"The Freeman Returns" with The Official Orange Box Thread

Y2Kev said:
Whoa, playing through HL2 now. Um, the graphics look worse than I remember. Some of the textures are appalling. I just played it on my PC this summer and it didn't look like this.
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The 360 version is allegedly a port of HL2 for Xbox. Episodes one and two should look significantly better.
 
Salmonax said:
The 360 version is allegedly a port of HL2 for Xbox. Episodes one and two should look significantly better.
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I don't know how that rumor got started, but it's not true at all. EP1 and 2 DO look much better, though.

Some of the textures in HL2 do seem to look a tad different, but the overall game looks better, not worse, than the PC original.
 
So I picked up the retail version of the Orange Box this morning and install it to my laptop. I just tried to install Portal and Team Fortress 2. My coworker said that TF2 is like 1.3 gigs and Portal is like a gig but I was surprised to see that the install wanted 6 gigs of space. After the install finishes, I go to look at the size of the local files and sure enough it's like 2.3 gigs. I check my HDD space, and I'm 6 gigs less. Where the hell did the extra 4 gigs go? Mind you I already had HL2 installed on there. So what the hell happened and how do I get my 4 gigs of HDD space back?
 
dark10x said:
I don't know how that rumor got started, but it's not true at all. EP1 and 2 DO look much better, though.
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IGN said it. Along with the 30-60 second loading times.

Eurogamer also said that it was 1080p and had no framerate issues.
 
There is just one thing that disappointed me, not getting a teaser for Ep3 after the credits. Well, that and the mines part, which felt completely outdated in design nowadays.
 
played some HL2 this morning....someone (IGN's review crew I suppose) needs to be punched in the fucking face regarding the Xbox port comment (and loadtimes)

....this title looks better than the original PC release ever did (and loads faster)
 
Masta_Killah said:
It's more like a 50/50 chance of lagging or running smoothly. I had 1 match where the game lagged pretty badly, especially when the rockets came flying out. I had 2 that ran with slight hiccups yet still very playable, and 3 that ran smoothly.

Is the lag caused by the host, or is it maybe because of the fact that you can drop in on the game midmatch? Or maybe the live spectator mode that they have? Im hoping this gets resolved quickly because this game is so much fun when its at full speed.
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For those experiencing lag, try playing Ranked matches and then report your experience here.


I've been playing ranked recently and the majority of my matches have been VERY smooth. I don't know if it's because it doesn't allow new players to join mid-game or what but ranked games have been lag free so far.
 
dark10x said:
I don't know how that rumor got started, but it's not true at all. EP1 and 2 DO look much better, though.

Some of the textures in HL2 do seem to look a tad different, but the overall game looks better, not worse, than the PC original.
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Yeah, the port rumor could be IGN's crack journalists up to their usual bush-league shenanigans.
 
Barnolde said:
IGN said it. Along with the 30-60 second loading times.

Eurogamer also said that it was 1080p and had no framerate issues.
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IGN is full of shit then. The loadtimes are faster than they ever were on any PC I've ever used (including those which could run the game at insane framerates). The game looks better than the PC version in every way outside of actual image quality (which is solid, but basically 1280x720 with 2x AA and 8x AF, I'd say).

Other than that, you have the PC version here with the highest detail level (including full reflections), HDR lighting, full shadows cast from flashlight (ala EP2), no stuttering and subtle motion blur along with no slowdown (though it's capped at 30 fps). 60 fps would have been nice, but as it stands, it's still a perfect presentation of the game.

I'll have to read that IGN review, though. Did they really say 30-60 seconds? That's not even hyperbole there, it's an out and out lie! The game doesn't even require 60 seconds to startup let alone load mid-level. Mid-level loads range between 5-10 seconds. When the PC version first launched people were seeing loadtimes as high as 1-2 minutes with tons of stuttering on top of it.
 
dark10x said:
I don't know how that rumor got started, but it's not true at all. EP1 and 2 DO look much better, though.

Some of the textures in HL2 do seem to look a tad different, but the overall game looks better, not worse, than the PC original.
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WTF? the impressions for this game are really mixed - 3-4 guys & IGN are saying that there are low-res textures that weren't present in the original PC version assuming that it might be a port of the XBOX version and 15 other guys + Eurogamer saying that the port is perfect with some enhancements (motion blur, HDR e.t.c.).

The first scenario sounds really stupid and guys like Mrbob and dark10x among others are saying that the game looks great/better than the original PC version and ummm...that makes the second scenario much more believable. Still somewhat confused though. :P
 
For what its worth, I've never played HL2, I'm an HL2 newb. My thoughts:

- The gameplay isn't exactly WOWing me (I think Halo 3 has better gunplay, and Bioshock has better environments/exploration). BUT... I'm still enjoying myself and I can absolutely see how it would have been a revelatory experience in late 2004. It's just that in the nearly three years since, the game has been surpassed. Which is no surprise, really.

- Three elements that REALLY show the game's age and would be unacceptable if the game were just being released now, in 2007 - 1) Ladder interactions. Clunky as hell. 2) "Picking up" objects. Where's Gordon's arms? 3) Swimming/water interactions. The swimming is very clunky, and I laughed out loud the first time gordon "swam" underwater but his pistol remained in position.

- Graphically I think the game holds up AMAZINGLY well. I don't know why Half-Life 2 has held up better than other 3D titles from 2004... but it has. Obviously games like Bioshock and Gears of War are more impressive, but HL2 still looks better than many PC and 360 titles release today, despite being three years old.

- I like it enough to keep playing. I mean, I'm having fun. BUT, I don't think I'll ever get the same enjoyment out of HL2 as people that played it the first time around.
 
dark10x said:
IGN is full of shit then. The loadtimes are faster than they ever were on any PC I've ever used (including those which could run the game at insane framerates). The game looks better than the PC version in every way outside of actual image quality (which is solid, but basically 1280x720 with 2x AA and 8x AF, I'd say).

Other than that, you have the PC version here with the highest detail level (including full reflections), HDR lighting, full shadows cast from flashlight (ala EP2), no stuttering and subtle motion blur along with no slowdown (though it's capped at 30 fps). 60 fps would have been nice, but as it stands, it's still a perfect presentation of the game.

I'll have to read that IGN review, though. Did they really say 30-60 seconds? That's not even hyperbole there, it's an out and out lie! The game doesn't even require 60 seconds to startup let alone load mid-level. Mid-level loads range between 5-10 seconds. When the PC version first launched people were seeing loadtimes as high as 1-2 minutes with tons of stuttering on top of it.
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IGNorant. People flamed me, because they thought I made it up or something.

IGN's not opposed to outright lying, see: God Hand review.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/826/826062p1.html bottom of the page:
IGN said:
As with the PC version, there are mid-level loads that halt the action. Unlike on PC, these loads are not a few seconds, but often 30 seconds to a full minute. This is especially aggravating when a load comes during a high-speed chase. Lastly, the visuals are not as good as they should be on 360. This is clearly a port of the original Xbox version.
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Their Xbox1 version comment reeks of BS.
 
SanjuroTsubaki said:
I just received an update for either XBOX Live or The Orange Box specifically....any information?
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I don't know. My xbox live disconnected while I was playing orange box so I assume that it was a system wide update and not just for orange box.
 
Since the minor X360 update from a week or two ago adding support for the Scene It controller, my X360 hasn't updated again. I just booted up my 360 to check again. Methinks it was an Orange Box 360 update.
 
dark10x said:
IGN is full of shit then. The loadtimes are faster than they ever were on any PC I've ever used (including those which could run the game at insane framerates). The game looks better than the PC version in every way outside of actual image quality (which is solid, but basically 1280x720 with 2x AA and 8x AF, I'd say).

Other than that, you have the PC version here with the highest detail level (including full reflections), HDR lighting, full shadows cast from flashlight (ala EP2), no stuttering and subtle motion blur along with no slowdown (though it's capped at 30 fps). 60 fps would have been nice, but as it stands, it's still a perfect presentation of the game.

I'll have to read that IGN review, though. Did they really say 30-60 seconds? That's not even hyperbole there, it's an out and out lie! The game doesn't even require 60 seconds to startup let alone load mid-level. Mid-level loads range between 5-10 seconds. When the PC version first launched people were seeing loadtimes as high as 1-2 minutes with tons of stuttering on top of it.
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QFT
 
I just picked up the 360 version at the store . . . stupid me, I didn't even know that this included:
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2: Episode One
Half-Life 2: Episode Two
Team Fortress; AND
Portal

Holy crap . . . how can any self-respecting 360 owner who is not an obsessive PC gamer, not run out and buy this?

Obsessive PC gamers have an excuse since they can get it on the PC and/or have probably already played a number of those games.

The back of the box quote "The best deal in videogame history" is pretty true. They could have easily spread this into 2 or 3 different SKUs.
 
In regards to the IGN review...

I'm not the kind of person that bashes individual reviewers or anything like that, but Hilary Goldstein (the guy who reviewed Orange Box for the 360), has always had some shady reviews. I'm not surprised that he would say some of the shit that he said in the review.
 
As with the PC version, there are mid-level loads that halt the action. Unlike on PC, these loads are not a few seconds, but often 30 seconds to a full minute. This is especially aggravating when a load comes during a high-speed chase. Lastly, the visuals are not as good as they should be on 360. This is clearly a port of the original Xbox version.
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Wow, that really is an out and out lie. 30 seconds to a minute?! :lol That's not even slightly true. The loadtimes are insanely fast for Half-Life 2 (5-10 seconds).

The XBOX version was impressive looking for its platform, but it's obvious that it's a huge step down (especially the textures)...

582864_20051102_screen006.jpg

582864_20051102_screen003.jpg

582864_20051102_screen034.jpg
 
RBH said:
In regards to the IGN review...

I'm not the kind of person that bashes individual reviewers or anything like that, but Hilary Goldstein (the guy who reviewed Orange Box for the 360), has always had some shady reviews. I'm not surprised that he would say some of the shit that he said in the review.
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reminds me of the dudes who are always in GS/EB and go on and on about shit when they have no fucking clue what they're talking about....

...every goddamn time....
 
speculawyer said:
Holy crap . . . how can any self-respecting 360 owner who is not an obsessive PC gamer, not run out and buy this?

Obsessive PC gamers have an excuse since they can get it on the PC and/or have probably already played a number of those games.
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Um, I'm glad you're coming this realisation, but why are we "obsessive" PC gamers? I tend to think of myself as a fairly normal PC gamer who owns a 360 and owned HL2 and E1 previous to the release of The Orange Box. I found $45 (or $50 if you didn't pre-order) for TF2, E2 and Portal to be well worth it.
 
SanjuroTsubaki said:
I just received an update for either XBOX Live or The Orange Box specifically....any information?
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Just got this as well- anybody have a clue as to what it does? Added some actual autoaim for TF2? Fixed the console freezing for TF2? Improved netcode? Added rumble to the game? (In case you can't tell, this is my personal wishlist for the game)
 
gray_fox224 said:
if you had I LCD tv, would you use computer monitor in the settings or television


Dark?
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Television (though I suppose it depends on whether or not the input you are using supports the full range of colors). It's similar to the PS3 "HDMI Full" option.
 
gray_fox224 said:
if you had I LCD tv, would you use computer monitor in the settings or television


Dark?
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I have mine set to computer. TV was too bright for my taste. HL2 looks more atmospheric and TF2's colors have more "pop" to them.

Also, someone test out TF2 unranked and see if the lag is still persistant.

Edit: Forgot to mention that my lcd(Samsung 720p) has the brightness level at around 40. TV left dark sections with blotches of grey. Comp setting made it pure black.
 
Mejilan said:
Any plans to bring graphical improvements to the PC versions of older Half-Life 2 iterations?
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Valve has said it's coming eventually, but they haven't given any indication of when. Apparently it's a pretty large download so they want to make sure it's optional rather than a normal update.
 
UnholySpectacle said:
WOW at the IGN BS. The 360 version looks better than it did on my P4 3.2GHz with 2 gigs of RAM and an ATI RADEON 9800 Pro 128MB video card.
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Yeah, I agree. Still, IGN is not the only one to blame for the gross misinformation surrounding the 360 version. It's clear some GAFers also have a hidden agenda or their PC-orientated nostalgia glasses on too tight.
 
Nate405 said:
Valve has said it's coming eventually, but they haven't given any indication of when. Apparently it's a pretty large download so they want to make sure it's optional rather than a normal update.
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Works for me, thanks. Like the High Def Texture Pack for Half-Life 1. It's optional through Steam as well.
 
Jenga said:
Yes. Came with Blue-shift waaaaaay back when.
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Oh, I already knew about that. I thought he was talking about enhanced (HL2 quality) textures for Half-Life Source, not those minor Blue Shift upgrades...
 
traveler said:
Just got this as well- anybody have a clue as to what it does? Added some actual autoaim for TF2? Fixed the console freezing for TF2? Improved netcode? Added rumble to the game? (In case you can't tell, this is my personal wishlist for the game)
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obviously not a tf2 console freeze patch, i popped in the game, recieved an update, played tf2 and the console still froze during the main menu. =/
 
this is my first time playing Half Life 2. I Have to say that Im loving it. Great atmosphere, I love the look of the source engine. graphics look great in 1080. I know im LTTP, but, fuck that. I cant believe I also have both episodes to dive into. Thank god Valve released this
 
dark10x said:
Oh, I already knew about that. I thought he was talking about enhanced (HL2 quality) textures for Half-Life Source, not those minor Blue Shift upgrades...
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Of course, there's always that Black Mesa HL2 mod that won't come out until '09 or something.
 
:lol Portal is so awesome. The devs must love Futurama because the script sounds like something straight out of Futurama.

The ending song is classic. You can hear it on the radios you find throughout. :lol

My fav bit was the one where the AI was talking about the "good times."
 
viakado said:
obviously not a tf2 console freeze patch, i popped in the game, recieved an update, played tf2 and the console still froze during the main menu. =/
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I've played a lot of TF2, and it has never frozen on me. The game's problem is the horrid netcode, not freezing.
 
Cerrius said:
For those experiencing lag, try playing Ranked matches and then report your experience here.


I've been playing ranked recently and the majority of my matches have been VERY smooth. I don't know if it's because it doesn't allow new players to join mid-game or what but ranked games have been lag free so far.
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Logged on this afternoon and was really disappointed by the lag. played in three seperate matches, all o fwhich were so laggy it was unplayable.

Hopefully that is a temporary issue. They were player matches BTW, there was only one ranked match going at the time and it was full.
 
MrPing1000 said:
It is a rather huge task lets be fair.
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How about they just release the first portion, like that day 1 demo that was released for Half-Life (up until where the marines first come down the airvents).
 
wow, can someone help me with episode 1? i must be missing something.
i'm in the "direct intervention" chapter, and i just crossed a big gap in the core by riding around some spinning blades. i went into a shaft and i move through the corridor with the energy balls flying at you, blocking them with the busted door, but when i reach the end and try to go through the little area on the left to the third activation room i can't make it through the hole, even though i'm ducking and it looks like i should be able to fit just fine.

wtf is up?

edit: nevermind. i am truly a moran
 
I'm surprised at just how well HL2 holds up for a "last gen" game. The artistry and improved effects really help it stand the test of time.
 
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