Post by -(aaK)- Nav on Dec 1, 2004 12:41:17 GMT
i think the d3 engine is pretty much all new. they even used a new language (c++) to write it. jc used q3 as a base when he started, but since then its all been recoded. the HL2 engine uses a heavily modified Q1 engine.
i also think that art is also important. i think d3's art and over all "polish" is WAY better than hl2. there are so many things in hl2 that seem half assed done or done incorrectly, imo. one little wall panel in d3 has more detail than a whole hallway or room in hl2. after d3, everything in hl2 seems flat, dull and box like. the outside of buildings look like a "b" movie set. i bet if i noclipped behind them i would see a bunch of 2x4's propping up a front wall made of foam and balsa wood.
the streets of city 17 are barren and dull. cities in knights of the old republic (hate star wars though...) where filled with people, characters and all sorts of action. the only thing i see in city 17 are a few people, a few combine and some birds. it all seems so fake.
the water in some parts of hl2 are terrible. it looks kinda cool but sometimes it looks out of place and fake. why would stagnant water in a sewer have ripples and waves? it looks like its being agitated by an earthquake. it should be relatively calm but instead valve decided to add ripples and stuff to "show it off". it just doesn't look right.
then there is the "shiny floor" effect everywhere. its distracting and not very realistic.
then you have cinematic combines dropping down on a rope being replaced with combines with a.i. but there is no transition animation. in one frame they are facing one direction, and in the next frame they are looking right at you shooting. very unpolished.
i hate how items "magically" hover 2 feet in front of you when you pick them up. totaly distracting. where are your hands and arms? if valve can animate a grenade toss, why not animate tossing a bottle? even games 4- 5 yrs old had a little of this. thief (1998?) had some when you picked up dead bodies. this would have been fine 3 years ago, but not for a "revolutionary" game.
i ramble... i'm just not finding hl2 to be revolutionary at all. the only thing valve nailed is the main character animation and acting. VERY well done. the rest is just the same old stuff we've all seen before.
i also think that art is also important. i think d3's art and over all "polish" is WAY better than hl2. there are so many things in hl2 that seem half assed done or done incorrectly, imo. one little wall panel in d3 has more detail than a whole hallway or room in hl2. after d3, everything in hl2 seems flat, dull and box like. the outside of buildings look like a "b" movie set. i bet if i noclipped behind them i would see a bunch of 2x4's propping up a front wall made of foam and balsa wood.
the streets of city 17 are barren and dull. cities in knights of the old republic (hate star wars though...) where filled with people, characters and all sorts of action. the only thing i see in city 17 are a few people, a few combine and some birds. it all seems so fake.
the water in some parts of hl2 are terrible. it looks kinda cool but sometimes it looks out of place and fake. why would stagnant water in a sewer have ripples and waves? it looks like its being agitated by an earthquake. it should be relatively calm but instead valve decided to add ripples and stuff to "show it off". it just doesn't look right.
then there is the "shiny floor" effect everywhere. its distracting and not very realistic.
then you have cinematic combines dropping down on a rope being replaced with combines with a.i. but there is no transition animation. in one frame they are facing one direction, and in the next frame they are looking right at you shooting. very unpolished.
i hate how items "magically" hover 2 feet in front of you when you pick them up. totaly distracting. where are your hands and arms? if valve can animate a grenade toss, why not animate tossing a bottle? even games 4- 5 yrs old had a little of this. thief (1998?) had some when you picked up dead bodies. this would have been fine 3 years ago, but not for a "revolutionary" game.
i ramble... i'm just not finding hl2 to be revolutionary at all. the only thing valve nailed is the main character animation and acting. VERY well done. the rest is just the same old stuff we've all seen before.
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