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Half-Life As A 2D Side-Scroller?

Posted by simoniker on from the head-crab-flash-shock dept.

Allen Varney writes "Why wait for Half-Life 2 when you can wait instead for Half-Life 2D? 'Codename: Gordon' is a free, fan-produced jump'n'run side-scroller adapted from the original Half-Life. It'll be done in a month, but for now there's screenshots and a two-minute gameplay video."

41 comments

  1. Zero comments by BoomerSooner · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    and it's slashdotted. Nice.

    Super Mario died for a reason. It sucked. Now that we can do 3D we should do 3D. Or in my opinion we should.

    1. Re:Zero comments by DeDmeTe · · Score: 3, Insightful

      3D doesn't make a "good" game. I'd still much rather play Super Mario World and Zelda on my old SNES than the 3-D crap they put out for the N64. It's a matter of gameplay, and I think that with a gamepad(vs mouse/kbd)... it's still easier to play 2D games. It's also a lot less confusing. Ever played Brave Fencer Musashi for PS???? IMHO, it would have played A LOT better in a 2D environment. I hate games with camera/view problems... ugh!

      --
      -Guns kill people like spoons made Rosie O'Donnell fat-
    2. Re:Zero comments by trompete · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I really haven't ever been a fan of the 2D games converted to 3D (basically, all of the sequels that came out for N64). We still play Bomberman 2 (SNES) and its clone at LAN parties. I don't think that 3D ports themselves sucked, but their gameplay was so much different than the originals that they lost their following. Bomberman 64, Zelda 64 (whichever ones), and Mario 64 are great, but they still aren't as fun as their SNES prequels.
      A 2D version of a 3D game:.....I guess I haven't seen that before. With the slashdot effect, I guess I never will.

      To counter the slashdot effect...we should seriously get some coders together and do a google cache kind of thing to prevent the slashdot effect. It wouldn't have to be mandatory. It could just be for sites that can't handle the traffic.

      --
      More than enough BS
    3. Re:Zero comments by trompete · · Score: 1

      Ha...I just posted the exact same thing as you. I guess I'll have to type faster next time. Good to see there are other people who appreciate the classics.

      --
      More than enough BS
    4. Re:Zero comments by leifm · · Score: 1

      Super Mario Kart is still to this day the best multiplayer game ever as far as I am concerned.

      And I think some of the better recent games were the 3d/2d type games like Smash Brothers and DNMP.

      --

      "Windows Me offers tremendous reliability and stability improvements..." -- Paul Thurott
    5. Re:Zero comments by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      SNES bomberman is inferior. True bomberman fans get a Turbographix and all the old school bomberman games.

  2. Look like Metal Slug to me by DeDmeTe · · Score: 1

    for your NeoGeo... remember that one?

    --
    -Guns kill people like spoons made Rosie O'Donnell fat-
    1. Re:Look like Metal Slug to me by Mike+Hawk · · Score: 1

      I thought the same thing. Someone has some 'splaining to do.

  3. The truth of the Slashdot effect. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think there is no legitimate Slashdot effect. I bet the site admins flood the links in their posts in order to make it look like we geeks are numerous!!!

    i mean, something cant get /.ed that fast could it?

    1. Re:The truth of the Slashdot effect. by simoniker · · Score: 5, Informative

      In this case, if the site went down, it was probably a combined Penny Arcade (who featured the project this morning) and Slashdot Games effect, since this isn't actually a mainpage post. From my very un-scientific pokings, I've noticed that a Slashdot Games-only post can generate enough traffic to kill some smaller sites, but on its own, relatively rarely smashes better-hosted webpages.

  4. RTFA by mcasaday · · Score: 1

    Codename: Gordon is a wacky Jump 'n Run Game inspired by Half Life 2 and created using Flash and Photoshop for the graphics.

  5. 2D games by Henry+V+.009 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Anybody else sorry that 2D games died the death when the consoles all got 3D engines? I like first person shooters, don't get me wrong, but it seems like they have far less possible variety than the old 2D games. 2D seems far better suited to our screens. Games have gotten better as systems have progressed, certainly, but I don't know that they have lived up to their potential. Compare the new 3D versions of Metroid and Zelda to their 2D forbearers. Does the 3D add that much to the game? If the makers had continued on the 2D track with those games would we be better off? Just look at all of the effort that went into Warcraft 3 to make it 3D -- in my mind that effort could have surely been spent better elsewhere.

    1. Re:2D games by Acidic_Diarrhea · · Score: 3, Insightful
      First of all, 2D games are not dead. There are still 2D games released for all the major consoles each year. And why do you think that a 2D game can have more variety than a 3D game? I mean, anything that can be visualized on screen in 2D can be visualized on screen in 3D. Perhaps the first person shooter market has been flooded with a glut of dark-hallway games but that's not a limitation of the dimensions offered in the game; it's just a lack of creativity from the people who greenlight games and a lack of clamoring for anything but dark hallways by gamers. You may also want to note that a first person shooter is not the same as a 3D game. For instance, Doom is a first person shooter but is only 2D. So in your comparison, you're mixing things up a bit.

      And I think that if you look at a game like Mario 64 and compare it to Super Mario Bros., you can see that the extra dimension adds quite a bit to the game. If you disagree, I'd be really surprised. Now, you may say that the majority of 3D games released today aren't as good as the original Super Mario Bros. but that has more to do with the fact that SMB is an all-time classic game. The NES market was flooded with tons of uninspired side-scrollers that were not innovative in any way - sad copies of SMB. The same is true today except that we've got uninspired fighting games with movie licenses.

      So, in short, yes - an added dimension can add to the gameplay experience but it does not guarantee it. But just because a game only has 2 dimensions does not mean that will be a good game. So the next time you want to harken back, go get on your horse and buggy and think about those great days of the Atari.

      --
      I hate liberals. If you are a liberal, do not reply.
    2. Re:2D games by Henry+V+.009 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      All modern first person shooters are 3D, and more than that, it's the fps viewpoint from that 2D Doom that is the basis for how most 3D games are organized today.

      I had the opposite feeling about Mario 64 that you did. I thought the extra dimensions took quite a bit away from the game. I bought it right when it came out, and I recall that a lot of people at the time agreed with me.

      Your last argument is a straw man. All I said was that the 2D game style has a lot more room for innovation than the 3D. Adding that extra dimension means a lot of design compromises because of the extra freedom that you are allowing the gamer. The only game that I can think of which has overcome it well and created a feeling that harkens back to the old button smashers is Serious Sam. There are others, surely, but not too many.

      I guess a lot of it boils down to 'aim and click' style versus 'manuver' style. There are certainly games that can overcome this, but it's hard.

    3. Re:2D games by Henry+V+.009 · · Score: 1

      And I'll add that while Doom is 2D from a rendering standpoint, it's almost a 3D game from the players point of view. That's because you don't need to use actual 3D polygons to make it look like you're moving through three dimension. Just go back that ancient Nintendo game 'Globewalker' (or something like that). It's even easier to make a 2D game with a 3D redendering system.

    4. Re:2D games by Acidic_Diarrhea · · Score: 0, Interesting
      What innovation is possible in 2D that is not possible in 3D? You talk of design compromises but you cite nothing but a game in 3D that "harkens back to the old button smashers", which sounds to me like you don't want innovation - you want the same old, same old.

      As for your last comment, how you move a character within the game has little to do with the dimensions of the game. You can 'aim and click' and have your character move in either 3D or 2D. You can also "manuver" your character in either 3D or 2D. Although at this point, your statements have been a bit ambiguous.

      --
      I hate liberals. If you are a liberal, do not reply.
    5. Re:2D games by CTachyon · · Score: 1

      Although Doom's engine was sorta-2D, the user experience was strictly 3D, as are all FPS games. Calling Doom a 2D game is dishonest. It's just as dishonest as calling Super Smash Bros. a 3D game when it's a 2D game on a 3D engine.

      --
      Range Voting: preference intensity matters
  6. retro.c by Andy+Smith · · Score: 3, Funny

    <include "warm_and_fuzzy.h">
    <include "recommendations.h">

    if (game_status==AVAILABLE_NOW) {
    download();
    enjoy();
    } else {
    recommend("Download NeoRAGE emulator");
    recommend("Download Metal Slug NeoGeo ROM");
    recommend("Enjoy!");
    }

    // Those screenshots look great!

  7. mmm, siiidescrollers... by Tumbleweed · · Score: 1

    Does anybody remember 'Abuse'? Awesome game, what there was OF it...

    1. Re:mmm, siiidescrollers... by Rethcir · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I played the demo, it was real cool. I think I used my mouse for that game before I started mousing in doom/quake. Fun stuff though, i kinda wish i had invested in the full version (although it probably wouldn't run properly on my XP computer now like every other interplay game ever released)

    2. Re:mmm, siiidescrollers... by saladpuncher · · Score: 3, Informative

      Abuse was released to the public domain when crack.com went bankrupt. You can download it and play the full version from underdogs and not even worry about stealing :)
      It works on 98/XP just fine. Of course if you hate Microsoft then the source code can also be dug up with a little googling allowing someone to make a linux version.

    3. Re:mmm, siiidescrollers... by Tumbleweed · · Score: 1

      Hey, that's cool - when last I played the demo, it was on Linux, and the full version wasn't out, as far as I can recall. I never realized the full game even came out. Nifty.

      And what's a saladpuncher? Is that like a saladshooter, only less violent? :)

    4. Re:mmm, siiidescrollers... by saladpuncher · · Score: 1

      I found the source code and the most current downloads here. You are correct, there is already a linux version (as well as Mac, Dos, Windows and even IRIX!). The source code is done in Lisp. I think this is the first and only time a major game release was made using this language. Someone correct me if I am wrong.
      **Off topic stuff follows**
      Saladpuncher came about when I was younger staying up late watching commercials with some friends. We saw the saladshooter and were suprised that something so worthless and silly could be sold. We made up the saladpuncher as something that was even dumber and more worthless. As time went by we starting calling anything stupid "a saladpuncher". So I'm basically calling myself dumb :)

    5. Re:mmm, siiidescrollers... by Tumbleweed · · Score: 1

      I was playing Abuse on Linux in 1996, so 'already' a Linux version is kind of a strange thing to say. :) I wasn't aware until today that it had been made for anything else. *shrug*

      re: saladpuncher

      This could also be like a cowpuncher, only for salad. Now, every time I think of that song, I'm going to think saladpuncher, I'm sure. Thanks so much. :)

    6. Re:mmm, siiidescrollers... by Yakman · · Score: 1

      And what's a saladpuncher? Is that like a saladshooter, only less violent? :)

      Well, in the phrase "tossing the salad" the "salad" is the arsehole. Therefore, the action "punching the salad" should be pretty obvious.

    7. Re:mmm, siiidescrollers... by WWWWolf · · Score: 2, Informative
      I think this is the first and only time a major game release was made using this language. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

      Actually, most of Abuse was written in other languages. According to SLOCCount, 115799 lines (91.45%) ANSI C, 6792 lines (5.36%) C++, 2066 lines (1.36%) Lisp, and the rest is shell script and assembly. (I just realized I always have the Abuse source tree ready, for some obscure reason... I haven't even read much of the code =)

      It had a Lisp interpreter for interpreting creature AI code / game logic / whatever, but, well... it wasn't actually that huge part of the game. It was good for writing mods.

      And yes, it's probably a first commercial game to feature a Lisp interpreter... but not the first game ever to be written in Lisp. I'm pretty sure all of the games in Emacs predate it =)

    8. Re:mmm, siiidescrollers... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Full Abuse is downloadable today, and because Crack Dot Com released the sources, there is SDL version. I'm sure someone did win32 port too.

  8. Horror of horrors. by Ayanami+Rei · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's a side scrolling game written in flash.

    ::faints::

    On the plus side I can run it on my *nix boxie.

    --
    THIS THING CAN TURN ON A DIME, MACROSSZERO STYLE ALSO FUCK BETA, ~NYORON
  9. 2d to 3d by Reapy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Moving from 2D to 3D games was more then just a change in graphics... it was the dump of a whole genera. The playstyle in any 3d game is much different then the 3d, if not just for the fact that in 3d you have to fight with the camera.

    Done well, a 3d game is a lot of fun and can look great. But games that handle the 3d camera properly are few and far between. But you miss stuff in a 3d game. I recal watching my friend play half life, missing out on some great scripted sequences because he was looking the wrong way.

    2D is just great with no camera hastles, not missing any content, and the gameplay can be just all around fun. Like was mentioned above, the snes zelda was the best. Zelda was awesome for that top down view, moved to n64, and gc, it was ho hum.

    Really, they should make more games ala donkey kong, creating the world in 3d, then generating the sprites from the renders. I really enjoy that look to a game.

    Anyway, this reminds me of the old duke nukem games which I loved, this should be fun :)

  10. It's Bionic Commando withouth the Bionic Arm by Metroid72 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It's HL inspired, but I see a lot of Bionic Commando in there too... Don't you guys think?

  11. I'll play in a year... by cbuskirk · · Score: 2, Funny

    When someone posts the Counter Strike mod.

    1. Re:I'll play in a year... by skyknytnowhere · · Score: 1

      I'll wait for Natural Selection, myself.

      skye

  12. Nice, but I was hoping for an actual Half-Life mod by grahamwest · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Not to take anything at all away from the people working on this, because it certainly looks pretty cool, but when I read the headline I was thinking someone had made a side-scroller using Half-Life itself (like Pandemonium, for example). A modern 3D game provides a lot of stuff that is useful for making 2D games too. Maybe when Half-Life 2 comes out someone will make a killer side-scroller using all the animation and lighting and physics systems of the core game?

    --
    Graham
  13. How much longer until... by M3wThr33 · · Score: 2, Funny

    How much longer until someone makes a 2D version of Metroid Prime?

  14. Re:Nice, but I was hoping for an actual Half-Life by paradesign · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ah, like Duke Nukem Manhatten Project. THe game came with my new grafx card and appears to be the quake 3 engine made into a sidescroller... but with all duke's badassery. i wish more games like this would come out. thje only other one that comes to mind is Super Smash Bros.

    --
    I want 2D games back.
  15. Yay.. by roka · · Score: 1

    this could run on a P60.. oh wait it's in flash.. curses.. *throws away Duron 900*

    1. Re:Yay.. by luekj · · Score: 1

      Don't worry. It doesn't look like he's putting too many animation frames int he game (see video), so even if it's unbearably choppy you won't miss all the animation...

      --
      Many Thanks,

      Luke

  16. Possibly short-lived? by exick · · Score: 2, Interesting

    How long before Vivendi gets word of this and sues these guys for IP infringement?

  17. Side scroller? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It may be side view, but it doesn't actually SCROLL.

  18. Soldat: a 2D multiplayer game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Reminds me of Soldat:
    Soldat is a unique side-view multiplayer action game. It takes the best from games like Liero, Worms, Quake and Counter-Strike and gives you fast action gameplay with tons of blood and flesh. Soldiers fight against each other on 2D battle arenas using a deadly military arsenal.

    Home Page and the Google-Cache

  19. very last post, i suck by muirhead · · Score: 1

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