Why are you guys going so deep into something like this? 99% of the players in hl2 didn't care if the citadel was upside down or non existent for x map.
[QUOTE=Snood_1990;42112363]I bet an appropriate flow map on the coast levels would look amazing.
That positioning is not anywhere close to Nova Prospekt. Ideally it should give the player a sense of scale and an indication of just how far they've traveled.
Saying that I wonder what the citadel looks like when it's visable in the Ravenholme levels.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Snood_1990;42112363]Saying that I wonder what the citadel looks like when it's visable in the Ravenholme levels.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Snood_1990;42112363]Ravenholme[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=chipsnapper2;42112678][/QUOTE]
I'm sorry, Ravenholm.
[img]http://cloud-3.steampowered.com/ugc/919021305015309049/5809AC02270E0C848D44623C4BD34438AFA0C0CF/[/img]
Water and flashlights don't mix.
lens flare and hl2 dont mix either
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;42112307]I dunno having the Citadel literally right ontop of Nova Prospekt like that is just strange. It's a scale thing, it makes the world feel much smaller.[/QUOTE]It might not be the citadel so much as it is everything around the Citadel. I think the biggest problem with having the skybox extend that far away is that none of the geometry is affected by Earth's curvature, making everything appear closer than it should because nothing has fallen off the horizon.
I didn't even consider that, although it wouldn't be hugely noticeable anyway because the distances involved aren't that far (HL2 just gave the illusion of distance by moving / removing the Citadel), and there are a lot of hills involved.
The citadel is extremely tall. Roughly 1.6 miles, if I remember right. Realistically there's really no way the player could get far enough away for it to escape the player's view. But with the added effect of horizon, there'd be less things from other locations visible in the distance & create an added sense of being isolated from them.
[QUOTE=testinglol;42112958]lens flare and hl2 dont mix either[/QUOTE]
im fairly certain you can turn them off. afaik a large amount of the post processing is configurable in some way or other
I'm not sure about removing the fog in the highway chapter, as much as nice it is, I liked it that the weather was foggy. Felt a lot more depressing and getting rid of that would make it feel suddenly a lot clear and sunny. Why not just do that in the coastline in nova prospekt and so on?
We could have some progressive weather:
When you get the car, it's bright and sunny, but by the time you get to the bridge, everything is foggy.
Also, I feel like showing the citadel from every surely break the illusion on how much you have traveled, but also remind you that the combine are always here.
(But speaking of landmarks, would the mountain from Ep2's start visible from some place in the game? Or is it too far from C17?)
[QUOTE=soullink;42114613]We could have some progressive weather:
When you get the car, it's bright and sunny, but by the time you get to the bridge, everything is foggy.
Also, I feel like showing the citadel from every surely break the illusion on how much you have traveled, but also remind you that the combine are always here.
(But speaking of landmarks, would the mountain from Ep2's start visible from some place in the game? Or is it too far from C17?)[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I'd love for the weather to change (I could imagine it could also explain why the Citadel disappears), the coast always felt a bit flat.
And I imagine the mountains are technically viewable from parts of the city, let's just assume it's always blocked by the buildings.
The new SMG model should have a wider lower barrel since i'm tired of having a tiny muzzle firing grenades that are 3 times it's size
EDIT: Ok, now I understand why I got the Late ratings.
[QUOTE=KK3568;42115365]The new SMG model should have a wider lower barrel since i'm tired of having a tiny muzzle firing grenades that are 3 times it's size[/QUOTE]
Gordon shoots them out his mouth
[QUOTE=Dr.Cola;42114364]I'm not sure about removing the fog in the highway chapter, as much as nice it is, I liked it that the weather was foggy. Felt a lot more depressing and getting rid of that would make it feel suddenly a lot clear and sunny. Why not just do that in the coastline in nova prospekt and so on?[/QUOTE]
Well another reason for removing the fog was because they planned to have a leak-style wasteland bridge spanning parts of the coast heading from one of the hills (the one that the current train bridge heads into) and going toward City 17.
I'm probably the only one, but I was disappointed with how bright and sunny City 17 was. I think making it a bit darker, maybe add a bit of fog would help (like how it was pictured in Antonov's concept art). Just to help out the atmosphere.
I think its a way, without going all Cinematic mod (changing things too much).
[QUOTE=SpotEnemyBoat;42115505]I'm probably the only one, but I was disappointed with how bright and sunny City 17 was. I think making it a bit darker, maybe add a bit of fog would help (like how it was pictured in Antonov's concept art). Just to help out the atmosphere.
I think its a way, without going all Cinematic mod (changing things too much).[/QUOTE]
The brightness and sunniness helps with the "gilded cage" impression... if it was dark and cloudy that would just be a trope.
I think the only real problem with the coast fog is it's basically draw fog. A lot of games use draw fog to mask the draw distance by getting thicker with distance from the camera. Real fog usually seems thicker near the body of water it comes from. So when the player's on the cliffside road far above the coast, the fog should seem to have a source:
[IMG]https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSa24KmCnqdEpu4rs9BejzzvK5r8eemBNe4I5Yd_4d1ryeQJrlZcg[/IMG]
I think if it could be made to look like this, having dynamic weather wouldn't be necessary.
[QUOTE=SpotEnemyBoat;42115505]I'm probably the only one, but I was disappointed with how bright and sunny City 17 was.[/QUOTE]Ugh. I hate when people say this. You do realize the weather doesn't mirror world affairs? Really, I think the setting is dark enough without trying to make it literal.
[QUOTE=KK3568;42115365]The new SMG model should have a wider lower barrel since i'm tired of having a tiny muzzle firing grenades that are 3 times it's size[/QUOTE]
There's a picture of the new model on the first page of the thread. The barrel has been made somewhat bigger. It's not 40mm or anything, but it's bigger.
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;42115486]Well another reason for removing the fog was because they planned to have a leak-style wasteland bridge spanning parts of the coast heading from one of the hills (the one that the current train bridge heads into) and going toward City 17.[/QUOTE]I was never a fan of that bridge. It would seem a bit strange to have a train track that cuts straight through the coast, but a road that snakes around it. If there was a leak-style wasteland bridge, why wouldn't it have a road next to it, like that one bridge in the retail game?
[QUOTE=SpotEnemyBoat;42115505]I'm probably the only one, but I was disappointed with how bright and sunny City 17 was. I think making it a bit darker, maybe add a bit of fog would help (like how it was pictured in Antonov's concept art). Just to help out the atmosphere.
I think its a way, without going all Cinematic mod (changing things too much).[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;40386671]Disagree, the "normal" atmosphere is what made HL2's atmosphere. The world didn't suddenly plunge into darkness for no reason when the Combine showed up, they stayed the way they were. There was a sun over Europe during the Black Death, there was a sun over Europe during World War 2, and there's a sun over Europe during the Combine reign.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=p0rtalplayer;42115675]The brightness and sunniness helps with the "gilded cage" impression... if it was dark and cloudy that would just be a trope.[/QUOTE]
Speaking of tropes, it was stated somewhere that Half-Life is a series of tropes tied together. Like the vent crawling portion is a reference to Die Hard and other action flicks in the 80's.
EDIT:
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;42115789]quotes[/QUOTE]
It's just me preferring Viktor Antonov's artwork over from what we got. But since old stuff like Weather Control surfaced during the concept art leaks of Ep3 a year or so back, I don't think its out of the real of possibility that the Combine could control weathers over City-17. Whether that will be canon in the future or not remains to be seen.
[QUOTE=DONOTWANT;42115706]
Ugh. I hate when people say this. You do realize the weather doesn't mirror world affairs? Really, I think the setting is dark enough without trying to make it literal.[/quote]
In art, you can take liberties. But in this case, we know that the Combine did fuck with the environment. Take a look at the water, alot of it has gone missing.
[QUOTE=DONOTWANT;42115706]I think the only real problem with the coast fog is it's basically draw fog. A lot of games use draw fog to mask the draw distance by getting thicker with distance from the camera. Real fog usually seems thicker near the body of water it comes from. So when the player's on [/QUOTE] I like this idea, doesn't seem impossible.
[QUOTE=DONOTWANT;42115706]I was never a fan of that bridge. It would seem a bit strange to have a train track that cuts straight through the coast, but a road that snakes around it. If there was a leak-style wasteland bridge, why wouldn't it have a road next to it, like that one bridge in the retail game?[/QUOTE]
It's a continuity thing. On the below image, the thick black bar is a Train Bridge in HL2. But it doesn't go anywhere. The idea was that on the other end of the hill from that bridge, would be a long Combine Bridge that went straight over the hills and bay onto City 17. It'd be visible in the distance from Shorepoint, and we'd get a much closer look from the Crane docks.
[img]http://combineoverwiki.net/images/8/8a/Coastmap_sheet.png[/img]
I also suggested they make the bridge into a car bridge with combine railroad tracks built over it, for highway consistency and to match the map, but I'm not sure if they will.
It could be that the black bar is the train bridge & it doesn't go anywhere because the map doesn't show the train tracks at all, only the roads. If it were me, I'd just redo the map, since I'm sure they'll replace the texture anyway.
[QUOTE=SpotEnemyBoat;42115801]It's just me Viktor Antonov's artwork over from what we got. But since old stuff like Weather Control surfaced during the concept art leaks of Ep3 a year or so back, I don't think its out of the real of possibility that the Combine could control weathers over City-17. Whether that will be canon in the future or not remains to be seen.[/QUOTE]Well, excuse me if I'm not keen on the idea of using your interpretation of leaked concept art as the basis for justifying your personal preference. I like City 17 looking the way it is.
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;42115918]It's a continuity thing. On the below image, the thick black bar is a Train Bridge in HL2. But it doesn't go anywhere. The idea was that on the other end of the hill from that bridge, would be a long Combine Bridge that went straight over the hills and bay onto City 17. It'd be visible in the distance from Shorepoint, and we'd get a much closer look from the Crane docks.
[URL]http://combineoverwiki.net/images/8/8a/Coastmap_sheet.png[/URL]
I also suggested they make the bridge into a car bridge with combine railroad tracks built over it, for highway consistency and to match the map, but I'm not sure if they will.[/QUOTE]
I dunno, putting a massive long bridge over the whole bay seems a bit strange to me. I think it'd make more sense if the train line had a couple of bends and we added another small bridge:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/jyUZPUe.png[/IMG]
late, but i just wanted to say that I'm all for adding the Citadel in the distance during the Highway 17 levels, makes for a gorgeous vista quite reminiscent of the breathtaking view of the city from the Outlands, but make it visible only as a tiny speck, almost indistinguishable. I share everyone's concerns about the whole 'defeating the sense of journey', and this is I think an ok(?) compromise. While still maintaining the looming threat of the Combine (or whatever), it's still able to effectively establish the extent of the journey that has took Gordon [i]a day and a half[/i] thus far.
As it is, it seems like you could just swim across the coast and reaching the Citadel wouldn't take at most half a day. So yeah, tiny speck.. :v:
I really think you're too far away to see it, the earth is curved okay. If it is there it needs to be like a tiny blip but still towering over a tiny city card. So you have to suit zoom to see it fully. It's just too unrealistically big right now.
eh, at least that is some nice progress right there, the planning does end up getting made into reality, is gonna be glorious
how far away from the citadel are you anyway?
assuming both the player and citadel's ~2.5km stretch into the sky begins at ground level, I'm pretty sure the citadel is visible for the most part of ~180km
imo having it visible on the horizon would be neat
does anyone else find it odd how vastly different the Coast is from the Outlands? They are in the same geographical region, yet they are greatly far apart aesthetically. yes, they were probably conceptualized apart, but still, it makes no sense to me.
[QUOTE=Tweevle;42116166]I dunno, putting a massive long bridge over the whole bay seems a bit strange to me. I think it'd make more sense if the train line had a couple of bends and we added another small bridge:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/jyUZPUe.png[/IMG][/QUOTE]
That's hardly as cool though :v:
It's based off this old concept, which is hardly far-fetched since the Combine already have tunnels deep under the City.
[img]http://combineoverwiki.net/images/9/97/E3_depot_desert1.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=Azzator;42117438]does anyone else find it odd how vastly different the Coast is from the Outlands? They are in the same geographical region, yet they are greatly far apart aesthetically. yes, they were probably conceptualized apart, but still, it makes no sense to me.[/QUOTE]
I think it makes sense to have the Coast and the Outlands different. The Coast is, after all, a coastal area. For most of the time, you're traveling right along the edge of the sea, and in all of the maps, the waters are still visible. If you're not on sand, you're skirting the cliffs.
However, the Outlands appears to be much farther inland than the Coast. In Episode One, you take a train straight out of the city into the forest, but in Half-Life 2, you take a relatively slow route with a lot of detours along the way in what appears to be a completely opposite direction. Then, once you're in the Outlands, there's no resemblance [I]because that's what was intended[/I]. There's no shipping yards or seaside shanties; instead, there's small barns and abandoned mining facilities. No one would build a nuclear missile silo in the coast, after all. Besides, traveling along the same sort of environment that was used for a pretty good portion of the game before last is dull and unimaginative.
[QUOTE=CrystalGamma;42110376]Isn't there a technical limit because the toolchain (especially VIS) hides everything behind some distance? (was it 1024?)[/QUOTE]
There is a technical limit, but it's too far away to make a difference really.
I think I'll keep the fog, but reduce the density, so you can make stuff out at a distance, but not clearly see it.
We're keeping the original style of HL2 with lens flare and HD textures. But as far as that's concerned, that's it. We'll edit in things such as the citadel and map consistency, but anything to do with the atmosphere of the maps will be relatively unchanged. We don't want Fakefactory 2.0 (the coast is at night time)
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Half-Life 2: Enhancement Mod (V5)
