Things you want in Episode 2

[JackKerouac]

What are some of the things you enjoyed from the previous games and would like to see in Episode two, and some of the things you disliked and hope don't show up again.

For me I really didnt dislike anything but there is somethings I'm missing that I want to see with the source engine again :)

1. SNARKS
2. Bullsquid
3. Houndeyes

[Hypnosos]

This wasn't in any earlier HL game but I wanna fight ministriders in the forest shown in the EP2 teaser. :) Thinks it's a great place for a big(!) battle.

[Samon]

For Episode 2 I want more scenes like Black Mesa East, or Breen's office. I want to be involved with the characters again. I think Eli is awesome, along with Kleiner and Mossman. I want to see these characters more because they interest me. No game has come close to matching that Breen scene. Ever.
"Oh it's hardly the worst, but you might find that hard to believe once you get there..."

Fantastic.

I'd also like some confirmation as to Breen's fate.

Bullsquids would be awesome. They were my favourite enemy in HL, and I'd love to see them again. Not too fussed about Houndeyes. Perhaps the Ichthyosaur too, because I'm scared shitless of watery beasts.

Vehicles! Honestly, Valve need to match the tension and sense of...being chased from in Water Hazard, because that was the kick start of the game for me. Racing through the canals, the chopper bearing down on you - all the while you were pretty much weaponless.

[xirow]

For Episode 2 I want more scenes like Black Mesa East, or Breen's office. I want to be involved with the characters again. I think Eli is awesome, along with Kleiner and Mossman. I want to see these characters more because they interest me.

I agree

I want a big enemy like a Tentacle or an AntLion Queen/King. Those ‘mini bosses’ where great in Half-Life.

And more storytelling.

[99.vikram]

Cremators and Crab synths!!
And, of course, ministriders.

[DevgruSeal]

And, of course, ministriders.

For some reason, they almost look like the whack of a crowbar could take those things out..or the GG at least...:p

[The Kaiser]

1)Enemies from Half-Life 1 to make a return if they're plausible, which means Bullsquids. They seem to still be around since one took out Eli's leg, and considering the terrain Episode Two seems to be in, it wouldn't be unlikely to see them.

2)Alyx alive, but just out of the action for a while. Yeah, it's a good chance, or probably even a great chance that she's still alive, with how Valve portrayed her scene for the spoiler (Ruining the impact, basically if she really did die), but we can't be absolutely sure, and therefore it'd be something I'd really like to see.

3)Less Zombies. They're interesting creatures, but considering that the Combine has been sort of beaten back on Earth, it's not that likely that the headcrab rockets are still being shot a great deal. Plus, with all the Antlions there seems to be in Episode 2, I'd rather not have another famous enemy to worry about.

That's all about right now I can think of, eh.

[Hypnosos]

2)Alyx alive, but just out of the action for a while.

Agree. I hope these commentary tracks will be in Episode 2 too, they were interesting.

If they take Alyx out of picture, and you will see her alive later will be a pleasant surprise. For most people. :)

[JackKerouac]

I agree with the opinions to have more places to interact with the main characters, I loved those parts of the previous games. I felt that in Episode 1 Barney could have been given a little more lines.

[Samon]

Yeah, I was expecting a little more from the safehouse scene. Though it's plausible, considering they needed to get the hell out of the City.

[holyfetzer]

1. Alyx shall survive

2. Alyx shall really survive

3. Breen

4. new main characters

[DevgruSeal]

1)Enemies from Half-Life 1 to make a return if they're plausible, which means Bullsquids. They seem to still be around since one took out Eli's leg, and considering the terrain Episode Two seems to be in, it wouldn't be unlikely to see them.

The bullsquid that took his leg off was probably one of the last few..I wouldn't imagine too many are still alive. On Earth, at least...Which reminds me of a question.

Were Bullsquids from the same species as the Vorts were? Because I was just thinking, I don't remember seeing the Vorts attack bullsquids, so I figured they were allied, but after the Vorts allied with Gordon..What happens there?

[Cyan Leader]

More synths. That is all I ask.

I really wanted to see those 2 we saw at the end of Half-Life 2 on Episode 1 but unfortunatly they weren't there. If the Ministrider is the only new enemy we see this time around (like the Zombine was on Episode 1) I will be really dissapointed.

[Samon]

The bullsquid that took his leg off was probably one of the last few..I wouldn't imagine too many are still alive. On Earth, at least...Which reminds me of a question.

Were Bullsquids from the same species as the Vorts were? Because I was just thinking, I don't remember seeing the Vorts attack bullsquids, so I figured they were allied, but after the Vorts allied with Gordon..What happens there?

Of course there'd be loads of Bullsquids. Earth is a wasteland is inhabited by Xen wildlife that came through via the portal storms. They continue to breed, and the portal storms still continue.

There'd be loads. Thousands.

[DevgruSeal]

Oh :P I was thinking the portal storms had closed long ago..

[Kingreaper]

The bullsquid that took his leg off was probably one of the last few..I wouldn't imagine too many are still alive. On Earth, at least...Which reminds me of a question.

Were Bullsquids from the same species as the Vorts were? Because I was just thinking, I don't remember seeing the Vorts attack bullsquids, so I figured they were allied, but after the Vorts allied with Gordon..What happens there?
Bullsquids are Xenian Wildlife. Xenians know well enough not to attack Vorts.

Bullsquids seem to like toxic environments, so I'm hoping we'll see some at the combine "water treatment center" or whatever.

As for zombies, I'd LOVE it if the only time you see a significant number of zombies is just before you come across a, small, Poison Gonarch, smaller than the normal Gonarch, but still, unkillable without using the situation to your advantage (AKA a puzzle boss)

[DevgruSeal]

As for zombies, I'd LOVE it if the only time you see a significant number of zombies is just before you come across a, small, Poison Gonarch, smaller than the normal Gonarch, but still, unkillable without using the situation to your advantage (AKA a puzzle boss)

Nice thinking :) So to speak :P

[Samon]

Oh :P I was thinking the portal storms had closed long ago..


No, they still continue.


Bullsquids seem to like toxic environments, so I'm hoping we'll see some at the combine "water treatment center" or whatever.

As for zombies, I'd LOVE it if the only time you see a significant number of zombies is just before you come across a, small, Poison Gonarch, smaller than the normal Gonarch, but still, unkillable without using the situation to your advantage (AKA a puzzle boss)

I like. I love a good puzzle boss.

[prob101]

As an aside will the smoke rising from the hole that was once the citidal in city 17 be animated?

Big request ant lion king or queen fight in the the nest please

[DevgruSeal]

I'm sure it will be..They did a good job with the spiraling smoke around the Citadel...

[Malfunction]

I want to see (in no particular order):

-new advanced weaponry Kleiner spoke of on the "breenscreens"
-main character interaction (BME, Kleiner/Eli/Mossman/Barney)
-DOG fighting alongside you to avenge Alyx? (:dork:)
-explanation of WTF happened with G-Man/Vortigaunts, preferably told from a Vortigaunt
-Combine information (new enemies, retaliation, etc.)
-at least one LARGE and MEMORABLE fight (ep1 lacked in this area, as the Strider battle was not very awe inspiring, but was more you running away for a large portion of the time)

[JackKerouac]

I'd like to see the G-mans office beyond the white door lol

[prob101]

Ray mears build a hut in the woods with gorden and the g-man.

Maybe not

Decent looking wood and undergrowth, flowing stream and a bit of rain. Trip mines

[russ_uk]

i would like to see decent human v's alien battles , the ones that are not over in a few min ;)

[Sufferin-rebel]

I love to see a minor character to return, Grigori (which is near-impossible) or hopefully Odessa Cubbage..

[prob101]

odessa was a weak character. so nay to that.

[Sufferin-rebel]

seems a tiny bit plasuible since there was a nice chat about him in Ep1 :D

[prob101]

fair enough but he's way out on highway 17 and i think in ep2 they are going a different dirrection. Just wondering what will be the endding of ep2.

maybe find the statue of liberty in the sand somewhere

:D

[Thunderclap]

I agree with Samon and would like to see more character interaction. The final scene with Breen was great, although I thought his speech in the reactor was better.

"At the moment of synapse you will be destroyed in every possible way it is to be destroyed, and several ways that are physically IMPOSSIBLE..."

[Sufferin-rebel]

well if it can actually happen, its not impossible then? :P

[Reginald]

maybe find the statue of liberty in the sand somewhere


Haha. That would be great. Gordon's first words ever:

"It was Earth all along?!" :rolleyes:

[Samon]

maybe find the statue of liberty in the sand somewhere
:D

...Thank god Valve chose Eastern Europe....


"It was Earth all along?!" :rolleyes:

:laugh:

[prob101]

Well, wasnt the outside of city 17 supposed to be waste land. If the trees and greenary are to be believed has the combine been fibbing? apart from the hoards of antlions.

- Combine outposts outside the city.
- Information about how messing up city 17 has affected the other cities.

[Samon]

Yeah, but it's not a post apocalyptic cliche'd type Wasteland. :p

It's wasteland because nobody lives there, and because it's inhabited only by aliens.

[Black Op]

1. Bullsquids, Houndeyes, and Itchyosaurs finally make their combat appearence. Considerring you're out in a forest this time around, it would need to be populated with a good amount of wildlife. A gameplay device could be created if the Vortigaunts are able to tame these creatures so they act as allies aganist folk like Antlions and Universial Union personnel.

2. Final closure on Breen's situation, but that's a given knowing the role the Combine Advisors will play this episode. However to explain how Breen was saved, endow the Advisors with mental powers comparable to that of the Vortigaunts in that there's no false veils of time and space between them as well. It's not that farfetched if they can induce mental blasts for Anticitizen One.

3. Confirmation that the Meltdown Transmission sent to the Combine Home Dimension is the signal for a war of the mass-extermination of Earth.

4. Cremators seen destroying the enviroment with their spray hoses, which are essentially Combine flamethrowers. They may have been meant to originally clear city streets, but HL2 dialogue shows that Dr. Vance doesn't know their purpose. So these folk now have a nice chance to return.

5. Freeman should get sent on his merry way to the Project's location by EP2's end.

6. Alyx should get saved by EP2's end, and that a good portion of the episode will focus on this goal.

7. This is a long shot but with more Vortigaunts around, I'd like to know the current status of the Borderworld. Are the Vorts stuck their still enslaved by the surviving Controllers? Are they in the process of rebuilding Nihilanth? Has the Universial Union reached a secret deal with the current rulers of Xen for local teleportation technology?


Just some objects on my wishlist, but I probably won't be disappointed in the event these don't make it into EP2.

[JackKerouac]

G-man using a assualt rifle fighting along side you!

Psh i wish...

[Samon]

I'd also like, by the end of the game, to be on my way to the Arctic. Valve have shown it now. You are going to be going. I love snow. I love Half-life. Join the dots.

[DevgruSeal]

It's not that farfetched if they can induce mental blasts for Anticitizen One.

Not quite sure what you mean by that. For Anticitizen One? Refresh my memory on that.. :P

[Hyperion2010]

What samon said way back on page 1.

More lab scenes where we get to see what they scientists have been doing and explore the resistance strongholds and here first hand accounts of what has been going on from eli and kliner and the vorts :)

EDIT: Oh, and an ak-47 ;)

[Black Op]

Not quite sure what you mean by that. For Anticitizen One? Refresh my memory on that.. :P
I prefer referring to Freeman by the designation the Overwatch tags him with. ;)

[alehm]

1. More Xenlike enviroments- not nessecarily going to Xen but possible areas where Xen and earth are merged

2. Snarks-

3. Any new enemy that I am scared to fight (I remember in Half Life 1 hearing the soldier radio chatter up ahead before getting into a battle and thinking 'crap these guys are going to kick my butt'... this never happened in HL2 with the Combine or any other enemy.. bring back that old HL feeling! )

[Flyingdebris]

a garg or 2 would be nice, or maybe a gonarch. Perhaps a fixed up version of the hydra or good ole blobbycheeks.

Definitely would like to see bullsquids. Houndeyes not so much considering they were almost so harmless i felt kinda bad about shooting them.

[Barney Fife]

I want my CrowBar back.

[B_MAN]

snarks would be sweet
combine sniper rifle
lush, expansive environments

[99.vikram]

Gargantua ftw :borg:

[bigburpco]

Erm... megastriders? :|

[jonesey2k]

In episode 2 Cubbage is going to be flying a Spitfire and shoot the s*** out of the gunships!!!!!!:smoking:

[mutant_llama]

I have not read or watched anything on EP2, but here is my two cents....

1) Increased length over EP1
2) A warped 'wasteland' blending alien landscapes with Earth
3) Wildlife taken over by headcrabs
4) Scenes of a struggle between humanity and Aliens
5) Working with Alyx to some large goal, communicating by some mobile video link until she gets captured or trapped requiring rescuing
6) Gruesome scenes as in the Haven village (think it was called Haven)
7) Gordon getting a negative reaction from the Gman in some fashion (I want Gordo to anger him...giving him a wack or refusing to do something) to strengthen the underlying tension Gordon must have towards him (he seems to be the Gmans puppet to a degree)
8) A hidden medical lab with playable video showing humans experimenting on the combine (now deceased labs full of zombies).
9) A desperate fight for survival rather than the 'cue next group of combine'
10) Something solid to think about when the episode ends rather than the mystery side of how EP1 ended....

[Zephos]

I want a lot of things...

1. Large scale battles with the resistance vs. combine, as Eli said "We are done hiding!"
2. Some loose ends tied up! With only two episodes to go...there is going to be a lot of storytelling packed in to such a small amount of game.
3. Bullsquids.
4. More information on the vortigaunts. They are so damn mysterious, would be good to know more about their "culture" if you could call it that.
5. More Barney.
6. A bit lengthier, not because I felt ripped off...it's because this episode looks as if it has a lot to deliver story wise and it will need to be more than 5 hours to achieve it.
7. G-man related stuff.
8. More massive dialogue sequences, like Samon said...the Breen conversation was brilliant.
9. Less zombies for once. Being out in the wilderness, the headcrabs would easily be the bottom of the food chain (unless the snarks make another appearance) so I doubt there would be many there to make a great amount of zombies.
10. A few new enemies, we are out in the wilderness...so I would expect a lot of alien fauna (and flora!) growing out there. Hell, a "cameo" appearance by one of the old enemies would be alright in my opinion.

[Cpl_Facehugger]

No, they still continue.

Wasn't the point of Decay to stop the portal storms? Or is that wrong/noncanon?

Anyway, what I'd like in E2:

1. Either a fixed pulse rifle, or a new assault rifle. By that I mean 'a rifle with larger ammunition capacity and accuracy that is sufficient to fight at non point-blank range.' Perhaps the OICW-style gun could make an appearance here. I figure that being far from the Combine's base and lines of supply, they'd want to have a longer duration and more accurate weapon, even if it does pack less of a punch then the Overwatch Standard.

2. Bullsquids. Oh yeah baby. Gargs too, perhaps. Though I'm not too sure about that one. Garg's always struck me as intelligent, like alien grunts.

3. Some sort of tidbit about the current state of Xen affairs. What's going on with the alien grunts? Are they dead, or what?

4. Gman. Gman Gman Gman.

5. Teh Crowbar of justice!!11

6. Confirmation of Breen's status.

7. Some further tidbits on the resistance and combine. Including more inklings on what these 'projects' are, and what the message was/data contains. Personally, I feel it'd be neat if the 'projects' turned out to be the resistance actually converting its citizens into cyborgs, just like the combine. Just to make Gordon question who he's really fighting for. But then, I can see that going against the theme of the games, so I don't really expect this. Either way, I have enough faith in Laidaw to know that it'll be cool no matter what he does.

8. And finally, more interaction with Kleiner, Eli, Alyx, and Barney. (And don't forget Lamarr!)

[Mugato]

The return of the mellon.

[The Monkey]

New weapons and more new enemies (or old ones, like the Houndeyes, Bullsquids and Alien Grunts)

[Ludah]

1.) More G-Man.

2.) New enemies are a given, so I can only hope they're as enthralling as the others previously encountered.

3.) Houndeyes. God damn, these things were awesome. Put them back in the game. And I'd prefer not to kill them this time around.

4.) Obviously, I want more G-Man/Vortigaunt info.

5.) Some confirmation of Breen's status.

6.) More Alyx hugs.

7.) Balls-out, outdoor, massive combat.

8.) Show me a Gargantua. I don't even need to fight it. Just have it farting about in the distance or something.

[Laff]

More G-man and more Grigori. I get the feeling we won't see Breen until Episode 3.

[Samon]

I'd rather have new enemies than weapons.

Wasn't the point of Decay to stop the portal storms? Or is that wrong/noncanon?

Laidlaw said the portal storms still continue erratically. I can't remember what I did at the end of Decay. Although, that's a lie. I remember thousands of enemies.

[99.vikram]

MORE MELONS (seriously - that prop was funny :p).

[prob101]

i want.

- No more references to bullsquids, snarks, houndeyes etc. (Half life has moved on from these monsters)

- contact with other cities

- crap weather, thunder & rain

[Kalti]

Some of those 'sensor' mines...

[Remus]

-Yep I want weather fx too all kinds: thunder storms, rain snow etc.
- monsters: gargantua, gonarch, bullsquid (no howndeyes) and maybe tentacles
- weapons: gauss, mines, snarks and an improved Pulse Rifle.
- G-Man and employers info and maybe meeting with G-Man as an NPC:D
- If they are gonna make it vehicle oriented they'd better put some decent vehicles in it ( the buggy in HL2 sucked).

[xirow]

Striders + fog

[Black Op]

More random thoughts from my last list:

8. Random portal storm that teleports in a mass of hungry wildlife. We know the storms still exist so we should see one in action.

9. Chumtoads! We need a Xen creature that's actually harmless for once and this cut HL1 enemy can do the trick.

10. G-Man's brilliant plan to get Gordon back that doesn't depend on the effort of just one, lone lackey (ie. Shephard).

11. Usable Tau Cannon that's detatched from a buggy. This may show up later in the series.

12. Flamethrower type weapon, a niche I believe hasen't been filled up yet in the HL2 series. If the Gluon Gun never comes back, then a Cremator hose will do nicely.

[kupocake]

A captured G-Man, held by the Vortiguants. In a Hannibal Lecter mask.

"I do wish I had more TIME, Doctor Freeman, but I'm having an old friend for dinner."

[AzzMan]

new weapons, new enemies

[mutant_llama]

More random thoughts from my last list:

8. Random portal storm that teleports in a mass of hungry wildlife. We know the storms still exist so we should see one in action.

9. Chumtoads! We need a Xen creature that's actually harmless for once and this cut HL1 enemy can do the trick.

10. G-Man's brilliant plan to get Gordon back that doesn't depend on the effort of just one, lone lackey (ie. Shephard).

11. Usable Tau Cannon that's detatched from a buggy. This may show up later in the series.

12. Flamethrower type weapon, a niche I believe hasen't been filled up yet in the HL2 series. If the Gluon Gun never comes back, then a Cremator hose will do nicely.

Damn, good ideas, people have been asking what weapons would you include if you could and I could not think of anything, those sound decent enough!

[jimmyjam]

G-Man should have a dirty dozen-type squad of dudes he's put in stasis from various worlds and timeframes, which he unleashes to get his prized specimen back

[Alba look a like]

Just for it to be as good as Ep1, but please Valve don't tell us anymore than what we know.

[prob101]

This is not a request for sheperds return as that would be shite but i would like to see

- a human equivalent of gordan in the employment of the g-man facing him off trying to kill him.
- more tragic consequences of gordans actions and choices

[TollBooth Willie]

Some new enemies. I get tired of killing Combine, antlions, barnacles, synths, headcrabs and zombies. I want to see a friggin' Garg or a Bullsquid. And at least 1 new weapon.

[shuin4]

Answers. I think it's time we cleared things up. Of course Episode 1 didn't have time to answer really anything since your main goal was to get the hell outta that city, and fast.

Things that I hope get answered:

What kind of information did Alyx steal? It's definately important, but I'm afraid it's just going to stir up more questions than really answer anything.

What happened to Breen? I'm still goin with my theory that he was the Advisor that attacked you and Alyx in that room, but hopefully they'll clear that up.

What are we going to do now? We've started the uprising, destroyed the Combine's HQ on Earth, and cut off their portals (or so we think, they're not giving up yet). Are we going to try and invade THEM and put a total end to the Combine, or just work on repopulating the world?

And of course: G-Man. His whole identity and everything obviously aren't going to be revealed in Episode 2, but I would like to see more of him. And no, not seeing him stalking you wherever you go, I mean face-to-face conversations(well, him talking to you anyway) For some reason I believe we're going to see him being held prisoner somewhere in the Vortigaunts' pad. He asks you to free him but since you don't work for him anymore, you leave him. It sort-of makes sense if you remember the sound files of him getting angry at you and telling you to "Get back here!".

And of course, new enemies(not old enemies from HL, brand-new enemies), new weapons, and new vehicles(sup pimp my citizen-gunship) But I really want Episode 2 to focus on story more than anything.

[GordonFreeman911]

Where the heck do we find the "come back here" thing from Gman?!

[Captain M4d]

I'd like a part set in a foggy forest where you have little ammo, and you're being chased down by a strider. And since you're in the forest, the strider would continually knock down trees that would prove to be quite a hazard. I would love that so much. And then maybe others would start chasing you, and it would be the most thrilling part of the game. Oh man, if Valve doesn't do this, I'm going to make sure someone does.
More random thoughts from my last list:

8. Random portal storm that teleports in a mass of hungry wildlife. We know the storms still exist so we should see one in action.

10. G-Man's brilliant plan to get Gordon back that doesn't depend on the effort of just one, lone lackey (ie. Shephard).

ooo, me like.

[GordonFreeman911]

Where the heck do we find the "come back here" thing from Gman?!
.

[Ph4t N1nj4]

My hopes for Episode 2:

1) G-Man returns

2) Alyx NOT dying

3) More guns, I've had enough of that damn shotgun. I WANT THE COMBINE SNIPER RIFLE!!

4) More new baddies. Like maybe a different Zombie/Headcrab type.

5) Less of a damn cliffhanger ending and more of an ending that I can live with and wait for the finale with.

6) New vehicles or the return of the buggy from Highway 17.

7) The Super Gravity Gun, again.

[Langolier]

I'd rather have new enemies than weapons.



Laidlaw said the portal storms still continue erratically. I can't remember what I did at the end of Decay. Although, that's a lie. I remember thousands of enemies.

I agree on the enemies and weapons thing.

As for Decay... the purpose of Decay was to stop the original Resonance Cascade from spreading. This seems to have worked because after around the point that Decay ends (the night of the first day) you don't see any more random fauna teleporting into Black Mesa. The Portal Storms perhaps came about after Nihilanth's death.

[wildchild730]

7) The Super Gravity Gun, again.
That wont be in it.. Remember, when you get out of the cidadel it goes back to normal? and seeing as the cidadel is gone now, we wont be getting it

[DrAbysmal]

Some new critters. Not necessarily old Xen friends (although bullsquids would be nice), but I think a break from zombies would be nice. I'd say from antlions too, but the trailer pretty much shoots that down immediately.

No constant sidekick. That was done in Episode 1, and while I'll be glad if Alyx makes it, I hope she doesn't hang around Gordon the whole time again.

At least one new weapon would be nice. Something actually new, as in, either a previously unseen Combine weapon or something the scientists cooked up. I can live without the sniper rifle.

Vehicles wouldn't be bad, but hopefully not as friggin' long as the vehicle sequences in HL2.

[Ileman]

***EXTRA-SMALL SPOILERS***
***EXTRA-SMALL SPOILERS***






This text is really about what I liked in Episode one and what should be in the episode two.




I prefer close-quarters and mid-range combat with the combine. But not like
it was in nova prospekt when the place was over-flowed with combine soldiers. Something between tactical and pure firepower would be nice. The pulse rifle, SMG and shotgun are the weapons of my choice in the game. Good combine battles and pulse rifle and the game has my attention.

I really liked the first two chapters of Episode one because the atmosphere was perfect and the environment was so unique. I wish all the episodes were like "Undue Alarm" and "Direct Intervention". All the way from the beginning to shutting down the core were one of the most well-made events in the game. The gravity gun puzzles were excellent. I'd like to see more gravity gun puzzles in the future.

The third chapter was fun it it's own way but the flashlight goes out too quickly, there should be more energy to use for running and flashlight.
"Zombines" were a fun addition to the game. I liked the blocking the antlion burrows.

"Urban Flight" was a alright but the last chapter with ciziten herding wasn't my cup of tea. The citizens can't really help themselves and they can't follow my lead. The last chapter was all about protecting the citizens across the yard and I think the last chapter was the part I liked the least. And then there was the strider. If it is up to me: no striders. I don't really like battling against them.

Episode one was more my style than Half-Life 2 itself. No too long drives with vehicles like the Hydro or scout car. Yes I don't really like driving the vehicles at least not for too long. I am more like HL1 style player. HL1 style play mixed with gravity gun puzzles and environment/character interaction makes the HL game I like to play.


Good sides: combine battles, g-gun puzzles, environment/character interaction, pulse rifle, shotgun, SMG, revolver...

Bad sides: striders, some minor problems like in the above text

Best chapters: Undue Alarm, Direct Intervention

The chapter I liked the least: Exit City 17


I'm sure there's a lot more to say but I can't think of anything else right now.

[kupocake]

If it is up to me: no striders. I don't really like battling against them.
There's one in the Trailer for the second episode, so your wish won't be granted :P

[Plug]

Just one thing...

BIOZEMINADES!!!

[GordonFreeman911]

wtf is a BIOZEMINADE?

[Ileman]

There's one in the Trailer for the second episode, so your wish won't be granted :P

That's some kind of a mini-strider? Just as long as it isn't that annoying. :p

[kupocake]

That's some kind of a mini-strider? Just as long as it isn't that annoying. :p
No, there is clearly a normal strider walking with the mini-striders at one point.

[kattmat]

Actually, i thought that the citadel part (both HL2 and Ep1) was pretty boring. I really hope that Valve makes a good looking forest for Ep2, since the trees right now look terrible.

[Samon]

***EXTRA-SMALL SPOILERS***
***EXTRA-SMALL SPOILERS***






This text is really about what I liked in Episode one and what should be in the episode two.




I prefer close-quarters and mid-range combat with the combine. But not like
it was in nova prospekt when the place was over-flowed with combine soldiers. Something between tactical and pure firepower would be nice. The pulse rifle, SMG and shotgun are the weapons of my choice in the game. Good combine battles and pulse rifle and the game has my attention.

I really liked the first two chapters of Episode one because the atmosphere was perfect and the environment was so unique. I wish all the episodes were like "Undue Alarm" and "Direct Intervention". All the way from the beginning to shutting down the core were one of the most well-made events in the game. The gravity gun puzzles were excellent. I'd like to see more gravity gun puzzles in the future.

The third chapter was fun it it's own way but the flashlight goes out too quickly, there should be more energy to use for running and flashlight.
"Zombines" were a fun addition to the game. I liked the blocking the antlion burrows.

"Urban Flight" was a alright but the last chapter with ciziten herding wasn't my cup of tea. The citizens can't really help themselves and they can't follow my lead. The last chapter was all about protecting the citizens across the yard and I think the last chapter was the part I liked the least. And then there was the strider. If it is up to me: no striders. I don't really like battling against them.

Episode one was more my style than Half-Life 2 itself. No too long drives with vehicles like the Hydro or scout car. Yes I don't really like driving the vehicles at least not for too long. I am more like HL1 style player. HL1 style play mixed with gravity gun puzzles and environment/character interaction makes the HL game I like to play.


Good sides: combine battles, g-gun puzzles, environment/character interaction, pulse rifle, shotgun, SMG, revolver...

Bad sides: striders, some minor problems like in the above text

Best chapters: Undue Alarm, Direct Intervention

The chapter I liked the least: Exit City 17


I'm sure there's a lot more to say but I can't think of anything else right now.

I agree that Direct Intervention was one of the best chapters in the game, or at least the most unique. It was great fun.

I love Striders! :E

[xirow]

If it is up to me: no striders.

No Striders?? I want more Striders. I absolutely love them. But the Strider battle in Episode One sucked.

[Victor2]

A human made assault rifle, the HK-G41 would be great; Molotovs, The Combine sniper rifle, snarks (heehehhe I miss them), the Tau Cannon; new skins for the rebels, like more backpacks, more ammo pouches, to make them look like that they are carrying all they can away from City 17; more Xen wildlife and more details about the combine.

PS: Also a new model for the MP7, both sides modeled, with proper relaoding animation, clearly showing Gordon inserting a real clip;

As well as a new reloading animation for the "Overwatch Standard Issue Pulse Gun", we can see that the amunition is composed of 3 "pelets", each one containing 30 rounds, inserted by a "robotic arm" into the barrel after the current one is depleted, but after those large "clips" on the side of the gun are empty they're not ejected or replaced....they should be, it's not anything like gameplay wise but it would be a great eye candy.

And a new secondary function for the Shotgun, we all know that the shotgun is modeled after the SPAS12, and that the SPAS12 has both semi-auto and manual firing modes. Currently the secondary fire delivers a blast as if 2 rounds were inserted into the chamber, in real life it's physically impossble, since it would blow up the gun; my sugestion is: make that double simultaneous blast be 2 blasts in a row, no change in acuracy or damage. Just for eye candy porpouses.

[Remus]

A human made assault rifle, the HK-G41 would be great; Molotovs, The Combine sniper rifle, snarks (heehehhe I miss them), the Tau Cannon; new skins for the rebels, like more backpacks, more ammo pouches, to make them look like that they are carrying all they can away from City 17; more Xen wildlife and more details about the combine.

Yep want all that too:D. Oh yeah and make the crowbar beefier :cheese:

[Victor2]

Yep want all that too:D. Oh yeah and make the crowbar beefier :cheese:


With a rusty aspect, since a ordinary crowbar would surely rust after all that blood that has covered her in the course of several battles.

EDIT: another idea just popped up

make the MP7 grenade round smaller, so it looks like that it fits in the underbarrel of the MP7

[Dirk Pitt]

No, there is clearly a normal strider walking with the mini-striders at one point.

What if they're the eyes of the strider? Like they have a little wussy laser that annoys you, but the real danger is the camera on its face beaming your position to the 3 striders enroute to you.

[Samon]

No Striders?? I want more Striders. I absolutely love them. But the Strider battle in Episode One sucked.

The Strider battle in Episode 1 is my favourite so far.

[xirow]

The Strider battle in Episode 1 is my favourite so far.

I don’t get it. Why? The train yard was one of the worst pieces of level-design I ever saw in a Half-Life game. And the Strider just stood there.

It was nothing compared to the Strider battles in Half-Life 2.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I liked that level, you had to time your movments appropriatly or else you would die. You also had to shoot your rockets correctly or else you should get shot. It was challenging in a diffrent way than the Half Life 2 battles.

[Samon]

I don’t get it. Why? The train yard was one of the worst pieces of level-design I ever saw in a Half-Life game. And the Strider just stood there.

It was nothing compared to the Strider battles in Half-Life 2.

Perhaps not comparable to the Nexus, but I still thought it was excellent. I thought the train yard was excellent and fighting the Strider in close quarters was fun fun. My only gripe is it should have been puzzle based.

[prob101]

a new character to have a connection with outside city 17 in the wilderness.

[angelus2402004]

1. Barney
2. More NPC Interaction

[Max35]

I would like more interactions with the NPCs. Fleshing out of the story. Maybe some new SENSIBLE weapons, and monsters. And, while this is highly unlikely, I would like to see a glimpse of Xen, and what it has become.

[Dr_Crowbar]

- GMan sends Adrian Shephard after Gordon. Shephard is killed, Gordon takes of his mask so we can see his face. And can take his combine sniper rifle.
- Dog actually fights alongside with Gordon.
- The All-Knowing Vortigaunt makes an appearence
- Odessa Cubbage talking about how he gunned down the first gunship without knowing that Gordon is nearby
- Kleiner or Barney mentions Rosenberg
- Two striders fighting each other for some reason.
- Resistance using combine technology against combine.
- Bugbaits!
- Exploring what's left of Black Mesa East
- Father Grigori living in the forest
- Gordon slides off the broken bridge but hangs on to the edge with the crowbar (in a scripted sequence) ...or give the crowbar some neat secondary attack mode.
- And I wanna see Barney cry. I think this could be very emotional. Dunno why him though and not some other characters.

[Canadian Gunner]

And a new secondary function for the Shotgun, we all know that the shotgun is modeled after the SPAS12, and that the SPAS12 has both semi-auto and manual firing modes.
What we need to happen is have some citizen, after fighting with you and the shotgun for a bit, come up and say "hey Gordon, you realise that if you flip that switch (point towards you, then have one of those use (whatever) button to switch fire mode kinda thing come up), you can set the gun to semi-auto..."

[Victor2]

What we need to happen is have some citizen, after fighting with you and the shotgun for a bit, come up and say "hey Gordon, you realise that if you flip that switch (point towards you, then have one of those use (whatever) button to switch fire mode kinda thing come up), you can set the gun to semi-auto..."

That would be neat, recieving such kind of interactions with NPCs is always wellcome.

PS: agree with the return of Father Grigori, but instead of having his shotgun around he could use a hunting rifle, maybe a combine rifle.

[UltimaApocalypse]

- GMan sends Adrian Shephard after Gordon. Shephard is killed, Gordon takes of his mask so we can see his face. And can take his combine sniper rifle.
- Dog actually fights alongside with Gordon.
- Odessa Cubbage talking about how he gunned down the first gunship without knowing that Gordon is nearby
- Kleiner or Barney mentions Rosenberg
- Two striders fighting each other for some reason.


Those would be awesome. I'd love to see Dog jumping on a Strider, ripping something out of it's head. Then the Strider would go haywire and start killing Combine and other Striders.

And seeing Odessa saying something like "I can take these Ministriders. Just like how I took down those gunships on the coast!"

[colson]

I want to go around doing drive by's like in call of duty (where you not always driving), I want a combine sniper rifle, a chance to shoot g-man in the face, some new enemies, the trip mine things in HL2:DM, to interact with the characters and get more story, a chance to hear more of Klienars hillarious speeches, and to get a good look of the smoldering remains of city 17. Oh and I also want to see Shepard and how he fits into the rest of the story.

[pomegranate]

Just in answer to the original post - why would you want to play with old stuff again - admittedly, all those elements of HL1 were great, but don't you want something new and cool when you stump up your cash over and over again? Don't you want a different experience? That is what sequels should offer, in my opinion.
Previously, I wanted to see Shepard appear again in some future installment, but I think the developments in Ep 1 and the trailer for Ep 2 should show us that it would be a sad limitation of Valve's talents not to expand the HL universe by retreading old territory. Obviously we want some old plot points resolved, but things like Shepard's fate, or Cubbage, or playing against old enemies seem kinda trivial as the HL saga grows and continually becomes more epic...

[riomhaire]

More Xen wildlife.
Antlion king boss.
Vortigaunts.
Eli.
The g-man.

[Remus]

Just in answer to the original post - why would you want to play with old stuff again - admittedly, all those elements of HL1 were great, but don't you want something new and cool when you stump up your cash over and over again? Don't you want a different experience? That is what sequels should offer, in my opinion.
Previously, I wanted to see Shepard appear again in some future installment, but I think the developments in Ep 1 and the trailer for Ep 2 should show us that it would be a sad limitation of Valve's talents not to expand the HL universe by retreading old territory. Obviously we want some old plot points resolved, but things like Shepard's fate, or Cubbage, or playing against old enemies seem kinda trivial as the HL saga grows and continually becomes more epic...

I for one want both old and new things OK. I want some old weapons and enemies from HL1 come back. As for Shepard coming back well... I couldn't care less. Of course I want completely new stuff too but it would be nice if some old stuff that I loved from the first game would make a come back. Gargantua vs Strider FTW:P .

[Reginald]

The uprising of all the Synth'd creatures under the Universal Union. Basically, "The Project" is something that scrambles all Synth'd unit's brain functions and makes them realise what it is the Combine has turned them in to. And everything is fighting its way towards the Advisors who are using psychic beams and the like to topple Striders and send swathes of humans tumbling left right and centre.

Maybe for Episode 3, eh? ;)

[capteeni]

i want alyx to tell gordon, she loves him...definetly (no pron no pro...Hey wait! i didnt do anything wrong!...what dream?)

[Reginald]

i want alyx to tell gordon, she loves him...definetly (no pron no pro...Hey wait! i didnt do anything wrong!...what dream?)

If they do ever imply that she loves him I want it done subtley. Like in Dr Who, if anyone saw it yesterday.

The Doctor says, just before he potentially dies, "Tell Rose I... Oh she knows already." *cuts chord*

[Jus]

You waste a bunch of mini striders in the forest, finally see a road through the tree-line and run out into the clear. Only to find that, at the opposite end of the road, you have just been spotted by a newly skinned, source-engine version of:

http://www.stealthhouse.net/garg.gif

[99.vikram]

Oh noes!! j/k

Bring on the Garg, the best enemy evah! :)

[Planeforger]

5. Freeman should get sent on his merry way to the Project's location by EP2's end.

Preferably onboard the Borealis? With Cubbage captaining it!

[Max35]

Preferably onboard the Borealis? With Cubbage captaining it!


Hopefully Cubbage will be taken out by a Combine sniper at that point.

EDIT: Cubbage sucks.

[Zephos]

Hmm, after playing that Missing Information mod I really...really want to go to the Artic. The weather in the game seemed very well done, and the Freezer room made me think of some old abandoned ice base (How kickass would that be to explore).

[Remus]

Whenever I hear of Artic bases I think of "The Thing". I'm sure the scientists that actually work in Artic outposts feel very warm and fuzzy there:laugh: .

[Planeforger]

Whenever I hear of Artic bases I think of "The Thing". I'm sure the scientists that actually work in Artic outposts feel very warm and fuzzy there:laugh: .

Interesting, considering how The Thing was set in Antarctica. :eek:

[Ludah]

You know... we might actually be getting Houndeyes in Episode 2. Just not as we knew them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houndeye

Obviously it's all speculation. Would be interesting though.

[D.L]

The g-man captured by the vorts and rebels

[Deathb4birth]

You know... we might actually be getting Houndeyes in Episode 2. Just not as we knew them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houndeye

Obviously it's all speculation. Would be interesting though.


thats really weird but i doubt it may be always cool though

[lloydporn]

i want valve to stop cutting stuff thats really good like this
http://uk.gamespot.com/pages/video_player/popup.php?sid=6093137&pid=914642
and all this
http://uk.gamespot.com/pages/video_player/popup.php?sid=6073474&pid=914642

there were so many good bits like the ability to zoom in and shoot, and the whole you and barny. also another thing from the 2nd vid is how the smg is actually quite a good wepon and not somthing which just sprays lots of amo for nothing.

edit:
http://uk.gamespot.com/pages/video_player/popup.php?sid=6027896&pid=914642
OMFG non of the stuff in here is in the final game, not even the guns, ****! i wish we could free download these old betas :( good stuff cut R.I.P

http://uk.gamespot.com/pages/video_player/popup.php?sid=6027888&pid=914642
seems like some stuff which later was put into ravenhome, in these vids theres lots of stuff to interact with but i dident seem to see anystuff like this much in hl2, not to this length, its also as if the combine were harder and the shots sounded worse, as if they were going to really hurt you

[Black Op]

VALVe had perfectely good reaons why they cut material. In the case of the Hydra, they couldn't figure out how to make fighting Hydras less annoying. For other scenes, they probably got reworked or only existed as proof of concept material that may not have made it into the final game.

[lloydporn]

theres not enuff interaction with other stuff and like i said, the guns are crap compared to hl1. i want guns that do stuff not just tickle

i.e m4 from counter strike

[Black Op]

theres not enuff interaction with other stuff and like i said, the guns are crap compared to hl1. i want guns that do stuff not just tickle

i.e m4 from counter strike
Just how are HL2 weapons crap? There isn't much gameplay logic in making the SMG all-powerful if the Pulse Rifle is supposed to be even more so. When aimed properly the Magnum, Shotgun, and Pulse Rifle from HL2 are all capable of easily taking down enemies. Besides, it takes many hits from a HL1 SMG just to take down a Human Grunt, so how can one get the impression that it's better than HL2's SMG?

[lloydporn]

the weapons in hl1 felt better to use, there was also a greater range of weapons which had nice features. 5 shot crossbow

also for the comment about having good reason to cut stuff.....that's abit of a obvious thing to say, everything is done for a reason

[Black Op]

Just how did the HL1 weapons felt better to use? I don't know how HL2 could have been worse in that regard. I also don't see how HL1's supposedly "greate"' range of weapons is a real improvement.

The tripmines and satchel charges were for the most part useless and redundant in SP HL. I see no harm in making the HL2 crossbow more difficult to master by making it a one-shot weapon, not everything should be easy to use. The Snarks have basically been replaced by Antlions in HL2 and Rollermines in EP1. The Hivehand is only truely useful in an enviroment without much ammo like Xen and it proved its merit there. However with HL2 enviroments always ammo infested, the Hivehand loses its value. The Tau Cannon and Gluon Gun probably could have been useful, but only if there were true boss enemies in HL2. Back in HL1, I never used those weapons expect for the Apache encounters before the RPG was found and in the Xen boss fights.

With those reasons in mind, I see no reason why we should mourn for any lost HL weapon. While I'm still here, I also think it unnecessary to mourn for cut content as well. It's not like they would have made a definate improvement to a game if they made it into the final version.

[99.vikram]

HL1's arsenal was ridiculous. The Egon (the blue spiralling laser) was too overpowered. And the satchel charges felt pointless.

[riomhaire]

Where in C17 would there by depleted uranium (for Gluon and Tau)?

[Black Op]

Where in C17 would there by depleted uranium (for Gluon and Tau)?
Apparently they have just enough for one buggy-mounted Tau Cannon. There has to be an abandoned nuclear power plant somewhere in Eastern Europe. :|

[lloydporn]

black op have you played half-life 2 substance?

while it may not be coherent [is that the word?, if not i am sure you'll point it out in some witty way to try and make me look more dumb] to have antlions in the train station, substance is a really good mod which proves my point [oh so i hope it does, here's another chance for you to have a dig at me and say it dussent]
one of the first things that implemented was changing the sounds of the guns, now while the pistol in hl2 feels powerful and sounds good its still a bit quite, so along with the other guns the sounds were changed and so too were the models. now playing through the game although there's more stuff to kill if really feels nice unloading a whole clip into a antlion, it feels like its doing something, this is because if it sounds like its doing something it feels better to use, therefor the gun feel in hl2 could be made to feel better to use, like the laud noisey ones of hl1.
[although not just the sounds have been changed, it just shows that the guns can be made better in hl2]

and with 156745 Downloads i think valve should take note from this mod, there must be something about which makes it good?

statistics courtesy of halflife2.filefront.com

while mentioning mods and how half-life 2 could be better, the beauty and puzzles in 'mistake of Pythagoras'
[ http://halflife2.filefront.com/file/HalfLife_2_Mistake_Of_Pythagoras_Mod;57121 ]
really make this a mod everybody should have played, that too going for people at valve. see mods arent just about shooting and guns. that's only one aspect.


-lloyd of lloydporn.com

[kupocake]

[oh so i hope it does, here's another chance for you to have a dig at me and say it dussent]
If he does, I'm completely on his side. Substance is an awful, awful mod, and the opinion of anyone who honestly believes it is doing something well, competently or rightly should be regarded extremely poorly.
and with 156745 Downloads i think valve should take note from this mod, there must be something about which makes it good?
Popularity doesn't make something good. If Valve learn anything from Substance's success it is that a certain section of their demographic have absolutely no taste at all, and that therefore they shouldn't listen to the feedback of a certain section of their demographic.

[99.vikram]

I downloaded Substance because I was bored and wanted a new challenge. That's what Substance gave me.

As a game however, the weapons are unbalanced and the selection is ridiculous. Talk about five weapons for the same job!

[Black Op]

It should be expected to have a HL demographic that seek to customize everything. I would know myself as much of my HL1 models are customized and at one point, the majority of my DoD content was custom. However just because one likes change doesn't mean VALVe should follow them. I hardly sympathize with people that whine about models and sounds because replacements always exist somewhere. One person may think a sound sucks, but that doesn't equate to automatic suckage on VALVe's part. The sound merely doesn't fit your tastes and is not the sign of a poor audio job. I'll just leave it at that.

[Flyingdebris]

something i might add to my last post

Something that halflife 2 and episode 1 really missed was assassin type units.

Yeah sure the elites were fairly tough and fun to fight, but assassins they were not. They just had more health, shot more accurately, and ocassionally fired plasma orbs that did meager damage.

I remember back in hl 1 how the assassin chicks with the suppressed pistols were some of the hardest nonboss enemies ever. They'd attack you when you weren't looking and often be gone before you turned to see. They'd backflip off of everything and easily outran you all the time.

I'd love to fight some crazy acrobatic elite combine ninja chicks

[Geogaddi]

I agree. I loved how they were nearly impossible to kill with a mad charge (with you surviving that is) and you needed to set traps and ambush them.

[Ludah]

Yeah, I don't quite know why they got rid of the Combine Assassins. Their likeness was passed onto the elites, but the assassins themselves had that whole female-clad-in-tight-leather vibe. Of course, she also had a humongous big red ****ing eye that offset that.

[cojawfee]

Everytime I think about play HL1 again, I shudder when I think about the assassins. I was playing on easy and I had trouble with them.

[kag30]

The Hivehand is only truely useful in an enviroment without much ammo like Xen and it proved its merit there. However with HL2 enviroments always ammo infested, the Hivehand loses its value.

I used it quite a bit at black mesa.

It would be fun just to have for shooting objects around. Break up the monotony of the peashooter. Sometimes i would rather bust open supply boxes by shooting them but dont want to waste ammo. Hivehand is perfect for this.

[kag30]

The Hivehand is only truely useful in an enviroment without much ammo like Xen and it proved its merit there. However with HL2 enviroments always ammo infested, the Hivehand loses its value.

I used it quite a bit at black mesa.

It would be fun just to have for shooting objects around. Break up the monotony of the peashooter. Sometimes i would rather bust open supply boxes by shooting them but dont want to waste ammo. Hivehand is perfect for this.

[Flyingdebris]

its only when going back and playing the original that i realized just how much ammo you are lugging around.

I was one of those players that instinctively was cheap with ammo. By the end of the game i think i still had enough ammo to kill the nihilanth again.

now in halflife 2 you only carry about a 3rd or less of the ammo as before. Which i think was a good move exept in the case of the magnum and the pulse rifle.

[Black Op]

It would be fun just to have for shooting objects around. Break up the monotony of the peashooter. Sometimes i would rather bust open supply boxes by shooting them but dont want to waste ammo. Hivehand is perfect for this.
Funny then how smart HL players never think of actually shooting crates. That's why the crowbar and Gravity Gun exist. But I expect the Hivehand will never return since Alien Grunts haven't been seen since the Nihilanth's destruction.

[kag30]

Funny then how smart HL players never think of actually shooting crates. That's why the crowbar and Gravity Gun exist. But I expect the Hivehand will never return since Alien Grunts haven't been seen since the Nihilanth's destruction.

You were saying the gun was useless besides xen in hl. If your walking to a supply crate from the other side of the room and want it opened before you get there its the smartest way to do it since your not wasting ammo.

Then again i play to have fun not survive. I would speak of necessity and useless weapons if i had to do this for real.

I would think smart players would find the same task becoming monotonous when carried out the same way everytime.

[Black Op]

You were saying the gun was useless besides xen in hl. If your walking to a supply crate from the other side of the room and want it opened before you get there its the smartest way to do it since your not wasting ammo.

Then again i play to have fun not survive. I would speak of necessity and useless weapons if i had to do this for real.

I would think smart players would find the same task becoming monotonous when carried out the same way everytime.
Just because I implied Hivehands were not truely useful in Xen doesn't mean they're utterly useless. I just say there's less incentive to use them in ammo-rich enviroments. And I never thought once of using anything other than a crowbar to smash HL1 crates, as I'll have to drag my ass to pick up the ammo anyway. Repeating basic functions not related to combat are not supposed to be exciting anyway. Therefore, smart players like I can deal with it.

[CrazyJeepDriver]

I used the Hivehand a damn lot in Black Mesa, I found it extremely useful, due to the fact it had unlimited ammo and guided bullets/hornets..

[Black Op]

Oh well, I guess people just have different playing styles. I didn't use the Hivehand heavily until Xen. Then again, I did use it to waste away lesser creatures back in Black Mesa.

[kag30]

And I never thought once of using anything other than a crowbar to smash HL1 crates, as I'll have to drag my ass to pick up the ammo anyway. Repeating basic functions not related to combat are not supposed to be exciting anyway. Therefore, smart players like I can deal with it.

You can start damaging the box before you get there so its quicker, more efficient. Creative players like me can make mundane tasks a little bit fun.

[Black Op]

You can start damaging the box before you get there so its quicker, more efficient. Creative players like me can make mundane tasks a little bit fun.
Removing a second in the process of destroying crates is a skill only necessary in speed runs. I was never the type of gamer that goes on speed runs.

[Moxie Wolf]

camera movements? like when running or walking, the gun/hand animations have the motion but how about the cam? anyone ever play the Thief Games? it had that slight bobbing/sway to the cam as you walked.

perhaps an option to turn on or off if possible, I donno how things in games work, but it would be cool and add more feel to it.

[lloydporn]

Funny then how smart HL players never think of actually shooting crates. That's why the crowbar and Gravity Gun exist. But I expect the Hivehand will never return since Alien Grunts haven't been seen since the Nihilanth's destruction.

oh look, there's you lording your supreme being over everybody else, you clever clever hl2 god

smart players like I can deal with it.
**** me in the ass you really love yourself, its not real life, we all dont have to do it a set right way. **** i'd hate to be in a clan with you, not that you need a clan i bet your a one man army.

Removing a second in the process of destroying crates is a skill only necessary in speed runs. I was never the type of gamer that goes on speed runs. dam it i must have been doing a speed run, i dident relise i was but as you say, 'Removing a second in the process of destroying crates is a skill only necessary in speed runs' so it must have been a speed run i did, i wonder how good it was, probbly crap compared to one of your runs. not that you did them ;)

[Black Op]

oh look, there's you lording your supreme being over everybody else, you clever clever hl2 god

**** me in the ass you really love yourself, its not real life, we all dont have to do it a set right way. **** i'd hate to be in a clan with you, not that you need a clan i bet your a one man army.

dam it i must have been doing a speed run, i dident relise i was but as you say, 'Removing a second in the process of destroying crates is a skill only necessary in speed runs' so it must have been a speed run i did, i wonder how good it was, probbly crap compared to one of your runs. not that you did them ;)
Well I guess some people are entitled to different ways of playing through HL. I just don't agree that bashing crates can be so boring that one has to use a Hivehand at times. I also think having a weapon dedicated to destroying crates is a poor excuse to bring the Hivehand back, as been suggested.

[BaconIsGood4You]

Hmm..I want new enemies but not HL1 ones. Other than the headcrab and Ichyosaur, I really did not like the designs or attacks.

HL2 has the best artistic direction of any game I've played and it'd be a shame just to see such old and less talentedly designed creatures.

[Black Op]

Well I admit that Houndeyes and Bullsquids were easy to dispatch back in HL1. That doesn't mean they can't be improved upon either by making them smarter or using better enemy placement. As for their designs, I have no problem with them as they were in HL1. However they could get a makeover like the Vortigaunts did in HL2 if that should appease you.

[99.vikram]

Bullsquid owns :D

[Victor2]

I want new guns, man-made guns with adapted combine tech.

[Moxie Wolf]

without seeing if already mentioned, how about we kick the white coat Zombies and make them instead have citizen like shirts/jackets, I get really annoyed at seeing the same many damn zombies everywhere, come on, spice it up a bit for these guys. and what, are head crabs scared of women, what about female zombies?

[lloydporn]

yeah, more things zombiefied

[Remus]

Damn it, if I see yet another type of zombie I'm gonna puke:frown: .

[cojawfee]

It just adds to the reality. How come only scientists and combine soldiers get zombified? What are scientists doing wandering around in sewers to get attacked by headcrabs?

[kupocake]

It just adds to the reality. How come only scientists and combine soldiers get zombified? What are scientists doing wandering around in sewers to get attacked by headcrabs?
They aren't scientists. They are zombified forms of a specific type of HL2 citizen. Compare the The Zombie (http://www.hlportal.de/images/content/hl2/enemies/zombie.jpg) with the model used in the game and also in Concerned's "We Still go to Ravenholm" (http://www.hlcomic.com/index.php?date=2005-11-18) arc. Note the Green cuffs around the sleeves and the blue trousers.

I struggle to remember where you see them in the game. I think they're actually costumes worn solely be City 17 Refugees: along the railroad, in Black Mesa East, which makes sense because the citizens all have the blue-uniform, and where you'd expect to find more City 17 Refugees, you also find more zombies. It would have made a lot of sense though to have some blue-uniformed zombies around someplace, just for a little variety. Just that one edition would have probably stopped the Zombie clone griefers and wouldn't have made too much of an impact on performance either.

Strange that HL2 did have Blue-uniformed Zombies circa 2003. When they redid the models to make them look a lot better, blue got dropped altogether. Also there were both Zombie assassins (Zombie versions of the female assassins that never made it into the game) and Fast Zombies (which appear to wear what was the old-style combine uniform). I guess the two got merged into one and the model got compeletly redone, because one or the other was redundant. At least with Fast and Poison Zombies you don't really get this debate, because they have either no clothes or poorly visibl clothes.

[prob101]

A small thing but please can we have :

-Rebels screaming and shouting "STRIDER" and "HUNTERS, GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE".

Thankyou carry on

[The Hat]

I'd also like to see Bullsquids and Houndeyes... (maybe Alien Grunts too?) though I'd like to see the concept of the Antlion King and Crematers make it make in... how about instead of a Tentacle, they could use the Hydra that was going to be in HL2 but was cut out? That sounded like a really cool enemy. We need to see the Crab and Mortar Synth's too! I'd also like to find out more about G-Man, and exactly what happened to Dr. Breen. New weapons, and new vehicles would be nice too. So yeah, that's pretty much it. :P

[prob101]

Stop looking back.

Bullsquid and houndeyes would be fun for about a second then you realise you've seen them before (Not new)

Anyway If the story in pcgamer is true can the two people living in the forest be of substance, stories to tell of whats been happening outside city17, appear in future episodes.

[Black Op]

Bullsquid and houndeyes would be fun for about a second then you realise you've seen them before (Not new).
Why were the Headcrabs and Barnacles brought back then? I think many people will enjoy having more wildlife to fight aganist, and there's lots of potential for Bullsquids and Houndeyes in the Source engine.

[prob101]

Houndeyes have been introduce to a fashion. The hunter is an excellent next step for this, 3 legged monster. Headcraps had scope to diverse by coming in three sub species.

There is no point in reintroducing something if its the same as before.

How could you progress the bullsquid? How could it change?

[Remus]

How could you progress the bullsquid? How could it change?

Er... mega bullsquid?:O

[Black Op]

There is no point in reintroducing something if its the same as before.
You failed to address the Barnacle, which basically does the same thing as HL1. As no one complains much about basic Headcrabs, basic Zombies, and Barnacles being from HL1, I see no harm in reintroducing old Xen creatures even if they change very little. The Bullsquid is quite suited for trashing around props knowing its nature from HL1, and Houndeyes are all but required for visual comparision in the event the "Hunter = Combine Houndeye" theory proves true.

[lloydporn]

They aren't scientists. They are zombified forms of a specific type of HL2 citizen. Compare the The Zombie (http://www.hlportal.de/images/content/hl2/enemies/zombie.jpg) with the model used in the game and also in Concerned's "We Still go to Ravenholm" (http://www.hlcomic.com/index.php?date=2005-11-18) arc.

the one from the comic is just a citizen with blood applied to it NOT a zombie from ravenholm

[evil^milk]

Did you guys notice how in that scene where Mossman is talking, you see some older models of soldiers (the earlier ones that were green and wore gasmasks)? I'd like to see them just for the hell of it.

[riomhaire]

the one from the comic is just a citizen with blood applied to it NOT a zombie from ravenholm
Try and get a clue. He is saying that the refugee in that comic has the exact same clothes as a zombie.

[kupocake]

the one from the comic is just a citizen with blood applied to it NOT a zombie from ravenholm
Negative Excrement Inspector-Holmes!

[Ileman]

I've got an idea for the future episodes and here it is.

First I want to ask, was the Black Mesa Research Facility destroyed completely? If yes, then my suggestion is pointless I guess.

Gordon Freeman would get in touch with Eli Vance and Kleiner. They would tell Gordon that he should return to the old ruins of the Black Mesa Research Facility to revive some old technology for means to fight the Combine. Gordon is warned about possible Combine presence in the facility and the Xen wildlife that survived the explosion. A research was completed right before the resonance cascade began. (Not really but that would be new information) We would see what is left of Black Mesa. After Gordon downloads or sends the information for the resistance he is picked up by a transport helicopter or he uses the scout car and is chased by hunter-chopper(s).

The research can be anything, weapon, blueprints, bomb, etc, something powerful that helps the resistance. Anything, just so we would see Black Mesa again.

[kupocake]

The research can be anything, weapon, blueprints, bomb, etc, something powerful that helps the resistance. Anything, just so we would see Black Mesa again.
Black Mesa is all but confirmed to be a smeer on the landscape so don't get your hopes up. I on the other hand am hoping that Valve won't do something as cliche as returning to BM. We can do that whenever we want by playing Half-Life or the expansions. Or perhaps the Source mod, Black Mesa. BM was done to death back in the day and it's time to let it rest.

[Midnight Cowboy]

G-Man

Well that and physics puzzles... especially when you near-literally put a spanner in the works like the Crab Launcher in Lost Coast or the Fan in Nova Prospekt.

Also we should come across a crashed escape pod, (I think it's pretty certain Gordon will come across one, and be party to either more psy-attacks or possibly a plot revelation by a wounded Combine Advisor).

And of course more dialogue sequences, especially with the aforementioned G-Man.

[[GD]raziel44]

want to see alyx lol

[Leviticus]

First off, I found Episode 1 to be excellent. I literally couldn't have asked for a more professional and rewarding experience for my money spent. Most films don't grip me for their running time the way that Episode 1 did for six straight hours.

That being said, Episode 1 is also a little utilitarian in design. It follows a straightfoward Action-Puzzle-Action-Puzzle line of events throughout and, unfortunately, lacks the some of the personality we saw in Half-life 2 Vanilla. I remember riding along the beach during the Half-life 2 buggy sequence, dodging Ant-lions and beached ships, thinking "Wow, this is surreal". Seeing a Strider for the first time against the almost text book post-Cold War Eastern European city, too, really invoked something extraterrestrial among the familiar, which is what great fantasy and science fiction narrative does. And, of course, nobody can forget Father Gregory.

I didn't find very much of that in Episode 1, save for the beautiful images of the Citadel's decay. I hope that there is more personality in Episode 2, along with straight gameplay elements and narrative. Everything was almost annoyingly compact and on point during Episode 1. I want some random intrusions of the surreal!

[Leviticus]

Edited: Posted twice on accident. My apolgies. I would simply delete one of them, but I do not see a delete button, if there is one.

[99.vikram]

I hope that there is more personality in Episode 2, along with straight gameplay elements and narrative.
There will be, since it's set in an entirely new location.

Everything was almost annoyingly compact and on point during Episode 1.
Alas, it's the drawback of episodic content...

I want some random intrusions of the surreal!
QFT! Like the first scene with the tentacle killing a scientist - that was pure awesome!

[Crowbar-at-hand]

for alyx to die, hehe

[Atomic_Piggy]

for alyx to die, hehe


I agree lawlz. :p
Seriously:
more talk scenes
old enemies
things like the Stider buster, but not swarming you with new weapons
NO ANTLION ****** GUARDS PLEASE!!!! I HATE THOSE THINGS!!!!!! :x

[0mar]

Going back to Black Mesa will be when the HL series jumps the shark.

[Leviticus]

Left this out of my original post, but it is fairly important.

I beat F.E.A.R on hard a few days before buying and beating Episode 1 and while F.E.A.R does not approach the level of immersion that Episode 1 achieves, it does better it one way; AI. The Combine soldier AI is simply not very strong- usually resorting to almost kamikaze run and gun tactics. Very rarely do they utilize cover for an extended amount of time, and it usually seems like they are unaware of each other. They'll lob grenades out every now and then, but otherwise they seem blissfully ignorant to whats going on around them.

Mainly, the Combine soldiers need to understand how to provide suppressing fire and simply wait for the player. Too often you can simply stand around a corner and pick them off with the shotgun.

[Samon]

FEARS AI is based primarily on scripted events.

[Leviticus]

FEARS AI is based primarily on scripted events.

Well, I found it far more convincing than Episode 1's. Perhaps Valve should adopt whatever technique they utilize.

[special-ed]

Bring on the new weapons! The current half-life arsenal should be updated.

[DannyC.]

I've stated that I would like the new weapons, I want better AI, and maybe tricks with certain stuff in another thread.

I want to see more emotion in people. The humans are supposed to be royally pissed off, right? I want to see more "Rot in Hell" and stomping people to death, charging, yelling, rebels whacking Combine and metro cops in the face with their guns, and less "Pardon me" and "Hey gang, follow Freeman".

[durtay]

The G-Man Put sheppard Into Action but not likely seeing that he was gearboxes Creation

[0mar]

Not dumbed down gameplay because of the consoles!