catbarf on 25/1/2010 at 11:57
It's not entirely feasible to have a graphics slider that goes from 'Half-Life 2' to 'Crysis'. The way the graphics engines need to work is completely different. Making an engine that can render Crysis will lead to low framerates when on low settings (compared to an engine designed around those low settings).
Aren't we the haughty intellectuals saying graphics don't matter in a good game? I'd be A-OK with Valve sticking with the tried and true Source engine. Maybe a few new effects, a la Orange Box, but a complete makeover is unnecessary.
TTK12G3 on 25/1/2010 at 16:43
It better have good length. Ep.2 was really short.
ZylonBane on 25/1/2010 at 17:03
Quote Posted by Minion21g
By that I mean are they going to combine some elements from Portal
(which I consider HL2:ep2.5)?
That is dumb. The two games have absolutely nothing in common with each other beyond apparently existing in the same fictional universe. I suppose you also consider Opposing Force to be Half-Life 1.3 and Blue Shift to be Half-Life 1.6? :rolleyes:
Quote Posted by Muzman
Ep2 was the only Half Life game that had none of those interminable stretches of fidgeting about with some mechanic (ant lions, say) or stuck in some boring place for ages and ages.
Fuck you, the assault on Nova Prospekt with my infinite antlion minions was awesome. Ep2, on the other hand, started by thrusting the player into a long, dreary
sewer level. Followed by that tedious antlion tower defense segment while the Vorts did their healing mojo.
Muzman on 25/1/2010 at 17:41
Antlion minions are ok. Antlion enemies less so. Those bits of Ep2 have their drawbacks, but they weren't long enough to get really annoying (and HL2 itself has multiple tower defence sections that are longer). They stuck to the Ramone's song principle; if you don't like it it'll be over soon enough. Unlike endless boating or sand avoiding or stuffing cars on holes.
SubJeff on 25/1/2010 at 18:36
I loved the antlions. I also loved the boating. Driving less so but tbh it was all good.
Fafhrd on 25/1/2010 at 19:10
Quote Posted by EvaUnit02
A new engine would definitely target the 360 at least (which doesn't seem to going anywhere any time soon), so it wouldn't such a huge jump in system requirements. Remember consoles are the largest market these days, dwarfing PC sales wise.
Since when does Valve care about the console market? They're openly contemptuous of the PS3 as a platform, and while they'll do 360 versions, those are never the lead SKUs, and they don't do any significant post-release support of them. They're also not a publicly traded company, so they don't really have to worry about maintaining massive profit margins to keep their stockholders happy, which is what spurs most decisions for multiplatform development.
And don't forget the importance of mod communities to Valve. A newer, shinier, higher resolution engine equals more complex and harder to use mod tools which leads to a much smaller modding community, which reduces sales in the long term.
SubJeff on 25/1/2010 at 20:28
I'm impressed with their embracing of modding and indie talent; portal team, Minerva Guy and R&D guy.
june gloom on 25/1/2010 at 21:11
I just hope they make Minerva/Someplace Else officially canon somehow. :(
ZymeAddict on 25/1/2010 at 22:18
Quote Posted by clearing
I bet Black Mesa will be bought by Valve and will be released as an addon to the next episode.
If they did that I wish they would actually incorporate it directly into the storyline somehow. One of the things I loved about the expansions to the original
Half-Life was that they explored the same overall story from different perspectives. I was actually rather disappointed that the episodes didn't continue on from that precedent.
SubJeff on 25/1/2010 at 22:45
How on earth will they manage to incorporate HL1s story with HL2s!!!!!!!?????
