There’s little doubt that Black Mesa is the best known SP mod under development. I think we all agree that SP development for FPS games is a little flat at the moment. In a recent discussion about why the HL1 modding scene was more vibrant than HL2, it was suggested that the textures, enemies and weapons allowed HL1 developers more possibilities and scope.
Once Black Mesa is released and assuming that the assets will be made available for developers to use do you think we will see more HL2 mods? The poll questions this week is:
“Will the release of Black Mesa reinvigorate the HL2 SP modding community?”
I preferred Half-Life 1 to Half-Life 2, mainly because of the locations. In fact I wrote a piece specifically about this aspect entitled Location, Location, Location. I argued that it was the locations themselves that provide the most enjoyment for me. I said I actually wanted to visit places like Black Mesa and other military bases. There’s no way in hell I want to go to Ravenholm.
I would really like to see mods released using the textures etc that allows modders to create and recreate military-type bases. In fact I think I would want to see some Half-Life 1 mods remade into Half-Life 2 mods.
I accept that not everybody will want to play these types of mods but I certainly do. Hopefully many others will. I have no idea whether the assets will be released but it will be a big shame if they are not.
Something has to be done to reinvigorate the SP modding community. When Half-Life 2 was released the interest in modding exploded. However, with the release of Episode 1, nothing really changed. (This is another problem of Episodic Gaming). To be honest I don’t even know whether somebody who only owns Episode 1 can play Half-Life 2 mods. Can mods be made only with Episode 1, if so can they be played with Half-Life 2?
If Valve had simply waited and released Half-Life 3 in one package we would know we stand. They could still have released side-stories and made those available for modding. I digress.
The question still remains. “What is the short/mid-term future of SP Source modding?”
- Yes: 54%
- No: 11%
- Maybe: 35%
- Total votes: 57
“Will the release of Black Mesa reinvigorate the HL2 SP modding community?”
If it’s good, sure!
Agree with jimbo, although I believe it will be a minor reinvigoration at best. As an aside, I prefer mods of 15 meg or more.
I chose ‘maybe’. You’ve certainly got a good point there Phillip and maybe all these new models and textures may just give the HL2 modding community one big spark. But it’s not certain, however…
“In fact I think I would want to see some Half-Life 1 mods remade into Half-Life 2 mods.”
There were a few that were being remade, but were cancelled. For the most part, I’d like to see Todensangt 1&2, (Although I think HL:R are remaking it in Source.) Redemption, Poke 646, Nuclear Winter and MAYBE Point of View and Azure Sheep.
“I preferred Half-Life 1 to Half-Life 2, mainly because of the locations. In fact I wrote a piece specifically about this aspect entitled Location, Location, Location. I argued that it was the locations themselves that provide the most enjoyment for me. I said I actually wanted to visit places like Black Mesa and other military bases. There’s no way in hell I want to go to Ravenholm.”
I prefer HL2 over HL1, but that doesn’t stop me loving the Military Base and Laboratory themed levels as well.
Great idea indeed 😀 there are some hl1 mods that I have had the same thought for, such as life’s end.
Yeah! Like Sweet HL, Deliverance, Peaces like us, Edge of Darkness, The Xeno Project…all would be due for a remake! That would be fantastic.
Life’s End and Deliverance. Damn, I forgot about those ones.
Oh yes, and Jimbo, I like your ideas of Peaces Like Us and Edge of Darkness being remade, too. Koumei Satou would do a fantastic job recreating PLU, (He’d HAVE to be the one to do the remake. Period.) while EOD would be great for alot of neat ideas that were in it. (I loved that classic spy-ish movie trap where G-Man stops the lift and opens the floor of the elevator car, sending you down into the icthyosaur tank!)
Oh yeah, I also forgot to mention that the “Half-Life 1 mods remade into Half-Life 2 mods” idea was great 😛
“I accept that not eveybody will want to play these types of mods but I certainly do. Hopefully many others will. I have no idea whether the assests will be released but it will be a big shame if they are not.”
Agreed. Agreed. Agreed. (Forgot to mention this as well.)
I believe it will. its a beautiful looking mod, I can’t wait to play it 4 or 5 times over. its half-life all over again!
I think it will inspire a lot of SP development, just as the original half-life did.
Q:Will the release of Black Mesa reinvigorate the HL2 SP modding community?
A: I doubt it. I also doubt Black Mesa itself will be released – even if I wish for its release.
Final Results have been posted.
i only hope they release that black mesa mod
soon becouse I love it 😉
It’ll only reinvigorate the modding community if they go back on their stance of not wanting other people to use their resources. New materials and resources to build with will always prompt people to build.
It’s an entirely understandable stance for the BM devs to take, but releasing Black Mesa isn’t going to inspire much more than they have just simply by announcing that they are working on it and actually making progress.
For the most part modding for HL1 & 2 has seen it’s day. Most of the modders are moving on to the new eps..Not a bad thing..