View Full Version : So I played Half-Life 2 for the first time...
the other day. I know this game is really old. I also know that many figure this game to be "The ****nit". I kept putting it off. I've played Obilvion and Bioshock, so when I got to this game and saw the enviroment, I was instantly depressed. Was this game set in Soviet Russia circa 1985? It is so bleak and depressing that I can only play it .5 hours at a time.
Am I just old?
I believe the environment is supposed to be that way...it definately fits in with the story line
I also find it a bit depressing but I managed to play the game for a few hours on end before taking a break.
I might also mention that I've never played, nor seen, nor read about, the first one. If there's a story line, I'd love to know about it. In brief.
rainless
09-19-07, 11:47 PM
I might also mention that I've never played, nor seen, nor read about, the first one. If there's a story line, I'd love to know about it. In brief.
Don't worry about the storyline. Just insert any futuristic... "Wasteland" kind of story. 1984, meets Brazil, meets Gattica.
That's the story basically. Only your main character is some unattractive geeky scientist... who just happens to be a weapons expert and recovering smack addict... no... I'm getting it confused with Bioshock now... :)
NsOmNiA91130
09-19-07, 11:49 PM
Don't worry about the storyline. Just insert any futuristic... "Wasteland" kind of story. 1984, meets Brazil, meets Gattica.
That's the story basically. Only your main character is some unattractive geeky scientist... who just happens to be a weapons expert and recovering smack addict... no... I'm getting it confused with Bioshock now... :)
Well the game IS set in Eastern Europe, so a 1984-esque world is quite appropriate, especially with telesscreens, propaganda, and barely-living citizens about. Also, once you get to Ravenholm, the entire game turns around and becomes twice as awesome.
This will really reveal the depth of my ignorance...what's with the aliens?
NsOmNiA91130
09-19-07, 11:59 PM
This will really reveal the depth of my ignorance...what's with the aliens?
If you're talking about the Combine, they came to Earth by way of the Portal Storms approximately 10 years before HL2. If you played HL1, you launched a satellite that had something along the lines of "Portal network array - offline", most timelines assume it's you that basically caused the portal storms and started the story of HL2.
If you're talking about the Vortigaunts, they were freed from slavery on Xen after Gordon destroyed their master, Nihilanth. They then allied with the humans to help rid the combine, which assumedly had something to do with Xen or Nihilanth. That's why they're so nice to you, you're their liberator.
I'd recommend playing the first one. Or at least reading the entire article about Half-Life on Wikipedia. :) There's a bit more to the story than what was indicated here, and almost all of the HL2 characters were from the first game.
Burninate
09-20-07, 10:37 PM
Also, I will add HL2 still has some of the best graphics to date and it runs very well on somewhat modest hardware (even my laptop's integrated GPU runs it quite nicely and it still looks great).
If you're like me you'll play it more than once, HL series has to be my favorite so far. The first one would have been good to play first, it gives a slight bit of background into it. The source engine is still a great engine even by todays standards :)
Tyranos
09-20-07, 11:03 PM
Still my favorite PC games so far.
satandole666
09-20-07, 11:04 PM
I can't wait until they are done porting HL1 to the HL2 engine. Then I'll probably play through both in order yet again.
Tyranos
09-20-07, 11:15 PM
I can't wait until they are done porting HL1 to the HL2 engine. Then I'll probably play through both in order yet again.
Wait, is valve doing that, or is it 3rd party? :drool:
Kuroimaho
09-20-07, 11:23 PM
Read this, covers the full HL story, I found the depressive mood very good actully enjoyed the environment was moody really liked it, IMO the first ones, blue shift had also similar feel.
LINK to story. (http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/)
Kuroimaho
09-20-07, 11:29 PM
Wait, is valve doing that, or is it 3rd party? :drool:
Well you can call it 3rd party seems to me community founded a company for the release. BLack Mesa wiki (http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Black_Mesa_(Source)) Their webpage (http://www.blackmesasource.com/)
HL2 has fantastic textures, even today most recent games do not even come close, will be a pleasure replaying HL on the source engine, but hopefully comes out sooner than HL 10th anniversary.
Yeah its OK but compared to Oblivion? How hard is it to make a bleak industrial park? Christ I see this crap everywhere. STALKER comes to mind.
I like the game, I'm just wishing I bought it when it came out.
PS- I hear ya when you say that the world of HL2 was exactly as the developer intended it, but that evokes scenes of Doom3, which was as the developer intended, but still sucked.
Also, I will add HL2 still has some of the best graphics to date and it runs very well on somewhat modest hardware (even my laptop's integrated GPU runs it quite nicely and it still looks great).
I thought FarCry was better, which was released in the beginning of 2004 and HL2 was released at the end of 2004.
TheGreySpectre
09-21-07, 02:34 AM
I still think HL2 has some of the most realisictic looking graphics out of released games.
Yeah its OK but compared to Oblivion? How hard is it to make a bleak industrial park? Christ I see this crap everywhere. STALKER comes to mind.
Stalker sucked. I firmly believe the game wasn't even finished when they decided to release, and that the developers were at their wits end. There is no other explanation for that pile.
SteveLord
09-21-07, 09:03 AM
Halflife 2 lived up to all its hype. You really cannot call yourself a true PC Gamer unless its part of your collection. =)
Halflife 2 lived up to all its hype. You really cannot call yourself a true PC Gamer unless its part of your collection. =)
I couldn't agree more. To this day not one game has blown me away like HL2. I've never been so immersed before.
rainless
09-21-07, 09:17 AM
Yeah its OK but compared to Oblivion? .
Oblivion lacked direction. Some see that as a good thing... but I mean there was NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO direction. I'm trying to cure my vampirism now, and it's easy to forget I even have vampirism, and at the same time I have no clue what's happening in the main story. I think I just picked up the Mythic Dawn book or something silly like that.
And... btw... You can't compare the graphics of a game that came out twenty-nine years ago on DX7 to Oblivion.
I couldn't agree more. To this day not one game has blown me away like HL2. I've never been so immersed before.
I can't get past the beach section. It makes me too motion-sick.
Tyranos
09-21-07, 11:35 AM
Yeah its OK but compared to Oblivion? How hard is it to make a bleak industrial park? Christ I see this crap everywhere. STALKER comes to mind.
I like the game, I'm just wishing I bought it when it came out.
PS- I hear ya when you say that the world of HL2 was exactly as the developer intended it, but that evokes scenes of Doom3, which was as the developer intended, but still sucked.
Harder than making a bunch of mountains and trees. Oblivion’s environments were not even realistic geographically. There was hills, mountains, with vegetation and caves. Oh and castles. And folks didn’t really care, it was a swords and sorcery fantasy game.
When you want to create any type of urban environment, especially a more modern one, with an intent for stirring certain emotions (depression, hopelessness), creating immersion, with utmost realism, you don’t just make a bunch of random water or oil tanks, I beams, broken buildings, houses, and wrecked cars, save them as obj’s and paste them all over a map with a street grid texture. While that might work for a random mountainy fantasy land, it won’t work in a game like HL2. Players need to be convinced, they need a certain level of realism and believability to be able to play the game as Valve intended. They want you to feel a bit depressed, oppressed, and have a feeling of uncertainty in City 17. Obviously that is working with you, since you said it was too depressing to play more than a short period of time. They’re playing on some human nature though, they want you to feel as if you do have the power to overcome despite the world around you. You’re supposed to want to keep playing, even if it’s depressing, because you want to get the oppressor (combine, enemy humans, stalin, hussein..) the hell out of there, so the citizens of the city (and of earth) can live in peace. And, the last time I played it, I don’t remember the whole game, or even the whole city being an “industrial park”. I could have sworn I saw a lot of houses, and even a public train station, stores, etc.
Dragonprince
09-21-07, 03:52 PM
While I enjoying HL2 I think there are plenty of eye candy games out there. What made HL2 more enjoyable than the average game for me was the story being actually interesting vs most games that are shoot first ask story questions never...
Far Cry was one of those games that make you go "wow look at that", especially the water. The story was "ok" but nowhere even close to HL2.
Farcry was really fun tactically though. The story was pretty much crapolla.
I thought Bioshock would have a more deep storyline, but it hasn't developed very far and I think I'm through about half the game. It introduces ideas early on and you can pretty much see how the story will work out.
There are some interesting ways to fight enemies though, which keeps it interesting. Hacking gets real old real fast, I try to autohack as much as I can.
Half Life 2 had some of the best environments I've ever seen in a game, varied and interesting. Storyline is top notch as far a video games go. I'd say both half lifes, both god of wars, and FFVII are the best stories I've seen in games.
I would definitely recommend playing the first Half-Life if you really want to get the full effect of the storyline. Of course if you consider Half-Life 2 dated, you will really think it about the original, made way back in 1998.
Personally I love the whole Half-Life universe (as you can see by my avatar ;) ) and think the storyline is better than most scifi movies.
Ok I've played a bit more. The main thing I like about HL2, now , is the puzzles. Oblivion...didn't really have it. Bioshock is, as far as I can see, SystemShock2. I have this (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/1394-Zero-Punctuation-BioShock) review to thank.
I don't know...it seems like 3d Mario but then the Mario franchise is doing pretty well. I just like Farcry, I think.
lordkosc
09-22-07, 10:53 PM
I await orange box, so I can experience all this half life goodness...
I never played any of the half-life games, nor fallout... I am so deprived...
I just bougt the orange box via steam so that's why I'm talking about it.:D
funnyperson1
09-23-07, 05:31 AM
I felt that when it came out HL2 had the most realistic graphics I had ever seen. FarCry and to a much lesser extent DoomIII had pretty graphics, but both looked 'cartoony' they weren't plausible as a real world. Even today no games really achieve the level of realism that I saw with HL2. Games like Bioshock and Gears of Ware had gorgeous graphics, but the characters and level design are still highly stylized.
Springbok
09-23-07, 05:52 AM
Stalker sucked. I firmly believe the game wasn't even finished when they decided to release, and that the developers were at their wits end. There is no other explanation for that pile.Did you guys even play STALKER? I thought it was awesome, sure people ran into bugs on release but that always happens with PC games.
It might be true that the post-apocalyptic setting is overused in games, but it's here to stay...Hellgate London, Fallout 3...there are a lot of post-apocalyptic games to look forward to.
FastRedPonyCar
09-23-07, 07:29 AM
Every HL2 fan should install this.
http://halflife2.filefront.com/file/FakeFactorys_Cinematic_Mod;77368
Better textures, MUCH better models, new sounds, music, etc. It really does make playing it for the 7th or 8th time through again new and exciting. The weapons do realistic damage too. One pistol shot to the head and the combine drop like flies.
hUMANbEATbOX
09-23-07, 10:17 AM
I can't wait until they are done porting HL1 to the HL2 engine. Then I'll probably play through both in order yet again.
Wait, is valve doing that, or is it 3rd party? :drool:
I've had Half Life: Source in my games list since about 2 months after HL2 came out. :p
Mind you, the textures are the same as the original, but the lighting is better, and so are the physics. I've been playing it over again recently. Still as fun as ever. :)
Every HL2 fan should install this.
http://halflife2.filefront.com/file/FakeFactorys_Cinematic_Mod;77368
Thanks! Downloading now.. :D
SteveLord
09-23-07, 10:44 AM
Did you guys even play STALKER? I thought it was awesome, sure people ran into bugs on release but that always happens with PC games.
Old and wore out excuse.
And while they may be present in all games, they vary in terms of severity.
SteveLord
09-23-07, 10:47 AM
I've had Half Life: Source in my games list since about 2 months after HL2 came out. :p
Mind you, the textures are the same as the original, but the lighting is better, and so are the physics. I've been playing it over again recently. Still as fun as ever. :)
Thanks! Downloading now.. :D
This thing is 3.2GB in size?!??!
I'll try it out.
hUMANbEATbOX
09-23-07, 10:51 AM
This thing is 3.2GB in size..........
Yep, I've got about an hour and 15mins left. 25% done. Its maxing out my connection at 500KB/s, you should try.
FastRedPonyCar
09-23-07, 05:14 PM
yea it's massive but it's borderline total overhaul. much better textures all over. not everywhere but most textures, all weapons/items/models are new and look amazing.
music, sounds, etc. are all new too. The guy who did the mod said he's taking the graphics and engine upgrades that ep1 has and implementing that back into the first story and also upgrading ep1 content.
Oh and it jacks the system requirements way up too. depending on your system, you may have to lower the graphics settings. I'm running everything as high as it will go with 2XAA and 4XAF. If you have 512mb of video ram or more or a 320mb 88000GTS or better you should be fine running it full settings though.
hUMANbEATbOX
09-23-07, 05:18 PM
Trying to run that mod, it loads a new game almost all the way, and always stops at the same spot (with about 4 bars left to go). Grr..
Damn, gonna have to give that a go. Wouldn't mind play HL2 through again
I'm downloading the mod also. I imagine that means I'll have to start a new game...
FastRedPonyCar
09-24-07, 06:26 AM
yeah you have to start a new game using the mod.
Mine will lock up too occasionally. There may still be bugs to work out or mabey some solution in the file comments section on that website I didn't read because mine will do the same thing occasionally too. I usually just reboot and it loads up fine the next time.
Couple of screen shots
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fastredponycar/Half-Life%202/Fake%20Factory/hl22007-09-1908-49-06-76.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fastredponycar/Half-Life%202/Fake%20Factory/hl22007-09-2118-37-57-25.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fastredponycar/Half-Life%202/Fake%20Factory/hl22007-09-2118-40-54-09.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fastredponycar/Half-Life%202/Fake%20Factory/hl22007-09-2119-22-40-12.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fastredponycar/Half-Life%202/Fake%20Factory/hl22007-09-2223-18-02-67.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fastredponycar/Half-Life%202/Fake%20Factory/hl22007-09-2317-23-01-96.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fastredponycar/Half-Life%202/Fake%20Factory/hl22007-09-2317-31-02-31.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fastredponycar/Half-Life%202/Fake%20Factory/hl22007-09-2317-40-37-62.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fastredponycar/Half-Life%202/Fake%20Factory/hl22007-09-2317-54-12-01.jpg
SteveLord
09-24-07, 08:18 AM
Just started a game too. And the major changes are definitely in the character faces. Very nice! Playing 1680x1050 HIGH/HDR and 4x AA and 4x AF. Running smooth.
Kuroimaho
09-24-07, 08:23 AM
Another one playing through the game with cinematic mod, just finished Metastasis, then onto episode one before EP 2 gets released. ;)
Then cryrsis can have my attention. :beer:
Colton H
09-24-07, 08:53 AM
HL2 was a pretty great game. I am sorry that your experience was vauge. :[
copernicus
09-24-07, 10:09 AM
well if your playing hl2 and never played hl1, i'd recommend playing hl1 first to understand the story and the depressive/opressive feeling. half life is a story driven game, (best story in a fps ever imo) hl2 is a good game but will be better if you know why it's got the opressive feeling.
back when all the hype was going for hl2 and i'd never played hl1 i picked it up and was extremely drawn into it despite the dated graphic's, the story and gameplay were just awesome. and i can say that made playing hl2 all the more interesting.
no other game i've played achieves what valve did imo. doom3 was a complete joke gameplay wise. yea the graphic's looked nice but playing it was a laughfest. it was supposed to be scary but was just to funny to be scary.
same with Q3 "BORING"
farcry had great graphic's, and i thought the gameplay was awesome. the story was pretty cheesy but the gameplay made up for it.
fear was a fun game, good gameplay, so so story. to much tight indoor/in the dark stuff like doom though, but was still a fun game.
i've got high hope's for crysis and farcry2, i hope they don't dissapoint.
Alien1099
09-25-07, 06:58 PM
well if your playing hl2 and never played hl1, i'd recommend playing hl1 first to understand the story and the depressive/opressive feeling. half life is a story driven game, (best story in a fps ever imo) hl2 is a good game but will be better if you know why it's got the opressive feeling.
back when all the hype was going for hl2 and i'd never played hl1 i picked it up and was extremely drawn into it despite the dated graphic's, the story and gameplay were just awesome. and i can say that made playing hl2 all the more interesting.
no other game i've played achieves what valve did imo. doom3 was a complete joke gameplay wise. yea the graphic's looked nice but playing it was a laughfest. it was supposed to be scary but was just to funny to be scary.
same with Q3 "BORING"
farcry had great graphic's, and i thought the gameplay was awesome. the story was pretty cheesy but the gameplay made up for it.
fear was a fun game, good gameplay, so so story. to much tight indoor/in the dark stuff like doom though, but was still a fun game.
i've got high hope's for crysis and farcry2, i hope they don't dissapoint.
Uhhh the stories in Half Life 2 and Half Life 1 aren't intimately related. By that I mean you don't need to play 1 to understand 2 what with the different time period, setting, antagonists, circumstances, etc.
hUMANbEATbOX
09-25-07, 08:04 PM
Uhhh the stories in Half Life 2 and Half Life 1 aren't intimately related. By that I mean you don't need to play 1 to understand 2 what with the different time period, setting, antagonists, circumstances, etc.
You don't NEED to, but it does provide context. I know that going in to HL2, I was greeted by familiar faces and a familiar premise, so it set the mood right away. If I had never played HL1, it would have taken a while for me to 'feel' comfortable in its environment.
But I get what you mean. :) Its sorta like James Bond flicks, you can watch (almost) any of them and feel right in place.
g14novak
09-25-07, 08:46 PM
Just got done downloading the model package. Going to install it and play through HL2 with it. Will post some screenies of how it looks. ;)
funnyperson1
09-25-07, 09:08 PM
The model pack does make a significant difference, the graphics in HL2 still look great. Can you tell he spent extra time on Alyx? :p
Did you guys even play STALKER? I thought it was awesome, sure people ran into bugs on release but that always happens with PC games.
It might be true that the post-apocalyptic setting is overused in games, but it's here to stay...Hellgate London, Fallout 3...there are a lot of post-apocalyptic games to look forward to.
I always give games a nice long play before I decide. My cousin had got it so I hogged his rig for a couple hours. The game honestly looks like it wasn't finished. I don't mind the look, I like games of that style, it just had a very generic feel to it and failed to suck me into the story at all. If a game has a bland story it better be insanely fun to play, otherwise I'm just not going to bother. I have high standards and I'm very picky. I'm a snob when it comes to quality games and it takes a lot to impress me this day and age.
Shelnutt2
09-26-07, 01:28 PM
While you don't need to play HL1 to understand HL2, there are many small things, like When Barny throws you the crowbar unless you play HL2 you think its just a random thing.
Half Life 2 isn't a FPS. Its a Story, that you play out in first person. The whole Half Life serious are interconnected and intertwined. Portal storms? 7 hours war? Well if you play Half Life 1 you witness everything leading up to it.
UnrealAlex
09-26-07, 01:35 PM
I wonder if they will come out with Half Life 3, like a next-gen Half life..that would be awesome. I think that would break all records, ever.
Burninate
09-26-07, 02:23 PM
I wonder if they will come out with Half Life 3, like a next-gen Half life..that would be awesome. I think that would break all records, ever.
I'm sure they will eventually. I think they just inroduced the current episodic content to give us something without waiting 6 years in between games.
UnrealAlex
09-26-07, 02:27 PM
What about a Half Life MMO? How sick would that be.
Shelnutt2
09-26-07, 03:03 PM
I'm sure they will eventually. I think they just inroduced the current episodic content to give us something without waiting 6 years in between games.
The episodes are considered by valve Half Life 3. HL EP1-2-3, are considered Half life 3.
SteveLord
09-26-07, 04:09 PM
What we need is more games to utilize the Source engine....the few that did sucked.
Maybe the licensing fees are too expensive. Who knows.
Thund3rball
09-26-07, 04:18 PM
What about a Half Life MMO? How sick would that be.
Are you meaning an MMORPG? That's just silly if so... Different audience and I know I wouldn't buy into it :P HL = FPS = Awesomeness :D
funnyperson1
09-26-07, 07:47 PM
Are you meaning an MMORPG? That's just silly if so... Different audience and I know I wouldn't buy into it :P HL = FPS = Awesomeness :D
I'm with you, I dislike the whole concept of MMOs.
I can't get past the beach section. It makes me too motion-sick.
Well, I downloaded the cinematic mod and now I get motion sick in the first 5 minutes. :bang head
I don't know...maybe I'll pick up some dramamine.
Thund3rball
09-26-07, 08:15 PM
Just chiming in here. The cinematic mod is fantastic! Don't know what you mean by getting motion sick from it though?
I had to put it on hold while I played through Bioshock but I started it up again last night. I'm on the highway and just beat the gunship and few patches of Combine along the road. The game plays fine just sometimes when I die I don't get the "loading" and I have to ESC and load my last save point manually. Ah well... Now I want to try out the MOHA and Jericho demos so... it'll have to wait some more.
Just chiming in here. The cinematic mod is fantastic! Don't know what you mean by getting motion sick from it though?
I mean that when I play it I get very nauseous, and have to stop playing or I feel like I will throw up. Just like when I used to get car-sick (which hasn't happened to me since I learned how to drive). I don't normally get motion sick when I watch movies with a lot of motion in them, so it may be that because I'm trying to control the action and my inner ear is telling me I'm not moving that it is kicking in.
Don't know for sure, but it certainly is annoying. But it looks like the more realistic the scene, the more likely I am to get sick. :(
buckbadly
09-26-07, 08:46 PM
Yea, there was a lot of people complaining of motion sickness when it first came out.
that was just to do with the hover bike thing wasn't it ?
Thund3rball
09-26-07, 09:44 PM
Don't know for sure, but it certainly is annoying. But it looks like the more realistic the scene, the more likely I am to get sick. :(
Wow never heard of anyone getting sick from a game before. That sucks. Whatever you do... don't play Crysis when it comes out ;)
FastRedPonyCar
09-26-07, 09:56 PM
I mean that when I play it I get very nauseous, and have to stop playing or I feel like I will throw up. Just like when I used to get car-sick (which hasn't happened to me since I learned how to drive). I don't normally get motion sick when I watch movies with a lot of motion in them, so it may be that because I'm trying to control the action and my inner ear is telling me I'm not moving that it is kicking in.
Don't know for sure, but it certainly is annoying. But it looks like the more realistic the scene, the more likely I am to get sick. :(
HA! Just wait until you play Jericho :beer:
The camera moves around the entire time the way a real person would... it's amazingly real and adds SO much to the experience. When you look around, it's not a quick jerk movement like in every single FPS to date, there is some play to the camera movement like a real persons head does..it doesn't immediately stop when you stop moving the mouse. Stock up on the dramamine dude. It'll be worth it. If you don't puke from everythign moving on the screen in that game, the sheer amount of gore and body parts may finish the job. :bday:
Yeah, I'm picking some up tomorrow. I will NOT be THWARTED!! :mad:
:beer::bday:
Thund3rball
09-26-07, 10:22 PM
HA! Just wait until you play Jericho :beer:
The camera moves around the entire time the way a real person would... it's amazingly real and adds SO much to the experience. When you look around, it's not a quick jerk movement like in every single FPS to date, there is some play to the camera movement like a real persons head does..it doesn't immediately stop when you stop moving the mouse. Stock up on the dramamine dude. It'll be worth it. If you don't puke from everythign moving on the screen in that game, the sheer amount of gore and body parts may finish the job. :bday:
:drool::drool::drool:
I forgot the demo I downloaded at work.. at work. LOL
You guys may be right about context. There are all these references about Dr. Freeman, but many are lost on me. It may be hard to find out what I'm talking about since Half-Life is practically a cultural icon, but the game seems almost meaningless because I don't know the background. Bioshock, the last FPS I've played, was a self contained story, so, of course , I got it. Not so with HL2. I don't even know who the hell the combine is. I thought it was some kind of repressive government but from hints I get from forums, they are rtelated to these aliens. And if so, are they in cahoots with these other aliens? I didn't want to resort to wikipedia for the background....
On another note, going in fresh, I think Farcry had a better story. Maybe that's because of my glaring ignorance of HL2.
Thund3rball
09-28-07, 01:13 AM
Skeen,
Have you played HL1? IF not I highly recommend it. Even though it's old it has not lost any appeal or playability! I still play it. There is also a great little site that pieces the story together with a timeline.
http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/
I'm sure the devs have a good idea of the story but like leaving it a bit of a mystery to. In short...
It's 20 years later after HL1.
Freeman has not aged and may be some kind of "weapon" or merc for hire used by the GMan. We don't know about the GMan's motive or part to play in all this.
Freeman has become a symbol of freedom and triumph over adversity, to the rebels fighting the Combine.
The Combine are not in HL1. They showed up after some Portal War I think? Portals are what was being researched in HL1. The Combine take over planets and enslave its inhabitants.
There ya go ;)
Thanks but is the Combine human?
funnyperson1
09-28-07, 01:44 AM
The Combine is some sort of Alien life force that controls the human enemies you fight in the game.
Off topic: Funnyperson1, do you have the same mb that I have?
funnyperson1
09-28-07, 02:24 AM
Nope, I have a Socket AM2 motherboard with the NForce550 chipset (doesn't have integrated graphics). Same series though, the Biostar TForce series have been kicking some serious butt for the price.
Also having played HL1, HL2, HL Ep.1, the FarCry story comes off as incredibly corny. I would play HL1, it is a classic game with a great storlyine. If you keep playing through HL2 the story gets better, but the first part is really cool mainly because of interactions you have with characters from HL1.
Yeah it's the lack of HL1 background that I think is killing it for me. I guess I'll wiki it...
Kuroimaho
09-29-07, 01:48 AM
Just finished the cinematic, maan this game still feels as great as I played for the first time as if time really stopped at the top of that tower.
Onto EP 1 and can't wait Ep 2.
Well, the dramamine helped, and I got through about an hour game play, but still felt a little sick by the end of it. I only took one, and you can take two at a time, but I wound up waiting about 2 hours after I took it before I started playing because it knocked me on my rear. So it was probably wearing off near the end. At least I have a solution that should work.
Got up to the canal boat.
I hate to diverge to a tangent, but the hyperbole surrounding this game reminds me of H3.... H3 is an ok game but I like Rainbowsix Las Vegas better.
Thund3rball
10-03-07, 01:26 AM
I hate to diverge to a tangent, but the hyperbole surrounding this game reminds me of H3.... H3 is an ok game but I like Rainbowsix Las Vegas better.
I haven't played Halo except for a few minutes when my nephew got an xbox for xmas years ago. I can understand why you'd say that. I have thought that before too. Can't compare it to Halo but HL 1 was groundbreaking for many reasons. It threw at you:
high paced action
jumping puzzles
adventure
a number of varied missions
detailed and immersive story
zero cut scenes (this was a big deal) the whole story unfolded before you as part of the action
The game is legendary because it defined a new era of FPS gaming (at the time). The game was just that well put together that it all worked like magic to keep you excited and interested. The engine brought us TF (team based goodness) and CS... need I say more? ;)
HL2 pretty much did it again with a few more goodies like physics, booby traps, amazing graphics ... And now with EP2 we are all drooling for different reasons. More info on the story, better physics and graphics, TF2, PORTAL (this looks like it's gonna blow my mind)!!! :drool::drool:
chevro1et
10-03-07, 02:31 AM
I just started HL1 for the first time this week... I have played thru HL2 and EP1 several times on my old gaming rig (s939 opty165/2gb ram/ x1800xt) but now that I am down to this laptop, I had to find something that would play. The source engine scales so well, I can play at 1024x768, mix of med/ high settings, and pull a steady 30-50 fps on integrated graphics. Definitely satisfying my re-surging gaming appetite.
I haven't played Halo except for a few minutes when my nephew got an xbox for xmas years ago. I can understand why you'd say that. I have thought that before too. Can't compare it to Halo but HL 1 was groundbreaking for many reasons. It threw at you:
high paced action
jumping puzzles
adventure
a number of varied missions
detailed and immersive story
zero cut scenes (this was a big deal) the whole story unfolded before you as part of the action
Don't forget it didn't have end of level screens as well, it just loaded the area, which was a first I think. Although if you went down a long hallway you could almost garuntee it was going to load...:)
Thund3rball
10-03-07, 10:06 AM
Don't forget it didn't have end of level screens as well, it just loaded the area, which was a first I think. Although if you went down a long hallway you could almost garuntee it was going to load...:)
Yes that's another important point. A technique that is sure to keep you playing for hours. :)
Kuroimaho
10-03-07, 10:07 AM
Halo, uum well it was really clean FPS was a good game but pale compared to the aformentioned reasons what made HL great, never finished the second part and won't even start the third.
Hehe when played HL2 and in every tunnel with the car, ok now loading comes, wish they could do loading it while you are walking the booring corridor.
As far as loading, I liked how Farcry eliminated that ****. I am annoyed by HL2's constant loading.
I just finished H3 on the 360 and yeah its just as long as the second installment (that means short as hell).
I found a review that happens to sum up my feelings quite well:http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/2304-Zero-Punctuation-Halo-3
Alien1099
10-04-07, 10:41 AM
The game is legendary because it defined a new era of FPS gaming (at the time). The game was just that well put together that it all worked like magic to keep you excited and interested. The engine brought us TF (team based goodness) and CS... need I say more? ;)
Just being nitpicky, but Team Fortress was originally for Quake and was out for a long time before it was ported to the HL1 engine. I think it was the most popular multiplayer Quake mod too. I played the original TF a LOT. I didn't play it as much once it was ported to the Half-Life engine though. At that point I kinda got out of multiplayer FPSs until Battlefield 1942 and then Desert Combat came out.
Immortal_Hero
10-04-07, 01:01 PM
IMO HL2 was the best FPS ever. I was a little disappointed in EP1 as it was too short. No game gives me an "experience" like HL2. It just isn't a game it is pure awsome! I have played it through at least 5 times. I have never played another game more than once or twice with the exception of Call of Duty. HL2 just isn't fancy graphics and people dieing it is emotional. I know I grew attached to the game. I can't wait for EP2 as it should be awsome! Think I will start paying HL2 again tonight just for S&G's.
I really am hoping some new FPS's coming out offer the same type of fun. I am looking foreward to Cyrsis and Far Cry 2 as they promise more open terrain and let the gamer choose when to do what.
My opinion on Oblivion: I don't see how Oblivion can be compared to HL2 one it is a totaly different game type and feel. Oblivion just made me feel lost. All I did was run... run... then run some more...
My opinion on STALKER: Eh... Pretty boring. The fighting is really tuff, iron sights suck, their input sub system needs serious work, etc, etc, etc. Game was ok at best. Didn't even finish it b/c I got really annoyed with it.
Yeah it's the lack of HL1 background that I think is killing it for me. I guess I'll wiki it...
Dude, just play the original!!! You can't fully appreciate it unless you play it!:bang head
Dude, just play the original!!! You can't fully appreciate it unless you play it!:bang head
Yeah you should just play it. I played it for the first time in 03 or 04 since I had bought it along with counterstrike and had it sitting around. I loved it even though the graphics were a little out of date. It was probably the most well thought out FPS I have ever played. I ended up playing Blue Shift and Opposing Force (side-track expansions) just to find some more tidbits about the story.
If they ever finish Black Mesa Source, I will be playing it as soon as it is released. Unfortunately it seems like it might be several more years before BMS actually comes along.
There seem to be alot of people who like HL2 more, but I would put the original ahead of the second. Both great games no doubt.
bobthemoo
10-05-07, 09:58 AM
Half life is the only game that's left me screaming "Moar!"
Nebulous
10-05-07, 10:02 AM
Hmm I remember I bought HL2. I think i played it like 2 hrs evry few days. I got to the part I was in the sewers. Final part i remember was like that junkyard of some sort. Never got past that.
Dam game cost me $40 and now it's just collecting dust :rolleyes: Now UT2K4 I've burned out :D
HL2 is a game I wasted $$ on. Just like NFS2 Underground. Paid $40, played it for something like 45 minutes and just got bored with it. I gotta stop wasting money on games like these :mad:
Got FEAR and Quake4 for xmas from the wifey. I play Q4 regularly, but FEAR I keep getting stuck in the dam warehouse parking lot. Can't seem to find a way out of that part.
Alien1099
10-05-07, 11:45 AM
Got FEAR and Quake4 for xmas from the wifey. I play Q4 regularly, but FEAR I keep getting stuck in the dam warehouse parking lot. Can't seem to find a way out of that part.
Isn't that at like the beginning of the game? I never had any issues with getting lost. :p
Kuroimaho
10-05-07, 10:14 PM
Never really got lost in HL or FEAR but in Bioshock yes, those places seemed all really similar not mentioning the little ones moving so hunting them was boring sometimes.
Metastasis final is out, woot. :beer:
I got to nearly the end of Bioshock and quit. I'm taking a long time to get through HL2. I loved FarCry. Maybe I don't like FPSs.
I'm totally unimpressed with Bioshock. The controls feel all wrong and I can't put my finger on why. It just feels like a game that was designed for a console and not quite implemented correctly for a more intelligent (argue if you will, but you know it's true) PC audience. I'm a little over halfway through and feel like I need to finish the game to justify the $50 I forked out for it.
As far as HL2 and FarCry...I wish I had more hands, so I could give those games four thumbs up.
Nebulous
10-06-07, 05:55 PM
Isn't that at like the beginning of the game? I never had any issues with getting lost. :p
Yeah, it's in the begining. After I kill off all the mindless soldiers I keep going around in circles trying to find the next map portal and i can't seem to find it.
I walk around checking evrything several times hoping I did'nt miss anything, but somehow i can't seem to get to the next level :rolleyes:
A shame too cuz I like the game and i keep lying to wifey about how I finished it so she doesn't get upset about spending the cash to get it.
I feel like crap cuz it's money wasted on a game i can't seem to get past that level, so now it's collecting dust on my shelf with all the other games I bought and don't play. Maybe i should just sell/trade them to EB for a new game I will play.
I think that might be the area where you have to go down into the stairwell and through the door to get to the next part. I could be thinking of the wrong place though.
UnrealAlex
10-06-07, 06:32 PM
Never really got lost in HL or FEAR but in Bioshock yes, those places seemed all really similar not mentioning the little ones moving so hunting them was boring sometimes.
Metastasis final is out, woot. :beer:
Same here, all that hype died pretty fast haha. I even regret buying it now...
I just played Episode One for the first time, everyone said it was preetty short but I spent like 3-5 hours on it I think. I died soooo many times, and I was playing on the easiest difficulty too.
I always find my way through but its awfully repetitive.
Long live Elder Scrolls!
Thund3rball
10-11-07, 06:08 PM
Yeah, it's in the begining. After I kill off all the mindless soldiers I keep going around in circles trying to find the next map portal and i can't seem to find it.
I walk around checking evrything several times hoping I did'nt miss anything, but somehow i can't seem to get to the next level :rolleyes:
A shame too cuz I like the game and i keep lying to wifey about how I finished it so she doesn't get upset about spending the cash to get it.
I feel like crap cuz it's money wasted on a game i can't seem to get past that level, so now it's collecting dust on my shelf with all the other games I bought and don't play. Maybe i should just sell/trade them to EB for a new game I will play.
If your that stuck and would like to move on, just find a walkthrough (http://www.gamespot.com/features/6136085/index.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gameguides&tag=gameguide;title;1) to help lead you in the right direction and you're on your way! Better than wasting money and getting frustrated. FEAR is a hoot so just cheat and use the walkthrough at this point and you'll be happy :)
Thund3rball
10-26-07, 12:00 AM
Hey look at this! Nothing says HL2 like the Travelocity Gnome! :eh?: - LOL
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