And lo on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:43:42 -0000, Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> did  
spake, saying:

>>> I played HL2 once, and didn't enjoy it very much. The scenary is far  
>>> too drab and boring. The enemies are all humanoids of some kind.
>>  Except the headcrabs, and the antlions, and the stalkers, and the  
>> heliships; but yeah I know what you mean
>
> Stalkers are humanoid. I presume you mean Striders? :-P

Yeah the tripod knock-offs

>>> Obviously, all the vehicles are almost completely uncontrolable.  
>>> Digital steering is like that.
>>  Pffh I'm using an analogue controller on the console and it's terrible.
>
> Really? That's odd.

Accelerate, brake and steer controlled by the movement of one stick.

> Still, I guess you still have digital accelerator control. Not that that  
> stopped me in my Perguet 205 says. >:-D
>
>> I like the crossbow for the long range stuff, magnum for those headcrab  
>> carriers
>
> I like the magnum for... everything, really. Except that you fire a  
> couple of shots and you are now *out* of ammo. Completely. I mean, you  
> get 2-dozen bullets before you can't carry any more?

That's because it's a one-shot kill, if there was a ton af ammo about  
you'd use it for everything and it would get boring.

> The SMG *was* a damn good weapon in HL1. But in HL2 it doesn't seem to  
> cause much damage any more...

No I didn't use it a lot in HL2, too inaccurate.

>>> The best weapon in HL1 was the neato orange cannon - but unfortunately  
>>> they removed that because it was too useful and interesting.
>>  Orange cannon? Hold on....the Tau cannon, meh I never really used it  
>> that much.
>
> I used it for absolutely everything. It shoots round corners, it has  
> amazing range, it takes down helicopters faster than a rocket launcher  
> (!!), and it also glows. Oh yeah - and there's no ammo around...
>
>> Shotgun to the head for them
>
> This requires you to actually *have* some shotgun shells.

Well yeah, but it only needs one clear shot to the head. I think I've  
needed three max to take ones of them down.

> Or even bullets for the pistol. I mean *damn*... After playing Ravenholm  
> for about 4 minutes, I was *out* of ammo. Of any kind. Even grenades  
> (which, obviously, I never use). Good thing there's so many leathal  
> traps around...

Hmm odd I wasn't

>> grav-gun for the headcrabs, and grav-gun buzzsaw blade for slow zombies.
>
> You can't *kill* things with a gravity gun! (At least, except under lab  
> conditions anyway...)

On the PS3 at least both types of headcrabs can be knocked about and  
eventually killed by the grav-gun alone, otherwise gotta love the saw  
blades.

>>> And there's no healthpacks anywhere either.
>>  I do recall a dearth of such in Ravenholm
>
> Slightly...
>
>> As I've said it's the Mr Benn approach that irks me.
>
> The what?

"As if by magic the shopkeeper appeared" substitute shopkeeper with  
zombies, or any other enemy you care to mention.

>>> I haven't watched nearly enough of it to notice that. But part way  
>>> through, it seems the writers noticed that the more unhappy Buffy is,  
>>> the better the ratings are. That's when I really, really stopped  
>>> watching. I don't *want* Buffy to be unhappy...
>>  It goes up and down, you know a bit like real life. How far did you  
>> get, can you recall?
>
> Well, ya know, first Spike was evil, then Spike couldn't actually be  
> evil any more but wanted to help out other evil guys, the Spike was  
> good, then Spike became bad again... [Said Buffy fanatic was *obsessed*  
> with Spike... wanted to marry him and stuff. Yes, she was a teenager.]

Yeah, but James Marsters *is* good as Spike.

> I do recall Spike had a rebot made that looks exactly like Buffy. And  
> one time Buffy was invisible and decided to start... uh... having fun  
> with Spike. ("No, this is a bad idea. Hey!... What are you doing down  
> there?... That's not fair...")
>
>> So how many shows of Xena have you caught?
>
> Not many. (Not even enough to work out the various characters' names.)

Always liked Callisto, Hudson Leick got the character perfectly.

> I do recall an episode where Xena's nemesis stole her unborn child's  
> soul and wanted Xena's to bring her back to the living world before she  
> would relinquish it. So Xena had a bunch of people hold hands and  
> meditate to create a non-real world to "rescue" her to... or...  
> something. I do remember there was lots of fighting...

Yeah that wasn't one of the best ones, IIRC it was the one with the bad  
CGI skeletons in it.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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>> Stalkers are humanoid. I presume you mean Striders? :-P
> 
> Yeah the tripod knock-offs

Those are Strider, dear. Stalkers are the little humanoid guys with 
their intensines missing who walk around pointing lazers at things. You 
meet a whole bunch of 'em in EP1...

>>>> Obviously, all the vehicles are almost completely uncontrolable. 
>>>> Digital steering is like that.
>>>  Pffh I'm using an analogue controller on the console and it's terrible.
>>
>> Really? That's odd.
> 
> Accelerate, brake and steer controlled by the movement of one stick.

Ah. That's Not Good(tm).

>> The SMG *was* a damn good weapon in HL1. But in HL2 it doesn't seem to 
>> cause much damage any more...
> 
> No I didn't use it a lot in HL2, too inaccurate.

In HL1, it was accurate, rapid-firing and very leathal. Only trouble is 
you run out of ammo so fast. In HL2, it's worthless.

>>> Shotgun to the head for them
>>
>> This requires you to actually *have* some shotgun shells.
> 
> Well yeah, but it only needs one clear shot to the head.

Unless you miss for some reason. Perhaps because one of the buggers has 
swiped you and sent you half way across the map. Let's not go into the 
whole reloading part...

>>> grav-gun for the headcrabs, and grav-gun buzzsaw blade for slow zombies.
>>
>> You can't *kill* things with a gravity gun! (At least, except under 
>> lab conditions anyway...)
> 
> On the PS3 at least both types of headcrabs can be knocked about and 
> eventually killed by the grav-gun alone, otherwise gotta love the saw 
> blades.

Sure. Not that you can find any saw blades when you actually need 'em. 
And if you happen to miss... oh dear. You are now dead.

>> Well, ya know, first Spike was evil, then Spike couldn't actually be 
>> evil any more but wanted to help out other evil guys, the Spike was 
>> good, then Spike became bad again... [Said Buffy fanatic was 
>> *obsessed* with Spike... wanted to marry him and stuff. Yes, she was a 
>> teenager.]
> 
> Yeah, but James Marsters *is* good as Spike.

...is name is James Marsters?

[insert whitty remark here]

>>> So how many shows of Xena have you caught?
>>
>> Not many. (Not even enough to work out the various characters' names.)
> 
> Always liked Callisto, Hudson Leick got the character perfectly.

Damn, why are these people's real names always *more* improbable than 
the characters they're playing??

>> I do recall an episode where Xena's nemesis stole her unborn child's 
>> soul and wanted Xena's to bring her back to the living world before 
>> she would relinquish it. So Xena had a bunch of people hold hands and 
>> meditate to create a non-real world to "rescue" her to... or... 
>> something. I do remember there was lots of fighting...
> 
> Yeah that wasn't one of the best ones, IIRC it was the one with the bad 
> CGI skeletons in it.

Ah, you remember it then...

Also liked the one where the little girl suddenly sticks out her arm and 
grabs a flying arrow out of the air, just before it hits Xena. And she's 
all like "OMG, I actually *caught* that!"

And then later she tries to do it again, but can't. But eventually she 
manages it. "Well, I did it eventually!" "You missed a few though." "Oh 
yeah - I can see how that would be a problem..." LOL!

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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And lo on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:21:50 -0000, Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> did  
spake, saying:

>>> Stalkers are humanoid. I presume you mean Striders? :-P
>>  Yeah the tripod knock-offs
>
> Those are Strider, dear. Stalkers are the little humanoid guys with  
> their intensines missing who walk around pointing lazers at things. You  
> meet a whole bunch of 'em in EP1...

Meh I don't need to know their names just how to kill them.

>>>>> Obviously, all the vehicles are almost completely uncontrolable.  
>>>>> Digital steering is like that.
>>>>  Pffh I'm using an analogue controller on the console and it's  
>>>> terrible.
>>>
>>> Really? That's odd.
>>  Accelerate, brake and steer controlled by the movement of one stick.
>
> Ah. That's Not Good(tm).

Not in a firefight no.

>>>> Shotgun to the head for them
>>>
>>> This requires you to actually *have* some shotgun shells.
>>  Well yeah, but it only needs one clear shot to the head.
>
> Unless you miss for some reason. Perhaps because one of the buggers has  
> swiped you and sent you half way across the map. Let's not go into the  
> whole reloading part...

It's advisable to shoot them prior to them getting that close.

>>>> grav-gun for the headcrabs, and grav-gun buzzsaw blade for slow  
>>>> zombies.
>>>
>>> You can't *kill* things with a gravity gun! (At least, except under  
>>> lab conditions anyway...)
>>  On the PS3 at least both types of headcrabs can be knocked about and  
>> eventually killed by the grav-gun alone, otherwise gotta love the saw  
>> blades.
>
> Sure. Not that you can find any saw blades when you actually need 'em.  
> And if you happen to miss... oh dear. You are now dead.

"It's advisable to shoot them prior to them getting that close."

>>> Well, ya know, first Spike was evil, then Spike couldn't actually be  
>>> evil any more but wanted to help out other evil guys, the Spike was  
>>> good, then Spike became bad again... [Said Buffy fanatic was  
>>> *obsessed* with Spike... wanted to marry him and stuff. Yes, she was a  
>>> teenager.]
>>  Yeah, but James Marsters *is* good as Spike.
>
> ...is name is James Marsters?
>
> [insert whitty remark here]

[insert witty reply here]

>>>> So how many shows of Xena have you caught?
>>>
>>> Not many. (Not even enough to work out the various characters' names.)
>>  Always liked Callisto, Hudson Leick got the character perfectly.
>
> Damn, why are these people's real names always *more* improbable than  
> the characters they're playing??

What you mean Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, Hudson Leick, Kevin Sorbo, and  
Bruce Campbell? :-)

>>> I do recall an episode where Xena's nemesis stole her unborn child's  
>>> soul and wanted Xena's to bring her back to the living world before  
>>> she would relinquish it. So Xena had a bunch of people hold hands and  
>>> meditate to create a non-real world to "rescue" her to... or...  
>>> something. I do remember there was lots of fighting...
>>  Yeah that wasn't one of the best ones, IIRC it was the one with the  
>> bad CGI skeletons in it.
>
> Ah, you remember it then...

Kinda sticks in the memory due to vast suckage.

> Also liked the one where the little girl

Renee O'Connor playing Gabrielle

> suddenly sticks out her arm and grabs a flying arrow out of the air,  
> just before it hits Xena. And she's all like "OMG, I actually *caught*  
> that!"

Just to clarify it was her quarterstaff that intercepted the arrow in that  
particular episode.

> And then later she tries to do it again, but can't. But eventually she  
> manages it. "Well, I did it eventually!" "You missed a few though." "Oh  
> yeah - I can see how that would be a problem..." LOL!

See - funny stuff.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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Phil Cook wrote:

> Meh I don't need to know their names just how to kill them.

And people tell *me* my interests are too narrow. ;-)

>>>  Well yeah, but it only needs one clear shot to the head.
>>
>> Unless you miss for some reason. Perhaps because one of the buggers 
>> has swiped you and sent you half way across the map. Let's not go into 
>> the whole reloading part...
> 
> It's advisable to shoot them prior to them getting that close.

The shotgun only works from close range.

Plus, most of Ravenholm is of the form "you walk down a dark alleyway. 
Suddenly 12 zombies stagger towards you, coming from all directions." 
Plus, it takes time to kill the first one, time to kill the second one, 
more time to kill the third one... gee, the rest are getting quite close 
now...

>> Sure. Not that you can find any saw blades when you actually need 'em. 
>> And if you happen to miss... oh dear. You are now dead.
> 
> "It's advisable to shoot them prior to them getting that close."

Yeah, but if you miss, you now have no ammo. Good luck...

>> Damn, why are these people's real names always *more* improbable than 
>> the characters they're playing??
> 
> What you mean Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, Hudson Leick, Kevin Sorbo, 
> and Bruce Campbell? :-)

Yes. Like that.

> Renee O'Connor playing Gabrielle

Heh. And I thought *I* was strange for having a signed picture in my 
room of Major Carter wearing only a USA flag...

> Just to clarify it was her quarterstaff that intercepted the arrow in 
> that particular episode.

Not that you've memorised every episode or anything like that...

> See - funny stuff.

Mildly amusing sometimes, yeah.

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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And lo on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:53:29 -0000, Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> did  
spake, saying:

> Phil Cook wrote:
>
>> Meh I don't need to know their names just how to kill them.
>
> And people tell *me* my interests are too narrow. ;-)

Except the level of interaction between us is limited to movement,  
trigger, sqwark; with only the occasional duck, reload, scramble for the  
bigger brutes. Now if I were in the possession of multiple enemy-specific  
weaponry then sure I'd bother to learn their names :-)

>>>>  Well yeah, but it only needs one clear shot to the head.
>>>
>>> Unless you miss for some reason. Perhaps because one of the buggers  
>>> has swiped you and sent you half way across the map. Let's not go into  
>>> the whole reloading part...
>>  It's advisable to shoot them prior to them getting that close.
>
> The shotgun only works from close range.

The fast ones have a simple AI - when they reach a certain distance from  
you they crouch jump, just step back/to the side and pow as they're in the  
air.

> Plus, most of Ravenholm is of the form "you walk down a dark alleyway.  
> Suddenly 12 zombies stagger towards you, coming from all directions."  
> Plus, it takes time to kill the first one, time to kill the second one,  
> more time to kill the third one... gee, the rest are getting quite close  
> now...

Don't kill them then, you don't get points or experience for doing so. If  
the objective is to get from point A to point B then that's what you do,  
don't go looking for trouble.

Take the Ravenholm Square for instance, I come in and take out the  
scuttling head crab before heading straight for the headcrab carrier  
hidden on the left, grav-gun+barrel and a magnum chaser.

Activate the trap in the middle to slow down the horde behind me and dart  
to the right. Up the stairs and pull the lever, down and back out. Head  
down to the right for another headcrab carrier, up onto the roof and relax  
for a moment.

Onward keeping my eyes open for the fast zombies, shotgun the ones in my  
way before heading over the gap and into the house and a section load.  
Directly I've taken out maybe five zombies and a headcrab tops out of the  
dozen or so now shuffling around below me.

>>> Sure. Not that you can find any saw blades when you actually need 'em.  
>>> And if you happen to miss... oh dear. You are now dead.
>>  "It's advisable to shoot them prior to them getting that close."
>
> Yeah, but if you miss, you now have no ammo. Good luck...

The grav-gun (when it works) can pull things from a reasonable distance  
and as I've mentioned it's a toggle on the console.

>>> Damn, why are these people's real names always *more* improbable than  
>>> the characters they're playing??
>>  What you mean Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor, Hudson Leick, Kevin Sorbo,  
>> and Bruce Campbell? :-)
>
> Yes. Like that.

Come on though - Bruce Campbell's in it!

>> Renee O'Connor playing Gabrielle
>
> Heh. And I thought *I* was strange for having a signed picture in my  
> room of Major Carter wearing only a USA flag...

Ah Stargate:Franchise never could get into that from day one "Greetings  
we've been cut off from Earth for thousands of years and yet can quite  
clearly speak American English" at least prior to the ret-con Star Trek  
had the excuse for being made 40 years ago and just not knowing better :-)  
Now the film on the other hand, that was good.

>> Just to clarify it was her quarterstaff that intercepted the arrow in  
>> that particular episode.
>
> Not that you've memorised every episode or anything like that...

I've got the box-set and that sort of memory.

>> See - funny stuff.
>
> Mildly amusing sometimes, yeah.

Better then Charmed, more scantily clad women too.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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>> Plus, most of Ravenholm is of the form "you walk down a dark alleyway. 
>> Suddenly 12 zombies stagger towards you, coming from all directions." 
>> Plus, it takes time to kill the first one, time to kill the second 
>> one, more time to kill the third one... gee, the rest are getting 
>> quite close now...
> 
> Don't kill them then, you don't get points or experience for doing so. 
> If the objective is to get from point A to point B then that's what you 
> do, don't go looking for trouble.

Kinda hard to get from point A to point B with several vicious creatures 
standing directly in your way. :-S

>> Yeah, but if you miss, you now have no ammo. Good luck...
> 
> The grav-gun (when it works) can pull things from a reasonable distance 
> and as I've mentioned it's a toggle on the console.

And as I've mentioned, when I use it it tends to pick up tiny splinters 
of wood or individual blades of grass rather than the thing I'm pointing 
it directly at...

>> Heh. And I thought *I* was strange for having a signed picture in my 
>> room of Major Carter wearing only a USA flag...
> 
> Ah Stargate:Franchise never could get into that from day one "Greetings 
> we've been cut off from Earth for thousands of years and yet can quite 
> clearly speak American English" at least prior to the ret-con Star Trek 
> had the excuse for being made 40 years ago and just not knowing better 
> :-) Now the film on the other hand, that was good.

LOL!

I think both the film and the series suck. Amanda, however, is fairly 


> I've got the box-set and that sort of memory.

My God - you have the boxed set of Xena?

>> Mildly amusing sometimes, yeah.
> 
> Better then Charmed, more scantily clad women too.

Heh. I hadn't really noticed...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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And lo on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:42:33 -0000, Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> did  
spake, saying:

>>> Plus, most of Ravenholm is of the form "you walk down a dark alleyway.  
>>> Suddenly 12 zombies stagger towards you, coming from all directions."  
>>> Plus, it takes time to kill the first one, time to kill the second  
>>> one, more time to kill the third one... gee, the rest are getting  
>>> quite close now...
>>  Don't kill them then, you don't get points or experience for doing so.  
>> If the objective is to get from point A to point B then that's what you  
>> do, don't go looking for trouble.
>
> Kinda hard to get from point A to point B with several vicious creatures  
> standing directly in your way. :-S

Not really. If it's a confined space then shotgun or grav-gun+sawblade; if  
it's not then the majority of zombies are slow enough to run past.

>>> Yeah, but if you miss, you now have no ammo. Good luck...
>>  The grav-gun (when it works) can pull things from a reasonable  
>> distance and as I've mentioned it's a toggle on the console.
>
> And as I've mentioned, when I use it it tends to pick up tiny splinters  
> of wood or individual blades of grass rather than the thing I'm pointing  
> it directly at...

Yeah as I said when it works.

>>> Heh. And I thought *I* was strange for having a signed picture in my  
>>> room of Major Carter wearing only a USA flag...
>>  Ah Stargate:Franchise never could get into that from day one  
>> "Greetings we've been cut off from Earth for thousands of years and yet  
>> can quite clearly speak American English" at least prior to the ret-con  
>> Star Trek had the excuse for being made 40 years ago and just not  
>> knowing better :-) Now the film on the other hand, that was good.
>
> LOL!
>
> I think both the film and the series suck.

I liked the film, I found it internally consistent.


> bought it...

She's not bad.

>> I've got the box-set and that sort of memory.
>
> My God - you have the boxed set of Xena?

Yup and all the Buffy's, B5's, and X-Files. Not to mention the GiTS:SACs,  
Blake's Seven (seasons 1-3) and the new Battlestar Galactica's. Note  
however how I don't mention Star Trek.

>>> Mildly amusing sometimes, yeah.
>>  Better then Charmed, more scantily clad women too.
>
> Heh. I hadn't really noticed...

Well actually thinking about the female stars in Charmed perhaps not so  
much so, more leather definitely - well maybe. Whips and swords though!

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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>> My God - you have the boxed set of Xena?
> 
> Yup and all the Buffy's, B5's, and X-Files. Not to mention the 
> GiTS:SACs, Blake's Seven (seasons 1-3) and the new Battlestar 
> Galactica's. Note however how I don't mention Star Trek.

I have Star Wreck.

>> Heh. I hadn't really noticed...
> 
> more leather definitely - well maybe. Whips and swords though!

...OK, I'm worried. o_O

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:39:59 +0000, Invisible wrote:

>>>> I demand a step-by-step account of you playing Half-Life2+Eps1 and 2
>>>> on your blog!
>>>
>>> Uh... why? It's not like anybody would read it...
>> 
>> Ditto Nicolas.
> 
> http://blog.orphi.me.uk/archives/140
> 
> Points of note:
> 
> 1. This was posted several months ago.
> 
> 2. Nobody read it.

I read it.  I didn't reply to it.

>> Wait one second you've seen this episode? *You've* watched Buffy the
>> Vampire Slayer?
> 
> Ooo, you're quick today. :-P
> 
> I have watched several, yes. I know somebody who is an utter Buffy
> nutter. Personally I don't find it all that entertaining...

Same here.

> I prefer Charmed.

<barf>

But then again, I prefer things like Law and Order, Torchwood, BSG, etc.

Jim

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Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote:
> Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> > I played HL2 once, and didn't enjoy it very much. The scenary is far too
> > drab and boring.
>
>   You must have played a different HL2 than I did.

you know, I think perhaps Andrew is not as ignorant as he wants us to believe.
Perhaps he's just a troll and enjoys seeing us annoyed at his statements...

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