HW Upgrade - Half-Life 2

Due to me committing horrific genocide on my motherboard, don’t expect a Fluffy-esque review on this.

No problem installing or running sofar! The only problem is the language! Kinda takes away from what your supposed to be doing or looking for! Some of my namesakes speak English, but the opening and the messages are ??????? Being an AI in my masters computer does not give me the power to translate language!!!

Len Said:

P.S.: Philip, your main list of HL2 mods is impressive, but I think it would be a lot easier to use if you listed the mods by date added rather than alphabetically. As it is, I have to scroll down the whole list every time I want to search for recently-added mods. Just a thought….

I second the notion.

All my HL stuff is in C:\ProgramFiles\Valve\Steam, and this mod installed itself in the SourceMods folder without any problems. I wasn’t aware that there might be a different default directory, but if so I stand corrected.

Your Database looks like it might be the solution for having to scroll down through everything to find the latest mods–thanks for your hard work! (but are you sure you want just anyone to be able to Edit the entries on your page?–I ask because it looks like the changes are saved to your server).

The Dated Archives also include our posts, so it might be too cumbersome for those of us looking only for the latest mods.

Anyway, I’d still like your main list to be chronological, but it’s your site and you can arrange it the way you like.

I tried your steps phillip but still cant get this to work.

I run the installer and nothing happens. it doesn’t install anything.

But i searched anyway, but nothing came up.

Len Said:

P.S. Has anyone figured out how to proceed from the room I mentioned above?

Unfortunately (and unnecassarily), the fate of the girl is in your hands.

Funny….when I open the .exe file, the installer gives me two checkbox choices.
1) Mod files
2) Desktop Icon

Am not allowed to check the box for Mod files, but can install the desktop icon very well.

No clue.

Not sure how you got cut to swiss cheese in that part. Remember you have to use your “USE” key when riding those things.

Yes, yes andyb. I agree. That would probably be the reason for the sparks flying around that broken wire & the sound effects of zip, pop, zap. Common sense would be NOT to go into water with a live wire running into it!

Map number?

Goddess Alyria Said:

Common sense would be NOT to go into water with a live wire running into it!

Common sense would be not to run around where there are monsters and bad guys and killing computer girls - but that’s HL2!
Anyway, I got fried by electricity, clawed by zombies and shot at a ceiling gun when I ran down to open the far access panel since the iron maiden wasn’t budging.
I’ll try the “use” key on the iron maiden again. At least I know now that it IS supposed to move.

Goddess Alyria Said:

I got fried by electricity, clawed by zombies and shot at a ceiling gun

It sounds a like a typical day at the office for Gordon!

Jump in the dumpster.Its full of water.It wont kill ya.Then go see the guy that was behind the laser.

Good mod so far, but I recommend playing on the hardest level. I am playing on Normal and except for a couple of spots where I was unsure what to do next (thanks for the tips) I’d have to say it is on the easy side. Weapons and health are perhaps too plentiful. I’ve never felt like the battles were close calls, I usually have plenty of ammo to toss at the enemy. Also, the two rides so far - buggy and boat - are so short that I question whether they were really worth including. The maps and the scenery are nice.

Finished the mod. Ending was anticlimatic since I had so much ammo the antlion guard was easy meat.
Also, I fond one glitch when I crawled up a ladder into the last map. If I crawled too slow the hatch knocked me down below the map into the twilight zone. Have to climb quickly up and out from the ladder.
Thumbs up for the mod, but you have to play it on the hardest setting to have a challenge.

Goddess Alyria Said:

Please allow me to post my apologies. Part of this comment was mixed with another mod I was playing. The comments about more enemy action, buildings/rooms a bit monotonous, empty space was not intended for this mod.

Lemme guess — you meant HL2: Day of Resistance, right? I couldn’t agree more.

I know! We all sit around wondering where or when new mods are for HL2. We finally get 2 back to back & we don’t know which way is up!

You are correct - part of my post was for Day of Redemption. I thought this one (yes, I’m sure this one!) was a very good mod.

I did jump, after the small bridge wich get destroyed into the water container and went to the guy behind the lazer but nothing happens… All those womans calling for Freeman make me nervous…

thanks pablo i will check soon

Is that the Admin/mod level?I’m trying to load a save but if it where I think you are then you must kill the flying machines/helicopters before a garage door will open.

Pablo, you must get a box with your gravity gun to help you across the laser barrier. Once across, go through the double wooden doors on your right and proceed.

Sorry to ask, but still stuck. When I stack the boxes and jump over the laser barrier, I’m killed almost instantly. What am I doing wrong?

Gotcha. Thanks again.

installed the mod. however when i start a new game. my character refuses to move anywhere. i’m just stuck in nothing. any suggestions.

yep stupid me forgot to check the keyboard settings. hehe. i guess i just assume everyone uses the same. well i got to play it. it was fun though once or twice i found myself wondering what i was supposed to do next. best example of this was the pipe crossing. which was the last thing i tried after many restarts of that part and trying all sorts of weirdness.

well there is a pipe on the ceiling of that area. that goes from the door you entered the top part from to the other side. when the top path way collapsed into the water. a piece of air conductor pipe/box fell near the door you entered the top. you need to climb on the air duct bit and look up at the pipe above. then move forward while still looking at the pipe till you can go no further and jump off. you’ll be hanging off the pipe but there is no hand on pipe animation to tell you so.

Review
Having played through this mod a few times, it’s definitely one game that’s worth going back and replaying after a period of time. Much of the first play through is spent piecing together and solving puzzles and situations thrown up by the author. However, this is not a puzzle orientated mod, it just has a nice balance of puzzles that are often linked with more than one piece of action, plus a few unconventional solutions. With a second play through you will appreciate the balance of play more, the mod seemingly more fluid, knowing in advance, the answer to a few of the more taxing situations.

I am not too sure if there is much of a story to this mod, but as asked before, does this really matter? After getting a short briefing from the G-man (in Italian) your guess is as good as mine regarding mission objectives. You start on a series of 3 chapters which whilst linked structurally by the use of teleport, appear unrelated plot-wise without throwing much light on what the overall objective is.

We encounter most of the HL cast both alien and humanoid with the Combine and their hardware also well represented; although a few characters are only encountered briefly. We do get to ride both the road and water buggy, but these prove to be brief encounters adding little in the way of enrichment to the gameplay.

I liked the set design and the author’s use of textures give the mod a unique feel. You can tell this is nearly all the author’s own work with much looking new and original, there being little in the way of what appeared to be copied design and detail from the original game.

The author includes a degree of detail rarely encountered with someone new to HL2 mapping. This sometimes manifeasts itself with too much use of detail in some areas, with the example or the opening lounge sequence just packed with detail including the kitchen sink!

I appreciated the trouble the author went to in mapping what may be termed as back-drop sets, with the opening sequence of bedroom to lounge being a good example. Here the author has taken the trouble to give street views from all the windows with active Combine and citizens’ lurking around. It’s worth noclipping a few areas like this for a wander and look around.

Most of the mod takes place within enclosed areas and we are afforded little in the way of open environment until the closing level. It says much for mod design and gameplay that you don’t feel bored or restricted within these continuous enclosed surrounding. To some extent the mix of combat and figuring out the next move, combined with frequent changes to the immediate surroundings, have you immersed throughout.

Negative Points

- Weak story line
- Pointless and limited use of road and water buggies
- No continuity between missions

Positive Points

- Good mix of combat and puzzle solving
- Some refreshing new stuff
- Nice mix of HL2 cast

Conclusion
Overall, I was left with the feeling that whilst encountering similar scenarios with other HL2 custom mods, this author sees things in a different light and in many ways this was a refreshing experience with a new approach.

It is hard to believe this is the author’s first mapping experience with HL2 and whilst it’s not a classic, it is however, a good example of what new talent can bring to an established format

I hope we get more from this promising author, for now, I will play this mod through again from time to time.

My Recommendation