The Happy Topic

Okay yeah just watched that trailer and I’ll be buying the game, I’ve got Gta IV but I’ve never been huge on the games, now it looks like a completely virtual life to have fun in.

My work ethic is pretty good today! I might even be able to finish the paper today and screw off the rest of the day.

I’d shut off the internet to help, but I’m writing it in Google Docs, and also listening to music online.

I played Half Life 2 today.

That in itself is not significant. What is significant about this particular instance though?

For starters, ever since I got this game back in 2010 or so there’s been a problem with a few of the maps where they would be on fullbright and I could do nothing to fix them. It ruined the black mesa east/ravenholm chapter moods as well as nova prospekt’s. And then the game got some sort of update yesterday. Maps have lighting now for some reason. Hell. Fucking. Yes.

Also the bridge at the end of Highway 17. Finally was able to beat that damn train. Usually I’d have to throw the buggy in reverse to avoid getting ran into.

AND I’m still finding new areas in this game, even more so than before. It feels like I’m playing for the first time again.

Best playthrough ever.

^ Yeah, that problem drove me crazy too. I believe I managed to fix it by some combination of console commands, saving and loading, and clearing the game cache. I think it’s caused by some, but only some, of the maps, being updated to use HDR when they updated HL2 to the EP2 version of the engine. It also broke a ton of mods, and the airboat headlight; it used to be really bright, but they just changed it to use the new shadowy flashlight, which makes it way too weak to be useful. I find that disproportionately annoying.

It’s funny you mention the train, though; I used to be able to outrun it, but since the update even if I have enough space to get past it mysteriously sends the buggy flying for some reason.

And the flashlight shadows never work for me. Some weird bug with the game not acknowledging my version of DirectX.

We talking about the sudden lack of shadowing and checkerboards? I had em for weeks, but I did what pyro did. Fixed it pretty well. Wish my current computer didn’t suck, I would play Half Life 2… And for the train, I’ve always reversed out of the way. O thought it was easiest.

Yeah, used to play chicken with the train all the time. You can still do that in the original Xbox port. Once I have some kind of demo recording tool my Xbox can output to, I’ll have to record it.

I finally got my new memory foam mattress in from overstock! It’s sorta sad really but I am kind of excited to sleep on it instead of the bag of rocks disguised as a mattress that I’ve been sleeping on for the last 8 years or so. I’ve only just laid on it for a minute today after I got it in but it feels frickin amazing.

My preferred way of beating HL2 is using the original 2004 non-steam version.

Not only does it support DirectX 7, but you can fly on wooden crates and other props for fuck’s sakes, it’s the most fun version of HL2 by far, and the maps load 10 times faster than on the current steam version.

I could have sworn every copy of Half Life 2 required Steam, as it was the launch title for the platform?

every copy requires steam, but the pirated versions of HL2 available today are using the new fancy orangebox engine that has all the bugfixes

So yeah, they remade Rise of the Triad.

Reinstalled Windows. Thing are actually starting to function the way they’re meant to again.

You mean your copy of windows wasn’t working flawlessly without any bugs or problems?

that’s new.

lettuce (or something similar) and tomato make any sandwich taste 75% more delicious, yum

That is a true statement.

I got caught in the rain while walking home today, which sucked, but I promptly got in the shower and proceeded to take the most relaxing and pleasent shower I think I’ve ever had. I feel really loose right now. And damp.

just sing

Finally got SimCity 5 to run, after 2 months of looking for a crack, it’s finally playable!

Just got it for the heck of it though, I never liked those simcity games.

It took me about 2 hours to figure out how to put my new graphics cards into the computer, but now that I’m done it’s actually started up without issue. The new drivers just finished installing, fingers crossed…

War Thunder went from 16fps at minimum settings to 70fps at medium.

Ok then.

Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.