Category Archives: Phillip’s Blog

• A variety of post themes, including articles, maps and mods outside of the site’s criteria and rants.

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You may have noticed that there is a new design for some of the site.

I have worked on creating some new display options when viewing the content.

In most case, you can now view the maps and mods (and other content too) in three ways: excerpts, thumbnails and lists.

The video below explains those three options and the benefits of each.

Although this is a few weeks old now, I decided to make a video tutorial of how to use the Personalizer and how to get the kind of results that will interest you.

Below is that video!

Here is a short video explaining the new Reviewed or Not Reviewed feature now available on PP.

Sound is out on the webcam, sorry.

MapTap 2.1 Now Available

This release contains a new feature. The file and right-click menu item now has a link to “Open review page”. This will search PP and open the post of the map you have highlighted.

It should work perfectly, but if you have any issues, please let me know via Email.

In addition, this release gives the column widths better spacing.

Current MapTap users should be notified of the update the next time they start the application.

I’m torn. Torn between incredible admiration for such amazing work and frustration & disappointment with the outcome.

I started to write an article about how I felt G-String was bad for the community but then I realised that only presenting the negative aspects was unfair.

Okay, I’ll be honest here, I’m not exactly sure I know what I am trying to say with this article, so I’ll just write what I think I mean and see what happens.

A little while ago, I watched a TV show and somebody said something like… “Studies have shown that the more sexual partners you have, the less happy you are with your final partner”.

I am pleased to announce that the next version of MapTap is now available.

It has the following new features:

• A built in browser, allowing you find files and use them directly within the app.
• Support of most Half-Life 1 maps. Some may not work, but most should
• A “favourite” feature, to allow you to favourite maps, making them easier to find
• An “Open the folder” feature, making it easy to view any ReadMe or screenshots

There’s a few other little things, but those are the ones that count.

I am pleased to announce the 6×10 Mapping Competitions Event.

This is a mapping Competition Event that will run through the Summer and in Autumn.

Here are the highlights:

I am pleased to announce a few new features on the site.

The main one is the Display Matrix, whose purpose to to help readers find new and interesting content.

I love the saying “There are two types of computer users: Those who have lost data and those who will lose data!”

I’ve lost more data than you can imagine, but I haven’t really lost any “work”.

And this is the important part.

I want to keep running mapping competitions, I really do, but it’s very disheartening to fail.

Now, everybody, both mapper and players, have their own ideas for themes and as happened with GravityGunVille, even letting professional level designer pick the theme is no guarantee you’ll get great entries.

For every theme that somebody selects there are two people who will complain about.

What I would like to do is arrange a group chat with as many mappers as possible to discuss possible changes to the format.

I have a few ideas of my own but mostly I want to hear theirs. I could do it here as a post and comment, but I prefer to do it on Steam.

So, who is interested and when would be a good time?

I think that from tomorrow onwards, anytime I am online, I will also get into the PP Group’s Steam chat and be available if modders want to chat with me.

This is a temporary post and will be deleted in a week or so.

Late last year a pp reader posted a review about a map which went against the general consensus. Everybody has a right to their own opinion and if somebody doesn’t like a mod that most people do then that’s fine.

Well, most of the time it’s fine.

Wikipedia defines Flashbulb Memories as “a highly detailed, exceptionally vivid ‘snapshot’ of the moment and circumstances in which a piece of surprising and consequential (or emotionally arousing) news was heard.”

We normally associate flashbulb memories with incredibly sociological events and I in no way want to belittle these types of events or their consequences by comparing our mini-memories of videos games to these events.

My first thought after I heard “Dear Esther” had recouped its investment in the initial 6 hours after release was “so what? Bully for them”.

Not that I don’t wish the authors success – I do. I’m certainly not a fan of mods that turn retail mid development but that doesn’t mean I want them to fail. If there are enough potential buyers then that’s great.

Imagine for a moment that you are completely new to Half-Life gaming. Some how you have acquired the game, perhaps it was a present.

You play it and like most people reading this post loved it and want to delve deeper into its world.

I am pleased to announce the next mapping competition: NewBlackMesaVille.

Well it’s time for a change. The next mapping competition will be on GoldSource, that’s the Half-Life 1 engine. Why? I hear you ask. Well, firstly, it’s something I have wanted to do for a while. Secondly, there’s a Source mod announcement coming soon that would interfere with a normal competition.

I love running PP and can’t imagine not doing it. Unfortunately, it costs money to keep doing it and this is my yearly request for donations.

As the site gets bigger, so does its server requirements. Up until now I have been able to service on shared hosting but the time has come to upgrade. I certainly couldn’t imagine going for full dedicated hosting but I will probably need to use Virtual Private Server, plus even a CDN one day.

I’ll obviously do a lot more research before taking the plunge.

In addition, I want to run more mapping competitions with prize money. That and another site related project needs some software for it.

I would much prefer not to ask for donations but it’s not possible.

So, if you are able to donate, thank you. If not, don’t worry, keep enjoying the site!

Notice anything new? Well, maybe not, but I have updatred the theme the site runs on. It’s both a small update and a big one. Visually, it’s very similar but everything should align better. I have cleaned up the old code and commented the new one better.

Differences include background images top and bottom, depending on which category you are browsing. Link colour changes, again, depending on which category your are browsing. Bigger footer, with MapTap being highlighted.

Fancy new main menu, which will be improved over the new few months and I hope it will amaze you. Sidebar now only has text links for everything except Google Ads, Poll Question and Chip In donations.

I still can’t get the recommendation bar on the excerpts to be the correct width and I have no idea why!

So, there you have it.

Expect big changes in the menu and if you have any trouble navigating or using the site or questions and suggestions, please contact me.

I am having serious issues with WordPress at the moment. I am trying a few things and parts of the site may not work for a little while. Please accept my apologies. Any WordPress optimization experts out there prepared to offer their services free of charge, please email me ASAP.

Time for a competition with a difference.

Firstly, there’s no prize, just the bragging rights that I chose your video over the hundreds of other entries!

About a year ago I made a little tribute called City17 Humane Society (mp3) to a video I saw on YouTube called WHS – Kitty Midnight Madness.

I included it in one of my podcasts, but would like to add it to my YouTube Channel, but it needs a video to go with it.

I have a World Exclusive for you.

Ivan’s Secrets is jumping ship from Source and moving to Cry Engine. In addition, they may even go retail!

When Jamie told me I was angry but now I am resigned to the idea.

The author of G-String has kindly agreed to a text interview. William, from Podcast 17, sent a couple of questions to me and I thought I would ask my readers if they had any questions.

No guarantee is made that she will answer your submitted questions, so please bear that in mind.

You can either email me directly or post them here as a comment.

I should mention that the questions won’t be answered here in this post but in a separate post in the near future.

Thanks.

After a Summer of woes, Klow and Bramblepath have finally got the newly independent Combine OverWiki online.

The site allows registered users to edit and create articles and is a fantastic resource for the community.

Show support by getting involved and using the site.

If you find it a little slow at the moment, don’t worry, things will improve once the images get cached and the interwebnetthingy gets all settled.

The new URL is CombineOverWiki.Net

We are all curious about the release date. Don’t deny it.

So, let’s a little bit of fun with it.

Select a date and if the game gets released on that date, I’ll buy you the game.

Just email your Steam name and your chosen date to planetphillip@gmail.com and I will add it to the list.

The sooner you email me, the more choice you have.

One entry and date per person. Actual date of release is what counts.

See the project page: HL3: When?

Page design and layout liable to change.