Mephisto2

So I just finished building my new PC yesterday.

I bought a new CPU (Athlong64-3200, Skt939), ASUS AV8-Deluxe motherboard, 1024 Corsair RAM, 480W Thermaltake PSU and an Albatron 6800GT.

I go out to the local EB to get some software to put this puppy through its paces and bought a copy of Doom3 and Half Life 2.


My initial reaction? Well, HL2 looks great. I'm still in the early days, stuck in the sewers and can't get past one big water filled room with lots of pipes. But all in all, I like the game even if I'm finding it quiet linear.

Doom 3 is a big heap of red-tinged disappointment. It looks like last year's technology compared to HL2. Surely with a 6800GT I shouldn't be having graphics quality issues and if that's the case, then the game is just not that visually impressive. It's also too bloody dark!

Now I guess I have to find some more things to do with this PC. My wife will slice off my balls if she finds out I spend over a $1000 on a gaming rig!



Mr Mephisto

Coppertop

Doom 3 cannot hold a candle to Half-life 2 regarding gameplay. As one of my friends said, here's Doom's gameplay: walk through inexplicably dimly lit area, mosters appear and scare you, kill them, get ammo and health, rinse, repeat.

Half-Life is definitely the superior game.

If you need to know how to pass this part... Spoiler: Turn on the valve at the bottom of the room, then head back nto the previous room (with all the explosive barrels) and down the ladder you originally came up. it should be submerged. You should now be able to swim through atunnel or something into the room you're stuck in (on the other side of the metal grate). At least I think that's how I did it. I was stuck there for a while too.

Mantus

If one more person tells me Doom 3 was too dark I am going on a rampage. It's part of the damn game! It's supposed to be dark, it's the atmosphere of the game. Play it with all the lights off so your eyes can adjust better. There is nothing creepier then walking into a dark room and seeing red eyes staring at you from a distance.

...anyways. Both games are very disapointing. HL2 has a half assed storyline with some fun bits in there, I am asleep half the time waiting for cool things to happen. When they do, it's nice...but still. Also, whoever designed all those levels much be a Mario World fanatic because only that game can beat the amount of jumping, pipes and throwing stuff that HL2 has.

Coppertop

I agree that it creates an excellent atmosphere and having the baddies attack you in the dark is creepy. But basing the entire game on it? Gets old real fast when there's hardly a plausible explanation given for the constantly dark environments. And I would hope that you can recognize that HL2 had more story depth than D3. Bleah.

Aborted

When I bought Doom 3 I expected a typical Id blastfest and thats what I got, with tons of atmosphere and incredible graphics thrown in for good measure. I wasn't disspaointed.

With HL2 I expected an upgraded version of the first game, and again that's what I got, and again I wasn't dissapointed.

As far as graphics go I'd say Doom 3 sports the sexier engine, although the Mars setting wasn't exactly ideal to show it off. HL2 is superior only in terms of character models, I think everyone agrees that faces in particular are amazing realistic. Shame you can't shoot the ai allies though, the first game got me into the habit of shooting the scientists and security guards once they'd unlocked that progress-essential door for me.

Mephisto2

I know it's part of the atmosphere, but as somone else says the whole game shouldn't be like that. It's just a bit boring... and I haven't even gotten back after the very first mission tracking down the missing miner; ie, the demons literally just started appearing about five corridors back.

I also don't think the engine looks as good. Maybe it's just me. I'm hoping there's some large, decent sized outdoor levels later. Running around in metal tubes is just a bit boring.

And here's a comparision. Alien vs Predator 2 did this gig two years ago and did it better. Heck, even the first AVP was better than my initial reactions to Doom3. Maybe it will grow on me.

HL2 so far is great. Linear, as there only seems to be "one way" to go all the time, but it's fun. The atmosphere is pretty cool, very Orwellian. I like it.

What other recommendations? I got a Max Payne demo with the card and I hae to admit I had an absolute blast with it. I'm seriously tempted to buy the game now. First time that's ever happened.

I hear Far Cry is pretty and good fun.


Mr Mephisto

meepa

Okay for the record on Doom3... It *was* plausibly dark. You've got a base on Mars running off of some sort of generators. We all know nothing is perfect and that they're bound to have fluctuations. That's no big deal, you'd expect that. But the reason that it is dark in practically the entire base is because the administrator kept redirecting more and more of the base's power to the teleportation projects-- presumably the really huge portal that all the big shit was coming through that you close off at the end sucked up some of this too? Who knows, it's a game, it makes enough sense.

The fact that the whole game was dark didn't bother me at all. You're supposed to play the game in the dark anyway. Yes it is stupid that the marine doesn't have a flashlight built into his uniform... but for the sake of gameplay, who cares? This made the game that much scarier because you had to constantly flip between being able to see and being able to shoot. I thought it made the game better.

If you want to complain about every level being the same, ie. small dark rooms and cooridors with shit popping out and the only variation is the place and design of the machinery... Then I agree with you. Or if you want to talk about any of the other reasons why Doom3 was mediocre because iD decided to just recreate the original Doom experience with updated graphics, then I'll agree with that too. But really I thought the darkness thing and the flashlight fiasco was not one of Doom's many problems.

Mephisto2

You know, everything you just said meepa is spot on.

I guess I just got tired (very quickly!) of the dark rooms. I had hoped for some "wide open" levels. Mind you, I've only played about 5% of the game so far, so I shouldn't really open my mouth..

Mr Mephisto

Confederate

I actually liked both games, I think they were both over hyped, but that comes with the territory. doom 3 felt like a doom game, a lot of shooting a little story line, and a mostly linear game with little secrets sprinkled around. Half life 2 also felt like its predecessor beautiful environments with puzzles that arent too hard to solve for a seasoned gamer. I rate them fairly equal, but they both excelled in some areas and failed in others, they both had entertainment value, and that's what matters most to me.

Mr.Deflok

I too liked both titles but enjoyed Doom 3 by a vast amount more than HL2. Doom 3 does everything it intended to do whereas HL2 tries and fails on too many occassions, the plot is loosely told and has no resolution whatsoever, instead provides a cop-out sequel ending. Personally if I'm being told I'm fighting for some sort of purpose for 10 hours I want to see the result of that fight.

It's AI too was disappointing, I'd go so far to say it was on the same level as Doom 3's zombie AI only it's that Doom 3 has an excuse, it's zombie AI.

Also, graphically HL2 may look a bit better than Doom 3 due to it's outdoor settings but in technical sense that is farther away from the truth than possible. Take a look at this for example: http://www.doom3world.org/phpbb2/vie...t=7510&start=0 It's HL2 on the Doom 3 engine, it looks so much better on id new engine.

There was a quote I heard not too long ago "Doom 3 is the first in next generation gaming engines where Half-Life 2 is the last in the current generation". I couldn't agree more.

But more to the point, the game itself felt cold and stolid and almost as if the game was designed to show off the engine as opposed to the engine designed to show off the game. At the end of the day I doubt I'll be bothered to play HL2 again in a hurry.

EDIT: One last thing, the darkness in HL2 was obtrusive and your flashlight was useless unless you were facing a wall. In Doom 3 though it was a little annoying have to switch back and forth using the flashlight it served a much greater and effective purpose. In HL2 I just turned the Gamma settings up because it annoyed me so much, in Doom 3 I was content with the even darkness because it was a part of the gameplay mechanic.

Dilbert1234567

i like how there are more then one way to solve half life 2, with a few well placed shots i was able to skip an entire stage of the airboat level

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Leash

HL2 is a better game, but they are both great. Completely different from one another, they both need to be experienced.

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omega2K4

Doom 3 was too boring for me, it got repetitive pretty damned fast. Its your basic run'n'gun game from the early-to-mid 1990's, but with snazzy visuals (that you can't really see). The game isn't even scary, its so dark that most of the time you know something is going to come out at you. If you like mindless shooters, then you'll love Doom 3.

HL2 is amazing, awesome gameplay, great story, fan-fucking-tastic physics, and terrific visuals. The game has it all.

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powerclown

2 completely different games aren't they. I prefer being able to see things, and not roaming around in the dark for the entire game. Personal preference. Nobody does weapons or physics better than iD, imo. I look forward to the day when iD decide to make a single player game different from the Doom series; I still see them as being the state of the art in FPS. That said, HL2 is an awesome achievement, much more ambitious than D3. If D3 were a movie, it would be 'Night of the Living Dead', where it all takes place at night. HL2 reminds me of "The Omega Man", post-apocalypse, empty cities, the hunted man scenario.

I liked the driveable vehicles in HL2, the AirBoat particularly. The feeling of isolation and desolation (in broad daylight) in parts of HL2 are amazing. There are some seriously creepy moments, done without the all-encompassing use of darkness. I thought the abandoned house scenario, just before the Bridge along the highway, was EXTREMELY scary. The jail scenario in Nova Prospekt I thought was great. The level of detail and interactivity in HL2, obviously sets a new standard. And I think the level designs in HL2 are really phenomenal. I'm in the Citadel now, and overall I like the game better than D3, but they are both awesome games.

Coppertop

Yup, well stated. The AvPs games did this motif years ago. I know playing AvP2 as a Marine really scared the crap out of me. So did Doom3, but AvP accomplished the same thing long ago.

Yes, both Max Payne games are excellent. The second one is a wee bit short but enjoyable. And be sure to pick up the kung-fu mod if you play the first, it is an excellent mod. I played through the kung-fu mod (after having previously finished the game on all difficulties) in one 6 hour marathon. Great fun.

Far Cry wowed me when I played through it. Absolutely beautiful game, huge, no I mean HUGE environemnts. The level design is simply amazing. You see that mountain way off in the distance? it's not just scenery, you can go there and shoot shit. Terrific game.

Aborted

Moving away from the main body of these games for a bit, I'd say the last couple of levels of Doom 3 are better than their Half Life 2 counterparts. When I was confronted with Doom's final behemoth I was just like "WOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH", but when I got to the end of Half Life 2 my reaction was more kind of "oh". I expected there to be a few more levels and thought I was only near the end, not at it.

Coppertop

If you want a "whoa" factor, play Serious Sam and its sequel. Those games had some serious (ahem) bosses.

FngKestrel

Play it coop for maximum hilarity.

Aborted

I have both of them lying around somewhere. The shouting guys with bombs for hands are the best and worst enemies ever conceived for a computer game. The developers obviously decided somewhere along the line that enemy design doesn't matter so long as they're thrown at the player in batches of thirty.

Still, I think Doom III just about pips it to the post.

Coppertop

Yes, both do very well at their respective aims. I stoppped playing both because they basically get too repetitive. I'll load up SS2 however if my frineds and I play it when we LAN. Lots of fun multiplayer. Can't say the same for Doom, however. Straight deathmatch just doesn't do it for me anymore.

Mephisto2

I thought they absolutely rocked.

Serious Sam is complete computer gaming gold.

It's not meant to be taken seriously. How about those galloping, leaping horse skeletons. I hated those things (in a good way).


Mr Mephisto

YaWhateva

i think serious sam is what doom 3 should have been. What is with this 2 badguys in one room and thats it? I hear people saying that Doom 3 is just like the others, bullshit. In the others there was more than 30 guys trying to eat your face off in every room. I know that no computers could handle it but if people are gonna say that its like the old games, then it should be...

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Coppertop

Yes, my friends and I call this the "strafe backwards and shoot" kinda game. I do recall the original Doom having more than 2 baddies at once coming at ya. Maybe someone will mod SS to have a hell-like environment?

FngKestrel

At the price point they set it at, I think Croteam wanted to display the game as part tech demo, part ridiculously paced shooter. I mean, heck, one of the levels is just a bunch of rooms with different effects. Too bad it didn't really catch on as a dev engine.

The horse skeletons...heh. I think the official name is Kleer, but since my friends and I play Ranbow Six type games where we're conditioned to yell "Clear!" when a room is cleared, yelling out "Kleer!" just ensures that someone's going to take a shot in the back of the head. We got to calling them Hueys since their galloping noise sounds like a helicopter coming in. Good times, good times.

My favorite were those crazy ass bulls. One second you're on the ground, next second you're 30 feet in the air going, "WTF?!"

alarment13

i would have to go with HL2 over doom 3,
in my opinion it looks better and is funner

fameslee

I actually liked both Doom 3 and HL2, but I do have to admit that I could only enjoy Doom 3 in smaller chunks of time (say two hours at a time). With HL2 I could play a lot longer before I would notice how tired I was.

Both of them graphically impressed everyone who saw it, and most people were more impressed by the dark gloomy atmosphere of Doom 3 over HL2.

I actually could have done without fishing around for all of the codes for those boxes in Doom 3, though. You would think that if they could scan your PDA for door authorizations, why not have those for the supply boxes too? Punching in numbers didn't exactly make the game that much more fun for me. But it was fun nonetheless.

Homey_V

Personally, I think Doom 3 had a much more immersive atmosphere. When playing it, I felt more as if I was there. All the little fun details they threw in with the codes and the PDA's and everything just smacks of Polish... HL2 is a totally different story. When playing it, I felt as if I was just sort of an afterthought and nothing more. And the constant jokes about Freeman not saying anything got old REAL fast... The engine on the whole didnt look nearly as impressive. The texture quality was very dissappointing as were many many other things in that game.

Mr.Deflok said it best I think.

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debianuser

I haven't played HL2 yet, but I'd have to say I think Doom 3 is one of the best games I've played in a long time. It scares the shit out of me. I intentionally play at night with all of the lights off in my apartment. I have 5.1 surround and nothing is scarier than having the lights in the game shut off, everything have a redish tint to it (you'll have to see it kind of hard to explain) and hear the "Devil" laughing. I have to stop playing sometimes because it messes with me. These are the types of games the gaming industry should be making more of

~Zach

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ice ice baby

Coppertop

I had pretty much the same experience except swap out the 5.1 for some headphones. I nearly shit myself once when my girl came up behind me and placed her hand on my shoulder at the exact moment some baddie leapt out at me. When my heart slowed down I politely asked her to never do that again. Great atmosphere, great gaming moment.

whiplash13

HL2 is hands down the better game as far as graphics and gameplay are concerned. Doom3 definately has the scary atmosphere down though. Doom3 is no doubt a good game but its just not in HL2's league.

Lak

I have still yet to play HL 2, but Doom 3 thoroughly impressed me. I said to myself: "If the game makes me have to turn it off, I shall be impressed."
How very impressed I was.
Playing in the dark in the middle of the night is one thing. When it's howling wind outside and you live under a walnut tree... thats something else.

The goal for Doom 3 was 'immersiveness'. I say that iD succeeded, and then succeeded some more, just cos they could.

Serious Sam: "AI? Nah we'll just have fuckin loads of 'em."

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YaWhateva

but thats the point of all other doom games. ID wanted doom3 to be a throwback to the old doom games, and they failed miserably.

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“If the Americans go in and overthrow Saddam Hussein and it's clean, he has nothing, I will apologize to the nation, and I will not trust the Bush administration again.” - Bill O'Reilly

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pippepin

your computer is exactly like mine except for the fan and motherboard...and probably case. well its not exactly like mine but its close! and yes, doom3 is the worst game ever created compared to hl2, i only played doom3 for a few hours before i got bored with it and uninstalled. now it sits on my shelf gathering dust

Lak

Well pointed. The should have been more OH MY GOD LOOKIT THEM ALL situations. Technology gets in the way though, when your environment is that detailled, you really can't have a million bastards up in your face unless you install the game on the nec earth simulator.
So, for recreating the immersive environment of the old games, top marks, but for recreating the experience, partial credit.

EDIT: And of course by "more" I mean "some".

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