People just don't understand why Half-Life's story is so good

Foxtrot

Foxtrot

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People just don't...

People just don't understand why Half-Life's story is so good and I am having a hard time decribing why it is so immersive. People on some other forum are saying Halo's story is just as immersive and Half-Lifes...anyone have any ideas on what I could say?
 
Half Life manages to convey a full, enriching storyline without use of any cutscenes, it remains first-person the whole way through, giving the player full immersement in what's happening (Except when it freezes you on the spot... blame the G-man).
 
It just owns, no questions.
I guess maybe because the whole story is around you, not like Halo, where you are just a soldier in a huge war. And yes, for those who don't know, there are more MC's if you've read the books. (They are called Spartans)




Dang I want a Half-Life book...
 
Halos story is just as immersive imo, have you even read the books that halo has? They're totally AWESOME!
 
I haven't read any of the book, but I don't think they should be taken into consideration on hoe immersive Halos story is.
 
Halos SP story is pretty immersive too, alltho I admit, not as much as HLs, but pretty DARN close too.
 
I loved Halo's story too(I own an xbox) I just think HLs is more immersive.
 
I've never played Halo, so I don't love the story.
But I do make love to HL's story...erhhm...no...wait...I meant that I love it..yeah...
/me runs.
 
Bad^Hat said:
Half Life manages to convey a full, enriching storyline without use of any cutscenes, it remains first-person the whole way through, giving the player full immersement in what's happening
Click to expand...

I agree. I loved Half-Life because you ARE Gordon Freeman, you aren't some kind of spectator flying around in some cut scenes. And you know as much as Gordon does.

As for Half-Life 2, I hope it's the same as Half-Life... you don’t know what is happening. :)
 
Gabe already said that at the beggining of the game you will be just as confused as Gordon.
 
HLs story: An experiment goes wrong... opens a door to another dimension... aliens takes over the world... oh wow... very original :)
 
Majestic XII said:
HLs story: An experiment goes wrong... opens a door to another dimension... aliens takes over the world... oh wow... very original :)
Click to expand...

There you've summed up the general comments by people when you say 'HL has a great story'. It goes way deeper than that, there are reasons why the accident happened, there are people who know more of it, there's a whole history prior to the accident, there's a story outside of BMRF. Saying HL is just a story about an accident is technically speaking true, but so is calling LOTR just a story about an evil guy wanting a ring. But both go deeper than that, which we'll find out in HL2. If the story of HL hasn't raised questions with you WHY it happened or who is to blame then you haven't paid a lot of attention.

And it's not the story itself, it's the way it's told. Completely without any text or cutscenes, but just through events and NPC's. With current technology, this concept can be exploited further, with better NPC interaction and better ways to display certain events.
 
Halo is just about some aliens who attack some ship and then you crash on some stupid ring and blow it up.
 
uh... halo plays over teh same inside map 439438 times and calls it seperate levels... it also doesent make you feel "i am tha master chief or whatever"

halo fanboys make me want to puke and throw my xbox out the window..... especially the ones that play halo pc all day....

garrrl..........garrr..........grrrr..............grarllll............. halo is good technology and yes I have to admit it a great game... but the single player expirience is hardly a half-life worthy one
 
PvtRyan said:
There you've summed up the general comments by people when you say 'HL has a great story'. It goes way deeper than that, there are reasons why the accident happened, there are people who know more of it, there's a whole history prior to the accident, there's a story outside of BMRF. Saying HL is just a story about an accident is technically speaking true, but so is calling LOTR just a story about an evil guy wanting a ring. But both go deeper than that, which we'll find out in HL2. If the story of HL hasn't raised questions with you WHY it happened or who is to blame then you haven't paid a lot of attention.

And it's not the story itself, it's the way it's told. Completely without any text or cutscenes, but just through events and NPC's. With current technology, this concept can be exploited further, with better NPC interaction and better ways to display certain events.
Click to expand...

Same thing with Doom 3.... depends if you're a fanboy or not.
 
The medium is the message. HL¹ success wasn't down to the story so much as the manner of it's delivery. Bad Hat had it right first time, it is all about immersion, your kept ingame and inframe throughout. An approach that was fairly unique at the time, you never see gordons face in the entire SP game.
 
Maybe people should take into account plot which would be how well the story is 'plotted' out. Then maybe you could start to talk about how many ideas from writing good stories were used by Marc Laidlaw and Valve in authoring a computer game. Control of pacing and 'action events', transitions of environments, atmosphere, what was revealed to you and when, techniques like forewshadowing and point of view, etc... there's lots of good stuff in HL1's story and the way it was told that is still not in games after HL1 (even Halo).
It's not about being a fanboy or not, it's about whether you are actually looking deep at it (Of course it helps to read Marc Laidlaw interviews). It's like movies. A lot of times people can tell a good movie from a bad one but can't point out why. Often it will be about staging, photography, lighting, literary techniques (illusions, wordplay, etc.), imagery, etc.. stuff you don't think about right away.
 
Halo's story is just that, a story. But half life's tale is much deeper, something that can really touch you, so if halo is a good book, halflife is a classic novel
 
The story isn't that good - real b-movie stuff. But the game is excellent \o/
 
well actually i agree with warbie. tnh, playing halo i actually found halo so much more exiting when the game was nearing the end... Highlight to read spoilers below
When u r escaping from the flood in Halo that gave me a complete feeling of overwhelment. so many creatures to kill, such little chance of doing so. And just when u think it couldnt possibly get any worse, u r plunged into ur own ship, caught inbetween a war being fought by your two greatest enemies. And then... when you escape in the warthog, i put my music on SO loud and enjoyed every moment of it. The REAL thrill was when i watched my ride out of here get blasted to smithereens, and then i really and trully did feel like the awesome master cheif i was meant to be when against all odds i crashed through the defences and smashed my way to victory. Everything got blow up and i was left with hardly any health, but i did it first time and i was left with an incredible feeling in my heart.
Compared to half life, i thought the ending to HL was pretty weak. You just go to Xen, the climax is over and you meet a big baby who fires crappy balls at you. And i dont really feel like a hero in HL, i just feel like a superhuman. on normal mode i was completely invincible to naught but the ground when i fell.
the thing is half life is rather old now, and i agree that the story IS good, but tbh it doesnt really take you through any climatic bits apart from when ur about to go to xen. Halo delivers plot twists and unbelivable odds, along with the fact that u r not alone in ur struggle- which makes the end even mor fun. Plus they get away with the superhuman crap my saying just that: you are a biologically engineered Super human. I love HL and i love Halo, the game experiences are both great, but i must say in my opinion halo's is better and HL2 will 0wn us all.
 
Zakat said:
Halos story is just as immersive imo, have you even read the books that halo has? They're totally AWESOME!
Click to expand...
halo and halflife2...both are awesome story...except halos aliens are kinda odd
 
I think the two are seperated by too many years to really compare. Half-Life didn't even have any decent music aside from the occasional track during action.
But for its time Half-Life was more immersive than almost anything before it. It had voice acting and atmosphere to lose, and its all used to great effect. Halo likely owes some of its goodness to HL.
 
Often the simply stories are the best ones (i.e. Half-Life).

From what i've heard anyway Halo's story isn't that different from Half-Life's (invading aliens, war between species etc..)
 
I think Halo's story is a little better than HL's story. Half Life's story is awesome tho since you get everything clear in your face without any use of cutscenes..

But in both games cases , it's like with the Star Wars-saga story: It goes alot deeper if you read the other stuff like books, stories , comics, all kind of shit. I recommend halo.bungie.org for those who want some really cool info that makes Halo's story alot deeper. Or read the books.
 
Suicide42 said:
*lots of text about Halo's story
Click to expand...

Yeh, basically Halo's story is about deliverance, a buncha guys with their backs up against the wall and are set free against all odds. (Yeah, I know that dude in the Making of Halo 2 guy said this :p )
 
Foxtrot said:
Gabe already said that at the beggining of the game you will be just as confused as Gordon.
Click to expand...

That is....awsome! So I just makes you Gordon all the more because he doesn't know whats going on and you don't either so that technically makes me Gordon Freeman!
*Eli grabs his head and falls onto the floor*

Wow man, it makes you think doesn't it?
 
Yes, it does. Gabe also said a lot of stuff that makes you think in the 40 minutes HL2 interview.
 
the HL1 history is
original
whit accion and suspense
and mistery(cuz nobody tell you whats going on)

is just good
and in my opinion will be better in HL2
maybe we will get more questiongs than answers
 
<RJMC> said:
the HL1 history is
original
whit accion and suspense
and mistery(cuz nobody tell you whats going on)

is just good
and in my opinion will be better in HL2
maybe we will get more questiongs than answers
Click to expand...

original it is not, doom did basically the same thing. however, half life's deliverance is freaking awesome. Its unique, immersive, and awesome. you know no more than hte main character, and thats very important for its story.

I think its pretty genius, and I hope halflife2 continues the awesomeness.
 
Singleplayer mod developers should take note of these comments!
 
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