[Let's Play] Half-Life 2: Episode 2 (With Gnome!) - Videos unavailable.

Adus

Welcome to Let's Play

Obligatory Wiki excerpt, even though no one should need it:

Half-Life 2: Episode Two is the second installment in Valve Corporation's series of episodes for the first person shooter computer game Half-Life 2. Continuing with Valve's policy of orienting each episode around a particular theme or set of technologies, Episode Two aims to focus on expansive environments, travel and less linear play. Following the closing events of Episode One, it sees Gordon Freeman and the series' other major players moving away from City 17 to the surrounding countryside.

Half-Life 2. Pretty much everyone has played it and the following episodes. So what's the point of watching? Well, as you may know, there's an achievement in this game that requires you to take a Garden Gnome you find at the beginning of the game, all the way to the end. Sounds like a hassle, right? Well it is. I've done it once before and it got quite frustrating at times, but overall isn't that difficult (I'm sure I'll regret saying that). This is what I'll be doing in this run through. Some people on Youtube have already done it, so this isn't a first, but very few LPs are these days.

I haven't played this game in a couple years now, so this will be far from an expert run. In fact, I'll probably miss a lot of obvious item pickups, die for stupid reasons, or generally just suck at playing. If this sort of thing bothers you when watching other people run through games, then you may want to avoid it. It shouldn't be bad enough to be painful to watch, but just warning ahead of time. If a part really does get that bad, I always have super editing powers.

These first videos are short as to gauge interest, as well as get some feedback (though I'll try not to make sets an hour long like SR2). I uploaded them in High Def this time, so those with slower connections be warned (or simply don't click HD). So watch on channel or Youtube (Playlist Link) for best quality.

These are still processing. Maybe it's just me, but hopefully HD will be available soon.

Set 1: Rise and Shine, Mr. Gnomeman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOGL9VgK6Y0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZxS06L_Zgc

Set 2: The Antlion's Den

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnVkRip9b4M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgFILJvYugw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HflXKo3jak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc3hxSrtDjQ

Set 3: Physics Puzzles, Oh Boy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkGgjaEI3Bs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1EW-0esmtk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEWygIPsVOk

Set 4: The Pain Begins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8e_2Www-wA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQi0vqUUHrQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNWLy3NszwI

Set 5: This Update Contains Only 10% of Your Daily Value of Gnome (But Contains 400% Zombie)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vHu1LL96Jw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r3T6SeOI6Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR5fRYERK0A

Set 6: (Enter Your Favorite Synonym For Rage Here)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5GNDcSew38

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9ZJgiJta1g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBwpp3tqynw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X1G67Z9Zs0

Set 7: On Such A Timeless Flight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8OMYzKHg-w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KF949cKuzg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x23Q1mpDIwQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS__N0v7C74

Set 8 (Final): Under A Luminous Sky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9UDUSsUYWg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgjIZ-Z8XrE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMbx073B-4Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZGId5vt00o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNE_tvmGq8k

Once again, sorry about audio blips. I think it's just something with my sound card. It's the only thing in this machine that I moved over from my previous one so it's getting old. Anyway, as I said in the video, let's name the gnome. Also let me know if you want anything different as far as audio balancing goes. Game sound higher/lower, etc. Or if you want subtitles on. Also if anyone knows how to record to better fit the youtube window, let me know. I already know part of my issue is publishing the videos in 16:9 when I record in 16:10. Maybe that's the only issue. I don't really know!

Barcardi

This is a lets play i wanna see and then do.
Gnome!

Antithesis

Oh my god.


You're actually taking the gnome with you.


I didn't think that anyone could actually do an Episode 2 Let's Play, but... yes.


Don't know what to name the gnome, though.

cwapfobrains

I've always wondered how this was done with the car sections.

As for a name, I don't know... Pierre? Francois? He seems french to me, but that just may be because of Amelie.

ChrisDude

This is awesome because I played through Ep2 and I really don't have any idea how you could keep the gone with you through some parts. Chalk me up as interested.

And the gnome should be named Gnorman.

Jaramr

Name the gnome Checkers.

And good luck with keeping Checkers inside the car, ive tried, it is damned impossible.

Yougottawanna

I tried bringing the gnome with me once - once. Yeah, he fell out of the car. I looked in the back after driving a while and he wasn't there. I just said "fuck that." I wasn't about to go combing the forest for wherever he fell out.

Also this thread reminded me WHERE IS EPISODE THREE JESUS

Garthor

cwapfobrains wrote: »

I've always wondered how this was done with the car sections.

Vroooooooo-

"SHIT"

SCREECH

padpadpad

Bzzhmmhmmhmmhmm

padpadpad

...

Vroooooooooooo-

"SHIT"

Yougottawanna

I remember reading somewhere where there was a way you could jam that sucker into the car so that he wouldn't fall out constantly. I can't remember where it was though, or where I read it.

donhonk

Garthor wrote: »

cwapfobrains wrote: »

I've always wondered how this was done with the car sections.

Vroooooooo-

"SHIT"

SCREECH

padpadpad

Bzzhmmhmmhmmhmm

padpadpad

...

Vroooooooooooo-

"SHIT"

That is a transcript of my gnome achievement journey on my 360. I got the gamerscore to prove it!

Monger

Man, I've been counting the days until someone did this. I considered doing it myself if no one else had the stones. Briefly, though. Very briefly.

Adus

donhonk wrote: »

Garthor wrote: »

cwapfobrains wrote: »

I've always wondered how this was done with the car sections.

Vroooooooo-

"SHIT"

SCREECH

padpadpad

Bzzhmmhmmhmmhmm

padpadpad

...

Vroooooooooooo-

"SHIT"

That is a transcript of my gnome achievement journey on my 360. I got the gamerscore to prove it!

That's pretty much how it goes for everyone. I've got a slightly different idea this time. Overall, the car sections are the only real reason this achievement is a pain. The rest isn't too bad, unless he gets blown away by an explosive and you have to go look for him in the forest...

Or falls down a hole...

Or gets stuck in geometry...

Aaaggh!

AlejandroDaJ

What is wrong with you people? The gnome's name should obviously be David.

Btw, don't forget to close the rocket hatch at the very end.

Yougottawanna

Gnathan Drake
Gnicholas Cage
Gnorman Schwartzkoff
Gnico Belic

All good names

Barcardi

Rocket Gnome

Monger

Trunkated Gnomenclature

Blurbl

Additional challenge: Complete entirety of game by only using the Gnome with the gravity gun.

Monger

Blurbl wrote: »

Additional challenge: Complete entirety of game by only using the Gnome with the gravity gun.

The antlion caves have an unnecessary number of fights over bottomless pits, which would make that awful.

Do it.

mrcheesypants

I named my room gnome George. Perhaps you should name this gnome after him since George is awesome.

Adus

I like David (I almost forgot about David the Gnome) and George. Basically I like the simpler names, though something very random could also be funny, as long as it's simple enough for me to say often. "Trunkated Gnomenclature" is the opposite of that.

And screw you guys, I'm not using only the gnome as my weapon. That's not to say he won't be my weapon at times.

Buttcleft

mrcheesypants wrote: »

I named my room gnome George. Perhaps you should name this gnome after him since George is awesome.

Your Gnome has some pretty impressive bawls. :winky:

SinWithSebastian

The gnome is Rudolf.

Bartholamue

I want episode 3 so much. Will it ever come out? Who knows.

Buttcleft

The big question.

Since they've integrated Aperture Science/Portal into the HL continuity, and mentioned specifically the AS ship in episode 2..

Will we have a portal gun in Ep 3?

Garthor

AlejandroDaJ wrote: »

What is wrong with you people? The gnome's name should obviously be David.

Btw, don't forget to close the rocket hatch at the very end.

Goddamn am I glad I regularly kept backup saves.

CanadianWolverine

Brainstorming gnome names:
- Chrome Gnome?
- Foam Gnome?
- Dome Gnome?
- Roamin' Gnomin'?
- Home Gnome?
- Norm The Gnome?

Nappuccino

Huh, not to say this isn't going to be awesome but... isn't this one kind of taken by me and Jar (at our admittedly slow pace thanks to school and surgerys)

edit: I guess if PA doesn't care that ep2 will have 3 total lps by the time we're finished then that's totally fine as well

The more the merrier as they say.

Monger

Gnomad!



You see, it's like nomad! Because he's travelling! But he's a gnome!

It's funny!

UEAKCrash

Name him Satan.

mrcheesypants

Actually that gnome looks Mexican. Name him Jorge (pronounced "Whore-hey" if my spanish pronounciation is correct).

Witchsight

Mine was named Gnome Chumpsky.

...That counts right.

Adus

David got 3 votes. Two others came from my friends MinionOfCthulhu and Mop, the latter which does not post here but still counts.

My plan was to restrict sets to 30 minutes but forgetting to time myself and getting to a spot that I couldn't stop at made it go ten minutes longer. Ah well.

Most videos are still in processing stage.

Set 2: The Antlion's Den

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnVkRip9b4M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgFILJvYugw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HflXKo3jak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc3hxSrtDjQ

Adus

Okay well, let's continue I guess.

Set 3: Physics Puzzles, Oh Boy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkGgjaEI3Bs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1EW-0esmtk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEWygIPsVOk

Darth_Mogs

Well, how'd I miss this?

Seems like a hard undertaking here, but I like it for the LP aspect. Somehow, it's like David is a character, even!

Made it through all the sets, and I was wondering if it's possible to bump up the voices without moving everything else up as well? Watching the embedded videos (while not what I should be doing anyway) makes the subtitles useless, and I actually just haven't played Ep. 2. If not, no loss, as I have access to the means to play it; just not really the time, lately.

Adus

Not really. There's game volume and music volume. I'm pretty sure voices are tied to the former. If I turn it up any more, gunfire and various other noises would probably drown stuff out.

Darth_Mogs

Adus wrote: »

Not really. There's game volume and music volume. I'm pretty sure voices are tied to the former. If I turn it up any more, gunfire and various other noises would probably drown stuff out.

Ahh. Makes sense then. I'll probably just watch them in youtube then, so I can see the subs. Problem easily solved!

Adus

I'd give these another hour or so before the processing is done, but figured I'd make the post anyway. Minimal editing is done here in order to prove how annoying this part is. I'm often choosing to speed up video instead, since parts where I die a lot or lose the gnome and have to go look for him need to be seen in order to grasp the full spectrum of this achievement.

Set 4: The Pain Begins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8e_2Www-wA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQi0vqUUHrQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNWLy3NszwI

CanadianWolverine

First part of that can be summed up as "Oh fuck"

You seem to have a growing man crush on the gnome... "Shut up Alyx. Are you ok David?!"

Fencingsax

Please use the number keys for choosing weapons, and G for the gravity gun. The way you are doing it is driving me crazy.

UEAKCrash

I want to watch these but I haven't played Ep. 2 yet.

Adus

Fencingsax wrote: »

Please use the number keys for choosing weapons, and G for the gravity gun. The way you are doing it is driving me crazy.

No guarantees. (I did totally forget G was gravity gun, though.)

You're gonna have to survive it for at least one more set, since Set 5 is recorded already. I'll try my best to switch over by 6.