Id pay 60 for it.

PHJF wrote on Jun 1, 2010, 17:54:
Clearly the surprise is that Portal 2 will initially only be made available as part of the as yet unreleased Black Box, which is to include Half-Life 2: Episode 3, Portal 2, and Left 4 Dead 3: The Midnight Ride.

That is win cubed...

PHJF wrote on Jun 1, 2010, 17:54:
Clearly the surprise is that Portal 2 will initially only be made available as part of the as yet unreleased Black Box, which is to include Half-Life 2: Episode 3, Portal 2, and Left 4 Dead 3: The Midnight Ride.

I'd pay 100 bucks for that!

Kajetan wrote on Jun 2, 2010, 12:10:

The Pyro wrote on Jun 2, 2010, 10:54:
That's why you're supposed to kill the Hunters *before* launching a ball at a Stalker

Which is good strategy for the first two attack waves, but the third one has way too many hunters and striders for my liking. Wasted too much time killing them (and aquiring new mines from the last undestroyed mine dispenser), the last surviving strider every time walked unharmed to the main base. But console commands can solve that mission design problem easily

I saved a lot of time with the hunters by just running them over with the buggy. Instant kill if you can get them on the first pass. Also, fallen logs scattered around made for great projectiles from the gravity gun for another instant kill.

The Pyro wrote on Jun 2, 2010, 10:54:
That's why you're supposed to kill the Hunters *before* launching a ball at a Stalker

Which is good strategy for the first two attack waves, but the third one has way too many hunters and striders for my liking. Wasted too much time killing them (and aquiring new mines from the last undestroyed mine dispenser), the last surviving strider every time walked unharmed to the main base. But console commands can solve that mission design problem easily

Creston wrote on Jun 2, 2010, 10:09:
If by wide-open you mean "there are three places where they will attack", and by fending off attacks you mean "Use a stupid carnival mechanism to attach bombs to a strider with your gravity gun, with its aim being so fucked you'll hardly ever hit anything, and while 877 billion Seekers (IIRC) are continuously destroying that ball the very fucking MILLISECOND it's attached to the strider without somehow miraculously blowing it up, AND being able to carry one ball at a time on your buggy, where you have to go into a house, grab it, put it on the buggy, release it, get into the buggy, drive somewhere, get out, grab the ball, shoot it at the strider, watch it get blown up by the seekers, swear, get back in the buggy, go back to the house, get another ball, repeat ad nauseum", then yes. It was an awesome set piece.

Oh, and do not forget, that you have to drive all over the map to an undestroyed house with an intact mine dispenser, making the time limit even more frustrating. Oh, oh, and one more thing: Why are there dozens of complete idiots aka resistance fighters, if they do NOTHING but run around and get killed by hunters or striders?

For the most part i enjoyed Episode 2, played it about three or four times. But this final fight is horrible, horrible, horrible. Skipped it every time. Enjoyed the pathetic ending and since then i am waiting for the conclusion of the story line in my patented Valve Time Capsule.

Creston wrote on Jun 2, 2010, 10:09:
while 877 billion Seekers (IIRC) are continuously destroying that ball

That's why you're supposed to kill the Hunters *before* launching a ball at a Stalker I quite enjoyed the final battle.

Selektaa wrote on Jun 2, 2010, 07:44:

I never finsihed ep2, and really don't care to.

You missed out then. The big fight against the walkers at the end was flat out amazing. Tearing around a wide-open forest level in a buggy trying to fend off attacks at different locations while the Combine just wrecked whatever they came across felt epic. Easily one of the best set pieces of the entire HL series.

If by wide-open you mean "there are three places where they will attack", and by fending off attacks you mean "Use a stupid carnival mechanism to attach bombs to a strider with your gravity gun, with its aim being so fucked you'll hardly ever hit anything, and while 877 billion Seekers (IIRC) are continuously destroying that ball the very fucking MILLISECOND it's attached to the strider without somehow miraculously blowing it up, AND being able to carry one ball at a time on your buggy, where you have to go into a house, grab it, put it on the buggy, release it, get into the buggy, drive somewhere, get out, grab the ball, shoot it at the strider, watch it get blown up by the seekers, swear, get back in the buggy, go back to the house, get another ball, repeat ad nauseum", then yes. It was an awesome set piece.

For 20 odd hours during HL2, Ep1 and Ep2, you've been blowing up striders with rockets, but during the final battle, that somehow doesn't work anymore. I guess the rebels were able to put those infinite rocket boxes everywhere EXCEPT in their ultra-important base?

Ugh, I hated that fucking battle probably more than anything in any shooter, ever. It felt more like a fucking Mario game.

Obviously to each their own.

Creston

necrosis wrote on Jun 1, 2010, 21:52:

^Drag0n^ wrote on Jun 1, 2010, 17:36:
If the big surprise involes Gabe Newell jumping out of eating his way out of a cake in speedos yelling "SURPRISE!", heads fat will roll.

^D^

Necrosis--

If you're going to change what my post said, please have the courtesy to remove my name from it. My comment was meant as a light jab, and your re-write makes it go a little beyond what I want to be associated with. Especially knowing a few people up there that still read this page.

Thanks.

^D^

But playing it was a pain in the ass. After six or seven failed attemps in stopping the last strider in time, i just opened the console and loaded the final "cut-scene" map. And looking at the achievement stats for Episode 2, i was not the only one having major difficulties with the final fight.

Yeah, same here. Hated that fight. Then again, I hated most of Episode 2, including being stuck in the grub cave for what felt like waaaaay too long.

Selektaa wrote on Jun 2, 2010, 07:44:
Easily one of the best set pieces of the entire HL series.

That i dont deny. But playing it was a pain in the ass. After six or seven failed attemps in stopping the last strider in time, i just opened the console and loaded the final "cut-scene" map. And looking at the achievement stats for Episode 2, i was not the only one having major difficulties with the final fight.

Oh - that is where I stopped - so that is the end?

I guess I can take 10 minutes to finish it.

I never finsihed ep2, and really don't care to.

You missed out then. The big fight against the walkers at the end was flat out amazing. Tearing around a wide-open forest level in a buggy trying to fend off attacks at different locations while the Combine just wrecked whatever they came across felt epic. Easily one of the best set pieces of the entire HL series.

I can't believe it has been that long since the release of HL2....doesn't seem that long ago. Then again GTA4 doesn't seem that long ago either, but that is over 3 years now as well....

I think it is safe to say they pretty much borked the HL2 episodes thing. I never finsihed ep2, and really don't care to. I also don't have any want or desire to play another episode. I would rather see an entirely new game, or a very polished Portal 2.

Or maybe, just maybe, go fix some other Source games.

Is this about my Cube?

The people responsible for the sacking have been sacked.

So we only have to wait two weeks for this? I hope this surprise doesn't feature Tom Hanks or Epic Games...

Rosco wrote on Jun 1, 2010, 22:25:
Black Mesa:Source release?

Lol, they're definitely making that on Valve time. Someone should notify Valve. Love to give that a run myself, if it ever comes out. Black Mesa: Source Forever

Black Mesa:Source release?

The surprise? Valve announces a patch to tweek Valve time...and make it even longer.