Half Life 2-sooner than you think

[Koopa]

first off, pre-loading means having purchasers automatically download the game through steam before the release date, so it is ready to be played when the day finally arrives.

Just got out of a review meeting. 8/11 the Cafe's turn on (tomorrow). 8/16 CZ/ATI users pre-load. 8/18 CZ/ATI turns on. 8/17 HL-2 pre-load starts (textures, audio and other stuff that doesn't change).

so its coming....soon. i'd say september at the latest for pc, maybe early next year for xbox?

[Shadow20002]

Well, maybe even in this year we will get it.

[Cryogenic Pyro]

That's awesome, but not awesome at the same time. I'll have no money to buy the game when it comes out .

[Cold_As_Ice]

The memories of the DreamCast days are creating nostalgic, yet also extremely disapointing feelings of loss from some time ago. I remember when the original Half-Life was being ported to the DreamCast. It was practically finished, and yet they cancelled the title, and instead ported the previously exclusive content in the DreamCast version over to the PC.

A similar case is comparible here. Half-Life 2 has already been indirectly announced for the next Nintendo and Sony consoles, which also leads me to beleive that Valve would want to include the next Microsoft console to coincide with the other platforms. Why would Microsoft releases the game now, with Microsoft's current, and truthfully, as much as I adore my XBox, inferior hardware. Sure, XBox developed games like Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory generally surpass Half-Life 2's current state of graphics (Granted, it's still an amazing looking game.) without some of the other DirectX 9 feature sets, like High Dynamic Range, etc. In time Half-Life 2 on the PC will look even more incredible with future patches, but that's beside the point. Half-Life 2 wasn't directly developed for the XBox, obviously, hence being a direct port of the PC version, the game won't take as great an advantage of the XBox's strengths. Even Gabe Newell has stated that the XBox version will have toned down graphics, which means toned down texture resolutions, normal-maps, and over all scale in level geometry. Why release the game now? As much as it angers me that the XBox's hardware doesn't have the general capacity to handle the direct PC port of Half-Life 2 properly, I would rather have Valve delay the console release until the next generation of consoles are released. A launch title for the 4th quarter as a multi-platform release would be the most optimal case.

[Snoopy7548]

it's better to have it on the xbox now than wait 1-2 years for the next sony and nintendo consoles to come out. nobody will care by then.

[OC Noob]

The memories of the DreamCast days are creating nostalgic, yet also extremely disapointing feelings of loss from some time ago. I remember when the original Half-Life was being ported to the DreamCast. It was practically finished, and yet they cancelled the title, and instead ported the previously exclusive content in the DreamCast version over to the PC.

A similar case is comparible here. Half-Life 2 has already been indirectly announced for the next Nintendo and Sony consoles, which also leads me to beleive that Valve would want to include the next Microsoft console to coincide with the other platforms. Why would Microsoft releases the game now, with Microsoft's current, and truthfully, as much as I adore my XBox, inferior hardware. Sure, XBox developed games like Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory generally surpass Half-Life 2's current state of graphics (Granted, it's still an amazing looking game.) without some of the other DirectX 9 feature sets, like High Dynamic Range, etc. In time Half-Life 2 on the PC will look even more incredible with future patches, but that's beside the point. Half-Life 2 wasn't directly developed for the XBox, obviously, hence being a direct port of the PC version, the game won't take as great an advantage of the XBox's strengths. Even Gabe Newell has stated that the XBox version will have toned down graphics, which means toned down texture resolutions, normal-maps, and over all scale in level geometry. Why release the game now? As much as it angers me that the XBox's hardware doesn't have the general capacity to handle the direct PC port of Half-Life 2 properly, I would rather have Valve delay the console release until the next generation of consoles are released. A launch title for the 4th quarter as a multi-platform release would be the most optimal case.

Although, I don't quite follow you there are a few things to remeber.

The Xbox isn't just a PC running console games, it has been optimized for gaming (coding and hardware). Where as, the PC is a jack of all trades. So pound for pound the Xbox is more powerful. i.e. a 733 Mhz processor with a GF3 card is not its equivlant.

The Xbox is running at 640 x 480 resolution, which really lightens the load vs PC games played at much higher resolutions.

The Xbox can do effects some what comparable to DX9 using DX8.1 effects. Sure it doesn't have PS2.0, but 1.2 still looks very nice. It can do Pixel Shading (as mentioned), normal mapping and most of the best looking effects.

While this doesn't add up to a top of the line PC it will still allow Valve to make a fantastic looking version of HL2 on the Xbox (like Rid**** is). If valve makes a crappy port then we may get an inferior produvt, but that won't be the fault of Xbox hardware.

You can think of it this way too. Since its only coming to Xbox the port won't be as hardware limited as cross platform games that develope for the lowest common denominater (the PS2) so we should get a better product.


Lastly, like someone already said, release it now while its hot. They can always sell a version for Xbox 2 later if there is demand, but if they don't sell it on Xbox those are just lost sales.

[Koopa]

Although, I don't quite follow you there are a few things to remeber.

The Xbox isn't just a PC running console games, it has been optimized for gaming (coding and hardware). Where as, the PC is a jack of all trades. So pound for pound the Xbox is more powerful. i.e. a 733 Mhz processor with a GF3 card is not its equivlant.

The Xbox is running at 640 x 480 resolution, which really lightens the load vs PC games played at much higher resolutions.

The Xbox can do effects some what comparable to DX9 using DX8.1 effects. Sure it doesn't have PS2.0, but 1.2 still looks very nice. It can do Pixel Shading (as mentioned), normal mapping and most of the best looking effects.

While this doesn't add up to a top of the line PC it will still allow Valve to make a fantastic looking version of HL2 on the Xbox (like Rid**** is). If valve makes a crappy port then we may get an inferior produvt, but that won't be the fault of Xbox hardware.

You can think of it this way too. Since its only coming to Xbox the port won't be as hardware limited as cross platform games that develope for the lowest common denominater (the PS2) so we should get a better product.


Lastly, like someone already said, release it now while its hot. They can always sell a version for Xbox 2 later if there is demand, but if they don't sell it on Xbox those are just lost sales.

yeah the xbox is now equivalent to a mid-range computer. seeing as the source engine is pretty scalable, i doubt there will be any huge problems getting it to run on the xbox.

[LikShotz]

first off, pre-loading means having purchasers automatically download the game through steam before the release date, so it is ready to be played when the day finally arrives.


so its coming....soon. i'd say september at the latest for pc, maybe early next year for xbox?

hopefully soon cuzz this is one game i cannot wait for... this and doom 3 ima get me the top games for xbox this yr. halo 2, half life 2, and doom 3.. hopefully it comes out sooner then we think!

[Variation-XBA]

I got to make sure I finish Doom3 first or I'll never get around to it.

[LikShotz]

haha thats for real man, once halo 2 comes out its gonna be hectic in my house.

[Darkside]

I need a job

stupid downsizing. Grr.

[TheCovenant]

oo! its never bad to hear news like this!

but the again, i have a job, so, comin up with cash is no real problem for me....

[severd hed]

well, from the screenshots..doom3 on xbox is going to be awesome...so if half life 2 looks as good then I will be happy. Oh, and half life for the dreamcast was finished...just never printed and distributed. but it did turn out pretty well

[TuffEagle88]

the Xbox is without a doubt becoming THE console for FPS, if it wasn't already. Halo, Halo2, HL2, maybe Doom3 latter, what does anyone else have to compare????

[BananaMan]

half life 2 will pwn. i have it reserved. I'm also ready for team fortress classic 2. i feel sorry for the people who download half life 2 off of steam, ha ha.

[Koopa]

half life 2 will pwn. i have it reserved. I'm also ready for team fortress classic 2. i feel sorry for the people who download half life 2 off of steam, ha ha.

why? itll be preloaded for them before its on store shelves, and itll be the exact same game.

but i preordered mine at ebgames so whatever

[BananaMan]

Do you have steam koopa? It'll download at like 1kb/s especially with that many people downloading. I'd rather just pick it up at the store on release day.

[Koopa]

Do you have steam koopa? It'll download at like 1kb/s especially with that many people downloading. I'd rather just pick it up at the store on release day.

seeing as its gonna start preloading in about a week, and not everyone is getting it through steam, i dont think it'll be a huge problem.

but yeah, i'm also getting the old fashioned way too.

[XboxGamers]

I hope this game come to the Xbox very soon.

[MajorTom]

Good old Xbox. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars to upgrade my computer for games like doom 3 and half life 2, I can jsut get them for Xbox. And even if I did upgrade my computer, wouldn't do me much good for Halo 2, you need an Xbox for that.