[Petrarch of the VBB]

Been playing it all day. Kicks arse, so it does.

[Deepblue]

Does it have a real plot?

[Rictor]

god is mocking me

Exibit #1
I tried preloading HL last night, but didn't have enough space. So I figured I'de do it today, after the release. WRONG. They're not doing preloads anymore, you have to pay for it up front.

Exibit #2
I go to the computer store to buy a new CPU, hard-drive and mobo, paying for it with my brothers Visa. Pretty simple, right? WRONG. The mobo I was returning, cause they were too lazy to tell me a week ago when I first bought it that it was for a discontinued line of CPU (Athlon XP's) was missing the static bag. Imagine that. Everything else had been untouched, but I took it out of the static bag. So, its another 15 minutes for someone to test it if it works (it does). So, I'm done, right? WRONG. The signiature on my bro's Visa is smudged, which means I have to show them my drivers license. Nope, student id won't do, they specifically have to have either the driver's license or debit card, both of which are sitting at home, a  45 minute car drive away.

[pyro-manic]

After reading that, normally I'd break into fits of laughter at your terrible plight, but I can't. I'm £50 overdrawn, and I don't get paid till the end of the month. SO, no crawbars for me until December.


In other words:
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

[Fineus]

I've some conclusions of my own, having played it most of the day:

1: Very impressive gameplay. Great fun so far and no, I've not finished (just reached Nova Prospekt).

2: Steam is the work of the devil. I hate it with abandon and would appreciate not being treated like a software pirate every time I decide I want to fire up the game (for those who don't know, you can't simply fire the game up - you have to log into Steam online and authenticate yourself first... as if CD keys aren't enough). I'm all for protection of software against copying etc. - but not at the expense of the user who buys it. On top of that, from what I gather a cracked version which doesn't need Steam is already in circulation.

3: Long load times. Specifically at the beginning of the game when you first load it up. The games main menu displays part of a level at random for the background. Impressive though this is, I'd far rather have a static background with some form of logo or something that loads in 10 seconds, rather than an impressive backdrop that loads in 60. Remember, you only really look at that thing for about 5 seconds anyway while you load a game or whatever...

4: Story. Or lack of it. By the stage I am in the game - I'm still not sure who the Combine are, where Breen fits into it all or what I as Gordon Freeman am doing, running around shooting people and generally trying to help "the good guys". Why are they the good guys? These are all obvious things that I really don't know - and I don't think I missed some massive speach... its just not explained (if anyone can fill me in - please do). Perhaps things will be filled in later in the game, but right now I seem to be enjoying it without any idea *why* I'm doing it. At least Far Cry and Doom 3 went so far as to tell you when you were mindlessly killing things.

I guess I've come off rather negative on some points - it doesn't mean I hate the game. I do indeed enjoy it and am really pleased that I bought it. But these things have tarnished an otherwise brilliant title.

[Ace]

Steam is a giant filthy pile of *censored*

I bought the game, it wants me to make an account, so I do so. It then refuses to connect to the server, giving a whole plethora of errors.

Then, I hit the back button to retry, and steam freezes when doing the 'working' thing.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by PeachE
shouldn't you be out stealing art or something?

Um, when's the demo due?

[Petrarch of the VBB]

Originally posted by Kalfireth
4: Story. Or lack of it. By the stage I am in the game - I'm still not sure who the Combine are, where Breen fits into it all or what I as Gordon Freeman am doing, running around shooting people and generally trying to help "the good guys". Why are they the good guys? These are all obvious things that I really don't know - and I don't think I missed some massive speach... its just not explained (if anyone can fill me in - please do). Perhaps things will be filled in later in the game, but right now I seem to be enjoying it without any idea *why* I'm doing it. At least Far Cry and Doom 3 went so far as to tell you when you were mindlessly killing things.

They've deliberately left a lot of questions unanswered, so they can answer them in HL3.

[Omniscaper]

Has anyone tried Halflife:Source included with steam's Silver and Gold packages? I can't decide whether to go Steam or to my local store. Did the original Halflife get a COMPLETE overhaul graphicswise or is it not worth the extra $10 and no box with Steam's Silver package. I have the original Halflife already and I don't wanna pay an extra 10 bucks for a game I already have unless they transplanted the original to the new HL2 engine.

Screenshots of Halflife:Source would also be appreciated if you have it,

[Ransom]

It's just HL with the source engine. They haven't upgraded the geometry or anything, not worth it if you already have the original HL.

[Omniscaper]

WHAT!!!!!????  No character model or environment upgrades? Could post screenshots?

[Omniscaper]

CS:Source looks so nice , How could they have NOT done anything for the original Halflife!?

[Ransom]

Too much work I guess, it would have taken ages to fully upgrade all the maps and so on. As far as I'm aware all it has is the high definition thingy that came with Blue Shift, upgraded physics and shaderised water.

[Omniscaper]

Thats it!? Blueshift upgrades don't evemn compare with CS:Source. :: How about bumpmapping and other nifty Source engine effects besides water and physics? If not I guess its the bronze package Steam or local store for me. Any of the steam versions worth it?

In any case, could you post me some screenshots of Halflife:source or email me some snaps? I can't find screenshots of this game anywhere.

[Ransom]

Original:
http://www.halflife2.net/news//1093618899_hls2.jpg

Source:
http://www.halflife2.net/news//1093618899_hls1.jpg

Does look a little better thanks to Source's improved lighting ability, but none of the models or textures are upgraded to really take advantage of it.

[aldo_14]

What's the difference between the specs required for HL1 & HL:source, I wonder..............

[Omniscaper]

I would assume a directx-9 card would make the difference to notice the changes.

Ransom, i'm sold. Time to re-experience the original and get back into the story mindset before jumping to HL2.

Heres a question about steam. I noticed that they are no longer doing the preloading thing. I assume once I pay up, I'll be permitted to start downloading. I take it its a huge download. My question is, is there a way to burn the download to disc so I can download with my cousin's superior cable connection (I got verizon DSL , sucks) then play on my home PC?

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Omniscaper
I would assume a directx-9 card would make the difference to notice the changes.

Ransom, i'm sold. Time to re-experience the original and get back into the story mindset before jumping to HL2.

Heres a question about steam. I noticed that they are no longer doing the preloading thing. I assume once I pay up, I'll be permitted to start downloading. I take it its a huge download. My question is, is there a way to burn the download to disc so I can download with my cousin's superior cable connection (I got verizon DSL , sucks) then play on my home PC?

Yes, you can back it up to CD but - IIRC - you have to be permanently connected to Steam when you play it (i.e. not just to activate it, presumably anti-piracy so you can't have 2 copies of the same key in use at the one time)

[Fineus]

I anticipate a change in the way Steam works, considering the vast numbers of people who are having problems connecting and authenticating at the moment - which means they've bought and installed the game but can't play it because Steam wont let them.

They'd be insane to insist on keeping that going, and if they do, I anticipate myself and lot of others will begin to use modified .exe files that skip Steam out entirely and save on wasted time.

[aldo_14]

I've read it's been taking literally hours to verify the game, which has helped put me off buying it for the present time (I'd probably wait to see how well a demo runs on my compy first, anyways)