Half-Life: Source Impressions

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Blackhawk
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Half-Life: Source Impressions

Post by Blackhawk »

I unlocked everything when I woke up at four to use the bathroom. Since I won't be playing HL2 until the kids are at school/asleep, I spent a bit of time fiddling with Half-Life: Source this morning.

It is, essentially, the same game. The textures are the same, the levels are the same. This isn't such a bad thing - this is what they promised us all along.

There are some really good things about this port. First of all, when you start a new game, you can choose which chapter you want to start in. You can start with the tram ride, or with any of the later chapters - On a Rail? We've Got Hostiles? All there. You can even skip straight to Xen.

While the textures and polygons haven't changed, the game still gets a visual upgrade. The water is pure Source. The lighting and shadows are there. The tile floors are reflective, and the glass is shiny. I just played the first few levels of the original version a few weeks ago, and I thought the difference was notable. It doesn't completely change the look, but it does give it some current-generation features.

The one visual disappointment was that it didn't use the Blue Shift character and weapon models. It is a huge step back to get used to the blocky, ugly original Half-Life models. Luckily, a quick search turned up this, which claims to install the HD content to the Steam version of Half-Life. Perhaps some modification will allow it to work with HL:Source.

Another disappointment is that the fabulous Source physics don't seem to be there - or simply don't play much of a role. The scientists and monsters still die in a predetermined pose - they probably would have had to redesign the models to integrate the physics. Objects that were stationary are still stationary - stacks of barrels were apparently part of the level, not individual objects, so they don't move. Movable crates aren't generally placed in spots where you could witness the physics - they only seem to be found in big, flat rooms with nothing to push them off of.

The other nice thing about the engine upgrade is that everything seems to run more smoothly. Playing the original game a few weeks ago felt like just that - playing a six year old game on a new system. The sound was a bit off - EAX issues. The controls felt twitchy running on a machine ten times as fast as they were designed for. Now, though, it all fits together again. The sound isn't of better quality, but it works better. Movement is less twitchy. It just runs a bit smoother.

Oh, and for those who wondered - the music does work.

For replaying Half-Life on a modern machine, this is a great upgrade - especially once someone figures out how to import the Blue Shift HD pack.
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Zekester
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Post by Zekester »

Thanks Blackhawk!
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Vinda-Lou
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Post by Vinda-Lou »

Sounds good, but is it worth the extra $30? I'm guessing that the whole game will be modded completely sometime down the road. I'm really torn between the regular version and the CE. I don't know if I'll get around to Counterstrike or Day of Defeat, and I don't know if a slightly upgraded version of halflife is worth the extra money. Decisions decisions...
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me
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Post by me »

$30 more bucks?

Silver is only 10 bucks more and it includes HL Source, Day of Defeat Source (when it comes out), and just about every other HL goodie except Blue Shift.
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Kelric
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Post by Kelric »

Silver is what I got. I never played much of the original Half-Life aside from multiplayer stuff. As soon as I finish HL2, which is going to take forever - I get scared in FPS games cause I like playing late at night with very few lights on and all that stuff, I'm going back to HL: Source. The smoothness of the game should be nice.

(Just trying to keep the tradition alive of no real impressions posts until page 2.)
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bluefugue
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Post by bluefugue »

I agree they should have at least had the option of using the Blue Shift high-def pack models, though I appreciate the idea of keeping the game "pure" with the original designs (horribly blocky though they be).

The real time lighting is sorta interesting and I have noticed a couple nifty physics bits, but only played it a littel ways into Unforeseen Consequences. I didn't realize you can chapter select. I'll have to check out some later bits.
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Two Sheds
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Post by Two Sheds »

Seems pretty neat. I'm really looking forward to some ambitious mod team taking a real stab at new models and textures--that would be friggin' awesome.

Edit:
The scientists and monsters still die in a predetermined pose - they probably would have had to redesign the models to integrate the physics.
Hang on, I just got done playing a bit, and body physics were definitely there. Headcrabs were bounced around by my bullets, scientists tumbled down stairs after being shot by marines, marines slouched against the walls and slowly slid to the ground after a shotgun blast to the chest. Definitely there.
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bluefugue
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Post by bluefugue »

Yep, I saw some stuff like that -- dunno if it qualifies as "ragdoll" but it was definitely different than the way HL1 used to be.
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Blackhawk
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Post by Blackhawk »

Really? Huh. I shot three scientists and they all ended up in exactly the same position - prone on their backs, one knee bent up, one hand on their chest.
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Post by Chesspieceface »

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bluefugue
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Post by bluefugue »

Ragdoll physics are definitely in there. Concomitantly, no gibbing. Bash someone with the crowbar and the body will just lie there flopping around a bit.

SPOILERS --

The scene where the scientist guy goes "rescued at last!" and the grunt shoots him, didn't work in this case. The grunt just ran off toward me. Wonder if the AI was tweaked or something. Also, that scientist didn't react when I tried to "use" him -- he didn't agree to come with me, etc. Though I was able to "use" a scientist earlier, in Unforseen Consequences.

I sort of miss being able to "use" random security guards and scientists in HL1. So far in HL2 (about halfway through) it's much more scripted and controlled.
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Inverarity
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Post by Inverarity »

Are they going to sell this separately (and reasonably) at some point in the not-to-distant future? I purposely avoided the development process of HL2 and didn't realize this was even an option. Now I've got the standard retail version and would like to try HL:Source...but not enough to pay another $60.
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Incendiary Lemon
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Post by Incendiary Lemon »

It should be 10$ through Steam.
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bluefugue
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Post by bluefugue »

Played through a bit of Lambda Core and suddenly the characters are gibbable. Weird.
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