Half-Life 2 looks nothing like i remember (56k warning)

Dark Lord · Dec 31, 2005, 08:37 PM

i just started playing HL2 again today, and i dont remember it looking anything like this.

is this supposed to be light reflecting off each of the grooves?

i have no idea what the dulled out sections on the ground are supposed to be

and this just looks odd

i see stuff like this all over. is it supposed to be light bounceing off some kind of pitted walls?

and again, this just doesnt look right

is this all an effect from the new HDR that was put into the game or a driver problem? 5.12 cats.

MythicaL · Dec 31, 2005, 08:40 PM

I'm pretty sure they added that stuff in with some patches

CDsDontBurn · Dec 31, 2005, 09:10 PM

pretty sure it's the HDR stuff as well

. looks good IMO

Necrosis · Dec 31, 2005, 09:44 PM

Looks pretty good to me too. Makes me think about playing it again myself.

Dark Lord · Dec 31, 2005, 10:06 PM

well heres a big diffrence. this is from when the game first came out

and this is now

e v o · Dec 31, 2005, 10:08 PM

the latest update from steam messed stuff up. Mainly the water is too bright and some of the textures are a bit too reflective. We'll see if valve will "fix" this

Here's the thread. Lotta crap.

Ben

EDIT forgot link

HERE

BWX · Dec 31, 2005, 10:21 PM

You guys are lucky- at least you can play!
-- after the last patch I cannot play ANY steam games AT ALL! They just go to the task bar, and then stop. No error, no nothing..

F'in BS steam BS...

MythicaL · Dec 31, 2005, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWX

You guys are lucky- at least you can play!
-- after the last patch I cannot play ANY steam games AT ALL! They just go to the task bar, and then stop. No error, no nothing..

F'in BS steam BS...

Sounds like another Refresh Force or DirectX problem

BWX · Dec 31, 2005, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MythicaL

Sounds like another Refresh Force or DirectX problem

Yes I use refresh force- I was not aware of a conflict w/ RF and Steam... I need to use it to get 1600 x 1200 @ 75hz! All other games work fine.. WTF?

MythicaL · Dec 31, 2005, 10:38 PM

Right-click the game in the steam menu and go to properties, then set launch options... put in (without the 's): '-width 1600 -height 1200 -refresh 75'. Turn off Refresh Force and this method should work instead.

BWX · Dec 31, 2005, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MythicaL

Right-click the game in the steam menu and go to properties, then set launch options... put in (without the 's): '-width 1600 -height 1200 -refresh 75'. Turn off Refresh Force and this method should work instead.

Well the thing is I am not trying to run HL2 at 1600x1200.. I am just using refresh force so I can have that resolution available for other games, and and for the desktop if I want it. Currently I am not using 1600 x 1200 at all... but I am for another game.

EDIT
Just started steam again and it is updating everything again.. maybe it will work now? I will test it out and see what happens.

Edit again... when you say "turn off refresh force" it isn't running.. it just makes changes once and then it is done. Not sure what is going on, maybe that isn't even the problem.

CDsDontBurn · Dec 31, 2005, 11:01 PM

yea, that water does look a bit too bright.

wooo....go steam!

[/sarcasm]

BWX · Dec 31, 2005, 11:02 PM

Umm... I decided to UN-check "hide modes this monitor cannot display" on the monitor tab, and now the screen goes black and tries to change resolution... and THEN the game stops.

So it is different, but still doesn't work. I believe un-checking that is the same as turning off refresh force, since refresh force does not work unless you check that box.

Still- STEAM games are the only ones I have any problems with, and they don't work at all.

BWX · Dec 31, 2005, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Right-click the game in the steam menu and go to properties, then set launch options... put in (without the 's): '-width 1600 -height 1200 -refresh 75'. Turn off Refresh Force and this method should work instead.

Well I put that in there and now it works, but it is strange that I have to do that to get it to run.. I think I also have to uncheck that box as well.

EDIT- after running the game, I can take that OUT of the launch option and it still works.. Strange, very strange.. Now I can see if I get the same thing as the original poster.. what I was trying to to do the whole time.

EDIT-

Ok, I see some pretty ugly looking stuff too... HDR or not- doesn't make a difference.

Ugly texture on the gun...

Ugly purple/ green textures in the shadow.. looks like SOF2 with a GF ti4200 when selecting a lower texture preference level in the GFX card control panel.

Same thing.. and all my gfx options are maxed out. (had t brighten it up in PS so it was visible in the screenshot- but that is all I did, and that is how it looks in game)

I dunno what they did, but it sure is ugly.

BWX · Jan 1, 2006, 01:27 AM

Yeah man- those reflections look horrible.. and even when you turn HDR completely off and restart the game, there is no difference.

There is also a nasty looking pattern in the reflections that is easier seen in game, but you can see it here. It is like a grid that does not move.

Damn HL2 looks like poo!
HDR on- (notice checker pattern in reflection)

HDR off- (same checker pattern)

Didn't those pipes used to be shiny? Maybe not.. I can't remember.

Can really see checker pattern here-

Tipstaff · Jan 1, 2006, 02:34 AM

Are you using Anti-Aliasing at all? A lot of HL2s HDR effects don't look that great unless you are running 4xAA.

BWX · Jan 1, 2006, 08:05 AM

I wasn't on that shot-- but I was experimenting.. I turned it back on and I still saw that weird pattern affect.

Actually I have not been able to play HL2 or any steam game since I got my new monitor a month ago.. I have been playing HL2 since I got it working in that post up there.

My monitor has this thing called "magic bright".. it is almost like hardware HDR.. it makes a huge difference, and HL2 at 1600 x 1200 looks pretty sweet when I don't get any of those weird affects on the screen.. The purple/green tint is bugging the hell outta me though, and the reflections look pretty bad most of the time- sometimes they look great though, depending on the scene.

Dark Lord · Jan 1, 2006, 08:31 AM

i noticed that same thing with the water. it used to look absolutly beautiful. now, not so much so.

i dont remember the water haveing this repeating effect either.

everything moves at exactly the same time, i truely looks like crap.

its amazing how fast the game can go from looking like crap to looking very nice.

Dyre Straits · Jan 1, 2006, 09:12 AM

After catching this thread, I decided to start up one of my Water Hazard saved games and.....UGLY.....UGLY.....UGLY!!!

If this game had looked like this when I first played it, I would never have finished it.

I sure hope Valve fixes this mess.

BWX · Jan 1, 2006, 10:27 AM

Why is this crap forced on us with auto updates you can't really un-do? That's what sucks.

Tipstaff · Jan 1, 2006, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWX

Why is this crap forced on us with auto updates you can't really un-do? That's what sucks.

Not sure of the quality, but at least you can select to not use HDR (Options, Video Tab, Advanced button, High Dynamic Range).

BWX · Jan 1, 2006, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tipstaff

Not sure of the quality, but at least you can select to not use HDR (Options, Video Tab, Advanced button, High Dynamic Range).

The thing is, that makes absolutely no difference at all. It looks the same.

ViRuS2k · Jan 1, 2006, 01:52 PM

lol

i will post some shots very soon to show you what its like useing a X1800XT card with all eye candy on then you guys can tell me if it looks like crap or not

Sandok · Jan 1, 2006, 02:10 PM

I used to love HL2 and all but you don't fix a perfect formula! It ruins everything!

interspaced · Jan 1, 2006, 03:25 PM

mat_fastspecular 0 or something like that should restore it to normal

ViRuS2k · Jan 1, 2006, 03:27 PM

Whats wrong with these shots ?
i dont see anything wrong here.! it has to be your Graphics cards or system settings.

or

see there is nothing wrong with the game that i can see on my system anyway.

this is with 6xaa16xaf / HQ mode enabled / HDR Enabled / Adaptive Quality Enabled.

you see ?

Dark Lord · Jan 1, 2006, 06:01 PM

those are the exact same settings i play at, minus the adaptive AA. i dont see how going between an x800pro and x1800xt can be that big of change. hell, this x800 was HL2's reccomended video card.

Sandok · Jan 1, 2006, 06:11 PM

Virus, dude, the difference in between X800 series and X1800 series is 0 in graphical quality. Valve just screwed up the parameters for the older generation of cards and now, they're trying to fix it....

I used to play at the same settings at you and the game looked amazingly good too (just like your pics actually...)

Haven't tried in a while though

Dark Lord · Jan 1, 2006, 06:39 PM

just visited the god awful Steampowered forums, apparently this is a huge problem right now.

from what i can tell, valve screwed up big time when they released the 64 bit HL2. they apparently modifed the files for both 32/64. it pretty much seems that if you run a 32/64 bit machine with a 32bit OS you get these problems. a 64cpu/64OS system doesnt show any of these problems at all.

ViRuS2k · Jan 1, 2006, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Lord

just visited the god awful Steampowered forums, apparently this is a huge problem right now.

from what i can tell, valve screwed up big time when they released the 64 bit HL2. they apparently modifed the files for both 32/64. it pretty much seems that if you run a 32/64 bit machine with a 32bit OS you get these problems. a 64cpu/64OS system doesnt show any of these problems at all.

those pics i posted was with Windows XP x64 + Dualcore 4400+ Cpu :P

Dec 31, 2005, 08:37 PM	#1
Dark Lord HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,945 Rep Power: 125 System Specs	Half-Life 2 looks nothing like i remember (56k warning) i just started playing HL2 again today, and i dont remember it looking anything like this. is this supposed to be light reflecting off each of the grooves? i have no idea what the dulled out sections on the ground are supposed to be and this just looks odd i see stuff like this all over. is it supposed to be light bounceing off some kind of pitted walls? and again, this just doesnt look right is this all an effect from the new HDR that was put into the game or a driver problem? 5.12 cats. __________________

Dec 31, 2005, 08:40 PM	#2
MythicaL I like computers. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In front of a monitor Posts: 3,399 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	I'm pretty sure they added that stuff in with some patches __________________ Always knew I didn't belong in this world. I wasn't made for this. But I'll never forget those who betrayed me, and those who never failed my trust.

Dec 31, 2005, 09:10 PM	#3
CDsDontBurn Lurking DriverHeaven Join Date: May 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 22,779 Rep Power: 235 System Specs	pretty sure it's the HDR stuff as well . looks good IMO __________________ Her First Day \| A year later

Dec 31, 2005, 10:06 PM	Thread Starter #5
Dark Lord HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,945 Rep Power: 125 System Specs	well heres a big diffrence. this is from when the game first came out and this is now __________________

Dec 31, 2005, 10:08 PM	#6
e v o HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,037 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	the latest update from steam messed stuff up. Mainly the water is too bright and some of the textures are a bit too reflective. We'll see if valve will "fix" this Here's the thread. Lotta crap. Ben EDIT forgot link HERE __________________ Last edited by e v o; Dec 31, 2005 at 11:05 PM.

Dec 31, 2005, 09:44 PM	#4
Necrosis HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,838 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Looks pretty good to me too. Makes me think about playing it again myself.

Dec 31, 2005, 10:21 PM	#7
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	You guys are lucky- at least you can play! -- after the last patch I cannot play ANY steam games AT ALL! They just go to the task bar, and then stop. No error, no nothing.. F'in BS steam BS... __________________

Dec 31, 2005, 10:38 PM	#10
MythicaL I like computers. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In front of a monitor Posts: 3,399 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Right-click the game in the steam menu and go to properties, then set launch options... put in (without the 's): '-width 1600 -height 1200 -refresh 75'. Turn off Refresh Force and this method should work instead. __________________ Always knew I didn't belong in this world. I wasn't made for this. But I'll never forget those who betrayed me, and those who never failed my trust.

Dec 31, 2005, 11:01 PM	#12
CDsDontBurn Lurking DriverHeaven Join Date: May 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 22,779 Rep Power: 235 System Specs	yea, that water does look a bit too bright. wooo....go steam! [/sarcasm] __________________ Her First Day \| A year later

Dec 31, 2005, 11:02 PM	#13
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Umm... I decided to UN-check "hide modes this monitor cannot display" on the monitor tab, and now the screen goes black and tries to change resolution... and THEN the game stops. So it is different, but still doesn't work. I believe un-checking that is the same as turning off refresh force, since refresh force does not work unless you check that box. Still- STEAM games are the only ones I have any problems with, and they don't work at all. __________________

Jan 1, 2006, 01:27 AM	#15
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Yeah man- those reflections look horrible.. and even when you turn HDR completely off and restart the game, there is no difference. There is also a nasty looking pattern in the reflections that is easier seen in game, but you can see it here. It is like a grid that does not move. Damn HL2 looks like poo! HDR on- (notice checker pattern in reflection) HDR off- (same checker pattern) Didn't those pipes used to be shiny? Maybe not.. I can't remember. Can really see checker pattern here- __________________

Jan 1, 2006, 02:34 AM	#16
Tipstaff HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Real capital of Canada: Torauna Posts: 6,773 Rep Power: 190 System Specs	Are you using Anti-Aliasing at all? A lot of HL2s HDR effects don't look that great unless you are running 4xAA. __________________ Portal: The Flash Version _________________________________ Brain: So, you sacked the cocky khaki Kicky Sack sock plucker? Mr. Sackett: The second cocky khaki Kicky Sack sock plucker I've sacked since the sixth sitting sheet slitter got sick.

Jan 1, 2006, 08:05 AM	#17
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	I wasn't on that shot-- but I was experimenting.. I turned it back on and I still saw that weird pattern affect. Actually I have not been able to play HL2 or any steam game since I got my new monitor a month ago.. I have been playing HL2 since I got it working in that post up there. My monitor has this thing called "magic bright".. it is almost like hardware HDR.. it makes a huge difference, and HL2 at 1600 x 1200 looks pretty sweet when I don't get any of those weird affects on the screen.. The purple/green tint is bugging the hell outta me though, and the reflections look pretty bad most of the time- sometimes they look great though, depending on the scene. __________________

Jan 1, 2006, 08:31 AM	Thread Starter #18
Dark Lord HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,945 Rep Power: 125 System Specs	i noticed that same thing with the water. it used to look absolutly beautiful. now, not so much so. i dont remember the water haveing this repeating effect either. everything moves at exactly the same time, i truely looks like crap. its amazing how fast the game can go from looking like crap to looking very nice. __________________

Jan 1, 2006, 10:27 AM	#20
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Why is this crap forced on us with auto updates you can't really un-do? That's what sucks. __________________

Jan 1, 2006, 01:52 PM	#23
ViRuS2k HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Uk Posts: 8,334 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	lol i will post some shots very soon to show you what its like useing a X1800XT card with all eye candy on then you guys can tell me if it looks like crap or not

Jan 1, 2006, 02:10 PM	#24
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	I used to love HL2 and all but you don't fix a perfect formula! It ruins everything!

Jan 1, 2006, 03:25 PM	#25
interspaced DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 287 Rep Power: 0	mat_fastspecular 0 or something like that should restore it to normal

Jan 1, 2006, 03:27 PM	#26
ViRuS2k HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Uk Posts: 8,334 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Whats wrong with these shots ? i dont see anything wrong here.! it has to be your Graphics cards or system settings. or or or see there is nothing wrong with the game that i can see on my system anyway. this is with 6xaa16xaf / HQ mode enabled / HDR Enabled / Adaptive Quality Enabled. you see ?

Jan 1, 2006, 06:01 PM	Thread Starter #27
Dark Lord HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,945 Rep Power: 125 System Specs	those are the exact same settings i play at, minus the adaptive AA. i dont see how going between an x800pro and x1800xt can be that big of change. hell, this x800 was HL2's reccomended video card. __________________

Jan 1, 2006, 06:11 PM	#28
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	Virus, dude, the difference in between X800 series and X1800 series is 0 in graphical quality. Valve just screwed up the parameters for the older generation of cards and now, they're trying to fix it.... I used to play at the same settings at you and the game looked amazingly good too (just like your pics actually...) Haven't tried in a while though

Jan 1, 2006, 06:39 PM	Thread Starter #29
Dark Lord HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,945 Rep Power: 125 System Specs	just visited the god awful Steampowered forums, apparently this is a huge problem right now. from what i can tell, valve screwed up big time when they released the 64 bit HL2. they apparently modifed the files for both 32/64. it pretty much seems that if you run a 32/64 bit machine with a 32bit OS you get these problems. a 64cpu/64OS system doesnt show any of these problems at all. __________________