Archive for January 2016

RTSL on Facebook

Just in case you missed the tweet and mention in a post, RTSL is now on Facebook.

Along with Twitter and Tumblr, I will be posting short updates about the site.

Some longer things will be posted to Facebook and Tumblr, with a tweet linking to both of those.

I know that not all of you use Facebook, but it only takes seconds to copy and paste to create a new post, so iit’s not too much effort and I hope it will help readers stay engaged with the site.

I should mention that LiveStreams will for the time being only be announced on Twitter, partly because Twitch automatically tweets and partly because it seems more appropriate.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let me know.

10th January 2016 1 Comment

Awards 2015 – Stage Two

Okay, it’s time for some actual voting.

Below you will find polls for each category. This will last until next Saturday. Each poll allows a maximum of two or three votes, depending on the category.

The final stage will only allow one vote per category. Think of this stage as an elimination stage. At the end of this stage there will only be two entries left for each category.

9th January 2016 10 Comments

Gauge 2.7.0 Now Available

Okay, first of all, let’s talk about the name change. When MapTap was first envisaged, it was just designed for single maps and unpackaged files. Over time we started adding more and more features. Now, MapTap installs mods, so the name “MapTap” limits its perception as useful.

With all that in mind, I decided to re-brand it. It is now called “Gauge”. My thinking behind it is that it fits with the idea of Valve and Steam, without using one of their brand names.

The version numbering will continue from the previous versions. The name change is from this point forward. I will need to make the changes to the sub-site, buttons etc, but those will have to wait a few days.

9th January 2016 15 Comments

Poll Question 335 – Do you replay mods when they receive a visual update?

As a lover of Half-Life, graphics don’t “nab my headcrab” (float my boat) and I also play Source games and mods too, but I’ve never been really interested in updating the visual aspect of them.

Sure, I love great graphics and am sure that Source 2 games and mods will look fantastic. This comes at a cost of the time taken to create new content, but as player those things don’t affect me in the same way as they do a modder.

It seems that many modders want to update their work and one of the most common ways to do that is to make it look better.

The question is, do players actually want these updates and do they re-play the mods?

8th January 2016 16 Comments

TWHL Tower

for Half-Life

You have received a call to a tower. The guy you meet there is not very happy just to see you.

He thinks he needs a team. Little does he know how effective you are.

Follow his instructions and do what you do best.

Then get to the roof and escape.

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Total Downloads: 6,3667th January 2016
55 Comments and 24 recommendations, most say "Play It Now!"

The Hammer Cup 16: Challenge 1: ChasmVille

And so it begins…

Welcome to the very first mapping challenge as part of The Hammer cup 2016.

Theme Details

The main element of the map must be a chasm. Canyon, gorge, abyss, rift – whatever you want to call it, but it must be the key feature of the map.

This chasm can be inside or outside. Think the perilous pits in Black Mesa, the insane heights inside the Citadel, and the dark antlion caverns.

These are just Half-Life examples to get your brain started! Put a new spin on one of these, or come up with your own thrilling chasm!

The player is not required to cross it but it must form the main gameplay element of the map.

Bridges CAN be used but are NOT compulsory and they can be anything from huge solid metal bridges to loose, wonky wooden ones.

There CAN be puzzle elements involved in crossing the chasm or just combat.

The player could work their way to the bottom and up the other side or fly across!

7th January 2016 58 Comments

Gorge Mesa

for Black Mesa

Starting in an unexplored part of Black Mesa, you find yourself cornered.

The only way is forward and that require guile and sometimes brute force.

Use all the resources you can, including scientists, to reach the outside and hope that leads you to safety.

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Total Downloads: 1,7345th January 2016
23 Comments and 5 recommendations with no significant bias

Awards 2015 – Stage One

Okay, so here we are Friday 1st January 2016, so time for the Awards 2015!

Just a reminder before we get started: These awards will consist of three separate stages, each a week long. Full deatils can be found here: Awards 2015 Format.

Stage One: Nominations.
Stage Two: Refine
Stage Three: Winners

There are 5 awards on offer: “Best Source Release”, “Best GoldSource Release”, “Best Ville Entry”, “Best Moment in a Release” and “Most Anticipated Release”.

What you need to do now, is look through the sections below and if you feel that I have missed a nomination, make a comment and if at least 3 people agree, it will be added to Stage Two, next week.

Now that I have written the post, I am wondering whether we should separate the *Villes into their own new category. It seems a little unfair on the mods create by one person to have them compete against mods created by multiple authors. What do you think?

1st January 2016 14 Comments