New Valve Games

[jujubee]

Not sure who games here tho I think there's a few of us (I've lacked time to recently...) One of my old addicitions is back in newfound glory and finally off of the vaporware list:

Team Fortress 2!!!!:
http://www.filecloud.com/files/file.php?file_id=3613

Valve calls this the most sophisticated graphics game theyve developed to date. Notice the real-time DOF?!?

and another interesting one called Portal:
http://pc.ign.com/articles/718/718911p1.html

[Dynedain]

Re: New Valve Games

and another interesting one called Portal:
http://pc.ign.com/articles/718/718911p1.html

I saw that one earlier today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWzmL...valve%20portal

But why, oh why did they make it with the same boring generic First-Person-Shooter look and feel? Could you image how much more fun it would be, and how much more appealing to wider audiences if it had a Wiley Coyote / Roadrunner style to it?

[jujubee]

What - the TF2 video?

[Dynedain]

What - the TF2 video?

No, Portal.

[Sawyer]

I just started playing "Prey" which uses portals as well. Funny how many company get an idea at the same time.

[Neilg]

I just started playing "Prey" which uses portals as well. Funny how many company get an idea at the same time.

The game is based on Narbacular Drop, which is free and has been out for ages. The dev team from that game was called in to make this one with valve.

Dynedain - what do you mean by Wiley Coyote / Roadrunner style? How would that translate to a game?
I'm glad they gave it the 'generic fps feel' - I cant imagine anything else working as well at that speed. Plus it basically boils down to being a mod, and its given away free with episode 2 of half life.

edit: narbac site is down, guess the fuss over portal tanned their bandwidth. Basically - ugly graphics, fantastic concept.

[DaForce]

Man TF2 is going to be awesome... it looks so damn cool.

I was totally addicted to the first one...play many hundreds of hours on it

[Dynedain]

Dynedain - what do you mean by Wiley Coyote / Roadrunner style? How would that translate to a game?

In the old Looney Tunes cartoons, the idea of drawing or painting a black circle that acted as a hole was a common theme. Often the holes would connect to each other, and behave in unpredicatble ways. The characters would frequently move the holes around just by grabbing them, and then procede to jump through them, just like this Portals game.

I think that a game that had the style of these cartoons would be much more successfull than what has been produced. Portals will pretty much be marketed and bought by "gamers". Whereas something cartoony has the potential of attracting younger kids, parents, people without much free time to waste on games. The kind of people that make Bejewled outsell anything created by EA. The stereotypical dark concrete walls and attack droids will instantly turn away what could have been a huge market for this game.

Imagine the desert landscapes and canyons of the Wiley Coyote and Roadrunner universe, stockpiled with roads, trains, tunnels, and ACME-branded quirky crazy toys. I think that's a lot more interesting than concrete box rooms.

[MegaPixel]

Any word yet on the expected release date of HL2 - Episode 2? Most likely Christmas time?

I too have invested hundreds of late night hours play TFC and am eagerly anticipating it's release. Portal looks kick Butt also A great problem solving game.

[DaForce]

Q4 2006 according to GameSpot, and that sounds about right. But still not all that accurate either.

I had my own clan in TFC called -[ASS]- it stood for Anti Social Snipers.. heheh was pretty cool.
Man those were the good old days.. I got into all the trick moves as well such as double conc grenade jump with medic..etc..etc... good times!!

[jacksc02]

tf2 trailer looks cool, shame i dont have time for games

[jujubee]

Valve has been a great innovator and developer. You can tell they really love technology and love to push the envelope instead of catering to the common denominator. Their technology really drives the industry and probably sells a computer or two - it's also putting new graphic cards within our reach.

They'vealso really done a great job with their online content delivery system Steam and preventing script-kiddies with their update system. Their hard work and love for the game really shows.

To add to this, their new method of episodic delivery (new content quarterly) provides people with constant upgrades and new material instead of having to wait 6 years in a development cycle. They only charged $19 for Episode 1. I think E2 will be $19 also, and come with Portal and TF2 free.

................................................
On a technical note, it is believed that Valve has added soft shadows, phong shading, self shadowing, DOF, and HDRI to this. I can't tell if they've added radiosity but that may be pushing it.

[studioDIM]

tf2 trailer looks cool, shame i dont have time for games

What a bare life ye must be living geezer!
I'd like to beat yer sorry *** up a bit with a driving game, or a shooter.
But games ain't for whimps hey

Lele