It had some bugs and issues but overall it was fun. HL Source and Black Mesa were both fun. The thing to remember with Black Mesa is it is more of a remake taking a few liberties. Well worth it though if you liked the original.
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Black Mesa Releasing Sept. 14th
- Thread starter MaxTheLimit
- Start date
It had some bugs and issues but overall it was fun. HL Source and Black Mesa were both fun. The thing to remember with Black Mesa is it is more of a remake taking a few liberties. Well worth it though if you liked the original.
buy??...wasn't it free before?...so they need the $$ to finish the Xen levels?
michael.pa2
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More of Valve's pay for mods scheme,and for an unfinished mod at that. Screw them.
Youn
Supreme [H]ardness
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Didn't the devs decide to charge for this, not Valve?
FighterAce124
Supreme [H]ardness
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I like that one of the reviews has an image from their website saying its free and will never be charged for. 
it was all announced 18 months ago, QQ moar
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/BlackMesa#announcements/detail/1371639504554053878
Carouselambra
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The fact that they are charging for a pre-release of a game that was previously released unfinished for free is odd and annoying.
I'm conflicted because I'm one of the biggest fans of Half-Life and I want to support the people that put this together but the fact that Xen is still not there is a let down.
I'm conflicted because I'm one of the biggest fans of Half-Life and I want to support the people that put this together but the fact that Xen is still not there is a let down.
Viper87227
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I don't understand why people are against this being sold. The team put a ton of work into this, why shouldn't they get paid? Furthermore, people are bitching that there is still no Xen, despite being unwilling to pay for the game. No wonder they aren't in a rush to get it done.
It's not as if the mod version doesn't work anymore. Your welcome to keep playing it. For $20 you get a slightly improved version of what was free, plus the eventual Xen chapters, as well as multiplayer and workshop support. Pay up if you want those things, or keep enjoying the mod version if you don't. Not a single person gets shafted here.
It's not as if the mod version doesn't work anymore. Your welcome to keep playing it. For $20 you get a slightly improved version of what was free, plus the eventual Xen chapters, as well as multiplayer and workshop support. Pay up if you want those things, or keep enjoying the mod version if you don't. Not a single person gets shafted here.
cageymaru
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I agree with the development team having the right to make money off their mod especially since there is a free version of it out there. This is how the Skyrim mods should have been. Have a paid version for those that want to support the mod creators and a free version for those that don't have the funds.
This is the perfect solution. Valve should take heed.
This is the perfect solution. Valve should take heed.
rudy
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Umm or how about let the mod creators do whatever they want no one was stopping them from offering free versions before......
Conman
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Played the free version and it was fantastic.Will definitely buy the game when it's finished. That said I don't see a reason to pay for another early version of game that's been out for two years.
cageymaru
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Well when many mofd rely on another mod it can get touchy. Especially when the mod you use as your base says that you can't use it to make money on it.
zamardii12
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Why? It's fucking worth it. Where are all these people that expect shit to be free? You could have downloaded the entire campaign minus Xen if you wanted to for free, but by the time I was done with it it was so good I said i'd easily pay at least $30 for that. It was very well made, and it's commendable the team stuck by the project all these years to completion especially because they weren't being paid at all to do it.
People like you are turning every fucking game into Freemium garbage and likely one of those people who screamed UNFAIR when Valve wanted to give modders the opportunity to make some money from their mods if they wanted.
zamardii12
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I like that one of the reviews has an image from their website saying its free and will never be charged for.
Reading these comments is very fucking annoying. The developers of the mod have every right to charge you for what they made. I am not sure if you've played it yet, or downloaded the free version (minus Xen) but it is EASILY worth whatever they're asking. It's the best recreation/mod i've ever played and is full faithful to the original Half Life.
The "value" in this is supporting a team that has been working on this for years without pay and in their free time. It's commendable that they even stuck with the project considering how long ago this was originally announced. When I got done playing the free one a year or two ago I even said i'd easily pay at least $30 for this because they did not skip out on a single thing from the original Half Life.
Yes, they said it would be free and it has been but I fully support them and whatever price they're asking for because it's worth the money. When was the last time you played a game as good as Half Life for the price they're asking?
Youn
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I've no proble with them charging for it, but it seems they might make more money overall if they charged less, like $5 or $10 bucks.
bigdogchris
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It's not like they pulled the free version and switched to make you pay for it. They released the free version years ago and have continued to develop it.
Someone making a new skin for Skyrim character is a mod. Black Mesa isn't really mod as much as it was basically a free game (considering the scope of work).
Someone making a new skin for Skyrim character is a mod. Black Mesa isn't really mod as much as it was basically a free game (considering the scope of work).
that's the key point...it was free at first and the developers said it would always be free...if they had charged from the beginning then most people would not have an issue due to the quality of the mod...but switching to a paid version now gets people riled up...for example if [H] now started charging $$ for people to visit their forums...it's not about the value but more about the principle
Viper87227
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Technically speaking, the game still holds true to always being free, so long as the original mod version remains functional and available for download (which is is). No principal is violated. You can still play this very excellent mod, completely free, exactly as promised.
Anyone bitching that they expect the game to continue to be developed and improved upon, completely for free, just because the original mod was, is just being an entitled asshole.
yourgrandma
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They still plan to release updated free versions later on making those assholes even bigger POS. This is essentially a donation for continued development that may not otherwise happen while having a few benefits tact on.
Lateralus
More [H]uman than Human
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I can kinda see both sides, but I tend to agree with those who say it's not a big deal.
They poured a TON of time and love into the mod. They could have charged for the mod. They didn't. People bitched endlessly when it saw numerous delays and took forever to be released. "I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! HALF-LIFE IS SO 15 YEARS AGO, NO CARE! I WON'T PLAY IT! FUCK THOSE ASSHOLES FOR COMMITTING YEARS OF THEIR FREE TIME TO THE MOD AND NOT RELEASING IT WHEN THEY SAID! AND NOW IT'S FINALLY OUT AND IT'S NOT EVEN COMPLEAT WITH TEH ZENZ? AWRLAJFLHASD!!!"
I certainly don't mind to toss them a few bucks for all they've done. They managed to take one of my all time favorite games and not only update the graphics, but add to the experience. Imagine if those guys took on a modern recreation of Thief or System Shock 2 or Deus Ex! /fap
If they took down the free version and the only way to play it was by paying for the Steam Early Access version, I would agree that that's a little crappy. But that's not what happened here at all.
They poured a TON of time and love into the mod. They could have charged for the mod. They didn't. People bitched endlessly when it saw numerous delays and took forever to be released. "I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! HALF-LIFE IS SO 15 YEARS AGO, NO CARE! I WON'T PLAY IT! FUCK THOSE ASSHOLES FOR COMMITTING YEARS OF THEIR FREE TIME TO THE MOD AND NOT RELEASING IT WHEN THEY SAID! AND NOW IT'S FINALLY OUT AND IT'S NOT EVEN COMPLEAT WITH TEH ZENZ? AWRLAJFLHASD!!!"
I certainly don't mind to toss them a few bucks for all they've done. They managed to take one of my all time favorite games and not only update the graphics, but add to the experience. Imagine if those guys took on a modern recreation of Thief or System Shock 2 or Deus Ex! /fap
If they took down the free version and the only way to play it was by paying for the Steam Early Access version, I would agree that that's a little crappy. But that's not what happened here at all.
QFT-This is almost verbatim what I intended to post after reading all of the "waaahhh" comments above.
The original Half Life kicked off my passion for PC gaming. I have the free version of BM and have played it many times, each time enjoying it even more than the previous play through.
The devs deserve every penny they receive for working on this. I've just very happily paid my $20 and am eagerly looking forward to playing this upgraded, improved version.
Carouselambra
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If Xen was done I would not hesitate to buy it at $20, maybe even $30. But without it I feel like I'm kickstarting the Xen chapters. I'm not big into kickstarting, especially when the team took like 8 years to finish the first part.
zamardii12
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It took them 8 years to finish it WITHOUT any compensation. Do you really think it's going to take longer once they start getting some money for their hard work? Highly unlikely. That'll motivate them to finish it.
Carouselambra
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I don't know. That's why I'm hesitant. Even their faq's say that it will take an undetermined amount of time. Maybe I'll feel differently in 6 months or a year. Right now I have enough stuff to play. I'm sure they will get my money eventually, just not right now.
Flogger23m
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False, they would have gotten into legal trouble with that. Valve even forced them to change the name of the mod from Black Mesa: Source many years back. They got the go ahead to sell the current version because Valve granted them permission to do so (likely because Valve gets 35% of the money). You can't just mod any game and decide to sell it; that is illegal for the vast majority of games.
We don't know. It may or may not. If they don't make it their day job and don't set up a proper studio and continue to work like modders then it likely won't change much.
I agree...$20 for HL1 remastered is a great deal considering the quality of this mod...if it was finished I would buy but as it stands who knows when/if the Xen levels will ever be completed...but honestly the Xen levels were the worst part of HL1 so the free or Early Access mod 85% complete is still a great game on its own
Lateralus
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OK, then overlook that bit from my original post. I stand by everything else.
Flogger23m
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I actually wasn't too impressed with it. Good for a mod, but not up to par to sell it. Some of the areas looked graphically inferior to HL2. Given that it used a much newer Source build I would expect it to look better. A lot of inconsistency.
The paid version should be much more polished.
Gorankar
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They are free to charge if they want to. We are free to buy or not.
I might buy after Zen is completed. Not before. I don't buy into early access schemes. Finish the game, put it out there, then I will decide to buy or not. The moment they decided to charge they became game devs and not modders. They are no more deserving of my support than any other Dev.
I might buy after Zen is completed. Not before. I don't buy into early access schemes. Finish the game, put it out there, then I will decide to buy or not. The moment they decided to charge they became game devs and not modders. They are no more deserving of my support than any other Dev.
screens or it didn't happen, I don't suppose you're using wrong HDR settings and fullbright, do ya ?
http://steamcommunity.com/app/362890/discussions/0/620712999973967114/
AI still needs work, some animations are glitchy but the graphics are much better than stock HL2, "blast pit" looks marvelous to me
Gap between free and paid Black Mesa will widen...the newer Xen levels will be incompatible
"It's impossible [for the new Xen levels to be added to the free mod]," said multiplayer level designer Joe R in a Reddit Ask Me Anything. "In order to make Xen look the best it possibly can look, we need to upgrade the engine with new features. These new features will make it incompatible with the mod version."...
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-05-11-gap-between-free-and-paid-black-mesa-will-widen
I knew they weren't going to keep both the free and paid mods equal like so many people were saying earlier
"It's impossible [for the new Xen levels to be added to the free mod]," said multiplayer level designer Joe R in a Reddit Ask Me Anything. "In order to make Xen look the best it possibly can look, we need to upgrade the engine with new features. These new features will make it incompatible with the mod version."...
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-05-11-gap-between-free-and-paid-black-mesa-will-widen
I knew they weren't going to keep both the free and paid mods equal like so many people were saying earlier
defaultluser
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Well yeah, unless you want to wait another 15 years for Xen, I think some money is going to have to change hands
I'll admit I was pissed-off when I first heard about it, but since the freight train of free Source mods has long left the station, and everyone else is getting their nostalgia cash-in on Kickstarter, I figure it's time we paid a little for Source content.
At least they have the decency to make a good portion of the game free. A long playable demo is exactly what a game like this needs to gain users.
twonunpackmule
[H]ard|Gawd
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I rather be charged to see it completed, then it end up like that Dark Forces mod from years back.
rudy
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Black Mesa is a really good example of why the skyrim mod community screwed up by revolting against valves paid mods. Its so flipping ironic that we would see this discussion light up right after that controversy died down.
BM was a mod that I completely lost care in because it was taking so long. If a little cash is all they need to get it moving so be it... Nothing worse than a bunch of arm chair quarterbacks telling other people who are doing all the work, hey you aren't working hard enough when you are working for free for me!
Now personally I think they went a little steep on the price but ultimately its there choice. $10 or less would be more appropriate. And I really don't know about what has happened inside the mod and would hope that they have properly contacted and received permission from ALL parties that contributed to the mod.
I also think to some degree if this ever gets finished in a satisfactory fashion that it would be cool for valve to just buy them out and make this "mod" part of the valve complete pack and all packages that contain hl2. But even if they don't this will be a great experiment in gaming to see if the gaming community actually values graphical updates of old games enough to make them worth while for companies or modders to persue.
BM was a mod that I completely lost care in because it was taking so long. If a little cash is all they need to get it moving so be it... Nothing worse than a bunch of arm chair quarterbacks telling other people who are doing all the work, hey you aren't working hard enough when you are working for free for me!
Now personally I think they went a little steep on the price but ultimately its there choice. $10 or less would be more appropriate. And I really don't know about what has happened inside the mod and would hope that they have properly contacted and received permission from ALL parties that contributed to the mod.
I also think to some degree if this ever gets finished in a satisfactory fashion that it would be cool for valve to just buy them out and make this "mod" part of the valve complete pack and all packages that contain hl2. But even if they don't this will be a great experiment in gaming to see if the gaming community actually values graphical updates of old games enough to make them worth while for companies or modders to persue.