Buying Half-Life 2 right now!

gobeavs

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Off of STEAM!

The packages have been made available, and even though the HL2 game won't be available till later, I get CS: S now! I am also getting the (EDIT) Silver [/EDIT] package which costs 60 bucks, and I get HL1 source and Day of Defeat Source...Now my spyware check just has to finish before I give out my credit card number...
 
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gobeavs

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Wow....I just figured out I also get Half Life Source, Condition Zero, Counterstrike, Team Fortress Classic, Day of Defeat, Day of Defeat Source, Half Life, Richochet, Deathmatch Classic, and Opposing Source... all of this and HL2 for 60 bucks...Except it is like a 9 GB download...:(
 

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Ok...I don't know where to start. Keep in mind this is only the multiplayer version, so I can't speak for the SP...

I had never played Counterstrike before, so coming in I had high hopes based on the reputation of it, and of the HL2 engine. I can say with confidence that it has shattered my expectations like the amazingly detailed window shatterings in the game...THIS GAME IS AWESOME. Now, for those of you that think this is going to be a glowing rant of the game (like my MoH: PA impression), you are part way right. But I feel it is fully justfified, because this game plainly rocks. As far as the engine, it blows everything else away. Moh: PA can't hold a candle to it, CoD shouldn't even be in the same sentence. The barrels in the level can be shot, and they roll. The pictures on the walls can be shot, they fall, and you can shoot them more and they move. The lockers in the office can be shot and moved. Barrels and garbage can be moved by running into them, and you can even shoot the garbage. It is so detailed that I could identify different computer components (the actual brand and sometimes the make!) of the computers in the office by shooting off the side of the computer. If you shoot the potted plants they break realstically. If you shoot the file folders files come out of them and they move realistically.

And that is just the physics.

The graphics are superb. The glash shattering of windows is amazing. I will have to get a pic of it sometime....(can't now though :(). I have only played it for a bit, but so far the gameplay has held up well for me. Most of it was spent shooting up computers and various thing, but I did do some shooting and the controls feel nice and right.

So far my impressions are basically about all the detail in the game, they physics, and the graphics. Once I get more play time on it I will post some gameplay impressions also. So far, I am blown away. The interactivity in the game is incredible.

Also, there is voice chat. I was able to hear the voices of some other players remarking how things are interactive. I may get a microphone just for this game....

Anyway, so that is my first impression. Excellent game.

Note for computer geeks- you can shoot out everything in the computers except for the power supply! I was able to shoot out individually the video card, the motherboard, the processor heatsink, various drives, and the sound card. I also identified that the various computers in the levels use the optical microsoft mice, or so I think. Its just sort of an indication how detailed it is, and a very great addition for the computer nerd in me :D.

Sorry for any typing errors in this...its 12:43, I'm tired, and I gotta get up early tomarrow...:rolleyes:
 

Patrocles

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gobeavs said:
Ok...I don't know where to start. Keep in mind this is only the multiplayer version, so I can't speak for the SP...

I had never played Counterstrike before, so coming in I had high hopes based on the reputation of it, and of the HL2 engine. I can say with confidence that it has shattered my expectations like the amazingly detailed window shatterings in the game...THIS GAME IS AWESOME. Now, for those of you that think this is going to be a glowing rant of the game (like my MoH: PA impression), you are part way right. But I feel it is fully justfified, because this game plainly rocks. As far as the engine, it blows everything else away. Moh: PA can't hold a candle to it, CoD shouldn't even be in the same sentence. The barrels in the level can be shot, and they roll. The pictures on the walls can be shot, they fall, and you can shoot them more and they move. The lockers in the office can be shot and moved. Barrels and garbage can be moved by running into them, and you can even shoot the garbage. It is so detailed that I could identify different computer components (the actual brand and sometimes the make!) of the computers in the office by shooting off the side of the computer. If you shoot the potted plants they break realstically. If you shoot the file folders files come out of them and they move realistically.

And that is just the physics.

The graphics are superb. The glash shattering of windows is amazing. I will have to get a pic of it sometime....(can't now though :(). I have only played it for a bit, but so far the gameplay has held up well for me. Most of it was spent shooting up computers and various thing, but I did do some shooting and the controls feel nice and right.

So far my impressions are basically about all the detail in the game, they physics, and the graphics. Once I get more play time on it I will post some gameplay impressions also. So far, I am blown away. The interactivity in the game is incredible.

Also, there is voice chat. I was able to hear the voices of some other players remarking how things are interactive. I may get a microphone just for this game....

Anyway, so that is my first impression. Excellent game.

Note for computer geeks- you can shoot out everything in the computers except for the power supply! I was able to shoot out individually the video card, the motherboard, the processor heatsink, various drives, and the sound card. I also identified that the various computers in the levels use the optical microsoft mice, or so I think. Its just sort of an indication how detailed it is, and a very great addition for the computer nerd in me :D.

Sorry for any typing errors in this...its 12:43, I'm tired, and I gotta get up early tomarrow...:rolleyes:
well at least tomorrow is Friday...and that means you can spend the weekend with the game(s)! Please pop in on occasion and tell us your further impressions! post some screenies! :cheeky:

I assume HL2 is not in stores yet?
 

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Patrocles said:
well at least tomorrow is Friday...and that means you can spend the weekend with the game(s)! Please pop in on occasion and tell us your further impressions! post some screenies! :cheeky:

I assume HL2 is not in stores yet?
Actually, I have to go to a robotics thing today :(...won't be back for a while. HL2 isn't in stores yet, and will be there hopefully November 26th.
 

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"Also, there is voice chat. I was able to hear the voices of some other players remarking how things are interactive. I may get a microphone just for this game...." -gobeavs

That's what I like about Day of Defeat, the voice chat brings a different dimension to the game. It will be interesting to see the 'source' changes to it (DoD) based on what you've said about CS.
 

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gobeavs said:
Wow....I just figured out I also get Half Life Source, Condition Zero, Counterstrike, Team Fortress Classic, Day of Defeat, Day of Defeat Source, Half Life, Richochet, Deathmatch Classic, and Opposing Source... all of this and HL2 for 60 bucks...Except it is like a 9 GB download...:(

All of which Should be given for free to anyone who gets any form of HL2... :confused:
 

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Gen_Electric said:
"Also, there is voice chat. I was able to hear the voices of some other players remarking how things are interactive. I may get a microphone just for this game...." -gobeavs

That's what I like about Day of Defeat, the voice chat brings a different dimension to the game. It will be interesting to see the 'source' changes to it (DoD) based on what you've said about CS.
Is the voicecomm built into the game? Finally! That will spur folks to use it instead of having to deal with Teamspeak, ventrilo, etc.
 

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probably old news but...


Half-Life 2 guns for November 16 release date

After months of speculation, Vivendi announces that Half-Life 2 has gone gold and will be on shelves in less than one month.
Days after last week's Rumor Control brought news that Half-Life 2 had gone gold and was being sent off to Vivendi Universal for approval and manufacturing, the publisher confirmed that the game has gone gold and announced, finally, its release date: November 16.


What's more, VU Games announced that it will ship localized versions of Half-Life 2 simultaneously around the world. English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, traditional and simplified Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Japanese versions of the hotly anticipated first-person shooter will all ship on November 16.

Gamers have been able to purchase (via preorder) Half-Life 2 through developer Valve's Steam downloading service since last week. For those consumers, however, the game will not be playable until November 16.

Those who choose to purchase the game at brick-and-mortar stores will have the option of picking up the Half-Life 2 Collector's Edition, which includes Half-Life 2 in DVD-ROM format, Counter-Strike: Source, Half-Life: Source, a free limited edition T-shirt, and a Half-Life 2 strategy guide from Prima.

[GameSpot contributor Geoff Keighley was on the scene for the final hours of work on Half-Life 2. His report, the latest in his Final Hours series, will be published on GameSpot before the game ships. Keighley's story will recount in detail the entire six years of development on Half-Life 2. In addition, Gabe Newell goes on the record and addresses the September 30, 2003, date fiasco, as well as the notorious code leak.]

By Chris Kohler -- GameSpot
POSTED: 10/18/04 11:12 AM PST
 

gobeavs

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Yeah, I can't wait for the day....I have it on my computer, it is just locked away. The 16th it comes unlocked...:D
 

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Don't get your hopes too high there bud. Currently an injunction has been placed on HL2 SP mode. Retailers like my company hate this option (STEAM) as it takes business away from them and were the ones that filed it as did many others. Personally I think its stupid as options like this are the future of the gaming the industry as a whole and a time will come when retailers no longer exist.

Be prepared to wait until the court battle is over.
 

gobeavs

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Marines said:
Don't get your hopes too high there bud. Currently an injunction has been placed on HL2 SP mode. Retailers like my company hate this option (STEAM) as it takes business away from them and were the ones that filed it as did many others. Personally I think its stupid as options like this are the future of the gaming the industry as a whole and a time will come when retailers no longer exist.

Be prepared to wait until the court battle is over.
Not that it hasn't happened before (it being delayed), but this time valve has actually come out and put something down concrete. If they don't ship it the 16th, there will be a lot of unhappy people.

I agree that STEAM is bad for the retailers, but if there is a way for the retailers to create a similar system, they could make a lot of money also. For the end user, being able to download the game the day it ships and play it 6 hours later (or in HL2, preload it and play it the day it is released) is an awesome possibility. If retailers just made a system like STEAM, where people download the games for the same price, that could make a lot of money. Even though it may not make it on valve products (because of STEAM), but there are tons of others.

If it is the end of retailers, can't they just adapt?

I think it is a potentially valuable untapped possibility.
 

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gobeavs said:
Not that it hasn't happened before (it being delayed), but this time valve has actually come out and put something down concrete. If they don't ship it the 16th, there will be a lot of unhappy people.

I agree that STEAM is bad for the retailers, but if there is a way for the retailers to create a similar system, they could make a lot of money also. For the end user, being able to download the game the day it ships and play it 6 hours later (or in HL2, preload it and play it the day it is released) is an awesome possibility. If retailers just made a system like STEAM, where people download the games for the same price, that could make a lot of money. Even though it may not make it on valve products (because of STEAM), but there are tons of others.

If it is the end of retailers, can't they just adapt?

I think it is a potentially valuable untapped possibility.
It wouldn't make much sense for retailers to adopt this option as developers and publishers have pretty much beaten them to the punch.

It think it is the end of retail sales when gamers can simply buy their product via the internet.
 

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Marines said:
It wouldn't make much sense for retailers to adopt this option as developers and publishers have pretty much beaten them to the punch.
Valve is the only company with a service like this as far as I know....
 

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What is Half Life "Source"? And am I correct that they have re-done all the games you mentioned in the new HL2 engine??
 

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gobeavs said:
Valve is the only company with a service like this as far as I know....
Are you talking about downloading games from the publisher/distributor via internet? If so, I was reading in another forum that Matrix games is doing this (or going to do this). The bad side about this is that, according to the posters is that Matrix will not allow the buyer to sell the game. Pretty crappy of Matrix if this is true (I have not checked out the Matrix site to see if this is their policy).
 

gobeavs

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NORAD said:
What is Half Life "Source"? And am I correct that they have re-done all the games you mentioned in the new HL2 engine??
Half Life: Source, Counterstrike: Source, and Day of Defeat: Source all are the original games, except ported to the HL2, or "source" engine. Everything should be the same, except it will have updated graphics, physics, sound, etc.

They aren't redoing all the HL mods, just the popular ones.
 
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