Here are two nicely compact enemies from Painkiller. I’m stuck at the latter one at the moment because my computer started doing chipmunk music all of a sudden and then it wouldn’t load a quicksave.
That’s a crazy game right there I tell you.
… even though I’m wearing a skirt and it doesn’t even have pockets.
I have something to tell you (I’ve told 2 people already, I’m bad at keeping my own secrets!!) but I’m not going to until it’s confirmed and finished and ready for the whole world to see. Or something like that.
I’m so excited about it!
Agh, *slaps hands over mouth* (to keep me from typing)
How funny would it be if it never was confirmed nor finished?
Being a big fan of the first Half Life and its expansions (except for Counter Strike as I don’t do online gaming — there should’ve been a single player version of CS, too) I of course had to get my hands on the sequel. Luckily Dad gave it to me as Xmas present (it was a 33% chance).
Compared to the old HL the graphics have come a loooong way (duh, it’s been a loooong time since the 1st game). I was a bit afraid how my Simon could handle the game the minimum specs being 1,2 Ghz (Simon’s 1,4) but I didn’t notice too much disturbance. Surely, the loading times were unusually long and there was the occasional stutter which seems to have been a problem for many. Also, sometimes in more hectic battles there were moments of lag and pause. I’m just over the moon to have got the game working so I’m not bothered by the small glitches.
The install was a pain in the butt for me. The first decoding and launching went ok and the game started but then I wanted to play it offline, so I exited the game and Steam and disconnected. When I re-started Steam and wanted to launch Half Life — after Steam assuring that 100% had been downloaded and the game was ready for offline play — it complained that offline game is out of the question. So, I deleted all local files (as instructed in the HL forums) and re-launched HL only to see a 6847 minute countdown. The next day I tried to launch it again but the countdown was around 4000 this time. Then I realized that maybe it’s trying to download the whole game. I uninstalled HL dreading that it wouldn’t allow me to re-install it or some stupid thing but luckily it re-installed nicely and when launched, started to decode the files again. This time I was smart enough to set it to “Do not update this game” and was finally able to play it offline. Ahhhhh…
Anyway, I finished it in 5 days — it was the easy level, though — often noticing the time had strangely flown to 3 am or later.
It is an intense game. I’m sure my pulse quickened when I was zooming on the hovercraft (or something) trying to escape a helicopter that was dropping bombs on me or when soldiers or other creatures just kept streaming out at me with no end in sight.
It’s nice that Half Life 2 isn’t all shooting and killing but there are often “puzzles” to solve to get forward. I can’t remember if there were similar things in the 1st game — maybe there weren’t because I don’t remember them.
Of the enemies, I absolutely despise the Barnacles (the long-tongued creatures that hang in the ceiling). I developed a “phobia” for them in the 1st game when they suddenly snatched me and started slurping me up like a ground meat on spaghetti. Their tongues are really difficult to see, too! Of the new enemies the striders and gunships are the most annoying because they must (?) be destroyed with the grenade launcher which can carry only 3 (!!!) grenades at a time. The only times when I felt sure I would never get past a fight was with those things. *shiver*
I’m sure I’ll go back to playing HL2 with a more difficult level and I should try to explore the area a bit more now that finishing the game is not my priority.
Before the day changes I have to wish you a happy new year! I’ve spent my new year’s day playing Sims 2 after having finished Half Life 2 yesterday. I’m thinking of writing a review sort of thing on HL2 but I have to see how it develops…
I think I’ll get back to Sims now
Being a best-seller I felt dubious about this book (I did wish for it, however). Best-sellers all seem to be mushy romantic novels for stereotypical middle-aged women (I added the word stereotypical to exclude all potential readers, just in case, because no living person is a stereotype 
). Nowadays best-sellers aren’t so bad really — Grisham-type of books which are good, and detective/suspense novels which I don’t care for.
Probably the most noteworthy feature of this book, apart from the over-used word ‘immaterial’, are the numerous riddles that guide the protagonists on their adventure. More often than not I found myself thinking “why don’t you get it already?!” Have I read too many Enid Blytons when I was a kid? (I didn’t read a single Nancy Drew, mind you. They are too girly.) Nevertheless, I love a book that shows the author has gone to a lot of trouble to give their book some extra seasoning, or jooshing 
The name, Da Vinci Code, is in my opinion a bit misleading. I was under the impression that the story would include a text found below a painting by Da Vinci (Mona Lisa for instance). But maybe the name refers to the certain way to code texts. Which way? You’re going to have to read the book or familiarize yourself with Da Vinci.
Wouldn’t it be great if everything in the book, the historical “facts” and truths about religion were true? I don’t know if they are or aren’t, but I read somewhere about a site that disects all the facts presented in the book and sets them straight. I didn’t read the site back then, obviously, because I hadn’t read the book yet, and now I can’t remember where I saw the link. I don’t really like this kind of uncertainty. Facts should be facts and fiction fiction (ah, the possibilities of ellipsis). That is my opinion, that is. I want to know if it’s safe to blurt out my “book-knowledge” as smart comments if opportunities arise. And most likely, this kind of knowledge — sponged out from recreational reading — is going to stick in my head better than the one acquired while achooing through history books.
I do recommend Da Vinci Code to anyone and everyone. It’s very catchy and interesting. If you like feeling more intelligent than an educated symbologist and an experienced cryptographer you should definitely read this book.
Read: 29.12.2004 — Rating: * * * * *
This looks a bit better:
I uninstalled Half-Life 2, re-installed it, and Steam started to decrypt the files immediately like it should. I bet it was downloading the game files (as you don’t need to install it from the CD) the last time. Why, I have no idea, because the game was installed already.
[edit] IT’S ALIVE!! ALIVE!! Ok, have a nice time, see you in Easter. 
[/edit]
I thought countdowns were supposed to count down (oh what a linguistic revelation! This is what my education has always aimed at…). My Half Life2 “Ready to play in approximately:” counter is counting up… 4253 mins 53 secs — 4254 mins 39 secs. It started from around 3700 so I was feeling optimistic.
4264 min 41 sec
.
.
.
4275 min 49 sec
.
.
.
*getting back to the Da Vinci Code*
At least this counts up as it’s supposed to: I’m on page 151
I’m waiting for Half-Life 2 to get all done — now it’s decrypting game files (oh what a draaaag this is! If it wasn’t Half-Life that I’m talking about, I’d probably be put off by all these nuisances) . The most annoying thing is that it has to be done online (first creating a Steam account and then updating files and this decrypting business), and with my 56k modem (in theory, 46,6 in practice) it’s not very quick.
[edit] Now, at 22:50, it has taken me over an hour. [/edit]
What did I get for Xmas? Well, Half Life 2 as you probably guessed. Also a terrestrial digital receiver. Both from Dad, and he was the one telling us to get only 2 gifts max this year. Apparently we didn’t talk about the money limit… Not complaining though, I’ve been meaning to buy a digital tv and a VCR because my current one (combo) is kaput, now I only have to buy a regular tv and a regular VCR — money saved is money earned.
[edit Dec 25] Dad cleverly pointed out that I don’t even need a TV, only a VCR and I could get a VCR-DVD combo while I was at it. I have been using my computer as the DVD player so I have to think about that, but the current cable that connects the tv and the computer is too short. [/edit]
What else, well a nice new blanket, Da Vinci Code (which I asked for), a USB memory (it was a company present to Dad though but he’d already bought a memory stick), new clothes (RED pajamas and a RED t-shirt/top from Grandma and Grandpa, Grandma’s really thinking I’d wear that top some time. I’d be responsible for a few heart attacks — I’ve worn black for 8-9 years. Well… who knows. At least this was a change from the usual blue (I don’t care for the regular blue))
Only a few centimetres left of the decrypting metre so I think I’m going to get back to it, grab a chocolate while I’m waiting. Enjoy your Christmas! I know I will — while shooting evil creatures.
[edit on Dec 25th, 0:28] Still not getting it working offline… [/edit]
I’m thumb over pinkie addicted to the WordPress support forums. I’m determined NOT to start a thread, but am eagerly answering some of them, and actually — yes, you gotta believe me — I’ve managed to help people. 
Ahhh… good buzz.
Makes me feel useful for once.
