Dear Esther is part of a research project, creating experimental game mods, based at the University of Portsmouth, UK. The aim was to use Source to create something radically different from normal: an interactive story that dispensed with traditional gameplay and focused instead on an open-ended, semi-random narrative.

More information about the mod and its aims, and the overall project can be found on the website. Also look out for two more mods coming soon: Conscientious Objector (Doom 3) and Antlion Soccer (Half Life 2 Deathmatch)

Thanks for looking - any feedback would be fantastic.

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Dear Esther Remake - update 25/10/2009 Dear Esther Remake - update 25/10/2009 Dear Esther Remake - update 25/10/2009
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32 comments by Henley on Oct 31st, 2009 digg this super bookmark


Ghosts, Zombies, Vampires and other monster boggiewoggies. Halloween is a great time to get into the scarier movies and games to give yourself a good fright. Last year on ModDB I created a video for the top ten voted spooky mods by our community, it had some interesting results to say the least with the popular but not always scary mods took the cherry. This year we will do something a little different, I have compiled a list of singleplayer mods (because we all know being alone in the dark really sets the mood) for different engines that you should check out if you want to get your spook on.

Mistake -1 (Half-Life)

Mistake -1 is the prequel to 'Mistake' and tells the story of Steve Rick, a patient from the Andrew Parker asylum, who harbors a dark secret. A very spooky mod that uses the Goldsource engine very well. Creepy lighting and visual map changes creates something very unique and exciting.


Hollow Moon (Unreal Tournament 2004)

You arrive to the moon research station to work as heavy machinery engineer. From now on you are on your own. Created as more of an experiment for different means of showing audio-visual styles Hollow Moon boasts no environmental sounds, but what is produced is a thick atmosphere that few games or mods can come close too.


Paranoia (Half-Life)

You will play the role of a Russian officer of the secret service. Your first impressions are that this mission will be just like any other, but you really have no idea what nightmares future events have in store for you. Paranoia is one of the very best mods to come out of Half-Life for both engine expansion and content. A must download!


Curse Episodes (Half-Life 2)

Curse episodes is an Egyptian themed action/horror/puzzle/exploration FPS where the further you creep into the world of Curse the harder and more frightening the entire experience gets, its up to you how you want to play. A very unique and very amazing mod worthy of your attention and bandwidth!


Dear Esther (Half-Life 2)

A deserted island... a lost man... memories of a fatal crash... a book written by a dying explorer. Dear Esther is a ghost story told using first-person gaming technologies. If you want a very spooky interactive ghost story Dear Esther should be the mod for you, highly recommended by all the staff here on ModDB.


There are hundreds more mods and games out there that will help create a fantastic Halloween experience for you all, these are just some of the truly stand out mods that deserve to be the major source of your ghostly ahhs and eeiies. Hope you have a very frighting Halloween!

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Dear Esther v1.1 (fixed)

Dear Esther v1.1 (fixed)

Jan 22, 2009 Full Version 36 comments

Updated Dear Esther with fixed link to level 4. This fully replaces v1.0, please delete that and unzip this into your SourceMods folder

Dear Esther - Soundtrack

Dear Esther - Soundtrack

Jul 11, 2008 Music 17 comments

Jessica Curry's soundtrack for Dear Esther: 8 tracks as MPEG4s.

Dear Esther script

Dear Esther script

Jun 30, 2008 Guides 14 comments

This pdf contains the script for the interactive story Dear Esther, as requested...

Dear Esther.zip

Dear Esther.zip

Jun 27, 2008 Full Version 12 comments

Zip file for the Dear Esther mod. Unpack it into your source mods folder, restart Steam and it will show in the games list.

Comments  (20 - 30 of 432)
Apple24
Apple24 Sep 30 2009, 7:38am says:

Hey.
I'd like to sincerly thank you for making this mod; it was without a doubt one of the most genuinely interesting and thought-provoking experiences I have had the pleasure to play. Looking forward to downloading and playing Korsakovia.

Thanks again and keep up the good work.

+4 votes     reply to comment
kais246
kais246 Sep 27 2009, 11:39pm says:

Hey guys, great mod. I really love it, even though there isnt any combat at all (thats a good thing) i felt compelled to continue and finish.

I just need to check though, i *think* i have finished but im on a black screen after i have reached the summet and did the fly by.

Is this time for you to sit and think or am i supposed to wait for something?

Great mod again, thanks.
Kais246

+1 vote     reply to comment
chineseroom
chineseroom Sep 28 2009, 4:50am replied:

No, that's it. More of a question of how the hell do you end it? Credits, titles? Nothing else seemed to fit... just seemed kind of apt, really.. :)

+3 votes     reply to comment
kais246
kais246 Oct 2 2009, 1:25am replied:

Makes sence now that you mention it.

Might be worth putting a tiny little "the end" in one of the bottom corners. It would fade in then fade out again maybe?

Mind you it doesnt really matter, just suggestions : D

+1 vote     reply to comment
SpaceRanger
SpaceRanger Oct 4 2009, 8:05pm replied:

Since the name of the mod is dear esther...you should have something like Love george (or whatever the characters name is) and if you dont want to show the name make it semi erased or blured

+1 vote     reply to comment
DazJW
DazJW Oct 1 2009, 2:49pm replied:

I think you made the right choice. It leaves a gap during which you're not pressured to perform any actions and it gives you chance to reflect.

+1 vote     reply to comment
Kerensky
Kerensky Sep 27 2009, 4:39pm says:

Mod got featured on the PC Gamer disc this month. Just been playing it and it looks really good.
The only problems i have with it are a few of the narratives starting at the same point and overlapping and also the music.
Music is important as it adds atmosphere and the music here is fine, its only flaw is it is sometimes loud. I went in to the settings and reduced music level to zero with no effect which often meant i couldn't hear the narrative. Reduce the volume to background levels or have it cut out when he speaks and this mod will be great.

+1 vote     reply to comment
Rawket
Rawket Sep 27 2009, 9:22pm replied: Online

man, the guy walked pretty far for injuring his leg. >_>

+1 vote     reply to comment
Repzik
Repzik Sep 27 2009, 2:38pm replied:

This looks awesome! The only problem I saw in the video is that the waves come to the shore, but they don't recede. Is it possible for you to make the waves recede in source?

+1 vote     reply to comment
Repzik
Repzik Sep 27 2009, 2:47pm replied:

That wasn't meant to be a reply to Daz.

+1 vote     reply to comment
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chineseroom
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Release Date
Released Jun 19, 2008
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