Counter added

Just found this feature on another blog...

It's something I wanted to add for a while but with a certain anxiety...thinking i was mostly the only one to visite my blog...

After two days I'm quite happy


so if you like to add one to you own blog it's quite simple, just follow the information here copy/paste the embed link and that's it.

Reissues for Half-Life

***NEW!!!***

Level name: Reissues

Author: collective of mappers

Release date: 14 september 2008

Size: 101 891 ko

Number of maps: 30

website: here


download: At planetphillip

note: I used my classic Half-Life CD with patch 1.1.1.0 for the steamuser take the version here

Story:

Phillip's note :
Reissues is a collaborative mapping project that traces its roots back to Project Quantum Leap. The basic idea was to collect a bunch of unrelated maps and short multi-map adventures by authors of all levels of skill, both veterans and newbies, and release it as a single map-pack. There was no story; each map stood (or fell) on its own. The first Issues was the same idea - in fact it was originally called PQL2 - except that it used Spirit of Half-Life as the basis for it’s maps.

Review :


For the review I will take all part seperatly and try to make it not too long. First of all there is a hazard course, which isn't that great and after you may enter into the real game.After a short talk with the G-man choice seems obvious and here you are again to start some nex mission. There is a central place with access to different portal, link to each releases, when the mission is done you get back to this page and the portal you just came out will crash down. there is no orientation about the one that you will choose it's just on you hand. So here we go

It's Safer...by tottmaster_c


I Begin with this one, it's a short classic map with a good transposition of HL2 feeling you progression is obvious and streight forward In a clean design perhaps containing a little bit to much of hallways and squared places but the action is clean, so this doesn't bother you to much.This 2maps experience is quite short but enjoyable and features some intersting stuff like the new skin of military forces

note: in the first version it seems that there is a skybox bug to prevent this just at the start of the map quick save and quick load and this will be ok

rating: 7/10
playtime: 15 minutes


Cyan from Half-Life_Maniac



This second experience was really a perfectly well designed part with everything what is needed to make it intense (you know the episode you are just making a short break and after 10 minutes you return to it because you really want to know what's next). In this release you enter a planet base where something wrong just happens, Design is well put together and balance with clean brilliant architecture, small action behind doors or some scientist screaming, and a perfectly scripted scenario that let you the feeling that this base is so huge and full of connection that you could be easily lost or miss something (which never happens to me...). The progression is well organized with help of barney (with a great new suit) or with some sientist, puzzle are present like an end fight triggered and quite difficult (just have to wait for the elevator to open) This is the perfect example of what we look for with 4 maps and arround 50 minutes of gameplay...this is really enjoyable and recommanded.

rating: 9/10

playtime: 50 minutes

Encamped...by Dred_furst

Third part from this release if you simply progress in the classic hour progression. This one is a well balanced simply designed release, You are still gordon and need to go for another lab mission full of ambush, Inth is one there is a teleport to activate and this is the onlyway to get to the next chapter of Reissues. Design is quite classic with correct layout but nothing impressive, I didn't recognize any new stuff in this one. Progression is mostly streight formard and happens only in a indoor vue.
Gameplay is well balance with help of on the message that give an orientation to the gameplay highly enjoyable, traps and fights make the rest to make it enjoyable.












rating: 7/10
playtime: 30 minutes

Labcoat required...by Ansith

This one is the one that I like the less, it was quite short and build like the first map that shines nearly ten years ago... use of prefabs, places like the broken railway missing reality, simple forward gameplay without any atmosphere (voices or text), no real puzzle, nothing really new hopefully it's not too long sothat you don't have the possibility to get bored.










rating: 5/10
playtime: 15 minutes

Second Wind by Campainjunkie

This one is another good suprise I only know the author since he as post several (not enough...) review at Ten Four but din't know I could create something so good. Design gives a terrible fresh feeling in a conceptual grandness* with marvellous view, perfect texturing and good fiting storyline. In this release, that seems to be the longest in playtime due to mostly puzzle, you were abandonned on a coast by you former boss and you only aim is..vengance! In this way you will need to enter its fortified castle hanging on a mountain island. Design is really brilliant enhanced buy texturing, intro and outro cutsceenes and lots of perfectly crafted places that let memorable view that everybody could use as screensaver.
Gameplay is a mix between good fights and ambushes and lot's of puzzle some easy to understrand other not so witch can cause some frustration if you are turning arround for quite a long time thinking in the wrong way (I was pretty sure i needed to use the Gargantua to do something...witch was not the case)or if you don't like jumping puzzle or sort of for the last part you need to climb to the top.











rating: 9/10
playtime: 60 minutes


Echo transit by Snotball & Sjakal

This is the sixth releases on nine and the two guys that builded this one have put priority in scripting before mapping. The storyline is another accident that took inspiration from HL2 the starting place you just arrived by the teleport but something goes wrong and the objective is the transport and use a generator to restore the power in orther to escape by the starting teleport. Design is simple but perfectly done from indoor to outdoor with lots of containers, bulding and attention to detail as he generator, crane and teleport.
The script is really what can make a game geat and his one is the good example correct voice acting will explain to you step by step what you need to do that really create a great atmosphere that can sometimes get a little frustrating when an ambushes triggers when you need to listen to the mission objectives... Challenging is also a great part of this release with perfect balance between items and fights you will need to do and that increase witth you progression.
This one is another enjoyable and good surprise.











rating: 8.5 /10
playtime: 40 minutes


Starlab by SEThorian

I follow this one through then for forum and was really disapointing when Seth, decide to put an end to it. Hopefully a part of his upcoming episode was added to this Reissues project. The theme was already visited a lot in this Reissue project, a base that is under enemie control and that need to be delivered.
Design is well put together in perhaps, a too classic way. The general layout use perfectly the original content that create a good ambiance, neverteless you don't have really the impression to travel through a large, spead complex (vertical travels is not enough present). The way to progress is well oriented by on text message but sadly, and especially for non native speakers, the text disapears too fast so that most of the time you don't have all infos required. Gameplay appart from the design is prefectly feating and even if soemthing it's predictable like the end fight it's still what it should be Enjoyable.
All events that occurs really help creating a mission ambiance but finally the experience felt a little bit short with no real highlights even if still the content and gameplay are above average, I had in memory something better...

rating: 7.5/10
playtime: 45 minutes



The specter of Ra by Firebinder

This one is quite original looking both to concept and layout and shines mostly by the integration of new models.In this mission that seems short your boss is sending you to the temple of Ra to take back the specter from the evil that want to used it against humanity...the big problem that will occurs is that Ra was woke up...and will start punishing humanity as a sentence.
The Design is one time more from a classic bottle from the starting office full of details to the temple of Ra made of classic architecture not that creative but perfectly fitting the theme. The addition of new enemies models really add something special to this release because they are brilliant...mission is quite simple and streight forward with it's part of amushes and surprise that really get you immersed in this experience.
Gameplay is perfect from start to end in an increase challenge untill the boss fight that isn't the end of the surpise the only complain was perhaps the poor voice acting that didn' t sound clear at all moments...still a great experience.

rating: 8.5/10
playtime: 30 minutes

Coil by Gary 'kol' Brigadir




Another awaited project that finally came out through the reissues project (for more info just check the website here) and this one like starlab was certainly something i was looking for. This one ends up for me this interesting Reissues experience with a great experience.
Design is really well organized arround an important building that you will need to explore in order to progress. Architecture is a mix beween outdoor and indoor places well organized in a complex depot set on several floors. Attention to detail add a bunch of realism to this one that also includes some impressive custom content from texture to prefabs, elements like traps, accident, different possibility to progress make it entertaining. There isn't a real storyline below or scriting help but it's really not needed it's so intuitive that you just flow through the experience without any daubt or question.
Gameplay is the mix we all want: puzzle and fights from simple to more complicated one and perfectly balance to make it difficult but not frustrating. sometime you need to rush and other times you need to think and travel more and more to understand what could be done to progress a little more. the end teleport just let a abrupt ending filling with in back a more imortant project that just felt down due to lack of time...this is for me the only sad point, but the filling that is left was what i was waiting for. This one, even if still quite classic, was my favorite one.

rating: 9/10
playtime: 40 minutes




In conlcusion: Reissues is a top notch collection of 9 episodes from good quality that every Half-Life fan should try, it won't take you much time to complete each of them and the experience is really worth so don't wait any longuer just get into it

Playtime: 5-6 hours


Rating: A B C D E (88%)


* Mikko Sandt used a lot the reference to this unreal sp vision of mapping