The Orange Box

[jimeh]

Discuss.

Someone lend me 50 dolla plx :(

[Kanden]

From what I've gathered you can't buy Episode 2 separate, so this is a bit silly if you already have Episode 1. I'll still eventually get it, though.

[French Bread]

Portal looks fun I guess.... but jimeh, you didn't really start the topic off well

edit: fair point piemaster

[piemastermike]

kanden you have missed the point that you get tf2 and portal and ep2 as well. and they are great. omg.

also stop being such a fucking thread nazi french bread.

[jimeh]

I'm simply starting a discussion topic.
Since I don't even have the game yet, it's open for your review and comments.
If you want to hear something from me, give me a bit of money :) - paypal account is jimeh@hotmail.co.uk.
I await your reply.

[SWE]

Portal was great, but too short :(
I want more of the dizzy portaly madness

[Boyinabox]

How long does the decrypting take?
It seems to be taking a while.

Also, In Rainbows, Orange Box and Sonic in SSBB all in one day?

:D

[ray]

i'm buying the 360 version because my laptop won't be able to run the games without exploding

[Mat^]

getting the 360 version, the guy at the store was like "aren't you geting it on steam?" and I'm like "My computer is shit and I hate the whole steam principle" and he agreed with me, cool?

[jimeh]

Portal was great, but too short :(
I want more of the dizzy portaly madness

it'd be great to try portal out with hammer :D
custom maps will be sick

getting the 360 version, the guy at the store was like "aren't you geting it on steam?" and I'm like "My computer is shit and I hate the whole steam principle" and he agreed with me, cool?

He agreed with you, because he wants you to buy shit from his store.
Pc games on the xbox = fail.

Apart from COD 2 :D

[Mat^]

He agreed with you, because he wants you to buy shit from his store.It's game, and he's not the manager, and there was no specific "YEAH BUY IT HERE" just, "STEAM IS SHIT".

[French Bread]

The portal gun for gmod rocks, does anyone know if smod works with ep1 or 2?

[piemastermike]

that. was. so. cool.

best ending ever. still, too short. I had to break it up over the day so it wouldn't end quickly :( Also I got stuck.

[jimeh]

Yeah, but Mat, people who work in game are normally total dumbasses.

[piemastermike]

EPIC FIND, RIGHT HERE:
http://i20.tinypic.com/2e3n4wi.jpg
(screen from the game)

go to http://www.aperturelabratories.com/

type "Login"
login with those details
"cjohnson"
"tier3"

all of that is without quotes.

Now, type "help" and have fun with the commands it shows!

[tom93]

Portal had some great dialogue for a game with no people.

[Erskien_Parkour]

Not finished Portal yet...

and ive just started playing Ep1... which I suppose I should have done ages ago?
Oh well...

Tf2 <3

[Stealth Chimp]

Can't believe you guys are all on Portal when there's Ep 2 to be played, It is absolutely gorgeous, best looking game I think I've ever played. The action is also far better than in previous games. I've been really, really impressed so far; I caught myself grinning like an absolute loon after playing a bit.

I'm no screenshot master but I have been hammering F5 fairly regularly, and put a load up on flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/46753109@N00/sets/72157602356996869/).

[CoX]

Orange Box is on my "omg want" list, mainly due to the fact I have not got any of the games it includes and seriously want them. £30-£40 for 5 games is fucking win, especially when they are what they are.

[Boyinabox]

I knew Portal was short, but I wasn't expecting it to be that short.
Luckily it was awesome whilst it lasted.

Also, login with that username and type "notes". :D

[tom93]

HL2E2 is friggin' awesome. Hard mode is insanely difficult in certain places, especially if you wanna get some of the achievements.

and at the point where the links to portal start to come up i grinned and almost cheered. double spoiler tag for this theory: Eli Vance is an android? An Aperture android? He's got the leg for it...

[Cap'n Zog]

Just finished portal, 2.5 hours total play time but so worth it, was really creeped out by it, and such an awesome credits sequence.

[bionic sheep]

Portal for Funniest Game Ever Made?

Seriously, I was wetting myself throughout the whole thing.

[Urlosenged]

Absolutely. It's incredibly funny, and brilliant gameplay to match, it's the first game I haven't been able to stop playing in ages.

If only advanced test chamber 15 wasn't so hard. And if that one is so hard, I've got no chance at 16, 17 and 18. :/

[Timmeh]

Portal is beautiful but short. Completed the advanced levels too, they need to come up with some harder stuff that really keeps you thinking for days.

Gonna play and probably finish Ep2 tomorrow evening.

[bionic sheep]

I hope that they'll release more levels over time? It seems like the kind of game where the main plot section only really needs to make up a small amount of the game, a lot of the content will be user-generated.

I'm also really looking forward to the portal gun being properly integrated into gmod, as a little side note/

[Pilk Man]

I was really happy with the good outcome of the "lowering to your flaming death" situation

When I was first on the platform at the end, I was all "oh man, rubbish ending!" Then when she said "Make no further attempts to leave the testing area" I was all "hehe"

When I looked up, saw the broken pipes and saw the high wall next to me I was like "Game on!" *double fling*

[neo_man]

Hehe!! Awesome game, while going through I was like "man you know what this game needs? Boss fights!"

Oh cruel irony.

Anyone else struggle getting that very last ball?



Anyone else manage to get the rocket turret in a loop?

And what happened to the falling spike flamey pit level in the trailer?

[Cap'n Zog]

Nah last ball was pretty straightforward, tried to grab it with E while in the air once, then just landed on it to make it fall.

[Erskien_Parkour]

Ah your all talking about Portal and ive not finished it yet.

Its far too tempting to read the spoilers :D
Oh we'll i'd better complete it when I get home!

[piemastermike]

I was really happy with the good outcome of the "lowering to your flaming death" situation

When I was first on the platform at the end, I was all "oh man, rubbish ending!" Then when she said "Make no further attempts to leave the testing area" I was all "hehe"

When I looked up, saw the broken pipes and saw the high wall next to me I was like "Game on!" *double fling*
I didn't even double fling that one. Just shoved a portal at the top and a portal on the wall next to me and jumped!

edit: I set myself in an infinite portal loop overnight and this morning I came in to find the Terminal Velocity awards waiting ^_^ I wonder how far I actually fell..

[Mr_Moo]

I've been playing through the last section of the game over and over again, purely because I just LOVE hearing the crazed AI getting a bit tetchy.

I wasn't expecting to be all that keen on portal, but the more I played it then the more I found it endearing. I was completly won over with the introduction of the companion cube (and promises of cake).

[piemastermike]

I love puzzle games (like riven, myst, et al) and this one was just an extension of that but in a fourth dimension which I guess was why I loved it so much.

[Weeman]

So I just learned that, despite my assumptions, my computer has always been good enough to run Half Life 2, and the orange box stuff.





I give it about an hour before I give in and head into town to buy it.

[neo_man]

I was completly won over with the introduction of the companion cube (and promises of cake).

Please dont remind me, im not proud of what I did.

Im going to Android hell.

[Stealth Chimp]

Anyone else completed Episode 2 yet? It gets being "cinematic" so right; I came out of the end sequence where Eli gets stabbed by a combine advisor before Dog can rescue you with my mouth agape, gob smacking stuff. It sets up Ep3 pretty nicely too Woo helicopter? and finally gets down to all the lovely plot that's been pretty scant earlier in the series.

[tom93]

Anyone else completed Episode 2 yet? It gets being "cinematic" so right; I came out of the end sequence where Eli gets stabbed by a combine advisor before Dog can rescue you with my mouth agape, gob smacking stuff. It sets up Ep3 pretty nicely too Woo helicopter? and finally gets down to all the lovely plot that's been pretty scant earlier in the series.
I can't wait for episode 3.
I really wanna see how aperture science and black mesa clash, and maybe even fight some advisors?
the first advisor scene was one of the best computer game scenes ever, by the by. When the weird thing started happening with the blobby thing on screen, i knew what was coming (because of the commentary in episode one) and started to grin in anticipation. I was disappointed that in the last scene one of the advisors wasn't surrounded by bits of broken up cottage :p

[Pilk Man]

Ok so let's talk Mini Rocket Man achievement.

Am I right in saying that the Gnome is the one under the engine platform in the first building you find? and that you have to put him inside the open hatch on the side of the rocket nose cone?

Preventing the striders from destroying the buildings is hard :(

[tom93]

Ok so let's talk Mini Rocket Man achievement.

Am I right in saying that the Gnome is the one under the engine platform in the first building you find? and that you have to put him inside the open hatch on the side of the rocket nose cone?
That was my assumption. It seems a little bit insane though. Especially considering the car sections.
Preventing the striders from destroying the buildings is hard :(
Some striders will run straight to a building and destroy it, some will just wander towards the white forest base slowly. Take out the building destroyers first. Some of the building destroyers move faster than their hunter entourage, so if you wait at the building they are going to destroy and stay ready with the mine thing in your G gun and a decent gun to hit it with on the other end of the g button, you can take it out just before - or even during - the big building destroying laser.
oh, and NEVER LEAVE YOUR CAR'S SIDE. Sprinting halfway across the map to get to your car to get to the next strider is a bad idea.

I spent a looong time on that achievement.

edit: also, the secondary fire on the plasma machine gun is the best thing for fighting the hunters, but in a pinch, running them over with the car will knock 'em dead. just don't get yourself stuck, because they'll cover you in the explody things and you will die.

[the last sheika]

Hmm. Everyone thinks I'm joking when I say Halo 3 isn't the number one reason I want a 360 for Christmas. Team Fortress 2 looks awesome.

[Splush]

Portal for Funniest Game Ever Made?

Seriously, I was wetting myself throughout the whole thing.
It's written by the guys that used to write Old Man Murray (http://www.oldmanmurray.com) which is reason enough to buy any game, I reckon.

I want to play portal so bloody much, the gap between the steam and 360 versions is no fun :(

[Pilk Man]

That was my assumption. It seems a little bit insane though. Especially considering the car sections.
Calling the journey epic would be a gross understatement.

So far, I've got him as far as the part where you do in the antlion guards and it's already proving exhausting (nopun). Thinking about how I'm going to do the car sections on foot boggles the mind.

[Coroona]

Little ep 2 easter egg that made me laugh... not sure if it's been posted yet

Lost (http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/3686/easterjn4.jpg)

You can just about make it out.

Im loving this game so much right now.

[waggit]

Any one else think the advisers tongue looks to like a penis?

[tom93]

Calling the journey epic would be a gross understatement.

So far, I've got him as far as the part where you do in the antlion guards and it's already proving exhausting (nopun). Thinking about how I'm going to do the car sections on foot boggles the mind.
my plan is to shoot it with the gravity gun, get back in the car, drive towards it, get out, rinse, repeat.
i haven't even started that run yet, though. i might have to do 3 more runs. a rocket man run, a grub squasher run and a developer commentary run. :/

also, the "compare to your stats" feature on people's steamID pages is addictive. Until I get 100% on portal and hl2e2, i'm gonna keep obsessively making sure i'm doing better than all my friends.

[Pilk Man]

my plan is to shoot it with the gravity gun, get back in the car, drive towards it, get out, rinse, repeat.
Excellent idea! I'mo steal that!

PS: Gnome makes excellent ballistic projectile.

[tom93]

On portal, i'm having trouble with the Camera Spy achievement.
I did a whole run, beginning to end (the very end), knocking every possible camera, but I only got 28 out of 33. Does anyone know if you can actually detach cameras on steel walls? If so, wanna reveal the secret? I tried throwing stuff at it, but it didn't work. I tried pressing E on it, and it didn't work. I tried jumping at it hard, it didn't work. I tried shooting a portal at it, it didn't work. I dunno. Maybe I just missed 5 cameras.
edit: apparently you shoot portals at a weak point. i'll try again later.
also, there are new achievements for HL2 and HL2E1. It's insane.

[Pilk Man]

!??!

I got the gnome all the way to North Forest, put him in the nose cone, launched the rocket and got no achievement!!

Also, I've decided that the Neighbourhood watch is impossible.

E/ Found out you have to close the bastarding hatch :(

[tom93]

Also, I've decided that the Neighbourhood watch is impossible.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/tom93/stats/HL2:EP2
FALSE.

[Urlosenged]

edit: apparently you shoot portals at a weak point. i'll try again later.
I just tried this, I couldn't get it to work at all. Maybe I was doing it wrong though. Didn't matter much, I was doing the Developers Commentary, and apparently achievements don't count when you're doing that.

[stav]

attack of the purple people

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/6333/ep2outland020001kl6kz8.jpg

[neo_man]

Is it purple with black squares or black with purple squares?!

[tom93]

I just tried this, I couldn't get it to work at all. Maybe I was doing it wrong though. Didn't matter much, I was doing the Developers Commentary, and apparently achievements don't count when you're doing that.
yeah i can't work it either. i'm gonna wait until some reputable internet source tells me how to do it, because i am completely stumped.

[Midget]

so i've never played half-life before, is it worth me getting this?

[Timmeh]

so i've never played half-life before, is it worth me getting this?

Yes. You can play right through the HL2 storyline, and all you really need to know about HL1 is scientists (including you) were doing an experiment. Stuff went bad, portal to another world opened, aliens poured through. Man in suit (called the g-man) seems to control stuff. Knowing that much you can easily pick up HL2 and understand what's happening. :)

[doctor_fruitbat]

What he said, but HL1 is still well worth playing in its own right. The two games play similarly but with a different flavour to the scenarios and map design.

Guess I'll be getting this on PS3; my laptop is a bit shit really, and I do so love shiny graphics.

[bionic sheep]

Midget, if you want a free copy of HL2 and HL2: Episode 1, gimme a shout - I've got gifts, which means I can basically give away a free copy, and all my mates have it already, so you'd be welcome to it if you wanna try them.

[Boyinabox]

Ditto.

And if you find yourself in need of playing HL1, hold on until the Black Mesa mod team release their shiny new version, built from the ground up using the Source engine. 1) because it'll be fantastic, 2) because after playing all the HDR goodness of HL2 you're eyes will bleed if you attempt to play through the original Half Life, I know mine did.

[Midget]

thanks for the kind offers guys but if i do get it, it'll be for 360, my laptop can barely run the sims 2 on the lowest settings :(

[Boyinabox]

Gah, I'm getting really irritated by the bonus maps on Portal, when I try and do the time challenge maps I keep getting told that I cheated, and I have no idea where or how I have cheated.

And considering the portal gun is perfect for sequence breaking I don't think its fair to penalise people for finding ways to finish the level with only 2 portals. (eg, the second map can be completed by simply putting a portal on the floor and then using a ledge to jump out of it into the exit. :\)

edit:\ oh, the developer commentaries.
god dammit, I had some amazing attempts as well and now none of them will be recorded .:(

[Timmeh]

Gah, I'm getting really irritated by the bonus maps on Portal, when I try and do the time challenge maps I keep getting told that I cheated, and I have no idea where or how I have cheated.

And considering the portal gun is perfect for sequence breaking I don't think its fair to penalise people for finding ways to finish the level with only 2 portals. (eg, the second map can be completed by simply putting a portal on the floor and then using a ledge to jump out of it into the exit. :\)

edit:\ oh, the developer commentaries.
god dammit, I had some amazing attempts as well and now none of them will be recorded .:(

Just type sv_cheats 0 in console. sv_cheats 1 allows you to use noclip or godmode which are obviously going to make it a lot easier. :p

[Boyinabox]

Just finish "least portals" on test chamber 16 (the one with the sentries), it's possible to use only 2 portals in the whole level by just sprinting past sentries, pushing them over with blocks (you need to defend yourself with two block tall towers to prevent yourself being seen by the other turets) and then building steps over the walls with the blocks.

I really love the challenge maps, it gives you so little wiggle room that it makes you play through the maps in completely different ways. Portal suddenly got a lot longer than the 3 hours I got through the main game in. :D

[the architect]

i love portal. i finished it yesterday. haven't tried any of the advanced stuff, but it's by far one of the most fun games i've ever played

[The Grim Reaper]

I'll admit, i'm a bit of a freeloader at times. However i heard those who buy orange box on steam and already have HL2 and Ep1 can give them away as a 'gift voucher'.

I've never played half life, except 10 minutes of deathmatch at a friends house, so i've always been interested as what all the fuss is about.
So, would anyone care to share?

(sorry if this is a bit off topic)

edit: bionic sheep and boyinabox: offer still available?

[Boyinabox]

I've played through all the advanced maps except the last one, however I was looking around the map in noclip and accidently went through the exit, and it gave me the award for it.

I feel like a big cheat now.

[bionic sheep]

Heh, I love the sentry map on advanced - I worked it out all by myself. :)

I'm really looking forward to some custom maps being released for it. It seems like a game that would really benefit from some tweaking around. Also, the developer commentaries call this "The first Portal game", implying it's going to be a series - fuck yeah!

[Cap'n Zog]

I'm looking forward to someone doing an aperture science themed map for tf2, with engy sentries replaced by the portal sentries, with the sound effects.

[Haroshi]

That would be awesome, especially if they were able to incorporate portals into it.

[Corn_Fest]

Half-Life 2 and Gmod 10 run fine on my PC (in little windows at low resolution) (damn graphics) but when I try to play portal, it loads, I'm in the little room for one minute, and then when the first portal opens the sound loops and hl2.exe crashes. Also, I never see any servers in TF2. (Have to check again). Haven't tried ep1 or ep2 yet, having just started hl2. Any suggestions for fixing Portal?

Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz Hyper-Threading
2GB ram
Crappy Intel Intgrated grahics ( I don't think it's that though, because, as I said, even hl2 runs smooth at the same resolution).
Halp.

Also, just noticed I haven't been on here in about a year. Hello.

[piemastermike]

update your drivers.
whitetotem seems to be having the same problem as you, actually. have a word with him and maybe you can solve it together!

[Boyinabox]

Turn down the number of portals you can see through at once, it puts a huge strain on your pc. Also TF2 by default is set at no server location, choose Europe, America, etc and they will all pop up.

[Corn_Fest]

I set portal depth to 0, now it crashes slightly after I go through the portal instead of before.

[Tiggs]

Just managed the camera shy achievement in Portal. Thought it was going to be a challenge from what some people had said about reaching the end without having hit the total. I guess you're just not observant enough :p

[Timmeh]

I have it as well, you just have to be very careful and look all around you before leaving a room.

I did have to run through the chambers again to get it specifically, mind you.

[tom93]

some of the challenges are rock hard.
if i am very very lucky, i can get most of the way towards the end of the turret level in 70 steps.
assuming i don't die.
and it's still not the end.
:/

[piemastermike]

:cube:

[stav]

http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/7777dc4c89.gif

[Pilk Man]

Somebody please explain the public fetish with the companion cube.

When I played though the game, I was like "hey look a cube with a different skin on it" then incinerated it when I had to. I don't understand all the people posting on forums etc. saying things like "ZOMG I LOVE THE COMPANION CUBE". It was cute while I had it but...meh?

...

??

[Splush]

If something is a bit funny then it's the internet's sworn duty to beat it into the ground as fast as possible.

[Seriphyn]

I just want TF2 for the 360 (coz all my friends are getting it and online with them is fantastic) and Portals and Episode 2 for the PC...but no, they had to bundle it together...=/

I don't want HL2 and EP1!!1 Dammit!

No EP2, TF2 or Portal for me then. They are awesome but distribution is teh suckage. No, UT3 and COD4 it is.

Ghey.

[Cjw]

TF2, Portal and Episode 2 are easily worth the money they are asking for though.

[bionic sheep]

If something is a bit funny then it's the internet's sworn duty to beat it into the ground as fast as possible.
I honestly can't tell if that's a shot at the people who did find it funny and cute or Pilk Man for being a miserable bastard.

[piemastermike]

Somebody please explain the public fetish with the companion cube.

When I played though the game, I was like "hey look a cube with a different skin on it" then incinerated it when I had to. I don't understand all the people posting on forums etc. saying things like "ZOMG I LOVE THE COMPANION CUBE". It was cute while I had it but...meh?

...

??
It was going to come to your party, dude. It cared about you. Gosh. Heartless fuck.

[Pilk Man]

¬_¬

[Boyinabox]

TBH, the weighted companion cube is the definition of a great ingame companion. He's useful in many ways (bouncing shit off him, jumping on him, surviving) and doesn't feel the need to say anything due to the level of mutual trust between you. And he comes to a tragic and emotional end.

In comparison to Alyx Vance who never shuts the fuck up and seems to be there only to bog the game down with needless emotional crap. I used to like you Alyx, now you just piss me off. And you never die, even when you get fucking evisicated by hunter spikes. >:[

In conclussion, :cube: is the best npc ever. And certantly the best sidekick of all gaming history (fuck you Alyx and Tails.)

[Splush]

I honestly can't tell if that's a shot at the people who did find it funny and cute or Pilk Man for being a miserable bastard.
I didn't intend either of those things, I was just remarking at how quickly reasonably amusing things can spread across the internet and become overused to the point of meaninglessness. I dunno how funny the WCC is, I haven't played Portal yet, but I'm already bored of it thanks to the internet!

Calling it now, WCC is the new Pyramid Head.

p.s. hey, it's that dog!

[Timmeh]

Somebody please explain the public fetish with the companion cube.

When I played though the game, I was like "hey look a cube with a different skin on it" then incinerated it when I had to. I don't understand all the people posting on forums etc. saying things like "ZOMG I LOVE THE COMPANION CUBE". It was cute while I had it but...meh?

...

??

For me, it's because it was something sent to help you, that served you faithfully in all sorts of ways and you were ultimately forced to kill. From a psychological point of view, it's amusing.

I love it because it's such an awesome concept... we need something to help the player. Not a sidekick... hmm, how about a cube! shit yeah, stick some love-hearts on it, sorted! It's undeniably very cute as cubes go.

[woody_tng]

All those cubes are, are a rip off of Zeldas cubes in Terrahawks.
http://www.fab1.net/t-hawks/cube.jpg

[The Grim Reaper]

The TF2 in Orange box isn't the beta is it? I read somewhere you got a TF2 beta key by preordering?

When i get some spare money i might get it, maybe christmas, though i'm still wondering if anyone has a gift voucher of HL2 to give away....

[skoo]

Prior to Oct 10th (the release date) you could pre-order the orange box but gain instant access to TF2, dubbed the "beta" but technically speaking we're playing the same game.

[Cap'n Zog]

Only really noticeable difference at the mo is that the title screen music works on my comp now without skipping, and the server browser sometimes loads correctly without needing a refresh.

[skoo]

One of the random title tracks plays fine, the others skip.

[Timmeh]

They all play fine for me :s

[piemastermike]

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=610158

use regular hl2 maps with portals

[T-Bear]

Review by Yahtzee (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/2541-Zero-Punctuation-The-O)

[basstard]

Dumb question - can you buy the individual elements? I am really intrigued by Portal but can't really afford to shell out for the entire boite orange (over here)...

[tom93]

Review by Yahtzee (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/zeropunctuation/2541-Zero-Punctuation-The-O)
that Yahtzee's a clever fella.

and basstard, I believe you can buy then separately on Steam, but not on the 360.

[basstard]

that Yahtzee's a clever fella.

and basstard, I believe you can buy then separately on Steam, but not on the 360.

Yus, Portal is on Steam for 20 dollars. Now all I need is a coffee shop with free wifi and power points...(wonder how big the download is...)

[ACobraNamedSall]

Well, it's the smallest game that comes in the Orange Box. Shouldn't be too long, depending on your connection speed.

[Pilk Man]

My Portal folder is 71.4MB, but I'd imagine it shares quite a bit of stuff with the other source games/generic source engine-ness.

[bionic sheep]

You'd need to download the source engine, which is pretty big if i remember correctly. The 71.4mb is most likely just sounds and maps.

[French Bread]

meh, I bought the Steam version, downloaded it then used my nice Un-Steaming method. No lag for me :D except for CS:Source and HL2 Deathmatch etc...

[tom93]

In comparison to Alyx Vance who never shuts the fuck up and seems to be there only to bog the game down with needless emotional crap. I used to like you Alyx, now you just piss me off. And you never die, even when you get fucking evisicated by hunter spikes. >:[
Which reminds me, seeing the hunter holes in Alyx's back made me laugh.

[Mr_Moo]

Due to the popularity of the game, Valve's Director of Business Development Jason Holtman has confirmed that a Weighted Companion Cube desktop toy will be released by the end of 2007."

Good news to fans of the game. Commence "Hooray!" at your earliest convenience.

[Timmeh]

Hooray!

Totally buying one. Hope they make a plushie :x

[woobi]

Out on the 360 today!

Sadly, though, GAME/Gamestation doesn't open for another 50 minutes.

[Kaveman]

I'll be getting it tomorrow.
ME WANTS MOAR CAKE!

[Midget]

is it worth getting just for portal?

[Kaveman]

is it worth getting just for portal?
For the 360 or PC?
Because you can get Portal alone on steam.

[Midget]

360, pc doesn't meet requirements

[Erskien_Parkour]

Yes.

Portal is awesome, and the rest of the games are too so its a win-win

even though portal will be haaaaaard on the 360 I expect...

[Splush]

I dunno, I'm loving Portal but if that's all you want to play then £40 is a bit much. It's a shame they didn't release portal as an XBLA game or something, because although I'm going to play the other games Portal is the main event for me.

[Timmeh]

How is portal on consoles? I imagined it'd be insanely hard (being as you have to move quickly and fire in mid-air)... I've always found analogue sticks either move you too slowly and you can't aim fast enough or too fast and you can't be as precise as required. Might just be me sucking, of course.

[Midget]

that's because you're a different species of gamer :p

we have the console species who can't use a mouse to save their life, and the pc species who can't use analogue sticks to save their life

just play a snipers game on halo and you'll realise what can be done with an analogue

[Lyricaus]

well completed portal. pretty cool short story, but aside from different difficulties and such, is it only those 19 challenges? I thought they were just training levels until I had the boss. they seemed too easy for me.

[doctor_fruitbat]

How is portal on consoles? I imagined it'd be insanely hard (being as you have to move quickly and fire in mid-air)... I've always found analogue sticks either move you too slowly and you can't aim fast enough or too fast and you can't be as precise as required. Might just be me sucking, of course.
Play Timesplitters.

It will all become clear.

[Pilk Man]

that's because you're a different species of gamer :p

we have the console species who can't use a mouse to save their life, and the pc species who can't use analogue sticks to save their life

just play a snipers game on halo and you'll realise what can be done with an analogue
Luckily I transformed from Analogue to Mouse so I'm pretty good with both. I definitely find that the mouse is better for precision sniping etc, though.

[MONKEY050]

I got The Orange Box last Saturday I think and I'm happy with it.
Portal for some reason has been slowing down when I'm looking at an open portal. I don't think it did that when I first played.

I'm stuck on a section of HL2 that I can't figure out. Don't remember which part it is and I don't have a screenshot.

I'm very happy with TF2, fun game.
I haven't touched Episode 1 or 2 yet. I like to play series in their correct order. :rolleyes:

None of them work well on my Sony laptop of course since the video card causes the thing to overheat. Even worse, it's almost 86*F in my room and they just switched the air conditioning over to heat. :mad:

[Timmeh]

Play Timesplitters.

It will all become clear.

I've completed Timesplitters 2 many times and played a fair amount of 1. Still cannot get anything like the amount of control with an analogue stick I can with a mouse. :/

[Dingboy Bob The Slammy Walrus Bitch]

Damn, stuck on Portal. I'm on that level where you are in a room with water on the floor, a ball thing on a pedestal at the center and the yellow portal keeps shifting round, I pressed that button to open up the door for a few seconds to get a portal in there but I'm now stuck. Does anyone know what to do? :D

[piemastermike]

fire a portal through the door.

[Dingboy Bob The Slammy Walrus Bitch]

Ok done it, thanks.

[Splush]

I just finished portal, it was brilliant, what a fantastic ending.

I didn't come across any parts that seemed like they were harder because of the controller, I wouldn't worry about that.

that's because you're a different species of gamer :p

we have the console species who can't use a mouse to save their life, and the pc species who can't use analogue sticks to save their life
I'm pretty good with both because I've wasted significant chunks of my life on FPS games on both PCs and consoles. Hooray?

[da-geezer]

I'm shite; I use the analogue sticks like D-pads; even my better half can't speak to me on the phone because of the loud clicks from the force I use to push an analogue stick in a direction :o

If I could, I'd map look up and look down to the shoulder buttons on a controller. It was fucking good on Quake II for the PS1, and it'll be fuckin' quality now :D

[Shintaz]

Is portal good then? I have had feedback such as "Too easy, it'd bore you".

[Splush]

Well it's a puzzle game rather than an action game, so if you're expecting to be shooting people it might seem boring. I thought it was excellent, though.

[Timmeh]

The humour in it's excellent too. Honestly worth playing just for GLaDOS in my opinion. :p

[Mr_Moo]

The humour in it's excellent too. Honestly worth playing just for GLaDOS in my opinion. :p
2nd'd :] GLaDOS is what makes the game so unique.

Well, that and I have a soft spot for crazy AI, which is always fun in my experience. She's sort of like a more "bouncy" version of Shodan from System Shock 2, imo.

[Lyricaus]

I just loved the line (Ad libbed, so allow mistakes)"Remember the good times? like when I said goodbye, and you were all like "NO WAI" And I was like, "We just said we were going to murder you as a joke" God I laughed so hard at that part. just so well done. ^_^

[woody_tng]

I will be buying the PC version today. :D

[doctor_fruitbat]

I've completed Timesplitters 2 many times and played a fair amount of 1. Still cannot get anything like the amount of control with an analogue stick I can with a mouse. :/
Fair enough then. I've never been so precise with a mouse as I have on TS with sticks, but that's probably just me.

[Dingboy Bob The Slammy Walrus Bitch]

God Damn, Testchamber 17 is hard. Found the hidden room on that level before, really cool how they added that in. I'm at the bit where you have to press 2 buttons to open up the doors to that energy ball holder thing and the whole room is anti portal if you know what I mean. I got the holder near the ball projecter thing by using the box but now i'm stuck because the projector won't fire any more energy balls, one of the lifts has activated but I can't see how I'm supposed to move on. :/

[WraithMaster]

Ok for those who've beaten Episode 2 I have something I'd like to share...

Did anyone notice the picture of the scientists in the room where you talk to Eli just before learning how to use the Strider Busters and take a good look at that picture? If not here it is zoomed in:

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/7995/ep2outland11b0000pc9.jpg (copy and past this, I forget how to embed images in spoilers)

Look that the scientist standing in front of Gordon on the extreme right. Who does that look like to you? Hmm...

[stalefish]

God Damn, Testchamber 17 is hard. Found the hidden room on that level before, really cool how they added that in. I'm at the bit where you have to press 2 buttons to open up the doors to that energy ball holder thing and the whole room is anti portal if you know what I mean. I got the holder near the ball projecter thing by using the box but now i'm stuck because the projector won't fire any more energy balls, one of the lifts has activated but I can't see how I'm supposed to move on. :/That's the one with the companion cube, right? I think this is the puzzle you mean:

You need to get an energy ball from when you were dodging them before, and portal one down. Set up a portal on the bit that sticks out, so that the balls go through them. The energy balls should bounce off of the first door.

Put your cube on the far button, and then wait by the first button (and save in case you die). When the ball goes past, run onto the button. If you did it right, the ball will go through both doors. If not, then the ball will bounce back and probably kill you :p

[Dingboy Bob The Slammy Walrus Bitch]

Yes! That's the level I was talking about, thanks alot, will try that later.

Was very close to cheating to get past it :/.

[Timmeh]

You can actually COMPLETELY avoid most of the level. You portal your way into the "secret" room, take out the 4 detatched security cameras. Stack these up next to the wall at the far end of the corridor. Put the companion cube on top of them, you can hop the wall then crouch and pull the cube up behind you. Voila, 90% of the chamber dodged.

[Dingboy Bob The Slammy Walrus Bitch]

OMG OMG OMG

+'d

[waggit]

Ok for those who've beaten Episode 2 I have something I'd like to share...

Did anyone notice the picture of the scientists in the room where you talk to Eli just before learning how to use the Strider Busters and take a good look at that picture? If not here it is zoomed in:

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/7995/ep2outland11b0000pc9.jpg (copy and past this, I forget how to embed images in spoilers)

Look that the scientist standing in front of Gordon on the extreme right. Who does that look like to you? Hmm...
That was in HL2 aswell.

[stav]

it's the scientist from hl1 is it not?

[da-geezer]

Interesting note here: Half Life Saga FAQ (http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/faq.htm), check out answer 17, seems to dispute this.

[WraithMaster]

That was in HL2 aswell.
Hm I don't remember it...

Also Stav:

I thought maybe it looked a bit like G-Man in a lab coat but I may be just seeing things

EDIT: whoops just looked at geezer's link. Guess that stuffs my theory.

[piemastermike]

totally looks like gman to me, but younger. Would make sense tbh!

[Youlikeyams?]

http://kotaku.com/assets/resources/2007/10/cubecake.jpg

Best cake ever.

[Weeman]

It's the Weighted Companion Cube and cake at the same time?


But the cake is a lie, surely this cannot be.

[basstard]

Orange box purchase'd. Mostly for Portal. For the princely sum of 49 euros.

I have never really got into half life. Now I have the chance to.

Or will, once I work out how to register online without an internet connection...

[skoo]

pc or xboxage?

[basstard]

PC. My current plan is to install everything then lug my laptop to somewhere with free wifi (that'd be McDo's or the coffee shop then).

[skoo]

Nice, tf2 \o/

[basstard]

I hope this will be worth it - I have spent half an hour outside a cafe in the street borrowing wifi after it closed so I can play this.

Plus I had to uninstall Bioshock, AoE3, Stalker and GTA : San Andreas to free up the hard drive space since stupid Orange Box doesn't let me choose my destination hard drive.

[Dingboy Bob The Slammy Walrus Bitch]

Hmm, am I nearly at the end of Half Life 2? I'm at the chapter Follow Freeman

[stav]

two more after that

[Mat^]

got it today for the 360.

TF2 later anyone?

[SWE]

I hope this will be worth it - I have spent half an hour outside a cafe in the street borrowing wifi after it closed so I can play this.

Plus I had to uninstall Bioshock, AoE3, Stalker and GTA : San Andreas to free up the hard drive space since stupid Orange Box doesn't let me choose my destination hard drive.
Wherever the steam folder is should be where it installs

[Dingboy Bob The Slammy Walrus Bitch]

two more after that

Ok nice, thanks.

[basstard]

Oh, what the hell, Valve?


Why is this all linked into Steam when I bought physical copies?
Why did you change the default Steam language into French?
And why can't I play even the single player games without first connecting to the internet?

I am irritated at you now. Feel my wrath.

I spent an hour or so in the cafe just installing these then updating them...stupid Valve

[Timmeh]

Oh, what the hell, Valve?


Why is this all linked into Steam when I bought physical copies?
Why did you change the default Steam language into French?
And why can't I play even the single player games without first connecting to the internet?

I am irritated at you now. Feel my wrath.

I spent an hour or so in the cafe just installing these then updating them...stupid Valve

1) Steam is Valve's CMS for everything now, that was just a decision they made.

2) It's decided from your host and where you purchased the game. Your host is *.fr, you bought the game in France default language becomes French (which is a lot more sensible than English). It's easy to change.

3) Save your steam account settings. When you start up steam from then on you can use "offline mode" which doesn't require an internet connection.

[woobi]

got it today for the 360.

TF2 later anyone?

As soon as I get an internet connection.

Bloody useless halls of residence doesn't even have a phone thingy in it.

[Kaveman]

WOW, got this on Saturday, and haven't put it down. I'm currently playing through HL2 (for the first time :o), completed Portal (love you WCC) and play TF2 an awful lot (has some problems serverwise).
Overall it is amazing. It's a shame this will sell less than Halo 3 when this is the clear superior one...

[Boyinabox]

Oh, what the hell, Valve?


Why is this all linked into Steam when I bought physical copies?
Why did you change the default Steam language into French?
And why can't I play even the single player games without first connecting to the internet?

I am irritated at you now. Feel my wrath.

I spent an hour or so in the cafe just installing these then updating them...stupid Valve
2004 much?

[Splush]

Heh, that's what I just was thinking. That post was an exciting time warp back to internet circa 2004.

You gotta keep your whining up to date basstard, I dunno what the current thing to whine about is right now though.

[the last sheika]

Right, so I've decided to get Orange Box for Christmas, and getting it for PC seems the most obvious choice, since I actually have a PC... so, there's two things I'm worried about:

1. Would it work okay on a PC that's a few years old, and was only about average at the time?
2. How easy is it to play online? I never worked out how to get most of my PC games online, but maybe that's because I haven't tried since I was about 12.

[basstard]

Heh, that's what I just was thinking. That post was an exciting time warp back to internet circa 2004.

You gotta keep your whining up to date basstard, I dunno what the current thing to whine about is right now though.

Sorry. For the record, I have worked out how to get Steam into offline mode. And I will soon have internet access (I realise I may be the only one on Earth who does not have it at the moment).

[Erskien_Parkour]

Right, so I've decided to get Orange Box for Christmas, and getting it for PC seems the most obvious choice, since I actually have a PC... so, there's two things I'm worried about:

1. Would it work okay on a PC that's a few years old, and was only about average at the time?
2. How easy is it to play online? I never worked out how to get most of my PC games online, but maybe that's because I haven't tried since I was about 12.

Post up your system specs and we can give you an idea if it will work :)

[Kaveman]

Just Completed HL2, now to EP1.

[the last sheika]

Post up your system specs and we can give you an idea if it will work :)
I don't really use this PC for much hi-spec stuff, so all I can find on the spot is:

Compaq
Presario
Intel(R)
Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
3.00GHz
1.00GB of RAM

Under System Properties.

EDIT: Y'know, I really should've just looked at Wikipedia to answer my own question. -_-

[Timmeh]

That'll do fine. :)

[da-geezer]

Bloody useless halls of residence doesn't even have a phone thingy in it.

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/mobile-internet/

Check that bad boy out, it's what a few people I know use. Three have just unveiled a cheaper package, and O2 are releasing a pack at a reasonable rate but apparently it's crippled by usage limits.

Sexytimes!

[ray]

i traded in a bunch of games for the orangutan box this afternoon.

i really like portal.


http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/972/futuramaox9.gif
welcome to the world of tomorrow!

[basstard]

Finally it works :barry:

I started - and completed - Portal last night. That was fantastic fun. Probably just the right length. Although I'd love to see the Portal gun in, say, a TF2 match...

Also started Half Life 2. looks great, slowly getting along with it (and dying a lot)...I fear I am missing lots of the plot by not having played HL1 and by all the dialogue being in French. I did understand 'delicieux gateau' though.

Out of curiosity, what is the big deal with the Weighted Companion Cube? You only have it with you for one level...

If anyone knows where I can get the song as an mp3 I would love that

[Dingboy Bob The Slammy Walrus Bitch]

Edit by skoo: Link removed. Please don't link to illegal music downloads.

:D

[Mat^]

Out of curiosity, what is the big deal with the Weighted Companion Cube? You only have it with you for one level...Exactly

It's just sort of a throwaway joke really, it protects you from those energy balls so you form a relationship with it, then you have to chuck it away, it's basicly just another apature science test like the one about the task being impossible and that you should stop trying or "we're not going to lie to you anymore".

[neo_man]

Exactly

It's just sort of a throwaway joke really, it protects you from those energy balls so you form a relationship with it, then you have to chuck it away, it's basicly just another apature science test like the one about the task being impossible and that you should stop trying or "we're not going to lie to you anymore".

He was more than that! He was my friend! :cube:

[Krytom]

I believe I have made a rather surprising discovery.

On the computer keyboards in Portal there are a few select keys shown in orange.
I first noticed this on the victory screen http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/7808/portalkeyboardin4.png

Now one can find what keys these are by comparing them to a regular keyboard:

ASDERHNIP.

Now, I thought there must be a reason to this and guessed that there might be an anagram hidden there which related to the game.

Turns out I was half right, they spell out HARD PENIS.

:eek::eek::eek::eek:

Not quite related to the game I think.

Anyone else notice this?

[Kaveman]

I believe I have made a rather surprising discovery.

On the computer keyboards in Portal there are a few select keys shown in orange.
I first noticed this on the victory screen http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/7808/portalkeyboardin4.png

Now one can find what keys these are by comparing them to a regular keyboard:

ASDERHNIP.

Now, I thought there must be a reason to this and guessed that there might be an anagram hidden there which related to the game.

Turns out I was half right, they spell out HARD PENIS.

:eek::eek::eek::eek:

Not quite related to the game I think.

Anyone else notice this?

lol, I noticed that. But being it the 360 version I couldn't take a screenshot. So never got around to checking it out.

[Cap'n Zog]

They are also all the letters needed to spell Adrian Shepherd, the protagonist of Opposing Force.

[piemastermike]

http://www.wordsmith.org/anagram/anagram.cgi?anagram=ASDERHNIP&t=100000

[Krytom]

They are also all the letters needed to spell Adrian Shepherd, the protagonist of Opposing Force.

Ah yes of course, it says on his wiki. I have a feeling that my interpretation is a mere coincidence, whereas the fact that it spells out Adrian Shepherd appears to be no accident.

[Kaveman]

oooooo
Adrian Shepherd for ep 3?

[Soapie]

Ordered it today (can't be arsed downloading the whole lot).

[Kaveman]

What's this update for? [360]

[Dingboy Bob The Slammy Walrus Bitch]

Supposed to stop most of the lag, the update also nerfs demolition guys (4 bullets in one of their weapons instead of 6) and increases the range of the pyro's flamethrower.

[skoo]

The demoman has 4 and 8 nades per weapon and always has. the "nerf" is to make the grenades not explode on contact if they have bounced first. (If its like the PC version)

[Dingboy Bob The Slammy Walrus Bitch]

Ooh, damn that's even worse! :D

[Mr_Moo]

As mister Skoo said, primary weapon -should- have 4 grenades that explode on contact with a player/engineer building, but deactivate once they hit something solid like a wall/floor (they'll explode shortly afterwards). The secondary should still have 8 stickies though.

[Youlikeyams?]

On another WCC-themed post - make your own! (http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8460775&publicUserId=5462536) :D

[doctor_fruitbat]

Damn, I only just realised that the Orange Box comes with HL2 and Ep1 as well. I am a muppet. :p

[the last sheika]

Right, decision time.

Right now, I can afford to buy Portal off Steam, which is the main reason I want Orange Box.

However, I also want Team Fortress 2, and if I buy Portal now, I'll have enough money to buy Team Fortress 2 in about a month's time.

Alternatively, I can wait the month and get all of Orange Box for round about the same price-5 cents more, to be precise, and that obviously also includes all the Half Life 2. Thing is, I'm not that bothered about the Half Life...

So, what should I do?

[Lyricaus]

Get the orange box bundle. portal is shorter than you'd think, and chances are you will dip into half life 2, since it is 3 (some say 5, i count the episodes as still half life) games in one box. good value, worth it.

[Pkhunter]

also, Portal is too closely tied into the Half-Life story for you to ignore Half-Life.

[woobi]

It isn't really.

Just says black mesa a few times.

[basstard]

also, Portal is too closely tied into the Half-Life story for you to ignore Half-Life.

It isn't really.

Just says black mesa a few times.

Aperture Science is going to show up in Episode 3 though, and possibly play a large part - their ship, the something, shows up.

[ray]

Aperture Science, the company behind the portal experiments, are competing with Black Mesa for government contracts (slides seen in Portal confirm this). While the existence of the portal gun itself is presumably unknown to characters in HL2, an Aperture Science research vessel, the Borealis, has been discovered after vanishing from a drydock many years previously. It seems likely that Episode 3 will center around the Borealis and the research contained within. skoo is gay for moleman

[skoo]

Hi, use spoilers.

[basstard]

Broadband is up and running so I am hitting TF2 tonight! \o/

[Splush]

Amusing interview with Erik Wolpaw here: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=518#more-518

[Kaveman]

Amusing interview with Erik Wolpaw here: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=518#more-518

Very interesting read, rep'd.

[Slurp]

K, so this here package seems to be pretty much EVERYWHERE at the moment, which I presume to be a testament to it's goodness. As a result my interest has been aroused.
So I'll just presume that y'all wholeheartedly advise it, and ask some questions.
As the only way I have to play it is on my PC, the obvious ones are whether or not it'll work on it. Both Play and Amazon seem to have abandoned their 'technical details' pages, so no help there, so I instead ask you for back-of-box advice.
My PC runs with Windows Vista, so there's the inevitable question of compatability there, but it isn't the hottest tool in the box, and in certain aspects is slightly lacking.
So yeah, how many gigs of ram and the like will I need?
My broadband internet, being British, is already pretty slow (exact measurements coming soon!), but the fact that it's wireless probably more or less throws team fortress out the window, so how much will the package suffer from a lack of that? They're about all the questions I've got for now, and any answers would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers y'all!

[skoo]

If your PC can run vista it should have enough oomph for the orange box. The only grey area will be the video card.

[Slurp]

I shall return with specifications.

But I have essays to complete first.

EDIT: My internet is wireless ADSL- to slow I'm a guessing, and my graphics card (if that's what Mr. Skoo meant) I don't know yet, and can no linger remember how to find out

[piemastermike]

graphics card: start>>search>>run>>dxdiag

paste the results.

internet speed: close anything using the internet, go to www.speedtest.net and then paste what it says here.

[Slurp]

K, I've prnt screened its ass, but am none to sure how to get it from being a picture in a word document to an image-shackeable file. Any ideas??

[piemastermike]

go back into dxdiag and there is a button that lets you export it as text. Also from that website there is an url to an image.

[Slurp]

K then, here's the URL http://www.speedtest.net/result/198708252.png (http://www.speedtest.net)
and here's the chip
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: Intel(R) G965 Express Chipset Family
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip type: Intel(R) GMA 3000
DAC type: Internal
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_29A2&SUBSYS_01DD1028&REV_02
Display Memory: 250 MB
Dedicated Memory: 0 MB
Shared Memory: 250 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Driver Name: igdumd32.dll
Driver Version: 7.14.0010.1147 (English)
DDI Version: 9Ex
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 2/9/2007 18:32:30, 2105344 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp:
Device Identifier: {D7B78E66-6AE2-11CF-E377-D721A3C2CA35}
Vendor ID: 0x8086
Device ID: 0x29A2
SubSys ID: 0x01DD1028
Revision ID: 0x0002
Revision ID: 0x0002
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C
There's more info on the chip should you want itm, but it begins to get a bit overexcited with 'deinterlace caps'
Thanks again

[Erskien_Parkour]

I run wireless and TF2 is just fine?

[piemastermike]

your connection should just about do, but it looks like you have onboard graphics (is it a laptop?) so that will need changing.

[Slurp]

Nay, it's a proper computer, how much (roughly) are sufficent graphics cards likely to cost??

[piemastermike]

agp/pci-e/pci?

[Slurp]

Err, k, I'll look into it. Thankyou muchly

[crab]

I'm getting mine physically, but I ordered last thing on a Friday :(

It's arrived! I'm going to have to expand my partition...

[Boyinabox]

Have any of you guys tried the Portal map by Bethesda? I've been having a quick go on it and it's crazy, and certantly the best custom map out there. Hell, its professional enough (as you'd expect from a game developer) to have been a map from the main game, and the new SDK isn't even out yet.

THE ENTIRE MAP CAN ROTATE! How freakin awesome is that!

Linkeh (http://www.twhl.co.za/mapvault_map.php?id=4842)

[crab]

Ahahaha Hahaha Fruitcake

(if this makes no sense to you, play moar portal)

[thecaterpillar]

I just complete portal for the first time today.

OMG!!!!!!! Best fucking game in the world!!!!!!!!

I manage to defeat the boss, with just 12 seconds left! That was beautiful. I got a question, we saw the cake at the end. So was the cake really a lie?

[Youlikeyams?]

Does the WCC madness ever stop?

http://kotaku.com/assets/resources/2007/11/weightedcubestuffed.jpg

[basstard]

That is a Weighted Companion Sphere, clearly.

[Kaveman]

That is absolute shit
Fix'd

[david22]

got it the other me and kid are having a great time with it

but i am in love with halo 3

[Urlosenged]

Edited because I'm a massive pillock.

[Kaveman]

.

lolwut.
I'm only saying they are shit because I've seen a better one; which is fan made.
But come on, you can't seriously say that they don't disappoint you.

[The Grim Reaper]

I just got orange box retail for a little less than you can get off steam, from a friend who won it and already had it.

Portal first? HL2? Play HL1 before HL2? TF2 even?

[Timmeh]

Play the half lives in order, it's not a requirement, you'd understand without but you'll get more out of it if you play them all.

Half life 1 > opposing force > blue shift > HL2 > HL2E1 > HL2E2

If you don't have the first ones, don't worry about them, they have little consequence on the story but they're still fun to play. Portal and TF2 you can play at your leisure. :)

[Splush]

.
I dunno, it seems pretty shit to me. You'd think they could make it a cube at least.

[Urlosenged]

Yeah ok, so I misunderstood criticism of the cube they've made as him/her/it just going against the whole companion cube thing to be all different. Sorry about that Kaveman.

[The Grim Reaper]

I completed portal, its quite an awesome game, though from all the attention the WCC gets, i was rather underwhelmed/disappointed when i did the level. I guess i was expecting something really really great.

TF2 is great fun, still haven't really mastered any of the classes yet, though im semi-okay at some of them.

[ray]

TF2 for the wii

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/4166/1195268381038wy6.png

[pieeater]

aperturescience.com (http://www.aperturescience.com) more portal related funness can be found here.

[Twatybollocks]

Picked this up on the weekend. TF2 is completely nuts, I love it!

[da-geezer]

Half life 1 > opposing force > blue shift > HL2 > HL2E1 > HL2E2

Offtopic, but something I've been thinking about for a while.

I've been wondering when Valve or gearbox or next door's cat will actually decide to port OpFor and BS onto the Source engine. I remember Gabe Newell making a press announcement a while back saying OpFor would be ported, but nothing since then.

I'm aware of HL:S which seems to be just a test port as it were. Opposing Source seems to have been cancelled and relaunched god knows how many times, and Black Mesa Source seems to be taking it's time in development.

Any ideas? Viewpoints? Whatever?

[Splush]

I've never played Op Force or Blue Shift and I have no idea why, because I loved the original half-life and should have been gagging for more. I'd definitely be up for playing rejiggered source engine versions.

[Erskien_Parkour]

Is it just me who didnt like Ep2.

Yep. The ending ruined it completely.

[Pilk Man]

I hated the section with the magnesson's (sp?).

Well, to be more precise, I hated having the hunters blow up the MG and having to drive/run back to the nearest dispenser >: -(

[Swirl]

http://steamgames.com/status/ep2/ep2_stats.php is interesting.
I haven't actually played hl2:e2 (or e1 for that matter) because i'm completing them in order (from hl2) verrry slowly.

[tom93]

http://steamgames.com/status/ep2/ep2_stats.php is interesting.
I haven't actually played hl2:e2 (or e1 for that matter) because i'm completing them in order (from hl2) verrry slowly.

i saw that the other day.
I like how there's a huge concentration of people who jumped off the cliff on the first map to see if you could. I know I did.

Also, I really loved the strider sequence at the end. Especially going for the "no buildings can be destroyed" achievement. It was a genuine challenge, and I had a lot of fun with it. I prefer Episode 2 to Episode 1, definitely.

[da-geezer]

I'm near the end of HL2 (Our Benefectors if you're wondering), and everything between Red Letter day and Nova Prospekt was a wad of tonk I thought. Sure it was all very pretty and they'd probably spent a good while designing it, but it wasn't all that fun at all. I didn't think it was the mass wankathon that everybody thought it was when it first come out, that said it really has been a decent play through so far :)

[Swirl]

I'm on Entanglement at the moment, so you're further than me da-geezer :p I'm at the part where you have to place the hacked turrets in strategic positions and defend yourself from being surrounded by combine. I'm playing on hard so it's pretty... hard.

[da-geezer]

I just finished it an hour ago, the end sequence is pretty cool, if a little bit of a cop-out of an ending. The capture-and-hold parts can get quite hairy, particularly if you're trying to pick up turrets forever. You've got the entire street war coming up, namely chapters Anticitzen One and Follow Freeman, so you'll be kept busy for a long time with those!

"... time, Mr Freeman?"

[Erskien_Parkour]

HL2 and co were never as good as HL and co.

In my oppinion

[Splush]

I definitely rate HL1 higher than HL2. Partly just because of the competition at the time though, HL1 was such a ridiculous leap in quality from anything else available.

[Erskien_Parkour]

HL helped me grow up

I always knew how to kill the zombies I encountered in the street.

[da-geezer]

pro-tip #1: crowbars are your friends

also, honestly how many people used the WASD config? Every bastard gaming device or game seems to be based around that config. I've always lived with TGFDJ, with F and H for loof left and look right. Must be my Q3 days catching up on me.

[Timmeh]

I use WASD, but I went through a TFGH phase and an arrow phase thanks to unreal tournament. I also briefly tried rdfg but that was shit.

[WraithMaster]

I have a buddy that uses P[]\ to move. Don't ask me how, you just look at his gaming keyboard and see those 4 keys rubbed off from use and you think "wait, wtf?"

I've always used an arrow key setup because when games were much simpler you could get away with using them for movements, Shift for jump, and Right Ctrl for crouch. Nowadays with my Razer Diamondback it's still pretty easy to get away with an arrow key setup and using the extra 4 mouse buttons for other things that would normally be a pain to map with an arrow key setup.

[piemastermike]

WASD for me thanks very much!

[Tempest]

T
FGH

for me

[piemastermike]

I have really big hands so having the buttons anywhere else on the keyboard means they are too close to my mouse (yeah I could move the keyboard/mouse but NO)

[totes]

bighands

[Haroshi]

WASD seems fine to me.

I remember using the arrow keys for some games but WASD seems to make more sense,
(due to the amount of buttons you can hit with each finger of your left hand)

[Pilk Man]

WASD, Ctrl for crouch and space for jump! I'm so used to it now changing would destroy me. My hand naturally fits that configuration.

Anyone else starting to get weird brown/grey much on their keys? My keyboard is pretty old but it's really annoying! The part of my desk where my wrists sit during gameplay is also a bit sticky :S

And no I did not jizz on either of them.

[Lyricaus]

The joys of human sweat, and all the germs on your hands. Also, WASD for me. Simple. Easy.

[Pilk Man]

MM nice, tips for cleaning?

[Lyricaus]

soap and water? Not being sarcastic, but it usually works.