'Official' Half-Life 2 Thread. Do Not Create New Threads (NO SPOILERS)

[Grumpy]

@ManiyaOtaro
Its all about choices I guess and your choice is to obviously use Linux? So what are you actually saying? You wont use windows or you cant afford to use windows? You seem to be whining more than 'dalver'!

And for those that cant find the 'hl2.exe' it obviously only installs after the game has been activated online! As I have more than one system in the house (Geez those poorer people arent gonna like that ) I have been doin some testing and the other machine doesnt have the hl2.exe as it hasnt been activated on that machine.
And just to rub some more salt into those poorer wounds I also have another system used to check my CD2DVD conversions on!

[dalver]

Yeah, yeah.

"Spit in poor peoples eye" is an exaggerrated-phrase used by me to spark a reaction, which I got. So don't do as I do and get hung up on that one thing, there are more points in there, to be considered than that.

Nevertheless, I choose to view this internet verification, as discrimination because it is presumed by steam/valve that anyone without an internet-connection is a thief, otherwise they would have used a system allowing even those without one to play.

As to the high system spec argument I will respond that in order for a computer to function it needs certain components. A graphics card is among those things. True that a computer can run with a 2MB graphic-card, but it still needs it. Internet on the other hand, is an optional device. Many use it from school or work and so they don't have it at home. And as I've heard many of the ports used by steam/valve for verification, or whatever, are closed on many such networks... and as I've further understood every computer with an installed copy of the game needs to have a connection to steam/valve to be "decoded". And - most - people play games at home.

Requiring a good/fast/expensive computer, to make the game-engine work is one thing. Requiring an internet connection to certify that you are not a thief is another.

Don't bring up SW Galaxies as it is a MMORPG, meant to be played online - at all times.

[Brainman2k]

Originally Posted by dalver

Yeah, yeah.
Don't bring up SW Galaxies as it is a MMORPG, meant to be played online - at all times.

whereas hl2 doens't even come with a multiplayer-part....

[Grumpy]

whereas hl2 doens't even come with a multiplayer-part

Why does it say on the box "Game Experience May Change During Online Play"?

[evilclone]

The activation process is very hit or miss as its the first game to try such as thing, I mean to decrypt files online based on your Key which could take anything between 15 minutes to over an hours is a nightmare, plus you need to download and create an account with steam. Its like hello. Its a computer game!

A single player game should be just that and if online feature is available then you use your internet connection.

If you think about it games companies ship the decryption key with the game which allows you to install it on your machine. Here they are taking it away and moving it online. We've all seen key generators based on the cryption algorithm, once this algorithm has been identified and files that are encrypted have been exposed all it needs is someone to write a program that instead of using your web connection to decrypt your files it will do it locally based on your key, or someone elses.

In the hacking world of no-cd cracks and patches stuff like this will only bring out the hardcore code breakers to prove yet again nothing is safe.

[Brainman2k]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

Why does it say on the box "Game Experience May Change During Online Play"?

you're referring to cs:s? no offense, but that excuse of a game is not a worthy mp-part for hl2. in fact it has nothing to do with hl2, except for the source-engine. i assume thats why they put that sticker on.

[Grumpy]

you're referring to cs:s

Your possibly right there! A closer look at the box and the game experience may change bit is just underneath the ad for CS! So yes I also assume now that its for CS. Its a bit misleading if you ask me! Had me thinkin it was for hl2!
Oh and definately No Offensive taken. Thanks for puttin me straight on the matter.

[dernettemann1983]

How can i make of the dvd 2 5 cd's. Have anyone a no cd crack.

[Brainman2k]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

Your possibly right there! A closer look at the box and the game experience may change bit is just underneath the ad for CS! So yes I also assume now that its for CS. Its a bit misleading if you ask me! Had me thinkin it was for hl2!
Oh and definately No Offensive taken. Thanks for puttin me straight on the matter.

i wish hl2 had an own mp-part. i ask myself: whats the use of giving a new engine to a rusted old car?

[GLH]

I was thinking i'm clever and waited two days, before download my version via Steam. But now it is downloading since 8:45 AM !!! Steam tells me there are "only" 80 minutes left. And this with DSL1000...

Can anyone tell me which files i have to store on a DVD+R, so i don't have to redownload it, when my PC crashs?

EDIT:
Now it's ready!
It has taken much much time, 6 hours and 35 minutes !!!
(from 08:45 am to 03:20 pm) !!!

[Grumpy]

@GLH
Wouldnt you just burn them all? Didnt they download into a seperate folder or something? Im also curious to know the price difference between the Retail version and the downloaded Steam version? Surely it would have to be a lot cheaper for the Steam version! And yeh thats a long download alright!
And one more thing to all, who else finds the 'blurred' startup screen so very annoying on the eyes??

[GLH]

After a few problems with starting the game, i found out that the problems are caused by my old graphic driver (Notebook with ATi Radeon 9600 mobile). The available driver are from 01-09-2003 !!!

Now i was using the DH MobilityModder Tool V2.0b to make the ATi Catalyst 4.9 installable on my notebook. This tool don't work with Catalyst 4.10 and 4.11 !!!

Then i was able to play the game.

@Grumpy:
In the Steam directory on my hd is a subfolder "SteamApps" with some big files (~ 4,5 GB). I will burn the complete "SteamApps" folder to a DVD !

[sole_fish]

Originally Posted by MamiyaOtaru

Please don't be lame. That is the gayest ad hominem I've ever seen.

I hate the activation. Because of the activation, I wouldn't buy it even if I ran windows. I am also pretty pissed that it is windows only, but I understand that it is their decision, as is the activation.

The activation sucks, but I still think it is stupid to whine about it as though it was some form of discrimination against poor people. Maybe you didn't read the post I responded to.. Requiring an internet connection is no more discrimination against poor people than requiring a 3d graphics card and good computer.

Go ahead and say how much it sucks and I'll agree. But when someone starts talking about how it's "spitting in poor peoples' face" I call bull****. There's already plenty of things making it hard for poor people to get the game, starting with the 60-120 dollar price tag.

Claiming that activation discriminates against poor people is just stupid. It distracts people from the real reasons that activation sucks and makes one sound like a hysterical tin foil hat wearing nincompoop.

Oh yeah, Valve paid me to write that. haha you are so clever.

As for your last statement, i agree. It was clever of me to determine that you must be a Sierra/Valve flunky. Even if you're not paid to work for them, you are doing it fine for free. Keep supporting this crap and you may as well be a political voicebox for business. Oooohhhh, your tin-foil hat comment places you in a republican catagory too! That explains the arrogance and elitest attitude. Hey, screw the incompetence of the Softwear developers and publishers. Wait a minute.... wasn't there a day when softwear developers would actually give you a part of their game for FREE??!!?? Tell me it isn't so! How could they afford to give us that with 'piracy' no 'internet connections' no 'copying safeguards' AND the finished product was far less expensive than games are these days?!?!? I know they stopped doing that. The greed of the Gaming industry is coming to a head. And, people like you, who will not discriminate a particular point, are going to be the catalyst for this. Your point all along is, 'There are so many other things wrong, how dare you pick only one thing to talk about!' Ridiculous. That is called DISCUSSION. Not one sided drivel from a Nazi-conspirator. This is a FORUM for DISCUSSION about topics of interest. IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED, THEN GO AWAY. We are interested here. Find a place where your input is a topic of discussion. We have shown we are not interested in your views. Goodbye.

[ente]

hm, when i backup the complete steam folder i dont need to decode a second time the files after a crash ?

[dalver]

Now, now, be nice. And remember - discussion.