Posts by FMPONE

  • Half-Life Alyx

    Most games =/= HL:A

    Most games are developed by a studio that has sunk their future into a gamble on the success of the game. Most games depend on hype and buzz and a hot take economy for the first few weeks after launch.

    HL:A is pretty evidently a future-looking endeavor by a studio that isn’t relying on it to do anything financially, that is going to be re-released every single time VR hardware improves (which it will do a lot over the next few years).

    There is just no point trying to apply traditional game sensibilities to what is pretty obviously an industry outlier product that is basically 10 years ahead of its time.

    HL:A did well enough with critics that Valve likely achieved everything they wanted to do with it and more. I intend on completing it soon, it’s just hard to play VR games right now because the hardware still feels stiflingly primitive, even the Index. Ironically, it feels a lot like trying to play a video game with a headcrab attached to your face.

  • What are you playing now?

    I’ve been playing Half-Life: Alyx... slowly. It’s a bit of an undertaking in terms of a grueling, intense, sensory overwhelming and challenging campaign and also a slog to get all the VR stuff set up and running. Not exactly a relaxing plug and play experience.

    A great game tho. Really spectacular once you’re in the rhythm of playing it.

  • What I'm Working On

    Quote from Interfearance

    3 hours ago, Interfearance said: Fmpone inside for even longer than usual + source 2. That would be a deadly combo.

    I’m not currently in quarantine, just social distancing, but do look forward to Source 2.

    Stay safe everybody ?

  • Console Warz, 2020

    Just curious where everyone stands on PlayStation 5 vs the Xbox Series X. I’ve heard that the Series X has more powerful system specs?

    Unspoken of course is the fact that Nintendo consoles are almost always the best consoles.

    Here is a thread to discuss the ongoing Console Battles for supremacy. I thought it would be interesting to see everyone break down the Pros and Cons of each. I don’t really care about Halo anymore and have consistently delayed buying a PlayStation, to my regret, so will be purchasing a PS5 upon release.

  • Half-Life Alyx

    Quote from dux

    11 hours ago, dux said: http://# Hide contents I found the hotel northern star place to drag on a bit too long, was glad to get out of it in the end.

    I think I agree with you. In terms of the weird pacing I chocked that up to them just packing in content, which I couldn't really argue with, given that content is exactly what we've been craving for years.

    Another thought, in hindsight, I wish that the beginning of the game evoked more of the Dystopian HL2 vibes. That's a huge loss for this one, it really has no foreplay in terms of world-building, it just kind of says "hey you're in the world now."

    I think that's fantastic for gameplay on the first playthrough, but you in a sense don't know what you're missing, because HL2 really had the foreplay aspect down. It had a really slow burn, people muttering to themselves "don't drink the water", a more of a George Orwell atmosphere. The beginning of Alyx, unfortunately, is very forgettable in comparison. There are some cool set pieces, but nothing will beat walking through the civilian apartments and feeling their lives.

    Overall the writing on this title is a big step down from the previous 2 games. They need that Laidlaw touch of mystique, IMO. I love that I'm laughing at the lines I'm supposed to laugh at, but that Half-Life mood and ambiance only arrives in waves.

  • Half-Life Alyx

    Quote from Zarsky

    7 hours ago, Zarsky said: Oculus Quest already does this, but at the expense of compute power. I can see the next gen version of it becoming a real game changer. I wonder if Valve would support it tho, as it cuts steam completely out of the equation.

    We just need to go back to Gameboy cartridges, then.


    Just beat the Northern Star. Really fun level design in terms of challenging you, introducing new ideas. That rifle is just really fun to use. I like how when you get the rifle you get to tee off on the zombies, feel powerful, then the lights cut out and you get serious. The electric dogs are a really fun idea, a shaman enemy, I enjoyed it a lot.

  • Half-Life Alyx

    Yes, even if there was wireless VR on offer, I don't think early adoption would be worth the huge risks. Anything beaming signal near your brain (or lack thereof in my case) is just not worth playing games with, pardon the pun. It's already a bit alarming to consider any potential long-term effects of VR on your eyeballs.

    I would love a wireless VR that was self-contained, but we're probably a long way from that tech-wise.

    Anyways, sorry if this has been a bit of a digression from Half-Life :D

  • Half-Life Alyx

    Quote from dux

    2 hours ago, dux said: The BIGGEST complaint I have against the Index is the damn cable. I have it setup in a 12x9 room so I can walk around, and the cable keeps looping up on itself to the point it turns into a heavy pile of tangled cable and starts pulling on the back of my headset. So I have to stop playing, take off the headset and untangle the bloody thing. Getting pretty frustrated at that.

    If valve take anything away from this release is that they really need to look at their next headset having no cable. Or at least the cable being so thin and light that this issues goes away. Easy to sit here and say this of course, but geez. I am a cable untying master now.

    This is where quick turning comes in handy. I don't have any problems with the cable when I use it, except for how heavy the damn thing is

    Also, this game proves that VR basketball would suck terribly.

    I love how they do 19 unique voicelines providing basketball players morale support because Valve did NOT want to cut this, they'd rather just work around how wonky and terrible it is by making people feel better about it lol