Half-LIfe 2 is now 64 bit, for those who are blessed with 64 bit processors. 8)

Also, for anyone who has bothered to play HL2 and update it through steam recently, HL2 has HDR, exactly the same as Lost Coast.

Also, loading times on HL2 are much faster with a gig of ram. I didn't realise just how much of a difference this would make. I no longer need to go and get a PCG mag to read through the loading times. 8)

In my opinion, I think that Steam is loads better than before. Less bugs (freezing, crashing, BSOD's, etc). 8)

I'm sorry Species, but you forgot a salient peice of information;
[quote:29f3935144="Valve"]For those of you running with a 64-bit capable AMD processor, along with the [b:29f3935144]Windows? 64-bit operating system[/b:29f3935144], Half-Life 2 and Lost Coast are now available in native 64-bit versions.[/quote:29f3935144]
Unfortunately this means you cannot have the 64-bit without the 64-bit OS, as the CPU is limited to 32-bit while running in 32-bit. Shame, really, I was hoping Win 64 would be a free service pack or something, but those money-grabbing M$ <I AM INSULTING PEOPLE> don't think like that.

Yes, all games load quicker with more RAM, up to a point. At current that point is about 1GB, though some games, like BF2, like 2GB.

And yes, Steam is a lot better now.

HHHHAKKKKHHKH.

HHHHHNNNGGGG....

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

64 BIT OPERATING HHHHHNNNNGGG.

ITS APPERENTLY CRUD. HHHHHHHHHNNNNNGGGGGGHHHH.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO UPGRADE HOME EDITION TO 64 BIT FOR FREE.

IF NOT, HHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH.

I'm afraid not. And I don't think you can buy an upgrade pack either, it has to a fresh install. Gits.

DAMN MICROSOFT.

DAMN MICROSOFT AND THEIR: "OOOOOOHHH. 64 BIT. MUST BRING OUT NEW WINDOWS TO ANNOY EVERYONE WHO HAS IT!"

Still, there's hope that Valve will change it so that you don't need 64 bit XP. After all, lots of people will have 64 bit processors and no 64 bit operating system.

hope.

Nope, there's no hope. Valve CANNOT change it. AFAIK, it is impossible to run in 64-bit without a 64-bit base program, i.e. Windows 64. Sorry.

BTW, most enthusiasts have the 64-bit processors because they are better in 32-bit mode, not because of their 64-bit tag. well, that's why I have one.

Apparently Windows XP x64 is the most unsupported version of Windows ever to be released. Windows Vista will be released in both 32 and 64 bit architectures. Vista will be *the* operating system to use by the end of next year. Microsoft are expecting that everybody will have a 64bit machine by the time the next Windows is released (after Longhorn; Vista, codenamed Blackthorn?)

Yeah.

Unfortunately, they're being gits and introducing copy protection stuff, which means you will (apparantly) need a new screen to play DVDs on your PC. And I'm keeping my 20" TFT!

i hopefully should be getting a 64-bit processor before vistas release so i can then run the 64 bit version of it.

@gr, im sure that there will be a way around the dvd play thing, for example, the only difference between xp home and xp pro is the reg keys disabing pro features and im sure that some guy will come up with a 64-bit patch to take xp home to a 'unreleased' 64 home, though it would be seriously illegal.

@azcn2503, are you beta testing vista, like i am?

I'd prefer it if they just stuffed all this copy protection nonesence. It never works anyway. For example, this DVD thing requires the screen to tell the computer it's protected, so people don't record onto a video for example. People will either hack the OS or build adaptors that trick the computer into thinking they are protected.

All it does is stop people who use the legally from using them properly. It's made even worse because I have put a lot of time and money into my PC, only to be told by some rich people that I need to replace my ?600 TFT (which I bought because a monitor is one of the few things that don't go out of date) to watch DVDs on it if I want to use the latest OS.

All this copy protection does is make it harder and more expensive for people like us!

B*stards.

im not rich! (lol, sorry, just could restist putting that in), but i know what you mean

I meant Bill Gates. And the people who make this cr*p.

actaully, do you know your monitor doesnt have the copy protection in it

I don't think it does. Do you know a way to find out?

I'm basing it on the fact that when I read about the protection sh*t I already had my monitor and it said "very few monitors have this technology" or something to that effect.

only 1 way, get vista beta and try to play dvd, but with a 9gb install and increasing by the build, you wont have to worry about disk space, or you might by the time final comes out

9GB! That's friggin ridiculous!

and going up by the build, may be around 15-20GB once reached final, might actually have to be a multi-dvd install

OK, that's ridiculous.

you can check about the monitor protection, i just remembered what it was called, its HDCP (high bandwith digital copy protection) and many newer tvs and monitors now come with it

Oh, it turns out it was started by Intel and MS are just following, gits.

It also sounds as though the monitor needs to be fairly recent to have it, and mine is about 6 months old. Plus it's more the HDTVs that have it.

Luckily, it sounds as though it won't stop me from seeing it, just reduce the quality (still not nice).

well, it isnt in vista yet, i can play a dvd on my 5 yr old monitor and it still works

It's the high definition content that it will affect. The ordinary DVDs don't have the protection. Well, that's according to this article I read (they'll probably do something to DVDs for a laugh).