getting into the industry isn’t easy, but have you ever tried to map for modding? In the sense of working on a an actual mod, not just maps for CS or for BM? Like getting into a team?
someone with your skills could sure help Valve a lot and they like people from their community
Just watched the commentary video, this shit is fucking amazing. Thanks for all your hard work man. The only thing I disagree with though is the Garg part being cooler then HL1, I still find the way the garg pushes the car into the soldiers really awesome and a big “holy shit” moment, instead of just blowing it up. Maybe if you somehow made the Garg flip the APC, then that would be just as badass and “Oh fuck RUN” as the original.
Other then that, amazing shit, I plan to play RC1 ASAP
In response to your response, concerning my feedback for v1.0-RC1:
- Electrical panel loud sound level bothers me in BM too, but we have the luxury and benefit where it can be addressed in your map.
- Have you ever been to a carpark and witnessed the speed of similar doors? In reality, yours is far too quick.
- Ok, leave the light over door 1 illuminated. Can the lights over the other doors be illuminated as well, including the one over the new door you added? Again, this will somewhat lessen the player’s obvious route, momentarily.
- Can’t two garages in different parts of BM look different in how the equipment/tools are positioned? I’d think you’d want some differences. I’m pointing out a potential serious issue (player getting stuck if contacting clipped objects). Moving the red tool boxes, I expect, is fairly simple and doesn’t drastically alter the look of the environment.
- I did notice the change in shape of the curb. You haven’t fixed it from happening, you’ve reduced it. It still occurs and does impact the player when trying to avoid enemies. If this prop had an important design role/function, I could understand its importance. It’s a fifteen foot piece of concrete curb in the middle of a courtyard whose roadways are already clearly delineated by painted roadway lines. I’m sure this curb would be bothersome to vehicle drivers set within the gameworld and they’d be asking the same question. I even heard two HECU talking about tripping over it, during my last playthrough. And it wasn’t “a childish comment” on my part. The “You win.” comment was intended as a joke.
- I know his back is not an issue for him, it’s an issue for me. My back aches just looking at him.
From a previous feedback posted for v0.95b-hotfixed, and now that you have a respite waiting for Conti’s detailed feedback report, I’d like to follow-up on these issues:
- Neither of these 2 bodies will gib (see picture).
- Please reconsider addressing this railing issue. It’s the last one on the heli-pad to be resolved.
- Sorry Text, in C2A5I, what I meant was that once this door control panel becomes defective and starts to arc (see OLD picture), there should be no illuminated status indication, green or red, as it’s defective. I think this is the standard manner in which defective door control panels are depicted in other parts of BM. Also, is there an electrical surge sound heard at the moment this switch becomes defective? If not, I think one would be appropriate.
I’d like your comments on my questions posed in my closing paragraph:
“The new lighting effect in furnace is great. To accentuate the effect further, can the light emitted from the light above the door be reduced? If you turn that light off, does the area become too dark”?
Just watched your commentary video. It was great except for all that twitchy movement. I was getting nauseous. Also, going forward, it was overly dark in some areas and it was difficult to see. Turn on your flashlight more, especially in indoor areas. If it’s bothersome that your battery power keeps depleting, use “sv_infinite_aux_power 1” in the console (minus the quotation marks, for noobs reading this). It gives you infinite power for the flashlight and for sprinting.
Add more dialog! This will make the maps climatic.
Make grd04_lambdabunker his goodbye speech before you separate.
grd04_runlikehell_idle02 can replace the things he can say after “We gotta run like hell.”
Never know. You have to pull the correct stuff. I’m studying for that exact field with a side of business Admin. I wish you luck, good sir.
Finally I had the time to check out your maps, and I think they live up for the standars. Yes, they are awesome and fit well into game. Surely I will never delete them, they make the ST whole. I’m 99% satisfied with them
A few things:
- The parking house at the start… it still needs some more additions, after the initial firefight it’s slightly boring.
- The repair garage; the marine’s trap with the lots of explosives are perfect, but after the fight with the marines outside there, I encountered a bit annoying bug: I could hardly pick up the TOW launcher’s shells.
- While playing your maps I had a crash once, but only once: 10 seconds after the part where an alien grunt bashes a marine through the wall, just as I turned left to see the corridor continue.
- Finally a little farewell dialogue from your security guard would be nice. For me he just stood at the gate, pointing his gun at the air, and did nothing as the gate closed again and separated us for good.
If you could adress these things than your work would be even better 
but enough of complainments. You man, did an awesome job. Apart from the simple fact that you added a good amount of intense and exciting gameplay time, I’d like to especially thank you for: 1. The opportunity to use the snarks a lot. Because in the cut version of ST they barely have a use.
2. The intense battles between the aliens and the marines. Now the player can see that humans are fighting a loosing battle against the aliens. - A thing we greatly missed from the cut ST.
3. Thank you for fixing the Garg chase scene and the bombing console.
One more thing; most likely the devs will release fixes and do further balancing, guess that means you’ll have to do slight adjustments to your maps, right?
I’m not an expert but I learn one or two things by translating the game. In the translation team, a member succeed to add subtitles to announcement and the tram voice. I took a look at what he did :
First, read those wiki pages :
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Closed_Captions
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Soundscripts
We will take the example of the “shh, quiet” scene in c2a5g :
First, you have to create your soundscript, you can edit the BMS/scripts/game_sounds_ambiant_generic.txt file but I suggest to create a new one which you could name BMS/scripts/game_sounds_ambiants_generic_cc.txt for example. You’ll have to register it in the game_sounds_manifest.txt file :
game_sounds_manifest
{
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_announcement.txt"
[COLOR='Red']"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_ambient_generic_cc.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_exp.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_ambient_generic.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_player.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_weapons.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_items.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_physics.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_scenes.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_ui.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_world.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_oartram.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_abrams.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_apache.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_assassin.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_alien_controller.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_alien_grunt.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_barnacle.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_bullsquid.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_gargantua.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_houndeye.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_headcrab.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_ichthyosaur.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_sentry.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_snark.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_sniper.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_vortigaunt.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_zombie.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_human_shared.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_osprey.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_walker.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_vortigaunt.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_tentacle.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_lav.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/game_sounds_xen.txt"
"precache_file" "scripts/npc_sounds_SurgeryBot.txt"
}
Now put this code in your new soundcript file :
"VO_c2a5g_garage.hgruntvent_young_hearthat01_wav"
{
"channel" "CHAN_STATIC"
"volume" "VOL_NORM"
"soundlevel" "SNDLVL_NORM"
"pitch" "PITCH_NORM"
"wave" "vo/c2a5g/garage/hgruntvent_young_hearthat01.wav"
}
"VO_c2a5g_garage.hgruntvent_young_hearthat02_wav"
{
"channel" "CHAN_STATIC"
"volume" "VOL_NORM"
"soundlevel" "SNDLVL_NORM"
"pitch" "PITCH_NORM"
"wave" "vo/c2a5g/garage/hgruntvent_young_hearthat02.wav"
}
"VO_c2a5g_garage.hgruntvent_gruff_quiet01_wav"
{
"channel" "CHAN_STATIC"
"volume" "VOL_NORM"
"soundlevel" "SNDLVL_NORM"
"pitch" "PITCH_NORM"
"wave" "vo/c2a5g/garage/hgruntvent_gruff_quiet01.wav"
}
"VO_c2a5g_garage.hgruntvent_gruff_quiet02_wav"
{
"channel" "CHAN_STATIC"
"volume" "VOL_NORM"
"soundlevel" "SNDLVL_NORM"
"pitch" "PITCH_NORM"
"wave" "vo/c2a5g/garage/hgruntvent_gruff_quiet02.wav"
}
You’ll have to create subtitles now and edit the BMS/resource/closecaption_english.txt file.
Replace these lines :
"vo/c2a5g/Garage/hgruntvent_gruff_quiet01.wav" "<I><clr:128,128,128>Shhhhh..."
"vo/c2a5g/Garage/hgruntvent_gruff_quiet02.wav" "<I><clr:128,128,128>Quiet."
"vo/c2a5g/Garage/hgruntvent_young_hearthat01.wav" "<I><clr:128,128,128>Huh?!?"
"vo/c2a5g/Garage/hgruntvent_young_hearthat02.wav" "<I><clr:128,128,128>Did ya hear that?!?"
by this ones :
"VO_c2a5g_Garage.hgruntvent_gruff_quiet01_wav" "<I><clr:128,128,128>Shhhhh..."
"VO_c2a5g_Garage.hgruntvent_gruff_quiet02_wav" "<I><clr:128,128,128>Quiet."
"VO_c2a5g_Garage.hgruntvent_young_hearthat01_wav" "<I><clr:128,128,128>Huh?!?"
"VO_c2a5g_Garage.hgruntvent_young_hearthat02_wav" "<I><clr:128,128,128>Did ya hear that?!?"
You’ll have to recompile the .txt file (create a new .dat file).
Check this site, if you don’t know how to do it :
https://bmtranslate.darkbb.com/t91-tutorial-for-working-with-closed-captions
But you’ll have to enter this line in the console, not the one described above :
"%sourcesdk%/bin/source2009/bin/captioncompiler.exe" "closecaption_english.txt"There is also a batch file for easy compiling, I can send it to you if you want.
Last step is to edit the sound in your map. You’ll have to select the new soundscript you created. See this picture :
https://i.imgur.com/dfj6p.jpg
Compile. And now when you play and you enable captions, you should see them for the modified sound.
I noticed one thing: you can not shoot through the grate floor of the osprey platform. I think it is better to allow player to do this.
It’s not supposed to be a broken wall like it was in HL1. If you look at that wall before the explosion you’ll see a window there, and the explosion shatters it.
Which is perfectly understandable for glass to do when suddenly impacted by the force of an explosion.
I see, 
I played this only once so far, gona doit again, though.
Another Play-through Of v1.0-RC1, Another Feedback Report
Part 1 of 3
- In carpark, can a few of the red ramp lights be burnt out, for authenticity? There’s 24 of them all in working condition.
- Comparatively speaking, place more red lights in the garage collapsing vent (see picture).
- Can the model of the Humvee in the TOW courtyard be brightened at all? It seems way darker than the other military vehicles.
- On the side of the heli-pad closest to the stairs, add a white caution light between the two red lights, for symmetry with the opposite side.
- For aesthetic reasons, can floodlights be added onto or nearby the heli-pad to convey nighttime capabilities?
- Increase the ambient light level in the bay outside the security office with the Zombie in it. It’s dark and dank in there. Add additional fluorescent lights on the right hand wall to address the issue?
- The dozen monitors in the security office with the Zombie in it, don’t display anything. Some of them should be on.
- In the tank courtyard, there’s a hole aberration on a wall (top left corner of building) and the adjacent wall has a red/brown I-beam, from the maintenance shaft, protruding through it (found next to the nearest vertical pipe at the upper warning stripe). See the same picture for both issues.
- On the ramp leading down from gasworks, can the light above the rock formation on right hand side be illuminated?
- In the furnace room, would it make more sense to have the fire extinguisher situated next to the fire alarm switch, instead of around the corner from it? Logistically, it doesn’t make sense.
- In gasworks, reposition the flames on the two broken pipes so they appear to be exiting more from the pipe openings. These are the pipes on the upper walkway just before reaching the security office.
- Remove the arrow on the “Security Station” sign above the locked door on the upper level. It’s not needed.
Specific to Map C2A5I
- Is Barney floating on stairs fixable? I never noticed this before, even in BM (see picture). The Zombie in the carpark negotiates stairs far more realistically.
- Place more red lights in lower vent leading to Garg encounter (see picture), to be consistent with other vents.
- Electrical wire for lights clipping into the ceiling (see picture).
To be continued…
Continuation of feedback for V1.0-RC1
Part 2 of 3
- Wall seam glitch on the first upper walkway just past the first wall vent (see picture).
- Why is there a red light above this particular door (see picture)? Is this the porn room for the BM security guards? Can it be illuminated?
- Gargantua clips through these exterior large doors (see picture). I seeee you.
- Rail footing not attached to the stair frame on both sides (see picture).
- These large pipes clip into the concrete curbs (see picture). Occurs on the other three similar pipes feeding into the water pools.
To be continued…
Continuation of feedback for V1.0-RC1
Part 3 of 3
- Can this structure be moved backwards sufficiently to eliminate all the clipping issues with the wire fence (see picture). There appears to be ample room behind it in order to do so.
- The parking spaces next to the manual “Security Override” doors seem really narrow compared to the carpark ones (see picture).
- Should this red light turn green once the manual override is engaged (see picture)? Maybe adopt a dual light system, a red light and a green light, to indicate the security status.
- On the security hut in the tank courtyard, reposition the two blue notice signs to below the two red notice signs, so that they can be more easily read (see picture). Alternately, drop the two red signs down and place the blue ones above them, directly below the security status light.
- Here’s a funny one for all of you (see picture). And he was saying his dialog the entire time he was up there. “Bim galla boo, sala min toony seng”. Enjoy!
[COLOR=‘Lime’]CONTI, sorry for doing this again, but I tried to amalgamate my 3 posts into one, but I couldn’t carry my pictures over. Please accept my deepest apologies.
Ciao for now, and smile
ok use a image uploader instead of attachements the multi posting is annoying.
Regarding further feedback…I’m gonna defer all critiques until the final RC. As most of my suggestions from the last one have been implemented, there’s really not much to do ASSUMING you do not make any drastic gameplay/cosmetic revisions. Once the last RC comes out, I’ll give it the once over to clear up any lingering or new issues. Just make sure to note that it’s the FINAL RC when you post it.
If you really want to break into the computer game industry, consider developing your mod. At least w/Valve, you’ll get nowhere rehashing old shit from HL, as the template has already been set. They are looking for creativity, whether in gameplay or level design, etc. (think Narbacular Drop, Minerva).
If you get bored of mapping or the forum posters get tired of critiquing, take a look at this draft of a Black Ops campaign I wrote for Black Mesa (https://forums.blackmesasource.com/showthread.php?t=15631)…it’s far too much work for a single person to do alone but might help get your creative juices going for your own mod. It should be a fairly interesting read.
After seeing this progress throughout the different betas (although I couldn’t care to reply and I have not provided feedback), I must say that this is the final piece in the puzzle in Black Mesa’s Surface Tension chapter.
Forgive me if I have a long post but I was really disappointed when I played through ST immediately going to the Garg chase, which was kind of good I must say, but after examining this project I must really applaud the work that this has come so far.
Although I have a question from the video commentary of the RC1 of this mod of a mod:
What happens if the Garg follows you through the tunnel in Forget About Freeman with the airstrikes going on? Does the Garg die in the tunnel as you progress or I assume that he follows you to the door?
Anyway good luck on releasing this project ASAP and I do hope the devs consider integrating this what not.
After downloading, it says the file is damaged and can’t be fixed.
Anyone knows what going on here?
He’ll follow you through the door(s). Up till the beginning of FaF.
Ah I see. I was expecting the Garg to die in the tunnel since the airstrikes have started. Would make much more sense now would it? I mean why not let the bombing kill the Garg for you rather than doing it yourself? Anyway, great progress, keep going.