On A Rail Uncut - Re-Adding Cut Areas/Scenes (Expansion Project)

General Development Source 1
#341

Figured I’ll post a progress report:

It’s gone brilliantly. I’d say these maps are now more beta quality than alpha quality. I’ve linked BM’s A map to my A1, and I’ve linked my A2 to BM’s B map. So, as it stands - it’s integrated (it’s basically currently OaR Uncut Lite). Bear in mind I’ve HAD to decompile B’s map to do the rotation of C (to give my maps the correct spatial orientation), as well as to edit the map’s opening (you’ll understand why when you’ve seen it). I figured it’d be a decent time to ask here - is there anything about the B map in Black Mesa that you think needs to be changed? I know Wangman posted some things in his “pitch bible” but I was looking for a wider range of opinions. I don’t plan on changing very much at all but any serious problems I’ll address them while I have the maps ready to edit.

I think in terms of map design, aesthetics, and graphics, the maps are mostly excellent. There will be, of course, a few problems here and there.

Actually the thing I’m having the most trouble with here - is the gameplay design. This is kinda the converse of ST Uncut where I had lots of design and graphical flaws which required a lot of ironing out and refining over time, but the gameplay never really changed a great deal from all my releases, aside from a bit of balancing. It’s interesting. Basically, there are some problems with existing encounters, and I’m having trouble getting some encounters to work correctly. Not that it’s bad, but it’s not necessarily as good as I’d like it to be.

It’s something which I’ll need feedback and suggestions to resolve. When I get around to releasing the videos/maps (still aiming for tomorrow), I’ll point out which things specifically I’m having trouble with to try and focus discussion a little bit. I’m very excited. It’s turned out a lot nicer than I’d hoped it would. It’s amazing just how different in tone and theme BM’s OaR is compared to HL’s. I think the BM Devs did an amazing job setting up the lighting for OaR, it really does a world of good. I’ve imitated their setup and it looks really nice (I think!)

Think of it this way: you know how a .jpg is a lossy file format, right? If you open a .jpg, edit it from the .jpg, and then save it, it loses quality because you’re using a lower quality original as a base? Think of doing this as making it into a “2nd gen” .jpg. And any number of times you repeat it after that makes it 3rd, 4th, etc - with quality loss every time.

.BSPs are like that. Decompiling a BSP (turning it into a .vmf which Hammer can edit) loses quality. Map geometry is copied inaccurately - it often goes off the grid and doesn’t line up properly. Areaportals and occluders (two vital parts of optimization) get totally 100% broken - you have to remake them from scratch. Their entity logic also gets completely lost, so you can never set them up exactly as they were before. Decompiling a BSP creates a lot of disadvantages, and a fair amount of work for the mapper as a result. If ALL I DID was decompile a .bsp, and then recompile it, I would lose a lot of quality.

What I’ve been able to do is I’ve been able to use a program called Entspy, to edit the .BSP directly, to alter the map transition. Without Entspy I would have to decompile the map in order to edit the transition.

Hopefully that makes sense.

#342

The only thing that really bothers me about black mesas C2A2B is that the area underneath the rocket is obviously just a black pit and it really just doesn’t look all that great. Both before and after you raise the rocket up you’re able to get a clear view of this area and it simply looks like you’re looking at a hole in the map. If you could make it so there was the illusion of a blast room below the thrusters that would be awesome.

As for the gameplay design it’s almost impossible for us to give good feedback there until we are actually testing the maps ourselves. It’s really hard to get a good feel of the maps just from descriptions and screenshots. Once we’re testing I’m sure the feedback is going to increase significantly.

#343

That could be a way to sort of add that scene with the dead grunt and headcrabs back in.

Only problem is that we could only look down into the room and not actually get to fight against the hoard of crabs (without noclip of course) unless he feels like re-designing everything he’s done so far to make it so that we can actually travel to that area; which I know he doesn’t.

But anything is better than nothing.

#344

Actually, I remember there being a ladder in that silo which lead down the shaft, but it was blocked by a locked hatch in the floor.

Maybe if he remade the room he could make the ladder accessable and put some supplies or something down there and give people the choice of whether to just be happy with what they have and keep going, or climb down there for extra stuff and risk getting their faces eaten off.

I’m sure it wouldn’t require nearly as much work as redesigning the entire track layout he’s already come up with so far.
Plus, this means that nothing from the original chapter in Half-Life would be left out to my knowledge.
(Shit, double post. Forgot about the edit button)

#345

Can you have the one shotgun barney say a line or two, like “bye” or something, before entering the silo because currently he just stands there and looks at you when the blast door closes on him.

#346

That always bothered me, a lot. You JUST picked up that security guard, from the offices in the previous corridor. You fight off the aliens and the soldiers, you open the blast door, and that’s it. It doesn’t make sense. Why doesn’t he come with you? Because he can’t climb ladders, essentially; that’s the real reason. But there should be an in-universe excuse. He should say something. As it stands, obviously you can’t create new lines, right? So just make it so he says one of the general ones, or maybe you find something specific that fits.

#347

Can I buy you a pint?

#348

What will be released first? Lite or Full?

“vo/c2a1a/grd01_idle01_jumpthegun02.wav” - Looks like you can handle… This one yerself.
“vo/c2a2a/SatelliteLaunch/grd01_stragglers01.wav” - Now, get going. I’m going to stick around and help any other stragglers.
“vo/c2a1a/grd01_idle01_leastIcando.wav” - It’s the least I can do.
“vo/c2a2a/SatelliteLaunch/grd01_goodluck01.wav” - Good luck to ya, Freeman!

#349

That last one, maybe. If he also actually does something, that’d be great. You know, a reason for staying there. Even if it’s just, I don’t know, have him go to the machinegun, as if he was going to protect any new enemies.

#350

IMHO the Second one is the best, it will make the most sense in context and is the least ambiguous.

#351

I think they can be together in dialog and not separated.

#352

That will definitely work, but only if they flow into each other well–> would sound very fake if his tone changed with each line.

#353

Regarding the Barney line - should be fairly easy to implement, I’ll just use a fairly generic one.

It should be theoretically pretty simple to get him to man the 50 cal, and get him to say a line such as “I’ll watch your back, looks like you can handle this one yourself. Good luck.” I’m pretty sure all those lines exist, so it should be fairly simple.

Almost ready to make the video.

#354

Yeah, that sounds great. Since the player has recently manned the 50 cal himself, it makes sense for him to keep at it when the player goes away.

BTW, can the guard actually man the 50 cal or will he just stand there? Because if he could, adding a teleporting Vort every 20 or 30 seconds to justify his job there would be neat. But that may be too much, I imagine.

#355

Static model now of Barney?

Thanks!

#356

That’s a great idea to split them up like that, can’t wait to see the video

#357

Really looking forward to the video aswell!!!

#358

Unfortunately it wouldn’t make too much sense, it would see far too convenient. If you look at the vort/military confrontations, the vorts can teleport in all over the place. So to have them, just this once, constantly teleport in front of barney while he sits on the 50. Cal, it would feel odd.

I think simply saying those 3 lines, then heading over to the 50.Cal is enough imo, as he sits tight and waits for stragglers.

#359

Actually that could be kind of cool for him to be manning the 50 cal and then when you go into the silo area and after the blast doors close you hear a single vort teleport in followed by 50cal fire then you hear him say “I got one!” followed shortly after by the sounds of multiple vorts teleporting in more 50cal fire and then a barney death sound. Could be a nice little comical scene.

Anyways I personally don’t like the “wait for any other stragglers” line. It’s used way too often and really just doesn’t make a lot of sense. Did you not just see the hell gordon went through to get to that point, there’s nobody else alive! That line made sense in half-life2 because of the underground stations etc, but I hate seeing it used in hl1.

#360

Do we get to see the video tonight? cant wait!!

BTW I believe the guard can use the 50cal because he uses the metro cop AI and there able to use mounted weapons in HL2

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.