Well the discussion is about whether I should play HL before I play BM. Why do you think I wouldn’t gain full appreciation for BM wihout playing HL first?
Without previous knowledge of HL1, everything in BM will be brand new to you. Those who are familiar with HL1 and know every inch of the game, will have a fun time seeing what’s new and what’s changed from the original.
I dont think it’s as simple as that. I’d agree on saying that graphics are outdated. But these oldies’ level design is far above most games nowadays. No arguing that.
And, but that’s just me, Id’ rather play a game with great level design and low graphics than the opposite.
I’m confident Black Mesa will have both graphics & level design though.
Yea true, but would it make my experience more or less enjoyable? I think it might make it more enjoyable if I have no idea what to expect, and to have my first experience with HL1 to have better graphics, sound, gameplay etc. than it otherwise would.
Both ways are a good experience. Maybe after playing through BM, you should play the original to get an idea of how much they improved and changed with BM.
Play Black Mesa. If you like it, play Half-Life. Simple.
Yep, Black Mesa first and some time into the future I’ll play Half-Life. Thanks for your input. 
He might underestimate and not enjoy HL1 at all then, though… Because Even if it’s same game at heart, it’s not same in looks. There’s a whole lot of difference between a girl with not so good looks but good personality, and a girl with good looks and same personality as the other.
I’d suggest you playing HL1 up until Xen at least, because only then you’ll appreciate and differentiate things between HL1 and BM, and only then you’ll understand why the base of HL1 is good.
EDIT:
You’re true about not knowing and having no idea on what to expect, but as I said above, after playing BM you might get disappointed with the original…
It’s been 14 years…? :o
Peculiar effect of human memory - you remember games played decades ago as having amazing graphics and nice controls.
You play them again now… And find a mess of pixels that take quite a bit of imagination to resolve into a FullHD picture of virtual world that you remembered.
Even HL2 feels a bit dated now, and yet it felt photo-perfect when it came out.
That is due to how the brain fills in details using imagination.
When Quake 3 came out, I didn’t think computer graphics could get any better. How naive I was.
I am a huge HL fan since 2001 and I mainly love HL1DM. I just can’t compare HL1DM with any other multiplayer experience. It’s highly competetive and for me it never gets old.
For the singleplayer I am not THAT amazed but lately I played the Playstation 2 version of HL1 just to compare it to the PC version and I noticed that the first half of HL1 is a bit lame… I think it’s because it’s a strange mix between jump-and run, beating up headcrabs and crouching through vents. However… In the second half of HL1 it’s a blast. You fight a lot more, the maps get bigger and more creative. It’s just a very very awesome experience. You should definately play it when you feel ready for it.
I recommend to play the original. For me HL Source was a huge disappointment… It’s a really bad port with lots of bugs… and the recoil/screenshake of the assaultrifle is just ridiculous.
I remember when I’ve first met Half-Life, back in 1999. With my limited english, I didn’t get beyond Anomalous Materials (probably because of the required H.E.V. suit)
I became a fan of the game only a few years later, but I’m still playing with it regularly. I openly say that it’s one of the best action games ever made. Still discovering new things to do there, I can’t get bored with it.
Summa Summarum even if Black Mesa is banging on our doors, you should still give a chance to the original game when you can.
Haha, just go look at the system requirements for Q3A. They’re… laughable. Even then, I still play it everyday. Personally, it has the best replay value for any online game I’ve ever played.
It’s been years since I’ve played the original Half-Life, so I think Black Mesa will serve as a nice trip down memory lane, all the while providing a novel experience as if I were playing the game for the first time.
Theres no reason to drive an '80s carriage if someones offering you a Mustang GT500.
Obviously, I haven’t played Black Mesa yet, but I can say with confidence that Half-Life was one of the best games I’ve ever played.
If you’re new-ish to the franchise and only know the more modern look of HL2, you may be put off a little by the dated graphics. You shouldn’t be, since it really is about the design, the narrative, the attention to detail.
I know that the Black Mesa devs have used the term “re-imagining” at some point. I don’t know if that means they’ve made significant changes to the levels, or just detailed and updated them.
Whichever you choose to play, you’re in for a treat.
If you didn’t play the game when it was new, it won’t be the same playing it for the first time now.
wholly crap this is going to be awesome !!!
Just go play HL1 and no HL:Source, yeah grafics are old get over it. I promise you will forget you ever said HL2 to be “tha best gamez evar”. After Half-Life, HL2 was just a terrible disappointment, the terrible storyline and ugly city17 design, the horrible spiritless/unprobable/stupid rebelion thing (not even to talk about the useless fat priest guy and barbie girl), the kart and boat most boring chapters ever… Source engine physics were cool for the time, nice but under exploited gravitygun idea, thats about it. Terribly overrated game.
Just thanks BMS to give us back the true gordon freeman in an updated shell…Play BMS, play HL1, and the shitloads of other good games out there.