Half-Life and Portal series, general discussion (v6) - Games

[QUOTE=WhyNott;48732730]they haven't made a HL game in so long they forgot how to draw the black mesa logo[/QUOTE] They haven't make a HL game in so long they removed the EP2 intro just to isolate anyone who might be thinking of getting into the series.

[QUOTE=Marlamin;48732718]Asked a dev friend of mine with access to the Vive/Demo. It apparently says "HEV MODULE". It probably is supposed to be the Black Mesa logo in some way.[/QUOTE] Unfortunately there isn't a clear view of what the text on it says to check. Black Mesa only has one logo that we've seen though, which doesn't look like that does. It would be odd for them to have another logo not seen anywhere else, where the only differences are that it's upside down and for some reason has a larger filled in space.

we can know for sure once the portal demo is released (if it ever will be) because we'll be able see the game files, including that black mesa logo texture.

I think it's the Black Mesa logo, it's got the color and general outline. Knowing Valve it's a texture someone slapped together in five minutes, hence any inaccuracies there might be.

[QUOTE=Chrille;48734117]I think it's the Black Mesa logo, it's got the color and general outline. Knowing Valve it's a texture someone slapped together in five minutes, hence any inaccuracies there might be.[/QUOTE] They're too scared to make an accurate Black Mesa logo, lest people think they worked on something related to Half-Life.

[quote=HLDS Mailing List]An update to Half-Life Deathmatch: Source has been released. The major changes are below. - John --------- - Synced the latest fixes and updates from the Orangebox engine and shared game code - Fixed several security issues[/quote] Valve fixed the exploit in HLDMS... So, I booted the game up to see if a recompile of the code would magically fix a lot of the major bugs added in with the 2013 Steampipe update.. What I was greeted with was the opposite, it broke the game MORE! Pickups no longer work and you can't harm other players... [URL]http://puu.sh/kjMPa/2009d36eaf.png[/URL] I've been playing since '08, and from that year all of the way to 2013, I was hoping Valve would patch the game and make it more stable and playable. Then in 2013, they made an update project to all Source games with integrating Steampipe. I was thrilled, I could finally report the bugs that have been haunting HLDMS and HL1S since day one. But, instead I got a update project ran by some dude who seemed to not know what he was doing... (Seriously, fully unlocked chapter select is a design choice?!?! I call bullshit.) Then, towards the end of 2013 or beginning of 2014, Valve silently axes off that project, leaving this game to fully rot. Rest in Peace HLDMS and HL1S, no one at Valve gave enough of a shit to properly fix you.

[QUOTE=Theuaredead;48735969](Seriously, fully unlocked chapter select is a design choice?!?! I call bullshit.)[/QUOTE]What exactly is the problem with that?

[QUOTE=DONOTWANT;48736117]What exactly is the problem with that?[/QUOTE] I mean, there's only one problem with that. People playing Half-Life for the first time and opting to play Half-Life Source instead will get backgrounds of late-game stuff like Xen, Blast Pit tentacles, ST dam, etc, since once the game is 'completed' (all chapters unlocked) it just randomly selects a background instead of a background based on what level you're currently on.

[QUOTE=nightlord;48733844]Unfortunately there isn't a clear view of what the text on it says to check. Black Mesa only has one logo that we've seen though, which doesn't look like that does. It would be odd for them to have another logo not seen anywhere else, where the only differences are that it's upside down and for some reason has a larger filled in space.[/QUOTE] I'll ask for a screenshot, but no guarantees. [QUOTE=Trixil;48733922]we can know for sure once the portal demo is released (if it ever will be) because we'll be able see the game files, including that black mesa logo texture.[/QUOTE] Chet said it would be released together with the Vive.

At least now we know what Adam Foster has been working on: [url]http://steamcommunity.com/games/250820/announcements/detail/117448248511524033[/url]

[QUOTE=jazzpunk;48736864]At least now we know what Adam Foster has been working on: [url]http://steamcommunity.com/games/250820/announcements/detail/117448248511524033[/url][/QUOTE] Imagine being in the VR demo room, and when you put on the headset you are still in that demo room but with a P-body. Crazy stuff! Can't wait until this stuff is released in a few months.

[QUOTE=Marlamin;48736929]Imagine being in the VR demo room, and when you put on the headset you are still in that demo room but with a P-body. Crazy stuff! Can't wait until this stuff is released in a few months.[/QUOTE] Now I want a demo that takes you through a tour of valve hq

[QUOTE=TheTrainRider;48733229]They haven't make a HL game in so long they removed the EP2 intro just to isolate anyone who might be thinking of getting into the series.[/QUOTE] Why would somebody get into the series from game 2: episode 2?

For fun, I loaded some of HL1's maps in Team Fortress Classic. It...sorta works. The maps load fine, but there aren't any monsters nor NPCs. What's strange is that every ammo entity except Grenade pickups are gone. You'll occasionally be able to pick them up, but nothing happens when you do so. However, brush-based enemies, like the vehicles in Surface Tension, do work. The ones that fire cannon rounds, like the turret past the dam, snipers, and the M1A1 Abrams, are just like they are in HL1. The Bradley can fire, but no rockets come out of it (likely because the HL1 rocket entity is missing). And yes, you can destroy the M1A1 Abrams with weapons like the Tranquilizer Gun or Super Nailgun. You can also try to give vehicles AIDS with the Medic's Medkit, but nothing happens. Just don't die. The game gets a bit screwy, like Medkits endlessly respawning as soon as you pick one up, some class exclusive weapons like the Minigun vanishing, and your reserve ammo disappearing for some reason. There's not a lot you can do in HL1 maps while playing them in TFC, but it is amusing to completely wreck vehicles with wimpy-looking weapons like the Spy's Knife, the Tranq, and the Railgun.

[QUOTE=Chrille;48734117]I think it's the Black Mesa logo, it's got the color and general outline. Knowing Valve it's a texture someone slapped together in five minutes, hence any inaccuracies there might be.[/QUOTE] Considering the amount of detail that's gone into the rest of the demo and especially ATLAS, it being wrong because it was rushed doesn't seem too likely. It's not like it's a complicated logo, it seems like it would be harder to get it completely wrong like that than it would be to do it right. It's upside down and the interior part is definitely not right so the general shape is only vaguely the same, those are more important things to consider than the colour considering we've seen several different colours of it depending on the location. As far as i know orange isn't something we've seen as a background colour for their logo, either (although the HEV suit is orange which would fit in with what the text supposedly says, but the suit has the lambda logo on it) It is not the Black Mesa logo, at least not the one we know from HL1. It's not just slightly inaccurate, it only barely resembles it. If anything it's likely just an Easter egg if it does say HEV module. That would explain why it's wrong, it's not meant to actually be their logo and imply it's theirs, it's just a reference to remind players of them.

[QUOTE=nightlord;48737308]Considering the amount of detail that's gone into the rest of the demo and especially ATLAS, it being wrong because it was rushed doesn't seem too likely. It's not like it's a complicated logo, it seems like it would be harder to get it completely wrong like that than it would be to do it right. It's upside down and the interior part is definitely not right so the general shape is only vaguely the same, those are more important things to consider than the colour considering we've seen several different colours of it depending on the location. It is not the Black Mesa logo, at least not the one we know from HL1. It's not just slightly inaccurate, it only barely resembles it.[/QUOTE] But seeing it says HEV MODULE it probably still is Black Mesa related. Maybe it's a simplified version of the logo or just some artistic freedom being applied. I wouldn't attach to much logic to it since it's just a (literally) tiny part of a demo. There's Saxton Hale/Dota 2 comics spread around as well. It's not to be taken too seriously. EDIT: Saw the addition to your post, it probably is indeed meant as only an easter egg and nothing more.

So on a more technical side note, I got into the mood to try out some older mods for HL2, and theres one mod done on the ep1 version and I'm getting an error about startup_loading.vtf not being found, anyone have a fix for it? extracting the texture doesn't help, and the guides I found were just for HL2 and EP2 related mods.

[QUOTE=Exploders;48737713]So on a more technical side note, I got into the mood to try out some older mods for HL2, and theres one mod done on the ep1 version and I'm getting an error about startup_loading.vtf not being found, anyone have a fix for it? extracting the texture doesn't help, and the guides I found were just for HL2 and EP2 related mods.[/QUOTE] Ep1 mods with custom binaries are to be fixed the same way as HL2 mods but since Source SDK Base 2006 doesn't include Ep1 you'll have to extract the content from vpks.

Found this small text from the Aperture demo. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/WiCI6My.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE=PelPix123;48738410]P1 PC devtest maps mostly identical to android port [video=youtube;uBTNB-BKHX0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBTNB-BKHX0[/video] [editline]22nd September 2015[/editline] I like that this version has anamorphic bloom. Not sure why they got rid of it. [editline]22nd September 2015[/editline] I don't understand why they felt the need to change the aesthetic. Look how good this looks! [IMG]http://www.pelpix.info/lvl7_x060090.jpg[/IMG] :drool:[/QUOTE] It's honestly just a case of "the grass is greener." The portals look too bright and too busy, and the pink on the portal gun is out of place.

-snip-

I do like the glowing portals quite a bit but the rest of it looks kinda gross IMO

[QUOTE=Kaleidescoop;48736482]I mean, there's only one problem with that. People playing Half-Life for the first time and opting to play Half-Life Source instead will get backgrounds of late-game stuff like Xen, Blast Pit tentacles, ST dam, etc, since once the game is 'completed' (all chapters unlocked) it just randomly selects a background instead of a background based on what level you're currently on.[/QUOTE]Oh, that makes sense. I see no problem with having all the game chapters unlocked from the start in general, but the background maps are another thing. The best solution I can think of would be to base the background map on the save file data.

Visibility through portals looks shit and they ruined Aperture's "soft glow" aesthetic with giant floodlight signs.

[QUOTE=AtomicSans;48742124]Visibility through portals looks shit and they ruined Aperture's "soft glow" aesthetic with giant floodlight signs.[/QUOTE] I occasionally appreciate the darker environment, overall. Might be because I prefered the dark humor vibe of Portal 1 over the comparatively wacky humor of Portal 2.

[QUOTE=LegndNikko;48743624]I occasionally appreciate the darker environment, overall. Might be because I prefered the dark humor vibe of Portal 1 over the comparatively wacky humor of Portal 2.[/QUOTE]I mean, Portal 2 was arguably thematically darker than Portal 1, but the humor in 2 definitely had more of a "random quirky" feel to it. Not to say I don't love both, but they're very different.

Half-Life Deathmatch: Source got an update. Most of the things are fixed now.

[QUOTE=Consulcast;48743834]Half-Life Deathmatch: Source got an update. Most of the things are fixed now.[/QUOTE] But what it was fixed? The bugs done on this patch, or more?

[QUOTE=Maestro Fenix;48744384]But what it was fixed? The bugs done on this patch, or more?[/QUOTE] Just the bugs they added in when fixing the exploit, game is still broken to shit

Considering that I payed for it, I expect it to work.