#citadel valve

[tiniest-headcrab-art]

ok aside from valve not being able to put their osts in chronological order they sometimes mess up with subtitles now i dont know how subtitling in games work (or in general tbh) but this bugs me anyways

[this-should-do]

god i think the best part of hl3 vr for me, something that still sticks woth me is rising up in the citadel and just seeing c17 sprawled out below you, even tho its just a google maps image of new york,

seeing it like that when just before you were out figbting in the trenches with everyone it felt so,,, small and fragile and i felt even smaller rising up above it every problem just seemed to disappear i could almost forget a war was being eaged down below and that what i was foghting was so large so as to be beyond my xomprehension, it made everything so hopeful and small like i was going somewhere that everyone was going somewhere,

and it reminded me of how astronauts when they see earth from space and the moon and how every imaginary line and every problem in the world seemed so small and so easy to solve, and how small and mortal and fragile the earth itself was never mind them thrmselves (its called the overview effect btw, i was reading a lil bit about it on wikipedia and it had a section about how vr can mimic this effect, granted it was focussed on mimicing it by simulating seei g the earth, and its like yeah it really fucking can, doesnt even have to be seeing the earth)

so ever since i sae c17 from so high up ive been thinking about making a comic woth a quote from an astronaut about how they felt seeing space so ive compuled sum of my favs becuz i cnat decide which ones i want to use, so enjoy them

[internetskiff]

Breen's unfortunately pretty underrated amongst the Valve antagonists, which I suppose is understandable compared to the likes of GLaDOS or The Administrator, but just like those two I feel like there's plenty of things to talk about when it comes to him. He seems like a very conflicted character, especially if you take into account the BreenGrub account and Laidlaw's Epistle 3. First of all is, of course, the leadup to the Black Mesa incident, with the G-Man seemingly making an offer to Breen which seemingly involved overloading the Anti-Mass Spectrometer while processing an extremely pure sample of Xen Crystal - and yes, while it's pretty obvious that the order to overload the systems was very intentional and motivated by whatever deal they struck, I believe that when it comes to the aftermath he may have been sold on a lie. Considering his actions as Administrator of Earth being entirely in the interests of keeping Humanity from feeling the full force of the Combine, I don't think "Becoming the de facto leader of all of Earth" was on his agenda. Perhaps G-Man promised that whatever their deal would entail would bring about a prosperous future for humanity, perhaps all he promised was the possibility of establishing contact with another sentient species (which is something he technically did provide), or perhaps it was something else - there's simply way too much room for speculation there, I think.

A little detail from a HL:A newspaper implies that his position as Earth's administrator wasn't exactly handed to him on a silver platter, instead he had to go out of his way to reach out to the governments with information on how to communicate with the invaders, at which point, already beaten down by Combine forces, they simply gave him the all-clear to speak for all of mankind. This still begs the question of who, or what, gave him the knowledge of how to speak with them - however, it's safe to say if they didn't, Earth would've been left a smoldering pile of rocks and withered carcasses. Once again, he acts with Humanity's best interests in mind, having to choose between the lesser of two evils - it's either enslavement or extinction. He simply chose the option in which Humanity would survive, even if just for a little while longer.

And ever since, we're watching the aftermath. He's trying to talk the last generation of Humanity down, so they may either pass of old age or be absorbed into the Combine - at least if that happens, something gets preserved. Once again, the alternative? They'll just wipe the slate once they get the local teleportation technology they desire. Breen sees no other way than to go along with their demands. He's eventually proven wrong, of course, but he refuses to see the Rebellion as anything but a suicidal march towards the extinction of the human race, and he sticks to that belief up until he is killed by Gordon at the tip of the Citadel. Of course, this doesn't make him a good person. Not at all. This belief has lead him to seek out and destroy anyone who tries to resist. He shows no sympathy to them. He paints them as fools. He himself believes it so. This intense hatred for anyone who resists is seen perfectly in how he treats the Vance family. He views them as fools. As narrow-minded rabble in the streets, senselessly struggling against a tide beyond their comprehension. He's willing to send off a father and his daughter into a world far beyond simply to use them as a bargaining chip. Listening to the two comfort eachother as they're almost raised up to a fate surely worse than death, the only expression on his face is that of pure contempt and annoyance. He's a very fascinating character that I wish Valve would explore again if they ever do another Half Life set during a time period in which he was still alive. He's a coward that easily bends to the oppressor, yet in the end he only does it to make sure something survives. He's cruel to those who resist because he's completely convinced they're going to get everyone killed. He is the Combine's perfect puppet.

haha anyhoo so why was he straight up serving on the magazine covers in HL:A like what was up with all that

[narklos]

Half-Lore #3: 66 HL Facts!

Make your 'counting to three' jokes in the tags please. Back with another instalment, this is one I've been looking forward to! 66 random facts spanning the entire Half-Life franchise (bc I couldn't fit 100 in one post due to numbered list character limits...) If you have any suggestions for other instalments of Half-Lore, please let me know.

Have a peep under the cut, and enjoy!

Gordon can speak, as confirmed in a series of letters that were included in HL1's box. They mention that L.M and him had a telephone call prior to Gordon's arrival.

Speaking of L.M, he was the original administrator for Black Mesa. L.M was the G-Man, though his full name is never revealed.

Barney and Breen were both meant to appear in Half-Life: Alyx, but were cut due to a hard reset on the game's development.

Gordon is apparently very clumsy. Eli jokes about it in a series of cut voicelines.

Prior to his appointment at Black Mesa, Gordon was stationed at the University of Innsbruck in Austria.

Russell's complaint about being told to apply a year later after his interview at Black Mesa is a real-life hiring process that Valve uses.

Marc Laidlaw mentioned that the baby photo in Gordon's locker is probably a nephew, making Gordon an uncle!

Bullsquids have a 'hungry' mode. If they find a dead headcrab, and they're in hungry mode, they'll eat it. Otherwise, they'll play a sniffing animation and walk away.

In HL2, you can bonk NPCs on the head during a cutscene to make them teleport. This is because the game thinks that the character is trapped by a physics prop, and will teleport them to the next segment in the cutscene to free them.

On Kleiner's clipboard during his first cutscene, what he's saying about the HEV suit is actually written on the paper word-for-word.

Barney has a girlfriend called Lauren, and a picture of her in his locker. The woman in question was a real-life girlfriend of one of the devs.

In one of the OP4 skyboxes, a dev has written the note "Hack hack hack all day long. Hack hack hack while I sing this song."

The mysterious artefact Alyx brings back to Black Mesa East is the head of a Cremator, which was a cut enemy.

HL2 was originally meant to take place in New York.

Headcrabs don't turn Gordon into a zombie because he apparently never lets them get close to his face.

Colette gets a kick out of violence.

Gordon was employee of the month when the Resonance Cascade happened.

A special rebel outpost along Route Kanal will start playing ambient windchimes if you hang around long enough.

Breen was meant to wear a pair of glasses, but Marc Laidlaw went against it, citing that they made Breen look 'vaguely homosexual'.

Russell was originally meant to be Laszlo, the finest mind of his generation. His computer's password is actually 'Laszlo' too!

There are props clipping through Russell's ceiling intentionally- objects will phase through each other during portal storms, the likes of which ravage City 17.

The Citadel wasn't built on Earth, per se- it was teleported in chunk by chunk like the world's biggest IKEA assembly.

G-Man cannot understand the Vort's language, and the Vorts use by-words when discussing him and the Advisors to avoid detection.

Combine Advisors cannot breathe Earth's atmosphere, hence the breathing apparatus they wear.

There was meant to be a fourth day of HL2's plot, but it was shortened to three. Players would have fought through a museum.

Eli lost his leg to a bullsquid when he was helping Kleiner into City 17.

Kleiner and Barney were meant to die in a bus crash in HL2's opening sequence. Marc Laidlaw wrote a short story discussing their deaths in rather graphic detail.

In Decay, there was a cut sequence where players witnessed Gordon getting killed if they didn't scare away the soldiers in time.

Despite 20 years having passed in reality, only around two weeks have passed for Gordon due to being in stasis.

For HLA, developers scanned in a $10,000 Nordstrom suit to use for G-Man's textures.

Level designer David Casali, who has worked on every single mainline HL game, was too tall for a lot of the levels in HLA's Vault sequence. This lead to a lot of upside-down sections being cut for accessibility.

G-Man was meant to be an unwilling prisoner in the Vault, as revealed in a storyboard in The Final Hours.

The Nihilanth is inspired by Gabe Newell's fears of fatherhood, as he'd just had his son at the time.

Nothing is native to Xen. Every alien animal present on Xen is running away from The Combine's invasion of their homeworlds.

During Opposing Force, players can find a gear and a valve inside of a cardboard box- a very clear nod to Gearbox and Valve!

Barney's model changes subtly from HL2 to Episode 1- he's shown more dishevelled, with his hair unkempt and a series of cuts on his cheeks.

G-Man's face is hidden in the Xenian crystal at Black Mesa East.

Alyx was found by the G-Man, sitting beside her dead mother and clutching her mother's wedding ring.

Child labour was meant to appear, with models and animations of the children working in Cremator factories made. This, understandably, were cut, and the lack of children explained away with the suppression field.

G-Man's crow friend is nicknamed 'Crowley'.

During the tactical map section of Surface Tension, you don't have to use the drone strike to destroy the doors leading to the next level- you can actually break it with a fully-charged Tau Cannon shot.

Typing 'haiku' in the game's console will generate a random haiku for you.

Imprisoning the G-Man in HLA was referred to as putting 'God in a Box' by developers.

HL2 on PC and HL2 on Xbox 360 sound wildly different! Due to advanced sound chips, developers were able to push the audio of HL2 to be more immersive and sound more realistic than on PC.

Grigori's shotgun is called Annabelle.

A model of Eli naked exists. This was meant to be used in the section we see him in the Combine pods.

An illustration of G-Man holding a gun to his head can be found on the back of a sign in HLA.

Similarly, in the Index HLA home environment, his eyes are used as part of an advertisement for 'vision enhancement'.

You can find a minifigure of the Scout in HLA.

The textures for some of HLA's cans actually use a recoloured metal effect from HL1's orange poster.

Grigori has cut crosses into the backs of his hands.

Inside G-Man's briefcase is pencils, ID, paper, and a gun.

The shadowy woman in HLA is called Hahn/The Contractor, and according to Erik Wolpaw, they 'have plans' for her.

A cut enemy called Mr. Friendly was meant to literally SA the player and knock Gordon's glasses off, blurring the screen. Apparently, the idea was to play on a gamer's subconscious (or conscious...) homophobia and make them freak out. This enemy was actually designed by a teenager, and was predictably scrapped.

Early advertisements for HL1 featured babies and children with lambdas replacing their eyes.

HL1 is intended to be an allegory for fighting your own inner hopelessness.

Valve's offices have a wall built to resemble the moving walls of the Citadel.

G-Man has had a total of 11 different models throughout HL's history.

Breaking the army crates in the Dreamcast port of HL1 will reveal copies of Sonic Adventure inside.

Gordon is from Seattle, Washington.

HL2 was delayed a lot during its development. At the time, many swore never to buy from Valve again due to their broken promises.

HL2's E3 demonstrations were staged.

Colette was employed by G-Man, but Gina died.

During a Reddit AMA, a dev responded that we shouldn't keep making Gordon feel bad about his outdated hairstyle choices, when asked about where his ponytail went.

A metrocop's hideaway can be found in the level after the zoo in HLA. Due to the amount of conspiracy theory paraphanelia, the room is theorised to be Barney's.

The act of covering your mouth to stop the fumes of Xenian flora from affecting you in HLA was implemented after playtesters instictively covered their mouths when sprayed.

Thanks for reading to the bottom! Here's some top notch BREENWAVE for you.

[spenglersglasses]

⌛⚙️ What a lovely day..... ⚙️⌛

Listen, lol I had to! Anyways already friends, here is my first and maybe my only venture into the world of Mad Max with a focus on my favorite character, Immortan Joe.

I am really excited to get this too you and as with all my fics I will update as I am able and inspired to make sure I am giving you my all every time.

**This fic will be an AU! Mostly I will try to stay canon but there will be some conflicts and reimaginings. This includes themes as listed in the tags, if any of this doesn't sit well with you, please skip this one!**

TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️Discussion about RAPE/FORCED PREGNANCY/VIOLENCE/VARIOUS DISTRUBING SUBJECTS⚠️

Listen you are reading a fic with Immortan Joe, it should be pretty obvious. but that being said if you are still here, I sincerely hope you all enjoy!

Thank you so much for reading!

*Special shoutout to @animatedglittergraphics-n-more for the awesome dividers!

Glimmer in the Wasteland

Many years after the Citadel was conquered and seized by him, the Immortan Joe longs to feel something besides the pain and anguish of the world. Desperate to secure his legacy by siring an heir, he decides that now is the time before it becomes too late. Meanwhile a young woman named Corrine is separated from her group in the Wasteland and captured by the War Boys. When Corrine awakens within the fortress of the Citadel, her world changes when she has an encounter with the deeply feared and infamous warlord.

Chapter 1: God and the Scavenger

Immortan Joe struggles with his inevitable mortality and makes a life changing decision. A young woman, Corrine is separated from her scavenging group in the Wasteland during an attack and is captured by the War Boys.

Also available HERE on AO3.

Will eventually be very NSFW below the cut!!

It had finally happened. A spot—tingling. A pang of pain threatening that a sore would soon be sprouting up along the outer edge of his back. 

It would be the first outward effects of the nuclear fallout Joe would bear. One that no amount of salvaged antiseptics and alcohol washes could stave off. Lesions caused by a cancer too tenacious to be contained as it slowly ate at him from inside. Suddenly he, the Immortan, felt all too mortal.

“It is time.” The People Eater spurred him. Joe, nodding as the War Pups covered him in powder. HIs already pale skin turned ghostly white. Adorned in his pauldrons and chest plate, molded in plexiglass and covered in his former accolades, as he took to his feet. 

His long, ghastly white hair, flowing in the harsh wind as he approached the balcony. Ready to address the wretched below as they waited for the life-giving water. The people of the Citadel, all but decaying in the heat and waste of what was left of the world they all inhabited. Desperate for things, once taken for granted. 

As they stood waiting, the man they called “God”, began rolling his neck side to side. Hoping to release some of the tension in his shoulders. Held there from the weight of his breathing apparatus. His piercing blue eyes staring out into the Citadel under blackened lids. Tired and weary. The rest of his face concealed beneath the grim of his mask. Cold, chrome and equine teeth bordered by hoses for breathing. He looked as frightening as he did mighty, standing before them. 

The whole of the crowd below, cheering as they saw his silhouette appear beside his son, Rictus, and the People Eater. The People Eater leaned over to his commander's side. Holding up the shining microphone as Joe took hold of the aquifer valve levers in his hands. The time of placation, arriving once again. 

“It is through me that you will all find salvation. Through me that you will ascend. Rising above the rot and filth of this life…before moving on to the next…” Joe began. The people below crying out his name, Rictus clapping incessantly. Joe shot him a look, stopping him mid applause. The feebleness of Rictus’s diseased mind, growing more apparent each day.  

“Please sir, go on.” The People Eater nudged. Joe returned his attention to his task. Frustrated and angry that he had to speak at all. 

“...You shall drink of the Aqua Cola and remember who gave you this gift…” Joe continued, pulling the levers and listening to the gears as they twisted and turned. The water cascading down upon the wretched below. 

“That’s right. The Immortan is the redeemer!” the Prime Imperator shouted. Joe’s hold on the people of the Citadel renewed as the vapor from the water found its way upon his face. A cool mist that fed what was left of his own soul.  

Joe closed his eyes to revel in the feel of it on his skin when suddenly, the fury building inside him returned. The moment of solace, short lived as Joe began yanking back hard on the levers. The flow, shutting down as he removed himself from the room without another word. Leaving Rictus, the People Eater, the Prime Imperator, and his son’s Colossus and Scrotus confused.

“You had better go see what is wrong with Dad, Eater.” Colossus suggested from his small, makeshift chair. His diseased and deformed body, struggling to move itself. Swiveling back around to his telescope as he watched the scene below.  

“Of course, sir.” the People Eater replied as he fiddled with the chain that connected his nipples. Smiling and sending a nod to his ruler’s sons as before making his way out to find him. 

The pain was excruciating. Like an explosion that was still going off inside her head. Corrine opened her eyes to find darkness. She began to tremble, the fear—immediately settling in. Where am I? She thought.

Her whole life she had only known struggle. The abrasive grit of the sand and the heat of the unencumbered sun. The place she was now, it was different. The air still and the calm and there were drops of something coming from above her. It was cool and crisp like water across her skin. 

It was jarring. It had been so long since she'd had anything but the sensation of sweat running over her. Her body, more recently than ever before, in a constant state of dehydration and hunger. Life in the Wasteland wasn't easy, especially for a scavenger. 

Her people had been lucky. For years managing to gather enough supplies to keep the true horrors at bay. A hearty people, but kind despite their hard way of life. Corrine was born after the world ended, twisting into desolation and undeserving perdition.

It seemed now her luck had run out. Only flashes, sensations, and fragmented images remained from what had happened. She could remember the days before. Traveling across the endless sands and dirt plains. 

They were out together, the crew she knew as her brethren, scouring a deserted camp for ever dwindling supplies. Their trip, having gone on far longer than expected. Having strayed days away from their home. They had set up a camp for the night, ready to find their way back once the sun returned to the horizon.  

All seemed well until the sound of revving engines came out from the darkness. Her eyes shut open. Corrine quickly got to her feet and exited her tent. Running as fast as she could through the sand. Listening to the others crying out for help, before the sounds of malicious laughter began filling the night air. 

It was the War Boys. Until then they had only been a story. A tale told to the youngest of her colony as a warning not to venture far. A warning she regretted not having heeded.  

Was she being held captive by them? Why was she spared instead of the others? How long was she out? There was nothing else she could remember before things went black. No way to know for sure where she’d been taken. 

She could hear the metal clanking of the chains as she shifted around. The sound, rattling mercilessly in her ears. Her head, now pounding full force as she tried to stand. Feeling the wet, bloody knot that hid within her hair. 

“Ssss...agh.” She groaned as her fingers grazed the spot.  When she felt she had her footing, Corrine began scanning the walls. Feeling the rock beneath her hands as she tries to find a way out of the darkness. She continued until in an instant she was suddenly blinded. 

“Who's there?” 

“Hmph…” groaned someone in the darkness. A man, only barely coming into focus as Corrine felt her heart pounding in her chest. Wanting to flee, the sight of his shotgun barrel held out in front her. His pale, sunken face smiling behind it.

“Yes…yes, you'll do just fine. A gift, a delightful gift.” he said gleefully. In an instant a chill shot through her spine. Horrified at what was to come. 

“Where am I?!” She yelled, tears flowing down over her cheeks. The man disappeared and before she knew it, Corrine was listening to the sound of a metal. Clunking and scraping that rang out with the slam of a door. The War Boy’s ‘delightful gift’ realizing she was once again alone in the darkness. 

Joe paced the floor of his rooms—slowly and methodically. Every step, filled with harsh contemplation. Only noticing briefly that the People Eater had followed him in. 

“Sir? What is it? What are you thinking?” The Eater asked, wondering what could be brewing in his mind. Wondering if the Immortan was concocting a new way of cultivating crops? Maybe a strategy for expanding the War Boys’ lifespans—something more than just the unlucky blood bags they'd culled from the wasteland. The truth however was far more intrinsic, more primal. 

“Leave me.” Joe said, his voice level and his eyes fixed into the space before him. Focused on something abstract, but to him something completely clear.

“Maybe I could be of some help.” The Eater continued.

“I think I'm ready to try again.” the Immortan explained, the Eater’s eyes widening. He knew better than most what was truly important to Joe. One thing that his power and all the guzzolene the world could muster wouldn’t give him—a healthy child. 

“What's that sir?” he asked him still, hoping that it might be something else. 

“You know exactly what.” Joe chided. The hurt and angry present in his eyes. 

“Are you…are you sure sir? We were fortunate enough with Rictus and Scrotus. It’s been years since—”

“I am aware.” Joe growled, turning quickly to face his comrade. The memories of his failures, fresh in his mind. The People Eater did his best to swallow back his reservations, mostly in fear of the thrashing that the disobedience might incite. 

“Immortan, I come with news.” the Prime Imperator said, bursting into the room with a smile spread wide across his face. 

“What is the meaning of this intrusion?!” the Eater yelled. 

“Some of the boys returned last night, riding high and proud. They found a group of foragers out in the wasteland.” he continued, both the Eater and Joe intrigued.

“Anything worth salvaging?” the Eater asked. 

“The men didn’t last long enough to see the rocky formations but the other one they found—” he boasted before pausing for a breath.

“Go on.” Joe told him.

“The other one is a woman—a young woman.” The imperator finished. The People Eater let out a chuckle. 

“Sir…it seems fate may be on your side.” The Eater finished. Immortan Joe's eyes held a glimmer of hope within them as he approached the imperator. Grabbing him by the bandana on his neck. Burning a hole through his eyes with his stare.

You had better not be joking.” Joe growled. His ally, shaking his head and throwing up in hands in protest of the accusation. “Good. Eater, send for Miss Giddy and have her ready the vault. I shall seek an audience with this acquired treasure tomorrow at dawn. "

 “Come up, get up now. Get up. We haven't much time.” said a soft voice. Corrine groaned, rolling over on the ground. In and out of consciousness as the sweet tone of the woman’s voice calmed her. It was similar to her mother's and Corrine was devastated when her eyes opened to find a strange old woman, covered head to toe in inscriptions, and not her mother staring back at her. 

“Time?” She absentmindedly repeated, head still aching from the trauma of the day before.

“Yes…we need to move you to the vault. We must bathe and dress you before he arrives.” The woman explained, helping Corrine to her feet and walking her down a long winding hall. Stopping only once they arrived at a large vault door. So large Corrine had never seen anything like it. 

“What is this?” she asked. The woman, pulling the already unlocked door out before them revealing the beautiful scene within. 

“This is your new home.” she explained, nudging her inside. Corrine was in awe; in all her life she’d never seen a place so beautiful. The ceiling, open to the sky. The sun, beginning to rise in the distance and illuminating the room. Its rays shimmering off the large crystal chandelier that hung from above a piano, just opposite the room. 

There was a small watering pool along the ground. Flowing steadily like a stream. And there were books—lots of them. Oh the knowledge they held, she thought to herself. Would she be able to actually read them? 

Then there was another room. One with beds, real pillows, and clean linens. It was all too much to take in, her eyes beginning to tear. It just didn’t make sense, none of it. 

In such violence she’d been brought to this place, one of beauty and all the comforts she had otherwise been denied. But why? “Got it all fixed up for you my dear. Come, come. Let Miss Giddy help you in.” she beckoned, helping Corrine remove her tattered scraps of clothing. What was left of them, covered in blood and dirt. Then finally into the pool of water. 

“Giddy?” she asked, before gasping as the cool water surrounding her. Kneeling in the water in only her underwear. 

“Yes, little bird. I will be your caretaker. Get you everything you need.” she assured her. The woman easing Corrine’s fears as she washed her hair. Missy Giddy kept mostly quiet, careful to not disclose too much. Corrine knew answers would come in time, but worried she might not care for what those answers may be. 

Once the water ran clear of the grit and soil washed from her hair, Miss Giddy helped Corrine out from the pool. Allowing her to balance with a hand on her shoulder as she tried to dry off. Then getting her dressed in a white muslin ensemble. The fabric, billowy and light on her curvy frame.

Afterward Corrine sat beside the water as Miss Giddy brushed through her hair. It was long, wavy and a bit unruly after having been matted from the blood and sand. Corrine wincing as the brush tugged at the skin surrounding her wound. Miss Giddy did her best to be gentle and thankfully finished without too much of a fuss.

“Thank you.” Corrine said as she pulled her knees to her chest. “Miss Giddy.”

“Yes?”

“What am I?” Corrine began when the door opened, and a man stepped in. He was tall and impressive. Dressed in clothing, the likes of which she had never seen. An intimidating mask concealing the majority of the lower half of his face. His eyes, however, blindingly blue, staring at her.   

“Leave us Miss Giddy.” he commanded, it was clear to Corrine that whoever he was, he was calling the shots. Without hesitation the old woman left, leaving Corrine and the mysterious man alone in the vault. 

“What is your name?” he asked, Corrine feeling her heart pounding with both intrigue and fear. 

“What's it to you?” she asked back, still unsure of what circumstances she had found herself in. Clutching the wrap of the dress within her fists. The nerves, as clear on her as the orange hue of the sky.  

“I am not going to harm you.” he told her, slowly approaching as he grabbed a chair from along the wall and brought it to sit beside her. Corrine frozen in fear, wondering what he might do next. 

“Is that so? What if I don’t want you to know my name.” Corrine asked, careful not to make eye contact. Feeling the breath halting inside her chest with each passing second in his presence. 

“Then what am I to call you?” 

“Uh…It's…It’s Corrine.” she finally told him. Her eyes, unable to help but meet with him. The two of them locked on to one another. Sparking green and crystal blue orbs, fixed on one another—no way of turning back now. The man shifted in the chair, the movement causing Corrine to flinch. 

“Hmph…an unusual name to be sure.” he said, brows piqued. 

“It was my great grandmother's.” Corrine explained. So entranced at the sight of him, at the sound of his deep, thick voice that she wondered if she’d said anything at all. 

“I see. Well, here you shall be given a new name to go with a new life.” he began. The words forcing a knot to swell in Corrine’s throat. “Give me your hand.” 

“I—” Corrine began but could not find the words. The man, reaching out his hand for hers to take. Reluctantly she took it, the man helping her up from her spot on the ground. The two of them standing together, intensely facing one another head on. 

“We shall call you the Fray.” he proclaimed as he felt the roughness of her hands. A sign of her life spent laboring out in the unforgiving wasteland. A wasteland he would save her from. His gaze, softening as he looked at her. 

A soft heart-shaped face, clear skin with no sign of disease. Emerald-colored eyes that were kind and gentle. As his sights continued to travel along her body, he took note of her large breasts and hips. Everything about her suggested she was perfect, full-life, and fertile.

There was more to her, and he could tell. The way she spoke with him, despite her fear. A hint of strength beneath a thinly veiled exterior. An observation that spoke to him, in ways he couldn’t quite comprehend. 

Corrine took in a deep breath; it was more than obvious he was sizing her up for something. This man whose name she didn’t know, though he now knew hers. As she exhaled, she summoned the courage to ask him.

“And what…what is your name?” she inquired. Watching a change in the man’s demeanor. The soft look, growing more sinister as he pulled her towards him. Now only inches from the haunting mask on his face. 

“It's Joe.”

Notes: Aqua Cola- WaterRe Guzzolene- gasoline

[blackmesa-official]

Normally we here at blackmesa-official are happy to commit to the bit at all times, but today we'd like to take a moment to break character, to deliver news of the upcoming games in Valve's release cycle!

Neon Prime - August 2024 An asymmetric five-player real-time strategy game, set on a formerly combine-occupied planetoid on the far side of Xen. Battle your way to the top of the ruined citadel, and take control of the core for yourself!

Currently unnamed Counter-Strike 2 Expansion Pack - September 2024 Terrorists are active in the snowy tundras of Siberia, and it's up to you to stop them! This expansion pack will add new cosmetics, maps, and missions to the game. Crossover cosmetics will also appear in Team Fortress 2 Winter cosmetic cases.

Half-Life 2: Episode 1 And A Half - April 2025 A fanmade project picked up by Valve to tide fans over while they wait for a new Half-Life release. Play through Half-Life 2 Episodes 1 and 2 through the eyes of Barney Calhoun in this 'wacky' take on the HL Universe!

Facility Control - April 2026 Another portal-themed tech demo for an as of yet undisclosed new Valve technology. Play as GLaDOS and interface with the Aperture facility in this groundbreaking thirty-minute experience.

DOTA 3 - December 2026

Portal: Kore Kerfuffle! - June 2027 A VR rougelike where you play as Wheatley, guiding test subject after test subject in an effort to escape Aperture Science. Try, try again in this relentlessly addictive adventure!

TF Comics: The Playable Series - January 2028 The release of TF Comics #7 comes as a playable, interactive experience along with the first 6 comics, reimagined as a playable campaign for Team Fortress 2.

Half Life: Otis - December 2028 The Half-Life series concludes with a fantastic final entry. Play as rebel commander Otis Laurey over the course of his life. Escape the Black Mesa facility, fight against the combine, and lead the rebels to victory in this showstopping title.

Return to Ravenholm - October 2030 A bitter ex-employee of Arkane Studios leaks the source code for the cancelled Return To Revanholm on 4chan. Gabe Newell is summarily executed.

[spiderh0rse]

felix's mind notes part 3, e11-15

e11

can feel his sanity slippage. he's played the impossible quiz and survived so this is a bad sign

thinks escalators are fun

puts on a bad German accent for a minute

blames the galaxy and then the universe and then karma for his bad luck

not a Buddhist

cheated off his good friend Gregory for his final exam. That led to his doctorate somehow

metal music engage, Felix your voice is so quiet by comparison

processing the undead into regular dead

breaks out of felixland in the elevator and calls the past couple minutes a wonderful dream

does not like the nighttime here

got a good set of lungs on him!

sees a phone and immediately tries to call Superman

cannot ram a door open

"wheel things" You Mean A Valve?

"FREEDOM! IT BURNSSSSSS!"

impressed at how much skill it takes to make city 17 uglier

kleiner reminds Felix of captain picard

e12

wants to escape the ex city faster

wishes he had a jetpack

mocks the camera drones by calling them decepticons

NINJA AMBUSH

wishes he could've been a ninja

echelon,,,

has come to the realization that he's better than anyone around him

he's such a fucking gamer

knows nothing about bomb disposal

fire controls... Fifi,,,

placed third in high jump! I don't know when!

loves stealth loves not being seen. This is why he'd rather be the Spy than the Scout

overtaken by blorbo thoughts constantly

wants to go home :(

e13

COMIC FORMAT IT'S BAD

on the edge of death he claims. Hit by Sniper

wishes Joni well without him

admits he'd try to end it all himself to speed up the process of dying

greyscale? Wait no, flashback, black mesa east.

hates hydroelectric power

the mist in the fumigation chamber makes him cough horribly

annoyed at Mossman for gassing him

he has no lung capacity whatsoever

glad to hear they're a step ahead of the Combine somewhere

doesn't. Doesn't know what a postdoc is

excited to be able to teleport without going to Xen

tries to correct Eli about his identity by reminding him of that time he spilled acid all over Eli's report

calls that accident(?) "good times"

never actually did any scientific work

not looking forward to working with Mossman

seems surprised Breen is leading this whole business

Breen blocked Facebook at work

Felix uses Facebook

Felix would NOT want to take another teleporter ride

considers alyx in some fashion of attraction

has been meaning to work out again

recognizes the xenium crystal

familiar with Alien

casually correcting people getting his name wrong with no real push

has fixed tons of red rings in his time

pretty sure alyx wants to get in his pants. Vaguely and for once hopes she isn't

Gordon getting selected for the AMS experiment was literally a name picked out of a hat

didn't work in AnMat

finds the vague ravenholm story creepy

doesn't want to get fumigated again. Coughs his lungs out :(

e14

he's not sure where he is, but he sees train tracks

seems to be experiencing the citadel explosion

CHELL

Felix is in the dark and in. Nightmare sequence. Dies in there

his HEV suit shocks him back to consciousness! It reads off a litany of things done

Felix credits Joni but the resuscitation was a planned feature for hl2. And I love the HEV suit. I'm crediting it.

he's never taking this suit off again he says

familiar with Fear 2

likes having minions i think. Keeps calling the roller mines his minions

he. He can enter bullet time? At will?

his stomach still hurts :( got shot in the intestines after all

disgusted by sitting in blood for a second

Felix is in a lot of pain. "I'm only severely wounded, but okay," to having to run point

cannot make relatively short drops without injuring himself rn

admires Joni's sniper work

sad about forgetting her name. Blames selective retrograde amnesia and also "that stasis suit guy keeps putting me in"

hates poison headcrabs more than dying

if he were in Canada surgery to get the bullet out would be free

stole some of Gordon's gold

pretty sure Gordon wouldn't give him money for medical emergencies

wet cats his way down some stairs. Elects to perform self surgery

knows how to open his suit up

screaming the entire time he's taking the bullet out but DOES manage it

immediately gets back to work. No rest for Felix

e15

hopes the morphine takes effect soon

slightly resembles sliced swiss cheese

doesn't know why he's talking about becoming food products

assumes Gordon's password (???) will work on a combine door

captain Felix Freeman of the intergalactic house of pancakes

wait that's the password. It works.

Felix has been to Canada

HATES Canadian winters

oh I guess he lived there? Got a pool once to deal with the heat.

annoyed that his work in the citadel turns out to be undone

yeah he's just getting weapons that were not in half life

lightheadedness is just a side effect from the shield recharger. Felix desperately claims he needs it. Unfortunately he's built an immunity

hallucinates mario. Blames the morphine. Morphine does not do this.

ignores Mario

hates the antlion guardian

"your parent or legal guardian"

does not respect the term "oh snap"

has said "yes indeedio"

return to sender cash on delivery

considers city 17 hellish

doesn't trust anything sinister

thinks living in the vents would be safer than the actual city living spaces

thinks Joni might euthanize him if it became necessary. Doesn't want to think about that

deeply afraid of Explosives Room

[gmanwhore]

can u tell me abt Half Life....*looks at you with the widest shimmering eyes*

*STARES BACK INTENSLY*

Ok so it is a game series by Valve where you (mostly) play as a theoretical physicist named Gordon Freeman. He worked at a top-secret science facility called Black Mesa and they were experimenting on a crystal from a border world planet called Xen and ended up accidentally ripping a portal open to Xen (it was called the Resonance Cascade), and Gordon (And a security guard named Barney Calhoun and two other theoretical physicists named Colette Green and Gina Cross and a HECU Marine named Adrain Shephard) had to fight the aliens had to come through. Also everyone but Adrian also had to fight the HECU marines because they HECU are there to bascially go in and kill everyone and everything in Black Mesa if things go to shit. Anyways. Gordon fights everything and ends up going to Xen and kills the Nialanth which is the giant alien baby-looking thing which had every other alien under it's control, it was also the last on it's kind. So yeah Gordon kills it then the G-man shows up and is like "Hey Gordon. Join me or I'll let all the remaining aliens kill you" so Gordon joins him. And twenty years later Gordon wakes up on a train going to City 17, which is one of the last remaining urban centers after the Combine, a race of fascist aliens took over the world after finding earth through the Resonance Cascade and they took over the whole world. Anyways now everyone is kinda like. Under the Combine's rule. So anyways Barney finds Gordon and brings him to Dr. Kleiner (Dr. Kleiner is Gordon's mentor and science dad) and everyone is so happy to see Gordon! That's also when we first meet Alyx (she is my wife I love her) and Gordon gets his power armour back, and he has to go to Black Mesa east where Eli is (Eli is Alyx's dad and Gordon's old co-worker) and he goes to do that and Comine shoot at him. Oh yeah Gordon's old boss Dr. Breen is working with the Comine that's important. Anyways he gets to Black Mesa East and sees Eli again (Alyx is also there cuz she teleported first but Gordon didn't) and they hang out a bit (Eli's friend Judith Mossman is there too, she's important) before Black Mesa East gets attacked because SOMEONE ratted them out so everyone scatters and Gordon has to go to Ravenholm (We don't go the Ravenholm) which is filled with zombies and there's this preist guy named Father Grigori is there, he's chill, he gives Gordon a shotgun and they fight the zombies together before Ravenholm gets set on fire and Father Grigori runs into the flames because he won't leave his people. So Gordon is just kinda there now. And then he finds out Eli is at Nove Prospekt (The Combine's really big prison) so Gordon goes on a road trip to find him. He also finds out what Antlions are are also learns how to control them throught the pheremone pods the antlions have. So he gets to Nova Prospekt and tries to find Eli and fights some guards and antlions and shit but Eli isn't there! So he meets up with Alyx again and they go back to Kleiner's lab. They also found out Judith betrayed everyone because she hates Gordon for taking her job. Anyways. So it turns out an entire week has passed way to fast because of the teleporter mishap. And the uprising started! Yay! So yeah they decide to go to the Citadel. Barney joins them and they head to the Citadel, and Gordo gets in (Alyx got captured) Breen tried to get Gordon to betray his friends and but Gordon...didnt say anything, I am sure he is mute. Anyways Breen tried to contact the Combine and ends up dying, Gordon, Alyx and Eli escape, and the Citadel blows up then G-man shows up again and is just like "Just checking in <3"

Anyways that's just. 1 and 2. There are other episodes to Half Life 2 and also Half Life Alyx but my arms hurt

[randomrainswap]

List of Swaps

This is the list of swaps. I'll make individual posts for each one after this.

X -> Y (Z), X takes the role of Y and is now called Z. Some parts of X may be introduced into Y.

List of Slugcats Survivor -> Spearmaster (The Outlaw) Monk -> Artificer (The Samaritan) Hunter -> Rivulet (The Courier) Artificer -> Monk (The Technician) Gourmand -> Saint (The Cleric) Rivulet -> Survivor (The Wayfarer) Spearmaster -> Gourmand (The Juggernaut) Saint -> Hunter (The Revenant)

List of Iterators Moon -> Suns (Looks to the Sun) Pebbles -> Moon (Five Moons) NSH -> Sliver (Sliver of Harassment) Suns -> NSH (No Significant Sunlight) Sliver -> Pebbles (Pebbles and Straws) Innocence -> Wind (Chasing Innocence) Wind -> Innocence (Unparalleled Wind)

List of Regions Outskirts -> The Underhang (Hanging Suburbs) Industrial Complex -> The Wall (Stratospheric Factory) Drainage System -> Garbage Wastes (Jammed Pipelines) Chimney Canopy -> Shoreline (Smokestack Coast) Garbage Wastes -> Shaded Citadel (Junkyard Cathedral) Shaded Citadel -> Sky Islands (Shadowy Transmitters) The Leg -> Pipeyard (Gravity Pumps) The Underhang -> Drainage System (Electric Sewers) The Wall -> Outskirts (Outer Fortifications) Shoreline -> Farm Arrays (Kelp Plantation) Sky Islands -> Subterranean (Aerial Tramways) Farm Arrays -> Chimney Canopy (Elevated Shafts) Subterranean -> Metropolis (Hidden City) Pipeyard -> Industrial Complex (Valve Center) Outer Expanse -> The Leg (Overgrown Struts) Metropolis -> Outer Expanse (Distant Ruins)

[finalmediaprojectethos0706]

Focused Research

Upon literally flipping a coin I have decided to go with idea 1, with my main focus being modelling and atmospheric design using software like Maya and Unreal Engine.

One of my main influences going into this project will be the works of Arsi Patala (known online as Hakita) and his game ULTRAKILL, specifically how he demonstrates the ability to portray scale in the game using the Earthmovers, massive war machines that roam around in some of the levels and serve as ones of the bosses in the game:

During a developer livestream hosted on Hakita's YouTube channel he commented on how he and his development team went about creating the atmosphere and the level around the earthmovers scale, and how they use level fog, distant meteors and the desert environment to reinforce just how large and unstoppable the earthmover really is.

My next inspiration comes from the works of Valve, specifically their game series' half-life and counter strike, with both series demonstrating their ability to portray different types of warzones and apocalyptic atmosphere using a realistic yet incredibly grounded and optimized artstyle.

(I specifically love their use of atmospherics like fog and volumetric lighting)

In this developer commentary, a valve employee describes how to introduce the player to the setting, plot and characters of the game, as well as familiarizing the player with who they are playing as. They also introduce the antagonist of the game, the combine, by showing the construction of the citadel, a supermassive beacon-like skyscraper that's comprised of various cables, scaffolding and construction helicopters.

[tc-fmp]

FOCUSED RESEARCH: HALF-LIFE2

Half-Life 2 is a first-person shooter game developed by Valve. This game combines multiple genres to create a unique shooter experience which is enjoyable and engaging.

I am looking into Half-Life 2 as it is a first-person shooter, which is similar to my concept (though I have yet to decided if I will produce a third-person or first-person shooter).

[1] Half-Life 2 gradually eases the player into a new world and new mechanics. Players will feel comfortable with the controls and mechanics even if they have never played the original Half-Life, or even a shooter game.

[2] Half-Life 2 uses certain techniques in level design to generate a confusing yet engaging experience. This is shown in certain structures within parts of the map, for example - the Citadel, which is a large sky-scraper-like structure which is designed in such a way that it makes players question what the actual identity of the Combine (the antagonistic force in HL2) truly is.

[3] In Half-Life 2's development, Valve used a new physics engine to simulate real-world physics in order to create new gameplay elements and a sense of presence within the virtual world. This is an excellent example of innovation within computer games, and creates a way for players to solve puzzles in multiple ways.

^ The Combine Citadel in City 17 - Half-Life 2.

I find Half-Life 2 very interesting for my project as it uses components and techniques which help create a unique puzzle/shooter experience. Because of this, I may incorporate a puzzle element into my game.

REFERENCES:

1: Accardo, S. (2004). Half-Life 2 Review. GameSpy. Available at: pc.gamespy.com/pc/half-life-2/566585p1.html [Accessed 1 Mar. 2024]

2: MacLeod, R. (2016). Half-Life2: The Kotaku Review. Kotaku. Available at: kotaku.com/half-life-2-the-kotaku-review-1784133992 [Accessed 1 Mar. 2024]

3: Keighley, G. (2016). The Final Hours of Half-Life 2. GameSpot. Available at: www.gamespot.com/articles/the-final-hours-of-half-life-2/1100-6112889/

[internetskiff]

If u ask me the biggest crime valve committed on the Half Life franchise isn't the perpetual lack of a third installment and it's definitely not the fact that we'll never get to see the Borealis. No. What I want to see the most is Breen's idea of televised entertainment. I wanna see the jugglers. How does that even work. I have made a rough interpretation in Garry's Mod.

How does he even get entertainers to appear on his show. Isn't it all filmed in the Citadel? Does he just have Elites come in and put bags over people's heads and drag them to the Citadel's TV studio? Or does he dress the stalkers up to look as presentable as possible and then make them juggle for the camera. PLEAAASE we need more Breen-TV. All Freeman ever saw were the designated propaganda cultural education hours. During his little adventure in Nova Prospekt he missed like a dozen different episodes. Breen's going through all this trouble tracking down ex-entertainers currently living in City 17 and bringing them over to relive their glory days and we NEVER see that.

[narklos]

Half-Life Links and Resources

I've put together all of the links I've collected over the years relating to Half-Life for you all to peruse and enjoy.

If you feel like I've missed something, shoot me an ask and I'll add it. :,)

Take a peek under the cut, and have fun!

Gordon Freeman's Bio

Raising the Bar (Book of HL1 and HL2's development)

Half-Life Magazine Archive

HL2's Original Opening Scene Script

TCRF's Proto HL2 Documentation

TWHL's Forums

My own collection of HL model references

My own collection of cut/unused G-Man voicelines

VCC Wiki (Treasure trove of unreleased Valve resources)

Project Beta (Archives HL2's development builds and art)

SourceRuns (Forum) (Wiki)

Archived City17 Forums

Leaked Beta HLA Ending (HLA basically had a hard reset on its development a year into the game's devcycle, that's a whole 'nother rabbit hole)

Cut HL maps in the Postal 3 Leak

HL2's E3 Presentation Assets (Tech Demo) (Trailer) (Assets) (Download)

Mike Shapiro (G-Man's VA) Singing the Blues!

HLA - Lost Radio in the Vault

The HLA Black Mesa Conspiracy Theorist (Many believe this to be Barney's hideout, as Barney was meant to appear in HLA but was cut)

HL2 EP2 Cut Citadel Destruction (Addon is no longer available)

An Unused G-Man Ravenholm Appearance

'Human Science' Pre-Vis (Cut Dr Breen speech from HLA)

Return to Ravenholm (Cancelled Episode 4)

Some forums going over the HL2 2003 Leak (Winamp) (Techspot) (Leak Download)

HL1's 1997 Alpha (Steam) (Project Beta)

Archived Facepunch Forums

Kerry Davis' Door Talk (This was during HLA's development but before the game was announced, and goes through a lot of the tech we'd see in the released game. Back then, HLA was known only in code leaks as 'HLVR'. Remember- HLA had a massive reset in its production!)

Gabe Newell Officially Announces HL3!!11

[gingerhotelsindia]

What Are The Best Places To Visit In Vadodra? Where To Stay?

Vadodara (previously Baroda) is Gujarat's third largest city, located on the banks of the Vishwamitri River to the south of Ahmedabad. The historic quarter of Vadodara is dominated by massive monuments, galleries, and lawns documenting Indian history.

Sayajirao III, a foresighted emperor who instituted free elementary education and laid the groundwork for great institutions like the Bank of Baroda, a railway system, and Maharaja Sayajirao University, envisioned the tinsel town. There are also many good options for accommodation in Vadodara.

Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the city's nominal ruler, is responsible for much of the city's splendors. He was a renowned modernizer who established Vadodara's modern status as Gujarat's cultural capital. Vadodara is now known around the world for its intoxicating blend of spectacular art, intriguing vistas, and active street life.

Even the suburbs of Vadodara are popular destinations for tourists. The old town of Champaner, also a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site, is only a few kilometers from Vadodara. Champaner, located in the foothills of Pavgadh, has a citadel, mosque, palaces, and tombs that are guarded by massive gateways.

Vadodara, Gujarat's cultural hub, has every reason on the planet to be on every tourist's travel bucket list.

Let’s see the best tourist places along with the best hotels in Vadodara Gujarat.

Laxmi Vilas Palace is the first. Laxmi Vilas Palace, one of India's most majestic monuments, exudes a distinct blend of grandeur and wealth. The palace was built in 1890 as the private home of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III.

The Indo-Saracenic-style palace incorporates Hindu, Neo-Mughal, Mughal-Gothic, and Indo-Gothic architectural features, including arches and domes. Laxmi Vilas Palace, one of Vadodara's most prominent landmarks, houses several buildings, including Makarpura Palace, the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum, Moti Baug Palace, and Pratap Vilas Palace.

Sur Sagar Lake is yet another popular attraction in Vadodra. Sur Sagar Lake, located in the heart of the city, was once a tiny pond established by Shri Sureshwar Desai, and it was named after him. It is also in close proximity to hotels in Vadodara Gujarat.

This 18th-century lake, also known as Chandan Talav, features numerous underground valves to manage water if it overflows. Sur Sagar Lake, one of the top sites to visit in Baroda, is known for its 120-foot-tall statue of Lord Shiva amid the lake. This lake's cool ambiance and quiet beauty make it an ideal area for folks to sit and unwind.

The Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery is the next stunning location. The Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery, located in Sayaji Baug, was erected in 1887 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad for the education of various topics and had items chosen by the King himself.

The Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery, one of the prominent Vadodara attractions, is a fusion of Maratha and European architectural styles. This museum's collection covers Geology, Geography, Palaeontology, Osteology, Anthropology, and other subjects. This museum's art exhibit also has works from Portuguese, British, Dutch, Spanish, and Italian schools, among others. It is also in close proximity to hotels in Vadodara Gujarat.

Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary is the final stop. The Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, located approximately 70 kilometers from Vadodara, is one of the city's primary attractions. The refuge was founded in 1989, but it was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1990.

Currently, this wildlife refuge is home to around 17 different species of animals, such as the giant squirrel, Indian flying fox, rusty-spotted cat, and sloth bears. The Jambughoda Animal Sanctuary, one of Gujarat's top national parks, is a haven for nature and wildlife enthusiasts.

There is no shortage of ancient landmarks and other tourist attractions in Vadodara.

With so much to explore and discover, a well-timed trip is needed for sure. To increase the quality of your stay, good hotels in Vadodara Gujarat with excellent services are a must.

Vadodara, one of Gujarat's main cities, is an industrially important, commercial, and cultural center. It also contains the state's largest university, Maharaja Sayajirao University. Whether you are a business or leisure traveler, the hotel's central location gives convenient access to both the train station and the airport. The hotel has a banquet hall that can seat more than 300 people, as well as a multi-cuisine restaurant.

Ginger Hotels Vadodara is the ideal combination of a simple style and cutting-edge amenities complemented by exceptional service. For fantastic exercise, visit the in-house fitness center, which is outfitted with the latest machines. The hotel is about a 5-minute drive from the Baroda Junction Railway Station. A 5-minute walk from the hotel lies the popular Seven Seas Mall.

Why are Ginger hotels the best option for you when searching for accommodation in Vadodara? It is because of the hotel’s close proximity to other important locations. More than 100 travelers liked the property's location due to its proximity to the market.

[thetoxicgamer]

Valve’s Dota, Not Half Life, Reportedly Inspires Neon Prime

Fan ideas about what kind of game the enigmatic logo would ultimately become were immediately sparked by the Valve Neon Prime announcement, which ushers in a new era for the venerable Half-Life and Portal creators. Dota 2, which is well-known for its action RPG games and vintage MOBAs, suggests that we might anticipate something more in the vein of the latter. Valve leaker Tyler McVicker dropped a cheeky hint about Neon Prime (the mysterious new Valve trademark) on October 26. “Valve Software’s indev game, Neon Prime, is likely a Dota-adjacent Sci-Fi game, made by Icefrog, taking place in other dimensions, such as the Continuum or the Moons of Ultoria. It is likely not an FPS, and obviously, unrelated to Half-Life: Citadel, Valve’s other indev game.” For avid fans of Valve’s cult classic IPs, the announcement is both a blessing and a curse. While for Dota fans it would be exciting to learn more about the mysterious Continuum or traverse the barren lunar landscapes of Ultoria’s moons, it seems like a lot of people were hoping for anything but Dota. “Tbh constant Dota stuff wouldn’t be so annoying if they weren’t breaking or leaving their other games and IPs to collect dust,” writes one, while another comments “more Dota,” with a GIF of a man sleeping. On the flip side, one response reads, “whilst I don’t like Dota, it’s not because of the gameplay, just because I don’t find the IP particularly interesting. A sci-fi take on the genre could be cool.” It’s no secret that Dota 2 has been struggling recently, with TI11 providing yet more evidence that the game is slowly dwindling in popularity. With a smaller prize pool than previous years and declining viewer stats that some attribute to Valve’s alleged lack of planning, Dota does need something new – maybe even Dota 3. On the other hand, though, there are a whole lot of amazing Valve franchises that could also use a fresh lick of paint. Half Life, Portal, CS:GO, and many more have fallen by the wayside, and still have passionate fanbases that are champing at the bit for something new. While we wait to see what creeps out of the shadows regarding Neon Prime, be sure to check out our list of the best FPS games – Half Life 2 is there, don’t worry. For those more Dota inclined, we have a breakdown of all of the best Dota 2 heroes, too. Read the full article

[mainsmaximum]

Lethal league blaze screaming to 1 mill

You are given the task of finding the hidden heir to a throne that sits empty, the previous emperor having been killed by an unknown assassin. Oblivion is a single-player game that takes place in Tamriel's capital province, Cyrodiil. Along the way, players experience the heat of gunfights and battles, meet a host of unique characters, struggle against the harshness of one of the world’s last remaining wildernesses, and ultimately pick their own precarious path through an epic story about the death of the Wild West and the gunslingers that inhabited it. Utilizing Rockstar's proprietary Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE), Red Dead Redemption features an open-world environment for players to explore, including frontier towns, rolling prairies teeming with wildlife, and perilous mountain passes - each packed with an endless flow of varied distractions. The story of former outlaw, John Marston, Red Dead Redemption takes players on a great adventure across the American frontier. ĭeveloped by Rockstar San Diego, as a follow up to the 2004 hit game Red Dead Revolver, Red Dead Redemption is a Western epic, set at the turn of the 20th century when the lawless and chaotic badlands began to give way to the expanding reach of government and the spread of the Industrial Age. The game's daring new art style features the most advanced graphics of any Source-based game released to date. Team Fortress 2 - an all-new version of the legendary title that spawned team based multiplayer action games. Portal - a pioneering type of single player action game that rewrites the rules for how players approach and manipulate their environment – much like how Half-Life 2's Gravity Gun reinvented the way gamers interact with objects in the game. Half-Life 2: Episode Two - the second installment in Valve's episodic trilogy advances the award-winning story, leading the player to new locations outside of City 17. Freeman reconnects with Alyx Vance and her robot, Dog, as they continue their support of the resistance's battle against the Combine forces. Freeman, who must immediately face the repercussions of his actions in City 17 and the Citadel. Half-Life 2: Episode One - The player reprises his role of Dr. And a lot of people - people he cares about - are counting on him. Freeman is thrust into the unenviable role of rescuing the world from the wrong he unleashed back at Black Mesa. Games included in The Orange Box compilation: The original Half-Life 2 - The player again picks up the crowbar of research scientist Gordon Freeman, who finds himself on an alien-infested Earth being picked to the bone, its resources depleted, its populace dwindling. Make meaningful choices and mature decisions, ultimately culminating in the grand question: do you exploit the innocent survivors of Rapture.or save them? Experience truly next generation graphics that vividly illustrate the forlorn art deco city, highlighted by the most detailed and realistic water effects ever developed in a video game. Explore a living world powered by Ecological A.I., where the inhabitants have interesting and consequential relationships with one another that impact your gameplay experience. Genetically modify your body through dozens of Plasmid Stations scattered throughout the city, empowering you with fantastic and often grotesque abilities. Upgrade your weapons with ionic gels, explosives and toxins to customize them to the enemy and environment. Take control of your world by hacking mechanical devices, commandeering security turrets and crafting unique items critical to your very survival. Now the city is littered with corpses, wildly powerful guardians roam the corridors as little girls loot the dead, and genetically mutated citizens ambush you at every turn. Constructed as an idealistic society for a hand picked group of scientists, artists and industrialists, the idealism is no more. After your plane crashes into icy uncharted waters, you discover a rusted bathysphere and descend into Rapture, a city hidden beneath the sea. Going beyond "run and gun corridors," "monster-closet AIs" and static worlds, BioShock creates a living, unique and unpredictable FPS experience.