Submitted by Milotheshort on Thu, 08/17/2006 - 17:31.

Valve Software™, famed makers of the acclaimed FPS Half-Life®, and its sequal Half-Life 2®. have produced an extension on the series with the release of Episode 1. However the real prize is the anticipated release of Episode 2. When Episode 2 ships its coming packaged with TF2 the long thought scrapped program. TFC players are overjoyed at the news of its eventual release after the long media blackout post E3 1999®. However the most interesting innovation is another game shipping with Episode 2 called "Portals®".

Premise behind Portals: You once again are thrust into a meniacal experiment, although this time we don't know if its Gordan who is the test subject. You must use a portal generater to solve obsticals.

I think this is proof yet again on why Valve might be the best thing since sliced bread. Valve has once again pushed the limits of the FPS.

Points to note about valve and its progress with FPSs:

Intorduced Plot development in an FPS: no longer are we given a caption bubble and the basic premise of excaping a zombified moon.

Introduced flagged complex action scripting: the appeal of HL was the creepy feelings of unease it gave you around every turn, no longer were walls a secure thing, zombies could break through them at any momment.

Introduced vehicle play in an FPS: although ridgid, monorails in HL where vehicals, not just moving platforms, also CS had the first FPS drivable tank.

Introduced a working jumping system: no longer are you depending on the magical effects of clipping, to get you to other platforms

Introduced Envro effects: things like hot, cold, acid, radioactive, as well as lasers, became more inclusive in how you accomplised tasks, i know doom had radioactive waste too, but its not really the same, it was used as a barrier, not an obstical you needed to find a solution too.

Better AI: the AI for the monsters bacame one of the best in my personal opinion, although review od Worldcraft shows that these entities use scripted paths, however the AI func_ attached to each allows them to cooridinate attacks, such as cover fire and grenade placement.

A Developed Puzzel element: completing puzzels where neccassay to beat certain bosses, such as the vent worms, not just an annoyance like in HALO.

HL2->

Improved AI the AI was once again tweeked

Physics Engine addapted: the physics engine was barrowed from the FPS which first preposed this element Red Faction, however valve made some adjustmants and basically made physics apply moreso to the actual character models and dropped objects than redrawing terrain.

Development of the Ragdoll system: now bodies interacted to explosions and death a little more naturally than with previouse pre-animated death sequences.

Expolsions: are now now longer point based anomilies, they use ballistic physics to help deternmine how things function.

point based gravity gun: a unique beast, allows players to move objects and stack them, even thoughs that would normally be difficult to move un aided.

PORTALS

Portals is going to re map FPS forever, no longer are we just limited to switch and jumping/hurdeling puzzels, we can no transport ACTIVLY to locations in game using this new mod. Before you proceed to tell me pray did this first, please go review preay before hand, if you noticed prey is still limited by the same confines all previouse portal systems in FPS were. There must be a point based instance that occurs, these effects are difficult to draw activly, so PORTAL isn't the same as the portal system in Prey. I for one am looking forward to the implomentaion of the physics engine in conjunction with the portal gun. I think this is gonna be the shit. VALVE I WANT TO HAVE YOUR ILLAGIT BABIES!!!