Half-Life 2 Thread

Please post all HL2 news snippets in here - it means we can save space on the main board and concentrate all the latest news to one easily referenced thread :smile:

Feel free to discuss the items posted in here as well.

Thanks :smile:

edit - you may need the BitTorrent streaming system for certain files - get it here

http://bitconjurer.org/BitTorrent/

and, a better UI - http://btplusplus.sourceforge.net/

Kudos to Crono, for these links :smile:

Booya

Fresh from the very first showing at E3 2004, here's the latest demonstration of Half Life 2 in video form - including the first ever video of Counter-Strike running in the Source engine!

Also, the original HL and it's expansion packs will be re-released on the source engine as well as CS. You can thank me later. :razz:

linky no worky for mey

There will be a FREE DOWNLOAD OF THIS:

http://www.nuclearvision.de/index.php?p=3|2&l=en

a 2D sidescroller featuring 8 levels, vehichles and maps based on HL1 and HL2.

could be a hoot.

Just got this link from a buddy. Uses bit torrent.

Looks real good too.

http://www.filerush.com/torrents/e3-half-life-2-fr.avi.torrent

Originally posted by Juim

Its a bit torrent wild - when you click on it are you just getting a bunch of random characters appearing on a web page? If so then you haven't got bit torrent, do a google search for it or something.

ReNo said:
Its a bit torrent wild - when you click on it are you just getting a bunch of random characters appearing on a web page? If so then you haven't got bit torrent, do a google search for it or something.

Ah. Actually I get nothing at all, just Windows XP offering to search the web and then reports back a unknown application.

Well, it still sounds like nothing on your computer recognises the .torrent file type, so you need to get yourself bit torrent. Its a handy program if you download a lot of stuff like music, tv programs, whatever.

Both of the links Gwil put up are links to Bit Torrent utilities. I suggest the second one since it has a GUI.

Right click and save torrents to your HD, then when you wish to download them move the torrent file to the 'torrent' folder with in the directory you installed BT++ (It you're using that GUI, that is).

When it is done downloading it will be in the install directory in the 'incoming' folder.

It's not very difficult :smile:

I would just like to say that this new HL2 presentation is amazing. The introduction with the G-man is incredible, with such a memorable line...you'l know it when you hear it...oh, and the apartment building is amazingly atmospheric as well. So much attention to detail. I can't reccomend it enough. It's not good quality, but it's good enough for you to be thrown backwards off your chair.

And to think, they have two entirely seperate presentations going on. Can't wait for the next one to show up online. :biggrin:

I think its great, but at the same time its much the same as the first set from last year. Some classic moments here though, great trailer :smile: I wonder if it will answer some of the sceptics' (myrk?) main criticisms...

Fat chance. HL2 would probably have to cook him breakfast in bed for that to happen :razz:

Apparently its been announced that HL2 multiplayer will be CS2, which will be similar to CS but with updated graphics. Why fix what isn't broken I guess, but I want some goddamn deathmatch! :biggrin: To be honest I hope this turns out to be false, but knowing my luck...

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/31857http://www.shacknews.com/

I guess the site is too busy, as that link is going nowhere for me. However that is what seems to be suggested at the end of the new HL2 presentation :sad: Not good news if you ask me - I like CS and all, but I was looking forward to some souped up HLDM.

Yeah, it sounds like the people at ShackNews have misinterpreted it - it wouldn't make commercial sense for Valve to amalgamate them into one game

Half-Life 1 is also ported over to the Source engine and will be available at the same time as when Half-Life 2 ships - uber! :biggrin:

• During the presentation, Gabe Newell reiterated that Half-Life 2 is shipping this summer, although no specific date was given - hmm, I take everything said by Valve with a heavy pinch of salt myself, but we hope!

• Team Fortress 2 was not mentioned at all - no change there then :razz: one of the greatest conspiracies of all time is this games development

Yak_Fighter said:
Apparently its been announced that HL2 multiplayer will be CS2, which will be similar to CS but with updated graphics. Why fix what isn't broken I guess, but I want some goddamn deathmatch! :biggrin: To be honest I hope this turns out to be false, but knowing my luck...

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/31857http://www.shacknews.com/

Dear god, to think we'll have to go through another 5 years or so of CS lameness. Hooray for mods though :biggrin:

Okay so this may have been answer already, but is HL2 for x-box comming out first? or PC? cause x-box magazine claimed that it will come out for the x-box first, load of BS and BC if you ask me.

They haven't said, as far as I'm aware, which platform it will come out on first.

Actually, they said PC is first priority, and then they'll be looking into the consoles.

As for the CS thing, it's all rather confusing. Just take one look at the halflife2.net forums and you'll see what I mean....

I saw an interview with I think vivendi saying how it is much better for them to concentrate on the PC business first, because because you have to pay "$7-$10" licensing per unit sold with consoles.

The shakycam movie and official e32k4 trailor are at

http://www.amicore.mine.nu/hosted/hl2files/

Shakycam is recorded from one of the valve booths at E3, bad quality, but still VERY impressive. I mean VERY. My jaw just dropped further and further while I was watching. It also shows CS ported to the source engine (this is not CS2), and has Gabe saying HL will be ported to Source after HL2 release (free if you are a 'steam subscriber', otherwise 'cheap' seems to be the general idea).

Just watched the 'trailor', it's proper quality, and OH CRAP this looks SO good! One part shows the water close up... other parts of city17... ah! I agreed in the past that HL2 graphics would only be average, but erm... no.

Ok, I've done some more research into that news I posted earlier. It's not CS2, and as Kage said earlier up Valve is just porting HL1, CS, TFC, Op4 whatever over to the new engine. I still haven't figured out if that'll all be included with HL2 or what that really means, but I would seriously doubt that the only multiplayer is CS. Stupid misinformation.

Its just what Gabe says at the end of the trailer which is misleading - "One of the most popular questions is what about multiplayer?, and so we decided to combine the most popular online action game with the power of the half-life 2 engine". That does suggest HL2's multiplayer is CS Source as they call it...though I'm doubtful this is the case.

Well Im gonna think they are still going to have some good 'ol fashioned HLDM... err... HL2DM :biggrin:

The shakycam movie and official e32k4 trailor are at

http://www.amicore.mine.nu/hosted/hl2files/

Shakycam is recorded from one of the valve booths at E3, bad quality, but still VERY impressive. I mean VERY. My jaw just dropped further and further while I was watching. It also shows CS ported to the source engine (this is not CS2), and has Gabe saying HL will be ported to Source after HL2 release (free if you are a 'steam subscriber', otherwise 'cheap' seems to be the general idea).

Just watched the 'trailor', it's proper quality, and OH CRAP this looks SO good! One part shows the water close up... other parts of city17... ah! I agreed in the past that HL2 graphics would only be average, but erm... no.

I posted that first video already.

It's a direct link though, which is good for those of us who can't download torrents because of their oppressive firewall. As for the video, it looks awesome, especially the part with the strider. It felt like watching a real war in there at times.

even with the poor quality avi, it still looks awesome.

Gamespy have a 600MB trailer of both presentations here.

I wasn't trying to rain on your parade, Kage, just a lot of people don't/can't use BT.

The ported HL1 will not come 'with' HL2. They are releasing the port after HL2 comes out ("late summer"). This port will be free if you are paying a monthly steam subscription. If you are not paying this, you will have to pay for it (you will be able to pay for it on steam if you like).

There seems to be a lot of confusion about the steam pay subscription. It does not mean you have to pay to play online, and it does not mean you won't be able to get new valve content at all. People who subscribe and pay per month get to have all of valves new content for free. People who don't pay per month will still be able to get the content, but will have to pay for it seperately. As far as I know, this does not apply to patches (that wouldn't make sense anyway).

Jeff, it either seems to be a model to one day perhaps start charging people to play online, or that Valve are planning to release a lot of new content every month- how else do you justify a monthly subscription, instead of just paying a single one off fee to download HL2/whatever? And even then the latter seems to indicate that they might start charging for 'mundane' things that may have been free with HL1...

at the end of one of the clips i watched, it showed three different HL2 boxes. so it looks like valve have stuck to the original plan of ;

version 1. wallmart edition. single player mission only. no mp support.

version 2. standard edition. has multi-player/online features/update support.

version 3. deluxe edition. as above, but with signed photo of Gordons jockstrap

the fourth option is to subscribe. then you get to play all the games that steam supports. i'm 99% sure they said there will be no off-line gaming for subscribers.

playing hl1 with a new engine sounds good. i hope its a free upgrade for hl1 owners. i hope there's good docs on how they done it too.

Well, we don't know how much this monthly fee is going to be, do we. Also, Gabe has said that he thinks subscribers will be getting very good value for money with the amount of new content they have planned. I really don't think we are going to have to pay every month to play for example CS-Source - what would be the point in buying this game as part of HL2, when it's impossible to play it without paying every month? How could the possible introduce a system where bug-fixing pathes are only available to people who on top of paying for the game, pay every month? Neither of these situations make sense.

I wish valve would release some clear information on this.

What I don't get is why after I installed Bit Torrent I was redirected to the Bit Torrent page where the author was asking for donations. C'mon, thanks to Bit Torrent he's working for Valve now (so I heard), so why in god's name would he need donations from poor slobs like us.

Gwil said:
edit - you may need the BitTorrent streaming system for certain files - get it here

http://bitconjurer.org/BitTorrent/

and, a better UI - http://btplusplus.sourceforge.net/

Kudos to Crono, for these links :smile:

warning:

bit torrent is a bandwidth hound.. go to my briefcase and download the file in the BT folder..

do not worry if you already have a bit torrent installed.. each torrent GUI over writes the previous install.. just install this version.

i usually set mine to either "dialup" or "slow cable"

I'm on 33.61mb out of 34.23mb and suddenly the download won't download anymore. It's just uploading, not downloading......

I need 1.8% of the damn file and now it won't do anything anymore.....

(sorted it out by restarting the program, didnt know if that would "crash" the download)

<DT>Q. I don't want you stealing my bandwidth! How can I stop it from uploading?
A. You could hack the source to not upload, but then your download rate would suck. BitTorrent downloaders engage in tit-for-tat with their peers, so leeches have very little success downloading.</DT>

suggestion#1

the port-a-bility of HL2 is going to suck, in so much as crap maps making their ugly faces shown from HL1.. but i was thinking yesterday glares at giggles from 3rd row

HL2 has so much room to build in, and so much more allowed to see.. we ought to form our own snarkpit prefab city..

each of us, construct fully functional buildings, and submit them for use for HL2.

cities all over the US (and i assume this is true of other countries) all resemble each other architecturally.. the buildings all basically look the same, they are just laid out in every conceivable order..

i am betting, if we got 30 or 40 odd buildings (and the rest of the odd items a city has) we all could save s**tloads of time constructing these monstrosities..

anyways.. its just a thought..

I can be pretty certain that subscribing within the first 2 or 3 months of HL2's release is foolishness... They are unlikely to release anything straight after the release- seeing as they already have a holiday planned for all the major staff.

The HL1 port is meant to be availabe 'late summer'... that can't be too long after 'summer' when HL2 comes out, can it?

But then again, I don't think we should be banking on any of the 'dates' given by valve right now.

<!-- ZoneLabs Popup Blocking Insertion -->OMG :eek: I cant wait to play half life 2,. and CS!!! Did you the bodys drop in de_aztec!!! It lookes amazing, if any one has any trouble getting the video ill have it on my webspace for the next week, seeming as no-one wants thier maps uploaded.

[edit]

cities all over the US (and i assume this is true of other countries) all resemble each other architecturally

Like the royal pavilion in brighton???
<!-- ZoneLabs Popup Blocking Insertion -->

(sorted it out by restarting the program, didnt know if that would "crash" the download)

Normally it doesn't - just double click the .torrent file again, and when prompted save to the same location as before. It will find the partially downloaded file and work from that.

Got a link up for the HL2 and CS vid, it will be up until next wednesday, the link is http://homepage.ntlworld.com/suicidle_tramp/ its a 32 meg download [ zip file ]. Please only use this if you do not have bit torrent and cannot download the torrent file.<!-- ZoneLabs Popup Blocking Insertion -->

I would just like to say that trhe 24 minute video from gamespy is unbeleivable. 10 times better than that of last year at E3.

Orpheus said:
suggestion#1

the port-a-bility of HL2 is going to suck, in so much as crap maps making their ugly faces shown from HL1.. but i was thinking yesterday glares at giggles from 3rd row

HL2 has so much room to build in, and so much more allowed to see.. we ought to form our own snarkpit prefab city..

each of us, construct fully functional buildings, and submit them for use for HL2.

cities all over the US (and i assume this is true of other countries) all resemble each other architecturally.. the buildings all basically look the same, they are just laid out in every conceivable order..

i am betting, if we got 30 or 40 odd buildings (and the rest of the odd items a city has) we all could save s**tloads of time constructing these monstrosities..

anyways.. its just a thought..

I'm going to learn how to use the XSI modeling stuff and I plan on becoming a king of the HL2 prop community, just you wait! :smile:

Yak_Fighter said:
I'm going to learn how to use the XSI modeling stuff and I plan on becoming a king of the HL2 prop community, just you wait! :smile:

then, i want stuff.. i want things all HL maps have been missing for 5 years..

1) mail boxes
2) fire hydrants
3) phone booths
4) cell towers
5) power transformers
6) stop lights (the ones at intersections)
7) relay stations

ect..ect..ect

Yak_Fighter said:
Apparently its been announced that HL2 multiplayer will be CS2, which will be similar to CS but with updated graphics. Why fix what isn't broken I guess, but I want some goddamn deathmatch! :biggrin: To be honest I hope this turns out to be false, but knowing my luck...

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/31857http://www.shacknews.com/

Well, I highly doubt that HL2 will have only one multiplayer game to choose from. Good grief, it would be senseless to not have some sort of HL2 Deathmatch. Really, come on. I'm sure that HL2 will have as great a variety for online multiplayer games as HL does- if not more.

<!-- ZoneLabs Popup Blocking Insertion -->You know what orph, that is exactly what HL has been missing all these years, did you ever see a mail box at black mesa?? I dont think so!

CS2 is not halflife multiplayer. CS is being ported over to source. It will be Counter Strike Source not Counter Strike2.

Johnny Beverage said:
CS2 is not halflife multiplayer. CS is being ported over to source. It will be Counter Strike Source not Counter Strike2.

Did anyone say that it was gonna be called CS2? I must of mis-read a reply or something

<!-- ZoneLabs Popup Blocking Insertion -->

Does anyone know much about mapping for HL2 though, i mean can you use take a HL map you have already made and use the RMF/.Map file for HL2 can you use models and such for it, when will the hammer editor for HL2 be out? <!-- ZoneLabs Popup Blocking Insertion -->

Yes

scary_jeff said:
Yes

Would anyone care to explain? :biggrin:

<!-- ZoneLabs Popup Blocking Insertion -->