Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

[tanis38]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

I have played about three hours of HL2 and while I still like it and the atmosphere is incredible, it is just missing something after playing games like Bioshock. I think the fact that I know what's coming in the story probably takes away a little something as well.

Yeah, considering the last FPS's I have played have been Bioshock and Halo 3, HL2 really does not have that "wow" factor those games had (I have not tried Episdoe 2 yet). Visually at least. The gameplay is great and the atmosphere is nice, but I have yet to stop at any point and just stare in awe at the screen (somethig I did many times with both Bioshock and Halo 3).

For anyone that played HL2 on a high-end PC and have played the 360 version, how do you think the graphics stack up? I only played HL2 on my friend's PC when it originally came out (and that for like 15 minutes) and I was, of course, blown away by the visuals. Seeing the 360 version now it looks a bit bland to me and I do not know if it is because the game just has not aged as well or if the 360 version is just not optimized to take advantage of the hardware. I read in one of the reviews that the 360 version is more of an update to the Xbox version than one built around the 360 hardware and visually, I would have to say I don't completely disagree with that assessment.

From what I remember from the videos and my first hand experience with HL2 on the PC a few years ago, I could have sworn it looked a bit better than this. Of course, that could just be me remembering a game that at the time was at the top in regards to visuals and technology.

[sportsdude]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

I'm sure the answer is no, but are the concussion grenades still in the game? If so, can you still conc jump?

[Bacardi151]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

Yeah, considering the last FPS's I have played have been Bioshock and Halo 3, HL2 really does not have that "wow" factor those games had (I have not tried Episdoe 2 yet). Visually at least. The gameplay is great and the atmosphere is nice, but I have yet to stop at any point and just stare in awe at the screen (somethig I did many times with both Bioshock and Halo 3).

For anyone that played HL2 on a high-end PC and have played the 360 version, how do you think the graphics stack up? I only played HL2 on my friend's PC when it originally came out (and that for like 15 minutes) and I was, of course, blown away by the visuals. Seeing the 360 version now it looks a bit bland to me and I do not know if it is because the game just has not aged as well or if the 360 version is just not optimized to take advantage of the hardware. I read in one of the reviews that the 360 version is more of an update to the Xbox version than one built around the 360 hardware and visually, I would have to say I don't completely disagree with that assessment.

From what I remember from the videos and my first hand experience with HL2 on the PC a few years ago, I could have sworn it looked a bit better than this. Of course, that could just be me remembering a game that at the time was at the top in regards to visuals and technology.

I feel the exact opposite way. Halo3's campaign is getting a bit painful, where i want to continue just to finish. Bioshock was incredible from beginning to end for me, but i havent played it since.

Half life 2 plays and looks great even being a 3 year old game and currently going through my second run ( in ravenholm right now). Granted, i play it on the pc at max resolution with everything on high.

I didnt notice too much of a difference between the pc visuals and what the 360 shows ( saw the game running on a 50' plasma hdtv at my friends house). Only thing that annoyed me where the long load times.

So to me, they look more or less the same. I might not be the person to ask about visuals though; i prefer immersion and gameplay over graphics ( still play nethack).

[tanis38]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

I feel the exact opposite way. Halo3's campaign is getting a bit painful, where i want to continue just to finish. Bioshock was incredible from beginning to end for me, but i havent played it since.

Half life 2 plays and looks great even being a 3 year old game and currently going through my second run ( in ravenhold right now). Granted, i play it on the pc at max resolution with everything on high.

I didnt notice too much of a difference between the pc visuals and what the 360 shows ( saw the game running on a 50' plasma hdtv at my friends house). Only thing that annoyed me where the long load times.

So to me, they look more or less the same. I might not be the person to ask about visuals though; i prefer immersion and gameplay over graphics ( still play nethack).

I hear ya. I was mostly talking visually. Something about HL2 . . . I dunno. It doesn't look bad, not at all. But like I said, I have yet to say to myself "Ok, wow, that looks insane". And that is typically how I judge if I find a game impressive visually. If at any point I stop to actually admire the scenery or just think to myself that something is particularly impressive. Maybe I just haven't found that scene yet. I am still only a few hours in.

Enjoying the gameplay though and I don't doubt in the end it will be one of the better FPS's I've played (I'm a big fan of the original HL).

[Bacardi151]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

I hear ya. I was mostly talking visually. Something about HL2 . . . I dunno. It doesn't look bad, not at all. But like I said, I have yet to say to myself "Ok, wow, that looks insane". And that is typically how I judge if I find a game impressive visually. If at any point I stop to actually admire the scenery or just think to myself that something is particularly impressive. Maybe I just haven't found that scene yet. I am still only a few hours in.

Enjoying the gameplay though and I don't doubt in the end it will be one of the better FPS's I've played (I'm a big fan of the original HL).

i never bother to actually stop and look, but visually i do enjoy the outdoor open areas alot. episode 1 and 2 have more of this which might also affect the graphical improvement over hl2.


SPOILERS******************************************













As you are making your way to black mesa east in the airboat, the outdoor environments look awesome to me. Or perhaps i am easily amused














************************************************** ***

[tanis38]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

i never bother to actually stop and look, but visually i do enjoy the outdoor open areas alot. episode 1 and 2 have more of this which might also affect the graphical improvement over hl2.

Yeah, I am really looking foward to Episode 2. I hear it mostly takes place in outdoor, forrest environments. My favorite!

[JohnnytheSkin]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

Well I just got back with this and I'll be around tonight if anyone wants to play. I have never played Team Fortress, but do like squad based games.

[Flawless]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

For anyone that played HL2 on a high-end PC and have played the 360 version, how do you think the graphics stack up?

The two are pretty close. PC version is sharper with much higher levels of AA and AF. 360 version has better lighting and effects.

[kapo]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

I'm sure the answer is no, but are the concussion grenades still in the game? If so, can you still conc jump?

There are no concussion grenades. In fact the only grenades in the game belong to the demoman. So no conc jumping, but the demoman has the best rocket jump in the game with the sticky bombs.

[Hoos]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

Well I just got back with this and I'll be around tonight if anyone wants to play. I have never played Team Fortress, but do like squad based games.

I picked this up tonight as well Johnny

[sportsdude]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

There are no concussion grenades. In fact the only grenades in the game belong to the demoman. So no conc jumping, but the demoman has the best rocket jump in the game with the sticky bombs.

damn, I used to conc jump the hell outta tfc. I loved those things.

it's good hear that the only guy that has grenades is the demoman. In tfc, everybody but the scout had them and public servers just became spamfests. It was annoying.

[Millennium]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

I hate you guys...

I'll be around for a while...

[JohnnytheSkin]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

Wow...playing TF2 with randoms SUCKS! Just hopping around, dying at the same spot, yelling and cursing for no reason is game killing. This one desperately needs an OS room with actual team play and different roles.

[Flawless]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

Wow...playing TF2 with randoms SUCKS! Just hopping around, dying at the same spot, yelling and cursing for no reason is game killing. This one desperately needs an OS room with actual team play and different roles.

Well, that's the random XBL crowd for you, but I was in a room earlier that had some really great communication and teamwork going on. I even had one dude give me some helpful pointers. I was amazed.

It would be nice to get an OS room going sometime though. TF2 is a really awesome game. I just wish the netcode was better. It could be just the hosts connections, but everytime I have tried to play in a room with more than 12 players it would lag really bad.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Half-Life 2 Orange Box (360/PS3)

Wow...playing TF2 with randoms SUCKS! Just hopping around, dying at the same spot, yelling and cursing for no reason is game killing. This one desperately needs an OS room with actual team play and different roles.

Agreed 100%.

I had fun with you guys last night.

The good news is, the regular random XBL crowd will be gone from this game in a few days.