I’ve been wondering, because I’ve seen it been done before, how some HL2 mods have used varying different textures or models altogether for the same enemy type so the enemies you face look different. Like say I wanted a the headcrab zombie to look a certain way in one part of the game, but in another, have them look completely different. How would I do that?
But not only that, say I wanted the same enemy to look variously different on the different models in the same area, how would that work?
this is relevant to my interests
I bet some of the devs here know, because their face system kinda does that.
Something like how HL2 uses different models for different rebels, i suppose?
Out of curiousity, would you perchance be planning such a HL2 zombie diversity mod? Because I would love that.
Wouldn’t that just be different models then
Like that yeah. Not so much the face creation as that’s a whole other thing but I see what you’re talking about. Just something that changes the model type in the same area, and different areas. Is it some kind of script you have to use? (Or maybe I know nothing about scripts)
And yes, I’m trying to get into the modding scene but I don’t want to be half assed about it. It’s something like a zombie mod, I got the idea from playing the HL2 mod 1187. In that mod there are several different zombies in different clothes and they don’t look alike. (aside from the parasite sucking off of their heads of course 
) I wanted to try something similar, but I needed to know how to do it. I figured SOMEONE here could help me.
I would’ve thought that you just use a separate model and use that instead of/in addition to the other, but what do I know.
Well that’s what I’m asking an explanation for. The ‘in addition’. part. Switching out models is easy, all you do is replace and add files where needed. If you try adding more stuff though it doesn’t work. I’m trying to find out how one does that ‘in addition’.
A zombie diversity mod would be radical for HL2 itself. Blue civies zombies in City 17, vanilla whiteshirts in the outlands and ravenholm, with rebel zombies during the upsrising and underground… I’m daydreaming, sorry.
It’s my dream too, don’t worry. 
There’s already a City 17 model on filefront so that’s cool. Actually I wanted to take it further and use different types of models in the same area. Like make one with a ripped off shirt, or another transitioning into a Gonarch (I THINK that’s the name) something like that, but I did want to use the vanilla HL2 models along with those. But I wanted them in the same area. If it gets too involved I’ll probably just stick with your idea of just having the same models in the same area, but different ones in the next.
My heart is elated at the thought. But unfortunately I don’t know shit about any of this ‘mod-ding’ tomfoolery.
I’ve got basic knowledge, but I wanted to expand on it. So, like I said, if anyone can give me an answer I’d really appreciate it.
…and zombified metrocops and Combine Elites in episodes 1 & 2? You’re not the only one who’s always wanted something like this.
Well, this is basically ideal, IMO:
According to the area, zombies are picked from a category of model+skin variants. (Whiteshirts, Blueshirts, Rebels) Within those categories, there are diverse models (certain clothing bits ripped off, bloodiness, dirtiness, gender and skin colour possibly)
It could also potentially work for other npcs, like pre and post-Uprising Combine soldiers and Synths, worn from battle.
Also, a transitioning gonarch may not be the best idea. The exact nature of Gonarchs and their development are unknown.
I’ve been wanting this for ages.
Like, since HL1.
Always the same white lab-coat zombies seems a bit… weird considering the surroundings where you encounter zombies.
The whole Route Kanal in HL2 was riddled with Labsuit-Zombies, strange considering that any civvies encountered en-route, be they dead or alive, were never sporting lab gear. Just a few Bluesuit-, Casualsuit- and MetroCop-Zombies would’ve been nice.
As for a transition Gonarch form. I think it would be something akin to the Poison-Zombie; hunched over even further with the arms now reaching the ground. The abdomen ripped open with biomass/a sack starting to bulge out.
by the way you guys mean Gonome, I hope, and not Gonarch. Gonarch is the mother headcrab that you kill at the end of HL
also Gonome = not canon etc.
I don’t have much knowledge of game development, but it seems like you’d have to have to make a number of enemy types that all use the zombie’s base AI and attributes, and then assign each one a different model/skin, and then go through the game and replace the normal zombie spawns with your new ones. Unless there is an actual way to spawn the same enemy with different models/skins, which I don’t know, maybe there is.
Metrocop zombies have bullet-proof vests and would unbalance gameplay. They’d have to be used seldomly.
Any zombie varying from the traditional headcrab+weak human would just become too convoluted. A couple of tasteful outfit variations and skin tone is where it’s at.
Also, I’m wondering about what Valve could do with Elite zombies. They have enhanced brain implants, could produce an exciting new HL3 enemy.
I think the Elites’ brains are nothing but computers now. I believe headcrabbing them would be an impossibility.
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