Posts by Kalashnikov

  • Vapour: A Third-Party STEAM

    Have you wanted to find a fast and simple way to distribute your map files, models, texture sets or modifications? STEAM presently does not support sections dedicated to third-party modification downloading on its network, which is where Vapour comes in. Vapour is run by the community as a fast and easy way to download modifications, levels, custom models and more! Presently, support is for:

    * Half-Life2 Mods

    * Half-Life2 Custom Maps

    * Day of Defeat: Source Maps

    * Doom3 Mods

    * Quake3 Mods

    * Quake4 Mods

    * UT2004 Mods

    With Battlefield 2, Half-Life 1 and Counter-Strike maps coming soon! If you r a level designer or modmaker who wants to get your work out into the hands of more people, people who can help you distribute your files further on a growing network: then stop by http://www.vapour-online.com and look around. With almost two dozen DM maps presently hosted, and a growing number of DoD:S (after its addition only recently), your map will be able to be downloaded by over 3000 members since its release in Sept 2005.

    In addition to that, expect the following features:

    Play Mods - Mods that you already have installed with be automatically detected. Just double click to launch!

    Install new mods and maps - You can browse new mods and maps online and automatically install them with one click!

    Update existing mods and maps - You can automatically download updates for the mods that you have installed without having to wait in download lines or hunt around for a site that doesn't require your first-born to let you download files.

    Find servers to play on - You can get a list of servers running a particular mod, and double clicking on one will automatically connect you.

    Chat with players - Chat with other players about the game you're playing, organize a pick up, swap strategies, or challenge them to a match!

  • Black Mesa: Source | Recruiting

    Vehicle modelers are already hard at work, designing several vehicles (Tanks, Abrams, Helicopters, Ospreys, and several variations of BMRF Vehicles).

    We have a great respect for Valve's original work, which is why much of what we do is expand upon the greatest that was. Levels such as Inbound, Surface Tension, and others are receiving extensive overhauls to push the engine, while some levels are being treated along the same lines except with many new sights to see.

    If you pick up the September Edition (last months) of PCGamerUK, you can see our grunt in-game. Or, you can stop by our website and under exposure, find the one-page article on us.

  • Black Mesa: Source | Recruiting

    Quote from patriot

    Looks like a good mod, even though I dont think remaking something good is that good of an idea.

    Well, many people have said this in the past. We decided that since we love the original so much, we would give it the respect and make-over it deserves so that new gamers to the Half-Life continum can play the original in Source greatness.

    To the comments directed at the rocks in the skybox of the Surface Tension shot: yes, we know. The rocks placed there are temporary in order to "fill" the skybox for the PCGamer exclusive shots that were to be taken. The actual skybox will be implemented, creating a universal skybox for the entire facility. So, when surfacing for the first time from We've Got Hostiles, you will see a landmark from one side or from one angle. Then, after traveling once more and resurfacing in Surface Tension, you may (depending on distances) see this landmark again: except this time from a new perspective, distance, angle, et cetera. We want not only to have the player know he is traveling a great distance by the levels themselves, but we want the skybox to also reflect this: thereby creating a more immersive experience when the player looks to the sky and sees the large beckoning rock he saw several hours ago in WGH.

    The intended reaction by this is "WOW, I've gone far."

    Thank you for the kind comments, if anyone has any constructive criticism they would like to share on the models, levels, textures or music: feel free to share them. The developers agree that constructive criticism is better then praise: it lets us know what we need to change to make it right, and that our fans are looking deeply at our work.

  • Black Mesa: Source | Recruiting

    A new version of the website is presently up, and allows users who cannot use the Flash version to opt out and use the HTML version provided. Also, an overview of our last media release is below. The first post has been updated with positions we are still seeking as well as details about our project.

  • Finding a mod team worth your while 101

    Small make-shift Non-Disclosure Agreements are part of almost all of the high-quality modifications out there. The big thing about NDAs and mods is that you can't freely show media outside of the development team without prior approval from everyone involved.

    For example, with Black Mesa: Source, that is pretty much what our MNDA (Media Non-Disclosure Agreement) says. All we have is that, saying "don't release media unless the majority of the team thinks its ready to be shown". I constantly find many teams who have fully pleged, corporate NDAs and I am still bound by three or four, but modifications are, as the author of this thread said, meant to be fun. Many of our developers run free with the ideas of what they have and we communicate to put everyone else's ideas together into one.

    Modifications today rely far too much on public interest to keep them going. Modifications such as Opposing Force continuations rely simply on that, which is why none of them have been successful thus far. With something like Insurgency, they want to make something they want to see, and it just so happens that a large majority of other HL2 gamers want the same thing: myself included. Fortress-Forever, another example of a modification that the developers WANT to make, and also, as a plus, that the community wants to play.

    Either way, modification work is definitly not what it used to be: especially in the light of 1000 other modifications usually working towards the same things as yours. In todays world, along with Day of Defeat, Counter-Strike, et cetera: a lot of people want to make a mod and be bought by Valve: again this has changed the modding world. Especially more that (in my belief) 50% of today's professional game developers have come from the third-party world, many developers start young to be able to follow careers in the design world.

  • Black Mesa: Source | Recruiting

    We cannot please everyone and some just quite simply don't want us to produce Black Mesa: Source, but we're constructing it anyways. We aren't producing this to please everyone, we're producing this because we want to see Black Mesa in all its Source goodness. We recently had a media release via our website, and we are still seeking texture artists and model skinners.

  • Remake HL textures

    Hello everyone,

    I'm Kalashnikov from the Black Mesa: Source modification and as we are presently seeking texture artists to fill positions on-board the development team, we were wondering if any of you are interested in working on such a project. If this is not possible for whatever reason, would you be interested in seeing your work in the modification? There are many very good quality pieces of work here and we would be honoured to be able to use them in BMS. If interested, please contact myself via: [email protected]

    Either way, keep up the excellant work.

  • Black Mesa: Source

    Yes, Kester said that if he was going to do one map: he had might as welll do them all as they'll want to be see the same kind of design and look/feel to the areas (thus creating a uniform world). We are taking the original and putting it on a new platform to "raise the bar" even higher then HL:S or HL1. We are here to recreate the experience the way it SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECREATED. Increased polycounts, improved level geometry, smarter enemies, etc.

  • Black Mesa: Source

    As of right now, just one: 'Half-Life: Black Mesa'. At present time they seem to be a little hostile towards us, attempting to make it seem they're going to accomplish a better job, but then again you never know until you begin to see some quality work coming out from both development teams.

  • Black Mesa: Source

    We are presently (and actively) looking for individuals to fill the following roles in our development saga.

    -- Modellers - The Black Mesa: Source Development Team is presently in need of two additional modelers to work in the areas of weapon models, physics props and npc/monster models. These will consist of the normal Half-Life 1 weaponry, several variations of the human grunts, scientists, barney's, as well as many physics props which will be added throughout the game. If you are interested in this position, or know someone who is please contact me or have them contact me at the e-mail address below. Examples of past work are a must.

    -- Texture artist - The Black Mesa: Source Development Team is presently in need of two texture artists who are able and willing to be apart of a modification development team. The primary functions of the texture artist will include the complete 'redo' of the original Half-Life 1 textures to be used in Black Mesa: Source, except at far higher resolutions allowing for a higher level of detail. Texture Artists will be expected to work closely with development (more importantly modelers and level designers) in order to create the most situational perfect textures they can create. Past examples of work are a must. (PRIORITY POSITION)

    -- Skinner - The Black Mesa: Source Development Team is presently in need of one skinner in order to apply completed textures to weapons & models. Past work is a must.

    -- Animators- The Black Mesa: Source Development Team is presently in need of two animators to work on weapons & npc/monster animations. Work will range from weapons fire, reloading, switching, npc/monster walking, running, shooting, and other visual animations. Past exampes of work are a must. (PRIORITY POSITION)

    -- Sprite & Decal Artist - The Black Mesa: Source Development Team is presently in need of one Sprite & Decal Artist to aid in the development of entitiy sprites & decals which will be used throughout the modification. Past examples of work are a must.

  • Black Mesa: Source

    Hello everyone,

    I'm Kalashnikov from the Black Mesa: Source over at [email protected]

    OR

    Post in the 'Applications' Thread on our forums.

    ADDITION: I'd like to say something regarding our modification. Many people have come forward and asked us 'to keep it exactly the same' and 'don't change a thing'. We point those individuals in the right direction: "Half-Life: Source". We don't take in all of the submissions and ideas that people suggest, just those that work with the storyline as not to shift it too much: we're reproducing Half-Life, Not Jefferson's-Life. One of our main points of development will be new and modern level design based upon how the original was and looked with the new additions of Source. Our most important area of development is easily the code: single-handedly it can provide us with improved game-play and monster actions, and it can also break any modification. We intend to bring the player the best of both: and you can hold us to those words.

  • Remake HL textures

    I don't see much error in terms of tiling for that textures, all I see is a bunch of white errors which muck it up! Anyways, I've gotten all the textures onto one file server now, but I know there is another out there. Is everyone alright with our development team using the textures (all credits given of course)?

  • Remake HL textures

    Really looking sharp guys, and with that said I'm wondering if you'd be willing to help out with another initative going on as of yet.

    I'm representing the Community Development Project HL Source v1.0.0.leakfree (our own cute little map) and have been looking around for different replacements for models, textures, sounds, etc. We're basically looking for a complete overhaul of Half-Life to really take advantage of the Source Engine's capabilities. So this is where you would come in, with six year old textures we cannot truely make the levels unique enough to stand out, but with your textures and your dedication we can. We already have three level designers on with two other modellers showing interest in the project, but we're always looking for more people to come and help out.

    So, if have a relative or friend that would make a valuable addition to the Black Mesa Team, stop by the Project Recruitment Center provided by the link below:

    http://forum.leakfree.org/viewtopic.php?t=202

    (If you can guess what the above statement is from, you get a cookie ) Regardless if you want to contribute to our project or not, I wish you all the best of luck with your textures and I KNOW for a fact that you'll get some very serious reconigntion for this work.