Black Mesa: Playing Half-Life 1 In The Half-Life 2 Game Engine

Black Mesa will have been released for 2 years starting tomorrow. It was first released back on 12 September, 2012. As then, it is absolutely FREE for you to play!



I know it might be hard to believe some out there that like FPS games may not of heard about this, but just in case, I thought I'd put out information about it.



Basically, Black Mesa is the Half-Life 1 game ported over to the Half-Life 2 game engine, known as Source SDK 2007. The results? An outstanding game that has over 8 hours of game play, 14 chapters and eyeball popping eye candy to look at!



And the price is hard to beat! FREE!

All you have to do is download the install files, download the Source SDK 2007, and you can play the game!

First, if you haven't, you need to create a Steam account. It's completely free to do so. If you don't like Steam, then I can't help you. Sorry.
Next, after you have a Steam account set up, download their Source SDK Base 2007 game engine. It's located in the "Tools" section of Steam and is free to download.

After you have done that, you'll need to download two files from Black Mesa: Their install file (which is under 1 mb) and the archived zip file, which is just over 3 GB. You can find the links to do this and install instructions Here at their Wiki.

If you played the original Half-Life 1, you'll remember how everything looked. In Black Mesa on the other hand, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much better things and people look:



Doctor Kliner and Eli:



Just as action packed as the first one, but looking better, handles modern graphic systems better, and well...it's just better!



Did I mention that it's completely free? Hours and hours of game play, looking and acting like a professionally published game....completely and 100% FREE!

Even better: the team that did this is working on porting it to the Source SDK Base 2013 engine and will have the whole thing on Steam eventually and still FREE! How about that?

Here's a Let's Play video that I did, so you can see the graphics in action, and get a feel of that atmosphere:

a reply to: eriktheawful

I never made a steam account because I haven't bothered with a credit card or any cards in my life yet, but if they have free games then I am down.

Thanks for this. I played the Orange Box on 360, but I plan to download this and have something to do at work (i recently beat Ultimate Doom and Doom 2 again - so it will be cool to revisit this game as well).

Since my second xbox crashed I haven't played any games (excluding old Doom games) for a year or two. I need to catch up on Resident Evil and Metal Gear. I dig Resident Evil's new direction, but at the same time I kinda want them to do a new one that is more like the originals with puzzles and etc.

a reply to: eriktheawful



Thanks for the tip! Downloading from Gamefront now......but just a heads up for those who are going to do it, the download speed from Gamefront is slow as molasses!

a reply to: GogoVicMorrow

Yes, Steam actually has a LOT of free games if you search. No credit card required to make an account and download them. Only if you actually want to buy something.

originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: eriktheawful

Thanks for the tip! Downloading from Gamefront now......but just a heads up for those who are going to do it, the download speed from Gamefront is slow as molasses!

It was slow for me the other day as well. Normally it's a lot faster than what I was experiencing, and I wonder if it had to do with the Net Slow down.

a reply to: eriktheawful

I am not really familiar with that site. I am currently at 24% on the download! lol No biggy, I just wanted to give a heads up for those who were going to do the download.

originally posted by: GogoVicMorrow
a reply to: eriktheawful

I never made a steam account because I haven't bothered with a credit card or any cards in my life yet, but if they have free games then I am down.

Thanks for this. I played the Orange Box on 360, but I plan to download this and have something to do at work (i recently beat Ultimate Doom and Doom 2 again - so it will be cool to revisit this game as well).

Since my second xbox crashed I haven't played any games (excluding old Doom games) for a year or two. I need to catch up on Resident Evil and Metal Gear. I dig Resident Evil's new direction, but at the same time I kinda want them to do a new one that is more like the originals with puzzles and etc.

A PIECE OF ADVICE:
After the 2nd time my PSN was hacked. I did away with my personal bank card/credit card.
I just went to the store and got a Visa Gift card for myself.
Value usually around 25 to $50.
So if it gets hacked. At least my personal bank info isn't compromised.

a reply to: eriktheawful

Great game.
I have the Orange Box set. ( purchased used for $9 at GameStop )
And got the extra downloads for around $1.99
The game is old.
But I can't complain. HL 1-2 Portal & Team Fortress.
Most downloadable content is free.

a reply to: eriktheawful

Seen it, never downloaded it but now I have seen you review I think I shall, half life 2 was a little dissapointing as the first game is still my favourit of the genre but why not it did look far better, I am just spoilt after the open world engines still going to give it a go thanks for the head's up.

a reply to: Bigburgh

Good idea. I don't know why I never considered buying those cards to get some of the things online that I want. I have a job and see all kinds of stuff online I want, but I didn't want to go through the hassle.. I never thought about getting a prepaid visa or anything.

Great gamr, i'm almost finished with it (pluss the deleted content). I've had amazing fun and highly recommend!

Warning: too much time playing will convince you that whole raw chickens are headcrabs in real life

a reply to: eriktheawful

I played through Black Mesa a few months ago and loved every second of it. Have they released the Zen level for Black Mesa yet?

I played the first Half-Life right after it came out back in 1998 (97 or 99? dont remember), and it blew my mind. (Half-Life is what brought me into the FPS gaming realm.) I easily spent 100+ hours on that game, replaying it through, and also spent hundreds of more hours when Counter-Strike was a mod for it.

I've also played through HL 2 and all the extra episodes and am eagerly waiting for HL 3, or whatever expansion is next.

I might fire this up, having originally played it when it came out, this hits that nostalgia spot, and the source engine while not cutting edge by any means, its can be pretty good!

SF