"We've Got Hostiles!" Uncut

[Mr_Someguy]

@Dr. Maxwell

I thought the vents were converted into hallways because the devs hate continuity between different areas within a chapter?

What are you even on about this time, Max? :meh:

[Flatline]

@Mr. Someguy

What are you even on about this time, Max? :meh:

I think he enjoys being banned.

[Mr_GameCrazy]

Hi Open Source Forever. It’s cool that you’re expanding this chapter. I’ll do the best I can to help you with this.

I think it would be best if you change the topic title to “We’ve Got Hostiles!” Extended Cut to alleviate confusion with TextFAMGUY1’s OaR & ST Uncut.

[ysrael214]

@PCGameCrazy

I think it would be best if you change the topic title to “We’ve Got Hostiles!” Extended Cut to alleviate confusion with TextFAMGUY1’s OaR & ST Uncut.

So the cut is extended?

[Dotard]

Black Mesa: Vent Crawling - the Beer Is a Lie Edition.

[Mr_GameCrazy]

@ysrael214

So the cut is extended?

It’s just a suggestion.

[Open_Source_Forever]

@.RK

I have a couple things for ya that I would like to bring to your attention. A proposition, if you will. And to illustrate what I am proposing, I went ahead and took a few screenshots of the in-game environments.

One thing I did happen to think about when playing the game was how high everything was. Because you go up two elevators between the beginning of the chapter and reaching the surface. Obviously then c1a3c must be higher than c1a3a. Much higher. But… there is a spacial inconsistancy. To put it simply, the second time you return to the A map you are much higher than you were before.

Here shows the B map. The bottom left elevator goes to A, and the elevator in the middle goes to C. Note the height difference.

And the C map. Notice the vent on the right side? That’s supposed to go back to A. But… That isn’t the height A is supposed to be at.

Why am I telling you this? Because it factors into my proposition AND it gives you a little wiggle room for your mapping.

Now, granted, I think a maze would be bad. It was not done very well in the original half-life and was just downright frustrating. The Black Mesa devs made a good move in making it a bit more linear there. I think that we also have the freedom to have some linearity.

Here is my proposed path:

The path goes from left to right, connected some of the places that we were able to see at the first time through, but could not get into. The transistion area can likely be ignored, since at the time I wasn’t sure how big A was. That, and using that would require you to edit C, which isn’t a very good compromise.

There is only one problem that I can foresee. The geometry in the A map is very simple but the amount of entities is near that point where Text started having problems with his A2 map. Right now it’s sitting at 180%. Text started having problems around 220%, possibly earlier. So, the less entities you add, the better.

We start off with a scenario like this from the original game:

However, this time, there is only one path to take. A branch here would just frustrate people. That’s not good.

We would immediately round into this area, as seen from the elevator that you can fall into.

A vent would come out at the wall. You would go through the doors to some other hall. You would find another vent there which you could take to the kitchen.

Coming out of the kitchen we are now behind the fence. So this area is revisited.

Notice the little table that they have there? The players could use that to get into yet another vent, indicated by the red square. At that point they would make their way to the hall and join back up with the dev sections.

Again, this is just my proposition on how you want to design the areas with this project. While you’re free to incorporate the vents as you see fit, I think that something along these lines would be the most ideal option for you.

Thanks for the ideas, Erik! I just need help using Hammer. Which button do I press 1st? The map is open.

@PCGameCrazy

Hi Open Source Forever. It’s cool that you’re expanding this chapter. I’ll do the best I can to help you with this.

I think it would be best if you change the topic title to “We’ve Got Hostiles!” Extended Cut to alleviate confusion with TextFAMGUY1’s OaR & ST Uncut.

I would, but I can’t find the “change thread title” button.

[RK1]

You’ll probably want to start experimenting with the brush tool. https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Your_First_Map Should help you get the basics down.

[Mr_GameCrazy]

@Open Source Forever

I would, but I can’t find the “change thread title” button.

That’s alright. I’ll help you out as much as I can regardless.

[Dotard]

“popcorn” may be interesting to see what comes from this “in the foreseeable future…” I mean, a year from now, hopefully you will have something done to show after all :zip:

[Open_Source_Forever]

@.RK

You’ll probably want to start experimenting with the brush tool. https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Your_First_Map Should help you get the basics down.

What brush size should I submit?

[RK1]

That’s optional. Again, experiment with making your first room. It should teach you quite a few things.

[Flatline]

@Dotard

“popcorn” may be interesting to see what comes from this “in the foreseeable future…” I mean, a year from now, hopefully you will have something done to show after all :zip:

Really? That was necessary?

[Dotard]

@Flatline

Really? That was necessary?

Necessary? No. It’s not an useful remark, I admit, tho it wasn’t meant to discourage him in any way, I really am curious as how will a vent shaft mod turn out. For the rest, considering it’s his first time doing something like this and it may turn out into something “grander” one should expect that since these things take time.
@OSF, my apologies for any possible offense done.

[Open_Source_Forever]

@.RK

That’s optional. Again, experiment with making your first room. It should teach you quite a few things.

I made a room. For some reason, when I switch to 3D, the stuff disappears when I zoom out past a certain point.

[JeffMOD]

That’s just the Hammer draw distance kicking in.

I’d hold off on editing the BM maps for a bit, take a few days to a week to get used to Hammer by doing tutorials and experiments. If you try to go from no experience to working in the BM team’s complex maps, you’re going to get a headache. Just keep working through the basic tutorials, and read up on things like tool textures and visgroups.

Then, once you’ve absorbed all that and are comfortable with the interface, map your heart out.

[Open_Source_Forever]

@JeffMOD

That’s just the Hammer draw distance kicking in.

I’d hold off on editing the BM maps for a bit, take a few days to a week to get used to Hammer by doing tutorials and experiments. If you try to go from no experience to working in the BM team’s complex maps, you’re going to get a headache. Just keep working through the basic tutorials, and read up on things like tool textures and visgroups.

Then, once you’ve absorbed all that and are comfortable with the interface, map your heart out.

Thanks for the advice.

[RK1]

@JeffMOD

-snip-

Pretty much. If you happen to have Portal 2, get the authoring tools for that. It would be a very good starting point for someone learning Hammer.

[dky.tehkingd.u]

I would try experimenting around by making your own levels before moving on to something as big as a redesign of WGH.

[Open_Source_Forever]

@.RK

Pretty much. If you happen to have Portal 2, get the authoring tools for that. It would be a very good starting point for someone learning Hammer.

A few problems with that:

1. I don’t own Portal 2
2. None of the video game shops within walking distance of my house sell PC games (I loathe playing games on consoles, as the extras-online gaming, mods, custom content systems-will only work on PC or Mac).
3. My personal electronic banking device doesn’t work with online payments, despite being activated
4. My parents won’t let me borrow their credit cards
5. They don’t make Steam gift cards. This last issue is weird, as Steam is a popular enough service that VALVE Software Corporation really has no excuse not to authorize Steam Gift cards.