Updated HL2 and ep.1?

[tibetanpunk]

I know that the 360 and ps3 versions are getting updated versions of HL2 and ep.1, but will the PC owners get the new and improved graphics through an update when the Orange box launches?
I heard something about a new difficulty setting and vastly improved AI...
I was also told that the multi-core support had already been added, but I didn't think it had yet.

 

[Iron_cube]

HL2 and EP1 will have acheivements, so yeah I think valve will actually take the time to import their new technology in the older games.

 

[tibetanpunk]

What are achievements?

 

[McGooTheWise]

What are achievements?

JESUS! NO! SAVE HIM! HE'S BUT A CHILD! *Waits silently for shasta to be reincarnated, and flamflamflam*

 

[Apocalypse89]

I just hope they remove that stupid Ep. 2 trailer playing at the end of Ep. 1. It would be annoying sitting through each playthrough when I already have the game.

 

[ríomhaire]

Can't you just skip it by hitting Esc?

Valve have said something about a harder-than-hard difficulty that comes with EP2 and will get retrofitted to HL2 and EP1.

 

[ZEROarmy]

Valve have said something about a harder-than-hard difficulty that comes with EP2 and will get retrofitted to HL2 and EP1.

I wonder if that means the enemy AI isn't dumber than a bag of bricks now.

 

[McGooTheWise]

I wonder if that means the enemy AI isn't dumber than a bag of bricks now.

Wouldn't that bag break? :|

 

[Cheomesh]

What are achievements?

On XBox 360, your account keeps a record of certian pre-decided things you have done in the game. Some of these are manditory, such as beating the game, getting the air boat, etc, but others are more optional like finding the lambda locations and making a basket using the dog ball.

 

[tibetanpunk]

ah, I see..I saw a thread dealing with this, but it was labeled 'spoiler' so I didn't look...Only ever played the 360 once, drunkenly having a go on gears of war, seemed pretty decent. Orange box should be sweet on it.

 

[ríomhaire]

I wonder if that means the enemy AI isn't dumber than a bag of bricks now.

Name 3 FPSs with better AI than HL2.

 

[tibetanpunk]

I think what he means is that you will no longer be able to run out like Rambo and face off against 10 Combine soldiers at once and come out victorious...lol As much fun as that is...

 

[Iron_cube]

HL1 had special events when set on Hard, alien slaves attacking faster and female assasins being cloaked.

I really hope the new difficulty will have the same thing, Id love to see the fastzombie attack even faster.

 

[Planetary]

Name 3 FPSs with better AI than HL2.

1.F.E.A.R. (Though why are security guards harder to kill then specially-bred super soldiers?)
2.Halo 2 (I'm serious. They dodged like hell, especially the bugs! That counts as good ai, doesn't it?)
3.Episode One.

 

[Iron_cube]

dark messiah has ten times better AI than hl2.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

dark messiah has ten times better AI than hl2.

I've played Dark Messiah abit, but that was on easy. Although fun for 30 minutes, it then gets repetitive and annoying. D:

Speaking about this new harder than hard mode, I'd perfer if they didn't really pump up the HP points; quicker and smarter yes, but not tank like.

Getting back on topic: Browsing the Steam forums, Valve might be upgrading HL2.

Sauce

Am I too late? D:

 

[function9]

Personally I thought the zombie soldiers in Doom 3 had better AI (though the AI for monsters is horrible) than Combine soldiers. They would at least take cover when they reloaded, take cover from fire, retreat when hurt, etc.

Overall I think HL2's AI is ok, but there's still too many times where a Combine soldier will just stand there a few feet away from you and not shoot while you reload. Or will charge you from the other side of the map without shooting. Or if you creep around a corner or doorway, will just stand there and let you shoot him.

Even something like the Q3 bots would be better. Having the enemies' accuracy increase with the difficulty level. At least it would make it feel like they were trying to fight back.

Don't get me wrong, I think the HL franchise is great. And I'm not saying the AI is horrible, but I don't think it has anything special over other titles.

 

[Omnomnick]

It's only fair that the source engine gets it's full update that it deserves on the PC

 

[ríomhaire]

1.F.E.A.R. (Though why are security guards harder to kill then specially-bred super soldiers?)
2.Halo 2 (I'm serious. They dodged like hell, especially the bugs! That counts as good ai, doesn't it?)
3.Episode One.

1. F.E.A.R. AI, due to the way the levels are set up, seems alot better than it is. I remember reading an article about it by one of the F.E.A.R. devs before. You know when two soldiers seem to have a very co-ordinated attack and hit you from both sides? That's actually a coincidence. It's just a result of both soldiers deciding to take cover closer to the player, they're not really programmed to work together much.

Then there are the semi-scripted things, like jumping through windows. Although that looks impressive, soldiers tend to do it no matter how bad an idea it really is in a given situation. For every soldier that suddenly jumps up next to you and blows you away, two will have jumped out of cover, allowing you an easier shot. That's how it's been in my two playthroughs, anyway. I've seen FEAR soldiers do stupid things more often than HL2 soldiers.

2. Halo does have dodging, but that's the only thing about the AI that's remotly intelligent that I rememeber. I can't think of many instances where I've seen Halo or Halo 2 even attempting to take cover. Plus, there's not much that can be dodged in HL2. Most projectiles are instant-hit.

3. Half-Life 2: Episodes One is a Half-Life 2 game

 

[Apocalypse89]

And before someone mentions Half-Life 1: The soldiers there are challenging not because they're smart than the Combine, but because they have utterly ridiculous amounts of health, and run like Olympic athletes on steroids.

And the one part in HL2 where I think the AI shines is in Anti-Citizen One, where you and a group of rebels have to defend Alyx from advancing squads of Combine while she brings down the shields around the generator. They make very effective use of cover in this case, and I could swear that they lay down surpressive fire for each other.

 

[ríomhaire]

Personally I thought the zombie soldiers in Doom 3 had better AI (though the AI for monsters is horrible) than Combine soldiers. They would at least take cover when they reloaded, take cover from fire, retreat when hurt, etc.

Combine soldiers do all of that, I've seen them do all of that. The problem is they usually die to fast to show it. If you set up Combine V Combine battles they do all that stuff very well.

 

[Iron_cube]

Dark messiah NPC vs NPC is truly the most fantastic AI interaction one can witness in the source engine.

Try spawning guards against the giant spider, man its fantastic

 

[Cheomesh]

Yeah the Security guys WHERE harder than the Super Soldiers. Shot me from obscure angles, had better body armour, worked together better, etc.

 

[Narvi]

To be fair to the AI guy, FEAR AI is better in that it appears that they're doing things at least. Combine soldiers are remarkably apathetic seeming. They really aren't very fun to fight, either.

If Valve added a few panic-actions where if you get up close and shoot they do random shit like rolling away, people would love them.