oh yeah.

[solipsistnation]

It has long been my fondest wish to roam the narrow girders of the underside of the superstructure of a steel bridge hundreds of yards above cold, unwelcoming water, listening to smooth, atmospheric Brian Eno tunes while horrible little creatures try to eat my brain. Thank you, Valve, for helping me live my dream.

Comments

[archdukechocula.livejournal.com]

It only gets worse. :)

[solipsistnation.livejournal.com]

...or _better!_

I've actually just gotten past the beach full of antlions, but I went to bed right after reaching a place right after the little shacks and things where you look down on a long narrow strip of beach between high rock walls, scattered with debris and crates and the occasional corpse.

You can't reload fast enough to fight off antlions. :/

I did figure out how to sort of skate across the beach using big flat things and the grav gun, though.

First, put down a pallet. Then put a big sheet of plywood (or whatever that is) sort of on top of it, covering about half of the pallet. The pallet and plywood should be lined up in the direction you want to go.

Stand on the plywood, with your back in the direction you want to go. Haul out the grav gun. Point it at the visible parts of the pallet. Try to grab the pallet. It will try to lift toward you, but since it's under the plywood, it'll try and lift the plywood out of the way. But since you're standing on the plywood, it won't be able to really knock the plywood out of the way. And since you're relatively close, it'll end up pulling you across the sand backwards. You can steer a little by turning left and right, but it's not very accurate, and this isn't a particularly stable way to move around.

Faster than the set-move-turn-pickup-turn-set-move flat-thing-leapfrogging method, though, that's for sure.

[archdukechocula.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I did that sheet surfing thing for a while, but it is kinda risky. One slipup and a bunch of ant lions eat your face. I built this huge box contraption to try and get up the side of the cliff, but unfortunately it's not real terrain and you can't walk on it. Man stuff gets crazy later on. I wont spoil it for you, but lets just say I found new ways to put massive dent in the ant lion population.

[solipsistnation.livejournal.com]

Oooh. I eagerly anticipate such denting.

I do remember mention of "Ant-lion bait" (once I replayed the bit with the guy who tells you not to walk on the sand in such a way that I didn't shoot him by accident. oops.), which already gives me ideas...

The thumpers are sure useful, too. I like that occasionally one will work up the guts to charge you anyway. Well, you know, from an aesthetic sense, rather than from a not-getting-eaten sense.

[archdukechocula.livejournal.com]

Hmm, well, I've now beat the game, and the ending has me somewhat perturbed. I will be curious to hear your opinion on the matter once you finish the game. As for now, I will avoid spoiling it.

[solipsistnation.livejournal.com]

Rumor says "Cliffhanger, and already working on HL3 and/or an expansion pack." I'm expecting something ambiguous.

My weekend plans are: Finish the game. I will post upon completion. 8)