Author Topic: Half-life 2: Lost Coast (HDR-Lighting)...most beautiful game ever. (Read 4494 times)

mr.Curmudgeon · « **on:** October 28, 2005, 05:21:51 pm »

Just took some of these shots while playing around with the new (FREE) tech demo of HDR (High-Dynamic Range) lighting: Lost Coast add-on for Half-life 2.

Have to say, FPS shooters just aren't the same without it. Makes DOOM 3 look like a cartoon. Amazing.

mr.Curmudgeon · « **Reply #1 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:22:44 pm »

mr.Curmudgeon · « **Reply #2 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:23:48 pm »

AmericanDemon · « **Reply #3 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:24:41 pm »

With what system specs are you running that demo? I heard its a resource hog with all the lighting. I'll be downloading once I get home. Its FREE for all Half-Life 2 owners BTW.

AtomSmasher · « **Reply #4 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:25:55 pm »

I agree that it is now the most beautiful game engine I've ever seen. Make sure to play it with the commentary on, otherwise you'll miss a lot of the details.

mr.Curmudgeon · « **Reply #5 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:26:42 pm »

mr.Curmudgeon · « **Reply #6 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:28:39 pm »

Quote from: AmericanDemon on October 28, 2005, 05:24:41 pm

With what system specs are you running that demo? I heard its a resource hog with all the lighting. I'll be downloading once I get home. Its FREE for all Half-Life 2 owners BTW.

I'm running a dual-Xeon 3.2Ghz, 2GB DDR2 Ram, BFGTech Nvidia GForce 6800GT OC. Runs fine here, obviously, but it is definitely a resource hog.

MameJunkie · « **Reply #7 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:35:31 pm »

Quote from: mr.Curmudgeon on October 28, 2005, 05:28:39 pm

Quote from: AmericanDemon on October 28, 2005, 05:24:41 pm
With what system specs are you running that demo?

pointdablame · « **Reply #8 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:41:14 pm »

I just preloaded this to my system before.

Im running a 3000+, gig of ram, 9800pro... hopefully it'll run decent, but I don't even think my vidcard has HDR, so I'll obviously be missing out

mr.Curmudgeon · « **Reply #9 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:41:59 pm »

Quote

I'll probably die a horrible death...

hehe...yeah, and I get to run it at 1600x1050 (Widescreen) with 4XAA.

mr.Curmudgeon · « **Reply #10 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:43:13 pm »

Quote from: pointdablame on October 28, 2005, 05:41:14 pm

... but I don't even think my vidcard has HDR, so I'll obviously be missing out

HDR is built-in to the software engine. I don't think it's reliant on built-in hardware functions, other than pure core speed and vid memory. But I could be wrong.

mrC

pointdablame · « **Reply #11 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:45:05 pm »

I'm not sure either.. i was under the impression the card had to have native HDR support... but I could be totally wrong. I've fallen way behind teh curve with PC games in the last year or so.

Maybe one day soon I'll win the lotter so I can upgrade to a new system lol... mine is really starting to show its age.

AtomSmasher · « **Reply #12 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:49:25 pm »

I believe HDR is done software side, but your vid card has to be Direct X 9 capable for it to work.

pointdablame · « **Reply #13 on:** October 28, 2005, 05:55:32 pm »

it IS dx9 compatible.

I just cant run HL2 at 16x12 or anything on that system. Thats ok though, cuz its currently hooked up to a 1280x1024 LCD at school.

it works for me... I sure would love an X2 system with an x850xt or something like that though...

RayB · « **Reply #14 on:** October 29, 2005, 12:02:07 am »

Valve recommends 2.2 ghz, 1gb ram, and DX 9 vid card.

SOAPboy · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2005, 12:05:49 am »

Quote from: mr.Curmudgeon on October 28, 2005, 05:26:42 pm

...

Screenshots do it zero justice..

Watching your "eyes" adjust for the first time comming back into the light.. ive seen everything..

Finally a HDR something that isnt serious sam 2 to flex my 7800gtx

FYI, HL2 and CS:S, hell the whole source engine, has had HDR for a while, they added it in a rather large source engine update a while ago.. check out de_train HDR has been there for months..

RayB · « **Reply #16 on:** October 29, 2005, 12:08:06 am »

So is Lost Coast worth purchasing?

SOAPboy · « **Reply #17 on:** October 29, 2005, 12:15:29 am »

Quote from: RayB on October 29, 2005, 12:08:06 am

So is Lost Coast worth purchasing?

its 5 min long.. and its free to HL2 owners

Yes Half Life 2 is worth it tho..

I bought 3 copys total so far.. 2 retail normal, 1 retail collectors ed..

Trying to compress a clip of the eyes adjusting thing.. might need a place to upload it tho :-|

K, cant really compress much without losing a ball load of quality.. :-|

SOAPboy · « **Reply #18 on:** October 29, 2005, 12:25:58 am »

Welp.. 120 megs down to 5..

Owned..

Anyways, quality is a little low on the video, sorry..

Xvid Encoded
Clicky
http://media.putfile.com/Hl2-HDR25

JoyMonkey · « **Reply #19 on:** October 29, 2005, 07:54:48 am »

Quote from: SOAPboy on October 29, 2005, 12:25:58 am

Welp.. 120 megs down to 5..

Owned..

Anyways, quality is a little low on the video, sorry..

Xvid Encoded
Clicky
http://media.putfile.com/Hl2-HDR25

Awww! For some reason I can't browse putfile.com from work.

Any chance you could upload it here: ftp://byoac:geek@joymonkey.com ?
(that's an FTP link, doesn't usually work in Firefox)

Actually, I've about 7gigs of storage and 300gigs of bandwidth there if anyone else wants to use it. Could be the BYOAC file bin. Whatever you upload is viewable here: http://www.joymonkey.com/~byoac

SOAPboy · « **Reply #20 on:** October 29, 2005, 03:50:51 pm »

Quote from: JoyMonkey on October 29, 2005, 07:54:48 am

Quote from: SOAPboy on October 29, 2005, 12:25:58 am
Welp.. 120 megs down to 5..

Owned..

Anyways, quality is a little low on the video, sorry..

Xvid Encoded
Clicky
http://media.putfile.com/Hl2-HDR25

Awww! For some reason I can't browse putfile.com from work.

Any chance you could upload it here: ftp://byoac:geek@joymonkey.com ?
(that's an FTP link, doesn't usually work in Firefox)

Actually, I've about 7gigs of storage and 300gigs of bandwidth there if anyone else wants to use it. Could be the BYOAC file bin. Whatever you upload is viewable here: http://www.joymonkey.com/~byoac

Uploading

Edit: Forgot to say "uploaded" at some point.. >_<

RayB · « **Reply #21 on:** October 30, 2005, 03:10:07 pm »

Quote from: SOAPboy on October 29, 2005, 12:15:29 am

its 5 min long.. and its free to HL2 owners

Yes Half Life 2 is worth it tho..

I was referring to the full game expansion that will be SELLING. Not the tech demo.

SOAPboy · « **Reply #22 on:** October 30, 2005, 04:24:38 pm »

Quote from: RayB on October 30, 2005, 03:10:07 pm

Quote from: SOAPboy on October 29, 2005, 12:15:29 am
its 5 min long.. and its free to HL2 owners

Yes Half Life 2 is worth it tho..

I was referring to the full game expansion that why will be SELLING. Not the tech demo.

Well, the ExPANSION has nothing to do with lost coast..

I know ill be buying it tho, plain and simple, HL2 is THE BEST fps ever made at this point.. well for Single Player

RayB · « **Reply #23 on:** October 30, 2005, 06:28:25 pm »

Quote from: SOAPboy on October 30, 2005, 04:24:38 pm

Well, the ExPANSION has nothing to do with lost coast..

I know ill be buying it tho, plain and simple, HL2 is THE BEST fps ever made at this point.. well for Single Player

Ahhh I got confused. Always thought Lost Coast was one of the forthcoming expansions. Man, I need MORE HL2!!! MORRRR!E!!!

mr.Curmudgeon · « **Reply #24 on:** October 30, 2005, 06:44:14 pm »

Quote from: RayB on October 30, 2005, 06:28:25 pm

Ahhh I got confused. Always thought Lost Coast was one of the forthcoming expansions. Man, I need MORE HL2!!! MORRRR!E!!!

You're talking about "Aftermath"...yeah, that should definitely be worth it. Anything new for HL2 is worth it

. I've been playing HL2 mods lately, just to get my fill.

If multiplayer is you're thing, Dystopia is pretty fun, same for Day of Defeat: Source.

SOAPboy · « **Reply #25 on:** October 30, 2005, 07:02:51 pm »

Quote from: mr.Curmudgeon on October 30, 2005, 06:44:14 pm

Quote from: RayB on October 30, 2005, 06:28:25 pm
Ahhh I got confused. Always thought Lost Coast was one of the forthcoming expansions. Man, I need MORE HL2!!! MORRRR!E!!!

You're talking about "Aftermath"...yeah, that should definitely be worth it. Anything new for HL2 is worth it

tommy · « **Reply #26 on:** October 30, 2005, 08:06:53 pm »

I think mrc came onto my server and called me a liberal, i can't see any other 12yr's playing hl2w coming on there and saying that, was that you cman?

Harry Potter · « **Reply #27 on:** October 30, 2005, 10:14:48 pm »

he was drunk. That's the new excuse for everything

mr.Curmudgeon · « **Reply #28 on:** October 31, 2005, 10:47:07 am »

Tommy,

Quote from: tommy on October 30, 2005, 08:06:53 pm

I think mrc came onto my server and called me a liberal

That's a compliment!

SOAP,

Quote from: SOAPboy on October 30, 2005, 07:02:51 pm

Has Dystopia gotten better? i remember when it first came out (beta i beleive) it was rather crappy..

It's improved some. Far from a polished product, still only (1) map...but all-in-all, it seems like it's pretty solid right now. I guess it depends on what you had problems with. What bothered you?

mrC

AceTKK · « **Reply #29 on:** October 31, 2005, 03:44:36 pm »

man, I gotta say the HDR effects in Lost Coast didn't really blow me away like I was hoping. For all the work the Valve guys put into the implementation I came away feeling underwhelmed. It looked nice, no doubt about it, but I don't feel like the visuals were worth the huge performance hit.

Far Cry has a much more spectacular HDR implementation. I'm really looking forward to the new Crytek game.

-Ace-

Sephroth57 · « **Reply #30 on:** October 31, 2005, 04:23:01 pm »

hmm wonder if i will be able to run that with those graphics

Athlon 64 3200+
Nforce4 MSI mobo
1gig DDR400 RAM running dual channel
geforce 6600GT overclocked

AceTKK · « **Reply #31 on:** October 31, 2005, 05:21:22 pm »

Quote from: Sephroth57 on October 31, 2005, 04:23:01 pm

hmm wonder if i will be able to run that with those graphics

Athlon 64 3200+
Nforce4 MSI mobo
1gig DDR400 RAM running dual channel
geforce 6600GT overclocked

I don't think you'll have any problems. I have an AthlonXP 3200, 1 gig ram, and a 9800pro. At 1024x7 with medium details it ran 20-40 fps. It was definitely choppy, almost unplayable. With your superior vidcard you should be smooth.

-Ace-

AtomSmasher · « **Reply #32 on:** October 31, 2005, 06:35:32 pm »

Quote from: AceTKK on October 31, 2005, 05:21:22 pm

I don't think you'll have any problems.

SOAPboy · « **Reply #33 on:** October 31, 2005, 07:09:29 pm »

Quote from: mr.Curmudgeon on October 31, 2005, 10:47:07 am

Tommy,

Quote from: tommy on October 30, 2005, 08:06:53 pm
I think mrc came onto my server and called me a liberal

That's a compliment!


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