@ Dotard: If cutscenes in HL are your thing, you might like the mod I’m working on. There will be at least a few, mostly to ease the transition between maps in a manner similar to map transitions in “Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.” I always found suddenly being ambushed by a LOADING marker to be somewhat jarring as it is, and considering the maps will be designed to be back-trackable and multiple-use areas that keep track of variables between maps as in a Metroidvania, cutscene content is slightly more appropriate. However, using point_viewcontrol cutscenes can sometimes bug the interface, and interrupting the maps mid-mission to show off scripted events is unlikely as it breaks flow. (For cutscenes, I’ll put the player’s actual model in a darkbox outside the map with a button around them to press, and a HUD hint to hit “USE” to skip)
The only reason I’d use camera cuts is to direct the player if I have a complex puzzle, as in the original Metroid Prime. But again, it’s unlikely I’ll do much in the way of cutscene content aside from level transitions and possibly the beginning and end of the mod as visual rewards. A lot of people hate cutscenes with a passion- they take away control from the player to show something. I happen to like them in some cases, as in the aforementioned “Metal Gear” series because they have very tight camerawork and excellent actor blocking, and a good sense of style that is appropriate to the series. But over-use of cutscenes (as in MGS4) can just get annoying. MGS4’s last three acts are heavily out-balanced in the cutscene to gameplay ratio, as well as major changes to the first two acts’ gameplay ideas making things more annoying(sneaking through warzones in Act 1 and 2, Act 3 is following people and a remake of the MGS3 motorcycle chase, Act 4 is a nostalgia level against robots, Act 5 everyone knows you’re there already so the whole map is hunting you).
In Half Life 2 and their episodes, the visual rewards of cutscenes are retained, but in “Vistas” - areas of major scenery porn for the player to take in while retaining full control. Story sequences are also blocked out for NPCs with scripts. If the player wants to look someplace else or throw things around the room rather then watch the story content, they can, and that’s why HL is refreshingly different than most shooters and so highly regarded among gamers.
Either way, as far as vanilla HL2 goes, it’s always been about a fluid, continuous journey, and interrupting gameplay to show off scripted events breaks flow. Think about HL2 Episode One- in the commentary, one of the level designers specifically made an area of buildings to frame soldiers rappelling down in front of the player. It’s a lot more impressive than cutting to them with a seperate cut-scene.
