In my opinion it doesn’t matter if HEV scientists died because of headcrab attack. There are stronger enemies and other hazards that probably killed HEV teams, like Vorts, bullsquids, houndeyes, various plants and other enviroment hazards. Headcrabs just took over an already dead body and got lot of time to break through helmet.
There is no proof Headcrabs have an ability to “revive” and control the corpse. It’s not an “Aliens” mechanics. They attack and tend to control only a live body.
I don’t see why they couldn’t; they kill the player and scientists easily enough before the zombification process starts.
“What this basically means, is that you and I have very different visions about what Black Mesa should be, and your idea isn’t the one that we are making. And that’s okay - but you’re arguing a point which comes from that place that we simply can’t agree with.” I really disagree with this and it probably says that you didn’t even get where my vision about Black Mesa is. My vision lies exactly there, where it is now in the released state, so your “very different vision” statement is invalid. I appreciate the game development how it is and I was always stunned how correct it is to my liking, I would do it the same, if I could!
“Sticking closely to the original is already WAY out of the window at this point. Sticking closely to the original was basically never the point of this project; it’s our own spin on the original. There’s no point simply remaking the original.” I disagree again, because it actually is sticking to original, it was point of the project and remaking the original has a point as it is a todays trend to remake original games. What is not that sticking to original is maybe Project Lambda and even this can’t be considered as “FAR AWAY” from it. Many things which in default setting doesn’t correspond to original have it’s ticks in Options menu which could make the gameplay more similar to HL1. Those are for instance: Always Run, Iron sights, View roll, etc. Even the newer shotgun model was changed so it corresponds more to HL1 model!!! (although I like here more the first SPAS model, but I have it replaced back via Workshop, problem solved!) How could you say it’s WAY out from original I don’t know. Xen might be different, but it is great it’s different in this part, because it matches todays players graphical demands, and it is the exact part where you can express your lvl dsgn art and creativity, sticking here with the original cave-like design may just wouldn’t be enough.
And to rest of your post… doubts or no doubts…look…
There will be always 100 reasons from you that will defend your HEV zombie idea, and there will be 100 reasons from me or the others offending the idea. And exactly because of this, I find it QUESTIONABLE. And because it’s questionable, please, make it optional as the other features. You already have a Black Mesa bookmark in the options. Scripting it optional and put Grunt or other NPC’s instead shouldn’t be that hard I believe. You will make me, and I believe lot of other people happy. You guys made a lot of work and cared about many details, and this is a last detail that should be dealed to create an outstanding remake.
There are. That’s why they are called zombies. Headcrabs control everything what’s left in corpse, for example zombies with missing lower half of body including entrails. Or if you look at “fast zombie” there is almost nothing left.
Actually there is proof that the headcrabs need live hosts. And in half life 2 it is hinted that the hosts are not killed they are alive, even in the fast zombies case those are not howls of agression that is pain the hosts brains still alive it is needed to control the nervous system.
The only one that is truly a zombie is the zombine which didn’t have a brain to start with but instead robotics.
Agreed, but that opens another question. When are humans still alive? If a body is not functional anymore but brain is still working? Or if brain is dead, but body is still functional?
I think that headcrab can adapt to both scenarios. If the brain is still intact, it could provide some basic memories, reflexes or habits.
At least with the zombine the host is completely alive, you can hear the zombine calling warnings over the radio that they are infected. And the grenade pull is suspected to be a suicide move. It is belived that this is because the brains of the combine are replaced with robotic parts in a safer location then the head as the head is a weak point.
As for standard zombies it is a toss up I would say some might be still alive living a horror as this creature mutates their body and eats other people using it, while most are more or less killed by the crab. Though The way the games play the zombies especially in two it leans more on the. Living hell as a parasite controls your body side. But it is left vague so we can infer what we want. I don’t think there has been a word of god or cannon explanation.
And we are not going to be getting any new valve lore from half life until HL VR, which seems like it is just showing the creamators are canon.
One thing I love about everyone who disagrees with an idea, is that it never fails that they request, “Make it optional, it’s not that hard.”
One thing I love about some developers is they are inaccessible in arguments and must be always right, no matter to actual sense or better solution. Your signature says it all, Chris.
And I didn’t say it’s not that hard, I only said it shouldn’t be hard. Or is it really that hard and not worth it after the reasons I have stated?
Actually out of this play, I am curious how long it could take…is it really not that simple? I maybe can understand if it is a hardwork that takes 10+ hours.
What exactly are you envisioning? A setting in the options menu reading “HEV Zombies On/Off”? Why not include every NPC type while you’re at it, so players can really customize their experience?
Do you understand how ridiculous it would get if developers took time to make every little thing that was at all controversial an optional part of the game? For instance, I prefer the look and sounds of vortigaunts from the original HL… maybe they should make that an option too? Oh wait, there’s a mod for that. Maybe that’s what mods are for…
This indicates to me that you don’t have much understanding of professional game development. I guarantee it would take more work and time than you think.
If you really don’t like the addition of the HEV zombie, I suggest you mod the game when it gets released. It’s really the easier route. I personally like the idea, and, if at first glance it doesn’t seem to make sense, I try to find a way for it to make sense, just as others have suggested. I suggest you do the same. Many things in this game don’t make sense, because it is just that, a game. Try to view this new addition as an opportunity instead of being offended by it. You know what? When Black Mesa first came out, I got pretty disappointed because I was expecting many things to be just like Half-Life and they turned out to be really different; but over the years I learned to like it, and now I love it.