Return to City 17

[Tono-Tako]

use a rebel then change the model to gordon freeman, make a running scripted secuence and you WIN

[DaMaN]

hey daman great job, i absolutely love these maps. im not huge on the train map but i love all the tunnel maps and how you incorporated a lot of the story. i love the feeling you get as a rebel when you enter city 17 at the same time as Gordon has, its just too bad we don't get to see Gordon at all. or at least i never saw him. thanks for all the effort and time buddy, you are skilled.

Thanks DrewR! Glad you like them!

TBH, the train map (06a) is probably one of my least favorite of all the maps, though I still find it very enjoyable, and a lot of people seem to really like it, so what the hey. Besides, it's something different to do, which is always fun. (I dunno, perhaps I've overplayed it during testing or something )

And I know exactly the feeling you're talking about - it's the same feeling I had while playing through Op4 and encountering Gordon just as he's jumping into the portal. That's the feeling I was trying to evoke with these maps, and I'm glad you get the same vibe.

use a rebel then change the model to gordon freeman, make a running scripted secuence and you WIN

Actually, I was seriously considering this for the longest time. There's only one slight problem: the only times you would ever see Gordon (namely, in 05 jumping into the window on the roof), he doesn't have his hazard suit on, and the only models I could find were ones with hazard suits! (I imagine from the uninterested citizens and metrocops at the beginning of HL2 that Gordon was wearing one of those blue jumpsuits. For some reason, I don't think he was naked...). And Gordon doesn't switch into his hazard suit until Kleiner's lab, at which point everything goes to hell anyways, so that wouldn't exactly work.

But if anybody did a Gordon Freeman re-skin with a blue jumpsuit I'd put it into the map in a heartbeat! It's my second-most wanted thing for the series. (The first of course to get Faceposer all done and everything, but i hope that'll come with time.)

And don't worry, I think Gordon will be making at least one more appearance/mention in the series, though not in the same manner...

[CozmicShredder]

Oh My gosh I swear I wish I could keep up with everything in the world!

Thanks for finally releasing this map set!

[DaMaN]

Oh My gosh I swear I wish I could keep up with everything in the world!

Thanks for finally releasing this map set!

You're welcome!

Though remember, this is only the first 6 maps in the set, there's 5 more to come. (And hopefully a bit quicker than these did )

[Vaun]

About gordon in a jumpsuit; a few quick touchups to to a male_07 like glasses and a hair fix.

[Ny]

DaMaN I just wanted to know how the train level works, is the train moving at all or is it just the background?

[sgae]

the last map (train map) needs more no draw

[DaMaN]

DaMaN I just wanted to know how the train level works, is the train moving at all or is it just the background?

The train isn't actually moving - just the background. The citadel in the skybox is also moving, albeit more slowly. This gives the illusion that the train is traveling a long distance, without the problems associated with compiling that big a map, players spawning, etc. It's a very useful way to portray a long journey quickly and easily.

I got the idea from the Opposing Force intro/outtro sequences, both of which have the player looking out the side of an Osprey seeing cliffs go past. I wanted this effect for another map in HL1, so I decompiled the map and worked out how they did it, which was to keep the Osprey stationary and move the cliffs. So when I needed something similar for HL2 I just used a similar technique.

the last map (train map) needs more no draw

Yup, probably. But do you know how boring it is to go through every single face you've constructed and decide whether or not it should be nodrawed? I'm waaaay too lazy for that.

---

A little bit of a status update here:

First off, I've been working on oc_return_c17_06b, and it's starting to come together a little more. I'd place it at around 61% done. Once it's finished, I just have to polish up 07 and 08, and that'll be another release! Yay! 09 and 10 of course are going to take more time, and might even end up being released early 2009, but it'll be worth it to get them done. I'm guestimating that the next release will end up in mid-November. I've got an October project I'm also working on, which is why I expect it to be pushed back a little bit

[sgae]

DaMaN I just wanted to know how the train level works, is the train moving at all or is it just the background?

The train isn't actually moving - just the background. The citadel in the skybox is also moving, albeit more slowly. This gives the illusion that the train is traveling a long distance, without the problems associated with compiling that big a map, players spawning, etc. It's a very useful way to portray a long journey quickly and easily.

I got the idea from the Opposing Force intro/outtro sequences, both of which have the player looking out the side of an Osprey seeing cliffs go past. I wanted this effect for another map in HL1, so I decompiled the map and worked out how they did it, which was to keep the Osprey stationary and move the cliffs. So when I needed something similar for HL2 I just used a similar technique.

the last map (train map) needs more no draw

Yup, probably. But do you know how boring it is to go through every single face you've constructed and decide whether or not it should be nodrawed? I'm waaaay too lazy for that.

---

A little bit of a status update here:

First off, I've been working on oc_return_c17_06b, and it's starting to come together a little more. I'd place it at around 61% done. Once it's finished, I just have to polish up 07 and 08, and that'll be another release! Yay! 09 and 10 of course are going to take more time, and might even end up being released early 2009, but it'll be worth it to get them done. I'm guestimating that the next release will end up in mid-November. I've got an October project I'm also working on, which is why I expect it to be pushed back a little bit

i like nodrawing stuff... if you want i can do some of the job low framerates in that map are a pain

[Deathy]

Overall Feedback about the series: Awesome. I really love it. Eager to see more maps in return to c17.

Detailed Feedback:
I really like the idea that you're visiting areas and locations you played through with Gordon. Getting an alternative and other view on the events is keeping your interest in hl2 even more. Long live Half-Life 2!!!!!!11one

The Strider was a challenging but fun job, only killing him with grenades. And I see you were inspired by ep1 rebel escort.

Keep up the great work.

EDIT: Oh yeah, good job on the easter egg in kleiners lab.

[DaMaN]

i like nodrawing stuff... if you want i can do some of the job low framerates in that map are a pain

Blues is already helping me with 01, but I'll think about it.

And yea, I know the framerates on that one aren't super.

Overall Feedback about the series: Awesome. I really love it. Eager to see more maps in return to c17.

Detailed Feedback:
I really like the idea that you're visiting areas and locations you played through with Gordon. Getting an alternative and other view on the events is keeping your interest in hl2 even more. Long live Half-Life 2!!!!!!11one

The Strider was a challenging but fun job, only killing him with grenades. And I see you were inspired by ep1 rebel escort.

Keep up the great work.

Thanks Deathy!

I personally really enjoyed playing Opposing Force, because it was visiting all the areas of Half life 1 again and made me want to play Half life 1 again and again. So I'm glad I was able to replicate that feeling in this series.

The Strider was a bit tough, but you've also got smg1 grenades around to help out too, and with three or four people it'll go down reasonably quickly. I've played it once or twice with a couple people and it was fun.

And yes, I was totally inspired by the ep1 rebel escort. XD

EDIT: Oh yeah, good job on the easter egg in kleiners lab.

Heh, thanks. I figured something should happen when you perform that action that lead to the easter egg you're talking about (Whew, how's that for a sentence without spoilers?). I'm glad people found it

---

As I said in the prev post, I'm planning on getting three more maps out by early November. The rest of October is booked with a different project.

EDIT: OK, well my time estimates were completely off again. Lots and lots of problems came up, and between computer problems and school problems and work problems, I haven't been able to do anything. BUT! I'm not licked yet! I'm still trying to work in my spare seconds of time! I hope to have something to show for it soon...

[Blues]

Hey there!

I just wanted to say (for those who didn't notice it yet) that i already found those nodraw faces in shaftoe's room and fixed them up.
Also I added waypoints to some important things in _01 (after DaMaN asked me to do so )

I hope that the 'new' version of return_c17_01 can be released along with version 1.34, as i'm slowly getting pissed of this "your version doesn't match the server's"-error, just because i had another compile of the map.

[Supahchikin]

Ah yes return_to_c17, nice map series,unfortunately the train part is so unfinished that playing it gives off a surreal feeling.