ZECU

[Cryoshell]

I really did not like the new model of zombie_grunt (ZECU).
Causes :
1)Architecture of model
In many places, notably, that the model is made in haste.
Armor flat

Hands like a woman’s hands with long nails

Toes look like triangles

2)Textures
As mentioned hands do not look like the real thing. In my opinion the best hand model made from zombie guard.
The texture and colors of the armor does not match the original.
Shoes almost entirely black
In the model I liked:
1)New gas mask
2)New foot protection
NPC
I also hoped that the ZECU will be an analogue of the Zombine from hl2, but its not

[Crypt]

Okay, yeah, I gotta admit, that’s pretty sloppy work compared to much of the other models. I mean it gets the job done, I guess, but it sorta looks like a quick throw together to shut the “ADD ZOMBIE HECU” crowd up.

[chenmozx]

How about the ZECUs suicide in some situations with their grenades, just like zombines in HL2?

[Agent6]

Gotta admit too, it looks quite rushed. Out of all, I think the back is the worst part, I’m not seeing anything else that would bother much, with the possible exception of the toes perhaps, but most people won’t pay attention to the feet while playing I think anyway.

@chenmozx

How about the ZECUs suicide in some situations with their grenades, just like zombines in HL2?

Really not seeing any reason to make ZECU more similar to Zombines, not to mention that when they were first introduced in Opposing Force (even though this is a re-imagining of HL1) , they didn’t blow themselves up. I think that should remain as it is.

[Nozoki17]

I noticed that the right hand was a bit glitching (going backwards and/or twitching a bit and stuff) when the zombie was walking. This is definitly a nice addition, but it needs a bit of fixing guys :3

[JeffMOD]

@Cryoshell

Hands like a woman’s hands with long nails

Zombies have always had long nails. It’s part of the mutation.

People complain when something’s not there, then they complain when it is. There’s literally no pleasing people.

[LordDz]

We got us a Zombie hecu, I’m happy.

If it were to get the grenade zombie behavior from Hl2, I’m pretty sure some people would complain it was just a copy-over from there too

[JeffMOD]

It would also kind of ruin the moment in Episode One if Black Mesa were to establish “All zombie soldiers use grenades as melee weapons”. Then you’d be expecting it as soon as you saw the combo of headcrab and armor.

…Not that most people who play BM haven’t already experienced it, but, you know.

[TextFAMGUY1]

We totally do not want to copy the Zombine from HL2. It’s just pointlessly self-indulgent. The introduction of that enemy is an awesome moment and there’s no reason to have it in our game at all.

[darkone]

@TextFAMGUY1

We totally do not want to copy the Zombine from HL2. It’s just pointlessly self-indulgent. The introduction of that enemy is an awesome moment and there’s no reason to have it in our game at all.

one of the best reasons to not have grenade pulling zecu out there.

If anything I would think the zecu should rarely drop a grenade or mp5 mag on death, as it is likely they would still have some gear and supplies.

:EDIT:
that said it would be a good mechanic for the zecu that if you gib them and they have a grenade on their belt they explode, not much use in the main game unless you gib the one at the top of the parking garage, but in custom games it would be nice. IT would also give players pause on using that shotgun secondary to quickly take them out.

:END EDIT:

Also the second biggest reason that the zecu should not copy the zombine is as fallows. The zombines pull their grenades as an atempt by the soldier to commit suicide, keep in mind combine soldiers are still living “people” and their brain along with other vitals have been replaced with “synthetic” tech in their chest. They are still alive, just in the most twisted and horrifying way possible.

Zecu, and other zombies do not have that sort of tech in them so the headcrab pull full control, and is to dumb to know what a grenade is.

[Admiral_Sakai]

@darkone

Zecu, and other zombies do not have that sort of tech in them so the headcrab pull full control, and is to dumb to know what a grenade is.

This right here is exactly why I always thought the Zombine in HL2 made no sense, and why Black Mesa is better off not including the mechanic.

[Winged_One]

@darkone

Also the second biggest reason that the zecu should not copy the zombine is as fallows. The zombines pull their grenades as an atempt by the soldier to commit suicide, keep in mind combine soldiers are still living “people” and their brain along with other vitals have been replaced with “synthetic” tech in their chest. They are still alive, just in the most twisted and horrifying way possible.

Zecu, and other zombies do not have that sort of tech in them so the headcrab pull full control, and is to dumb to know what a grenade is.

Wait, is that the canonical reason that they do that?

[Chrillen]

@Winged One

@darkone

Also the second biggest reason that the zecu should not copy the zombine is as fallows. The zombines pull their grenades as an atempt by the soldier to commit suicide, keep in mind combine soldiers are still living “people” and their brain along with other vitals have been replaced with “synthetic” tech in their chest. They are still alive, just in the most twisted and horrifying way possible.

Zecu, and other zombies do not have that sort of tech in them so the headcrab pull full control, and is to dumb to know what a grenade is.

Wait, is that the canonical reason that they do that?

I’ve never seen it confirmed or hinted at that they’re consciously committing suicide (in fact, if it were suicide I think they would do it immediately instead of waiting around in agony), but they’re definitely still cognitively active at some level. So I actually think it’s fine that they can use grenades.

If whatever barely functioning brain they have can recognize the fact that it’s surrounded by “necrotics”, and communicate it, pulling a grenade out isn’t such a stretch. Probably analogous to something like muscle memory.

[Agent6]

@Chrillen

@Winged One

@darkone

Also the second biggest reason that the zecu should not copy the zombine is as fallows. The zombines pull their grenades as an atempt by the soldier to commit suicide, keep in mind combine soldiers are still living “people” and their brain along with other vitals have been replaced with “synthetic” tech in their chest. They are still alive, just in the most twisted and horrifying way possible.

Zecu, and other zombies do not have that sort of tech in them so the headcrab pull full control, and is to dumb to know what a grenade is.

Wait, is that the canonical reason that they do that?

I’ve never seen it confirmed or hinted at that they’re consciously committing suicide (in fact, if it were suicide I think they would do it immediately instead of waiting around in agony), but they’re definitely still cognitively active at some level. So I actually think it’s fine that they can use grenades.

If whatever barely functioning brain they have can recognize the fact that it’s surrounded by “necrotics”, and communicate it, pulling a grenade out isn’t such a stretch. Probably analogous to something like muscle memory.

There is also the possibility that these speeches about “necrotics”, an “infestation”, “extractors”, “contact” and “biotics” is just the headcrab messing up with their vocoders or are pre-recorded messages before the headcrab took control: https://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Zombine

[Snaiper]

@chenmozx

How about the ZECUs suicide in some situations with their grenades, just like zombines in HL2?

AFAIK Zombine behavior, canon-wise, is explained (more like “attempted to be explained” though, since they’re primarily a gimmick and nothing more) by certain biological functions being embedded in Combine’s neural system through chips and prosthetic and whatnot.
Zombines have also been observed to communicate over radio, but in a highly limited manner. There’s a reason why only zombified Combine do these more-or-less advanced functions and no other zombie does - it’s unique to the Combine’s biology, more specifically, neurology. Zombines have been observed to lack brain in its entirety, by the way.

If HECU zombie can unholster a grenade and pull the pin out while holding, and that’s quite some motor function for a zombie, then why shouldn’t they be able to swim, climb, run, or even shoot weapons or something?

And from gameplay perspective - that would probably change a lot and make it played more like HL2 than HL1. For example, one of the things you can do with a Zombine in HL2 is steal its nade whilst he’s attempting to kill you with it and then throw it back at him or away with gravity gun - but there’s no gravity gun in HL1 and BMS. Zombines aren’t really favorites of anyone’s either, they’re generally avoided in campaign mods.

*NOTE when I speak of “HL2” I also refer to “EP1” and “EP”.

@Admiral Sakai

@darkone

Zecu, and other zombies do not have that sort of tech in them so the headcrab pull full control, and is to dumb to know what a grenade is.

This right here is exactly why I always thought the Zombine in HL2 made no sense, and why Black Mesa is better off not including the mechanic.

It is worth noting that just like many things in the Half-Life franchise, Zombines are more of a gimmick and gameplay element, and then story/canon is coined around that. That’s primary reason why a lot of people prefer HL1 (that includes BMS and HL:S) over HL2 - it didn’t try so hard to have some meaningful story, you were an any-guy, hence why you never spoke, you felt like you were making the decisions, not Gordon Freeman. And then suddenly in HL2 there’s this attempt at going deep in trying to explain everything, but at the same time leaving so many holes, so many things just unerdetailed - that’s why the HL franchise is so infamous for retcons and numerous post-factum changes by writers. So, yeah, let’s stick to what works, all right?

[Winged_One]

I liked all the variations of zombies which HL2 and its children created, including the Zombine.

[Admiral_Sakai]

They were interesting as gameplay elements in their own right, but having so many kinds contributed to the general zombie-spam atmosphere that sucked out a lot of the variety out oft he HL2 trilogy.