How “Moddable” is Black Mesa on it’s finished release? Is it restricted heavily on custom events like Five Nights at the Hazard Course, Script, Texture, Model replacer?
Or is it like Fallout where you can edit and add custom weapons, and do something similar to Leveled Items?
Super moddable! Without knowing exactly what if anything you intend to do I can’t really give you super specifics, but I do have some general stuff that I hope helps.
Pretty much all visual and audio assets are capable of being modified, as far as I can tell. Custom textures, models, maps, etc. all of its supported. As far as more scripting-based things like entirely new weapon functionality, that’s not doable. That would require you to modify the source code, which may or may not be released (Steam version’s won’t).
You can check out the VDCW and read up on components and tutorials with the Source Engine. Black Mesa runs on it, so most of it’s applicable to Black Mesa as much as many other Source games.
As far as level stuff goes, you can do a lot without needing to program anything, if you understand your tools well enough. As an example, you mention FNAHC which is really just a complicated, clever use of level design entities to simulate a minigame. There’s plenty of limits, but you can get away with a lot with some ingenuity and creativity.
I’ll be honest really. I accept that M4 isn’t really needed, but i want it, so i’m going to try to put it in. Though the Crowbar Collective won’t add the M4, I honestly would like to mod the M4 on my own. If they’re OK with modding, maybe they would accept me modding the M4 into the game. I’d copy -paste the MP5 function, but have it only on 2-round burst on tap, full auto on hold, -35% rate of fire, but -50% spread, uses custom ammo.
In fact i would add variations in guns, like the HECU would have the M4, M9 Beretta and the .50 AE Desert-Eagle, while the BM Security would have the MP5, Glock 17, and Colt Python. After all, in the Opposing Force, the HECU did use the Desert Eagle. Essentially the models would be just Hexes of the existing mods.
I’d also add other melee weapons like Knife, Stun-Stick, Pipe Wrench. Honestly, i’d add lots of the weapons here: https://blackmesa.gamebanana.com/skins
Not gonna lie, if it hasn’t been done, I’d LOVE to see the Opposing Force Deagle added as a replacement for the revolver. I loved that thing so much.
But I don’t think what you’re looking to do is doable. Like Crypt said, that would require editing the sourcecode of the game, which hasn’t been released. But as far as making replacers, that’s very doable! Just look at the Steam Workshop page for Black Mesa, it’s full of good stuff! I personally like Sage J. Fox’s Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum and Donaldson’s Barnacle replacers.
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.