HL2 vrs F.E.A.R

[Diplexer]

I downloaded the F.E.A.R demo last night nz time started to play and was disapointed by it. Yes I no it's a demo heaps can be modified before its realese. Hopefully b4 reading this most readers would have seen what I am talking about.

F.E.A.R is surposed to be one on the next gen games, Fankly I wasnt impressed that much..

Hl2 has ruined other games for me wicked game, before its time, it makes other games seem infearia (excuse the pun). I think HL2 is still going to be a great game for a long while yet.

I mean the Valve guys are amazing all the detail within HL2, scenery (the best opening to any game ever made), textures (rust stains, concrete cracks etc..) models, props etc... F.E.A.R lacked so much detail.

After playing HL2 I hate cut scenes, when are game developers going to stop making cut scenes havent they learnt from HL2....

I mean theres plenty about F.E.A.R thats not that great, and if this is one of the top games to come out, and surposed to blow us away, well for me it hasn't......Which is good because it makes HL2 look all the better, a game we all take for granted from time to time....

 

[Drackard]

Hmm, you can't be a very open minded gamer if HL2 has ruined most other games for you, i play all sorts of games and still find them decent and enjoyable both graphics and gameplay wise, i shall download this fear demo and get back to you, i have read it is meant to be quite good though ...

 

[Sanjuro]

Hmmm... I thought the F.E.A.R. demo was amazing. Half-Life 2 is my favorite FPS to date, and I have my doubts about F.E.A.R. topping it, but I did very much love the F.E.A.R. demo. Best A.I. I've seen yet, and great atmosphere and scares.

 

[Geronimous]

It ran extremely poor on my system, and the graphics were not really that any better than Source can produce. It got me scared at some points, but I don' think I will buy the game...

Besides, it is a different game so a comparison to HL2 is not in place. You can compare engines, and if I do that, I come to a conclusion that Source is still shining bright

 

[aeroripper]

I actually was impressed by the fear demo... nice per-pixel lighting. Crank everything up as high as it can go it looks awesome. One thing i would like to see it do though is large outdoor areas with the same detail of lighting that source can do.

Source doesn't have light-source casting dynamic shadows or self-shadowing.

 

[Drackard]

I shall trust aeroripper's opinion as he has a higher post count

 

[Diplexer]

Yer I might have been a little harsh toward F.E.A.R, yer it does have nice lighting and other good aspects too, but as for a new next gen game I thought it was average. Yes HL2 has ruined other games for a long while for me, I like quality not quanity, every time I play it Im still amazed, it still blows me away

Read this link

http://www.pointlesswasteoftime.com/games/manifesto.html

 

[mortiz]

It was only a short demo. I'll have to see how the rest of the game pans out before I make my judgements.

 

[giant384]

FEAR looks freakin awsome i only saw the the video of the gameplay but it looks scary and the gfx are amazing

 

[JAVA]

yeah halo 2 ruined a lot of games for me, like ghost recon and doom, but i still get hours of enjoyment out of them none the less.

 

[[46] pushit [2]]

I don't know, I downloaded F.E.A.R on Friday and started playing it at about 12:30 PM in my house. Alone. Maybe I'm just jumpy, but that thing scared the hell out of me! Very atmospheric and psychological fear. You see shadows of a girl not there, ghost-like images. And that heavy breathing. Very cool. One of my favorite HL1 moments was the end of the game when the screen turns black and you're sitting there with Freeman breathing heavily and then the credits roll. That breathing is just so cool and atmospheric.

Graphics-wise....not bad. But when I played I could tell it was a videogame. it had that "cartoonish" look (for lack of a better word). HL2 is just so realistic. When I take screenshots of it and look back on them I think sometimes they are real pictures. To me, F.E.A.R was sort of like doom in the realistic-look department.

Pretty nice A.I. Enemies took cover and would lean around corners. They also jump down from elevated areas instead of just taking the stairs. Kind of cool.

Overall, I just like the way the Source engine feels. maybe I'm just used to it. But I think F.E.A.R is going to be a cool and VERY scary game...if you don't think it's scary, stick to playing it at night. Don't blow it off just yet.

 

[BrimStone04]

I cant find myself comparing HL2 and FEAR, i think that FEAR is the type of game that isnt focusing on plot, it wants to freak you out, all while your having awesome gun fights, and that awesome slowmo effect (though i wish it didnt look like my tv does when i have it on VIVID mode, pisses me off) and HL2, story and immersing you in this enviroment to where u feel like your there, FEAR feels like a game, when i play HL2 i sound stupid saying it but it was why it was made as it was, i feel like im gordon freeman.

 

[Sparta]

You've only played the demo of F.E.A.R not the full version so this is extremely unfair to judge and compare these two. Although i will say that, yes, HL2 (and RE4) has spoiled many other games for me as well.

Still F.E.A.R is definately going to be a game to watch out for.

 

[iMMuNiTy]

Source doesn't have light-source casting dynamic shadows or self-shadowing.

I think Source does have light-source dynamic shadows.

 

[sixteenth]

I think Source does have light-source dynamic shadows.

No it doesn't. The Source engine now only allows a single light source to create a shadow that isn't dynamic. It just points indirection according to the single light source. FEAR does have dynamic shadows, that allow shadows from up to (i think) 4 light sourcs. It won't be around for awhile I guess since it isn't a feature that will be included with Lost Coast, I'm sure Valve may have fiddled around with it though.

By the way, HDR has nothing to do with dynamc shadows... incase anyone gets confused.

 

[iMMuNiTy]

Ah, yes, Source has dynamic lighting, not dynamic shadows. Got mixed-up there.

 

[azumi]

The very first game I played was Doom 3 and HL2, so every game after that feels kinda crappy. Although I must say I was pretty scared when I played the FEAR demo, I'm sure that game's gonna be a hell lot more scarier than Doom 3.

But you're right, HL2 is just too realistic, we can't compare other games to that one. We'll just have to agree on that HL2 is a game totally for itself, out of leage for other games.

 

[Sparta]

It's capable of dynamic shadows though, as Vampire: Bloodlines had dynamic shadows.

 

[BrimStone04]

You've only played the demo of F.E.A.R not the full version so this is extremely unfair to judge and compare these two. Although i will say that, yes, HL2 (and RE4) has spoiled many other games for me as well.

Still F.E.A.R is definately going to be a game to watch out for.

your right, but i saw in an interview that FEAR is mainly focusing on good gun fights and the "boo" factor, lol.

 

[JCampbell]

your right, but i saw in an interview that FEAR is mainly focusing on good gun fights and the "boo" factor, lol.

Don't they realize that next-gen games have to be more than that? Justifying a game with heritage and nostalgia (ala Doom 3) can only go so far towards a sellable product. I'm still skeptical. I'm looking forward to stalker though, whenever that comes out.

 

[Sparta]

Most "next-gen" games are often incremental upgrades from past games.

 

[Cukel]

I think the demo was pretty awesome, actually. I love how the enemies jump, crawl, lean and sprint around. And they also keep shooting for a while after theyre dead <3

Overall graphics ruled, but performance sucked. I can get steady fps in HL2 with everything in max, but in FEAR textures still look like ass and I had to disable shadows Horros scenes are definately golden, I keep getting creeped no matter how many times I play it... Definately gonna buy this one.

Comparing the engines is kinda hard thing to do. I doubt FEAR's engine can do such a natural looking outdoor area like Source can, but then again FEAR has better ragdolls (combined death animations and ragdolls) and advanced shadows. Comparing the actual games is just silly from the demo, so that's it... But it has the potential to kick HL2:s ass pretty hard.

 

[bat_lyubo]

And uum, where can I download the Fear demo from? Does anyone have the hyperlink

 

[Overwatch]

The demo was short but awesome, scary too, i almost freaked out when i saw my own shadow on the wall(I was close to the light source so it was HUGE).

And in HL2 you can't even see your own shadow, apparently because they want to give you that "You are Gordon Freeman" feeling, and Gordon doesn't have a shadow right?
Speaking of that, he has no feet either.

 

[Overwatch]

Ah, yes, Source has dynamic lighting, not dynamic shadows. Got mixed-up there.

Dynamic lightning? Oh, you mean the flashlight Gordon has in his suit. Yeah, that's really a lot of dynamic lightning.

 

[Geronimous]

Dynamic lightning? Oh, you mean the flashlight Gordon has in his suit. Yeah, that's really a lot of dynamic lightning.

There is more dynamic lightning thean you obviously realise. But it is expensive at the cost of performance...

 

[Overwatch]

There is more dynamic lightning thean you obviously realise. But it is expensive at the cost of performance...

Enlighten me.

 

[Loke]

It's too early for me too say which is going to be the best (after just playing a 10 minutes demo), but I thought the F.E.A.R demo was great, and I have no doubts that the full version will be even better.
But if they just could optimize the game a little more I would be really glad.

I'm sure I'll be picking this game up as soon as it's out.

 

[iMMuNiTy]

Enlighten me.

Open Hammer. Make a room, a prop_physics entity. Set the model to a lamp. Name it. Rope it to the ceiling. Now make entity for dynamic lighting. Set the parent to the name you gave to the lamp. Compile and play it. Enable cheats, type impulse 101 in the console, and use your grav gun on the lamp. That's called dynamic lighting.

To put it short and simple, dynamic lighting is simply what it says - a lighting which can move, i.e. is not static. Dynamic lighting can also make dynamic shadows, which, if I am correct, are generated by the engine if an object or a NPC is under dynamic lighting.

 

[PXM5000]

Well i don't know about you but the FEAR demo has made me even more anxious to upgrade my pc so i can crank all the options to its highest level.

 

[[46] pushit [2]]

About this whole dynamic lighting issue (which seems to have strayed from the topic a bit, =D):

I don't know all the technical details about it but I do know that in some of the CS:S maps and HLM maps there are lights that when shot swing around, creating some really cool effects.


and


Pretty cool effects.

So far, I've been really impressed by HL2 lighting. HDR should be cool.

Cool pic (HL2: DM)

 

[xzeox]

FEAR looks like its actually going to be good, unlike those other Halo 2 and Half-Life 2 imitators...

 

[Overwatch]

To put it short and simple, dynamic lighting is simply what it says - a lighting which can move, i.e. is not static. Dynamic lighting can also make dynamic shadows, which, if I am correct, are generated by the engine if an object or a NPC is under dynamic lighting.

Ok, so Source supports dynamic lightning. But not dynamic shadows! Which makes dynamic lightning look kinda ridiculous.

About this whole dynamic lighting issue (which seems to have strayed from the topic a bit, =D):

I don't know all the technical details about it but I do know that in some of the CS:S maps and HLM maps there are lights that when shot swing around, creating some really cool effects.


and


Pretty cool effects.

So far, I've been really impressed by HL2 lighting. HDR should be cool.

Cool pic (HL2: DM)

The only differences i see between the two pictures is that the lamp moves, and when it is directed in your face there is a cool glare effect. It doesn't actually light up the enviroment (none I can see at least).

Also the 3rd pics looks cool but that's static lightning

Anyway there are some things that sucks about F.E.A.R. too. The physics are really limited, small props and ragdolls move, but when i tried moving the shelves, no luck. Feels very limited after playing with HL2's physics.

 

[[46] pushit [2]]

Let me see if I understand this.

Dynamic lighting is basically exactly what it sounds like. Light sources in the game actually light up different parts of a room depending on where they are pointed. As compared to static lighting, which may look good (see my screenshot above), but in no way can be manipulated to actually light up different areas of a room.

Dynamic shadows react to the dynamic lighting (like in F.E.A.R) in the room. In other words, your shadow moves according to where you are standing in relation to the light source. Correct?

Am I right in saying that Dynamic lighting can occur without dynamic shadows but not the other way around?

I'm pretty sure I have seen some dynamic lighting in HL2. Maybe not as much as in F.E.A.R. All I know is that HL2 looks damn good at pretty low specs and is not a huge system hog. F.E.A.R only looks really good on the higher settings (which can be a huge system hog).

Now, what's all this hubub about HDR (high dynamic range). I see the word "dynamic" in there, but I'm not too sure if this is exactly dynamic lighting. I'll look up some stuff on the internet, but if anyone can enlighten me, feel free to do so.

 

[theroadtonowhere]

Fear was awesome, at first glance I thought... this thing is gay.. and it runs horrible.. so I just turned it off, the a day later i tryed it again and played through the entire thing, it ended up being pretty cool after all. I couldn't run it on max settings.. and I have a pretty nice rig. (AMD ATHLON 64-bit 3200+ 1gig of 3200 corsair xms, 9800 pro) now it never got to a choppy point to where it was unplayable... but there were definately some rooms that didnt rrun very somooth at all.. it looks good, but not THAT much better than half life 2 with the huge performance difference. What I mean is, I can play half life 2 on full settings with 4x anti aliasing, which looks as good as the settings that I have to run fear on. But yeah, good game.

 

[The Bait]

I run fear at medium to high settings (only at 800x600 though) and the game runs fine. I love the demo, I played through the part just killing the two guys that don't know you are there about 20 times. I loved trying different things to kill them. The AI in F.E.A.R. is smarter than HL2 AI, IMO. Because one time a guy was hiding behind a box and a shot a fire extinguisher near him he actually turned around to look behind him at the fire extengisher and I could kill him without getting shot. And just for the hell of it, here's a couple screenshots I took that I thought looked cool.

 

[giant384]

ow that hurts my eyes and the demo is preety fun

 

[DoctorWeeTodd]

Doesn't Lost Coast and the soon to come Source update contain dynamic shadows as well as lighting? I could've sworn I saw it listed during that video presentation a comparison between regular and the new features including 24x antriscopic aliasing and HDR. In the screenshots and video the lights moved and and reflected things differently as well as showing all sorts of ripples and bumps on textures

What engine does F.E.A.R use BTW?

 

[theroadtonowhere]

One thing id like to see in lost coast, is it taking advantage of freaking 64-bit lol... I have a 640bit but it makes a difference on only a select few games. Most games 32bit games I mean, there is no difference at all... sigghhhh, please valve, please .

 

[iMMuNiTy]

Let me see if I understand this.

Dynamic lighting is basically exactly what it sounds like. Light sources in the game actually light up different parts of a room depending on where they are pointed. As compared to static lighting, which may look good (see my screenshot above), but in no way can be manipulated to actually light up different areas of a room.

Dynamic shadows react to the dynamic lighting (like in F.E.A.R) in the room. In other words, your shadow moves according to where you are standing in relation to the light source. Correct?

Am I right in saying that Dynamic lighting can occur without dynamic shadows but not the other way around?

I'm pretty sure I have seen some dynamic lighting in HL2. Maybe not as much as in F.E.A.R. All I know is that HL2 looks damn good at pretty low specs and is not a huge system hog. F.E.A.R only looks really good on the higher settings (which can be a huge system hog).

Now, what's all this hubub about HDR (high dynamic range). I see the word "dynamic" in there, but I'm not too sure if this is exactly dynamic lighting. I'll look up some stuff on the internet, but if anyone can enlighten me, feel free to do so.

You're correct.

You can read more in detail about HDR (High Dynamic Range) here: http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2005/06/14/hl2_hdr_overview/1.html