Possible ideas and improvements for the next Half-Life

[SomeBritishDude]

I definitly agree about the Crowbar. It's such an iconic part of Half Life but it's almost useless aside than for conserving ammo, and even then you have the Gravity Gun for that.

I'd say discard it as a separette weapon and add a melee button; when it's used you smack someone to the ground with the crowbar. Or just the idea of using it to knock foes down without dealing much damage might be cool. The Crowbar feels like it should as important as melee weapons in Left 4 Dead 2 or Condemned and it should be.

Not sure about the rest. If I was to update Half Life I'd definitly make a few changes. A lot has changed in FPS gaming, both within Valve and out and I feel like a lot of it could be intergrated into Half Life as long as it doesn't throw awhile that slightly old school feel the game has.

Health Bars and so on; stay. I like that Half Life still makes you feel like a one man army where as most FPSs now a days have you ducking behind cover constantly. Though I would reduce the health of most enemies, especially combine soilders and increase the number you can get on screen at a time. If I shoot someone in the face with a shotgun they should go down like that, unless I'm dealing with a big mother fucker I don't want to keep filling them with lead with no reaction. It's most satisfieing that way.

Also from whats been very subtly hinted at I think they'll be some sort of co-op in Half Life 3. It would be cool if a friend could just pop in as Alyx, though it'd make the enevitable romance awkward.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Honestly, I just hope Valve ignores everyone, otherwise we will end up with another brown gritty "realistic" "grrrr" brick shithouse space marine modern shooter, as is clearly indicated by the improvement ideas sofar.

And I'll add something to ignore aswell:
- every area spiced up with extra "environment" features, they did minor things before but I want more of it like they do with Portal only more real-worldy
- and faster goddamn releases

 

[SomeBritishDude]

The crowbar is a tool, not a weapon.

Then make it an important tool. The Gravity Gun can do it's job better and faster and from across greater distances, plus if you get into a fire fight in the process your better off with the Gravity Gun in hand than crowbar.

Even just making it a part of certain actions might make it feel like has use; simply having Gordon crowbar something open every now and then might make it feel more integral. Or using it to jam mechanisms and so on.

EDIT: On a side note bring in the AI director from Left 4 Dead. Not all the time but just for certain straight up large fire fight sequences. It'd love increased replay value.

 

[sheogoraththemad]

a better A.I was it just me or does anyone else thinks that the combine were retards.

 

[Dr.Sean]

Bring back the Tau cannon from HL1 and that thing from Opposing force that was pretty much the BFG 9000 with a portal to Xen. Those lazor pew pew pew guns ruled and they were really satisfying to use.
Bring back the portable barnacle that was used like a lasso. I felt like GOD DAMN INDIANA JONES with that thing.

 

[the_green_dragon]

Don't make any more?

They have had their time in the spotlight. To be relevent now would require a huge overhaul IMO.

 

[Dr.Sean]

- Improve automatics. I want a reason to use that Pulse Rifle. It's basically useless now.

The automatics do have a rather weak kick, they should get a little beefed up.

- Possibly cut out a few of the weapons. The weapons collection is actually quite cluttered and you don't use all of them that much.

Some of the weapons are for countering specific enemies. The crowbar/gravity gun is for beating headcrabs, the shotgun is for beating zombies/antlions, and the RPG is for beating the striders/flying machines.

- As scared as I am to write this, put in a few more water enemies like Ichthyosaurs. Water in HL1 was scary, Hl2 it was comforting.

I think they did this on purpose. In HL1, you were supposed to swim around the water levels, however in HL2, you aren't supposed to be in the water. The leeches in HL2's water provided this feeling, while putting monsters in the water would make it seem as though you are supposed to defeat these monsters.

 

[MarxII]

It's a crowbar...
A crowbar normally isn't meant to be used as a weapon, but as a tool for breaking stuff open.
What do you expect?
A crowbar that functions as a lighsaber?

Of course not, don't be ridiculous. Somewhere between that and Styrofoam meat hook would be fine. I don't ask that it be a match for the old shotgun in close quarters, but again: four strikes to a CP face with no effect and man has to wonder.

OT: More going into other dimension like in HL1. Possibly to where-ever the combine come from.

Isn't that considered the worst part of Half Life?

By fools and miscreants, I say.

But seriously, I think the Xen trips added quite a bit to the first game, and I know I'm not alone in saying the closer-in look at the homeworld of the invading foe made for some interesting times. And a refreshing segment of slightly different environment, which helps stave off staleness.

 

[Lazy Kitty]

It's a crowbar...
A crowbar normally isn't meant to be used as a weapon, but as a tool for breaking stuff open.
What do you expect?
A crowbar that functions as a lighsaber?

Of course not, don't be ridiculous. Somewhere between that and Styrofoam meat hook would be fine. I don't ask that it be a match for the old shotgun in close quarters, but again: four strikes to a CP face with no effect and man has to wonder.

Well, those CPs are wearing armour...
If four hits with a crowbar were all it took to kill them, they'd have gotten even stronger armour a long time ago.

 

[MarxII]

I'm not referring to body shots, mind. These are face. Dead on the little eye plate even. I understand eye protection, but seriously.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

-More weapons. Using the same 10-or-so weapons for the past three games is incredibly tedious.
-Agree on more revolver ammo.
-Give the MP7/SMG1 a grenade launcher model, instead of magically shooting grenades from nowhere
-Remote explosives of some sort, such as the satchel charges or trip mines from HL1
-Ability to remove laser from rocket launcher via secondary fire like the original HLs (so you can shoot a rocket and run off, instead of having to direct it)
-Have some sort of water enemy, like the Itchthyosaurus

 

[varulfic]

I'd like more interesting weapons. HL2 had the gravity gun, and that was it. Every other weapon was stock. The first Half-Life had a gun that shot bees. It had the Gauss gun which was fucking epic. Opposing forces added even more awesome weapons like the barnacle gun, and the teleport gun. HL2's expansions added no new weaponry - the Magnusson device does not count.

 

[Ninjat_126]

Don't make any more?

They have had their time in the spotlight. To be relevent now would require a huge overhaul IMO.

So they don't deserve to continue making good games, because they're good at making good games and have been for a while?

I understand that people get sick of formula. In fact, that might be a reason for the delayed release of EP3: giving us a break and time to get interested. (Or, you know, Valve Time.)

 

[Xangi]

Actually making it? That would probably be the number one improvement you could make to it.

 

[ZeroMachine]

- Possibly cut out a few of the weapons. The weapons collection is actually quite cluttered and you don't use all of them that much.

I agree with you on a few points (ESPECIALLY bringing back old enemies), but I use every weapon in Half Life 2. They all have great uses.

SMG for weaker Combine, alt fire for cluttered.

AR2 for Elites or ones with Shotguns. Alt fire to clear hallways.

Crossbow for traditional (as possible) sniper.

Magnum for specific situations where a more accurate sniper is needed (use the zoom and hold the left mouse button down, let go of zoom and BAM, instant kill if you're quick, excellent makeshift sniper) or just to quickly dispatch stronger enemies.

Crowbar for Civil Protection (unless I'm at low health/on hard mode/they have an SMG) and against headcrab, headcrab zombies (except for fast/zombine/poison) and Manhacks.

Pistol for any Civil Protection if I can't get to them with my crowbar or if I'm outnumbered by them. Or against lone Combine soldiers.

Shotgun for EVERYTHING.

Grenade for grenade-appropriate situations when I'm out of alt fire for the SMG.

Gravity Gun whenever possible/reasonable.

RPG for anti-vehicle (dur).

And the bug thing for the... uh... bug thing section.

I think I got everything there...

Anyways, as for what I'd like to see is a more proper squad system. No micro managing, just better command overall.

 

[KoudelkaMorgan]

With Resistance and Borderlands (as just 2 examples) outclassing HF2 in every way in MY scoresheet, making me give a crap about a franchise that died several years ago from lack of interest by its own creators and most diehard fans, would be the only thing they COULD do at this point to improve the next one.

At this point I think there is a better chance of another Eternal Darkness or Legacy of Kain game than another HL. I know I'd be much happier with either, especially if they did a full reboot of Kain and pretended everything after the first 2 games never happened...

 

[Notere]

I'll say it simply: The first game had too much weapon clutter by far, and you never really knew what ammo to save. If you used to much, you hated yourself when the last bosses showed up. In HL2, there was no such problem. Not because of the gravity gun, but because they found the sweet spot between need and excess. The solution that I found?

1: Task your weapons. Crowbar, pistol, and SMG are small threat weapons. Barnacles, headcrabs of various sizes, and standard zombies don't need anything else. The shotgun is great for cramped fighting, while the crossbow excels at long range combat or even close range combat on a poison zombie. The pulse rifle is excellent in bursts as stated before in the thread, and the secondary is something to save for just the right moment. You don't need to save pulse rifle ammunition because when you get it, it's everywhere forever after.

2: Stop worrying and shoot. There's a lack of revolver ammunition, underbarrel grenades, and crossbow bolts? That's because they're not strictly necessary as weapons go. You have other weapons with far more available ammunition to use that can do the same job, albeit less efficiently. The weapons with sparse ammo are fun alternatives, not staples. If you need grenades or rockets, note that the game will, more often then not, provide them. How could you tackle Nova Prospekt without that rocket crate in the main yard? The answer: You couldn't. Especially not if you have bad luck with landing them.

As for the weapons they lost? Most of their functions are redundant, or require you to wander around in the same area for them to become useful. That is, remote satchels and trip mines, particularly. The snerks (IIRC) are the same way, and even more situational because they could bite you as well. The solution to snerk/satchel/trip mine removal? Put more grenades in the game. Which they did.

Even then, if you run out of options, find something to throw with the gravity gun. Say what you will about Aperture Science's unloved, unsung genius invention (read the portal 2 comic. Carefully), it's a failsafe. If you screw up and have no ammunition left, the gravity gun saves the day. It's the solution to the inevitable "zero ammo"/"no heavy weapons acquired" problem in an FPS, and a very elegant one at that. This is demonstrated by the fact that the gravity gun is one of the most-used weapons in HL2 Deathmatch, period.

What I would add isn't something I can just slip off the top of my head. It's all very well thought-out, and if I had to say anything, it's some kind of alternate fire on the regular pistol. Something to give it a bit more spice. It's like the unwanted child of the weapons. Every single one brings something to the table, even if it's the ammunition conservation/franchise icon/break stuff concept of the crowbar. And leave the dumb fire function off the rocket launcher. With turns that tight, fire and forget just seems wasteful.

 

[the_green_dragon]

Don't make any more?

They have had their time in the spotlight. To be relevent now would require a huge overhaul IMO.

So they don't deserve to continue making good games, because they're good at making good games and have been for a while?

I understand that people get sick of formula. In fact, that might be a reason for the delayed release of EP3: giving us a break and time to get interested. (Or, you know, Valve Time.)

I Loved Half-Life back in the day. But recently Half-life 2 Ep2 seemed a little lacking. I don't know what it was exactally but I just wasn't a fan. And it wouldn't be half-life without those little annoying bits.

So I think they can't make any "improvements" to it without it still being recognisable as half-life.

I dunno, someone will prob yell at me now or something but I think Half-Life needs alot of improvements to sell. Nostaglia will only get them so far.

These are my opinions ONLY and I know there are some people who love Half-Life, this is not an attack on you guys, it's just that I was not a huge fan of HL 2 even tho I loved HL1.

 

[Ninjat_126]

With Resistance and Borderlands (as just 2 examples) outclassing HF2 in every way in MY scoresheet, making me give a crap about a franchise that died several years ago from lack of interest by its own creators and most diehard fans, would be the only thing they COULD do at this point to improve the next one.

Resistance? Resistance:Fall of Man? That thing was nowhere near as good as Half-Life. Still fun, but not even in the same class.

I'm willing to believe Valve's making the next Half Life game and it'll be out eventually. If it's not released by December 2012, I'll start worrying.


Half-Life needs another fresh concept or two to keep it going if it wants to survive. HL2 had the new story arc as well as the physics engine and Gravity Gun, but the episodes so far have been somewhat lacking in innovation. We need a new mechanic, or some new enemy types or a new setting.

 

[Lance Arrow]

- Release the damn thing already.
- Anything else is fine with me.