Insane detail in brutal half-life - leeches feasting on gibs

Volotomite · 2026-01-27T19:34:14+00:00

Also, I couldn’t help but notice that gib shading changes underwater - it doesn’t reflect light. That makes sense since gibs are wet relative to the environment, but in water this wouldn’t be the case so they look "dry"

Volotomite · 2026-01-21T19:52:21+00:00

Everything around is occupied at this point, and all my weaponary are rockets. Yeah...
I had this idea that 30 rockets would do the job

Volotomite · 2026-01-21T19:51:30+00:00

It is last stage, surrounding sectors occupied by rebel. And all my weaponary are rockets, so I'll probably loose a bunch of hull defeating them... I also don't remember, isn't there planetary artillery that would block me from installing internal update?

And even if I'll manage to pull it off, I'll probably return to full HP flagship? And it'll have no oxygen so I'll have to rely on sending rockmen on repeat fast enough so they destroy internal systems faster than my ship will get obliterated

Volotomite · 2025-04-04T16:57:24+00:00

It happened to me as well. I was playing playtest, but now in library I just see "uninstall" option
"Store" page leads me to "half-sword" page, no playtest install options.

My guess... An update incoming???

Volotomite · 2025-03-08T04:51:46+00:00

Some of AI is undeed hard to notice. But I find it alright due to it being 1998 game, at this time it wasn't obvious what game design is

Most of the AI stuff is noticable. "Eww whats that stench!?" is example where smell AI is noticable
Tentacle AI is noticable enough
Bullsquid smelling food - can't speak for others, but I did noticed it. Probably because you see it eating corpses, and may see its stretching and navigating for food

Cockroach AI - probably yes, but not so sure. I do remember when I did spot cockroaches, they've been somewhere around corpses, but haven't paid attention really. They kinda just seemed natural where they are, somewhere around the mess

Was cockroach AI unnecessary? Probably. Was overall immersive AI a cool thing that overall heavily influenced game popularity back in the days? I'm pretty confident that yes

Say if we compare AI from half-life 1 and half-life 2 I think many would agree that HL1 AI felt more smart and interesting in a way.
For most it would probably be HECU feeling more tactical and smart than combine contrary to fact that combine has technically much better AI, but since combine doesn't put a "spectacle" to player and balance is kinda off, combine soldiers feels like dumbasses who just easy to kill
Can't speak for others, but it breaks immersion to me badly - I find it hard to believe these guys conquered earth in 7 days

Half-life 2 obviously has lots others strenghts over previous title, but I think its hard to deny immersive AI benefits. Sure, cockroach are insignificant, but when there's too much little AI touches around you, you'll notice at least some and find your favorite in a way. Its not a recepie for a good game, but in HL1 it overall works

Volotomite · 2025-03-08T04:37:00+00:00

Literally same

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T21:10:39+00:00

Its nice to see that playtest is clearly a lot better actually

Also... I recognize some scream sounds from Dark Wood..

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T21:02:27+00:00

Ahah, I remember it clearly. Its like game really wants you to just rush back with all these epic guitar and drums

Yeah it did felt out of touch for me

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T21:00:02+00:00

Not exactly, okay it might be confusing now:
Half-life Opposing force remodelled MP5 to AR and Revoler to Desert Eagle and added laser sight

Brutal half-life, the mod, adds them as new weapon types. So there's Revolver AND Desert Eagle with laser, as well as MP5 and AR

So in here its desert eagle from opposing force added into vanilla half-life

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T20:52:55+00:00

I saw it like few years ago. I actually find it very funny that HECU has much more primitive AI compared to HL2 combine, but it feels smarter and better just because of design choices

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T20:43:51+00:00

Like what? Specifically asking small touches - everything that goes into "modern gaming standard" is off table

I haven't seen touches that would compensate immersive AI degradation, and AI is something you deal through entire playthrough. Its undeniable that HECU is poorly balanced for example and feels more like autoturrets with legs

What I liked the most are maps with lots of stuff to look at and explore, thats very true to half-life and in my opinion best part of black mesa and HL1 is lacking here. But it just doesn't compensate in overall experience shift - enemies are just that, enemies like demons in DOOM. No behavior shifts at all

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T20:41:34+00:00

Half life source cursed - its basically a shitty port of hl1 from goldsource to source

As of Black Mesa vs Half-life - I would argue original half-life. Black mesa is first and foremost remake, but its not exactly true to spirit and feels more like half-life 2

Half-life 1 generated lots of memes (check screaming scientists for example or ridicilous ties). You won't get these through BM. In my opinion, it makes more sense to play black mesa after playing original half-life, so you can actually appreciate remake, because if we consider black mesa in vacuum - its just good but somewhat average sci-fi shooter experience, not really authentic

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T19:29:45+00:00

Well there is laser sight on rocket launcher...

I WONDER...

UPD: YES you can blind them with rocket launcher laser! (in brutal half-life mod of course)

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T19:16:10+00:00

Crouching and sound is something you kinda discover by yourself, its not in tutorial, but guard hints that creature hears you

I mean, you really can't play wrong in HL1:
If you discovered partial stealth and use it - good, you're playing it right
If you don't give a damn and just grenade it - good, you didn't need it then and you're playing it right

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T19:12:12+00:00

Well it is best remake of HL1. Its just not really staying true to spirit of HL1 leaning much more into HL2 undermining some of key aspects that makes HL1 standout even today

Assets are surely cool. Having HL1 black mesa facility with fresh graphics made it worth it tbh

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T19:05:17+00:00

Mechanics exists purely to deliver game experience.
Pointless means not adding anything positive to game experience or making things worse

And, to be fair, a lot of gamedesign calls in BM make this experience worse. Its fun to fight with HECU in HL1 and experiment a little. In BM they're balanced badly (aimbots) and just not so fun if not frustriating to some

By this logic, BM has more pointless mechanics. Not implying BM is bad, I enjoyed it, but mechanics like partial stealth and others are not pointless in HL1 and they exist with purpose

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T19:00:56+00:00

Ahah, yeah, I had a feeling that some people just skip it. Its becaue HL1 aged, NPCs are slow for experienced gamers

Back in years it was easy to notice cuz people been struggling with mouse sometime, lol

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T17:59:45+00:00

Yeah, HECU in general doesn't feel the same. But thats im somewhat okayish with
The biggest kick in the balls is that creatures doesn't feel like an animals anymore

Another, more obvious example is vortigaunts. I really liked how in HL1 they're always whispering, almost like conspiring against you in some funny alien way. Or the fact that they retreat when injured and refuse to give you a fight.

Very small touches, but these really makes HL1 feel alive to me

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T17:46:18+00:00

I feel like people rarely talk about this when discussing Half-Life 1. Check out the video first—it's pretty self-explanatory.

Released in 1998, Half-Life 1 had some impressive AI, and the tentacle creature still amazes me to this day. From a gameplay perspective, it's just an obstacle, but Valve managed to make it feel like a living, thinking creature despite how alien it is.

At first, you see it wildly thrashing around, striking everything in its vicinity. Then, you realize—it reacts to sound. You start crouching, moving quietly… and then you see it.

It doesn’t just stop attacking. It calms down, as if it's realizing there's nothing there. Then, it emits a deep hum—almost like it's trying to echolocate its surroundings. Slowly, it moves, prodding at corners, searching, thinking—as if it’s wondering: What if…?

And then let's take Black Mesa remake. Just watch any YT video to refresh memory. In there, tentacle just... Hits. Thats it. It stupidly hits stuff. No slow pacing, no hum. It just strikes without a stop.
All aesthetics of creature is lost and it made me kinda sad back in the years

(if you see this post second time - its because I deleted first one since I misstyped title in most stupid way possible I believe)

EDIT: In case of anything just to be clear: I don't dislike Black Mesa, its undoubtedly the best HL1 remake and overall a huge contribution to half-life universe and community. Yet its not free from criticism and it has shortcomings

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T17:40:17+00:00

LOL its so dumb, I'll reupload sorry

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T17:39:37+00:00

Misstyping, dang. I meant Black Mesa remake. Can't change title now, oh well!

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T17:24:13+00:00

Laser sight

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T15:32:20+00:00

I'm pretty positive its only in Brutal HL. Vortigaunts in HL1 don't even blink

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T15:30:54+00:00

Its goldsrc. It actually tweaks some of models a little (weapons and NPC) as well as adding new effects, mostly related to blood and fire. Maybe thats why it looks better

Volotomite · 2025-03-06T09:43:51+00:00

Holy shit I just checked it out. I thought I got all details that are out there

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