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

[Grumpy]

Heard from my local game shop today, where I have my order in for Halflife 2, that I will have to now wait till the 17th! Is that the same in other countries?
So thats another sleep added!

[krondike]

The official date is 16th November!

[JoyBoy]

Good Luck to anyone outside the US getting the game on the 16th. If you want it on that date, your gonna have to order through Steam. I'm willing to bet it wont go on sale in the UK/Europe until the 18th. At the earliest.

[munsterbuster]

The first who posts a pic with the game cds and bill, gets a bubblegum from us.

[t.foster73]

I take it you've all heard about HL2, and how it requires online activation in order to run. Does this mean the disks will not have any copy protection? Most of the core code is already available for download via STEAM, but I really don't like relying on a third party in order to run software. What if you want to play in a few years, and the website no longer exists? Is this just the activation of a unique serial code, or is crucial core data downloaded to the target machine? If it's hardware based, then does that mean you can't set up a LAN at home without buying 2 or more copies? And what about buying a seconhand copy (from GAMESTATION say)? Also GAME (UK) told me today that I've as much chance of getting a copy on the 16th as hell has of freezing over. I REALLY hope someone cracks this online activation fiasco quickly, as I don't fancy the idea of 'leasing' a game from Valve, although I understand that in law, you are only purchasing the 'right to play' for any game you buy. I bet I (and many) spend more time whining on this site next week than we actually spend playing the game.

[munsterbuster]

Originally Posted by t.foster73

I REALLY hope someone cracks this online activation fiasco quickly, as I don't fancy the idea of 'leasing' a game from Valve, although I understand that in law, you are only purchasing the 'right to play' for any game you buy. I bet I (and many) spend more time whining on this site next week than we actually spend playing the game.

Cracking the activation would be pirating and will not be offered here. And german info sites say, that steam already has a backup solution. Don't ask me how.
And yes you have buy a second game for lan. Everything else would also be illegal.
The beast about steam is, in Lan it isn't working properly. Saw it on a great german LAN at the weekend. The tournament should start Friday 10 p.m. and what was? Nothing. About 2/3 could not connect to the servers. "Wrong version". So they fast made a Internet-Server-free-for-all, so they all get the newest version.
I pray to god and laughed. Good that I play UT 2004.

[t.foster73]

Yes you're right of course, I was wrong to talk of activation hacks and should know better, but just a note here: My gaming PC is in the boxroom upstairs, so to activate this game I will either need to bring the whole rig downstairs, or set up an Ethernet ICS lead, which though easy to do, is something I consider a bit much in order to play a videogame. Also, not everyone who has a PC has an internet connection, so is it just tough S*** for these people or what?

[tbaher]

Activation makes more sense in MMORPGs and that kinda stuff
Isn't having a valid CDKEY activation? (you cannot play online games without a valid CDKEY)

[JoyBoy]

After all the crap VALVe have gone through to get this game to retail, I applaud them for taking such a measure against Piracy. I'm not sure if theres any other Protection on the game (Vivendi = Securom?) but Its gonna be very interesting next week on here . From what I have read, you can also register the game via Snail Mail, if you choose. Unless you get the Steam version, you only need to be connected to the Internet once in order to verify your original retail.

[krondike]

sorry for giving wrong information. 15th November dose the release date says. But 16th is in Sweden..acctualy..

[JoyBoy]

If, from what I am reading on PlanetHalfLife, Steampowered and Rage3D (this one has pics) is true, the Half-Life 2 street date has been broken. People actually have the game now. The ironic thing, being that they cannot play the game due to the Steam Activation that is required. Double Awesome, dude!

[Grumpy]

Ive contacted 3 different shops now and ive been told release dates of 16th, 17th and 30th!! So it appears no-one in Australia knows for sure when its coming out!! Man I want that bubblegum Munsterbuster!

[krondike]

Originally Posted by JoyBoy

If, from what I am reading on PlanetHalfLife, Steampowered and Rage3D (this one has pics) is true, the Half-Life 2 street date has been broken. People actually have the game now. The ironic thing, being that they cannot play the game due to the Steam Activation that is required. Double Awesome, dude!

HAHAHAHAHA stupid Steam Activation, don't understand why they need to activate on a single player mode think of theme who hasen't internet connection..

@Grumpy:
I read the gamershell dot com that the release dat in US is on 15th November (I think it has been pushed back 1 day). Read in Swedish store every add I see it's says clearly 16th November. However how many time's dose the retail stores have wrong? 1, 2, 3 or even 100 times?

[Luci]

i'm waiting also for underground 2.halflife is fps and we have to say about racing right?can't wait.

[tbaher]

Originally Posted by Luci

i'm waiting also for underground 2.halflife is fps and we have to say about racing right?can't wait.

Why? What's the release date for underground 2 in ... underworld?