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

[QUOTE=Jackathan;47491616]what's up with this little area above kleiner's lab? it doesn't have any nodraw or anything, and even has a light and is connected to the elevator shaft. [t]http://i.imgur.com/c1lNDXE.jpg[/t] [t]http://i.imgur.com/kDz0cX0.jpg[/t] [t]http://i.imgur.com/CthPbdb.jpg[/t][/QUOTE] Well the elevator door has holes in it, so you can properly see the shaft. I've always assumed it was there just as a small detail

now that i look at it, it could be just a leftover from earlier versions hl2 has a lot of that kind of stuff, map-wise and file-wise

[QUOTE=MissingNoGuy;47491802]now that i look at it, it could be just a leftover from earlier versions hl2 has a lot of that kind of stuff, map-wise and file-wise[/QUOTE] Not just HL2, a lot of games do.

[QUOTE=Spor;47489542]Why would they order them do shoot at HECU specifically? Why not blow up the facility and let both groups get away and leave those who cannot be evacuated?[/QUOTE] The way I look at it, the HECU are probably part of MARSOC (Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command) and the Black Ops are under the CIA-SAD (Special Activities Division, real-life Black Ops). The HECU is a sizeable force stationed near Black Mesa, and some units may be stationed at Black Mesa. With their CBRN Defense and Unconventional Tactics specialisations, they're perfect for responding to any incident Black Mesa may create, anything from chemical spills to escaped test subjects. Despite that, Alien Invasion likely wasn't on their plate and it's possible Black Mesa never even told them about Xen beforehand. When the Black Mesa incident happened, they went in to clean up although instead of evacuating people, they are seen to eliminating them. There are several reasons for why this could have happened, but that's another story. Meanwhile, the CIA sends in SAD to retrieve invaluable documents and technologies and bring them to safety, which explains the Black Ops presence as early as [I]Apprehension[/I]. However as the tide turns against the HECU, their role expands. After the HECU evacuate, they are ordered to end the Alien Assault once-and-for-all, and are tasked with planting and detonating a Nuclear Weapon within Black Mesa. Knowing that any surviving HECU are no longer under control, and could potentially escape with top-secret information or attempt to hinder the SAD's mission, the Black Ops decide to eliminate any they Marines come across.

The HECU's mission was to cover up the Black Mesa incident, after the fail this initially they are ordered to evacuate. Black Ops then goes in to finish the job by retrieving all documents related to the incident and kill everyone inside Black Mesa.

[QUOTE=MissingNoGuy;47490793]i've been thinking about this, and i've been also thinking that hl3 will revolve around time travel to stop hl1 from happening in the first place. the ability of time travel upsets the gman and makes him a villain, as cheesy as that sounds[/QUOTE] While it might have enough cheese for rebels to dream about, I think it's plausible. Gordon's story is full of teleports and portals but almost no time travel. There is only the slow teleport in Half-Life 2. It's not hard to believe the weapon that can beat the Combine and G-Man is time travel. I think the fact Gordon was in stasis for 20 years rather than being sent to the future immediately is significant. It indicates G-Man can't travel in time, but only in space and between dimensions/universes. You can argue that since Gordon is shown visions of the Citadel in the start of HL2 means G-Man does know what the future holds; I believe it only means G-Man is smart enough to understand how things will unfold. It's certain G-Man has limitations on his powers, and time control might be one of them. Why else would he be surprised by the Vortigaunts in Episode 1?

[QUOTE=iqiq123;47492396]While it might have enough cheese for rebels to dream about, I think it's plausible. Gordon's story is full of teleports and portals but almost no time travel. There is only the slow teleport in Half-Life 2. It's not hard to believe the weapon that can beat the Combine and G-Man is time travel. I think the fact Gordon was in stasis for 20 years rather than being sent to the future immediately is significant. It indicates G-Man can't travel in time, but only in space and between dimensions/universes. You can argue that since Gordon is shown visions of the Citadel in the start of HL2 means G-Man does know what the future holds; I believe it only means G-Man is smart enough to understand how things will unfold. It's certain G-Man has limitations on his powers, and time control might be one of them. Why else would he be surprised by the Vortigaunts in Episode 1?[/QUOTE]exactly what i was getting at it's known aperture had a lot of achievements with teleportation that even black mesa couldn't keep up with, and no info was given on the borealis which would label it as classified, or it simply vanished in a time travel mishap but appeared only recently. aperture could have been trying to experiment with time travel before the black mesa incident time travel would also require breaking through the space-time barrier theoretically, this would go hand-in-hand with eli's worry about "uncontrollable power", and why the combine wants it. they could rule anything with a time machine, and they don't want the rebels to have it all just speculation, but it's interesting to think about

I just realized something: if the Black Ops were going to detonate the nuke so close to the Gene Worm, doesn't it mean Shepard's attempt to kill it was completely futile?

I'm actually scared for the life expectancy of a lot of the rebels. At least the ones in the early game around the canal and river areas. Like the woman who gives you the airboat, she's literally just on some wooden platforms inches above waist-deep deposits of irradiated waste and water, and while it's not able to be construed as canon Update did add faint mists and fumes above large bodies of the substances. The zombified station just beforehand also had various waste deposits just flowing through. I get that Gordon's relatively safe so long as he doesn't dive-dip in, but when they're in their civvies and basic rebel outfits, I have to wonder what their long term health would logically be like, unless they only have to worry about [i]direct[/i] exposure to the waste.

[QUOTE=RikohZX;47492502]I'm actually scared for the life expectancy of a lot of the rebels. At least the ones in the early game around the canal and river areas. Like the woman who gives you the airboat, she's literally just on some wooden platforms inches above waist-deep deposits of irradiated waste and water, and while it's not able to be construed as canon Update did add faint mists and fumes above large bodies of the substances. The zombified station just beforehand also had various waste deposits just flowing through. I get that Gordon's relatively safe so long as he doesn't dive-dip in, but when they're in their civvies and basic rebel outfits, I have to wonder what their long term health would logically be like, unless they only have to worry about [i]direct[/i] exposure to the waste.[/QUOTE] Tbh I'm pretty sure just existing on the Earth is bad for your health at this point. The oceans are draining, dozens, if not hundreds, of completely alien species introduced to the environment, including headcrabs which are like the worst parasite ever, toxic waste [I]literally everywhere.[/I] When the rebels win, there isn't gonna be much of Earth left anyways.

[QUOTE=RikohZX;47492502]I'm actually scared for the life expectancy of a lot of the rebels. At least the ones in the early game around the canal and river areas. Like the woman who gives you the airboat, she's literally just on some wooden platforms inches above waist-deep deposits of irradiated waste and water, and while it's not able to be construed as canon Update did add faint mists and fumes above large bodies of the substances. The zombified station just beforehand also had various waste deposits just flowing through. I get that Gordon's relatively safe so long as he doesn't dive-dip in, but when they're in their civvies and basic rebel outfits, I have to wonder what their long term health would logically be like, unless they only have to worry about [I]direct[/I] exposure to the waste.[/QUOTE] Yeah, really short life expectancy, if you go back after taking the airboat she is already dead! (from a fast headcrab, the first one seen in HL2)

Everybody dies if you leave the area and come back

[QUOTE=hogofwar;47492670]Yeah, really short life expectancy, if you go back after taking the airboat she is already dead! (from a fast headcrab, the first one seen in HL2)[/QUOTE] Same with the guy where you fight the manhacks

Can Half Life Update be played with other mods?

[QUOTE=Mooman;47493401]Can Half Life Update be played with other mods?[/QUOTE] You can put skins, sound replacements and such in [url=http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1446236&p=47485979&viewfull=1#post47485979]if you fix your Gameinfo.txt[/url], but as a mod itself, it remains standalone from other mods and doesn't support them (and isn't for the Episodes, either - just Half-Life 2).

[QUOTE=Mio Akiyama;47492847]Same with the guy where you fight the manhacks[/QUOTE] And Lazlo's buddy

I still wonder what the G-Man accepts as "payment". Then I picture him in line at the bank and chuckle.

He accepts cookies. That's what his briefcase is for.

Rare view of Gman's open briefcase: [t]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/32/42/c8/3242c8a8a2e79dfbd2ad432b1ca9e03f.jpg[/t]

[QUOTE=Jackathan;47491616]what's up with this little area above kleiner's lab? it doesn't have any nodraw or anything, and even has a light and is connected to the elevator shaft. [/QUOTE] Reminds me of the tunnel under dm_runoff. There were always rumors about really complicated processes to access it without noclipping. It was very detailed though, fully textured and full of physics objects. Something that didn't make any sense to leave in if you couldn't access it or even see any part of it. [URL]https://youtu.be/yuCNVSRxmpg?t=132[/URL] fucking terrible video showing the inaccessible area.

[QUOTE=Pat.Lithium;47492231]The HECU's mission was to cover up the Black Mesa incident, after the fail this initially they are ordered to evacuate. Black Ops then goes in to finish the job by retrieving all documents related to the incident and kill everyone inside Black Mesa.[/QUOTE] Yeah but what I meant was in Blue Shift it's stated that the contingency plan is for the HECU to swoop in and rescue everyone, likewise that's what all the Scientists and Security are expecting to happen. For unknown reasons, the opposite happens, and personnel are treated as targets. My personal theory is that it was Gman's meddling. By having the Military operate against the BMRF personnel, Gordon is denied an safety among his fellow man and forced to fend for himself.

[QUOTE=laserpanda;47493811]Reminds me of the tunnel under dm_runoff. There were always rumors about really complicated processes to access it without noclipping. It was very detailed though, fully textured and full of physics objects. Something that didn't make any sense to leave in if you couldn't access it or even see any part of it. [URL]https://youtu.be/yuCNVSRxmpg?t=132[/URL] fucking terrible video showing the inaccessible area.[/QUOTE]dm_runoff, as much as i love it, is so horribly unoptimized if you look at it in hammer most of the geometry is not func_detail, it also has some bits from d1_canals_07 but it's still one of my favorites

[QUOTE=laserpanda;47493811]Reminds me of the tunnel under dm_runoff. There were always rumors about really complicated processes to access it without noclipping. It was very detailed though, fully textured and full of physics objects. Something that didn't make any sense to leave in if you couldn't access it or even see any part of it. [URL]https://youtu.be/yuCNVSRxmpg?t=132[/URL] fucking terrible video showing the inaccessible area.[/QUOTE] Runoff was my favourite HL2:DM map and I could have gone my entire life without knowing about that tunnel, nice. Anyway judging from where the tunnels end, it was meant to be a simple shortcut to and from each end of the map, but the mapper decided against it at the last second and sealed them off (or never opened it to begin with). Speaking of weird mapping, Nova Prospekt has 2 depots! [t]http://cloud-4.steamusercontent.com/ugc/595906509747719172/AB160041BDD8AF7E98BB3AACB3AE1879CAD9B055/[/t][t]http://cloud-4.steamusercontent.com/ugc/595906509747722337/72532EAA04D478A59231ACC17D5B654D574839A9/[/t] The tall prison building in both screenshots screenshots is the same one, so you have some sense of perspective.

from what i can remember, nova prospekt if you looked carefully had [i]really[/i] weird building scales with the skyboxes in the interior levels did valve set the skybox scale higher with sky_camera in those levels? i can't remember

[QUOTE=laserpanda;47493811]Reminds me of the tunnel under dm_runoff. There were always rumors about really complicated processes to access it without noclipping. It was very detailed though, fully textured and full of physics objects. Something that didn't make any sense to leave in if you couldn't access it or even see any part of it. [URL]https://youtu.be/yuCNVSRxmpg?t=132[/URL] fucking terrible video showing the inaccessible area.[/QUOTE] i have to assume that this is something that the mapper hit a deadline on

Portal 2: The good ending.

I wonder how late they cut it, that song seems to match the tone at the end of the retail game pretty well

[QUOTE=RenaFox;47495657]I wonder how late they cut it, that song seems to match the tone at the end of the retail game pretty well[/QUOTE] There's a reason. The ending of Portal 2 as we know it was originally an easter egg caused by the player shooting a Portal at the moon. The game would roll the credits and play a sad song, which was probably going to be this. The easter egg was cut because Valve play testers were too dumb to realize that it wasn't actually the end of the game. They brought it back as the actual end when Valve realized the end they had with Chell speaking was dumb.

...Source?

[QUOTE=Tuskin;47496417]...Source?[/QUOTE] Portal 2 developer commentary and The Final Hours of Portal 2. Valve was actually planning to have multiple secret easter egg endings all over the game, each one having its own GLaDOS song. I imagine another reason the idea was scrapped was the amount of work needed to do it.