HL2 Mod Mini-Reviews

[bobdog]

Part 75: PlanetPhillip’s GravityGunVille Contest
Thank goodness our buddy PlanetPhillip continues to break fresh ground with his “Ville” contests. After the last one was such a bust, it’s nice to see modders taking to the new GravityGunVille (Ep2) contest so well, with nine entries that are supposed to showcase the Gravity Gun’s properties. To be sure, this is a mixed bag, and features a preponderance of Portal-like imitators (lonely testing chambers where you must use the Gravity Gun to move forward), but there are some unique entries, and some really good plain old HL2 maps. However, nothing really captured the same flair as the Research & Development mod from last year.

So, in order, here are the entries and my personal scores.

Black Mesa Enrichment Center is a challenging Portal-type affair, requiring you to use the Gravity Gun to pass a number of obstacles. The narrator attempts the same type of black humor that GlaDos perfected in Portal, but really misses the mark, in my mind – it was too flat, too “been there, done that” to me. The voice work was good, but the lines just didn’t work. I admit that the final challenge is nigh impossible, where you must attempt to balance the room on a pivot while avoiding gunfire, somehow leaping from the far end before the room tilts back down while also ensuring the gun hits a glass box containing a ball you must retrieve – this could have been made so much easier in so many ways. I noclipped. That was easiest. 3.75 out of 5

Boxes takes place in a pleasant enough “Portal” like facility, with open skies, running water and bright white walls. But I couldn’t figure out what the heck I was supposed to be doing. There was no direction. I quit it. 2.75 out of 5

Cubes is better in the directions department, simply because you just keep going forward through a dark, moody atmosphere that would feel right at home for Hellraiser – cold metallic walls and floors that drop away into nothingness, pierced intermittently by bright red or white cubes. The white cubes generally serve some action, such as raising bridges or lowering obstacles. And they and the red cubes can be used as projectiles against Combine, Hunters and Zombies, all of which stand in your way (as does a Strider, but you get something with a little more punch to use against it). I liked the simple geometry of the levels and actually died several times from either getting blown off a ledge or falling from stupidity. Good times. 3.75 out of 5

In Mind is another Portal-esque entry set in an orange Source code world of blocks of varying sizes. You have to move the blocks with the GravGun. I think someone was talking in the background, but it wasn’t done well. Boring and easy compared to BM Enrichment Center. 2.75 out of 5

Lower the Bridge finally takes us into familiar Gordon Freeman territory in an excellent map designed by Ross Walker (Drowned World), which takes you up a cliff to a castle, where you must lower a drawbridge. Gameplay was very challenging because the Combine are at levels all around you and you have no cover. But the most exasperating part of the map is the ridiculous, never-ending keyhunt – you have to find like 12 of the darn things, and each time you go: “Oh $#@)( -- ANOTHER KEY???!!!”. But the author makes great use of vertical space in the level design as well as enemy placement. However, very little use of the GravGun was required. 4.5 out of 5

No Escape is utter, utter crap and shouldn’t have even been submitted, it is so bad. 1 out of 5

Research Facility features some beautiful new texture work, again very Portal-ish in level design. But I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing – I needed direction again, even with something as simple as text on the screen. It’s a shame because it looked as if a lot of work went into the mod. 2.5 out of 5

Underworld is an action-packed Combine slaughterfest, with only the GravGun as your tool, plus zillions of exploding barrels, blocks, sawblades and dozens of other deadly objects to sling around. The level design is basic but sufficient to keep you moving, but the action is the true king here. My heartbeat continually went up the further into the mod I went, as I was faced with wickedly overwhelming odds, and only the GravGun to fight back with. Fortunately, the author has established perimeters for all the foes so that they never venture past certain boundaries, allowing you some time to breathe and reheal. 4.75 out of 5

Zero Point starts as yet ANOTHER Portal-type training facility, but quickly transcends its copycat approach with a major plot twist that will lead to your eventual escape, making a boring mapset into something richer. Level design is basic, but the implementation of the story, plus the voiceovers, pushed me to move forward. Unfortunately, the enemies in the last map didn’t work, so I’ve brought the score down to 3.5 out of 5.

Because the contest was supposed to focus on the GravGun, I’ve scored these maps a little differently, based on how effective I thought that use was. For example, Underworld would normally be a 3-rated map, not the highest in this contest. However, because it relied solely on the GravGun, while offering an extreme challenge, it is my personal winner of the contest. All the Portal-esque maps just came across as trite and copycat in nature without offering the uniqueness of Portal. And Lower the Bridge, which would normally be my winner for the contest due to its intricate level design and familiarity to HL2 canon, just never utilized the GravGun to any extent, while driving me bananas with the overly complex keyhunt.

So congrats to Underworld – in my book you’re the winner of this contest!!

[bobdog]

Part 76: Singling Out the Maps
It’s crazy to think that it’s been nearly 5 ½ years since I started this topic, and we’re now at more than 20,000 views. THANK YOU!!

And wow – what a way to end the year for HL2 mapping! A lot of great offerings here, including some exclusives I dug up from the Guildhall crowd, which are always interesting to test out. I’ll start with the individual maps first and then I’ll do the mods next time.

Puzzle Maps offers five puzzle-related maps that showcase a variety of ideas – some successfully and some overly difficult. Fortunately, the enemy AI was off after the first map (although I suppose I *could* have turned it back on), or they would have been even more difficult. Think lots of jumping puzzles and you’ll understand.... I had to noclip several parts of three maps, but was generally able to figure out how to proceed – I just couldn’t manage the tricky jumps. The last map was a “hole-in-the-wall” design that was pretty ingenious. Overall level design was rough but serviceable, although I fell out of some of the maps. Definitely a challenging mapset. 3 out of 5

EXCLUSIVE!! Black Death (Ep2) is a Guildhall effort that takes place in a European village. This is nicely designed, with crisp textures and new graphics, and a new skybox with a castle. The focus of the map is a new “crossbow of confusion” – instead of damaging your opponents, you shoot one of a group of foes with the new crossbow, and all the enemies will fight each other, saving you ammunition. Although it’s a very pretty map, the long-term use of this new weapon design are pretty limited in the HL2 universe. 3.75 out of 5

A Walk in the Park (Ep2) was originally supposed to be submitted for PlanetPhillip’s GravityGunVille contest, so the map leans heavily on use of the GravGun. Note that if you simply go to the door to the left of where you enter the map, you’ll miss 90% of the map, which takes you through a zombie-filled graveyard, hedge maze, Hunters in a glass hothouse, and then back again through hordes of Combine and Elites before finally getting back to that elusive door and a surprise ending. There are lots of enemies, but their use isn’t terribly creative. However, it possibly could have won the contest. 4 out of 5

EXCLUSIVE!! Where A Walk in the Park mainly focused on the Gravity Gun, Night of the Living Headcrab (Ep2) focuses solely on the Grav Gun. This is one of the most polished Guildhall efforts I’ve played, and I think if it had been entered into the GravGunVille Contest, it would have won. This tense, contained map is set in a decrepit two-story warehouse, with zombies just outside and clamoring to enter. And of course, for you to join Grigori in a nearby room, you’ll have to open those doors after finding the emergency power button.... You’ve got plenty of armaments to take the zombies down, but it’s still a tense affair. 4.25 out of 5

EXCLUSIVE!! Runaway Train (Ep2) is another Guildhall effort. It’s a very short map but could conceivably serve as part of a larger mod. You need to get an RPG to take out a Combine Gunship that is attacking the moving train you’re on, but of course it’s at the front of the train, and of course, Combine stand between you and it. You’ll move over the top of train cars and through the interior of several, the ground zinging along by you and the Citadel in your rear-view mirror. It’s not terribly challenging, but it’s a neat concept, although it’s been done much better in other games. 3.5 out of 5

EXCLUSIVE!! Power Outage (Ep2) is another Guildhall effort that attempts something new by trying to incorporate night-vision into HL2 gameplay. It works, but only to a lesser degree – the AI still generally know where you are, even in the dark. Toggling night-vision turns the screen green and you receive occasional messages that you are in the dark or the light. Level design is straightforward, but semi-challenging with the sheer number of Combine you’ll face in a breakout attempt. 3.25 out of 5

EXCLUSIVE!! Stealth Mode (Ep2) takes place in a small courtyard at a Combine facility, but the script allowing you to enter a second building was broken for me. This Guildhall effort needs more work. 2.25 out of 5

EXCLUSIVE!! Uplifted (Ep2) is another Guildhall effort. This one places you in a Combine trooper’s shoes, where you’ll need to protect a plaza from zomboids. It features a “bullet-time” function that was okay, but the real star of the map is the constant back and forth from each side as you repel dozens of zombies. 3.25 out of 5

EXCLUSIVE!! Viscerator Control (Ep2) is the final Guildhall map here. You’re trapped, but you can control a manhack – can you use it to free you from a locked room? When you take control, it shoots you to an overhead cam view of the manhack, which you can manipulate in the four cardinal directions. Take it outside, and get rid of all those pesky zombies and boxes in the way until you can bring it back inside. The execution is not nearly as tight as we’ve seen previously in Human Error, but it’s still somewhat interesting. 2.75 out of 5

So a pretty diverse of map offerings. Of these, I really enjoyed A Walk in the Park and Night of the Living Headcrab. The Guildhall efforts are short enough to at least give them a shot. Next time, the most recent mods.

[bobdog]

Part 77: Everything in Mod-eration
And now, the latest mods to finish out 2011:

Daylight actually spends more time in the dark, but you do start in cramped city alleys before making your way into a funky sewer system. Along the way, you’ll have a footrace against a Strider. One of the best ideas is using the Grav Gun to propel a raft around obstacles in the water. Some simple puzzles and “secret” areas, great use of fans to damage your opponents and move up a shaft, followed by an intense arena battle against fast zombies, highlight the mod. Overall, the effort was really well done, with only a few little niggles, and ends with a great finale battle and reward. 4.5 out of 5

Water comes from the makers of the excellent Human Error, but is set in another world completely. In Water you play the eponymous heroine, a mermaid and former water goddess who needs to regain her former followers to renew her lifeforce. I’ve been following this effort for the past year, and I’m pleased to say the final result is much cooler than I anticipated. Water is set in a watery world with gorgeous graphics – fish swimming by in schools, colorful coral, waving seaweed – with your character played from a third-person view as you leave the depths to enter a dock village on the water.

And unfortunately for me, Water is broken. When I tried to interact with the people in the towns, my computer hard-crashed – on two separate occasions with two separate people. I was able to engage in a fight with one person, which plays a bit like a JRPG with the ability to attack, defend or run away during turn-based actions. But after the fight, when I went to “touch” the character, I immediately had a hard-lock crash. So I attempted it again with a different character, talked with them, and then when I went to interact again, I had another hard-lock crash.

It’s a true shame because I really wanted to see how the story turned out. If you happen to get it to work for you, please feel free to post here and give us your feedback. From what I could experience, the modders have developed an amazing new property, possibly ready for prime-time if they can get these problems fixed. 4 out of 5, for effort

Next, let’s look at the entries for Planet Phillip’s HalloweenVille Contest. PP came up with this idea and only offered a few short months to prepare a map that would scare you, which is how I will rank these five maps.

All Hallows Isle takes place on a gorgeous looking small island, but aside from some invisible enemies, there didn’t appear to be anything else to do, and certainly nothing very scary. From comments on PP, it appears that if you swim around the back of the island there is a bottle to drink?? Regardless, it wasn’t very satisfying. 2.75 out of 5

Asylum is located in a dingy, dark complex, but other than roaming around in poorly lit hallways and stubbing your toe, there weren’t any scares. The level has some decent design, especially the elevator shaft, but it doesn’t really take advantage of the contest rules. 3 out of 5

Cabin Fever does more to scare you in its short minute of gameplay than some mods do in hours of length. Yes, there are a few “gotcha” scares, but more formidable is the foreboding, pitch-black atmosphere. It also incorporates a new flashlight mechanic. My second favorite map in the contest. 3.5 out of 5

Dark Bad does okay with the contest idea, offering a challenging foe, but it is fairly short gameplay. 3.25 out of 5

Missing Person is the longest and most diverse entry. It also offers one of the most nicely designed and atmospheric mapsets I’ve ever played. The gorgeous graphics start with a car race in the mountains before the fog sets in and you have to traipse through the dense mess, hoping you’re going in the right direction. Some “gotcha” scares really bolted me out of my seat. Over three maps, you go through the woods, some caves and a cemetery before attempting to escape. The ambience and the actual scares makes this my contest winner. 4.5 out of 5

Finally, we end the 2012 modding scene with G-String, perhaps one of the most ambitious, as well as largest, total conversions ever made for HL2. Clocking in at 3.73 GIGABYTES, 54 maps and a play time of 15-20 hours, G-String is as large as many professional ventures, yet it was made over 5 years by a single female author. For this alone, I salute her.

Perhaps even more impressive is that G-String is one of the most open-ended mapping ever attempted for HL2. Exploration is key for this mod, as the author doesn’t offer any real guides on where to go next. Just keep going “forward” and that will be the right way; if it isn’t and you hit a dead-end, look around some more, look up and see if there’s anything you can climb up to, or see if there’s a wooden barrier that can be destroyed. And this is what will cause many to love or hate this map. If you don’t have the patience to explore every nook and cranny, you’ll quickly get frustrated and want to turn away. But if you don’t mind engaging your brain again in a game, there’s a lot to love here.

G-String offers soaring cityscapes of such detail that I am in awe and amazement – moreso than we have ever seen for HL2 mods. You will literally climb dozens of stories into the air and can fall to your doom if you make the wrong step, or get blown off a precarious ledge. The post-apocalyptic setting is extremely detailed and map design cleverly integrates a variety of environmental puzzles. You’ll also have to think more than normal; for example, when an overhead announcement says an EMP blast is incoming and that you need to find shelter, you’ll actually have to backtrack to a safe indoor location. You’ll experience all-new custom textures, graphics, enemies, NPCs, backgrounds, skyboxes, weapons, alternate powers, sounds and music – all done alone by one young woman.

This is not a perfect mod, however. I find plenty wrong with it, not least of which is the mess the author has made with the control settings: the mouse is overly tipsy, I find myself “sticking” to the floor or walls when all I want is to walk forward, new powers are not mappable off the main menu. I don’t know what the storyline is actually supposed to be. Also, the author has fiddled with the UI and scrunched up the screen. And she added a film grain and made levels too dark, so that sometimes it’s hard to see where you’re going, even with gamma turned all the way up.

But, boy did she create a living, breathing world that is as diverse as it is large. The level design is outstanding and incredible and I constantly found myself wondering how the author did it. I find myself wavering back and forth on my final score, but I think I have to award this one a 5 out of 5, as mods like these are few and far between. G-String is better than many full games that I’ve paid full price, and it deserves to be played, even with the imperfections that I noted above.

When you get stuck (and you will), go to TheMegatonBomb’s Walk-through Guide on YouTube. Also, you can get some additional download links from the ModDB listing.

[bobdog]

Part 78: Top Maps and Mods of 2011
2011 was a pretty dry year for HL2 mapping, due to a couple of prevailing reasons. In early 2011, Valve released some “fixes” to the Source engine that effectively broke many previous mods. And I think it also broke many mappers’ desire to build something that might not last any length of time due to Valve’s continuous changes. And then there’s the fact that HL2 Episode 3 is completely off the radar, with all thought of “episodic” gaming thrown out the window. It is now more than 7 years since HL2 came out in 2004, and 4 years since the last official release of Episode 2 in 2007. And now there are many more games and game engines that mappers can play with to create.

The good news then is that 2011 also produced some amazing examples of single maps and full mods, including some significant total conversions. Perhaps 2012 will see the release of Black Mesa. We can dream, as Duke Nukem Forever has finally made its 12-year debut.

The other significant bonus to HL2 mapping took place in a variety of “Ville” mapping contests arranged by our friend PlanetPhillip. These alone contributed two dozen new, structured maps to the HL2 pantheon, so we definitely appreciate PP’s support of the community. Thanks PP!!

•   RooftopVille inspired eight new maps
•   StriderVille delivered two submissions
•   GravityGunVille had nine entries
•   HalloweenVille scared us five times

Looking at the single maps, these three are the most highly rated that I played this year:

Aether (Ep2) is a nicely designed series of interconnected interior and exterior areas, with plenty of tough Combine firefights in between. Some puzzles connect mini-arenas with bosses like an Antlion guard, Hunters and a final gunship. 5 out of 5

Lab Ex (Ep2) requires you to create a new Models folder in your HL2 folder, otherwise you can’t even start the game. The extra work is worth it though, as you enter a tense, nicely crafted map. The setting is yet another “escape from prison” map, but the execution is exquisite. I found myself puzzled on several occasions until something clicked for me on how to get past an area or to turn off a shield or to power up the elevator. This map takes you from the familiar prison scene of Nova Prospekt to an underground Combine base, where you’ll have the chance to use the super Gravity Gun – probably one of the few maps to incorporate this feature in such a brilliant way. After that, you’ll exit the facility, only to find yourself facing several Combine snipers on towers and two Gunships. This severely challenging finale was a highlight, and I managed to make it through with only 8 health. An excellent map worth your time. 4.75 out of 5

Frequent Flyers (Ep 2) is one of the better Guildhall student efforts featuring a couple of innovative offerings. Notably, you start the map while onboard a flying platform with a mounted rifle. Your pilot weaves around an oil rig in the ocean where Alyx has been captured. The free-wheeling motion as you circle-strafe the rig for Combine troops is effective, with random variations in the flying pattern that mimic the unpredictability of helicopter flight. Once you land, you must make your way around the rig to free Alyx, and then return to the helicopter. The oil rig could have used some additional detail, although it is pretty decent level design, and it would have been more interesting to have additional levels, but truthfully, this map is all about the flying, which would be a great piece to add into any HL2 map. 4.5 out of 5

And now for my top mods of the year:

MOD: Precursor (Ep2) pulls everything together to provide an excellent gaming experience – from the harried rush through interconnected apartments to the escape of the Combine crackdown into a sewer maze system. After spiraling ever deeper around a circular elevator shaft, you’ll escape on one of the coolest train rides I’ve ever played. Other highlights include a zombie-filled car park, an outdoor sniper’s crossing, and a gloriously realized valley under a train bridge where you must escape from an advanced Hunter. Mapping is excellently done, with great lighting throughout, made even more critical because you don’t receive a flashlight to navigate the dark. 5 out of 5

MOD: Sile (Ep2) delivers three intricately detailed maps. Set in Nova Prospekt, it features excellent pacing, interesting level design, exciting battle sequences, and a great overall challenge that will pump you up. 5 out of 5

MOD: G-String is perhaps the most ambitious, as well as largest, total conversions ever made for HL2. Clocking in at 3.73 GIGABYTES, 54 maps and a play time of 15-20 hours, G-String is as large as many professional ventures, yet it was made over 5 years by a single female author. For this alone, I salute her.

Perhaps even more impressive is that G-String is one of the most open-ended mapping ever attempted for HL2. Exploration is key for this mod, as the author doesn’t offer any real guides on where to go next. Just keep going “forward” and that will be the right way; if it isn’t and you hit a dead-end, look around some more, look up and see if there’s anything you can climb up to, or see if there’s a wooden barrier that can be destroyed. And this is what will cause many to love or hate this map. If you don’t have the patience to explore every nook and cranny, you’ll quickly get frustrated and want to turn away. But if you don’t mind engaging your brain again in a game, there’s a lot to love here.

G-String offers soaring cityscapes of such detail that I am in awe and amazement – moreso than we have ever seen for HL2 mods. Look into the skybox and you’ll see lights circling around towers in the distance, or hovercars floating past. You will literally climb dozens of stories into the air and can fall to your doom if you make the wrong step, or get blown off a precarious ledge. The post-apocalyptic setting is extremely detailed and map design cleverly integrates a variety of environmental puzzles. You’ll also have to think more than normal; for example, when an overhead announcement says an EMP blast is incoming and that you need to find shelter, you’ll actually have to backtrack to a safe indoor location. You’ll experience all-new custom textures, graphics, enemies, NPCs, backgrounds, skyboxes, weapons, alternate powers, sounds and music – all done alone by one young woman.

This is not a perfect mod, however. I find plenty wrong with it, not least of which is the mess the author has made with the control settings: the mouse is overly tipsy (but I found a technical solution in the Config file), I found myself “sticking” to the floor or walls when all I wanted was to walk forward, new powers are not mappable off the main menu. I don’t know what the storyline is actually supposed to be. Also, the author has fiddled with the UI and scrunched up the screen. And she added a film grain and made levels too dark, so that sometimes it’s hard to see where you’re going, even with gamma turned all the way up.

But, boy did she create a living, breathing world that is as diverse as it is large. The level design is outstanding and incredible and I constantly found myself wondering how the author did it. I finally awarded this one a 5 out of 5, as mods like these are few and far between. G-String is better than many full games that I’ve paid full price, and it deserves to be played, even with the imperfections that I noted above.

MOD: Call In flows in and out of outdoor environments and underground tunnels until you reach a building complex. Although nicely designed, there are no real surprises until you enter a Combine facility, where you must make your way around the perimeter of a deep pit, guided by neon-lit tubes to penetrate a secure room. Once inside, you will download information to help White Forest’s rebel base, followed by a frantic firefight in tight quarters.

Upon emerging, you’ll get one of the best chase scenes in HL2 history – a helicopter pounds away at you as you navigate the airboat through fluidly designed sewage canals, until you finally reach some RPGs to take it out. The slow beginning was too monotonous for me, but once we reached the Combine facility and especially the canals, the mod really took off. 4.75 out of 5

MOD: Total conversion Underhell Prologue provides a host of new textures and models, set in a modern city. You are a special ops guy whose wife has just died under mysterious circumstances, but you’ve got to take on a hostage situation in a local hospital. More than a “demo”, you can engage the tutorial, which includes new actions, investigate the House hub for clues to your wife’s death, or start the first mission at the hospital. The story and mapping were surprisingly deep and unexpected – I kept expecting the mod to end, and you’d enter a whole new area. There’s a lot of promise to this one, and I look forward to the complete game, but you'll definitely get a good 4+ hours of playtime out of this one by fully exploring the House adventure and the actual campaign. 4.75 out of 5

MOD: Titan: XCIX is an impressive TC set on a space-faring cruiser. After a freak asteroid damages the ship, it’s up to you to repair it and gain your freedom from the vessel. Unfortunately, racial prejudices rear their ugly head and make a challenging situation even more disastrous. Great voicework, interesting cutscenes, nice level design (somewhat Trekkish – utilitarian but not fanciful), competent and diverse puzzles, and a genuinely intriguing storyline set this apart. I would have liked more detailed texture work, but that’s a minor complaint. 4.5 out of 5

MOD: Daylight actually spends more time in the dark, but you do start in cramped city alleys before making your way into a funky sewer system. Along the way, you’ll have a footrace against a Strider. One of the best ideas is using the Grav Gun to propel a raft around obstacles in the water. Some simple puzzles and “secret” areas, great use of fans to damage your opponents and move up a shaft, followed by an intense arena battle against fast zombies, highlight the mod. Overall, the effort was really well done, with only a few little niggles, and ends with a great finale battle and reward. 4.5 out of 5

So again I find myself wavering on my thought for Mod of the Year: Precursor, moreso than Sile, delivered that full HL2 experience that we’ve grown to love, so that once again I felt like I was Gordon Freeman. Yet G-String is so overly ambitious, and generally hits its target so well, that I feel like I played a completely new FPS that had no relation whatsoever to HL2, which it used as its base. For this reason, I feel compelled to award G-String as my Mod of the Year, because of all the vast amount of work that its single author was able to accomplish and take me to a completely new world.

[bobdog]

Part 79: Mod-ern Family

SEMI-EXCLUSIVE MOD: At this point, I can’t believe that mappers are still releasing “mods” as pathetic as The Secret of the Sickness. First, let’s start with the install process: this “mod” ripped all the appropriate Episode 1 files and then spit it into a new install package that takes 1.2 GB of space OUTSIDE the HL2 infrastructure; i.e. in your main Program Files. Then, the “mod” itself is an insipid collection of square rooms connected by straight corridors. To the author’s credit, he does provide new models for the crowbar (a saw) and pistol. But the whole package is just sad beyond belief. Still interested in giving this crapfest a play? Here’s the download link – note that you must provide a valid email to receive the DL link. 2 out of 5

SEMI-EXCLUSIVE MOD: But, unbelievably, TSOTS is almost a masterpiece compared to Mystery Combat Man, whose sole purpose is to place you in a variety of arena-type maps surrounded by a crowd of allies. The author has created (or “lifted”) skins from a variety of sources, which is semi-interesting, but your group of a dozen allies will stick you in a corner and won’t let you out unless they get shot down. Maps are ugly but diverse, but more importantly, they’re not fun. 2.25 out of 5

SEMI-EXCLUSIVE MOD: The demo for Mystery Combat Man 2: Electric Boogaloo has slightly improved level design but is still incomplete and not much fun, although it incorporates your allies more effectively into the fight. 2.5 out of 5

SEMI-EXCLUSIVE MOD: Santa’s Revenge 2 (download here) asks you to free Santa Claus from his kidnapers. Level design is surprisingly good, featuring both outdoor and mine/cavern levels, as well as some in-jokes and scenarios poking fun at Call of Duty Black Ops. Play on hard for a decent challenge. 3.25 out of 5

MOD: PlanetPhillip returns with the new mapping contest CrossbowVille. Although there are only 3 entries, the quality is over-the-top for this contest, which focused on the use of the crossbow. For the whole mod, I’m going to give it 4.5 out of 5.

Diminutive Strife takes you primarily through canals, mixing some Combine snipers, a rush of troops, and Hunter action with one puzzle. Some intense action requires you to be strategic in moving forward. 4.25 out of 5

Cognition was just too complex for my tired mind and required too much running around with no action. 2.75 out of 5

Coriolis Effect (IMHO) is as close to perfect as you can get, rivaling Valve’s maps in quality, design and action – it felt like a Valve map to me. The dark train depot was one of the creepiest locales I’ve had to go through, and you get plenty of sniping action with the crossbow, ending in a challenging battle simultanously with Hunters and an Attack Copter. 5 out of 5

Diversion (Ep2) was meant to be an entry in the Crossbowville contest. It is immensely good, featuring sniping action, escape from a copter, Combine foes and even surprise Hunters – all in a pleasing level design. I can’t find too much wrong with this one. 5 out of 5

Façade (Ep2) is quite the mind-trip, including some tricky puzzles. There’s no fighting, but plenty of action, but this still isn’t my general cup of tea. 3 out of 5

Ha Long Treasures (Ep2) starts with a gorgeous waterfront boat ride into a creepy cavern. This is an unusual map that relies on tricky jumps and some traps. You’ll find a pirate ship and tons of gold along the way, even if there aren’t any enemies to kill. 3.75 out of 5

Quest for Dog’s Spark (Ep2) is a trap map in the vein of Indiana Jones. It’s a quick play and provides a decent challenge. 3 out of 5

A Venetian Welcome (Ep2) certainly has a new locale in Venice, but doesn’t quite go far enough in level design to really make me think I’m there. Tough Combine fights from multiple heights amp up the tension until you’re able to take out the boat onto the canals. 4.25 out of 5

SEMI-EXCLUSIVE In Your Heart (Ep2) is one of those concept maps where you open 1000s of doors until you get to the right ending. Boring and too tricky. 2 out of 5

SEMI-EXCLUSIVE City 21 (Ep2) consists of three maps that you’ll need to bring up individually: Building, Train and Port. This is the author’s first mapping attempts, so not everything is perfect, but there’s some potential here. Building is super tough to survive the Combine, Train is a relatively easy transition, and Port features the best level design and overall challenge, including a Copter battle royale. How about a 4 out of 5 for the whole set.

[bobdog]

I'm not even sure how many people still read this board, but I've got some news that affects a majority of the download links: the PlanetPhillip.com website, as of July 8, 2012, is closed. PP may reopen his site in October, but I wouldn't necessarily count on it.

If that's the case, then basically every link I've posted to PlanetPhillip.com will be a moot point. I don't have the time to go back and search out new links for the past 5 years of HL2 releases, but Google is your friend and can help you find new download offerings.

I am extremely sad to see PP close shop, but more importantly, I want to thank him for 8 amazing years of providing us gamers with HL content. When even Valve have left us high and dry, PP has been a fount of new ideas to get us back in Gordon's shoes.

Thank you Phillip!!! 

[bobdog]

Part 80: I’m A Mod Man
The HL2 mapping scene remains slow for the past 3-4 months, and the sudden closure of PlanetPhillip.com left a gaping hole in our ability to get maps and mods. However, I’m pleased to see that PP is back open for business, so I’m going to buckle down with some reviews.

First up, some HL2 vanilla maps:

Underground Facility offers a few new textures in a short map set in a small bunker. You’ll face Combine with some tough shotgun troops, which leads to an upper level with more Combine, but there is no true closure to the map. 2.75 out of 5

Grass House is still a bit rough, with lots of displaced textures. You’ll face some Combine, zombies and headcrabs, but overall, this short piece is not really worth the download. 2.5 out of 5

Hypnophobia is a nice change then, as it offers some fairly demanding gameplay. It’s similar perhaps to Pieces Like Us, or other “otherworldly” mods, with plenty of gameplay actions: jumping, puzzles, hard assaults – I think you’ll be challenged with this one. 4 out of 5

Black Flames is very rough. Set in dark, winding corridors, you might expect more of an aura of dread, but the author isn’t quite experienced enough to pull it off. Add poor level transitions that require you to boot each map individually, and it loses all horror aspects. 2.25 out of 5


And now for some Episode 2 maps:

Rescue in Ravenholm is quite ingenious, requiring you to support Alyx from above. She clears out zombies with your assistance as you open doors, turn on traps, etc., simply by the placement of three batteries. And yes, she can die, so this might require some clever gameplay. 4 out of 5

Break at Work [Ep2] is a fairly quick look at Gordon’s life just before the resonance cascade in Black Mesa. We see our old pals and get to take a quick trip to Xen without the need for the long-jump mod! 3.75 out of 5

Critical Cargo [Ep2] starts with an intense blast and quake, which leaves you a captive of the Combine. The author has a good grasp on demonstrating action sequences like explosions, slow-motion and external sounds – most of which are truly exciting – but needs to concentrate on the basics: NPC scripts, level changes and pacing. 3.5 out of 5

Departure [Ep2] is a truly great map: great pacing, enemy and weapon placement; great level design; great settings; and great story – to escape by boat from the Combine-controlled docks. 4.75 out of 5

Magellanic Stream [Ep2] continues the success, offering another great, intense map, with lots of puzzles, huge set-pieces, and challenging shoot-outs. A great package overall. 4.75 out of 5

Station 51 [Ep2] meanders through a warehouse district and felt like a true HL2 gameplay experience with a few surprises tossed in. 4.5 out of 5

The Port [Ep2] offers no real gameplay unless you use a secret portal in the middle of one of the warehouses to get to the ship, where there are weapons and Combine attack you. 2.25 out of 5

Originally planned for PlanetPhillip’s Doorville contest (see below), Fodderstompf DoorVille [Ep2] starts at the beginning train station of HL2. This map required a bit of lateral, roundabout thinking, but you can quickly make your way around. It’s manhack city on the train itself as you attempt to escape, followed by an underwhelming Combine fight before you train off into the sunset. 3.75 out of 5

I know I played through Sequenceive-Source [Ep2], but I must have been underwhelmed because I didn’t take any notes on its gameplay! I did write down to “use one of the mirrors because the ‘official’ download is missing the map file,” whatever that means…. 2.25 out of 5


And finally some mods:

1187: Rogue Train [Ep2] is a side mission from the original 10-map mod released last year, which was one of my favorites. In this single map, you are on a moving passenger train and must disarm numerous explosives amidst a plethora of re-skinned zombies. Then the train is boarded by armed enemies before facing off against 1187’s toughened Xen warriors and two final Combine assault ships. It’s a great use of space with lots of new textures, but it’s not quite as innovative as the original mod. 4 out of 5

Centralia [Ep2] is a two-map mod and has you enter a creepy mine. The outside textures are poorly done, but overall level design is good. It’s a fairly short mod and could use some more scares and enemies inside the mine, but the author intends to continue the series, so let’s see where he goes with it. 3.25 out of 5

Cube v2 [Ep2] is probably the best Portal “imitator” out there, but is unique in its own gameplay style. I could seriously see this as a true Portal offshoot that is yet another example of Aperture Science testing at work. You’ll face lots of puzzles, most of which task you with carrying cubes around to drop on hotspots and continue the next testing scenario. I was able to figure everything out, with lots of trial-and-error. Then, when the story ends, you can load up a second set of maps that follow your escape from the facility. You’ll also be placed inside some Episode 1-type maps where you must escape from Combine. All in all, this was a very impressive 6-hour game that will have you scratching your head. If you’re a Portal fan, definitely check this out. 5 out of 5

Estranged [Ep2] is a stylized version of HL2 gameplay, offering some cleaner textures. You aren’t Gordon Freeman, however, and don’t have the HEV suit, so you can’t use a flashlight or sprint functions. The levels take you from a shipwreck in the harbor to a cabin to a train depot (where you ride the train – CHOOCHOO!!!!) to the sewers. There aren’t really any surprises here, but it’s a solid map-pack. 4 out of 5

Last Zombie [Ep2] is just so quirky, I wonder why it’s taken 8 years to cast us in the role of the zombie? It’s a bit of a concept mod, but you do get to control (via third-person view) a zombie, smashing open doors and throwing stuff around as you search the town for your missing girlfriend. There’s no real combat here, so that was disappointing, but it’s still an interesting concept. 2.75 out of 5

But as a concept, Last Zombie has nothing on Plumber’s Revenge [Ep2], the action-packed adventures of a simple janitor, thrust into the limelight to save the world from … doody. Yes, your crowbar has been replaced with a plunger. And yes, you do get to plunge a clogged toilet. But when you’ve had enough, viva la revolution! Combine everywhere will beware your might, your power … your doody stick. The mod is kind of humorous and is short enough not to outlast its joke. 2.75 out of 5

Notes: Surrender Cut [Ep2] rounds out our mods with an “experimental” twist set in a modern-day city. In Max Payne-style flashbacks (hand-drawn panels with text), you’ll flesh out a deep story about drug addiction, and what it does to its victims. Mostly an adventure format, where you look for items around your small village, the end of the second act (out of three) is a chilling, lengthy, extremely challenging fight against your personal “demons”. The intense visual style and great music design make for an interesting mod. 4 out of 5

[bobdog]

Part 81: Mod-erately Successful
I don't think I've ever experienced such a great group of mods as the following. It heartens me to know that such amazing mapping and level design is still taking place for HL2.

Aberration (Ep2) is a pretty good 3-map pack, with elements of scares set amongst some interesting set pieces. In the 2nd map, you make your way to the bottom of a multi-level warehouse, upon which you are tasked against waves of Combine and Hunters. The third level takes you into a nicely designed cave system. Some real gunplay challenges round out the hour-long playtime. 4.25 out of 5

Baryonic Predicament (Ep2) is perhaps Miigaa’s best offering, starting slowly but gathering steam through each of three maps. You first start along a dock, with a number of environmental puzzles, followed by battles with assault ships and combine troops – neither of which are a real challenge at this point. The second map takes you deeper into a sewer/basement complex. Immediately you are faced with a laser puzzle, but I couldn’t get all the lights to activate properly, so I had to noclip. Some more environmental puzzles and Combine firefights lead to a very, very hard firefight with multiple waves of Hunters. The next level takes you deep into an expansive cavern, with buildings hanging from the ceiling over bottomless pits. Some additional laser puzzles lead you to one humdinger of an ending. I like how the game ramped up in both challenge and creativity – nice job. 5 out of 5

Grey (Ep2) is a horror total conversion that lies cloaked in a forbidding atmosphere, with plenty of actual scares in the nightmare world you face. The gloomy settings in real-world hospitals, offices, city streets and apartments comes off like a version of the game Condemned, which I find genuinely frightening. And as a total conversion, you never really feel like you’re getting a cheapskate HL2 model  -- it’s truly that good. Add to this a creepy story and good voice acting, and we have one of the finest horror HL2 mods ever created. 5 out of 5

Insolence (Ep2) tries to build on the “missing” HL2 files, with limited success. Several maps simply task you with walking around a city, but some succeed – with some work. The Air Exchange chapter is probably the best iteration of this I’ve seen, although you’ll have to use judicious use of no-clipping to make it work properly. But it did offer four maps worth playing through. The other maps have various fighting you can participate in, but only one other really gets it right, with the citizen uprising in City 17. Still, one of the better releases I’ve seen of these “missing” files. 3.5 out of 5

Person of Interest (Ep2) has a great energy and flow to it. It doesn’t try to do too much and just feels right as you play through it, with some cool setups that lead to a great conclusion. 4.5 out of 5

Lost Under the Snow (Ep2) uses some new textures and does a good job of winding pathways in and around themselves, with various secret passages. You’ve found an underground base and need to escape. The AI is more challenging than normal and health is scarce, so you will want to save often. The ending is a nice contrast. 4.25 out of 5

Silent Escape (Ep2) starts with a great City map, although the author could have upped the challenge. Once you hook up with your fellow rebels, you will make your way to the forest, with a nicely designed scene, including one of the most impressive skyboxes I’ve ever seen, akin to when you exit Black Mesa and look out over the bluffs in the valley below you. The third map takes you deep into the earth. When you finally exit the tunnels, it’s night-time in a pretty spooky forest setting , with tons of zombies calling for your blood. Rejoin your comrades, but beware the traitor in your midst. Nice voice-acting and good special effects complete this excellent mod. 4.75 out of 5

Mission Improbable (Ep2) presents the third and (hopefully) final version of this mod. I can see that the author has used many new textures and colors, as well as some bloom and lighting effects. The first map is mostly the same, but I don’t recall a second map where you fight off antlion attacks within a tunnel. The third map is very similar but took out a finale that led to the highway – instead, you are taken into a Citadel-like facility that is especially well designed, and perhaps the best version we’ve yet seen. I liked the wheelchair scientist, who brought some needed comedy. This final version continues to offer some excellent gameplay in a diversity of settings. 5 out of 5

Honestly, there’s not much to say about Black Mesa that hasn’t already been said – notably, that it significantly updates the original Half-Life game, but modernizes its graphics, textures, level design, enemy and NPC AI, etc. It is truly the masterpiece of HL2 modding efforts, reminding us how great the original game was, but with a coat of glossy paint. The action is fierce, puzzles are challenging, and most importantly – NO KEYHUNTS!! 5 out of 5

[bobdog]

Part 82: Mod-ern Design

Justice is the sole individual HL2 map in this group. It is based around a cathedral design and tosses some strong attacks from all directions. Level design is a bit rudimentary but acceptable. Note that the keys you must gain look like energy modules. 3.75 out of 5

Black Snow (Ep2) is a unique total conversion mod, starting with a “found footage” style opening. You are a soldier who has been sent to an Arctic base in Greenland. After being chased and knocked unconscious, you must find the truth of the situation, which is much more than you could have imagined. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll merely say that this is a horror mod where isolation and darkness weigh heavily on your mind and body. Use your brains and look all around for clues and ways to move forward. The thinking puzzles are much more mentally taxing than we are normally asked in an HL2 mod. 4.75 out of 5

Capitol Punishment is some sort of Arena-type mod, where you  must kill a certain amount of foes before you can move on to a new city block. Not really my type of gameplay, but some may enjoy. 2.75 out of 5

Hatch 18. Chapter 1: Forgotten Passenger (Ep2) has such promise as a graphically enhanced mod, but misses the mark severely with t0o many frustrating messages that completely destroy any sense of immersion. It’s gorgeous in design but the interminable waiting you must endure ultimately destroy all that’s good about it. Remember in The Gate when you’re locked in the prison cell and must wait a good five minutes for something to happen? Imagine the same thing here and you’ll get an idea of the frustration I experienced as a player. 3 out of 5

Hellsound is another haunted mansion mod and does a few unique things with perspectives. The graphics and layout are very old school and some of the puzzles are a bit obtuse but not a bad effort. 3.25 out of 5

[bobdog]

Part 83: Value of the ‘Villes: Part 1
PlanetPhillip developed six short 10-day contests on a variety of topics to see what mappers could come up with. This is part one of my reviews, covering the first three contests:  DoorVille, ElevatorVille, and ChaseVille.

Doorville (6 Entries)
Above the Canals starts on a canal and features some familiar sites. Regroup with the rebels and storm a Combine outpost. The final copter battle is a bit easy. 3.5 out of 5

Amplifission had a nice mix of level design, firefights and simple puzzles, set in underground levels. 4.5 out of 5

You Missed One is more a puzzle map to find all the valves, but lacks a real finish. 2.5 out of 5

What’s Through Here, Alyx lacks anything close to a finished map design and looks like a late assignment that just got turned in. 2 out of 5 PLANETPHILLIP’S CHOICE

Unknown Hazard is another basement-themed map – it’s nothing too outstanding, but suffices. 3.75 out of 5

Canals is an extremely quick map set in canals where you shoot some Combine, but it doesn’t have any story or conclusion. 2.5 out of 5


Elevatorville (6 Entries)
Am I Safe Now features three ‘vators but lacks finesse in the ending map. Level design is decent and you’ll experience challenging gunfights mixed with Strider battle. 3 out of 5 PLANETPHILLIP’S CHOICE

Ascension features a few physics puzzles, ending with a very tough Combine and Hunter battle. 5 out of 5

Crence starts as an underground level but then introduces some bizarre stuff as you go along. Great level design, although the foes could have been more challenging. 4.25 out of 5

CounterShaft had an issue with some of the ‘vators – either the script didn’t work, or I wasn’t doing the correct actions, but it blew the ending of the map. 2.5 out of 5

Elevator Action, besides being named after one of my favorite arcade games, employs a few new textures and places you in some sort of spaceship, where you must fix several ‘vators. Search for gears, fight off some doughboys, and experience the occasional laugh or two due to its humor. 3.25 out of 5

Mega-Mini ends in a serious state of disrepair, featuring the orange Source code and a need to noclip through the map. 2.25 out of 5


Chaseville (2 Entries)
From Darkness is a quick chase sequence with a very creepy Xen warrior in pursuit. 3.75 out of 5

Schism is a tense chase on foot, followed by a water buggy chase to out-maneuver Striders in canals. Some trial-and-error is involved to find the best routes, but it’s definitely a good run. 4.75 out of 5

[bobdog]

Part 84: Value of the ‘Villes: Part 2
Part two of my PlanetPhillip ‘Ville reviews covers the final three contests: ForestVille (Ep2), VerticalVille (Ep2), and Alphabetville (Ep2).


Forestville (6 Entries)
Cabin Fever is one huge zombie-infested valley. It’s pretty tough going but easy once you get the car and can run them over. 3.75 out of 5

Gravity Falls details a mountain pass with a waterfall, cave and small Combine mining village – then you have to reverse your path. This makes good use of scale and offers numerous challenges. 4.5 out of 5

Lumbering Gordon is a short but fun romp akin to the White Forest map in Episode 2, but you get to start a train after fending off some Hunters and a Strider. 4 out of 5

Station 8 is a beautiful, large map that requires some exploration to find a Combine outpost. A tough firefight followed by a helicopter battle finally lets you get away. 4.25 out of 5

Station 25 is a rapid-fire Antlion battle royale. 3.5 out of 5 PLANETPHILLIP’S CHOICE

The Choice takes you either into a mine or along a road to take down a Combine outpost. There’s not much action in this one and some graphic anomalies that take you out of the game. 3.25 out of 5


VerticalVille (5 Entries)
Gordon’s Ups & Downs takes you in and around an elevator shaft. It’s a nice use of space and thought-provoking gameplay. 4 out of 5

Secret of the Coast is very intense, leading from a coastal path into a Combine infrastructure. Once you take out the power source, prepare for an extremely challenging finale. 5 out of 5

Ventilation is another intense map taking place inside the Combine Citadel. You’ll be doing lots of floating throughout the structure, while taking it down from the inside. 4.75 out of 5 PLANETPHILLIP’S CHOICE

Vertizontal is one of the cleverest uses of the Source engine, putting the map sideways and changing gravity completely. I was extremely entertained. 4.75 out of 5

Zipline is a nicely designed City map requiring you to climb around structures to reach the rooftop. A great finale makes the trip worth it. 4.25 out of 5


Alphabetville (4 Entries)
An Attack is a craftily designed set of towers that felt right at home in a Combine design. Lots of structures to climb, elevators, and chances to fight by sniping or up-close action. 4.5 out of 5

A Red & Blue Letter Day offers various gameplay snippets – drive the car, swim through deep water, tackle two Striders, and elude Hunters in a forest setting – all under the presence of towering letter shapes. Not bad in its own right. 3.75 out of 5

Burden is surprisingly deep with an electric ending – all based around psychological horror of war and cowardice. I also saw elements of Christianity in your fears and realizations. And you shoot stuff too. 4.5 out of 5 PLANETPHILLIP’S CHOICE

Franklin Gothic is an arena map but something shoots explosions all over the place, making it unfair. 2.5 out of 5

[bobdog]

Part 85: Slow Ride
Yes, I have slowed down on the reviews, as there hasn’t been much action in the past 5 months. But this review will offer two Episode 2 mapsets – the rest are Episode 2 mods.

Life Lost Prison (Ep 2) is a three-map pack that starts very strong but then goes downhill in the second and especially third map. The first is a very tight, tense map that requires you to go from one corner of a courtyard to another, taking out Combine troops before gaining the RPG, which has ammo back at the start of the map. However, the second map is a typical Nova Prospekt prison map with no real highlights other than a cover-based shooting sequence. The final map falls apart completely and is simply an Antlion Warrior battle; but when you are done, the locked doors open to nothingness, so obviously the ending wasn’t quite completed. Still, the intense first map and good weapon use in the second deserve a play.3.25 out of 5

As a single map, Street Stuck (Ep 2) is put together really well, using space efficiently, but also with plenty of detail. This is basically a City 17 map taking place after Gordon Freeman nuked the Citadel. Combine troops come at you from different heights and locales, snipers cover key zones, and you have to use cover and sprinting effectively to make it to safe areas. Strongly recommended, but I wish it was longer. 4.75 out of 5

Anti-Citizen: Chapter 1 starts with the Combine attacking your apartment building. As you flee, you are channeled down a specific path, with blocked-off hallways and doors. You’ll gradually get a handgun and gain other weapons slowly. Then the path leads outside, where the Combine continue to pick the Rebels apart, unless you can do something about it and open the main gate. Gameplay is tight, level design is interesting, and you need to use a few leaps of logic to continue, but overall a pretty strong mod and a good start to this series. 4.5 out of 5

I feel like I’ve played a hundred of these “alpha” maps that feature scenarios pulled from Valve’s “Making Of” book and were intended for the original HL2 storyline before getting pulled from the final game, but Depot is definitely one of the top sets from these. Essentially, the Air Depot was supposed to pump noxious chemicals into the earth’s atmosphere, preparing the planet for full Combine use. This set of maps starts in the desert plains, but the author actually manages to make a great intro, using some of the Ep 2 cavern maps throughout. Both maps, but especially the first, are extremely large, and require some trial-and-error for pathing, but are fun to traipse through. I did note what appeared to be a couple of stuck objects in the first map that required me to noclip to get past, but most everything else worked as it should.

Constantly circling gunships keep you on your toes throughout the maps, until you recover RPG shells. Level design is intricate and allows the player to do some exploring to see if you’re on the right track. About half-way through the first map you obtain the Bugbait, which you can then use to guide antlions to attack your foes, and this may have been the best use of the weapon outside of the original game. The exit is a bit abrupt, but you certainly get some great gameplay out of this mod. Highly recommended. 4.5 out of 5

Triage offers four City-based maps, where you are part of a large group of rebels. The authors have changed the gameplay somewhat, including pop-up iron sights on weapons, new weapons and larger clips, removing the flashlight, speeding up zombies, and changing your movement slightly. Maps are large affairs and run the gamut of city streets, canals, tunnels and buildings. Although the flashlight has been removed, light is effectively used either through flares, fires, or sunlight leaking into a darkened space. Level design is sufficient but you’ll find yourself caught on some rough edges every now and then. Worth a play-through but not one I’d save for posterity. 3.5 out of 5

Spherical Nightmares is as near to perfect as a HL2 mod can get. Starting with a typical prison escape, the mode quickly escalates into something different, with secret stashes, thought-provoking environmental puzzles and a diversity of interior and exterior landscapes. The second map is reminiscent of the Black Mesa tram ride, but also requires you to get on and off, restart stuck trains, and make it to other tracks. You eventually end up back outside, in the midst of a serious Combine encampment leading to a dock-side setting. Another trip into the zombie-infested sewers leads back outside again to the Combine’s transmitting radio tower. Although the ending is bittersweet, the path to get there is extremely fun and well-crafted, with great pacing and enemy placement throughout. My only gripe might be that supplies are perhaps too common, so you might think about playing this one on Hard. 5 out of 5

Station 51: Extended Cut starts with some intense rooftop battles, followed by a coordinated Hunter attack. The action rarely lets up as you move from one area to the next, with a finale in a Citadel area. Level design is used efficiently, with you veering back, forth, over and under your previous position. Pacing and enemy/weapon placement is also good. There’s really nothing wrong with it, but it lacks that unifying storyline that would give it top position in my eyes. 4.75 out of 5

Deep Down requires a bit of effort to make it work, but is an impressive set of maps that include Alyx. Levels span driving maps and an underground mine with lots of neat settings – I was reminded a lot of Leon’s Coastline to Atmosphere in design and scale.

Level design is good and the mod features several unique new features, including perhaps the most car-driving of any HL2 map/mod, including the original game. You also face off against an Advisor, which is extremely rare. Perhaps my only comment would be that level design could use more detail, as several areas like hallways appeared bland and basic.

Because the mod was created with Valve’s newest update, it broke a number of old mods. I had luck with replacing the gameinfo.txt file with the following; note that you must use regular quotes and not “smart” quotes:

"GameInfo"
{
game "Half-Life 2: Deep Down"
title "HALF-LIFE"
title2 "== deep down =="
type singleplayer_only

FileSystem
{
SteamAppId 420

SearchPaths
{
Game |gameinfo_path|.
Game |all_source_engine_paths|ep2
Game |all_source_engine_paths|episodic
Game |all_source_engine_paths|hl2

}
}
}

Definitely a great mod that with just a little bit of tweaking and detail work would get the absolute highest marks. 4.5 out of 5

[bobdog]

Part 86: The Villes – Beginning, Middle and End
PlanetPhillip created a three-part mapping contest recently whose idea was sublime: to assist HL2 mappers/modders in creating at least a three-map release that effectively covered the beginning, middle and end of a complete storyline. The final results were mixed, as only one mapper actually participated in all three contests, and the number of releases went down after the initial contest. However, the delivered maps were certainly above average.

I appreciate that PP takes a chance with unique ideas like this, although I’m not sure how to get more mappers involved. Is it simply an issue that HL2 is disappearing from the gamer psyche, and thus, mappers have decreasing desire to map for it? Certainly, the number of releases has slowed down significantly – after all, HL2 was released in November 2004 (9 years ago), and its latest iteration Episode 2 came out in 2007. That’s an eternity in gaming consciousness.

Regardless, I’m proud of PP for continuing to provide content for this title – thank you Phillip!

BeginningVille
This contest had 5 participating releases. The idea was to set the stage for the story, and I think there was a requirement to use the car to drive around within the map.

Architecturally, Collector’s Compound has fairly simple detail, yet wraps around itself intelligently to better utilize space. Firefights are challenging and the car is a necessity to open certain doors or avoid traps. The author has done a great job of infusing frantic action through two maps, with nice environmental touches. This map is continued with Mastermind’s Museum from the MiddleVille contest. 4.5 out of 5

Retreat starts with a hectic chase through Rebel headquarters, where you must retrieve a car and escape. Nice environmental traps, a mine field and a toxic swamp crossing provide additional challenges. Toss in another escape via tram, and the mod lives up to its name. 4.75 out of 5 and my winner for this contest.

Missed Flight is the only mod continued in all three contests. Part One features some intense fights with Striders and Hunters that require smart use of your ammo resources – you can actually run out and not be able to continue forward. The car driving section is simple, but useful as a battering ram, saving those precious bullets. 4.25 out of 5

Crowduction opens with a monotonous sorting task before forcing you to race for your life. The train sequence requires some finesse to get the timing right. The inclusion of a timed jumping puzzle is another sore spot to this short entry. 3.25 out of 5

Evasion begins with a clever environmental puzzle to escape a burning building, but leads into a simplistic and lifeless city. Invisible walls and a punishing machine gunner force you in the author’s desired direction, eliminating any choice for the player. Ideally, the map needed more pursuers to intensify the experience.


MiddleVille
This contest had 2 participating releases – both sequels to maps in the first contest. The idea was to take the protagonist further in the story while enacting a cliffhanger requiring final resolution.

Mastermind’s Museum picks up the pursuit of the Collector who stole your property and wants to place it in a personal museum. This time, you can use the airboat to get around a harbor surrounding a mostly glass-walled museum. After evading fire from various Combine, you must enter the museum and switch on eight electrical circuits. Unfortunately, the museum is also full of diverse and clever traps – the highlight of the map. I really appreciated the intricate design that went into this piece. 4.25 out of 5 and my winner for this contest.

Missed Flight: Part 2 was extremely disappointing with a plethora of mistakes: doors that won’t open, unbreakable locks, paths that were hard to intuit because they didn’t follow established HL2 “rules”, barely enough rocket ammo for the Strider, etc. I don’t know if these are author mistakes or something that happened due to the new Steampipe conversion process, but I had to noclip 8 times through the map to get where I needed to be. The overall premise was good and had great potential, but the execution stank. 3 out of 5


EndVille
The final contest had 3 participating releases – of which only Missed Flight continued through all contests. The idea was to finalize the story and give the protagonist some final resolution and rescue.

Missed Flight: Part 3 continues the frustrations of the previous entries, with perfection requirements beyond the norm. On three occasions you must cross toxic water before dying, yet you need full health to do so, and no health packs are provided to top you out before each crossing. And again, gates and doors won’t open, requiring noclip. It’s frustrating because there is some good gameplay here, marred severely by these little imperfections that keep yanking you out of the gameplay. I’m hopeful that the author will pull all three maps together and modify these problems in a future release. 3.25 out of 5

Excavation takes you into the bowels of a mining facility overrun by Combine. The map features great level design with challenging setpieces, including a big, frantic finale. Extremely well done and my winner for this contest: 5 out of 5.

Of Talons and Wings uniquely offers two final solutions (and a third “hidden” resolution if you’re smart enough). In the meantime, you must depend heavily on your four teammates to escort your damaged and weaponless avatar through antlion tunnels to the surface. A little on the short side, but lots of great ideas here. 4 out of 5

[bobdog]

Part 87: It’s Been Such a Long Time….
It’s been so long since I’ve played any HL2 maps that I didn’t realize that Steampipe has changed the installation source for single maps.
1. go to steamapps/common/Half-Life 2/ep2/maps
2. copy the ".bsp" file to there
3. copy the ".ain" file to the "Graphs" folder in the "Maps" folder
4. Fire up Half Life 2 Ep2 and type "map MAPNAME"

In Medias Res has a few glitches that need to be fixed, requiring me to no-clip through some areas, but overall it was a nice challenge, radiating out from a train track and associated sewer tunnels. No real stand-out pieces, but a lot of promise for this author. 3.5 out of 5

Perplexity is a Miigaa release and is definitely thought-provoking. I had to make a couple of mistakes before being able to move through some areas. It also had a nice, unexpected jump-scare. Level design bounces from gritty and realistic to somewhat abstract, but features several intense arena fights interspersed with the puzzle sections (mostly dealing with lasers). I liked how the author used the Combine forcefield in a new way – to keep objects from moving through, and they could thus be used on top of the forcefield. Another standout piece from this author. 5 out of 5

The following are mods, and just go in the “SourceMods” folder like normal.

I reviewed the “Alpha 5” version of Estranged way back in July 2012. They have added significantly to the mod since that time, with two additional chapters, forming a new Beta version they are calling Act 1, which includes three chapters; the Alpha I played stopped after the first chapter.

The gist of the story is that you’ve stumbled upon a lab experiment gone wrong, and now the company is trying to hush up anything and everything to do with it. Settings run the gamut of warehouses, sewers, offices, caves and outside locales. Enemy AI is very tough, and health kits are sparse, so you’ll have to use glitches to your advantage in this mod. For example, I would toss a can into a doorway so that they couldn’t get through, but I could brain them with my hammer. Whatever it takes, man…. 

I’ve seen plenty worse mods. This one isn’t quite star quality, but it definitely kept me engaged for the full 2 hours of playtime. I’d recommend it as a 3.75 out of 5.


AmbushVille – one of PlanetPhillip’s 3x10 mapping contests – was very successful in delivering 9 mostly good maps, and some excellent ones themed around an ambush (or several ambushes in the case of some maps). My winner was Lost at Sea, but the overall average of this map-pack was 4 out of 5.

Athelstan sticks in two ambushes around a blocky square and alleyway, but neither are done especially well. Also, the map doesn’t feature a proper ending. 2.75 out of 5

Factory Condition brings several waves of Combine forces against you from various directions, but it isn’t very challenging, even though it takes place in a night-time setting. 3.5 out of 5

Radio Tower Ambush offers a nice selection of vantage points for both you and the Combine, as well as a generous selection of weapons. 4.5 out of 5

Rapid Raid requires an immediate response from the start as you shimmy into sewers filled with zombies and a long wave of Combine. However, this is a pretty quick map to play. 4 out of 5

Lost at Sea builds anticipation significantly as you enter a seemingly deserted Combine facility on the water. You must make your way around the outside of the structure, over deep water. When you finally do encounter the Combine, they aren’t especially challenging, but the ambitious level design and fun ending tweak this one to the top of my list. 5 out of 5

Struggle offers several really intense and challenging ambushes in a large sewage complex. Level design is simplistic but enables you to have some great firefights, including one where all your enemies are overhead, scattered around the edge of a large, circular tunnel. 4.25 out of 5

Temple Stand-In relies upon never-ending waves of Combine, complete with a fetch quest for a gnome. However, it’s all way too over-the-top, because you never have a chance to catch your breath or make any headway to deliver the gnome back home before you are beset with dozens of Combine foes. It’s like a really poorly designed Left 4 Dead level. If you’re going to do a map with waves of Combine, at least let me get farther along to a relatively safe area where I can stock up again before having to attempt the course with no health or ammo. 2.75 out of 5

Third Watch uses outdoors level design and fog to good effect, leading you to a seemingly abandoned sawmill complex. Following a great destructive scene, you’ll have to outwit hordes of Combine to escape. 4.75 out of 5

Train Stopping is a fairly open map that requires lots of movement to stop a train, attacking Combine forces, headcrab rockets and even an attack copter. But you’ll also find pleny of health and cover to get you through safely. 4.25 out of 5


DefendVille provides 10 mostly standout maps themed around defending your base from attackers. My two favorites were Outpost 420 and 905, but I’d give the win to 420 due to the intricate level design. Overall average: 4.25 out of 5

Outpost 243 is set in a sewage canal, where you initially start with 5 allies that quickly get whittled down against waves of Combine foes. 4 out of 5

Outpost 316 is set around a large courtyard with several connected buildings. You’ll be challenged to the max on this map and need to use cover effectively to make it through. 4.75 out of 5

Outpost 356 is another map set in a linear train station along the length of the rail lines. 4.75 out of 5

Outpost 400 is set in a warehouse, but had some AI issues when loading from a quick save. 3.75 out of 5

Outpost 420 is set amidst a gorgeous outloor level, with plenty of comrades to help out, but still some tough Combine foes. The base itself is set inside a hill, with a slanted freight elevator  connecting two levels. 5 out of 5

Outpost 529 is another tough train courtyard complete with Strider. You must protect a generator or lose the match. 4.5 out of 5

Outpost 754 has a large outdoor footprint in an arid environment, but no closure. Level design is very basic and somewhat disconnected. 3.25 out of 5

Outpost 842 is another Miigaa map with multiple levels around a tight central courtyard. Combine come from different levels and in successive waves, but first, you’ll need to complete a few puzzles to gather all the gear you’ll need to survive the onslaught. 4.5 out of 5

Outpost 905 is a nice outdoor scene set in a junkyard that requires you to protect a rocket. This is also one of the few HL2 maps that utilizes the antlion bugbait as a weapon against incoming Combine forces. 5 out of 5

Outpost 906 takes the unique perspective that you are a Combine soldier in disguise. You initially get to decide which equipment you want and can then set up your house to repel invaders. 3.5 out of 5


With MovieVille, mappers were supposed to imitate scenes from an action movie. Unfortunately, this contest only garnered 3 entries, and honestly, it’s the first Ville that I won’t be saving. Overall, this was an average offering at 2.75 out of 5.

Heat puts you right in the action, with a Combine attack forcing you into the streets and alleyways until you can find the car to escape. 3.5 out of 5

I’m not really sure what movie Long Way Down is supposed to imitate, but it does have some decent action and good use of slow-motion effect. 3.75 out of 5

War Room is unfortunately incomplete, but stands as a nice tech demo of the mirror effect with lighting on the floor. 1 out of 5

[bobdog]

Part 88: … is Great Great

AssassinateVille is the latest contest produced by PlanetPhillip, requiring you to assassinate certain figures in each map. The quality varies a bit with each of the five entries, but generally they range from good to great.

Complex 471 is the first map, but layout is extremely basic, with boxy rooms and linear corridors. To progress, you’ll need to gather two keycards, the first of which was simple; the second card was located behind a forcefield, but nothing I tried worked to turn off the electricity powering it. Whatever the solution is, it eluded me, or it’s a bug in the map. 2.5 out of 5

Harbor Master Blues starts with a glitch unbreakable grate that required me to noclip. After, I was able to stock up on supplies before entering a large open arena with several waves of Combine and a Strider, before I was finally able to take out the Harbor Master. Level design was fairly basic overall. 3.75 out of 5

Terminus is set amidst a coastal Combine outpost and offers three different paths inside the compound, none of which are easy. One path will take you directly into a firefight, while the other two require you to pass undetected across an antlion-infested beach. If you can somehow make it into the inner compound, you’ll still have to take on some guards and your target, before a Combine gunship circles and strafes you. Layout is very nicely designed, with the various paths and a variety of heights to use to your advantage. 4.75 out of 5 and my WINNER of this contest.

Undercover is a nice infiltration mission in a city setting. I probably could have cut down the timeframe for the map if I had spotted and picked up the keycard at the start, but it was still fun to mow down dozens of Combine before my escape through the canal. It was a fun, fast-paced map with pretty decent level design. 4.25 out of 5

Nix is a basic setup with little to distinguish it. Level design is simple (some buildings inside a fence on flat arctic terrain) and not very engaging. You have to take out an unmarked Rebel leader before your buddy blows the supplies to cover your escape. 3 out of 5


Forest Train is a nicely designed map set in the White Forest, so it features some great-looking outdoor scenes interspersed with a train station and some outbuildings. The map doesn’t really do anything new or innovative conceptually, but it simply features some solid HL2 gameplay. Layout makes good use of the overall space, doubling back into areas you just left. You’ll also experience some really tough sections with hordes of enemies coming non-stop, so you’ll need to make good use of cover, mini-guns and health packs. After a challenging helicopter battle, the map ends up back where you started, offering a great cameo. 4.75 out of 5