Half-Life 2 RTX: Exciting Mod with NVIDIA Support and Valve's Approval

The Half-Life 2 RTX mod project by Orbifold Studios is set to bring significant graphical enhancements to the iconic game, Half-Life 2. During an interview on the YouTube channel Lambda Generation, the developers shared intriguing details about the updates. Key characters, such as Lamarr and Gordon's HEV suit, now feature significantly more detailed models with high polygon counts. Lamarr, for example, has received a 30-fold increase in detail, with 49,668 polygons compared to the original 1,690, while Gordon's HEV suit impresses with 95,000 polygons, marking a 4,000% increase.

Behind the project is not only Orbifold Studios but also NVIDIA's support, providing engineering and artistic assistance. Valve has also given its approval to the modification, despite its independent development. In addition to the updated models, the game's textures are being remastered by hand, and the developers aim to increase the resolution of world object textures to 4K. The team also plans to make the mod compatible with most original mods and is considering recreating two episodes of the game.

It's worth noting that NVIDIA has released version 0.3 of the RTX Remix Runtime on GitHub, including support for DLSS 3 and performance improvements, making the mod compatible with a wider range of shader-based games. The new Half-Life 2 RTX promises to breathe new life into the classic game with modern graphics, offering an exciting experience for fans.