So... Black Mesa
- Thread starter Bagged Milk
- Start date
I've been playing it. It's quite astonishing the amount of effort they've put into it. It isn't just set dressing, they've actually put in tons of new content and changed around the set pieces. In fact, it's something of a problem.
The first 10 minutes of the game took be nearly an hour, because I spent so much time, looking for more people to have conversations.
It also took me an hour, because they is a loading screen every 10 paces or so. The opening tram ride has about 3 loading sections in it. I'm a couple of hours into it now though, and the loading sections have spread out some more.
All in all, brilliant stuff so far. Though at times, I'm wondering if they over did it. For instance, the original opening is there to do three things: immerse you, establish your character, establish your situation. It does that in 10 minutes. This one however tries to distract you every step of the way with additional content.
The first 10 minutes of the game took be nearly an hour, because I spent so much time, looking for more people to have conversations.
It also took me an hour, because they is a loading screen every 10 paces or so. The opening tram ride has about 3 loading sections in it. I'm a couple of hours into it now though, and the loading sections have spread out some more.
All in all, brilliant stuff so far. Though at times, I'm wondering if they over did it. For instance, the original opening is there to do three things: immerse you, establish your character, establish your situation. It does that in 10 minutes. This one however tries to distract you every step of the way with additional content.
I was hoping someone else had noticed. I thought I went mad.The Plunk said:I must say, I liked the addition of mugs with the Chuckle Brothers on them.
But seriously, this seems like a brilliant game to me so far.
Do I take it then that the devs are English?
Just finished it. Gotta say that while it was VERY good it wasn't perfect. Lot's of confusing choices in design and some of the areas got so shortened that it felt kind of jarring. Still, the fact that they've immensely improved NPC interactions, removed a lot of the annoying fluff, and brought life back into a 12 year old game is completely worth the price of free.
Eagerly awaiting Xen and the remastered conclusion.
Eagerly awaiting Xen and the remastered conclusion.
I'm kinda torn between judging it as a mod and judging it as a game...
As a mod, it's solid, a lot of work went into it and I appreciate that.
As a game, the controls are bad and not very precise, the character is constantly getting stuck on every tiny thing in the environment, I don't really care for the design of the new levels and overall I'd much rather be playing the actual Half-Life. This just kinda feels like a mediocre fanfic rewrite of a great book.
In fact, I think I'll go play the actual Half-Life, so there's at least some good to come from all this...
As a mod, it's solid, a lot of work went into it and I appreciate that.
As a game, the controls are bad and not very precise, the character is constantly getting stuck on every tiny thing in the environment, I don't really care for the design of the new levels and overall I'd much rather be playing the actual Half-Life. This just kinda feels like a mediocre fanfic rewrite of a great book.
In fact, I think I'll go play the actual Half-Life, so there's at least some good to come from all this...
It took me about 45 minutes from download to starting it up, I imagine I was lucky. :3
On another note; it's fantastic. I sat down, thinking "I'll just get started and check it out, see if everything works right". Then suddenly, it was dawn outside... Dearie me, it was a long while ago something like that happened.
On another note; it's fantastic. I sat down, thinking "I'll just get started and check it out, see if everything works right". Then suddenly, it was dawn outside... Dearie me, it was a long while ago something like that happened.
There's definitely a sense of wonder I've experienced while playing this game over the weekend that I felt when I played the original in 1998. The team did a fantastic job paying homage to a great game, while still making it something that's their own. I like how they've fleshed out Black Mesa a bit more, put more offices and restaurants in it, and things like that. I'm also really impressed by the amount of little details they included, which is something Valve does really well. I like how monster guts can spatter onto your hands and gun, and I love the work done to the zombie faces if you get the headcrabs off, truly unsettling.
There are a few nitpicks though, like I wish the shadowing was a bit better, the immersion is broken a bit when you shine a flashlight on a scientist or security guard and there's no shadow on the wall. I'm also not as keen on the iron sights aiming for the revolver, but I will admit it has made some long range shots against targets work for me.
There are a few nitpicks though, like I wish the shadowing was a bit better, the immersion is broken a bit when you shine a flashlight on a scientist or security guard and there's no shadow on the wall. I'm also not as keen on the iron sights aiming for the revolver, but I will admit it has made some long range shots against targets work for me.
Finally "finished" it. Actually, I don't mind that Xen is missing. Xen is horrible, and Questionable Ethics had that little habitat thing, so we know what it looks like 
Black Mesa is an awesome thing to behold. I was surprised to see all those little (and sometimes not so little) expansions to the areas. The BM team, fittingly, made a great Black Mesa Research Facility
But what the hell did they do with the soldiers? I don't know if it's their aim, their fire rate, their health or what, but they make this game brutal. I finished HL:S last year or so (it's on youtube!) and didn't have nearly as many problems dealing with the enemies. In fact, for shits and giggles, I whacked the Black Ops gals in the face with the crowbar! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMqD3BZhKSA]
I tried replicating that in BM. All I got was 7 quick deaths.
Know that part where you shoot down the VTOL(?) with the Grunts around? Fun in HL:S, pure rape in BM. In HL:S you come out some corridor, in BM you drop down a hole and are stuck in a dead end with virtually no cover - and that's before you even get to the damn plane! I'll admit, I just cheated at that point. That was ridiculous.
Black Mesa is an awesome thing to behold. I was surprised to see all those little (and sometimes not so little) expansions to the areas. The BM team, fittingly, made a great Black Mesa Research Facility
But what the hell did they do with the soldiers? I don't know if it's their aim, their fire rate, their health or what, but they make this game brutal. I finished HL:S last year or so (it's on youtube!) and didn't have nearly as many problems dealing with the enemies. In fact, for shits and giggles, I whacked the Black Ops gals in the face with the crowbar! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMqD3BZhKSA]
I tried replicating that in BM. All I got was 7 quick deaths.
Know that part where you shoot down the VTOL(?) with the Grunts around? Fun in HL:S, pure rape in BM. In HL:S you come out some corridor, in BM you drop down a hole and are stuck in a dead end with virtually no cover - and that's before you even get to the damn plane! I'll admit, I just cheated at that point. That was ridiculous.
Like everyone says, it's incredible and I love it. But I'd just like to highlight the movement mechanics; the slight lean to the left or right when you strafe if one of my favorite things I've seen added to a game ever. I wish every game had it.
Well, I've played about 6 hours straight now, and I'm completly in love with it. They've improved so much about it, and It almost feels like It's the first time Im playing it! <3 The only issiue is that It can crach every once in a while when a new chapter or a new loadingzone comes. But It's a newly released mod, I can't complain too much about it. It will problaby be fixed in a day or two.
agreed, the music is really quite good, downloaded the soundtrack for keeps, and i hardly ever do that.NLS said:
the only thing that's annoyed me is the crouch jumps, otherwise it's pretty much spot on perfection for a mod
I know the feeling. I'm just more curious as to why they made them like that. After playing Half-Life 2, I never expected the AI to be ball-bustin' brutal with them taking 3 shotgun shells on Normal.CleverNickname said:
Exactly my thoughts about this mod.Phlakes said:
It's definitely impressive, I'm about to finish it, but so far, I love most of the changes. And I second the notion about this mod feeling like something that Valve themselves would've made.
After finally beating the mod on hard I think the best way to put it is with some in game dialogue:
"Look what you did!"
"Holy shit..."
"I can't believe what you did!"
The creators of this game, which I can't even begin to think of as a mod, have got some serious talent.
"Look what you did!"
"Holy shit..."
"I can't believe what you did!"
The creators of this game, which I can't even begin to think of as a mod, have got some serious talent.