Discuss screenshot

[DimitriPopov]

Uhg *pukes* wth, that screen is easily one of the worst in this new batch. It honestly looks like it is Source running on the ps2. The leaves? The entire tree is embarrassing. Look at the texture on the gorund by the tree, just green and orange blurs. No detail in the ground texture at all. The orange blobs are supposed to be leaves, but they are just ruddy blurrly blobs. The shadows at work are horrible. But, shadows aren't exactly Sourc's strong point are they? Why does the first vehicle cast a sharp shadow and the green truch casts no shadow at all? Source is stock full of these inconsistancies that really bring the graphics down. The gun doesn't look right due to the high amount of reflectivity and plasticy-ness of it. What the hell is it made of? Polished ceramic? Certainly doesn't look like metal at all. The design doesn't do it for me, but thats just a personal opinion.


I don't see how any self respecting hl2 fan can look at this screenshot and not cringe. Are you in denial? I know graphics aren't the main event of hl2, gameplay is what will make or break a game like this, but I have had hl2 fans say to me that Source can rival Farcry and Stalker, and even Doom3. This doesn't even begin to compare to them. This looks on par with Q3 engine generation graphics, no better.

I just bust out laughing when I read this. I was like WHA! Then I saw your name. Loltastic.

 

[umop]

That tree looks aboslutely fine. It's probably just a dead tree, and the way the leaves are (sprites) at that angle could look much worse. It's good.

 

[Shuzer]

Not familiar with fazed... what, does this person go by the exact same handle?!

Pretty sure, I could be mistaken though

 

[genocide604]

Im sure valve with throw a fat stash of info at E3, they need to "regain" some fans that were lost after the sept 30th letdown.

They will have new videos, and new environments.. im sure we wont be let down.

:frog:

 

[TechnoHippyChic]

Pretty sure, I could be mistaken though

bizarre.. and umop:

That tree looks aboslutely fine. It's probably just a dead tree, and the way the leaves are (sprites) at that angle could look much worse. It's good.

I'm sorry but that tree is ass-tastic. I've never seen a tree that had a triangular formation growing out of one of it's armpits...

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

The recurring theme in that preview was "OMG NO NEW GUNZ" "SAME OLD SAME OLD"

yes gamespot did a terrible job with that preview , I was very dissapointed. I recommend IGN's HL2 preview it's very high quality. By the way here are some good points

a. you dont know what hardware the ss's were taken from
b. the game is still going to undergo much polish work
c. we are reminded to keep in mind alot of the screenshots are from old builds even if they were just released to the public now
d. source is an ongoing project, HL2 will likely recieve graphical updates, even after release
e. you still havent these damned scenes in action!, cant really complain yet

 

[Intamin]

yes gamespot did a terrible job with that preview , I was very dissapointed. I recommend IGN's HL2 preview it's very high quality

...Like your avatar...
J/k!

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

...Like your avatar...
J/k!

its supposed to be poor quality, cheers mate :cheers:
its a joke

 

[hiln]

It was pretty obvious they were cynical/pessimistic about HL2 because they were too busy sucking far cry and UT2004's c****.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

It was pretty obvious they were cynical/pessimistic about HL2 because they were too busy sucking far cry and UT2004's c****.

ut2k4 = not next gen (polished last gen)
fc = crappy gameplay, terrible multiplay

end of story as far as im concerned.

 

[Intamin]

its supposed to be poor quality, cheers mate :cheers:
its a joke

Aye man, I know.
When I first saw it, I laughed quite a bit. :cheese:

Just using a bit of sarcasm, gotta keep this group entertained.

 

[Mechagodzilla]

a. you dont know what hardware the ss's were taken from
b. the game is still going to undergo much polish work
c. we are reminded to keep in mind alot of the screenshots are from old builds even if they were just released to the public now
d. source is an ongoing project, HL2 will likely recieve graphical updates, even after release
e. you still havent these damned scenes in action!, cant really complain yet

^^^^ Everyone should read this twice.
If you can disprove it, you have grounds for complaint.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

Aye man, I know.
When I first saw it, I laughed quite a bit. :cheese:

Just using a bit of sarcasm, gotta keep this group entertained.

i'm glad you got a kick out of it, and yeh this is quite the group to entertain sometimes

 

[Shuzer]

^^^^ Everyone should read this twice.
If you can disprove it, you have grounds for complaint.

I had a dream where HL2 looked better. Does that count?

 

[Styloid]

this is not a new SS and it came with the bunch that also weren't that spectacular...

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

I had a dream where HL2 looked better. Does that count?

silly shuzer :frog:

 

[Sergio]

I just read the Gamespot preview and I found it quite fair. They were not dis-honest at any point, they just reported it as they saw it. It's funny that you, hl2 fans, would call them, independant 3rd party with no ties to any particular games, biased. It's obvious that the fanbase for a game would be much more biased towards the game than an independant 3rd party would be biased against it. Face it, you don't like the gamespot article because it doesn't sugar coat this game that is important to you. You are the biased ones.

. you dont know what hardware the ss's were taken from
b. the game is still going to undergo much polish work
c. we are reminded to keep in mind alot of the screenshots are from old builds even if they were just released to the public now
d. source is an ongoing project, HL2 will likely recieve graphical updates, even after release
e. you still havent these damned scenes in action!, cant really complain yet

It is downright moronic to assume that Valve would release publicity shots that are either from a 1+ year old build that looks like utter shit compared to the real game, or publicity shots taken with very low end specs that make the game look like shit. There is no reason to assume that any of these two possibilities are true, which eliminates a. and b.

Polish work doesn't entail redoing 90% of the game. Every environment in these new screens are sparse, poorly textured, and feature glitchy inconsistant shadows. This isn't the kind of stuff you leave to the polishing phase, or you would end up redoing 90% of your work, and that is not what polishing is about.

As for graphical updates, we have yet to see what this will entail. So far all valve hgas said is they will release higher res textures for the game at a later time, which won't help with the majority of the problems. And it is irrelevant anyway, because when you judge the graphics of a game you compare it to other games that are out or come out around the same time. you can't account for what changes may or may not take place a year or more after the game is released. You look at it in it's current condition.

And it doesn't matter if we have seen the game in action, we can correctly judge graphical fidelety by viewing a multitude of recent screens. None of the problems here are a result of it being a still shot, rather than moving. Making these environments move won't make shadows appear where they don't appear in screens(and should appear), nor will the textures go from blurry ruddy mess to highly detailed, nor will the shape/texture/design of the tree be changed, nor will the quality of the building design. Moving or still, all of these factors will remain the same, and all of these factors is what makes the shots look fugly.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

have you played the game yet? .....didn't think so

 

[Sergio]

have you played the game yet? .....didn't think so

This is irrelevant. I am not critisizing the gameplay, or the story, or the personalities of the characters. I am critisizing the graphics, which is easily discernable from screenshots.

Playing the game is not necessary to know what the game looks like.

 

[Styloid]

Sergio, do you really believe that those SS represent the full-detail game?

 

[Shuzer]

Sergio, do you really believe that those SS represent the full-detail game?

Considering it's EvilEwok, yes, he does. He's anti-VALVe until the end.. I can't understand why he doesn't take the hint (as in being banned atleast 10 times) that we don't care for his particular stance/attitude

 

[Styloid]

I just wanted to point out that it's still an argument of beliefs until we have the game.

 

[Shuzer]

I just wanted to point out that it's still an argument of beliefs until we have the game.

I know, I'm just trying to get my word in edge-wise, I can't see WHY he keeps coming back

 

[Mechagodzilla]

It is downright moronic to assume that Valve would release publicity shots that are either from a 1+ year old build that looks like utter shit compared to the real game, or publicity shots taken with very low end specs that make the game look like shit. There is no reason to assume that any of these two possibilities are true, which eliminates a. and b.

Of course, it's even more stupid to assume that valve made every single texture and graphic effect worse or non-existent over the course of a year. :imu:

Occam's razor, I think it's called.
When caught with two unlikely explanations, the most plausible scenario is usually the truth.

It's obvious that valve released screenshots that don't represent the full potential of the game. We just don't know why.

 

[Sergio]

It isn't a matter of belief. Those are screenshots of halflife2 that were released for publicity and advertising. This is what the game hl2 looks like, and was deemed accurate and complete enough by valve to release them to the public as a representation of what the game looks like. To assume that the game doesn't really look this bad, and that valve is just pulling a dirty trick, would be unreasonable.

 

[Sergio]

Of course, it's even more stupid to assume that valve made every single texture and graphic effect worse or non-existent over the course of a year

I'm not suggesting this. The most likely scenario is that to save time and get the game out quicker, they are trying to cut corners in development. Creating less detailed textures/world geometry to save time. It also appears they are not taking the time to fix all the shadow glitches, since they were in the game back at last years e3, and they are in it now aswell. I just hope the other aspects of the game won't suffer as much as the graphics have.

 

[Shuzer]

I'm not suggesting this. The most likely scenario is that to save time and get the game out quicker, they are trying to cut corners in development. Creating less detailed textures/world geometry to save time. It also appears they are not taking the time to fix all the shadow glitches, since they were in the game back at last years e3, and they are in it now aswell. I just hope the other aspects of the game won't suffer as much as the graphics have.

Yet Newell was quoted saying they'd delay the game til 2005 if it wasn't up to their standards.. somehow, I can't imagine their standards being so low.
You're talking about VALVe, who had CZ in production for 3 years and switched developers multiplie times, finally to have a finalized product that wasn't up to their standards and handed it over to another developer yet AGAIN..
The same company that delayed Half-Life a year to remake it, because to them, it wasn't up to par.

 

[chapel]

I have to somewhat agree that the gfx could be better. I wish they were on a whole, but I am looking forward to the capabilities and the possiblities of the source engine. I dont care if HL2 looks like crap because I know it can be made to look better.

And by that, I mean to make a mod that looks better.

 

[Mad Dog]

Sergio, do you really believe that those SS represent the full-detail game?

Not to take sides here or anything, but to be fair, those SS are all any of you have to go on. Other than blind faith, of course. So, based on the evidence available at this time I'm afraid the court has no choice but to rule in favor of the parties concerned that HL2 graphics aren't bleeding edge. That doesn't mean this is a final verdict, mind you; the E3 demonstration may yet prove to be a vast improvement over what we've seen so far.

As it stands now, though, there's certainly room for such improvement.

 

[Sergio]

Yet Newell was quoted saying they'd delay the game til 2005 if it wasn't up to their standards.. somehow, I can't imagine their standards being so low.

Sounds like the normal Newell brand of pr work to me. A human being can lie, screen shots can't. Gabe is not a screenshot.

 

[Shuzer]

Sounds like the normal Newell brand of pr work to me. A human being can lie, screen shots can't.

Read my edited post.

 

[TheWart]

I think we should wait until E3.

I think the screens were not supposed to be blown up so big....we will see I suppose.

All I know is I have seen screenies of the ermm....'demo' that look more detailed. Hard for me to believe Valve has regressed since then...possible I 'spose.

 

[Spiffae]

Sounds like the normal Newell brand of pr work to me. A human being can lie, screen shots can't. Gabe is not a screenshot.

oh lordy... why do you bother?

 

[Lobster]

Read my edited post.

I (and many others) have never judged a games visuals on screenshots alone, I strongly believe these screenshots are not one single batch made recently, but thats neither here nor there, i suggest we just wait 36 more hours!

 

[Sparta]

I'm not suggesting this. The most likely scenario is that to save time and get the game out quicker, they are trying to cut corners in development. Creating less detailed textures/world geometry to save time. It also appears they are not taking the time to fix all the shadow glitches, since they were in the game back at last years e3, and they are in it now aswell. I just hope the other aspects of the game won't suffer as much as the graphics have.

Ok so instead of just leaving things where they are (graphics, specular maps) whilst doing the source code re-write, they decided to TAKE THEM OUT putting development back another month and a bit.......GREAT logic there Sergio.

 

[Sergio]

I think the screens were not supposed to be blown up so big

They weren't "blown up". They were probably scaled down infact.

I think we should wait until E3.

I readily admit this may be a joke or a mistake, and this is not what hl2 looks like. but that is a very remote possibility the way it stands now. I am very confident that the e3 material will reflect the same level of graphical fidelity that these new screens do. We shall see very soon.

 

[TheWart]

They weren't "blown up". They were probably scaled down infact.



I readily admit this may be a joke or a mistake, and this is not what hl2 looks like. but that is a very remote possibility the way it stands now. I am very confident that the e3 material will reflect the same level of graphical fidelity that these new screens do. We shall see very soon.

Yea, you may be right. I hope not, but it is strange that the last batch of screenies have all been pretty bad (from the magazine previews to now).

So either Valve released screenshots that were taken at 800x600 with medium detail, or HL2 is not the graphical powerhouse everyone thought it would be.

 

[Sparta]

Dude just face it, NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND would downgrade graphics of the sequel to one of the greatest games EVER. It's like if Doom 3 decided that the unified lighting system or whatever the f*ck was shit and decided to make the entire game 2D ala the first doom.

The final game is not going to look anything like that and you know that too, you just want us to flame you because you're bored, as you always are EvilEwok

 

[ub3rbr0k3]

HL2 is looking like HL1 with high-res textures and shadows. Oh, and physics. Really sad. And I don't think they've changed or improved anything revolutionary. I don't have proof of this but at this rate it just seems that way.

 

[hiln]

DX2 had great high-res textures and models early in development. But they ended up dumping the high-res in favor of x-box streamlining.