Continuous Half-Life experience

Black Mesa Archive The Cafeteria
#1

I’d very much like to see a patch for Black Mesa, Half-Life 2, and the episodes, that creates a continuous experience between BM and the sequels.

The changes would mostly be effects and features of BM copied over to HL2, but also a couple of tweaks to BM to make it more like HL2.

I’d also like it to be based on the unofficial HL2 Update, that basically fixes the port to the OB engine. Probably best to wait for version 3, which apparently will be coming out sometime this year.

These kinds of changes are what I have in mind:
Black Mesa:

-Adjust the vertical jump speed and movement speeds to be the same as in HL2
-Adjust magnum, vortigaunt, zombie stats etc. to reflect HL2
-…

Half-Life 2/eps:

-Use the BM test chamber in the opening sequence
-Replace models: Icthyosaur, SLAM in HL2DM with gluon gun, and tau cannon (buggy)
-Replace sounds: hit sounds, jumping and landing on surfaces, footsteps, …
-Implement new features from BM: deathcam, Face Creation System, gib system
-Implement new graphical effects from BM: Chromatic Abberation on hit, noise near radioactivity, drowning effects, blood/goo sticking on viewmodel
-Gameplay mechanics: make it possible to harm friendly NPCs, and implement the same behaviour when harming them as in BM; NPC Dynamic Interaction System from Ep1; pick-up and throw as in BM; lower weapon while sprinting; view bob/roll; make it possible to pick up small ragdolls, such as the headcrab

NOTE: I’m not taking feasibility in account with this list. I’ll need some feedback on that :stuck_out_tongue:

That’s about all I can think of off the top of my head, but I’ll add more if I think of something.
I’ll also edit the list to reflect outcomes of discussions in this thread, if any.

Most of those are simple asset replacements and config edits, but the last one may not be possible, since we don’t have access to the code, as far as I know.

This patch should not contain any assets, it should just copy them from the user’s installations of the various games, insofar as they are available.

I may have a crack at it myself once the unofficial HL2 update v3 is released.

Any thoughts? :slight_smile:

#2

bump

#3

I think having a BM-style gibbing system in HL2 would make it much more enjoyable to play, though other then that I probably wouldn’t notice many of those changes.

I think additions to the arsenal would work for this, like adding the Tau cannon and the Gluon into HL2, and tripmines, satchels and the alien weapons as well. I was always disappointed by HL2’s arsenal coming from HL1 - though adding HL1 weapons into HL2 may be hard to balance, especially the gluon and tau.

#4

The purpose of this patch is not to change the games themselves, but to make the overlapping elements match and bring over new features and effects from BM.

Fundamentally changing the games by adding weapons kind of destroys the uniqueness of the games.

Although the Gluon gun is used on the buggy in HL2, so that could potentially be replaced. As far as I remember, there are no other weapons that are exactly the same, right?

#5

True, but what about adding SLAMs from HL2 DM at least, since that’s exclusive to HL2, just it’s not in SP?

Also do you mean just the noise effect on your screen from radiation, or the actual glowing effect from BM into HL2?

#6

You mean replacing the SLAM from HL2DM (I searched for images) with the Tau cannon from BM? Yeah, seems like a good idea.

Yes, I mean the noise effect. I’ll update the OP with features that are listed on the wiki.

#7

The in-game dialog refers specifically to “the one Dad rigged with the Tau cannon” for the buggy the map before the start of Highway 17. So yeah, not the Gluon gun.

#8

Oh, you’re right, I was mixing the names up.

#9

I was always interested in seeing a darker look for HL2, I never thought Half-Life 1 carried over to 2 all that well so this intrigues me. Good Luck

#10

Is this possible without changing the map file?

#11

I don’t believe so, but I hope replacing that one map file isn’t too big of a deal.
I also don’t really know how to replace assets in HL2, so I’ll have to figure that out if I actually want to do this myself.

I think I have all the necessary skill.cfg adjustments rounded up though:
//JUMP
bms_normal_jump_vertical_speed “190” //default 160
bms_normal_jump_crouch_vertical_speed “190” //default 160
bms_double_jump_vertical_speed “210” //default 180
bms_airboost_jump_vertical_speed “100” //default 70
bms_long_jump_vertical_speed “180” //default 150

//WEAPONS
sk_plr_dmg_357 “40” //default 50
sk_npc_dmg_357 “30” //default 15
sk_max_357 “12” //default 18

//ENEMIES
sk_npc_head “3” //default 2

sk_zombie_scientist_health				"50" //default 40
sk_zombie_security_health				"60" //default 50
sk_zombie_dmg_one_slash					"10" //default 15
sk_zombie_dmg_both_slash				"25" //default 30

sk_alien_slave_health					"100" //Default 38
sk_alien_slave_dmg_zap					"50" //default 10

sk_ichthyosaur_health				"200" //default 100
sk_ichthyosaur_melee_dmg			"8" //Default 15

And just these for HL2/eps:
sk_npc_arm “0.8” //default 1
sk_npc_leg “0.8” //default 1

Yeah, BM is the perfect opportunity to make the transition as seamless as possible.

Edit: it seems Vortigaunts have new textures, and the crowbar new animations. I hope these can be carried over into HL2.

#12

HL1 wasn’t dark at all

#13

I Dislike the course of the discussion.
Although i love the idea of a non-stop half life 1, 2 , 2:1 , 2:2 game.
But in my opinion the best would be just creating a way to play all the games within one single mod with non-stop action. (The end of one game would be already the begining of the other game, probably with no credits).
Then, there could be also an improved version of half life 2 with the features from black mesa like the Face Creation System,Chromatic Abberation on hit, noise near radioactivity, drowning effects. But no added weaponry or anything that changes the gameplay. (Maybe, but just maybe as just optional stuff like hitting “impulse 101” for gluon gun and etc) (or by selecting on the options menu stuff that would majorly change the gameplay style).

#14

you want vortigaunts to be as powerful as the ones in HL2?

you’re going to get 1shot killed then

#15

I think that can be justified by claiming that the enslaved Vortigaunts are weaker due to cruel living and working conditions.

#16

I just want the games to be the same as they would be separatedly. But with some improvements to the Half Life 2 making it support at least the Face Creation System!!

#17

I agree, that would be awesome. And maybe I’m getting you wrong, but it’s never been my intention to add weapons or anything else.

Well, maybe you’re right, although I definitely think they’re too weak in BM as is. I’m having my doubts about changing the Ichthy stats too, since it doesn’t appear as an actual enemy in any of the HL2 games, and so those stats are meaningless.
Do you agree with the zombie changes though?

#18

Where are you getting the Skills.cfg info from? I couldn’t find that in my installation of any of my Half-Life games.

#19

It’s in the .gcf, but if you google it you can download it somewhere - I did.

#20

Nice idea - I’d been thinking about doing some of this myself for my own use. I’m not an expert, but I have a fairly good idea how feasible some of these are.

Also, I tried changing the Vorts’ damage to be that of Ep2 (25) and buffing up their health somewhat. They don’t one-shot me, but are a lot more challenging, which is fun for me but might be frustrating for some.

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.