E3 2003: Half-Life 2 Preview

By Kristan Reed Published 16 May, 2003

Three words: Oh. My. God.

We know the exclusive presentation has now leaked out onto the net, but any game that makes us physically shake with excitement deserves some measure of evangelism nevertheless. With Half Life 2, Valve has taken the FPS by the scruff of the neck, whirled it around its head, and drop kicked its sorry arse into another dimension. The five years of quiet hype-free development have positioned the US team so far ahead of the competition it's almost embarrassing. Better than Doom III and Halo 2? Yep. But how?

Sourcey

'E3 2003: Half-Life 2' Screenshot 1

Simply put, the breathtaking scope of Valve's Source engine has allowed the team to do things in their game that rival developers have probably not even dared to speculate that they could do. But before we get too wound up with gushing enthusiasm, allow us to give you some idea of what's in store and just why it's such a quantum leap for the industry.

Taking one of only thirty seats in ATI's tiny auditorium, we positioned ourselves smack in front of one of the two delicious high definition widescreen TVs that displayed such a fantastic picture we simply have to own one of these as soon as humanly possible. Valve founder Gabe Newell sat at the front on the presentation, and read a pre-scripted speech out, probably for the 17th time since the show began, but you could sense the man was only too happy to run through it all again to see the awestruck faces in front of him. During the gameplay footage, we clocked Newell checking out the reaction, and he had every right to feel good about the series of shaking heads and open mouths before him. This was history in the making.

The 20 minute presentation kicked off with a quick overview of the inordinately impressive Source engine's capabilities. Screenshots and tiny QuickTime teaser trailers cannot hope to do justice to seeing the game in the flesh on a giant monitor with full surround sound. We've read a few forum posters muttering that they're not that impressed with the graphics ("They're good, but not that good", for example), but in some ways they’re even more appealing than Doom III's - maybe not in terms of character models, but certainly in terms of believable and appealing environments, replete with outstanding incidental touches at every single turn.

Talk the talk

'E3 2003: Half-Life 2' Screenshot 2

The infamous G-man was the first thing to be shown off, and Newell explained that the facial animation involves manipulating forty separate 'muscles', with the same system responsible for both emotion and speech. To demonstrate the flexibility, Newell showed off the G-Man speaking in Chinese, with the system completely language independent. Later showings of Alyx certainly proved the point that this is easily the most impressive lip synching, facial expression system around. The detail and level of expression has to be seen to be believed, and makes current solutions look instantly old hat.

Newell moved onto the environmental capabilities within the game, with the demo showing some stunning displacement that allows the world to be fundamentally changed dynamically, with the ground capable of morphing into seemingly whatever state the developer dictates. As you'll have read, or seen if you're lucky, the ability for the player to manipulate objects and material in the world allows for some interesting gameplay possibilities. Every object in the game has a physical property, ably demonstrated with the destruction of a wooden structure, the impact of objects on others, as well as some impressive rag doll physics that rewrite the rule book. As Newell points out, there are no arbitrary restrictions in your environment, and the bewildering array of ways of affecting everything around you makes for an incredibly visually arresting experience.

Progressing through the presentation, we finally got to see the results of this technical accomplishment in terms of gameplay. After a brief crowbar encounter with some zombies, one of which end up face down floating in the water, we're off to an underground environment, where the combat forces have apparently driven Freeman underground, and we're shown a sequence with a trio of relentless flying alien drones buzzing after you. After some ducking and diving, with barrels and all manner of debris being knocked about all over the place, you finally shut off a posse of these pesky beings by shutting a gate in their enraged faces. But instead of giving up, they continue to grind up against the metal structure while you proceed to take on some military types - one of which you send plummeting to their doom by shooting out the railings.

Walk the walk

'E3 2003: Half-Life 2' Screenshot 3

Upon meeting up with your lovely sidekick Alyx, a hapless soldier is dragged into a pool by an unseen blue tentacled creature, saving our heroes from being shot in the head, ironically. It was these consistent set pieces that made the original Half Life's narrative so subtly compelling - the difference with the sequel is that the game seems to be one giant cut scene. Scripted they may be, but the action sequences just roll into one another and it's exhilarating just watching the events unfold.

After a few encounters with some military personnel (why they're attacking you isn't exactly clear), and some sentry gun destruction, the action moves into a curious territory where you're able to use alien technology against your aggressors. Rather like a more devastating version of the 'Snarks' in the original, Freeman is able to arm himself with spawning alien 'pods' which give birth to hideous giant insectoids which attack anything you command them to - even the vicious tripod sentry guns. By using them as a makeshift shield, the demo shows Freeman ducking into a side room and taking them out by knocking them over, leaving them firing wildly into the nearest wall before finally spluttering to a halt. [Upon further inspection of the videos we've seen, it's actually now clear that the pods contain pheremones which attract the beasts from outside, with them emerging from holes in the ground, through windows, etc -Martin]

Next up is a section that shows off Freeman at the wheel of a nimble ATV, which is also armed with a machine gun. The speed of the engine at this point is certainly well up to scratch with any racing game out there, and offers an ample demonstration of the flexibility of the Source engine. Once out of the ATV, Freeman has to fend off the attentions of a ferocious trigger happy flying machine. Ducking the relentless laser fire behind some wrecked cars, the physics within the game is demonstrated once again, with the incoming fire serving only to dislodge the cars from their resting place. Once the ship is finally destroyed, its impact sends the wrecks flying in an impressive mass of twisted metal.

And er, stride the stride

'E3 2003: Half-Life 2' Screenshot 4

With our senses frazzled enough already, the final stage of the gameplay demonstration moves the action up a further notch with the arrival of the spindly legged Striders. In what looks like a videogame interpretation of War Of The Worlds, we see a war ravaged Eastern European city, with a series of elegantly designed buildings reduced to rubble, presumably as a result of the as-yet-unexplained alien invasion.

A gaggle of terrified individuals run screaming from a cloud of smoke, and at last we get to see these giant creatures of doom that are running amok around the once pretty town.

Not only do the powerful Striders tower fully 90 feet into the sky, they're aimed with a particularly deadly pulse laser which seems to have the effect of warping the very fabric of existence around it when charged up. Faced with a small archway construction which the Strider cannot negotiate, the fearsome foe blasts it to smithereens, while the feeble humans run for cover wherever they can, but for one poor unfortunate, it's too late. He ends up being skewered by one of the Strider's legs. Ouch. Much laser fire ensues... this is almost too much to take.

Before we ended up having a heart attack with the excitement, the action cuts to the G-Man. "Well, well. Isn't this just like old times?"

Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (77) Latest comment 9 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Tiitiz #1 9 years ago

    Looks toilet!

    Joking!

  • FWB #2 9 years ago

    Nick just put this up to show up some guy in another thread, didn't you? :)

    I give it 1-2 years before we have photo-realistic FPSs.
    Edited by 1 at 16/05/03 @ 18:02

  • krudster #3 9 years ago

    Best thing I have ever seen, without a shadow of a doubt.

  • Malimbah #4 9 years ago

    yeah that is "magnifique"

  • otto #5 9 years ago

    Yeah but apart from that, krudster, did you like it? :)

  • JaysonG #6 9 years ago

    Simply Breathtaking, Games like this shouldn't be in existance yet... Where are our hovercars and moon colony?

  • Killerbee #7 9 years ago

    Best thing I have ever seen, without a shadow of a doubt.

    That's some praise!

    Looks utterly fantastic. I just hope we don't all need to go and buy a monster spec PC to run it.

  • Fenrir #8 9 years ago

    My thoughts exactly,

    Valve were pretty damn good at enabling Half-Life 1 to work on a wide range of pcs back in the day - but this looks like it's taking gaming to a whole new level.

  • Errol #9 9 years ago

    Amazing.

    Simply stunning.

  • Errol #10 9 years ago

    And this game comes out in September ? With Multiplayer fully operative ?

    I can hardly wait for the new version of C0unT3r 5tRik3.

  • Yama #11 9 years ago

    Doom 3 was pretty, but it was an unrealistic sort've plastic pretty, like GI Joe figures come to life and parading around on puppet strings. Lovingly detailed in its own right, but not photorealistic by any means. The real dividing line is the physics; watching the world react to everything in HL2 was far more immersive than staring at bump-mapping or shaders. And I mean everything.

  • Errol #12 9 years ago

    Taking one of only thirty seats in ATI's tiny auditorium, we positioned ourselves smack in front of one of the two delicious high definition widescreen TVs

    You all sat in one seat ? LOL !

  • binky #13 9 years ago

    I've been looking at some of the video clips today and my jaw has been dropping each time i look at them!! Absolutely FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!

    I wonder what sort of spec machine they ran that on?

  • Shivoa #14 9 years ago

    Hopefully the word we got that a 2GHz PC with a GF4 is the recomended spec means that most of what we've seem is PS1.3 and not 2.0 or a lot of people with DX8.1 cards will miss out on the candy. I suspect the new ATI card (released before Sept I think) will be able to really show this off with FSAA and AF and everythig on max detail.

    Oh if only I had unlimited funds.

  • lost_soul #15 9 years ago

    The amazing thing about Half Life 2 is it seems the developers have taken every great idea in videogames over the last few years (proper physics, good AI, deformable scenery) and actually implemented them well, with a decent graphics engine and a story!

    Sounds like HL2 is going to join HL as one of the all time classics.

  • X-Vector #16 9 years ago

    FeZZ, according to Gabe Newell, Valve started work on HL2 almost immediately after HL was released.
    I'd say the game has been in development since early '99.

    What I think is so great about the videos is that every time you watch them again, new details pop up.
    It escaped me the first couple of times I watched the (streaming) footage, but the rotor of the alien helicopter of sorts actually kicks up dust and causes powerlines to bob up and down.

    The air distortion that's caused by the Strider's secondary fire has to be one of the coolest effects in a videogame yet, BTW.
    Unfortunately for Gordon, he has to suck it down at the end of the last movie. ;)

  • Shivoa #17 9 years ago

    September seems so far away now I've watched the presentation. Damn my weakness, if I hadn't seen it I'd have a much easier time surviving the next few months.

    HL2 seems to show a lot of the interactivity that they're trying to do with the Unreal engine for DX2. Material types, not just textures, that change sounds and interactions; a physics engine that imerses you in the world like never before; AI that seems to think about the situation.

    If only the DX team had known about the Source engine they might have wanted a license (even if they had previous Unreal exp). I'm quite impressed that both games are aiming for all these common goals and yet they promise such varied stories that should seperate them as totally different titles. I wonder if all FPS will soon converge in technical achievements and so unlock the gameplay designs from the base engine (eg Doom 3 is built around 1 on 1 enemy encounters as they are so gfx intensive to render)

  • jiroczech #18 9 years ago

    I downloaded all the clips that were hosted on blueyonder (thanks mouse!) at work today.. Abso-fucking-lutely mindblowingly good.

    Better than any Doom 3 clips I've seen or any technical demo I've ever seen. The lighting model looks fantastic..

    There's so much subtlety and depth to the engine. There's a scene with Alyx and a scientist where you can see the scientists' hands on the keyboard distorted by a magnifying glass on the desk.. Or the sounds that bullets make hitting wood or metal or the way that distant gunfire sounds just right (the tripod clip).

    Fucking hell!

  • Ginger #19 9 years ago

    anyone got linkage for those clips?

  • mentat #20 9 years ago

    Ginger:
    Try looking here

  • bystander #21 9 years ago

    Ginger:
    Try looking here


    Just out of interest is there any audio in those clips? Looking at the sound equaliser there appears to be no audio (or at least none that I could hear).

  • Khab #22 9 years ago

    Heh. I can't help bashing myself for thinking, justa few weeks ago, that Valve hadn't managed to acheive anything but a few add-ons and the ridiculous Steam since HL... we'd started talking vapourware when it came to HL2. On this very forum, no less!

    How wrong we were.... And how happy I am that was the case!

    Well, if the Pc ever was dead, then we're watching the "resurrection" of the PC as a gaming platform, lads. Let's enjoy it. :D

  • Batfink #23 9 years ago

    Have valve mentioned an Xbox version at all? I can't really afford a new computer to play this - but I want to so bad! I have no idea how powerful Xbox is compared to the new dx9 parts - this looks pretty demanding. I seem to remember it being described as dx8.5 ish. Anyone got any idea?

  • itamae #24 9 years ago

    Sounds great, but I hope it doesn't turn out to be another one of those quick-save orgies that most FPSs evolve into in later levels. Give me one save-point per level (as in OpFl) and I'm happy. And heavy scripting kills the replay value of every game. The first time you see a scripted event you're amazed, the second time bored, and from the third time on you hope for it to go away quickly.
    By the way, is it only me or are RTSs and FPSs the only genres on PC? Seems to me that the PC is really going down the drain as a gaming platform.

  • no data #25 9 years ago

    All the smarmy half-assed comments I've made against valve in the last three years...I take it all back. However, all the smarmy half-assed comments about everything else, those still stand.

    PS
    The Steam idea still sucks though.

  • bungalooBunny #26 9 years ago

    "is it only me or are RTSs and FPSs the only genres on PC?"

    You're right, but I don't think that's going to sink the platform. It's just that both of this type of games work better using a mouse than a joypad. Alas 3rd person games like Metal Gear or racing games work better in consoles, with the player comfortably having his ass sat down on a couch in front of the tely.

    Anyway, bring on Half-Life because it looks like the best game ever is coming back. Hopefully they'll release a X-Box version cos my 900Mhz PC won't qualify for this game..

    IMO
    Best benchmark graphics: Doom 3
    Most realistic graphics: Half-Life 2
    Best tatical FPS: Halo 2

  • X-Vector #27 9 years ago

    Itamae,

    By the way, is it only me or are RTSs and FPSs the only genres on PC?

    It's just you.

    It's like saying that the 'Cube only has Mario type platformers and that there's no more to be had for PS2 owners than Vice City and racing games.

  • caboosemoose #28 9 years ago

    Xbox has a P3 733 and the video chipset is a halfway house geforce 3/4, so not really dx8.5. I can't remember what the gpu is clocked at, but I'm pretty sure its below 200mhz. All in the Xbox has a decent architecture, but it won't scale to high resolutions well at all. It only has to run games at 640x480ish so that removes a lot of bandwidth demands.

  • DrCongo #29 9 years ago

    I for one will be getting Half-Life 2 the very second it is available anywhere. And I hope it won't look absolute shite on my 1.4GHz machine... anyone have an extra GeForce 4 / comparable Radeon gfx card they'd like to donate? :)

  • deepmenace #30 9 years ago

    i have shown this off to people who dont own pc's and rarely play on consoles.

    They couldnt believe it. Now thats a compliment.

  • MaTTy_P #31 9 years ago

    Chris G
    " Here's another reason to praise Valve: they've laboured away at this little miracle for *years* without a word. The first we hear about it, we're only 6 months away from the release date, which spares us bloody years of useless, speculative hype and dozens of contentless interviews. "

    Teamfortress 2 any one? ;)

    As for hl2, its not just how great it actually looks, or the physics that really float my boat...its the engine being used by the mod community, and hopefully this time, the source code wont be hacked as easily by those little shits that inherit cs these days.

  • DNM #32 9 years ago

    Gnnh! OMFG Gnnnnh! MUST HAVE THIS GAME!

  • Nemesis #33 9 years ago

    /gives Valve a big friendly squeeze/ Hello there fella, nice to have you back with us again. We've missed you.

    Right. I'm off to play Half Life tonight. \o/

    I wonder what the specs need to be for HL2...

  • Blerk #34 9 years ago

    Whoa. Impressed. :-o

    /looks at steam-powered PC

    Boo-hoo! :-(

  • FWB #35 9 years ago

    Isn't the point of HL2 that they're moving away from scripts?

  • FWB #36 9 years ago

    Physics = only good if functional and fun. If the highlight of the game is how each object in the environment has its own realistic properties, then count me out.

    I think what you're missing here is that the probably most of the excitement is actually over the engine. I never played HF1 so I can't comment on it, although I gather it was very popular for having a good storyline, good AI and, more importantly, a very friendly engine. Halo 2 might be great, but it won't spurn a hundreds of other games/mods.

  • pogothemonkey #37 9 years ago

    This is the one - time to lash out on a monsta PC..

  • sam_spade #38 9 years ago

    Back away from the fanboy troll, people.

  • FWB #39 9 years ago

    It won't need to. Bungie will deliver the definitive multiplayer experience without the need for mods.

    Errr... hang on. I don't know about you, but I get bored of playing the same game over and over again. There's no such thing as the "definitive multiplayer experience".

    I sense a few frustrated PC fanboys who are pissed off because Xbox is now the home of the best shooter.

    Entirely subjective. There are many who would argue BF1942 holds that throne (Errol in particularly would be at your throat for suggesting such a blasphemous thing :) ). I, for one, am enjoying Vietcong. At the moment that is my favourite shooter, although I'm sure when my mood changes something else will take its place.

    Deus Ex is still one of the best games of all time, for me, and that can be seen as a FPS. Multiplayer was great too, although it wasn't very popular.
    Edited by 2 at 19/05/03 @ 14:45

  • FWB #40 9 years ago

    I should add, that as long as consoles are restricted in their ability to have their games modded, they will never come close to the PC. Now somewhere down the line, with X-Box 2 or 3, you might see that feature, but as it stands there is no competition, in my eyes. The PC wins hands down.

    Modding is one of THE most important aspects of a FPS and grwoing in importance in other genres. People get bored of the same thing over and over again. They will eventually want something different. Not only do mods allow that, but they provide one other great feature. The ability for the community, the gamers themselves, to shape and mold the games.

  • no data #41 9 years ago

    I sense a few frustrated PC fanboys who are pissed off because Xbox is now the home of the best shooter.

    Haha. I was one of those people that was following Halo when it was a PC only title. I'll never buy a console so I'll never play Halo on the Xbox. Although, I thought, there's always Halo PC to look forward to. I think a week or so ago they even released some screens of it. But now, seeing HL2 and what it's bringing to the table, I could care less about Halo PC (or Xbox's Halo 2 for that matter).

    The original HL gave me two solid years of almost daily gameplay, what with multiplayer and a nearly infinite selection of mods to choose from. I've never played a single game as much as HL. And if Valve supports the mod community as well as they did with the original (and they'd be insane not to), I can see getting just as much value and playability out of second installment, probably more.

    Hell, with that beautiful looking vehicle code and rumoured flight model, a mod group might very well decide to make a Halo clone with HL2's engine. And if properly done, I could see it turning out better than Bungie's version. In four months I'll buy HL2. Within a year in a half I'll be able to choose from probably ten unique, high quality games (mods) based off that one purchase. So Bungie and M$ can keep Halo to themselves for all I care.
    Edited by 1 at 19/05/03 @ 16:01

  • Bill Gates is Evil #42 9 years ago

    after watching and seeing everything i could find on half-life 2, i think it blows Halo 2 out of the water graphically speaking.

    in terms of gameplay, i have no idea which one is better-- and neither do any of you because i'd bet you haven't played either one of them.

    so who gives a shit? if you like consoles, Halo 2 is your game. If you're a PC guy, Half-Life 2 is right up your alley. If you play both the console and PC, then buy both Halo 2 and Half-Life 2 or decide which one you like best out of the two and buy that one. We all know they'll both be great games, so why all whining like little girls?

    if you guys are going to shed blood over videogames, do it over the games that suck-- not the games that kickass.

  • Whizzo #43 9 years ago

    Well said BGiE, couldn't agree more.

  • no data #44 9 years ago

    Yeah, BGiE makes a good point. I just can't wait to relive that time when no other game but HL mattered to me. It was a very unique experience. Feh, I might even buy Halo PC if it's any good. If...yeah, I'm sure it'll be a fine game in its own right.
    Edited by 1 at 19/05/03 @ 20:57

  • Daryoon #45 9 years ago

    It may look good but how will it *play*? I didn't find the original HL that engaging, since it felt like I was playing through a series of scripted set pieces with no freedom to improvise. What's fun about that?

  • UncleLou #46 9 years ago

    Actually, it was a lot of fun. Not every game needs to give you endless amounts of freedom. To be honest, in many cases I prefer a linear game. Most of the apparently "free" games were - imo - worse than their more linear counterparts. Morrowind - lots of freedom, but it felt empty and was a boring game imo. Take Gothic2 - more linear, but a much better game actually. GTA3: bored me after a few hours. More or less a compilation of less than stellar minigames. Deus Ex - a nice game, but severely overrated - some nice possibilities, but everything it did it didn't especially well. Bad AI and general sluggish combat - HL was much better in that respect, and System Shock2 for instance was better in the role-playing department.

    To make a long story short: I don't think many developers have the money or ability to create a non-linear/free gaming experience without making too many compromises everywhere. A game that concentrates on a single aspect is (of course) more focused and therefore often just the better game in the end, imo again of course.
    Edited by 1 at 19/05/03 @ 21:23

  • sam_spade #47 9 years ago

    Why don't people talk about the likes of Pro Evo, or Madden in the same breath as GTA or Morrowind?

    I know the field (baboom-tish) isn't quite as big, but there are predefined goals (baboom-tish) and the path you take to win is completely your own, like in any other non-linear game.

    I'll pass (baboom-tish) that one over to you.

  • Bill Gates is Evil #48 9 years ago

    i think half-life 2 just looks so mind-shockingly horrifyingly and frighteningly TERRIFIC. it looks to absolutely kick serious ass. it seems that in the past, i've had the most fun with FPS that have the best graphics. i think that the FPS genre is one of the few genres where great graphics can make the gameplay because it helps immerse you more into the environments-- and thus you are more immersed in the game.

    which is why, i think, that once Half-Life 2 is released it'll have been the single best gaming experience to date for the industry. it's raising the bar, and developers everywhere are going to step up to try and emulate its inevitable success. i cannot wait.

    and to make a couple more comments about the whole Halo 2 vs. Half-Life 2: There are advantages and disadvantages between the two formats the games are on that do affect the games popularity and success.

    Console Pros: Easily accessible (just sit on lazy boy, press power and you're good to go), more socially acceptable (people don't invite people over to play PC games as much as they do console games), and generally it's a less costly experience. Cheap, quick, relaxing, easy.

    PC Pros: Continuosly progressing graphics hardware, intensive and complex gameplay (relative to consoles), higher resolution, more extensive internet support. Complex (which PC gamers like), intense, state of the art.

    Overall, it comes down to personal preferences. Personally, the most enjoyable aspects for me is multiplayer--whether it be online or offline. And ultimately, I think Xbox is the perfect console for me to enjoy multiplayer because it has 1) Xbox Live, 2) 4 controller ports, 3) built-in LAN support, and 4)heavy co-op support.

    Xbox is just a mixture of console and PC (strong hardware, easy to use, heavy online support, socially acceptable, intense games, complex games..mostly the PC ports, but still..). I think the Xbox provides me with a nice blend of the two worlds, and really think it's a great leap for console gaming to finally get so many things that PC gamers have been enjoying for years. Harddrive, internet, etc...

    I just can't sit at a PC and play games all day, that's just not something i'm interested in doing often. i like to walk in my den, flip on my console, play some games, and then get on with my life as quickly as possible.

  • DrCongo #49 9 years ago

    Quale: and you know this... how exactly? (presuming you're talking about HL2)

    Please, have some backing for your comments or stop trolling.

  • Daryoon #50 9 years ago

    "i think that the FPS genre is one of the few genres where great graphics can make the gameplay because it helps immerse you more into the environments-- and thus you are more immersed in the game"

    I dunno, I still prefer the orginal Doom over all the new FPS easily. It was simple, you didn't need to worry about a ton of controls, and even though the graphics are pretty dire these days, the atmosphere remains. I felt a lot more freedom with that - even though it was technically linear (get key, open door, repeat), because I didn't feel like I was being led by the hand through scripted sequences.

  • Bill Gates is Evil #51 9 years ago

    well based on my personal experiences, i've always had a better time with the FPS that have better graphics (relative to their time). i suppose it is highly likely that that isn't true for everyone.

  • bystander #52 9 years ago

    For those interested in seeing the full 25min HL2 presentation can download it here. Just a warning though its 500MB!! Don't expect any fast download times either, if the link still works at all...

  • obscure #53 9 years ago

    JFK, the moonlandings, the fall of the Berlin wall, that Gulf War cruise missile moment and now HL2. You will remember what you were doing the day HL2 was released.

    Is it Half Life or just real life?

  • Shivoa #54 9 years ago

    Link from bystander above is the same presentation as the gamespot one but not split up over several files and with a better audio and video quality. Also the camera is centered properly from the start. You did need to subscribe to fileplanet to get it so if you're registered don't bother with this copy and get it off the official servers and now there is evn a copy on the public server but they're in for a long wait as everyone tries to get this file <a href = "h ttp://www.fileplanet.com/files/120000/123983.shtml" >Official download link</a>

  • caboosemoose #55 9 years ago

    I agree with devosk to some extent - it looks like HL2 is going to be heavily scripted. So long as its well done then that will still be fun, but it would of course be better if it was genuinely dynamic. That unfortunately takes the kind of AI that simply doesn't exist. Like someone else said, Morrowind does indeed feel pretty empty and dull unless you have a lot of patience. basically, neither approach is anything approaching perfect and I think that's because the entire industry has become sidetracked by the whole eye-candy thing. I don't think we'll get a lot of companies working hard on the gameplay side of things until the 3D tech achieves near photorealistic quality at which point the focus will move to gameplay.

    The good news is that the likes of John Carmack thinks that the next generation of game engines (as in the next order of magnitude on from the doom3 engine) may well achieve that photorealism and finally we'll get people concentrating more on game play.

    HL2 will still be a great game, but its worth remembering that the gameplay will date just as badly as the graphics.

    EDIT: must confess, my flags are on the PC mast: consoles are a bit too low-tech and low res and for fps games (any tv screen simply pales by comparison to even a cheap pc monitor), the controllers you get with consoles are laughable. Imagine any kind of contest between pc gamers and console gamers...Console games like Halo are good clean fun, but the use of partial auto aim kinda takes away from the game a little for me. Apparently the Xbox version of CS also uses this partial auto aim because console controlers simply don't offer the precision required to leave all the aiming up to the player.
    Edited by 2 at 20/05/03 @ 05:35

  • Bill Gates is Evil #56 9 years ago

    [pointless, annoying troll-bait deleted]
    Edited by 2 at 20/05/03 @ 11:35

  • no data #57 9 years ago

    Oh my...you have got to be freakin kidding me...

  • FWB #58 9 years ago

    caboosemoose, are you a Canuck? You're just supporting Doom3 cos ATI are the promoted card manufacturers and their Canadians. :p

    I see right through you.

  • itamae #59 9 years ago

    Freedom is to call your fries french and still be a patriot.

    About Half-Life 2: I'd love to see an RPG with this physics engine. Or a beat-em-up (but then again - that's just me. I love all beat-em-ups).

  • FWB #60 9 years ago

    What about a FPS beat-em up? Or imagine Jedi Knight 4 with this engine, using the force to pull objects off the wall and throw them at Ewoks.

    I'm sold.

  • itamae #61 9 years ago

    What about a FPS beat-em up?

    Interesting idea, FWB. I don't think it would work though. Beating people up from a first-person perspective is a real pain (we are still talking about games, by the way), see Maken X or Tekken 2. Third-person perspective isn't much fun, either. Try Fighting Force or The Bouncer to see that for myself. And I didn't enjoy Star Wars: Dark Forces IV: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast at all (for various reasons); you could kill all enemies with a simple Force Push -> Saber Throw combo, and stuff like that brakes a "fighting game".
    Nah, in my opinion beat-em-up only work from a side-on point of view. Omikron was quite innovative in that respect, because it separated the fighting elements from the rest of the game mechanics, which worked amazingly well.

    By the way, why haven't I heard about SvC:Chaos from the Eurogamer crew? Arrr, damn those FPS fanboys ;-D

  • FWB #62 9 years ago

    Interesting idea, FWB. I don't think it would work though.

    You're probably right.

    Third-person perspective isn't much fun, either. Try Fighting Force or The Bouncer to see that for myself. And I didn't enjoy Star Wars: Dark Forces IV: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast at all (for various reasons); you could kill all enemies with a simple Force Push -> Saber Throw combo, and stuff like that brakes a "fighting game".

    I actually really enjoyed Jedi Knight II and could see an expansion on the theme working very well. Add a ton of extra animations and moves (pulled off with different combos) and I think you'd have a cracking game. The force issue could easily be toned down or you coul dplay on a server without force powers.

  • blablabla #63 9 years ago

    Didnt one of the Tekken games have an unlockable first-person perspective mode?

    I can see the whole 1st person perspective working but youd need a pretty big field of vision for it to work. How about an arcade machine with wrist and ankle pads to monitor your movement with a life size screen to play against. *droool*

    It'd make me go back to the arcades. :)

  • Shivoa #64 9 years ago

    >That unfortunately takes the kind of AI that simply doesn't exist.

    HL2 is apparently not heavily scripted. In the video you see a group of allies attacking a combine wall and it is you and an army guy with a few scientists armed with mp5s. They all move from cover to cover and react to you helping them and you can hear the guy from Valve saying "and this is all dynamic, none of it is scripted (GameSpy presentation)"

  • UncleLou #65 9 years ago

    Oh, and Doom 3 looks crap all round.

    Not again, I am getting really tired of this. Why? From what I've seen of Doom 3, it looks like a "Survival Horror meets FPS" game, and I can't say I've seen much of those.

  • flippet #66 9 years ago

    I think all the complaints about over-scripting are a bit off - from what I could make out from the video, sure there were 2 types of scripted bits: some such as the tentacle taking out that soldier before he shoots, which are no bad thing - who can say they didn't like the scientist falling down the liftshaft in the original? But also in the action parts although you had the option of scripted events, you could play it all unscripted too. For example when that swinging girder was shot out that was only one option for killing the bad guys - you could have just sniped them all, it was up to you. Also you didn't have to switch on that rotor blade which took out all the headcrabs... you had the option to kill them how you wanted. The only limitations were your imagination and the physics engine... and the physics engine didn't seem particularly limited.

    And to that trolling halo fanboy earlier who said the physics don't make a game... up till now you may be right, but this game has the potential to open a whole new realm of gameplay because of its increadible physics. Combat does make a game (of this type) but combat could be entering a new era due to advances in gaming engines - and from all the evidence presented its HL2 not H2 which is leading the pack to define this new era.

    I defy anyone to honestly say the H2 video looked more impressive than HL2, and not be a daft fanboy muppet.

    You even prove it yourself by stating bungee will create the definitive multiplayer experience. Even looking at fps' only, there is no such thing - I love counterstrike, quake3, natural selection and BF1942. No one game could incorporate all these playing styles, and even if it did there are a hundred others just as good in their own right. twit.
    Edited by 1 at 22/05/03 @ 04:37

  • FWB #67 9 years ago

    Sounds like you're in denial that Halo 2 multiplayer will crap on these games.

    I said before, many would argue that BF1942 is THE current ruling MP game. By the time Halo2 comes out I'll put money on it the PC will have another game that will, as you put it, crap all over Bungie's effort in multiplayer (I reckon BF1942 will still be a better game then anyway, but we'll see).
    Edited by 1 at 22/05/03 @ 13:37

  • flippet #68 9 years ago

    I think you're being a bit daft trying to compare the original half life to halo. Half life is about 4 years older for goodness sake, of course there are going to be improvements made to the genre, this is about the potential of the sequals from the evidence we can gather from the videos.

    And from the hl2 video there is no evidence it will be all scripted action. In fact the free form combat was just as much on display as with the halo preview.

    Open plan action you say? You mean like the near endless corridoors leading to a room of almost exactly the same description as the last from Halo... and then having to follow the same route BACK? I know I said this isn't about comparing the originals, but halo was hardly open plan - even in the outdoor areas there was only ever one way to go (except from that bit at the beginning where theres a choice of 3 - though you still have to go to each section). And did you not see the cityscapes and open air areas from the hl2 video? Now its no bad reflection on either game, because I expect they'll be much the same in this respect - they both will have wide open areas and enclosed buildings but with only one true path to follow. Most fans of these games won't be looking for a deus ex type choice, they won't even want it.

    About the weopons - I agree about the unreal guns to a certain extent, but your cs knowlege is a bit lacking - have you ever come up against a team who know how to use the cheap desert eagles, mp5 ak or shotguns properly? I assume not. Nearly all the weopons in cs are powerful used in the right way and range.

    Enemies - yep, the ai of the covenant was nice, but well, as I said before they had an extra 4 years to work on it. I think the ai of both marines and aliens will obviously be improved in both games, but lets not forget it was the marines in hl which raised the bar in ai in the first place, so they know how to code it!

    vehicles... erm, have you seen the hl2 vid? They kind of crop up too.



    "Yeah, I bet you were one of those people who were drooling over Halo's multiplayer before it went to Xbox. Strange how opinions change. "

    Yep, you are absolutely right. And then I played it on my xbox. And then I went back to BF1942 and Natural Selection after realising it was a load of rehashed bullshit. Now I'm only just getting started on the new desert combat for 1942, then theres a list of mods longer than my arm that each have original ideas. The idea of a difinitive multiplayer experience still makes me laugh, Its like saying theres a film so good you will never watch another because this one covers everything good ever. Thank god for mods.

  • snowdune #69 9 years ago

    Finally got the 600Mb 25 min video of HL2 downloaded. I am speechless. The boys at Valve will redefine gaming (again).

    If you haven't seen the vid then get it. It makes you look at all the other games that are around or that have been announced in a whole new way. Nothing comes close to this. I think ID will be wondering how on earth they are going to get DIII to a point where it can compete. As for Halo 2, the XBox quite simply does not have the processing power to do the stuff Valve are now demonstrating is possible.

    If I need to spend £2000 on a new PC to play this - I will. I really don't care.
    Edited by 1 at 22/05/03 @ 20:13

  • flippet #70 9 years ago

    Well for a start Halo is part of the most common xbox bundle deals, so comparing sales is a little unfair. Counterstrike is still so popular because its a damn good game that receives constant updates and support... its foolish to argue with the masses. Battlefield 1942 has won many game of the year awards from cross-platform publications, and its community is still growing... slagging off this games quality is ridiculous. And yes its a fair bet it will still be a better mp game when halo 2 is released because its scope is not likely to be matched - the number of vehicles, number of maps, size of maps, types of gameplay and number of players WILL NOT be equalled by halo 2... whether it can surpass it by exceedingly good mp missions remains to be seen, but as I said its a fair gamble.

    "If you're willing to put your money on "another game" that will be better than Halo 2 when its released, then why don't you name this mystery game?"

    Well, I obviously don't know which game will be better than halo 2, but going on potential, these fps games have a fair shot:
    HL2, Doom 3, Stalker, Far Cry, Deus Ex II, Men of Valor: Vietnam, Call of Cthulhu, Hidden & Dangerous 2, Painkiller, Trinity,

    To name but a few!

  • FWB #71 9 years ago

    Maybe that's a better indicator of what people think is good, rather than the good old "many people" which ends up equal to the hardcore minority.

    We're talking MP here. The fact that Halo has a SP element (that actually works well) and doesn't require an internet connection to be played means its naturally going to sell more. Multiplayer wise BF1942 is THE dominant game.

    If you're willing to put your money on "another game" that will be better than Halo 2 when its released, then why don't you name this mystery game? Because there is nothing. If there was, it'd be announced by now.

    Incredibly poor logic. What makes you think Halo 2 will be such an amazing experience? How anyone can claim a single game that isn't even out yet is going to be THE experience is beyond me. You've gone beyond the world of fanboys.

    As for future games, well how about Deus Ex 2 (sequel to what is my favourite game of all time), STALKER (which I think is the best looking FPS I've seen so far), OFP2, Savage or one of the countless mods that will pop up with HL2?

    BTW, I have never played, nor even seen, CS. I suggest you stop jumping to conclusions.
    Edited by 1 at 23/05/03 @ 13:10

  • LaundroMat #72 9 years ago

    We don't buy games with dollars over here.

  • flippet #73 9 years ago

    complaining over games is fun, quit moaning about people having enjoyable arguments. Just ignore it if you don't like it.

  • DasFx #74 9 years ago

    Devosk...your right Halo2 is bloody fuckin brilliant....now go back to www.bungie.net please..

    that you guys actually had a discussion with this fanboy.


    I will buy halo2 and HL2 both... if i had to chose..HL2 anytime...
    finished halo once....never touched it again
    halflife ? bought it like 4 years ago..still playing it. (ok its cs, but still from the same 50 euros i payed for halflife)

    4 years of entertainment for only 50 euros, anything that can beat that ???

  • Dorag_kid #75 9 years ago

    !!THE GREATEST!!
    I love it this game seems to have it all. It makes you wonder about the multiplayer doesnt it. This game's going to revolutionize the gaming world as we know it. The...time...has come...for us to...thrive onward...towards a better gaming civilization. I can feel the intense vibes!! BRING IT ON!!!

    Id rate this game a 5outof5

    "Well DR.Freeman its nice to see you back"
    Edited by 1 at 04/06/03 @ 19:58

  • UncleLou #76 9 years ago

    Spot the grudging Mac user trying to set the thread on fire. :-)

  • WoodenSpoon #77 9 years ago

    lol......this is far too long....or is it just me, nevermind