About
I believe this mod was never finished and ToTac decided to release it. There’s no story and you just have to fight you way until the second map finishes. There’s plenty of variety in environments, but not much outdoor action.
Basic Details
- Title: Black Mesa Sideline
- File Name: hl1-sp-black-mesa-sideline.7z
- Original File Name: hl1_spmod_bmsl.rar
- Size : 1.20Mb
- Author: ToTac
- Date Released: 22 September 2007
PlanetPhillip Download Servers
Screenshots
Click on the thumbnails below to open a medium size image. WARNING: The screenshots may contain spoilers.
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Reader Recommendations
15 recommendations, average score: 4.6 (out of 5), standard deviation: 0.64
Broken Link?
Please email me about a broken link and I will do my best to repair it as soon as possible - thank you.
Total Downloads
Please note: These statistics are valid from December 2010
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144Overall
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0Today
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4Last 7 days
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14Last 30 days
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132365 days
Published
22nd September 2007
Categories
Tags
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30 Comments
22nd September 2007
This is a fantastic mod and don’t be fooled by the relatively small file size. Totac is quickly becoming one of my favorite modders and I am sure Outbreak 2 is going to rock.
This mod has no story but that doesn’t spoil the action and gameplay. There are a couple of set piece of very high standard and the mapping itself is fantastic. Just look at images 12 and 16 to see the detail that goes into the areas.
There were a couple of areas that were difficult and I won’t spoil the ending for you but I struggled, as I did just after the mini-lift.
There are the classic elements of letting the playing see what’s coming but not being able to reach it. I enjoyed the ladder and shaft elements as well.
One thing it took a while to realize is there is no crowbar, which is a refreshing change. Perhaps I missed it!
I could go on and on about the various areas and the interesting doors and levers but reallyu, you should have already started downloading this mod and load it up as soon as possible.
I have no hesitation in recommending this mod to you.
5 Words Or Less Review
Detailed, thoughtful, arrrrhh, WOW!
22nd September 2007
Phillip, I nearly missed the crowbar, but found it upon backtracking during my playthrough. It’s behind the green crate situated to the right of you as soon as you begin the map.
I’m glad I found it. I didn’t want to waste my ammo on breaking crates, to which contain useful items, as well as wooden barricades etc.
Here’s my little review:
—
Despite being short and without any inclusion of a story, this is a very solid, fast-paced and very fun mod!
Level design comes first, as its brilliant. The level of detail is amazing. Trimwork is at full force here – So are the tiny little details that give this mod SOME form of immersion despite a decent storyline. Not much else to say here – I can only praise it here! I will have to nitpick though… The vent system, with that open area with ladders, while a cunning piece of eye candy, is frustrating to move around in. The ledges to which the player has to hop onto from a side ladder become a niggling pain to get onto. The area, despite being an obvious ventilation system, was still very cramped and annoying from a gameplay perspecitive. (I’m not talking about the air ducts themselves, just that ‘central hub’ area. Air ducts are supposed to be cramped!)
Now gameplay. It’s great. Not anything special or really sweat-inducing, but it’s solid and good fun (Which is all it’s really about, eh?) There aren’t any real puzzles, which slightly detracts from this mod, but at least there’s a good mix of enemies. There isn’t much else to say here.
Enemy and item placement is a generally solid acheivement! Some of the barnacles are placed most excellently! Also, your exploration is rewarded with items, but the author has taken it to nearly ‘counter-balance’ or punish you. I once picked up a battery tucked up in a little alcove-y bit and a slave zapped in right behind me. Unfortunately, there’s the crowbar issue.
It SHOULDN’T detract too much from it if you don’t find it, but it’s an important weapon, so it should’ve been easily found. Enemy placement takes a short dip with enemies placed at the top of ladder. What makes this worse it the way a satchel charge has been placed here. Since it’s your first, the player will pick it up and you will automatically switch too it.
However the problem lies with the enemies placed right out of the room to which the player enters and no matter what, the player always picks up the charge as goes through the doorway, no matter what. This is really nitpicking, but it was just a frustrating and niggling little issue that managed to actually kill me. No matter, the good stuff far outweighs the bad!
As for everything else? Well, set pieces are very well done. They are timed well and occacionally quite clever. (Though sometimes not very practical… But it’s a game!) As said above, it was too short and I was left wanting more! Oh well, it’s obviously unfinished so what’cha gonna do? There was also a lack of friendly NPCs. I counted one. (Living ones, that is.)
Finally, I enjoy a good immersive story, but I’ll let this slide, because everything else is so damn good! (Much like the awesome little baby ‘Affliction’! No real story, but with awesome gameplay, design and set-pieces!)
Overall a excellent mod with a few downfalls and a lack of a good storyline. Still, it’s hard NOT to recommend this, so I give it a:
22nd September 2007
Arround 30 min of excellent gameplay it’s quite linear but with a good look to ‘will i pass to the area on the otherside of the window or the vent’.
Some area with troop ar challenging and the rock ‘cheminey’ with the helicopter to pass the gate below was a pain…
I like the water pump trick and was a little bit disapointed by the end that is not really an end.
Finally the way that this map was made with a professional look to eveything to make a so small download size was also estonishing
just can tell to
22nd September 2007
Oh, I forgot to mention. There is no music at all in this mod, which detracts from the ambience of the whole thing.
Still, the mod is ‘unfinished’, so that’s easy to forgive.
I also forgot to mention what Phillip and Stef have addressed – The small download size is a definate plus!
By the way, cheers for the editing help, Phillip!
22nd September 2007
“This is a fantastic mod”That’s a bit of an exaggeration. The overall architecture is certainly good (i.e., detailed) but there is little variety, every area is too cramped (there is very little room to maneuver), there are too many vents and hallways and so on.
Took me 14 minutes.
22nd September 2007
I don’t think so. Im my opinion it is a fantastic mod. Of course everybody is entitled to their opinion.
I recently replayed Poke646 for a forthcoming feature and I actually enjoyed this more.
Perhasp I just prefer short and sweet.
BTW, I need to talk to you about a possible interview, are you interested?
22nd September 2007
Actually, that’s a good point. It detracts from the gameplay down to a significant level. Many of the human grunt encounters were too cramped, (And thus were more challenging then they should’ve been.) and there were many thin corridors.
However, I still hold out on my opinion. (And my ‘Play It Now!’ icon!)
Hahaha.
22nd September 2007
“BTW, I need to talk to you about a possible interview, are you interested?”
Yeah, sure, use my gmail address.
23rd September 2007
A small two-map claustrophobic adventure, with good taste on design and well balanced battles.The basic Half-Life formula (even with and abrupt ending).
27th September 2007
It was fun to get back to some basic HL1 fare and this is an enjoyable if short typical HL1 encounter. The design varied a bit from some good sets to tight and boxer areas with a need to noclip in places. The game flowed well with a nice balance between combat and supplies.
It’s far from being a classic but well worth the download and play time.
28th September 2007
Really, really enjoyable. It’s short, that’s a shame, but I had my fun. Reminded me a lot of NightWatch (RIP ;( ) and ETCII, which I think is a good thing.As has been mentioned before, the attention to detail is great, those vents on the ceiling right at the beginning, the handlebars and rails, etc..And seeing some of you complained about the cramped corridors, I have to say I didn’t mind that at all, I thought that was a nice change from the wide hallways we’re used to.
29th September 2007
I was expecting more from ToTac.. the mapping is great, but other than that.. nothing special. The crowbar is obvious
Took me less than half an hour to finish it and most of the enemies were too easy to kill for a medium level. Maybe because the last mod I’ve finished was Operation Black Thunder – a long, hard and entertaining mod. Here, most head crabs are avoidable and then hackable; I often used the mighty shotgun, which was a great choice for the cramped alien grunts; the military can be weakened with well placed grenades; as for the barnacles, if hanged at a normal height, and this goes for all the maps, just let them take you and press the down arrow to slow down the lifting and keep crowbaring.
So I will give it a “Consider it” and a 5 word review:
Switching to the weapon you’ve just picked up was annoying, and the jumping on ledges from a ladder, likewise, but I got the hang of it. Still, it’s unfinished and for such a small size, the author did a great job with the mapping. He had to cramp everything, but it wasn’t at all claustrophobic. I thought I would hate it for its lack of puzzles, but for some reason, I don’t
Short, fun, not a keeper.
29th September 2007
Most excellent mod. Amazing how much he managed to include. Keep up the fine work.
3rd October 2007
Got to say, from reading the posts, I thought this was going to be a ‘fantastic’ mod. But no, it’s average and short. Yes the design and detail are good. The gameplay is standard and linear, with too many headcrabs and just a few grunts. The ‘helicopter’ is not seen, just heard. About 20 mins play.
I look forward to a great big mod from ToTac with some more open sky and more maps!
3rd October 2007
And…. the crowbar is right in front of you when the 1st map loads!!
20th December 2007
Nothing out of the ordinary.
24th December 2007
Fu…
Sorry, but i don`t play in this game. I have error, bug when I am
/images/sep-07/med-bm-sideline-19.jpg
Then is black screen and error with hl.exe lancher.
PLEASE HELP!
I`ve installed patch 1.1.1.0 and I don`t have High def pack.
26th December 2007
HELLLOOOO !
Help me!
26th December 2007
Sorry wlodi, can only suggest a re install of HL plus 1.1.1.0.
I have the same install and no problems.
27th December 2007
I reintalled half life and installed patch 1110.
And I have problem in the same situation.
29th December 2007
sorry you had no succes wlodi, I can’t realy think of any reason for the error.
You are not using steam, I presume?
29th December 2007
Have sent a save to Phillip. Saved just after opening the hatch you are standing on, in the screenshot. If Phillip makes it available to you, put it in the bmsl/save folder. Note the time of the file, and load it from the start of the mod. Yours is crashing quite near the start. Have the headcrabs popped up and been dealt with?
29th December 2007
wlodi please contact me with your email address and I’ll pass on the file from piledriver.
Please don’t leave it here.
My email@ planetphillip AT gmail DOT com
30th December 2007
HI!
Thanks for reply!
Ok. I open manhole and go down by ladder. And when I start swimm mod crashed, I see black screen and erro “HL.exe Lancher ble ble…”. I have Half-Life CD-ROM, box version – no Steam.
Ah, one thing yet. I load game from the start many times and bug is still in this moment.
30th December 2007
planetphillip
I send you my save.
18th July 2008
I can’t really say much that hasn’t already been mentioned, so I’ll just throw some quick sentences out here. Short (two maps) but sweet. Awesome map design and layout. Keeps a good balance of combat and exploration.
21st January 2009
The best of the fun stuff. My only complaint was I wanted more…great little mod.
28th April 2009
I have no idea when I downloaded this, nor why I hadn’t played it until now….was just trimming one or two mods from the ever growing Steam Games list and gave it a whirl..I’m so glad I did, a proper HL1 blast, even if, has been said above, it’s unfinished. (Shame!)Worth 20 minutes of anyone’s time!
29th April 2009
I’ve updated the post to incluude the screenshots and new download links.
1st December 2011
And yet again I agree Philip, this is a very good mod with… some lil flaws (see below)
As soon as I saw the first hallway with it’s view outside, I realised how detailed this mod will be, that’s exact the style I like, very pretty design! It’s obvious making this little mod didn’t took a few days..altho it’s not that big.
There’s also enough action with soldiers, aliens and sentry towers.
Pro’s:
-Fantastic, high-detailed (for HL1) level design
-Pretty balanced action, altho most of the enemies are placed bad (for the player
-No long ventilation shaft -or ladder crawling
Con’s:
-Enemy AI
-Mean placed enemies
-Short playtime
-Minor clipping bugs
-Less space to move, except the first few meters