Half-Life 2 is out!!!

[BustaMike]

Hehe... a little ATHF reference.

[Asher]

They're supposed to FINALLY fix the st-st-st-st-stuttering problem that many users had (including me).

It sucked to have the fps drop to 2-3fps and have the sound stutter every minute...

[Solver]

Stuttering problem can also be fixed by letting the game run without the dumbed-down application for clueless users who can't use a browser to download a patch that is Steam.

Yeah... storyline discussion here should be fun .

[BustaMike]

If you have stuttering problems, and are using an ATI card, you might consider trying the 4.12 beta drivers.

http://www.ati.com/support/infobase/4701.html

I haven't really noticed a difference, but I had to upgrade to them because Wolfenstein: ET (or apparantly all games that use punkbuster) causes a complete system lockup under the 4.11 drivers. I was relieved when I found out there wasn't something wrong with my hardware. Anyway, everything works now, and according to some people on the Steam forums, the drivers help a little for HL2.

[Asher]

I've been using the 4.12 beta drivers the entire time, they don't fix the problem.

and Valve looks like it's going to LIE again, there STILL isn't a fix to the stuttering problem.

[BustaMike]

Jeez, why are you so angry.

This is directly off of the Steam news button...

We're also investigating a solution for the sound skipping problems a small number of users are running into. We'll have a solution for this as soon as possible.

[Asher]

Because yesterday they said they fixed it and they'd update the client by "tomorrow at the latest".

The bastards should know better to not be so definite, then miss it. You think they'd have learned that from the release date spectacle.

One of the first things I learned on my job is to NEVER give a definite date for ANY future release/patch. ALWAYS say you're "targetting" a date or something along those lines. To say you'll definitely have it out there breaks a promise to your customers, a huge no-no.

And I'm angry because I'm not playing the game until they fix this. There's 2 PCs in this house playing it, both are affected -- I don't think it's a "small" number of users, and I don't know how this got past beta testing. Every minute or so, the game drops to 2-3fps (I've nearly gotten killed a few times because of it), the sound stutters, and it totally ruins any immersion.

I'm pissed off because the game was way late, it took me about a day to play the game after I installed it, and now the game doesn't even run properly.

They need to get a crash-course in how to satisfy your customers...

[BustaMike]

I guess I didn't realize the problem was that bad.

Mine does hiccup occasionally (like once every 5 minutes or so) and even then it's only when it's loading another area. I thought the problem was something similar to this, but I guess it's way worse.

I'd probably be angry too if my game was doing that.

[FrostyBoy]

Game runs fine for me

Video settings maxed out

no problems whatsoever


then again... even though the game persists you to update your drivers.. I learned a lesson from previous games, that updating your drivers can make things worse.

I just left my old drivers as they were.

[BustaMike]

Ok, who can tell me what this is?

I found I guess a secret Vortigon, hiding in a grate. You have to run through a bunch of sludge to get to him (it hurts a lot). You can talk to him, but he only says the same things as the one who give your boat that gun as far as I can tell.

He is roasting some headcrabs though.

[BustaMike]

Here's where you get in. This is just after you kill the helicopter.

[BustaMike]

And here's the vortigon.

[Ned]

I have played for a couple of hours and have just arrived at a hoverboat. The problem with this game is the very same problem with DOOM III. It is completely linear with relatively small maps -- so far. Far Cry, in contrast, played on very large maps that allowed one a lot of leeway to get from one side to the other.

Still, it is visually the best looking game so far. Runs real smooth on my rig with everything maxed out.

[Solver]

I have played for a couple of hours and have just arrived at a hoverboat. The problem with this game is the very same problem with DOOM III. It is completely linear with relatively small maps -- so far. Far Cry, in contrast, played on very large maps that allowed one a lot of leeway to get from one side to the other.

Non-linear shooters . Just so you can get lost there and wander around? That's what RPGs are for. In shooters, there should always be a path ahead. The difference is that HL2 makes you work for the path, in Doom3 it was obvious.

[Kassiopeia]

I agree with Solver. There are puzzle games for that. I get a bit anxious when I dabble with a part for too long, not able to discover the route onwards. Deus Ex's approach is perhaps the best, not only do you discover the route yourself, there are a few options to pick from according to how you play (guns blazing as opposed to the infamous ventilation duct, etc.). You don't expect a deep psychological and insightful plot from an action film, right?