Forum posts

Beautiful photos, Admer!

2 sakna
All those shots you have posted a while ago look very impressive! It this just a map (Sven Co-op?) or something more?

2 tschumann
I can't tell, but it's what I got on practice (compiling my models).

What a reason to implement FMOD? You can just use Half-Life method of triggering soundtracks. FMOD is a stupid crutch, IMHO. The only reason to use it, is because it can add fading effect to tracks. But the bad part is that you must implement it, and your game code will depend on specific external library, and music will play even if you go to menu (and even if you minimize the game, AFAIR). You can use normal MP3-tracks, just replace Half-Life's ones. You can also stop a current track by triggering empty track (0).

It's better to remove $sequencegroupsize from QC at all. This was the optimization for very old & slow PCs. Currently it's totally obsolete & useless (and even can cause problems in specific situations). Almost the same I can say about $externaltextures (external *T.mdl-files), but that optimization is a bit useful & also depends on compilers' limitations (usual MDL compiler can't create MDL-files over 4Mb, so external textures can be an option for HD/UD models). But you can overcome those limitations using custom MDL compilers (for XashXT or Sven Co-op, for example).

Xash3D supports the scaling for lightmaps. Unkle Mike created a special version of map compilers for this. But such maps will not work correctly under GoldSrc (ligthmaps will be broken).

2 UrbaNebula
You probably already created a lot of content for the mod, and, as I assume, its' quality is almost unbeatable. So the mod should be finished by any means, even if the work on some of its' planned parts should be discontinued . We are all waiting for something playable, even if not 100% completed. And this project is the great part of your life, don't let it remain in our memory only on screenshots.

Do you guys know, that 2019 is the last year of Win7 support? Does this make Win7 bad OS too? It's just a trick too force you buy new PC & new OS, and in this Microsoft much more worse, than potential risk of viruses. MS doesn't care about old OS not because they're incorrigibly bad, but because MS need your money. New OS & security updates mean for them a way to have a monopolistic access for the methods of collecting you personal information and such. Why they would give those rights to hackers, lol. What about me, I don't understand why new OS must eat a lot of your HDD space and other resourses to be good. That's why I like XP, though 10 has some advantages too.

Thanks, but it doesn't work in WinXP

2 Solokiller
Your download link is not a program but only source code. I asked you to upload the compiled program.

Is it possible to upload the compiled binary for testing?

They went in commercial way (Steam) and just "forgot" how to create something really new. Until they have their own new engine with outstanding features, there is no reason to develop new part of Half-Life for them. Now they just can't compete with UE. Probably the only way for them is to use UE to develop HL3 now, if they want to make a masterpiece. But I doubt they choose this way.

Spirit's fog is broken in Steam GoldSrc, but works with WON & Xash3D. Nice looking mod, btw.

Well, I can be a bit abrupt sometimes, but I'm always happy to see that people can learn on their mistakes to make something better. And you definitely made some progress.

You're making a promising coding base for your mod. It will be interesting to see any mapping progress too.

Some of my thoughts:
1. Sometimes mappers can lose map sources, and this can be a problem for mapper himself. I know real examples when losing sources demotivates mod authors from continuing their work at all.
2. Sometimes author is not against of using of his work, but he doesn't have map sources already, so he can not share them with anyone.
3. Sometimes people want to change a couple of things on a map just for their own needs, not because they want to steal someone's work.
4. A lot of things on any map still can be changed via entpatch editing, decompilation just allow to work in common map editor instead of using less handy utilities.
5. A lot of map sources are released already and mostly this didn't cause using them for creating of "blatant copies", so just relax, OK? From the other side, the absence of map sources doesn't prevent people from creating different remakes and such, if they really interested.

What about other questions.
1. I didn't say that decompiler can give you 1:1 copy of map sources, but very close results of general map layout are possible, with proper geometry and texturing. Map lighting is one of those things which is nearly impossible to recreate 1:1 with decompiling, so this part will require some manual work with map anyways.
2. It will not be very easy to do, and of course it will require a lot of testing and bug fixing, so there is a question: is someone really interested in this, or it's better do not try at all.
3. The project will not be started if Unkle Mike decides that there are not enough reasons for this. So currently I just asking about your opinions, nothing more.

WADClean v1.2:
http://ralertmod.narod.ru/files/wadclean.rar

The program is analizing appointed BSP-files & creates 1 WAD-file with only textures used in those maps. It works via command line (BAT-file) with such parameters:
wadclean [-d] source1.bsp [source2.bsp...]
Where source*.bsp is a file path/name or a file search mask, for example:
wadclean -d maps/*.bsp

Additional parameter -d makes the program to create a list of skipped textures (wadname_stripped.txt).

The program have to be placed in the same folder where WAD-files are located.

Hello, guys!

As you probably know, all existing GoldSrc BSP decompilers are not really effective. The result of a map decompilation is generally awful - a lot of brush pieces, leaks, texture problems, so you mostly can use that MAP file you're getting after decompiling only as reference for creating a new map, but can't compile it back in properly working BSP. But there is an opportunity to change this situation. Unkle Mike (the creator of Xash3D and different effective GoldSrc utilities, including his own map compilers) is currently working on Doom map decompiler (he called it doom2gold). While working on it, he greatly increased his understanding of effective map decompiling methods and eventually realized, that it will be possible to create a corresponding map decompiler for GoldSrc BSP format.

As he thinks, he's able to make the GoldSrc map decompiler, which can preserve the whole map geometry, texture aligning and give a very close brushes' layout to initial MAP file, which mapper used for compiling a map. So you will be able to compile the result of decompilation again without a painstaking map remaking. But while doom2gold is the thing which is personally interesting for Unkle Mike, new GoldSrc map decompiler is just an idea yet. Unkle Mike is not going to spend his time on its' development unless the community can motivate him for this.

So, what can you say? Is the thing like properly working GoldSrc map decompiler interesting to you? Could you donate some money for development of such tool (if Unkle Mike decide to begin it)? It's just a question yet, because Unkle Mike wants to know if this kind of program is meaningful for community or not. So please tell what you think about it.

Gentlemen, if someone wants to help with testing of cross-build version of Echoes, which allows you to play on Win/Linux/Mac, please, let me know. We have the appropriate patch and need more people to check how the things work.

Android port of Echoes for Xash3D FWGS Engine is released! Now you can play Echoes properly on mobile phones & tablets:
https://www.moddb.com/games/half-life/downloads/half-life-echoes-android-port

Hmm, who are those QuertyUS and Uncle Mishia, should I call SauceSlyPoxer to ask him about this? Well, if we are talking about Unkle Mike's Spirit 1.9, then yes, he fixed tons of bugs, but he fixed bugs of Spirit, not all the problems in Half-Life world. Most of fixed things in Spirit 1.9 are different problems with entities which didn't work as intended from one Spirit version to another. But those crashes in the mod most probably are not bugs of Spirit. They mostly about default engine's limits and such. Maps in the mod are so detailed, that they're getting too close to these limits and thus provoke crashes in some specific conditions. For example, if you pass from one map to another without saving/loading the game you may have no crashes, but if you use saving/loading crash may happen. And if you tested map with Spirit 1.9 without triggering some specific conditions and crash didn't happen, this doesn't mean, that Spirit 1.9 helped you to prevent crash. Maybe this just means, that you tested problem not well enough. Maybe I'm wrong, and Spirit 1.9 magically helps, but I doubt it.

Those crashes are most probably map/engine-wise and barely depend on Spirit. Using Spirit 1.9 also means you will play without weapon rebalance made for the mod. And Spirit 1.9 is intended to use specific weapon models (not sure how they compatible with models from the mod). I currently want to test Spirit 1.2 with bug-fixes by nekonomikon. If it will work fine, there is an easy way to port the mod on Linux, Android and such.

Hi! I checked my PMs and found a lot of old messages which I sent years ago. Old site didn't let me see them. So I want to delete them, but I can only delete 1 message at once. This isn't handy. Please add checkboxes to delete several messages at once. Thanks. By the way, I was shocked by new look of the site. And now it doesn't work correctly in old Opera (though I can accept this).

2muchvideogames
Be fast or smart. He's doable. He has vulnerable points.

You have to extract all files from hrp.1.rar into separate folder, name it "hrp" and put this folder in your main Half-Life directory. Do not rename "cl_dlls" folder, it's not intended. And don't use this version with WON or Xash3D.

skill.cfg:
// HEALTH/SUIT CHARGE DISTRIBUTION
sk_suitcharger1 "75"
sk_suitcharger2 "50"
sk_suitcharger3 "35"

sk_battery1 "15"
sk_battery2 "15"
sk_battery3 "10"

sk_healthcharger1 "50"
sk_healthcharger2 "40"
sk_healthcharger3 "25"

sk_healthkit1 "15"
sk_healthkit2 "15"
sk_healthkit3 "10"

sk_scientist_heal1 "25"
sk_scientist_heal2 "25"
sk_scientist_heal3 "25"

http://twhl.info/wiki.php?id=161

The order of tracks:
blank
Half-Life01.mp3
Prospero01.mp3
Half-Life12.mp3
Half-Life07.mp3
Half-Life10.mp3
Suspense01.mp3
Suspense03.mp3
Half-Life09.mp3
Half-Life02.mp3
Half-Life13.mp3
Half-Life04.mp3
Half-Life15.mp3
Half-Life14.mp3
Half-Life16.mp3
Suspense02.mp3
Half-Life03.mp3
Half-Life08.mp3
Prospero02.mp3
Half-Life05.mp3
Prospero04.mp3
Half-Life11.mp3
Half-Life06.mp3
Prospero03.mp3
Half-Life17.mp3
Prospero05.mp3
Suspense05.mp3
Suspense07.mp3

It's possible to add cl_* (and other) parameters in autoexec.cfg. AFAIK it should work.

Also
cl_forwardspeed
cl_backspeed
cl_sidespeed

Default is "400".

Original Half-Life weapons are so various, that they are enough for fun and balanced gameplay if used properly. Also your maps are so detailed, that it's interesting even to explore any of them for 10 minutes at least, unless you're making a speedrun. So I assume that very few people will have a reason to be dissatisfied in something. By the way, a good ally adds more fun to the gameplay too.

2 Mr Gnang:
It's a pleasure to help you, your mod inspires me!

2 Mr Gnang:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/ntg1qa266guud3l/barney_hev.rar

Customized from your sources. Have fun!

hud_draw "1" in config/console, for the next time.

So, it's time to play! Thank you, Cayle!

It's a VIS problem. Your maps should be compiled with full VIS, otherwise NPCs will be transferred to another map with no matter where they are. After full VIS only those NPCs will be transferred, which are in your field of view in the moment of changelevel. Also check your map for leak errors, they prevent to make full VIS properly.

If the project is going to be updated, I still want to see BSP support in the editor. I mean, that you can browse a compiled map and do some entity editing, like readjusting parameters of existing entities, deleting or placing new entities on a map (like monsters, weapons etc.). In other words, real-time map viewing and entpatch editing, without changing brushes and such.

W-models have a special flag for rotation inside model itself, but I don't remember if it works for GoldSource properly, or only for Xash3D. I can check this later, if needed. But, anyways, it's a model's property, not an entity's setting. So it will work for custom models only.

Till you release your product for free, with original content and as open-sourced project intended to use for legal Half-Life fans (without distributing the initial content of Half-Life and with a respect to the rightholders), and release it unofficially through the modder's community, I'm sure, Valve will not bring any actions against you. If it's just about the modding, not the business and do not infringe upon Valve's interests, for what they should punish you, just to get the money? Xash3D exists for years, and Valve knows about it. And games under Xash3D (which do not use directly Half-Life's content) also exist with no problems, and haven't been prohibited by Valve too. Finally, you really can release your content without Xash3D itself, if you still have any doubts. Or you can split it in two parts: one that's intended to use with original Half-Life and another for use with Xash3D only (for example, high-resolution content). I think that GoldSrc could be open-sourced long time ago, but because of legal issues for Valve (because GoldSrc is modified version of Quake Engine, though it open-sourced now) and because Half-Life still works fine with current OS'es / hardware and can be sold for money (at least as a part of Half-Life series), this still doesn't happen. So Xash3D is just a way to get updated some features of your favourite game, not because you want to earn or save money in some way.

Want to be beyond the limits, but still work with GoldSrc stuff? Try Xash3D

LEAK LEAK LEAK
LEAK LEAK LEAK
LEAK LEAK LEAK
LEAK LEAK LEAK

Looks like your map has leaks, so Radiosity can't work with the map properly.

Your models will be GoldSource compatible if you don't try to exceed such engine limits for models as texture size (552x552 pixels is still suitable for GS).

0*.mdls & *T.mdls is an obsolete feature, it's better to compile a model without them. Sometimes the using of these sub-parts can cause problems. Model compiller from XashXT's tools can compile very big models with HD-textures in one file without problems, old compiler is limited to 4 Mb size of any part of .mdl-file.

To compile your model in one file, remove from qc strings like these:
$externaltextures
$sequencegroupsize 64

P. S. I can help with recompiling if you need this, abbadon.

Try to enable vsync in video options, this should remove flickering. What about the problem that muzzleflashes don't work from 3rd person I'm not sure, I'll check this later.

2 Admer456
It means it's old version of Steam HL (before 2006 year, probably).

2 Solokiller:
Probably it doesn't work only for latest versions of Steam HL (Steampipe has broke many things). In standalone version of Cry of Fear (based on older sources of Steam HL) this still works.

P. S. It also works for Xash3D.

1. Create StartupVids.txt in "media" folder of your mod, for example "valve/media".
2. Put the names of .avi-files you want to see at startup in it, for example
media/sierra.avi
media/valve.avi
3. Copy these .avi-files in "media" folder.
4. Start your game without developer mode (no -dev parameter in a shortcut).
5. Enjoy!

Have you tried to put those tracks in "valve" (replace original HL tracks with same names) and check if they work at all or not? As I know, game can refuse to play MP3s with specific IDv2 tags (for example, tracks with integrated pictures and so on).

Transparency Antialiasing is disabled by default. Tried to set it to 8x with 368.81 driver and had no issues.

I think I can tell what is possible to do with all of those things you've mentioned only if I have a chance to test all issues on my own. Your mod is far from typical, so it's better to try the same beta-version that you use. Xash3D has extended lighting features, probably they should be disabled to give you GoldSource-like picture. Models can be edited to give them proper transparency (probably their rendering differs because of custom changes which you put in hw.dll, sw.dll, swds.dll, but it's a part of GS engine, Xash doesn't refer to them).