Author’s Note: “Hard Hat Required is a Half-Life 2: Ep2 level focused on novel environmental hazards, extensive non-structural BSP use to make up for a lack of usable meshes, and re-use of space.
It was created over six weeks with no modified code allowed, and is my first level in the Hammer Editor.”
- Title: Hard Hat Required
- File Name: hl2-ep2-sp-hard-hat-required.7z
- Size : 10.2MB
- Author: Matthew Roberts
- Date Released: 16 September 2009
- Copy roberts_mlbrtm.bsp into your Half-Life 2 EP2 Maps folder.
- Launch Half-Life 2: Episode Two
- Open the console and type map robertsmlbrtm.
- Press enter/return or click the Submit button.
- Play and Enjoy.
If you require more help, please visit the Help page.
Click on the thumbnails below to open a 1024 pixel wide image.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.
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30th August 2011
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30th August 2011
There’s some good and there’s some bad. First the bad: The optimization in the boiler room really drags performance down. I couldn’t actual face that direction once I had passed it. It made for some fun movements with the Metrocops.
Secondly, the general feel isn’t one of Combine, although that said, the author never actually sates that we are in the Half-Life universe, so that’s me just being picky. With this in mind the doors don’t feel right.
The good is the basic idea and the central generator, which works well within the design.
The very good is the new mechanic of using the Manhacks – I won’t say more, so you can experience it for yourself.
As much as the Guildhall releases aren’t generally polished, they do continue to show that new mechanics ARE possible with the games with very little effort.
This was fairly fun to play but don’t expect a masterpiece.
30th August 2011
There are vmx, vmf and prt files in the zip as well, however no comment regarding what to do with them?
30th August 2011
They are only for mappers. Follow the instructions and you will be able to play the map.
30th August 2011
I set the bomb and then went across the bridge into the little room. It just keeps loading my last saved game after I do that. Is that the end?
31st August 2011
Yes, that’s the end.
31st August 2011
In that case I would say that overall it is pretty good. I like the use of the manhack and the placement of objects that are “gravity-gun-friendly” at the beginning. Not having a proper ending is a bit of a letdown for me though. I like closure in a mod!
31st August 2011
What a great little map!
I accidentally managed to get an explosion without having explored the full map, though I was left with such little hp that I started over realizing that couldn’t have been how it was meant to be done – plus, more doors I hadn’t seen the first time.
If there was an award for the most clever use of manhacks in a map, this would get my vote! Though I will add if I hadn’t had instructions, I would have destroyed the hack.
My only issue with the map (aside from not having an ‘end screen’) is the siren. OMG I hate that klaxon. I think I grew to hate it the first time I played episode 2, and more so when I went through either Strider Mt or Coastline, one of those has a never-ending klaxon (which I didn’t realize you could turn off the first time… that was 15 minutes of solid horn…). A way to turn that off would have been excellent, though not necessary as the map’s quite small.
Anyway, kudos and a big PIN for this map.
1st September 2011
I love the fact you included the .VMF file. Fantastic attitude to sharing your work.
I’ll certainly be taking a look at it.
Thanks!
12th September 2011
Fun little mod but the ending is not the best! I would suggest a black screen with a message saying, “The bomb explodes and stuff. The end!”
The manhack was a close shave. Ha ha.
Guards are very tricky to escape and get clear for a monitor pick up, before launching said device as a weapon!
As mentioned earlier the novel manhack use was most inspired.
Very short but amusing diversion, play it now, but don’t expect a “Bond” ending”
Or an ending!
18th September 2011
Ok this is another quickie fun one!; the goals are clear and the gameplay is ok, but is not quite chellenging the use of the manhck comes very handy to solve that sort of problems in some maps, i mean brack ice, rocks even metals who knows, the posibilities are big and i like that clever use or utility of the manhack along with the grav gun is perfect. the reactor part is what i liked the most but i’d preffer another sort of ending like a cut scene showin the reactor blowing off a big explotion or something like that.
Overall as i said this is a really cool map and the playtime is just the perfect at least for me!.
25th September 2011
Interesting little map, one of the shortest ones I can remember. A few interesting twists. Definitely worth playing.
11th January 2012
The Good
Everything works and it’s fully playable.
The Bad
The gameplay is kinda boring. The mapping looks like a HL1 map and the constant use of the alarm noise is maddening…
Not fun to play at all. Save it for when you’ve got nothing better to play!
2nd February 2012
its worth a go and at the least acts as “refresher” that manhacks can be your friend in need