Merry Christmas Black Mesa fans! We're proud to bring you some new media and updates on development progress!
First off, we'd like to draw attention to the fact that voting is taking place for Mod of the Year on the ModDB website! If you want to vote for us, visit this link, scroll down to Best Upcoming Mods, and click on our banner to vote!
Development has been going great and proceeding steadily towards completion. The team has really settled into an efficient development pattern, with very few bottlenecks arising in development now. Internal milestones have been organized to ensure a timely release, and we've been doing a great job of hitting those milestones. It's been very exciting to see so many different elements of development come together and make a playable game!
And now, to the media! We've decided to do a complete overhaul of almost all the previous screenshots, as well as offer them in a higher resolution, widescreen format. Previously released areas have undergone many changes during the course of the year, weapons have been tweaked and reanimated, and we've also got some new, previously unseen areas from both singleplayer and multiplayer to unveil!
This is not all, however, we've got a surprise in store that is currently in late stages of production and will be done very soon, we'll be sure and release it, as well as some other image-based media, when they are finished!
In an effort to keep the community more up to date with our progress, we've implemented a whole new "devblog" section to our website. Very WIP screenshots and informal text-based updates will be added to this section on a regular basis. Keep in mind that this is NOT to be considered official media, which is extremely polished and what we consider to be a glimpse of the final game. Rather, this is a look into the day-to-day workings of development structure and the community will be able to witness sneak peeks of different areas of development.
And finally, Black Mesa is seeking the following applicants as top priority:
- Compiling Technician
- Faceposer/Choreography Technician
- Character Artists
Details are available in the Jobs section, if you think you've got what it takes, don't hesitate to apply!
Until next time, we appreciate your support as we continue to work hard on Black Mesa!
Holy crap you guys added like 30 images to your gallery: Moddb.com
Cannot wait for the big surprize
i just got 45 updates. When I saw it was black mesa, i flipped. Awesome work guys
amen
Whoa, and you guys just put up a totally new Christmas Media News update found here!
SUPA :D
haszzar
YEEHAA!! i hoped for an update at the end of the year but this one far exceeds my expectations!
Now this is what you call a christmas update :D
All hail the Mighty Black Mesa crew! w00t!
Few really neat images here! G.Work!
Yet another lackluster and mostly bland media update, and a comment that will likely get buried by fanboys who can't stand negative comments about their favorite mod.
Its not about being negative or positive, you see issues how would you resolve them?
Burn the witch!
You almost make it sound as if you are annoyed by the fact that we showing progress?
I'm actually sick of people saying this. It seems that just because Black Mesa is a big popular mod I'm obliged to like it, which is crap. It also seems that everyone thinks that just because the mod I was on is dead, I'm bitter towards any other mod kinda the same thats successful, which is also ********. Just because I'm going against the grain with my comments about the mod doesn't mean that its because I'm bitter, or that I don't want you guys to make progress, or whatever. I just simply don't like alot of the stuff that I see, in the same way that alot of other people don't like other mods that they see. Is it possible for anyone to actually be a bit level headed and consider that 'yes, maybe someone just dislikes what they see for one reason or another?'
its not about liking or disliking. if you dont like something how would you do it differently or what solutions could you offer?
Then I suggest you go to each one of the pictures, and comment on what you dislike about them and add some substance to your complaint. Or don't, it's entirely up to you.
I agree with prob101. What would you fix?
Seriously, though, Wraiyth, what makes a media update interesting? Untextured weapons? Skinned weapons?
This isn't my favorite mod, but I support it because they do some great looking work. I'd like to see some of the organic enemies, though. That would make it more interesting for me.
I've said in the past that alot of the screenshots are simply bland and even too clean. Textures are repetitive, the lighting isn't very creative, there needs to be something to just... break up the look a bit. In short, it looks unnatural and when you're using a current-gen engine theres really no excuse not to have variation in lighting and texturing and everything. Props don't fit (are those barrels made from polished chrome? They're the shiniest barrels I've seen in my life).
"screenshots are simply bland and even too clean" im with wraith on this one
no disrespect to BM, im have nothing but respect for the general standard seen throughout their work. I am looking forward to it as a mod and as a remake of one of my favourite games, but as a game in its own right there's nothing i find particularly exciting.
The work is great don't get me wrong, but i think there's a massive variety of mods out there churning out equally great work who don't get nearly, nearly the same level of exposure.
Plus I like to see some element of style in a mod or games art direction. For a better example although I love crysis as a game and cannot argue with the quality of the visuals, there's no particular style or signature feel to the atmosphere, just comes off as a little sterile to me, and it just feels a little similar here.
Just trying to give some balance to the argument :-D As I say though the work is still solid, and any mod making progress and taking steps towards completion is a good thing in my book, all the best to the team!
I respect everyone's opinion, but saying that this mod has bad lighting & texturing only goes to verify what you have already said yourself mate, & that's that your no mapper, either that or your not looking at the same screenshots as everybody else.
If your going to have an opinion at least make a valid argument & stop talking out of your *** mate.
Just because I can't map doesn't mean that I don't understand it. I can't play AFL Football, but I can still criticize how a game is played, whether someone is playing badly, or well, or perhaps think of tactical changes. You don't need to be a coder to play a game and say 'Oh, thats a bug' and perhaps think about what may cause it (ie doing this then this, may have this adverse effect). And you don't need to be a mapper to say 'Oh, I think that looks bad. I'd like for you to elaborate on why my point isn't valid, and just because I can't map doesn't mean I can't say what I think. I bet that heaps of people that make positive comments also can't map, but that doesn't stop them from saying 'Oh that looks good' but to say 'Oh that looks bad' you need to be an expert? That makes no sense.
If my opinion isn't valid, and if you think I'm talking out of my ***, please elborate exactly how and why. So far I've presented my opinions, and apart from a bit of abuse from various people, no one has really said much on the contrary. I've said that I believe the maps are bland and texturing is repetitive - if you really want a detailed analysis of a few shots then I can do it - and no one has come here and said 'Yeah its like this for reason X'.
Examples,
If you think that this is bad lighting:
Moddb.com
this lighting is outstanding.
or that this is bad mapping:
Moddb.com
then you sadly don't know what your talking about mate, & saying that you don't like something, & having a valid opinion on something, is totally different, as you've got to to have a least some idea of what your talking about a to give a valid opinion.
i.e
I think that american football is rubbish,
This is a statement & but not a valid opinion of the game itself, as I don't understand the game, & in order to give an objective & valid opinion of the game I would first want to know more about it to know what I was talking about.
You cannot give a truely objective opinion about something that you don't realy know much about, because opinions without knowledge behind them are nothing more then statements.
No ones saying that you are not entitled to say weither you like something or not, but to have a truely objective & valid opinion on something you have to elaborate on you point, which you've done very little of.
Just saying that this mod has bad lighting or bad texturing is not a very strong argument as anyone that is looking at the screen shots can see for themselfs that this is simply not the case, so without elaboration on your points they just come across as emty invalid statements.
Credit where credit is due, the first shot you linked to is good, and I never said that everything that BMS did was crap - my comment was 'For the most part'.
The second shot though is actually one of the ones that I would like to criticize. Compared to the original, its good, its definitely more detailed and looks better etc. All the shots are better when compared to their originals because, well, its a new engine, theres new technologies etc.
Taking the shot on its merit though, I think its only average. The room is too clean - theres not a sign of anything other than clean-ness, and environments aren't naturally like that. The textures are repetitive and not broken up - for example the orange poles could easily be made a bit different with alternate skins for the models. The far wall textures are repetitive, that doesn't happen in real life and should be broken up. The lighting isn't overly creative and fairly uniform, which depending on the environment isn't always bad, but it could be better. The grates on the floor are repetitive and could be broken up. Even the rails are all the same, vary up the texturing a bit. Even is its only subtle, it makes for a big difference. Same with the walls in the blue-ness. There is a lack of shadowing from the rails and the platforms, although from that shot its pretty hard to tell where the main light source is, so it may be more accurate than you can tell.
What I'd really like to see is for the mappers and the team as a whole to really grab Half Life by the balls, twist it around and really take some artistic license and make each map a piece of art, rather than just another map. Some maps are there, others aren't. As I said above, its a massive improvement over the original, but for the reasons I stated above I believe that the map itself is only average.
I commented on the picture itself about the lighting and the mapping, if you guys want to look at that. I'm surprised other people didn't notice the flaws..?
Unless I know nothing about emergency lighting (Which is possible, since I'm not exactly in that field).
Why should high-tech secret research lab have an old rusty dangerous explosive barrels? Think about it.
Conversely, why would it have polished chrome explosive barrels? I've never seen barrels that shiny in my life, ever. It doesn't make sense or fit in the environment. Also, I never said they should be old and rusty - just not as shiny as they are.
I have seen actually. Toxic waste barrels are really that shiny.
The Lambda Complex looks pretty great, as does some of the anomalous materials and some of Apprehension, but otherwise you are deviating too much from the originals, especially with the lighting. It's gotten a whole lot darker and grittier.
This is actually a good comment. Why was it buried?
I noticed that, also. I'm wondering how this will affect the gameplay in the areas...Probably using the flashlight more..? I never found the flashlight that fun to use, personally. I just played through Paranoia (The HL1 mod) and I found myself using the flashlight a LOT in there...It got kind of annoying after a while, since it felt more forced than atmospheric...if that makes sense.
It's not bad that you're deviating from the originals, though, otherwise it would feel very same-y. I like the blast pit areas. Good work! Can't wait to see the tentacles!
Great update, really love those new screenshots.
I KNEW IT WAS STILL ALIVE I LOVE YOU BLACK MESA!!!!!!!!!
Those super-cromed explosive barrels are one of the hottest I've ever seen.
You guys just yippy-ki-yay'd us all ;]
OMG FINALLY YOU GUYS UPDATED YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry there, got a little to excited.
Merry Christmas!
thats pretty good
W00T!
Wow @ some comments in here, if people don't agree with you it doesn't mean they are wrong, its their opinion and don't bury their comments cause of that.I like this mod but I won't flame people for not liking it, their opinion their loss i could care less but i won't try to hide their opinion by burying their comments.(As long as the opinion was properly expressed as in no curse words or rude stuff)
Wraiyth, it's a mod, not a full production game, go to hell, and merry Christmas.
What the team is attempting is bigger than most companies would attempt anyway, so its basically a full production game without the team getting paid. But that doesn't mean that people can't be critical of their work, we're not obliged to like it and compliment what they're doing.
Oh, managed to dig up a comment from you D@rson
'ill be honest here, a majority of mods suck lol no need to lie to yourselves'
Courtesy of https://www.moddb.com/polls/the-best-games-are-mods
No need to be so critical. They're mods, not production games. Go to hell :)
Now your showing your true colors mate, & if you did had a valid point before, then it's all been in vain with this chidish comment. You just come across as a bitter person that perhaps has been made this way because of the failier of your mod (even though you say that this is nothing to do with it), or someone that just likes to start flame wars, which i've seen all before, grow up mate....:(
So its OK for people to tell me to go to hell, but I can't tell them to go to hell back, even though they're being hypocritical? I'm being childish, but no one else is? Sorry, that doesn't slide with me. As I said, I'm blunt and do the point, and a hell of alot of people don't like it, but I also don't like how alot of other people come across to me. That doesn't mean its ok to flame and abuse them. Really, theres no proof of any bitterness because my mod failed, and in fact if you talk to a few people and read the article I wrote up and posted on ModDB, you'd know that I don't care about NF failing because I've learned a ridiculously large amount from it, and that how and why it failed is far more valuable to me than having it succeed.
For the record (not that it matters), it wasn't long ago that Black Mesa tried to practically 'absorb' the NightFall team and recruit some of us - including myself (twice) - because NF was going under. So don't give me that crap about being bitter about failure, because it was evident to alot of people, including myself, that our chances of success were very unlikely.
Sounds like you are just bitter that the Black Mesa team tried to poach your members mate, & that this is some warped revenge vendetta.
Then you really don't know me... I'm not in for revenge, its not something that I'd care to do. I don't really mind that BMS tried to poach members of NightFall because we were set at the task at hand and most of the team members had already expressed that they have no interested in joining the team - besides, they didn't try while the mod was active, and simply said that they would happily take many of our team members if the mod was unsuccessful, so theres a difference there.
Sorry to burst your bubble there mate, but we don't go out and recruit people from other teams. The ones who want to work at our mod sends an application to us themselves.
I had a feeling the guy was talking out of his ***......;)
Not sure how long you've been on the team for, but this was back in 2005, and I've still got the Chatlog with Kalashnikov floating around on a backup if you'd like to see it.
Didn't you start by saying it wasn't too long ago? And now you're saying it was in 2005?
I don't mean to pick up on things you say, but if you are trying to make a point, at least don't try and bend the truth to better reinforce what you are trying to say.
Yeah it was a bit longer than I thought when I looked back over logs, and unfortunately you can't modify comments