Author’s Note:“You are a special forces commando. You were in Black Mesa during “the accident”.
Now 50 marines including you, have been sent to this base which could be “Black Mesa 2”. This is where the small amount of captured aliens were taken.
But all hell has broken loose and you were knocked out and thrown in a small building. Luckily an alien grunt came by and dropped a huge load of pistol ammo! “Good luck marine!”
This mappack was created with something called Randmap, which is an application for the automatic creation of maps. On its release, many people didn’t know it was used to create the maps, and I wouldn’t have known either, if I hadn’t read it.
Maps made by this application are generally very repetitive and this release is no different.
I will be writing an article on Randmap early next year.
Download directly into MapTap [1.80MB]
You MUST have MapTap installed before using this link.
You can still use it with MapTap once you have downloaded it.
- Copy all the bsp files into your gearbox/maps folder.
- Launch Opposing Force.
- Open the console and type map warzone01 and press enter.
If you require more help, please visit the Technical Help page.
- Title: Warzone
- Filename: of-sp-warzone.7z
- Original filename: warzone.zip
- Size : 1.80MB
- Author: steve
- Date Released: 08 December 2000
Click on the thumbnails below to open a 1024 pixel wide image.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.
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Using Gauge: Users
Manually: 2 Users
Time Taken:
Average: 0 Hours, 30 Mins
Shortest: 0 Hours, 5 Mins by Dr. Amazing
Longest: 1 Hours by Dmitry
Total Time Played: 4 Hours, 26 Mins
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15 or 16 maps. All very similar – a few rooms with no ceilings populated by a few marines and a few aliens and other enemies. Quite tedious after the first few maps. Got to map 9. Couldn’t get to the end as the mod kept freezing more and more as I progressed. Too many entities.
Boring. 2/5
Waste of your time! Boring and VERY booooring.
Yes, I remember this one. It’s a case of “randmapfraude’, it’s not a real mod.
Let me try to explain: There’s a tool on the internet, with which you can generate random source files for hl and opfor maps, and then compile them. This will produce a set of maps which can be played with hl or opfor. You can set parameters, like number of maps, game, and other things. So if you’re out of mods to play, you can use that. The maps are just collections of rooms and spaces, with a random distribution of items and enemies. So they do get boring after a while.
So far, so good, as long as you just use it for yourself. However, there have been “clever” people, who have generated some maps with this, and then submitted them to websites like this, AS THEIR OWN WORK. And this guy is one of them.
Hence the term “randmapfraude’. So I hope this thing will be removed…
Forgot something. The name of the tool is “randmap’. Hence the term “randmapfraude’. Ofcourse the author of randmap is in now way responsible for this. Just the stupid idiots who try to pas off their random-generated maps as creative work…
Just something to play if you get bored.
UPDATE: It has been discovered that Warzone was actually generated by RandMap, a free program that can generate up to 30 linked Half-Life single player levels with varying architecture, size, and number and type of enemies.
Had I been aware that RandMap was used in the creation of Warzone, I would not have posted a review. However, because I had no a priori knowledge that RandMap was the source of this pack, my review may indeed have value as a truly objective review of a RandMap product, as compared to other single player Half-Life levels. Therefore I have decided to let the review stand as is, with these brief notes at the beginning as my only revisions.
Razed, the author of RandMap, has indicated that he does not mind if RandMap is used in the creation of subsequently released single player levels, as long as the author gives credit to RandMap. However, as a reviewer I strongly discourage submission of any levels using RandMap as a base, especially if they are submitted as is. In my mind the release of Warzone is akin to plagiarism, for only after he was confronted did newmapper acknowledge that RandMap was used. RandMap is a great tool that you can have a lot of fun with. But please do not submit such maps for review to me.
The original review follows.
Warzone, for Opposing Force, is a new single-dimensional level pack from a first-time author aptly named newmapper. I say single-dimensional because the only point to this pack is combat. And lots of it. Personally, it was too mindless for me; I prefer levels with much more depth.
Background story: who needs one? Actually, there is a generic story supplied, but if there was any attempt at a plot here the background might’ve been useful. Basically, you are dropped into a map by yourself with some weapons, and must fight your way to the end. That’s it. At least you won’t waste precious brain power following a story.
The only redeeming quality of this map is the combat. The combat is pretty tough (especially on the difficult skill level), even with friendly Marines to help you, and the enemies get tougher as you progress through the 15 levels. But the challenge comes from enemy quantity, not really quality. By that I mean that you are just inundated with enemies, both human and alien, with more being introduced via teleportation in many spots. The enemy placement and the surrounding architecture are not designed in such a manner for the quality of the AI to be a challenge. For example, assassins and grunts are most challenging when they are in places that allow them to move around and take cover, or when they are on a different level than you (above or below). But in Warzone, that is really never the case – most of the encounters are in simple open areas allowing them little chance to avoid your superior firepower. Speaking of firepower, there is plenty of it. You eventually pick up nearly every weapon available in Opposing Force, with plenty of replacement ammo in most cases.
The design of Warzone is the area that really sinks it. Though the episode is made up of 15 maps, all 15 maps are extremely similar in layout! They all consist of rectangular areas, sometimes with crates, that are connected with either sliding doors or just doorways. I say ‘areas’ and not ‘rooms’ because Warzone is supposedly set outside, although the complete lack of any realistic-looking sections destroys the credibility of the setting. And at each level change, you descend about 2 flights, but when you reach the next level you are back outside again! Hmm. Perhaps the author took a page from the M.C. Escher book of Half-Life design. Only at the very end do you descend beneath ground level, into the best-looking section of the pack, the sewer. There you reach your ultimate goal: pressing a button that mercifully ends this repetitive level.
Believe me, Warzone is a big improvement over newmapper’s other submissions, which I did not review. The design is much better in terms of neatness, but leaves a lot to be desired. Big, blocky outdoor areas with no detail do not make for believable maps. There are no scripted sequences, no attempt at a story, and no sections that really stand out in my memory – like I said, this pack is extremely repetitive in both layout and gameplay.
In addition, there are a few areas that cause a slowdown in the game due to the huge number of enemies & friendlies on the screen at once. It’s not too bad, and those of you with fast computers may not experience this at all. I also had severe stability problems with Warzone – it crashed consistently on at least 2 of the levels, roughly in the same spots every time I tried. I believe this was due to an overflow caused by sound caching, and I honestly don’t know if this can be helped by the author or not, other than by decreasing the number of enemies or at least spreading them out. If you run into this problem, or have a solution to it, please join our ongoing discussions on the Forum.
Warzone just didn’t do it for me. I am always looking for a challenging level, but I need more than just hundreds of enemies packed into very basic and rather boring levels. If you are the type who loves just combat, go for it. Otherwise, I suggest you skip over this one.
Notes
This review was originally published Thursday, 14th December, 2000 by Unquenque.
This review was originally posted on the Ten Four website, which is now offline. The full review is republished here by permission and more details can be found on the About page.
As often is the case, I was torn between Avoid It! and Maybe. As Unq said in his Ten Four review, the only redeeming feature is the combat, which is pretty challenging.
The levels are just interconnecting boxes with some containers dropped in.
I played for 20 minuets before realising that what I had seen was pretty much it.
If you enjoy quantity over quality then you may enjoy this, but it’s really only a stress-reliever.
There might be small progressions between each level; better weapons, more enemies, but the reality is that it’s just to repetitive.
Avoid it if you like more thoughtful releases, consider it if you want to shoot shit and that’s all.
Using Gauge
Easy
20 Minutes
Edmund Blackadder would probably say this was more repetitive than a repetitive thing!
I played this a week or so ago when Phillip had not posted any new maps for a few day.
By the end of the second map you don’t need play through any more as you have seen what the next dozen or so maps are like! Just manually load the last map, it’s some kind of sewer and you’ve saved an awful lot of time! If you really have to play through it, at around map 6 you have every weapon in OP4 but each map is still the same! If you carry on it might start crashing, which I believe is your computer telling you enough is enough!
Because I learned of a program called RandMap long, long ago (on this very site) it didn’t take long to become suspicious and reading above confirmed it. It has lots of combat, but enough weapons, ammo and health to take over a small African nation. I can’t say anything about the looks because they were generated by a computer program.
Only and I say ” ONLY” because it has combat it is not an AI!
What amazed me is the person who claimed to be the author, could think he could get away with adding a story note as though it was his own work???
Using Gauge
Easy
20 Minutes
Seeing that this was a randomly generated map, I had a look to see if a computer program could be a competent mapper. The answer is definitely no. Prefare yourself for fifteen levels of boxes with skybox ceilings, connected by the occasional door or box corridor, with randomly placed enemies. All there is to it is the combat, which isn’t even fun since there is a lack of cover or any sort of environment that could lead to some tactical thinking.
And what do you get for enduring 15 whole maps (no I didn’t play them all!). Push a random button and it says Game Over on screen. Was it worth the effort?
This was interesting from the perspective of seeing a computer-generated level, but it should never have been released.
Using Gauge
Medium
10 Minutes
After installing this with MapTap, I saw that there was 15 maps in here, so I thought this was just going to be another really long and drawn out mappack like Under The Black Moon.
Boy was I wrong.
This was a RandCrap generated mappack with no discernible area’s or features and is incredibly repetitive.
The whole thing is pointless because you can just run past most of the combat.
Then the it freezes after a couple of maps.
Why Phillip gave this a Maybe, I have no idea.
Using Gauge
Easy
5 Minutes
Very repetitive, couldn’t finish as map 12 started crashing and I couldn’t work around it. I guess I could have loaded the 13th map but no PCV so why bother?
This was an almost never-ending continum of maps arena style which alomost look the same, the only cool thing is the hard combat and plenety of room to move arround hide and shoot, also u get support from ur grunt-mates and all weaponery is available in the map.
You find Shocktroopers at the end which is very bad, i’d love to see them sooner in those 15 maps!, map 11 and 12 are very very buggy and I just couldnt keep foward in the map 12 because it strands and crashes…
Using Gauge
Medium
35 Minutes
Yeah, found out after I reviewed it that this was from RandMap. I don’t hate Randmap or even the maps it outputs, but compared to a pack of maps that was actually crafted with an experience in mind, Randmap can’t compare.
What we’re left with here is a repetitive (although randomly laid out) set of arenas with slow escalation in the enemies and weapons. It’s like a set of practice maps only – the only attraction here is combat. And even then it’s frustrating because even though there are a lot of friendly grunts to help you, you can’t ever take them to the next map since there are ladders at every map change.
Played up to map 10 or so, and then the pack became unstable and crashed Half-Life so I gave up there.
Using Gauge
Easy
31 Minutes
Well, yes – ok it’s a randmap and yes, it is very repetitive, and yes map 12 freezes ALL THE TIME (I saw a ‘sound not precached” error once but that was all I could get before it hung)..
BUT – if you just like shooting baddies then this can actually be a lot of fun. Don’t play it if you want a plot, or a voyage of discovery or nice mapping or a showy ending. Play it to kill shit, accept it as just that and enjoy it as a bit of mindless fun. I think that’s what the author intended – it’s kind of a single-player deathmatch with friendly grunts instead of online allies.
Actually you don’t get every weapon by map 6, I think it’s map 13 or 14 before you see the shocktroopers (for me, anyway). The weapons progression is linear, and matches the quantity, strength and type of enemies which adds some interest and shows that the whole thing isn’t entirely “random’.
Each map starts and ends in exactly the same way (surprise, randmap) and each area consists of a combination of open arenas with no cover, other open arenas full of shipping containers and various connecting routes, some with ladders and platforms, some with inclines & raised ledges and others which are just dead ends. Multiple doors and passages connect the various arenas and once you have a feel for the layout, much fun can be had by running around the back of enemies and giving them a little ‘surprise” from behind! Enemies are scattered all over the shop, and towards the later maps are compounded by turrets, both floor and ceiling.
Eventually you get to play with nearly the full, impressive Opposing Force arsenal including the two Race X weapons – even the grapple is there (but not needed) plus you get every type OF baddie too, even the ichthyosaur which is a lot of fun if you enjoy battles & slaughter. You have the choice of whether or not to take your grunt friends with you, and although the M60 grunt and Otis do have useful firepower, within the tight confines they all too often “help” by shooting at enemies regardless of whether or not your head is in the way!
Knowing the general layout each time you can choose to sneak around & set tripmines and satchel charges, hide & snipe, go team-handed or Rambo it alone M60 blazing, AR grenades flying! There’s a wealth of ammo and plenty of healthpacks, plus there’s armour & health chargers in the safe room at the start of each map.
Don’t look forward to the ending; a switch just ends the game which is admittedly, rather a let down. Dancing gonomes would have been better! (Okay, ANYTHING would have been better.)
Don’t think too hard, just run around & kill everything! And after map 11 load map 13 manually; might as well impulse 101 as by then you’ve got nearly all the weapons legitimately.
Using Gauge
Medium
45 Minutes
It’s awesome to go to see this web page and reading the views of all colleagues
regarding this post, while I am also eager of getting familiarity.
Do you want to play bland boxy maps littered with random enemies with no regard to level or encounter design? With friendly grunts mixed in with enemy grunts so you could be shooting an ally at any time? How about random crashes the further you go? How about everything looking the same and the combat is too repetitive to even save it? Do you want to do it 15 times in a row? Then Warzone is the perfect map for you!
I’m giving it an Avoid it not only because of how utterly pointless, boring, and uninspired this set of maps is but also because I can’t believe that someone tried to pass this off as their own work. There’s absolutely nothing redeemable about this and you could get your “mindlessly kill shit” fix much better somewhere else.
Manually
Medium
40 Minutes
It upgrades enemies and weapons
Some weapons are crap, sniper for example is weak and there’re just a few shots, RPG is almost inexistant in the level
This mod will allow you to use DISPLACER CANNON quite a lot. If you know how to use, it will make a fresh air on hard. Memorize too many amount of enemies is quite hard anyway.
The game crashed on floors 6, 10 and 11. On floor 6 and 10 try to avoid side areas and go full to the entrance to avoid freeze. On the floor 11, use noclip to fly over first 2-4 areas and land somewhere to avoid full crash.
Manually
Hard
1 Hour