X06: (XBox 360 Versions) Half-Life 2 and Portal Impressions + holy shit the price....

DigiQ8

DigiQ8

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Gamespot

Currently scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2007, Half-Life 2: Episode Two (working title) for the Xbox 360 is a compilation of five games that, believe it or not, will retail for the price of one.
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That's right, the Xbox 360 version of Half-Life 2 boasts visual enhancements that are available only in the subsequent episodic content on the PC, so regardless of how powerful your PC setup is, the Xbox 360 game will look better.
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Valve's focus for X06 was clearly on Portal, so that's the game that we spent the bulk of our meeting checking out.
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The portal gun can be used on any concrete surface, so although many of the levels in Portal feature surfaces that you can't pass through in places, you'll pretty much have the freedom to move between any two surfaces that you have a line of sight to from your current position.
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Worthy of note is that Portal features an autosave feature that kicks in every time you solve a significant part of a puzzle. The thinking behind this is that once you've gone to the trouble of figuring out and completing a puzzle (some of which require split-second reflexes), you probably won't want to do it again.
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we came away feeling suitably impressed with what must surely be one of the best value-for-money offerings on any release schedule right now. It's unfortunate that we didn't get to see anything of the other three games, and of Team Fortress 2 in particular, but rest assured that we'll bring you more information as soon as it becomes available.
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From IGN :
Perhaps the best part of the entire show was the front-end menu, where you can choose between Half-Life 2, Episode One, Episode Two, Portal and Team Fortress Two. We didn't even play the game but seeing five pieces of awesome content on one disc made me more excited than the old Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt cartridge. Decisions, decisions.
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:bounce:
 
5 games, what the hell is he talking about? Portal, Ep2, TF2?.... 3?
 
Half-Life 2 + Episode One + Episode Two + Team Fortress 2 + Portal
 
DigiQ8 said:
That's right, the Xbox 360 version of Half-Life 2 boasts visual enhancements that are available only in the subsequent episodic content on the PC, so regardless of how powerful your PC setup is, the Xbox 360 game will look better.
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Will Valve add developments in Episodes to older games in PC? We know the "harder than hard" difficulty setting will be added to Half Life 2 and EpOne, why not visual enhancements? Would that be too much work?
 
I Remember they said they couldnt add the HDR to HL2
itll be a 5GB update or something like that, if they decided to update
 
DigiQ8 said:
I Remember they said they couldnt add the HDR to HL2
itll be a 5GB update or something like that, if they decided to update
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I see. Maybe they'll do it with a special edition after the episodes are over, HL2+EP1,2,3 bundled. I hate it when consoles get our (PCs) best games but we don't get theirs.
 
I REALLY wish hl2 (pc) would be getting this update... interesting news nevertheless!
 
The price is not really a surprise, It's only the same as the Half-Life Generations packs of yore. I'm surprised that a PC equivilent hasn't already come along actually. Also, the pack seems to lack CS:Source and HL2: Deathmatch. Even Lost Coast (unless of course, the Lost Coast is going to find its way back into the main game...). Perhaps Valve plan a CS / DoD standalone pack at some point. Or Live Marketplace or something.

As for the update to HL2 PC, I don't really see their excuse. All they need to do is make it optional, and release replacement chapters one by one or something.

edit: That and I'm not actually 100% convinced that they have improved the Graphics from Gamespot's words. "the lighting and particle effects were noticeably superior to those on the PC, and the water in the storm drain boasted a great reflection of the aforementioned enemy as it flew overhead." We can only take their word for the first part, and as they seem to think that full-world reflections are new in Source, perhaps we shouldn't be taking their word for it after all?
 
Pfft screw the PC to hell, I would rather only spend £230 for a 360, not have to upgrade at all, get most of the games the pc release anyway (including rts's believe it or not) and have each one run perfectly, AND, now get HL2+EP1+EP2+TF2+Portal for the price of one game?! Thats a definite tick on the 360 for xmas...
 
can we play 360 with a mouse and a keyboard?
for a fps you need precision and reflexes, not easy with some pad
 
Well they are or have already, released Battle for Middle Earth on the 360, and everyone of the 360 game reviewers said that it was as easy to control with game pad as it was with a mouse, I couldn't believe it at first, but my mate has the demo on his, I played it, and low and behold, within two minutes of playing, it was just as fluent as using the mouse.
 
Warcraft, Starcraft and World of Warcraft. I'll stick to Pc but i definitely agree with you Shift, XBox360 seems to be a great choice nowadays.
 
Shift said:
AND, now get HL2+EP1+EP2+TF2+Portal for the price of one game?!
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Insane crazy! They're practically giving away the game we all played 2 years ago!

There'll be an equivilent PC package upon release as well, and that'll be available for PC retail prices.

Come to think of it, "the price of one" X360 game isn't THAT impressive. RRP is mostly £15 on the PC RRP (£35 versus £50). For your £50 RRP you'd be getting what? A two year old game, 1 standalone episode and the episode two pack. HL2 should really be a budget title, that's £10. Episode 1 is £10. That leaves £30 for the price of the Episode 2 pack. Not such a surprise when we total it up is it? The 360 package will be priced very similarly to what it costs to get HL2 on PC, even if they don't go and do a specific PC bundle of that nature.
 
Ahh but it is a very good offer, PC owners will get EP2+TF2+Portal for the price of one game whereas 260 get that plus EP1+HL2, Half-Life 2 may be a two year old game, but its still a debut on the xbox 360 at should rightfully be fully priced, but it isn't. Many people who own the 360 may not have even played any of the Half-Life 2 games, and now they will be able to get all of that for the price of one game? Yes, it is insane as you put it.
 
Shift said:
Ahh but it is a very good offer, PC owners will get EP2+TF2+Portal for the price of one game whereas 260 get that plus EP1+HL2, Half-Life 2 may be a two year old game, but its still a debut on the xbox 360 at should rightfully be fully priced, but it isn't. Many people who own the 360 may not have even played any of the Half-Life 2 games, and now they will be able to get all of that for the price of one game? Yes, it is insane as you put it.
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Plus they will get visual enchanments for that 2 years old game, which PC owners don't. It's a steal!
 
No need to worry.

Me:
Hi Gabe, I just read this article about HL2 at X06 and I noticed the part that says: "That's right, the Xbox 360 version of Half-Life 2 boasts visual enhancements that are available only in the subsequent episodic content on the PC, so regardless of how powerful your PC setup is, the Xbox 360 game will look better."

My question is: Since Valve is retrofitting HL2 with all this great stuff, will you bring the updated version to the PC? I think it would be great to play HL2 with all the Phong shading and rim lighting of EP1, the better particle effects and everything else from EP2, and the new skins on stuff like the Vorts. Maybe even HDR, since you guys have apparently converted the main game to have it on the 360?

Thanks, and I'm really looking forward to EP2, TF2, and Portal!
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Gabe:
Eventually, yes.
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Valve! Don't let the console fools have our precious gaaaammmmeees! *Refuses to share*
 
Thanks Fuhrer!

His answer implies that it won't be with Ep2 right?
 
If EA get the marketing sorted for this, which they most likely will - Halo is in for a fight.
 
Bargain :)

The new lighting is impressive (from the few vids i've seen) and HL2 running on a fat screen is going to look superb \o/

Every day I see less reason to upgrade my pc.
 
I`d still much rather play HL2 with a mouse and keyboard, than I would on a pad with a few HDR effects.
 
There's something... inelegant... about even thinking of playing HL2 and associated games on a console, even if it is the XBox 360. I think I just don't like shooters on consoles...
 
Yeah FPS's will always reign supreme on PC even if they do crash at times :(
 
Shift said:
Ahh but it is a very good offer, PC owners will get EP2+TF2+Portal for the price of one game whereas 260 get that plus EP1+HL2
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If EA doesn't come out with an equivilent HL2,Ep1,Ep2,Portal,TF2 for a standard and thus lower PC retail price: I will eat my own arse.
Shift said:
Half-Life 2 may be a two year old game, but its still a debut on the xbox 360 at should rightfully be fully priced, but it isn't.
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Ahh! Another graduate from Nintendo buisness 101: "how to sell ports of your titles 10 years down the line with minimal enhancement and a full asking price". It should not be full asking price. It's an old game, and to price it fully would be to undermine sales with a PC version that is still widely available, and going for £30 less.
 
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