Archive for May 2011

The WOW Factor

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece entitled Evenness of Quality, where I argued that a mod should have an evenness of quality throughout. Even if that meant dropping a section down in quality so it wouldn’t stand out. However, just to be clear, I was not talking about the detail of an area, but something more abstract. Well, today I am almost going to contradict that and write about the WOW Factor.

For a mod to reach greatness it normally requires at least one section in the mod where the player goes “WOW”. There are a number of ways to cause that exclamation.

21st May 2011 11 Comments

Lost World

for Half-Life

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

You start at the top of a shaft, with no other way to go except down.

Clearly the only thing to do is find an escape route.

Work slowly and methodically, as your path is not always clear.

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Total Downloads: 2,87515th May 2011
21 Comments and 12 recommendations with no significant bias

Poll Question 223 – Do you think Valve will ever sell normal applications through Steam?

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

So, this week I was looking around the Steam store and I noticed that everything uses the “http://store.steampowered.com/app/…” URL and that got me wondering why Valve don’t sell APPlications through Steam.

I don’t own many applications because there are so many free ones available but for some things I buy applications and it would be so nice to just install and load Steam and have my applications available from where ever I can use Steam.

6th May 2011 10 Comments

Beyond Portal 2

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

This article is not a review of Portal 2. That will be posted on a new part of the site eventually. This is an article ABOUT Portal 2.

This short article contains spoilers about the game and my upcoming review.

Let’s get this over and done with…. I was a little disappointed with Portal 2. The beginning was okay, the middle fantastic and the end, mostly meh! with one “WOW, cool! moment.

4th May 2011 26 Comments

Evenness of quality

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

There are lots of things that affect how popular a mod becomes and how much coverage it gets. In fact, I had a conversation with somebody recently about his mod and I used the phrase “The right mod, in the right place at the right time”.

A few days ago I posted a mod called The Sewer and it’s quite good in some sections and average in others.

1st May 2011 7 Comments

Mesa Fallback

for Half-Life 2: Episode Two

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

Play an HECU Marine in seven distinct operations.

Visit different sections of the Black Mesa Research Facility, some of which featured in Half-life, Blue Shift & Opposing force!

You and your squad have got some serious work to do – GET TO IT SOLDIER!

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Total Downloads: 6,6071st May 2011
72 Comments and 18 recommendations, most really enjoyed it!

Discussion Podcast 002

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

Here is the second discussion podcast.

Joining me for this podcast was Patrick AKA foxholeboy.

We were due to have another guest but that didn’t work out. Thanks for listening.

1st May 2011 15 Comments