Half-Life 2 has gone GOLD!!! Coming to a PC near you 11-16-04!!!
 

Hello!!! FINALLY Half-Life 2 has gone gold and will be released November 16, 2004. Here's the PROOF. I will most definately get this game. YAY!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup: :love:

- Undercover_Man

Now, the question is -- do you opt for the $90 fanboy package?

The question for me is, where will I find the 2000 dollars to buy a new system.....Although another thread gave me the idea of taking out a school loan......hmmmm.

Well it's about time.

Now, to find money to buy his game. Being a gamer and poor is not good times.

So I'm sure this question has been asked before, but where does a new Counter Strike mod stand? I've heard of CS-S but is that just a newer mod for the old Half Life? It must be seeing that HL2 and it's engine aren't out yet...

CS:S is the multiplayer portion of HL2. HL2 will not have its own multiplayer and will be using CS:S to stand in for HLDM.

Damn, I can't wait for November... So much good stuff. I also got the GOLD package on steam also so I'm a HL fanboy. :lol:

nice now i hope i can upgrade my comp before the release date since my current computer can't handle it:(

Never played the first but 2 looks good. Should I play the first before getting 2?

I am prepared!
123fps on video stress test of CS: S at highest settings...

can't wait.

wow, what res is that at? I get about 116fps on my FX53 X800 Pro at 1024x768 and 78 at 1280x1024.

Anyhow I can't wait...no I can't!!

you dont need $2000. A 9800XT and a gig of ram with a processor above 2.0 GHz will run the game extremely well.

Bout 'effing time. Im looking forward to playing this one though...

tell me about it, being a student with debt, a girlfriend, and a lousy part-time job makes the funds for gaming ever smaller. I'm hoping my gf's brothe will go halfers with me on the x-box version (since i live at my gf's 5 days a week).

So why did they release CS:S on the HL2 engine before HL2 was even released? Seems odd to do. Mods usually come after the game they mod... :confused: And even if it's just the multiplayer portion, I still don't understand the prerelease.

Bout damn time, now the sky will rain blood and signal the end

My processor is under 2.0 and I have 256 Ram. Rather than get new processor, ram and card, wouldn't be better to just buy a completely new system......I think it's time.

It's because Half Life 2 got caught up in some legal matters having to do with Steam. So, they released CS:S now because it was ready to go out and didn't have the legal issues that HL2 was having. Now if it had been DOD:S I would have already ordered the Steam package, but I'll wait for acctual disks.

FINALLY! Now to buy more RAM and a new video card...

The legal matters don't really pertain specifically to Half-Life 2, but I think anything with "Half-Life".
Vivendi was getting pissed because Valve was releasing Half-Life to Cyber cafes and not giving them a proper share of the profits since it was through Steam.

And I would bet Counter-Strike is the IP of Valve, whereas Half-Life is Vivendi's IP.
So Valve could go ahead and release CS:Source ahead of schedule since they held the rights to it, and had the proprietary software to do so.

And yes, I bought the Gold package immediately as it becamse available :)

ya but dont get a pre-built, thats like wasting an extra $1000 that you dont have too. you could get a gaming rig that will play half-life 2 fine for 1000-1200 at the max.

I didn't take out the loan TO get the computer

just used the excess to buy a few upgrades

If they make a TFC:S or TF2 (like they promised many years ago), THEN I'll be a truly happy man.

You didn't give in completely, eh? You put bad ideas in my head man :D, I think I'm going for the new system....thanks for the idea :thumbsup:

I bet we will see a 40M patch the first week after it is released.


The GOLD version is out there today for download.

What's this about Gold being ready for download today? That's interesting. I need to log onto stem to comfirm this, and as for the poster who asked if the first one should be played, I would say indeed. It is a great game, even by today's standards. Halflife Silver and Gold have it on the new engine though, so do waste your time buying the old one. Play the new version first, then play it's sequel.

Think you mean't prequel, not sequel? The new one is the sequel...right? :)

I think he means play the Half Life: Source version that you get along with the silver package on Steam.

They are in the process of making TF:2. They decided to forgo doing in on the original engine, and decided to do it on Source instead. Valve has said they will give out more info on when we can expect it after Half-Life 2 has been released. So its on its way, and will have awesome graphics as well.

So you say that "they released CS:S now." How do I get my hands on it before HL:2 when a website I read said that the only way to buy CS:S is through a purchase of HL:2, which isn't even out yet? Can you maybe download CS:S already...?

Thanks for any info :thumbsup:
-T

That rules out alot of AMD users :)
/rant about GHz means jack these days.

Rule of thumb though, it'll be less resource hungry than Doom 3.
(and a damn lot more fun)
:thumbsup:

Who here is waiting more for DOD:S than HL2?

HooRah, my birthday and a present too.

Anyone that has seen the first screenshot of DOD:S is NOT waiting for it.
Half-Life 2 will be far better than DOD:S in all aspects, regardless of the fact they aren't the same genre.

I have a p4 2.4, 1 gig of ram and a geForce fx 5600 ultra. Is that card good enough to really play hl2?

Looking forward to DOD:S. Wasted many nights with the old DOD.

bump

So you say that "they released CS:S now." How do I get my hands on it before HL:2 when a website I read said that the only way to buy CS:S is through a purchase of HL:2, which isn't even out yet? Can you maybe download CS:S already...?

Thanks for any info :thumbsup:
-T

Time is passing to slowly... this game needs to come out!

-Ever- check out http://steampowered.com

I'm pretty sure you will be able to play it good at ~40FPS with a decent resolution and detail at high, but no AA/AF. I have a P4 3.3Ghz, 1GB RAM, and a BFG 6800 GT OC and I got 101 FPS in the CSS stress test with 2xAA/8xAF.

Thanks for that. So when you buy it through Steam, do you just download the two games (HL/CS) or do they send them to you? It's pretty goofy that they're releasing them in this sequence and that you can buy both but only play one until the other is released :confused: :D

-T

hehe, I've been playing CS:S on a 1.4 GHz TBird 128+512M ram, 9600Pro. It's a little choppy, but still playable. My computer is 3.5 years old now. I'm just waiting till I get into grad school to build another.

What kind of video cards are you guys using to play this beast? Anyone know if it's doom 3 requirements steep?

definitely not as harsh requirements as doom 3 but in my opinion the graphics are better.

Simply breaking from the confines of the Doom3 levels alone will be much more fun.

As long as there are lights in it i will like it more than Doom3.

I held the flashlight more than I held any of the guns in that stupid game

This game combined with Halo 2, GTA:SA, NFSU:2 and on top of all that, a new handheld is released (DS)!!! November is t3h s3x

November<< :icare:

Don't forget Metal Gear Solid 3, World of Warcraft, and Everquest2 ;)

The only game I can afford and the only one Im looking forward too
Here's to replaying the original HL in the Source engine!

halflife source isn't the original game in the source engine, i was very disappointed to find that out. the only real differences you'll see are the water effects and some physics improvements, but without the gravity gun to play with, and with the fact that the game wasn't designed with physics in mind it won't matter a lot. the levels, even the textures, are the same from the original, except for some slight quality upgrades that came with the halflife blueshift addon (higher quality models, guns, etc), though all still very much of the halflife 1 engine.

not that has any effect on my choice to buy the deluxe edition, but it bummed me out.

I'd like to know where you found this info? From what I've heard, Valve completely redid the game in the source engine.
Please provide linkage or proof at least(Not that Im trying to say you're wrong), I want to know whats going on.

My bad, turns out you were partially right tooblekane. I did some hunting on the Halflife2.net forums and discovered that HL:Source will be the same textures, Blue shift models, and all the effects (Including physics) of the source engine, but thats it.

sad, isn't it? hopefully some talented mod makers will take care of the want to play halflife in the source engine though.

Im really hoping your right. Valve's "collectors edition" just doenst seem all that appealing anymore. I was perfectly willing to shell out an extra $20 for the original Half-Life if it was totally redone, but not if its just got pretty water and physics. Hell, I might still just so I can get HL2 on DVD instead of CD, but its not a sure thing anymore.

i'm still going to get it, mainly because i want it. i want the box, i want the dvd over cds, i want the book, and i want to support valve.

does anyone know if the deluxe/collector's edition will be available in stores, or is it online orders only?

It is available in stores as far as I know, but you might have to hunt around to find it. EBgames has it available for in store pickup if you order it online, although thats only in the states.

Im still leaning towards the deluxe/collectors edition because of the DVD as well.

Heres the bad thing currently about getting Half-Life 2 tho. If you purchase it like i did, and get it via Steam, you have to download it. Recently, like last weekend, i added another western digital 74gb raptor to the one i have, and for obvious reasons, i set them up together for raid. In doing that i lost the half life 2 preload and counter strike source that i had on my drive at the time. Now, even tho im a registered user and purchaser of the "Silver" Package, the server is so busy, it wont let me download anything! I get this message "The Steam servers are currently too busy to handle any more pre-loads of half-life 2. Please try again in a few hours".

They really should put please try again in a few YEARS, because ive tried at random times over the last few DAYS and i cannot download a game ive bought via a internet streaming delivery service.

My advice to you, buy the game in a STORE. Screw buying it through steam.

Oh forget Steam. I hate it, I was planning on buying through the store. You can get the collecters edition DVD through stores as far as I know which I think Im planning on doing.

In summary. Steam = poop

Yeah I honestly am regretting purchasing through steam just to "have it that second". Ill bet it comes out on tuesday, and like every other game, id just pick it up on the way home. Now im stuck with no hard copy ( will you be able to burn hl2 from steam to a cd or are you forced to keep downloading it ? ).

To bad you cant get a refund :/

I can't wait for this game. Just hope my computer can handle it.

DON'T BELIVE THE HYPE!

Sorry to burst your bubble but no matter what you use steam.

Retail just saves you the time of downloading, but steam saved you the time of installing on day of release and just unlocks it.

I <3 Steam

So is steam better than buying at store?

Video card
 

As to the video card I have its a Radeon X800 Pro.
I upgraded my system not long ago to be sure I could play the latest games.

HL2 on 6 cds = crap. Still not paying for the DVDs though.

Well the game does come out on the 16th, but if you preordered the biggest package, you will not get it uintill the 17th:(

Thats the one I ordered so I got to wait an extra day...I find that to be bullshit. But hell I still get the game;)


You have to buy the game still from the store, you can download Counter Strike and Day Of Defeat from steam...which might make it faster for when you finally go out and buy the game!

The Collector's Edition is nice and all but the packaging is absolute crap! It's in an oversized thin card box with a nasty corrugated cardboard inner which opens like the old school PC game boxes, in side that is the T-Shirt which is just jammed in alongside a jewel case with the mini Prima guide. It looks more rushed that Enter the Matrix.

The normal edition isn't that much better either, 5 CD's in freaking PAPER sleeves...

I dont follow this at all...

The game is released the same day no matter what package, both normal and CE are released the same day.

There should be no waiting involved, if there is its whoever you bought it from's issue.

Holy fucking shit this game is coming out on Tuesday.

Yeah, only about 30 more hours!

geez i got this game by fluke on friday to bad you have to wait till tuesday :( and add to that i think my comp will die if i tried to play it on this anyway :(

http://www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=news&id=344

I thought there'd be more talk on this here but I guess blar is the only one to buy it early.

I kinda figured it would be sold early just like Doom 3 but I guess the Steam authentication comes to play (no pun intended) here.

My Friend (who's highly addicted the HL and has bought the Gold Edition as well as Pre-ordered the Collectors edition) picked up a regular retail copy on Saturday at Best Buy down the street from my house. He installed it and of course got the "Thanks for installing the game. It will be ready to play the moment it is released" message. So he called Valve and left a message complaining that if the game is supposed to only become available on the 16th why was he able to buy it early. A Valve representative called back within 5 minutes of leaving the message asking for specific info on where he bought it and how much he paid for it. The Valve rep (named Chris) stated that they were trying to collect as much info as possible from early buyers so that the would be able to go to Court on Monday against Vivendi for not being able to control their retail outlet sources.

To be continued I suppose.

That is awesome.

Vivendi has been beyond a pain in the ass for Valve throughout this entire process. Karma will do its job.

woot less than 24 hours till the release

Ummm...it's already released...well at least in some/most/all Best Buy's...

That's at most a different definition of "released", and I suspect in the future we will all need to adjust our definitions accordingly.

- it wasn't "released", it was sold prematurely by some dummies at some stores and it just snowballed from there. It will be "released" on the 16th, when Vivendi officially gives the green flag and Valve turns on Steam activation

- the copies being sold right now cannot be played until the official date anyway

OH FUCK.HL2 Review @ IGN

But, you can't play it until 12:00 -8 GMT. The Steam servers will unlock it in 4 hours and 30 minutes from now. :)

1 hour 17 min now. I cant decide if I want to take a nap and try to force myself up at 3am, or if I should just try to stay awake for the next hour.......

GTA:SA, Halo 2, Half-Life 2, Metriod Prime 2, and Doom 3.

This is indeed a good time to be a gamer.

Meh, I've been jerked around so much by Valve in terms of the release date that I have lost most interest. I probably won't buy HL2 until Christmas break when I'm bored out of my skull.

you are missing out, jericho. Its awesome as all hell.

Dude Jericho.....YOU GOTTA GET IT NOW!!!!!! :D

This game fucking ROCKS!!!!

I got goosebumps when you step into the HEV suit and the thumpin' Valve theme starts playin'!

KICK ASS all the way. TOTALLY worth the wait.

Yes, definitely worth the wait. Its obvious by playing it that every little thing has been very well though through--so far the most "perfect" game Ive ever played.

I just made myself 20 mins late getting back to work after lunch because I stopped at the Walmart near here. Get this-THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT. The clerk in electronics had not heard of it and said they get shipments all day and it might come in later. I'm sure he's heard of Halo2.
Anyone live on the east side of Milwaukee and know where I can get it for a decent price? i.e. not full retail+ like you can expect at gamestop...

HOLY SHIT!!! FUCKING AWSOME!! WOW...FUCKING WOW!!

This game keeps you on your toes constantly. And not "omg when is the next monster gonna try to suprise me from behind" like in Doom 3. You just dont know what's gonna happen, how bad, were from and for how long. And you have to look around your envoirment to see what can help you. Wood + explosives = WIN!!

So far I've seen only one flaw in the AI. Combine soldier didn't notice me hiding behind a post but it didn't take long. And you can't run away, they will come after you. And they bring friends. Interaction is natural throughout the game. The atmosphere in this game is the best ever. I had my pulse racing a few times. And the puzzles are amazin. They're not aways obious which is good. Example: A sheet of plywood on a concrete tube near a ledge you can't reach. Solution? Pick up some concrete bricks to lift the end towards the leadge to walk up it like a see-saw :D

I have to give it a 10. Best game ever.

You Steam haters are missing out. Better than Far Cry imho.

Doom what?...

:lol:

Can't wait to check the game out.

the game is effing nuts...just effing nuts

Okay. How many have gotten to Ravenholm yet? Is that shit fuckin' intense or what?!? Sweet jeebus the rattlesnake head crabs are insane and the hyper zombies....WOW!!! Totally blows Doom 3 away for atmosphere and as stated earlier....IMO the graphics are better (even though I'm playing with a 6800 GT OC instead of ATI) :rolleyes:

I don't see how ANYONE can compare D3's graphics to any other graphics cause D3 uses technology that no current graphics card can handle. They're so good that furure cards will even take a beating. You need like a 512MB vid card to get the absolute best graphics out of the game.

when are they going to have multiplayer ready for this game?

when is the "friends network" going to get its bugs worked out?

I have been waiting, like the rest of you for this game to arrive for quite some time now.... I must say, the attention to detail is impressive. The AI is somewhat challenging. The audio is top notch while the graphics are very impressive but fall to D3 for the overall awe factor. My only grip... The game is too short and they released the bitch without it being complete....

The game is complete, you got Hl2

It was publically stated LONG ago that there is no multiplayer other then counter-strike source atm.

Friends network is a steam related item, and simply isnt as important to fix as other things.

Can you play CS without using their friends network???

The friends network is completely seperate from all of the games. You dont need it or need to be signed into it to play any online games.

Thank you....

another question, can you add BOTS to CS? Can you play IPtoIP?

Well it's fairly easy to compare the two engines as far as graphics are concerned. While D3 has superior Pixel Shading technologies in place (and Doom3 certainly puts that to good use...especially fireballs from Imps. the graphics still don't come alive nearly as well as Source. Specifically the use of facial expressions. You can really feel the different emotions that each NPC is feeling in HL2. The models in D3 are very sharp and you can tell that the crew at ID spent many MANY hours working on hi level textures but the facial expressions don't equal that of HL2. Also the world environment textures in HL2 are much more precise. For one, everything in the world can be touched/used/moved either for fun or as a weapon. The weight of each different object can be felt when used as an object (example...throwing a bleach bottle at an enemy won't phase them, but throw a paint can or table or filing cabinet and the enemy either falls back, takes damage, or dies). The real world textures of Doom 3 are pretty much all the same for every level. While they are hi level textures, they still don't have the same real world touch.

Now these comparisons are but a few and perhaps given the Doom3 engine in another game (and I don't mean Quake 4 cuz that's basically the same dark interior levels but with squads) I might change my mind. But the handling of objects (graphically) in HL2 is still much better than Doom 3. Play Doom 3 at 1280x1024 and you feel like you are in a dark cave. Play HL2 at 1280 x 1024 and you feel like you are walking around in just a part of the world you've never been to before. The subtle things are what make the graphics in HL2 superior. The dangling power lines that sway and buckle when an airship passes by. The glass that spider-cracks when you shoot it will a bullet and then you can either continue shooting it to cause more spider cracks or just walk through the glass is something you don't see in D3. The environmental reaction to explosions (cars, boxes, barrels, enemies) all react realistically.

Doom 3 is a good game. But it is the same level over and over til the end. No surprises and after you catch the rhythm of the enemies it's a very standard shooter.

I've gotten away from the comment of which game is graphically more superior I know, but I think that HL2 still outperforms D3 graphically simply because of the narrow level of gameplay that D3 is all about.

At the momment no, in the middle of december Valve will be releasing a major CS update. That is speculated to have Bots, models, and more maps!

We must wait. :(

(Btw, anyone who says they have bots are using a warez version and should be burned... :P )