raising the bar

[D-MAN]

hi people i have just finished reading the half life 2 book called raising the bar and i would reccomend it to anyone who wants to know about how they made half life 2. its very good. it also shows some pictures of monsters that were cut out of half life 2. for example the hydra. get this book its great!!!

 

[capteeni]

hi people i have just finished reading the half life 2 book called raising the bar and i would reccomend it to anyone who wants to know about how they made half life 2. its very good. it also shows some pictures of monsters that were cut out of half life 2. for example the hydra. get this book its great!!!

1. we all know
2. is this valve's new marketing system?
3. ...we all know

 

[Narcolepsy]

1. we all know
2. is this valve's new marketing system?
3. ...we all know

No need to be so hostile - it is a great book, and more people should know about it.

 

[Black Mesa corp]

Good book, but very expensive. Well, that was when I bought it several months ago. Is it cheap now?

 

[DarkStar]

Good book, but very expensive. Well, that was when I bought it several months ago. Is it cheap now?

It's kinda expensive but well worth it for any true HL fan.

It couldn't believe it even went into detail about the making of the FIRST HL!

 

[FRESCO_SUPREME]

ive been meaning to buy this for a while, i just need a bit of extra cash.

 

[Insano]

I got it for Christmas last year, truly a good read

+ I didn't have to pay for it myself

 

[Cypher19]

I thought it was okay. I felt there was far, FAR too much focus on the artwork. I would have loved to see more initial level designs, more talk on the technology behind Source, etc.

 

[Asknoone]

Twas an awesome book.

 

[D-MAN]

I thought it was okay. I felt there was far, FAR too much focus on the artwork. I would have loved to see more initial level designs, more talk on the technology behind Source, etc.

i agree it would of been kewl to see where they got some of there i deas for the levels from. i liked the bit showing where they found the characters for half life 2. i thought it was funny how alike some of them looked!

 

[daverince]

I ordered it today and should get in on Monday. I'm glad I just read those positive comments, because it cost a fair bit.

 

[Ahnteis]

Good book.

 

[Ennui]

Excellent. Wasteland concept art is top notch.

 

[Sid Burn]

Damn, i've been searching for that book since Feb. and I am still unable to find it.

 

[Asknoone]

Excellent. Wasteland concept art is top notch.

Aye, along with the Air exchange. Wowsers.

 

[Insano]

Yeah, too bad that level didn't make it ingame

 

[D-MAN]

it was changed into nova prospekt wasnt it?
anyway they are thinking of using it in half life 3

 

[daverince]

Damn, i've been searching for that book since Feb. and I am still unable to find it.

Amazon.

 

[D-MAN]

Damn, i've been searching for that book since Feb. and I am still unable to find it.

i think play.com are still selling it. you dont have to pay for post and packaging there.

 

[ríomhaire]

I thought there was going to be a bit more story in it ;(

 

[D-MAN]

the story is already in the acctual game if you listen when characters speak.

 

[Laivasse]

I'm not even a big art enthusiast but I loved the focus on the artwork! Some of the pictures ruled. A friend got it for me as a birthday present (found it in a Game store on Oxford Street handily enough), and it's a great book.

I have to agree with riomhaire though:

I thought there was going to be a bit more story in it

For me there was a bit too much focus on what got cut, as opposed to the background of what actually made it in. I think maybe the cut stuff should have formed one standalone chapter, as opposed to being mixed around and spread throughout the whole book. The way it is, you have no idea if a certain piece was cut just because it was a bad idea, or whether it was cut for convenience but is still considered part of the story, or what.

Nevertheless, it's great. So polished, + you wont regret blowing money on it.

 

[czrsink]

And it looks great on your coffee table.

 

[Insano]

And it looks great on your coffee table.

When you invited Gabe for example

 

[Asknoone]

Yeah, too bad that level didn't make it ingame

I'm glad, since it was cut for gameplay reasons.

 

[daverince]

Well, my copy literally just arrived on my desk at work...and it's pretty interesting. The section on the characters' faces is just...incredible. So all these people exist in real life.

Yes, Alyx is a real person...somewhere.

 

[ríomhaire]

Really strange the way Isaac origionaly looked a bit like Eli and then they saw someone who looked quite like the bald scientist from HL1 and ade him Dr. Kleiner.

 

[daverince]

some of the artwork is amazing. I think they could've made City 17 much cooler looking over some of this. I'd love to see what they'll achieve with Aftermath and HL3.

And, yes...it's cool to see how they developed the characters. Very cool book.

 

[ríomhaire]

I for one think they made all the right moves, but I think Nova Prospekt might have been better in the alternate version

 

[Asknoone]

I for one think they made all the right moves, but I think Nova Prospekt might have been better in the alternate version

You mean with all the wires piling the corridors? I'm not so sure, I doubt they would have had much purpose.