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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Hazardous Half-Quake Quatridual

Hello sufferers,

This weekend sees the start of the Hazardous Half-Quake Quatridual.

Half-Quake is made by Muddasheep and he has a special way of looking at things – a sadistic way!

He enjoys tourturing players via various techniques. His mods have a visual style that has been copied but never equalled.

For each new map and mod I update, I will include the description, screenshots, TAGS and my own review. It will also have a working download.

You can subscribe to the RSS Feed or you can follow me on Twitter. Using either of these methods will allow you to recieve updates as soon as I post the latest map or mod.

The winner of the draw (see below) will get a Halfquake DVD full of Halfquake goodies (dialogue bloopers, artworks, notes), featuring a unique drawing by Muddasheep.

The top reviewers (as in the reviewers who post all the reviews) will be entered into a draw to win a Half-Quake DVD. Huge thanks to Muddasheep for agreeing to create another one.

If you don’t know what the DVD is, please take a look at William’s excellent piece about it.

Get playing now, so you can post your reviews on the same day as I post them:

1st December 2011 24 Comments

CrossbowVille Mapping Competition

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

I am pleased to announce the next mapping competition: CrossbowVille.

Full details can be found on the competition’s page: CrossbowVille.

I suggest you read the page carefully, because there is one new rule that is related to the sponsors that is very important.

30th November 2011 37 Comments

Poll Question 249 – Is Portal 1 better than Portal 2?

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

I’m not a huge Portal fan but I do enjoy the occasional map or mod.

There’s been more debate about which is better: Portal 1 or Portal 2 than for HL1 or HL2, mainly because they are both on the “same” engine and any comparison naturally gravitates towards visual aspects.

10th November 2011 36 Comments

Mod and Map Archetypes

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

Let me start by saying that this article will not list archetypes, but is a call to the PP community to help define them.

The reason I am asking is because I read this BBC article and it started me thinking about how we could apply that to Half-Life maps and mods.

Ideally, we would have no more than 7, as I could then write a 7 Series article, but that’s getting ahead of ourselves.

6th November 2011 15 Comments

The MapTap Winner is

Update: MapTap has been replaced by Gauge.

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

I officially launched MapTap on 1st October 2011. It is designed to make using SP maps a LOT easier.

I’s been fairly successful but I feel I should have done more work before the launch to ensure that enough tested files were available.

Herr_Alien and I have been working very hard behind the scenes and the next update will be a big step forward. We have about 5 new features planned for future updates too.

Anyway, back on the first of the month, I said there would be a game giveaway to one random Map Tap user.

Considering how unsuccessful the last two attempts at selecting a winner were, it is time to try a new way.

SEND ME YOUR ID AND KEY

To find your details, go to the About button. It will display your ID and Key.

6th November 2011 29 Comments

7 Reasons I hope Ep3 is the last Half-Life game – The 7 Series

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

The title of this post has got to have shocked you.

“Phillip must want the Half-Life games to keep coming.”

Yes, I do, but on a fixed schedule. Every 3 years is about right for me. Fixed engine too – no updates to break mods or any of those shenanigans.

But the world and Valve don’t revolve around what I want – quite right too!

So, here are 7 reasons I hope Ep3 is the last Half-Life game.

Don’t forget to add your own in the comments.

6th November 2011 24 Comments

Poll Question 248 – Do you take a break after playing long mods or games?

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

I’ve just finished a really long and great book. I feel a little relieved that I have finished it, but also sad because the story has finished, at least for the time being.

As much as I love reading I couldn’t start a new book for a few days, even a short one – I need time to “digest” what I have just experienced. I need time to look for the plot holes and consider the actions of the protagonists.

5th November 2011 8 Comments