Still haven't played Portal yet. Although I did just beat HL2:E1 for the second time, and I beat a few chapters of HL2:E2. I think what we're going to do this weekend is both Rym and I will play Portal for the first time simultaneously. Perhaps a race to the end? Who knows!
Also, we need to figure out what we're all going to do with our HL2 and HL2:E1 gifts.
I half wanted to race through it to beat my flat mates time, and half of me wanted to explore. I think its best first time you go through it not to talk to each other about it, just so you get the full satisfaction of beating every puzzle yourself but that's just my personal preference. However on the Bonus Maps we did them at the same time and all that could be heard was "WHAT!!! how the hell?" retorted with "haha your going to love the next bit!" we never actually told each other how to do bits until we beat it by our self, though I did give him a few hints to stop him throwing his mouse or something. I warn you, last bonus level is a bitch all the way until you work out how to beat the gun turrets.
Speaking of which the design of the gun turrets is great, and the addition of the voices was an inspired touch.
And if you are feeling really kind I am missing Ep1 and would really like to play it...
But if you bought a new ATI card, you get "black box" which was canned from stores but still honoured by valve. In that you get TF2, Portal, Ep2, and Day of Defeat (not well documented but it installed so meh)
There for I own HL2, Ep2, Portal, TF2, Day of defeat, but no Ep1 I really don't want to start Ep2 with out completing Ep1 first.
Yeah, turrets in cages, no biggie. It's all about the strategic deployment of cubes as shields. As for 17, I spent a few minutes trying to bounce the energy ball over the shield and gave up in disgust. I'm sure I'll come back to it and hit the bouncy ball at the right angle mere seconds into the attempt, but I just felt like Ep 2 was a better expenditure of my time than some arbitrary, random deflection nonsense.
Did anyone actually buy the 360 version? I work at a Gamestop and we pretty much sold out of both versions. We have 2 preorder copies left for PC. With a lot of people calling or coming in asking for it, without a reserve, for the 360. Is the world really that lost? I can't imagine why you would want to play it on anything but a PC, and it's not like the minimum system requirements are outrageous or anything. I have a 6 year old Gateway that can handle it.
Did anyone actually buy the 360 version? I work at a Gamestop and we pretty much sold out of both versions. We have 2 preorder copies left for PC. With a lot of people calling or coming in asking for it, without a reserve, for the 360. Is the world really that lost? I can't imagine why you would want to play it on anything but a PC, and it's not like the minimum system requirements are outrageous or anything. I have a 6 year old Gateway that can handle it.
Unlike the anime and comic industries, which are stupid and don't make money because they decide to sell to nerds and only nerds, the video game industry gets it. They sell video games to everybody. The vast majority of people buying the game have never played an fps on a PC ever in their lives. Most of them probably are asking "If this is TF2, where's TF1?"
I don't know how many copies we had initially, last night I was told we sold a lot of them though. Our little box full of reserve slips was pretty full and I don't think it was for Fifa or the Final Fantasy Tactics. We had more of those left with less people asking for them, than asking for the Orange Box
Also, I know the video game industry markets towards everyone that plays games not just towards a certain demographic when releasing a game. The thing is people who call a store asking for a game 9 times out of 10 know the game. They've probably been waiting for it and when it's a lot of sequels(ep2, tf2 etc) they more likely than not played the originals. I suppose it's possible they played Half-Life 2 on the 360 or something like that, but it just seems stupid. When I think Half Life I think PC, not Xbox or Playstation.
I was listening to the keynote address from the recent Nintendo conference (translated to English) and they make it plain that the whole culture at Nintendo did a major shift when the DS came out and their new goal was to design for gamers but to design for everyone.
I was listening to the keynote address from the recent Nintendo conference (translated to English) and they make it plain that the whole culture at Nintendo did a major shift when the DS came out and their new goal was to design for gamers but to design for everyone.
Welcome to two years ago. Did you miss the whole Wii thing?
I was listening to the keynote address from the recent Nintendo conference (translated to English) and they make it plain that the whole culture at Nintendo did a major shift when the DS came out and their new goal was to design for gamers but to design for everyone.
Welcome to two years ago. Did you miss the whole Wii thing?
Yes, I was there two years ago. This was a "We did this two years ago and look at our stock price all you naysaysers," speech. Quickly followed by someone holding up a DS as it spit money out the front in large bills.
Here is the ending song, DO NOT LISTEN IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED THE GAME: Songy
I listened to the ending song. I have not finished the game. I blame Dave and Joel.
I'm fairly late on the whole Valve bandwagon, but, after playing Half-Life 2 for a little over three hours, I think it's safe to say that it is the greatest three hours I've spent playing a videogame.
Here is the ending song, DO NOT LISTEN IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED THE GAME:Songy
I listened to the ending song. I have not finished the game. I blame Dave and Joel.
I had to postpone listening to the Bioshock review until I completed the game just so I avoided any spoilers. More recently i have had to forgo one of my doses of Fast Karate for the Gentleman as its on Halo 3 which I wont get to play until the middle of next week.
Curse you Dave and Joel for being on the "cutting" "slightly blunt, yet will still cut you in a comical fashion if your stupid enough not to realize there will be spoilers in a show sporting the title of a game you have yet to play" edge of reviewing. Keep up the good work, loving the shows
Back on the topic of Orange Box, how are people getting on with the challenges? I finished all the bonus maps with only minor problems on the last one, However the timed/least steps/least portal ones are becoming difficult. Eg, the first challenge, least portals, I can get silver by doing it in 5, but doing it on 4 ?! It started driving me crazy!
After playing some Half-Life 2 on my laptop yesterday I have come to the conclusion that I am in no way ready to play TF2. My last FPS was Doom2.
In the short time I played HL2 I could not grok the controls well enough to be comfortable. I also had a lot of herk-and-jerk graphics wise on my laptop as well as artifacts around my mouse pointer on the menus.
I will create a new user-level account on my machine and turn off stuff and try again.
Is there a TF2 demo out there?Nope. Kind of hard to make a demo of a game that is only multiplayer.Battlefield 2 did it. They limited you to servers that played on only one map. There was also an offline AI-only version of the game on the same one map. It can be done, it would just be unrealistic or worth doing.
I just bought The Orange Box. All the fuss got to me and I did it.
I own HL2, don't have much interest in Ep1 or 2 as I doubt I'll ever even get through HL2 (gaming ADD FTW!), but I wanted to try portal. I prefer sitting comfortably on my couch in front of my TV so I rented a copy of Orange Box. Portal is awesome but I have to say one thing...
Portal SCREAMS "PUT ME ON THE WII!!!!!"
Actually I'll say one other thing. Add in another 20 levels and I'll happily pay $40 for a standalone version of portal on any system.
Comments
I think its best first time you go through it not to talk to each other about it, just so you get the full satisfaction of beating every puzzle yourself
However on the Bonus Maps we did them at the same time and all that could be heard was "WHAT!!! how the hell?" retorted with "haha your going to love the next bit!" we never actually told each other how to do bits until we beat it by our self, though I did give him a few hints to stop him throwing his mouse or something.
I warn you, last bonus level is a bitch all the way until you work out how to beat the gun turrets.
Speaking of which the design of the gun turrets is great, and the addition of the voices was an inspired touch.
And if you are feeling really kind I am missing Ep1 and would really like to play it...
In that you get TF2, Portal, Ep2, and Day of Defeat (not well documented but it installed so meh)
There for I own HL2, Ep2, Portal, TF2, Day of defeat, but no Ep1
Also, I know the video game industry markets towards everyone that plays games not just towards a certain demographic when releasing a game. The thing is people who call a store asking for a game 9 times out of 10 know the game. They've probably been waiting for it and when it's a lot of sequels(ep2, tf2 etc) they more likely than not played the originals. I suppose it's possible they played Half-Life 2 on the 360 or something like that, but it just seems stupid. When I think Half Life I think PC, not Xbox or Playstation.
Link - watch out for the slideshow.
Instructions:
1.) Enter-Logon/Login
2.)Username-Portal/Portals
3.)Password-Portal/Portals
4.)Enter-thecakeisalie/dir/lib/ls/apply/logoff/valve
thecakeisalie-This command brings you to a security feed of a "relaxation chamber"
dir-This command comes to a directory of the work terminal. It says there is a readable file but nothing can be opened.
lib-This command seems to bring up a list of possible commands. When entered, each one, other than dir, comes up with an error message.
ls-Brings up the same message as dir.
apply-This command brings up a long survey as if a person was applying for a job. Many questions are asked and the result is always the same.
logoff-This command sends the user back to your homepage.
valve-This command brings the user to the Valve Homepage
Kinda cool.
Password: tier 3
I found it in a hidden area in portal, and it seems to work with logon, but then ADMIN _ comes up and I can't do any more.
Hehehehe. GlaDOS.
I listened to the ending song. I have not finished the game. I blame Dave and Joel.
Curse you Dave and Joel for being on the "cutting" "slightly blunt, yet will still cut you in a comical fashion if your stupid enough not to realize there will be spoilers in a show sporting the title of a game you have yet to play" edge of reviewing.
Keep up the good work, loving the shows
Back on the topic of Orange Box, how are people getting on with the challenges? I finished all the bonus maps with only minor problems on the last one, However the timed/least steps/least portal ones are becoming difficult.
Eg, the first challenge, least portals, I can get silver by doing it in 5, but doing it on 4 ?! It started driving me crazy!
In the short time I played HL2 I could not grok the controls well enough to be comfortable. I also had a lot of herk-and-jerk graphics wise on my laptop as well as artifacts around my mouse pointer on the menus.
I will create a new user-level account on my machine and turn off stuff and try again.
Is there a TF2 demo out there?
I just bought The Orange Box. All the fuss got to me and I did it.
Portal SCREAMS "PUT ME ON THE WII!!!!!"
Actually I'll say one other thing. Add in another 20 levels and I'll happily pay $40 for a standalone version of portal on any system.
What.... the fuck? Why?
So it has something WORTH PLAYING. I think you're just craving something to justify your purchase... like me.