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[Half-Life] 25th Anniversary Update and Documentary

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Posts

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Man, either Half-Life 2 update messed with the difficulty, or the pistol in HL2 is a hotter pile of dogshit than I remember.

  • ZxerolZxerol for the smaller pieces, my shovel wouldn't do so i took off my boot and used my shoeRegistered User regular
    Man, either Half-Life 2 update messed with the difficulty, or the pistol in HL2 is a hotter pile of dogshit than I remember.

    Remember the glitch from early HL2 which allowed you to charge pistol shots and one-shot kill things? Which also worked in multiplayer? Good times.

  • Ninja Snarl PNinja Snarl P My helmet is my burden. Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered User regular
    I don't get how teleporting around causes people less motion sickness than just walking around. Teleporting seems hideously disorienting to me, vastly moreso than moving in a game without moving your legs.

  • FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    The HL2 pistol was good, as I recall.

    It was the SMG that sucked.

  • ZxerolZxerol for the smaller pieces, my shovel wouldn't do so i took off my boot and used my shoeRegistered User regular
    edited March 2020
    Think of the physiology of being seasick, but inversed. Your eyes see that you are moving. Your other senses know that your not. Your brain reconciles this by thinking you are in fact ill and need to throw the fuck up.

    There's a reason why a lot of VR titles use teleportation (in fact, probably most), and even those with free movement have teleportation options, and a big part of is due to VR disorientation. Depending on your tolerance, it's very much an accessibility feature.

    It's a bit weird at first, but no, teleporting is not disorienting at all. And of course, it's moot if it's optional, which is is the case with HL Alyx.

    Zxerol on
  • Dark Raven XDark Raven X Laugh hard, run fast, be kindRegistered User regular
    PAF PAF PAF

    I liked the Pistol a lot.

    Oh brilliant
  • Ninja Snarl PNinja Snarl P My helmet is my burden. Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered User regular
    I guess it just strikes me as very weird that it seems to bother gamers to any extent, considering the hobby exposes virtually everybody to viewpoints that move without moving your body. I can get that the random non-gamer would be susceptible, but being able to move freely strikes me as the thing which should be least problematic for people likely to buy VR headsets; there's a zillion games out there where your perspective moves all over the place while your butt sits firmly in a chair.

    I ask only because I have to play VR for hours and hours before I notice even a slight hint of it bothering me, even when it's something like Skyrim and I'm running and jumping around like crazy firing off arrows in midair on a low-rez low-framerate headset like the PSVR. I literally cannot understand how the motion sickness bothers people so much, but at least it's good for me.

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    My ex-roommate couldn't play FPS games at certain FOV's because it made him sick.

    Also a screen that's a physical object in the world is a lot different than screens that are meant to cover your eyes.
    I literally cannot understand how the motion sickness bothers people so much, but at least it's good for me.

    Not everyone experiences motion sickness the same. What is mild for you can easily be intolerable for someone else.

  • SyphonBlueSyphonBlue The studying beaver That beaver sure loves studying!Registered User regular
    edited March 2020
    I guess it just strikes me as very weird that it seems to bother gamers to any extent, considering the hobby exposes virtually everybody to viewpoints that move without moving your body. I can get that the random non-gamer would be susceptible, but being able to move freely strikes me as the thing which should be least problematic for people likely to buy VR headsets; there's a zillion games out there where your perspective moves all over the place while your butt sits firmly in a chair.

    I ask only because I have to play VR for hours and hours before I notice even a slight hint of it bothering me, even when it's something like Skyrim and I'm running and jumping around like crazy firing off arrows in midair on a low-rez low-framerate headset like the PSVR. I literally cannot understand how the motion sickness bothers people so much, but at least it's good for me.

    I have yet to experience any motion sickness in a first-person game where you're walking, but I got HELLA MOTION SICK playing No Man's Sky and House of the Dying Sun.

    Edit: in VR, I should clarify

    SyphonBlue on
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  • SyngyneSyngyne Registered User regular
    I guess it just strikes me as very weird that it seems to bother gamers to any extent, considering the hobby exposes virtually everybody to viewpoints that move without moving your body. I can get that the random non-gamer would be susceptible, but being able to move freely strikes me as the thing which should be least problematic for people likely to buy VR headsets; there's a zillion games out there where your perspective moves all over the place while your butt sits firmly in a chair.

    I ask only because I have to play VR for hours and hours before I notice even a slight hint of it bothering me, even when it's something like Skyrim and I'm running and jumping around like crazy firing off arrows in midair on a low-rez low-framerate headset like the PSVR. I literally cannot understand how the motion sickness bothers people so much, but at least it's good for me.

    You still have a non-moving frame of reference if you’re playing on a monitor to tell you you’re not actually moving. You may be focused on the screen, but your peripheral vision still picks up the monitor itself, your surroundings, etc.

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  • SmokeStacksSmokeStacks Registered User regular
    People experience motion sickness differently. I have been playing games since I was a lad and the only one out of countless titles that ever gave me any sort of motion sickness was Descent Maximum on the PS1 (weirdly, the PC version of Descent didn't bother me).

  • SyngyneSyngyne Registered User regular
    Wolfenstein 3d really did a number on me. I don’t know what it was, but I could take about five minutes of it before I got dizzy. Strangely, flying around in DCS World and Elite: Dangerous in VR doesn’t bother me.

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  • ZxerolZxerol for the smaller pieces, my shovel wouldn't do so i took off my boot and used my shoeRegistered User regular
    I'm the type of person who has gotten motion sick on regular-ass 2D Half-Life, so you know, it's up to personal constitution.

    I watched a streamer play the entirety of Resident Evil 7 in VR with no issues, played Grant Turismo Sport VR with no issues, and then tried playing Dirt Rally in VR, which immediately made him become ill. It's very, very subjective and seemingly random what pops that imma throw up reflex, which is why having a lot of options is very, very useful.

  • HardtargetHardtarget There Are Four Lights VancouverRegistered User regular
    Zxerol wrote: »
    Man, either Half-Life 2 update messed with the difficulty, or the pistol in HL2 is a hotter pile of dogshit than I remember.

    Remember the glitch from early HL2 which allowed you to charge pistol shots and one-shot kill things? Which also worked in multiplayer? Good times.

    wait
    this was a glitch?

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  • HardtargetHardtarget There Are Four Lights VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited March 2020
    I guess it just strikes me as very weird that it seems to bother gamers to any extent, considering the hobby exposes virtually everybody to viewpoints that move without moving your body. I can get that the random non-gamer would be susceptible, but being able to move freely strikes me as the thing which should be least problematic for people likely to buy VR headsets; there's a zillion games out there where your perspective moves all over the place while your butt sits firmly in a chair.

    I ask only because I have to play VR for hours and hours before I notice even a slight hint of it bothering me, even when it's something like Skyrim and I'm running and jumping around like crazy firing off arrows in midair on a low-rez low-framerate headset like the PSVR. I literally cannot understand how the motion sickness bothers people so much, but at least it's good for me.

    so, i know this is hard to understand, but different people are different! I've been playing videogames since 1987 and i get uber motion sick. weird right? 1 minute in freeform move anywhere VR would probably kill me. Some FPS games can even make me hurl depending on the FOV, if there is headbob, and how smooth things are.

    Hardtarget on
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  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Going from Black Mesa, which looks like how you remeber Half-Life 2 looking, to actual Half-Life 2 (or HL2 update, in this case) was a real shock. Even with the extra coat of polish, game looks way older than I remember. Also, Gordon is SO SLOW when not sprinting, whereas in Black Mesa, you can sprint forever. Speaking of sprinting, it, air and the flashlight are all on the same meter and I had forgotten how stupid that was. Not surprised they fixed that in the episodes but I wish they would have backported it to HL2 for this fan update.

  • Lucid_SeraphLucid_Seraph TealDeer MarylandRegistered User regular
    Hardtarget wrote: »
    I guess it just strikes me as very weird that it seems to bother gamers to any extent, considering the hobby exposes virtually everybody to viewpoints that move without moving your body. I can get that the random non-gamer would be susceptible, but being able to move freely strikes me as the thing which should be least problematic for people likely to buy VR headsets; there's a zillion games out there where your perspective moves all over the place while your butt sits firmly in a chair.

    I ask only because I have to play VR for hours and hours before I notice even a slight hint of it bothering me, even when it's something like Skyrim and I'm running and jumping around like crazy firing off arrows in midair on a low-rez low-framerate headset like the PSVR. I literally cannot understand how the motion sickness bothers people so much, but at least it's good for me.

    so, i know this is hard to understand, but different people are different! I've been playing videogames since 1987 and i get uber motion sick. weird right? 1 minute in freeform move anywhere VR would probably kill me. Some FPS games can even make me hurl depending on the FOV, if there is headbob, and how smooth things are.

    Same here. Been doing ye gaemz since 1990, get horrifically motion sick if I even attempt VR, and have the same issue with FPS games. Hell, even some 3rd person shooters can mess me up, though I can usually get used to it? Though I also have to take breaks. Like, the recent Warframe release with Empryean fucked me up *good* with motion sickness.

    See You Space Cowboy: a ttrpg about sad space bounty hunters
    https://podcast.tidalwavegames.com/
  • KupiKupi Registered User regular
    Man, either Half-Life 2 update messed with the difficulty, or the pistol in HL2 is a hotter pile of dogshit than I remember.

    I had a post on the previous page about this, but I found during my reply that most everything except the Pulse Rifle and the Crossbow felt a lot weaker than I remembered on Normal. With the obvious exception of explosives, which you couldn't trust not to catch on some janky hitbox and kill you instantly.

    My favorite musical instrument is the air-raid siren.
  • SmokeStacksSmokeStacks Registered User regular
    HL2 update

    I wanted to like this so much, but they absolutely butchered the outdoor lighting.

    Half Life 2 has an incredible cold, gray, foggy, pacific northwest coastline in early March atmosphere that is the perfect demonstration of how the planet is reacting to the Combine's increased pollution and the draining of Earth's oceans.

    Indoor stuff and shadows looked great though.

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular


    Probably the last chance to snag an Index before Akyx comes out.

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular


    I liked the answer to the question about their next project. Basically "Not Half-Life" :)

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Up to Nova Prospekt now and the more I play of HL2, the more I think it needs remaster. (Nothing as extreme as Black Mesa though)

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Black Mesa is officially out.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkBrNGeFwoU

    Patch Notes
    1.0 Patch Notes!

    We have been working exceedingly hard to bring you Black Mesa. Since the full release of Xen (0.9) we have done a complete overhaul pass on the combat design and guidance for all the earthbound levels, redesigned the HECU marine AI, upgraded the Vortigaunts AI, and built a new, modern user interface.

    At launch, we’ll be right here to fix bugs and add quality of life improvements. After that, we will be taking a break before starting up on any big updates.

    So, without further delay, here is a detailed change list for Black Mesa 1.0!

    Overhaul
    Game-Wide

    Our time in Early Access gave us lots of opportunities to beta test new content and talk with our community. We took what we learned during the development of Xen, and applied it to the Earthbound Chapters.
    - Improvements to every major combat arena in the game
    - Redesigned puzzles for clarity and intention
    - Enhance environments to highlight objectives

    Art
    We took a number of sections throughout the game and updated them visually to help the game feel more cohesive. We also made better use of the dynamic lights that we created for Xen.

    Artificial Intelligence
    HECU
    -Better utilize cover and movement in general
    -Put suppressing fire on players last known location and where they expect you to be
    -Use grenades more strategically and more often
    -New environmental analysis lets them track, flank, and move in for the kill
    -Use weapons and abilities depending on their class
    -Occasionally use RPGs (grenadiers)
    -Use under barrel MP5 grenade launcher (commanders)
    -Drop med kits properly (medics)
    -Marines wearing a gas-mask will now use alternate, radio-filtered, deepened voice lines, which sound much more like the original HECU!
    -Use more voice lines and communication

    Vortigaunts
    The Vorts got an upgrade too, with features from their Interloper counterparts and new features to make them more fun to fight!
    -Dodge on spawn or dodge when player aims at Vort
    -Better navigate to the player
    -Use close-range charge attack (Dispel)
    -Use dynamic lights when attaching
    -Vorts AI now behave differently depending on how brave or scared they are feeling, which is based on damage taken / done to the enemy.

    Balance
    -Slightly nerfed assassins to have lower health and accuracy
    -Nerfed Abrams 50 cal damage to make it less murderous
    -Buffed Apache 30mm damage slightly

    Code Fixes
    -Optimized sun shadows
    -Optimized dynamic lights
    -Fixed bug with popping sun shadows
    -Removed view punch from smaller caliber weapons
    -Fixed trip mine hitbox
    -Added dynamic lights to portal effects
    -Fixed NPC teeth being black or bright colors
    -Made sure all tripod and ceiling turrets use tracers
    -Fixed gravity in Earthbound
    -Fixed HECU calling wrong SMG animation
    -All new, modern user interface
    -Expanded options with descriptions and performance cost
    -Fixed HEV chargers giving you 76 charge instead of 75
    -Fixed slide sound effect playing each time the player crouched
    -Changed tank machine gun accuracy for better game play

    Workshop Mods Warning
    Lots of mods have not been updated to work with the new version of the game. Until they are updated, they may (and probably will) cause all kinds of strange and seemingly unrelated bugs. If you want the best Black Mesa experience, make sure that you do not have any mods installed. If you have had mods in the past, it may be worth uninstalling the game, deleting all local files in Black Mesa, then reinstalling the game.

    Level Design
    General
    -The entire game has been subject to a huge number of bug fixes and improvements throughout. The following notes won’t mention every single fix, but will detail the most important ones! We scoured the community for things to fix.
    -Removed all old “dynamic” lightstyle VRAD lights and replaced them with new gbuffer dynamic lights. These will look better and perform better.
    -Full dynamic light pass across the whole game. Lighting should be much moodier and dynamic throughout.
    -Updated lightmap scales across many chapters, so baked lights will be more defined and have nicer shadows. This will result in generally nicer looking lighting.
    -Implemented CSM volumes across every outdoor map, which should substantially improve performance at no visual cost

    Black Mesa Inbound
    -Updated title card to take up more of the screen
    -Fixed various dynamic light errors
    -Totally re-arted outdoor/cave sections
    -Fixed tram not casting sun shadows

    Anomalous Materials
    -Updated lighting for HEV suit holder room
    -Updated down lights to have crisp shadows
    -Went through light maps and increased resolution (now that we are no longer using light styles)
    -Updated Vortigaunt Xen scene with newer environment visuals
    -Removed light style lights and replaced them with new dynamic lights

    Unforeseen Consequences
    -Fixed headcrabs on platform elevator from spinning around 180 degrees as they landed
    -Fixed various console errors that may have been affecting performance
    -Fixed houndeyes spawning in and facing wall away from player
    -Updated coolant/valve puzzle to better teach core valve mechanics and for better player guidance in general
    -Improved design of AM machine control room to force the player into the space
    -Improved player guidance throughout the chapter and added player “drop downs” and closed doors to prevent confusing backtracking, or breaking danger sequences
    -Improved box jumping puzzle
    -Improved lighting for the “Lamarr jar”
    -Changed ladder skins to red to help them stand out from similarly colored walls
    -Improved sewer water section to show the player the ladder exit before they find the valve to raise the water level, allowing you to know where your end objective is before activating the flood
    -Improved platforming/jumping on the crane boxes section
    -Improved Crowbar pickup by highlighting it with door movement
    -Added rewards for exploration
    -Added guidance light to first retinal scanner to help new players

    Office Complex
    -Fixed bad autosaves throughout
    -Added cover to first ceiling turret section
    -Added new dynamic lights to elevator
    -Added clip ramped steps for better player and NPC navigation
    -Added more dramatic lighting for the “help my buddy” scene where you can first get the shotgun. In addition…
    -...moved the Shotgun back to its rightful place with the Guard in this chapter!
    -Updated map C freezer puzzle, to better illustrate cause / effect and utilize the entire space
    -Improved all “shortcut” doors given consistent signposting (use wooden boards)
    -Improved changed ladder skins to red to help them stand out from similarly colored walls
    -Removed end valve/fire hazard, to streamline the end of the chapter.

    “We’ve Got Hostiles”
    -Fixed consistent crash that occurred when using closed captions at lower resolutions
    -The HECU overhaul really shines in this chapter!
    -Re-timed music start cue and added an explosion before it so it transitions in less abruptly
    -Replaced dynamic lights and shadows in the transitioning elevator between map B and C

    Blast Pit
    -Fixed janky dying scientist so he doesn’t just pop when he dies
    -Substantial improvements to Tentacle AI
    -Added art to map E to make it feel more like you’re heading down the shaft where a giant tentacle monster just lived.
    -Moved the first .357 here, to match HL1!
    -Added xog volumes to areas with radiation liquid

    Power Up
    -Multiple fixes to the Gargantua to make him behave better throughout
    -Added xog volumes to bottom of water section in map B

    On A Rail
    -Removed redundant console in Map A opening puzzle to streamline progression
    -Added alternate route in Map B office fight vs 50 cal, to allow flanking. Also changed approach path to provide more cover to the player.
    -Fixed bug in map B where battery light would show through the world
    -Overhauled launch pad fight in Map C so that the player must use the entire space and a variety of different angles and tactics.

    Apprehension
    -Overhauled opening barrel puzzle for map A to remove redundancy, better signpost the various stages of the puzzle, and encourage more exploration of the initial arena.
    -Overhauled lighting around the shark cage to better signpost objective.
    -Mood lighting across the entire chapter to enhance the ambiance and also better direct the player in multiple places.
    -Removed soft lock where players could put barrels in the crushers and lock progression.

    Residue Processing
    -Reworked navigation around the trash compactor to stall the player a bit more (gives the doors more time to open so there’s less of an awkward pause), and better direct the player.
    -Entirely re-arted Map A opening section.
    -Significant streamlining across the entire chapter to reduce length of backtracking and make the path clearer and easier to discern for players.
    -Substantially improved performance throughout the chapter

    Questionable Ethics
    -Improved signposting in the lobby fight to make the origins of each wave clearer to players

    Surface Tension
    -Several major performance fixes and optimization tweaks throughout the chapter.
    -Completely redesigned and re-arted Map A (dam map). Every combat encounter on the map was redesigned and the Apache fight was improved.
    -Added structure to the end of map B to help guide the player better and highlight the exit
    -Replaced all old HL2 rock models with new, beautiful models
    -Foliage pass in many places across the chapter
    -Moved around some cover and rocks in map C to help the player
    -Fixed the Apache fight in map C to use proper health values and move between phases
    -Implemented cinematic physics rocks at the end of the Apache fight in map C
    -Reduced difficulty in the “whack a Gordon” section (removed some I/O logic that makes it so the Marines always know where you are) and improved player guidance
    -Fixed bug in the “whack a Gordon” section where the tank would blow up a wall randomly for no reason, even after it had died
    -Art pass on transition from map D → map E.
    -Added a system to eject high velocity gibs when you kill the snipers
    -Art pass on map E’s trip mine warehouse. Now with 200% more explosives!
    -Reworked map F’s intro sequence so it’s more like you are coming into the middle of a conflict, rather than some Alien Grunts randomly standing around waiting to die
    -Lighting / guidance improvements in map F’s bombed out building
    -Door to the bathroom in map H will now close behind you so you can’t escape the Snark sequence just by backtracking

    Forget About Freeman
    -Redesigned map B big finale fight. Now features considerably more aerial action and a big bang for an opener!
    -Re-arted the snarks devouring HECU scene to better reflect the prominence of the alien infestation throughout.
    -Redesigned map B underground garage fight to more prominently highlight the aliens vs HECU aspect.

    Lambda Core
    -Substantially improved player signposting and direction across the 3 “hub-like” maps (C, D and E).
    -Several guidance and path improvements to map C, particularly the main path by the huge turbine, to let player flow through easier.
    -Significant optimizations across all Maps C, D, E, F and G. Performance should be drastically improved for all users.
    -Several lighting improvements between maps D (orange map) and E (blue map), to better visually differentiate them and reduce player confusion.
    -Simplified several paths around Map D and E to make navigating to your destination easier, and also massively simplify backtracking to map C.
    -Multiple new dynamic lights across maps D and E to help guide the player better.
    -Improved signposting on the Map G teleporter puzzle to make it feel less like trial-and-error. Burns now appear around each teleporter you’ve gone through, so you know which ones you’ve tried. The “right answer” teleporters gain a new sparkly particle effect once you’ve used them a first time, so it’s easier to remember.
    -Overhauled Map I finale sequence before the teleport to Xen. You now no longer take falling damage (as previously intended), the combat is now centered entirely around controllers, and the core navigation of the arena has been rebuilt to facilitate better flow around the arena and serve as a light bit of long jump training.

    Xen
    -Added missing collisions to many props

    Gonarch
    -Fixed crash when you shoot Gonarch’s mortars (again)
    -Fixed some logic in map B where the Gonarch could randomly be missing during the crystal cave sequence
    -Fixed bug in map C where Gonarch wouldn’t show up for the final chase
    -Added missing collisions to many props
    -Re-balanced Gonarch AI for all the difficulty modes

    Interloper
    -Fixed bounce pads during chase in Map A1 to always put the player where they’re meant to go
    -Fixed map D glass at the end of the elevator section sometimes not shattering
    -Fixed transition bug at the end of map D so players will always transition at the end
    -Fixed sucky vent in map D1 to fix a rare case where players could fall through it out of the world
    -Added another layer of lasers to the bottom of D1 to prevent rare bug where players could fall out of the world

    Nihilanth
    -This was already perfect so we did not need to fix even a single thing on this ;)

    Endgame
    -Fixed tram door occasionally going missing for some players

    Thanks. Hope everyone enjoys Black Mesa!

    Some changes in there I really appreciate!

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Digitial Foundry did a breakdown.
    https://youtu.be/EDquIZPXxWA

    Basically "It has some minor issues owing to being on the source engine, but you can also run this thing on basically a toaster."

  • KupiKupi Registered User regular
    As someone with a fear of the water in the form of both a phobia of drowning and a nonstop anxiety about The Huge Monster That Could Be Down There, "Apprehension" is both aptly named and Hell in the form of a video game.

    My favorite musical instrument is the air-raid siren.
  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    edited March 2020
    Finished up all of the Half-Life 2 series.

    Have I ever mentioned how much I was dissapointed the ending of HL2 at the time? It was an extremely weak retread of the ending of the first game and you don't really find out anything new about the Gman or his whole thing, or what's going on with the (now multiple) interdimensional invaders and how they all interrelate.

    Thankfully the first thing that happens in Ep1 is we do learn something new about the Gman.. Episode 1 also goes into more detail on teh Stalkers, which I felt probably could have been addressed in HL2 proper. Episode 1 sometimes feels like "Stuff that should have been in Half-Life 2 already" :)

    Episode 2 and man Magnusson is the biggest prick. Also it's still incredible to have Ep2 end the way the did not have ANY follow up on it for over 12 years.

    Welp, on to Doom 2016 to get ready for THAT game's sequel. March is really busting my balls.

    Undead Scottsman on
  • Ninja Snarl PNinja Snarl P My helmet is my burden. Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered User regular
    The ending of HL2 was a huge disappointment the first time I saw it, and the disappointment was only magnified over time and via the frustratingly short-lived episodic content approach. I don't really care at all about the Alyx game because it's a prequel, but at least it means Valve still has some interest in the series and maybe that will, eventually, translate to actually finishing the damn story.

  • vamenvamen Registered User regular
    edited March 2020
    The ending of HL2 was a huge disappointment the first time I saw it, and the disappointment was only magnified over time and via the frustratingly short-lived episodic content approach. I don't really care at all about the Alyx game because it's a prequel, but at least it means Valve still has some interest in the series and maybe that will, eventually, translate to actually finishing the damn story.

    I'm hoping it gets interest going in the brand again and they move on into HL3. I frankly find is pretty tasteless and insulting that they made the Alyx game instead of HL3. I do have to admit it looks pretty cool - though I don't have VR - but it still feels borderline like a slap in the face to HL fans.

    Undead Scottsman - Welp, that video totally sold me on picking up Black Mesa.

    vamen on
  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    vamen wrote: »
    The ending of HL2 was a huge disappointment the first time I saw it, and the disappointment was only magnified over time and via the frustratingly short-lived episodic content approach. I don't really care at all about the Alyx game because it's a prequel, but at least it means Valve still has some interest in the series and maybe that will, eventually, translate to actually finishing the damn story.

    I'm hoping it gets interest going in the brand again and they move on into HL3. I frankly find is pretty tasteless and insulting that they made the Alyx game instead of HL3. I do have to admit it looks pretty cool - though I don't have VR - but it still feels borderline like a slap in the face to HL fans.

    Undead Scottsman - Welp, that video totally sold me on picking up Black Mesa.

    Gee, imagine how you'd feel if they had made Half-Life 3 as a VR exclusive.

  • vamenvamen Registered User regular
    edited March 2020
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    vamen wrote: »
    The ending of HL2 was a huge disappointment the first time I saw it, and the disappointment was only magnified over time and via the frustratingly short-lived episodic content approach. I don't really care at all about the Alyx game because it's a prequel, but at least it means Valve still has some interest in the series and maybe that will, eventually, translate to actually finishing the damn story.

    I'm hoping it gets interest going in the brand again and they move on into HL3. I frankly find is pretty tasteless and insulting that they made the Alyx game instead of HL3. I do have to admit it looks pretty cool - though I don't have VR - but it still feels borderline like a slap in the face to HL fans.

    Undead Scottsman - Welp, that video totally sold me on picking up Black Mesa.

    Gee, imagine how you'd feel if they had made Half-Life 3 as a VR exclusive.

    I'd feel less annoyed and it would probably be one of the few ways to get me to jump on board the VR train =).

    I say annoyed but my annoyance has vanished at this point. Life is too short to be mad about something like this =p. Those were my initial feelings when it was announced, but I moved into the acceptance phase pretty fast.

    Kupi - by the by, never play the first Amnesia game if you have that phobia of water demons. Eek.

    vamen on
  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Given they've mentioned you should play HL2 and the Episodes before HL: Alyx, I'm guessing it's not going to be as straight forward as "just a prequel."

  • vamenvamen Registered User regular
    Yea who knows, maybe there are some time oddities or something.

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    The ending of HL2 was a huge disappointment the first time I saw it, and the disappointment was only magnified over time and via the frustratingly short-lived episodic content approach. I don't really care at all about the Alyx game because it's a prequel, but at least it means Valve still has some interest in the series and maybe that will, eventually, translate to actually finishing the damn story.

    I would comfortably put a wager that it won't, but I do agree about Half-Life 2 ending with a whimper rather than a bang by design. Followed by more (unintended) whimpering.

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    You know, other than it featuring Alyx and taking place between HL1 and HL2, I know next to nothing about the story for Alyx and that's pretty rad. I'm curious if they're going to play it safe and have a clean out on this game (either just a regular ending, or an ending that leads directly into HL2); or if they're going to swing for the fences and set the story up a new Half-Life game.

  • CanadianWolverineCanadianWolverine Registered User regular
    Someone found a early prototype of Half-Life VR that they had originally planned to take place before Alyx VR:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDUYLDtC5Qw

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  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Bless us for this bounty of Half-Lifey goodness gifted upon us this month

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7OCedPYO5I

  • SorceSorce Not ThereRegistered User regular
    edited March 2020
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK_PdwL5Y8g

    Dude clears the game in under an hour, devs shocked at how broken their game is.

    Sorce on
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  • -Loki--Loki- Don't pee in my mouth and tell me it's raining. Registered User regular
    'If we had written code that worked as intended none of this would be possible'.

    Words of every programmer.

  • SorceSorce Not ThereRegistered User regular
  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    Rare interview with Gabe Newell

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0zXkwLs_lo

    Apparently the next big thing he's look at is mind/body to machine interfaces which is cool, but if I have to get elective surgery to play Half-Life 3 I'm gonna riot.

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