Poll: HL2 Mod

[Natural Hazard]

Me and a couple of mates are thinking of making an Mod for HL2, which centres heavily around Alyx Vance, please be honest would a mod centering around Alyx as the main playable character, be a good idea? only vote if you have ever played or experienced HL2. By the way comments would be nice.

Thanks
Rob.

 

[Dalisclock]

I think it could work. For some reason, an opposing force-type mod comes to mind, showing what Alyx was doing most of the game while Gorden was on his way to Nova Propect or the citadel. They were certainly seperated enough to have some fun with. You'd also have to change some of the characteristic of the character, since we all know that alyx can get to places gorden can't. And remember that Alyx doesn't have a hazard suit.

The problem I can see is that Gorden, as we all know, is the silent type and the times alyx runs across him is going to be interesting from a gameplay point of view. The game needs to be moved forward and since gordan doesn't speak, this will be an interesting challenge to push alyx to do something.

 

[stinkypitz]

perhaps, though it would be a challenge to have it fit together with the existing story, or have her somewhere else during a time where gordon does not interact with her. If you can make it work, and have a devoted group of people who know what theyr doing, then go ahead.

 

[Natural Hazard]

we are thinking of setting it around 5yrs or so after the seven hour war, something completly different. Everything hasn't be finalised yet however. Also we are hoping to fully utilze her computer bypassing capabilities.

 

[ShadeOfRed]

This could work, but only with the right group of people. The only thing wrong with it that I can see would be if someone tacked on a horrible story. Sounds good though.

 

[Natural Hazard]

This could work, but only with the right group of people. The only thing wrong with it that I can see would be if someone tacked on a horrible story. Sounds good though.

Our primary objective is working on an exciting, realistic and different storyline. We have been debating for well over a week now, and still havent come up with much of a baseline for the story due to fact we so many ideas thats its making it hard to decide, and we refuse to start before we even have such a baseline.

 

[fix-the-spade]

I vted yes, but for the sake of throwing a Curve ball.

What about Adrian Shephard?
From a narrative point of view, we know some of what happens to Alyx. We know she survives the seven hour war and that Eli manages to evade capture and bring her up.

But what haapens to Shephard after Opfor is a mystery. You'd have free licence to Shephard have do anything, even die.
Plus he has the powered armour vest, neatly sidestepping a design issue with Alyx.

Although building a new model is probably the wrong side of time consuming.

 

[Natural Hazard]

I vted yes, but for the sake of throwing a Curve ball.

What about Adrian Shephard?
From a narrative point of view, we know some of what happens to Alyx. We know she survives the seven hour war and that Eli manages to evade capture and bring her up.

But what haapens to Shephard after Opfor is a mystery. You'd have free licence to Shephard have do anything, even die.
Plus he has the powered armour vest, neatly sidestepping a design issue with Alyx.

Although building a new model is probably the wrong side of time consuming.

I like the idea about Adrian Shephard.. could open many possibilites. However if the modeller doesn't wanna do it then, thats us stumped. It might be something we try later maybe, becasue it sounds like a interesting idea. However we will probably be sticking to an Alyx themed idea.

 

[GoddamnitReddas]

I think it could work. For some reason, an opposing force-type mod comes to mind, showing what Alyx was doing most of the game while Gorden was on his way to Nova Propect or the citadel. They were certainly seperated enough to have some fun with. You'd also have to change some of the characteristic of the character, since we all know that alyx can get to places gorden can't. And remember that Alyx doesn't have a hazard suit.

The problem I can see is that Gorden, as we all know, is the silent type and the times alyx runs across him is going to be interesting from a gameplay point of view. The game needs to be moved forward and since gordan doesn't speak, this will be an interesting challenge to push alyx to do something.

Maybe Gordon would be more of an 'I'll wait here until you do something' NPC. Or, perhaps, he'd go off and investigate by himself and come back and alert Alyx visually, so she/the player would follow him.

Also, if the game is set five years after the Seven Hour War, Alyx would be around five or six years old - she's an infant/toddler when the war is going on.
At least, that's to the best of my knowledge.

But I say, what the hell, if you want to do it, go 'head and do it, and do it to the best of your ability.

 

[Natural Hazard]

we aren't really sure about the time, we no she will be young however we will just say sometime after the seven hour war. Obviously not overlapping the original story. Basically the period between the seven hour war and gordans arrival.

 

[The Reverend]

we aren't really sure about the time, we no she will be young however we will just say sometime after the seven hour war. Obviously not overlapping the original story. Basically the period between the seven hour war and gordans arrival.

Aye that sounds like a good idea too me, but you'll have alot of obstacles to face. I'd advise you to stay away from the other characters (Barney et al) because unless you can do some very good impersonations, its going to sound dodgy. Then theres to point of the HEV suit.
We know Gordon's inhuman ability to soak up bullets and shrug off injuries that would kill a normal man come in part from the suit, but Alyx is without such things. Unless you can crowbar in (hoho) some kind of suit for her to wear (Maybe some kind of customized combine gear, that the resistance stopped using before Gordon turned up due to well, its your plot, you make something up) people are going to have a hard time believing that she can take all of that punishment (well maybe).
And there already has been a Mod based on ol' Shephard. It was dire. Refer to and note the correlation between its voice acting and my comment on voices. But still, if you think you can make it work well, do it. Seeing as Adrian was left in limbo by the G-man (I think, might have to play OF again) you might think theres not much you can do.
Although, little is known about the HL universe except what happens in the games, so, if you are very creative, you could say that, well, as you know the G-man is working for someone. Who? Well, time will tell. But who's to say there isn't other men (or even women) like the enigma that is the G-man, who are perhaps working toward different ends, for different unseen masters? And say one of them frees Shephard and has him work for them to suit their own ends..?
Thinking like that puts you in a good position of not having to rely on the old cast and story from the HL games, and gives you a bit more scope? for doing things. Competing G-men/women, Different foes on different worlds? Maybe. Its your mod after all, and these are merely suggestions. But opeeen your mind, Quaid.

 

[Natural Hazard]

we aren't really sure about the time, we no she will be young however we will just say sometime after the seven hour war. Obviously not overlapping the original story. Basically the period between the seven hour war and gordans arrival.

Aye that sounds like a good idea too me, but you'll have alot of obstacles to face. I'd advise you to stay away from the other characters (Barney et al) because unless you can do some very good impersonations, its going to sound dodgy. Then theres to point of the HEV suit.
We know Gordon's inhuman ability to soak up bullets and shrug off injuries that would kill a normal man come in part from the suit, but Alyx is without such things. Unless you can crowbar in (hoho) some kind of suit for her to wear (Maybe some kind of customized combine gear, that the resistance stopped using before Gordon turned up due to well, its your plot, you make something up) people are going to have a hard time believing that she can take all of that punishment (well maybe).
And there already has been a Mod based on ol' Shephard. It was dire. Refer to and note the correlation between its voice acting and my comment on voices. But still, if you think you can make it work well, do it. Seeing as Adrian was left in limbo by the G-man (I think, might have to play OF again) you might think theres not much you can do.
Although, little is known about the HL universe except what happens in the games, so, if you are very creative, you could say that, well, as you know the G-man is working for someone. Who? Well, time will tell. But who's to say there isn't other men (or even women) like the enigma that is the G-man, who are perhaps working toward different ends, for different unseen masters? And say one of them frees Shephard and has him work for them to suit their own ends..?
Thinking like that puts you in a good position of not having to rely on the old cast and story from the HL games, and gives you a bit more scope? for doing things. Competing G-men/women, Different foes on different worlds? Maybe. Its your mod after all, and these are merely suggestions. But opeeen your mind, Quaid.

we are not including anyone from the original cast of HL2 becasue of voice acting problems.. and obvioulsy don't want to spoil it. In terms of protection, its not been decided yet, but we are thinking of going for something like body armor pickups or the likes, or perhaps even go down the survival route. We are already considering quite alot of possibilites now to stop us from feature creeping later on. Its either survival or body armor pickups atm we are yet to discuss this is depth however as we are obviously trying to get some form of storyboard going.

On anouther note, we are midly considering a limit on weapons of about 2 or 3 i think to keep to realism, we are also bringing a sniper rifle into play and hopefully going to put alot of emphasize on the system bypassing that we only get to watch in HL2. The bypassing is our shining star as we already have quite a few ideas what we can do with it.

 

[The Reverend]

we are not including anyone from the original cast of HL2 becasue of voice acting problems.. and obvioulsy don't want to spoil it. In terms of protection, its not been decided yet, but we are thinking of going for something like body armor pickups or the likes, or perhaps even go down the survival route. We are already considering quite alot of possibilites now to stop us from feature creeping later on. Its either survival or body armor pickups atm we are yet to discuss this is depth however as we are obviously trying to get some form of storyboard going.

Body armor and the like would probably the best idea, although I don't remember any of the resistance having any armor to speak of, I would think the Combine would have confiscated such things. How about some kind of experimental shieldy thing that just "happens" to break at the end of the game, thus removing it from the HL2 timeline. A rather cheap way of doing things, though. Its probably not a good idea to stray too far from the tried and tested usual way of doing things in Half life, though.

On anouther note, we are midly considering a limit on weapons of about 2 or 3 i think to keep to realism, we are also bringing a sniper rifle into play and hopefully going to put alot of emphasize on the system bypassing that we only get to watch in HL2. The bypassing is our shining star as we already have quite a few ideas what we can do with it.

Dunno bout limiting weapons, though it would add a more tactical element (choosing which weapons to carry; what to use in different situations) it would limit what a player can do, and players tend to like doing lots of things. I can visualize what you're going for, I think, but you need to put a lot of thought into that gameplay element. Could make or break the mod, methinks.
And the bypassing thing, (I assume you mean the door opening thing that Alyx seems to be only able to do) If you can turn that into something that is challenging but not tedious, then go for it. Because if people have to do the same thing for 50 different doors, its not gonna go down well for you.

 

[Mairsil the Pretender]

we are thinking of setting it around 5yrs or so after the seven hour war, something completly different. Everything hasn't be finalised yet however. Also we are hoping to fully utilze her computer bypassing capabilities.

If you set it at this time, Alyx would be, like 10 years old, at most.

You'd have to set it only a few years before gordon re-appears; like, say, before ravenholm fell

 

[Natural Hazard]

we know about timing, apologies for the confusion with the 5yrs, we aren't going to state the period, but it'll obvioulsy be a time when alyx has at least reached adulthood

 

[Honeybunny]

There is rumour that Alyx will be playable in HL3. (I saw it on CVG but can't find (vis: be bothered to).
I think it's a good idea, especially as there is always room for more believable female protagonists. If your going to make a mod as her playable however, you had better make damn sure the story and gameplay are rich with depth; as obviously without the protection of a HGV suit like Gordon she wouldn't be able to do half the puzzles he could, nor get into some of the more elaborate situations (maybe the introduction of Radiation meds etc. would rectify some of these problems (see STALKER).

 

[Anarchemitis]

mmmmmmmmmmmaybe.