que media vida 2El 20.º aniversario y para celebrarlo, Valve ha lanzado una actualización especial que agrega las expansiones Episodio I y Episodio II al juego base para que puedas jugarlas todas en vivo, junto con Un documental de dos horasComentarios de los desarrolladores y más. El juego también es gratis. vapor Hasta el 18 de noviembre. válvula anuncio Es una experiencia interactiva en sí misma: toma la pistola de gravedad en la parte inferior de la página y podrás recoger casi cualquier cosa en la pantalla y lanzarla (incluido Cual lata, que luego puedes tirar a la basura).
“Cada mapa en media vida 2 “Ha sido examinado por los diseñadores de niveles de Valve para corregir errores heredados, restaurar contenido y funciones perdidas con el tiempo y mejorar la calidad de cosas como la resolución de mapas de luz y la niebla”, dice el equipo. Las notas de la versión son extensas e incluyen actualizaciones de la configuración de gráficos, controles del gamepad y el menú Steam Deck. Valve también publicó algunos de ellos. viejoexperimentalvídeos de media vida 2desarrollo.
válvula
La celebración del aniversario también trae buenas noticias para aquellos que no han podido hacerse con un ejemplar. Sube el listónun libro detrás de escena de 2004 que desde entonces se ha convertido en una codiciada pieza de colección: en 2025 llegará una segunda edición ampliada. Esta nueva edición agrega arte conceptual del Episodio I y el Episodio II, además de “ideas nunca antes vistas”. y experiencias para el Episodio III. “Él llegó a ser”.
Después de 17 años sin una realidad virtual adecuada media vida título, los fanáticos tienen al menos una pequeña razón para tener esperanza nuevamente.
Esto se debe a supuestas filtraciones que aparecen en varios lugares diferentes. eurogamer.
Evidencia Half-Life 3?
Primero, se creó un sitio web para un actor de doblaje. Se encontró que incluye una referencia. A algo llamado “Proyecto White Sands”, que se atribuyó a Valve. Esto por sí solo no nos dice mucho. Valve todavía crea ocasionalmente nuevos videojuegos, incluso si no se llaman media vidaCabe destacar que White Sands es el nombre de un parque nacional en Nuevo México, y es el lugar de origen media vida.
Pero después de que la gente se enteró e inundó la página web, se eliminaron todas las referencias al proyecto White Sands. Luego, la empresa de minería de datos Valve se hizo cargo Tyler McVicker Publicó un vídeo en YouTube explicando que creía haber encontrado referencias explícitas a un juego no hipotético para un jugador ambientado en media vida Un universo que está en desarrollo activo o ha estado en desarrollo recientemente, en las actualizaciones del código de Valve.
Velocidad de la luz medible
Específicamente, el proyecto se llama “HLX” y muchos de los archivos asociados con él están obviamente asociados con media vida. El personaje principal viste un traje HEV (al igual que el protagonista Gordon Freeman en los dos primeros juegos). También hay múltiples referencias a “Xen”, un lugar alienígena destacado en media vidaIncluso se nombran enemigos como “Xengorilla” y “Xenjellyfish”.
Cabe preguntarse por qué Valve hace tantas referencias obvias a media vida En un lugar donde la gente pueda verlo sin usar nombres en clave, pero aún así, esta es la evidencia más importante de lo nuevo. media vida El juego existe desde hace mucho tiempo. 2020 vio el lanzamiento de Media vida: Alex, que fue bien recibido como la primera expansión de la serie desde 2007, pero sigue siendo un título exclusivo de realidad virtual que requiere una PC potente y unos auriculares para jugar. Antes de eso, un ex guionista de la serie publicó ¿Cuál podría ser la historia? Cancelar media vida Publicó un juego para un jugador en 2017, pero eso fue después de dejar Valve y lo que publicó probablemente no debería tomarse como una indicación de cuáles podrían ser los planes futuros de Valve.
desde Half-Life 2: Episodio 2 El juego fue lanzado y terminó con una historia emocionante en 2007, y Valve se dedicó a desarrollar juegos principalmente multijugador con algunos elementos de servicio en vivo, como dota 2 Y el Los datos fueron extraídos recientemente. Punto muertoEstos juegos, combinados con todo el dinero que Valve gana al administrar Steam, el mercado líder de juegos digitales, hacen que sea difícil creer que Valve alguna vez regresaría al negocio. media vida Sin ningún incentivo serio para hacerlo.
Pero tal vez esto ya esté sucediendo. O tal vez no suceda. Al menos todos tenemos una razón de qué hablar. media vida otra vez.
In a darkened room at Nvidia’s ‘Future of Gaming’ showcase at a fancy London hotel earlier this week, I was ushered before a bank of computer screens showing live gameplay from a very exciting game: Valve’s Half-Life 2.
Alright, HL2 isn’t a new game – in fact, it turns 20 this year! – but it’s still a timeless classic that has topped many a list of the best PC games. And while Valve will probably never release Half-Life 3, the mega-hit second game still has plenty of life left in it, thanks to Nvidia’s incredibly clever RTX Remix tool.
Announced way back in September 2022 at Nvidia’s GTC showcase, RTX Remix is an AI-powered tool for remastering old 3D games with updated graphics and fancy modern features like ray tracing. Remix entered open beta earlier this year, and is primarily targeted at modders looking to visually upgrade their favorite games; it’s built on Nvidia’s AI-focused ‘Omniverse’ platform, offering a comprehensive box of tricks for making the remaster process faster and easier than ever before.
Portal with RTX looks fine, but Portal already looked good – Half-Life 2 is a much better showcase for RTX Remix. (Image credit: Valve, Nvidia)
Nvidia worked with official developers to create a showcase for Remix in Portal with RTX, a shiny new remaster of the legendary 2007 puzzle game, but Half-Life 2 RTX is a passion project being produced by modders with Nvidia providing some background support. And can I be honest? It looks f*cking awesome.
Giving new life to Half-Life
The live demo I was shown by Nvidia showcased one of the game’s most iconic locations: the run-down, zombie-infested town of Ravenholm, where protagonist Gordon Freeman ends up after a less-than-fortuitous series of events. Two displays were set up side-by-side to show both the original game and the Remixed work in progress – and the difference was phenomenal. For all its accolades, classic Half-Life 2 does very much look like a game made two decades ago, while the work-in-progress remaster looks great.
RTX Remix allows for modding in real-time – in other words, you can have the game running while also having the dev environment open in a different tab, and changes you make are reflected (after a short delay) in the live game. An Nvidia staffer gave me a brief walkthrough on using the tool, and it’s a remarkably streamlined process. You can generate an asset library by simply walking around in-game and letting Remix capture your surroundings, and use generative AI tools to rapidly produce improved textures and 3D models.
While the ray-traced lighting and reflections are the most immediately noticeable difference, the improved texture detail and remodelled assets are good too. (Image credit: Future / Valve)
One scene displayed during the demo saw me walking through a dimly lit courtyard beset with corpses – including a dismembered pair of legs hanging from a tree. Despite the grisly setting, I couldn’t help but be impressed: the legs swing from a rope and cast realistic dynamic shadows in the Remixed version, while the original features no shadows at all. It also highlighted the improved ground textures, and Nvidia pointed out in a different scene that Remix’s generative AI capabilities can extrapolate the environment to add extra details – in this case, climbing vines and weeds partially covering a ruined wall.
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CONTENT WARNING: You can see the clip below, but please be aware that it contains some 2004 gore as described above, now with added ray tracing! I do wish Nvidia had given me a slightly less gruesome example.
Another standout example (albeit a rather mundane and less gory one) was a simple 3D object asset of a broken engine. I lined up both versions of the game to view the item’s original and Remixed models, and the new model is massively more detailed. And I do mean massively: not only does the ray tracing work wonders to more realistically illuminate the object, but it actually looks like a 3D asset from a 2024 game, not a 2004 one.
The same 3D game asset looks incredibly different in the Remixed version of Half-Life 2. (Image credit: Future / Valve)
A change of heart – and art
I’ll admit, when RTX Remix was first announced, I was pretty cold about it. I liked the look of the (still in development) Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind remaster, but I had fears that Remix would become a blunt implement for major publishers to churn out low-effort remasters that threw the important art direction of classic games in the trash. I wasn’t the only one, either – my colleague Allisa James had some major reservations about Remix too.
But I’m relieved that two years on, Nvidia is putting power in the hands of modders rather than shareholders. When I asked Nvidia GeForce ‘Evangelist’ Jacob Freeman (amusingly appropriate name, I know) about RTX Remix, he explained that the tool would be available for official game dev projects, but had been created with modders – not profits – in mind. It’s certainly a refreshing change of pace, and it helps that some of these Remix projects look pretty fantastic.
Morrowind is another good example of a game that definitely could benefit from an AI-powered remaster using RTX Remix. (Image credit: Nvidia, Bethesda)
I still maintain that some games might suffer from AI-infused remastering. Mirror’s Edge is a good example. For starters, it still looks pretty good today, but more importantly, it’s a game where color and lighting are used very carefully to inform the gameplay – meaning that a Remixed version might impact the delicate intersection between art direction and game mechanics. But for games like Morrowind and Half-Life 2, which have decidedly not aged well from a graphical standpoint, it’s perfect. I can’t wait to see what talented modders create with it.
If you’re interested in RTX Remix, you can download the beta version from Nvidia’s website. Bear in mind that right now, Remix only works with DirectX 9 and some DirectX 8 games – so in other words, you’re currently limited to a pool of games released between 2000 and 2006. Of course, the tool is still in development, and Nvidia has said that it would like Remix to work with a much broader spectrum of PC games, so in other words: watch this space!
If you enjoyed playing the original Half-Life first person shooter game originally launched back in November 1998 by Valve or are just interested in learning more about the iconic game in its creation. You will be pleased to know that Valve has released a new documentary to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
The development team at Valve created a world so rich and engaging that it feels like more than just a game—it’s an experience, even to this day. This is the essence of Half-Life, a title that didn’t just raise the bar for video games but created an entirely new standard for interactive storytelling and immersive gameplay. The journey of Half-Life’s creation is a tale of innovation, vision, and unwavering dedication that has left an indelible mark on the gaming industry.
The story of Half-Life begins with its setting, which draws a haunting parallel to the high desert landscapes of Eastern Washington. The developers at Valve, struck by the stark beauty of the Columbia Gorge, wove elements of this real-world inspiration into the game’s alien environments. This blend of the fantastical with a touch of eerie familiarity set the stage for a truly immersive experience.
Valve itself was born out of ambition. Founded by former Microsoft employees Mike Harrington and Gabe Newell, the company was more than just a game developer; it was a dream factory aiming to create enduring experiences. This vision was the driving force behind Half-Life, and it required a team capable of turning it into reality.
The team behind Half-Life was as diverse as it was talented. Valve’s inclusive hiring strategy brought together modders and experts from various non-gaming fields, creating a melting pot of perspectives and expertise. This unique blend of talents was crucial in crafting the intricate puzzles and challenges that define the game.
Half-Life 25th Anniversary Documentary
Half-Life’s narrative is another cornerstone of its success. Designed to captivate players, the story was carefully integrated with the gameplay, offering a level of immersion that was unparalleled at the time. The plot’s seamless marriage with the player’s actions created a narrative experience that was both engaging and dynamic.
Technologically, Half-Life was a marvel. Valve took the Quake engine and pushed it to its limits, introducing innovations like 16-bit color and skeletal animation. These advancements expanded what was possible in game engine capabilities, allowing for a more realistic and responsive gaming world.
The design ethos of Half-Life centered around creating a reactive world. Every action by the player would have consequences, making each playthrough a unique interaction with the game’s universe. This approach to design ensured that the world of Half-Life felt alive and that players were truly a part of it.
The Half-Life 25th Anniversary Documentary provides more insight into the character development in Half-Life which was also groundbreaking, thanks to pioneering AI development. Characters like the enigmatic G-Man were brought to life with realistic and engaging behaviors, setting a new standard for AI in gaming and creating a memorable cast that players would not soon forget.
One of the most striking aspects of Half-Life is the alien dimension of Xen. Crafting this bizarre and mesmerizing landscape presented unique design challenges, but Valve’s relentless creativity and iteration paid off. Xen became a testament to the team’s world-building skills, resonating with players and leaving a lasting impression.
The collaborative work culture at Valve played a significant role in Half-Life’s success. The team’s shared passion and willingness to put in long hours were reflective of their collective drive to realize their vision. This fervent dedication was instrumental in bringing Half-Life to life.
Half-Life’s impact on the gaming industry cannot be overstated. Its innovative approach to game design and storytelling has inspired developers around the world. The legacy of Half-Life is not just in its commercial success but in its lasting contributions to the craft of video game creation.
The creation of Half-Life is a chronicle of visionary individuals who transformed a tapestry of ideas into an iconic gaming experience. From the environmental inspirations of Eastern Washington to the synergistic culture that propelled its development, Half-Life remains a beacon of innovation in video game design. Its influence continues to shape the industry, proving that a well-crafted game can be more than just entertainment—it can be an enduring work of art that resonates with players for years to come.
Filed Under: Gaming News, Top News
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