"The Freeman Returns" with The Official Orange Box Thread
- Thread starter The M.O.B
- Start date
dark10x said:
You can look around while driving, it's just janky like the Xbox version. Not as nice as it was on the PC.
And yes, HL2 never sounded better. My home theater setups are far superior to what I have for my PC and it sounds amazing.
Mrbob said:
I'm right before I get the turret. Did you play the XBOX version? If it's like that with the turret I guess I can manage.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Haklong said:
It's manageable but it's REALLY fucking annoying considering how every single thing you want to shoot at fires projectiles, so your turret is autoaiming, as Quentin Tarantino so fucking hammily put it in Desperado, at "everything EXCEPT the fuckin' glass!"
Glass, in this case, being "thing you actually want to blow the hell up."
Episode 2 is really short. :O
The last "act" is awesome though, the rest of the game is kinda good but I think I was expecting a bit more. Also the worst part of the series is still here, horrible gunplay! The tie in with Portal is interesting too. Portal is aweeeeeeeesome. Great, great game.
I took a couple of pics of the ending of the game so DO NOT CLICK ON THEM IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE GAME YET(Episode 2)
http://i23.tinypic.com/epmc11.jpg
http://i22.tinypic.com/eueal2.jpg
http://i21.tinypic.com/2m67i9w.jpg
http://i21.tinypic.com/w02i6q.jpg
The ending is cliffhangerish but in a good way.
The last "act" is awesome though, the rest of the game is kinda good but I think I was expecting a bit more. Also the worst part of the series is still here, horrible gunplay! The tie in with Portal is interesting too. Portal is aweeeeeeeesome. Great, great game.
I took a couple of pics of the ending of the game so DO NOT CLICK ON THEM IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE GAME YET(Episode 2)
http://i23.tinypic.com/epmc11.jpg
http://i22.tinypic.com/eueal2.jpg
http://i21.tinypic.com/2m67i9w.jpg
http://i21.tinypic.com/w02i6q.jpg
The ending is cliffhangerish but in a good way.
EP2 ended well.
Rate the new content?
Portal > EP2
Was more satisfied. But EP2 rocked. The added technology is nice. And Alyx's expressions and facial/model detail is great. As well as the other big characters.
OH BTW:
Nice screens, especially the last one.
I like how the advisor was scrapping across the ground to get away, these motherfuckers are strong too, I mean, they pin you every fucking time, how are we gonna kill them later? Also Eli is dead now, he wants you to destroy the portal stuff if I'm not mistaken.
Also Aperture Science input, knew it would connect. Episode 3 will surely rock, if that portal character is alive, you may meet her.
Rate the new content?
Portal > EP2
Was more satisfied. But EP2 rocked. The added technology is nice. And Alyx's expressions and facial/model detail is great. As well as the other big characters.
OH BTW:
how in the fuck are you supposed to get the gnome from the beginning of the game all the way there? I knew that gnome was out of place when I found it early on.
Nice screens, especially the last one.
Need some help on Ep2:
Thanks in advance!
While I cleared a combine bunker, Alyx fixed the car and equipped it with a radar. She tells me to stop whenever the radar start beeping. So I did and I'm at the second stop. It's a garage with an RPG, some rockets and a medstation on the second floor. I need to get to the second floor to cut off power to the door containing the RPG. I just have no idea how to get there. I suppose I need to use a rotating part of the floor but I don't know how exactly.
Thanks in advance!
neuroticphil
Member
Coen said:
Chuck a grenade under the movable floor and then stand on it. It'll fling you up there.
WhatRuOn said:
Yeah the gravity gun is great, it's the rest of the weapons that I don't like.
There's like... 3 good guns in all the game, the Magnum, the "sniper" and the shotgun. All the other guns are worthless. And the only good gun they give you plenty of ammo for is the shotgun. :/
Dunno, maybe I'm the only one thinking like that.
Ha! Looks like I'm not alone after all.
Everything on high, 2x AA, 4x AF, V-Sync disabled , 1440*900. 60fps most of the time.
I'm playing the 360 version this time, but on the PC, I actually used to lock my framerate at 30 fps (fps_max 30) even though I could hit 60 most of the time.
I found that, at 30 fps, the game would NEVER slow down. This also allowed me to crank AA, AF, and resolution up to a level I normally wouldn't have used. The latest PCs should be able to do all of that without locking the framerate at 30 fps, but I think a v-sync enabled, locked 30 fps with everything maxed is more attractive than a "somewhat stable" 60 fps without v-sync.
I wish I had a really fast PC, though.
dark10x said:I'm playing the 360 version this time, but on the PC, I actually used to lock my framerate at 30 fps (fps_max 30) even though I could hit 60 most of the time.
I found that, at 30 fps, the game would NEVER slow down. This also allowed me to crank AA, AF, and resolution up to a level I normally wouldn't have used. The latest PCs should be able to do all of that without locking the framerate at 30 fps, but I think a v-sync enabled, locked 30 fps with everything maxed is more attractive than a "somewhat stable" 60 fps without v-sync.
I wish I had a really fast PC, though.
Interesting, I'll have to try that.
ToyMachine228
Member
Just one more day of classes, followed by work, followed by a drive home, sleep, and then Saturday...Orange Box is mine! 360 version. GT is RyoGCH for those of you who don't know.
dark10x said:
I have to agree. I started going through the original HL2 last night, thinking it might be cute if I went through all 3 HL2 games over the course of a week or so. HL2 is still the impeccable series of set pieces that it's always been, and I love the cutscenes where you're being talked to and stuff and you can make eye contact with the characters... but the gunplay... it still feels just as unsatisfactory as it did when I played it on the PC 3 years ago.
The gun porn is weak (animation and audio), while the AI relies too heavily on pre-scripting and instant shot precision. Also, when shot, enemies don't go into any sort of a damage animation transition so they just keep going about their business while the only way you know they're getting hit is blood splatters in the air. It's like these guys don't feel any pain until you've reached the threshold and then suddenly they flop to the ground like you've shattered every bone in their body.
But worse of all, the AI is just really unresponsive and uncreative. I'm not sure if it has to do with the fact that the level designs just don't cater well to tactical firefights, but I've never been once surprised or taken off-guard by the AI in a non-scripted "gotcha!" situation. None of the Marines suppression, flank, and grenade tactics that terrorized me so bad in the original HL.
Oh well, HL2 is what it is. I'll go through it, then finally finish Ep.1 which bored me down to my soul... and am looking forward to Ep.2.
Haven't tried Portal yet, but I'm also looking forward to that. TF2 is fun times when things aren't laggy.
Oh yeah, and this time I've decided to go through the game on HARD.
The funny thing, killing hunters with guns is really difficult... (I play on Hard difficulty, don't know about any of you other guys). But they die with 2 hits from a tree trunk or strider piece. It's like Valve prefers you use objects over guns. I unload many clips for no signifigant damage.Kabouter said:
Strider BRAIN. Dog ripped it out.
dark10x said:I'm playing the 360 version this time, but on the PC, I actually used to lock my framerate at 30 fps (fps_max 30) even though I could hit 60 most of the time.
I found that, at 30 fps, the game would NEVER slow down. This also allowed me to crank AA, AF, and resolution up to a level I normally wouldn't have used. The latest PCs should be able to do all of that without locking the framerate at 30 fps, but I think a v-sync enabled, locked 30 fps with everything maxed is more attractive than a "somewhat stable" 60 fps without v-sync.
I wish I had a really fast PC, though.
Me too
I wonder why (PC) games cannot be locked at 30 fps intervals for example at 30 fps, 60 fps, 90 fps etc.
It should be pretty simple: do a system scan, ok you have 1 GB of RAM and 3 GHz CPU - 30 fps locked, oh you have 4 GB of RAM, 1 GB of VRAM and 4 GHz Quad - locked @ 90 fps for you.
I know anything past 60 (75) fps is overkill but hey if you've got the juice it should be possible.
(or maybe scratch 90 fps for 60 fps + 2*AA, and I mean *LOCKED* 60 fps)
Yep. That's where Halo 3 really shines. The enemies almost feel alive at times. The Combine in HL2 just charge right at you and don't even seem to flinch when you hit them. The lack of a melee makes this seem even more ridiculous. The AI in Halo 3 is just so much damn fun to fight and all of the combat system elements come together to create true harmony. HL2 is a completely different type of experience.
I do kind of like these episodes. It seems like it whittles down all the "bad" portions, and leaves the "good" stuff.
Up to the part where
. Anyone find any instances where you can see the GMan wandering around? Saw him on the
. Love that characther. So Evil....yet so much of an enigma, I can't tell if he's on "our" side or not.
Up to the part where
I've taken out the heli, and waiting on Alyx to fix the car. Trying to take out some gun
Bridge
dark10x said:
Oh yeah. Having to switch to melee or grenades with the d-pad is the worst thing ever now. Seriously, have we learned NOTHING? :lol
Why couldn't they just have ported over the AI from the HL Marines? Sigh. Or those Counter-Strike bots... something other than the bullet sponge turrets aka Combine soldiers we have now.
ElectricBlue187
Member
dark10x said:
if you've got SPDIF it's not any harder than your home theater
neuroticphil
Member
Lonestar said:Maybe it's just the eyes.
THE EYES FREAK ME OUT AT 2 AM AND HEADSETS
Yeah, they definitely did something to the eyes. They're more luminous and infinitely more sinister.
AltogetherAndrews
Banned
Not to interrupt the love fest or anything, but having played Ep2 for some time now... does it get better? I've been crawling around these tunnels for some time, and I'm bored to death with this game. This section feels down right outdated.
ElectricBlue187
Member
AltogetherAndrews said:
where are you? Most of the beginning of the game is you running for your life from the Combine, after that it gets more awesome.
AltogetherAndrews
Banned
ElectricBlue187 said:
I'm hanging out with the lame ass vortigaunt in search of some extract from the antlion head honcho. And I'm bored, to the point where I just turned off the game and don't feel much like loading it back up.
See, I loved HL2. Loved it. But this has so far been tripe on tripe. I'm hoping it becomes incredible once I'm out of the mines, and hopefully that will make up for this garbage.
ElectricBlue187
Member
AltogetherAndrews said:
Oh you're playing episode 2. For some reason I thought you meant Half Life 2, yes that beginning part sucks but it gets better.
I hate 'bug levels' in all games. So lame.
They do, that's why there always happens to be a tire or tree trunk close by when you're fighting them. It's designed that way.Rur0ni said:
They are supposed to be worthless in contrast to your stronger arsenal. They are backup weaponry. Similar to people never using their pistols in CS, unless they have to. I don't think they are inherently bad, no more than the Glock 18 or Steyr TMP. Hence, in that game, people either buy a new gun, or upgrade their armor at the start of the round. They usually buy a new gun. (I usually buy armorjet1911 said:
). Similarily, no one wants to play UT with only a Impact Hammer. Should all weapons be of equal value? I don't think so. You need variation to keep things interesting. The disparity of the weapons and the GG improv you're always going to have to use. What practical incentive would you have otherwise to use the GG? Some weapons work on some enemies, some don't on others. You're constantly switching up based on what you need, or want to preserve. That's why I like HL2's gunplay, it's a mesh.
It's cool nibbling some enemies with your puney pistol to switch it out grab a barrel and enable the fuckers ragdoll. Shit never gets old.
M_A_C
Member
I only played 30 minutes of the 360 version of HL2 last night and noticed some major downgrades from the old PC version. How is it that the 360 can't run this game up to par of a computer with a 9700pro? The first scientist guy you come across doesn't even have lenses in his glasses. WTF? I remember playing that part 4 years ago and thinking how cool it was to have a guy with lenses in his glasses that actually look real.
Superblatt
Member
M_A_C said:
The HDR lighting sure looked good to me though. I thought most of the character models looked pretty damn sharp. I guess I'm not that much of stickler though when it comes to reflective lenses in NPC char's glasses.
:lol
It's not just about the output so much as the hardware and drivers. I've never been able to get my receiver to recognize Dolby Digital from my PC when dealing with games. In Windows using test apps, sure, it can work, but most games just act strange with it. I've tried this with both mid-range Creative cards (which don't seem to support DD) and some Turtle Beach card (that did).ElectricBlue187 said:
What kind of PC surround setup do you have? Due to those problems, I've always just allowed my receiver to process the audio as ProLogicII. Not exactly great, but it still sounds decent enough.
What downgrades did you notice? I think it looks better overall. The HDR effects are nice, the flashlight now casts realtime shadows, there is a slight motion blur effect in use, and the shaders look even cleaner than they did on my PC (water, for instance).
I'm surprised nobody commented on the addition of complex shadows with light sources in HL2. I know Episode 2 on the PC uses them, but it's a nice addition to both HL2 and Episode 1 (especially in EP1 with that underground combat).
Superblatt
Member
Y2Kev said:
You think Episode 3 will be a 360 downloadable item?
ElectricBlue187
Member
I just realized,
That's kinda strange.
It's a logitech 5.1 with optical/digital inputs. I use a Catalina sound card just because it has that optical output and I haven't had much or any problems
you don't see Barney at all in this episode.
dark10x said:
It's a logitech 5.1 with optical/digital inputs. I use a Catalina sound card just because it has that optical output and I haven't had much or any problems
ThaiGrocer
Member
When and how will we make custom portal maps? Do we have to wait for an update on the SDK? How long does Valve usually take to update SDK after an official game release?
Red Blaster
Member
Don't see how one can like HL2 and dislike Episode 2, they both have the same amount of highs and lows percentage wise. I can however see how people dislike Episode 1.
was the only truly great part of it, the rest felt like a boring version of Anticitizen One from HL2.
The hospital shootout
AltogetherAndrews
Banned
Red Blaster said:
Might have something to do with HL2 releasing then, and Ep2 releasing now. There were a few things then that felt quite novel and thereby acceptable, but now... urgh.
dark10x said:I'm playing the 360 version this time, but on the PC, I actually used to lock my framerate at 30 fps (fps_max 30) even though I could hit 60 most of the time.
I found that, at 30 fps, the game would NEVER slow down. This also allowed me to crank AA, AF, and resolution up to a level I normally wouldn't have used. The latest PCs should be able to do all of that without locking the framerate at 30 fps, but I think a v-sync enabled, locked 30 fps with everything maxed is more attractive than a "somewhat stable" 60 fps without v-sync.
I wish I had a really fast PC, though.
I like this approach. I'm really pushing my system though as I really, really prefer 1920 x 1200 (native res) and v-sync enabled. Anything else, for some reason, just nags at me.
That's the main reason I'm getting the 360 version for now. I hate the random times I have to connect to the internet to play a single player game with Steam. I'm in the Navy and that isn't always possible.
But on the downside for the 360 version, I just read the review and for HL2 they just ported the Xbox version instead of creating a better looking version. That goes against what I read before in that they were supposed to improve the visual quality of HL2 to Episode 2 levels...apparently they changed their minds.
But on the downside for the 360 version, I just read the review and for HL2 they just ported the Xbox version instead of creating a better looking version. That goes against what I read before in that they were supposed to improve the visual quality of HL2 to Episode 2 levels...apparently they changed their minds.
HomerSimpson-Man
Member
BigDug13 said:
If you ever played the Xbox version, you would know that statement is BS. Think about the logistics of it for a bit, why would you port a port that was downscaled greatly to fit on Xbox in the first place and port that instead of the using the original PC assets as a base?
Must be people confusing with the fact that Episode 2 simply is a better looking game than the original Half-life 2.