Half-life 2
KungFuDiscoMonkey
Creator of ns_altair日本福岡県 Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14555Members, NS1 Playtester, Reinforced - Onos
<div class="IPBDescription">What do we know?</div> Half-Life 2 rumors are starting to fly around, thanks to some nutty print magazines. People still read those? Anyways, it’s true: there will be some info on Half-Life 2 coming your way in less than a month. Finally.
It’s already pretty much public knowledge that HL2 is running on Valve’s new internally designed engine, so this will be our first peek at it. I think people will be surprised by the projected release date, though. I sure was...
- Planet Half-Life
BIGGEST GAME EVER
We kid you not. Don't buy any other magazine until you see our exclusive blowout coverage of what's certifiably the biggest game currently in development. That's got you thinking, hasn't it? Oh, we'll have a great reiews slate, previews of an amazing new franchise, and more Hard Stuff- but you'll come for the unveiling of ...
- PC Gamer May 2003
<a href='http://dynamic4.gamespy.com/~view/images.php?g=5' target='_blank'>View</a>
- Screenshot from Edge
It’s already pretty much public knowledge that HL2 is running on Valve’s new internally designed engine, so this will be our first peek at it. I think people will be surprised by the projected release date, though. I sure was...
- Planet Half-Life
BIGGEST GAME EVER
We kid you not. Don't buy any other magazine until you see our exclusive blowout coverage of what's certifiably the biggest game currently in development. That's got you thinking, hasn't it? Oh, we'll have a great reiews slate, previews of an amazing new franchise, and more Hard Stuff- but you'll come for the unveiling of ...
- PC Gamer May 2003
<a href='http://dynamic4.gamespy.com/~view/images.php?g=5' target='_blank'>View</a>
- Screenshot from Edge
Comments
At long last! The sequel to the best PC First Person Shooter of all time has been announced at a press conference with Valve in NY this afternoon.
Having been present at this meeting of developers and media, I got to witness the first running preview and in-game demo to leave the walls of Valve's Design Studios since development began way back when, after the release of Half-Life. And I must say, I was no less than awestruck!
At a glance, you could mistake this game for a DVD movie. The Half-Life 2 engine, built from the ground up, and boasting cinematic quality graphics at blistering frame rates, looks like it will easily topple Doom3's engine before ID even releases it!
The Dev team showed us a demo of a working alpha just to prove that the game's cinematic-style graphics were in-fact, being rendered real time. It was nothing short of amazing, especially considering that it was cutting 70fps in highest detail on a 1.7ghz processor and Geforce 4 Ti4200!
"We've tried to accommodate for the widest range of users possible. We felt that allowing gamers with lower end PCs to play with the highest settings would greatly increase the multiplayer potential and encourage the online community to really get behind Half-Life 2." commented Willam Sykes, source programmer.
As some people may also know, the tactical aspect of Half-Life 2 has been greatly increased over its predecessor. Weapons are now fully functional with gun jams, dirty barrels, overheating and weight. For example, in any in-game mission, one is expected to clear bullet casing jams, hold weapons steady (counteracting against weight) and perform maintenance tasks such as stripping, cleaning and polishing of weapons.
The Team are excited with the new tactical aspect which includes missions of the following varieties:
Radio operator missions where you take on the role of 'behind the main lines' support crew, skills in tuning radio frequencies and counter-acting for static will be essential in giving the fighting troops accurate bearings on targets
Co-ordinating scouting missions into unknown regions. Again, these require the player to stay at base with a radio and satellite uplink, communicating with fighting soldiers during battles.
Weapon Maintenance missions are completed before every main mission. In these preparation segments, players must ensure their firearms are fully functional and well kept. Failure to successfully maintain one's weapon reults in demotion and 'less action' in main missions.
Of course the above is only a TASTE of whats to come in the retail package. Expect a lot of the features that made HL1 so popular, like the adventure aspect and of course, slaughtering a LOT of ultra high resolution baddies! While I looked on at valve's demo, I thought it a shame that these baddies were ceasing to exist by Gordon's well-maintained firearm, as they were so extremely detailed it was a pleasure to watch them! The models were so realistic in-fact, that whilst watching the demo, I noticed the following:
All models have rising and falling chests/areas where lungs are used (this is helpful when you are unsure if enemies are dying, dead, sleeping or pretending!
All models are fully destructable in an unlimited number of ways. Say goodbye to shooting the whole head off an enemy. Depending where you hit it, the skull will fragment accordingly, and differently every time!
The sheer detail is ridiculous: actual hair/fur (not textures), sweat, dirt, cuts (can be made anywhere and of different severity Eg: a cut on the skin, right up to a limb coming off or an opening into the abdominal area etc)
Along with the overwhelming abundance of eye-candy, this game has quite a few never-before-tried features incorperated into the adventure.
Players may be at first shocked to find that Valve has taken the standard mouse look of FPS and added in a 'turn head' type feature. This feature allows the player to look around while keeping the body and weapon aimed in a particular direction, and is controlled by the mouse (as are the body movements). This system, for example, will allow the player to observe an environment around them whilst still keeping a weapon trained on the many prisoners that are taken during missions.
Keeping in line with the new weapon detail systems (cleaning, unjamming, maintaining etc) a sidebar will be added that will allow the player to access his weapon cleaning kit quickly by toggling and then using the mouse to grab and apply tools to clean the firearms. After battles, it is quite common to 'take 5' and make use of the weapon maintenance kit in a quiet corner. The most impressive feature of the weapon maintenance kit is that the player will take control of the tools with the mouse. For example, when cleaning the barrel of a firearm, the player must move the mouse back and forth to move the wad inside the barrel. Players must also take care not to spill cleaning solvents with the mouse when applying them. Move the mouse too fast and you'll waste some good fluid.
Our first look at Half-Life 2 was an exciting experience to say the least. The team here at Deepgame Online News are looking forward to the inevitable flow of screenshots and movies that will spill forth from Valve's Studios over the coming months, and will keep you up to date with all the latest developments as the title progresses.
Keep an eye out this Friday as we will be releasing the first screenshots of Half-Life 2 for all to marvel at.
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there is a lot of information in this article, although I seriously have no idea if it's a fake or not. I got it from another games forum, and the guy who posted it gave no source.
of course, if everything in this article is true, HL2 will be THE most awesome game ever! <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo-->
(Very inside jokes there - don't feel bad if you didn't get them. Ya damned draft dodgers. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> )
80 staffers at Valve have been working on 'something' for 5 years. We'll just have to wait and see what.
Given Newell's very public attitude on realism interfering with gameplay, all signs point to 1.
Christ, read the article and think about what it's saying. That's not fun. That's ridiculously tedious, worthless, annoying, etc. etc. I don't care what company you are, if you make a game that functions like that, you need to be dragged into the street and bludgeoned with... an effective bludgeoning device.
For the sake of this reply, I'll assume the article posted above is actually real. Having to maintain and clean your weapon(s) before every major mission certainly seems like a realistic action to have to take, but it adds absolutely nothing to the fun factor. Once a game absolutely crosses the line between "100% fun" and "100% realistic", it's no longer a game, it's a training simulator. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
In fact, most of the "great new features" listed in that article probably <i>would</i> be great in a simulator, but not in a game. The rest is just eye candy.
<a href='http://www.half-life2.com' target='_blank'>Half-Life 2</a>
you have a intersting point there
however I'm happy with hl due to a little mod called NS
heard of it? <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Hl2 can take it's time
Hmm, generally, realism is only fun as long as it doesn't impede on the player's experience with repetition. Many of the details brought up in the very likely fake info quote that LPC posted could be said to have happened in the original Half-Life, only the developers just left it in the background, something else the player's character takes for granted, like breathing or washroom breaks. Imagine how boring games would get if they were breathing, sleeping, eating, drinking, and bathroom simulators, like moving the mouse to make sure you inhale and exhale properly. Oy vey! <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
As for the actual Half-Life 2 game being released, look for an official press release kit from Valve and Sierra. Plus, to me its all conjecture until I've bought and played it.
<a href='http://gamez.nl/grafx/art/sc552.jpg' target='_blank'>http://gamez.nl/grafx/art/sc552.jpg</a>
About the PC Gamer, the quote is on the back page of the May 2003 issue where they tell about what will be in the next issue. I personally believe that we will be hearing soon (real soon). I just wanted to see what others in the community thought and had heard. And I don't feel bad. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Even better when they are educated and considerate opinions <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I may just be pointing out the obvious to many people here, but hell <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
And if I'm wrong...well, look at the disclaimer in my sig. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
As far as HL2 goes.. bleh... I'm not expecting much. $20 TF2 is now a free addon w/ it though, perhaps the official mp mode rather than HLDM (er, HL2DM heh)...
(Very inside jokes there - don't feel bad if you didn't get them. Ya damned draft dodgers. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> )
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I love you Monse!
Heh heh heh... /me chuckles and waits for the info to start coming out...
So wrong you are, young padawan...
.....
nah im leanning towards "kill all the stupid noisy incredibly annoying llamas with headcrabs" as a title either weay i might waste some of my hard earned money on it... maybe
Keeping a tight media cap on HL2 info is probably a good idea.
The bit on PHL where they said that it'd be out soon "I think people will be surprised by the projected release date, though. I sure was... " makes me wonder if I'll be playing HL2 in the next few months. At the very least, we'll have it by Christmas, so no worries.
<a href='http://www.half-life2.com' target='_blank'>Half-Life 2</a> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
<a href='http://www.half-life3.com' target='_blank'>Half-Life 3</a>
sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
ha!
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Can you see that? If not, heres a magnifying glass:
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I've been through several HL2 "OMG IT'S GOING TO BE RELEASED!!!!1111oneoneone" Hypes, a simple rule to go by is this. Dont believe anything you read until you see it sitting on the shelf at a nearby games shop.
*goes in convulsions, vomitting and laughing insanely*