Official Half-Life 2 discussion thread.

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Spyder
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Post by Spyder »

Executor32 wrote:
EDIT: W00t! It seems that at some point, Valve snuck in an update that disables the CD check for retail CD keys. No more CD for me! My prrrrrecious can go back in its box. :D
*Takes DVD out of drive and loads HL2*

When the fuck did that happen? Steam's a sneaky little bugger.

Umm...thanks Valve.
:D
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Post by Spyder »

Executor32 wrote: Second, and best of all, is the unofficial HL2 DX8 Water Reflection Patch. It enables nearly DX9-quality water for DX8 cards like the GeForce 3 & 4 Ti and the Radeon 9200. There's also a CS:S version.
What exactly does this mod do? I'm using a ti4200 and the water looks pretty nice, there seem to be pretty nice looking reflections in it. Are there screens somewhere showing the difference it makes?
:D
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Post by Slartibartfast »

Executor32 wrote:Second, and best of all, is the unofficial HL2 DX8 Water Reflection Patch. It enables nearly DX9-quality water for DX8 cards like the GeForce 3 & 4 Ti and the Radeon 9200.
Fuck you Valve and your ugly brown water textures! WTF were you thinking!
This improves all the river missions by 1000%!
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Post by Slartibartfast »

Spyder wrote:What exactly does this mod do? I'm using a ti4200 and the water looks pretty nice, there seem to be pretty nice looking reflections in it. Are there screens somewhere showing the difference it makes?
At the start of the airboat levels (select "new game" and look for the thumbnail of the house in the river), as soon as you exit the tunnel you end up facing such house. If you see the house both OVER and UNDER the horizon (as a reflection) it means it's working fine. If instead you get a brownish nondescript reflection, it means your card isn't "directx 9" according to this game :P and you need the patch thingies. (unless you're using a geforce 2/4 MX)
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Post by Spyder »

Slartibartfast wrote:
Spyder wrote:What exactly does this mod do? I'm using a ti4200 and the water looks pretty nice, there seem to be pretty nice looking reflections in it. Are there screens somewhere showing the difference it makes?
At the start of the airboat levels (select "new game" and look for the thumbnail of the house in the river), as soon as you exit the tunnel you end up facing such house. If you see the house both OVER and UNDER the horizon (as a reflection) it means it's working fine. If instead you get a brownish nondescript reflection, it means your card isn't "directx 9" according to this game :P and you need the patch thingies. (unless you're using a geforce 2/4 MX)
...Holy shit!
:D
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Post by Ace Pace »

Yes, and the FX cards can't be forced to run DX9 :(

Slart, I guess you missed where they were talking about the FX's, whose DX9 preformance is well known to be shit.
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Post by Slartibartfast »

Ace Pace wrote:Yes, and the FX cards can't be forced to run DX9 :(

Slart, I guess you missed where they were talking about the FX's, whose DX9 preformance is well known to be shit.
AHEM!
I wrote:I originally played it in a 2.0 ghz computer with a FX5600 and medium detail, and it lagged horribly at certain parts (the open plaza near the beginning, for instance) but my ATI 9200 on a 1.6 ghz box runs fucking fast at MAXIMUM detail and shadows (excepting anti alias which is a hog in every game). I get 30 fps at all times, it rarely ever slows down.
You wrote:The slowdown might be from driver issue's, because there is no way the 9200 can compete in the same resolution, no way.
Read what you quote.
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Post by Stravo »

Mr Bean wrote:
Stravo wrote:This is a long thread guys so forgive me if this has been brought up before. I'm trying to install HL2 and get this message on disc 4: "Error 1334 'hl2.ico1' cannot be installed. Is this a common error?
CD bug unfortunatly looks like its time to email support tell them you got a possible bad CD and they will ship you a replacement in a week
UGH. Now I have to wait to start this game.
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Post by phongn »

Captain tycho wrote:How well would HL2 run with a GeForce 6600GT?
Very well.
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Post by Ace Pace »

Slartibartfast wrote:
I wrote:I originally played it in a 2.0 ghz computer with a FX5600 and medium detail, and it lagged horribly at certain parts (the open plaza near the beginning, for instance) but my ATI 9200 on a 1.6 ghz box runs fucking fast at MAXIMUM detail and shadows (excepting anti alias which is a hog in every game). I get 30 fps at all times, it rarely ever slows down.
You wrote:The slowdown might be from driver issue's, because there is no way the 9200 can compete in the same resolution, no way.
Read what you quote.
Okey, let me rephrase, the problems might be from the drivers, because aslong as the card if running at DX8.1, it runs fine.

Also, are you sure that 9200 is running at the SAME resolution as the 5600, at the SAME path?
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Post by Slartibartfast »

Both were running on Dx 8.1. Lower detail settings on the FX5600.
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Post by Ace Pace »

Slartibartfast wrote:Both were running on Dx 8.1. Lower detail settings on the FX5600.
Same res?
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Post by Slartibartfast »

Yes.
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Post by White Haven »

Alright...just got around to beating it at long last, after having to fuck with a total reinstall because Steam got screwed up. Go to hell for THAT, Valve. Aaanyway, yes, the G-MAN can suck the WANG of Justice, and I really, REALLY hope that someday, in some Half-Life game, some other civilization jailbreaks Gordon outta Infinity and sics him on the G-Man. I want /BLOOD/.
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Post by InnocentBystander »

I think of all the computer game characters, the g-man is honestly the best.
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Post by Ace Pace »

InnocentBystander wrote:I think of all the computer game characters, the g-man is honestly the best.
Dog, Dog is awesome :twisted:
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Post by White Haven »

Dog, you can't get in that way!

:lol:

Yes, the G-Man is a great character. Yes, I want to open mouth, insert grenade. Good characters can still provoke towering wrath. Hey, Alyx was coo, dammit.
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Post by Grand Admiral Thrawn »

Na, Dogs cool, but Father Gregori rocks, and he gives you the shotgun.
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Post by Admiral Valdemar »

At last! I have completed it! Yeah, yeah, I did buy it around the 21st December, but it was well worth the wait for a new PC.

I have to agree about the G-Man being one of the, if not, the best game characters ever. The ending was great, though a little empty, but I know that Valve have left it that way so they can fill in the gaps in future add-ons and a possible sequel. My copy of HL2: Raising The Bar elaborates a bit on the Combine and the world in general, so if anyone still wants to know something, I'll see what I can dig up. It's a worthy purchase.

All-in-all, best game in years. Now to play around with the Source and multiplayer stuff.
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Post by White Haven »

Call me nuts, but I /LIKE/ excessive exposition. I /LIKE/ Weber's tech-dumps. I like to be able to explore all through a universe, not just glance around the narrow crevice I'm pushed through.
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Post by Slartibartfast »

White Haven wrote:Call me nuts, but I /LIKE/ excessive exposition. I /LIKE/ Weber's tech-dumps. I like to be able to explore all through a universe, not just glance around the narrow crevice I'm pushed through.
Can't please everyone.
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Post by White Haven »

No, no you can't. HL2 was good, but I find Valve's methods of storytelling to be downright obnoxious. And Ravenholm.
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Post by Hamel »

I did enjoy HL2, but I have some issues with it:

[1] The first half of the game felt like a tech demo for the vehicles and Havok.

[2] Everyone looked like they had a skin disease, the textures in most places were pretty low res, and some shaders appeared pixelated and blocky.

[3] For a game that looked so wide open, it was just as linear as Doom 3. Far Cry rapes both games in the exploration category, if such a category is recognized.

[4] The ending was fucking lame. It took Valve this many years to make the game and they couldn't wrap up the story?

[5] Difficulty was nearly non-existant except for limited ammo. It got fucking stupid, especially with the combine pulse rifle.
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Post by Corran Horn »

HL2 one of The best FPS's I have played. BUt I didnt like tyhe way VALVe forced Steam upon us who just want to play it offline.

Frim the time I bought the Game it took 1 week to get it to fully install on the computer with the Downloads and all.

After around 3 hours of PLaying I come back and Steam needs another update. And living in Australia we can run into Major Problems I spent 7 hours DLing the new 1MB update for it. I have spent more time on the net DLing stuff so I can paly the game rather than actually playing the game.

Stema is a Big Mistake By VALVe unless they can get it running smoothly to ALL places where the game is sold.
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Post by Admiral Valdemar »

I forgot to add. At the end of HL, the G-Man says you keep your HEV suit (even if the thing seems like it's been ripped off you). He strips you of your weapons though, saying: "They were mostly gov't property, after all. As for your HEV suit, I think you've earnt it."

And given he seems to freeze you until you wake up on a train entering City 17 Darwin knows how many years later, then he may have done something with it, maybe give it to Eli et al and let them modify it.
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