Guru3D Rig of the Month - January 2020
Palit GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER GamingPro review
Team Group T-Force DarkZα 3600 MHz DDR4 review
Corsair Scimitar Elite RGB gaming mouse review
Cougar 700K Evo keyboard review
Aorus Liquid Cooler 360 review
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X review
Corsair A500 CPU air cooler review
Palit GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GamingPRO review
Lamptron SM436 PCI fan/RGB controller review
Steam Early Access Black Mesa out
A teaser countdown on a website related to Half-Life fan remake Black Mesa has come to an end, and it's revealed a Steam Early Access version of the project that's now available. $20 gets you the Early Access version of Black Mesa, which contains roughly 85 percent of the single-player campaign.
This represents an estimated 10 hours of gameplay right now--everything up to the Lambda Core chapter. That means the Xen chunks of Half-Life still aren't here; they were also missing from the free, unfinished version of the game released in 2012. This Early Access release also offers multiplayer, with deathmatch and team deathmatch modes on six "completely reimagined" maps from the original Half-Life currently available.
Black Mesa is a re-envisioning of Valve Software's seminal classic Half-Life. Gordon Freeman and his unforgettable journey through the Black Mesa Research Facility have been lovingly re-created to capture the full spirit of the original game, without 1998’s graphical limitations. This is Half-Life the way it was meant to be played!
Expect tremendously detailed environments, old-school tough-as-nails combat, and a gripping story with memorable characters. The all-new soundtrack, voice acting, choreography and dialogue create a more expansive and immersive experience than ever before. Nostalgia has never felt so fresh!
The Steam release of Black Mesa includes various fixes, upgrades, and new features since Black Mesa’s mod release.
Heavily updated single player experience – The Black Mesa single player experience has greatly improved from the mod release; new visuals, new voice over, updated gameplay encounters, stability changes and more. Xen is not part of the Steam release of Black Mesa, but will included as a free update when it is ready.
Black Mesa Multiplayer – Fight with or against your friends, in two game modes across six iconic maps from the Half-Life Deathmatch universe: Bounce, Gasworks, Lambdabunker, Stalkyard, Subtransit and Undertow.
Custom Modding Tools – Use the same tools the developers used to create your own mods, modes and maps for Black Mesa and Black Mesa Multiplayer …
Fully integrated Workshop – … and then share your work on the fully integrated workshop!
Complete Steam Integration – Collect trading cards, backgrounds, emoticons, achievements, and everything else you would expect out of a Steam integrated game
More info here.
pimp_gimp
Senior Member
Posts: 6600
Joined: 2004-05-13
Senior Member
Posts: 6600
Joined: 2004-05-13
#5064058 Posted on: 05/06/2015 08:14 AM
I don't typically buy early access projects as many are poorly supported by the developers or abandoned. Seeing as the BMS team has already released the free version, I made an exception with this as I think this team deserves the support and to see their work come full circle.
I don't typically buy early access projects as many are poorly supported by the developers or abandoned. Seeing as the BMS team has already released the free version, I made an exception with this as I think this team deserves the support and to see their work come full circle.
RealNC
Senior Member
Posts: 3131
Joined: 2011-11-24
Senior Member
Posts: 3131
Joined: 2011-11-24
#5064187 Posted on: 05/06/2015 01:30 PM
Why do people call it a mod? It's not a mod of anything. It's a remake. From scratch. Using the Source engine.
If this is a mod, then Half Life 2 is a mod. How many people call Half Life 2 a mod?
Why do people call it a mod? It's not a mod of anything. It's a remake. From scratch. Using the Source engine.
If this is a mod, then Half Life 2 is a mod. How many people call Half Life 2 a mod?
vbetts
Moderator
Posts: 14804
Joined: 2006-07-04
Moderator
Posts: 14804
Joined: 2006-07-04
#5064211 Posted on: 05/06/2015 02:21 PM
...I have been following Black Mesa development for so long, and just to play an updated version now it's $20?! That annoys me a lot.
I'll still probably buy it though...
...I have been following Black Mesa development for so long, and just to play an updated version now it's $20?! That annoys me a lot.
I'll still probably buy it though...
Teawithgrief
Unregistered
Unregistered
#5064237 Posted on: 05/06/2015 03:18 PM
20$ is NOTHING compared to the quality of game you get....
I know, you much rather pay 60$ for the annual COD garbage.
20$ is NOTHING compared to the quality of game you get....
I know, you much rather pay 60$ for the annual COD garbage.
kanej2007
Senior Member
Posts: 8365
Joined: 2007-08-07
Senior Member
Posts: 8365
Joined: 2007-08-07
#5064251 Posted on: 05/06/2015 03:34 PM
20$ is NOTHING compared to the quality of game you get....
I know, you much rather pay 60$ for the annual COD garbage.
Agreed. $20 is still a bargain for such a great game made from scratch.
20$ is NOTHING compared to the quality of game you get....
I know, you much rather pay 60$ for the annual COD garbage.
Agreed. $20 is still a bargain for such a great game made from scratch.
vbetts
Moderator
Posts: 14804
Joined: 2006-07-04
Moderator
Posts: 14804
Joined: 2006-07-04
#5064272 Posted on: 05/06/2015 04:04 PM
20$ is NOTHING compared to the quality of game you get....
I know, you much rather pay 60$ for the annual COD garbage.
The last good COD was COD4.
And I'll probably get it for $20, my issue is though Black Mesa was free before, and this version does add some new things but not a whole lot new from the free mod version.
20$ is NOTHING compared to the quality of game you get....
I know, you much rather pay 60$ for the annual COD garbage.
The last good COD was COD4.
And I'll probably get it for $20, my issue is though Black Mesa was free before, and this version does add some new things but not a whole lot new from the free mod version.
Reddoguk
Senior Member
Posts: 1804
Joined: 2010-05-26
Senior Member
Posts: 1804
Joined: 2010-05-26
#5064316 Posted on: 05/06/2015 04:58 PM
So this is a rehash of the rehash that was originally a rehash of another game.
Erm yea, played the Black Mesa mod and it was ok very very difficult even for an old skool shooter person.
I have played it far too much already, new shiny GFX and a few additions won't be worth the money for me.
They should of just done this mod in the first place and not allowed the old one to come out. You can play a game through once no problem, twice is even credible but three times? no thanks.
Only really one game that i played more than a few times was the original Far Cry, must of completed that game 10 times.
So this is a rehash of the rehash that was originally a rehash of another game.
Erm yea, played the Black Mesa mod and it was ok very very difficult even for an old skool shooter person.
I have played it far too much already, new shiny GFX and a few additions won't be worth the money for me.
They should of just done this mod in the first place and not allowed the old one to come out. You can play a game through once no problem, twice is even credible but three times? no thanks.
Only really one game that i played more than a few times was the original Far Cry, must of completed that game 10 times.
Aura89
Senior Member
Posts: 7746
Joined: 2008-07-31
Senior Member
Posts: 7746
Joined: 2008-07-31
#5064344 Posted on: 05/06/2015 05:37 PM
The last good COD was COD4.
And I'll probably get it for $20, my issue is though Black Mesa was free before, and this version does add some new things but not a whole lot new from the free mod version.
It adds the entire Xen portion of the game, when finished. By that i mean, you say it doesn't add much, but Xen will never be part of the free version, so therefore, Xen is only part of the paid version, and that's no small thing. Plus the whole multiplayer portion
The last good COD was COD4.
And I'll probably get it for $20, my issue is though Black Mesa was free before, and this version does add some new things but not a whole lot new from the free mod version.
It adds the entire Xen portion of the game, when finished. By that i mean, you say it doesn't add much, but Xen will never be part of the free version, so therefore, Xen is only part of the paid version, and that's no small thing. Plus the whole multiplayer portion
FranciscoCL
Senior Member
Posts: 207
Joined: 2015-03-23
Senior Member
Posts: 207
Joined: 2015-03-23
#5064389 Posted on: 05/06/2015 06:15 PM
I already play the free version some time ago, so I'll wait for Xen and maybe better price.
I already play the free version some time ago, so I'll wait for Xen and maybe better price.
vbetts
Moderator
Posts: 14804
Joined: 2006-07-04
Moderator
Posts: 14804
Joined: 2006-07-04
#5064394 Posted on: 05/06/2015 06:19 PM
What I do not understand is why couldn't the Xen portion of the game be finished without charging for the game? The mod was amazing and I'm happy to support it, just confused is all.
It adds the entire Xen portion of the game, when finished. By that i mean, you say it doesn't add much, but Xen will never be part of the free version, so therefore, Xen is only part of the paid version, and that's no small thing. Plus the whole multiplayer portion
What I do not understand is why couldn't the Xen portion of the game be finished without charging for the game? The mod was amazing and I'm happy to support it, just confused is all.
jbmcmillan
Senior Member
Posts: 2685
Joined: 2002-11-28
Senior Member
Posts: 2685
Joined: 2002-11-28
#5064446 Posted on: 05/06/2015 06:48 PM
I was surprised it was 20 bucks 9.99 maybe but 20 no thanks.
I was surprised it was 20 bucks 9.99 maybe but 20 no thanks.
bigfutus
Senior Member
Posts: 524
Joined: 2003-11-22
Senior Member
Posts: 524
Joined: 2003-11-22
#5064464 Posted on: 05/06/2015 07:01 PM
Pfft, i played the original Mass Effect 18 times and i can't remember how much i played Stalker (because mods), but must been 20+ times.
Only really one game that i played more than a few times was the original Far Cry, must of completed that game 10 times.
Pfft, i played the original Mass Effect 18 times and i can't remember how much i played Stalker (because mods), but must been 20+ times.
Aura89
Senior Member
Posts: 7746
Joined: 2008-07-31
Senior Member
Posts: 7746
Joined: 2008-07-31
#5064497 Posted on: 05/06/2015 07:27 PM
They say its because with the tools they had as free they can't make it the way they wanted, not sure how true or not that is or etc. though
What I do not understand is why couldn't the Xen portion of the game be finished without charging for the game? The mod was amazing and I'm happy to support it, just confused is all.
They say its because with the tools they had as free they can't make it the way they wanted, not sure how true or not that is or etc. though
drwoodcomb
Junior Member
Posts: 19
Joined: 2015-04-24
Junior Member
Posts: 19
Joined: 2015-04-24
#5064498 Posted on: 05/06/2015 07:27 PM
how close is this to the original half-life
I never played the original half-life so I was wondering if someone who has played it can tell me if this game is a mod or if this game was remade from the ground up. If it was made from scratch how close is it to the original game. With the exception to better graphics.
how close is this to the original half-life
I never played the original half-life so I was wondering if someone who has played it can tell me if this game is a mod or if this game was remade from the ground up. If it was made from scratch how close is it to the original game. With the exception to better graphics.
Click here to post a comment for this news story on the message forum.
Senior Member
Posts: 798
Joined: 2006-09-14
Been meaning to check out the "mod" back in the day but never got round to it. Good that it's on Steam now and with light of the Valve/Bethesda fiasco last week THIS is the type of mod I'd pay money for, not some ****ty fishing mini game.