Am I The Only One Unimpressed W/ Hl2?
DiscoZombie
Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
<div class="IPBDescription">I probably am =P</div> the whole game essentially feels like a physics demo for itself. I got the point after the playground - they're really proud of their physics, they can stop trying to drill it into my head by making nearly everything in the game pushable, throwable, swingable, etc...
And it's not nearly dark enough. The headcrabs look squeezably soft, and even on the rare occasion one jumps at you from nowhere, it's not scary to be hit anymore. the zombies look like balloon animals, or charicatures of themselves from HL1. all the bad guys make happy sounds, like they belong in saturday morning cartoons. my favorite part is, the humanoid red-eyed aliens look - AND TALK - like jar-jar binks. which brings up the perfect metaphor. HL2 really feels to me like the Episode 1 of the HL series. The effects are amazing, everything is brighter and more cartoony, the closest things to dark themes are shallow at best... every NPC you run across wants to lick your boots, there's some G rated jokes tossed in for good measure...
I feel like there was a nice focus group to help decide what should be in this game, and they decided to aim for a younger audience while still hopefully keeping their old fans... it's just not working for me. I'm only about 1/3 through, hopefully I'll change my mind by the end. I respect ID software for sticking to their guns and making Doom 3 the scariest, most intense, fast-paced game they could. technologically, it's HL2, no contest, but thematically, HL2 just feels watered down...
*puts on fireman's suit and prepares for teh flames*
And it's not nearly dark enough. The headcrabs look squeezably soft, and even on the rare occasion one jumps at you from nowhere, it's not scary to be hit anymore. the zombies look like balloon animals, or charicatures of themselves from HL1. all the bad guys make happy sounds, like they belong in saturday morning cartoons. my favorite part is, the humanoid red-eyed aliens look - AND TALK - like jar-jar binks. which brings up the perfect metaphor. HL2 really feels to me like the Episode 1 of the HL series. The effects are amazing, everything is brighter and more cartoony, the closest things to dark themes are shallow at best... every NPC you run across wants to lick your boots, there's some G rated jokes tossed in for good measure...
I feel like there was a nice focus group to help decide what should be in this game, and they decided to aim for a younger audience while still hopefully keeping their old fans... it's just not working for me. I'm only about 1/3 through, hopefully I'll change my mind by the end. I respect ID software for sticking to their guns and making Doom 3 the scariest, most intense, fast-paced game they could. technologically, it's HL2, no contest, but thematically, HL2 just feels watered down...
*puts on fireman's suit and prepares for teh flames*
Comments
also one of those electric balls came through the ceiling right in front of me and gave me quite a jolt. I had just finished looking through the building and was checking the last part of the last room and let my guard down. Then these things were coming from everywhere!
and if DOOManiac can say that the first part of HL2 beats all of Doom 3... well... that counts for something.
edit: oh and the physics thing being everywhere, why tire of that? It's supposed to be there all the time, it's what gives you freedom. I can't tell you the number of times I've used objects around me for both offense and defense.
And keep in mind that HL2's pysics are supposed to be there all the time, sure it may seem gimicky at times, but i can dig it. killing a enemy at the top of the stairs having it roll down, and making "teh largest stack evar!!!" of boxes is always fun... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Even better when you collapse a pillar with cinderblocks on it overhead a bunch of enemies...
[as for "happy sounds" have you ever lit a zombie on fire?!
Damn.
And one certain type of zombie IS genuinly scary...]
[edit 2
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->And it's not nearly dark enough.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ravenholm. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> ]
That is all.
Uh...
I haven't done that with any game except well... Half-Life 1.
and the physic puzzels are alot of fun, and add a new dimension to puzzels in games, instead of just "jump here, there, over there," or push this button, turn this lever, etc.
I'd enjoy it a lot more if I could find any way to make it less choppy.
[Plus, I set my page file to 512-1024...bugs out mid-game saying "increasing page file size" I go, "To WHAT?!" and I look in there...what's it at? 513...]
I'd enjoy it a lot more if I could find any way to make it less choppy.
[Plus, I set my page file to 512-1024...bugs out mid-game saying "increasing page file size" I go, "To WHAT?!" and I look in there...what's it at? 513...] <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unless you surpass the reccomended you can be sure it won't run well. I get 40-100 fps on Athlon 2700 1 GB XMS 3200 DDR and a 9800 pro. My weak link is the CPU but oh well. I thought the game was fantastic. 3 things did bother me
*POSSIBLE SPOILER NOT REALLY BUT WHO KNOWS*
The boat portion is dragged out
The buggy portion is also really dragged out
Some of the mapping is very jagged (near the lighthouse during the boring buggy adventure)
The only portions of the game truly worth it are any time in C17, the Citadel, with the characters, or battling and taking ground. The "time filler" sequences are very boring.
Overall I loved it, the ending, which I won't spoil, may dissapoint some but I think its fitting for a story thats still got a third and final portion coming someday.
I'd enjoy it a lot more if I could find any way to make it less choppy.
[Plus, I set my page file to 512-1024...bugs out mid-game saying "increasing page file size" I go, "To WHAT?!" and I look in there...what's it at? 513...] <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unless you surpass the reccomended you can be sure it won't run well. I get 40-100 fps on Athlon 2700 1 GB XMS 3200 DDR and a 9800 pro. My weak link is the CPU but oh well. I thought the game was fantastic. 3 things did bother me
*POSSIBLE SPOILER NOT REALLY BUT WHO KNOWS*
The boat portion is dragged out
The buggy portion is also really dragged out
Some of the mapping is very jagged (near the lighthouse during the boring buggy adventure)
The only portions of the game truly worth it are any time in C17, the Citadel, with the characters, or battling and taking ground. The "time filler" sequences are very boring.
Overall I loved it, the ending, which I won't spoil, may dissapoint some but I think its fitting for a story thats still got a third and final portion coming someday. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Right about the vehicle sequences. But the moment you think it gets boring you get to the point where they <span style='color:red'>*ANTISPOILER*</span>.. I think that was pretty cool. Still they could've made it a bit shorter.
Personally, I can't wait for HLRally to switch to Source.
Oh really? Doom 3 was just about the biggest sell out ever, they made doom 3 the least scary, least intense, slowest game I have ever playing in the horror genre of FPS games.
I loved doom 1 and 2, and I still occasionally play them. Even with their awfull graphics they are much more enjoyable, scary and difficult than doom 3 which I found absolutely awfull; I expected it to be bad because they removed many of the key elements in doom 1 and 2 gameplay, but just how awfull it was took me by surprise. Doom had so simple game play, how they managed to botch it as bad as they did is beyond comprehension.
Doom 1 and 2 had complete panic, running around with barely any ammo and a chain saw trying to survive through hoards and hoards of enemies, this is exhilerating, this is about as frightening as you do get in a game, there was _allways_ something happening. Gross stuff or darkness no longer scares me at all(or any one who is above ~10), which means doom 3 was just running around in darkness with a flash light, taking your sweet time to switch to whatever weapon(usually the shotgun) and blasting the still spawning enemy to bits before it even starts to hurt you. Enemies come a few at a time, you allways know where they are comming from since they give you ample warning.
Can't comment on HL2 yet(and I'm in no rush to get it, I won't have less fun playing it in a few weeks when I'm less busy instead of playing it right now, right when they let it out the door. I never understood that mentallity, standing in queue for hours before release just to get halo 2 on the first shipment, or camping outside the cinema to get tickets for a remake of some star wars movie on the opening night and so on.)
Half-life 2 scared me in a non OOGA BOOGA way, The first time you play though and see all those cages inside the citadel, knowing they're designed for people, something inside you just goes "What if" and "How dare they" <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I thought that when you meet Father Gregory(sp?) in RavenHolm(sp?) that is kinda scary, as you start the level you hear his voice in the distance preeching.
And why tire of the physics, how many other games have come close to puzzles like the one when your on the first ski bike thingy and you have to move the ramp.
Altho I do think the headcrabs / normal zombies really do look cartoonish and non threatening <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
There are more genres of games than first person shooters. You don't have to love Half-Life 2 just like some people didn't care for Doom 3.
<!--QuoteBegin-Soylent Green+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Soylent Green)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
Oh really? Doom 3 was just about the biggest sell out ever, they made doom 3 the least scary, least intense, slowest game I have ever playing in the horror genre of FPS games.
I loved doom 1 and 2, and I still occasionally play them. Even with their awfull graphics they are much more enjoyable, scary and difficult than doom 3 which I found absolutely awfull; I expected it to be bad because they removed many of the key elements in doom 1 and 2 gameplay, but just how awfull it was took me by surprise. Doom had so simple game play, how they managed to botch it as bad as they did is beyond comprehension.
Doom 1 and 2 had complete panic, running around with barely any ammo and a chain saw trying to survive through hoards and hoards of enemies, this is exhilerating, this is about as frightening as you do get in a game, there was _allways_ something happening. Gross stuff or darkness no longer scares me at all(or any one who is above ~10), which means doom 3 was just running around in darkness with a flash light, taking your sweet time to switch to whatever weapon(usually the shotgun) and blasting the still spawning enemy to bits before it even starts to hurt you. Enemies come a few at a time, you allways know where they are comming from since they give you ample warning.
Can't comment on HL2 yet(and I'm in no rush to get it, I won't have less fun playing it in a few weeks when I'm less busy instead of playing it right now, right when they let it out the door. I never understood that mentallity, standing in queue for hours before release just to get halo 2 on the first shipment, or camping outside the cinema to get tickets for a remake of some star wars movie on the opening night and so on.)
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I seem to recall lots of people saying how they would only play Doom 3 for so long because it was too much to take. Yes, it is just a video game and there's nothing to really be scared about. I found the atmosphere they managed to create with their technology to be quite unnerving however. People always complain that Doom 3 was dark. Well it's supposed to be dark, because nobody is afraid of a monster in a brightly lit wide open area. They set out to create a game that would scare you, and it seems to me that they did a good job. But if you didn't enjoy it, then I guess it just didn't do it for you.
Calling Doom 3 a big sellout because it wasn't scary or intense for just you isn't really fair. Though I don't ever remember hearing it would be a fast paced action game. To my knowledge they had always claimed it would be a slower paced game.
One thing I really like is that it isn't falling over itself trying to show off its graphics to you the way doom3 was. It is very subtle, and you just get these moments where you have to stop to look around and think "Wow!"
I never liked darkness in games. It seems to less "I can't see", and more "why the heck did they turn down the brightness that much".
Turning down brightness doesn't give anything close to the feel that real darkness provides, due to the way the human eye works.
I seem to recall lots of people saying how they would only play Doom 3 for so long because it was too much to take. Yes, it is just a video game and there's nothing to really be scared about. I found the atmosphere they managed to create with their technology to be quite unnerving however. People always complain that Doom 3 was dark. Well it's supposed to be dark, because nobody is afraid of a monster in a brightly lit wide open area. They set out to create a game that would scare you, and it seems to me that they did a good job. But if you didn't enjoy it, then I guess it just didn't do it for you.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Nonsense, monsters are scary if they are out to get you and it's a long drawn out and frantic struggle not to let them, this is what gets you're adrenaline pumping, having you play the role of the hunted, keeping you in that fight or flight mode for as long as possible because it feels good. Horror movies usually try to build up suspense to do this, doom 3 doesn't, it goes to for the most transient form of fear, attempting to startle you frequently. Light or dark has nothing to do with this if you don't USE it, if monsters announce their presens clearly and warn you 2 seconds before they attack you are NOT using darkness to scare the player. Darkness in itself is not scary to anyone but five year olds, it's easy to do something just as scary in full daylight. It's about keeping the user under stress; e.g a camoflauged/cloaked/silent monster stalking you, or a monster that looks allmost like your friends, but plain old piles and piles of monsters comming at you from all directions and running out of ammo is just as effective. In this doom 3 fails miserably.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Calling Doom 3 a big sellout because it wasn't scary or intense for just you isn't really fair. Though I don't ever remember hearing it would be a fast paced action game. To my knowledge they had always claimed it would be a slower paced game.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Where's that eye rolling, sarcastic smiley when you need it.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I respect ID software for sticking to their guns and making Doom 3 the scariest, most intense, <b><i>fast-paced</i></b> game they could.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm calling doom 3 a sell out because they have made statements to the effect of it being doom 1 all over with much better graphics and content then they would have been capable of back then. Ironically it is absolutely nothing like doom. It feels like they took the bad parts of half-life(specifically the crawling in dark vents full of head crabs) and the worst bits of doom(whenever you got stuck looking for a key or something and had nothing to shoot, interact with or keep you even slightly amused while you poked around) and fused it into the pinacle of bad game design.
Monsters come 1, 2 or at most 3 at a time, interspersed with long sections of looking for PDA's in monster free areas. 50% of the time it's an imp or those two headed things, both of which let out a long scream alerting you to their presens and letting you shoot them to bits before they even move, you allmost feel freaking sorry for them. This is interspersed with plenty of cut scenes and combing your PDA for passwords. Hard mode was redicolously easy.
Contrast this with previous doom's, monsters quite often snuck up on you, they often numbered in the tens and they just kept comming and comming from all directions, you where often hard pressed to find more ammo. It kept you on your toes constantly while playing. It was all action, all the time, no stupid cut scenes, PDA's with emails, videos and secret codes. Most places where bright enough for you to see clearly but that didn't make it any less scary.
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I found that while the game was good in almost every way for me, one of the let down was the ai and squad contol. I fealt theres wasent enouf instruction on what was happening when I pressed the button. And every few seconds if I had them stay they would refollow me and sometimes leave the gorup, this was rather bad when trying to fight snipers and they just run down the street. But when I was defending alex while she opened the generator the ai did pretty good defending, of couse they stayed ducked the whole time >.<. But thats my only gripe with the game other then that I loved it and cant wait for more.
Turning down brightness doesn't give anything close to the feel that real darkness provides, due to the way the human eye works.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Rules of playing Doom 3 (or any other "dark" game for that matter):
- Do not for any reason have any lights on in the room in which you're playing.
- Close all doors.
- Adjust gamma (whhatt?!) to a level that won't cause eyestrain in 5 minutes, ie. above the standard in D3. It's amazing how many people outright refuse to make minor changes, even if it's all that is needed...
<span style='color:black'>Ravenholm was probably my least favorite section though. It delivered on everything that Disco was asking for: a very dark, evil setting that seems straight out of Doom 3, and completely out of place in the game. One minute you're running away from a combine raid, and then you climb up a ladder and suddenly have to escape from a headcrab zombie village with an insane preacher? Meh. That area was way too slow-paced for my tastes, completely the opposite of the Combine fighting sections. I still had more fun with that than with the entirety of Doom 3 though.</span>
Bugs are patchable. The game is still good, bugs or not.
I can't wait to see some HL2 speedruns, with the ability to stack objects, there a several shortcuts that are hard to do, but if done correctly will = teh PWN!
One thing I really like is that it isn't falling over itself trying to show off its graphics to you the way doom3 was. It is very subtle, and you just get these moments where you have to stop to look around and think "Wow!" <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
of everyone who's responded, my school of thought is closest to yours, Maus. I guess I really do expect to get more immersed as time goes by. my train of thought as I started playing was something like this: amazed by the graphics and physics at first, intrigued by the chase scene... enjoyed the first dialogue sequence, even though all the characters acted pretty corny... got the pistol, slowly grew more and more tired of shooting grunts with it... got in the hovercraft thingy, got sick of driving that rather quickly, at least until it had its gun mounted... maybe it'll feel like it's dragging less once i get more variety of weapons.
the physics puzzles are admittedly fun, but they hurt the atmosphere of the game, IMO. The graphics got much more realistic, and the puzzles got much more off-the-wall, so there are silly puzzles in a real-looking game... I can accept a world where alien zombies are commonplace, but I can't accept a world where you have to push a washing machine into a basket to create a ramp for your hovercraft.
I'm still impressed at the little things, like echo...
anyway, I'll post again when I get further in :>