Will HL2 be linear or Deus Exish

[Roland Deschain]

I don't know if Valve released this information and I couldn't find it, so I ask the forum.

In HL1, the only real choise was at the end of the game and it didn't change the gameplay at all (**** you G-Man, no way I'm going through that door). I just wondered if HL2 has more choises in it (ie: can you shoot Alex early in the game and then something will be different near the end).

Also HL1 was very linear, can we now expect more than one way to get from point A to point B, with different challanges for each path?

 

[Foxtrot]

Linear...in a way that kicks ass.

 

[Sai]

Also HL1 was very linear, can we now expect more than one way to get from point A to point B, with different challanges for each path?

yea, actually that's one of the points where it's not linear, you can play stealthy or run-gun through an area

 

[klown]

Ya I read it is linear but there millions of ways you can actually do what your there to do.

 

[KagePrototype]

With Deus Ex, you had multiple routes that could be achieved in multiple ways. With HL, you had a linear route with multiple ways of getting through them (though not the same level as DX). I would expect HL2 to be an evolution of this i.e. linear route, but more varied ways of achieving it. The physics system really opens the door to a lot of interesting ideas.

 

[Dr0ndeh]

nothing wrong with linear

 

[Roland Deschain]

No, but I mean I HL1 the only prominant person was the G-Man and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't kill that fuc... I mean sucker.

So in HL2, what if I had a really bad day and choose to pop Alex in the head, will the screen simply go black and you'll just have to load.

 

[The_Don]

nothing wrong with linear

Sure as hell is. Deus Ex and Invisible War had more replay value than any games I've played (though DXIW relied on it because it was so short). Instead of replaying the same old thing you get to try something completely different and choose sides. Half-Life 2 will still kick ass because of its immersive factor and well thought-out setting. However,non-linear games have far more potential, but are harder to do properly.

 

[Foxtrot]

No, but I mean I HL1 the only prominant person was the G-Man and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't kill that fuc... I mean sucker.

So in HL2, what if I had a really bad day and choose to pop Alex in the head, will the screen simply go black and you'll just have to load.

Yes, I don't really like those kinds of games because they either turn out with way too many ending and none of them are too good or just one ending and things are all screwy along the way if you are missing certain characters.

 

[SimonomiS]

No, but I mean I HL1 the only prominant person was the G-Man and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't kill that fuc... I mean sucker.

So in HL2, what if I had a really bad day and choose to pop Alex in the head, will the screen simply go black and you'll just have to load.

Probably. Like in HL when you shot a vital scientist. "Subject failed to use human assets" or something.

 

[guchi]

i agree, i dont like non-linear stuff that much, you sort of start thinking "i wonder what would have happened if i took one of the other 3 ways?"

i think hl2 will challenge the player to think more than usual and use souroundings in clever ways.

 

[NJD2003]

Don't worry, there's always mods. That's my replay value.

 

[Foxtrot]

i agree, i dont like non-linear stuff that much, you sort of start thinking "i wonder what would have happened if i took one of the other 3 ways?"

i think hl2 will challenge the player to think more than usual and use souroundings in clever ways.

And it always ends up being pretty repetative, like is Deus Ex 2.

 

[Dr0ndeh]

Sure as hell is. Deus Ex and Invisible War had more replay value than any games I've played (though DXIW relied on it because it was so short). Instead of replaying the same old thing you get to try something completely different and choose sides. Half-Life 2 will still kick ass because of its immersive factor and well thought-out setting. However,non-linear games have far more potential, but are harder to do properly.

its a personal taste thing, i bloody hated both the DX games myself. the only open ended(ish) game i think ive enjoyed and played multiple times was KOTOR.

 

[Raptor6]

nothing beats deus ex

 

[Adrien C]

Yes, when it's linear you allways wonder what would have happend and you just end up loading the game again just to find out that it's nothing.
If you take a closer look at the videos you will see that, the are diferent way to get to point B, but they are minor, I prefer that.

 

[ComradeBadger]

I love the Deus Ex series

And HL2 is linear, suck it down and play on

 

[The_Don]

nothing beats deus ex

Damn straight. Though DXIW left quite a bit to be desired. All of the endings were ingeneous and the element of 'what-if' makes it more absorbing.
I can see why some people still prefer linear today, but this may change in the future as technology improves so that non-linear games can be created like they should be.
Still, HL2 won't suffer for it.

 

[ZombieBudgie]

nothing beats deus ex

HL2 will!

Anyway, it won't be up to a Deus Ex level of freedom, but it'll still give a great illusion of being freeform by allowing multiple ways to accomplish objectives.

 

[guchi]

If you take a closer look at the videos you will see that, the are diferent way to get to point B, but they are minor, I prefer that.

it was like that in hl1, it was good. but i think with the experience that valve has now as level designers, i can only expect it to be better!

 

[The_Don]

HL2 will!

I doubt it, but it would be great if it would because nothing better than DX has come out since it's release. And that's pretty bad.

Now DX done in Source.... :E

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

don your avatar is manic, it's frightening me..

 

[The_Don]

don your avatar is manic, it's frightening me..

Because pong is the great grand-daddy of HL2! Just look at that physics engine! Break it down now :afro:

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

I love the Deus Ex series

And HL2 is linear, suck it down and play on

You know....


You likeing Deus Ex 2 is the ONLY part of ANY of your posts I have ever really disliked..

It is quite out of character.

 

[Runteh]

Non Linear games are so pointless, they are still linear in a sense that there are 3 paths that are all set.

You want a non linear game, its called real life.

I prefer linear games, you get a more cinamatic experience.

FO Deus Ex lovers...

 

[ComradeBadger]

Seriously? I love it.. gave me exactly what I wanted, granted it was a little bit short, but god forbid, it improved on Deus Ex

Anyway, let's not go off topic.

I like Half Life 2's approach to linearity, emergent gameplay they call it

 

[The_Don]

FO Deus Ex lovers...

You know, it's things like this. What the hell is that all about. People come here to discuss things and you have to come in with that. Don't turn this into another flamefest.

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

Seriously? I love it.. gave me exactly what I wanted, granted it was a little bit short, but god forbid, it improved on Deus Ex

Anyway, let's not go off topic.

I like Half Life 2's approach to linearity, emergent gameplay they call it

Heheh, I dont want to change the subject too much. But I seriously think DE2 was something of a joke in comparison with DE1. I mean it improved vastly in graphics and lighting and physics. (Physics was a bit iffy even so!)

But it simply wasnt Deus Ex any more.

It didnt have the same feel. Which I felt was one of a complex world which it was a heavy task just to understand, but still neccessery. A large world with big problems. A world where you were someone insignificant doing significant things. A world with enemys with real purposes and lives, not to mention civilians who looked and acted as if they were trying to get on with their own lives through everything else.



Whenever I played DE2 I felt like ALL of that was gone. Every bit of complexity which meant ingeniuty had gone. (Excuse spelling, I am slightly deslexic and slightly thick (Not a good combo ))

But not only that. I felt they skrewed up on the fundimentals. The controls sucked. They lagged on a 3.2ghz PC...
I had gfx glitches on a 9800 pro brand new card. I couldnt even save controls once I had realised they had taken away most of what I needed there anyway.
Another thing: The AI. In the orriginal the ai seemed stupid. But was excusably so. It wasnt so bad as to make it less fun. However...
In the sequal AI would walk into flames and act supprised when they were set alight....
Physics were a distraction... but ultimatly pointless. Something I did not expect from a game where the predecessor allowed such scope for posibilities in the game world.

And then there was the clear lazziness... Fonts were large enough for my blind gran to read... It just looked stupid. There were considerably less misc items in the world giveing the sence of the world...

My last point is that I loved stealth in the orriginal.... but It was rendered almost imposible in the sequal. Well maybe not imposible. But pointless. There were no benifits to even try.




In conclusion (Because I have run outa time and effort.) I thought the game

SUCKED!

 

[ShadowFox]

Yeah.. it will be linear, but who cares?

I'd rather have one awesome way to do things then three simply-okay ways to do things.

 

[merc]

yea it is kind of linear... but it rocks so much that it doesnt even matter really...

-merc

 

[Raptor6]

@ marksmanHL2

++
Thats what i think!
Never played dx2, only the demo...

"Scanning Area.....*mweeeee* *mweee*" *chump* *chump* *chump*
i loved it

 

[Tequila]

Sorry to rain on your parade, but Deus Ex was linear too. Although you are given multiple choices in places, you are still progressing forward by completing tasks from a start to a finish. Really, no game is completely non-linear, but I suppose the GTA series is quite close to such a fabled and misunderstood concept.

Linearity isn't evil, bad games are evil.

 

[Foxtrot]

Morrowind is a good example of a non Linear game, because to progress throught the game you could do whatever you wanted. Heck, you could just go sight seeing in the game and it is still fun.

 

[EVIL]

The story is liniar but the routes trough the levels and how you experience the story telling is up to you. I even remember something about; that you only see 40% of the game and events if you play it once. Half Life² is a Spiderweb of entry and exit points, so a map can have 5 exit points and each exit points enters a diffrent map, but 2 of those maps are connected so you get the feeling that the whole enviorment is huge so you practically can go anywhere in city 17

 

[Tequila]

Morrowind is a good example of a non Linear game, because to progress throught the game you could do whatever you wanted. Heck, you could just go sight seeing in the game and it is still fun.

Agreed, I've just started playing that and it's the most non-linear experience I've ever had with a game.

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

@ marksmanHL2

++
Thats what i think!
Never played dx2, only the demo...

"Scanning Area.....*mweeeee* *mweee*" *chump* *chump* *chump*
i loved it

Glad to hear it.


Oh and Tequila. I think we all know that to be honest. But Deus Ex let you choose out of a few set choices in the story AND it let you choose how to complete set objectives.

I consider that an achievement. Its not none linear but it is alot more so than the average stuff we get.


Note: Does not mean I dont appericiate HL and HL2s linear take on things. I believe this helps them make a better game on the whole for the same effort.

 

[Raptor6]

Sure, Dx _was_ linear, you had to get from point a to b and then to c.

But you could do it in different ways, rambo, hack the security systems, vents.

dx1 has/had all what i wanted, cool chars ( icarus/daedalus), nice enemies, cool settings, a really cool storyline with many changes and a "big" world to adventure

 

[pappy_dag]

yearh it'll be linear, but im sure it wont be quite as forcefully linear as call of duty (and god knows why but that game kicked ass)

 

[wayne white]

i agree with foxtrot 100% ,morrowind is the greatest open ended game ever,heck im still playing it,i wish hl2 were like that

 

[AJ Rimmer]

I'm hoping there's enough choice to avoid too many vents this time around