The patch notes also detail changes like adding Cascaded Shadow Mapping for crisp dynamic shadows on outdoors maps, level load times 'up to 75% faster', improved AI for alien grunts, a bit of weapon rebalancing, translated closed captions for a few languages, and plenty more. The whole chapter is improved, rather than just boshing on the new levels, as by then they had made new assets and techniques for other areas of the game - which they could re-use here. He'd previously made new versions of the levels as an add-on for the free mod version of Black Mesa, and has good things to say about how and why they've expanded Surface Tension in the commercial release. It is missing half its attractive interactions, which is why when segregated to the surface, a liquid molecule is in an unfavorable energy state. LambdaGeneration had a good interview in January with Black Mesa mapper Chon Kemp about Surface Tension Uncut. It’s a very important part of the Half-Life story.' Well, maybe not a life-saver, but still there's far more work involved in beta-ing my stories than anyone should do for free.) The Black Mesa Incident. The end of ST is the part where the H.E.C.U start to lose, and it sets up the events for Half-Life 2. 'Surface Tension did not feel complete without its later levels. Three levels were missing before, and all in all Surface Tension is now about an hour longer. It has the dam, the cliffs with the fly-by, big battles between the aliens and soldiers, that airstrike puzzle, and lots of other big set pieces. Because some of these situations involve combat in large, complex areas, there's no one specific way to play these levels. Outdoor environments have properties that allow a number of unique situations and enemies that you have not yet faced. Surface Tension, to refresh your memory, is the chapter where Gordon has escaped from the bowels of Black Mesa and jaunts around on the surface. Surface Tension is one of the largest levels in the game, both in length and sheer size. it sounds like a cracker of an update for a game which was already great. With airstrikes taking place on the surface, Gordon hears a radio communication that tells him the military is beginning a full retreat from Black Mesa. The chapter begins in Bay 3 of the underground Lambda Bunker. They've also added dynamic shadows to outdoor areas, revisited and polished-up some levels, massively sped up loading times, and. For the the games full story, see the Half-Life storyline article. Over the weekend they released an update heavily expanding the 'Surface Tension' chapter, adding back areas that didn't make the cut before. The alien world of Xen is the biggest part of Half-Life still to come to its fancy remake Black Mesa, but developers Crowbar Collective have been working on plenty more.

Surface tension half life