Does this game even have widescreen support? Probably not. No sale for me if it doesn't.

Anonymous wrote on Jan 15, 2010, 17:45:
THESE FINGERS ARE MADE OF STEEL!

Of course you know that still only counts as one post right? No way I'm wasting my time reading that.

THESE FINGERS ARE MADE OF STEEL!

Very long and strangely irrelevant. Behold the power of Anonymous

I downloaded the game and am having a blast.

tl;dr

I don't think they'll be able to, neither. I'm also worried that the gore will be very shitty.

I hated the marine campaign because it was just too damned hard. I found it extremely atmospheric, but I was younger at the time and felt more like applying my ownage, rather than cowering in fear.

I do like that it's atmospheric like that, however.

I just want to remind people that to satisfy my technical cravings for quality content is a hard thing to do.

And yet Valve Software has come through to a level of specification that involves champagne bottles opening and opiate-like disregard for any rough edges with Left For Dead 2.

A little thing or two was kind of crappy, but the overwhelming things that they have accomplished makes the lower res **blood** texture that I saw a few times seem like an insult to a fortune-giving relative who just gave you 5 million dollars.

Remember that L4D2's gore *IS* sub-par in some details (specifically resolution of blood textures at some points, the gut thing was weird but was *saved* by massive surprising variety around the collarbone region of ironically similar oddness, and the entire issue that Raven experienced the first time THEY did this thing involving too much de-limbing from lower-caliber weapons) , but that they managed AAA quality in general dismemberment (as in actually WAS BETTER THAN SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 2 RATHER THAN ATTEMPTING TO MIMIC THE GAME).

I try to avoid any negative commentary in regards to L4D2 because it's as if I was personally overseeing the development team to a major extent. I am dead serious.

I have sent them an email commending them on their ability to do the un-doable; to actually live up to standards already set by previous works and to actually attempt to do so with the specific goal in mind, clear as day.

L4D2's shortcomings are to be DISREGARDED and shoved to the back burner, only to be present for consideration in FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS.

They take the cake for their accomplishments and should not be insulted, as what they have done is a miracle and should not be criticized over smaller details.

I also like how they actually gave the M16 and AK47 distinct, unique properties that for the first time ever, actually leave you with a specific want for either one (depending on how you feel).

When I want a more accurate, higher rate of fire with possibly less potential of de-limbing, I turn to the M16 and fill 'em with lead.

When I want more stopping-power, penetration, and general "oomph", I pick the AK47, despite its lower firing rate and bigger bullet spread.

I love L4D2 and Valve Software.

EDIT: "No, it will NOT automatically work on all Windows OS's currently in use, because they sell it on Steam. There are plenty of games on Steam, not working (or not working properly) with the current Windows OS. "

"To really like Steam, you have to live in the States and use XP or Vista. Any other country or current Windows OS? Good luck! You'll need it ... "

OK, I wasn't aware that Valve unfortunately failed to implement a policy of checking software for ensured compatibility with current operating systems.

That surprises me, as I had expected otherwise with large amount of re-released old games made available again on Steam that WOULD NOT WORK WITH THEIR NORMAL SHIPPED CODE.

Multiple titles that would not work (AVP INCLUDED) are available on Steam in updated, working order for modern machines.

I'm sorry that there are regional blocks that affect you and that you've had such a bad experience with things.

You are right as far as the compatibility issues.

I'm also surprised (and this one's different) that Microsoft's virtualization programming is coming up short. They did so well with the WOW emulator in 64 bit versions of Windows, and Vista's compatibility was even better than XP's (I ran Fallout 2 1.0 for over 30 minutes without crashing AT ALL in XP X64!).

I would expect Windows 7's VMs for XP to be 90% compatible and with an input lag that still allows for 2x MSAA to work fairly well.

I've recently switched from XP Pro 64-bit to Win7 32-bit in order to take advantage of the Macrofusion feature of my processor (you may need 64 bit to get I7's to work with it due to the new full 64-bit Macrofusion... LOL).

I've found that Vista *and* Win7 run FASTER THAN XP with modern multicore processors!

It's just like the Crysis engine all over again (AS FAR AS MULTICORE RELATED PROCESSING), with people complaining that it's programming is extremely inefficient (we're talking Vista's processing efficiency likely with multicore processors, not anything else!) when in reality you are required to be running a MODERN MULTI-CORE PROCESSOR in order to comply with the ACTUAL REQUIREMENTS.

That's right; all those people with dual graphics cards that were complaining about Cryengine 2 were a bunch of Pentium 4 NOOBS.

They should have went with AMD, as back then they offered faster chips for less money (with integrated memory controllers already!).

Also, a 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo processor leaves something to be desired in XP where a 2.3 GHz Core 2 Quad TEARS THROUGH VISTA LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS.

And this is with all the reviewers complaining about the lack of difference between quad cores and dual cores in raw performance comparisons!

I think the 8000 line of Core 2 chips has been upgraded for performance, but that Microsoft actually got something right with Vista when it comes to processing data efficiently with multi-core processors (don't feel too bad, IE8 is still the polar opposite of this and is likely to never be fixed due to Win7/Vista masking the symptoms. Just like my 30% reduced performance video card <due to heating issues with EVGA and stream processors failing to produce artifacting before crashing> and DirectX 10.).

This comment was edited on Jan 15, 2010, 17:15.

Anonymous wrote on Jan 15, 2010, 15:31:
And yes, it will work on all Windows OS's currently in use. Or they wouldn't allow it on Steam

No, it will NOT automatically work on all Windows OS's currently in use, because they sell it on Steam. There are plenty of games on Steam, not working (or not working properly) with the current Windows OS.

For example, the desaster about Jedi Knight + Addon. Not playable with video hardware acceleration on most current machines and even the software mode gave a lot of people a lot of headache. Or look at "Stubbs the Zombie". This game DOES NOT WORK with Windows 7 and they still selling it, not mentioning a damn thing to their potential customers. Or look at Gothic 2, which is a new entry. This game does not work with the combination Windows 7 an Nvidia cards. Does it say anything about that on the shop page, that you have to use an ATI card, if you are planning to use Windows 7 with this game? No, they just sell it and let the customers pray, they hopefully will receive a refund after complaining.

And dont get me started on several regional version lockups (for example the first Warhammer4k series) , which Steam still fails to report correctly on the shop pages. But that is another thing ...

To really like Steam, you have to live in the States and use XP or Vista. Any other country or current Windows OS? Good luck! You'll need it ...

When I first played through years ago I started with the Marine campaign because I loved the "spook" factor that the demo gave a healthy taste of. An atmosphere of dread and hopelessness pearmeates each level and you never truly feel safe or unexposed, which to me is EXACTLY why it was so terrifying progessing through the levels. And even once you get to the end of a level you can't really relax because you know the next level will likely be worse!

Unfortunately, I just can't convince myself that they'll be able to create as terrifying an experience with this next one, but I definitely won't be disappointed if I'm proven very wrong ;).

This comment was edited on Jan 15, 2010, 15:51.

That price is RIGHT ON THE MONEY ($4.99)! I was afraid it would be $10 (similar to paying $20 for Counterstrike where $10 would have been money I'd give "on a silver platter" just to support the product <which I was playing for free already>).

I will be buying this game.

And yes, it will work on all Windows OS's currently in use. Or they wouldn't allow it on Steam (don't even bother trying to get the demo to work unless your running on a single-core AthlonXP with integrated graphics or something).

Honestly, those screenshots don't look THAT bad. http://store.steampowered.com/screenshot/view/3730/2/?size=800

Remember what I said about all the blood leaving proper decals on the floor?

And remember, these guys code their own engines. We should all be supportive of such things when it's probably financially implausible to do that much anymore.

Here's to hoping the new game is at least as good as the original.

This comment was edited on Jan 15, 2010, 15:41.

This is awesome!

BTW, whatever happened to that free Mechwarrior release?

That game was literally the ONLY game I was scared shitless when playing. Never has a game made me scream out loud in terror like that bloody game. I hope it works with win7!!

No multiplayer with a promised patch? Fuck that. I will wait till it has MP as that was the ONLY mode to play.

Great flame effects but the flame throwers weren't too effective in the game.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/3730/

It was likely the ONLY game you ever bought for that Jaguar too?

Also had Doom, which, if you didn't have a computer at the time, it was either that version or the 32X, which was worse.

Iron Soldier (I believe it was called) was also fun.

Can't remember what other games I had. never bought the toilet bowl cd attachment, as it was uber expensive ($199?) and by then it was obvious the jag was totally doomed...

Colour me interested. My computer was a bit slow when I first had AvP and haven't played it in a long time. I'd like to try it in an environment where the Aliens are more challenging than my FPS, and not the other way around

But yes, a cheap AvP is a good AvP and I may well be sold. Unless they somehow do something utterly, utterly bad.

Absolutely right!

Though it's always fun (especially circa back then) to lodge someone's head or leg into a wall with the Predator speargun.

Or to rip a human in half with a charged wristblade swipe!

nin wrote on Jan 15, 2010, 11:11:

*Dusts off his Atari Jaguar*

I bought a Jaguar just for that game...

It was likely the ONLY game you ever bought for that Jaguar too?

Depending on how cheap is cheap, I'll pick this up.

Creston

Beamer wrote on Jan 15, 2010, 12:01:
The original was much better than 2, in my opinion.
The marine campaign was a beast and actually kind of frightening, which is something I can't say about many games. The alien campaign was a huge blast, at least at the time. The predator campaign was just no fun.

Multiplayer was great, at least the co-op, but I'd question whether I'd find people to play it with now.

For those who haven't played Rebellion's AvP, a little explanation is in order.

You're given flares to light up the level, because 90% of it is f*cking pitch black. You have nightvision I believe, but it's almost impossible to see aliens in that mode anyway. These flares light up maybe a 5 foot radius. So you rely on your motion tracker. A lot. And that goddamn pinging sound builds epic amounts of tension. The aliens are about 3 times as fast as you are, come screaming out of the dark, and eat up GARGANTUAN amounts of health with each strike. If memory serves, 2-3 hits kills you.

IF you kill one, and he's too close when he dies, you get hit with acid blood, which takes off more of your precious health. I believe if you walk over the corpse, the acid burns you and you lose health like it was going out of style.

The marine campaign generally consisted of tossing flares everywhere, hearing that f*cking "ping" from your motion tracker, and screaming "shitshitshit shit shit!" while backing up and firing every time you had to fight an alien. Every enemy in the game was potentially lethal to a full-health character without any issue.

The alien campaign was a lot of fun, but it wasn't quite to the level that the marine campaign was. And Beamer was right, the predator campaign was ho-hum because you had a health kit, visor modes, and a large arsenal of weapons from the beginning.

" *Dusts off his Atari Jaguar*

Wait, what...?"

Lol, true that was their actual original version.

I recommend considering it; while it IS very dated, it's still really fun and atmospheric.

Not to mention very gory and satisfying (you might want to enable the supergore level 1 cheat, however!!!!!! That one is better than standard, and supergore 2 and 3 are ridiculous <though fun>.).

That video I posted a link to of the aliens getting ripped apart by the Predator is actually with supergore 1 or 2 enabled.

The default gore is fine but it looks better with SG1.

This comment was edited on Jan 15, 2010, 13:17.

"Original version" is quite misleading. There were several AvP games released long before this one, most notably the Jaguar version already mentioned here -- which is still one of my all time great gaming experiences.