I want to make clear first of all that I -love- the work and effort that they have put into this. Even the trailer had a couple of goose-bumbs moments, and that's certainly a good sign! I have no idea how these devoted people get hold of such special effects that only large-budget corporations seem to have access to. The fact that ordinary people can make polished products such as this is truly breath-taking, and certainly a glimpse of things to come as more advanced technology becomes accessible to the masses.
Although, there are a couple of things that make me less optimistic over the project. From what I understand, the movie will take place right after the events of the Black Mesa Incident. If that is the case, then why are there metro cops chasing the main characters? The Combine didn't proccess humans into tools of war until many years after the initial invasion of Earth. Infact, they weren't even considering letting humanity survive at all were it not for Wallace Breen who was able to convince them that humans could serve as valuable tools. What humanity faced on first contact were armies of insectoid, partially organic machines or whatever other controlled species which the Combine had enslaved previously.
Also, I find these fan-made things to focus too much on action with little explanation on what's going on. The Half Life universe is given little justice if you just put in the setting without much depth to the story. I would like to see a greater insight into what it's like living in a dystopian future where the real goverment is in a different dimension of existence, regarding your home as just "another world" to harvest. Humanity itself becomes victim to practices which it has deployed countless times throughout history. We basically see ourselves from a different perspective, or rather what we could become. Things such as the Combine could create a much more threatening atmosphere if you were allowed to see how little they value sentient life much like George Orwell's "1984". Reproduction and individuality is forbidden. You are forced to either give up your very identity and become a part of the emotionless war machine or face an existence of pain and despair.
That's what I would want to see from these kind of projects now that the technology is available. Focus on artistic value!
Although, there are a couple of things that make me less optimistic over the project. From what I understand, the movie will take place right after the events of the Black Mesa Incident. If that is the case, then why are there metro cops chasing the main characters? The Combine didn't proccess humans into tools of war until many years after the initial invasion of Earth. Infact, they weren't even considering letting humanity survive at all were it not for Wallace Breen who was able to convince them that humans could serve as valuable tools. What humanity faced on first contact were armies of insectoid, partially organic machines or whatever other controlled species which the Combine had enslaved previously.
Also, I find these fan-made things to focus too much on action with little explanation on what's going on. The Half Life universe is given little justice if you just put in the setting without much depth to the story. I would like to see a greater insight into what it's like living in a dystopian future where the real goverment is in a different dimension of existence, regarding your home as just "another world" to harvest. Humanity itself becomes victim to practices which it has deployed countless times throughout history. We basically see ourselves from a different perspective, or rather what we could become. Things such as the Combine could create a much more threatening atmosphere if you were allowed to see how little they value sentient life much like George Orwell's "1984". Reproduction and individuality is forbidden. You are forced to either give up your very identity and become a part of the emotionless war machine or face an existence of pain and despair.
That's what I would want to see from these kind of projects now that the technology is available. Focus on artistic value!
