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General Discussion => The Speakeasy: OOG/Off-topic Discussion => Topic started by: Saede Riordan on 04 Sep 2012, 11:37

Title: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Saede Riordan on 04 Sep 2012, 11:37
Black Mesa: Source (http://www.blackmesasource.com/) is a player made remake of the original Half Life on the source engine. It has been in development for several years, and the first version of it will finally be launching. it looks absolutely stunning.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Ghost Hunter on 04 Sep 2012, 11:44
(http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/6523/1278825877078.jpg)
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Red on 04 Sep 2012, 13:45
Quote from: Ghost Hunter on 04 Sep 2012, 11:44
(http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/6523/1278825877078.jpg)

That pretty much sums it up for me, as well! XD
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Morwen Lagann on 04 Sep 2012, 13:49
Yeah, uh... don't expect me to be around on the 14th.

You know where I'll be.

And yes, "in my bunk" is a valid guess. :D
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: BloodBird on 04 Sep 2012, 13:49
Took them long enough. TAKE MY DAMN MONEY ALREADY.  :evil:
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Saede Riordan on 14 Sep 2012, 08:51
omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Morwen Lagann on 14 Sep 2012, 09:19
All of you who aren't stuck in school or at work like me and are able to download and play right now... fuck you. Seriously. :evil:

I was so tempted to call in sick today. ¬¬
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: kalaratiri on 14 Sep 2012, 09:46
The website appears to have gone Nope™ for a while
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Khloe on 14 Sep 2012, 09:57
It just takes a couple retries. The site is probably getting heavy traffic today. Also, the instructions are kinda terrible.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Seriphyn on 14 Sep 2012, 10:55
jeesuz chraist
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: BloodBird on 15 Sep 2012, 09:07
Clunky guide for getting it DL'ed, but it's free, so whatever :D

/me DL's, extracts, starts and installs, fires up the game...

/me spends 40 minutes just getting to the testing chamber and pushing da buttan, all the while nostalgia-tripping and nerd-gasming over the wonderfully new but recognizable vistas and new things, like glass-walls to offices, HONEST-TO-GOD GENUINE FEMALE CHARACTERS, new voice acting and story being tied into the coming story-lines of Half-Life 2.

/me loves it, and returns to his epic new/old adventure.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Lyn Farel on 15 Sep 2012, 09:15
I am probably going to ask a stupid question, but being someone that has never played Half Life and never really got inspired by it, what makes that game so special to most people exactly ?
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Katrina Oniseki on 15 Sep 2012, 09:29
Quote from: Lyn Farel on 15 Sep 2012, 09:15
I am probably going to ask a stupid question, but being someone that has never played Half Life and never really got inspired by it, what makes that game so special to most people exactly ?

It's the first shooter that really focused on story and plot.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Saede Riordan on 15 Sep 2012, 09:44
Quote from: Katrina Oniseki on 15 Sep 2012, 09:29
Quote from: Lyn Farel on 15 Sep 2012, 09:15
I am probably going to ask a stupid question, but being someone that has never played Half Life and never really got inspired by it, what makes that game so special to most people exactly ?

It's tThe first sShooter that really focused on story and plot.

fixed that for you.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Vikarion on 15 Sep 2012, 11:05
Because, what other shooters tried, half-life accomplished.

 - Half-life had weapons that actually felt specialized, and different, not just bullet spamming machines.

 - Half-life, by never letting you away from the first person perspective, made you the character, rather than simply letting you play as one.

 - Because of the hours of QA and play-testing that went into Half-life, the game managed to include puzzles, obstacles, and difficult enemies without ever slowing the pace down.

 - Half-life had a "real" story. That is to say, one that was plausible, and a bit scary.

I think the big thing about Half-life for most people wasn't that it shone in any particular area, but that it shone in just about all of them, and was polished until it shone. Valve was the original "you'll get it when it is done" company.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Lyn Farel on 15 Sep 2012, 12:23
Well having seen the whole intro of the game and the beginning, I have found the story to be quite dull/cliché and stretched, but that's probably a matter of opinions. However, I couldn't say truly that it is since I have never been past the beginning, so better to take my gratuitous remark with a whole spoon of salt.

However I know that their level design (not artistically but gamedesign wise) has now become almost a school case scenario considering how it is so well thought and implemented. I agree that QA and testing wise, they seem to be great.

Quote from: Katrina Oniseki on 15 Sep 2012, 09:29
Quote from: Lyn Farel on 15 Sep 2012, 09:15
I am probably going to ask a stupid question, but being someone that has never played Half Life and never really got inspired by it, what makes that game so special to most people exactly ?

It's the first shooter that really focused on story and plot.

Ah, I see, so that's mostly about it being kind of a pioneer in shooters' history ?

Quote from: Saede Riordan on 15 Sep 2012, 09:44
Quote from: Katrina Oniseki on 15 Sep 2012, 09:29
Quote from: Lyn Farel on 15 Sep 2012, 09:15
I am probably going to ask a stupid question, but being someone that has never played Half Life and never really got inspired by it, what makes that game so special to most people exactly ?

It's tThe first sShooter that really focused on story and plot.

fixed that for you.

Nah, you can't just say that. Other shooters have had quite famous stories as well, even putting the focus on the story, like Bioshock.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Vikarion on 15 Sep 2012, 20:28
Quote from: Lyn Farel on 15 Sep 2012, 12:23
Well having seen the whole intro of the game and the beginning, I have found the story to be quite dull/cliché and stretched, but that's probably a matter of opinions.

Probably is, by now. That's partially because HL has been copied like almost nothing else in the FPS category.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Seriphyn on 15 Sep 2012, 21:35
Quote from: Vikarion on 15 Sep 2012, 20:28
Quote from: Lyn Farel on 15 Sep 2012, 12:23
Well having seen the whole intro of the game and the beginning, I have found the story to be quite dull/cliché and stretched, but that's probably a matter of opinions.

Probably is, by now. That's partially because HL has been copied like almost nothing else in the FPS category.

Yeah, I was thinking how to word that.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Lyn Farel on 16 Sep 2012, 05:20
I see. Thanks for the answers, maybe i'll give it a try if I find the time and motivation.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: BloodBird on 16 Sep 2012, 18:25
/Dev-troll

NOTICE

Thank you for noticing this new Notice
You noticing it has been noted

And will be reported to the authorities


/Troll
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Saede Riordan on 16 Sep 2012, 18:38
So. Much. Crouch. Jumping. D:
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Vikarion on 17 Sep 2012, 00:15
Aw. You don't get to go to Xen :-(
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: lallara zhuul on 17 Sep 2012, 02:54
Bioshock is more of a child of the System Shock series (just like the Deus Ex series.)

Hence the lack of crouch jumping and using of 'tapes' as a way of exposing the overall plot.

Half-life (and its sequels) do have a knack of telling the story while having the protagonist actively taking part in the story as nothing else than an extra. It is what you accomplish as that extra that makes you a hero, not that you get the biggest gun and kill the biggest bad guy. (In Half-Life 2 you are pretty much blindsided by the fact that you have turned into this hero that people look up to.)

In most of the stories in games everything is hanging on what you do, which makes you one of those extra special snowflakes that are pretty much caricatured in the person of Duke Nukem, a chauvinistic narcissistic bastard who is a god among Men that can break alien motherships just with the weight of his penis.

Which has nice connotations when it comes down to RP and the characters we play.
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Morwen Lagann on 21 Sep 2012, 06:49
Kotaku released a review today. You can read it here (http://kotaku.com/5944812/black-mesa-the-kotaku-review).
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Wanoah on 21 Sep 2012, 13:39
I'm waiting for this to appear on Steam. Last I heard, all the Greenlight stuff that has got the go ahead so far will go live on October 11th, so not long to wait. :)
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Alain Kinsella on 24 Sep 2012, 18:12
This has been an interesting game so far.  I'd compare the old and new versions like a comparison between the old and new Dune movie - both stand well on their own, but for different reasons.

Some (hopefully not spoiler) comments...

-> I'm getting tired of the Vorts having the twitch level of a gaming god.   :P
-> Houndeyes are even more obnoxious than ever.  Argh.
-> Good achievement list.  I'm not really working through that yet, a Steam release version will track it better anyway.
-> Loving the various eggs scattered about.  Just found the sign Bloodbird referenced, excellent.  There's another that I'll have to take a screenshot of at some point, so I can figure out what's being said.  And anyone know what the molecule is in the calendar?  I believe its caffeine...

Anyway, a pretty decent remake overall.  Something you really don't see anymore from the old mod community (mostly because its so much work).
Title: Re: Black Mesa: Source Comes out September 14th
Post by: Druur Monakh on 25 Sep 2012, 21:10
Quote from: Alain Kinsella on 24 Sep 2012, 18:12
-> Loving the various eggs scattered about.

Oh yes! Obviously I didn't find them all, but I liked the detail on one particular enemy.