I didn't get the HL:S , which i sort of want to play. I want to see the screenshots if you have any :O
wondering if the graphics are as good as HL2.. as it used the same engine.
anyone have any idea if it'll be possible to get it without having to buy the entire Silver Package? i was thinking they'll change the price plans after a while so DoD and HL: S are available?
HL:S is a blast to play. I may post some shots tomorrow. One thing I was really excited to find out was that all the characters (and aliens) now ragdoll (shoot a grunt and he'll fall down the stairs or off a ledge, just like in HL2). And of course it's really satisfying to launch a grenade right into an assassin and see him slam into the adjacent wall. You also make blood decals on all the enemy bodies just like HL2.
As for graphics, most of the textures are the same, but a lot of the textures now have DX9 effects. Metal reflects and shines, water reflects and refracts, and glass breaks in pieces like HL2. Some textures have a glow to them, which makes them look much better than they did in HL, though the resolution and quality is the same. All the blood decals now look like the HL2 blood, which looks much better.
The old effects have been replaced with new ones. There's a part right after the resonance cascade where the lasers are sawing the room apart and you have to sneak past them. They used to make bulletholes in the wall as they cut around the room, but now they've replaced the bulletholes with a more realistic burn decal. The old sparks have been replaced by the new Source sparks, which makes the beginning of HL1 look great. Also when you burn the three-headed alien snake/worm guys (can't remember the name), they actually burst into flames as they're dying, and when the flames clear out, there's a distinct heat shimmer all over the room that fades away slowly which is awesome.
The sounds have been revamped. The dialogue is much more clear, and a number of the old sounds have been replaced with new ones (like doors, buttons, and others). Now as you play through the game, at certain points HL2 music tracks play in addition to the first game's music.
I'm really happy with HL:S and would recommend everyone get it at some point. They actually did a lot of work on it (more than was promised) and it really is like a new adventure when you go back and play it again.