As for HL:S it was a rifle grenade model it worked like a sachel charge or grenade in the car garage. I’ve played through Half-Life so many times it’s ingrained in my brain (no rhyme or pun intended).
Beyond that, a grenade sounds good for that section. If you want the AI to toss something else, you can just have the NPC’s model play an animation and just have the prop (satchel) hidden till the animation’s done. After that, it works like it normally should (physics and what not) after that and a set amount of time the entity (satchel charge) explodes.
Mind you it would be pretty heavily scripted, ultimately, it’s up to you how you want to handle the event.
Edit: Another idea to add in would be to add some sort of fuel system/tanks next to the door so it makes sense that the wall explodes.
Explosives already attract Tentacles.
The visual image of a Tentacle spotting you throw a grenade, thus moving its head over to inspect it and getting torn apart by about 30 mines is very entertaining
I really like the old animations for the Half Life weapons, particularly the idle ones
The Magnum one where he pulls back the hammer, the Tau Cannon where he twirls it around etc.
Those are all good ideas. I’m currently using a scripted_sequence to force the Marines over to the door, with the grenThrow animation being played upon them reaching that point. But the problem is, they just do the animation, with no grenade being thrown. I’m guessing I have to script it as a physics object which explodes after a logic_timer fires up, so what’s the best way to make it look like the marine is actually throwing the nade? Place the nade by his throwing arm and use an env_physexplosion to propel it towards the player, or something along those lines? Anyone have any ideas?
Well in the original, you never actually see the grenade being thrown. It pretty much just lands in front of you after being thrown by a soldier you don’t even see. So if all else fails, you could go with that. Although I’m not sure how you plan on making the new version of the scene work, so this may not be an option.
Just a little update - the level - C2A5G, as far as the hard work is concerned, is finished. Some areas of the parking lot need some attention (stairwell and car ramp basically - the geometry and texture alignments there are borked). Areaportaling and visleafing still need to be done, as do some small minor details. The rest, is all AI and scripting related. After that it’s ready for a first release. So - the speed of my first release is dependent on sorting out the scripted sequences and fights now, really, because the areaportaling/visleafing will be easy.
As I am currently fairly demotivated with the AI/scripting work I know little of (though much has been done lots of it is unpolished/not working) I have moved onto C2A5H. As it is not possible to play C2A5G on its own in a playthrough without C2A5H (as C2A5G no longer leads into C3A1A “Forget About Freeman”) like it used to, I figure that I need to get both levels fully completed before I attempt any sort of “first release”. I figure I will be more motivated if the basis for both levels is laid down and fully completed before I have to slough through the AI and scripting work. Completing the architecture and environment for C2A5H should be even quicker than it was for C2A5G, as there are no major outdoor environments and there is nothing too complex involved. My C2A5H starts in the hallway where the Alien Grunt throws an HECU Marine through the wall, and ends at the end of the Garg Chase, leading into “Forget About Freeman”.
I hope I’ve made it clear what my plan is. It took me a week to get C2A5G to where it is today, so I’m estimating another week for this. Beyond that, who knows?
Unfortunately this may have to be what happens. Another way I was thinking of dramatizing the scene without you actually seeing the trap set up would be to open the door and see satchel charges wired up and rigged all around the entryway, lit up with flashing red sprites. An HECU then shouts “Frag him” or something, and they detonate a second later. It’s dramatic, and doesn’t have the problems of the grenade throwing scene I’ve been attempting - whilst still theoretically giving the player enough warning to get away.
If you’re asking me to send it out to people, I’m not going to do that until I’m satisfied with it personally. I want the first in-game impressions to be good, even for the testers.
I will upload a Youtube video of a runthrough, however, once I’ve finished working on the parts I’m doing, which should be within the next hour or so. Don’t expect perfect polish, though. The AI in particular is VERY rough around the edges and outright broken in places. But the map itself is looking very nice (even though I do say so myself!)
Scratch that, gimme a couple hours. I found a way around a few problems and I’m back on the path to progress again. I will upload a Youtube video at some point today, however.
I have, and it works pretty well! Need to tighten up the timing a little and it could be awesome.
Having moaned about progress being slow earlier I’ve actually shot forward a lot. So, guys, expect a video in a couple hours or so. And the map is getting near fully functional! Most of my scripted scenes are working (though a little sloppy), and the AI is, for the most part, doing what I want. It’s…nearly finished.
I then have the second map, C2A5H to complete, which shouldn’t be anything like as tough as this one.
What I meant was those two tunnel gates made out to look like hangars - and the fence revealing what’s behind them. Hence I mentioned lack of assets - figured you would understand. If you can improve on it - please do. Do you have environment modeller friends or someone who can model well? Perhaps ask them to help you?
P.S.: I did miss you saying that you are still working on it though, so I’m retracting my statement. But if you have an opportunity to ask someone for help - don’t throw that away and do it all on yourself.
Okay I didn’t realise that (the tunnels) was what you were talking about - I thought you meant the map as a whole! Those tunnels are brush based rather than model based so I can, and will get around to changing them eventually. There are more important things to deal with on the map at present, and that is fairly low down on my priorities list - but it will be dealt with eventually.
It’s coming along, video will be done soon. The only parts of the map in major disrepair which need to be fixed before the video are the ramps in the garage and the stairwell. Apart from that, everything else map, architecture and environment wise is basically done. Scripting, AI, Hinting/Areaportalling is all that’s really left!
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.
