Comments on: It's Like They Didn't Even Play the Same Game http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/ Creativity x Technology Sat, 17 Mar 2012 05:09:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gayle http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2126 Gayle Fri, 02 Dec 2005 03:51:55 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=514#comment-2126 Count me a contrarian. No appreciable problems with Steam or loadtimes on my PC, and my experience with HL2 is one of the most visually pleasing ever(with some solid gameplay to boot). Having been a visual artist all my life, I am convinced that this is the direction that "art" is headed, and I for one am ecstatic. I haven't seen it on console play, so I can't compare. If it has the level of visual immersion on xbox that it does on the pc, then everyone wins. Count me a contrarian. No appreciable problems with Steam or loadtimes on my PC, and my experience with HL2 is one of the most visually pleasing ever(with some solid gameplay to boot). Having been a visual artist all my life, I am convinced that this is the direction that “art” is headed, and I for one am ecstatic.

I haven’t seen it on console play, so I can’t compare. If it has the level of visual immersion on xbox that it does on the pc, then everyone wins.

]]> By: Hieronymus http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2125 Hieronymus Thu, 01 Dec 2005 19:30:36 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=514#comment-2125 I've only played a little bit of the PC version of HL2, and I immediately noticed the startling load times at seemingly random points in the game. Give me a game that loads in predictable spots, I say. And yes, I'm surprised so little was made of it by the reviewers. As for steam, all I can say is that it's always worked fine for me (knock on wood). Copy protection schemes for games are nearly as bad as the SONY rootkit fiasco. It is just plain awful. I’ve only played a little bit of the PC version of HL2, and I immediately noticed the startling load times at seemingly random points in the game. Give me a game that loads in predictable spots, I say. And yes, I’m surprised so little was made of it by the reviewers.

As for steam, all I can say is that it’s always worked fine for me (knock on wood). Copy protection schemes for games are nearly as bad as the SONY rootkit fiasco. It is just plain awful.

]]> By: psu http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2124 psu Wed, 30 Nov 2005 21:04:52 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=514#comment-2124 Clearly there is a business in renting pre-configured high end PCs for single games. Clearly there is a business in renting pre-configured high end PCs for single games.

]]> By: Eric Tilton http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2123 Eric Tilton Wed, 30 Nov 2005 20:57:08 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=514#comment-2123 Everything about the HL2 experience on the PC sucks. Except for the game itself. That rocked. I finally stared at close-range at a 360 kiosk in Fry's, and realized that, yeah, dammit, I'm still a hi-def bigot, and even the 360 doesn't really cut it. If an XBox copy of HL2 got thrown back in time to the day HL2/PC came out, would I have played it on the XBox instead? In retrospect -- no way. But HL2 was so beautiful on a high-end system, it gets an out -- for most games, I prefer the load it&go experience of the console. Everything about the HL2 experience on the PC sucks.

Except for the game itself. That rocked.

I finally stared at close-range at a 360 kiosk in Fry’s, and realized that, yeah, dammit, I’m still a hi-def bigot, and even the 360 doesn’t really cut it. If an XBox copy of HL2 got thrown back in time to the day HL2/PC came out, would I have played it on the XBox instead? In retrospect — no way. But HL2 was so beautiful on a high-end system, it gets an out — for most games, I prefer the load it&go experience of the console.

]]> By: Andy P http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2122 Andy P Wed, 30 Nov 2005 13:08:07 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=514#comment-2122 Steam is evil. Steam is the single worst piece of software ever created in the history of computing. Steam meant that I spent almost as long installing Half Life 2 (five hours, spread over two evenings) as I did playing it. Steam meant that sometimes, it wouldn't let me play (even in single player) because the Steam servers were down. Steam demanded to know personal information such as how many children I had before even letting me play, but when I tried to get technical support (after downloading new drivers for my graphics card, soundcard, motherboard, and every other device on my system and it STILL wasn't working), it took more than three months before they even responded, and another six weeks after that before they responded a second time. I can only conclude that Steam is purpose-built to piss people off, and their after-sales support is zero. I never finished HL2 on PC due to problems with running it, I got about halfway through. I might just have to buy it on Xbox if it's really that close to the PC version as it's by far the greatest game I've ever played. But PC gaming in general, and Steam in particular, is pure evil. And it's only getting worse. Steam is evil. Steam is the single worst piece of software ever created in the history of computing. Steam meant that I spent almost as long installing Half Life 2 (five hours, spread over two evenings) as I did playing it. Steam meant that sometimes, it wouldn’t let me play (even in single player) because the Steam servers were down.

Steam demanded to know personal information such as how many children I had before even letting me play, but when I tried to get technical support (after downloading new drivers for my graphics card, soundcard, motherboard, and every other device on my system and it STILL wasn’t working), it took more than three months before they even responded, and another six weeks after that before they responded a second time.

I can only conclude that Steam is purpose-built to piss people off, and their after-sales support is zero.

I never finished HL2 on PC due to problems with running it, I got about halfway through. I might just have to buy it on Xbox if it’s really that close to the PC version as it’s by far the greatest game I’ve ever played. But PC gaming in general, and Steam in particular, is pure evil. And it’s only getting worse.

]]> By: Chris http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2121 Chris Wed, 30 Nov 2005 07:30:57 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=514#comment-2121 Game reviewers in English speaking countries seem incapable of providing fair reviews of games they have already played on another format for some reason. (Non-English speaking reviewers seem - to me at least - to have a fairer eye). Fascinating to hear so many people say bad things about Steam. All this talk makes me consider buying the Xbox version of Half Life 2 when I finally buy an Xbox, which will probbly be after the 360 launches and game stores are giving away Xboxes as door stops. :) Game reviewers in English speaking countries seem incapable of providing fair reviews of games they have already played on another format for some reason. (Non-English speaking reviewers seem – to me at least – to have a fairer eye).

Fascinating to hear so many people say bad things about Steam.

All this talk makes me consider buying the Xbox version of Half Life 2 when I finally buy an Xbox, which will probbly be after the 360 launches and game stores are giving away Xboxes as door stops. :)

]]> By: Christina http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2120 Christina Wed, 30 Nov 2005 06:27:12 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=514#comment-2120 How very Fool's Errand of you! How very Fool’s Errand of you!

]]> By: peterb http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2119 peterb Wed, 30 Nov 2005 04:10:24 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=514#comment-2119 If I were to break my silence Things would not go well. Since Christina asks, though, Under duress, I shall Consider what I can say. But without details, would you not Kill me? That would be awful. Somehow I bet you can puzzle out what I think about the game. If I were to break my silence
Things would not go well.

Since Christina asks, though,
Under duress, I shall
Consider what I can say. But without details, would you not
Kill me? That would be awful.
Somehow I bet you can puzzle out what I think about the game.

]]> By: Christina http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2118 Christina Wed, 30 Nov 2005 04:00:49 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=514#comment-2118 Speak, Peterb! Speak *before* I spend my precious money and blood pressure on Civ 4. Please? Speak, Peterb! Speak *before* I spend my precious money and blood pressure on Civ 4.

Please?

]]> By: peterb http://tleaves.com/2005/11/29/its-like-they-didnt-even-play-the-same-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2117 peterb Wed, 30 Nov 2005 03:36:25 +0000 http://tleaves.com/?p=514#comment-2117 I have Things To Say about Civ IV. but they are embargoed for now. But soon I shall speak. Oh yes, soon. I have Things To Say about Civ IV. but they are embargoed for now.

But soon I shall speak. Oh yes, soon.

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