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LTTP: Half -Life 2
- Thread starter Relix
- Start date
Red Blaster
Member
I tried playing the original HL2 again recently with that fakefactory enhancer mod thinger and found that I can no longer stand the fucking stupid platforming they make us do in the game.
What exactly do you expect me to say?Borys said:
Half-Life 2 (and its episodes) are incredible games. Virtually every negative comment I have made in regards to the game was aimed at the Source engine, not the game itself.
It's really stood up well over time and I still enjoy playing it. Sure, there are a couple chapter throughout the entire HL2 series of games that I found a bit tedious, but the overall experience was golden and remains fun to this day.
I'm one of the few who can't play Half Life 2 because of getting violently sick from playing it 
. It really sucks. Usually I can manage up to the pipe puzzle before Water Hazard and not puke but once I hit that first lever to raise the water level, i'm gone. It sucks . I always heard how awesome the game is, but I just can't get past that part .
. It really sucks. Usually I can manage up to the pipe puzzle before Water Hazard and not puke but once I hit that first lever to raise the water level, i'm gone. It sucks . I always heard how awesome the game is, but I just can't get past that part .Sylar said:I'm one of the few who can't play Half Life 2 because of getting violently sick from playing it
Haha, load up on dramamine.
dark10x said:
Well...
THIS!
Look, I understand HL2 was choppy and stuttering at the point of release but now, 3 years later there is absolutely no point in disapproving its engine. It should and does run flawlessly on recent PCs and Xbox 360. They patched the hell out of it and the hardware got stronger so it really is a painless experience. I checked it on my old-ass laptop recently (Radeon Mobility X300) and it just worked. As I would think it should work on such a weak PC that is.
do you still get sick after setting your fov to e.g 90?Sylar said:I'm one of the few who can't play Half Life 2 because of getting violently sick from playing it
bengraven
Member
I disagree with the consensus that the vehicle levels suck.
Water Hazard is way too fucking long but the buggy levels are awesome. Stopping at roadblocks to kill enemies or how creepy those lone houses are with no music, just the sound of wind and waves from the ocean...expecting a head crab or zombie to attack any moment from the closet or basement...
FUCK. N. AMAZING.
Water Hazard is way too fucking long but the buggy levels are awesome. Stopping at roadblocks to kill enemies or how creepy those lone houses are with no music, just the sound of wind and waves from the ocean...expecting a head crab or zombie to attack any moment from the closet or basement...
FUCK. N. AMAZING.
I was LTTP and played them all on the 360.
I thought they were bloody amazing, flawless even. I was impressed that visually they held their own with this years titles. I loved the bleak and oppressive atmosphere. The puzzles were great and so subtle. They were really smart with their physics and how to utilize them. I like that you were in the vehicles for a long time, there was lots of stopping and starting, and you never knew what was going to happen next, unlike so many vehicle segments where you know its a five minute deal.
I liked that the shooting took a back seat to other aspects of the game. It did the job, but wasn't so engrossing and effective as other tactics. The Gravity Gun was obviously supposed to be the Weapon Of Choice and the game rewarded you for using it by making those attacks especially lethal. It was great to be trained into walking into an area, scanning quickly to see if the GG would be good in a fight, and then going forward.
Ep. 1 and 2 were great for different reasons. The beginning of Ep. 1 was probably the coolest part of the whole series so far for me.
I thought they were bloody amazing, flawless even. I was impressed that visually they held their own with this years titles. I loved the bleak and oppressive atmosphere. The puzzles were great and so subtle. They were really smart with their physics and how to utilize them. I like that you were in the vehicles for a long time, there was lots of stopping and starting, and you never knew what was going to happen next, unlike so many vehicle segments where you know its a five minute deal.
I liked that the shooting took a back seat to other aspects of the game. It did the job, but wasn't so engrossing and effective as other tactics. The Gravity Gun was obviously supposed to be the Weapon Of Choice and the game rewarded you for using it by making those attacks especially lethal. It was great to be trained into walking into an area, scanning quickly to see if the GG would be good in a fight, and then going forward.
Ep. 1 and 2 were great for different reasons. The beginning of Ep. 1 was probably the coolest part of the whole series so far for me.
beelzebozo
Jealous Bastard
bengraven said:
yes. same thing on this end. i'm frequently perturbed by the need to pick games apart and judge individual pieces of them as if they're meant to stand alone, rather than absorbing the experience as a whole. i loved this sequence, but even if you didn't enjoy it as much as others, that totally ignores the way it plays crucially into the pacing and story of the game. i see the same thing when i recommend someone read american psycho--they come back bitching about the three page descriptions of brand name shoes, never understanding why the book would be less without them.
lastendconductor
Put your snobby liquids into my mouth!
I found HL2 quite boring. Much more than HL1 at least.
Thankfully the episodes are pure awesomeness.
Thankfully the episodes are pure awesomeness.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
bengraven said:
YES!!!
Like I tell everyone who'll listen, it's like driving through Four Hours After The End Of A Stephen King Novel.
I love the vehicle levels, the buggy segment is possibly my favorite in the entire game. The atmosphere of that abadoned coastline is second to none. Creeping through a dilapidated house with only the sound of the wind blowing through the broken windows and the distant surf crashing on the rocks is an experience I absolutely love. And the waterboat sequence has some amazing moments as well, namely the final lake area.
The only real problem I have with the game is the loading. It's strategically placed and usually isn't that bad but there are a few spots that are annoying. It's hardly a game-breaker for me though, as I've played through the game at least a dozen times.
One of the most impressive things, IMO, is that the game still looks good. It's been over three years since I first booted it up and it still looks great for a fairly realistic-looking game. It's a testament to the amazing art design.
And both of the episodes are fantastic. Episode Two is one of the most impressive five hours I've ever had with a game. I can't think of a single design aspect that it doesn't knock out of the park.
The only real problem I have with the game is the loading. It's strategically placed and usually isn't that bad but there are a few spots that are annoying. It's hardly a game-breaker for me though, as I've played through the game at least a dozen times.
One of the most impressive things, IMO, is that the game still looks good. It's been over three years since I first booted it up and it still looks great for a fairly realistic-looking game. It's a testament to the amazing art design.
And both of the episodes are fantastic. Episode Two is one of the most impressive five hours I've ever had with a game. I can't think of a single design aspect that it doesn't knock out of the park.
What did you find confusing? If anything I've heard people bitch about it being too linear. Also, the vehicle sections were great fun.
The only real problem with the game, and there was a whole thread about it a month or so ago, is that the music, while awesome, has stupid triggers. If you play a bit slowly, the music that is meant to get you revved up for some action is playing while you're checking a cranny for some ammo, and you never hear the music again.
The only real problem with the game, and there was a whole thread about it a month or so ago, is that the music, while awesome, has stupid triggers. If you play a bit slowly, the music that is meant to get you revved up for some action is playing while you're checking a cranny for some ammo, and you never hear the music again.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
So I've never played a Half Life game before, and just finished Half Life 2 and i feel kind of lost story wise (Though it seems that's common throughout the games). Someone in the thread mentioned a HL2 mod of the original HL game. I went ahead and got the original game pack. So my question is, if I want to play Half Life 1, should I wait for this mod, or play the original?
What I love about HL2 is its linearity. I don't have time and don't find it fun to wander for countless hours looking for the next area.
Edit: Of course getting lost a few times is part of the game, can't go against that, but HL2 is great because of its linearity and because you can get lost once in a while and it isn't frustrating.
Edit: Of course getting lost a few times is part of the game, can't go against that, but HL2 is great because of its linearity and because you can get lost once in a while and it isn't frustrating.
But this is exactly what Half-Life 2 is known for. Can't say I ever felt lost, which is more than can be said about nearly every other FPS I've played. You're constantly being guided in the right direction, old paths closing off without anything seeming unnatural.TheDuce22 said:
If you're interested, listen to the in-game commentary. Might give you more of an appreciation for how much care goes into a map's progression
lastendconductor
Put your snobby liquids into my mouth!
Well I played them with a 6600 at a steady 30fps on high settings(except for res), so you should be ok.Relix said:
PuppetSlave
Member
Never understood the complaints about the vehicle parts. Thought they were great. Zooming by and doing a hit and run. Loved it.
Sadly, no.Relix said:
However, if you happen to pick up Half-Life 1 or Half-Life 1 Deathmatch: Source, the multiplayer is quite good.
No way. Episode 1 contained some of the best parts of the Half-Life 2 games.Suburban Cowboy said:
Like fighting in the dark, and the electrified water or trip-wire puzzles, and fighting combine and zombies in the hospital and the strider encounter.
awesome Air Boat sequence and the cool Highway 17 stops and controlling the ant lions and fighting in Nova Prospect
Play the original. It won't really explain much of the story, but it's a great game. It has more of a focus on puzzles and platforming than HL2 as well.DrForester said:
Aside from the graphics, it should hold up nicely. Just keep playing and you'll get used to them after a little while. The controls and everything else are still tight and responsive so you really shouldn't have too much trouble getting into it.
I think the thing with people bagging on HL2 is that they clearly have these pre-existing pet games that they feel HL2 challenges due to it being so critically acclaimed. So in defense of these favorite games they play HL2 not wanting to like the game in the first place and then proceed to prod, pick and exaggerate any fault they find with HL2. It's really quite sad.
There's a good reason the game rests snuggly in the top 10 on gamerankings.
There's a good reason the game rests snuggly in the top 10 on gamerankings.
VistraNorrez
Member
I'm having a control problem with the game for PC. The controls seem to stick. If I hold down a button for a little bit it sticks into that and I can't use any button. I think I have to hit it again to unstick or let it stop by itself. It was running fine when I played it the other day, but for some reason it's messed up. Anyone know how to fix this?
I really love HL2, but I agree with the whole "crappy shooting" stuff. I didn't mind because the physics are so fun to mess around with, and usually the easiest way to dispose of someone.
They did at least have a few strong weapons, so guns weren't completely worthless. I love the pulse rifle, magnum, shotgun and crossbow since those are all lethal.
They did at least have a few strong weapons, so guns weren't completely worthless. I love the pulse rifle, magnum, shotgun and crossbow since those are all lethal.
I'm lttp too. Got orange box for the ps3. HL2 is freakin awesome. Really makes me want to play the original Half-life. Anyone kn ow if they are making a Half-Life Source? Portal is also really good. If you have a crappy pc and don't own an xbox 360 then I highly recommend this game.
Kitschkraft
Member
I just recently beat Half Life 2, and also started Epi 1 recently (Not very far in it, just got to the second chapter I think).
It's kinda funny, as I bought Half Life 2 for Xbox 1, played it a little bit, but got to the Ravenhold level and quit (Honestly, this level is a pain in the ass for me, and I believe it's because it has a constant respawn of enemies on a certain part). I bought the Orange box for 360 (One of my FEW gaming double dips), forced myself through ravenhold, and I can honestly say that this is one of the greatest games I've ever played. Water Hazard is kinda bad but thats really because of control issues and length, the quality was still there.
I've never played HL1, but I still found the story quite easy to understand (And what I did have questions on, I could easily get answers from Wikipedia or my brother).
I'm not gonna lie, I love cutscenes. I know that many people, developers, critics, and gamers alike, seem to have an ongoing argument over the usage of them in games, I just personally find them to enhance the experience for me (If done well...if it's cheesy crap like DMC or something then forget about it). But this is one of the few games where I felt the story was told well without needing them. While I would never mind for Valve to cut from gameplay and show us a video of Gordon talking and such, it really is not needed.
Alex is one of, if not the best, NPC in a game. I think the reason she works so well is because Valve doesn't try to do too much with her, she comes along on certain missions but you are not really excorting her anywhere, she takes part in quest but you do the majority of the work, she has GREAT dialogue and voice acting but she's not constantly up in your grill saying shit. Gordon being a silent protagonist makes for some interesting characterization for OTHER characters (Although, maybe not for him so much). The stuff with the Big Brother TV's is great, especially at the end of the game.
Would say more, but this topic has me wanting to go boot up Epi 1.
It's kinda funny, as I bought Half Life 2 for Xbox 1, played it a little bit, but got to the Ravenhold level and quit (Honestly, this level is a pain in the ass for me, and I believe it's because it has a constant respawn of enemies on a certain part). I bought the Orange box for 360 (One of my FEW gaming double dips), forced myself through ravenhold, and I can honestly say that this is one of the greatest games I've ever played. Water Hazard is kinda bad but thats really because of control issues and length, the quality was still there.
I've never played HL1, but I still found the story quite easy to understand (And what I did have questions on, I could easily get answers from Wikipedia or my brother).
I'm not gonna lie, I love cutscenes. I know that many people, developers, critics, and gamers alike, seem to have an ongoing argument over the usage of them in games, I just personally find them to enhance the experience for me (If done well...if it's cheesy crap like DMC or something then forget about it). But this is one of the few games where I felt the story was told well without needing them. While I would never mind for Valve to cut from gameplay and show us a video of Gordon talking and such, it really is not needed.
Alex is one of, if not the best, NPC in a game. I think the reason she works so well is because Valve doesn't try to do too much with her, she comes along on certain missions but you are not really excorting her anywhere, she takes part in quest but you do the majority of the work, she has GREAT dialogue and voice acting but she's not constantly up in your grill saying shit. Gordon being a silent protagonist makes for some interesting characterization for OTHER characters (Although, maybe not for him so much). The stuff with the Big Brother TV's is great, especially at the end of the game.
Would say more, but this topic has me wanting to go boot up Epi 1.
Kitschkraft
Member
bengraven said:
Yup.
The building sections of the game were by far my favorites. Theres one particular part in Anticitizen 1 that was straight out of the beginning of Dawn of the Dead.
WHOAguitarninja
Member
Relix said:
Please post your thoughts at the end of Episode 2, and you too Liara.
McLovin...I beleive there is a PS2 version of half-life you could try to track down. I don't know if it works on PS3 but I figure your chances are pretty good. You could also just get it for PC...I pretty much guarantee you can run it.
To more directly answer your question...there is a "half-life source" for the PC in two forms. one is a SLIGHTLY upgraded version of the original with ragdoll physics and fancy water effects (which look extremely out of place). The other is a mod in development for HL2 (I believe using the episode 1 engine) that is expected to be released sometime within the next 30 years if all goes according to plan. It looks absolutely top notch though and if it ever does release should be pretty fantastic. It'll be for the PC version with little likelyhood of a port to consoles though.