[beta] A Brief Detour - HL2:EP2 SP Map

[jgoodroad]

you need to adjust the barriers so that the headcrabs can crawl under, but you cannot. and you need a bit more cover around the first battle, otherwise people are inclined to backtrack around the ben to camp them as they charge around the corner. maybe some gunfire sounds in the distance, and a loud slam at the begining, as if the gate shut violently...SLAM!

my only other regret is that you sometimes get ammo after you kill the last combine. I was a bit pissed that I had an smg grenade left over... so I used it on my friends. and perhaps space the pillars out a bit more, at the end.

[UncleSam]

you need to adjust the barriers so that the headcrabs can crawl under, but you cannot.

I tried that, and the headcrabs could only make it through if it was high enough for the player to get under, and the whole reason the barriers are there is to slow the player down a bit to get the headcrabs a chance. I don't think it's all that important that they can get through, since the player has to break down the boards to proceed anyway.

and you need a bit more cover around the first battle, otherwise people are inclined to backtrack around the ben to camp them as they charge around the corner.

That's a good point, but I think there's enough cover from the pillars/crates that the player can duck back and reload. But do you have any recommendations on how to add more cover to that room? I want the player to have a clear line of sight to the doors as they enter the room, and I don't think that'd be possible with more cover, at least without redesigning the room to be a little broader, maybe?

and maybe some gunfire sounds, and a loud slam at the begining, as if the gate shut violently...SLAM!

There is a rolling door sound as you load the level, and a Rebel yells out. I wanted something like "Get going, we'll meet you on the other side!", but I couldn't find an audio clip like that that didn't sound out of place.

[jgoodroad]

well their is a rolling sound, but no close sound. you can add a metal desk for more cover, or maybe a shelf? or make the prior hallway a less likely retreat, maybe an automated fence that slams shut? or another headcrab canister... if you think it could work...otherwise the hallway before makes no sense. You could also remove the second wall and have the combine force-field reactivate, and if so who turned it back on? combine? Gman? your choice if you so chose to go this way. (mapping wise)

[jgoodroad]

oh, and adding custom voice is pretty easy. if you have audasity (free) and pakrat (also free).

[UncleSam]

Minor updates, I think this will be the final version.

Download!

I added a louder crash and a more appropriate shout. As for the exploding door encounter, I think that's the best I can get without feeling like an artificial solution. If I had to do it again, I think I'd redesign the whole space. A combine shield that turned on as you entered was part of my original design, but it changed into a door that you turned off, so just having it snap back on feels like a deus ex machina. So it's not a bad suggestion, but I think I'm happy enough with it right now.

It just seems like a lot of work for only 5-10 minutes of play time, it certainly makes me appreciate how much effort goes into a complete single player level now. But hopefully my next attempt will go a little faster, now that I have a bit more practice.

[jgoodroad]

final link?

[UncleSam]

Link added, sorry about that. Although the link has stayed the same, just the file has changed.

[riffraffselbow]

I realized that I have access to recording-studio grade equipment, so I decided to record some attempts at what you seem to want. They're far from perfect; my voice is not particularly interesting or appealing. But here's my attempt, licensed under CC-BY (You don't have to credit me in the release thread, just somewhere in the readme or any other file distributed with the map (even just a .txt file pakratted with the map; It really doesn't matter, apart from being a technical quirk in the license. I won't sue you, so don't worry about it to begin with is my advice.))
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/734502/VOfiles_ ... Detour.rar

Full text of the license is included. You'll need winrar ( http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm ) to unpack the file. 24-bit 44100 hz wav.

Don't feel obliged to use it; I was just bored so I decided to record this for you.

[trcc]

I realized that I have access to recording-studio grade equipment, so I decided to record some attempts at what you seem to want. They're far from perfect; my voice is not particularly interesting or appealing. But here's my attempt, licensed under CC-BY (You don't have to credit me in the release thread, just somewhere in the readme or any other file distributed with the map (even just a .txt file pakratted with the map; It really doesn't matter, apart from being a technical quirk in the license. I won't sue you, so don't worry about it to begin with is my advice.))
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/734502/VOfiles_ ... Detour.rar

Full text of the license is included. You'll need winrar ( http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm ) to unpack the file. 24-bit 44100 hz wav.

Don't feel obliged to use it; I was just bored so I decided to record this for you.

Nice I listened to it, If i were to make a sp mod, i would hire you