I too wanted a RPG first since I was used to it already, but seeing the amount of Striders in the last battle, I'm sure I had more fun using the Magnusson devices, driving around like mad and running over Hunters than I would have had while camping beside a missile crate and wait for them to come. I can't say no to more diversity <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> Now I did find it weird that the Striders didn't always shoot at me unless I provoked them, but I guess this was a way to make the battle easier (but I prefer thinking they had the silo as primary goal and didn't bother with stuff that didn't disturb them ^^).
As for the Combine's silly arsenal, I think this shows they aren't flawless and the rebels use such flaws to their advantage. Even Breen didn't know about the Gravity Gun (See HL2's last chapter: <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>Breen when seeing the Gravity Gun : "Oh what's that, oh put it over there." and Alyx a moment later, seeing that he dropped the Gravity Gun: "He doesn't have a clue, does he? *laugh*"</span>). So I don't think the Combine thought "Hey these rebels have some heavy lifting guns that can throw back things very well, let's send in our choppers so they can destroy us easily!" Same thing goes for the Magnusson devices, the Combine surely didn't receive an email from Dr. Magnusson telling them they just developed a counter to one of their greatest weapon. So yeah, at least this shows to the player that the rebels do have a chance, otherwise the Combine could have just nuked planet Earth and planted a big sign saying "You've been PWNT by the Combine." But then there wouldn't have been much Gordon could do. I'm pretty sure they're trying to adapt themselves, but they're having some teleportation problems lately to bring reinforcements and new technology, but I heard they're working on fixing this problem ^^ Oh, and the Combine DO have some new kickass weaponry as of EP2 and they clearly showed us we weren't _that_ powerful... so consider this as their response to our success.
I'm also glad Valve playtest that much. I didn't realise how all of these changes they talk about in the commentaries were useful until I played some single player mods like Minerva and Riot Act who didn't have the chance to have a whole team of playtesters at their disposal. Although these mods are really well made, there are still some spots where you end up not knowing exactly what to do. It didn't bother me much since I've been playing games for more than a decade now so I'm used to such situation so I found the problem after a minute or two, but it made me realize the polishing Valve does with every little playtesting aspect they talk about makes the game more fluid and enjoyable for people who do not have our experience in gaming, or didn't even play HL2 or EP1 so they have no idea you can burn zombies with those gas tanks for example.
Oh and I don't think Striders have pilots ^^ <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" /> <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>Dog DID rip out the brain out of the Strider, right?</span>
So yeah, I'm with Xyth and Tycho on this one.
@Max: I actually wanted to empty my .357 on him the first time I saw him during a transmission ^^ But I guess that guy was made to be hated by players like me <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
<!--quoteo(post=1657169:date=Oct 22 2007, 02:15 PM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kouji_San @ Oct 22 2007, 02:15 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1657169"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Heh I knew it, post/word analysis <img src="http://members.home.nl/m.borgman/ns-forum/smileys/rolleyes-new2.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Oh you are sure winning the argument now <img src="http://members.home.nl/m.borgman/ns-forum/smileys/rolleyes-new2.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />
You accused me of something I didn't do. That something also happens to be against the forum rules, so it would seem I was justified in pointing it out.
'Personal attacks' aside,
Did it seem to anybody else that Magnussens model (the 3d model in game) wasn't quite as good as the models for other characters? Maybe Im imagining things but he seemed less realistic when compared to alyx or eli.
Kouji_SanSr. Hινε UÏкεεÏεг - EUPT DeputyThe NetherlandsJoin Date: 2003-05-13Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
edited October 2007
<!--quoteo(post=1657175:date=Oct 22 2007, 08:49 PM:name=Xyth)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Xyth @ Oct 22 2007, 08:49 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1657175"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Did it seem to anybody else that Magnussens model (the 3d model in game) wasn't quite as good as the models for other characters? Maybe Im imagining things but he seemed less realistic when compared to alyx or eli.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Lower res or washed-out texture, at least from what I've seen.
Also what arguement? You annoyed me (mind you just a little bit so don't get your hopes up <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> ) ->"Im going to let you in on a secret" as if I'm not able to get something like that, ergo personal attack imo. Case closed, we're taking to much cyberspace with this sillyness...
And Abra, no. Just no <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pudgy.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::gorge::" border="0" alt="pudgy.gif" />
<!--coloro:#FF0000--><span style="color:#FF0000"><!--/coloro--><b>Spoilers of the last battle ahead.</b><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
Firstly, I definitely recall having my car get stepped on by a strider and being instantly killed. And secondly, the striders don't attack you for a couple of reasons. At the beginning of the battle, the resistance clearly state that they are going to distract them. The hunters are supposed to also take care of you while the big guns go do their thing. And finally, the striders probably aren't that smart (in the fight with dog, he rips out one's brain); they have one goal: destroy the missile.
Like someone already mentioned, there's no way the last battle would be possible with an ordinary RPG. And if they did it somehow, there would be tons of people complaining that they didn't innovate at all and were recycling old gameplay. I thought it was an excellent ending gameplay-wise to the episode, and it was a lot more fun than it would have been with an RPG.
<!--quoteo(post=1657172:date=Oct 22 2007, 08:28 PM:name=Corporal_Fortier)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Corporal_Fortier @ Oct 22 2007, 08:28 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1657172"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I too wanted a RPG first since I was used to it already, but seeing the amount of Striders in the last battle, I'm sure I had more fun using the Magnusson devices, driving around like mad and running over Hunters than I would have had while camping beside a missile crate and wait for them to come. I can't say no to more diversity <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Good point; this time you were chasing the striders rather than the other way around. They were really quite helpless without their hunters around to knock off the MBombs.
Personally I sorta wish the end battle had a bit more choices, fight-wise. You pretty much HAD to use the magnussen devices. I would have liked the option to get enough rocket ammo to take down a few using rockets or other explosives. Infact, I think the last battle should have had more action. Instead of strider + 2-3 hunters it should have included the occasional group of combine soldiers. Maybe even throw in a gunship in the final push. It just got kinda repetitive I felt.
AbraWould you kindlyJoin Date: 2003-08-17Member: 19870Members
On the topic of the last battle, <!--coloro:red--><span style="color:red"><!--/coloro--><!--sizeo:5--><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->last-battle-Spoilers<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
I would have liked it to be more of a full blown assault, with combine soldiers rushing from the trees, maybe seeing them arrive in the APCs. But when I think about it, I would like to have seen that TOO, but the battle against hunters and striders was satisfying. I just wished for a full scale clash, maybe in which the player still would have the option to neglect the combine soldiers and do the strider/hunter battle, and leave the soldiers to the rebels - distance the two fights.
But episode 2 was all that I hoped for, really awesome game - episode. Looking forward to seeing Ep3.
Also: Was I the only one really excited that they had made new fire effects and blood for when something live got hit? Through that mod Minerva (?) I was bored with the combine fights. But the simple, but subtle, effects in Ep 2 made me enjoy shooting the combine again! Hooraay.
I would have liked more Combine soldiers at the end, yeah. That would have been nice.
I actually don't like the new blood effect. It looks too large. It works in TF2 where it's cartoony, but I don't need such a gigantic confirmation that my bullets are hitting.
<!--quoteo(post=1657214:date=Oct 22 2007, 05:24 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Oct 22 2007, 05:24 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1657214"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I would have liked more Combine soldiers at the end, yeah. That would have been nice.
I actually don't like the new blood effect. It looks too large. It works in TF2 where it's cartoony, but I don't need suge a gigantic confirmation that my bullets are hitting.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Yeah, it kind of works on the antlions, but the huge tomato splash of blood on the combine is a bit too much. For it to look correct I think it should be a small particle effect at the point of impact that ranges in size depending on weapon. Also, how come the combine don't gib when you shoot them with an explosive? The antlions do it. The zombies do, sort of. I need more flying body parts.
<!--quoteo(post=1657218:date=Oct 22 2007, 05:38 PM:name=Gwahir)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Gwahir @ Oct 22 2007, 05:38 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1657218"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->my guess is that we'll see the full scale, last ditch, all or nothing conflict at the end of EP3.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I forsee that you will save up all the ammo to your good weapons through most of the game in preparation, only to have the final boss invulnerable to all of them except a random special weapon you picked up only a short time before. <!--sizeo:1--><span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->[is that too obscure?]<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
But I hope they go with the all out version. Of course you'll need a specific goal in the middle of all this. Still, they might find it too taxing for most computers and go with the basic option.
Do you figure ep3 will even have a boss? It seems since HL2 they have pretty much done away with the 'boss' game mechanic. The closest would be the first time you fight striders, but after that they become somewhat of a regular enemy. Even the fight at the end of HL2, against the teleporter, didn't feature any new enemies.
Kouji_SanSr. Hινε UÏкεεÏεг - EUPT DeputyThe NetherlandsJoin Date: 2003-05-13Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
Or Nihilant's brother comes to visit earth <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
<!--quoteo(post=1657222:date=Oct 22 2007, 06:09 PM:name=Xyth)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Xyth @ Oct 22 2007, 06:09 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1657222"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Do you figure ep3 will even have a boss? It seems since HL2 they have pretty much done away with the 'boss' game mechanic. The closest would be the first time you fight striders, but after that they become somewhat of a regular enemy. Even the fight at the end of HL2, against the teleporter, didn't feature any new enemies.
I demand HL2 cyberdemon clone.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
~EDIT~ I REMOVED THE SPOILER TAGS, NO NEEDING THEM ANYMORE SINCE THERE ALREADY SPOILERS AND OTHERS KNOW ABOUT IT ~EDIT~
Hell the hunters were a boss when you first met them. I like that about Half-Life, each new enemy introduced seems impossible at first until you figure out a technique and gain a weapon or other special technology to adapt to them. Whether it be the use of the gravity gun against zombies, shotguns against headcrabs, AR2 alternate fire to kill hunters, crossbow to take out combine at a distance, or even the new Magnison devices used to destroy Striders in one shot.
A few of many things done better in HL2 Alyx's AI was done better in this game, Vortigaunts KICK ARSE (esp. against Antlions, I love those guys now!!! haha), cool effects like when Alyx is being healed and you can see her clothes and skin go translucent, shadows being cast correctly when shone though a fence grate or past a character
Oh and speaking of bosses, there are two persistent bosses (one from Half-Life overall, one specific to HL2 and it's episodes) The first I speak of is the GMAN, the second is the crazy telekinetic and mind controlling (impossible to defeat?) Combine. Keep in mind the Combine Ambassadors we saw were actually just larva acording to Valve and what the Vortigaunt dude told us. So they are ######ing insane considering they are just ######ing babies and nearly killed Alyx and Gordon twice, and succeeded in eating Eli's brains. I was so happy when Dog beat the crap out of that one that was about to kill Alyx. The GMAN was always watching us in the orginal Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Until the Vortigaunts rescued Gordon from his control in HL2:EP1, he was a pure mystery. All we know for sure is this: he can obviously phase through locations (portals?), control relative time frames ("paused" time relative to Gordon game at end of HL while the years passed in meantime for everybody else, restored it at beginning of HL2, and paused it again at end of HL2), can speaking into people's minds and impart powerful suggestions, and Eli also knew of him and was hoping for a way to defeat him working with Gordon together. How can you stop somebody like that?! What is the connection with the Borealis?! Which is worse?! Combine? GMAN? Hell, they are both impossible! From what I can tell, the Combine are the ultimate "bosses" of HL2, and the GMAN is the ultimate boss of Half-Life overall.
Purely from a game play standpoint we haven't had any 'bosses' in the sense that they existed solely to be fought once. HL1 didn't have this issue: Nihilist/gargantuan/bigmother. I'm hoping for somewhat of an epic fight with one large central construct. Maybe some kind of large combine hybrid animal-robot.
The more I think about it the more I realize I was disappointed in the last battle. There just wasn't that much too it. You hardly used the buildings when it came to fighting, since hitting the hunters with the car was much more efficient. There was really no hiding or flanking necessary since strafing made you almost impossible to hit by the hunters in such an open area. I would go as far as to say the first hunter battle was more epic. Hiding behind the bar as everything around you exploded, popping up to take pot shots at them between salvos. It had a much more dynamic feel to it. The final battle however just came down to bunny-hop strafing around the hunters until they died then 1 hit popping the strider. Lather, rinse, repeat.
I would have liked it better if there were only 3 striders to kill, but the battle to actually get to them was larger. Have each battle take place at a different one of the buildings (sawmill, cranes, etc). Each one getting progressively harder and requiring you to hide inside of the buildings to avoid being overwhelmed by the combines firepower. Hell, for the last strider throw a gunship in the mix with all the other enemies.
guys there has been heaps of meta boss fights in hl 2, and it's ep's, most of the time your music kicks in, if its a meta boss fight or the start of a new chapter a endurance fight. first encounters are usualy meta boss fights.
hum the hellicopter while on the swomp rat, the first gun ship, endurance gun ships, the first strider, endurance striders. endurance drop ships
in ep one obiously the strider stands out, you have to navigate a death trap to get to a renewable supplie of rockets, me i just went 3 rockets three grenades and then drop nades and grav guned them at it..
endurance fights have always been the new meta boss fights, as have a way of introduceing a tougher nasty. i think the bigest meta boss in ep 2 is the advisors, the issue is our story gets cut short before we get to truely tango with one of them, yet its clear we arnt strong enough anyways. borialis gives us pychic powers?, to counter act?, perhaps a magneto helm, or some sort of blockage, its obious even with that they still are rather strong so it looks like we might need some sort of power assisted suit not just for jumping, alien two style fighting a queen. weres a air lock when you need one.
was i a bit disapointed with a endurance carmagedon astaroids game as the final player controled fight in ep 2? na, but do i hope that there is a bigger mother fight around the courner ###### EN HELL YEAH.
Kouji_SanSr. Hινε UÏкεεÏεг - EUPT DeputyThe NetherlandsJoin Date: 2003-05-13Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
Don't forget the tentacle monsters from hl1, the nest guardian (aren't they a boss or meta boss type enemy), Also shotty vs headies wastes ammo <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> You can also use the gravgun on the to smash them into a wall/floor/ceiling (three times for the acid ones though)
LikuI, am the Somberlain.Join Date: 2003-01-10Member: 12128Members
<!--sizeo:6--><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->Cheating to get that damn Grub Achievement!<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
I just figured this out, and it works perfectly:
First, try and get as many Grubs as you possibly can while you get to defense section with Sheckley and Gruggs. There's 93 Grubs up to this part. After that, you'll leave with a Vortigaunt to get the "Extract" and encounter the next 239 Grubs. This is when I missed a measly 2 Grubs. When you get back to Alyx, you'll notice that the gate that the Vortigaunt opened is closed preventing you from revisiting. Wrong.
sv_cheats 1 noclip
Now, go through the gate, turn off noclip AND sv_cheats (You can't attain Achievements with sv_cheats on), and go through the load zone. This is where the strange part comes in. I was merely trying to search for the 2 Grubs I missed, but after loading, I noticed that EVERY Grub was respawned and the Vortigaunt was with me. Somewhat if I went back in time. I just killed the first couple Grubs and bam, Achievement unlocked.
Essentially I guess you could keep repeating that same section over and over if you still have a lack of Grubs.
<!--sizeo:6--><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->Overcoming an Obsessive Compulsion to Collect Achievments<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
I just figured this out, and it works perfectly:
First, try and get as many acheivments as you possibly can while you finish Episode 2 (or Portal). There's like 20 total or something. After that, you'll maybe want to play through again for the commentary. It's awesome. When you finish, you'll notice that you don't have all the achievments. You might think that you need them all. Wrong.
Maybe, and I mean MAYBE on the 360, it's nice to get the extra points (are those good for anything?) but on the PC, the achievments don't net you anything beyond themselves. All they signify is that, yes, you ran over 10 people. Congrats. Does it really matter that you did this arbitrary challenge that Valve happened to outline instead of some other, similar, completely arbitrary challenge? What if I made an achievment for killing 10 zombies without killing the headcrab at the same time? Would that count for you people? It wouldn't? Why not? It's not listed on your Steam profile, sure, but it's just as legitimate a challenge.
Essentially I guess I just don't understand the need to accomplish a bunch of tasks that the game developers came up with one night when they were drunk and watching Travelocity commercials. Sure, it keeps track of them for you, but really, it's no different than setting a bunch of arbitrary rules or goals for yourself.
LikuI, am the Somberlain.Join Date: 2003-01-10Member: 12128Members
Maybe I should write up a small summary on being funny and dealing with angst, that'd really help you out. Because you're oh so edgy responses to everything are old.
Not all of us are mediocre gamers that see small challenging tasks as dumb simply because we can't do them.
NeonSpyder"Das est NTLDR?"Join Date: 2003-07-03Member: 17913Members
<!--quoteo(post=1657385:date=Oct 23 2007, 06:53 PM:name=Liku)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Liku @ Oct 23 2007, 06:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1657385"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Maybe I should write up a small summary on being funny and dealing with angst, that'd really help you out. Because you're oh so edgy responses to everything are old.
Not all of us are mediocre gamers that see small challenging tasks as dumb simply because we can't do them.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
To be fair, not all of us are obsessive compulsive either. (only most of us).
<!--quoteo(post=1657385:date=Oct 23 2007, 06:53 PM:name=Liku)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Liku @ Oct 23 2007, 06:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1657385"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Maybe I should write up a small summary on being funny and dealing with angst, that'd really help you out. Because you're oh so edgy responses to everything are old.
Not all of us are mediocre gamers that see small challenging tasks as dumb simply because we can't do them.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't think the challenges are dumb. I just think cheating to complete them is dumb. I mean, you and I both know missing 2 grubs is basically the same as squishing them. It's not like there's any doubt as to your grub squishing abilities. So why bother cheating (slightly elaborately I might add) to get the grubs? Just because you want a silly box to go from black and white to colored in on your Steam account page. I'm not a mediocre gamer, either. I'm just not so weird that I have to find silly workarounds in a game to complete a task that I know I basically already did. Missing 2 grubs out of 333 changes nothing except whether you get the actual acheivment.
I would have liked to see some skill based achievements. The current ones are just medicore. Getting though a level without killing anything, not firing a single bullet for a certain act and use nothing but physics to kill, etc. TF2 did a pretty good job. EP2 where a let down, I dont really feel like going back to beat them.
Comments
As for the Combine's silly arsenal, I think this shows they aren't flawless and the rebels use such flaws to their advantage. Even Breen didn't know about the Gravity Gun (See HL2's last chapter: <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>Breen when seeing the Gravity Gun : "Oh what's that, oh put it over there." and Alyx a moment later, seeing that he dropped the Gravity Gun: "He doesn't have a clue, does he? *laugh*"</span>). So I don't think the Combine thought "Hey these rebels have some heavy lifting guns that can throw back things very well, let's send in our choppers so they can destroy us easily!" Same thing goes for the Magnusson devices, the Combine surely didn't receive an email from Dr. Magnusson telling them they just developed a counter to one of their greatest weapon. So yeah, at least this shows to the player that the rebels do have a chance, otherwise the Combine could have just nuked planet Earth and planted a big sign saying "You've been PWNT by the Combine." But then there wouldn't have been much Gordon could do. I'm pretty sure they're trying to adapt themselves, but they're having some teleportation problems lately to bring reinforcements and new technology, but I heard they're working on fixing this problem ^^ Oh, and the Combine DO have some new kickass weaponry as of EP2 and they clearly showed us we weren't _that_ powerful... so consider this as their response to our success.
I'm also glad Valve playtest that much. I didn't realise how all of these changes they talk about in the commentaries were useful until I played some single player mods like Minerva and Riot Act who didn't have the chance to have a whole team of playtesters at their disposal. Although these mods are really well made, there are still some spots where you end up not knowing exactly what to do. It didn't bother me much since I've been playing games for more than a decade now so I'm used to such situation so I found the problem after a minute or two, but it made me realize the polishing Valve does with every little playtesting aspect they talk about makes the game more fluid and enjoyable for people who do not have our experience in gaming, or didn't even play HL2 or EP1 so they have no idea you can burn zombies with those gas tanks for example.
Oh and I don't think Striders have pilots ^^ <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" /> <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>Dog DID rip out the brain out of the Strider, right?</span>
So yeah, I'm with Xyth and Tycho on this one.
@Max: I actually wanted to empty my .357 on him the first time I saw him during a transmission ^^ But I guess that guy was made to be hated by players like me <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
Oh you are sure winning the argument now <img src="http://members.home.nl/m.borgman/ns-forum/smileys/rolleyes-new2.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />
You accused me of something I didn't do. That something also happens to be against the forum rules, so it would seem I was justified in pointing it out.
'Personal attacks' aside,
Did it seem to anybody else that Magnussens model (the 3d model in game) wasn't quite as good as the models for other characters? Maybe Im imagining things but he seemed less realistic when compared to alyx or eli.
Lower res or washed-out texture, at least from what I've seen.
Also what arguement? You annoyed me (mind you just a little bit so don't get your hopes up <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> ) ->"Im going to let you in on a secret" as if I'm not able to get something like that, ergo personal attack imo. Case closed, we're taking to much cyberspace with this sillyness...
And Abra, no. Just no <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pudgy.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::gorge::" border="0" alt="pudgy.gif" />
Firstly, I definitely recall having my car get stepped on by a strider and being instantly killed. And secondly, the striders don't attack you for a couple of reasons. At the beginning of the battle, the resistance clearly state that they are going to distract them. The hunters are supposed to also take care of you while the big guns go do their thing. And finally, the striders probably aren't that smart (in the fight with dog, he rips out one's brain); they have one goal: destroy the missile.
Like someone already mentioned, there's no way the last battle would be possible with an ordinary RPG. And if they did it somehow, there would be tons of people complaining that they didn't innovate at all and were recycling old gameplay. I thought it was an excellent ending gameplay-wise to the episode, and it was a lot more fun than it would have been with an RPG.
They were really quite helpless without their hunters around to knock off the MBombs.
I would have liked it to be more of a full blown assault, with combine soldiers rushing from the trees, maybe seeing them arrive in the APCs.
But when I think about it, I would like to have seen that TOO, but the battle against hunters and striders was satisfying. I just wished for a full scale clash, maybe in which the player still would have the option to neglect the combine soldiers and do the strider/hunter battle, and leave the soldiers to the rebels - distance the two fights.
But episode 2 was all that I hoped for, really awesome game - episode.
Looking forward to seeing Ep3.
Also: Was I the only one really excited that they had made new fire effects and blood for when something live got hit? Through that mod Minerva (?) I was bored with the combine fights. But the simple, but subtle, effects in Ep 2 made me enjoy shooting the combine again! Hooraay.
I actually don't like the new blood effect. It looks too large. It works in TF2 where it's cartoony, but I don't need such a gigantic confirmation that my bullets are hitting.
I actually don't like the new blood effect. It looks too large. It works in TF2 where it's cartoony, but I don't need suge a gigantic confirmation that my bullets are hitting.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, it kind of works on the antlions, but the huge tomato splash of blood on the combine is a bit too much. For it to look correct I think it should be a small particle effect at the point of impact that ranges in size depending on weapon. Also, how come the combine don't gib when you shoot them with an explosive? The antlions do it. The zombies do, sort of. I need more flying body parts.
I forsee that you will save up all the ammo to your good weapons through most of the game in preparation, only to have the final boss invulnerable to all of them except a random special weapon you picked up only a short time before.
<!--sizeo:1--><span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->[is that too obscure?]<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
But I hope they go with the all out version. Of course you'll need a specific goal in the middle of all this. Still, they might find it too taxing for most computers and go with the basic option.
I demand HL2 cyberdemon clone.
Sup guys how's it hanging, hey who's the dude in the hazard suit, AAH HE'S KILLING MEEEEE-
I demand HL2 cyberdemon clone.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
~EDIT~
I REMOVED THE SPOILER TAGS, NO NEEDING THEM ANYMORE SINCE THERE ALREADY SPOILERS AND OTHERS KNOW ABOUT IT
~EDIT~
Hell the hunters were a boss when you first met them. I like that about Half-Life, each new enemy introduced seems impossible at first until you figure out a technique and gain a weapon or other special technology to adapt to them. Whether it be the use of the gravity gun against zombies, shotguns against headcrabs, AR2 alternate fire to kill hunters, crossbow to take out combine at a distance, or even the new Magnison devices used to destroy Striders in one shot.
A few of many things done better in HL2
Alyx's AI was done better in this game, Vortigaunts KICK ARSE (esp. against Antlions, I love those guys now!!! haha), cool effects like when Alyx is being healed and you can see her clothes and skin go translucent, shadows being cast correctly when shone though a fence grate or past a character
Oh and speaking of bosses, there are two persistent bosses (one from Half-Life overall, one specific to HL2 and it's episodes)
The first I speak of is the GMAN, the second is the crazy telekinetic and mind controlling (impossible to defeat?) Combine. Keep in mind the Combine Ambassadors we saw were actually just larva acording to Valve and what the Vortigaunt dude told us. So they are ######ing insane considering they are just ######ing babies and nearly killed Alyx and Gordon twice, and succeeded in eating Eli's brains. I was so happy when Dog beat the crap out of that one that was about to kill Alyx. The GMAN was always watching us in the orginal Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Until the Vortigaunts rescued Gordon from his control in HL2:EP1, he was a pure mystery. All we know for sure is this: he can obviously phase through locations (portals?), control relative time frames ("paused" time relative to Gordon game at end of HL while the years passed in meantime for everybody else, restored it at beginning of HL2, and paused it again at end of HL2), can speaking into people's minds and impart powerful suggestions, and Eli also knew of him and was hoping for a way to defeat him working with Gordon together. How can you stop somebody like that?! What is the connection with the Borealis?! Which is worse?! Combine? GMAN? Hell, they are both impossible! From what I can tell, the Combine are the ultimate "bosses" of HL2, and the GMAN is the ultimate boss of Half-Life overall.
Purely from a game play standpoint we haven't had any 'bosses' in the sense that they existed solely to be fought once. HL1 didn't have this issue: Nihilist/gargantuan/bigmother. I'm hoping for somewhat of an epic fight with one large central construct. Maybe some kind of large combine hybrid animal-robot.
The more I think about it the more I realize I was disappointed in the last battle. There just wasn't that much too it. You hardly used the buildings when it came to fighting, since hitting the hunters with the car was much more efficient. There was really no hiding or flanking necessary since strafing made you almost impossible to hit by the hunters in such an open area. I would go as far as to say the first hunter battle was more epic. Hiding behind the bar as everything around you exploded, popping up to take pot shots at them between salvos. It had a much more dynamic feel to it. The final battle however just came down to bunny-hop strafing around the hunters until they died then 1 hit popping the strider. Lather, rinse, repeat.
I would have liked it better if there were only 3 striders to kill, but the battle to actually get to them was larger. Have each battle take place at a different one of the buildings (sawmill, cranes, etc). Each one getting progressively harder and requiring you to hide inside of the buildings to avoid being overwhelmed by the combines firepower. Hell, for the last strider throw a gunship in the mix with all the other enemies.
hum the hellicopter while on the swomp rat, the first gun ship, endurance gun ships, the first strider, endurance striders. endurance drop ships
in ep one obiously the strider stands out, you have to navigate a death trap to get to a renewable supplie of rockets, me i just went 3 rockets three grenades and then drop nades and grav guned them at it..
endurance fights have always been the new meta boss fights, as have a way of introduceing a tougher nasty.
i think the bigest meta boss in ep 2 is the advisors, the issue is our story gets cut short before we get to truely tango with one of them, yet its clear we arnt strong enough anyways. borialis gives us pychic powers?, to counter act?, perhaps a magneto helm, or some sort of blockage, its obious even with that they still are rather strong so it looks like we might need some sort of power assisted suit not just for jumping, alien two style fighting a queen. weres a air lock when you need one.
was i a bit disapointed with a endurance carmagedon astaroids game as the final player controled fight in ep 2?
na, but do i hope that there is a bigger mother fight around the courner ###### EN HELL YEAH.
I just figured this out, and it works perfectly:
First, try and get as many Grubs as you possibly can while you get to defense section with Sheckley and Gruggs. There's 93 Grubs up to this part. After that, you'll leave with a Vortigaunt to get the "Extract" and encounter the next 239 Grubs. This is when I missed a measly 2 Grubs. When you get back to Alyx, you'll notice that the gate that the Vortigaunt opened is closed preventing you from revisiting. Wrong.
sv_cheats 1
noclip
Now, go through the gate, turn off noclip AND sv_cheats (You can't attain Achievements with sv_cheats on), and go through the load zone. This is where the strange part comes in. I was merely trying to search for the 2 Grubs I missed, but after loading, I noticed that EVERY Grub was respawned and the Vortigaunt was with me. Somewhat if I went back in time. I just killed the first couple Grubs and bam, Achievement unlocked.
Essentially I guess you could keep repeating that same section over and over if you still have a lack of Grubs.
I just figured this out, and it works perfectly:
First, try and get as many acheivments as you possibly can while you finish Episode 2 (or Portal). There's like 20 total or something. After that, you'll maybe want to play through again for the commentary. It's awesome. When you finish, you'll notice that you don't have all the achievments. You might think that you need them all. Wrong.
Maybe, and I mean MAYBE on the 360, it's nice to get the extra points (are those good for anything?) but on the PC, the achievments don't net you anything beyond themselves. All they signify is that, yes, you ran over 10 people. Congrats. Does it really matter that you did this arbitrary challenge that Valve happened to outline instead of some other, similar, completely arbitrary challenge? What if I made an achievment for killing 10 zombies without killing the headcrab at the same time? Would that count for you people? It wouldn't? Why not? It's not listed on your Steam profile, sure, but it's just as legitimate a challenge.
Essentially I guess I just don't understand the need to accomplish a bunch of tasks that the game developers came up with one night when they were drunk and watching Travelocity commercials. Sure, it keeps track of them for you, but really, it's no different than setting a bunch of arbitrary rules or goals for yourself.
Not all of us are mediocre gamers that see small challenging tasks as dumb simply because we can't do them.
Not all of us are mediocre gamers that see small challenging tasks as dumb simply because we can't do them.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
To be fair, not all of us are obsessive compulsive either. (only most of us).
Not all of us are mediocre gamers that see small challenging tasks as dumb simply because we can't do them.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't think the challenges are dumb. I just think cheating to complete them is dumb. I mean, you and I both know missing 2 grubs is basically the same as squishing them. It's not like there's any doubt as to your grub squishing abilities. So why bother cheating (slightly elaborately I might add) to get the grubs? Just because you want a silly box to go from black and white to colored in on your Steam account page. I'm not a mediocre gamer, either. I'm just not so weird that I have to find silly workarounds in a game to complete a task that I know I basically already did. Missing 2 grubs out of 333 changes nothing except whether you get the actual acheivment.