This is the Read category

A collection of text posts, including Poll Questions, Text Interviews with moddersand Phillip’s Blog. All posts are written to encourage friendly debate and discussion.

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7 Stages to perfect gaming – The 7 Series

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

In this article, I am going to describe MY 7 stages to perfect gaming.

Please bear with me while I explain how I got there!

I carry my new netbook with me everywhere. I bought it for my work but because I always have stuff to do on the site, it’s useful for me to be able to whip it out and do a bit of admin or even writing if there’s no Net connection.

10th April 2012 7 Comments

7 Rules for Puzzle Builders – The 7 Series

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

As a level designer I often take a keen interest in the puzzles that others include in their maps. Half Life 2 offers a huge wealth of puzzle possibilities due to the physics engine and the gravity gun. If you ask a player what their favourite puzzle in a game was they could probably tell you immediately (I’d like to know yours by the way) but they may not be able to tell you why.

Equally they may struggle to explain why a bad puzzle doesn’t work, but in reality there are rules to a good game based puzzle and if you follow them, as a mapper you can’t go wrong.

Here’s my rules that I’ve learnt through creating maps and playtesting on how to create a good puzzle.

1st April 2012 13 Comments

Poll Question 268 – Do you think Portal mods MUST get harder as they progress?

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

It might seem such an obvious answer but I don’t think they should.

Here is how my thinking goes…

Regular first person shooters don’t always get harder as the game or mod progresses.

They tend to get more complicated, because you get better weapons, which means the enemies get bigger or harder. But that in itself doesn’t mean the game is harder.

1st April 2012 13 Comments

Is the mapper always at fault?

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

Late last year a pp reader posted a review about a map which went against the general consensus. Everybody has a right to their own opinion and if somebody doesn’t like a mod that most people do then that’s fine.

Well, most of the time it’s fine.

25th March 2012 18 Comments

Poll Question 266 – Would you not play a mod if you knew it had stolen content?

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

I found a mod on ModDB yesterday and a few reviewers were saying that it had stolen content. I am now in a quandary: I want PP to have everything single SP mod available but I don’t want to post something that steals content from other mod makers.

To be honest, if modders steal stuff from retail games, I don’t mind too much, but if it is from other modders, that seems a little unfair, although I accept there’s no real difference.

17th March 2012 15 Comments

Poll Question 265 – Do you keep mods until you are in the right mood for them?

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

Sounds pretty obvious, doesn’t it? But I wonder if players put certain mods to one side until “they are in the mood“.

I certainly have to be in the mood for difficult Portal mods, I just can’t play unless I am in the right frame of mind.

But that’s about it for me, everything else I just play when I need to play it.

I just play everything as it’s released, assuming I have the time.

What about you?

Quick note: I’ve been pretty ill this week and spent all day in bed yesterday and plan to do the same Saturday and Sunday. This is the only update the site will have for at least 3 days, maybe more. Sorry!

10th March 2012 20 Comments

Poll Question 264 – Have you ever immediately replayed map or mod?

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

I have no idea where this poll question came from, it just popped into my head.

I rarely replay mods, even after months or years, so playing it again immediately after is totally alien to me.

I do know that many readers replay the games regularly, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to replay mods.

Let me know of any interesting stories or anecdotes you have of replaying stuff.

3rd March 2012 24 Comments