General Xen Chit-Chat Thread

I could buy using it on the first hostile headcrab in UC if it provided a way to kill the headcrab (which currently the game lacks) but you’ve already got a new crowbar by that point in RP so I don’t see the need.

What does everyone think about Xen stealth? I must be one of the only people who thought Xen was hauntingly effective at the end of the game and I never knew this was an option.
youtube.com/watch?v=izT5i2nFY-w

it was talked about around post #415
General Xen Chit-Chat Thread
I don’t think very many people realized there was a stealth path nor expected one.
The whole rest of the game was run and gun.

I suppose that’s reasonable. It’s not like I even knew about it or was expecting it.
It’s definitely made me appreciate Xen and Half Life a whole lot more… and the fact that more thought was put into Xen than I initially realized.

Just the idea that the Valve’s intentions were to make the world so intimidating that you might think to go stealth really shows what Gabe may have been talking about when he said that he was disappointed in Xen.

Another dev “update” just went live on the steam community page.
https://steamcommunity.com/games/362890/announcements/detail/1702815694909178809

DON’T get your hopes up. It’s just an art blog.

… why are you saying not to get hopes up it is pretty insightful on how they are working on xen.

EDIT linking images from that

https://steamcommunity.com/games/362890/announcements/detail/1706194664198770675

new news + images from it


Just a small reminder that the Black Mesa website (https://www.blackmesasource.com/) actually displays a more recent version of the cave (all the way at the bottom of the page):
[attach=5891,none,1920][/attach]
you can rip the video file from the website if you want a clearer picture.
The main differences that I can see are the blue flowery things in the front, and those disgusting looking, glowing dicks hanging from the cave ceiling.
Beyond that there’s also the changes to the scaffolding, and to the exit door on the other side.

uh those glowing things on the ceiling are likely cave worms and cave worm poop.

even these updates are welcome!

Guess we’ll have one more Blocktober Update next Saturday and we’ll also get some progress news.

well, there’s a few more changes than just that.
For starters, the mouth of the cave near the back has been replaced by 3 waterfalls, (more noticeable when you see the video; https://www.blackmesasource.com/video/5.mp4 ) secondly, the ledges (for lack of a better term) seem to have been overhauled. The ledge to the right of the first bit of scaffolding has been made more conspicuous, and seems to be more suited as a path for the player to progress. Furthermore, the ledge to the left seems to be much smaller, and seems to have had several light sources removed, as well as having had the remaining set of xen crystals downsized.
So it seems to me that the gameplay of this area has received tweaks since we last saw it, making the screenshot in the blocktober update obsolete. This would mean, by extension, that the same is likely true for the arch.
I wonder how much the arch has changed.

One thing I hope seeing these images is that we will see more animal life on xen, a few cut enemies re added as decoration and maybe given use.

Well here are things that I hope against all hope Are in xen though know will not be.

flocking floaters
because xen needs more flying creatures. I don’t care if they are hostile or set dressing I would love to see them they are always cool to see in half life maps especially ones that give them AI.
https://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Flocking_Floater

Stukabats
apparently these where cut do to time and programing restraints. We know boids are coming likely as decoration, the stukabats could be added as set dressing to hunt them and maybe hostile if the player attacks them. Man I would be happy even if we just see a dead one of these.
https://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Stukabat

Archer fish
why, because what does the itchy hunt, think it would be cool as a passive creature especially if it was put in the underwater sections to replace the leaches, like an underwater version of the head crab weak easy to kill and deals low damage.
https://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Archer

chum toads
because they would make great decoration on some levels, and they are already canon to half life might as well see them in their lairs on xen.
https://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Chumtoad

Here’s hoping we get Mr. Friendly…

https://steamcommunity.com/app/362890/discussions/0/1735468061772579217/#c1736594593594841215

New blocktober is here:

Blocktober - The Swamp

3rd and (hopefully not) final Dev update:

https://steamcommunity.com/games/362890/announcements/detail/1707321830272534639

Also the game’s on sale, if that matters.

that last image… wow, just epic.

EDIT: anyone else notice that round thing in the water in one of the block outs, and how it looks like the scientist equipment is along the river… now I am hoping for a short “boat” section.

Great spooky screenshots for Halloween. I like the reimagining of those four-legged fungi.
Also in the last picture at bottom left, does it look like some skeleton of something? Maybe Antlion Guardian skeleton /exoskeleton?

Ok that is probably the only time a shrek meme has been funny… ever.

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.