Blast Pit improvement suggestion...

Black Mesa Archive The Cafeteria
#1

And it’s simply this: Make the “Blast Pit 3” soundtrack sync up better with firing the rocket engine to burn the tentacle, which is how I imagined it would be when I first heard it before the mod was released.

It’s currently set to play as you enter the silo a third time, which can be hit and miss if it was meant to sync with the rocket engine depending on the player. Here’s a naff video I made to demonstrate how it would be compared to how it is. Also the burning animation may have to be slowed by half, which I emulated in the vid (tentacle roar sounds optional). It’s a minor mod that may improve this bit of the game a fair bit IMO. Maybe the BMS dev team can do something similar to how they synced the music at the end Surface Tension when being chased by the Gargantua?

#2

This totally makes sense, It works way better as victory music for defeating the tentacle. If there was no music when you came back to the interior silo it would still be very tense. And having the same track play when you finally burn the damn beast would work so much better into the moment.

#3

I still feel like the song itself doesn’t fit that part. It’s so like yay! you beat this boss! Feel great about yourself! And all that jazz. I feel like it’s too early in the game.

The Power Up song after you defeat the Garg just fits so much better, because it’s like “oh you defeated this guy? We’ll just to let you know, your still in this shithole and things aren’t even as bad as they can get yet”

#4

sorry but why add it when you burn the tentacle? that music is great because you’re just rushing to the fire button with badass music and when you do reach button and kill it the music slows down and you’re like “finally…it’s gone”. atleast that’s how that happened to me.

#5

Yeah, same here. It’s fine as it is in my opinion. If you get the timing right, it’s amazing. Don’t really like the version Darkhoodness posted.

#6

I completely agree with Darkhoodness’ suggestion. Getting back to the control room should be tense, and having that epic guitar playing while you’re trying to sneak past the tentacles just doesn’t fit. I think the way he synced it in his video works perfectly.

#7

For me, the music doesn’t fit right, I went through it twice and both times it ended before I even got back to the control room because I was so slow in getting passed the thing.

#8

I died after the music. There is no victory until you kill the tentacle, specially with its actual AI that is so hard to distract.
So it’s a good suggestion.

#9

i dunno, when i heard the epic guitar i immediately stopped crawling around and just started rushing, and i got to the fire button without a scratch, i thought it was just luck but i’ve played it again and got barely hit.maybe it’s just me… Have you tried rushing to the button too?

#10

I got to the fire button on my first attempt by running like crazy, but I initially fell down the hole in the catwalk outside the tentacle silo and that completely killed the moment. Maybe the music should start playing just after you jump over that hole? That would also give a bit more time to have the music playing while you’re in the control room.

#11

Perfect. It creates a stronger climax for the moment. I support it.

#12

I was surprised that it wasn’t that way in the actual mod, but I still love the way it is now.

#13

I actually loved it when the piano kicked just before my ascent to the control room, then the guitar came in a few moments later. Then back to piano. The musical moment as a whole really is great.

The piano really nails the mood of Blast Pit. And the intense guitar makes you feel like “yeahh you’re about to get this!” It’s really wonderful stuff.

#14

The tentacle should be more vocal :frowning:
At the end, there weren’t any death moans, and there weren’t any sounds when one of them smashed into the test fire room either, if I remember correctly.

#15

They should make more noise I think, in HL1 they sound much louder when they smash on the platforms, at least in my memory…

#16

I agree. Is not that the song itself is bad, it fits (makes sense) but at the same time it does not fit because it gives the player the wrong emotions about the scene (my opinion).

#17

I’m a big fan of syncing music to on-screen actions. I’d actually suggest keying it off pressing the button and simply delaying the engine ignition longer. I mean, it’s a rocket engine ignition. Even if it’s automated, you’d think it’d take a while, and having the guitar tune would keep it from getting boring.

But the video was awesome. I wish it were timed this well for me.

Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.