Halo 2 beats box office records

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2004-11-12 06:33pm

LoL By ridiculous I mean 'whoa, thats a lot of preorders', not ridiculous 'unlikely'

Its interesting to track the returns and trades over the next month; of the six people I know with Halo2, four are unimpressed and one is taking it back inside the EB 7-day window.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2004-11-12 07:43pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Yeah, but based on the total sales figures of Half-Life and Halo, Half-Life 2's total sales will more than likely be much more than Halo 2's total sales.

Yes, but Halo hasn't been out as long. Considering, most decent computers could run Half-Life, while you have to have an XBox to play Halo. Also consider there are many individuals much like myself who never bought Halo, but I was in line to purchase Halo 2. Where as I don't have plans to purchase Half-Life 2. This is goverened by funds (spent on Halo 2 no doubt) and the fact that after trying to run Doom 3 I realize it's not a pleasant experience on this box. Which is sad because I tried pumping this thing up to at least run it half way decently.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2004-11-12 07:52pm

Alan Bolte wrote:Outperforming box office sales is sort of put into perspective when you consider that games sell for as much as ten times as much as movie tickets.

I think that's a poor comparison. If you like Halo2, you're going to be playing it for literally hundreds of hours. A game isn't a 2hour presentation, nor is it a DVD you buy then watch twice. Games are good investments entertainment-wise because good ones hold your interest for ages; DW3 isn't a very good game, really, but I've got my AU$89.95 out of it

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-11-12 08:54pm

The Kernel wrote: You really don't know very much about this do you? Maybe you should look at the Halo sales numbers over the last three years since its launch before claiming that Halo didn't have any staying power in retail. There's a reason they left it at $50 for two years.

And? So? But?

Does that negate the HL2 sales going just as high? No? Thank you. I don't care what Halo did (you'd have to be damn gullible to still pay full smack for ANY game a year or even two after the release and yes, I have seen how it was lapped up by Xbox fans given they had nothing else going at the time), I'm pretty sure HL2 will rival, if not, outsell it on the grand scale here.

Halo may have staying power. But guess what? So does Half-Life.

EDIT: I almost forgot. I don't give a shit about units sold anyway. HL2 will still be the superior game and I'd put money on it trouncing Halo 2 at the awards much like the original did to, well, pretty much everything. It's not like a game or film sucks if it hasn't broken "box office" records.

Cal Wright wrote:
Yes, but Halo hasn't been out as long. Considering, most decent computers could run Half-Life, while you have to have an XBox to play Halo. Also consider there are many individuals much like myself who never bought Halo, but I was in line to purchase Halo 2. Where as I don't have plans to purchase Half-Life 2. This is goverened by funds (spent on Halo 2 no doubt) and the fact that after trying to run Doom 3 I realize it's not a pleasant experience on this box. Which is sad because I tried pumping this thing up to at least run it half way decently.

From what I heard off mates that got Doom 3, it was a bit of a resource hog. HL2 will run on my PC despite it being over 3 years old, you just won't get it running as nice as on a top buck machine coming out now. Valve made it their mission to have HL2 be just as nice to the hardware as HL but still have that extra kick if you've got the power.

thecreech · Post by **thecreech** » 2004-11-12 09:26pm

I still don't get the original Half-life. The game was O.K at best. But it was the mods that saved it. No one plays the original half life anymore. People up until NOV 9th were playing the Halo single player regularly, 3 years after its release. Half-Life didn't have that staying power and the only reason Half-life is still mentioned is because of the engine that is used for the mods (Which is a great graphics engine, any PC can run it)

So if you are talking about pure game play then Halo has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that it has more staying power (Halo is still in the top 20 games sales regularly and sometimes end up in the top ten) and it has done it without mods.

I have no doubt that Half-life 2 will be a great game but i am sure that like the original the game will be but and after thought once all the mods come out while i am sure that another 3 years down the road Halo 2 in its original form will still be played

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-11-12 09:32pm

thecreech wrote:I still don't get the original Half-life. The game was O.K at best. But it was the mods that saved it. No one plays the original half life anymore. People up until NOV 9th were playing the Halo single player regularly, 3 years after its release. Half-Life didn't have that staying power and the only reason Half-life is still mentioned is because of the engine that is used for the mods (Which is a great graphics engine, any PC can run it)

Nice generic statement. I know plenty that have played HL's main story again to psyche up for the sequel, myself included. And I would now if only my XP machine wasn't being dicky over games right at this moment.

So if you are talking about pure game play then Halo has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that it has more staying power (Halo is still in the top 20 games sales regularly and sometimes end up in the top ten) and it has done it without mods.

I have no doubt that Half-life 2 will be a great game but i am sure that like the original the game will be but and after thought once all the mods come out while i am sure that another 3 years down the road Halo 2 in its original form will still be played

Given Half-Life has been out for 6 years, I don't see how amazing a comparison that is. Given the gaming world's fascination with the Counterstrike even today, all those years later, you can't say Halo has more staying power.

I hear Halo 2 is 15 hours tops with nothing exceptionally new anyway. Half-Life 2 is around 40 hours depending on how good you are and has far more flexibility when it comes to modding. And really, that's what puts HL2 above Halo in most respects. It's simply got more staying power on the whole because even after completing the game, there's a literal whole world left.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-11-12 09:33pm

Gee, I was playing Half-Life single player even last summer. I've beat the game 20+ times. I bought every add-on.

What you don't get about Half-Life is how it revolutionized FPS games with its level of interactivity with the enviroment, its playability, and its game play. The original Half-Life WITHOUT its mods won a 97% on PC Gamer. Thats an unheard of score. Only one other game got a 97% in the last decade. The add-ons and the mods for Half-Life just expanded the game and made it even more popular.

thecreech · Post by **thecreech** » 2004-11-12 09:41pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:
Nice generic statement. I know plenty that have played HL's main story again to psyche up for the sequel, myself included. And I would now if only my XP machine wasn't being dicky over games right at this moment.

Given Half-Life has been out for 6 years, I don't see how amazing a comparison that is. Given the gaming world's fascination with the Counterstrike even today, all those years later, you can't say Halo has more staying power.

I hear Halo 2 is 15 hours tops with nothing exceptionally new anyway. Half-Life 2 is around 40 hours depending on how good you are and has far more flexibility when it comes to modding. And really, that's what puts HL2 above Halo in most respects. It's simply got more staying power on the whole because even after completing the game, there's a literal whole world left.

Plenty sure... no one i know ever plays it any more. The game aged horribly and you completely ignored my point. Counter Strike is not Half-Life, it is a mod. Counter Strike doesn't have Gordon Freeman in it. It doesn't have the Aliens that he fought. It is not Half-life which is something that you are using as a cruch. People Today are still playing Halo it is original form. I am sure this is going to fly over your head but i am simply stating that Half-life as a stand alone game doesn't have the staying power has Halo does. And for the record it is just a Graphics engine that they are using for the Mods it isn't Half life (again i mention this).

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-11-12 09:43pm

And yet all you need to play CS is Half-Life. Strange how that works...

BTW, Half-Life didn't age horribly. They even updated the game with the High-Definition pack in 2001 (which put its graphics back near the current standard) and Half-Life is getting ANOTHER boost with Source. Its fully ported AND there are mod groups who are going to take advantage of the new engine and fully remake the original Half-Life in the totaly new engine using the graphics capabilities.

And what can Halo do? Oh, they can add extra firepower, pop some enemies into the level, and send a Warthog into places it shouldn't be. Where is the map making, where are the REAL mods?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-11-12 09:44pm

Alyeska wrote:Gee, I was playing Half-Life single player even last summer. I've beat the game 20+ times. I bought every add-on.

What you don't get about Half-Life is how it revolutionized FPS games with its level of interactivity with the enviroment, its playability, and its game play. The original Half-Life WITHOUT its mods won a 97% on PC Gamer. Thats an unheard of score. Only one other game got a 97% in the last decade. The add-ons and the mods for Half-Life just expanded the game and made it even more popular.

Aye, I even have a slip of paper in the CD case stating when I first completed it and the times since then.

The last HL mod got more than Halo did in most magazines I believe, and that was only a couple of years ago, IIRC.

Given the unofficial and few official reviews so far have given the game amazing numbers (I believe PC Gamer, the main UK one at least, gave it the highest game rating ever), I'm certainly not losing sleep on how good it will be. I feel Halo 2 has got the better PR campaign (there's a cool large poster in my campus bar with the MC fighting in a city saying "After 11th November, lectures won't matter anymore"), just that HL2 doesn't really need it if you know anything about FPS games.

thecreech · Post by **thecreech** » 2004-11-12 09:46pm

Alyeska wrote:Gee, I was playing Half-Life single player even last summer. I've beat the game 20+ times. I bought every add-on.

What you don't get about Half-Life is how it revolutionized FPS games with its level of interactivity with the enviroment, its playability, and its game play. The original Half-Life WITHOUT its mods won a 97% on PC Gamer. Thats an unheard of score. Only one other game got a 97% in the last decade. The add-ons and the mods for Half-Life just expanded the game and made it even more popular.

PC gamer is a crap magazine. After givng a 98% to Alpha centuri and one year later the game doesn't even make it into their top 100 games of all time. Besides if you guys are still playing the single player then your are a small minorty because i don't see anyone playing it like i still see Halo (of course i realize that the HL is 6 years old but even two years after its release i have yet to see anyone ever play the single player again). Either way i do get it Half-life but the game was heavly overrated. Single player was a one shot. OF course the play ablitiy of the game is MO

thecreech · Post by **thecreech** » 2004-11-12 09:47pm

Alyeska wrote:And yet all you need to play CS is Half-Life. Strange how that works...

BTW, Half-Life didn't age horribly. They even updated the game with the High-Definition pack in 2001 (which put its graphics back near the current standard) and Half-Life is getting ANOTHER boost with Source. Its fully ported AND there are mod groups who are going to take advantage of the new engine and fully remake the original Half-Life in the totaly new engine using the graphics capabilities.

And what can Halo do? Oh, they can add extra firepower, pop some enemies into the level, and send a Warthog into places it shouldn't be. Where is the map making, where are the REAL mods?

Yeah and Halo didn't need any update to stay fresh where half life did. So of course it aged bad. Why do you think they did that. and of course i have to pay to get Counter strike and have people steal my CD key making it harder for me to play (of course that is a personal issue that i won't even get into) Strange how that works

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-11-12 09:49pm

thecreech wrote: PC gamer is a crap magazine. After givng a 98% to Alpha centuri and one year later the game doesn't even make it into their top 100 games of all time. Besides if you guys are still playing the single player then your are a small minorty because i don't see anyone playing it like i still see Halo (of course i realize that the HL is 6 years old but even two years after its release i have yet to see anyone ever play the single player again). Either way i do get it Half-life but the game was heavly overrated. Single player was a one shot. OF course the play ablitiy of the game is MO

PC Gamer, the original UK version, is far from crap, though I hate the use of percentage based marking systems much like what GamesMaster does as well. PSM is better with out of 10 marks.

I don't see HL as being overrated. The massive and I mean massive following it still has after all these years pretty much makes any overrated claims bogus by default. Sure, you may not have liked the original game and plot, but the rest of it is gold.

Personally, I don't see why Halo got the hype it did. There's nothing even remotely special or new in it I haven't seen elsewhere. At least HL breaks the mould.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-11-12 09:51pm

thecreech wrote:
Alyeska wrote:Gee, I was playing Half-Life single player even last summer. I've beat the game 20+ times. I bought every add-on.

What you don't get about Half-Life is how it revolutionized FPS games with its level of interactivity with the enviroment, its playability, and its game play. The original Half-Life WITHOUT its mods won a 97% on PC Gamer. Thats an unheard of score. Only one other game got a 97% in the last decade. The add-ons and the mods for Half-Life just expanded the game and made it even more popular.
PC gamer is a crap magazine. After givng a 98% to Alpha centuri and one year later the game doesn't even make it into their top 100 games of all time. Besides if you guys are still playing the single player then your are a small minorty because i don't see anyone playing it like i still see Halo (of course i realize that the HL is 6 years old but even two years after its release i have yet to see anyone ever play the single player again). Either way i do get it Half-life but the game was heavly overrated. Single player was a one shot. OF course the play ablitiy of the game is MO

Funny how the most recent add-on occured THREE years after Half-Life came out. Don't you think people were playing through Half-Life again because they got NEW graphics to play around with?

This just shows how full of shit you are. Half-Life is six years old and is still rated as one of the best games ever and also acknowledged for its contribution to the gaming world.

Counter Strike does count as part of Half-Life because mods rely on the games they are a part of. Mods SELL games and ensure replayability. When you have the mod you are bound to play the original as well.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2004-11-12 09:52pm

Lets not turn this into a 'SP HL suxxxxx0rz' thread; some people like SP, some people don't. This is about XBox players buying shitloads of Halo2. What does that say about SeXboX owners?

I played Marathon back in the day; while its perhaps not important, the style of play has changed little in Halo. Isn't that a bit sad? Halo2 seems to be almost 'retro' compared to the state of the FPS art. Although I'm glad that conefire is now, finally, almost dead as a game mechanic.

And remember, Stalker will be the bestz0r gamez0r everz0r, and it has absolutely no chance of selling more than a small fraction of Halo2. Doesn't mean its not a better game

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-11-12 09:54pm

thecreech wrote:
Alyeska wrote:And yet all you need to play CS is Half-Life. Strange how that works...

BTW, Half-Life didn't age horribly. They even updated the game with the High-Definition pack in 2001 (which put its graphics back near the current standard) and Half-Life is getting ANOTHER boost with Source. Its fully ported AND there are mod groups who are going to take advantage of the new engine and fully remake the original Half-Life in the totaly new engine using the graphics capabilities.

And what can Halo do? Oh, they can add extra firepower, pop some enemies into the level, and send a Warthog into places it shouldn't be. Where is the map making, where are the REAL mods?
Yeah and Halo didn't need any update to stay fresh where half life did. So of course it aged bad. Why do you think they did that. and of course i have to pay to get Counter strike and have people steal my CD key making it harder for me to play (of course that is a personal issue that i won't even get into) Strange how that works

Yet another advantage Half-Life has over Halo. Bungie never bothered to update the original.

You don't look at a game bassed purely on its original aspect when its contantly updated. Shall we grade Starcraft right now bassed purely on the original, ignore Brood Wars and all the patches?

And nice red herrings. Paying to get Half-Life now is dirt cheap. Loosing CD Keys to others hardly ever occurs and its NEVER happened to me and I've played CS enough for it to be unhealthy.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-11-12 09:56pm

If you rely on sales figures to determine a great game, then no doubt you see the Myst series as fan-fucking-tastic and not the craptastic creations they were. Now there's an overrated series.

Hell, I don't even trust some reviewers, certainly not online ones. For PC games, it's PC Gamer. For consoles, GM or C&VG and PSM. I find most online organisations, which are two a penny now, give wildly varying reviews, even on recognised hits.

If HL2 doesn't get game of the year though, I will be flummoxed.

thecreech · Post by **thecreech** » 2004-11-12 09:58pm

Alyeska wrote: Funny how the most recent add-on occured THREE years after Half-Life came out. Don't you think people were playing through Half-Life again because they got NEW graphics to play around with?

This just shows how full of shit you are. Half-Life is six years old and is still rated as one of the best games ever and also acknowledged for its contribution to the gaming world.

Counter Strike does count as part of Half-Life because mods rely on the games they are a part of. Mods SELL games and ensure replayability. When you have the mod you are bound to play the original as well.

Hey no need to get upset, i know that its like your defending something dear to your heart. But apparently you are not quite grasping my point. I don't want hurt someones feelings over a video game so i will just bow out here. I said what i wanted to say...

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2004-11-12 09:58pm

HL2 has already got a 10 from Edge.

That's worth more than a Game of the Year from anyone (it's only the fifth one in 11 years of publication).

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-11-12 09:59pm

It will be hard for HL2 NOT to get game of the year. Competition was stiff, but not THAT close.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-11-12 09:59pm

Vendetta wrote:HL2 has already got a 10 from Edge.

That's worth more than a Game of the Year from anyone (it's only the fifth one in 11 years of publication).

That IS impressive. Short of bribery, getting that grade is damn near impossible.

Yeah, okay. I think we've made our points and should let the thread get back on to the original topic, whatever that may be. I've seen how ugly these threads can get, it's even funnier on Usenet though.

thecreech · Post by **thecreech** » 2004-11-12 10:00pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Yeah, okay. I think we've made our points and should let the thread get back on to the original topic, whatever that may be. I've seen how ugly these threads can get, it's even funnier on Usenet though.

agreed. We are all gamers and i will be getting HL2 for sure. I am just curious though did you ever play Halo the full single player game

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-11-12 10:03pm

thecreech wrote: agreed. We are all gamers and i will be getting HL2 for sure. I am just curious though did you ever play Halo the full single player game

I had goes on the main campaign and the multiplayer (which was indeed fun) when it first came out and I'd moved to uni. Ah, the fresher's week was perpetual drinking and playing LAN or console games. As enjoyable as it was, I didn't see why said friend felt it necessary to buy the console solely for the game. Having said that, my brother did get his PS2 for MGS2, so I guess it works both ways.

I shall one day finish the full story, but I was spoiled for most of it long before.

The books look interesting too.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2004-11-12 10:19pm

Edge isn't the magazine it used to be. I remember it giving some game (Halo, I think) some fucking retardedly good score. Its called 'bribery', its called 'populist wanking'. Game reviews haven't been worth shit more than fluff for years.

But hey, HL2 is game of the year. I haven't played it, I don't like the look of it, but I will win. No competition except HALO-Combat Evolved-Evolved.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2004-11-12 11:40pm

Jesus fucking A Alyeska...again you assert your personal experience as better then others and then decry it as somehow the other person is wrong, when they assert theirs.

Okay, you and Halo aren't lovers...thank you. There are things others people like for their own reasons. This isn't debating fucking politics or sciences y'know.

As for the point...Halo 2 has made a shitload of money...will remain an enourmous cash cow for the X-Box and unless the port is good, people will not give much a fuck about the PC version.

Half Life 2 will likely do better. Undoubtablely it will be up there in the annals of it's predecessor and literally be one of the best(or Gabe Newell will be labasted for all time). It's the modding community that will make HL2 better then HL1, because that's ultimately what made HL1 such an huge mark on the community in general.