Black Mesa Source V5 - "They're still working on Xen?" - Games

Come to think of it, an antlion farm and combine outpost might make interesting levels.

[QUOTE=Xubs;47728097]they've handled the story changes thusfar very gracefully. I think if they did go through with that synth proposal they made on the stream awhile back, it'd basically just be like, 1 or 2 brand new enemies with no real impact on the story itself beyond, officially, being members of the Combine, as well as having Combine symbols on them. I don't think that changes up much, and adds some nice little bits of bonus content to the end of the game, while also being technically accurate to the lore, even if it isn't 1:1 HL1 purist. If they are going to add more to it than just that, I would like to see the changes first, though. I could see maybe adding Combine structures into the background (tower-like things which resemble the Citadel) would be a real neat little visual detail to add. Combine metal looks like it'd fit well with the general visual flow of Xen. I'm sure it won't be an overwhelming amount of changes, though. All we know for-sure is that they want to do more with it than the other chapters. I just think the concept is a nice one and if executed right, could actually legitimately improve Xen, since [I]to be honest[/I] the original Xen is kind of boring. I am completely down for some new enemy encounters or some new visual setpieces to spice it up. Xen really needs it, more than the other chapters do.[/QUOTE] Adding 100% confirmation of the Combine being in the areas of Xen that Gordon visits as well as having brand new Combine enemy types actually changes up a lot. Throwing new stuff in that changes the lore (or at least makes potentially incorrect assumptions about it) definitely qualifies as fanfiction. Sure, we can infer that the Combine probably occupied Xen, but we don't know to what extent.

Perhaps observing a Combine/Xenian fight or some random synth corpses would satisfy. Shows they are present, but how much is left unstated, leaning towards "interlopers". If they add the Combine, I'd prefer a strongly implied message to any direct encounter. I'm honestly hoping to see a BM research camp or two.

[QUOTE=Xubs;47728218]All I want is the confirmation that Xen is not a rescaling in line with the rest of the game. If it is, I would be more disappointed than adding a bunch of changes, because I'm in the camp that Xen is the most boring part of Half-Life 1 and needs something to make it more interesting. They've already said they want to change a lot so they seem to agree with me. I'd rather they try and make it better than play it safe and do nothing at all. I think adding a new enemy would go a long way to making Xen more interesting. I don't think an entire rescripting of Xen and putting it squarely in the halls of Combine buildings would be in order, but maybe like, a new enemy, a new set-piece to match it, and some new maps and areas never before seen in Half-Life 1 would go a long way to making Xen a more worthwhile experience.[/QUOTE] I'm not saying they shouldn't significantly update Xen's design. I just think they should keep the general aesthetic of the original while updating the way the areas play (or adding new ones), rather than adding in completely new things that we don't even know were ever supposed to be there. Basically, I'm hoping they play it relatively safe with lore, but go nuts with the actual design.

[QUOTE=Xubs;47728274]It doesn't actually change the story much at all if you think about it in the context of a player who never knew about any of this stuff, for all they know, that thing right there is just a big headcrab.[/QUOTE] A big headcrab with a built-in minigun, that is. [IMG]http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/half-life/images/1/1f/Crab_Synth_walking.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090818211128&path-prefix=en[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Xubs;47728294]it certainly isn't the weirdest thing Gordon has seen out of stuff that came from other worlds, he's seen a creature that fists an animal that shoots bees for a weapon.[/QUOTE] Anyways, I just noticed that the crab synth looks a lot like an antlion.

[QUOTE=Xubs;47728274]Like I've said before, would you be more receptive to the idea if the enemy in question was not explicitly stated to be Combine synth in-game, and resembled Xen aliens? Think of it this way: these things are never fought in HL2, but they're briefly seen in the Citadel. I think these could [I]easily[/I] fit into the aesthetic of Xen and be an enemy there. Would you be receptive to fighting that thing in Xen if nobody in the game told you it was from the Combine homeworld? As long as nobody specifically mentions the Combine anywhere in-game, I don't think it changes as much as you believe it does. Because [I]according to what Gordon knows,[/I] he still doesn't know of the Combine until HL2. He would've fought them, he just wouldn't've known about them. By extension, neither does the player, [B]if they play Black Mesa before HL2[/B]. It doesn't actually change the story much at all if you think about it in the context of a player who never knew about any of this stuff, for all they know, that thing right there is just a big headcrab.[/QUOTE] If it plays out the way you suggest, when a newcomer finally gets to the end of HL2 and sees those things, they'll probably think "oh, I remember those things from Xen, they're using Xen aliens to make synths" even though the reaction you're supposed to get is "what the fuck is that thing supposed to be". We don't actually know if those things are from Xen or if the Combine are specifically using Xen aliens as synths, that's pure speculation. Putting HL2 stuff into HL1 changes the flow of the story a lot.

They're going to release Xen and noone's gonna like it. Watch.

Doing minor work on that soundpack, one thought crossed my mind (not the first time though). Valve probably used a soundbank in a lot of cases; so maybe the source sounds are still available somewhere. Nothing of the sorts is mentioned in the credits

[QUOTE=Whatsinaname;47728082]I'm kind of iffy about adding too much new stuff to the game. I'm worried that it'll go too far into fan fiction territory and can be easily rendered non-canon by story details we're not aware of yet.[/QUOTE] We're not adding HL2 enemies into the game. We're going to have subtle and cool ways to tie Xen into HL2 (from a DESIGN perspective, not necessarily a story one), but we're not going to ruin the game's canon or anything like that. There won't be combine or synths or anything like that.

[QUOTE=Xubs;47728274]Like I've said before, would you be more receptive to the idea if the enemy in question was not explicitly stated to be Combine synth in-game, and resembled Xen aliens? Think of it this way: [img]http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/half-life/images/7/7e/Crab_Synth1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090116031535&path-prefix=en[/img] these things are never fought in HL2, but they're briefly seen in the Citadel. I think these could [I]easily[/I] fit into the aesthetic of Xen and be an enemy there. Would you be receptive to fighting that thing in Xen if nobody in the game told you it was from the Combine homeworld? As long as nobody specifically mentions the Combine anywhere in-game, I don't think it changes as much as you believe it does. Because [I]according to what Gordon knows,[/I] he still doesn't know of the Combine until HL2. He would've fought them, he just wouldn't've known about them. By extension, neither does the player, if they play Black Mesa before HL2. It doesn't actually change the story much at all if you think about it in the context of a player who never knew about any of this stuff, for all they know, that thing right there is just a big headcrab.[/QUOTE] I don't think that'd fit, purely because it's not completely organic, as is the case with all of the Combine's stuff, they're not just organics.

[QUOTE=TextFAMGUY1;47728708]We're not adding HL2 enemies into the game. We're going to have subtle and cool ways to tie Xen into HL2 (from a DESIGN perspective, not necessarily a story one), but we're not going to ruin the game's canon or anything like that. There won't be combine or synths or anything like that.[/QUOTE] That's honestly kind of a bummer. I would be perfectly fine and pleasantly surprised by something like a Hunter corpse or a broken city scanner sitting in an out-of-the-way easter egg area.

aren't the advisers the only "true" combine which came from combine world?

Already said, but whatever: [url]http://www.moddb.com/mods/black-mesa-insecurity/news/not-dead52[/url] Still waiting for Xen, as he doesn't want to create their own assets. Apparently all the maps except the xen ones are done.

[QUOTE=Maestro Fenix;47729029]Already said, but whatever: [url]http://www.moddb.com/mods/black-mesa-insecurity/news/not-dead52[/url] Still waiting for Xen, as he doesn't want to create their own assets. Apparently all the maps except the xen ones are done.[/QUOTE] Should release it like Black mesa have without xen. [editline]15th May 2015[/editline] Unless blue shift has xen segments mid game i can't remember been ages since i finished it.

[QUOTE] At about what point would BM end and what level would I open in HLsrc to continue[/QUOTE] When you jump through the portal at the end of Lambda Complex Black Mess is everything BUT Xen. So just load the first Xen chapter

[QUOTE=ashrobhoy;47728911]aren't the advisers the only "true" combine which came from combine world?[/QUOTE] There is no one alien that is the combine. Its akin to saying that the President IS the united states.

[QUOTE=ashrobhoy;47728911]aren't the advisers the only "true" combine which came from combine world?[/QUOTE] Laidlaw in his [URL="https://twitter.com/breengrub"]BreenGrub[/URL] twitter account basically told the story of how the Advisors came to be. They were the Shu'ulathoi living in an isolated world. THEY (who run this whole Combine operation) found them and infiltrated them with a thought-virus.

[QUOTE=GHOST!!!!;47728723]I don't think that'd fit, purely because it's not completely organic, as is the case with all of the Combine's stuff, they're not just organics.[/QUOTE] It's not as if Xen was devoid of inorganic materials: [t]http://i.imgur.com/BxFM20S.png?1[/t]

I wouldn't mind some half-life 2 creatures in Xen as long as it's done right, it'd be cool if some cut creatures could make it too, like the Kingpin.

Is something wrong with the multiplayer? Nothing happens when I click play online?

I'd love to see a version where it's Humans vs. Combine vs. Xen Aliens, that'd be an interesting thing, the revolution of the Humans against the Combine but during this the world is invaded by Aliens from Xen. Maybe like some alternate reality where Gordon Freeman couldn't get to Xen to kill the Nihilanth. [editline]15th May 2015[/editline] Well now, this is a bit of an interesting back story that I was not aware of. [quote]Sometime before the events of Half-Life, the Nihilanth's species came into contact with the Combine. What followed was an incredibly long struggle, that eventually ended with the Nihilanth's kind being hunted to near extinction. The Nihilanth itself was the only survivor, and it and its minions managed to escape into the borderworld, Xen, where they barely managed to survive in a new ecosystem.[/quote]

[QUOTE=GHOST!!!!;47729951]I'd love to see a version where it's Humans vs. Combine vs. Xen Aliens, that'd be an interesting thing, the revolution of the Humans against the Combine but during this the world is invaded by Aliens from Xen. Maybe like some alternate reality where Gordon Freeman couldn't get to Xen to kill the Nihilanth. [editline]15th May 2015[/editline] Well now, this is a bit of an interesting back story that I was not aware of.[/QUOTE] That basically already happened though. The world just before and during the Seven Hour War was being completely torn apart by rampaging aliens. And outside of the cities the wastelands are [I]supposed[/I] to still be overrun with xen wildlife, but since HL2 didn't have nearly as much xenian diversity all we ever saw was antlions, headcrabs and the occasional barnacle which didn't really convey it very well imo.

[QUOTE=GHOST!!!!;47729951]I'd love to see a version where it's Humans vs. Combine vs. Xen Aliens, that'd be an interesting thing, the revolution of the Humans against the Combine but during this the world is invaded by Aliens from Xen.[/QUOTE] The Houndeyes and Bullsquids being in the beta/leak of HL2 implied that there was going to be more Xen wildlife on Earth besides just Headcrabs, Vortigaunts and Antlions. It wouldn't be a three-way war obviously, but I imagine that the remnants of Xen's ecosystem that were still on Earth could create a nasty surprise for humanity or the Combine in the right circumstances.

some more stuff [video=youtube;AUXGa4Fgb2Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUXGa4Fgb2Y[/video] I also want to do door and footstep sounds

I make some skins, pretty simple, nd I know that there is much more skilled people here that probably will find my work something amateurish and sloppy, however,I believe are small things that become interesting with a little more detail. [IMG]http://i57.tinypic.com/2v30hl3.jpg[/IMG] I always thought the screen was very simple and low resolution, I decided to redo [IMG]http://i58.tinypic.com/2agsps9.jpg[/IMG] The army symbol, in the old HL1 was present in almost all the trucks, I decided to take a greener and classic tone and add symbol

[QUOTE=Dr.Cola;47679263]Since Black Mesa is on the portal 2 version of the source engine, wouldn't it be possible to change the seriously ugly water texture into a more nicer looking one?[/QUOTE] re-posting this since here's a video to show how bad this water texture is [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viG4iEGkWgc[/media] A standard source texture will be better than this [QUOTE=halfer;47732091]some more stuff [video=youtube;AUXGa4Fgb2Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUXGa4Fgb2Y[/video] I also want to do door and footstep sounds[/QUOTE] A filter to the transit system voice could make it better since it feels too clean and makes it not feel like it's coming from a tram's speaker

[QUOTE=Dr.Cola;47734350]re-posting this since here's a video to show how bad this water texture is [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viG4iEGkWgc[/media] A standard source texture will be better than this [/QUOTE] looks like a low-res 3 frame gif image with bumpmaps slapped on at the last second

[QUOTE=Xubs;47729327]You travel to Xen halfway through the game before going back. I think you also travel back briefly several other times.[/QUOTE] Pretty sure there's a gun in that game whose alt-fire literally takes you to Xen whenever you want.

[QUOTE=Mort Stroodle;47734732]Pretty sure there's a gun in that game whose alt-fire literally takes you to Xen whenever you want.[/QUOTE] That was Opposing Force. Blue Shift doesn't feature any new weapons.