Poll: Is Half-Life 2 a current or last gen game?

[RangerDruid]

So I was discussing shooters with a friend and he came to the conclusion that Duke Nukem Forever was unfortunately one of the better shooters this generation. Naturally, I went ahead and wrote a short list of titles that are clearly better, one of them being good ol' Half Life 2, but somehow we ended up in a disagreement on wether or not HL2 is even a current gen game..

So fellow escapists, do you consider it a 'current gen' or 'last gen' game?

 

[Zhukov]

How is this even a question?

It came out in 2004. It's from the previous generation.

 

[Arafiro]

Since it's a PC game it doesn't really fit into the basic definitions of "console generations". Chronologically it came out before the 7th gen consoles did, however the game would not run on 6th gen console hardware, indeed it was with the Orange Box which was a current gen compilation.
So, chronologically it came out during the 6th console generation, but in every other way it's current gen - which personally I think is more important.

 

[Crises^]

I would agree with Pandalink here that because the Orange Box came out on Ps3 it is current gen.
Also didn't valve update the engine and graphics in half life 2 a few years ago?

Its hard to put pc games in a category like this because would you not count the newest pc games as next gen then as they have dx 11/10 features that the consoles can't run?

 

[SilkySkyKitten]

Chronologically it came out before the 7th gen consoles did, however the game would not run on 6th gen console hardware...

The original Xbox port of Half-Life 2 would like to have a talk with you...

Yeah, it wasn't the best port in the world, but it counts and that's truly all that matters.

OT: While I admittedly can see both sides of this argument, but I'd have to lump it in the "previous generation" category myself. While it does have a few modern touches and started a few trends that continue today, Half-Life 2 still is a product of a generation gone by and it does show in various ways (particularly in the gameplay itself).

 

[StBishop]

I would agree with Pandalink here that because the Orange Box came out on Ps3 it is current gen.
Also didn't valve update the engine and graphics in half life 2 a few years ago?

Its hard to put pc games in a category like this because would you not count the newest pc games as next gen then as they have dx 11/10 features that the consoles can't run?

Metal Gear Solid 1 is therefore current gen.

It's last gen. It came out in the last gen. It's a PC game.

The console port is immaterial to the discussion, the game is a PC game which came out in the last gen, not this gen.

 

[Crises^]

I would agree with Pandalink here that because the Orange Box came out on Ps3 it is current gen.
Also didn't valve update the engine and graphics in half life 2 a few years ago?

Its hard to put pc games in a category like this because would you not count the newest pc games as next gen then as they have dx 11/10 features that the consoles can't run?

Metal Gear Solid 1 is therefore current gen.

It's last gen. It came out in the last gen. It's a PC game.

The console port is immaterial to the discussion, the game is a PC game which came out in the last gen, not this gen.

Before we can really say what gen any game is what are the divining points of a generation for any pc game?

 

[Ryotknife]

last gen, it is just that its graphics are good enough to be considered early next gen. Keep in mind HL2 set the graphic benchmark for awhile.

This is sometimes the case when the console gens start to switch. Late PS2 games look an awful lot like early PS3 games.

 

[StBishop]

Metal Gear Solid 1 is therefore current gen.

It's last gen. It came out in the last gen. It's a PC game.

The console port is immaterial to the discussion, the game is a PC game which came out in the last gen, not this gen.

Before we can really say what gen any game is what are the divining points of a generation for any pc game?

The day the Xbox 360/Wii (which ever came first because I can't remember) was released the current Gen started. Any PC game released on that day or after is current gen.

There's an easy rule to go by.

EDIT: Ok so the 360 was first at the end of 2005 for some regions (2006 here).

Half Life 2 came out in 2004. A good year before the 360, up to 18 months depending on your region.

It is definitely last gen.

 

[Crises^]

Metal Gear Solid 1 is therefore current gen.

It's last gen. It came out in the last gen. It's a PC game.

The console port is immaterial to the discussion, the game is a PC game which came out in the last gen, not this gen.

Before we can really say what gen any game is what are the divining points of a generation for any pc game?

The day the Xbox 360/Wii (which ever came first because I can't remember) was released the current Gen started. Any PC game released on that day or after is current gen.

There's an easy rule to go by.

Ok But surely this rule cant apply to the pc as pc games are using dx10 and 11 features that we only come available in the next set of consoles.
If its with console games I agree with your statement but for pc not so much.
For instance I wouldn't call minecraft a current generation game but I would call bf3/metro2033 current generation and i would call dx9 only game last gen.This is only for pc game bare in mind. As the pc seems to advance through dx levels this makes more sense.

 

[StBishop]

Metal Gear Solid 1 is therefore current gen.

It's last gen. It came out in the last gen. It's a PC game.

The console port is immaterial to the discussion, the game is a PC game which came out in the last gen, not this gen.

Before we can really say what gen any game is what are the divining points of a generation for any pc game?

The day the Xbox 360/Wii (which ever came first because I can't remember) was released the current Gen started. Any PC game released on that day or after is current gen.

There's an easy rule to go by.

Ok But surely this rule cant apply to the pc as pc games are using dx10 and 11 features that we only come available in the next set of consoles.
If its with console games I agree with your statement but for pc not so much.
For instance I wouldn't call minecraft a current generation game but I would call bf3/metro2033 current generation and i would call dx9 only game last gen.This is only for pc game bare in mind. As the pc seems to advance through dx levels this makes more sense.

So what Gen are indy games which run on flash?

The generation of a game is about so much more than the software used to run it. We define the games by console generation because it is convenient but the differences between current gen games and the games of our childhoods (because I assume everyone here is at least old enough to remember the last gen from their earlier life) are much greater than the hardware or software used to develop and run the games.

The culture of the industry, the nature of development, the popular trends, the successes and failures of the past. All of these things affect the games in different ways from generation to generation.

Yes these things have changed within the generations too, current games are not the same as 7 years ago, even though they're technically the same gen; but we need to draw a line in the sand and console generations is the best benchmark.

 

[Crises^]

Metal Gear Solid 1 is therefore current gen.

It's last gen. It came out in the last gen. It's a PC game.

The console port is immaterial to the discussion, the game is a PC game which came out in the last gen, not this gen.

Before we can really say what gen any game is what are the divining points of a generation for any pc game?

The day the Xbox 360/Wii (which ever came first because I can't remember) was released the current Gen started. Any PC game released on that day or after is current gen.

There's an easy rule to go by.

Ok But surely this rule cant apply to the pc as pc games are using dx10 and 11 features that we only come available in the next set of consoles.
If its with console games I agree with your statement but for pc not so much.
For instance I wouldn't call minecraft a current generation game but I would call bf3/metro2033 current generation and i would call dx9 only game last gen.This is only for pc game bare in mind. As the pc seems to advance through dx levels this makes more sense.

So what Gen are indy games which run on flash?

The generation of a game is about so much more than the software used to run it. We define the games by console generation because it is convenient but the differences between current gen games and the games of our childhoods (because I assume everyone here is at least old enough to remember the last gen from their earlier life) are much greater than the hardware or software used to develop and run the games.

The culture of the industry, the nature of development, the popular trends, the successes and failures of the past. All of these things affect the games in different ways from generation to generation.

Yes these things have changed within the generations too, current games are not the same as 7 years ago, even though they're technically the same gen; but we need to draw a line in the sand and console generations is the best benchmark.

You make some very good points but I don't necessarily agree. I think flash games are not current gen, I think the only way to put pc games into a generation is with direct x as its a constant. for instance this won't happen but lets just say that no more consoles come out for like 6 years you telling me that pc games around then prob using dx 13 or what ever would still be the same generation as Bioshock 1 purely because of hardware nothing to do with a pc hasn't changed? I just think you can't use consoles for the generation of pc games. Dx levels would make more sense. and what console defines a new generation for you when the Ouya comes out does that make it next gen and all other console last gen?

 

[Arafiro]

Chronologically it came out before the 7th gen consoles did, however the game would not run on 6th gen console hardware...

The original Xbox port of Half-Life 2 would like to have a talk with you...

I stand corrected, didn't know about that.

As for other definitions, I don't really believe in the DirectX argument as it seems a bit irrelevant. What if a game runs on OpenGL? Graphics aren't the only thing that define a console generation.

Generally, I think dividing PC games up into the console generations is impossible anyway. Yea, you can do it chronologically by console release year but that's awfully arbitrary. PC games don't follow the same timeline at all.

 

[n00beffect]

I'd say last gen, judging by today's standards... and by 'standards' I mean the way games are being designed; not necessarily that they are a higher standard than that of Half Life. However, in my opinion the half life series kind of defies standards in general, so if there was a viable option like, say, 'next generation' game then I would certainly have picked that one.

All jokes aside, though, it's a shame that the series as a whole has to be regarded as 'last gen' games, and inevitably evoke the 'good-old days' feeling of gaming. Wonder if there'll even be a half life 3...

 

[DoPo]

It's a next generation game.

What? It really is.

I mean, clearly there aren't any standards for this, otherwise people would be able to agree on this. Not to mention that there is a poll, so OP doesn't expect for there to be a clear answer, instead relying on lots of opinions. Therefore, I'm calling it next generation just because.

 

[repeating integers]

How can Duke Nukem Forever possibly be the best shooter for any generation?

 

[spartandude]

it transcends the generations

capcha Dream Big ok how did it know my post before i started typing?

 

[lacktheknack]

Craaaaaap, I accidentally current'd. I meant last generation.

<img width=300>http://www.rankopedia.com/CandidatePix/18622.gif

Look... Original release port was on Xbox. How is this a question? Is Final Fantasy VII a current gen game because it's being rereleased?

 

[BehattedWanderer]

It's a last gen game. The episodes are this gen, or at least Ep 2 is, but I'm not sure if we're counting them together or separate. Also, what has your friend been playing that DNF is one of the best shooters? Get that kid some education, man.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Last gen: I base this off the facts that it came out in 2004 and also the console releases were on the Xbox and...probably PS2 before the Orange Box release.