This is your chance to play one author’s vision of what Episode Three could contain.
- Title: Fake Episode 3 Maps
- File Name: hl2-ep2-sp-fake-ep3-maps.7z
- Size : 3.36MB
- Author: -MIX-
- Date Released: 25 January 2009
- Source: Ten Four Forum
I believe this pack was originally released via Deposit files and then uploaded to a Garry’s Mod page. Don’t download it from Garry’s page. That file doesn’t include the original readme.txt and the graph files.
I have called this mappack the “Fake Episode 3 Maps” because the author didn’t really give them a title. They have been referred to as the “Alpha” but that gives the impression they were leaked and that’s not the case.
Download directly into MapTap [3.36MB]
You MUST have MapTap installed before using this link.
You can still use it with MapTap once you have downloaded it.
- Copy the maps folder into your Half-Life 2: Episode Two folder.
- Launch Half-Life 2: Episode Two
- Open the console and type map ep3_outland_01.
- Press enter/return or click the Submit button.
- Play and Enjoy.
Click on the thumbnails below to open a 1024 pixel wide image.
WARNING: The screenshots may contain spoilers.
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Please note: These statistics are valid from December 2010
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5,886Overall
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0Today
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3Last 7 days
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12Last 30 days
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112365 days
Using Gauge: Users
Manually: 3 Users
Time Taken:
Average: 0 Hours, 22 Mins
Shortest: 0 Hours, 16 Mins by shaboo
Longest: 0 Hours, 30 Mins by JellyGal
Total Time Played: 1 Hours, 6 Mins
This release is currently not in a collection
If you believe this release is missing important tags, please suggest them in a comment?
WOW, I loved this mappack. Let me start by saying I downloaded it from the wrong place and started the map with what is really the second map. It didn’t make too much difference but I would have preferred not to.
As you can see I have made this a Hall Of Fame entry and as always not everybody will agree. It’s certainly not perfect and I had to use No Clip twice due to some errors but things like that don’t bother me too much.
Working your way towards the Borealis is fun, more from the visual aspect than the actual gameplay. Without doubt it is exiting the ship after you have done what you can to do.
I would like to have had a little more action but I can’t complain too much.
The places where I had to cheat were:
Image 34: I just couldn’t get the door to open and
Image 40: There was something blocking me reaching Alyx.
5 Words Or Less Review
A great teaser for EP3
No u are totally right phillip to put this mod with it’s respect award,, this mod just blew my mind and it was a delight to play it really good teaser 4 the ep3, let see how real ep3 shock our expectatives. the part where alyx and barney appear in the borealis last part it’s brilliant!!!, what a way to put barney back on the game isn’t it???, hope we see barney again on the real ep 3 with a good rol on it anyway I can’t wait to play ep 3 sure it’s gonna blow our minds too….
Completely agreed. Succeeded at giving me chills at certain points. Don’t know how I solved it the first time, but the door at image 34 actually requires a key that is a tiny white thing that you find in the corner in the room you previously can get trapped in. (Has a skeleton and the gravity gun.) Anyway, loving this site!
The worst part about this was that I did the exact same thing for Episode Two, good thing I never got around to release it. I watched the videos, and while the maps were from a mapping perspective really poor, I really enjoyed the ideas the author had for Episode Three. The gameplay fit really well into my imagination, and the helicopter sequence looked fantastic (as in the animation and things going on inside the helicopter, anything outside was kinda awful, but still). I won’t download the mod, but it sure did give me some inspiration as to what Ep3 can be like, esspecially that sequence the maker remade from a Ep3 screenshot of the Borealis trapped in ice, surrounded by Combine Architecture.
The best map/map pack released for quite some weeks. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The escape is very tough but doable.
The door problem image 34. In the room with the gravity gun (if you have not got it go back and get it) there is a little white box. Break the wooden pallet to reveal the hole to get out of the room. Pick up the box and insert at the security console to the left of the door- door opens.
Image 40. I did not have that problem.
The airy climbing and jumping was great & a little scary.
I wonder how many people here have played ‘missing information” which was reportedly leaked/stolen from Valve during the developement of HL2. There are a lot of great ideas in that game and if you can get a hold of it a lot of fun to play. There are a lot of bugs but well worth the effort finding it, it’s vastly different than this map pack version of the borealis and feels a bit like HL1.5.
Not much to say, its actually a cool playthrough. Despite featuting only EP2 content, it really showed what might happen in EP3, in a short, yet fun mod.
As for opening door in pic. 34 (with aperture labs logo), you gotta get the stuff in the room with the two skeletons and pipes (a small white piecelet alike that in the wall of were phillip said was stuck), and go thru
I guess it picks up in the same warehouse where Eli was lunched by The Jellied Eel From Hell at the end of Ep2, and it’s a great set of maps, and it’s a great little storyline, and the combat’s first-rate. Gangs of fun. Hope the real Ep3 is better!
Not bad.A bit buggy in places I thought.Not to difficult and some of the AI didnt seem to work all the time.
Towards the end in the “reactor” room on the ship, it would seem that you have to destroy the “core” – well I couldn’t do that without nearly killing myself, so then having no chance against the hunter and conbine that come next,
So I used god.
And then I had to noclip to pass through some bulkhead doors, after Alyx and Barney appeared.
But apart from that – Excellent!
Dam!
Loaded this up three times and keep getting this message:
CModelLoader::Map_IsValid: No such map ‘maps/ep3_outland_01.bsp’
map load failed: ep3_outland_01 not found or invalid
Any ideas?
You do have Episode Two, don’t you?
Re: paddyL
You *did* install the map into the Maps/ folder, didn’t you? This error suggest otherwise, please doublecheck that you followed the instructions.
Thanks for the reply Sortie heres the destination:
X:\Halflife2 files\Steam\steamapps\paddyl\half-life 2 episode two\maps
Phillip, your guide is wrong. You are not supposed to “Copy the maps folder into your Half-Life 2: Episode Two Maps folder” but rather “Copy the CONTENTS Of THE maps folder into your Half-Life 2: Episode Two Maps folder”, or “Copy the maps folder into your SteamApps/[Username]/Half Life 2 Episode Two/Ep2/ folder”.
Paddy, make sure all the .bsp files goes into the X:\Halflife2 files\Steam\steamapps\paddyl\half-life 2 episode two\maps folder and NOT X:\Halflife2 files\Steam\steamapps\paddyl\half-life 2 episode two\maps\MAPS\.
I hope that cleared up the misunderstandings, and PaddyL, I hope you will enjoy playing this mod, just ask me if you run into any other technical problems.
I enjoyed this mappack even if I don’t have a clue what the story line was or what the hell I was doing for the most part. I thought the mappack included some good sets and sequences; I especially like the sequence when Dog pulled the helicopter out of the hanger, and also the scene where you first set sight of the ship was both unique and impressive. For me there was a nice balance between action, wandering around and puzzle solving, these three elements appeared to knit together resulting in keeping the player interested and speculating where and what the final outcome would be.
I found the climbing sequence just a bit too long and on two occasions got frustrated and noclipped a jump, other then this I managed to sort out all the puzzle sequences and combat without a cheat although a few encounters were repeated to improve health status. Am not sure whether I did follow the right path to the ship, if so it was a complicate climbing route and I could not make the final jump to the ship itself without noclip.
Well worth a play through, will we ever see a drivable helicopter in Half-Life?
Help, I am lost in the bendy bit where every thing gets distorted, cant find a way out. Hate this sequence, found the game ok up to this point but getting close to giving up. I may skip round this part, anyone know the name for the next map?
Not sure where you are but if its in the ice area there are a few spots where you need to use the crowbar to break the ice to pass through.
LOL, I posted the above comment on the wrong game, it’s HL2 Dark World I am stuck.
Sortie-I can’t get it to install. Can you run those instructions again? Are you saying to open the maps folder and load it into the HL2-EP2maps folder? Is that right? I followed the original instructions as well as the read me and loaded the whole folder to HL2 Ep2-(not to the maps folder) but when I looked it was all in the maps folder, yet it won’t show on the console. Do I need to pull something out of the mod maps folder?
Robspace1, simply copy the contents of the maps folder from the downlaoded file into YOUR maps folder in your Ep2 installation. That includes the folder called graphs.
Oh god, this is why I used an .exe installer for my mod that installs stuff automatically…
Phillip, why don’t you release your mods using a stand-alone .exe installer that installs automatically into people’s Steam Directory? I could help you, but my own installer systems are not ready to be released to everyone yet though.
Sortie, firstly because I don’t think installers are a good idea for a normal Source mod. I like to have control over what’s happening on my system. Secondly, consider the extra time I would have to spend converting everything into executable files, not to mention the fact that I really should ask permission first.
Lastly, remember they are not “my” mods, but somebody elses.
Thanks guys-I got it working. Before I read your replys I went back and opened the folder and took out the ain files and stuck them in the graphs folder and it’s all good now. For some reason everything went to the maps folder but not the graphs folder. I don’t normally have too much trouble but I am a little tired I just got done wrapping up Call Of Juarez (finally!) at 3 am and I’m a little rummy not to mention shot up! lol-That’s one tough game to beat if you get a chance, it’s great. So, now I’m going to turn the the Game Booster to game mode and turn all setting to the max and see what all the fuss is about this new mod. Sounds like a good one,at last!! Thanks again folks.
Thanks Sortie, just getting back to this now and looking forward to the trip.
Philips instructions were ok I probably should have realised what to do, as Robspace figured out but…
too eager to get going 🙂
Arrghh 🙁
I’m still not getting this right!
bsp. files in
X:\Halflife2 files\Steam\steamapps\paddyl\half-life 2 episode two\maps
ain files in
X:\Halflife2 files\Steam\steamapps\paddyl\half-life 2 episode two\maps\graphs
message in console:
maxplayers set to 1
Steam config directory: x:\halflife2 files\steam\steamapps\paddyl\half-life 2 episode two\platform\config
Hud element “CMapOverview” doesn’t have an entry “overview” in scripts/HudLayout.res
Unknown command “sv_backspeed”
] map ep3_outland_01
CModelLoader::Map_IsValid: No such map ‘maps/ep3_outland_01.bsp’
map load failed: ep3_outland_01 not found or invalid
Help.
@paddyL
Sorry I screwed up.
.BSP files goes into X:\Halflife2 files\Steam\steamapps\paddyl\half-life 2 episode two\EP2\maps
.AIN files goes into X:\Halflife2 files\Steam\steamapps\paddyl\half-life 2 episode two\EP2\maps\graphs
Please note the folder called Ep2/ inside the Half-Life 2 Episode Two/, you need to put the files into that folder. I am sorry I forgot to state that before.
No worries Sortie – I’ll do this first thing tomorrow when I get in and hopefully get it sorted.
I appreciate your help – just showing off my computer skills heh heh.
Thanks once again.
I won’t give it a Hall of Fame or a personal favorite, but boy, this was really really interesting. My curiosity really stayed high throughout the whole mod, and even though it wasn’t any more polished than the bottom of my toilet, the maps were a blast to play. Thank you so much for giving me a taste of Episode 3. There were some neat ideas in there and I was so excited to play this mod after seeing it on youtube. Great stuff!
Not my type of game.I was getting really frustrated abd bored and anxious all at once. I only got as far as the boat but lost total interest in this. I don’t like low lighting for one and the puzzles were fun at first but too many of them. It needs more action for me to stay awake. I can see adding these maps to a real big mod with alot of running and gunning to mix it up but this alone just won’t hold my interest. I hate using noclip but saw no alternative a few times so that kind of wrecked it for me anyway.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked this, it was new in a lot of ways, but I don’t think it is anywhere near the finished article that it so clearly could be.
I got stuck in a few places, the ones mentioned above for starters. I got fed up trudging across the snow in the early part, (but at least out-walked the Hunter…..) and found myself a few times having no idea where I was aiming for next.The jumps across to the ship were challenging, but got there in the end, but none of it made any sense to be frank.
The part where you had to dismantle some power tower thingy was utterly frustrating, and then with little health and ammo left to be faced with an onslaught of Combine Elite as well as a Hunter was just too much. That was when I eventually gave in and Impulsed, I hate to admit to it, on a first play through, but it was nigh on impossible, with 29 health…..
When I got on the final boat with Alyx & Barney it came to an abrupt “The End” which it didn’t seem to in Philip’s screenshots, so I wonder if I missed something there?
Way too many purple chequered surfaces for some reason, which is a give-away that something hasn’t necessarily been tested enough prior to release.
I like the idea, and some of the game-play, the combat was interesting when it came, or downright impossible, and the scope of the project was obviously enormous, but…ask yourself if you’ll play it again(?).
I will (possibly) if a more polished and finished version is released, but not otherwise… and have to give it a Play It Later rather than anything higher because it really isn’t quite finished or that interesting overall. I wonder if the total lack of “Big” mods lately is anything to do with why it’s got such high ratings from most other commenters?
I will however watch out for anything else the author has done as this shows ability and imagination, but given how spoiled we’ve been one way or another, that’s not (quite) enough. Sorry to be a detractor, but after reading everyone else’s thoughts I was expecting something way more.
Sortie I guess I’m meant to pass on this one, still getting the same message in the console.
Other mods have worked fine. I don’t want to take up any more space here so send me an email via the forum if you have any other ideas.
Eitherway thanks again for your replies.
looks nice, so I will definitely try it.
but the real episode three needs much more to be entertaining for me…
That mappack was the most embarrasing thing I’ve ever saw. Mapping is not even poor, because there is no mapping. Just random things all over the place. Visually disgusting.
I can’t review this because there is nothing to review about, just plain awful. I would say some good words about this pack if I knew mapper put some hard work into this, but I don’t think so. Looks like one week work.
If you like story, gameplay and/or good visuals, stay away from this, there is nothing to see here.
@civanT: this map pack was cool and there were no bugs sure you had to pick up that genertor thing and plug it in that aperture door but that was because you dident look for it. and what I really liked about this map pack is the map that looked like it was from the hl2ep3 concept art and were your in the borealis and your in the artic.
Are you seroius!?! I LOVED this mappack!
@civanT: It is actually possible to pull off some amazing work over a single week; the other day I did some of my best mapping overnight. And from the screenshots, it does qualify as mapping. (Though hardly as level design).
Sortie maybe you can map overnight, but obviously he can’t. These levels are not even playable. I can’t believe actually this is released. I wouldn’t release something like that even as an alpha.
Also I don’t understand good reviews at all. You are literally supporting bad level design. You sound like you would play anything that has some people to shoot at. This is ridiculous. I don’t want to sound arrogant, I’m not a good mapper at all, but this is too bad. Maybe mapper was just trying to show his ideas about episode 3 through a map rather than writing about it, but man. Maybe I am missing the point here. I really can’t understand why you all like this? Can someone explain it? All reviews say “It was buggy, there were lots problems, but i’ve enjoyed it”, but why?
Anyway, I have my opinion, you have yours, and obviously they don’t match… at all.
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this hl2ep3 map pack was awsome
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I’m sorry, you guys that got stuck sound like NOOBS. If you guys think the levels are not even playable, you must be a lousy gamer. No offense, you guys who got stuck, do NOT know what you are talking about.
This map pak is better then some previous map making here. I know you guys who think it sucked are the ones who could not figure out how to solve the puzzles to proceed. The only ones whining here with a bad review seem to just be the ones who got stuck at the Aperture door, and didn’t know what to do.
Admit it. You could not do the obvious in Krakken base, and press buttons on the consoles, you kept tripping and falling off the ice, you could not figure out how to break through the ice, you got stuck at the Aperture door, when you were suppose to go back into the room with skeletons, pick up this console, blow the room up, go out the wall you blew up, plug the console into its outlet, then wait for the door to open. Those are NOT bugs. I did not find any mechanical bugs. Sure, some people had that purple glitch, but function before cosmetics. There are NO problems otherwise! (unless you don’t install right, or are involved with having illegal versions of HL2 games)
nice mappack
the best are the ideas, like when the heli drops down the ice shell drifts away and plateaus that are suddenly breaking and such things.
The area where you can see the borealis is nice made, I guess it’s made after one of the official concepts?
But those maps are all just half done, they contain many bugs, ugly skyboxes and so on. Also textures are all basic and indoor rooms look quite boring.
What was really annoying was that when you take or shoot that stupid green thingy in the reactor, you loose health. Why? What’s the point of it? There are enough guys with guns out there which will kill you within one second when you look to long at them. Why are guys ever doing such mistakes, it just dissappoints me each time and simply sucks.
Also in the first house was too less ammunition, I had to kill the second hunter with the crowbar.
If this maps would have got more attention by their mapper, this would have become even better.
btw: Alex face in the heli is so goddamn priceless 😀
Oh, and if any players texture reflections won’t work, like it was in my case, just open the console and type “buildcubemaps”
btw is there a normal way to reach Alyx after you have finished the borealis?
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I must be playing a different game than many of you. Visually I found it to be worse than most (after the intro heli part), although maybe purple checkered floors, right angled line horizons, lack of color, a path without proper texture are supposed to impress me. Lots of zombies attacking here and there, well….OK. The inside and then outside path jumping along ledges was interesting except restart/restart after falling does get boring. Its just not designed properly like the original or any of the high rated mods and maps, in my opinion.
I finally quit at a section I found impossible in the climbing. This was never necessary in any of the original games or high rated maps and mods. I never use god mode or the like to get through parts like that because accurately considering a rating for a map would then be impossible.
I’d suggest avoiding frustration by avoiding this one.
Hi everybody I’m back hopefully fulltime after a long absence. I just downloaded the 3 episodes of the 3 false(alpha) episodes from 2009 games of the year and am stuck on picture 23. I went to the walkthroughs (removed) and comments and couldn’t find what I needed. After helicopter crash I made it to the house and then the bunker on top of the hill with the tower next to it. I pushed the green button and the door opens. Down a hall there is another door flooded in red light that I cannot open please help.
I didn’t know the videos had been removed. ANyway, I am pretty sure image 24 shows a button you must switch to open the door. If I found it you certainly should be able to!
If I get a chance I’ll open them up again and have a look. Probably not until the weekend though. Stay Tuned!
I found the video on utube. I just needed to have Alyx with me.
Thanks Phillip!
I just went through the ship and am making my way back out. I just ran into Alyx and Barney but cannot make my way through the doorway. Is this a bug or am I missing something?
Another question: What is the borealis I keep reading about?
This is a bug. I mentioned it in my review. I had to cheat at this point.
The Borealis is the ship you are on.
Phillip,
How do you noclip? I tried typing it in console and hit enter but I couldn’t do anything. Or how do you GOD mode?
Thanks
Type HL2 cheats into google then hit the link for cheats.ign.com…… and all will be laid bare!
For the good maps and mods avoid god and impulse 101 because they make the games too easy and so boring.
noclip is very handy if you find yourself stuck through no fault of your own – like the little snag you have here
Edit. After thought. Hopefully I’m not breaking any rules or causing offense with this at PP.
If yes, please delete
Thanks Jasper
I typed no and noclip came up in console and I clicked on submit and resumed game but I could not walk through a wall what am I doing wrong?
At the risk of getting black balled!
In console type sv_cheats 1
Then no… and noclip pops up
click on noclip (or finish typing)
then hit enter or click submit.
Read this before I’m exterminated.
I went back and reread it and followed all instructions and it worked. I then retyped noclip to turn it off. Thanks for the help Jasper I don’t think there will be any recriminations as this stuff is necessary to continue playing games with bugs.
Except for the one bug I ran into at the end I give it a Thumbs up. The game play seemed a little differnt than the norm and I liked the extra health left after an assualt. I dig the arctic backgrounds it gives the game a certain sense of adventure. I would like to see a game where you could ski down the side of a mountain while under attack.
Had fun navigating the antarctic maps to the Borealis. My fear of heights added some excitement there. I got excited when I first saw the Borealis. That was a great visual.
The purple textures, strange reflections, bugs (real or imagined) should have been corrected before release. Big distraction. I guess imagined bugs can’t be corrected, so skip that.
Anyhow, this mappack did have a good theme for EP3.
I got stuck at a couple bulkhead doors and noclipped myself.
As for the person stating that the complainers are noobs–a well-designed map leads you to the correct solution. You shouldn’t have to try everything in frustration, then finally happen think of bashing things with the crowbar in order to progress (for example).
These maps were mostly fine, but there are missing textures; also, some areas seem too bare. Alyx got stuck on the steep road and I had to go back and get her. Kind of interesting to see what someone’s idea of Ep3 will be. I sure hope VALVe doesn’t include as much platforming when they finally release it.
VERY VERY VERY VERY (1 decade later) VERY FUN!!!!!! Even knowing it was fake, IT WAS STILL A SUPER MAPPACK! When in the borealis, it gave me a heck of a scare, because of the advisor sounds and the dark and atmosphere. Too bad you don’t FIGHT a advisor. But still VERY fun!
Great mod, or map pack!!!, commenting recently in one PP forum I remembered this mod, and it was super, loved the Borealis part and the feeling that when I was playing it I feel (even if it was not real) like I were playing the Ep3 itself.., that’s why I give it this regard! shorty but good so dynamic!
Don’t get me wrong, I liked this mod. Although there should be more story if this was the real EP3, and more enemies to fight. There were no boss battles at all. You just fight a couple of Hunters, some Zombies and Zombines, and lots of Combine Elites. There are some appearances of the Combine Advisor though. I can make a better story then this, but I can hardly map. The author did good, this wasn’t a waste of time that’s for sure. 😉
i know, I am almost 3 years to late with playing this one. it is that I was googeling for ep3 related stuff that I stumbled on this one here.
am I really THAT different from everyone else here, because I thought this was one of the worst mappacks I played in months!!!
the mapping was simply awful!!
the staggering amount of bugs made me want to stop playing for at least 3 times, (in one map I had fps of 5 and lower!!!!! the place where you are under the ice, or in the mountain).
and the puzzles, well, I hate puzzles, so what I can I say.
that this one made it to the hall of fame is to me a real mystery.
but then again, it seems that I have a completely different taste when it comes to good mappacks, or mods for that matter.
that Phillip and I don’t have the same taste, that we knew.
but that so many people would like this one here is a real mystery to me,
is my taste really that bad??
o well, nobody ever will read this comment of mine here, because its 3 years later.
so, I stop….
I read it.
I did too.
nope.avi. lol.
This is one of those mods I wish I could give two ratings, and I’ll explain it level by level.
Outland
Basically just the intro. Gordon, Alyx and Dog leave on a helicopter. That’s pretty much all. There’s nothing wrong with it but there’s nothing to say about it.
Antarctic
“Two days latter”. Not a good way to start. What else is a bad way to start is making the player take 36 unavoidable damage. For the most part I dislike this level. The first map is huge and pointless. Its only purpose seems to be to give you the crowbar and SMG (and shotgun if you find it). There are two hunter battles and that’s all. The other problem is that Alyx’s AI is not built for this type of stuff. It’s too much distance and she kept getting left behind. Also, you can see the edges of the world. I don’t mind this in maps if the gameplay is good, but in this one, it’s not. The second map is a labyrinthene facility place, a lot like the one in Penumbra: Black Plague. There’s a few zombies and Zombine but nothing memorable, apart from the last part where you leave and have to platform on the ice. I like that part since it seems kind of cinematic, even though the mapping is blocky. I also like the part with the Combine Advisor. The third map, on the other hand, is just awesome. It’s very atmospheric and cinematic platforming across broken Combine stuff to the Borealis. There’s even a weird and confusing hallucination caused by the Advisor which is great.
Borealis
This one is awesome. The start really does feel like you’re in the inner workings of a huge part-mechanical boat. There are two problems, one is that it’s a bit too hard to get the core to explode without damaging you a ton (you’re going to need it since imediately after a Hunter and a pack of Combine Elites are thrown into your face) and two being I encountered a weird glitch that made it so that I had to noclip to get to Alyx (it’s in one of the pictures). But other than that I love the combat parts! It was a lot of fun fighting alongside Alyx and Barney and the mapping is perfect for this kind of stuff. The ending is pretty satisfying too.
I was gonna give it a Play It Now and say that if there were only three maps and it left out the first two Antarctic ones I would give it Personal Favourite but I feel like I should acknowledge the great parts. If you are casual and not OCD, I would say start at the map ep3_antarctic_03. If the first three maps were set up into a mappack I honestly think I would give it an Avoid It rating. Lucky for them they have the second half. Life. *slow clap*
Manually
Medium
20 Minutes
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Has some nice ideas, especially in the Borealis, but this is a very amateurish mappack.
The first area in the arctic is just a big square ugly snow area with no edge so you can fall out of the map. You need Alyx to follow you to the end to finish the map, but she constantly falls behind and eventually I lost her and had to look all over the place before I found her. The next area is a boring facility with a few zambies to kill. Then you make your way towards the Borealis, which while atmospheric plays very irritatingly (expect to die and load saves a lot). There’s a pretty cool hallucination sequence then you go inside the Borealis.
There is some pretty cool stuff in the Borealis, like the area where you’re trapped and the impaled skeleton, but the gameplay is still awful. You have to find a tiny little object in a very dark room (which is mainly why it took me half an hour to complete) and place it on a switch in front of a door, then when you think it can’t get any worse, there’s massive forced damage (well over half of your health) then you have to fight a hunter and dozens of elites… just, no. To make it EVEN WORSE, after you’ve killed them all in one area, two are spawned BEHIND you, one of which has a fricking shotgun… please take this as an example on what NOT to do in HL2 level design.
Also, if you jump onto a chunk of ice in the end, Alyx and Barney sail away without you… jerks.
I did not enjoy this mappack, despite it having a few creative bits. I certainly don’t recommend it, though.
Manually
Medium
30 Minutes
Sorry but I’m going to have to disagree with most people here, let me make myself clear in a few words:
At first, I was pretty motivated by the idea of this mappack (Finding out the mystery behind the Borealis as well as the connection between Black Mesa and Aperture Science). Unfortunately, this idea gets totally undermined by several faulty elements such as: Really amateurish map design (maps resemble more GoldSrc than Source), bad use of lighting, annoying (jumping) puzzles, generic gun-play, etc…
The original idea behind this mappack is great, though it was poorly executed by the author
Score: 4/10
Looking at all those PFs and PINs, I must be playing a different game than many of you.
This mappack consists of five maps. The first four are pretty awful. They are extremely short and with their poor visuals (very blocky and plain and mostly looking more like GoldSrc than Source) and equally poor gameplay I found them to be very amateurish, especially as these were released in 2009, not in 2005/2006.
The final map on board the “Borealis” is seeing a leap in quality, but even this is nothing groundbreaking. It’s much longer than the other maps and gameplay is improved, but visually it is still not too appealing, the “key” for the Apperture door is a joke, and the massive forced damage you have to take, immediately before fighting a hunter and several soldiers, is just terrible design.
As you can see, it took me 16 minutes to play all five maps. About half of this time I spent on the final map.
4 x “Think Twice” + 1 x “Play It Later” = “Maybe?”
Manually
Medium
16 Minutes
I feel much the same as shaboo who says pretty much what I have experienced. I liked certain parts and the adventure element throughout takes us on an interesting journey. But it feels wooden and segregated and never amounts to much. The end battle is terrible. Not only have I taken damage but then thrown into a battle which is OTT – imho. Plus there’s one point when 4/5 elite soldiers spawn in right behind me. Another death! Arghhhhh
Stuck on iceberg after chopper crash, noclip to Alex…walk up the road, kill 2 hunters…wander round, delete. Nothing to see here guys…