You are tasked with protecting some Combine terminals that contains useful information.
Unfortunately, the Combine now know you have access to these terminals and send in soldiers to destroy them.
Can you survive and protect the terminals until Alyx arrives with re-inforcements?
Basic Details
- Title: Man The Walls!
- File Name: hl2-ep2-sp-man-the-walls.7z
- Size : 741.99KB
- Author: Russel Krueger
- Date Released: 27 September 2009
Author’s Notes
” “Man the Walls!” was an experiment in what could be done with Half Life 2’s AI scripting system with limited time and training.The level took inspiration from old arcade games like Galaga and Space Invaders. I also wanted to learn more about how the Half-life 2 designers created architecture and building designs, so the level was set on an abandoned city street. The level gives the enemy soldiers an attack route with prioritized targets. The soldiers’ ultimate goal revolves around destroying computers with vital information inside the outpost. To win the level, the player must ensure that at least one Combine computer survives.
“The level also includes friendly AI that act as helpers. However,they have scripted behaviors that cause the friendly soldiers to act like cowards whenever they get shot. To reverse this effect, they also have a behavior that causes them to regain morale when the player strikes the friendly AI in the back of the head with a crowbar. They decide they fear the player more than the Combine, and are once again able to fight. After four increasingly difficult waves of enemies, Alyx arrives with help, and the level ends.”
Download directly into MapTap [750KB]
You MUST have MapTap installed before using this link.
Download to your HDD [750KB]
You can still use it with MapTap once you have downloaded it.
Installation Instructions
- Copy Krueger_MLRTM.bsp into your Half-Life 2: Episode Two Maps folder.
- Launch Half-Life 2: Episode Two
- Open the console and type map Krueger_MLRTM.
- Press enter/return or click the Submit button.
- Play and Enjoy.
Please see the Technical Help section if you need help.
Screenshots
Click on the thumbnails below to open a 800 pixel wide image.
WARNING: The screenshots may contain spoilers.
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I’m an idiot. There, I have publicly admitted it. Why? Because I didn’t read the author’s notes before playing this level. These notes contain vital information about how the gameplay works.
The problem is that I hate spoilers, and I really mean *hate*. Therefore I don’t read anything before I play maps or mods. I also feel that all information should be provided by the map or mod itself, definitely not read me files.
The map contains screen text that explains certain things but I often don’t read it because you often only have a short time to ready yourself and get a feel for your environment. This is true for this map, so I may have missed exactly what was said on the screen. It would have been far better to have the text on a black screen and when the instructions have all been given, move onto the gameplay.
Without reading the read me the behaviour of the rebels doesn’t make sense.
Visuals
The limited environment limits the visuals in this small area. That’s not to say they were bad because I didn’t notice anything that looked terrible.
Gameplay
The addition of the rebels behaviour is an interesting idea and it should certainly be developed but probably would work best if the rebels weren’t scared until there were a LOT of enemies to face. In fact I would like to see a few run away and perhaps be able to shoot them – I know that seems pretty harsh but if you take the situation seriously enough then that’s perhaps the proper response.
The rest of the level was pretty boring because the soldiers came in a straight line and it was almost too easy. I did like the fact that the soldiers were less interested in me and my rebels friends than the terminals.
Layout and Design
Nothing worth noting here because as with a lot of Guildhall levels they are demonstrating something rather than providing realistic or interesting layouts and design.
Summary
It only gets a maybe because for the average player there’s not enough to really interest them, at least in my humble opinion. One last thing; the mounted turret gun seemed to disappear between waves of enemies. Maybe I missed something.
5 Words Or Less Review
Shooting fish in a barrel!
Very intersting mod actually. While map is nothing special, new AI somehow can show itself. Combine are not just trying to attack computers but they are attacking you, and when they got the chance they attack computers.
I had to try last attack a few times, it was a little hard, but overally mod was serving its purpose. So I think you should try this if you want to see new moves from HL2 AI.
Is there a way to pause the action and display text? This could be used to train the player on the new AI behaviours or indicate a new objective. There would be no need for a spoiler with this.
To my knowledge, no, I don’t think you can pause the action but keep the text running.
The scared rebel mechanic might serve some academic purpose over my head. I’d rather have them running around panic stricken and getting in the way of the Combine. Waking them up by knocking them on the back of the head takes up valuable re-arming and re-positioning time. civanT highlights the Combine AI which was very intresting; not just for taking out the computers but the way they arrive en mass but the come at you in single file.
In hard, it’s difficult to stay alive long enough so it is a good challenge
A Maybe for the challenge but little else of interest or merit, oh for a good new HL2 mod, I promise to be good and give it a HOF recommendation. Please Mr. Mapper release some thing soon, I am dying out here.
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Well, I played. I survived. (Yes, it was on Easy.) Then I came here to write a review and saw Phillip’s comments. So I reloaded and tried to hit my allies on the back of the head. I did it wrong??? They still cowered.
I think the turret gun disappears when the Combine breach the forcefield.
It might be interesting to play again if I could get the allies to actually help me, but otherwise I’m not that interested.
NO NO NO
Please people, if you try out new ideas or concepts, then make sure that they work appropriate.
Besides that the motivation system didn’t work 70% of the time, no matter how long I bet those jerks with the crowbar, they also just got demotivated by nothing, not a single bullet anywhere, they just duck and fear where nothing is.
But it doesn’t matter, cause those guys are completely useless anyway, give me a bag full of stones and I can kill more enemies with it. Once they are motivated enough to fight with their pity mp7s, they run stupidily straight into the bunch of 10 elite soldiers, being demotivated again in a mere second, and then 15 enemies walk straight into your base, while you try to motivate your dudes which doesn’t work.
And again, good idea, but worse done.
Well, he gets one point for the environment, but that’s not enought to count as fun for me.