Saturday, November 27
Chemical Existence Character Information . Update by Portax
Red Genesis Entertainment has posted some info and images of the characters that will be in their upcoming TC, Chemical Existence.
Gunman Screenshots . Update by Portax
GA-Source has posted some new screenshots and a development update of everyone's favorite upcoming TC for Half-Life, Gunman.
Half-Life Mapper Interviews . Update by Portax
Hornetking UK Half-Life updated their site with interviews of two custom mappers: Dave Waters and Scary One.
Lambda Arena Team Needs A Coder . Update by Portax
Something bad has happened to the Lambda Arena mod, and to make a long story short, they're looking for a new coder to make a new version that will be bug-free.
Friday, November 26
Jumbot Review . Update by Portax
The Bot Epidemic did a review of the Jumbot for Half-Life. Here's an excerpt:
My initial problem with the bot was that with a number of bots in the level (around seven) I noticed that gameplay was choppy, not very choppy admittedly, but I could definitely tell the difference. However I did have a bit of salvation; there are various commands included with the Jumbot to turn off more advanced features, to speed up the game. With one of these changed all choppiness was virtually eliminated and I could down to setting up the bot more to my liking.
Chemical Existence Interview . Update by Portax
Telefragged did an interview with Magnus Blikstad from Red Genesis Entertainment, the team behind the upcoming Chemical Existence mod. Here's a clip:
Tim: Chemical Existence is an ambitious Total Conversion for Half-Life, What can we expect from it?
Magnus: Everything is new and fresh. New weapons, new enemies, new textures, new levels. Even though the Half-Life engine is in the bottom, it really feels like a totally new game.
Half-Life Editing News . Update by Portax
The Half-Life Editing Resource Center sent word that they have posted the editing support for Half-Life: Opposing Force. Be sure to check that out.
Opposing Force @ rust Prefabs! . Update by Portax
Prefabs.Gamedesign.Net now has an Opposing Force section that you can check out for some Opposing Force prefabs (obviously).
FireArms Screenshots . Update by Portax
The FireArms site was updated with two pictures of their newly skinned weapons.
Kanonball Interview . Update by Portax
KanonZone, the KanonBall fan site, posted an interview with the Biz director from Primal Clarity Productions, Josh Holmes. Here's a quote:
Unlike a lot of the Half-Life Mods I have seen (not all) KanonBall incorporates almost completely new textures, skybox artwork, models, animations and sounds, but more significantly it really is a completely new kind of game. It is not Deathmatch in any incarnation. There are no guns, no killing and this really is unique to the first person genre. Creating it has presented more challenges than I think a DM mod would because the lessons learnt are almost always unique
Opposing Force Raffles . Update by Portax
Domain-Of-Pain is busy raffling off copies of Half-Life: Opposing Force, so if you're low on funds, check the site and try to win a copy.
TF2 Interviews . Update by Portax
The TF2 Center posted interviews with Gabe Newell and Robin Walker.
Opposing Force Review . Update by Portax
The TF2 Center also did a review of Gearbox's Opposing Force.
Also check out PC.IGN's little review of it.
RocketCrowBar Mod v12 Released . Update by Portax
Version 12 of the RocketCrowBar mod. Here's a list of some of the things that are new:
Server stability GREATLY increased ( hardly ever crashes now, at least for me )
MP5 More Balanced (alt fire changed)
Shotgun is useful (and funny) now
357/Python is more balanced
Egon/Gloun Secondary fire takes at least 100 cells and damage reduced by 1/3
Other misc. changes and bug fixes (things that I cant remember)
Site News . Update by Portax
Wednesday, November 24
A Half-Life: Opposing Force Walkthrough . Update by Portax
I.Am/Half-Life has posted the first half of their Half-Life: Opposing Force Walktrhough to kick off their new Half-Life: Opposing Force section. The unique thing about the walkthrough is that it includes recorded demos of parts of the game the walkthrough is trying to describe.
Another Half-Life: Opposing Force Walkthrough . Update by Portax
GameProWorld.com also did a walkthrough of Half-Life: Opposing Force.
FireArms Mod Progress . Update by Portax
The FireArms mod site was updated with the lastest news on the mod as well as a picture of a skin in progress and a screenshot of a little bloodbath.
Half-Life Construction Site Open . Update by Portax
Half-Life Construction, a new mapping site, opened up for business with tutorials, prefabs, and more.
Milkshape 3D v1.1.0 Released . Update by Portax
Version 1.1.0 beta of MilkShape 3D, the modeling program that supports Half-Life, was released.
Chemical Existence Testers Needed . Update by Portax
Red Genesis Entertainment is looking for people to help test out their Chemical Existence TC and report any bugs. Check the site for more information.
Games Of Encouragement '99 . Update by Portax
GameStats has started their second Games of Encouragement computer game drive in which games are given to those at the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. They did this last year and received over 1500 donations for the kids at the Ronald McDonald House.
Opposing Force Review . Update by Portax
Damage Gaming did a review of Gearbox's Half-Life: Opposing Force. I'm sure many of you have already played it and finished the single player portion, but it's fun to read review of games. Here's a clip:
Opposing Force gets into the action very quickly. As the vanilla Half-life
sucked you in by setting the scene for the game with the initial resonance
cascade (read: the accident), Opposing Force seats you in a military role,
quite the opposing force from the previous game, in a military helicopter on
the way to Black Mesa right after the accident occurs. As expected,
smooth landings never happen in action flicks, and your helicopter is taken
down by alien craft. After a few quick scenes, you wake up weaponless and
without your personal combat vest. A scientist has helped revive you,
ironically enough, but your two friends weren't so lucky. And thus, the
action quickly is set into motion.
Lambda Arena Team Needs Help . Update by Portax
The Lambda Arena team is looking for someone who can do a skin for them really fast. Check the picture of the kind of models they need a skinner to skin for here. If you can help out, check the site for details on how you can.
Tuesday, November 23
Randy Pitchford .plan Update . Update by Portax
Randy Pitchford updated his .plan with some details on what he's up to at the moment and a common problem certain people are having:
Sean and I are on the road for a couple of days. It's mostyly business, but
since I'm up in the Pacific North West anyway, I've dropped in on my Dad and
Grandfolks. If I don't respond to e-mail for a couple of days it's probably
because my grandmother doesn't have a fat enough pipe of fiber to deal with
all the junk sitting in my account. My Grandma actually has e-mail,
though... Very cool.
Anyway, this morning I checked my mail and found about a zillion
complaints from users having difficulty with OpFor.
I quickly recovered from the shock of so many complaints when it became
painfully obvious that well over 95% of the reports were about a problem
that is only associated with the warezed version of the game. Apparently
the guys who cracked the copy protection didn't quite do it cleanly. Heh...
If you get the "Can't find DLL API" error, you've stolen the game :)
Half-Life: Opposing Force Review . Update by Portax
Quantum9.com has done a review of Half-Life: Opposing Force, Gearbox's expansion pack for Half-Life. Here's a clip of their intro:
When Half-Life hit the shelves, not too long ago, players were tasked with taking on the role of Gordon Freeman. A Scientist in a completely hush-hush science institute of Black Mesa. As most of you know, something went terribly wrong, and Gordon was forced to fight through Aliens, Soldiers, and Black Op. Forces just to save his life.
In Half-Life Opposing Force, you are given the role of Corporal Adam Shepard. A lowly grunt in the Military. And, wouldn't you know it, you and your squad have been tasked to a job in the Black Mesa facility. Though, your squad has been left in the dark as to why, or what the objectives are.
Once again, however, something goes terribly wrong, and you awaken, amongst two dead comrades, and a Scientist trying to revive one, to no avail. And so, you begin a treck to find the rest of your squad, and get out of Black Mesa with your neck still intact.
And so begins Opposing Force.
Monday, November 22
Opposing Force Review . Update by Portax
Game-Over.net has done a review of Half-Life: Opposing Force, Gearbox Software's new official add-on for Half-Life. Here's a clip:
Half-Life: Opposing Force pretty much follows the same story line as
the original, but this time around, instead of taking on the role of
Gordon Freeman, you become the opposing force: a military corporal by
the name of Adrian Sheppard. When you begin your mission, not much is
known about it. You are first treated to a cinematic sequence in a
chopper of your fellow soldiers and yourself chatting about the purpose
of heading to Black Mesa. Things go wrong, and your aircraft goes down
hard. You find yourself in a building with a scientist and two dead
soldiers. From there, your journey begins.
Redemption Walk-Through . Update by Portax
Saw on Telefragged that the PC-Zone did a walkthrough of Maverick Development's Redemption pack for Half-Life.
Opposing Force Interviews . Update by Portax
Also noticed on Telefragged that Voodoo Extreme did an interview with Randy Pitchford from Gearbox Software about Half-Life: Opposing Force.
I also saw on Blue's that there's another interview with Randy Pitchford here.
Suburban Commando Mod . Update by Portax
A new mod called Suburban Commando will be released by the end of the week featuring new models and stuff.
TF2 Center Valve Report . Update by Portax
The TF2 Center posted a report on a visit to Valve during the summer. The report was released before, but this one is an updated version.
Counter-Strike Models Opens . Update by Portax
A new site called Counter-Strike Models opened up and is the official site for Counter-Strike models.
