PlanetPhillip

PlanetPhillip
Firstly, welcome to my site. The site lists and reviews single player maps and mods for the Half-Life series of games. In fact, that’s actually not as specific as it could be because it really only covers first person shooters and maps and mods set within the HL universe.
So, total conversions, third person, [...]

I’ve recently noticed that there are a few Xbox Exclusive FPS demos available. I did keep a list but have lost it (Sorry). The first one I remember is BlackSite: Area 51, now from my reading this is also going to be a PC release, so why haven’t they released a PC demo?

This site is focused on Half-Life 1 and 2 maps and mods but that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in other games. There was a time when I had lots of other games listed. I recently found a great site that list hundreds of free games and I sorted through to find the [...]

This question contains spoilers regarding ALL the half-life series games.

I recently played Half-Life 2: Episode 2 and was partly impressed by the start and partly disappointed. I’ll discuss each game’s start in a moment but first this week’s poll question.

Which Half-Life game has the best start?

When did this happen? I created a Steam Community a little while ago and in the profile it asks for your favorite game. I took less than a second to choose Half-Life 2, and that’s when it dawned on me: My favorite game has changed!

This is a slightly humorous mappack, consisting of 7 maps. You start the mod by visiting the toilet and then you go to your commanding Officer to receive your orders. Upon your return the base has been taken over by Black Ops. Save the base and even the money! Sounds like [...]

Are you different from me? In what way? What things do we have in common? Well, we both like playing FPS games and mods. What else? Perhaps nothing. Maybe our playing style is very different, maybe our gender, age, skill level, and motivation is different. Perhaps a hundred [...]

In case you haven’t heard Valve have just announced a Portal: First Slice Giveaway. Basically if you have a NVIDIA graphics card then you get an extended demo of Portal. This sounds fantastic except I have two ATI cards! In fact I am trying to figure out where the benefit [...]

You’ve probably already heard about this site but I thought I’d write a little about it in case you missed it. A new site has opened called a WeGame. It’s best described as a YouTube for gamers.

Another polar question I’m afraid! Would you be interested in playing a Half-Life 2 Mod where you only played 95% of the time in the vehicles? Would you get bored, or do you love driving? Time to vote:

Do You Want A Driving Only Mod for HL2?

This is a short single map created as part of a Guidhall assignment. The player receives a few objectives via screen text and there is also some scripting of events. Work you way through a few various locations to a rebel base, then defend it.
Author’s Note
“My final personal project at the Guildhall, “Contractual [...]

“Krieger starts at the military compound and must retrieve the stolen technology from this militant faction and get back to the point of extraction before enemy soldiers capture him.”
Reader Recommendations12 recommendations, average score: 2.75 (out of 5), standard deviation: 2.02

Leon Brinkmann (SPY) wrote to me and told me of a possible issue with Steam. He said that he noticed when playing Half-Life 2 maps and mods that things were easier than normal. It seems that his settings have been changed to Easy. Now Leon, like to play on HARD, so this [...]

Yet another polar question! Sorry. Leon Brinkmann wrote to me about a possible Steam Update Issue. In his email he wrote: “…what is no fun at all to play, and it does make all effort the mapper took for nothing.” (Forgive his English grammar it’s probably much better than your Dutch!) I strongly disagree with this view point but that doesn’t mean others do. So, this week’s (Late – sorry) Poll Question is

Is playing a game or mod on “easy” an insult to the mapper or dev team?

You are Lamont Vance son of Alyx Vance-Manns the successor of The Suit (Mark V Hazardous Environment Suit). Continuing the fight to free humanity from the plight that is the combine, Lamont is the new scientist about town.

From the Read Me: “Orion is the facility that formally was known as Black Mesa. It started up again 3 years after the incident…”
Reader Recommendations19 recommendations, average score: 3.05 (out of 5), standard deviation: 2.58

Now, at first glance you would probably think that most visitors to PlanetPhillip.com have all the games in the Half-Life series but I have a suspicion that many are younger gamers and as such don’t have all of them. So this week’s (late again!!) question is

Which single player Half-Life games do you own?

Well, I just finished playing Portal and whilst it’s a great game I only played it becasue I felt I had to. I didn’t really enjoy the sameyness of the puzzles. However, shooting stuff is almost always the same, so it’s just a matter of taste.

Would you like to see a connection with Portal in Half-Life 2: Episode 3?

I have some good news and some bad news. Which would you like first? The good news, you say. Okay, Leon Brinkmann and the Team he is part of is about to release a fantastic new Half-Life 2 mod called Strider Mountain. It’s going to be a great ride and I [...]

I just found this interesting article called 10 stunning ultra-geeky home cinemas and of course my mind suddenly jumped to Black Mesa. I would definitely build a Black Mesa themed home cinema if I had the cash and space.

“This is a project I was working on for quite a while, and I’ve finally finished the first five parts. However, there are some completely new NPC’s, the Houndeye the Bullsquid, the Snarks, the Gargantua and the Combine Assassin. There will be some new NPC’s in the next parts too.”

I had an interesting discussion with a very partisan PP reader. His position was related to Crysis and is this: “If you can’t run this game at full graphic settings then you probably shouldn’t play it at all!”. So, this week’s poll question is:

Full graphic settings or not at all?

Another Doom/Quake style, no story, room-to-room map from Ritosito. The first 3 maps can be found here: Zay 1, 2 and 3. There is one jumping puzzle that is nicely done and plenty of action.
Reader Recommendations16 recommendations, average score: 3.81 (out of 5), standard deviation: 1.65

We now have even more choice to purchase/acquire games than ever before, so which did you choose?

How did you acquire your PC games last year?

You’ve probably noticed I haven’t updated the site much recently. Wondered why? Well read on and find out.

The Citizen is set parallel to the events of the original Half-Life 2. The player takes the role of an ordinary man, pushed over the edge by the oppressive regime controlling his life.

This modification offers a multi-level side story of Gordon Freeman while en-route to City 17 via Highway 17 in the infamous buggy.

In the last few days there have been two major mods released; The Citizen and Offshore. When we think about how games are released we notice that they are scheduled to coincide with various events.

Back in March 2007 I asked Would you pay for a mod? A similar question was raised just yesterday when Chris Fox asked in a comment: How much ad revenue do you think a mod could potentially generate, Phillip?

Let me address something similar before I talk about ad revenue.

This is a Russian made mod that looks very cool. I have just started playing it and am already stuck! If any PP reader who read Russian could help to translate the read me etc Please contact me and I’ll add a proper description.
Reader Recommendations21 recommendations, average score: 3.57 (out of 5), standard [...]

“The last thing I remember was our train being stopped in the woods. OVERWATCH told me I was needed for questioning, so they locked me in one of those cold pods and stuck me on the next train to NOVA PROSPEKT. I can still see my WIFE watching me drift away.”

I managed to get Chris and Jose to answer a few questions regarding life, the universe and everything.

Well, mostly about mapping and their mod: The Citizen. Read on to learn more.

A short map with a clearly defined objective of delivering the Gravity Gun to Dr Kliener.

When you look at how many maps and mods were released for Half-Life 1 and how many for Half-Life 2 it seems that HL2 is running out of steam (Pardon the pun!)

So, this week’s (Late again Dammit!) Poll Question is:
Have players become bored with single player Half-Life 2 maps and mods?

A simple starting scenario: You find yourself in what appears to be an abandoned area. You need to make your way through the map and find the other rebels and help them escape.

I’ve played and finished Half-Life 2: Episode 2 and thoroughly enjoyed it but I don’t think I have the patience to spend enough time required to achieve all the err.. achievements. Maybe if I were rewarded in some way, perhaps the opportunity to buy Episode 3 a week early or somethhin I may consider it.

So, this week’s Poll Question is:
Have “Achievements” in Episode 2 made you play more?

“Military cybernetic surgeon (a surgeon specializing in cybernetics) Sean Briston becomes humanity’s last hope as he is swept up in an interplanetary adventure in which ultimately he must personally assassinate the queen of the Dravin, a robotic alien race that has been attacking Earth for the past twenty years in an attempt to procure uranium.”
Reader [...]

An innovative level, where a house is rotating on a central bar. The player’s objective is to find all the 7 transporter beacons and switch them off.
Reader Recommendations21 recommendations, average score: 4 (out of 5), standard deviation: 2.1

A simple maze with plenty of health, ammo and enemies. Your objective is to find the Gman. There is no special ending when you do. A very basic first map that at least has some gameplay.

“This would take place some ware between Anticitizen one and Follow freeman. The Combine have set up a small lookout post in a building. You have been asked to clear the Combine out so the rebels can get at some weapons they have stored there so they can be used for the assault on the citadel.”

“Can you make it through the maze and escape from the monster-infested building? Keep an eye on your surroundings – and that includes above you.”

“Make your way through the underground facility and up to the surface. Watch your step – it could be your last!”

I apologize for the EuroGamer link not working I missed one character in the URL. Anyway, it’s now working and it’s VERY important you visit the page before voting, because it gives you the information you need to decide.

“These sewer tunnels are the only route out of enemy territory. Danger lurks at every corner. If you can make it to the beach, you might have a chance…”

“Tells the action packed story of a familiar soldier brought back to earth by the Gman for an unknown purpose. Use a Barnacle as a grappling gun to swing and pull yourself through levels.”

“In this map the player finds himself stranded in a former human complex re-purposed by the Combine. The player has to make his way to the other side of the complex facing several enemies along the way. This includes a major fight sequence with the player trapped in a room with a Combine Gunboat flying outside.”

This is just a personal curiosity. I need to spend more time playing. I know that may sound crazy but I spend much more time on the site than I do playing and that has to change.

“A map where Gordon Freeman is trapped in Citadel. You need to go and save Alyx and Barney. Your journey will not be easy.(Really it will) This is my first map.”

Author’s Note “Crimson Dawn is a single-player map made for Half-Life 2. The goal is to make your way in to the coastal city, and help your squad and the Resistance Force assault the cities’ Main Supply Depot building to cut off the supply route for the Combine. I designed, built, textured and lit the entire level.”

This is a French mod made by 3 people. You seem to play as Barney but that’s all I can tell you regarding your objectives and the starting situation.

I was planning to write an in depth description of each HL game’s ending but since I am 3 days late yet again I have decide to simply post the question and let readers fight it out with their descriptions.

So, this week’s Poll Question is:
What HL game has the best final fight level?

Just a quick, very late and a short-lived poll question this week..

What is the most you would pay for HL2: Episode 3?

A Ravenholm-styled map where you get a little help from Father Grigori.

This mod has been cancelled but they have just released a demo for you to play. It consists of a number of corridors with a few enemies scattered about the rooms and a “final” battle in a landing bay.

I was thinking about how we judge and quantify maps and mods when Mel beat me to the punch with his forum post and I have been thinking about it a little more.

A short mod with two separate levels; the first is a very basic shooting range that allows you to try the new weapons etc. The second is just an areaa to run and shoot the zombies with the new weapons. No story but it’s not that important for this.

In Poll Question 073 I asked Have “Achievements” in Episode 2 made you play more? and 46% said they loved them. So, this week I’m asking about achievements and mods…

Would you like to see mods with HL2-Ep2 styled achievements?

Alright Gordon, the Combine may not rule our planet any more, but they still dwell in many areas. We have confirmed the location of a militia that is taking hostages. They are in a warehouse in a war torn city. They aren’t demanding anything so we better just move in…..

The The Xen Campaigns is a single player episode for Half-Life: Opposing Force. Included are 14 maps, some custom sounds, skins and some custom sentences.

“You’ve got to make it to the station on time. Meet up with your team and get out of town while you still can. Enemy forces are securing the area so be careful.”

These maps feature a manual load between level 1 and level 2.

This map is inspired by the Silent Hill series. It’s not the usual type of City 17 Half-Life 2 map, so be prepared for some new!

A small map inspired by the movie 28 Days Later.

“Enemy forces have invaded and let loose their secret weapon – a giant robot! Escape while you can and formulate a plan to defeat it and save the city.”

I normally have a firm opinion on everything, including my weekly poll questions but this week I am currently undecided.

Do you prefer interactive or cinematic cut-scenes?

“You’re trapped! Zombies and enemy soldiers impede you, but you have to make it out. They’re both after you, so watch your back.”

After finding yourself the sole survivor of a train crash, you must search for a way out of the canyon you find yourself in.

A straightforward map with a series of rooms that finish with a final fight with 3 Rebels.

“Infiltrate a derelict space station in order to restore power and rescue a stranded scientist.

Even with her help, escaping the station alive won’t be easy.”

This is a partial conversion, meaning some of the original HL2: EP1 assets have been changed.

“Half-Life Havoc (HLH) is a lesson in video game physics created in Half-Life 2 using the included level editing tools. Taking inspiration from games like Garry’s mod and Portal, HLH aims to create an environment where players can take some time to appreciate the complex physics simulations that are present in modern games…”

Get a Life is a FPS Single player action/adventure total-conversion for Half-life 2. You play Alex Zemlinsky, who is trying to learn everything about his mysterious past

The title should tell you everything you need to know about this short but fairly intense map.

I have never played a game or mod twice. I just can’t do it. If I know what’s about to happen then I get bored. However, I know plenty of PP readers replay games and mods. One reader replays all the games every summer! So, this week’s question is…

Which Half-Life series game has the most replay value?

You must make your way through different portals solving puzzles and killing anything that gets in your way.

“Do Not Disturb” is an all custom made single player chapter (or mission) spanning two levels. The player once again becomes Gordon Freeman who, along with a group of rebels, is using an abandoned hotel as a hideout and temporary base of operations.

“Find your way to the surface – if you can. Wade through zombies and meet up with your squad. Will salvation await you at the top?”

I have a feeling that the answer to this week’s poll question will be the most one-sided ever. However, I have been wrong before, and I am sure I will be again.

Would you like to hear Gordon Freeman speak in Episode 3?”

This is a beta of a Star Wars themed mod that I don’t believe was ever released. If anybody can add any information please contact me and I will update the details

I managed to steal a few minutes to ask the Strider Mountain Team a few questions.

As I was writing something for the Learning Center project an idea popped into my head…

I have decide to publish an idea I have been playing with on and off for a while but now realize I have little chance of completing. I have done this in the hope that somebody with the required skills and motivation will choose to work on it. I have little doubt that there are some technical challenges that need to be solved before it can be completed but those challenges are not insurmountable.

Find your way through a mysterious, abandoned mansion filled with zombies. Survival won’t be easy…

I was surprised by the voting last week and could be again this week.
Is the Gman good or evil?

A short but intense beta map of a warehouse on a cliffside. It was supposed to be part of something larger but it seems that something was never released.

I have this idea I want to share with you. One of the important aspects of mods is the new content. New content can make such a difference to how a mod is perceived. It would be quite interesting to have two groups of players who play the same mod, except that one mod has new content and the other standard HL2 assets.

This is my final year project that I directed, designed and produced. Built using the Source engine (Half-Life 2: Episode 2). The game features professional voice actors and a fun, strange story.”

Time to think about the future…

After Half-Life 2: EP3 who would you like to play as?

This is a level from a cancelled mod called Pollution Labs. The author has kindly agreed to release this playable level. I have addde the BETA logo in the header image becasue the level is not finished and *may* crash at certain points. Please rate accordingly.

Just a short fun little map, where all the enemies bounce up and down until you stop them with the red button. You can restart the bounce by using the green button. The player can also jump up and down with the enemies. Beware: If you do it’s REALLY FREAKING hard to shoot anything!

A fun map without any enemies. The purpose is to drive around in various buggies and use the ramps to do some acrobatics. The better you are the more ramps are made available to you.

This long-awaited mod has now been released. There are two versions; a Steam and a WON version. I am currently uploading both to my servers. I will add them as they finish. Get downloading and reviewing.

We all love the movies, don’t we? Action, romance, intrigue, the Half-Life series has them all. So….
Which Half-Life game would you prefer to see as a movie?

“Based on the first buggy supertrack. This map includes 17+ ramps, jeeps with special “abilities,” various gaps to clear, and several unlockables and secrets….some of which may never be discovered.”

A straightforward map where you objective is to clear the enemies. Plenty of exploding barrels and enough Combine to keep you busy for a while.

Game music , like movie soundtracks, can be pretty cool. So, this week’s poll question is..
Do you listen to game music when not playing games?

A demo release of a dual language mod called Logistique…Logistique is a mod whose story takes place at the same time as Gordon Freeman’s adventure in Half Life 2. You are a citizen of City 17, a city that is under iron grip of Combine presence on earth.

Neuromancer is a Half-Life 2: Episode Two single player level where the player must travel between cyberspace and reality to of unlock new areas of the physical world.

UPDATED
This mappack has now been updated based on feedback received via PlanetPhillip. I have uploaded both the updated maps and the complete mappack.

Here’s a mod based off the Call of Cthulhu mythos. Work you way through the gardens and into the house. Can you follow the clues and reach the attic?

Level ideas are ten-a-penny, so why am I writing about mine? Well, two reasons, firstly because it’s my site and I can and secondly because I want to challenge a level belief…

Disposable income is in short supply for most of us and I have recently been comparing the price I pay for things. So this week’s poll question is…
Are PC games good value?

A small map to practise your sniping skills, at least at the beginning!

A large, open area map with more headcrabs and zombies than you can shake a stick at. Plenty of ammo and health to keep you amused for at least 15 minutes. It’s apparently based on a real location in Siberia.

I managed to finally find some time to have a chat with Matt Glanville AKA CrowbarSka, the maker of Union for Half-Life 2: Episode Two. Read on to hear what he has to say…

Hands up if you have played Lost Coast? Firstly, if not, why not? It’s free for Half-Life 2 owners and it’s actually a very fun level. Okay, hands down now.

If you haven’t played it go away and play it now and come back when you have fully explored and finished it.

Here is a medium length map that was submitted to a Snarkpit competition. You play as Gordon Freeman on your way to what looks to be certain death.

No game is perfect and everybody would change something if they had the chance. But instead of looking back, let’s look forward.
What would you most like to see in HL2: Episode 3?

Tired of Half-Life 2 environments? Well now you can fight the Combine in a Japanese setting. Play in 18 levels, all with new textures. The gameplay is Old School hence the name. The gameplay consists of killing the enemy and finding keys to open the door to the next area. Simple and fun.

I rush almost everything I do. It’s a bad habit and I am sure that my writing would improve if I just took more time over it. In fact I normally write something and post it immediately. Not really a professional way of doing things. The question is can you rush playing a mod?

Detritus is a biological term that describes decaying organic matter. You will encounter plenty of detritus in this map. This is a small map and a short single-player campaign. It will take approximately 15-20 minutes for a first-time play through. There are several hidden weapons in this map, including an RPG and a Magnum.

There are a lot of screenshots on PlanetPhillip, some good, some not so good and some really bad ones. I take responsibility for some but not all. The screenshots here are not always taken by me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t recognise a good screenshot when I see one!

A very simple premise: Kill all the enemies…if possible. I tried and died too many times to lie about. Good luck. There’s no story and after killing all the enemies nothing happens, don’t expect anything other than a warehouse with a LOT of zombies etc. Don’t bother playing if you enjoy something more detailed. Arena map lovers only!

A 1 minute run around shooting Fast zombies , if you can catch them. A goofy map made by RitoSito.

A simple question this week. No deep moral dilemmas, just a What’s your fav… one.
What is your favourite vehicle from the Half-Life 2?

“What is this! Gordon Freeman, thank god you are here. Please help us with our major dilemma we just got word from a nearby outpost that combine are coming this way! Stock up on the remaining ammo and take on the incoming combine before they destroy us. This map is all about stationary fighting, you are confined to a building or if your bold the outside of a building. Combine rush in from everywhere and I mean EVERYWHERE. Take your gun and start defending against the Combine Attack”

I’ve been a little generous when I described this as an SP gameplay mode because it’s really more of a scenario. However, it really depends on how you define SP game modes (More on that in another article). I’ve have published a few ideas for SP game modes in the past, including Chase and Reach Me, with the idea of expanding the possibilities when thinking about SP levels and this idea follows along the same lines and hopefully adds a new twist to the thought processes a player goes through when playing.

A couple of distinct areas to find and kill the Hunters and Antlions. It’s not about the architecture in this map but the gameplay. My screenshots don’t show it but there is at least one Hunter and the Buggy is available. I’ll be honest and say I haven’t found the buggy yet and every time I fight the Hunter I die.

I just received details of a new service from the makers of FPS Creator and feel it deserves a little attention from PP readers. Although the site is now primarily focused on Half-Life maps and mods, I still feel that making maps and mods should be made as easy as possible. The Game Creators seem to share that view and are constantly looking at ways to do something about it.

A light-hearted question this week.
Which character would you choose as a fancy dress costume?

A short demo of what now appears to be a defunct Half-Life 2 mod. You play a short section through a Combine train.

A simple arena where you have the super gravity gun and you face two Antlions Guards. Plenty of cars can be used as weapons and there’s even a buggy.

Communication with a laboratory has been lost and you and a small group of rebels have been sent to find out why.

A simple premise: Set up your turrets and protect them, whilst facing 10 waves of various enemies. It sounds a little boring described like that but actually it’s not.

You play the role of one of thousands of citizens who gave their lives on the day of the 7 hour war, the day the Combine brought the world to its knees in a mere 7 hours.

The amount of new maps and mods has taken a dip recently, although there seems to be a few good ones on the horizon, that didn’t stop me from wondering…
Is the lack of new mods due to episodic content?

A beta of a never-finished 5 or 6 part mod. Simply escape from the Combine.

I’ve always been attracted by the screenshots. It’s pretty shallow of me because I should look deeper but I truly believe that a screenshot tells you a lot. Not just what you see but the effort put into taking them as well.

What attracts you most in a mod?

I’ve heard of people who have over 10Gb of maps and mods in their Steam folder. I normally delete a map or mod as soon as I have finished it but I keep local and offsite copies. What about you?

What do you do with maps and mods after playing them?

There must be plenty of non-FPS games that could be made with the Half-Life universe. One question is whether it would dilute the brand.

Would you like to see the Half-Life universe extended into other gaming genres?

I presume that most PP readers have played Opposing Force and Blue Shift, both made by Gearbox Software. Well, if you haven’t you should definitely play OP and play BS if you find it cheap and have some spare time.
Anyway, I have been thinking that since HL2 there are plenty of new opportunities for Valve or a sub-contractor to make some interesting stories. So, this week’s (late again!!) question is..
Should Valve sub-contract a development studio to make an HL2 offshoot?

A short map leading you through various styles of canal environments.

Thanks to a few dedicated PP readers I can finally release this mod. Originally it was an illegal stand alone version but it has now been packaged as a mod.

Your objective is to find your way out of the abandoned base. You’ll need to find some batteries and Alyx even makes a brief appearance.

“This map is set in the Half-Life 2 universe with the player in the role of Gordon Freeman. In this scenario, Gordon must infiltrate an enemy controlled research lab to recover valuable data before it is compromised.

As with Chernobyl this was originally an illegal stand alone version but it has now been packaged as a mod.

Gordon Freeman infiltrates a powerstation commandeered by Combine forces in an effort to destabilize their control of the region.

Former Sony CEO Chris Deering recently said “currently only 3 in 10 games recoup their development budgets. … So developers will have to turn to new revenue sources to cover their losses.”
There is little doubt that developing games is becoming harder and harder for so many reasons. It seems to me that the amateur game development community produces incredible work. Therefore I would like to pose a question that should generate much discussion, if few votes…
Is it time to merge amateur and professional game development?

“Clearing a Path is a single player level I created using Half-Life 2: Episode Two. This project took 4 months to complete. For this project I wanted to focus on scripting and exploration.”

I don’t buy many PC games, partly because I don’t have any spare cash to pay with and partly because I run this website and play all the mods I can. That lifestyle choice got me thinking.
Do you buy less PC games because you play mods?

This is a mod that seems to have slipped under the radar and been more or less ignored. So far it seems a solid production and has surprised me, which is why I added the surprised face to the title image.

A playable map that is part of Robert Gee’s thesis project entitled The Right Way is the Wrong Way: Dead-End Theory in Level Design, which explores dead ends in games.

I’m very pleased to republish this article called Massively Singleplayer by Lonely Gamer.

A first map that offers a very simple premise. I’m not sure what that is but it’s fun. There’s no story and I didn’t reach the end, so I can’t tell you what happens.

There has been new a beta/demo released of the latest version of this mod. Unfortunately the author listed the October 2007 release as final. He has now released a new version. This version contains approximately 1 hour’s worth of gameplay and is approximately 70% of the finished release.

Author’s Notes “I made this map this map to prove that killing does not have to be an depressing or scary thing. Actually killing is FUN!!! (Don’t think I am getting crazy now, I’m talking of an game

Besides Half-Life 2 I can’t remember the last retail game I played, let alone finished. I think it was probably the Crysis demo, not sure. Anyway, visitors to PP probably play quite a few mods, so…
Do you spend more time playing retail games or mods?

Which search engine do you use? How often do you try new ones? What is your favourite one? Questions, questions, questions. Well, I’m going to tell you about some search engines that you have probably never heard of.

The map starts with a women being guarded by a Combine Soldier. Nothing happens until you kill the gaurd and then all hell breaks loose! You need to protect her, if she dies then the map is over. To be honest I couldn’t finish this map without cheating and even then I died a hundred times.

This an arena map where the enemies keep spawning until you either die or you kill enough for the author to decide you won. Not only enemies spawn but also allies.

This level that takes place on a mysterious, haunted prison isle. The player must overcome a series of Myst-style puzzles to find a way to reach the lighthouse. Limbus Island is a study in non-verbal communication, as the player must discover their goals and puzzle solutions solely through visual and audio cues.

It seems to me that the most successful SP FPS games over the last few years have been one that came with an editor.
Does whether an editor is included in a retail game effect your purchase?

This is both a playable level and an investigation into “how players absorb critical information”. Don’t expect anything too clinical because this is definitely a level where you will have to play to win.

Author’s Notes: “This is a single player Half Life 2 mod, set entirely outside of City 17. It features 6 levels of action, exploring a range of locations, non-linear level progression, a musical score, some new abstract textures and challenging gameplay. This mod is meant for those who have already completed Half Life 2″

This mod was concieved as a never ending project. Unfortunately due to other commitments it had to be cancelled. This release is therefore promoted as a “proof of concept”

This is a very basic arena, where the player can open three doors that allow various Combine soldiers, Antlions and Rebels to enter. It then becomes a free-for-all. There is no ending but plenty of ammo and health.

The episode takes place during the events featured in the original Half-Life; specifically, the episode entitled On a Rail. The player plays John Skinner, a cleaner who wears a similar HEV suit to Freeman, and is hence mistaken for him by the military. Skinner’s objective is to destroy a surface-to-air missile launcher, which the military have brought in to take out the sattelite delivery rocket being launched by Freeman.

“A short trip, an ode to the shotgun, and a game made to celebrate the ever-blissful gutfilled splash of shotgun + antlion.”

Half-Life Episode Two is a new mod for Half-Life wich combines two different games; Half-Life and F.E.A.R., this mod is not a major conversion like Paranoia and AOM Dc, but still it features new models, new sounds and a new story…

I used to believe that the larger mods should release demos, just like games. Now I’m not so sure….
What the best amount playtime for demo for a mod?

In the past I have suggested new gameplay modes for single player mods (An SP and MP Mix, Chase and Reach Me), well today I’m going to do it again. However, this time there’s a twist because there are hundreds of maps already available. Curious? Read on…

“This is the Berlin Wall single player map for Half-Life 2: Episode Two. After a huge anticipation for almost 2 months, the little sketch by Stene was soon made real by a group of talented modders. As the story goes, you are a citizen of the East Berlin, and tired of the evil communist government.”

Agent Freeman is once again sent out and this time to check out a murder scene. It is said that a calm killer is on the loose and has claimed the lives of seven people. You arrive on the Massadome Island to find out what happened.

“Missing Information is a mod which brings the old Half-Life 2 story from prototype concepts to what you expected the game would be like when you viewed the E3 trailers. This release features the Borealis and E3 Presentation only as a public test. The Borealis is what Valve had created after Half-Life 1 was released.”

I found a mod currently in production called Zeigeist and the author has deemd it lower priority than some other MP projects (Shame on you!). He is looking for a modeller and coder, and perhaps some other skills.

Half-Life: Decay is an add-on included in the PlayStation 2 port of the first-person shooter computer game Half-Life, developed by Gearbox Software and published in October of 2001, and has now been released as a mod for PC by independent Ukrainian developers along with the help of other European developers/fans.

Author’s Note: Here’s a dev map I made for the wireframe’s mapping contest but decided on releasing it as a stand alone map instead. It’s a gravity puzzle map.

A very simple, linear map where you just need to follow the only route available and kill everything you find. 10 minutes worth of playtime.

A vert basic layout where you have some rebels as allies and two small concrete huts and never ending spawning Combine plus a Combine Chopper.

A remake of 3rd 505th for Half-Life 2.

A large area walled off with hundreds of enemies, plenty of ammo and no imgination.

I had an epiphany and it’s all clear to me now, although you’ll need to read the full post to understand this week’s poll question.
What the best amount playtime for demo for a mod?

Welcome to the Trap complex. Here, you will be subjected to numerous tests for dexterity and ingenuity. Please do not try to leave the elevator before it stops… And so begins a mod that has managed to both drive me crazy and make me feel great.

A forest is the setting for this short but intense map. Not for the faint hearted!

You are Gordon Freeman, after deciding to take the chance, which the G-man offered you. First he commands you to carry unidentified materials for research to Black Mesa Research Facility in New Mexico…

I am ashamed to say that I promised myself that I would start learning to map this summer. I set aside some time and as the day got closer I found myself finding other things to do.

A fairly simple design where you are supporting the Combine soldiers defending, what seems to be a pointless base, from Antlions.

“This mod will let us into a horroristic world in the Andrew Parker asylum and we will live through (or not) in the view of a mental patient. The mod’s primal object is not the insane bloodbath. The real object is to escape from the huge building which holds a lot of secrets.”

A 5 level mod that offers indoor action through Black mesa, with plenty of nostalgic content.

Your objective it to protect Breen and you are working with the Combine against Antlions. Good luck.

A very plain and simple indoor area where you have to kill some headcrabs and some Metrocops. Very clearly a first map.

A little while ago I asked readers to submit articles and features for me to publish on the site. A regular reader, Mel, decided to write a short piece about his first memories of gaming. It was such a great piece that I decided to request other readers do the same.

Combine forces are in the process of constructing a huge robot in an abandoned government fallout shelter outside City 17. The robot, codenamed “Das Roboss”, is the most destructive Combine creation yet. It makes Striders look like daddy long-legs.

I feel that there is an opportunity for the community to sell the best creations to other players via Steam. There are many issues that would need to be organized but let’s keep this discussion to the concept itself.

A mod based on a real location in the United Kingdom, in fact it’s a supermarket!

We don’t need to learn how to play games. This particular activity is natural. We do need to learn the mechanics and rules of each particular game to excel in it. The basic concept of “play” is inbuilt in all of us. For others the concept of creativity is also in built. However, unlike playing games, creating games is a little harder.

“I have decided to release a little alpha version of Night Terror to the Half-Life community.”

“In this mod you play as part of the Combine. Your objective is to defend City 3 from the hoards of Zombies and rebels. You start under the city and work your way to the surface, from there you move onto Ravenholm and then you acquire a vehicle and travel through the sandtraps. Onto Nova Prospekt and back to the city again. Your final act of defensive is the sacrifice of the Citadel City itself – You must destroy it rather than let the Zombies and rebels take control.”

The Outbreak Series is a number of episodic modifications. Based on the events of the Raccoon City zombie outbreak, each episode will tell the story of an ordinary man or women and what they did during the downfall of Raccoon City. The Outbreak Series will include: Single Player short games. Featuring classic Resident Evil objects and story related elements.

Actually I think it does, especially for certain types of mods. I’m not sure how much fun dark, scary mods would be at 10:00am in the mornign. Even if you had the curtain closed, the ambient noise and your state of mind all play a part.

A mod that branches the story from the ending of Half-Life 1.

A simple map based off one of the maps from the original Half-Life 2 game.

A simple set of connecting areas, some that jump, with a scary theme.

A puzzle map where you have to kill three ragdolls with various methods.

A mod that gives you a new storyline for Half-Life 2, contains some achievements and NPC interaction.

“BLACK MESS is a HL2 single player mod with as goal a new single player campaign. In BLACK MESS you are entering a undergound facility controled by the combines. You have been send to this base to investegate what hapens in this base and solve the problem.”

A very simple map with a few enemies, including two aerial ones.

I have updated this post with lots of screenshots and posted it on the frontpage. It’s the Blast from the Past in the next Podcast 17 Transmission.

In this short map you get to play as Larmarr, Dr. Kleiner’s pet Headcrab. You get transported to a Nova Prospekt bathroom and have to make your way home.

A simple premise: Land on a tower and destroy it!

I recently visited all the Portal links I have in my Links section only to find that some site had closed and others seemed dead. This got me thinking whether the Portal mapping scene was dead too. There don’t seem to have been many maps released recently, unless new Portal maps sites have been launched and I don’t know about them, which is entirely possible.

A collection of rooms that starts with some back areas of the Aperture Science labs.

There is a very interesting discussion going on in the forum at the moment about game narratives being too “weak” for movies. I am not going to split the conversation by discussing it here, I just wanted everybody to know about it.

“How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love GLaDOS follows the Portal campaign levels’ visual style and gameplay relatively closely. It is about as difficult as the Advanced Maps. This map was created for, and released to, the Portal community.”

Gordon wakes disorientated and finds Gman talking in his usual mysterious way about consequences??? Looks like another mission for the only man who can make a difference. Bring it on……

A simple map where you have to assassinate Dr. Kleiner and then escape.

There are a few versions of the same map included, including a Christmas version.

The map is small and just contains a hosue and garage.

HMS Defiance 2 is set prior to the event of HMS Defiance. Set in 1942, you play as Stephen Cartwright – a hired specialist on the HMS Defiance, a research ship intended to conduct research on state of the art technology….

I hate you. Plain and simple. I don’t care who you are, where you live, your political or religious affiliations….

A simple survival mod with more Zombies that you can count! Simple level design, simple objective and simply fun (assuming you like simple zombie mods!)

Just a short Portal map

Here we are on the cusp of another year, another year of both great and terrible mods. It’s also that time of year when my mind wanders onto the future.