crate system

Black Mesa Archive The Cafeteria
#1

I have noticed that only a very few have any contents inside.
For example, there’s a room with about 10 crates (dunno the chapter now) with all empty, it appears like they were placed there just for people to smash them, so it doesn’t take 2-3 hours to complete the mod for the first time, simply playthrough prolongers.

Wouldn’t it be possible to code random “loot” inside and make the crates randomly generative? For an example, once this crate on the left is empty and on my right has shotgun shells, the second time I come they are reversed (right empty) and it’s a grenade instead.

Opinions/ideas?
:freeman:

#2

That would make things interesting, to be sure. But it might screw around with the intended level balance.

#3

In HL1, tarp crates always had loot in them while others only occasionally had loot in them. I don’t see why the devs changed that. Although there is a lot more loot not in crates now through out the levels.

#4

IIRC, some of them didn’t actually have loot. For example, some before the agrunt sentry. Or not.

#5

Thanks for answer, thought it to be a good idea that could add some replay-value and variety. Would it be possible for the community to mod it ourselves such way without having access to ur code?

#6

I think your referring to something different than the OP. he was talking about weapon/ammo pickups, not the random useless stuff that comes out of ‘empty’ crates.

#7

No, OP asked first why there is so many empty crates.

#8

The only place I would like to see more crates with stuff in them would be residue processing I ended up running out of ammo and not being able to get by the trip mines on the conveyor belts because i had to shoot them. But other then that i dont really mind as long as there is a lot of stuff lying around which is more realistic.

#9

One thing in HL I just noticed while replaying today is that a large number of crates take a single hit to pop open. I thought it odd during my BM play that breaking the crates seemed like such a chore with little reward. In HL the goodies were increased and while not all crates destroyed with a single crowbar hit, a large portion of them did. I haven’t really noticed a consistent reason as to why some are so weak compared to others though.

#10

Of course I meant useful stuff like medkits, ammo etc.
Not thousands of junk :smiley: A lil misunderstanding here (maybe)

#11

Yeah I felt the crates seemed very empty as well. I think I only got ammo from them one time otherwise it was the occasional suit power, but even that was very rare. Playing through half-life the crates were pretty much the main place you got ammo. In this mod the ammo is often sitting somewhere and you end up missing it a lot or not realizing when you get ammo for a weapon.

#12

My brother didn’t even bother with the crates anymore once he found out that the goods inside them are a rarity.

#13

I can’t leave a level unless a crack open every crate. I’ve come to the realization that after two playthroughs it’s not beneficial to do so since there is so little reward for the effort.

I realize that crates serve other purposes:

  1. Line of sight obstacle (enemies, doors, health-charger units).
  2. Provide cover from enemy attacks.
  3. Assist in reaching overhead areas.
  4. Can be used as a weapon when thrown at enemies.

However, I think the most important use for them should be to provide some type of loot, as a reward to those that take the time to fully search a level to take advantage of and extract every benefit that it has to offer.

#14

On the topic of crates, they are also far too light, a crowbar hit can push the big tarp ones and even knock them over like they’re empty cardboard boxes.

#15

Despite their usual emptiness in BM, I always break the tarp crates so I can watch the tarp flutter down afterward. It’s a purdy effect. :smiley:

#16

/thread

As I understand this, the maps are so packed with entities that making the empty boxes spawn items will lag or crash the game.

#17

So maybe reduce the number of crates and even some of the useless generic barrels on a level and have the remaining crates have a higher probability of spawning items. Not all, but more instances than there are now.

I know, easier said than done.

#18

Oddly enough I seem to remember that my crate-smashing adventures in Half-Life didn’t yield a lot of goodies.

Maybe I just remember wrong?

#19

I started playing HL1 again and I have realized just how long it took to smash open crates. The larger sized crates take at least 8 hits.

#20

I noticed that too. They are far too light. Maybe there are other physics issues (carry, push, throw) that requires them to be so light. Maybe.

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.