Well here's some more shots of hl2 for everyone to sink their pick axe, eyes or other parts of their anatomy into... who knows we may get to play this sometime in 2XXX










Looks like they're going widescreen, I heard that they were doing that to give it more of a "film feeling", but then the leaked previews were full screen... probably selectable or something.

Looking nice

The later HL2 get, the less impressive it is, the shots above don't look any nicer than Farcry TBH.

Better hope that narrative's good !

Well playing the leaked version, it was the physics engine that was really impressive, not as much the graphics (to be honest they are really reaching the end of the line with "impressive graphics").

I think the wide ranging environments previewed look great too, this one inparticular:

And let me topple that by saying this game doesn't excite me at all....
Zjeesus this game is being hyped....bah!
Almost as irritating as visiting an xbox forum; HALO 2 this,HALO 2 that....
Or a PS2 forum....."Killzone ownz "

it's like the only gametype that matters are FPS....

Oh yes, it DOES look better than Farcry. To be honest, I didn't like the latter that much, hope HL2 proves better.

@ohgo, nope, its just that the biggest games just so happen to be FPS hence all the attention they get.

shouldn't this be in the hardware & software section?

You noob spud!

PS, some gameplay vids from HL2:
ftp://3dgamers.in-span.net/pub/3dgamers ... stline.exe
ftp://3dgamers.in-span.net/pub/3dgamers ... rs_lab.exe
ftp://3dgamers.in-span.net/pub/3dgamers ... unnels.exe
ftp://3dgamers.in-span.net/pub/3dgamers ... -g-man.exe
ftp://3dgamers.in-span.net/pub/3dgamers ... -docks.exe
ftp://3dgamers.in-span.net/pub/3dgamers ... riders.exe

far cry looks miles better then hl2, far cry is by far the most beautiful game i have ever seen, and the gameplay is nice too, the enemies think for themselves, and all round its generally a perfect game, hl2 has a lot fo ground to cover if its going to be anywhere as good, ill admit hl2 does look nice but for me my farcry wins everytime

Don't want to make you feel like an idiot but:


Okay I do, that's the only reason I didn't have you aborted... john doe... I am your father (figure)!

Hardware, console news, etc. go in the hardware software dilly-hoe but discussions about actual games go in this one. Thing about it as a art / technical divide :

Oh and thanks for the

@max, I don't think you can kid yourself, even if you keep repeating it over and over, playing nothing but farcry on a supercomputer.

Frycry looks utter primitive crap in comparison Gameplay is almost a given with hl2, that was purely what hl one was about. Interactive gameplay at probably the best I've seen. Dues Ex was another nice one, but it wasn't up to half-lifes standard. But of course if you didn't like the first, then the second obviously won't be as appealing.

But sorry, farcry looks better is... well... But its one of those games that make it seem as though the gfx were better than they actually are (best analogy is like watching the original Star Wars trilogy). I'll borrow PCA's screen dump, there are prettier ones of course.

<img src="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/james.lord/FarCry0001.jpg" width=900>

Just look through the previous screenshots and videos on this site and the net, I don't think farcry will carry much weight on the graphics or technical front when this game hits the market. Even the leaked alpha demo is better than farcry in terms of texture, lighting, and modelling.

and here's a control picture of a leaked pre-alpha HL2 running on my slightly older pc which about matches the settings of PCAs (I think). The game has textures missing, there's is nothing beyond tiny little rooms and a few show elements but even then it looks far better than the finished farcry (good game btw).

<img src="http://members.lycos.co.uk/horrorhasahome/cool5.jpg" width=900>

I think this shot is a fairer one seen as though its a similar scenario.

<img src="http://members.lycos.co.uk/horrorhasahome/cool7.jpg" width=900>

Even these look crap next to the videos, it really does look good in motion. I don't think farcry looks anywhere near as sophisticated in any respect anyway. At least my 2 cents.

well hl2 may look better when its complete but right now a few screenshots just dont cut it with me, ive played far cry which of course is out now unlike hl2 which just gets pushed further back until a time when the hype its built might actually be possible on home computers, by the time its out we'll be using 6GHz processors probably jsut so that ppl can say "look i was right its better gfx then farcry thanks to its extra 3 years devlopment time"

although of course the thing is like i said far cry is out now, hl2 isnt so u cant really contrast something thats out with something that isnt, my original argument was far cry is the most beautiful game i have ever seen and played, hl2 isnt available to play so i dont care

That is why I have instructed you to download the video, the screenshots don't do it any real justice because you don't see the gameplay, interaction and use of visual style. For some great screenshots though, check out this month's issue of PC Gamer, they are more in the action giving the game a better look.

Well I have 'played' both, and even an such an early stage (the screen immediately above) HL2 rips Farcry on the technical side. 'nuff said really, I didn't think it was possible to disagree on a technical aspect but there we have it



Was actually the first thing you said, which to me is just wrong in every sense really. Farcry wasn't one I was too impressed with that much, it has a great graphics engine though. Looks pretty and all, but so do all games at the moment and I'd class it as a nice looking game, but nothing too special or above the cut too much. However, from what little we've seen of HL2 and D3 they are clearly the latest and perhaps "greatest" leap we'll see on the graphics front. Now you see those two screenshots above, they were taken by me, on my pc, whilst playing the demo of hl2, and the one above of farcry is taken by pca (in fairness I should take one cos I probably have a better gfx card), that's my ultimate comment I was making really. HL2 to me is technically (refering to the effects on screen, dynamic lighting, mapping and texture) better looking, as well as stylistically (which is where, I guess, we are differing on this) superior. If we differ on style preference, then fine (is this why you used beautiful? If so, you were mixing technical with asphetic terms) , but I'm having trouble with the technical claim you see.

Anyway I noticed your wording so I'm going to pick on symantics here to spark a better conversation:
If we are talking about beauty, I don't agree either are anywhere near the 'most beautiful'. Beauty isn't really the right word here, as it of course refers to more than a pretty look, its actual setting and actual location rather than just neat graphics (I'd say proper phrasing would be "best graphics". It's like say, Matrix Reloaded vs Blade Runner. Matrix is technically more graphical intensive and has better effects, but Blade Runner is a more beautiful. In terms of games Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time wins the awinspiring category... American McGee's Alice is a sight to behold (very impressive atmosphere) Wind Waker is impressively fluid video and Final Fantasy has some great backdrops. I don't think Farcry even deserves to touch that list, at least no where high up anyway

edit: oh and while on the subject, because of all the delays, the chances are that there will be a few more impressive looking games out at the same time as HL2 and D3 and thusly they're ultimate impact will be diminished. Luckily, and this is not in favour of D3 from my own personal standpoint, the gameplay of HL2 is the sole thing I'm looking forward to, I'm hoping its going to deliver on its promise of interactivity to the next degree (physics engine is class, beyond any other havoc engine game atm, at least those i've played). I wouldn't be looking forward to this so much if I didn't download the half hour long gameplay footage they previewed last year (which is a superb preview).

I've played both, the physics of HL2 push it way past farcry, but the GFX?? the shot you chose was not a good shot from farcry (I assume that's why you chose it)
But what you have to bear in mind that HL2 doesn't officially exist for you to play, Farcry does, it's as good as it *officially* gets for the PC right now HL2 will be wonderful (hopfully) and I will evangelise about it, but this pic :
<img src="http://members.lycos.co.uk/horrorhasahome/cool5.jpg" width=900>
looks shit TBH

well im no big city games programmer, but i will agree with you on certain comments like the style of games are different, hl2 is more of a scifi/horror aliens from another dimension ruined cities and stuff etc etc style where as far cry is more terrorist setting against a lush idylic backdrop

i believe your referring to aesthetics though not asphetics

i never got into the original hl properly as at the time i had a crap monitor with a broken blue tube so it made everything look dark so u couldnt hardly see anything and i had a broken voodoo 4500

paul says i should post an apology as your apparently "the be all and end all of games" but i have an opinion and arent afraid to let it be known

i think we should take this outside spud, chainsaws at dawn lol

i guess deep down it all depends on what kinda thing you just generally prefer and to me farcry is my preference

the funny thing is i completely forgot doom 3 was even coming out thats how little i care about doom lol, although doom looks good but im not much of a doom fan full stop.... still cant be anyworse gameplay wise then quake 3 hahahha which reminds me theyre making a quake 4

although to be fair far cry aside im not really much of a graphics slut, hell i found myself playing the original thief the other day, and i still like retro gaming, what kinda graphics slut retro games eh

although the fact that you like resident evil games slightly redeems you.....but dont get too comfortable

thankyou pc arcade, my sentiments exactly..... put in shorter form hehe

Firstly, no PCA I don't know wtf your trying to imply but anyway; i used that shot because it saved me the trouble of loading up the game, loading up a level, taking a screenshot, compressing the shot, then uploading the shot and then finally posting it. I'm far too lazy to do all that, just like I was too lazy to do the same with HL2 and recycled the shots I took earlier. They aren't shots of the best bits of either, they were the quickest shots I had access to without doing any work (I had more of a choice with the hl2 ones cos I posted lots of them in a thread last year, but I didn't choose the best ones to level it out too) For the best, I'd advise what the half hour tape of HL2 and watch a trailer for farcry, that's them playing on top end machines to make em look their prettiest.

Anyway:



WHAT??? That is a huge citadel, fully constructed with huge skyscrapers in every direction, the textures and modelling is truely stunning. I find it hard to understand how they've managed to construct and environment so freakin huge without any sluggish framerates On top of this modelling are some brilliant texturing effects and ultimately a great concept art. With AA on it would look a damn sight better of course (well load it up yourself and see ). I had *not* got AA turned on, I had *not* got my settings set high and I was using low res textures, the screens are from when I was messing about on the leaked game last year.

The environments are brilliant, if you want the picturesque money shot.... have you played the bit with the crows on the sea front? Where the zombie things jump up at you (its also the first bit of in-in-game footage ever shown of HL2, on the first video for those with out the alpha, the bit where the player is walking along the pier with a crowbar)? And your saying you think farcry is better than that?

I take it you know about going into multiplayer --> load level to load up all the levels (well obviously if you played it, but worth a check)

What card do you have btw, that farcry one does look a "tad" ropey?



Hold your horses, that was never in dispute, this was:


Imo that's not the case at all, even the alpha matched it and those screenshots pan its hide (I'm not disputing anything about it not being the best on the pc... well its not quite true, there's dribs and drabs that have better elements of graphics)

@max, oh hell yeah, doom is a shite series. Such mind numbling boring pointlessness. It's a dog that's had its day, and if its the same shit again, I won't be playing it.

I don't think chainsaws are necessary just yet Just merely disputing your claim... oh and dissing your flygirl!

ps. before anyone reads too much into this, there's no uber assumptions or anything (HL2 isn't out so it would be daft), just the simple matter of, all the screenshots, video clips, previews and the demo show up Farcry (obviously). I fail to see the claim that "Farcry is better" valid at all, graphicly speaking.

I have a radeon 9800 pro and that shot (which looks fairly shite compared to the other one in that thread) was taken @ very high / ultra high.



Umm I didn't say that, but I don't think that Hl2 is a quantum leap over Farcry (or Stalker for that matter)

were not chainsaw duelling? erm here have your arm back hehe sorry

my god thats 3 things we agree on now, doom is shit, resident evil games rule, and footballs boring, guess were on a roll today eh spud lol

scott bakula in a videogame????

my gfx card is a geforce fx 5600 256meg ddr, incase ur interested of course

Firstly @PCA, I made a screwup and pressed edit instead of quote I hope I restored your post correctly

anyways:

op:okay my bad, I pressed edit and grabbed it thinking it was best Still here's the better one. IMO its very little difference besides two factors:

<img src="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/james.lord/FarCry0001.jpg" width=900>

The difference is nothing but you have AA turned up a notch (thus less 'jaggies' and the distance blur is turned down (and thusly you can see reflection in the water); well to compare those HL2 shots *don't* , they are no way near maximum, not even close. I can't be arsed loading it up and taking a very high equivalent, but you've played it so its obvious how they compare. You'll have seen the dynamic and volumetric texturing, realistic (and actually are, the label is used too much and I rarely use it, but I'll make an exception) reflection and glass effects, and the the city scapes where full AA (which look a damn sight better than that shot I posted above) is needed like enabled in that farcry picture above.



Nope, but max took it as an enfrocement of it so I brought it up again take show thats not what you meant (can't be letting max think that! )

I agree very much so; gaphics are becoming laclustre, that's my whole opinion on the matter... in 5 years time the difference between titles will be nothing but more polygons and a "realistic" hair.

It's been said by many sources now, that D3 and HL2 represent the last leap forward we'll see... at least very often.

@max... eww get yourself a nice radeon