Half-Life: The Core Created 12 years ago2012-08-14 00:16:23 UTC by Archie

I figured we should probably have a thread by now.

New "Evolution of a Map" video. Bloody happy with how this turned out:
Clicky
Watch at 1080p in fullscreen! There's a lot to see.

Wicked video, thanks for sharing.
I definitely took some pointers as I was watching. I think plenty of TWHLers can learn a thing or two by watching how you built this map

Agreed, awesome stuff. Maybe you could also do a commentary on what you had in mind for specific areas, what kind of mood you wanted to achieve, and how you reflected that in the architecture and lighting? Especially the lighting. It always blows my mind. Just a thought

It's too bad you're getting so fed up with the gold source engine, nevertheless we're all supporting you guys for this highly anticipated mod! For me personally though, I never look at promotional material and whatnot; I'd much prefer playing through a mod without having any fore-knowledge whatsoever. From the glimpses of screenshots, though, the mod has what appears to be a very smooth-looking design and graphics. And that large department-store looking area is very, very memorable. You prolly already know what I'm referring to.

how you reflected that in the architecture and lighting? Especially the lighting. It always blows my mind.

Look at real locations - See how they light similarly sized rooms. Add those lights. Create "off" variations of all your light textures. Turn all those lights off. Add one big fuck-off spotlight in the corner. Boom, instant atmosphere!

that large department-store looking area is very, very memorable. You prolly already know what I'm referring to.

I'm afraid I have no idea! There's no department store in The Core, it's all set in Black Mesa.

Cheers for the comments! <3

I think he means the big area you based off of the BBC building you used to work at.
But I'm not sure.

Ah of course. Derp on my end.

Derp on my end.

...euw. Wipe it off.

Incidentally, we now have 764 completely original textures, although you can discount about 40 of them as animation frames.

Incidentally, we now have 764 completely original textures, although you can discount about 40 of them as animation frames.

I demand the wads.

Certainly, here they are:

What WHAT have you done with this cup of coffee ?
It wasn't fresh enough for you ?
poor little cup of coffee
726 original textures

Machine looks so pixelly. And the puddle is not brown enough. I'd have expected better from you.

You guys are better architects than I am. I can't wait to see this mod.

...and play it, while we're at it.

Check the metadata of that screenshot. It's almost 2 years old. That area has changed significantly. Lajron has been rooting around my online directories

Lajron has been rooting around my online directories.

Who doesn't? I'm still looking for that hidden link to Hostage Situation!

Yup sorry about that archie

It's always fun, though.

...Oopsie.

The texturing slightly reminds me of "Mirror's Edge".

Great work, looks fantastic.

Oh no, Sajo! You didn't just say that, did you?

Archie, what did I tell you about playing with missile launchers near gas leaks?
...
Wait, no, I was going to say that tomorrow. My bad.

rchi, are you going to let them know just how long that map took to compile?

Oh no, Sajo! You didn't just say that, did you? tongue -

Haha, oh wow.. I didn't realize, "Mirror's Edge"s design was too mainstream.

So, I guess according to Archie, clean whites contrasting primary colours is not "Visual Design 101" but it is something extraordinary.

So extraordinary that it exists in real life, but not in mainstream games.

Real life doesn't have colours. That's why all modern games don't have them.

Colour is the correct English word.

So, I guess according to Archie, clean whites contrasting primary colours is not "Visual Design 101" but it is something extraordinary.

I'm not sure if there's a translation problem, but that seems to be literally the exact opposite of what I'm saying... :S
I want more colours in games! I want it to be visual design 101!

Archie, what did I tell you about playing with missile launchers near gas leaks?
...
Wait, no, I was going to say that tomorrow. My bad.

But it was all shiny and had a big red button! What was I meant to do, not press it?

rchi, are you going to let them know just how long that map took to compile?

A relatively sane 47 minutes, VIS taking 20 secs and the rest being RAD. After Cendark3, I'll never complain about compile times again.

Here's Cendark3 with its final lighting pass so you know what I mean:

Colour is the correct English word.

You don't say "I can see two colour", do you? I didn't mean they don't have ANY colour. I meant they lack (more vibrant) colours. Thanks for ignoring humour.

You're welcome :>

I love the way the rails are just FLOATING there unsupported like they were in the original game... hooray, physics.

The rail system screenshot is by far one of the most interesting mod screenshots I've seen posted here on TWHL. Nice atmosphere.

I'm not sure if there's a translation problem, but that seems to be literally the exact opposite of what I'm saying... :S
I want more colours in games! I want it to be visual design 101!

Mirror's Edge, was mostly an experimental game which executed white with bright colours design fairly well. It is basicly, Visual Design 101 and nothing extra special. However, it was refreshing to see a video game making use of it.

What I meant to say is, of course it is going to exist in real life as well. Nobody claimed the concept only existed in "dystopian future parkour games". And I said the resemblence was "slight". Mirror's Edge" visual success as a video game in that concept did take the attention of many gamers and designers alike (except the extremely bright enviroments).

The visual concept of contrast/-the relationship of geometry and bright colours- was developed in 1870s Avantgarde movements and it was further improved by russian Avantgarde in the 20th century.(and not to mention the influence of Bauhaus). There is no doubt about it that it has been used pretty much everywhere. You do not need to challenge people to use it, they already do. As a video game, the most successful of them was without doubt, Mirror's Edge, and I'm pretty sure nobody can deny it. The game design being pretty much experimental also helped.

In short, don't get yourself worked over about remarks and comparisons between your mod and a game which uses the same concept in a more successful way. I do not care if you are inspired by real life enviroments, concepts can exist everywhere. In the field of video games, the best comparison was Mirror's Edge, and my slight remark was an absolute compliment. But it will be the first and last, seeing how I am instantly blogged somewhere else and be stamped as a "impcnrd" with my comment edited and warped. That is just plain rude and unprofessional.

...pardon?!

Dude, no offense was intended what-so-ever. I think you're a bit confused, the blog Jeffmod linked to was published Jan 20th, 2011 and has nothing to do with anything you've ever posted.
Jeff linked to it as an in-joke to those who remember the blog.

I don't see how it's rude and unprofessional on my behalf that someone not involved with the development of The Core linked you to something and I am flabbergasted that you have taken such a turn at it.

I absolutely apologise for any offence caused (although I really don't see why you took offence!) and hope that you reconsider your decision to never comment on The Core again. I hugely respect your opinion and feedback.

I see. I never did pay attention to the date it was posted, to be honest. It is definetly very old. And at least, it wasn't all a waste. My 2 cents on the Mirror's Edge comparison.

I suppose the media update here in the thread, is very new to TWHL. I am just used to the old days when you posted your first WIPs in your threads, Archie.

I apologize as well.

Dammit, was was with me yesterday and unintentionally causing arguments?
Sorry guys.

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't really posted anything about the Core in here over the last five days but I've been... What in the fuck is going on in here!?

You guys are better architects than I am.

I love the way the rails are just FLOATING there unsupported like they were in the original game... hooray, physics.

Yeah I was about to say exactly that. I'll take my previous comment back.

DiscoStu, I'm not sure there's any way to put supports or girders in there without totally ruining the whole feel of the place anyway... unless you went with overhead rails hanging down from the ceiling, that COULD be cool.

The rails are probably made from carbon nanotube, since they resist the weight of the tram.

Like goldsource even cares...

Half-Life had a lot of floating objects not connected to the ceiling, like ceiling lights, and the rails for example. This was because you could not see what's above them while you are in-game. Only if you noclip and hover around can you see that the rails are actually jut floating and not connected at any point.
Edit: Looks like you guys have been hard at work at this! Doing a pretty good job thus far!

Well... I do remember one of the deathmatch maps having lights that you could gauss up to that weren't connected. A bloody good sniping spot, it was.

The rails are not floating. They all have support beams. Admittedly only the one nearest the camera in that screenshot has enough to realistically support it, but you may notice one of the further away rails is broken - they should have added more support beams.

There are a lot of tongue in cheek jokes at HL's expensive. That lab above the tracks has a note saying they can't believe it took so long to install a door - if you remember the similar lab during inbound, there are no doors.

HL's expensive

BLOCK!

True though, that there are some truly hilarious notes dotted around Archie's maps which you can only see by noclipping too.

There's also some pretty good jokes that you can see without no-clipping

Why are there lights in vents? Shut your mouth, that's why.

For the same reason that there are doorless, well-lit (if sickly) concrete rooms filled with vents. Because the Black Mesa Research Facility. Remember that place just after the freezers in OC?
Looks good, though.

Indeed.

Archie's maps simply imply that the Black Mesa architects were a little adventurous with the budget.

Valve's maps imply that there is only one bathroom in Black Mesa, bridges don't need any form of support, light fittings can float and there should be plenty of areas to store crates with no logical means to move them afterwards.

Actually those crates used to store construction materials, but after they built Black Mesa around them, they couldn't get them out. That's why they're empty when you smash them, their contents have been used already.

Gonna be sending a few of these out to gaming magazines / websites along with a review copy of the mod in advance of its release. Hopefully get some publicity.

If there was a contest to win one, would anyone actually wear it? I tried to make it abstract enough that you could wear it without feeling like a total nerd, but let me know if it's still too geeky a design.

Got a higher resolution version of that picture? There are a lot of details and it's quite difficult to see what they actually are.

Well, it definitely looks cool, but when one of my colleagues will ask me: "What's that you're wearing?"

"Oh, it's a cool mod produced by some guys from a community we're I'm active, and I'm wearing to support the mod".

"Aha... "

Awkwardness ensues.

[EDIT] Why black? Come on man, think about your buddies from TWHL who have to endure 40C in the summer!

[EDIT2] These were just my thoughts, I'm not going to actually buy one, since the price of transport is too damn high.

[EDIT3] I'm done with the edits.

[EDIT4] No, seriously.