Half Life 2 Anticipation thread

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2004 6:05 pm Post subject: Half Life 2 Anticipation thread

am i the only one here totally salivating at the thought of finally playing this game? some people have accused HL2 of being vaporware but now that the preload is going out, it seems that its finally going to happen. HL2 will be released in the next month or so. Or at least i sincerely hope so. Anyways, I suspect many folks are gonna get it not for the actual game, but to play CS: Source (which by all accounts seems to be coming along quite nicely). This is just like when HL1 came out, and Team Fortress Classic fueled the HL online craze. Anyways, I figured I'd make a thread to discuss any info anyone might have as to when the game will be going gold, or what the release date will be. I think EB still has it listed as November, but with the preload nearly finished (or is it finished ? I cant remember) I cant imagine that the game tweaking will last much longer. Also, does anyone know of any other site besides www.hl2fallout.com to get up to date HL2 info? so far that seems to be the best source. Anyways, here are some pics to stare at

here are a few shots of CS: Source

Well, we have had 3 preload phases over Steam so far, bringing people with files up to about 2.63 GB of compressed data. Gabe said a while back that the uncompressed game was around 3.5 GB, so preloaders have a large portion of the game on their hard drives right now (sounds/models/textures).

There will likely be 1 or 2 more preloads, depending on how big they want them to be. The last major thing to get is the maps, which eat a lot of space, and the engine its self - wich dosen't take up a lot of room. Final compressed data should clock in at just about 3.0 GB, so there is about 400-500 MB more of data to get.

Valve has also said that they are sending the release candidate to Vivendi on September 15, and it can go gold anytime after that. Once gold status is reached, its only about 2 weeks before the game is in our hands.

I played the original Half-Life for 5 years (mods, online, etc). I absolutely cannot wait for this. I yearn to play a good HLDM online - I haven't done that in years. I'm even getting excited about CS again, even though I have played tons of that over the years.

It is also one of the many reasons I quit FFXI. HL2 won't eat up a TON of my online time (usually 1-3 hours a day), but it will eat enough of it to heavily impact my FFXI playing, so HL2 won. Mr. Green

As for websites, Hl2Fallout seems to be the best, along with old school PlanetHalfLife. They both seem to update news at the same time.

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2004 8:28 pm Post subject:

No, you aren't. I'm finally waiting for an FPS that is fun to play online again, and this (Counterstrike 2) will probably be it.

I almost forgot about this game since I hadn't heard anything about it for a while but it does look awesome. Haven't played a good online fps in a while and kind of miss playing games like this with my friends. FFXI is good but I just don't think it's the same as playing fps games, they've always been some of my favorite games.

Just remember, this is NOT counter-strike 2. It is simply a direct port of the original CS using the source engine (at a very minimum). Also it is only a beta and still has alot of problems, I hope they make some innovative stuff when the real CS2 comes out, as a new engine calls for a new game.
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:40 am Post subject:

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:44 am Post subject:

CS running on a different engine is surely a completely different CS, no?

Imagine playing counterstrike maps on Jedi Knight 2, or Doom 3.. It would be drasticaly different, right?

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:59 am Post subject:

Um it might be different, but that doesn't make it Counterstrike 2. Do you call the redone version of Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2? No.
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I consider it a completely different game to the original Resident Evil.

There's 'Resident Evil', and there's 'Gamecube Version Of Resident Evil'. I couldn't ever consider them to be the same thing, like I consider the PSX and Saturn versions to be the same thing ^^;

I'd consider CS and CS Source to be different, as well. You've got a completely new engine, and you've got completely new levels / maps. (Mostly comprised of CS Condition Zero's new material). Granted, I'd love new gameplay elements as well, but CS Source already has enough new content to make me excited about it ^^:

Um..Isn't dust the only map right now.....?
Unless it has been updated recently dust is the only map for CS Source.
As of right now there are only minor changes, the feel and gameplay are pretty much the same. Once HL2 comes out and we see what the engine is truly capable of people will realize just how outdated CS gameplay is. Although it works and has survived for over 5 years I'm already seeing some small tweaks here and there, the future is bright

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I've seen pictures of CS Source running Italy, but haven't been following the beta ^^;

Yes there are pictures of italy and even a video of aztec. But none are in the beta.
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CS: Source is just CS 1.6 running with the Source engine from HL2. Its not drastically different, minor graphical upgrades, and the inclusion of the physics engine (which really don't affect a game of CS very much, just provides some realism when shooting things around the map).

They are still working on CS2, but I wouldn't expect to see it for a good while yet. Sometime in 2005 I would bet. Honestly though I am more excited about Day Of Defeat: Source (or DoD2). In my final days of HL online, it was all about DoD. Its also a game where the physics engine can be put to powerful use, unlike CS where its mostly just cosmetic.

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 4:17 pm Post subject:

I can't wait for CS 4.
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 6:10 pm Post subject:

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 6:49 pm Post subject:

I’m looking forward to HL2, single player should prove to be a lot of fun.

There’s not going to be anything drastic in CS:S. The improved engine is just going to make player – non-player relationships better. It’s still going to have the same basic game play. I highly doubt they going to do something like include that magnet gun.
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I remember posting something like this in S7 but no one replied...

I can't wait for HL2, Sims 2, KOTOR2 and NFS:U2! All the sequels of absolute marvels. Check!

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 9:05 pm Post subject:

There are many games coming out this fall that I simply can't wait to play. I'm going to be broke this fall after buying a new comp (for HL2 and other games), buying an xbox (for halo 2 etc.) and buying all those lovely ps2 games (like san andreas).
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This is gonna be a great game to buy if you have the kind of PC that GOD probably has....

Yes I uninstalled HL from my computer completely when steam came out, 1) it was too big, HL online play was perfect the way it was and 2) steam just straight up sucked. 3) the file size was too big for a game-finder. Clearly this is valves way of making everything easy and interactive, but in realitiy its only to make them more money.

I was actually in a pretty good cal-i clan when I quit too, I just don't put up with that BS. Besides I was hooked and my social life was failing so it was time anyways. Now im waiting for HL2.
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I did too, wasn't worth it at the time. Glad I did though, have much more room on my hard drive and more time to hang out with my friends in person not just online. I don't think I'll get too sucked into the game and its add-ons this time around though, at least not like I was before.

Steam actually works pretty good these days (I'm very glad I didn't have to deal with it when it first came out however - plagued by bugs, etc). It has a pretty powerful game finding tool, and all of your game updates happen automatically, which is nice.

You can buy games through Steam, and you get a universal CD key to go with them that is associated with your Steam Username/Password. So you can install on multiple machines and such, as long as you log into Steam with the proper UserID. Useful for people with multiple PC's or people on the go a lot.

Day Of Defeat has the majority of memorable online matches. Once you found a good competitive server you could have some very intense and strategic games. Holding positions and battling over areas of the map is much more enjoyable to me than run and gun CS style, although I still played CS when that is the type of action I craved. CS is the superior LAN game as well.

I have heard Steam has gotten better, just haven't given it a second chance yet. Might if I can find more free time between work and school to reinstall HL and dl/install all the updates I might need to get it working.

What I did love about CS was the fact that I could just rush anywhere and do good besides the people that camped everywhere. Even then though they usually do it in the same places and got very predictable. Brings back good memories of all the campers crying hacker because they camp the same spot every round and get killed from it or their general lack of skill. Funny how I don't recall ever hearing about a hacker in DoD but in CS at least once a minute someone was usually being accused of hacking. Ahhh!

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 3:58 am Post subject:

i wouldnt be suprised one bit if this game gets delayed again, but if it comes out within the specificed one month, its a bonus at this point Mr. Green

.

I cant wait to try out Half-lifes single player, none of the other FPS in a long time other than Aliens vs Predator have kept me interested.

I still stand my prediction that this game will be out in January... JANUARY 2007!

It will come out this year guaranteed, but even so, there are quite a few days left in this year. Cry

I'm looking forward to this game alot. Hopefully, it won't be skin deep like Doom 3 was. Of course, if it's anything like pre-xen half life, it's going to be awesome.

I don't understand why people still choose to play CS after so many years. Its addictive factor is just way to high, I guess.

I guess I wouldn't be so mad at it, if it weren't for the fact that other game makers are simplifying their games signifigantly in order to appeal to that CS crowd (not to mention that a 6 year old game still gets the biggest tournaments based on an enormous casual user base).
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wait, so theyre actually working on a CS2 that isn't CS: Source?

does CS2 use the HL2 engine more? or is it gonna be on its own engine? has there been any official information regarding CS2? Like who's working on it, and what theyre trying to accomplish with it?

to be quite honest, CS:S is a big enough update for me. I mean, CS is running on a horribly ancient graphics engine, and remains the most popular online game. The gameplay formula is incredibly simple, but it works. The only thing I ever wanted upgraded from CS was the graphics, and source accomplishes this. If they try to evolve the gameplay elements too much the game would lose a lot of its appeal, and it wouldn't be CS (like imagine if they tried to make the physics too realistic, you'd end up with a ravenshield clone, which would NOT be a good thing).

so if CS2 can pump the graphics higher than CS:S, and throw in new weapons, player models, maps, etc. but keep all the physics, then im all for it. otherwise, CS:S should be the focus. Its already going to be the workhorse that pushes HL2 off the shelves come launch day.

The counter-strike port is pretty damn fun. Half-Life 2 looks amazing, definately my most anticipated game of the year (GTA:SA is close behind).

Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 1:10 am Post subject:

CS2 will probably be based off HL2. For now the betas and testing are going into CS Source. Yet if the game IS sold seperately and is much different than the HL2 beta I'm sure they could even modify the game and textures etc. CS S has already gotten a major overhaul, but I hope CS2 brings a new simple-yet-innovative gameplay. CS needs something new to survive.
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 1:19 am Post subject:

i'd like to meet the guy that can run this game
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 2:07 am Post subject:

From what I know its easier to run than Doom 3. Its not nearly as detailed but envorinments are huge, and also greatly interactive. Like MGS2 did with ps2, they aren't focusing on the textures etc. as much, rather the detail in the environment.
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It is more gentle on PC's than Doom 3. Plus, the Half Life (and Half Life 2) engines are built for wide open areas, Doom 3 was not.

The engine scales to your PC/card. If you don't have a DX9 card, it shuts off all of the DX9 only effects (saving an assload of memory/processing) and ups the detail on textures with some of the newly freed resources. This way the game still looks and runs good, even on an older card. The downside of this of course is you don't get to see the DX9 effects, but you actually get a silky smooth framerate out of it, and I know which one of the two I personally want more when playing single player.

Using some of the tests/engines/beta/cs:s, a 1.2 Ghz processor with a 64 MB video card pulls down almost 80 FPS at 1024x768. Thats fucking CRAZY as far as I'm concerned for a system/card that outdated.

Then again, they have had 5 years to optimize this bitch....

Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 3:27 am Post subject:

wow that sounds awesome! i might have to pir8 this

Yup but CS S also isn't that demanding (It barely uses source to its full capabilities) as well. HL will be easier on the cards for sure, but not as much as CS source. But of course, as time progresses, CS source will evolve, like CS did on the original HL and surpass it in graphics and features.
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CS: Source was just one of the things tested with video cards.

PlanetHalfLife had a some huge articles and links about 3 or 4 weeks ago to tons of hardware sites that were given official benchmarks from Valve. They tested just about every video card made in the last 3 years with the beta/cs:s/benchmark.

Now, top of the line video cards were pulling down like 120 FPS will full effects and DX9 on, so don't go thinking you are getting all of the graphics with a 64 MB card - but at least it will be playable (and more importantly, smooth).

That was the one thing that irked me about Doom 3. Yes, you could play it on older cards, and not only did you have to reduce the game to look like shit, you also got little to no framerate improvement for doing so. On an old beast machine I have I was getting 30 FPS standing still, 25 FPS running or fighting one enemy, and like 10 FPS with 2 or 3 enemies. That dosen't equal "playable" in my books. I did manage to get through the whole game, but my enjoyment was severly hampered from FPS drops. I would have even accepted 30 FPS solid if thats what I got in firefights, but this was not the case.

So far HL2 looks to solve those issues on older machines.

Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:40 am Post subject:

I didn't mind Ravenshield all that much Mr. Green

So CS2 will be more graphic intensive than Doom 3? Cry

I'm going to need to go buy a new videocard...

CS2 is going to be built on HL2's engine. It will be built from the ground-up however, unlike CS: Source which is just old HL1 code using Source effects.

It can't be overly intensive, you are going to be playing it online in 30 player servers...

Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:46 am Post subject:

Yup.

Im seriously thinking about holding off on buying a new comp. When I got my 700mhz w/tnt2 it ran HL like it was nothing. 2 years later the graphics were updated and the game gradually got larger and larger, to the point where fps and performance was simply terrible. I have a feeling that if I buy a new comp in a couple years it will not even be able to play HL2 anymore Sad

I think I will wait till January or Xmas when there is a huge drop in prices.
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Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 5:25 am Post subject:

I was thinking that CS2 will be sold in stores right alongside HL2... but I could be completely wrong in this assumption!

According to this post over at Half-Life 2 Fallout Forums:
Yes, the RC went to VU yesterday.
This quote supposedly from Gabe Newell. Considering the latest fiasco over there with Gabe's account getting overtaken, we will endevour to check in with VALVe on this and confirm it.

Update: This has now been confirmed with both Doug Lombardi and Gabe Newell, who confirms it was his post.

This gives about 2-7 days for Vivendi to clear/not clear it for gold status (if they are happy with it, no outstanding bugs, etc), and about two weeks after gold is announced it can be in stores anytime after that.

There is a god.

What about Steam downloads of the game though? Clearly we don't have to wait for cds to be pressed and shipped, but does valve/VU have some kind of agreement with retailers to hold off on the Steam activation?

Correct. Valve and Vivendi have an agreement where you cannot buy the Steam version until the official release date when it will also be available in stores.

The only advantage is you can play the game at 12:01 AM that night, and everyone else has to wait to buy the game the next day, if you can call that an 'advantage'. Tongue

It makes sense though. There is no real reason to assume Steam users could get it like a week earlier than everyone else. It sounds like its plausible, but with the way business works, there is no chance in hell. Ahhh!

Steam seems to have been fixed up quite a bit from when I sampled it... it makes me sad that none of the games I like are on it. Sad

Speaking of DoD, has anyone played the Red Orchestra modification for UT2k4? It's probably one of the few reasons to buy that game, but its a good one... it just plays better than other ww2 games, IMO.
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Thousands of years ago, before the dawn of man as we know it, I was known as Dakota... a primative, ape-like creature, making crude and pointless toys out of dino bones and his own waste...

CS:S did prove that source is capable of circular archways, as opposed to the highly polygonal ones of Counter Strike.

Trust me, its going to be good

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has there been any info about how much it will cost to unlock the steam preload? I mean im sure they wouldnt charge the retail price for something when you don't get the actual cd, booklets, or packaging...right?

They haven't said anything about the price, but I would assume it will be the same as the store (minus the added tax of buying it in a store).

There was talk of having online manuals and things like that, so mostly what you get from getting it in a store is the box and the CD.

I'm still not sure which I am going to buy. Being in Canada we usually get games one day later just because thats how shipping works, so if I buy on Steam I could play it 2 days earlier than I would normally.
On the other hand, if I buy it in the store, I get a fancy box and the actual CD hard copy. I don't really want to have to re-download 3.5 gigs of game from Steam every time I want to re-install HL2 (I reformat and erase things often).

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 7:01 am Post subject:

Ahh thats right........downloading mods..soundpacks etc. I don't mind, but downloading an entire 3.5 gig game is insane, even if you dont have it yet. Imagine all that bandwith Sad

but I guess thats what preloading is for. Still I don't like to download something that is going to hog my memory and not even be able to play it yet.
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