Xbox360 version of Orange Box.

Saturos

Saturos

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I'm thinking about getting the 360 version just so I can finally play Episode Two. I managed to get Portal to work (finally) on my PC after many long days of waiting for cache file installation and updates from Steam, and Portal I'm sure is much smaller than Episode Two.

I'm sorry fellas, but I'm going to have to be a console traitor and get my hands on the 360 version. Dial-up sucks. :P

So, what differences can I expect between the two versions of OB? Better or crappier graphics? Is the music and sound FX the same? One obvious difference of course is that I'll be stuck using a joypad, which I haven't been accustomed to using for FPS titles of late. Oh well. At least I'LL FINALLY get to play Episode Two DAMMIT! :dozey:

Oh yeah, I hate dial-up. I wish our phone company didn't suck and just give us broadband support out here in the boonies. Or at least some kind of Wi-Max wireless broadband service.

EDIT> Hopefully, I'll be able to move into civilization in the next year or two so I can take advantage of the Xbox Live services too.
 
Graphics and sound match up with the best you could expect to get on PC (I think). Controls... work. A mouse and keyboard still feel better, but it's playable with a pad.

Besides that, it's pretty much identical in every regard.
 
Bad^Hat said:
Graphics and sound match up with the best you could expect to get on PC (I think). Controls... work. A mouse and keyboard still feel better, but it's playable with a pad.

Besides that, it's pretty much identical in every regard.
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I hope so. Console devs are notorious for "dumbing down" technical specs to fit in an intensive game to meet it's minimal requirements.

I know that the version of HL2 for Xbox "180" (heh :P) dumbed down nearly everything graphically and it looked like shite from what I've heard from friends who purchased that version who also purchased the PC version later.

Thankfully, I think the 360's hardware surpasses even my PC's performance, so here's hoping.
 
You won't be missing out on anything except the controls. And mods. But you're on dial-up so I take it that's not a major concern. :P
 
Bad^Hat said:
You won't be missing out on anything except the controls. And mods. But you're on dial-up so I take it that's not a major concern. :P
Click to expand...
Nah, I just love the HL series for it's wonderful SP action and story. Most mods for HL2 are nearly always over 1GB, which is an unacceptable file size for shitty dial-up. If anything, I just go to my college library that does have broadband and hope the mods I want will all fit my 4GB thumb drive.

I just want the 360 version of OB to play EP2 because frankly, I don't have the patience to put up with Steam. Probably even if I did have broadband too.
 
If you're getting it soley for the singleplayer... you should be ok, I guess. You really lose out when it comes to TF2, but whatever, you dun care.
 
Jintor said:
If you're getting it soley for the singleplayer... you should be ok, I guess. You really lose out when it comes to TF2, but whatever, you dun care.
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Maybe one day Jintor, I will get TF2 just so I can splat your arse against the wall with a frag grenade. :> If by then you even still care about TF2 that is.

Or TF4 for that matter if your even still into gaming by then.
 
Hey at least you get HL2 with HDR and better models, as well as achievements. Both HL2 and EP1 on the 360 are on the new source engine so they will be better than the PC versions.
 
PimpinPenguin said:
Hey at least you get HL2 with HDR and better models, as well as achievements. Both HL2 and EP1 on the 360 are on the new source engine so they will be better than the PC versions.
Click to expand...
NEW SOURCE ENGINE?!?! *cremes pants*

Oh yeah, I can't wait to see the difference now. :afro:
 
PimpinPenguin said:
Hey at least you get HL2 with HDR and better models, as well as achievements. Both HL2 and EP1 on the 360 are on the new source engine so they will be better than the PC versions.
Click to expand...

I am intrigued, what exactly does this new source engine do? I run full HDR and x16 AA, so I am curious as to what it added on that I missed...
 
I have both and PC is the best. For Episode 2 and Portal it really isnt too different, except controls and slight reduction of graphics. Its TF2 where the 360 version really goes quite wrong in comparison. Games are pretty empty, glitchy lag is quite frequent and controls are sluggish in comparison. Not to mention the lack of updates which mean people are always exploiting the maps and getting above or below the map surfaces.

In conclusion. PC is best.
 
My PC was a wreck for gaming (not that I had any desire to upgrade because of lack of PC-only titles that interest me) so I got OB for my 360 and got to play through HL2 and the Episodes in top graphical form and it was mindblowing. Because my PC wasn't great I also got to play through Episode One for the first time which was awesome as well. I wouldn't be put off by the controls either because using a pad takes about a minute to adjust to, though its horses for courses on what people prefer, which is fair enough.

Of course, the TF2 community is nothing compared to the PC community but eh, I found TF2 to be very boring so it doesn't bother me too much.
 
AiM said:
I am intrigued, what exactly does this new source engine do? I run full HDR and x16 AA, so I am curious as to what it added on that I missed...
Click to expand...

Well your not getting HDR in HL2, that's not been added into the PC version. The new Source engine has better shadowing, particle effects(blood impacts), better facial animation, better HDR and motion blur. It's all the effects you get in EP2 just in HL2 and EP1 as well.
 
PimpinPenguin said:
Well your not getting HDR in HL2, that's not been added into the PC version. The new Source engine has better shadowing, particle effects(blood impacts), better facial animation, better HDR and motion blur. It's all the effects you get in EP2 just in HL2 and EP1 as well.
Click to expand...

Oh you meant HL2 and Ep. 1, I misread that thinking you included the Source engine was also updated for the Orange Box set. I only ran those settings on Ep. 2.
 
Yeah the 360 is more updated, Newell said they'd probably get it on the PC versions also but that it wasn't a priority.
 
I used to have dial up (like 3 months ago now), and I got all the OB working on my PC, I had the discs, and all I downloaded was the updates, which only took 1 night for Episode 2 and one night for Portal.. And I had slow dial-up, I'd DL at like 3.5kb/s. Theres something wrong with yours.
 
Saturos said:
Maybe one day Jintor, I will get TF2 just so I can splat your arse against the wall with a frag grenade. :> If by then you even still care about TF2 that is.

Or TF4 for that matter if your even still into gaming by then.
Click to expand...

No frag grenades in TF2.
 
The Orange Box on the 360 plays well and looks great. Get it. Get it now. Especially if you've not played Portal.

As a side note, I think it looks better on the PC, but the 360 isn't without its charms. Anyway, just ****ing get it already.
 
Well, I got the 360 version of OB, and I must say, Portal is great! The female voice, (GlaDOS?) can be pretty funny at times too. "Enhanced Truth" or, "That statement was a fabrication" LOL

The 360 version looks identical to the PC version, but I can't say the same for HL2. Probably because of my crappy standard TV. (thinking about connecting the 360 it to my monitor)
The 460p resolution is terrible. Nearly made my eyes bleed knowing how much better the PC version looked.

Also, I'm finally relieved that I dispelled the whole business about HL2's anti-aliasing artifacting too. I've noticed the 360 version suffers from the same problem, and IIRC, the 360 uses NVIDIA hardware as well. Game looks way brighter compared to the PC version too. I can't even make out any detail on the combine computer monitors it's so bright. This probably has to do with the new engine used for this version, plus HDR, ammirite?

Oh yes, the default joypad controls SUCKS for HL2. Still trying to find out if I can reconfigure the grab button to the right trigger instead of the X button. Really an awkward place for that.

Sadly, I know Episode 2 is probably better enjoyed on the PC. (I already have HL2 and Episode 1 for PC) Unfortunately as I stated, I'm not going to wrestle with Steam with countless updates over shitty dial-up. (Also a shame that my PC could easily handle any Valve games at high settings) I guess the gods of the internets spared me when I somehow managed to download HL2 and EP1 .

Damn sure was worth it for Portal though. A very interesting experience, and the joypad controls is hardly an encumbrance compared to the HL2 port.
 
I was thrilled with how well it transferred to the 360. It felt natural on a gamepad, which is obviously no easy task for a FPS. The graphics, while obviously not as sharp as they would be on a high end PC set to a crazy resolution, look pretty damn nice.
 
mastag said:
I was thrilled with how well it transferred to the 360. It felt natural on a gamepad, which is obviously no easy task for a FPS. The graphics, while obviously not as sharp as they would be on a high end PC set to a crazy resolution, look pretty damn nice.
Click to expand...
I just played Episode 2 and to be frank, there was times (such as the first ant lion standoff to protect the Vortigaunt) that made me think, "gee this would be much easier with a mouse and keyboard"
I'm used to having a very sensitive mouse and quick keyboard access to my weapons/inventory and the joypad reaction and sensitivity just feels as cumbersome as a tank in comparison.
Proof that FPSs belong on the PC tbh.

Oh yeah, other than the HDR effects, the graphics for HL2 and Episode 1 sucked compared to the PC version too.
I'll guess I'll just play it for Episode 2 and Portal and play HL2 and Episode 1 on my PC.
Episode 2 didn't seem to suffer as bad in the graphics department as the original HL2 did, but maybe that's because I haven't seen the PC version of Episode 2 yet.

Looks WAY better on my PC and monitor.
 
Did you get OB for PC or just Portal and Ep.1? You could just leave the downloads on overnight otherwise. Something I used to do those many years ago when I still suffered at the hands of 56k (or 46.6k as my gimped shiz was).
 
They're probably playing it on a regular TV. Having played HL2/episodes/Portal on PC and 360 using the same LCD monitor, I can honestly say that the 360 version looks identical, if not better because of the engine updates. The only reason it might look worse is because of slightly lower resolution (goddamnit MS, add support for 1440x900 already), and possibly aliasing.
 
Bad^Hat said:
They're probably playing it on a regular TV. Having played HL2/episodes/Portal on PC and 360 using the same LCD monitor, I can honestly say that the 360 version looks identical, if not better because of the engine updates. The only reason it might look worse is because of slightly lower resolution (goddamnit MS, add support for 1440x900 already), and possibly aliasing.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm using a standard TV. Thinking about getting a cable so that I can connect to my PC monitor.
 
Ah, it does look kind of crap on a standard TV. I play it on my HD.
 
My PC is a lump of crap, and it was wonderful to be able to play HL2, etc. on full graphics. Hope ye enjoy OB. :thumbs: I only hope that by the time Ep3 is released I will have a better PC, if only for the better controls.

Also Saturos, if you have a HDTV, connect your 360 up to that :D
 
Atomic_Piggy said:
My PC is a lump of crap, and it was wonderful to be able to play HL2, etc. on full graphics. Hope ye enjoy OB. :thumbs: I only hope that by the time Ep3 is released I will have a better PC, if only for the better controls.

Also Saturos, if you have a HDTV, connect your 360 up to that :D
Click to expand...
Thank you Piggy. Yeah, joypad controls are a bummer for FPSs like HL2.

Portal's control's were surprisingly perfect on the other hand. I guess it's because of the more puzzle-like nature of the game.

BTW, why do some games like Bioshock look perfectly fine on standard 460p, yet others like HL2 look like crap? Was it because Source games weren't primarily designed to run at such a low resolution? Also, anti-aliasing does not hold a candle to my AA settings for PC HL2 either.

I guess it'll mostly be fixed once I try connecting the 360 to my LCD ViewSonic though.
 
Samon said:
Ah, it does look kind of crap on a standard TV. I play it on my HD.
Click to expand...
Strangely, After playing EP2 on a standard TV, I realized the graphics don't look much different at all compared to the PC version of HL2 on an LCD. In fact, it looked almost just as good.

Then why does the 360 version of the original HL2 look like shite on a standard TV and not EP2? :|

BTW, I thoroughly enjoyed EP2. Even with a joypad.
 
GreatBlackthorn said:
Hold on Saturos, don't you always say there's nothing wrong with SD?
Click to expand...
I changed my mind. :p

I've come to the conclusion some games can handle lower resolutions better than others and vice versa. That's why I removed it from my sig too.

For example, after playing GTA IV on both SD and it's native Hi-def 720p, SD seemed to work just fine for me. 1080i really sucked though.

HL2 on the other hand. Uhg.
 
Saturos said:
I changed my mind. :p

I've come to the conclusion some games can handle lower resolutions better than others and vice versa. That's why I removed it from my sig too.

For example, after playing GTA IV on both SD and it's native Hi-def 720p, SD seemed to work just fine for me. 1080i really sucked though.

HL2 on the other hand. Uhg.
Click to expand...
So when are you gonna join the shiny world of high definition?
 
Why do you still have 56k if I may ask?
Unless you live in a town that doesn't have DSL/Cable...I mean DSl is like only $10 bucks then 56k I think
 
unozero said:
Why do you still have 56k if I may ask?
Unless you live in a town that doesn't have DSL/Cable...I mean DSl is like only $10 bucks then 56k I think
Click to expand...
That's just it. I don't even live in a town. I live in the back-country wilderness just on the outskirts of a major city. It sucks, but one day.

At least I can piss out in the backyard without anyone noticing though. :E
 
I know someone off in a remote, mountainous part of Ireland who has satellite broadband, freakin' fast too, but expensive to match.
 
DEATHMASTER said:
I'm surprised you even have dial up
Click to expand...
Dial-up uses phone lines, not a dedicated connection like DSL/cable, so as long as the wilderness in question is not in some third-world country, everybody should at least have access to dial-up.

EDIT> Well, cable isn't exactly a dedicated service either really, but everyone wants phones and power. That's what makes dial-up so versatile and affordable.

GreatBlackthorn said:
I know someone off in a remote, mountainous part of Ireland who has satellite broadband, freakin' fast too, but expensive to match.
Click to expand...
Probably a Wi-max wireless service. Heard it was great, but requires the county/province to have a tower built in the area. Heard the service was affordable too.

Too bad the county I live in sucks. :(

There's also broadband via satellite, but is expensive as hell and not really true broadband speeds compared to DSL, or so I've heard from people who have it.
 
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