I don't know if there's really any interest in this or not, but with the Orange box being released and everything I decided to put my Platinum Pack to good use and actually play Half-Life. See, my friends had all played it, and one of them got me this pack so I could play CounterStrike with them. I never actually got around to playing Half-Life itself.
This is my first run-through of Half-Life, and considering it will also be my first run-through of a Let's Play, I may be cheating my way through it if I start to have trouble. I don't want to keep dying or having to redo things because I'm trying to snap some good screens.
First off, you can't just head off into a research facility without any training. So let's get that out of the way.
Actually, the first order of business was taking that UGLY 640x480 resolution and low quality graphics and maxing that stuff out. I may be playing this on a laptop and currently with a touchpad but this game is old enough where it won't even hiccup at max settings.
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Much better now.
Welcome to the Black Mesa Training Facility. This young holographic lady with the pleasant voice will be our wonderful guide to doing things that are painfully obvious. The first is to walk through a door and put on our suit.
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Orange is definitely not my color, but if I must then I must. Green would have really brought out my eyes though.. Perhaps there is a suggestion box somewhere that I can see if we can get different color choices.
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The HEV Mark IV. Hideous, but it works.
Our first exercise, after
moving around in our suit is jumping. I've left all the controls to default mappings, and fortunately, like every other FPS, jump is the space bar. This game is going to be easy!
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After that we learn to crouch. And another exercise has us jump, then crouch, then jump. Obviously, despite being a research facility, Black Mesa does not require you to be a rocket scientist to work there. On another thought, how much crouching and jumping am I going to have to do at a facility with hallways?!
Oh. Who came up with this?! Just because I did training about jumping
WHILE crouched doesn't mean you can make me crawl down a drain pipe between rooms..
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Jumping over gaps. I'm not sure how often they expect me to do this, but at least the hologram was willing to show me how. It can't be much harder than jumping over pipes can it?
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After learning to operate an elevator button, they ask me to jump for the target on the floor. I do NOT like the looks of this.
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Couldn't you guys put down some padding, like gymnasts have or something? Ow..
Finally, weapons and beating things! I fancy this crowbar; perhaps I'll keep it because I'm sure it will come in handy later.
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They trust me with a gun and grenade launcher!? ::tears of joy:: I fill up on as much ammo as I can carry. I'm sure I won't need to use this ever, but shooting targets is so much fun!
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Blah blah blah, some more training like swimming (in a heavy suit), knowing that I'm being poisoned by radiation, hurt by fire, or other nuisances, and using a flashlight. Now I can ride a flatbed tram.
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WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Just in case you weren't aware of what game you were playing:
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psst...
It's Half-Life
Join us next time, as we start by riding a lovely train!
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Also, apparently there is a mod group working on recreating all of Half-Life with HL2's graphics and the Source engine. Looks pretty sweet and I was asked to put the link in the OP.
Posts
PSN ID : Xander51 Steam ID : Xander51
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It also happens to be slower than molasses on a cold winter morning..
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They really shouldn't move materials around so close to the rails. Something bad could happen. I should call OSHA.
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Why do they have a missile here? That can't be good.
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Underground. Well, at least it's easier for them to keep that comfortable 68 degrees underground than on the surface where it's 105 degrees.
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Oh, maybe I'm not really underground. Here's a nice little open area with a helicopter to boot!
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Big doors are a bad thing. They become obstacles in case something goes wrong. But seriously, what could go wrong? I'm at a high-tech research facility!
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So apparently my name is Gordon Freeman, and I actually am a rocket scientist! Well, not a rocket scientist. Some type of molecular/alternative/other type scientist. I dunno, I didn't write it down, but I have a PhD from MIT! So if I'm so smart, why in the world did they test my physical ability to jump and crouch for training?
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Oh, so that's what I do. Anomolous materials. Whatever those are.
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I don't know why I snapped this shot. Robots are cool though.
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This part is better if you're actually watching it, because they tell you to report to the medical unit if you are exposed to radiation or other hazardous materials. Then they have the tram take you right over a large pool of bubbling green stuff. This place really isn't safe at all. I guess that's why they have all the robots. They should still put a guard rail around it or something.
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FINALLY! The end of the tram!
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So apparently I had some messages, and I'm needed in the test center, but the computers went down a few minutes ago. Computers are going to be the end of us all. You just wait. Our reliance on them will destroy us when they decide to crash. Back in my day, we didn't have any fancy, smancy computers! I had to walk uphill both ways knee-deep in snow to .... sorry, got a little carried away there. Apparently the security department is also the IT department. After today I'm working on my resume.
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Look closely and you can see the beautiful picture of my little baby. Baby?! The tram said nothing of me being married or a father!
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Guess what? It only comes in orange. I never found a suggestion box.
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Despite being a lead scientist doing whatever it is that I do, I can't be entrusted with access rights to my own lab. Mister single-digit IQ security personnel have to let me in.
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G&T, I'd like you to meet my colleagues. Scientists, this is G&T. Apparently you guys were able to get some new "Anomolous" materials for me to play with. Excellent.
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As you can see here we are working on creating electricity. Yesterday Johnson had the bright idea of going outside with a kite and a key tied to it in a lightning storm. We all laughed at him because that's just ridiculous. Everyone knows you create stuff in test tubes.
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Seriously, can we get an IT department around here? Now computers are starting to blow up! I swear, as soon as I get home today I'm sending out my resume.
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I skipped on previously, but this is now the SECOND elevator I've taken down. How deep do we have to go? Any deeper and I think we'll find a Balrog. That would not be pretty.
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More scientists. These idiots work the test chamber from in here. I on the other hand...
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Like to be up close and personal with any dangerous operation we are planning on performing today. Shouldn't I stand behind some safety glass or something? Perhaps a helmet to protect my face? No? Well, ok, if you say so.
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This is what a test center looks like at 105%. I could really go for some blast panels or safety glass right about now.
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You want me to push this where?!
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I warned you! I warned you! But no! It's just a bunny! (or laser)
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Toto.. I don't think we're in Black Mesa anymore..
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There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home... AHHHHHHH!!!
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Perhaps, but who could have seen that coming?!
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Well, sir, it's broke. At least none of those weird alien creatures showed up with me here. That was a close one wasn't it guys? Guys? GUYS?!
Tune in next time for the next chapter of: Scientist gone survivalist!
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He's dead Jim... Now hand over the med-pack because I'm sure we'll (I'll) need it later.
The farthest I've ever gotten before being distracted by another game is:
But I know that will never happen.
Not that much. A few jumping puzzles and a bossbattle with a huge testicle, and ultimately the giant baby with the exposed brain
Some whimps will complain about 5 minutes of jumping puzzles. CRY SOME MORE!
http://www.blackmesasource.com/
I know the news thing on the frontpage is old, but apparently it's actually still being worked on.
No release date as of yet, however.
HL:Source.
I haven't actually played it though
Freaky.
What that game really needed was the high def pack.
It could have looked so good, with a little more effort.
Considering Valve's idea of an HL1 remake was HL:S, I think I'll disagree on that point.
well Valve may be more likely to get it finished, since they have money and could afford to do it full time, but i think the job these guys are doing, from what i've seen, looks pretty damned good.
From what I understand, Valve did Half-Life:Source primarily to get an idea of how difficult it would be for mod developers to modernize their work to the Source engine, which would explain it somewhat.
Don't forget the fancy water effects...which don't really come up that often.
I beat HL Source this summer and I became so bored of the game later on that I had to manipulate gravity in the developer's console to continue playing. It didn't age well for me, but apparently no one else has a problem with it.
It was so bad for me, in fact, I had to install the updated graphics patch created by the community. It updated the textures and models, and most importantly.. the weapons! The MP5/203 was replaced with an M16/203, for example. It was just a ton more fun to play.
and look weird next to shitty low res textures
care to share a link? I seem to find the the game bland as it is. I'm just so spoilt.
I'm playing through HL2 on the 360 right now and really enjoying it. The vehicle sections especially handle really well with a pad.
PSN ID : Xander51 Steam ID : Xander51
I've always liked the vehicle sections in the PC version. The awesome airboat section, the drive on the beach in the buggy, and in the car thing in Ep. 2.
The PS2 port is incredible. It has weapons and models of higher quality than the HD Pack, controls well with the Dual Shock (which will probably be the only real barrier if you're primarily a PC gamer), and has a fun co-op sidestory as well. You can play the co-op story (Decay) split screen with someone, or you can play it by yourself, switching back and forth between the two female scientists (who took the suits next to yours, which are a lovely shade of red and grey).
I need to get some of the HL games sometime soon. I've played through the main game, and I played through Blue Shift (but BS it was on the DC so it would crash a lot), but I haven't played Opposing Force and I get a hankering for some classic HL every so often. My "Killer Gaming Rig" (Pentium 3 500MHz, 384MB RAM, 16MB ATi RageII) is more than sufficient.
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