Quote:


If it doesn't contain the option for "Invincibility" and "Infinite Weapons" then it's wasted on me.... .... ... ...!

....."Fozzer.........Time to Die"..... ....LOL...!

Cheers all... ...!

Paul.

....255 levels, and I cant get past level one... ....!
LOL...!

I got HL-2 the same day I got Pacific Fighters during my vist to the local Best Buy.

HL-2 is simply amazing and a must have for any serious gamer.

Pacific Fighters is also a very good   combat sim and  worthy of any fiight simmer's attention.

Both titles has raised the bar in their fields and developers have an even higher standard to shoot for now.

No CD disc in my computer.

But I do have to be connected to Steam to start the game up.

After that I do not think you still have to be connected, not really sure. Will try later when I can get back on my other computer....

Thats wrong information.

Once installed, no cd or internet needed.

Though the first time you play, you need an internet to activate.

...Naughty publishers... ...!

Imagine...
Dad has just bought Half Life 2 as a surprise Christmas present for little Johnny.
Christmas comes...
Little Johnny opens his present, installs his new game...big smiles...!
Notice: "Warning. You need an Internet connection to play this game".

Little Johnny: " Dad. What's an Internet Connection?"
Dad: " I don't know. We haven't got one of those!"...

Result: Lots of tears, and a trip back to the shop for a refund.... ...!

Un-happy Christmas.

Cheers all... 8)...!

Paul.

Got HL-2 the other day. Great game!! There is an "Offline" option that is available, BUT, only after you go online and follow the instructions. Took me forever on dial up, you have to create an account, register the game. When this is done, the game files, STEAM and HALF LIFE 2, get updated. If you look you can see they are "Decoding" the game files. Once this is all done, you then have the "Offline" mode Enabled.

Me thinks this is their way of preventing "Piracy". What a hassle, but this is what it has come to I guess.

Still a very good game and well worth the hassle IMHO.

All the more reason for me not to buy also
I don't go and spend $50 just to sit and wait on downloads or registrations etc, it isn't right. I don't mind going online and registering my software but , when it comes to having to download more "special stuff" and them wanting every bit of info on you and your family that is where I pull the plug, if that is the way they want to do it then don't sell CDs anymore and make all games downloadable. Of course most won't buy then because they won't have a back up and won't wait for Gig downloads.
This is all the same as false advertising just like "minimum requirements", they write stuff on the box making it appear your computer can run the game so you buy it, it isn't until it is too late (you open it) that you realize the minimum won't even boot the game. But now your screwed and can't take it back, I have a lot of software just sitting here that I can't use becasue I met or exceeded minimum but not by enough to use it.
All these companies are doing is losing money by trying to fight piracy but the biggest losers are the innocent and the pirates will be playing away while I sit and try to get mine too work. It is the same now with many music cds, they have new "piracy" stuff on them and those CDs won't even work on my player in my car! and if I want to listen to them on my computer I need to be connected, fill out a lease on my soul and wait through all the crap as they scan my computer and try to install spyware. NOT WORTH IT!

If this becomes the big thing then I'll stick with my older games and sims, and listen to the music I have enjoyed for years and let the big companies go bankrupt

If they are going to require you to be online, download extra software just to use it etc. Then it should be clearly labled that on the OUTSIDE of the box, same goes for realistic "minimums", not too mention they should then lower the cost of the software by at least $30 Or allow returns when "Little Johnny" finally realizes that he won't be able to play the game he waited for

They also need to clearly label games that only work on a DVD drive!!! Been screwed by that also.

It should be pointed out that "an internet connection" is clearly listed on the retail box as a requirement for runnin/playing the game.
Valve is being up front with this.

HL-2 also comes with "C S source" a miltiplayer internet game which obviously needs a net connection!

Piracy was not that much of a problem in the old days when there was no broadband connections or CD burners.
New times call for new measures if we want developers to keep working on PC game.
Would you want to work for 5 years on a program only to have it stolen/pirated when released?

Also. I find it had to believe that the vast majority who has a high end sys and pays $50 for a game does't have an internet connection.  

Quote:


That strengthens my opinion.
I don't have a high end system or broadband, I don't play multiplayer, so I don't mind spending $50 for a good game and as a matter of fact have many that cost more than $50. So whether or not I can afford a high end system or a $50 game, internet access has nothing to do with it.

and as Fozzer stated the continuous expense after the original $50 could mean that in a years time the game could be costing you well into $100 +, especially if your ISP is the type that limits your time on the net per month and then charges per minute.

Now it wouldn't be too bad if you by the game and then go to a site to register it and then they email you key to unlock it, (again you need internet access) they could also install something in the software that would render it useless if you tried to crack it.
They don't need to have you buy it then go to a website and spend who knows how long to download more software just to be able to play it, which could also raise the price dependant on your ISP

Something to think about is how much it cost to put a game on the shelf. It cost a company $10 for a game that includes advertising, packageing, manufacturing etc.
So take that $40 profit into consideration and now all the sudden it really doesn't seem right. I really don't think these software developers are really losing that much money do to piracy Same goes for recording companies, it only cost them $1.25 to put a CD on the self.

Quote:


I don't pay a penny for telephone & internet. 

Ah poo!  I heard Half Life 2 had really good graphics, and was planning to get it (I didn't build a top o' the line system for mid range games), but if you think I'm going to open up my übercomputer to spyware/adware/viruses/hackers for one second, you've got another thing coming.  I download everything on the Dell, scan it for viruses, burn it to a disc, and then put it on the über.

I guess Half Life 2 is out.

Oh well.  The fun of searching for demanding games is back on!  Considering I just beat Far Cry...

I had no land-line and thus no internet on my reasonably high end pc for over 12 months!
Alas, a change of address to a blacklisted house prevented BT or NTL from giving me a line, strangely enough, I'm now with NTL.... 

Also, a few high ish spec PC owning friends of mine only have mobiles, and again, have no 'net at home.

Valves "Steam" system sounds a pile of steaming .... 

 

Quote:


Says the man with Quote:
as his system........

Don't you like SLI then ???

Quote:



I made that post before I got SLI and was still using a x800 xt pe. An x800 xt pe is still enough to play the game at the highest resolutions and qualities.

Quote:



For shader intensive games like doom3 and far cry.

I can play doom3 in ultra quality in 16 by 12 res with 8x AA and 16x FSAA without my fps going lower then 30.

Quote:



I got doom3 just so I could play around with the engine. Its a very advanced engine. While other aspects of it are not up to par with the source (HL2) engine, the lighting and shadowing  ability of Doom3 is mind boggling and easily beats the source engine in that aspect. I'm a gfx freak. I spend hours just playing aroudn with the dynamic shadows in doom3. However, as you mention, doom3 as game is really not good. The gameplay is just like doom 1 and 2, with a crappy story attached.

Quote:

I agree of course, like i said in my previous post. and YEah, it sucks that doom3 was in doors (even the outside was "indoor"), but with all that shadowing, its not a good idea performence wise to be out doors.

Quote:

Umm...noone here....

Actually, I love to look at gfx. For me, it is a very important. It allows me to be immersed in the game. However, simply good gfx alone won't make me like a game, but it does help.