"Lost Coast" released Created 19 years ago2005-10-28 00:58:53 UTC by satchmo

I noticed some very low quality reflections (despite the fact I had everything at max), especally on the beach where the level starts, on one of the rock faces. Fucked up. Anyone else seen this?

Bear in mind that just because something's set to "high", it doesn't mean that HL2'll point out that it's ignoring you because of old hardware.

Can't say I know what you mean exactly, though.

No, it's not my gfx card. Image quality from the 9800 to X850 series is identical (Except from a couple of new features such as 3DC). X1800 series however has far superior image quality and outperforms everything at the same time.

playing "I'm an airplane."

I don't know why it's so funny, but I laughed out loud when I read that. I didn't happen to me though.

I am glad that Lost Coast didn't crash my computer once. I've played it four times already, with and without commentary, and it all ran smoothly. And my computer isn't even that high-end.

Keep in mind, those critics out there, that it's not really meant to be a game addendum. It's purely a techy showcase. I think it achieved its goal when you look at it from that perspective.

X1800 series however has far superior image quality and outperforms everything at the same time.

... and I'm gunna get one :).

You need PCI-E foo', they aren't releasing the AGP version now.

I know, man, I'm getting it with my Athlon64 rig when I pitch off to Uni. in August.

Omg, looks really nice! (exept the last screeny habboi posted.. )
I don't got access to Source SDK right now, but, is the new entitys, sprites(?), materials(?) and models avable while mapping for HL2 now? :S
That would be great!

Is there a story line behind the level? And is there any point to it, cause if they are saying look how great we can make something look. I really don't see the point in downloading it. but the screnes do look like it would make a nice multiplayer level though, but that is the setup, not the graphics. I like the whole catwalk and ocean thing.

its a level that never got put in HL2 with HDR. so its meant to fit into the HL2 story. But don't expect it to have much stand alone quality besides graphics

The gameplay is average, compared to the other HL2 levels. And the map wouldn't make a good DM arena. It's somewhat linear.

The point of Lost Coast is to demonstrate HDR, and nothing more.

Well it does have some story, but not a whole lot. More however than your average level pack..

It's just an unused portion of Highway 17 or something.

No, before Highway 17. The town you're overlooking is Ravenholm. This has been mentioned in interviews but can also be noticed by the church that can be seen in the distance.

I have the same problem with the game crashing and the Combine models poping up everywere and playing airplane. I just want to play the damn level and I cant cause its so unstable. It runs perfectly stable on my ancient 9000, but whats the point of playing it if you can run HDR?

Hot.

The town you're overlooking is Ravenholm. This has been mentioned in interviews but can also be noticed by the church that can be seen in the distance.

That actually makes sense. I think the "Big Gun" inside the church is actually firing headcrab cannisters. That's why when Gordon gets to Ravenholm eventually, the town has been turned into a zombie infested world.

Yes, because when you break the gun, headcrabs escape. Makes sense.

traptz0r your image ain't working~

Yes, because when you break the gun, headcrabs escape. Makes sense.

I don't know at what speed you ran through the level, but the village gets shelled as soon as you enter the cliffside.. The time in between you running up the cliff and actually diabling the machine, more than enough headcrab-shells are fired away to infest a small town like Ravenholm with headcrabs.

What doesn't make sense, plotwise, is how fast Ravenholm would've been abandoned once you get there. If this were a part of HL2 itself, then storywise this never would've been possible as Gordon would (seeing the sunset at Lost Coast and the night at Ravenholm) only be a max of 36 hours difference. In this time, seeing as the town was a rebel stronghold, more then enough armed resistance fighters should still be alive in Ravenholm. (More than just one priest, looking after his herd.)

Therefor, plotwise we'll have to assume that Lost Coast is a prologue to Half-Life 2 and that Gordon is briefly gotten out of stasis by the G-Man in an attempt to keep the resistance stronghold alive. (Which eventually fails. This would actually feed the Half-Life 2 plot, as at one point in HL2, the G-Man can be seen talking to Cubbage. It's understandable that the G-Man would be intend on helping the resistance out if he failed to do so the first time.)

Just my 2 cents, of course..

What doesn't make sense, plotwise, is how fast Ravenholm would've been abandoned once you get there.

but Ravenholm wasn't abandoned. All the zombies in Ravenholm were once citizens or rebel fighters. They were transformed by the headcrabs into zombies.

so the story does make sense, and the timing of the plot works fine.

I meant abandoned my non-infected humans.. Hence why I said that there should be more survivors because one would assume that resistance fighters would be able to fend off a few headcrabs for a few hours. (Until Freeman would arrive.)

Plus, there's a few hour incubation period. Now it's feasable that most headcrabbed persons became zombies, but to evolve into fast and poison zombies in a few hours? Doubtful. That would need weeks. (You might be able to use the argument that fast headcrabs could make somebody a fast zombie relatively quickly, but that still wouldn't explain the poisinous zombies, as poisinous headcrabs can't kill you.) Also; the larger the mutation, the longer the incubation and transformation time. You can't expect someone to lose his skin (like a fast zombie) in just a few hours or to grow so much extra meat (like a poisinous zombie) in just a few hours.

Lastly, also at Black Mesa East when Alyx tours you around and you run for the door that leads to Ravenholm (but is then still closed), she'll follow you and notice how they "used to live there". This indicates that more time has passed than just a few hours. (It's also not clear if Black Mesa East was founded before or after the Ravenholm incident. All we know it might've been created as a response to the loss of Ravenholm.)

Ya, Set is right. I would give the ravenholm infection a minimum of 1-1.5 weeks and a max of a month(otherwise the priest wouldn't still be alive, logicly)

resistance fighters would have all fled to BME when the zombie infection got bad, so that really doesn't factor in.

Wasn't ravenholm a lot bigger?
I mean, ravenholm was full with wodden walls, and cars.
This doesn't look like ravenholm at all.
Also, ravenholm was in the opposit direction from the water.
Remember entering black mesa?
You came from the water, and the door to ravenholm was facing away from the water.

Doesn't make sence? :S

hmm... you're right about the incubation thingy. But i think it takes like 2-5 days to mutate not like a month. (Heh in hl one they became zombies immediatly)

I don't think it would take anytime to "mutate" a human for a normal headcrab.
I mean, they just take over the body, they don't add anything (exept odd hands)

Actually, it takes time. If you'll notice the post-disaster scene right after the incident at HL1, there are one of two places where headcrabs are just sitting on the heads of their victims doing, seemingly, nothing. So my assumption is that they either kill or knock out their opponents first and then latch onto their heads. The change in hands should also indicate that, as you don't grow such mutations straightawaye. (It's also obvious that Gordon's been unconcious for a while when he wakes up after the disaster, giving incubation enough time.) So headcrabs need some time to transform their victims, but only a few hours. I'm more thinking; the more severe the mutations (e.g.: fast or poisinious zombies), the longer the incubation period.

And Ravenholm can easily have water on either sides, there's nothing stopping that. (My assumption is that Black Mesa East is west* from where you start in Lost Coast (behind the mountains, towards the industrial area). Since we entered Ravenholm through a tunnel, we really don't know what the access roads look like.)

(* Some people might now think; but why would Black Mesa East be called East if it's west from Ravenholm? This is probably because the East in BME probably refers to the hideout's location in regard of City 17, not Ravenholm.)

About Ravenholm's size; it indeed looks a bit small, but from where we're standing in Lost Coast, it's probably a few miles away, making it in reality a lot larger. And Ravenholm also had a lot of wood houses on the outskirts (the parts we'd seen), the more concrete buildings weren't visible until you got to the center of Ravenholm. Because if you'll remember the first Ravenholm bits were in wood houses; the deeper you got, the more concrete you stumbled across.

I gotta admit, Set has his facts...

You can't expect someone to lose his skin (like a fast zombie) in just a few hours or to grow so much extra meat (like a poisinous zombie) in just a few hours.

When was the last time you witnessed a zombie transformation? I went through medical school, but I have never studied such subject. You can't use biological comparison, because the whole process is unnatural, by definition.

Only the people at Valve know the truth.

... which is that it's a story, guys. Stories have plotholes.

... which is that it's a story, guys. Stories have plotholes.

Not a true story.

---

(* Some people might now think; but why would Black Mesa East be called East if it's west from Ravenholm? This is probably because the East in BME probably refers to the hideout's location in regard of City 17, not Ravenholm.)

Or, that it is their "black mesa" in the east.
They could have many facilleties.
For example, the one you're in, in HL1, I bet that would be, "Black Mesa. South"
I mean, with the desert and all.

Oh I remember what I was going to type...

Is it just possible that Lost Coast has no story...Perhaps the whole zombie idea wasn't thought out much by Valve.

When was the last time you witnessed a zombie transformation? I went through medical school, but I have never studied such subject. You can't use biological comparison, because the whole process is unnatural, by definition.

Only the people at Valve know the truth.

A bit of imagination is really welcome. I was planning on comparing this with snakes losing their skin (it seemed fitting enough.. :P) but since your medical school prohibits that, I'll just use my imagination and some logic..

It would make sense that any creatures taking control of your brains would have a hard time trying to master the use of it since it's never used them before. It'd be like trying to walk all over again! The mutations also need time. I'd say as long as mutations caused by other flesh-diseases would take. (Assuming there are flesh-related diseases that cause mutations. Would cancer be one of them?) Plus, like said, in one or two places in HL1, headcrabs can be seen simply sitting on scientists' heads, taking control of them. This also makes me believe the people at Valve (or at least Marc Laidlaw, the writer) did think it over for a bit longer. (Though generally everybody involved in creating new creates should've thought it over for a prolonged period of time. Since new creature-concepts are always thoroughly thought through. (Anybody with the Raising the Bar book should know this too.))

Or, that it is their "black mesa" in the east.
They could have many facilleties.
For example, the one you're in, in HL1, I bet that would be, "Black Mesa. South"
I mean, with the desert and all.

No, I would say that Black Mesa is more of a reference than anything else. The resistance uses anything Black Mesa related as ideology (such as the lambda signs for rebel stashes) thus it would make sense to label their main base as Black Mesa. The added East should simply indicate the geographical location. It should also be pointed out that the original Black Mesa was a government facility, owned by the United States. Since HL2 is located in Eastern-Europe, there could never be a government-owned Black Mesa secret research facility outside of US territory. (At least, you would assume that the US, and just about any government, would make sure that top-secret research is conducted on own ground, to prevent information and technology from falling in enemy's hands and to not be dependant of other countries' their generosity.)

Is it just possible that Lost Coast has no story...

Actually, I'm pretty sure that it was mentioned in a few interviews with Valve staff that it was Ravenholm that was being shelled. Plus, technically, there already is a story in the map. Y'know, as you have to destroy the gun at the monestary to stop the shelling.. (But the latter is just nagging, of course.. ;))

No, I would say that Black Mesa is more of a reference than anything else. The resistance uses anything Black Mesa related as ideology (such as the lambda signs for rebel stashes) thus it would make sense to label their main base as Black Mesa. The added East should simply indicate the geographical location. It should also be pointed out that the original Black Mesa was a government facility, owned by the United States. Since HL2 is located in Eastern-Europe, there could never be a government-owned Black Mesa secret research facility outside of US territory. (At least, you would assume that the US, and just about any government, would make sure that top-secret research is conducted on own ground, to prevent information and technology from falling in enemy's hands and to not be dependant of other countries' their generosity.)

Brilliance, someone else who has exactly the same viewpoint I do! It's true, the rebels and Eli don't seem to be endorsed officially by the BMRF in any form, the logos and name seemed to just carry over.

It's true, the rebels and Eli don't seem to be endorsed officially by the BMRF in any form, the logos and name seemed to just carry over.

True. Mainly because there is no BMRF anymore in HL2's time... if OpFor counts for the story of course...

Everyone calm down.....
Obviously there was a reason it was taken out. So please stop making post about your ideas on the "why" of the level.

On a side note: (Look at Trapt's last screenie, for reference)
1: (Satchmo) I think the idea of the level, in the last screen shot posted, The giant caslte with the lake (airboat battles) and a small town would make a great DM Map. Would need some size adjustments though.

2: What the heck is up with the rock the castle is one? In the last screenie, it is just a giant block. It looks incredibly cheap.

What the heck is up with the rock the castle is one? In the last screenie, it is just a giant block

The map was never intended to be viewed from that angle. Trapt took the picture using cheat codes.

I for 1 thought it was friggin' kewl !
Though, to me the Combine seemed kinda out of place. The 'gun' didn't, and the Helicopter didn't, just all the soldiers.
And I'm glad I'm not the only one whose dead Combine soldiers went into that strange, slightly suggestive , "ragdoll" position.

I also like to think that the town is Ravenholm, without getting too technical.

EDIT: lol, I got to the other side of the bay, to the beach with all the factory-type stuff on it, without cheats.

Same here, you just need to wade through the leech infested water for a couple of secs. You get 2 ammo crates too, and plenty of stuff for playing with the grav gun.

its a map - it shows HDR - end of story. No shit about zombie mutation periods or ravenholm.

oh yeah, the houses in the background are too samller a proportion to the rest of the map - it looks odd

can someone post a pic of the "big gun" please?

Here:

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1856/d2lostcoast00432ar.jpg

doesn't look very realistic

Actually, what you see in habboi's pic is just the loader. You don't really get to see the barrel or whatever is used to provide the propellent (unless the propellent can be assumed to be part of the pod that's loaded). The pods are the shell-like things to the right.

And you don't really get to see a pod move into the loader, either. It's quite simplistic.

When you see it in-game, it looks pretty good and believable. It's hard to do justice to the gun with just a still picture. The booming sound coming from the gun is the most impressive. You gotta hear it to feel the full impact.

I am sure when everyone heard it for the first time, it was pretty awesome.

Definitely! The first shell hitting the village surprised me and gave me a bit of a jump. Since I know what it'll cause, since we've all played through Ravenholm, I felt pretty sorry for every shell hitting. This in return raised the Combine death toll.. But I'm pretty sure we can all agree that that isn't a bad thing..

too bad that i will never be able to play lost coast until i get DSL

/me curses SBC for not being availible in his area yet being availible to his neigbor

yea, thanks for the pic. does look like something a average moddeler would make, or someone on garry's mod.