half-life posts (Subscribe to this feed)
Ico developer digs Half-Life 2, interested in making 'first-person games'
by Ben Gilbert 
{ Oct 5th 2009 at 12:28PM } 
Though the Japanese aren't exactly known for their love affair with first-person shooters, Team Ico director Fumito Ueda can name at least one that he digs: Half-Life 2. Speaking to G4TV (through a translator), Ueda named the Valve-developed sequel when asked which games he has had an emotional reaction to.
"There was variation in terms [of] locations and also [in] the way of storytelling in the game. Usually, you have to incorporate storytelling with constraints, but the way [Valve] implemented constraints was something different that I enjoyed, compared to other games," observed Ueda. He's even considered making his own first-person game at some point, stating, "I have an interest in making first-person games."
If Ueda's previous development cycle lengths are any indication, we tentatively expect to see a Ueda-developed first-person game by 2025 or so ... at the earliest.
[Image credit: jeriaska]
Steam weekend: All Half-Life 66% off, Valve Complete Pack $90
by Richard Mitchell { Aug 15th 2009 at 2:03AM } 
Beyond the Half-Life games, the Valve Complete Pack – usually $99.99 – has been knocked down to $89.99. If you've missed out on Valve's brand of goodness over the last decade, this pack will bring you up to speed. Half-Life, Team Fortress 2, Portal, Left 4 Dead: You name it, it's in there. Use that $10 for a bag of delicious Arby's, and you've got a solid weekend of gaming bliss.
Valve researching sign language for use in Half-Life 2: Episode 3
by Andrew Yoon { Aug 7th 2009 at 3:30PM } 
Valve's Gabe Newell appears to have recently conducted a focus group with deaf individuals in order to learn more about sign language and how it can be applied to games, notably the upcoming Half-Life 2: Episode 3. Why? To help develop Alyx's character, and further the animation technology implemented in the Half-Life games. Newell explains: "[Alyx] had a crush on someone who was hearing impaired, so she taught Dog how to sign so she could practice. Something happened, maybe, the person is off fighting the Combine someplace else, but that's why she and Dog would start signing with each other when they wanted to communicate without making noise, or communicate without other people knowing ... It gave us the excuse to build the technology for signing."
The focus group responds by noting the importance of facial expression whilst signing. While the Half-Life franchise has been known for its believable facial animation, it might take even more to fully realize the nuances necessary for authentic signing. It'll be interesting to see if Valve is up to the challenge.
Comic-Con 2009: Gordon Freeman and Ezio cosplay
by Kevin Kelly { Jul 24th 2009 at 1:00AM }
There's more cosplay going on here than at a LARP convention, and we'll be bringing you a lot more. Click through for Ezio and his blades, and stay tuned.
Gallery: Comic-Con 2009: Costumes
Half-Life fridge magnets open portal to alternate 8-bit dimension
by Randy Nelson { May 22nd 2009 at 5:00AM }
The world no longer has to wonder what the character sprites from an NES version of Half-Life would look like, as Etsy artisan ArcadeArt has given us the proverbial goods ... and they're magnets made out of beads. The three-magnet set sells for $20 and includes pixel art versions of bespectacled Gordon Freeman, the gray-suited G-man and a scientist with a bad case of headcrab. Their creator has even crafted a mock Half-Life NES box cover, included with each order.
Should Valve's FPS classic somehow not be your thing, ArcadeArt also fashions similar sprite magnets based on Resident Evil, Pikmin and Super Mario Kart.
[Via Wonderland]
Should Valve's FPS classic somehow not be your thing, ArcadeArt also fashions similar sprite magnets based on Resident Evil, Pikmin and Super Mario Kart.
[Via Wonderland]
Gabe Newell presents his vison for the gaming industry at D.I.C.E.
by Justin McElroy { Feb 19th 2009 at 1:40PM }
You can see more of the Freemanifesto that Newell delivered yesterday at D.I.C.E. right here. We'd love to know how closely your own view cleaves to his vision for the gaming landscape. Or, if you're feeling less cerebral: OMG Team Fortress 2 comics!
Half-Life 2 mini-series blows minds on a dime
by Griffin McElroy { Feb 13th 2009 at 1:31PM }
The Purchase Brothers recently dropped the first episode onto an unsuspecting internet -- we've got it posted after the jump. If you've played the series (we find it difficult to believe there are people who haven't, at this point), you really need to check it out. A touch of naughty language and a healthy dose of gunshootery might make it a bit NSFW, but we think you'll agree -- it's worth risking your employment to watch this video with all available haste.
[Via DailyGamesNews]
Durham University uses Valve's Source Engine for fire drill simulation
by Griffin McElroy { Feb 8th 2009 at 5:00PM }
On that note, the gaming community should feel particularly proud of the results researchers have witnessed when gaming veterans go through the simulator -- according to one researcher, "if a door was on fire, they [gamers] would try and run through it, rather than look for a different exit." Just in case they weren't aware, we feel compelled to bring the fellow denizens of our cultural niche this important PSA: Fire is hot, and it hurts when you touch it.
Mario Kart Source: made by fans, for fans
by David Hinkle { Jan 22nd 2009 at 7:11PM }
Sadly, Nintendo won't likely be as excited to hear about the project, so we're sure they'll step in at some point or another and intervene.
[Via Go Nintendo]
HL Source mod generates $3m; Valve reveals retail sales numbers
by Ross Miller { Dec 3rd 2008 at 1:30PM }
Speaking of Valve, who as a general rule is very secretive with its sales figures (especially regarding Steam), the company has released its worldwide lifetime-to-date retail sales (via Gamasutra). Pre-Steam release Half-Life is on top at 9.3 million, followed by Half-Life 2 at 6.5m and Counter-Strike at 4.2m. These figures don't include Steam sales, which CEO Gabe Newell has said he expects to typically surpass retail sales. Full list after the break.
Fan-made Black Mesa trailer reinvents original Half-Life
by Andrew Yoon { Dec 1st 2008 at 12:45AM }
It's been over ten years since Valve's Half-Life was released on PC, changing FPS gaming forever. In 2009, the fan-made Black Mesa will do more than just revisit the classic Valve game – from the looks of this newly released trailer, Black Mesa will reimagine the game with modern tech and modern production values. (Update: The project was originally called Black Mesa Source, but Valve requested a name change to not as confuse it with an official Valve project.)
The spirit of Black Mesa is true to the original; however, we're stunned by the ambitious goals for this project. The new character models and textures used in this Source Engine-powered mod urge us to give them money. The addition of multiplayer modes, such as co-op, make us think Valve will downright buy the team (if they haven't already!).
Black Mesa won't require Half-Life: Source to play. So long as you have any Source Engine game on your PC, you'll be able to download and play this amazing total conversion when it comes out.
[Thanks, Andrew H.!]
Gallery: Black Mesa Source
Gordon Freeman receives crowbar, will defend raging Hadron
by Ludwig Kietzmann { Nov 21st 2008 at 5:09PM }
He has until Spring 2009 (view his progress in this photo gallery) -- that's when the Collider is expected to stop being broken.
PSA: Half-Life now available for $.98 on Steam
by Randy Nelson { Nov 20th 2008 at 6:00PM }
Valve has taken a crowbar to the price of the original Half-Life on Steam. Originally priced at $9.99, the award-winning, if-you-haven't-played-it-don't-talk-to-us FPS can now be had for $.98. No, that's not a typo – Ludwig checked.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the $99.99 Valve Complete Pack, which, as we reported earlier, contains all of Valve's games – even the newly released Left 4 Dead – plus Peggle Extreme. But seriously, if you haven't played the first Half-Life, do yourself a favor and spend 1/100th of that on the game. You won't regret it. We promise. (It's ninety-eight cents!)
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the $99.99 Valve Complete Pack, which, as we reported earlier, contains all of Valve's games – even the newly released Left 4 Dead – plus Peggle Extreme. But seriously, if you haven't played the first Half-Life, do yourself a favor and spend 1/100th of that on the game. You won't regret it. We promise. (It's ninety-eight cents!)
Valve may show Half-Life 2: Episode Three this year; release still a ways off
by Randy Nelson { Oct 14th 2008 at 11:59PM }
In an interview with Kikizo, Valve's Doug Lombardi says we won't have to wait long for ... our first glimpse of Half-Life 2: Episode Three. Quizzed on whether the dev would have something to show in 2008, Lombardi plainly said, "We may at the very end of the year." So, yay – a (possible) Half-Life Holiday.
As for when the game will actually ship – er, not so soon. "The next time you play as Gordon will be longer than the distance between HL2 to Ep1, and Ep1 to Ep2," Lombardi confirmed. We're guessing he didn't mean all of thattime distance combined. Still, given that Episode One hit in June of '06 and we didn't see Episode Two until October '07, we're likely looking at an 18+ month wait for Episode Three. That would put its release ... around May or June 2009. Or, in comparative terms, sometime around the debut of the next new Lost episode.
As for when the game will actually ship – er, not so soon. "The next time you play as Gordon will be longer than the distance between HL2 to Ep1, and Ep1 to Ep2," Lombardi confirmed. We're guessing he didn't mean all of that
CERN: Only one crowbar received, Gordon Freeman 'impossible to find'
by Ross Miller { Oct 10th 2008 at 2:59PM }
"That man" she is referring to is the Gordon Freeman, of Half-Life infamy, we saw in the picture above. The Large Hadron Collider is currently halted until Spring 2009 due to a "magnet failure" ... or was it? With a supposed malfunction and a missing Gordon Freeman, we need not worry: at least he's got a crowbar.
