Half-Life 2 (PC)

[Spatial]

On second thoughts, there's no way some of them can be in-game.

Numbers 1, 2 and 4 are reference photo's they used to design City 17

But after seeing the latest Unreal engine we aren't far off visuals like those photo's being rendered on screen in our life time.

What an age we live in.

I have been wondering how HL2 is going to run on my rig. Now I'm up to Delta labs in Doom 3 its suffereing a little with my 9800 pro 256Mb. I'm taking comfort from the fact that, as said, HL2 was supposed to run on this set up a year ago, so its a pretty good bet that it'll be OK now.

I also have some worries about the Doom 3 engine being not as flexable and system optimised as the Source or Far Cry engines, so who knows ? I guess I'll have to wait for the HL2 benchmarks, which based on the onslaught of info we're getting, should be any day now.

[Concept]

The PC has pulled away from the console competition this year and instigated the start of the so-called hyped "next-generation" for me. We're seeing some amazing stuff right now, where we're not a million miles from movie standard CGI anymore. It says a lot that I couldn't tell the difference between some of those real photos and in-game shots of Half-Life 2 at first, but I guess that's the effect the development team were probably aiming for.

If it's any consolation to you, in the Valve Information thread over at Halflife2.net, Gabe Newell still maintains in an answered email that top-line ATI cards (which the 9800Pro is still part of) are going to perform well due to the fact Half-Life 2 is DX9 based. Not only that, but like you point out, the source engine was technically more or less ready to ship last year, so although I imagine it's been tweaked since, your card should still offer a good performance rate.

I was relieved to find in that thread my X800Pro should be up to the job after seeing some of those recent shots you posted. Hopefully, if I can get over 50 frames (high, 1280x1040, 8xAF) in an OpenGL game such as Doom III, then the performance should be better in a DX9 focused title.

That's what I experienced in Far Cry, as with everything maxed out at 1280x1040, I was easily above 60fps. In other words, if your 9800Pro handles Far Cry well, then I'd probably say expect a similar performance (most likely better) for Half-Life 2.

As the revelation of Half-Life 2's imminent uploading status and splurge of media (bink, screenshots etc.) shows... We're close.

Expect September 30th in my opinion.

[Concept]

Latest word is that Valve have accidently leaked the entire script of Half-Life 2 in Counter Strike: Source's cache. I'd avoid going to any Half-Life 2 based discussion forums until the game is released to be on the safe side. After the hacking of the source code, you'd have thought they would have been more careful.

Any further twists until release? At this rate the Half-Life 2's development is going to have more story in it than the final game itself.

[nips]

CS:Source makes me think, that I'd part with ?15 for a copy of HL:Source.

Imagine playing HL in full HL2 graphical style. Sweet.

I can't believe this, I've waited for a year, and with about a month to go, I'm getting impatient.

Release. Game. Now.

[Concept]

Doesn't Half-Life Source come bundled with Half-Life 2, or am I flying with the faires?

[Spatial]

Latest word is that Valve have accidently leaked the entire script of Half-Life 2 in Counter Strike: Source's cache.

Oh no ! Not another years delay !!


I think HL:S has to be bought seperate but is a budget release

[Concept]

Another year? Shoot me now if it is. Like Nips, I want this game badly. I hope it's September. All other releases are irrelevant at this point until Half-Life 2 is out.

Edit: A budget offering sounds like a commercially wise move.

[Spatial]

Just ventured into the HL2.net forums and have now deleted the bookmark from my Favorites folder. Won't be going anywhere near there again or any other HL2 site until I've finished the game myself.

It does look as if the script is contained in the CS: Source. Oh dear, 5 years of guarded secrets and NDA's flushed right down the drain in one go.

Someone's going to get the sack for sure. Hacking attempts are one thing. Sheer carelessness is another thing entirely.

[Ish]

It does look as if the script is contained in the CS: Source. Oh dear, 5 years of guarded secrets and NDA's flushed right down the drain in one go.

Someone's going to get the sack for sure. Hacking attempts are one thing. Sheer carelessness is another thing entirely.

They really do seem to be a bunch of boneheads....

[Spatial]

Just finished watching all the Bink and E3 2K4 videos ( yet again )

I'm wondering if some of those scenes from the Bink vids are actually in the game anymore or were cobbled together from bits of levels to show off the game ( obviously excluding the latest Bink release ).

The Coastline, Barricade, and Strider ones in particular feel as if they're just `examples` and won't be in the game ( in that incarnation at least )

I'm seriously sweating over upgrading my graphics card now and the benchmarks aren't even out yet. I want to experience HL2 at top notch and am thinking of hunting down a X800 XT to play it on.

Anyone in the know care to tell me if my 2.6 Athlon processor is going to be a problem if I splash out for a top range Radeon ?

[Concept]

Good luck in hunting down an x800XT. They're virtually impossible to find due to the incredibly low yields. However, if you're interested, Overclockers are selling a modified 16-pipe version of the x800Pro right now.

Seriously though, a 9800Pro will handle Half-Life 2 okay. Have you been reading reports of Counter Strike: Source? The game runs as smooth as silk on 1280x1024 on cards even less than a 9800.

It looks like Valve were right when they claimed a 9800Pro or over will run the source engine well. Of course Half-Life 2 will feature more detailed environments, characters and set-piece development, so judging the game's perfomance by Counter Strike: Source may not be entirely accurate. However, it is the first clear benchmark indication of how it probably will run.

Coming to the game itself... I think all the environments shown in the bink videos are definately going to be in the final product. After you posted the link to some more screenshots the other day, I'm even more inclined to believe this.

Why? Well, the bink used to show off some of the rendering techniques of the source engine was shown again through in-game screenshot (on top of a city roof, and in a loft). When I saw that video, I thought it was just a technology demo of City 17, but it appears that rooftop may be in the game due to the recent showing in screenshot form.

In fact, it's not all that hard to even work out the likely structure for Half-Life 2 from watching and piecing together a line of connection between those videos. (May include spoilers based on what I've seen in the videos so far).

1) The game begins with you arriving at City 17 and getting knocked out in an interrogation room (trainstation)
2) You wake up held in a building with others by the combine (apartment).
3) You escape the building by scaling it's rooftop (source video).
4) You get down and out onto the streets (strider video).
5) Escape into an abandoned prison (bugbait video).
6) Descend into a sewer (sewer video)
7) Get out onto the lakes (hoverboat video)
8 ) Get to the peer (sunset peer video).
9) Arrive at the coastline (car video).
10) Scale the road by the coastline and arrive at traptown to meet Father Gregory (traptown 1/2 video).

Bet you the game follows an initial structure similar to that.

[Spatial]

Didn't think of checking around as to using CS Source as a benchmark

It really runs good at that resolution on less than a 9800 ? That really is something, and I'm going to check a few CS Source articles right now.

I guess I shouldn't worry about it as deep down I know the 9800pro is a solid card, but I do find myself having minor panic attacks about it (along with did I turn the gas off, or have I locked my car ?! )

Its probably got a lot to do with me just sitting here and druming my fingers waiting for HL2's arrival

[Ciaran]

Bet you the game follows an initial structure similar to that.

You cheater, you just read the script

[Tom Salter]

OK, anyone going to read the script?

I think I will - I'm so weak.

[Spatial]

If you do, no spoilers please.

For the love of God himself, NO SPOLIERS !