Half-Life
News, coverage and analysis tracking Half-Life across the outlets.
Latest coverage
“Open Time PC 1 Te!” Remembering the After-School Computer Shop Days
This article reflects on the nostalgic experience of playing games at internet cafes in the early 2010s, contrasting it with the current accessibility of mobile and online gaming. It highlights the social aspects, the routine of waiting for a PC, and the unique atmosphere of these gaming hubs as formative experiences for many gamers.
Elon Musk said Gabe Newell gets 'two thumbs up from me' for the OpenAI board but Jeff Bezos is…
Newly released documents from OpenAI's early years reveal that Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve, was a significant early investor and part of an informal advisory board. Elon Musk expressed approval of Newell's involvement, contrasting him with Jeff Bezos and his company Blue Origin, which Musk criticized for being far behind SpaceX. Newell's donation to OpenAI was over $20 million.
Elon Musk considered calling OpenAI 'Freeman' because 'it reminds me of the scientist protagonist in…
Internal documents from OpenAI reveal that co-founder Elon Musk considered naming the company 'Freeman,' inspired by the protagonist of Valve's Half-Life series. The discussions also touched upon other naming ideas like 'Cogito' and involved early figures like Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
Garry's Mod sequel S&box is already having to deal "with people using AI in obvious, low quality ways", confess developers Facepunch
Facepunch Studios has released S&box, the spiritual successor to Garry's Mod, which is already facing issues with low-quality AI-generated content within user-created games. Developers acknowledge they must address these AI concerns. Meanwhile, the original Garry's Mod will receive an update to support the fan-made Half-Life remake, Black Mesa.
Roadmaps and Plans
This review of the Valve Steam Controller covers latency benchmarks, battery life, and repairability. It also notes that a Valve-approved Half-Life remake is being added to Garry's Mod due to popular demand.
The Valve-approved Half-Life remake is joining the Garry's Mod family 'by popular demand'
The Valve-approved remake Black Mesa is being integrated into Garry's Mod with its next patch on April 29. This update, made with developer approval and due to popular demand, will allow Garry's Mod creators to utilize Black Mesa's improved animations, sounds, and weapon feedback in their own creations.
"There was an arrogant assumption that players of shooters didn't want and wouldn't care about a story; we just didn't believe this": Go behind the scenes of Half-Life with legendary Valve designer Marc Laidlaw
Legendary Valve designer Marc Laidlaw discusses the development of Half-Life, revealing early concepts like 'Ivan the Space Biker' and the decision to delay release for a major redesign. He emphasizes Valve's belief that players desired story in shooters, a contrast to the prevailing industry assumption at the time. Laidlaw also touches on the game's technical achievements, innovative AI, and its lasting impact on the first-person shooter genre.
How a Valve Demo Birthed Alice During the Quake 2 Era
American McGee revealed that a Valve tech demo seen during the Quake 2 development era inspired him to create the Alice series. While working at id Software in the mid-to-late 90s, McGee was influenced by early Valve technology, which ultimately led to the creation of the dark fairy tale world of Alice. This story highlights the interconnected nature of game development and how inspiration can spark unique creative directions.
PC Gamer magazine's new issue is on sale now: Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred
PC Gamer magazine's latest issue features an exclusive preview of Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred, including hands-on gameplay and developer interviews. The issue also includes previews for Directive 8020 and Crimson Desert, reviews for several other titles, and a feature on the best PC RPGs.
Alice creator American McGee says he was inspired by a Valve demo he saw while working on Quake 2
American McGee revealed that a Valve tech demo he saw while working on id Software's Quake 2 inspired his game Alice. He described the demo as a cinematic scene with characters and multiple cameras, which he believes signaled the end of his tenure at id Software. Following his departure from id, McGee went on to develop Alice and its sequel, Alice: Madness Returns.
Hideo Kojima went to Valve and like a master troll took a photo of himself with 3 Half-Life gravity guns
Hideo Kojima visited Valve's headquarters in Seattle, sharing photos of himself with iconic items like gravity guns and portal guns from the Half-Life series. The visit also brought to light Kojima's past admiration for Half-Life's design and attention to detail, which influenced his work on Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.
Hideo Kojima said Half-Life had a "kind of soul" which Japanese games lacked, and Metal Gear Solid 2 was directly inspired by Valve's classic FPS
Hideo Kojima reflected on the original Half-Life, stating it possessed a "soul" that Japanese games lacked and directly inspired features in Metal Gear Solid 2. He praised Valve's attention to detail and atmosphere, noting how the game's interactivity and environmental destruction influenced his own work.
Enjoying Valve's famous paid "vacation in Hawaii," engineer jokes he's "in a dark room like a vampire" on Github anyway – a fitting use of Steam bucks
Valve engineer Fletcher Dunn confirmed he is enjoying the company's paid Hawaii vacation while working on his laptop, sparking discussions about Valve's unique company culture. The article contrasts Valve's employee perks with recent layoffs at Epic Games and examines the intense fan investment in Valve due to Steam's dominance in PC gaming.
Some takes don't age: Back in 2009, a creative director warned about the risks of 'obsessively self-referencing' existing hit games
In a 2009 interview, Paul Barnett, then creative director of Warhammer Online, criticized the industry's tendency towards 'design memes' and 'obsessive self-referencing,' warning that replicating successful formulas stifles innovation and funding for new ideas. He also discussed the distinction between games as art, design, and business, emphasizing the importance of the business aspect for long-term studio sustainability.
The Marketing Mystery: How Does Steam Actually Promote Itself?
This article explores the unique and largely invisible marketing strategy of Valve's Steam platform. Despite hosting over 100 million active users, Steam relies on organic growth, community engagement, and its essential role in PC gaming rather than traditional advertising. This approach has made the platform indispensable, turning users into advocates and embedding it deeply into the gaming culture.
You can finally rescue Half-Life's guards and scientists thanks to this mod inspired by Lemmings
A new mod for Half-Life: Source, inspired by Lemmings, allows players to rescue scientists and guards who were previously unrescuable in the original game. The mod enhances NPC navigation and combat capabilities, covering approximately half of the game's content from the 'Unforeseen Consequences' chapter up to 'Apprehension'.
Half-Life writer was surprised how few FPS games followed Valve's approach to story: "Medal Of Honor, for instance, and Call Of Duty both followed those principles, but it was inconsistent"
Marc Laidlaw, writer for the influential game Half-Life, expressed surprise that more first-person shooter games did not adopt Valve's approach to storytelling. While games like Medal of Honor and Call of Duty showed some influence, their application of immersive, first-person narrative techniques was inconsistent. Laidlaw believes this approach is risky but can be highly effective when executed well.
Decades ago, Gabe Newell revealed that Super Mario 64 influenced Half-Life, and it seems future Steam god GabeN was a lot better at Nintendo's platformer than Valve's FPS classic
Gabe Newell revealed in a 1998 interview that Super Mario 64, along with Ultima Underworld and Resident Evil 2, were significant influences on the development of Half-Life. Newell also admitted he was not particularly skilled at Half-Life's multiplayer, contrasting it with his perceived proficiency in Super Mario 64, which he later called his favorite game of all time.
Evening Patches
A patch for Sacred 2 has been released, with a new beta for Steam Workshop browsing available on PC. The article also briefly mentions unofficial games, patches, and mods, including a Half-Life mod.
Gabe Newell Reveals Why He Stepped Back from Valve Game Development After Portal 2
Valve co-founder Gabe Newell stepped back from hands-on game development after Portal 2 because his team's constant agreement stifled creative friction. He believed this was necessary to preserve the collaborative environment that fostered Valve's early innovative titles. While this decision explains Valve's shift towards being a platform and hardware company like Steam and the Steam Deck, it also leaves fans disappointed about the lack of new major single-player game releases.
