Gameguru Mania Forum Index Gameguru Mania
Daily Gaming, Hardware, Software and Technology News
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 
news | cheats | reviews | specials | hardware | demos | FLASH GAMES | about | links

Half-Life 2 Articles and Screenshots [16636]
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Gameguru Mania Forum Index -> News
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
ggrobot
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 28 May 2004
Posts: 45602

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 4:04 am    Post subject: Half-Life 2 Articles and Screenshots [16636] Reply with quote

PlanetHalfLife just posted

20 brand new screenshots of Half-Life 2 that were demonstrated at the Siggraph conference in Los Angeles by Valve's art director Viktor Antonov. It looks like Half-Life 2 is shaping up to be one of the most realistic first person shooters to date, some of these shots are extr

Read more...

Source: GGMania headlines
GGMania.com - Daily Gaming and Tech news
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
xxxx
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1755
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cough, this game will own if it looks this good
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
FX5900
Junior Member
Junior Member


Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 216

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That first Infrastructure photo looks so real it must be fake. Very Happy

Half-Life 2 looks set to become the definite DOOM3 killer.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
yhancik
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 16 Aug 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Belgium

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 1:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i believe some pictures are reference photos

look for example to http://www.planethalflife.com/screenshot.asp?src=/features/articles/sigg04/phl_c17_Slide08_hi.jpg
and http://www.planethalflife.com/screenshot.asp?src=/features/articles/sigg04/phl_c17_Slide10b_hi.jpg


and there http://www.planethalflife.com/features/articles/sigg04/index11.shtm
(the first one could be a reference for lightings, used on the second one)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
xxxx
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1755
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

FX5900 wrote:
That first Infrastructure photo looks so real it must be fake. Very Happy

Half-Life 2 looks set to become the definite DOOM3 killer.


someone told me those are actual screenshots from the game... as i said, this game is gonna kick butt if this is true. god and i was gonna start kicking off doing a mod for UT2K4. i think i'm gonna wait to actually see HL2 before i do that. god i hope they don't screw up like iD... please please don't f it up Gabe!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Sabot
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2071
Location: The Dark Side of The Moon

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My, my how xxxx changes he's tune about 'everyone buying HL2 are the same that buy DOOM3' hypocrite.
I've seen water quality just as good in Far Cry -you wouldn't know of course- Besides who cares what water looks like, it's GAMEPLAY i'm interested not 'shiny,sparkly cheap thrills'
Easily impressed or what.....
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
devilhood
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 697
Location: Cydonia

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm fairly confident that HL2 will turn out to be a lot more playable than Doom 3. I feel already pretty bored with Doom 3, the gameplay has grown quite tiresome for me and the whole game itself feels like something is missing- shamedly a rush job even with the amount of time and supposed effort put into it. There aren't enough multiplayer maps, localized damage is almost non-existant, the weapon balance is terrible, single player missions are quite stale, the only good factor is the sound (although no EAX support), scary atmosphere and nice graphics the game has. I'll agree with xxxx on the wall textures though, they are pretty disgusting.
HL2 will have much better support mod-wise for it and will without a doubt have better longitivity. My bet is on Doom 3 fading away just like Far Cry did (though Far Cry is a pretty stunning game). What on earth is happening with the game industry?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
xxxx
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1755
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

@devilhood, ya the graphics are unbelievable in HL2(almost unbelievable), tell me this game ain't gonna kick butt. From what i read today there is likely going to be some recoil issues and stuff in the game but who cares, hahaha..i'm just simply dying here to see a real game with all the eye candy. Vampire Masquerade looks not too bad either using same engine..sucks i missed on the CS 2 source preview due to some ignoramuses who gave out the download info.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Sabot
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2071
Location: The Dark Side of The Moon

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Devilhood, it's all about 'eye-candy' these day's. Try and get the punter to buy the MOST expensive graphics card to make the most money because of tie-in deals with card manufacturers and games publishers.
You just need to look at the free HL2 coupon *ONLY* with high end cards or buy an AMD64 CPU and recieve a free copy of Far Cry or the reviews with DOOM3 *AGAIN* all trying to push us into buying the 'latest-and-greatest'.

Of course older gamers want (or rather i DO)gameplay rather than buying a $400 card to watch lot's of exploding things on screen for less than 8hours gameplay.

The big problem with HL2 is that it will most probably be HEAVILY scripted -as per the first one. Remember HL1 *started* the serious scripting to make us believe we were in a living,breathing world. Games like DOOM3 have just continued it and it no longer grips us like the marines in HL1. I suppose it's not any different than watching a good action packed movie with specialy effects. Watch it once and it's jaw-droppingly-good. Watch it again and it's NEVER the same.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
devilhood
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 697
Location: Cydonia

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Scripted indeed, I suppose the alternative would be to go for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. with it's utterly non-scripted enviornment, but I reckon both games will compliment each other and both will be released apart from each other anyways.

The main thing in games that mean a lot to people now is freedom, the little things you can and cannot do, the things that let people know that it's polished off and great care has been taken to making it, or the bugs, hardware conflicts, sloppy coding, lack of SDK, naff weapons and poor level designs that determine whether or not a game will last.

The time we are in at the moment is quite dodgy because of how everything is advancing, we are on the borderline of what is now considered Retro and Modern, the realism in games are really being pushed to the limits with the rapid advancement of technology.

I think eventually a norm and common ground will exist where there will be less competition over graphics and rather more time will be spent on making a game extremely playable.
don't get me wrong though, personally graphics do not bother me hugely because I grew up with the C64 and Amiga.
I believe that people who played through those machines really do have a greater appreciation and different mind-set to a lot of the new generation of gamers coming through. There still exists people who are looking back at what was before them though, the beauty of all the old computers and consoles, and naturally this should be encouraged.

Music in games is pretty poor as well, with only a few exceptions such as FF7, most other RPG's and the Silent Hill series.
Here's a pretty good article I read on the current situation of music in games: Click Here
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
xxxx
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1755
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 9:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

it's not solely about the eyecandy, it's about providing a nice engine with nice graphics and little compromise(efficient coding of the engine). Doom 3 didn't do that. Doom 3 requires all the new video cards and stuff or you lag or the game is just not like it's supposed to be. HL2 will run on any system practically and to the limits of their card. For one of my machines with a 9700 it will run silk smooth and i can have virtually all the eye candy on($200 card). there are a lot of people still running HL1 and i think it's a good service and a good hint that some of those people will need to upgrade to see the game better, thus the coupon. for older gamers as you say, i would figure they are smart enough to optimize their system to run the game properly and as Gabe says, better your machine the more updates you get thru steam to match your system description. i don't think it gets much better than this. i can't say HL1 is the best there is or was but the support was there and people went nuts with mods. their success is not questionable, it's the reality. i believe HL2 will go in the same direction because of their support and with steam their jobs are that much easier. as i said, it's a shame that the god of games aka carmack had zero forsight with doom3. it's a dud or will be in 6 months time from now. a dud that scored 9/10 on some review sites. i been all around the net reading other peoples remarks and i'm glad my feelings and statements follow 100% along what others have said too. it's the younger generation that will get scared playing doom 3 and it's the younger generation that will go gaga on the graphics. for me, it was fun for the first few hours and now it's just draggin on and the spawning of monsters is just way to predictable. there is one point you go in this room and pick up a motherload of ammo and supplies, gee guys, wonder what's in store for me? HL 2 by screenshots is what gamers are looking for, guys like me looking for an all round good shooter that is going to have promising mods. all the qualities seem to be in HL2 and I am axious as hell to get my hands on it and join the thousands of gamers that will flock to it. from all acounts on HL2 and some comments i heard from the limited beta testers is the game is gonna be huge and i'm with em whether it be scripted sequences or not..
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
devilhood
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 697
Location: Cydonia

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 9:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm with you on that one xxxx.
Steam will definately be a great asset to HL2 as well, like you said, it offers a really flexible system of updating Valve's titles, you can't really go wrong there.
Though for the main issues on Doom 3, it does run pretty well on some older systems, just that the main problem for most people are issues with the sound because of literally no hardware support (Audigy 2 users experience most issues), Nforce mobo crashes and some other mild problems.
Don't forget about some of the newer titles coming out though, it's not all about HL2 hehe Wink
That point and click adventure game 'The Moment of Silence' will breathe a sigh of relief into a lot of gamers hearts.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
xxxx
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1755
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

true there is a lot of games coming including BF 2, STALKER and Band of Brothers that look really cool.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Sabot
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2071
Location: The Dark Side of The Moon

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Devilhood, it must be old or poorly maintained PCs which are causing crashes with nForce and DOOM3.

My machine is an ASUS A7N8X Deluxe Rev2.0 nForce2 using the onboard SoundStorm APU. It's quite frankly GORGEOUS the sound which comes out of it with DOOM3 Cool Pretty damn good 5.1 Surround

There is no lag whatsoever and i only experienced crashes because i was using older card drivers. When i installed the latest 4.7s the problem was solved -i've been playing on/off since Fri.

I'm waiting for Operation Flashpoint 2 -although it's approx 2006 for release- that was my ultimate game OFP1 for true freedom with AI that actualy out-flanked you and used buildings,bushes etc for cover.

It's funny that you mentioned 'point and click' as a favourite genre LOL
It was mine too! Simon the Sorceror,Full Throttle,Beneath a Steel Sky,7th Guest,Broken Sword,Blade Runner and the Monkey Island series were all my TRULY best gaming moments of the early 90's. No fancy cards in those days eh Smile

STEAM may be a good and a bad thing, there is still lot of people that do not have broadband -yes even in 2004 people are still on dial-up with limited internet time before being cut off and having to reconnect. I remember an interview with Oleg from IL-2:Forgotten Battles and he was asked how much sales he got from online players and those that played SP. Amazingly it was 95% SP and only 5% played online.

I've only ever thrashed RTCW,Duke3D,Quake1 and Half-Life to death on the internet for a continued period of time. Other than that i've generaly dabbled with new games online. Far Cry was crappy and laggy (i'm on 750kb braodband) haven't tried DOOM3 yet as i'm still playing.

So how does STEAM truly work? What does it cost?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
xxxx
Elite Member
Elite Member


Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 1755
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 11:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

steam i thought originally sucked and was a marketing tool, but since i had gotten back to CS and used it through steam i was pretty impressed. it keeps track of your games and updates when applicable, all in the background, or you can cancel that. If you have a license and an account, you don't even need to install your mods, it does it for you (i started with a 600mb download of steam). Like CZ i bought, i had re-installed Steam and i didn't even reinstall CZ and it started installing it on it's own.. pretty cool. It took a while even on my fast broadband connection but it was neat none the less. all my keys seemingly got saved somewhere and i was back in and playing as if i never had nuked my box. it's going to be great to have steam and the infrastructure behind it is pretty serious too.

as for the problems with doom3, it's interesting to note you havent had any problems considering the game was made for Creative cards especially and Creative Labs is even trying to force some sort of patent out of carmack for the sound(was it really that good? honest to god, i have yet to be scared, i'm sitting with 6.1 speakers and Audigy2 cranked. Sound is fine nothing to write home about it, it's well done. But Capt.Star as he said has a 9600 XT and 4.7 drivers and similar board to you Stumpus and he is crashing on and off. I've checked his system remotely and he doesn't have anything abnormally running and all drivers including chipset drivers are all latest and greatest.. only thing i can say is he has 512MB of ram..you didn't mention your ram. I got over a GB in my rig.. I haven't had that much lag unless i go to 1280x1024..

CaptStar however has a SoundMAX card.. i wonder if others crashing have that? Or is your sound board a similar if not same card?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Gameguru Mania Forum Index -> News All times are GMT + 2 Hours
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2666 phpBB Group