Black Mesa: Source Set for Release!

Daubster

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 07:53:12 UTC Post #309549

BM:S site
Forum announcement

And in case the forums aren't loading for you..

[quote]We're freaking out over here! It is so exciting to share this news with you!

You can now Download the Black Mesa Soundtrack, courtesy of our very own Joel Nielsen, at the very generous price of whatever you want! Enjoy and share!
In the near future you'll see our Website, Wiki and Forums all taken down temporarily for renovations.
On September 14th you will see the first release of Black Mesa! This will include our re-envisioning of Half-Life all the way up to Lambda Core. We believe this is a great way to provide a complete-feeling 8-10 hour experience with a solid ending, make our fans happy and help us make the best overall game possible.

We are still working hard on Xen and BMDM, but instead of making you wait we are giving you Black Mesa as soon as it's ready! We're doing our best to help bring the immense vision of this project into reality, and we are very excited for what the future brings!

High-Fives Yo,
Carlos Montero - Project Leader[/quote]

High-fives indeed, yo! Super-excited to finally play this.
I think it's an awesome idea to release what they have up to Xen. Most of my favourite moments in the game happened in those chapters anyway.

Thoughts?

EDIT: Overlooked Trapt's original journal announcing the exact same thing. Derp.

DaubsterVault Dweller

monster_urby

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 07:55:27 UTC Post #309550

Makes me wonder how they are approaching Xen. I wonder if it's going to be massively different. Then Xen section in Blue Shift would be a good approach.

Super excited to see this with a solid release date.

monster_urbyGoldsourcerer

SpaG

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 08:15:05 UTC Post #309552

Finally.

SpaG

Captain Terror

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 08:28:50 UTC Post #309554

Number One, prepare to shit bricks...

Captain Terrorwhen a man loves a woman

Striker

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 09:09:26 UTC Post #309556

And when you think that it's just a graphic overhaul...

But in any case, I'm surely looking forward to this. Will it be free?

StrikerI forgot to check the oil pressure

monster_urby

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 10:02:03 UTC Post #309559

Its not a graphical overhaul, it's a complete remake from the ground up!

Also it has to be free, it's a mod.

monster_urbyGoldsourcerer

Striker

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 10:11:46 UTC Post #309560

Did the change the story? The areas?

StrikerI forgot to check the oil pressure

Trapt

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 10:54:48 UTC Post #309561

they have modified various areas of the game. for example, large areas of on a rail have been cut/changed because they were shit and involved heaps of backtracking and going in circles in the original.

other areas have been expanded massively for example the dam in surface tension.

edit: also it was probably a smart idea to make a thread, journals tend to disappear after a couple days.

Traptlegend

Striker

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 15:18:07 UTC Post #309566

Threads tend to disappear after a couple of weeks...

Well, in that case, I just can't wait to play it.

StrikerI forgot to check the oil pressure

Madcow

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 17:18:30 UTC Post #309571

Oh good, something to play instead of studying

MadcowSpy zappin my udder

rufee

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 19:29:48 UTC Post #309575

A whole brick house was just shat by me.
Its finally coming out

rufeeSledge fanboy

X-LAyer2

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 21:16:58 UTC Post #309577

Mother of god... I never thought I'd see the day.

X-LAyer2

Striker

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-02 21:17:12 UTC Post #309578

Did you see the upper-right corner of the website?

StrikerI forgot to check the oil pressure

DiscoStu

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 01:51:29 UTC Post #309579

GAH 14 SEP?! But I am leaving on 15 SEP and won't be back home until 4 OCT!

cancels US trip

DiscoStu

ATDestroy

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 03:39:40 UTC Post #309581

I kinda think they should wait until Xen was done and release it as the whole thing, but its their mod, they can do what they want, and you're not going to see me complain about the work they've done and how they decide to give it to us.

It just kinda seems like they're catering to forum babies.

In any case, I've already downloaded the soundtrack, listened to it, and sent some money Joel's way for his incredible work.

Also I figured I'd share that "We've Got Hostiles" is my favorite track.

ATDestroy

Penguinboy

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 04:42:36 UTC Post #309582

I think my favourite track is Questionable Ethics 1.

PenguinboyHaha, I died again!

rufee

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 05:23:41 UTC Post #309583

They will take forever to make Xen youl see

rufeeSledge fanboy

srry

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 06:19:21 UTC Post #309584

I think it's kinda cool they're not releasing Xen now. Leaves us more to look forward to.

However, it was one of those parts that I was looking forward to seeing revised, simply to see what they did with it to improve on it. It almost won't feel right to have to play the game in two parts, it's gonna totally fuck up the pacing to have to wait months or years to play the last section of the game.

I almost wouldn't mind if they just threw together a shortened version of the Xen episodes and just called it a day. It wasn't the most exciting part of the game, but even though people seem to hate it I thought the environment was really cool and creepy. The jumping could get frustrating, but the level design was pretty innovative nonetheless. I just love how totally inhuman it all felt. Read Stephen King's "From a Buick 8", and that alternate universe is exactly my vision of what Xen is supposed to be.

srry

Trapt

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 07:00:37 UTC Post #309585

technically the mod is called 'black mesa' so maybe the next installment should be called 'xen'?

tbh couldn't give a shit if they never released xen, all of my favourite HL1 memories are in black mesa.

listened to the soundtrack a couple of times, i love the rock sound on some of the upbeat songs (blast pit 3, end credits part 1, forget about freeman, questionable ethics 1).

Traptlegend

srry

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 08:26:07 UTC Post #309588

tbh couldn't give a shit if they never released xen, all of my favourite HL1 memories are in black mesa.

See, I feel like everyone thinks this except me... But there was some badass stuff in Xen. Half-Life wouldn't be the same without a giant testicle spider.

srry

Habboi

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 08:40:57 UTC Post #309589

Xen was my favourite part of the game. It answered some questions and introduced new enemies and locations. Oh well, nice to see their hard work paying off though I suspect the impact might not be as grand as it would have been a few years back.

HabboiSticky White Love Glue

Taylor

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 09:10:31 UTC Post #309590

Xen definitely had its issues, but it was a perfect closure of the game. I can't recall an alien world this fleshed out and believable with the possible exception of Outcast. If the BMS team goes even further then Valve did, it's totally worth the wait. I'm curious what they'll come up with.

TaylorJohn Romero's Bitch

Daubster

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 10:28:34 UTC Post #309591

Mine has to be Residue Processing so far. Loving the groove.

DaubsterVault Dweller

Penguinboy

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 10:33:47 UTC Post #309592

Lots of people seem to hate on Xen but I thought it was fine

Looking forward to playing their re-imagined version of it, too bad it'll have to wait!

PenguinboyHaha, I died again!

monster_urby

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 10:55:54 UTC Post #309593

The only thing I disliked about Xen was the amount of jumping puzzles involved. Like I said, Blue Shift's Xen was perfect and showed a more natural element with rivers and such. The mod Point of View had a good take on Xen as well.

monster_urbyGoldsourcerer

Tetsu0

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 12:14:03 UTC Post #309597

disco, ill download it and ill bring my laptop with me to NY ok?

Tetsu0Positive Chaos

DiscoStu

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 17:09:26 UTC Post #309605

HAHA if you must!

I never really liked Xen but it's a part of the game. It's what makes it a complete product, and part of what made Half Life epic. It might be my least favourite part, but taking it off would leave Half Life an incomplete product, with an unfinished storyline. It's a part of the whole.

DiscoStu

monster_urby

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 17:52:38 UTC Post #309606

It's a part of the whole.

You mean... The Whole Half-Life?

monster_urbyGoldsourcerer

Notewell

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 20:52:55 UTC Post #309607

I was always fine with Xen (except that one map right after Gonarch's lair), and wish they'd release it with the rest of BM, but I get why they're doing xen as a separate release; they just want to get the mod out there after so long working on it! I'm sure it will be released as a proper patch, overwriting the final map of LC with one that goes directly to Xen instead of ending, fixing any bugs that crop up between now and then.

As long as it's under a gig, I'm game for it being a separate download. ;P

EDIT: Come to think of it, I was always fine with the apparently unanimously-hated On a Rail, too.

NotewellGIASFELFEBREHBER

satchmo

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-03 23:38:41 UTC Post #309608

I thought this day will never come.

I guess there is a tradition of project postponement with Valve. I know this is not Valve, but it's related to Valve.

Remember how long we had to wait for Half-Life 2? I am sure Episode 3 will be released before 2027.

Better late than never though. At least it is not "Duke Nukem Forever".

satchmo“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. -- Samuel Beckett”

monster_urby

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-04 00:02:15 UTC Post #309609

Duke Nukem Forever warrants a new expression.

"Better never than late. I mean holy fuck. This is horrible."

Or the shorter, more memorable version: "Just no."

monster_urbyGoldsourcerer

Strider

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-04 13:02:22 UTC Post #309615

Personally I think "Wall boobs." sums it up well enough.

Oh yeah, topic. Can't wait for Black Mesa, it looks all sexy and fun and stuff.

StriderTuned to a dead channel.

monster_urby

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-04 17:27:40 UTC Post #309616

Indeed. I'm really looking forward to the bit with the gun.

monster_urbyGoldsourcerer

Blitzkrieg

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-04 17:42:05 UTC Post #309617

I'm gonna shoot a thing.

Blitzkrieg

DiscoStu

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-04 18:46:35 UTC Post #309619

I am going to shoot two things. That's how badly I am looking forward to it.

DiscoStu

monster_urby

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-04 19:01:18 UTC Post #309620

I might just shoot all the things. Then, when the mod comes out, I'll stop for a bit.

monster_urbyGoldsourcerer

Trapt

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-05 10:56:13 UTC Post #309631

It's up on Steam Greenlight. Everyone vote for it, currently sitting at 5%, I'm not really like its odds, but every vote counts.

Traptlegend

Habboi

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-05 11:43:22 UTC Post #309633

I don't get it. You'd think Valve would just add it themselves since they seemed really keen all those years ago.

HabboiSticky White Love Glue

monster_urby

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-05 12:09:45 UTC Post #309635

Valve tends to stay keen about something for all of a day, then they become keen about another, more far fetched idea. Then people complain that Valve isn't as keen about their favourite series as they would like. Then Valve unveils something nobody could give a fuck about.

monster_urbyGoldsourcerer

DiscoStu

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-05 20:35:47 UTC Post #309641

What is this greenlight thing? I tried to have a look at it but it took forever to load and I went to do something else.

DiscoStu

Jessie

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-05 22:41:33 UTC Post #309642

Well, in the space of 12 hours, it's gone from 5% to 19%. You never know.

JessieTrans Rights <3

Strider

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-06 06:42:25 UTC Post #309645

What is this greenlight thing? I tried to have a look at it but it took forever to load and I went to do something else.

A new space for developers, mostly small indie ones, to submit their games. Users vote on whether or not they want the game to appear on Steam. It seems to take a loooot of votes, so the games need to be pretty popular to get in.

There were about 800 games submitted when I last checked, and a lot of incoming fakes/spam. Now there's a $100 buy-in to submit your games, and that money goes to charity, which is a nice move by Valve.

StriderTuned to a dead channel.

satchmo

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-15 04:21:30 UTC Post #309825

It's here!

I've played it.

It's every bit as amazing as I imagined.

I haven't been this excited since my son was born.

My screenshot:

Need I say more?

satchmo“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. -- Samuel Beckett”

Bruce

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-15 06:54:04 UTC Post #309826

As I expected the crowbar is like a fucking toothpick

Bruce

Striker

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-15 07:41:11 UTC Post #309827

I.
Am.
Flabbergasted.

[EDIT] Has anyone observed the RGB spasm when you get shot? That's awesome.

StrikerI forgot to check the oil pressure

Skals

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-15 09:35:29 UTC Post #309828

I'm in like chapter 3 right now, did anyone microwave the headcrab? D:

SkalsLevel Designer

Archie

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-15 11:13:40 UTC Post #309829

I wanna keep playing, but FTL: Faster Than Light is just so good.

ArchieGoodbye Moonmen

monster_urby

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-15 12:02:30 UTC Post #309830

Got as far as surface tension before i HAD to sleep. Can't wait to continue today.

monster_urbyGoldsourcerer

Habboi

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-15 12:56:28 UTC Post #309831

Anyone notice they use reversed versions of songs you first hear when you revisit an area. For example when you first enter Blast Pit and you hear the music. Then you go down and turn on heat and oxygen and go back up and the same song plays only backwards.

It's a really nice idea.

HabboiSticky White Love Glue

Skals

Posted 11 years ago2012-09-15 13:19:51 UTC Post #309832

hmm no I didn't notice, well I'm not sure if it sounds any good, but if it does, then that's pretty cool

I just got past the big toxic filled area after you get on that old rail track with the train that gets de-railed.

I was in that area and I just thought damn that's so sexy, the hdr lighting makes all the toxic areas so amazing

SkalsLevel Designer

Black Mesa: Source Set for Release! Created 11 years ago2012-09-02 07:49:19 UTC by Daubster