Major Graphics Patch

[RNEvermore]

With all the amazing graphics updates in episode 1, 2 and eventually episode 3, does anyone else think of the possibility of a major graphics update for Half Life 2 and it's episodes?

I mean, with dynamic shadows, improved textures, and cinematic destruction rendering in Episode 2, and god knows what else in Episode 3, is it possible that with a major patch, Half Life 2 could recieve some of these features?

Dynamic Shadows would me amazing to see in ravenholm

Cinematic Rendering would look insane when the shell blows down the smokestack in Water Hazard.

Improved textures would be awsome.... everywhere.

So, from some more senior posters than me or some people with more programming knowledge of the game, is this possible in the distant future?



And another question. In the orange box on consoles are the graphics updated on HL2?

 

[Sparta]

Yeah the 360 and PS3 versions of HL2 will have all the graphical bells and whistles that the episodes have. HDR, Motion Blur, all that crap.

Not sure about Cinematic Physics though. I wouldn't count on that.

 

[Shinobi]

well besides the texture improvements all those things would be fairly easy to implement without much work (just recompile maps etc)... I would bet that they eventually do an update for higher end features in the future.

 

[giant384]

i think valve is planning on releasing a patch to update all games to the new engine. of course no cinematics physics though.

 

[Operational]

Valve hasn't ruled out bringing the graphical upgrades they made for HL2 on the 360 to the PC.

 

[priyatamhl2]

looks like ur facing the same problem.
ERROR NAME:-
"Node graph out dated: Rebuilding" and then the game starts and "AI Disabled"
how to deal with this problem.
please do reply

 

[Narvi]

...

Okay, that has to be a spambot. It has to be.

No one could be that stupid.

 

[[Dragoon]]

...

Okay, that has to be a spambot. It has to be.

No one could be that stupid.

Never underestimate the stupidity that your fellow humans are capable of.

 

[soulslicer]

not fair, how come the pc versions of hl2 dont get a graphical update?

 

[Paulaner]

not fair, how come the pc versions of hl2 dont get a graphical update?

I think that the update will eventually come. It's likely that PC Gamers have already played HL2 and EP1, so it's understandable that Valve's priority will be orientated towards the consoles and the opportunity to launch the HL2 franchise in virgin lands.

 

[Narvi]

I think it might be an optional update though, like the Steam HD pack for HL1. It'll be a massive update, after all.

 

[Operational]

not fair, how come the pc versions of hl2 dont get a graphical update?

Well it's understandable why Valve would want the console Orange Box Half-Life 2 to have the best graphics that the console can offer - no console owner would want to buy a game with 3 year old graphics.

 

[FISKER_Q]

i don't see why there shouldn't be HL2/Episode One updaes, as far as i understood it's compatible contentwise, wouldn't make sense if it weren't anyways.

 

[giant384]

guys stop whining about updates lol. the updates will come "soon" for hl2 and ep1

 

[Xendance]

looks like ur facing the same problem.
ERROR NAME:-
"Node graph out dated: Rebuilding" and then the game starts and "AI Disabled"
how to deal with this problem.
please do reply

Haha, gotta love 'em.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

Yeah, us PC users will eventually get the new Source updates. Perhaps a year from now, I don't know.

To go along with the new lighting, dynamic shadows, and particle effects, I really hope that it also includes the new facial graphics + the updates models/textures of different characters (i.e: Alyx, Eli, Barney, Mossman, Kliener, Breen, Gman, Dog, Grigory, Cubbage, and the Vortigaunts).

 

[ríomhaire]

There's a video of Ravenholm with dynamic shadows on Youtube.

 

[Mahalis]

That most likely used the particle benchmark. 'S nothing new - you could basically just load the HL2 maps into Ep2 and get a lot of graphical updates straight off. Recompiling the maps with HDR and such, though, is Valve's job.

 

[PimpinPenguin]

I am not sure if i want it now cause if Hl2 gets the same engine as Episode 1 and TF2 then it's also going to get the looping sound crash. I hope it's optional.

 

[Planetary]

A patch like that would be nice, especially to fix some graphical inconsistencies between the games (rollermines don't flash red before exploding from a nearby grenade or rocket), for instance. Or the Vortigaunt charge attack looking nicer (even though you only see it twice).

 

[soulslicer]

lol, I still have the site for the particle benchmark with me but it never seems to download. Ravenholm would really look fantastic with real time lighting and shadows.

 

[soulslicer]

There's a video of Ravenholm with dynamic shadows on Youtube.

I would like a link please.

 

[Operational]

rollermines don't flash red before exploding from a nearby grenade or rocket

I thought rollermines could only be destroyed by putting them in water?

I would like a link please.

+1

 

[G-Dub]

There's a video of Ravenholm with dynamic shadows on Youtube.

Link plz Rimfire

 

[ríomhaire]

I'm not sure if this is legal or not. I think it's alright though. I think it was this one (I didn't actually check, forgive me if I'm wrong)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OuB0j92CSCs

 

[Planetary]

I thought rollermines could only be destroyed by putting them in water?

Nope, explosives can destroy them too, if they're close enough. They only flash red in Episode One though.

 

[Operational]

I'm not sure if this is legal or not. I think it's alright though. I think it was this one (I didn't actually check, forgive me if I'm wrong)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OuB0j92CSCs

Yea thats the right clip. Not bad, not bad at all.

 

[kacation_man]

I hope things like motion blur and that neat lighting stuff are available for update!!!

 

[kamikazeCow]

I wonder if the update will come in the retail version of the orange box for pc. If they were to re-do everything, it would be most efficient to put it on the disk that gets shipped out to everyone in stores, wouldn't it?

 

[giant384]

I wonder if the update will come in the retail version of the orange box for pc. If they were to re-do everything, it would be most efficient to put it on the disk that gets shipped out to everyone in stores, wouldn't it?

eh no.....

 

[Paulaner]

Yea thats the right clip. Not bad, not bad at all.

An interesting comment to the video says that those shadows are not really dynamic, but a simple workaround to give just illusions. I quote that comment:

Dynamic shadows in source really aren't dynamic, they're just illusions created by the shaders. You can see that the shadows don't actually cast on the walls and ground behind whatever the dynamic light source is pointing at, they're just translucent flat cutouts behind the object to give the illusion of dynamic shadows

Now, it would be interesting to know what kind of shadows are implemented in Episode 2.

 

[Rossell]

It should also be noted that the Ravenholm video is about 6 months old.

 

[soulslicer]

yes, the dynamic shadows in ep2 are not really dynamic. the wiki says so..

but technology has been developed (and used sparingly throughout the upcoming Source games) that allows a level designer to enable certain light sources to cast completely dynamic shadow maps. Currently, only one of these shadow-casting light sources is allowed to be visible to the player at one time, a limit imposed by the engine.

also..http://youtube.com/watch?v=sqSS0sSff44 woah..

 

[GreatEmperor]

An interesting comment to the video says that those shadows are not really dynamic, but a simple workaround to give just illusions. I quote that comment:

Dynamic shadows in source really aren't dynamic, they're just illusions created by the shaders. You can see that the shadows don't actually cast on the walls and ground behind whatever the dynamic light source is pointing at, they're just translucent flat cutouts behind the object to give the illusion of dynamic shadows

Now, it would be interesting to know what kind of shadows are implemented in Episode 2.

Probably more along the dynamic like

 

[Vash63]

yes, the dynamic shadows in ep2 are not really dynamic. the wiki says so..



also..http://youtube.com/watch?v=sqSS0sSff44 woah..

Actually that wiki article says that they ARE completely dynamic. Just only the flashlight.

 

[Tuskin]

An interesting comment to the video says that those shadows are not really dynamic, but a simple workaround to give just illusions. I quote that comment:

Dynamic shadows in source really aren't dynamic, they're just illusions created by the shaders. You can see that the shadows don't actually cast on the walls and ground behind whatever the dynamic light source is pointing at, they're just translucent flat cutouts behind the object to give the illusion of dynamic shadows

Now, it would be interesting to know what kind of shadows are implemented in Episode 2.

They are cast on walls and floors.

http://www.garry.tv/img/GMod2007//24th Sept/gm_construct0020.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w306/Tuskin38/gm_construct0009.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w306/Tuskin38/gm_construct0013.jpg

 

[ShadowBoxed]

They are cast on walls and floors.

http://www.garry.tv/img/GMod2007//24th Sept/gm_construct0020.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w306/Tuskin38/gm_construct0009.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w306/Tuskin38/gm_construct0013.jpg

illusion or not, those look really cool

 

[Vash63]

Technically anything with rasterization is an illusion. It's not truly calculating the path of the photons to the camera, so it's an illusion. That doesn't mean they aren't dynamic, they're completely and fully dynamic with proper soft and self shadowing. They really are some of the best I've seen in a game engine - it's just too bad Valve limits it to only a single light, that really hurts their potential.

 

[GreatEmperor]

illusion or not, those look really cool

When i play it, Should be sharper

 

[Paulaner]

illusion or not, those look really cool

They are cool, indeed. Glad to be illuded!