Loved the H.E.C.U Marines in this more than the original half life

Black Mesa Archive The Cafeteria
#81

I don’t think they’re powerful at all. They can’t do their only job well(capturing Freeman) and in Black Mesa you kill a lot more of Marines than in the original game. They plan complex ambushes to the player that fail terribly, when in the original game they’re more busy fighting against aliens(Although they do hate Freeman, but just don’t have time to pursue him) The only time the Marines ambush Freeman in the original game they succeed(Apprehension). They aren’t as dark and misterious as they were in the original game, they were really badasses there, now they look like the typical villains from the movies, they’re too dumb. Maybe it’s because the BM team tried to make them more “human”, but they’re not supposed to be human, they’re killing innocent people, they’re some ice cold motherfuckers.

I really liked the original marines, they almost didn’t talk, they were never in big groups, so this made them look more courageous and brave, and they had no emotions. It seemed that they were not even humans, and killing them was funnier because of this. But BM changed the atmosphere of the game as a whole, making it more realistic and less mysterious and mystic. And in the way the Marines lost some of their magic to fit in this new game style. Anyways, if you ask me, I still prefer the old marines.

#82

Their attacks are much more complex than in the original as well. They can shoot while on the move ( a bit too accurately if you ask me ) while in the original they would have to stop moving before they would fire.

#83

Blame combine AI and animation recycling.
I also loved how they would kick you in the face in the original. In BM, those pussies would hit you with the buttstock.

BM marines are one big miscomprehension in general.

#84

I actually agree with ODB. I think they need a ground up refurbishing in terms of everything short of aesthetics.

#85

A butt stock to the face hurts more than a kick to the chest or stomach. Especially if you strike the nose. The nose usually breaks and struck hard enough the bone can strike the brain causing trauma, possibly hemorrhaging. For the victim hemorrhaging means a really bad day. Don’t ask how I know.

#86

If course it hurts more, but it doesn’t look as cool. This is half life. Its execution was never about subdued utilitarianism, with the exception of the sound design which was always pretty damn visceral even in 98. I’ll miss you forever Kelly.

#87

Lol you civilians and what looks cool. It does make action movies more comical for me. Ruins the shit out of horror movies though.

#88

Also welcome back

#89

There’s something in the water they give troops that makes them get mad whenever someone doesn’t hold a gun or attack someone right.
I never like watching TV or movies with veterans, especially ones from the past 10 to 15 years

#90

Yeah, Black Mesa’s focus was more on the Marines and less on the Xenians. However they definately aren’t “too human”, the BM Team did everything they could to make them the most inhuman enemy in the game. I do agree that the Hgrunts should be reworked to seem more “operator” type, and less “80’s cartoon villain” type. My preferred direction would be somewhere near F.E.A.R. Replica Soldiers, or PAYDAY SWAT Operators.

Just want to point out that they don’t actually use Combine AI, they were created from scratch. They do however use Combine Animations.

It isn’t that, it’s just that they see it from a real tactical point of view, it’s extremely easy to see every mistake the directors and actors make. It’s comparable to a nuclear technician watching a movie where a nuclear power plant melts down and explodes like an atom bomb. The average person might not pick up on it, but he’s going to very easily see why that’s completely wrong to the point of shattering the immersion.

#91

Mr. Someguy is right. When you know a just about everything about a certain weapon or train daily on how to do a certain task and then see someone handle that weapon or conduct that task completely wrong it breaks the immersion. When you’ve been in a fire fight and then watch a guy go charging in utilizing no cover blasting away without using his sights taking out hundreds of people who are both using cover and the sights on their weapons it drives me nuts at how unrealistic and retardedly stupid the directing is. Also I know for a fact that nuclear power plants in the US don’t use weapons grade uranium or plutonium. Causing the plant to melt down would however cause a massive release of radiation for miles. Again don’t ask me how I know.

#92

Again, realize that realism is very rarely the creative goal when working on projects like these.

#93

I am not saying it should be like the Arma series. I was just making a point, as to how silly things that you all think looks cool are to me.

#94

I agree with this. They should be cold, callous, and above all, actually evil, at least enough to establish that they’re villains. Not the dumb jocks they were in vanilla BM.

#95

The way I’ve always looked at things is that if you’re going to do something, do it right. There’s a difference between making something realistic and making something correctly. Even the Black Mesa devs show this to some extent. Look at the redesigned HEV suit. By changing details to be plausible it doesn’t mean the thing was ruined because of “Hurr durr realism sux!” They just made the suit correctly where Valve fell a little short. In fact, the level design also reflects this. Areas were redesigned not because they want this to be ARMA (or a building simulator equivalent) but because in the original those areas just weren’t done “right.”

#96

I agree with everything but evil. Having a villain be evil for the sake of evil is extremely shallow. They should be morally ambiguous operators who show no remorse in combat, and only lament their actions against civilians to each other when they’re alone. Personally I believe the Marines are the good guys of their story. We see them as the bad guys because they’re shooting at us, but we’re the entire reason the incident even happened in the first place. The line “I blame Black Mesa.” by a citizen in EP1 shows that even 2 decades later, people still harbour feelings of contempt against Black Mesa for what they created.

#97

Well, logically, Jav. Problem is

Hahhaha bollocks. What they did was removing a shitton of spaghetti code, but it’s still fucking combine AI being used as core.

990×822 645 KB

We all know what happened that day.

Well if we’re talking about ‘cool’ things - nothing was ever cooler than what those guys guys did back in 1988:
https://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/documents/battle-for-the-hill.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_for_Hill_3234
None of that bullshit, just exceptionally conducted warfare.

As an aspiring filmmaker, I was toying with an idea the other day of drawing funds to recreate that episode as authentically as possible in a feature film (seeing how one known well-funded faggot failed miserably to give em justice). Sick and tired of rambos and battle scenes that make no sense whatsoever and fail miserably at showing how it feels like when you get pined down by automatic an sniper fire.

#98

I guess you’re right…again! :fffuuu:
Still, I’d like them being evil. I feel that if they’re given too much sympathy, it’ll seem that they’ll disobey their orders and rebel against their commanders, not wanting to do such a morally wrong act, and side with the scientists and guards. I think they should be vicious, cold, and happy to do their orders, to joyfully slay whatever enemy Uncle Sam points at, but at the same time, not really think much for themselves. Hell, I’d even make a scene where a soldier is killed by his own fellow soldiers for refusing to kill a civilian. Of course, this is my own interpretation, yours does seem more realistic and plausible.

#99

^oh my god the mess between your ears…

#100

Sigh, what are you on about now?

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.