Official Half-Life 2 discussion thread.

Shogoki · Post by **Shogoki** » 2004-11-22 03:39pm

EmKay wrote:Okay, you guys managed to convince me that this game is worth getting. A bit of a question before I whip out my $. Will the game run on AMD2000XP+, Radeon 9500 Omega softmod and 512ddram? Or should I go Pong instead?

I have a 2000xp+, a Radeon 9800 pro and 768mb of ram, i run it at 1024 x 768, 2x AA and 2x FSAA with medium textures and everything else high, runs flawlessly like this, no doom 3 like slowdowns at all, except when there are like 15 or 20 ai's at once and theres stuff blowing up and that. Im sure i could even go all detail to the highest if i had more video ram (i get the 20 seconds of smooth play, then a pause as it caches more stuff, which means the processing power is there, but not enough memory).

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2004-11-22 04:42pm

Shogoki wrote:
EmKay wrote:Okay, you guys managed to convince me that this game is worth getting. A bit of a question before I whip out my $. Will the game run on AMD2000XP+, Radeon 9500 Omega softmod and 512ddram? Or should I go Pong instead?
I have a 2000xp+, a Radeon 9800 pro and 768mb of ram, i run it at 1024 x 768, 2x AA and 2x FSAA with medium textures and everything else high, runs flawlessly like this, no doom 3 like slowdowns at all, except when there are like 15 or 20 ai's at once and theres stuff blowing up and that. Im sure i could even go all detail to the highest if i had more video ram (i get the 20 seconds of smooth play, then a pause as it caches more stuff, which means the processing power is there, but not enough memory).

Even my ATI x800 XT with 3.4ghtz STILL slows down during large explosions(Like stacking up five explosive barrels tossing in random objects and chucking a gernade into the mix)

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2004-11-23 04:27am

Mr Bean wrote:
Even my ATI x800 XT with 3.4ghtz STILL slows down during large explosions(Like stacking up five explosive barrels tossing in random objects and chucking a gernade into the mix)

What do you expect? I mean, who the heck does that in the middle of playing?

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2004-11-23 07:58pm

FUCK! Striders are murderous. I'm in a tunnel and my squadmate calls "Strider!" WTF? I look in front of me and see nothing. I wip my head around and there's a Strider fucking bending down to fit through the tunnel. I pull out my RPG and start sprinting backwards, hoping I can get a shot off to hurt it a bit and buy me time to get to shelter. Too late, the laser designator isn't even on before me and my buddy are vaped instantly.

Fuck man this game rocks so much. Best mod ever would make it so Striders fire their super instant death gun constantly and have a cannon like the Gunship to shoot down rockets...

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2004-11-23 08:17pm

One of my favourite moments was taking on two Striders at once ^^;;;

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-11-24 07:42am

What kind of shit-fuck ending was that? LAME! LAME! BOOOOOOOOOO!

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2004-11-24 07:53am

No shit-fuckier than the original HL's. Or Halo 2's.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2004-11-24 08:35pm

Spyder did a good job just then, so I won't attemp to cover the same ground again. I rather like not being spoonfed the plot, personally.

Mlenk · Post by **Mlenk** » 2004-11-25 12:42am

Is it possible to kill a dropship without using your rocket launcher? I'm at the part where I've just gotten done with the buggy part, I parked it in the garage, and now I have to help defend the base with a few other guys from a dropship that unloads enemies. Anyways, I'm all out of ammo for the launcher. Am I screwed? Or does that just make it way harder for me.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2004-11-25 12:46am

You can kill dropships? I just stood in front and to the side of the dropship and shot those stupid fucks as they came out in a nice single-file line.

Edit: This is the lighthouse, right? There's an infinite rocket ammo crate inside.

Mlenk · Post by **Mlenk** » 2004-11-25 04:01am

*smacks himself in the head*

God damn I can be so blind sometimes.

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-11-25 07:26am

If putting 2 and 2 together gets too hard for you go and watch a Michael Bay movie, at least there, there is blatant exposition.

Valve is flawless in their execution here, you forget - you are Gordon Freeman appearing (apparently) just seconds after you were on a train in a warp at the end of HL1... Of course you're fucking confused. But the info is there, everywhere you look there are clues, that is if you spent your time looking, and not just bunny-hopping around the map.

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-11-25 07:47am

weemadando wrote:If putting 2 and 2 together gets too hard for you go and watch a Michael Bay movie, at least there, there is blatant exposition.

Too much exposition is bad. Too little, is also bad. Take some of Spyder's answers- how exactly do we know the Vortigaunts were slaves, and who exactly they were slaves of? Some cryptic comment they may or may not make in your presence? Or worse, a cutscene that was meant to be in the game, but isn't? That's just stupid.

Valve is flawless in their execution here, you forget - you are Gordon Freeman appearing (apparently) just seconds after you were on a train in a warp at the end of HL1... Of course you're fucking confused. But the info is there, everywhere you look there are clues, that is if you spent your time looking, and not just bunny-hopping around the map.

I don't bunny-hop. Also, how do you know it was just seconds after you were on a train in a warp at the end of HL1? You don't, not for sure. Another perfect example. Personally I just think they were lazy. Heck, we're not even sure how much time passed. In HL1, more was offered to you, with a lot more interaction with a lot more people (even though those people looked the same, but I digress). It was easier to piece together what was going on. This time around, you're just running around, not being told what to do at all unless there's some crisis, buggered-if-you-know what your *ultimate* goal is.

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-11-25 08:45am

weemadando wrote:But the info is there, everywhere you look there are clues, that is if you spent your time looking, and not just bunny-hopping around the map.

I did look around, but all i found was Breens propoganda broadcasts, whatever the characters said (minimal) and a few paper clippings in Eli's lab ("EARTH SURRENDER'S").

Where else is the info?

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-11-25 09:04am

2000AD wrote:
weemadando wrote:But the info is there, everywhere you look there are clues, that is if you spent your time looking, and not just bunny-hopping around the map.
I did look around, but all i found was Breens propoganda broadcasts, whatever the characters said (minimal) and a few paper clippings in Eli's lab ("EARTH SURRENDER'S").

Where else is the info?

Scattered around. Broadcasts from Breen, things the Vortigaunts say, posters, clippings.

I'm guessing that a lot of loose ends are to be tied up in expansions and sequels.

But remember - how much did we really KNOW in HL1? We were never told names for any creatures in game. Exposition was barely existant past the first 40 minutes and the last 40 minutes. And even then it was a matter of piecing together a puzzle.

We've had 6 years to puzzle out HL1 with a great deal of help from Valve and others - not to mention the expansions. Don't make the mistake of thinking that its storyline was any better explained.

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2004-11-25 03:28pm

Vympel wrote:
weemadando wrote:If putting 2 and 2 together gets too hard for you go and watch a Michael Bay movie, at least there, there is blatant exposition.
Too much exposition is bad. Too little, is also bad. Take some of Spyder's answers- how exactly do we know the Vortigaunts were slaves, and who exactly they were slaves of?

They tell you. Keep talking to the one that mounts the cannon on the airboat before you're about to leave and he fills you in on the story behind the Vortigaunts. He refers to the Nihilanth as the lesser master and the combine as the greater master. He thanks you for cutting their bonds and reminds you that they cannot forget "those whose cords were cut."

Also they were called Alien Slaves in HL1.

Also, I can't believe I missed it on the first time through but on my second time through when you're at Eli's lab when he asks you to take a look around there are some newspapers on the wall. The headlines pretty much explain it all, including the seven hour war and Breen being made the administrator of the rest of humanity. Eli will also comment on it when you look at them.

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2004-11-25 05:12pm

Ok, I'm up to the prison part, with the 2 helicopters, fun as all hell.

So far my only gripes with the game are:

Not enough Xen wildlife - I've not seen any bullsquids, gargs, those psychic dog things, all i have seen are some icky headcrabs, zombies and barnacles. Those fast ones are scary though, as are the nested human things that throw headcrabs at you. Ant lions are so much better than snarks, thanks for that upgrade.
No gibs - I know we live in the age of ragdolls, but getting a fully charged Tau cannon in the face should make you gib and slide all over the place! The only things that gib in a decent manner are the ant lions.
Not being able to shoot characters on your side. I mean come on, I should be able to bolt my allies to the wall when they're in the middle of a speech!

All I can think of for now...

Crayz9000 · Post by **Crayz9000** » 2004-11-25 06:15pm

Rye wrote:[*]No gibs - I know we live in the age of ragdolls, but getting a fully charged Tau cannon in the face should make you gib and slide all over the place! The only things that gib in a decent manner are the ant lions.

What, you mean that we can't go around and gib corpses with the crowbar anymore?

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2004-11-25 06:27pm

Crayz9000 wrote:
Rye wrote:[*]No gibs - I know we live in the age of ragdolls, but getting a fully charged Tau cannon in the face should make you gib and slide all over the place! The only things that gib in a decent manner are the ant lions.
What, you mean that we can't go around and gib corpses with the crowbar anymore?

Not as far as I'm aware. You can twat them for ages and make them fall into the sea and stuff, that's it.

That's another annoying thing: not being able to use the gravity gun/pick stuff up ordinarily if it was alive. That's silly.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2004-11-25 07:08pm

Spoiler: That problem gets solved.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2004-11-25 07:08pm

Vympel wrote: Also, how do you know it was just seconds after you were on a train in a warp at the end of HL1? You don't, not for sure.

Oh sure, it's only like "Wake up, Mr. Freeman..." Right after a blank screen at the end of HL1...

And Eli saying "You haven't changed one iota"....

And THERE BEING NO GAMEPLAY BETWEEN THE END OF HALF-LIFE 1 AND HALF-LIFE 2!!!!

If Freeman was awake between then, why didn't we play during that time? HMM?? Occam's Razor, genius.

Heck, we're not even sure how much time passed.

15-20 years, since Alyx was only about 6 at most when the Black Mesa incident occured. (Ref: Eli: "That picture and Alyx were all I managed to carry out of Black Mesa" and the "Uncle Kliener" drawing by Alyx in Kleiner's lab)

Your complaints fall on deaf ears... if you thought HL1 had more exposition, then you obviously didn't pay any attention in HL2.

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-11-25 08:37pm

DPDarkPrimus wrote:
Oh sure, it's only like "Wake up, Mr. Freeman..." Right after a blank screen at the end of HL1...

And of course you know its right after .... because ... ah, its assumed.

And Eli saying "You haven't changed one iota"....

Which could mean he's wearing the exact same outfit, you know.

And THERE BEING NO GAMEPLAY BETWEEN THE END OF HALF-LIFE 1 AND HALF-LIFE 2!!!!

Right, so I guess that means Baldur's Gate 2 happened right after Baldur's Gate 1, with no time in between? Oh, that's right, they *explained* in BG2 what happened to you since the end of BG1.

If Freeman was awake between then, why didn't we play during that time? HMM?? Occam's Razor, genius.

Big hint: if you have to start applying Occam's Razor to determine what, if anything, happened to the character in between games, your storytelling needs some work.

15-20 years, since Alyx was only about 6 at most when the Black Mesa incident occured. (Ref: Eli: "That picture and Alyx were all I managed to carry out of Black Mesa" and the "Uncle Kliener" drawing by Alyx in Kleiner's lab)

Your complaints fall on deaf ears... if you thought HL1 had more exposition, then you obviously didn't pay any attention in HL2.

Rubbish. HL1 never required you to make assumptions about the date of a fricking picture and looking at newspaper clippings to figure out what was going on. You were immersed in Black Mesa and always had an ultimate goal to look forward to.

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2004-11-25 08:47pm

It seemed fairly obvious to me it was set just after HL1 to me, at the end of HL1 you talk to the gman, he gives you the offer, you walk through the portal then it all fades.

HL2 you fade in after a trippy experience with the gman telling you to wake up, talk to the guy on the train and he's a little unnerved because he didn't see you get on. Then there's all the "why you haven't changed one iota" style parts.

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-11-25 09:13pm

Vympel wrote:
Which could mean he's wearing the exact same outfit, you know.

Doubtful - he's wearing a HEV to be sure, but the fact that everyone else has aged and from the reactions of people Gordon hasn't...

Right, so I guess that means Baldur's Gate 2 happened right after Baldur's Gate 1, with no time in between? Oh, that's right, they *explained* in BG2 what happened to you since the end of BG1.

So what side are you on exactly - it sounds like now you are advocating the "no-gap" theory...

Big hint: if you have to start applying Occam's Razor to determine what, if anything, happened to the character in between games, your storytelling needs some work.

Terrible use of Occams Razor, but I think more sensibly it should have been stated: "There is far more evidence that there WAS nothing for Gordon between HL1 and HL2 than there is to show that he was doing something." Just look at the box-art, he hasn't changed a fucking bit.

Rubbish. HL1 never required you to make assumptions about the date of a fricking picture and looking at newspaper clippings to figure out what was going on. You were immersed in Black Mesa and always had an ultimate goal to look forward to.

Yes, because Black Mesa was a familiar environment and the goal was very very simple - GET THE FUCK OUTTA THERE.

When you spontaneously appear on a train heading for somewhere that you don't recognise and you have no background exposition (hinting to me that MAYBE, JUST MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!) then the gameplay and story-telling is very different.

Gameplay/plot comparison:

HL1 - "Gordon you have to get to the surface!"

HL2 - "Gordon you're here - SHIT, THE COMBINE! RUN" "Gordon its great to see you - SHIT, THE COMBINE! RUN!" "Gordon - [insert minimal exposition] - SHIT, THE COMBINE! RUN!" "Gordon, you're here! SHIT, THE COMBINE! FIGHT!"

Halflife 1 and 2 are different styles of story which lead to different story-telling methods. HL1 was almost survival horror/action movie - where you know what you have to do and how to do it. HL2 is much more action/thriller where you are never quite sure whats going on.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2004-11-25 10:05pm

Occam's Razor in saying that "There was no gameplay as Gordon Freeman between HL1 and HL2, therefore HL2 takes place (for Gordon) immediately after HL1" is correct since, and this has only been stated a bajillion times by Valve.... when you play the Half-Life games... YOU ARE GORDON FREEMAN. There are no third-person views, because you can only see from your perspective. There are no "cut scenes", because that means you are removed from the perspective of the character... the reasoning is sound.