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DF Retro: Half-Life 2 - The Shooter Evolved
- Thread starter dex3108
- Start date
I am old.
Soldiussnaku
Member
That was such a enjoyable video, fantastic work John. Informative and entertaining, without all the usual YouTube showmanship bs and attention seeking fuckery.
Can't wait for the next episode.
Can't wait for the next episode.
Thanks for all the kind remarks!
I'm glad the retro series has been well received since it's been something I've wanted to do for so long!
Only thing that kinda sucks is that, during the big game release periods, I'll have to do smaller retro episodes (focusing on games on one or two platforms) as opposed to these massive episodes. So the quieter seasons means longer retro episodes, basically.
Also, during Gamescom week, I'll be away the whole time and I think Tom is going to try his hand at a Retro episode. Should be fun to see!
I'm glad the retro series has been well received since it's been something I've wanted to do for so long!
Only thing that kinda sucks is that, during the big game release periods, I'll have to do smaller retro episodes (focusing on games on one or two platforms) as opposed to these massive episodes. So the quieter seasons means longer retro episodes, basically.
Also, during Gamescom week, I'll be away the whole time and I think Tom is going to try his hand at a Retro episode. Should be fun to see!
ScherzoPrime
Member
Maaaan those Alyx models from the Cinematic mod. Say what you will about Cidney from FFXV, but at least she looks like she's from the same game as everyone else. Never go full porn star.
Pop-O-Matic
Banned
Incredible work. HL2 was the first thing I ran when I built my first gaming PC (Pentium Dual Core & 9800 GT...yeah, I was pretty late to the party there), and it's probably a top 5 GOAT for me. Really fascinating stuff here, especially with how the PS3 & OG Xbox ports ran, since I never heard good things about them.
Complaints about something being sleazy coming from a user with an avatar from a weird DeviantArt fetish pic...
But seriously, what is up with modders trying to edgelord the fuck out of everything? The majority of graphics mods I see either try to make shit look excessively dark with overdone lighting effects and poor, overly detailed textures or try to sexify everything because apparently some people feel that not having a female character's T&A hanging out is a grave offense that needs to be rectified...
Complaints about something being sleazy coming from a user with an avatar from a weird DeviantArt fetish pic...
But seriously, what is up with modders trying to edgelord the fuck out of everything? The majority of graphics mods I see either try to make shit look excessively dark with overdone lighting effects and poor, overly detailed textures or try to sexify everything because apparently some people feel that not having a female character's T&A hanging out is a grave offense that needs to be rectified...
ScherzoPrime
Member
Complaints about something being sleazy coming from a user with an avatar from a weird DeviantArt fetish pic...
Well it's an issue of consistency; they took Alyx's attractive character design and turned it into something that looks like it came out of the porn parody of Half Life, which just feels completely at odds and unnecessary compared to everything else in the game. OTOH, I guess it goes with the territory given how trashy all effects are. Actually, calling it a Michael Bay mod would be way more appropriate.
I've watched some of the last DF videos and can't understand what is so good about them. I mean, the Castlevania SOTN one is pretty ok when he gets to understand layers and how the game is rendered, but aside of that, the rest of them is taking ports and measuring FPS.
Comparatively, Mark Brown makes a lot more of analysis on games than this guys, even if it focuses on mechanics and not performance.
Comparatively, Mark Brown makes a lot more of analysis on games than this guys, even if it focuses on mechanics and not performance.
Incredible work. HL2 was the first thing I ran when I built my first gaming PC (Pentium Dual Core & 9800 GT...yeah, I was pretty late to the party there), and it's probably a top 5 GOAT for me. Really fascinating stuff here, especially with how the PS3 & OG Xbox ports ran, since I never heard good things about them.
Complaints about something being sleazy coming from a user with an avatar from a weird DeviantArt fetish pic...
But seriously, what is up with modders trying to edgelord the fuck out of everything? The majority of graphics mods I see either try to make shit look excessively dark with overdone lighting effects and poor, overly detailed textures or try to sexify everything because apparently some people feel that not having a female character's T&A hanging out is a grave offense that needs to be rectified...
That mod has existed for years and I remember looking at it back in the day with that same garbage Alyx model that looked like Adriana Lima. If I remember correctly he used to be adamant that you couldn't switch models due to sacrificing his 'artistic vision,' it seems he caved on that point.
ScherzoPrime
Member
Yeah I remember seeing it in some gaming magazine or website ages ago. Remember the comments being "The effects are great; shame about the new character models". But honestly the effects are trashy as well.
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
I've played all of those ports of HL2. Video did them justice. Great work.
In the version I played, which must have been an early one from around 2006 or something, I distinctively remember there being huge battle scenes with striders chasing resistance members down the street right during the rooftop section at the start of the game. Made me immediately go "Jesus christ. Really?!?"
Pop-O-Matic
Banned
Yeah, that was kind of what I'm alluding to in the rest of my post. It just seems like a lot of modders don't give a fuck about the game's original visual design and just want to plant whatever turns them on in the game and/or make it look like an over-the-top display of visual effects that looks interesting on a technical level but in terms of aesthetics is just gaudy, amateurish, just unpleasant to look at, and ultimately feels nothing like the game should. Stuff like HL2 Update should be the standard, not the trash that's in Cinematic Mod.
Kind of hilariously hypocritical that someone making an optional modification that ignores Valve's "artistic vision" would not provide players with the option of using a different model for a character than what the mod used because of their artistic vision.
ScreamingTrees
Member
This just reminds me, I have episode 2 in my backlog. I got the Orange Box not that long after release and have still never played episode 2.
mavericktopgun
Member
Damn the Xbox Version looked rough. At times with 10 fps... Seems like the Just Cause 3 of its time
I wish him all the luck. you've set a high bar.
Awesome work, dark!
Oh man, that next episode hype is real. Tell me you're going to be as thorough with the testing for Perfect Dark on N64 as possible. There are so many different permutations possible, right down to how much of the game you can actually play without the expansion pak, and then with the expansion pak, how wildly the framerate varies between all of the different modes, with and without the high-res textures enabled.
Oh man, that next episode hype is real. Tell me you're going to be as thorough with the testing for Perfect Dark on N64 as possible. There are so many different permutations possible, right down to how much of the game you can actually play without the expansion pak, and then with the expansion pak, how wildly the framerate varies between all of the different modes, with and without the high-res textures enabled.
I know, but for performance, one has the FPS bar plots and that could be more than enough. I mean that for a series of videos talking about "technical aspects" that is not a lot when there are so many things they could talk about in this kind of topic.
Opinions I guess.
ScherzoPrime
Member
I mean, if modders wanna replace all the models with anime waifus that's their prerogative. My issue is mainly that the idea that these changes are supposed to make the game more 'cinematic', when really it's just making it look a lot more dumb.
Pop-O-Matic
Banned
To be fair, it's in-line with the kind of shit that AAA games like to throw in there to look more "cinematic," so I guess it isn't that surprising that they'd think those are good changes (even if they're cranked to ludicrous extremes).
I played through all of the games again a couple years ago and Episode 2 is definitely Valve's best piece of single player content. The pacing is perfect and the content is great.
Play on PC if you can.
Holy moley
I wasn't sure if I actually would manage to watch this as a whole in one go simply for it being almost half an hour long, but then I started watching and suddenly I was already at the part where the next episode was announced.
Fantastic stuff and I love all the things mentioned. CinematicMod looks a bit overdone and I guess cooler to watch than to actually play, but I'll definitely check out Half Life 2 Update!
With that said, great stuff, can't wait for the next DF Retro episode and again, thank you for this being a thing now. This stuff is so good and I can't say many videos make me just watch attentively for such a long time but I enjoyed every minute of this.
If it means anything, at least personally I think the content in these video well makes up for any wait in between them, so don't worry about not being able to push these out as frequently during big game release periods. The fact that DF is doing Retro stuff now alone is a fact that makes me incredibly happy, and considering how good that stuff is I have no issues waiting longer for more. Just don't pull a Half-Life 3 on us and you'll be fine.
I wasn't sure if I actually would manage to watch this as a whole in one go simply for it being almost half an hour long, but then I started watching and suddenly I was already at the part where the next episode was announced.
Fantastic stuff and I love all the things mentioned. CinematicMod looks a bit overdone and I guess cooler to watch than to actually play, but I'll definitely check out Half Life 2 Update!
With that said, great stuff, can't wait for the next DF Retro episode and again, thank you for this being a thing now. This stuff is so good and I can't say many videos make me just watch attentively for such a long time but I enjoyed every minute of this.
Only thing that kinda sucks is that, during the big game release periods, I'll have to do smaller retro episodes (focusing on games on one or two platforms) as opposed to these massive episodes. So the quieter seasons means longer retro episodes, basically.
If it means anything, at least personally I think the content in these video well makes up for any wait in between them, so don't worry about not being able to push these out as frequently during big game release periods. The fact that DF is doing Retro stuff now alone is a fact that makes me incredibly happy, and considering how good that stuff is I have no issues waiting longer for more. Just don't pull a Half-Life 3 on us and you'll be fine.
ScreamingTrees
Member
It's PC I got Orange Box on, I can't play shooters on a controller! I played through Half Life 2 and Episode 1 again when I originally got it and then must've got distracted by something else.
I completely agree with John in the video, Episode 1 is the worst in the series so I can see why you got distracted.
ScherzoPrime
Member
I mean, there's a time and place for a lot of the techniques used; just not carelessly and all at once.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Whelp ....
time to reinstall Half Life 2 again I guess..
time to reinstall Half Life 2 again I guess..
Milly Osworth
Member
Great video! Some constructive criticism: the background you and your colleague use during the 'live' parts are very boring, maybe make it more interesting or more DF branded.
Yeah same here. It's so nice to wake up on Saturday and watch a long video like this week's while enjoying my coffee.
MrCunningham
Member
Oh shit, the Radeon 9700 Pro takes me back...
The first computer that I played HL2 on was an AMD Athlon 2700+ overclocked to 2500Mhz, 2GB's of RAM and an ATi Radeon 9700 Pro AGP with 128 MB of DDR with a 1600x1200 19" CRT on Windows XP.
The original unpatched Half-Life 2 actually managed pretty good performance on that machine when running at 1200x960 at a 4:3 resolution. I remember people buying Athlon XP-M's because they operated at 45W and made cheap overclocking CPU's.
Later I replaced the 9700 Pro with a Geforce 6800 AGP card with 256MB's of DDR.
The first computer that I played HL2 on was an AMD Athlon 2700+ overclocked to 2500Mhz, 2GB's of RAM and an ATi Radeon 9700 Pro AGP with 128 MB of DDR with a 1600x1200 19" CRT on Windows XP.
The original unpatched Half-Life 2 actually managed pretty good performance on that machine when running at 1200x960 at a 4:3 resolution. I remember people buying Athlon XP-M's because they operated at 45W and made cheap overclocking CPU's.
Later I replaced the 9700 Pro with a Geforce 6800 AGP card with 256MB's of DDR.
Fairly sure valve themselves did it. I once saw a mention of one of their employees being the lead programmer. Don't remember where that was or anything else though.
PdotMichael
Banned
I loved how all the PC mags claimed that they totally didn't touch the leaked alpha but wrote long articles about the unfinished state of it.
Yeah, it's just my house, basically. I'd use my game room but I don't have a good table there and there's a pillar in the middle that gets in the way. Kind of tricky.