Half-Life source

[ruiner]

Is half-life source worth it ? if you already own half-life. Also does over ride your old half-life game?

[Mozgus]

It's worth it as long as you install this too:

http://hds.newmail.ru/eng_screenshots.html

People unfairly bash HLSource. I don't understand why. I played and beat it, and had no issues with it. It had a lot of minor refinements that come stock with source, like better stage lighting, water, sound distance filtering. The skyboxes were redone as well I believe. The biggest improvement is that you have the HL2 flashlight effect. The HL1 flashlight was one of the only flaws in the game. It was terrible, in that sometimes 1 degree of turning radius would be the difference between an enemy/object fully lit or fully dark.

Yes it was a quick port job, but it was also free to people who pre-ordered HL2 on steam. They only put a price on it now, because the original HL1 still isn't free, and it shouldn't be. There's no reason for anyone to ever bitch about it. In fact, it helped prove to potential modders how easy it was bring their projects to source, and now source has a seriously amazing modding community.

[fastbilly1]

ooooh. Mozgus, you are the first person to make a valid case Half Life Source that I have me met (I dont do much pc gaming anymore). Now I want a copy.

[Mozgus]

ooooh. Mozgus, you are the first person to make a valid case Half Life Source that I have me met (I dont do much pc gaming anymore). Now I want a copy.

People who were disappointed with HLSource were idiots who convinced themselves it would be a total remake. Valve made it very clear that it was just a quick port job being given as a freebie. Apparently screenshots weren't enough evidence to these people.

In short, if you have any intention of experiencing HL1, HLSource with the enhancement pack is the most ideal way possible.

Also, Black Mesa Source will surely be amazing, but it's not going to make HL1 obsolete. A lot of people are throwing around comments stating that HL1 was dogshit and Black Mesa Source is going to fix it. You see how the pattern continues? I can't wait to see all the morons disappoint themselves again, while I get to enjoy a very fun product.

[fastbilly1]

I just didnt like that Half Life source ran like a dog on most boxes I saw it on. Actually on one of them I traded the guy a copy of the Half Life Anthology just so he could play it with out video lag (integrated gpu and this was back right when the Anthology came out). As you can imagine, it was a gigantic performance boost and I just wrote it off then. A foolish move I now see.

Now to investigate the HLsource modding community.

[PhreQuencYViii]

HLsource is better then the original, but to be honest I've never liked HL much, even when it came out. I love HL2 though.

[Mozgus]

I just didnt like that Half Life source ran like a dog on most boxes I saw it on. Actually on one of them I traded the guy a copy of the Half Life Anthology just so he could play it with out video lag (integrated gpu and this was back right when the Anthology came out). As you can imagine, it was a gigantic performance boost and I just wrote it off then. A foolish move I now see.

Now to investigate the HLsource modding community.

Well naturally source requires a better system. HLSource still runs better than all other source games, which it should. You can't hold that against it. No one should ever be gaming on integrated chips, unless it's 2D Popcap games. No other exceptions. Anyone who does otherwise is asking for disappointment.

[marurun]

No one should ever be gaming on integrated chips, unless it's 2D Popcap games. No other exceptions. Anyone who does otherwise is asking for disappointment.

Y'know, this is a sad sign of the times. Yes, integrated graphics are bad for FPS games, but not all new, good games should require lots of 3D effects. Diablo and Starcraft are still played all over the place and they don't require fancy graphics cards. The same for Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 and a number of other good RPGs. I think it's too bad PC game designers have turned away from game development that's compatible with integrated graphics chipsets.

[Mozgus]

Y'know, this is a sad sign of the times. Yes, integrated graphics are bad for FPS games, but not all new, good games should require lots of 3D effects. Diablo and Starcraft are still played all over the place and they don't require fancy graphics cards. The same for Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 and a number of other good RPGs. I think it's too bad PC game designers have turned away from game development that's compatible with integrated graphics chipsets.

Buying a graphics card is the exact same thing as buying a game console. There is absolutely nothing wrong with designing games that require graphics cards. Your theory is bunk, and if anyone followed it, PC gaming would have died, exactly like all other consoles before any given current generation have died. Stop talking crazy. You think people would still buy 360's if all it could play was solitaire and 2D isometric games?

There's no sign of the times. PC gaming hasn't steered off course at all. It's still following the same formula as the consoles. Even back when games like Doom were hitting PC, you needed to upgrade your machine to get the real experience. The games you mentioned are like a decade old. Of course they run on all PCs today. Technology improves.

It's absolutely foolish to assume that a any PC should be able to play all games.

[marurun]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with designing games that require graphics cards...

It's absolutely foolish to assume that a any PC should be able to play all games.

And that's not at all what I wrote.

There's nothing at all wrong with designing games for advanced graphics cards (though the wide range of models and subtle variations in specifications makes it a troublesome task at times for consumers trying to pick a card). But not all good games should require them. There's a place for expensive graphics cards and a place for games that don't need them, and those games that don't need them shouldn't be limited to Solitaire and PopCap puzzlers. RPGs don't need tons of 3D. With a good art team 2D graphics can be gorgeous and well-animated with the 3D special effects even onboard video provides. Heck, lots of the games that show up on the Xbox Live Arcade would work just fine on a PC without discrete graphics.

I'm not saying the industry should turn away from 3D cards any more than I think it's a good idea to shun computer users without them. I'm calling for more balance. There are great game ideas that can be produced with polish and style that can appeal to hardcore gamers without requiring expensive graphics cards, and I wish more game designers were attempting to tap that market.