• Re: Half-Life 3 Confirmed! For real!

    From JAB@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Mon Nov 4 08:54:44 2024
    On 03/11/2024 16:05, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    Honestly, despite this post, I can't really say I'm that_excited_
    about this project. I'm done and over with "Half Life"; it just
    doesn't excite me anymore. If it ever does come out 'for real', it
    isn't a must-buy for me; that time has passed. Still, it's expected
    release has been a running joke for so long (it's been 20 years since
    "Half Life 2" came out!) that I can hardly be expected to_not_
    comment on any news about it. 😉

    I kinda agree, I love HL:1+2 but times, including my tastes, have moved
    on. I really enjoyed Black Mesa but no where near as much as the original.

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  • From Ross Ridge@21:1/5 to gmkeros@gmail.com on Sun Nov 10 16:11:34 2024
    Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:
    Humm... I never tried it, but I assumed it would work at least with >short-sighted people, considering the monitors are right in front of
    your eyes? Or am I completely off mark there?

    VR headsets come with lenses that change the eyes' focus point to be
    distant (about 1.5m is typical I beleive), which is more comfortable
    for people. Near-sighted people need to either wear their glasses or
    get prescription lens inserts.

    --
    l/ // Ross Ridge -- The Great HTMU
    [oo][oo] rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca
    -()-/()/ http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca:11068/
    db //

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  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to Ross Ridge on Mon Nov 11 01:40:03 2024
    Ross Ridge <rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> wrote at 16:11 this Sunday (GMT):
    Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:
    Humm... I never tried it, but I assumed it would work at least with >>short-sighted people, considering the monitors are right in front of
    your eyes? Or am I completely off mark there?

    VR headsets come with lenses that change the eyes' focus point to be
    distant (about 1.5m is typical I beleive), which is more comfortable
    for people. Near-sighted people need to either wear their glasses or
    get prescription lens inserts.


    So that's why! Neat!
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

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  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to JAB on Mon Nov 4 12:30:06 2024
    JAB <noway@nochance.com> wrote at 08:54 this Monday (GMT):
    On 03/11/2024 16:05, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    Honestly, despite this post, I can't really say I'm that_excited_
    about this project. I'm done and over with "Half Life"; it just
    doesn't excite me anymore. If it ever does come out 'for real', it
    isn't a must-buy for me; that time has passed. Still, it's expected
    release has been a running joke for so long (it's been 20 years since
    "Half Life 2" came out!) that I can hardly be expected to_not_
    comment on any news about it. 😉

    I kinda agree, I love HL:1+2 but times, including my tastes, have moved
    on. I really enjoyed Black Mesa but no where near as much as the original.


    I've never actually beaten either HL game..
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

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  • From Zaghadka@21:1/5 to Kyonshi on Mon Nov 4 11:40:01 2024
    On Mon, 4 Nov 2024 12:11:06 +0100, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Kyonshi wrote:

    On 11/3/2024 5:05 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    No, really!

    Okay, not really. But almost, sorta, if you squint.

    While Valve remains silent on the issue, fans are not so patient. And
    fan-mod "Project Borealis", based on the leaked plot for HL3 (or,
    potentially, HL2 Episode 3) just got its own Steam page*, indicating
    its coming close to release.

    [Well, technically it's for the "Prologue" which is intended
    as a sort of demo. There's no known release date for the
    full game... yet.]

    Will it be any good? Who's to say? The project is using the Unreal 5
    Engine, which seems almost sacrilegious, and what little is shown on
    that page isn't particularly jaw-dropping. It looks a bit more
    cartoony than the Half Life games normally are, in my opinion. But
    "Black Mesa" showed off how dedicated fans can be to making Half Life
    look good, so I'm optimistic.

    [On the other hand, there's always "Hunt Down The Freeman"
    as a counter-example]

    Honestly, despite this post, I can't really say I'm that _excited_
    about this project. I'm done and over with "Half Life"; it just
    doesn't excite me anymore. If it ever does come out 'for real', it
    isn't a must-buy for me; that time has passed. Still, it's expected
    release has been a running joke for so long (it's been 20 years since
    "Half Life 2" came out!) that I can hardly be expected to _not_
    comment on any news about it. ;-)




    * here it is:
    https://store.steampowered.com/app/2215490/Project_Borealis_Prologue/




    Yeah, but what about Full Life? Are we bound to never experience that?

    (I ask on usenet...)

    Full Life is double Half Life! Are you saying we're getting both HL3
    *and* HL4?

    --
    Zag

    No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
    spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

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  • From Ant@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Mon Nov 4 22:49:41 2024
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
    On Mon, 4 Nov 2024 12:30:06 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07 <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:

    JAB <noway@nochance.com> wrote at 08:54 this Monday (GMT):
    On 03/11/2024 16:05, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    Honestly, despite this post, I can't really say I'm that_excited_
    about this project. I'm done and over with "Half Life"; it just
    doesn't excite me anymore. If it ever does come out 'for real', it
    isn't a must-buy for me; that time has passed. Still, it's expected
    release has been a running joke for so long (it's been 20 years since
    "Half Life 2" came out!) that I can hardly be expected to_not_
    comment on any news about it. ?

    I kinda agree, I love HL:1+2 but times, including my tastes, have moved
    on. I really enjoyed Black Mesa but no where near as much as the original.


    I've never actually beaten either HL game..

    I'd actually recommend the original "Half Life"; I think it still
    holds up pretty well both as a game and as an experience. The visuals
    can be a bit rough (oh god, Barney, what's with your face?!?) so
    you'll need to get past that, but if you can (and you enjoy the style
    of cinematic FPS that "Half Life" helped invent) then I think it
    remains a very playable game.

    I'm less enured with "Half Life 2". Visually it was quite a treat back
    in 2004, and it helped to usher in modern physics engines in
    video-games, but the story just wasn't as interesting or relatable,
    and the gameplay was rather humdrum. (It had a number of really boring
    bits, like the boat-ride and the prison). The later episodic DLC
    improved things (Episode 2 added some much needed characterization),
    but it's still the lesser of the two games overall.

    I'm of mixed feelings about "Black Mesa", the semi-official "Half Life
    1" remake. Visually, it's quite good looking, and it mostly recaptures
    the feel of the first game. At least, it does with the portions on
    Earth (the Xen levels, which take place in the second half of the
    game) are very different. But overall, the devs 'amped up' the
    gameplay just a bit too much for my liking; the original "Half Life"
    was a bit slower and had better balance between the quiet moments and
    the action; "Black Mesa" is like playing "Half Life 1" at 1.25 speed.

    [That said, I played Black Mesa shortly after release, and
    it's been under continual development since then so maybe
    that's changed]


    All IMHO and YMMV, obviously. Taste in games is all subjective, after
    all.;-)

    I loved all of those. Same for Opposing Force, Blue Shift, HL2's episodes,
    etc. I haven't played that VR one though.

    --
    "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." --Proverbs 11:4. Pls vote in https://antsqualityforagedlinks.blogspot.com/2024/10/its-time-to-vote-again.html. Poopy Monday mawny!
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  • From PW@21:1/5 to spallshurgenson@gmail.com on Mon Nov 4 18:52:03 2024
    On Sun, 03 Nov 2024 11:05:42 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:


    No, really!

    Okay, not really. But almost, sorta, if you squint.

    While Valve remains silent on the issue, fans are not so patient. And
    fan-mod "Project Borealis", based on the leaked plot for HL3 (or, >potentially, HL2 Episode 3) just got its own Steam page*, indicating
    its coming close to release.

    [Well, technically it's for the "Prologue" which is intended
    as a sort of demo. There's no known release date for the
    full game... yet.]

    Will it be any good? Who's to say? The project is using the Unreal 5
    Engine, which seems almost sacrilegious, and what little is shown on
    that page isn't particularly jaw-dropping. It looks a bit more
    cartoony than the Half Life games normally are, in my opinion. But
    "Black Mesa" showed off how dedicated fans can be to making Half Life
    look good, so I'm optimistic.

    [On the other hand, there's always "Hunt Down The Freeman"
    as a counter-example]

    Honestly, despite this post, I can't really say I'm that _excited_
    about this project. I'm done and over with "Half Life"; it just
    doesn't excite me anymore. If it ever does come out 'for real', it
    isn't a must-buy for me; that time has passed. Still, it's expected
    release has been a running joke for so long (it's been 20 years since
    "Half Life 2" came out!) that I can hardly be expected to _not_
    comment on any news about it. ;-)




    * here it is: >https://store.steampowered.com/app/2215490/Project_Borealis_Prologue/


    *--

    Wishlisted it hehe

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  • From Dimensional Traveler@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Tue Nov 5 07:20:29 2024
    On 11/4/2024 9:53 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    On Mon, 4 Nov 2024 12:11:06 +0100, Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 11/3/2024 5:05 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    No, really!
    Okay, not really. But almost, sorta, if you squint.

    * here it is:
    https://store.steampowered.com/app/2215490/Project_Borealis_Prologue/


    Yeah, but what about Full Life? Are we bound to never experience that?

    (I ask on usenet...)

    Damn it, you beat me to it! You can't do the set-up like that and then
    answer it yourself! It's not fair! ;-)

    Seriously, even though it's an old joke, +10 internet points for the
    snark.



    I'm still waiting for somebody to (rightfully) bitch about my
    click-baity headline though.

    Click bait headlines are the norm.

    --
    I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
    dirty old man.

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  • From Ant@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Wed Nov 6 01:48:03 2024
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
    On Mon, 04 Nov 2024 22:49:41 +0000, ant@zimage.comANT (Ant) wrote:

    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
    On Mon, 4 Nov 2024 12:30:06 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07
    <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:

    JAB <noway@nochance.com> wrote at 08:54 this Monday (GMT):
    On 03/11/2024 16:05, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    Honestly, despite this post, I can't really say I'm that_excited_
    about this project. I'm done and over with "Half Life"; it just
    doesn't excite me anymore. If it ever does come out 'for real', it
    isn't a must-buy for me; that time has passed. Still, it's expected
    release has been a running joke for so long (it's been 20 years since >> >>> "Half Life 2" came out!) that I can hardly be expected to_not_
    comment on any news about it. ?

    I kinda agree, I love HL:1+2 but times, including my tastes, have moved >> >> on. I really enjoyed Black Mesa but no where near as much as the original.


    I've never actually beaten either HL game..

    I'd actually recommend the original "Half Life"; I think it still
    holds up pretty well both as a game and as an experience. The visuals
    can be a bit rough (oh god, Barney, what's with your face?!?) so
    you'll need to get past that, but if you can (and you enjoy the style
    of cinematic FPS that "Half Life" helped invent) then I think it
    remains a very playable game.

    I'm less enured with "Half Life 2". Visually it was quite a treat back
    in 2004, and it helped to usher in modern physics engines in
    video-games, but the story just wasn't as interesting or relatable,
    and the gameplay was rather humdrum. (It had a number of really boring
    bits, like the boat-ride and the prison). The later episodic DLC
    improved things (Episode 2 added some much needed characterization),
    but it's still the lesser of the two games overall.

    I'm of mixed feelings about "Black Mesa", the semi-official "Half Life
    1" remake. Visually, it's quite good looking, and it mostly recaptures
    the feel of the first game. At least, it does with the portions on
    Earth (the Xen levels, which take place in the second half of the
    game) are very different. But overall, the devs 'amped up' the
    gameplay just a bit too much for my liking; the original "Half Life"
    was a bit slower and had better balance between the quiet moments and
    the action; "Black Mesa" is like playing "Half Life 1" at 1.25 speed.

    [That said, I played Black Mesa shortly after release, and
    it's been under continual development since then so maybe
    that's changed]


    All IMHO and YMMV, obviously. Taste in games is all subjective, after
    all.;-)

    I loved all of those. Same for Opposing Force, Blue Shift, HL2's episodes, >etc.

    Oh, don't mistake me. I generally enjoyed the games overall. But some
    are definitely better than others. The original "Half Life" stands
    tall amongst its peers; "Half Life 2", not so much. "Black Mesa" and
    the various expansions are somewhere in between.

    But if you're new to the franchise and therefore have no nostalgia or connection to the series? It'd be hard for me to recommend HL2, for
    instance. Compared to modern titles (and even some of its
    contemporaries) it doesn't really stand out. The original "Half Life"
    was revolutionary and deserves a play-through. The latter games rely
    heavily on that influence to make them worth playing.

    TL;DR: we all should go replay the original "Half Life" now. ;-)

    Black Mesa was basically a replay of the original. It was nice and fun. :-)


    I haven't played that VR one though.

    Just a note: there's a mod to play the "Half Life: Alyx" (a.k.a.,
    "that VR one") without using a VR headset. Don't be tempted. It
    seriously downgrades the experience to the point where it's really not
    a very good game.

    Of course, that's only to be expected, since you're ripping out core functionality. But if you're tempted to experience the game and don't
    have a VR headset, just watch somebody play it on YouTube or
    something. You'll get a much better appreciation of what the game is
    about than trying it without the headset.

    I don't like wearing the VR stuff. :( I'll wait for the holodeck version. :-P --
    "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." --Matthew 11:5. Pls vote in https://antsqualityforagedlinks.blogspot.com/2024/10/its-time-to-vote-
    again.html 4 its USA's election. Crazy NFL game last nite with unstoppable Chiefs.
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  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Tue Nov 12 22:20:07 2024
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote at 18:57 this Tuesday (GMT):

    Project: Borealis - Prologue https://store.steampowered.com/app/2215490/Project_Borealis_Prologue/


    And it's out. What the heck, I grabbed it (it's free!) and am
    downloading it as I write. I'll at least give it a look and see if my
    first impressions is more "Episode 2" or if I get a whiff of "Hunt
    Down The Freeman".


    Aw man, it's Windows only? :(
    At least its free, so I can test it on Proton.
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

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  • From JAB@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Wed Nov 6 10:18:17 2024
    On 05/11/2024 16:00, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    Oh, don't mistake me. I generally enjoyed the games overall. But some
    are definitely better than others. The original "Half Life" stands
    tall amongst its peers; "Half Life 2", not so much. "Black Mesa" and
    the various expansions are somewhere in between.

    But if you're new to the franchise and therefore have no nostalgia or connection to the series? It'd be hard for me to recommend HL2, for
    instance. Compared to modern titles (and even some of its
    contemporaries) it doesn't really stand out. The original "Half Life"
    was revolutionary and deserves a play-through. The latter games rely
    heavily on that influence to make them worth playing.

    TL;DR: we all should go replay the original "Half Life" now. 😉

    I think they did a good job with Black Mesa as instead of trying to just replicate HL:1 in the source engine they instead went for keep the
    essence of it but tighten up some of the levels and also remove some of
    the more frustrating aspects (jumping anyone?). On a Rail no longer
    drags and the finale of Blast Pit isn't an exercise in quick save/reload
    until you finish it.

    HL:2 obviously didn't standout as much as HL:1 but I still think it's a
    good example of how giving levels a different feel keeps the interest
    going. Another more minor aspect I like about it is how it's a tutorial
    through play instead of press this key messages. Who didn't like getting
    used to the gravity gun by playing fetch with dog?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JAB@21:1/5 to Dimensional Traveler on Wed Nov 6 11:05:28 2024
    On 05/11/2024 15:20, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
    On 11/4/2024 9:53 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    On Mon, 4 Nov 2024 12:11:06 +0100, Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 11/3/2024 5:05 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    No, really!
    Okay, not really. But almost, sorta, if you squint.

    * here it is:
    https://store.steampowered.com/app/2215490/Project_Borealis_Prologue/


    Yeah, but what about Full Life? Are we bound to never experience that?

    (I ask on usenet...)

    Damn it, you beat me to it! You can't do the set-up like that and then
    answer it yourself! It's not fair! ;-)

    Seriously, even though it's an old joke, +10 internet points for the
    snark.



    I'm still waiting for somebody to (rightfully) bitch about my
    click-baity headline though.

    Click bait headlines are the norm.


    Yep although I have seen content creators basically saying if they don't
    do it then you just don't get the views. There's also those that they
    feel 'pressured' into covering the big games instead of what they'd
    actually like to cover. Why bother covering a indie TT game with an
    in-depth review when you can get twenty times more clicks by making one
    titled The New Version of WH40K is Crap and WG Are a Bunch of Crooks!

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  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to Ant on Wed Nov 6 19:00:04 2024
    Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 01:48 this Wednesday (GMT):
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
    [snip]
    Of course, that's only to be expected, since you're ripping out core
    functionality. But if you're tempted to experience the game and don't
    have a VR headset, just watch somebody play it on YouTube or
    something. You'll get a much better appreciation of what the game is
    about than trying it without the headset.

    I don't like wearing the VR stuff. :( I'll wait for the holodeck version. :-P


    Is it too big for you?
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

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  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Wed Nov 6 19:00:03 2024
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote at 15:48 this Monday (GMT):
    On Mon, 4 Nov 2024 12:30:06 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07
    <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:

    JAB <noway@nochance.com> wrote at 08:54 this Monday (GMT):
    On 03/11/2024 16:05, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    Honestly, despite this post, I can't really say I'm that_excited_
    about this project. I'm done and over with "Half Life"; it just
    doesn't excite me anymore. If it ever does come out 'for real', it
    isn't a must-buy for me; that time has passed. Still, it's expected
    release has been a running joke for so long (it's been 20 years since
    "Half Life 2" came out!) that I can hardly be expected to_not_
    comment on any news about it. ?

    I kinda agree, I love HL:1+2 but times, including my tastes, have moved
    on. I really enjoyed Black Mesa but no where near as much as the original. >>

    I've never actually beaten either HL game..

    I'd actually recommend the original "Half Life"; I think it still
    holds up pretty well both as a game and as an experience. The visuals
    can be a bit rough (oh god, Barney, what's with your face?!?) so
    you'll need to get past that, but if you can (and you enjoy the style
    of cinematic FPS that "Half Life" helped invent) then I think it
    remains a very playable game.

    I'm less enured with "Half Life 2". Visually it was quite a treat back
    in 2004, and it helped to usher in modern physics engines in
    video-games, but the story just wasn't as interesting or relatable,
    and the gameplay was rather humdrum. (It had a number of really boring
    bits, like the boat-ride and the prison). The later episodic DLC
    improved things (Episode 2 added some much needed characterization),
    but it's still the lesser of the two games overall.

    I'm of mixed feelings about "Black Mesa", the semi-official "Half Life
    1" remake. Visually, it's quite good looking, and it mostly recaptures
    the feel of the first game. At least, it does with the portions on
    Earth (the Xen levels, which take place in the second half of the
    game) are very different. But overall, the devs 'amped up' the
    gameplay just a bit too much for my liking; the original "Half Life"
    was a bit slower and had better balance between the quiet moments and
    the action; "Black Mesa" is like playing "Half Life 1" at 1.25 speed.

    [That said, I played Black Mesa shortly after release, and
    it's been under continual development since then so maybe
    that's changed]


    All IMHO and YMMV, obviously. Taste in games is all subjective, after
    all.;-)


    I have both on steam, I just haven't beaten them ^^
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Zaghadka@21:1/5 to All on Wed Nov 6 18:42:06 2024
    On Wed, 6 Nov 2024 10:18:17 +0000, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, JAB
    wrote:

    On 05/11/2024 16:00, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    Oh, don't mistake me. I generally enjoyed the games overall. But some
    are definitely better than others. The original "Half Life" stands
    tall amongst its peers; "Half Life 2", not so much. "Black Mesa" and
    the various expansions are somewhere in between.

    But if you're new to the franchise and therefore have no nostalgia or
    connection to the series? It'd be hard for me to recommend HL2, for
    instance. Compared to modern titles (and even some of its
    contemporaries) it doesn't really stand out. The original "Half Life"
    was revolutionary and deserves a play-through. The latter games rely
    heavily on that influence to make them worth playing.

    TL;DR: we all should go replay the original "Half Life" now. ?

    I think they did a good job with Black Mesa as instead of trying to just >replicate HL:1 in the source engine they instead went for keep the
    essence of it but tighten up some of the levels and also remove some of
    the more frustrating aspects (jumping anyone?). On a Rail no longer
    drags and the finale of Blast Pit isn't an exercise in quick save/reload >until you finish it.

    HL:2 obviously didn't standout as much as HL:1 but I still think it's a
    good example of how giving levels a different feel keeps the interest
    going. Another more minor aspect I like about it is how it's a tutorial >through play instead of press this key messages. Who didn't like getting
    used to the gravity gun by playing fetch with dog?

    IMO, HL2 put its graphics so far ahead of level design that levels were extremely limited and it became essentially a corridor shooter, with a
    few open levels that didn't go anywhere except to another corridor.

    It was very impressive to look at, at the time, but the gameplay was wash
    rinse repeat. So it aged very poorly.

    --
    Zag

    No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
    spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Zaghadka@21:1/5 to All on Wed Nov 6 18:43:07 2024
    On Wed, 6 Nov 2024 11:05:28 +0000, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, JAB
    wrote:

    On 05/11/2024 15:20, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
    On 11/4/2024 9:53 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    On Mon, 4 Nov 2024 12:11:06 +0100, Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 11/3/2024 5:05 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    No, really!
    Okay, not really. But almost, sorta, if you squint.

    * here it is:
    https://store.steampowered.com/app/2215490/Project_Borealis_Prologue/


    Yeah, but what about Full Life? Are we bound to never experience that?

    (I ask on usenet...)

    Damn it, you beat me to it! You can't do the set-up like that and then
    answer it yourself! It's not fair! ;-)

    Seriously, even though it's an old joke, +10 internet points for the
    snark.



    I'm still waiting for somebody to (rightfully) bitch about my
    click-baity headline though.

    Click bait headlines are the norm.


    Yep although I have seen content creators basically saying if they don't
    do it then you just don't get the views. There's also those that they
    feel 'pressured' into covering the big games instead of what they'd
    actually like to cover. Why bother covering a indie TT game with an
    in-depth review when you can get twenty times more clicks by making one >titled The New Version of WH40K is Crap and WG Are a Bunch of Crooks!

    LCD, and it doesn't stand for Liquid Crystal Display.

    --
    Zag

    No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
    spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ant@21:1/5 to candycanearter07@candycanearter07.n on Thu Nov 7 02:19:45 2024
    candycanearter07 <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:
    Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 01:48 this Wednesday (GMT):
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
    [snip]
    Of course, that's only to be expected, since you're ripping out core
    functionality. But if you're tempted to experience the game and don't
    have a VR headset, just watch somebody play it on YouTube or
    something. You'll get a much better appreciation of what the game is
    about than trying it without the headset.

    I don't like wearing the VR stuff. :( I'll wait for the holodeck version. :-P

    Is it too big for you?

    Yes, and I wear an external hearing aid so it doesn't fit. I don't even
    like wearing glasses!

    --
    "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." --Hebrews 11:6. 4 yrs. again. :(
    Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
    /\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
    / /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
    | |o o| |
    \ _ /
    ( )

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Ant@21:1/5 to Zaghadka on Thu Nov 7 02:22:39 2024
    Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote:
    On Wed, 6 Nov 2024 10:18:17 +0000, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, JAB wrote:

    On 05/11/2024 16:00, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    Oh, don't mistake me. I generally enjoyed the games overall. But some
    are definitely better than others. The original "Half Life" stands
    tall amongst its peers; "Half Life 2", not so much. "Black Mesa" and
    the various expansions are somewhere in between.

    But if you're new to the franchise and therefore have no nostalgia or
    connection to the series? It'd be hard for me to recommend HL2, for
    instance. Compared to modern titles (and even some of its
    contemporaries) it doesn't really stand out. The original "Half Life"
    was revolutionary and deserves a play-through. The latter games rely
    heavily on that influence to make them worth playing.

    TL;DR: we all should go replay the original "Half Life" now. ?

    I think they did a good job with Black Mesa as instead of trying to just >replicate HL:1 in the source engine they instead went for keep the
    essence of it but tighten up some of the levels and also remove some of
    the more frustrating aspects (jumping anyone?). On a Rail no longer
    drags and the finale of Blast Pit isn't an exercise in quick save/reload >until you finish it.

    HL:2 obviously didn't standout as much as HL:1 but I still think it's a >good example of how giving levels a different feel keeps the interest >going. Another more minor aspect I like about it is how it's a tutorial >through play instead of press this key messages. Who didn't like getting >used to the gravity gun by playing fetch with dog?

    IMO, HL2 put its graphics so far ahead of level design that levels were extremely limited and it became essentially a corridor shooter, with a
    few open levels that didn't go anywhere except to another corridor.

    It was very impressive to look at, at the time, but the gameplay was wash rinse repeat. So it aged very poorly.

    I enjoyed HL2 and its episodes. I remember buying The Orange Box from my
    local Best Buy during Thanksgiving week. I wasn't planning to play TF2
    and Portal 1. Oops, those games were good too! Great package.

    --
    "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." --Hebrews 11:6. 4 yrs. again. :(
    Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
    /\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
    / /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
    | |o o| |
    \ _ /
    ( )

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JAB@21:1/5 to Zaghadka on Thu Nov 7 11:07:40 2024
    On 07/11/2024 00:42, Zaghadka wrote:
    On Wed, 6 Nov 2024 10:18:17 +0000, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, JAB wrote:

    On 05/11/2024 16:00, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    Oh, don't mistake me. I generally enjoyed the games overall. But some
    are definitely better than others. The original "Half Life" stands
    tall amongst its peers; "Half Life 2", not so much. "Black Mesa" and
    the various expansions are somewhere in between.

    But if you're new to the franchise and therefore have no nostalgia or
    connection to the series? It'd be hard for me to recommend HL2, for
    instance. Compared to modern titles (and even some of its
    contemporaries) it doesn't really stand out. The original "Half Life"
    was revolutionary and deserves a play-through. The latter games rely
    heavily on that influence to make them worth playing.

    TL;DR: we all should go replay the original "Half Life" now. ?

    I think they did a good job with Black Mesa as instead of trying to just
    replicate HL:1 in the source engine they instead went for keep the
    essence of it but tighten up some of the levels and also remove some of
    the more frustrating aspects (jumping anyone?). On a Rail no longer
    drags and the finale of Blast Pit isn't an exercise in quick save/reload
    until you finish it.

    HL:2 obviously didn't standout as much as HL:1 but I still think it's a
    good example of how giving levels a different feel keeps the interest
    going. Another more minor aspect I like about it is how it's a tutorial
    through play instead of press this key messages. Who didn't like getting
    used to the gravity gun by playing fetch with dog?

    IMO, HL2 put its graphics so far ahead of level design that levels were extremely limited and it became essentially a corridor shooter, with a
    few open levels that didn't go anywhere except to another corridor.

    It was very impressive to look at, at the time, but the gameplay was wash rinse repeat. So it aged very poorly.


    I still enjoy it even though yes, like HL:1 it is essential a corridor
    shooter. It's not that I dislike more open world games but to me that
    often feels that they aren't that much different from a corridor shooter
    expect that it takes five mins to get from the one you've just finished
    to the next one and you have a mini-map to tell you where it is.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Zaghadka@21:1/5 to All on Thu Nov 7 10:46:01 2024
    On Thu, 7 Nov 2024 11:07:40 +0000, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, JAB
    wrote:

    On 07/11/2024 00:42, Zaghadka wrote:
    On Wed, 6 Nov 2024 10:18:17 +0000, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, JAB
    wrote:

    On 05/11/2024 16:00, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
    Oh, don't mistake me. I generally enjoyed the games overall. But some
    are definitely better than others. The original "Half Life" stands
    tall amongst its peers; "Half Life 2", not so much. "Black Mesa" and
    the various expansions are somewhere in between.

    But if you're new to the franchise and therefore have no nostalgia or
    connection to the series? It'd be hard for me to recommend HL2, for
    instance. Compared to modern titles (and even some of its
    contemporaries) it doesn't really stand out. The original "Half Life"
    was revolutionary and deserves a play-through. The latter games rely
    heavily on that influence to make them worth playing.

    TL;DR: we all should go replay the original "Half Life" now. ?

    I think they did a good job with Black Mesa as instead of trying to just >>> replicate HL:1 in the source engine they instead went for keep the
    essence of it but tighten up some of the levels and also remove some of
    the more frustrating aspects (jumping anyone?). On a Rail no longer
    drags and the finale of Blast Pit isn't an exercise in quick save/reload >>> until you finish it.

    HL:2 obviously didn't standout as much as HL:1 but I still think it's a
    good example of how giving levels a different feel keeps the interest
    going. Another more minor aspect I like about it is how it's a tutorial
    through play instead of press this key messages. Who didn't like getting >>> used to the gravity gun by playing fetch with dog?

    IMO, HL2 put its graphics so far ahead of level design that levels were
    extremely limited and it became essentially a corridor shooter, with a
    few open levels that didn't go anywhere except to another corridor.

    It was very impressive to look at, at the time, but the gameplay was wash
    rinse repeat. So it aged very poorly.


    I still enjoy it even though yes, like HL:1 it is essential a corridor >shooter. It's not that I dislike more open world games but to me that
    often feels that they aren't that much different from a corridor shooter >expect that it takes five mins to get from the one you've just finished
    to the next one and you have a mini-map to tell you where it is.

    It is a symptom of the times. KoTOR, a contemporary, had similar
    limitations, because it had to cater to console resources. It's a series
    of very small levels. So small there's no room for map complexity. They
    blew all their best map design on the first planet. Otherwise, almost
    every map in that game is a corridor, or a few connected corridors, or an
    open map leading to yet another set of corridors, with spacious
    backgrounds representing areas you can't access due to invisible walls.
    It's positively claustrophobic.

    Today, you have memory and advanced graphics enough to do almost anything
    you want. The limitation is now human resources. We have to remember that
    back in early 2k, dev teams were a) smaller, and b) had to choose the priorities for limited machine power and make trade-offs for fewer
    resources elsewhere. They also had even more limited human resources. In
    HL2, it all went to textures and fire effects, plus a brief stab at
    limited physics. It didn't age well, like all bells and whistles.

    The closest cognate I can think of in modern gaming is Cyberpunk 2077.
    They had to dumb down the object richness and polygon complexity of
    levels to make RTX work at tolerable frames on 2xxx series cards. The
    result was that if you *didn't* have RTX, you got a game that looked 5-10
    years old out the gate. I thought it looked slightly better than Deus Ex:
    Human Revolution (2011, 9 years ago) without RTX. I got an RTX card, and
    I can now see why the choice was made. It's more forgivable with the
    touches of RTX effects.

    So CDPR had to dumb down mature and established core graphics to throw in
    the nascent RTX and while there's the gee-whiz factor of this new effect
    for some people, it quickly becomes background meh. Then the gameplay limitations become apparent. This happens quickly in this case because
    limited ray-tracing effects are, imo, the very definition of "meh."*

    CDPR spent all their energy on that brief moment of "cool." Result:
    everything else was crapola. They fixed the crapola after the fact with
    DLC manpower as a remediation force for the DLC Phantom Liberty. Then
    they backported PL to the main game. It's now a very good game with
    graphics gimmicks that wore off quickly and are largely irrelevant.**

    HL2 is basically the same story a little over 15 years prior.

    --
    Zag

    No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
    spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten _____________________________

    * Totally ray-traced environments, otoh, would be something to crow
    about.

    ** I hope Nvidia cut CDPR a big, fat check to drive those 3xxx series
    card upgrades. It was an outsourced tech demo. Hopefully, CDPR got paid.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to Spalls Hurgenson on Thu Nov 7 20:30:03 2024
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote at 21:39 this Wednesday (GMT):
    On Wed, 6 Nov 2024 19:00:03 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07
    <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:



    I have both on steam, I just haven't beaten them ^^

    Have you _played_ them, though? Or do they exist in your library just
    to bolster The Number?

    (Not that the latter is a bad thing, of course. I would never speak
    evil of The Number. Please don't report me to the Inquisition. I
    couldn't face another session with the Comfy Chair.)


    Although it's forgivable if you haven't played "Half Life" at all.
    With so many other, more modern titles to choose from, it's easy just
    to pick one of those and just skip that silly game the old timers keep harping on about. A lot of what made "Half Life" so memorable --so revolutionary-- is taken for granted today. It's just what we expect
    from a modern FPS, which took the "Half Life" formula and gave it two
    decades of polish.

    So going back and playing "Half Life" today it's hard to see what the
    fuss is about; it seems a rather ordinary shooter with decades old
    graphics. As I've maintained, I still think it's a terrific shooter
    -it has (mostly) excellent pacing, good level design, and satisfying
    AI. But it doesn't stand out against stuff like "Dead Space" or "Call
    of Duty CMXXVI" or "Horizon Zero Dawn". It's merely good-not-great,
    with the further downside of being butt-ugly. You have to put in
    effort to appreciate it ... but it's worth it.*















    * These posts are not sponsored by Valve. But they should be. Call me,
    Gabe; my rates are reasonable! ;-)


    I did play both, but I got stuck in HL1 because my version was bugged
    and water had no transparency which made part of it impossible, and
    HL2 I think I stopped around the Nova Prospekt intro because I couldn't
    figure out how to take down the gunships.
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to Ant on Thu Nov 7 21:40:04 2024
    Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 02:19 this Thursday (GMT):
    candycanearter07 <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:
    Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 01:48 this Wednesday (GMT):
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
    [snip]
    Of course, that's only to be expected, since you're ripping out core
    functionality. But if you're tempted to experience the game and don't
    have a VR headset, just watch somebody play it on YouTube or
    something. You'll get a much better appreciation of what the game is
    about than trying it without the headset.

    I don't like wearing the VR stuff. :( I'll wait for the holodeck version. :-P

    Is it too big for you?

    Yes, and I wear an external hearing aid so it doesn't fit. I don't even
    like wearing glasses!


    Ah, yea.. I wear glasses too, and it makes VR kinda annoying to use.
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to Kyonshi on Fri Nov 8 18:10:03 2024
    Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote at 10:59 this Friday (GMT):
    On 11/7/2024 10:40 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
    Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 02:19 this Thursday (GMT):
    candycanearter07 <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote: >>>> Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 01:48 this Wednesday (GMT):
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
    [snip]
    Of course, that's only to be expected, since you're ripping out core >>>>>> functionality. But if you're tempted to experience the game and don't >>>>>> have a VR headset, just watch somebody play it on YouTube or
    something. You'll get a much better appreciation of what the game is >>>>>> about than trying it without the headset.

    I don't like wearing the VR stuff. :( I'll wait for the holodeck version. :-P

    Is it too big for you?

    Yes, and I wear an external hearing aid so it doesn't fit. I don't even
    like wearing glasses!


    Ah, yea.. I wear glasses too, and it makes VR kinda annoying to use.

    Humm... I never tried it, but I assumed it would work at least with short-sighted people, considering the monitors are right in front of
    your eyes? Or am I completely off mark there?


    For me at least, its still a bit blurry unless you're wearing your
    glasses too. I know there are perscription VR lenses, but obviously
    those would be way too much of a hassle unless you own a pair.
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Dimensional Traveler@21:1/5 to All on Fri Nov 8 17:52:19 2024
    On 11/8/2024 10:10 AM, candycanearter07 wrote:
    Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote at 10:59 this Friday (GMT):
    On 11/7/2024 10:40 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
    Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 02:19 this Thursday (GMT):
    candycanearter07 <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote: >>>>> Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 01:48 this Wednesday (GMT):
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
    [snip]
    Of course, that's only to be expected, since you're ripping out core >>>>>>> functionality. But if you're tempted to experience the game and don't >>>>>>> have a VR headset, just watch somebody play it on YouTube or
    something. You'll get a much better appreciation of what the game is >>>>>>> about than trying it without the headset.

    I don't like wearing the VR stuff. :( I'll wait for the holodeck version. :-P

    Is it too big for you?

    Yes, and I wear an external hearing aid so it doesn't fit. I don't even >>>> like wearing glasses!


    Ah, yea.. I wear glasses too, and it makes VR kinda annoying to use.

    Humm... I never tried it, but I assumed it would work at least with
    short-sighted people, considering the monitors are right in front of
    your eyes? Or am I completely off mark there?


    For me at least, its still a bit blurry unless you're wearing your
    glasses too. I know there are perscription VR lenses, but obviously
    those would be way too much of a hassle unless you own a pair.

    I suspect it isn't how close the projection is to the eyes but how
    "deep" and far away the objects in view are projected to be. If that
    makes sense.

    --
    I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
    dirty old man.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From candycanearter07@21:1/5 to Dimensional Traveler on Sat Nov 9 02:20:03 2024
    Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote at 01:52 this Saturday (GMT):
    On 11/8/2024 10:10 AM, candycanearter07 wrote:
    Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote at 10:59 this Friday (GMT):
    On 11/7/2024 10:40 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
    Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 02:19 this Thursday (GMT):
    candycanearter07 <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote: >>>>>> Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 01:48 this Wednesday (GMT):
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
    [snip]
    Of course, that's only to be expected, since you're ripping out core >>>>>>>> functionality. But if you're tempted to experience the game and don't >>>>>>>> have a VR headset, just watch somebody play it on YouTube or
    something. You'll get a much better appreciation of what the game is >>>>>>>> about than trying it without the headset.

    I don't like wearing the VR stuff. :( I'll wait for the holodeck version. :-P

    Is it too big for you?

    Yes, and I wear an external hearing aid so it doesn't fit. I don't even >>>>> like wearing glasses!


    Ah, yea.. I wear glasses too, and it makes VR kinda annoying to use.

    Humm... I never tried it, but I assumed it would work at least with
    short-sighted people, considering the monitors are right in front of
    your eyes? Or am I completely off mark there?


    For me at least, its still a bit blurry unless you're wearing your
    glasses too. I know there are perscription VR lenses, but obviously
    those would be way too much of a hassle unless you own a pair.

    I suspect it isn't how close the projection is to the eyes but how
    "deep" and far away the objects in view are projected to be. If that
    makes sense.


    Yeah, like how far away it's perceived?
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Dimensional Traveler@21:1/5 to All on Fri Nov 8 21:34:07 2024
    On 11/8/2024 6:20 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
    Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote at 01:52 this Saturday (GMT):
    On 11/8/2024 10:10 AM, candycanearter07 wrote:
    Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote at 10:59 this Friday (GMT):
    On 11/7/2024 10:40 PM, candycanearter07 wrote:
    Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 02:19 this Thursday (GMT):
    candycanearter07 <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:
    Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 01:48 this Wednesday (GMT):
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
    [snip]
    Of course, that's only to be expected, since you're ripping out core >>>>>>>>> functionality. But if you're tempted to experience the game and don't >>>>>>>>> have a VR headset, just watch somebody play it on YouTube or >>>>>>>>> something. You'll get a much better appreciation of what the game is >>>>>>>>> about than trying it without the headset.

    I don't like wearing the VR stuff. :( I'll wait for the holodeck version. :-P

    Is it too big for you?

    Yes, and I wear an external hearing aid so it doesn't fit. I don't even >>>>>> like wearing glasses!


    Ah, yea.. I wear glasses too, and it makes VR kinda annoying to use.

    Humm... I never tried it, but I assumed it would work at least with
    short-sighted people, considering the monitors are right in front of
    your eyes? Or am I completely off mark there?


    For me at least, its still a bit blurry unless you're wearing your
    glasses too. I know there are perscription VR lenses, but obviously
    those would be way too much of a hassle unless you own a pair.

    I suspect it isn't how close the projection is to the eyes but how
    "deep" and far away the objects in view are projected to be. If that
    makes sense.

    Yeah, like how far away it's perceived?

    Yup.

    --
    I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
    dirty old man.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)