Romier S Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 There was already some discussion on the game from the May OXM thread, but it's best to give the game it's own thread. Here are some of the details we know: -The game is expected to arrive Summer '05 -There will be no multiplayer component released with the Xbox port. It's strictly single player -The entire single player adventure released last year for the PC will make it's way to the Xbox intact. Anyone wanting to see the first screenshots can pick up the May OXM. There is a nice article and a slew of pics to look at. Though for those that don't want to wait, jeux-france.com has a boatload of pictures taken of an early build of Half-Life 2 Xbox running on a television. You can take a look at those below: Half Life 2 Xbox pics I think it's safe to say that the Xbox version of the game is looking pretty damned nice so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoisonJam Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 Wow, this is a nice surprise. I haven't been keeping tabs on this game too closely but I was starting to suspect it would join some of the other games that I've been waiting for like BC, Starcraft:Ghost, and Perfect Dark Zero in either slipping to the Xbox360 or disappearing entirely. I'm glad to see I was wrong, and so far everything looks great! :tu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFo Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 Though I've played the PC version at a friend's house already, I'm very excited about the Xbox version of this game. Yesterday I even picked up a used copy of Half-Life on the PS2. I never played it on the PC, and feel somewhat obligated to find out what all the fuss is about. If it's even half as good as the second game, I should be in for one amazing ride. As for the Xbox port, I have to say that those screenshots look very, very nice. I've had my doubts that a game like Half-Life 2 could be ported to the Xbox intact, and it certain is beginning to look like that's the case. I must admit that part of me still would rather see it moved to Xbox 2 so that it could take advantage of the system's HD capabilities, but I'll still gladly pick this one up. I only hope that they stay on target with their summer release date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Zot Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 Be nice if they would throw in the new expansion Aftermath with the Xbox version, might drive some sales and even some 'doubledipping' from PC/console players like me. As is, I think I'll just get the expansion on PC and save my other pennies for a certain $400 console in the fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark E Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 I never played it on the PC, and feel somewhat obligated to find out what all the fuss is about. I doubt you'll see it by playing it on a PS2, however, Jeff. Having done both I can safely say that the PS2 version holds no candle to the PC version in any respect (although the co-op campaign is a fun little diversion). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFo Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 We'll see, Mark. We'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camp Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 The worst thing about Half-Life on the PS2 is the controls. Even once you get acclimated to the controls it never really feels natural. It's one of those cases where the bad controls stay in the back of your mind through out the game. It's certainly not as bad as the Tribes port to PS2 but it's right up there with poorly controlling games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark E Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 The worst thing about Half-Life on the PS2 is the controls. Bingo. The graphics aren't up to snuff either, but Camp's got it bang-on, the controls are not good. It's like playing the game gimped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFo Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 I'll tell you what, guys. If this is the gimped version of the game, I can only imagine what the PC version is like. Really, it's an excellent game so far, and I've played for maybe an hour-and-a-half to two hours now. On the issue of controls, I think it's about as good as any FPS on a console, although I will admit that the whole notion of an auto lock-on system takes a while to get used to. It does, however, make the headcrabs a little easier to kill, which is nice. You can also tell that the graphics come from a game that was several years old at the time of its release on the PS2. By current generation standards, it doesn't do much impress visually, and the fact that the PS2 version suffers from an often choppy framerate compounds this fact. Still, I find myself enjoying it, and look forward to playing through the entire game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Zot Posted April 25, 2005 Report Share Posted April 25, 2005 Good point. Gimped controls or not, Half-Life is just a great all around game. HL2 as well, as I'm sure it will be on xbox as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrik Draven Posted April 26, 2005 Report Share Posted April 26, 2005 I dunno; I don't think HL on the PS2 was all THAT bad. Played both the pc and ps2 versions. The PS2 version has the advanced graphics pack, or whatever the hell it was that they called it, way back when. There was not an m16 in the pc version I played. You have an mp5. The ps2 has the m16 and, there are supposedly some other graphical updates that weren't on the pc, if I remember correctly. Still, you guys are right about the controls; it just doesn't control as well as the pc version. Don't give up on it though, JFo. It is STILL an outstanding game. It's also pretty damn long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Posted April 26, 2005 Report Share Posted April 26, 2005 Didn't the PS2 port support Mouse and KB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFo Posted April 26, 2005 Report Share Posted April 26, 2005 Didn't the PS2 port support Mouse and KB? It does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db Posted April 26, 2005 Report Share Posted April 26, 2005 The PS2 Half-Life port is far better than the PC version, with better graphics and controls as smooth as butter. They did a superb job configuring the game for the Dual-Shock, and I far prefer to play it this way than with the mouse/keyboard on the PC. The PC version may be better for multi-player, but anyone interested in just the single player experience can't go wrong playing it on the PS2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camp Posted April 26, 2005 Report Share Posted April 26, 2005 The PS2 Half-Life port is far better than the PC version, with better graphics and controls as smooth as butter. You're being funny, right? Either that or you played the PC version with a broken mouse and and 80286. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 I'm quite serious. I played through the PC version Half-Life three times on a high-end system and I found no problems with the way it handled, but the PS2 version blows it away in every respect. It has much better framerate, improved graphics, and totally intuitive, smooth controls on the Dual-shock. I suggest revisting both incarnations to see if you still feel the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camp Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 I suggest revisting both incarnations to see if you still feel the same way. Been there, done that. I just cannot disagree more. Oh well, at least it's still the same great game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romier S Posted April 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 It has much better framerate, improved graphics I can certainly understand the control preference. If you think the Dual Shock works as well, that's something I can completely see based on subjective taste. However, if you install Half-Life Blue Shift (which includes the high resolution texture pack that's somewhat included in the PS2 game), there is simply no competition in the graphics department. Better framerate? On my 3.0gig P4 I'm pushing damn near upwards of a 100fps with 16x anistropic filtering and 6x anti-aliasing. The PS2 game has a better framerate? Nah, sorry. I own and have played the PS2 version and even with some minor texture improvements done it still has a ways to go in competing with the PC game. Still, at least it's the same great game as Camp mentioned. :tu EDIT: Just for some example shots: Half Life PC running at 1280X960 with 16xaf and 6xaa Half Life PC running at 1280X960 with 16xaf and 6xaa Half Life PC running at 1280X960 with 16xaf and 6xaa Half Life PC running at 1280X960 with 16xaf and 6xaa Half Life PC running at 1280X960 with 16xaf and 6xaa Half Life PC running at 1280X960 with 16xaf and 6xaa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyberwoo Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 Thanks FutureVoid. You saved me from having to type something very similar. Totally agree with iCamp and FV here. Not sure where you are coming from db. :confused: Agreed that the PS2 port is a good one but better framerates and graphics? PC framerates are loads better than the ps2, load times are faster, the controls couldn't be tighter on the pc (I still dont know how people prefer a controller over mouse + key in a fps game....mouse is SOOOO much more precise and butter smoooooth) and the game has been updated with higher resolution texture packs (and now with the release of HL2 it has been even further updated via source physics and slight graphical enhancements) so any graphical advantages the ps2 version has over the original 1998 pc release are no longer. Sorry but to say the ps2 version is far better than the pc version just seems way off base to me. Not to mention the multiplayer advantages on the pc.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romier S Posted April 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 Just to clarify, I'm a-ok with you having a preference towards the PS2 version of the game db. If that's your thing, I can understand it and I can understand having a preference towards a joypad for controlling a game. I had a buddy that played Unreal Tournament online for years on his PC and he did so with a joypad cause he couldn't deal with a M+K combo. For the life of me though, I can't see the "better framerate" argument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covak Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 Just to clarify, I'm a-ok with you having a preference towards the PS2 version of the game db. If that's your thing, I can understand it and I can understand having a preference towards a joypad for controlling a game. I had a buddy that played Unreal Tournament online for years on his PC and he did so with a joypad cause he couldn't deal with a M+K combo. For the life of me though, I can't see the "better framerate" argument. Anyone know the framerate of the PS2 game? If it's a solid 60 FPS, I could see an argument... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romier S Posted April 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 As mentioned Covak, I own the PS2 version. I've played through it. It's not even a contest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrik Draven Posted April 28, 2005 Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 Hey Cyber, what's the original like now that it's been updated with Source? Is it worth playing through again? Personally, I like fps's with a controller, just because I like analog control much better than the on/off with a keyboard. I can do both but, I still prefer the controller. Too bad they haven't come out with something that has a combination mouse, control stick! I'd be in fps heaven. It would be cool if someone were to remake the original Half Life, completely with Source physics and Half Life 2 level graphics. Talk about a ton of work and a labor of love... It's going to be released with the Xbox version. Valve has been secretly working on it, last I read. Yeah...that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romier S Posted April 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2005 Getting back to the actual Half-Life 2 discussion. IGN has posted a SLEW of videos from the Xbox version. Those screenshots from jeux-france.com were no joke. The Xbox version does indeed maintain some nice detail levels on those glorious textures, as well as every bit of the physics engine (at a price, read below). There is a nice interview with the project lead as well in which he reveals that they will be spiffying up the specular lighting on the Xbox as well as implementing a form of HDR lighting on the system as well! I've take the liberty of uploading four of the movies from the IGN site for your viewing pleasure: Half Life 2 running on the Xbox (The Lab with Alyx) Half Life 2 running on the Xbox (Ravenholm) Half Life 2 running on the Xbox (Ravenholm 2) Half Life 2 running on the Xbox (City 17 after the Canals) As you will notice from those videos the framerate is definitely not up to snuff. During the interview, Jay Steely, mentions that the framerate will not be "constant" due to the different demands the game is placing on the Xbox. A direct quote: "most of the game will run at 30 frames a second". However, keep in mind that the game is still deep in development and I have no doubt we will see further improvement over what is shown in these videos The interview also sheds some light on the decision to leave multiplayer out of the game. The reasons were simply due to time and the fact that the main multiplayer component for Half-Life 2 was CounterStrike. which they feel is already well represented on the Xbox. You can take a look at the rest of the videos here: http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/552/552580/vids_1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFo Posted April 29, 2005 Report Share Posted April 29, 2005 I just finished watching the video interview. I have to say that I'm a little disappointed with the framerate at this point. Seeing some of this footage from the Xbox version reminds me a FPS on the N64. In other words, not silky smooth in the framerate department. This is one of the reasons why I wish this were an Xbox 2 launch title instead. You know it would run much better on the new hardware. Still, there is some time left for Valve to tweak the engine and make it run smoother. I can live with 30 fps if they manage to keep it consistane most of the time. We'll see, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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