Making textures with the Half-Life aesthetic? Created 3 years ago2020-12-30 02:56:23 UTC by awkook

Hey fellas,

I searched around briefly but didn't find anything on my initial searches. I found a basic "how to create a texture tutorial" here, and that will come in handy a little bit, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips, tricks, guides, or videos on how to make a half-life style texture. I'm working on a black mesa themed project (how unique) and if I want some new signs or walls that would look like they came outta black mesa, whats the secret to that?

Any texture artist pros in the house with some advice?

Thanks!

A lot of Half-Life's textures are edited photographs, but most of the earliest ones are painted by hand, so maybe working from the original textures might be your best bet?

Many of the World textures from Half-Life began as photographs of various places, then contrast boosted and given a paint over. A lot of early photobashing and some filters and the likes. Related this just dropped so you see what I mean:
https://twhl.info/thread/view/20064?page=last

As for the rest like special textures and monsters a lot of it used direct painting on uv maps in either photoshop or Corel Painter in the case of CS1.6. While I don't have a guide, I do have a big collection of links here:
http://www.the303.org/tutorials/gold_mdl_tex_links.htm

Some specific ones from the list that may be closest to old HL style to you:
https://hulub.ch/images/Portfolio/IvanTextureProgress_L.jpg
http://www.horribledeath.com/orc_wip.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QKXpaRiTYs
Character painting method by Ben Mathis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEeb8Qhe-fw&list=PL5254wVvvPeaCjulsrovknRgHlV-I4UYh

Thanks guys!