Can someone explain what was so great about HALF LIFE 1?

I'm asking because on a different board, someone said Half Life 1 was "the mother of all great games you play today" when referencing it's "greatness". Now, I remember playing GOLDENEYE and thinking it was awesome and then a few years later I got around to playing Half Life 1, unfortunately, I never finished it because, truthfully, I got a little bored with it. 9 years later I got around to playing Half Life 2 on my PS3, and I do like it....But I'm not sure If I like it enough to go back and play HL1 now.

Anyways, maybe you can clue me in on why HL1 is so revered because I never quite "got there", if you know what I'm saying.

Back when half life came out shooters were basically mindless shoot em ups where you ran trying to shoot off as many faces of demons as you could. Half life was one of the first games to implement a plot, and really give you a driving force for your actions. With half life you werent just playing for the gun play, but you wanted to know what went wrong and black mesa and how you were going to stop the madness that you caused.

I'm asking because on a different board, someone said Half Life 1 was "the mother of all great games you play today" when referencing it's "greatness". Now, I remember playing GOLDENEYE and thinking it was awesome and then a few years later I got around to playing Half Life 1, unfortunately, I never finished it because, truthfully, I got a little bored with it. 9 years later I got around to playing Half Life 2 on my PS3, and I do like it....But I'm not sure If I like it enough to go back and play HL1 now.

Anyways, maybe you can clue me in on why HL1 is so revered because I never quite "got there", if you know what I'm saying.

Persistantthug

Well back in 1998 Half Life was a break through and did things that games didn't do at that time.

It's hard to see that unless you played a lot of game before half life at the time those games were released then played half life when it was first released.

There are some SNES and NES games that I thought were amazing but to anyone trying to play them first in the present it won't look that way.

I haven't played it recently, but... as a kid, it was one of the first FPSs I played, and man, I have fond memories of it. Note to self: replay it.

creative level design, creative storytelling, fun interesting settings, mysterious science fiction plot, voiceless/faceless main character, platforming, interesting/funny NPC's, etc.

all without "level 1-20", mini-bosses, scores, "hell levels", demon's from hell, shoot 'em up uncreative levels designs, boring "brown" castle levels, etc.

it basically flipped the fps genre upside down

it also spawned Counterstrike

creative level design, creative storytelling, fun interesting settings, mysterious science fiction plot, voiceless/faceless main character, platforming, interesting/funny NPC's, etc.

all without "level 1-20", mini-bosses, scores, "hell levels", demon's from hell, shoot 'em up uncreative levels designs, boring "brown" castle levels, etc.

it basically flipped the fps genre upside down

it also spawned Counterstrike

88mphSlayer

I don't know...

Alot of that sorta sounds like GOLDENEYE 007 on my trusty ol N64. :?

[QUOTE="88mphSlayer"]

creative level design, creative storytelling, fun interesting settings, mysterious science fiction plot, voiceless/faceless main character, platforming, interesting/funny NPC's, etc.

all without "level 1-20", mini-bosses, scores, "hell levels", demon's from hell, shoot 'em up uncreative levels designs, boring "brown" castle levels, etc.

it basically flipped the fps genre upside down

it also spawned Counterstrike

Persistantthug

I don't know...

Alot of that sorta sounds like GOLDENEYE 007 on my trusty ol N64. :?

well, the game is really dirt cheap, why not just play it?

I think half life was one of the first FPS that had cinematic scripted events along with stuff like puzzle solving, story, and physics.

Half-life 1 basically revolutionized scripted events in FPS.

[QUOTE="88mphSlayer"]

creative level design, creative storytelling, fun interesting settings, mysterious science fiction plot, voiceless/faceless main character, platforming, interesting/funny NPC's, etc.

all without "level 1-20", mini-bosses, scores, "hell levels", demon's from hell, shoot 'em up uncreative levels designs, boring "brown" castle levels, etc.

it basically flipped the fps genre upside down

it also spawned Counterstrike

Persistantthug

I don't know...

Alot of that sorta sounds like GOLDENEYE 007 on my trusty ol N64. :?

I'm asking because on a different board, someone said Half Life 1 was "the mother of all great games you play today" when referencing it's "greatness".

Persistantthug

Well, probably that guy plays only FPSs cuz that's what HL revolutionized... that I can agree with.-

Its called play the game when it came out, because back then it was way ahead of its time and basically set the standard for all shooters today. Don't play it now and say it was crap, because nowadays the original Half Life isn't anything special, but compared to other games back in 1998 it kicks their ass.

'Half-Life is the closest thing to a revolutionary step the genre has ever taken.' -GameSpot 94/100

'It isn't everyday that you come across a game that totally revolutionizes an entire genre, but Half-Life has done just that.' -All Game Guide 100/100

'I have yet to play a more immersive game period' -Gamers Depot 100/100

'A masterpiece of epic proportions, the "Saving Private Ryan" of first-person shooters.' -Gamepro 100/100

'This is The Big One, and it's even better than we could've hoped.' -PC Gamer 97/100

'It is a tour de force in game design, the definitive single player game in a first person shooter.' -IGN 95/100

'It's atmosphere and unique style have changed the face of PC gaming.' -Game Over Online 94/100

'The best FPS ever created. Makes everything else pale in comparison.' -PC Gameworld 96/100

'It combines a balance of tense action, puzzle solving, story, and fun that has yet to be equaled on in the FPS arena.' -Armchair Empire 96/100

tl;dr It was the first of its kind to combine immerseful story telling that is never broken up, impressive AI, scripted events, excellent graphics and easy modification. You had to play it when it first came out to truly appreciate it.

I'm asking because on a different board, someone said Half Life 1 was "the mother of all great games you play today" when referencing it's "greatness". Now, I remember playing GOLDENEYE and thinking it was awesome and then a few years later I got around to playing Half Life 1, unfortunately, I never finished it because, truthfully, I got a little bored with it. 9 years later I got around to playing Half Life 2 on my PS3, and I do like it....But I'm not sure If I like it enough to go back and play HL1 now.

Anyways, maybe you can clue me in on why HL1 is so revered because I never quite "got there", if you know what I'm saying.

Persistantthug

[QUOTE="88mphSlayer"]

creative level design, creative storytelling, fun interesting settings, mysterious science fiction plot, voiceless/faceless main character, platforming, interesting/funny NPC's, etc.

all without "level 1-20", mini-bosses, scores, "hell levels", demon's from hell, shoot 'em up uncreative levels designs, boring "brown" castle levels, etc.

it basically flipped the fps genre upside down

it also spawned Counterstrike

Persistantthug

I don't know...

Alot of that sorta sounds like GOLDENEYE 007 on my trusty ol N64. :?

Golden eye is great but HALF LIFE MADE EVERY FPS TODAY

I haven't played it recently, but... as a kid, it was one of the first FPSs I played, and man, I have fond memories of it. Note to self: replay it.

psn8214

Um...here's what I'm getting at.....How is HALF LIFE 1 all revolutionary, revered, and awe inspiring (in its day) if GOLDENEYE did it first?

GoldenEye 007 is a 1997 first-person shooter video game....

Half-Life is a science fiction first-person shooter...First released by Sierra Studios on November 19, 1998

Half-Life had great, almost surreal atmosphere and storytelling. 007 on the other hand was a bit uninspired.

Um...here's what I'm getting at.....How is HALF LIFE 1 all revolutionary, revered, and awe inspiring (in its day) if GOLDENEYE did it first?

GoldenEye 007 is a 1997 first-person shooter video game....

Half-Life is a science fiction first-person shooter...First released by Sierra Studios on November 19, 1998

Persistantthug

Goldeneye was broken up by mission briefings and third person scenes, taking you out of the immersion. Half-Life didn't, you remained in first person view AT ALL TIMES.

The AI was phenomenal. If you hid behind something, soldiers threw grenades to flush you out. You damage a soldier, they retreat and shout 'MEDIC!'. You hear them chat about their mission. They ran behind cover and they panic when their leader gets killed.

Scripted events that ranged from something as simple as a zombie breaking a door or a soldiers breaking down a ceiling and than descending with ropes to a nuclear reactor.

Followers that actually were useful, scientists were used as keys to get to areas that are otherwise inaccessible or security guards can help you fight.

Don't play any Half-Life game on a playstation. biggest_loser

HALF LIFE 2 on the PS3.....

Why not?

And for that matter,

Why not Half LIFE 1 on the PS2? If Half Life ran on 1998 computers, then most certainly it would run just fine on a PS2. However, personally, I never had a PS2. *shrug*

Immersive Storytelling, as Vesica_Prime said.
Half-Life never took the player out of the role for a second. They were Gordon Freeman from start to finish. Half-Life also had a build up to the action, making Black Mesa seem like a far more realistic locale. The game also pioneered scripted sequences, and used them to help tell the story, instead of using cut-scenes of one form or another.

[QUOTE="biggest_loser"]Don't play any Half-Life game on a playstation. Persistantthug

HALF LIFE 2 on the PS3.....

Why not?

And for that matter,

Why not Half LIFE 1 on the PS2? If Half Life ran on 1998 computers, then most certainly it would run just fine on a PS2. However, personally, I never had a PS2. *shrug*

As you stated in a previous thread.

...Valve obviously "can't" do PS3 games to save their life

Persistantthug

I'm asking because on a different board, someone said Half Life 1 was "the mother of all great games you play today" when referencing it's "greatness". Now, I remember playing GOLDENEYE and thinking it was awesome and then a few years later I got around to playing Half Life 1, unfortunately, I never finished it because, truthfully, I got a little bored with it. 9 years later I got around to playing Half Life 2 on my PS3, and I do like it....But I'm not sure If I like it enough to go back and play HL1 now.

Anyways, maybe you can clue me in on why HL1 is so revered because I never quite "got there", if you know what I'm saying.

Persistantthug

Um...here's what I'm getting at.....How is HALF LIFE 1 all revolutionary, revered, and awe inspiring (in its day) if GOLDENEYE did it first?

GoldenEye 007 is a 1997 first-person shooter video game....

Half-Life is a science fiction first-person shooter...First released by Sierra Studios on November 19, 1998

Persistantthug

Um...here's what I'm getting at.....How is HALF LIFE 1 all revolutionary, revered, and awe inspiring (in its day) if GOLDENEYE did it first?

GoldenEye 007 is a 1997 first-person shooter video game....

Half-Life is a science fiction first-person shooter...First released by Sierra Studios on November 19, 1998

Persistantthug

And Half-life wasn't revered because it brought new stuff to the table, it was revered because it brought all of it and made it work beautifuly. Goldeneye had similiar elements, but the execution of them was justn nowhere near HL level

Goldeneye did nothing even close to what Half Life 1 did. Poor levels, poor environments, poor AI, no real immersion to the game world/narrative. Half Life 1 now suffers from what OoT suffers from, and what games like GE and PD suffer from. They can't beat time. SOoner or later someone will take the stuff done in those games and improve upon them. Half Life 1 although in my opinion still holds up better than alot of older games from its era. But to really appreciate what made Half Life 1 so amazing. Well to be honest. It's really one of those "you had to be there" moments. What it did, at the time it did it is what makes it such a legendary title for the genre. It's essentially the birth of the modern shooter. The Halos, the Call of Dutys, the Killzones, the Resistances, the whatever you want to name has had some Half Life influence to it. jg4xchamp

i think its the most overratted game of all time, neither i think the character gordon freeman stands for PC gaming as whole. There are much older oldschool titles like Warcraft or Doom.

Your question is kind of like asking was was so great about Studio 54 or Woodstock.

You had to be there. It was a great thing when it happened.

[QUOTE="psn8214"]

I haven't played it recently, but... as a kid, it was one of the first FPSs I played, and man, I have fond memories of it. Note to self: replay it.

NVIDIATI

I've been waiting for that for ages, when is it coming out?

Lol this guy. Lets see. Ingame scripted events, check. Story telling that doesn't shove the story down your throat with cutscenes, check. 1 huge level integrated, meaning no magically appearing from one scene to the next, check. AI that doesn't just stand there shooting at you, check. Goldeneye was a cool game, but compared to Half Life? :? Half Life paved the way for all current generation FPS to come, Goldeneye was just a good game.

If you go back and play it now its not so great, but it was for its time...just like every mario game you play. The first mario was awesome for its time...but if you go back and play it, sure its fun to pick up and run through, but its got no depth etc.

If you go back and play it now its not so great, but it was for its time...just like every mario game you play. The first mario was awesome for its time...but if you go back and play it, sure its fun to pick up and run through, but its got no depth etc.

SRTtoZ

I played it again a few months back on my Laptop and I honestly believe it's still one of the best, immersive shooters I've ever played. Goldeneye.. not so much. :lol:

Half-Life had great, almost surreal atmosphere and storytelling. 007 on the other hand was a bit uninspired.

Orchid87

Definatly agree, it was surreal. The G-Man, just everything was weird nothing was conventional, not like a giant space oprah or like military alien style. It did something only games could do

[QUOTE="Orchid87"]

Half-Life had great, almost surreal atmosphere and storytelling. 007 on the other hand was a bit uninspired.

OB-47

Definatly agree, it was surreal. The G-Man, just everything was weird nothing was conventional, not like a giant space oprah or like military alien style. It did something only games could do

I dont think anything about the story was very videogame specific, but the storytelling was indeed something that could only be done through games.

Everyone knows that Half Life is a carbon copy of DOOM, and Half Life 2 is a carbon copy of Halo, end of discussion.

amazing set pieces, outstanding A.I. and intense, visceral action, no cutscenes meant you were never taken out of the action, crowbar. really a fantastic game. i wish BM:S would finally get here.

Half-Life 2, in my opinion, exceeded the first in every way; it took everything good about Half-Life, and it upped the ante.jalexbrown

Except for enemies' AI. Soldiers in HL were badass, soldiers in HL2 are bullet-sponges.