Late To The Party.

[Thumper17]

Hey guys, I like to call myself a gamer. I like to think I'm in the know and can ***** about everything like the best of 'em.

But the only Valve game I've ever played is Portal. Now, thanks to Steam, I get to remedy that. I'm going to purchase the Valve pack as soon as paypal works itself out, and in the meantime. I guess I should learn about things that might help?

I don't want any spoilers, and if there is some kind of trap that will give me the huge lulz then I'd like to go in blind the first time. Unless I should just play the games the first time through blind.

The pack has Half Life/2/Episode 1&2, Portal, L4D 1/2, Counterstrike, Counterstrike: Condition Zero, Day Of Defeat, Deathmatch Classic, Team Fortress Classic/2, Ricochet and Half Life: Lost Coast/Deathmatch/Opposing Force/Blue Shift.

As well as the Source versions of Counterstrike/Day Of Defeat/Half Life and Half Life Deathmatch.

Whats the main difference between a source version and non source version? Which game should I try first?

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I don't know the specifics... but I believe the source version uses an updated engine. Therefore making it better.

Feel free to rip that apart if I'm wrong.

 

[Thumper17]

I don't know the specifics... but I believe the source version uses an updated engine. Therefore making it better.

Feel free to rip that apart if I'm wrong.

I knew that it made the graphics better, but was their anything else?

 

[tomtom94]

No, there's nothing else, it's just a graphics engine change.

I'd be careful of diving into Valve like that...I bought the Orange Box but I can't finish it until I get a faster computer.

 

[Thumper17]

No, there's nothing else, it's just a graphics engine change.

I'd be careful of diving into Valve like that...I bought the Orange Box but I can't finish it until I get a faster computer.

This computer is a beast, no worries.

 

[RoboGeek]

anything with source on the end will have better graphics and will be newer than any other versions e.g Counter Strike Source is a newer version of Counter Strike and Counter Strike Condition Zero......games made in the source engine are generally better graphics and gameplay wise the exception to this is half life deathmatch source that is still just halflife death match but in the source engine but it dosnt make that much difference.

games from the valve pack i would suggest downloading are hl2 and all the episodes (not lost coast) counter strike source, portal, team fortress 2, left 4 dead 2 , maybee day of defeat source however i dont know how popular it is now and the original half life game but their not vital to understanding hl2 and the episodes

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I don't know the specifics... but I believe the source version uses an updated engine. Therefore making it better.

Feel free to rip that apart if I'm wrong.

I knew that it made the graphics better, but was their anything else?

As far as I can tell no.

But I really don't know much about it.

 

[Thumper17]

I'm surprised Valve is getting such a low amount of discussion.

 

[Katana314]

For certain games it's a big difference, but others not really.
CounterStrike still has all the same guns and maps, but vastly-updated graphics in Source. They also removed one weapon, and it's much more resilient to cheaters now. Some say that the hitbox-detection is different because of the altered character proportions. The original will run better on old computers.
Day of Defeat has perhaps the most changes. They eliminated a few classes and changed the loadout of a lot of the characters, even granting certain abilities like a melee attack when using the SMG and ironsights on the rifle. If you hate waiting to respawn, go for this one instead of Counter-Strike.
Team Fortress..........hooooh, boy. TF2 is nothing like Team Fortress Classic. Classic is a pros-only low-graphics hardcore Quake-style team deathmatch, whereas TF2 is fun for everyone; I don't mean that in the "fun for the family, YAY!" sense; it has its professional leagues just like any other multiplayer FPS, and the sort of ridiculously complex strategies involved are amazing.
Also, Half-Life Source didn't change anything; every single texture and model is the same, but the new engine just minorly changes lighting and water effects.

The main thing I'd install the originals for is to play through the singleplayer games (Half-Life, Opposing Force, Blue Shift, and CS: Condition Zero) as well as playing the MANY mods for HL1 you can find on ModDB.

I'd play through the Half-Life series first; if you don't like it, you can skip HL1 (HL2 will feel confusing; but trust me, very few of your questions will be answered by playing the original)

 

[Thumper17]

Thanks Katana.

Actually, I'm not 100% about my Video Card... I'll list the specs for you guys, tell me what you guys think.


Pentium(R) Dual Core

CPU E5200 @ 2.50 Ghz

4 GB of RAM

Intel GMA X4500 Integrated

I also have a TB of HDD

Is it good? It's run Oblivion at pretty much the highest quality.

 

[sheic99]

Thanks Katana.

Actually, I'm not 100% about my Video Card... I'll list the specs for you guys, tell me what you guys think.


Pentium(R) Dual Core

CPU E5200 @ 2.50 Ghz

4 GB of RAM

Intel GMA X4500 Integrated

I also have a TB of HDD

Is it good?

http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri
Merry Christmas. I believe Katana already answered your OP though.

 

[TerranReaper]

Thanks Katana.

Actually, I'm not 100% about my Video Card... I'll list the specs for you guys, tell me what you guys think.


Pentium(R) Dual Core

CPU E5200 @ 2.50 Ghz

4 GB of RAM

Intel GMA X4500 Integrated

I also have a TB of HDD

Is it good? It's run Oblivion at pretty much the highest quality.

It's an average computer (From my perspective anyways). Also, what's your video/graphics card? I imagine that would be the biggest deciding factor behind your computer's performance when playing source games.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

No, there's nothing else, it's just a graphics engine change.

I'd be careful of diving into Valve like that...I bought the Orange Box but I can't finish it until I get a faster computer.

There was extra physics and facial animation that didn't look like play-do.

 

[Katana314]

The Intel GMA X4500 thing is his video card. Intel is not a very good competitor in the graphics card market (as it basically just uses resources from other components) and is basically just a cheap solution without an external card since it's integrated. However, if you can run Oblivion that well I'm sure you won't have much trouble with Source. The very latest games like L4D2 and HL2 Episode 2 would be the highest strain, but you'll just have to try them and see.

Also; once you finish playing everything and want to toy around with the sort of tools used to make this nonsense [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3LPmA5tk2U], get Garry's Mod on Steam.

 

[Thumper17]

Thanks for the help so far guys.

 

[Anticitizen_Two]

I am almost positive that the Source version and the non-Source version are the graphics.

 

[Thumper17]

After running some tests, I've concluded my graphics card is a piece and needs to be changed.