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I just played Half-Life 2 for 5 hours...

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**Possible Minor Spoilers**


I think the thing that really sets this game apart from others is something that Valve is extremely good at - doing little things that make SO much sense, but commonly go unnoticed.

For example, when you climn out of the airboat, you always exit in the direction you're looking. Most of us probably never comprehended this, but still used it subconsciously just because of the fact that we tend to look where we want to go.

It's all the little touches. Like Combine AI...at one point I ran out of ammo and had to charge a soldier down a tunnel. As I was bearing down on him with my crowbar he started backpedaling and firing/reloading instead of just standing there and waiting for me to bludgeon him. Or the fact that the zombies will throw objects at you. Or how during firefights, thanks to the physics, when a manhack snags a wall, they go spinning wildly. Or the puffs of dust when an object is thrown onto dirt.

It's the little things that games usually miss that make things seem so right here, I'm convinced. When something starts to stand up to that level of detailed scrutiny, you know it was special.
 
The one thing I was amazed by this game is its environment and AI interaction. Just amazing. I haven't played a game before like this where your survival counts on your immediate reactions to the hazard in a given environment.

Like how in the beginning while your in the underground sewers, the AI starts throwing explosive barrels down at you from above immediately after you enter the room. Thus giving you only a split second to react to your only choice to submerge into the water before the barrels explode. You reacted on instincts which I thought was funny since the beginning of the game did nothing but talk about instincts.

The whole feeling of being in pursuit by the enemy constantly and emersion of the atmosphere was also a key ingredient. And like Insomniak stated above, the little things and attention to detail is amazing. Like dust flying up from the helicopters and water splashing from the boats and bombs...It all adds to the depth and atmosphere that I think far surpasses what Doom 3 tried to do and I'm even a long time Doom fan.

 
I am pretty amazed how they completely rendered cutscenes obsolete. The NPC interaction is golden and is the only way stories can be told in games from now on. It just works, period.

I am not trying to bash Halo2 but I will use it as a comparison. There is a scene in the first level of Halo2 where a couple of marines start talking and walk over to a window to see a ship get blown up. They tried to do what HL2 does but it didn't work. The first time I played the level I missed what they were saying and missed the ship blowing up.

In HL2 the NPCs look you in the eye, talk to you, guide you -- all in a natural way that you just feel like you are hanging out with them. It's totally innovative and I can't picture sitting through boring-ass cutscenes anymore after seeing this level of interaction.
 
This game was under-hyped.

I didn't think that that could be possible, before 9:00 last night.

Absolutely amazing graphics, physics, and AI.

(I do hate the long load times but I'm running on a server board with an Athlon 2000, pushing graphics through an 8500, so I'm not surprised)
 
😀 Absoluty the most immersive game EVER! This game totaly rocks. I'm not an avid FPS player, but if every game were made with this level of attention to details I might have to change my job to profession game player. I can't believe how much time flew by yesterday as I was living in my alter ego. The airboat chapters made me feel like I was in an action movie. I haven't even made it half way through the game and I already want to start from the beginning and look at the things that I didn't get to spend alot of time looking at before. I can't wait to finish it and start it all over again.

Who really cares about some of the minor details that spoil it, the overall game is IMO the greatest game ever. I wish they had some way of partially loading the new levels before you get to that point or at least putting in a progress bar, but they can always make patches later. I could only be happier with the game right now if I didn't have to earn a living.
 
This game is awesome - I'm just about to go riding through the sand dunes 🙂

The graphics are incredible - ok DOOM3 may have an edge in small areas which lots of lighting effects and so forth, but for walking around large outdoor locations this game seems a big steep forward.

BUT - The real kicker is the physics and object interaction which is so far ahead of anything I've played it's incredible (although the list of games i've played is not that long). Throwing objects around, having them move and cause chain reactions ... incredible (re: stove). I think this aspect of the game will be what it is remembered for and is an area I'd like to see a lot more development on in future games / HL2-Mods.
 
Being an old f@rt, I seldom stick with a single-player game for more than a couple of hours before I retire to the multiplayer section, and usually free-for-all at that. I couldn't stop playing this game last night. I think it's the best game since Doom 2 for single-player. Max Payne 2 came close for overall quality, for its time, but the AI in HL2 just eclipses everything I've seen.
 
I cant agree more with what's been said. I just finished playing for about 3 hours (going slow, taking everything in) and all I can say is, wow, I'm blown away. Simply amazing. Graphics are stunning, physics rock, water effects will blow your mind, AI seems pretty darn tight too, and the models are almost life-like. Not to mention the gameplay/controlm, which is perfect. Without a doubt, best game ever. Awesome job by Valve, they've really out-done themselves.
 
awesome FPS. immersive and seems very polished. and the graphics is great! runs great and looks great on my lowly ti4200

though i think the airboat is a little difficult to handle... i think it should almost be over though
 
Originally posted by: Regs
The one thing I was amazed by this game is its environment and AI interaction. Just amazing. I haven't played a game before like this where your survival counts on your immediate reactions to the hazard in a given environment.

Like how in the beginning while your in the underground sewers, the AI starts throwing explosive barrels down at you from above immediately after you enter the room. Thus giving you only a split second to react to your only choice to submerge into the water before the barrels explode. You reacted on instincts which I thought was funny since the beginning of the game did nothing but talk about instincts.

The whole feeling of being in pursuit by the enemy constantly and emersion of the atmosphere was also a key ingredient. And like Insomniak stated above, the little things and attention to detail is amazing. Like dust flying up from the helicopters and water splashing from the boats and bombs...It all adds to the depth and atmosphere that I think far surpasses what Doom 3 tried to do and I'm even a long time Doom fan.
Click to expand...
WERD

I love how the game makes act on instincts. That is why I loved the entire airboat area, you were zipping along and having to find ways to get around areas that were blocked or dodging the helicopter.... simply amazing!
 
same here..i played till 3am last night and staggered into work this mroning. i have afunny feeling this is gonna be teh way till the end of th week.
 
My turn to say loving things about HL2: (possible spoilers, 7hours into the game)
I take my time in playing good games, If i survive a situation but know i can do it better ill reload to my last save point and do it over, hopefully with more ammo and more life by the next round. At any rate, playing catch with Dog absolutely blew me away. the Grav Gun with a sawblade is one of the fiercest weapons i have ever seen in an FPS. And to repeat what so many have said is the physics and interaction between AI. THe fact that while im shooting at a trooper and he hides behind a wooden fence to reload is great, but when you blow the fence down he looks for more cover. awsome
To sum it up: Grav Gun with cynderblocks and Sawblades RULE, double shotgun blast in the face rules, the fact that the crossbow doesnt use arrows but red hot wrought Iron rebar rules, and the pheromone bug pouch with "friends" Rule. all we need is MP!!!
 
Originally posted by: GZDonner
My turn to say loving things about HL2: (possible spoilers, 7hours into the game)
I take my time in playing good games, If i survive a situation but know i can do it better ill reload to my last save point and do it over, hopefully with more ammo and more life by the next round. At any rate, playing catch with Dog absolutely blew me away. the Grav Gun with a sawblade is one of the fiercest weapons i have ever seen in an FPS. And to repeat what so many have said is the physics and interaction between AI. THe fact that while im shooting at a trooper and he hides behind a wooden fence to reload is great, but when you blow the fence down he looks for more cover. awsome
To sum it up: Grav Gun with cynderblocks and Sawblades RULE, double shotgun blast in the face rules, the fact that the crossbow doesnt use arrows but red hot wrought Iron rebar rules, and the pheromone bug pouch with "friends" Rule. all we need is MP!!!
Click to expand...

Sooo...this game rules?😀

I tend to agree...
 
Originally posted by: Lonyo
I really need some help. I'm at the end of the canals section I think (d_canals end or something).
Description of the place follows, possible spoilers.I've go through the headcraps area, blah blah, past the boathouse type thing, under the bridge where the guy throws things off, and now I'm trying to get across the hazardous waste, but I can't make it without dying.
Andone know how the hell to get across?
Click to expand...

You missed the boat - literally! After you run through the area where the bombs let those crab head-grabber things out you meet this guy who's talking on the radio that to girl, right? Listen and you'll hear her say something about giving Gordon the air boat.

As you head out down the tunnel, look to your left (I think), and follow the ramp rather than running down the toxic sewer. You'll get the air boat. "Enable" the ramp where the blue tubs are in the pool of water (by bridge where guy drops supplies for you) and simply vault over into the next section by running up it with your boat.


 
Does HL2 get any dark/creepier after Ravenholm? I'm having a hard time getting through this level without getting scared to death
 
so much better then doom3. wtf were they thinking with the full screen pda where u get to squint at text for a "story" bs...
 
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