[Ydiss]

[quote="Sgt Stryker":969a0]
I don't hate sci-fi, I hate lame sci-fi

I haven't seen the story to this one yet (link anyone???) but if it's anything like previous sci-fi shooters (ie one man vs hordes of generic inter-dimensional monstrosities) then I won't be buying.

the whole one man with pistol vs hordes of monsters is
1. cliche
2. lame

I would like to see a sci-fi shooter where you actually have other friendlies around and where the badguys are actually an alien force (ie organized military or mercenary group) who carry guns or something, not a gaggle of monsters who shoot plasma from their hands.

again, I don't know if HL-2 will be like that (somebody get me a goddamn link!!!) and I apologize if I am mistaken, but each and every previous "monster" shooter was what I have described, so I have precedent.[/quote:969a0]

You're confusing HL1 with Doom and Quake.

HL1 does have a story. It's not mindless killing of aliens. The plot thickens with each chapter and you do have other friendlies (ok, limited to Barney and the Scientists, but it's more involving than Doom or Quake ever was).

You don't just fight aliens you also have to contend with Marines who are sent to "clean up" the accident - And that includes you (Mr Freeman).

Whilst the storyline for HL is still fairly generic action orientated it is still 5 years old - So I think it's unfair to categorise it as a cliché, don't you think?

It was original as hell when it came out.

If you haven't played HL then you really don't have room to critisise it.

It's way out-dated now, but that's why HL2 is coming. And there is absolutely no way HL2 will be a mindless Doom clone. No chance at all.

Sadly, there is no story as yet. Valve haven't released info on that. However, you will be up against intelligent and genuinely fearsome creatures and you will have genuinely intelligent and realistic companions to help you.

And not all of them are human.

One of the weapons is a pheromone device (I don't know the actual name yet, just seen it in action). It's an alien pod that you can fire pheromones with. Certain alien creatures react to those pheromones in relation to the one who wields them.

That is, wherever you fire this gun, the creatures obey you and go to it, killing anything in their path.

There's one amazing sequence in that 500mb movie (it's just a hi res 25 min movie - just watch it, you'll understand what everyone is looking forward to, then) where Gordon has this weapon. He uses his pistol to shoot out a sky-light window and then fires the pheromones at an enemy who is taking cover.

Through the window leaps a creature, which was previously blocked by said window, and more follow to tear apart the enemy.

Through-out the entire game, according to that same movie, there are various objects placed carefully for you to use to help you. You don't have to use them, nor do you have to even notice them, but just watch the tasters of what these are in the movie and you'll be gob-smacked.

You see, everything in this world will react exactly how you would imagine it would in real life. See a garbage canister suspended from a rope sitting on a wooden platform? Shoot the platform (and marvel at how it splinters exactly as it would in real life - This is no "damage=25" scripted object) and watch the canister swing on the rope as the platform collapses, taking out your enemy.

Ok, so Quake could do that with a simple scripted sequence, right? It's still just killing aliens, just with a fancy sequence to do it, right? Wrong.

Shoot the rope. Perhaps in a Quake scripted sequence that would do nothing. In HL2 it will do what it's supposed to. The rope will snap and the canister will drop, crushing the enemy and any objects beneath it.

Shit like that.

That's what I meant by my post, Stryker. In no way is HL2 going to be generic, clichéd or mindless. Forget that it's about killing aliens. That will be only a small fraction of the game. Forget all about any prejudice you may have.

All I can suggest is that you watch the movie and see what I mean. If you don't you'll never know. And if you do watch it and still aren't interested, then that's fine.

However, I doubt you won't be interested. HL2 will be an experience. Miss it and miss out.