL is *perfect*

instead of repeating its many flaws ... just look at my [and others'] criticisms --posted previously

it is a "decent" fps ...

Apparently not in the eyes of the vast majority of critics, either.

Suffice it to say I loved the game, I enjoyed it every bit as much as I did Oblivion (my 'other' favorite game of the last several years). It seems like some of you want completely different things out of the game... VIAN doesn't care about plot development and wants nothing but action (I guess that's why you liked Doom 3 better back in the day, at least that's what I remember) but apoppin here wants more story... Iunno, to me the game developed a great mix of both (and no, for the umpteenth time, I don't mean the story itself, I mean the way it's presented... and count me as another one of those 'few' HL fans that picks up a book once in a while).

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: NYHoustonman

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: clamum
Deeply flawed? Hahaha! How is that?

not in the eyes of fanboys .... for 'them' HL is *perfect*

instead of repeating its many flaws ... just look at my [and others'] criticisms --posted previously

it is a "decent" fps ...

Apparently not in the eyes of the vast majority of critics, either.

Suffice it to say I loved the game, I enjoyed it every bit as much as I did Oblivion (my 'other' favorite game of the last several years). It seems like some of you want completely different things out of the game... VIAN doesn't care about plot development and wants nothing but action (I guess that's why you liked Doom 3 better back in the day, at least that's what I remember) but apoppin here wants more story... Iunno, to me the game developed a great mix of both (and no, for the umpteenth time, I don't mean the story itself, I mean the way it's presented... and count me as another one of those 'few' HL fans that picks up a book once in a while).

naw ... i didn't want *more story* in HL2 ... it is *sufficient* to advance you to keep on shooting NPCs. ... and yes, it was "presented well" for a Shooter.

i was replying to those who said it was a "great story"

as with most Shooters ... [d3/q4/Prey] there is no replay value in HL2 ... that's probably *why* VIAN found it boring.

 

[Malladine]

Gotta remember to replay HL2 and Doom3 now that I can crank all the effects spoonhigh.

 

[VIAN]

Originally posted by: NYHoustonman
Apparently not in the eyes of the vast majority of critics, either.

Suffice it to say I loved the game, I enjoyed it every bit as much as I did Oblivion (my 'other' favorite game of the last several years). It seems like some of you want completely different things out of the game... VIAN doesn't care about plot development and wants nothing but action (I guess that's why you liked Doom 3 better back in the day, at least that's what I remember) but apoppin here wants more story... Iunno, to me the game developed a great mix of both (and no, for the umpteenth time, I don't mean the story itself, I mean the way it's presented... and count me as another one of those 'few' HL fans that picks up a book once in a while).

I think there wasn't enough story. See I do care about plot development, but I think the beginning of HL2 didn't develop anything. All it did was introduce a bunch of characters and some of the world as it existed. And I figured that instead of developing nothing, they might have as well thrown me into action. In any case, they should've allowed you to skip cutscenes.

And to apoppin's last response: It is much more fun to go back and play Doom3 than HL2. Shooting things in Doom3 is just way more satisfying in terms of how the weapons feel and the challenge the enemies present to you. The enemies also look more interesting.

Doom3 was more fun to play because of those reasons. But on the story front: While I played HL2, it kept me interesting because I wanted a plot to develop so bad, or for there to be some interesting back story. When I finished the game and no plot developed, I was furious. There were no connecting lines between HL and HL2, except for some vague references. And too many questions and not enough answers. In Doom3, eventually, a plot developed accompanied by an interesting back story.

 

[StopSign]

Nobody mentioned Far Cry yet?

 

[VIAN]

Originally posted by: StopSign
Nobody mentioned Far Cry yet?

no reason to make things more complicated by introducing another game.

 

[Malladine]

what about FarCry?
I thought it was a challenge on realistic...the graphics were alright, weaponry and maps were awesome.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Malladine
Gotta remember to replay HL2 and Doom3 now that I can crank all the effects spoonhigh.

That actually made a huge difference for me. I started the game on my laptop where I barely had the setting at medium and it would crash all the time, so I stopped playing it.

After I built my new rig I fired up HL2 again and was amazed at how much more enjoyable it was to me on a nice big screen and with the settings cranked up.

I never thought graphics alone would make me enjoy a game more, but in this case it really helped with the immersion.

KT

 

[Malladine]

IMO there's a point at which graphics cease to play a major role in the quality of a game. And that point would be 40-60fps, essentially. If a game i'm trying to play slows down noticably at ANY time, I always lower the settings to prevent that or quit playing it til I can afford better hardware.

 

[TheYak]

Originally posted by: CP5670

DE has a story

This one is the best example out of FPSs. The amount of detail they put into the plot was incredible. You could have written a small novel with just the content from the game. Freespace 2 is another such game that comes to mind. Things like HL2 don't even compare.

I'm 100% with you there. Even DE:IW had a much more engrossing and well-written story than either Half-Life, but I've yet to see any FPS that comes close to DE.

Half-Life 1 & 2 never made me feel pulled into the story. However, I do consider them the smart-man's-dumbed-down-shooter, whereas if you actually want something engrossing and intricate you go for System Shock or Deus Ex. For what HL2 was, it was superb.. it was just over-praised by critics because it was essentially being compared to tripe like Doom 3 (though I enjoyed D3 for different reasons than depth or plot).

 

[idiotekniQues]

if i hadn't played far cry already i would have thought hl2 was a lot better.

 

[StopSign]

Originally posted by: VIAN

Originally posted by: StopSign
Nobody mentioned Far Cry yet?

no reason to make things more complicated by introducing another game.

You guys were talking about non-linear levels and Far Cry is a perfect example of that.

 

[QueBert]

HL2 is awesome, I restarted it a few weeks ago. I like the pace, it might be vert slow at first but the surroundings pull me in. Linear or not, I really felt like I was there. The story is pretty basic, and you never get to hear Gordon speak. But I'm enjoying it. So what it there always happens to be a ramp right next to an open gate, one which you need to get the airboat to the other side. Graphics are good, if my system was a bit better I'd install the Cinematic mod, but I don't think an x800 on a 3700+ with 1 gig of memory could pull off 1600x1200 well. If I'm mistaken somebody please fill me in