Just Bought HL2 And Already Not Happy...

Haven't recieved it yet, despite the pre-order...

 

Just write on the form 'None of these conditions affect my statuatory rights in anyway'. Besides the form, if it doesn't have that clause, is illeagal and u automaticaly have the riight to take it back to the shop as long as u can prove the software was faulty.

 

That shouldn't be hard--in any piece of software.

 

It did. My game was installed weeks ago and I was playing roughly 10 minutes after midnight.

With normal games, I have to go to the store, buy the game, go home, unpackage it, install it, find the freaking POS hidden CD key, and then download at least 1 patch before I can play the game.

See the problem is: you didn't use online distrobution, but instead used brick and coffin distribution.

Aaron Spink
speaking for myself inc.

 

Heh--agreed! One of the worst games I ever played--Revenant?--was, I thought, made awful by the irritating, repetitive, voice over for the main character. Just totally ruined the game for me, actually. Towards the end I spent a lot of time praying for him to shut up... Couldn't get through that one and the main character's voice was the main obstacle (sounded really cool for about five minutes--after that it got very old very fast.)

Honestly, HL2 has a quality about it that I've never seen before in a game--at least it grabs me that way. While Doom3 was exactly what I expected (and therefore disappointing), and so over-the-top in the lighting department that it was melodramatic to the point of being corny (which spoiled it for me, really), HL2 is the closest thing I've ever seen between a movie and a computer game--it just seems to find that "place" between the two like nothing else I've ever played.

Take the "cut scenes" in HL2--they flow so well within the game play that to call them "cut scenes" is really to improperly describe them because there's really no "cut" evident between the game play and the unfolding story. HL2 is much like a movie in that regard except that you as the player are always directly involved and much centers on what you do yourself and who you talk to or happen to overhear--very much unlike a movie in that regard.

Oh--the flashlight... Thank goodness Freeman's is of decent quality and doesn't get in your way--a nice improvement over the hokiness of Doom3 in that regard, I thought. Whereas id wanted to overemphasize the flashlight (a cheap shot, I thought, and gimmicky), in HL2 it's such an oridinary and useful tool that you scarcely notice it, except when you need it...

But Doom3, technically excellent but very much "old school" in regards to computer gaming presentations, is just so different from HL2 that I don't think a direct comparison is really possible. Whereas Doom3 represents the shape of things that have come before, and does it very well, HL2 provides a tantalizing glimpse into the shape of things yet to come...

 

Somehow I feel that the original Half-Life had a more cinematic quality to it in regards to its scripted secuences. I always liked the fact that I could either watch a scene play out or get in the thick of it (you weren't the center of attention many times).

One of my favorite parts from the original is when a marine transport runs through a brick wall and then disgorges its contents of marines.... Aliens start to pop into existance and a big fight ensues. You can either watch the carnage or participate. Both sides it seems are more than happy to shoot @ you though. To me, it just had an immersive quality I just haven't seen since. I could also be VERY jaded as well, so my comments should probably be taken with some nostalgia-salt.

 

Guden, are you being willfully ignorant for a reason? For the last four YEARS you could have read about how Gordon is never going to speak. It is BY DESIGN.

HL2 IMHO blows away all FPSes except maybe FarCry. The prison raid with the antlion army and "dune" thumpers going off had me giddy. Doom3 was frankly a one trick pony. HL2 has far more varied game play.

(love thee are "alamo" levels where you have to set up turrets and defend your base. There are all-sniper levels. )

Animation wise, it is superb. Just look at the way Alyx moves, climbs, and interacts with the environment. Or watch how Dog fights with you later. Completely fluid cinematics, with no "cut" in the "cut scene" Not once are you taken out of action.

 

I'm guessing they can do that since Gordon is not actually rendered(view 3rd person mode).
Also, reflections don't work on Gordon even on reflect all.

 

Guden, go back to the console forum. You diss pretty much every recently released game, I don't know what the hell your problem is. You don't like pc games? BYE!

The console forum is VVVVV that way.


And oh yeah, for a straight FPS shooter(not a hybrid like DeusEx) Hl2 rocks!!

 

The only thing wrong with HL2 is the fact that it's not playable right out of the retail box. I mean WTF! Comeon valve .. release a patch that will allow us to reformat our PC, install XP, install drivers, Install HL2 and install patch and play the game straight away. Surely you can do this.

US --> Angry

 

The weakest part of HL 2 is the very ending... by that I mean the last minute or two. I won't say anything about it other then it was a bit anticlimatic imho. Actually, there's a second weakness: the game ends. I finished, but want more...

Is that good or bad?


btw, I can't help but compare it with the other great big pc fps of this year. With that one, I loved it at first but was bored out of my gourd by the end and have no interest in the upcoming expansion pack. With HL 2... dang, I WANT MORE.

Let me put it this way... It's almost 3 am and I have to be at work at 6. But I just couldn't stop playing cause I knew I was near the end.

 

Ugh.... 2 am here. I'm supposed to be up @ 6 too.

There isn't that much story yet, but the game if really fun to play. I just can't stop playing it!!! The levels are IMO very intelligent in their layout and make for some interesting and unique combat.

P.S. Antlions make my pants tight!

 

lb:

Hm, sounds like me when i'm really relaxed. For real anxiety try the following: Buy all games in you lunch break from a little retail store close by and then spend another 5 to six hours with the box sitting on your table right next to a gaming capable workstation PC but of course you can't install it there. GNNNNNRRRRRR!

From what i read the Steam activation process is way too unpolished, especially for rather computer illiterate users (just change your network settings, unplug the network cables, etc, give me a break). Also, it seems a lot of people have involuntarily downloaded a second language pack because the language setting of their OS doesn't match the language of their retail package.

 

Seen this ?

http://halflife2.filefront.com/news/HalfLife_2_Pirated_Warez_Version_Info;13907

 

heh, thats pretty awesome... but with the consideration of how long it takes to unlock and validate the damn game its also kinda mean.

 

wtf.

 

Well did not have any problem with HL2.

Diplo i dont know UK laws but we have roughly similars laws in france and some laws are callec of Public Interest. It means that noone can go against that law thru a private deal. Basically if a distributor dared to ask to me to sign that agreement i could sign it and just ignore it. More I ll just have to report him to our authorities so he gets spanked hard.

 

I have to wonder when people who bought the retail version are gonna start sueing Valve/Vivendi for this extra time needed to d/l the game etc.

If I was in the States and had to use a 56k modem to play HL2 I would sue for the extra time and money it takes to start the game.

US

 

actually .. anyone have Gabe's e-mail address so that I can officially complain.

US

 

Dude, I can SEE it is by design. Why should I have to like it because of that? Daikatana had frogs and flies that spawned in endless waves by design, you're not seriously saying people should have loved the game for it?

It's by design, and it's BAD design.

Sorry, I don't take orders from the likes of you.

It's not my problem you take offense at me expressing my opinions. I'll continue doing that no matter what you think, so you can save yourself the trouble of not bitching about it any more, you silly Valve f*nb*y.