Archives for June 2010

• Please note that these are publication date on this site, NOT the actual release date of the maps and mods

A collection of around 75 maps featuring two new gameplay elements; superjumps and red lasers.

This mod also features multiple paths and two possible endings.

A collection of maps from various sources.

There are over 35 maps included, most with combat.

As I was walking along the beach the other day, my feet enjoying the cool, refreshing waves, I starting thinking about stuff. Not just regular stuff, like shopping lists and housework, but world-changing, cataclysmic stuff. Stuff like Podcast 17 and how it has nearly 90 episodes. That’s one a week for over 21 months. Do you know how much work is required to produce one podcast? I do and it’s a lot.

Andrej contacted me a while ago and said he was going to make a lot of the Hl1 files that used to be available on my Filecloud server available from his site. He has been working very hard and I would like to thank him for all his hard work.

He has listed them in alphabetical order and each file has plenty of details. Many of the reviews are in Slovenian but he plans to translate them soon.

An arena map that challenges you to stay alive for as long as possible.

There is plenty of ammo and health, but also plenty of enemies.

Only the strongest will survive

Author’s Notes: “In this custom single player level for Half-Life 2, Gordon Freeman has been sent to a city that has been taken over by Combine hostiles. He must eliminate all enemy threats and rescue the remaining civilians.

This map was produced for my Final Major Project at University. The look of the map was inspired by the modern architectural styles of the United Arab Emirates.”

Last week I asked Would you play a mod that was purposefully trying to be offensive? and naturally the discussion touched on what is and isn’t offensive. So this week I have decided to allow that discussion more freedom.

Let me start by saying that personally none of the items in the poll are acceptable for me in a HALF-LIFE game. I am not saying that they shouldn’t appear in other games but that I don’t think it’s suitable/acceptable in a Half-Life game. Valve have worked hard to set a certain tone within the games and focus on other elements rather than simple shock value and for that I am glad.

This mod contains all the unfinished maps etc. It was kindly released by the team, instead of just letting it stay on a hard drive.

Don’t expect a smooth ride, you will need to load some maps manually and some maps contain little or no action.

Black Mesa seems to have “acquired” some Apeture Science technology.

Can you escape with it?

A series of chambers with some interesting puzzles.

Some chambers have plenty of vertical action but nothing requires any special jumps etc.

The end is very abrupt, so don’t think it crashed

A simple “survive as long as you can” map.

Set in a dark, small area with never-ending zombies and a couple of citizens to help you

More of an obstacle course than a true puzzle map.

Just follow the signs and reach the end.

This is a tough question to broach. In fact, I am not even sure that I should start this discussion. I’ve used the image but I am talking about all types of offensive content.

Personally, I dislike almost anything outside of the basic idea of killing to save my planet and I know that’s naive considering the game genre I play but I do feel that some things are off-limits.

The Advisor is a singleplayer puzzle based level for Half-Life 2: Episode 2 where the player pilots a small combine robot in top down view from a security camera.

More details, including a download link can be found on the author’s homepage: Sky Silcox

It contains no combat and therefore is in the Alternative Mods category.

” Conundrum provides a diversity of puzzles experienced over the course of 4 chambers.

The goal of Conundrum is to provide a fun and thought provoking experience for the average Portal player while still being appealing for the more hardcore Portal player as well.”

What if Freeman weren’t held in stasis during the portal storm that ravaged the Earth and caught the attention of the Combine?

What if Freeman had a chance to prevent the Combine invasion from ever materializing?

What if Freeman could reverse mankind’s fate?

Now I know that nobody reading this even remotely believes that Episode Three will be anything but incredible BUT I can’t get the thought out of my head.

Starting on what seems to be some form of artificial island, you need to keep working your way through the complex until a pod comes to rescue you.

There are a number of small puzzles along the way, as well as some interesting combat.

You go deeper and deeper into the complex until one final battle. Can you survive?

I wrote a short story and what’s the point of having a website that people visit if I don’t use it to publish something? None!

So, here is the first of a few short stories I have written. This one has a connection with the Half-Life universe.

I haven’t had it proof read, so you get it almost as it was written, please forgive any silly grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. All criticism welcome, even if it’s just You suck!”.

I received an email from a reader today asking that exact question; how tough is too tough? He is writing reviews and has received some negative feedback for those reviews.

I haven’t read any of the reviews in question, so my comments are based on the topic rather than any specifics.

You want donuts and you want them now. There’s no time to waste.

Drive to the Metrocop base around the corner and get them!

For this poll question I am specifically thinking about people who post reviews and recommendation images here on PP.

I am not talking about playing a mod on different difficulty settings, but the general idea of going back to the mod after a few months and playing it again.