Ant wrote on Nov 15, 2024, 21:40:
Now, that's a name I haven't heard for a long time. Oh and sorry for waking this thread up.

Lol.

Now, that's a name I haven't heard for a long time. Oh and sorry for waking this thread up.

I think it will go down to settlement with say VU buy VALVE and put Nave as head in janitorial services, or VALVE buy VU and send home the french.

As concise an explanation of the press release as you could ever hope for.

But let's face it, Valve aren't doing away with publishers, they're BECOMING a publisher. I can see the time a few years down the line when STEAM has been spun off into a seperate company and closes the doors on Valve because it's no longer profitable. Remember, we all loved EA when they started.

Your posting this just hoping you end up being right, right? It'll be very difficult spinning off technology that is tightly integrated within your own software. Are you saying Steam would ditch Valve because Valve is no longer profitable?

"Let's see, if they actually gave us a discount, like $44.99 (vs $49.99 store price) then I'd actually feel sorry for them, but all they are doing is trying to cut out the publisher (yes, the publisher that gave them the funding to produce the game in the first place!) and stuff their pockets full of money."

Actually, buying over Steam IS cheaper than buying it in the stores.

Store Prices (without sales or coupons):
Basic = 54.99 USD
Collector Edition = 79.99 USD

Steam Prices
Bronze = 49.95 USD
Silver = 59.95 USD
Gold = 89.95 USD


Yes, that's right, the standard game is about $55 from most of the big places (ebgames, Best Buy, CompUSA, and others). Sure, you get a nice "box" and some archival CD's, but that doesn't bother me. I still have a bunch of free DVD-R's lying around that I can burn everything onto.

The Steam Silver package comes with everything the Collector Edition package has, except the Prima Book and an XL T-Shit. Both of which I wouldn't even want for free.

The Steam Gold packages comes with more stuff than the Collector Edition, but $10 USD more. Some of the stuff it comes with I would like (poster, soundtrack, etc).



I don't blame people for buying the box set; I almost did. It has its advantages. But complaining about the price is just stupid.


"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you."
-Fry, Futurmama

Neeleyman - are your textures that are displaying incorrectly just a load of multicoloured squares, the kind you might see on a corrupted JPEG image ? *SPOILER* One place that sticks out as it being very dominant is right after you get the crowbar from Barney and have to smash the 3 wooden planks across the chain link fence gate - either side of the gate is like it for me.

"Let's see, if they actually gave us a discount, like $44.99 (vs $49.99 store price) then I'd actually feel sorry for them, but all they are doing is trying to cut out the publisher (yes, the publisher that gave them the funding to produce the game in the first place!) and stuff their pockets full of money."

Umm, no. Valve has stated on numerous occasions that they funded HalfLife 2 OUT OF POCKET. That's the only reason it's been a full 4 year development cycle: VU couldn't call the shots.

Having played several hours of the game, it's worth every penny.

One complaint - the levels are loaded just like in the original - in the middle of nowhere. But unlike last time, where it took a few seconds to load, in the sequel it takes a minute or two - and I have 1.5 gigs of memory! Takes you out of the game by disrupting the immersion.

yeah, having fired up HL:S prior to HL2 the difference in load times is palpable, though for me, as in HL1, you gain a sense for when a tranition is going to happen.

And I absolutely agree you find yourself wanting to just. keep. playing.

This comment was edited on Nov 16, 08:09.

Logged in *right* at midnight PST, took a little less than 10 mins to authenicate, then I grabbed HL:S. Such a feel of polish in the game so far. The City scenes seem alive and definitely convey a large expanse of space. The AI at first on 'normal' is challenging enough, a few spots so far where I end up in the 20s and find a health right where I need it. How do they do that?!

AMD64 3400 Newcastle / 1GB 2-2-2-5
9800XT / 4.12s
10x7 2xAA / 8xAF
High detail / reflect all / no vsync
This comment was edited on Nov 16, 08:04.

No texture problems here either

Initial impressions - has the look and feel of the original. Only played about 10 minutes or so - quite a few scripted sequences, but they are well crafted and work as designed. I am already starting to hate the Combine.

One complaint - the levels are loaded just like in the original - in the middle of nowhere. But unlike last time, where it took a few seconds to load, in the sequel it takes a minute or two - and I have 1.5 gigs of memory! Takes you out of the game by disrupting the immersion.

All in all though - I think I am going to like this game. I can't quit put my finger on it, but there is just that something that makes me want to continue onwards and keep playing the game - just to reach that next goal. And once it is reached, something else happens, and I want to reach the next goal. And the next, and next, and so one.

Just like in the original game. This is a VERY good thing.

This is the feeling that was missing in Doom 3. Pretty and flashy graphics, but no gameplay. HL2 graphics may not be as fancy as Doom 3 (when you can see something in the darkness), but Source is pretty high up there. I would rate the Source graphics better then that of Far Cry, and up to par with Doom 3, but in a different way. The lighting is not as fancy as in Doom 3, but everything else is there in spades.

Okay, I gotta go and get ready for work. HL2 will have to wait untill the Christmas break after exams. And then I will play through HL-Source for nostalgia, and then start HL2.

You cannot make anything fool-proof. The fools are too inventive

Yes, I get a few textures that don't display properly, which completely sucks arse. I can't believe I'm having to look at that (it's really pretty bad) after all this waiting.

Also, anyone getting a "wire mesh" G-Man at the beginning? Didn't think it was supposed to be like that.

> Anyone else getting the odd texture problem in the game

I didn't notice any odd textures.

> Anyone else notice that Half Life Source is also now
> available to play?

I didn't notice, I was too busy playing the sequel. The remake will have to wait.

Whoa! The unlocking takes longer then I expected, even on my relatively fast rig.

Anyone else notice that Half Life Source is also now available to play?

You cannot make anything fool-proof. The fools are too inventive

Anyone else getting the odd texture problem in the game, looks like some textures havent been decrypted or something.

Theres not many, only seen about 4 or so but kinda spoils everything.

First one was right at the start just after speaking to the security guard who removed his helmet (leaving spoilers out) and you had to pile crates up to get out of the window - there was a whole load of multi coloured blocks as the floor texture on the top floor up the ladder.

I just finished the first two levels and I must say its way more nifty than I expected.

Well, HL2 gives me memory leak errors when trying to load. Somehow I finally got into the menu, then when I tried to load a level, no dice. Crash with Memory Leak errors. GREAT.

CRAP! When I load it, it gets to the loading screen, hangs for a minute or two, then I hear two Windows alert noises. Then if I hit Enter, I crash to desktop. DAMMIT!

Released it has been. Six long years, and tomorrow I get to give it a try

-still pre-loading

Yea, I restarted Steam and now HL2 appears on the available games list.
Today is HL2 day, Happy HL2 Day!!!