THE BORE

General => Video Game Bored => Topic started by: Himu on March 21, 2010, 11:58:27 PM

Title: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 21, 2010, 11:58:27 PM
Replayed HL2 over the past week. Beat it yesterday and started HL ep 1.

I'm loving ep 1 so far. It takes everything I loved about HL2 and puts it all in one tight, cohesive package but without the filler sections of its prequel.

And I hear ep 2 is just as good if not better?
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Ichirou on March 22, 2010, 12:00:12 AM
:bow Western gaming :bow2
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 12:01:57 AM
Have you seen the light, Ichi?
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 12:05:37 AM
Episode 2 is the best FPS ever made. Real talk.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: iconoclast on March 22, 2010, 12:09:35 AM
I thought Episode 1 was pretty weak to  be honest, even back when it first came out. HL2 and Episode 2 are amazing though.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: brawndolicious on March 22, 2010, 12:27:53 AM
Episode 1 was really fun, especially if you played it with only bullet.  The physics gun just never got old.

Episode 2 was really underwhelming though.  The weakest parts of HL are the vehicle sections and it focused on that.  I always rushed through those parts to get back on foot.  I mean, it was all driving through repetitive forests so that made it even more boring.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Ichirou on March 22, 2010, 12:32:01 AM
Have you seen the light, Ichi?

I'm not running away from my homojapuality but it's undeniable that this gen, every Asian game I've played other than Bayonetta (and the flawed-but-fun Dead Rising) have ranged from fair to mediocre.  Seems the only good Japanese gaming left is on portables.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 12:36:19 AM
Episode 2 was really underwhelming though. 

how does it feel being MISTER WRONG?
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 12:36:26 AM
Episode 1 was really fun

Episode 2 was really underwhelming though.

This is the dumbest thing you have ever written, and that's saying something, because your entire post history is like a greatest hits of incomprehensible stupidity.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Beezy on March 22, 2010, 12:37:31 AM
Episode 1 was really fun

Episode 2 was really underwhelming though.

This is the dumbest thing you have ever written, and that's saying something, because your entire post history is like a greatest hits of incomprehensible stupidity.
:lol
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 12:39:10 AM
Ep 2 is really that good? Cant' wait.

How long are these games on average?
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Ichirou on March 22, 2010, 12:40:05 AM
Trying to understand nintenho is like trying to decipher the mysteries of a vanished language for which no viable codex exists.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 12:41:47 AM
Trying to understand nintenho is like trying to decipher the mysteries of a vanished language for which no viable codex exists.

well we already have father mike so we got the experience.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 12:42:37 AM
I thought Episode 1 was pretty much garbage, but Episode 2 is better than Half-Life 2. It has one of the few, legitimately awesome "boss battles" ever put into a FPS.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 12:43:16 AM
I like ep 1 a lot so far, but then I'm only an hour in. I like the physics gun a lot.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 12:43:32 AM
I thought Episode 1 was pretty much garbage, but Episode 2 is better than Half-Life 2. It has one of the few, legitimately awesome "boss battles" ever put into a FPS.

Better than Portal's?
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 12:50:31 AM
Yes, but only because the final level in Portal wasn't much of a boss battle - it was just a final level (an awesome one at that). But completing the end content for Episode 2 left me with that sense of accomplishment and sheer exhaustion that only a true "boss battle" can evoke.

I thought Episode 1 was pretty boring and tedious, very much more-of-the-same. I didn't dig it.

Episode 2 is a legitimate epic, and a great teaser for the inevitable Episode 3 and/or Half-Life 3.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: demi on March 22, 2010, 12:54:43 AM
Episode 2 made me shit my pants because I screwed up an entire achievement because I used the crossbow at the very end of the game
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: brawndolicious on March 22, 2010, 01:05:21 AM
Episode 1 was really fun

Episode 2 was really underwhelming though.

This is the dumbest thing you have ever written, and that's saying something, because your entire post history is like a greatest hits of incomprehensible stupidity.

Well did you like sitting in the car and driving it around or did you like having the vehicle just as a gameplay mechanic so that you can cover long distances (like for the final fight)?  I heard all this hype about being able to drive around that I thought it was going to be like Halo or at least Far Cry and be pretty epic but it just wasn't.  It was, like linear and formulaic.

The combat and level design of HL2 and it's episodes are basically a decade old now.  I hope they try and just focus mainly on puzzles and story for the episode 3 because that's what it's always been really good at. Maybe HL3 will change up a lot of things tho.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Great Rumbler on March 22, 2010, 01:16:22 AM
The vehicle portions of Half-Life 2 are actually my favorite parts of the entire game.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: brawndolicious on March 22, 2010, 01:20:11 AM
For their novelty?  Like the tank levels in Goldeneye?
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: duckman2000 on March 22, 2010, 01:24:33 AM
Episode 1 licks ass
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Great Rumbler on March 22, 2010, 01:28:22 AM
For their novelty?  Like the tank levels in Goldeneye?

No, because they were fun.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:28:45 AM
Okay, I'm at this part where a bunch of antlions keep respawning.

SMH

Done for the night.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on March 22, 2010, 01:33:38 AM
I actually agree with nintenho on this one.

I'm a huge fan of the HL series and I enjoyed Episode 1 over Episode 2. Story-wise, EP2 wins, it just has a lot of juicy substance and awesome scenes. Gameplay wise it seems to be Episode 1 inverted. Instead of all the action sequences back-to-back in a short game, it's all the filler sequences back to back in a badly paced game.

The entirety of the antlion mines sucked and the car driving was more of the same shit from Highway 17 but this time in a forest.

Maybe it's because I played Portal prior to EP2 and was in the mood for a more concise game, but all I can remember is painfully long sequences of repetitive bullshit and wasting all my ammo on Hunters and then it was over. My dislike of EP2 could also be because I'm not usually a fan of the second of any trilogy, since they're usually filler and time-wasting until the grand finale, and EP2 hit the marks on that stereotype effortlessly.

By all means it's still a good game, but EP1 destroys EP2 in the gameplay department. Lowlife > Everything in EP2.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 01:41:13 AM
so wrong. soo wrong.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: brawndolicious on March 22, 2010, 02:28:28 AM
I actually agree with nintenho on this one.

I'm a huge fan of the HL series and I enjoyed Episode 1 over Episode 2. Story-wise, EP2 wins, it just has a lot of juicy substance and awesome scenes. Gameplay wise it seems to be Episode 1 inverted. Instead of all the action sequences back-to-back in a short game, it's all the filler sequences back to back in a badly paced game.
Yeah but also, the way I played episode 1 was going for the one bullet achievement so every area meant having to search for the rubble and looking for anything that you can actually use.  It felt more like a survival horror or adventure game then a shooter and I guess it was boring going from that to regular shooting in episode 2 since I played them back-to-back.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on March 22, 2010, 02:29:42 AM
I actually agree with nintenho on this one.

I'm a huge fan of the HL series and I enjoyed Episode 1 over Episode 2. Story-wise, EP2 wins, it just has a lot of juicy substance and awesome scenes. Gameplay wise it seems to be Episode 1 inverted. Instead of all the action sequences back-to-back in a short game, it's all the filler sequences back to back in a badly paced game.
Yeah but also, the way I played episode 1 was going for the one bullet achievement so every area meant having to search for the rubble and looking for anything that you can actually use.  It felt more like a survival horror or adventure game then a shooter and I guess it was boring going from that to regular shooting in episode 2 since I played them back-to-back.

I can tell you, having played EP1 like five times, it feels survival-horror-ish regardless of how you approach the action. Until of course you get to the trainyard.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: brawndolicious on March 22, 2010, 03:46:38 AM
i'm all for people having opinions but ... Ep 1 over Ep2 ?
are you fucking high?
honestly, it feels like I tried to compare splinter cell and ninja gaiden.  they're both good in their own way but I personally liked the really minimalist and dark areas of Ep1 where you're actually encouraged required to explore.  I do generally dislike all the vehicle sections in HL tho.

I actually agree with nintenho on this one.
I'm a huge fan of the HL series and I enjoyed Episode 1 over Episode 2. Story-wise, EP2 wins, it just has a lot of juicy substance and awesome scenes. Gameplay wise it seems to be Episode 1 inverted. Instead of all the action sequences back-to-back in a short game, it's all the filler sequences back to back in a badly paced game.
Yeah but also, the way I played episode 1 was going for the one bullet achievement so every area meant having to search for the rubble and looking for anything that you can actually use.  It felt more like a survival horror or adventure game then a shooter and I guess it was boring going from that to regular shooting in episode 2 since I played them back-to-back.
I can tell you, having played EP1 like five times, it feels survival-horror-ish regardless of how you approach the action. Until of course you get to the trainyard.
zombines lawl.

yeah I guess I just really am partial that type of HL gameplay where you have to really think to survive.  It made me feel disappointed at the end where you had to go back to the citadel and fight regular combine again.  I'm really hoping the next episode or HL3 try to give you more paths for each level so you can play to your style.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on March 22, 2010, 04:28:04 AM
i'm all for people having opinions but ... Ep 1 over Ep2 ?

are you fucking high?


For once, no, I'm not. I really enjoyed EP1 more than 2. I get the same reaction to that opinion everywhere I go, and as much as I try I can't see why EP2 is the better game. Nobody here has even bothered explaining it, so I'm assuming the reasons will continue to be elusive.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 07:05:50 AM
reasons:

better action
better story
better and more varied locations and set pieces
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 09:40:24 AM
HL2 has some horrible pacing and I never finished it.

It really does. It just drags on and on and on. Went downhill after "Sandtraps" until you get the physics gun.

Keep going.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 09:51:07 AM
and now we have people bashing HL2. gtfo of your own thread.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: tiesto on March 22, 2010, 10:12:37 AM
I wasn't too fond of Episode 1, too many trial-and-error parts, (hated waiting for the elevator in the dark, and the final chase scene) but the second episode plays a lot smoother, has more interesting locales, and develops the story much more. If taken as a standalone game, ep2 is my favorite FPS of all time. Both games are about 6 or so hours long, Himu, from what I remember.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 12:52:19 PM
This thread is good for compiling a list of posters to never take gaming recommendations from.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: demi on March 22, 2010, 12:53:00 PM
HL2 has some horrible pacing and I never finished it.

co-sign, HL1 :bow
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 12:54:05 PM
I'm sorry, demi, but you... you're now on the list.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: demi on March 22, 2010, 01:00:27 PM
I would still tug to you, Willco
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 01:00:51 PM
:hyper
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:01:18 PM
HL1 is definitely better than HL2, but HL2's no slouch either. It just has some atrocious pacing issues and filler.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:03:13 PM
and now we have people bashing HL2. gtfo of your own thread.

This is why I troll HL2 despite loving it to death. Actually, I do that with a lot of games I like. If you don't think x game is perfect, even if you really like it, prepare to be ridiculed!

 :-\
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 01:09:43 PM
Half-Life 2 is about ten - nay, maybe fifty six - times better than the original. You can't really disagree, the sequel is just objectively better. The only people that prefer the original are nostalgia wankers.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 01:10:25 PM
bu bu bu the marine AI in HL is sooo good guys
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 01:13:50 PM
I can pretty much shutdown any argument that alleges that the original is superior to the sequel with one word: Xen

Everyone can go home now, thanks for playing.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:15:02 PM
I can pretty much shutdown any argument that alleges that the original is superior to the sequel with one word: Xen

Everyone can go home now, thanks for playing.

Two can play this game.

Nova Prospekt

Hint: it sucks.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 01:16:25 PM
now you're just being aggressively wrong on purpose. tsk tsk.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: duckman2000 on March 22, 2010, 01:18:00 PM
Nova Prospekt

Hint: it sucks.

WTF is wrong with you
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:18:20 PM
now you're just being aggressively wrong on purpose. tsk tsk.

Fuck no I'm not. The turrets? Hideos.

Taking out the two gunships? Tedious.

The best of the chapter is when it blends in with the chapter before it, Sandtraps, where you get to control an army of antlions to kill for you. Which is awesome.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 01:19:28 PM
Himuro tries to troll and backfires spectacularly in two posts :lol

Revealed for the crappy gamer he really is :lol
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 01:19:36 PM
thats it. we're no longer friends.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:20:15 PM
Yes, we are, fistful. You can't say that to me!
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 01:20:52 PM
Glen Shinobi : Film :: Himuro : Video games
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:22:40 PM
Himuro tries to troll and backfires spectacularly in two posts :lol

Revealed for the crappy gamer he really is :lol

You actually liked the part with the turrets? That shit ain't fun, son.

Crappy gamer? It's not even challenging.

Make a staircase with some crates, throw turrets up on upper level, jump on upper level, fight a bunch of Combine endlessly ad nauseum.

It just wasn't fun.

I'm not big on HL2 end game in general, though. Aside from the Citadel, which is abso-fucking-lutely mind blowingly awesome in every sense of the word.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:23:38 PM
Glen Shinobi : Film :: Himuro : Video games

Except I said clearly before that HL2 is a great game.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 01:25:34 PM
Nice try, Green Shinobi Himuro ::)
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:26:06 PM
:lol

You cunt
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:37:35 PM
Anyways, Willco, you've really really offended me today and I don't think I'll ever recover.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Great Rumbler on March 22, 2010, 01:50:59 PM
Glen Shinobi : Film :: Himuro : Video games

Except I said clearly before that HL2 is a great game.

Just let it go, Gree Himuro. You lost. :smug
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 01:57:00 PM
:lol
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on March 22, 2010, 02:05:36 PM
I can pretty much shutdown any argument that alleges that the original is superior to the sequel with one word: Xen

Everyone can go home now, thanks for playing.

Two can play this game.

Nova Prospekt

Hint: it sucks.

Correct.

And sorry Willco, but you can take your "objectively better" and shave your ass with it. Both HL1 and HL2 are wonderful games, but HL1 is better. It has cohesive level design, actually challenging gameplay, better pacing and some really fun/awesome moments.

Half Life 1 is like the first game I ever played, and by now all the nostalgia has worn thin and I still really enjoy it. I was immensely hyped for HL2 and the game delivered on all fronts, but it doesn't surpass HL1 in my mind, nor does any FPS.

And I'm getting sick of people whining about Xen. Sure you are completely unprepared for this section of the game by the time you get there, and it's kind of a strange way to end the game, but at least HL1 actually ends.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 02:14:29 PM
Glen Shinobi : Film :: Himuro : Video games

Except I said clearly before that HL2 is a great game.

You guys trying to make this about me are fucking whack. I've been praising The Hurt Locker HL2 consistently for months now. (http://www.evilbore.com/forum/index.php?topic=33593.msg1067450#msg1067450)
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 02:16:35 PM
You have betrayed me, fistful.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 02:18:11 PM
How can you do that to an e-bro? You just don't.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 02:18:36 PM
you brought this upon yourself.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 02:20:29 PM
:lol

How can I convince you otherwise?
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 02:22:31 PM
nothing can be done. you've scorched the earth, hombre.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 02:23:57 PM
Noooo
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 02:25:09 PM
 :patel
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Vizzys on March 22, 2010, 02:27:13 PM
hurry up and finish hl2ep2 so you can wait miserably like the rest of us
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on March 22, 2010, 02:29:12 PM
hurry up and finish hl2ep2 so you can wait miserably like the rest of us

Fucking Valve.

FUCK YOU VALVE. FUCK PORTAL 2. GIVE ME EPISODE 3.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Smooth Groove on March 22, 2010, 02:29:34 PM
And sorry Willco, but you can take your "objectively better" and shave your ass with it. Both HL1 and HL2 are wonderful games, but HL1 is better. It has cohesive level design, actually challenging gameplay, better pacing and some really fun/awesome moments.

Enemy AI also feels much better in HL1 which is especially glaring because the rest of Hl2's tech is obviously light years ahead of Hl1.  No doubts that HL1 is still a great game but it looks really dated.  FPS is probably the genre where graphics became outdated most quickly because everything is right in your face.  I would love a HL1 remake.  It would make sense and not seem like just like a cash-in because HL2 and the episodes don't really play that much like HL1 despite being its sequels.  
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on March 22, 2010, 02:32:45 PM
Well I hope you're following Black Mesa (http://blackmesasource.com/) then. I personally don't think they'll ever finish, but who knows.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 02:33:13 PM
:patel

You'll still play Bad Company 2 with me when I get it though, right?  :-*
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Great Rumbler on March 22, 2010, 02:35:05 PM
Well I hope you're following Black Mesa (http://blackmesasource.com/) then. I personally don't think they'll ever finish, but who knows.

I keep hoping that Valve hires these guys, sends them some resources to help them finish, and then puts Black Mesa in a package deal with Episode 3.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 02:35:50 PM
you can join on me if you want. will my squad be open? it is a mystery.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on March 22, 2010, 02:38:17 PM
Well I hope you're following Black Mesa (http://blackmesasource.com/) then. I personally don't think they'll ever finish, but who knows.

I keep hoping that Valve hires these guys, sends them some resources to help them finish, and then puts Black Mesa in a package deal with Episode 3.

I don't know what's preventing them from doing this, really. This mod is showing more promise than both Narbacular Drop and the original Left 4 Dead combined, and Valve still won't throw them a bone. I don't get it.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: brawndolicious on March 22, 2010, 02:49:54 PM
Wait, so you guys want to pay for a mod that would be free anyways?

And why exactly was it called the Orange box?  Because of the orange Hazard Suit?
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on March 22, 2010, 02:52:58 PM
Wait, so you guys want to pay for a mod that would be free anyways?

And why exactly was it called the Orange box?  Because of the orange Hazard Suit?

Orange is kind of like the series color.

And I don't mind paying for a mod if the team is given the resources to make it way better than it would be had it been free.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Smooth Groove on March 22, 2010, 02:56:57 PM
Wait, so you guys want to pay for a mod that would be free anyways?

Because it might never be released?  At the rate those modders are going, even if the mod were finished, it would look severely outdated upon release which completely defeats the purpose of a graphically revamped Hl1. 
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: brawndolicious on March 22, 2010, 03:08:27 PM
Wait, so you guys want to pay for a mod that would be free anyways?

Because it might never be released?  At the rate those modders are going, even if the mod were finished, it would look severely outdated upon release which completely defeats the purpose of a graphically revamped Hl1. 
Valve takes 2-3 years to make 5 hours of gameplay with small engine upgrades.  I don't think it's exactly the most efficiently managed company.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Great Rumbler on March 22, 2010, 03:48:30 PM
Wait, so you guys want to pay for a mod that would be free anyways?

Because it might never be released?  At the rate those modders are going, even if the mod were finished, it would look severely outdated upon release which completely defeats the purpose of a graphically revamped Hl1. 
Valve takes 2-3 years to make 5 hours of gameplay with small engine upgrades.  I don't think it's exactly the most efficiently managed company.

 :wtf
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 03:52:05 PM
Wait, so you guys want to pay for a mod that would be free anyways?

Because it might never be released?  At the rate those modders are going, even if the mod were finished, it would look severely outdated upon release which completely defeats the purpose of a graphically revamped Hl1. 
Valve takes 2-3 years to make 5 hours of gameplay with small engine upgrades.  I don't think it's exactly the most efficiently managed company.
:lol
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 03:52:35 PM
am nintenho neglects the fact that they run the premiere digital distribution venue for PC games and that other franchise they now have, Left 4 Dead.

In fact, Valve has released a game every year the past several years!

2007: The Orange Box, 2008: Left 4 Dead, 2009: Left 4 Dead 2, 2010: Portal 2, 2011: ???
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Great Rumbler on March 22, 2010, 03:55:20 PM
am nintenho neglects the fact that they run the premiere digital distribution venue for PC games and that other franchise they now have, Left 4 Dead.

In fact, Valve has released a game every year the past several years!

2007: The Orange Box, 2008: Left 4 Dead, 2009: Left 4 Dead 2, 2010: Portal 2, 2011: ???

And they also provide continuing support for their online games, including new maps, weapons, patches, and other content [for free].
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 04:00:33 PM
am nintenho neglects the fact that they run the premiere digital distribution venue for PC games and that other franchise they now have, Left 4 Dead.

In fact, Valve has released a game every year the past several years!

2007: The Orange Box, 2008: Left 4 Dead, 2009: Left 4 Dead 2, 2010: Portal 2, 2011: ???

Only 5 hour games that that take 4 years to make. They don't count!
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: iconoclast on March 22, 2010, 04:24:14 PM
2007: The Orange Box, 2008: Left 4 Dead, 2009: Left 4 Dead 2, 2010: Portal 2, 2011: ???

2006: Episode 1, 2005: HL2: Lost Coast, HL2 Xbox port, 2004: Half-Life 2, 2003: Day of Defeat...
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: demi on March 22, 2010, 04:25:18 PM
you guys are wowing me here

half life

2
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 04:38:08 PM
Entanglement sucked.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on March 22, 2010, 04:40:27 PM
Entanglement sucked.

All of HL2 post-Highway 17 sucked. Except maybe Anticitizen One.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 04:42:31 PM
I liked pretty much all of the Citadel, so I disagree.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on March 22, 2010, 04:47:24 PM
I liked pretty much all of the Citadel, so I disagree.

I did too, until I played EP1.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 04:53:21 PM
Sandtraps rules because you get to send an army of antlions to tear combine apart.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on March 22, 2010, 05:00:51 PM
it's not too bad.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: brawndolicious on March 22, 2010, 05:08:41 PM
am nintenho neglects the fact that they run the premiere digital distribution venue for PC games and that other franchise they now have, Left 4 Dead.
In fact, Valve has released a game every year the past several years!
2007: The Orange Box, 2008: Left 4 Dead, 2009: Left 4 Dead 2, 2010: Portal 2, 2011: ???
I would say that the Orange Box is basically a "full" new game since it includes a 6 hour episode, a few hours of Portal, and the TF2 multiplayer (only a few maps though).  But that took them 3  years in a company with over 200 employees so it's not that fast at all.

L4D is short, has only a few environments, and is of course on the same old engine.  It's a fun, replayable game but I can't see where all the time went into it.  Portal 2 probably won't be in challenge rooms but I have no idea what scale it is going to have.  I'm hoping for a good 12-15 hours of gameplay though.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: iconoclast on March 22, 2010, 05:31:05 PM
It's a fun, replayable game but I can't see where all the time went into it.

I can't see where all the time went into it.

It's a fun, replayable game
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: The Fake Shemp on March 22, 2010, 05:35:08 PM
You can't see where all the time and energy went into a four-player coop game that is played online (good netcode!) with large environments, dynamic A.I., 8-player versus mode, etc.?

Really?
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: naff on March 22, 2010, 06:31:34 PM
Have you seen the light, Ichi?

I'm not running away from my homojapuality but it's undeniable that this gen, every Asian game I've played other than Bayonetta (and the flawed-but-fun Dead Rising) have ranged from fair to mediocre. Seems the only good Japanese gaming left is on portables.

Demons Souls, 3D Dot Game Heroes.

:bow FROM SOFTWARE (and PS3) :bow2
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: fistfulofmetal on March 22, 2010, 07:01:22 PM
Himuu just fyi. I'm posting this from my droid. I'm outside where you live with my arm cocked back. First person who comes out of the front door gets a punch right in the kisser
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Great Rumbler on March 22, 2010, 07:31:08 PM
This thread actually got me motivated to play Episode 1 again. I don't think I've played it since Orange Box came out.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: brawndolicious on March 22, 2010, 08:05:45 PM
You can't see where all the time and energy went into a four-player coop game that is played online (good netcode!) with large environments, dynamic A.I., 8-player versus mode, etc.?

Really?
The AI and netcode is impressive but how many man-hours does that take?  The reason there was such a huge time/resources cost in moving to next-gen platforms is the higher res assets.  I don't see a lot of assets.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: brawndolicious on March 22, 2010, 11:30:59 PM
no I don't think any of their games are bad, I just think they take too long/use too many resources to make them.  Maybe it's because they're perfectionists.

But they are better at making puzzles and indoor levels then at making large outdoor levels.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: pilonv1 on March 22, 2010, 11:51:05 PM
what do you do for an encore, denounce minge?

probably claim TF2 is terrible
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on April 26, 2010, 05:39:11 AM
Beat ep 1. Was great until the shitty part where you have to go back and forth to help move citizens to the other street. "Gorden, get more civilians!" UGH.

Started ep 2, and I'm like three or four chapters in and it has been a non-stop awesome fest.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on April 26, 2010, 07:29:38 PM
Ep 2 knocks the shit out of Ep 1, HL2, AND HL1.

OMFG

:bow
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Joe Molotov on April 26, 2010, 09:06:13 PM
Yeah, Episode 2 is just solid awesome.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: chronovore on April 27, 2010, 01:42:44 AM
I can pretty much shutdown any argument that alleges that the original is superior to the sequel with one word: Xen

Everyone can go home now, thanks for playing.
I'm probably the only person who liked Xen, though I definitely had my issues with it. The Bull Testicle Crab in the pit, I beat by finding a spot where it wouldn't slide me off the ramp into the pit, and killing it from a distance. I also quicksaved my progress on each of the platforms when doing that big ascent. Yeah, it was not in alignment with all preceding gameplay, but I guess that also made me feel like I was battling on the aliens' home ground, with them at the advantage.

Half-Life 2 is about ten - nay, maybe fifty six - times better than the original. You can't really disagree, the sequel is just objectively better. The only people that prefer the original are nostalgia wankers.
I'm a nostalgia wanker.
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Nikki Dial
[close]
spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ginger Lynn
[close]
spoiler (click to show/hide)
:unf :unf :unf
[close]
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on April 27, 2010, 02:09:03 AM
Yeah as much as I hate to compare the two, Willco, you can praise 2 all you want, HL1 is a much better game to me. The level design is really cohesive and unique. I love HL2, but it's like the FF13 of first person shooters. Nothing but straight lines. I can't deny that HL2 kind of set the standard for the modern FPS, but HL1 is just better in a "before they were famous" way.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on April 27, 2010, 10:25:27 AM
Whereas FF13's structure makes it among the most boring and badly paced rpgs ever, this doesn't mean it doesn't work with HL2. In fact, games like HL benefit from such structure. FF13 isn't a good comparison.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Raban on April 27, 2010, 12:45:45 PM
Whereas FF13's structure makes it among the most boring and badly paced rpgs ever, this doesn't mean it doesn't work with HL2. In fact, games like HL benefit from such structure. FF13 isn't a good comparison.

I didn't mean in quality, just that it took a game that was fairly nonlinear and made it really linear. I never said that it was bad, but the change from HL1 came as a shock to me when 2 first came out.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on April 27, 2010, 11:50:11 PM
Beat ep 2.

I definitely think I like it more than Riddick. It was perfectly paced from beginning to end, and was a fantastic ride throughout. Had a great ending too.

Honestly, the only thing I didn't like was the final battle. Maybe I was doing it wrong, but I'd fire Magnussums at the Striders and they'd fall right off, and I'd have to keep going back and forth in attempts to make a hit. Fucking annoying and tedious, but still fun I guess.

I pretty much played the game in two sessions and when the credits rolled I blurted,"It's over?!"

I want more dammit!!!!!
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Smooth Groove on April 27, 2010, 11:57:14 PM
I thought the final fight in EP2 was pretty sweet.  It was a much fresher experience than your typical FPS endgame.  Also, EP2 still looks hella sweet with 64xAA at 1080P.  I'm definitely gonna play at least parts of it again. 
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on April 27, 2010, 11:59:39 PM
I prefer HL2's end game but whatevah.
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Smooth Groove on April 28, 2010, 12:01:28 AM
I prefer HL2's end game but whatevah.

Nice concept but way too easy.  EP2's last battle took me much longer to beat than the original's. 
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Himu on April 28, 2010, 12:04:02 AM
Replaying Portal. :rock

Haven't played since 2008 :rock

One of the few games I consider to be perfect :bow

:bow VALVE :bow2

:piss BLIZZ :piss2
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Great Rumbler on April 28, 2010, 01:03:24 AM
I want more dammit!!!!!

Just think how those of us who played Ep2 when it first came out feel. :'(
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: Joe Molotov on April 28, 2010, 11:00:28 AM
Honestly, the only thing I didn't like was the final battle. Maybe I was doing it wrong, but I'd fire Magnussums at the Striders and they'd fall right off, and I'd have to keep going back and forth in attempts to make a hit. Fucking annoying and tedious, but still fun I guess.

Hunters will try to shoot the bombs off the Strider if you don't take them out first (the best way is to just run over them).
Title: Re: Late to the Awesome: Half Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2
Post by: tiesto on April 28, 2010, 02:31:27 PM
Yeah, I played Ep2 a few months after Orange Box dropped, and quickly proclaimed it as the best FPS I've ever played. The wait for Ep3 has been insane. I really hope we get some news at E3.