Topic: The Orange Box discussion thread (possible spoilers) (Read 76217 times)

Narr · « **Reply #100 on:** 05 Nov 2007, 22:45 »

If you think about it, you could still spell Adrian Shepard with the letters given. There's no explicit rule that the letters couldn't have been used more than once, right?

Sort of like in that one movie with Nicholas Cage. Uhh... uh.... National Treasure I think it was.

Storm Rider · « **Reply #101 on:** 05 Nov 2007, 22:49 »

If that's the case, why would there be two A's?

KvP · « **Reply #102 on:** 06 Nov 2007, 15:59 »

Bethesda (developers of The Elder Scrolls games) made a custom map for Portal.

jeph · « **Reply #103 on:** 09 Nov 2007, 00:26 »

Got my new 360 today, and I'm opening up the Orange Box as soon as I get done at the office.

Thank god I have all of next week's strips written.

Dimmukane · « **Reply #104 on:** 09 Nov 2007, 05:59 »

I'm gonna buy the PC version of Portal just so I can have custom maps. It's worth the 20$, even if I am borderline penniless.

Johnny C · « **Reply #105 on:** 09 Nov 2007, 09:02 »

Do you think Valve might offer DLC?

Dimmukane · « **Reply #106 on:** 09 Nov 2007, 12:15 »

Oh, they definitely will...I'd be surprised if they didn't.

Inlander · « **Reply #107 on:** 09 Nov 2007, 19:26 »

Portal is terrific fun and terribly cute, but a bit forgettable, and the final "level" (running through the guts of the building) goes on for way too long - but that may be due to my aversion to dingy industrial landscapes in computer games. All that said, I know I'm going to love the shit out of it every time I play it.

I've just finished playing Episode 2, which with the exception of a couple of moments of chunking out performed admirably well on my computer (a laptop!). It starts slow with all the Antlions - which aren't my favourite enemy - but it sure picks up after that. The Hunters are incredible, an enemy that's simultaneously scary as hell and absolutely exhilarating to play against. That first fight against them is one of the most thrilling, adrenaline-pumping scenes in a game I've ever played. I also loved the "going to get the car" level, and god knows how long it must've taken them to design that map. It shows Valve's skill in taking essentially identical scenarios and twist them in different ways: the contrast in ambiance between this level and the hospital level in Episode 1 is remarkable, given that they're both basically "running through an abandoned building, killing zombies": the level in Episode 1 is basically all action, all the time, whereas the level in Episode 2 is much more tense, with occasional bursts of flash fighting. I was impressed by the way game built and built and built in intensity until that final fight - and then, of course, that final scene, which shows that when it comes to putting genuine deep emotion into games Valve has few peers.

And a final note: everyone's been talking, quite rightly, about how great and how suitable for the game the song over the end credits of Portal is. The music over the end credits of Episode 2 is just as great, in its very different way, and absolutely perfect for the way the game ends.

Jeff7 · « **Reply #108 on:** 09 Nov 2007, 20:17 »

I've got a week off from class for Thanksgiving. I intend to enjoy The Orange Box during that time.

Quote from: jeph on 09 Nov 2007, 00:26

Got my new 360 today, and I'm opening up the Orange Box as soon as I get done at the office.

Thank god I have all of next week's strips written.

Valve doesn't just want your money. They want your LIFE!!!!
I'm not even going to buy The Orange Box until Thanksgiving vacation officially starts. I've finally played Half Life 2, and it was a bit more of a distraction than it should have been. The Orange Box, and especially Portals, will likely be just as distracting. Oh god I hope I hope I hope...

jeph · « **Reply #109 on:** 10 Nov 2007, 05:19 »

Oh man. Portal was amazing. I owe Gabe Newell some fanart now.

I'm playing through HL2 right now- would you believe I've never actually played a Half-Life game before? So far I like it okay. I think I'm too early in to really have a feel for it yet.

Ozymandias · « **Reply #110 on:** 10 Nov 2007, 19:36 »

Oh, man. Jeph. Stop playing HL2 and go download HL: Source or just plain-ass Half-Life 1.

Half-Life is the most important FPS of all time and it would be a damn shame to ruin it by playing through the awesome physics of HL2 first.

Also, HL2 now, to me, just feels like an introduction to the Source engine and the new developments in the Half-Life universe. The episodes are the meat and potatoes of awesome gameplay.

Ozymandias · « **Reply #111 on:** 11 Nov 2007, 18:05 »

I love Ep 1. It feels more like Half-Life 1 to me than the rest of the story.

Inlander · « **Reply #112 on:** 11 Nov 2007, 18:56 »

Yeah, Episode 1's a nice little intense rush of action.

Jeph, seeing as how it's all in the box, you should really play Half-Life 2 before you play Episode 2. If nothing else, it provides an excellent extended training session with the Gravity Gun, and if you can get the hang of that it'll make Episode 2 (and 1, for that matter) much more enjoyable to play, especially seeing as how the latter two games (or mini-games, perhaps) sort of assume you already know how to use it.

jeph · « **Reply #113 on:** 11 Nov 2007, 22:35 »

That's exactly what I'm doing, Harry. So far I have been shooting lots of Combine soldiers with a handgun. I'm not very far in yet I guess!

Also I liked Portal so much I made this:

ackblom12 · « **Reply #114 on:** 11 Nov 2007, 22:43 »

It scares me to think what he would do with the Weighted Companion Cube.

Inlander · « **Reply #115 on:** 11 Nov 2007, 22:47 »

I just thought of another reason to play Half-Life 2: it means you can get maximum enjoyment out of Concerned: the Half Life and Death of Gordon Frohman.

Johnny C · « **Reply #116 on:** 12 Nov 2007, 14:26 »

I get paid in eight days.

Eight Goddamn days and I can finally play all of these games.

Dimmukane · « **Reply #117 on:** 13 Nov 2007, 06:28 »

Oh dear god. I think I just peed myself.

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #118 on:** 13 Nov 2007, 08:34 »

I wonder what the Pyro guys are playing

*groan* Through the Fire and Flame

Scandanavian War Machine · « **Reply #119 on:** 13 Nov 2007, 16:18 »

they are obviously playing Jump In The Fire

SilentJ · « **Reply #120 on:** 14 Nov 2007, 04:57 »

Everybody knows the Weighted Companion Cube is a fan of soup over sandwiches

No explanation for the priceless jewels, though.

Inlander · « **Reply #121 on:** 14 Nov 2007, 05:26 »

Oh god, every year or so I manage to forget about Weebl and Bob, and then I go and click on a link and I'm reminded of how fucking awful it is all over again. It really is the fox piss of the internet.

Stryc9Fuego · « **Reply #122 on:** 15 Nov 2007, 06:38 »

I love that shot of the Engineer surrounded by sentries with that doomed Scout holding his little piddling bat.

Also, Jeph: awesome fan art. Is that what you're sending to Gabe, or is that just for our enjoyment?

Narr · « **Reply #123 on:** 15 Nov 2007, 19:08 »

Anyways: I am setting that pyros with guitar photo as my desktop right this very second.

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #124 on:** 17 Nov 2007, 19:51 »

Renalia · « **Reply #125 on:** 18 Nov 2007, 05:35 »

Quote from: Scandanavian War Machine on 13 Nov 2007, 16:18

they are obviously playing Jump In The Fire

I'm pretty sure they're playing Burning Down the House.

Rizzo · « **Reply #126 on:** 19 Nov 2007, 15:52 »

So I clocked my friend's copy of Portal last night... ZOMG so awesome. Especially the curiosity module.
I was a bit worried when I found myself talking to the companion cube. And those guns... teasing them was so enjoyable.
Took me about 2.5-3 hours to beat it.

Ally · « **Reply #127 on:** 19 Nov 2007, 17:40 »

The guitar part for the ending song doesn't look too complicated to me, and I barely play guitar.

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #128 on:** 19 Nov 2007, 18:59 »

Medic

for what ever reason I have yet to touch any of the Half-Life 2 episodes

Narr · « **Reply #129 on:** 21 Nov 2007, 00:16 »

I've recently decided my favorite thing to do in TF2 is punch people to death as a Heavy. The only difference in damage between melee weapons is that some of them crit more often than others. (Actually, scouts hit for less than other people do but they also have the added advantage of being crazy fast so it evens out.) Heavies crit most often. It's hilarious to drop in as a fatty and blow a guy away with an uppercut. You guys don't even know. I set my record for kills in one life as 19, as a Heavy on defense at the last point on point 2, Dustbowl. I didn't even have a medic. I just ran around up top and punched people, or used my shotgun while i was moving around, and if I ever got behind a large group of the blue team, I'd whop out the big gun to take them all out.

Stryc9Fuego · « **Reply #130 on:** 22 Nov 2007, 01:45 »

Sounds like fun, if you can pull it off. The problem being that EVERYONE can outrun your Manos de la Muerte ass. You either had an entire team full of overconfident assholes, or you found the most ignorant group of n00bs ever.

Narr · « **Reply #131 on:** 22 Nov 2007, 03:09 »

Nah, it's pretty easy to get the drop on people if you know how to play. The way I've been playing heavy lately, the majority of my kills have come by way of shotgun, or at least that's what I use most the time. You'd be surprised how often people will try dodging you just to get in a position where you will DEFINITELY kill them if you switch to your heavy weapon and blow them away. It's strange, because it's not how most people play, but surprisingly effective especially if you have a healer that knows to heal soldiers mainly and heavies only when it's needed.

I have a lot of strategies for the game that are a-typical that work out pretty well. It's just how I am with first person shooter games. I can't beat guys that play them all day long at their own game so I just work around people being predictable to get easy kills.

Johnny C · « **Reply #132 on:** 22 Nov 2007, 06:36 »

Holy fuck I got this yesterday and just started Portal.

The atmosphere they've created is immaculate.

Stryc9Fuego · « **Reply #133 on:** 03 Dec 2007, 06:12 »

I just needed to put this up:

Hitman Skin for Spy. Good reskin? or BEST reskin?

Stryc9Fuego · « **Reply #134 on:** 05 Dec 2007, 16:43 »

Hilariously sad TF2 comic.
http://forums.facepunchstudios.com/showthread.php?t=443277

Johnny C · « **Reply #135 on:** 13 Dec 2007, 16:50 »

Right, okay.

In the span of about a week and a half I have completed Half-Life 2 and its episodes.

I can safely say that as an episodic experience, where you're waiting a while and you get one chunk of the game after months of waiting, it's probably really great, but in one run-through from your drop-in on the tram all the way to the final moments in White Forest it's fucking unparalleled.

I can't seem to play on any non-shitty servers in TF2. When are we going to do a QC game?

EDIT: If you own this and haven't gone through the episodes yet what are you waiting for???

Storm Rider · « **Reply #136 on:** 13 Dec 2007, 17:59 »

Quote from: Johnny C on 13 Dec 2007, 16:50

EDIT: If you own this and haven't gone through the episodes yet what are you waiting for???

Until I finish playing Mass Effect, actually.

Johnny C · « **Reply #137 on:** 13 Dec 2007, 19:04 »

Quote from: Anyways on 13 Dec 2007, 16:59

Johnny Christ you are so right.

Now, try it with Hl1 as well. I did this at a LAN. It's magical. If the Hl1 disc's hole in the middle wasn't so small, I would fuck it.

You have no idea how badly I actually want to play the original Half-Life, but if anything I want to play it as Black Mesa.

I might have to hunt down a copy with an expansion pack or two added on, and just hunt down the High-Def Pack.

Narr · « **Reply #138 on:** 13 Dec 2007, 19:27 »

Quote from: Johnny C on 13 Dec 2007, 16:50

I can't seem to play on any non-shitty servers in TF2. When are we going to do a QC game?

Story of my life. Well, of my life when it comes to TF2. It's either atrociously teamstacked or simply a buggy server. Lately, I've been getting so frustrated with the game I uninstalled it. I only put it back on because my two brothers that also play it talked me into it.

I need a new machine so I can move on to better games.

I want to play UT3 so badly.

Johnny C · « **Reply #139 on:** 13 Dec 2007, 20:10 »

Yeah well imagine how compounded your problems would be on the XBox. I can't even find one consistent server I like and just stick with it.

EDIT: I'm playing Episode 2 through with developer commentary on. I just realised how much of a pain in the ass it will be to slog through all the parts of the game again just to get to the commentary (especially the fucking Antlion moments) so I'm just going to put on invincibility, okay? Now that everyone has come to terms with it, I suggest that it be a standard option once you've completed the game.

MusicScribbles · « **Reply #140 on:** 13 Dec 2007, 20:58 »

All I want this holiday season is an Orange Box. I am not allowed to edit this into a list.

Johnny C · « **Reply #141 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 00:12 »

Quote from: Johnny C on 13 Dec 2007, 20:10

I'm just going to put on invincibility [for the developer commentary mode]... I suggest that it be a standard option once you've completed the game.

I cannot stress how much of a good decision this was. Seriously. I get to see and hear everything they talk about without having to worry about a Zombine bludgeoning me to death with a hand grenade. With something like Portal it's different because your imminent death is markedly less imminent. To their credit the commentary nodes are mostly in places where little or no harm can actually come to the player, but it's still nice to be able to hear and understand what they're saying.

The commentary feature is so utterly brilliant though. I've missed one node so far and knowing that really managed to piss me off - they're tremendously insightful. Anecdotes about playtester moments are probably my favourite. In one scripted moment, a fast zombie chucks up some boxes and clambers out of a dumpster to attack you once you get a certain distance from it. On my first playthrough, I just walked away from the thing and turned around when I heard a noise - amidst boxes getting chucked, I saw the zombie and unloaded my shotgun through its stupid zombie head. Normal enough, right? Well, some intrepid playtester had a couple of grenades and so he lobbed one in and just went on his way. The physics of the boxes being thrown, however, hurled his grenade right back at him. The developers loved the expression on his face so they made the script do that every time you toss in a grenade.

The level of detail that goes into tiny things that you might not even notice is absolutely astounding at every turn. You think the game is deep already, and then you hear a team of people talk about every minute decision about its design and realise it's even more robust than you had ever imagined.

thehollow · « **Reply #142 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 00:17 »

shit, I didn't even realize there was commentary. How'd I miss that? Well, I was wondering if I was gonna be bored over winter break, this should alleviate some of that.

edit: damn, there's commentary for episodes 1 and 2 and Portal‽ sweet crackers!

Johnny C · « **Reply #143 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 00:34 »

The Portal commentary is great. Sneaky fuckers hid some of them on you!

Inlander · « **Reply #144 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 07:44 »

Quote from: Johnny C on 14 Dec 2007, 00:12

The physics of the boxes being thrown, however, hurled his grenade right back at him. The developers loved the expression on his face so they made the script do that every time you toss in a grenade.

Heh, that happened to me the second time I played the game. Still managed to grenade the fucker in the end, though!

Johnny C · « **Reply #145 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 08:36 »

You're only invincible while listening to the commentary itself. Which, you know, alright, but what concerns me is less fighting while listening to it and more struggling relentlessly to get to the next node.

Scandanavian War Machine · « **Reply #146 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 10:30 »

is the commentary only on the PC version? i have it for 360 and didn't notice any commentary but then again, i wasn't looking.

Alegis · « **Reply #147 on:** 14 Dec 2007, 18:25 »

I recommend CTF_Quarry for custom CTF map. Haven't gotten much chance to play it yet, but the structure is fine and battles at middle fun.
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=632413

Have some other images in that directory for those interested.

Johnny C · « **Reply #148 on:** 15 Dec 2007, 00:43 »

Quote from: Scandanavian War Machine on 14 Dec 2007, 10:30

is the commentary only on the PC version? i have it for 360 and didn't notice any commentary but then again, i wasn't looking.

It's a mode you can select on the title screen. The only title which doesn't have it is Half-Life 2 itself, which in retrospect is a huge bummer cause there's a game which would have an absolutely stunning commentary behind it.

The only other quibble I have with the commentary mode is in the last big battle of Episode 2. The commentary nodes are spread across the map, which is kind of a hassle. However, the map itself is such an extraordinary testament to Episode 2 that I can't really hold anything against them.

Stryc9Fuego · « **Reply #149 on:** 17 Dec 2007, 10:44 »

I thought it was neat when I found that they have commentary in TF2. One thing is that they have the entirety of TC_HYDRO to look at in the Commentary version of that map.

Check it out.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: The Orange Box discussion thread (possible spoilers) (Read 76217 times)

Narr

ackblom12

Narr

Ally

Narr

Narr

Narr

Alegis