[Spank-A-Thon]

Originally Posted by kupoartist

The “on-rails” approach would have been dated but for the small problem that every single FPS game in the four years since Deus Ex has also done an “on-rails” approach. DE wasn’t a trend-setter. In fact, the only game it inspired was its sequel, a game which makes a perfect study for “How not to do a game sequel”. What’s more, Deus Ex is nearly as much on rails as HL is – it doesn’t matter what your choices are, because sooner a later you’re forced to make them anyway.

Whilst the plot of DE is on-rails, I strongly protest that the game play is. For example, my first time through DE I chose to specialise with weapons and blast my way though. Second time I chose more infiltration/stealth skills which lead to a different experience within the same game. Yes, the end result was the same but the journey was different.

Originally Posted by kupoartist

Actually, I’ve managed to sneak up on combine soldiers more times than I would have wanted to. What makes stealth possible, is crap AI. HL2 isn’t a stealth game, why would it be? Your problem surely can’t be HL2 alone, because all FPS games suffer from this ‘problem’, which deserves the inverted commas because I replay FPS games to re-experience the good bits, just like I’d watch any good film. Is it a bad thing when the Lobby scene in the Matrix plays out exactly the same way everytime I watch it? In a game like HL2, every battle ends up a little different anyway, because of the AI. Sure, I’ll always end up shooting them, but that’s what the “S” in “FPS” means.

Firstly, let's get the definition of "stealth" correct. I do not mean stealth such as that in Splinter Cell or MGS, but give me the chance to at least approach a level in some tactical way. Allow me to maybe sneak past guards rather than blatantly run past. HL2 does not allow any options on how to approach a level. It's really that simple.

The comparison with film is not really valid though; of course it's going to be exactly the same every time but that is expected.

However, with FPS' I play to shoot things, not watch unskippable sequences hence why UT stills gets an outing whereas HL2 will be played once.

Originally Posted by kupoartist

This is just simply unfair. The design work alone looks like it took double the amount of time they actually spent on it. HL2 isn’t a game that piles on bucket loads of innovation, but please remind me where else I’ve seen Physics done anything like the level of interactivity that is in HL2? The FPS genre isn’t the best place to be developing if you want to innovate. Most of your design brief is contained in that one acronym. I seriously doubt anyone will come up with the level of innovation, no matter how small, that Valve managed here.

There was no innovation in HL2 - zero - none - nada. All they did was produce an amazing Physics engine. This is hardly innovative. Realistic physics has been attempted in countless games, it just so happens Valve have pulled it off the best thus far. That's not innovation but simply evoution.

The original Half-Life was innovative in terms of applying scripts and storylines to FPS's. It's my opinion that Deus Ex was innovative in the way it allowed you freedom. HL2 is nothing but an improvement over the original. Besides the better graphics and better physics, tell me one thing HL2 does that the first doesn't.

I believe there is plently of potential left in FPS - just no one has come up with anything for a few years.

Originally Posted by kupoartist

My conclusion: HL2 is the one of the best FPS games ever made. It innovates a little, and brings together all the best elements of the pure games of the genre (no, hybrids don’t count). It’s hardly one giant leap forward from the rest, but it’s still better than nearly every single one of them. And yes, this is the face of all the things that I hate but you guys haven’t mentioned: The lack of a “NO, I mean STAY HERE and don’t F**KING move” button for commanding the soft-as poo Allied AI. The fact that I played the multiplayer 4 years ago and I still hate it and the total lack of HL1’s defining “Intermediate Bosses” (Gargantua and Tentacles: Cooked, Fried or Airstriked). Sure, I don’t doubt that you can name a better game, but that’s not my point. HL2 is a certain type of game, and I think people need to remember that ^^

I agree that HL2 is one of the best FPS' made - that's not exactly a hard claim to make. I can count on one hard the number of truly great FPS'.... but to say it's the finest PC game is preposterous. Yes it was hyped to hell and this always raises expectations but I still say it offers little extra over the original. Therefore it's not the innovative masterpiece it has been claimed to be but simply a "really good" game.

As for Steam, I've had nothing but problems with it. I can't even authenticate against the Steam servers at the moment, and the fabled "off-line" mode of HL2 is not working.

So the game I paid for and own, I cannot play because of their trousers infrastructure. Steam is a travesty in the gaming world and has no place here!

- S