Half-Life: Blast Pit

23rd June 2012

The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit

Gordon Freeman enters an abandoned, largely sealed-off area of Black Mesa dating back to its earlier days as a missile complex, full of mothballed machinery and now used as a dumping ground for toxic waste from the rest of the facility, where the HECU soldiers have yet to get a good foothold because of the high concentration of aliens in the area.

It is here that Gordon faces a deadly new foe, the Tentacle. However, after reactivating the fuel, power, and oxygen lines, Gordon is able to kill the Tentacle by using the rocket engine at the top of the silo that the Tentacles were inhabiting, and finds a way out through the meters-long dirt tunnel dug by the Tentacle.

Trivia
  • The old level name featured on Half-Life: Day One, given in the “titles.txt” file was: Screams and whispers.
  • The Scientist taken by the Tentacle can be saved; by running to the scientist and talking to him as soon he begins to run. The scientist will talk without being taken by the Tentacle. The Tentacle will do its scripted movement.
  • In one part of the chapter, Gordon needs to get in the vent at the ceiling high above him. He does this by turning on the fan, which makes its blades to constantly move. After this, he jumps in the moving air above the fan. While this “flying” is possible in the real world it should be noted that the wooden planks near the vent, fall straight down, which is in contradiction to Gordon’s state.
  • After killing the Tentacles and going down the tunnel, if the player is to return back (by means of noclipping) then the Tentacles will reappear as they weren’t killed. This may not happen in the Steam version.
The Poll


Challenges

The challenges below have been set by 2muchvideogames

  • Get the supplies in the large irradiated room with the biohazard barrels.
  • Get up to the wall chargers using the barnacle.
  • Find the bullsquid that got killed by radiation.

Screenshots

Click on the thumbnails below to open a 1024 pixel wide image.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit
The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit
The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit
The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit
The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit
The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit
The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit The Replay Experience Experiment: Half-Life: Blast Pit
The Replay Experience Experiment

This post is part of the The Replay Experience Experiment 2012 event. This is a chance to replay all the Half-Life games and discuss them based on our experiences since we first played them.

Hat Tip

All text taken from the CombineOverWiki, a fan-supported, editable wiki covering the Half-Life series of games.

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28 Comments

  1. Summary

    I really felt this chapter made a switch. It went from being a great game into an amazing one. From here we started to see the grand ideas that the level designers had. Up until now we have had quite small areas. Yes, we saw something similar in the initial tram ride, but now we are actually able to interact and experience these areas to the full.

    What strikes me overall about this chapter was the size of the puzzle involved. We are presented with such a powerful enemy that we are unable to kill it without a much larger solution. Simple shooting or button pressing is not enough, although that’s essentially what we do, we do it as part of that larger solution.

    Definitely, my favourite level so far and I’ll probably replay it sometime soon.

    Points of interest

    The lift near the beginning is fantastic and is similar to the angled one earlier. In fact, I really enjoy these kinds of things and would like to have a little combat during the ride. However, in many ways it’s the perfect time to stop and relax, even if for just a moment. Perhaps Valve made that decision consciously.

    Those rotating “things” were kinda cool but I’m not sure I used them properly. Still, it’s another example of nice touches that are everywhere.

    I ignored the two zombies on the platform in the hope they would float to the top, but they didn’t. They did start doing some funky jumping though!

    I just had to follow the toxic drums through the system. I was hoping for a secret area. Did you?

    Gameplay

    I died a lot in this chapter. I am playing on Medium, when I normally play on had and there were times when I only had 3 health points. Getting past the tentacles took quite a few tries and I had no grenades left, which was frustrating.

    The large areas were nice but it was a shame you could see the enemies standing around doing nothing.

    The introduction of the tram was strange for me because I really didn’t remember such a big tunnel. See image 9 for a very strong Houndeye. Actually, I didn’t even bother using it and when I read the trivia I kinda wish I had.

    Bugs or errors

    When you climb up a ladder from the pipes and see a zombie waiting for you, I managed to fall through the fall just in the corner of the entrance to the small room. Image 24 shows you what I saw as I was falling. I tried to recreate it when recording a video but couldn’t.

    The interesting thing is that I always complain when modders put level changes near combat and this is exactly what Valve did.

    The Challenges

    I didn’t manage to complete any of the challenges. πŸ™

    Five Words Or Less Review:

    Size really does matter!

    Playtime: 59 minutes

    1. When you climb up a ladder from the pipes and see a zombie waiting for you, I managed to fall through the fall just in the corner of the entrance to the small room

      Yeah I encountered this too, and got the hang of it. it’s pretty hard to get in the right spot, but now I can do it as I want.

      I tried to recreate it when recording a video but couldn’t.

      I did, some time ago, just look.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugM4Jq4YWgQ

    2. Ade

      I ignored the two zombies on the platform in the hope they would float to the top, but they didn’t. They did start doing some funky jumping though!

      me 2! that was some funny dancing indeed

  2. Blast pit, the second most hated level by me. The first time that I played Half-Life, I got stuck in this level for a few months, didn’t realize the fan could lift me in the air. The tentacles, those horrible monsters that have incredibly strong attack. good thing they are blind. most players (and me back in the days) just duck around the tentacles throwing grenades to drag their attention. I realized it’s just faster to run (is there ONE obstacle that is NOT easier to bypass by ignoring it?). I like the way I saved the scientist in the control room, by just coming from the other door. Talking to scientists is for the weak πŸ˜€

    I was so happy the first time I killed those bastards, I think it’s my favorite boss to get rid of. probably the worst boss and most annoying of the game though.

    then, a ride on some pipes, then IN some pipes, then a huge drop in a room, god have I died a lot of times in the drop back in the days. Im pretty happy I survived this drop this time.

    Also you can see my first death of the TREE event, proving that I wasn’t lying when I said that Iwould not edit out flaws or deaths. I will try not to die too often tough.

    Playtime: 6 minutes 50 seconds 542 milliseconds

    Five word Review
    I don’t like this level

  3. I don’t really like this level. Seems too tedious and drawn out. It was even less fun on a Dreamcast controller. Ugh. I usually liked the platforming segments in HL1 but it’s terrible on a Dreamcast controller. Can you believe I actually beat HL1 on PS2? Gotta agree with Phillip that putting a level change in the middle of combat was a bad design choice. The part where you go flying up with the can is totally physically accurate. The only real difference I found was that when you fall into the room with the table, it’s flooded and you don’t fall on the table http://www.planetphillip.com/media/2012/02/1024-hl-dreamcast-04.jpg. I got the first 2 challenges :D.

    Playtime: 15 minutes

    5 Words or less:
    Safe and sound

    1. This is probably a good time to mention Freeman’s Mind. It is a Machinima where this guy does a playthru of HL1 but does it in character. He gives Gordon such a funny and weird personality. He harbors a grudge against pretty much everyone there, is borderline insane, and is a oxycodone addict. At this part in HL1 when he goes to turn on the power he calls one of the scientists… well. Just watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2YQkjhKNfw&feature=player_detailpage#t=243s. Yes, this is where I got my name from.

  4. Ade

    I remember trying desperately to kill the tentacles with just grenades, took me quite some time to realize that I had to use em for distraction. I also remember being terrified by this boss first time playing it, which was great, didn’t think a game would affect me that much. This time through I could really appreciate the level design which was overall, well, awesome, despite a few flaws.

    Playtime: 38 minutes

    Five words or less Review: Insta deaths by Hypersuctor sensitiva!

  5. While I’m not a big fan of Half-Life’s tentacles, the Blast Pit chapter is still special to me. It contains very interesting and atmospheric places, with these radiation leaks and big pipes, it’s a pleasure to get through them.

    Here are some screenshots that I hope will show at least a glimpse of this atmospheric feeling:

    http://steamcommunity.com/id/emoleveldesigner/screenshot/594721001752309151
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/emoleveldesigner/screenshot/594721001752322069
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/emoleveldesigner/screenshot/594721001752331966

    At the very beginning of the chapter, it’s possible to find another crowbar. It’s in the room with zombie. This is interesting. I don’t know if there are any other crowbars in the game besides the one from Anomalous Materials which we hold and this one.

    I fell into hazardous waste after the train crash.

    Here we have a hub level from where we have to turn on power and oxygen&fuel. These objectives can be completed in any order, but most preferable is oxy&fuel then power, because that way you can just jump down outside the tentacles area, and avoid encounter with them. There’s great feedback on our actions: pipes with bubbles in oxy&fuel area, meters and lightning in generator area.

    This time the “Eat lead, you space octopus!” Barney decided not to die.
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/emoleveldesigner/screenshot/594721001767708797

    Too bad that he still died during the engine test fire. Stupid game don’t let me lead him to the safe room. Once again I can’t help but compare Half-Life to Kingpin: Life of Crime, which friendly AI is much better.

    The tentacles are unpleasant obstacles. I just throw grenades and try to rush through them. It finally works after few quickloads. It’s good to finally get rid of them. And the pit where we have to go and see what’s left of them is a very nice touch.

    Big pipe which breaks on us is stunning and unexpected way to end the chapter.

    Playtime: 24 minutes 43 seconds.

    1. Unq

      I don’t know if there are any other crowbars in the game besides the one from Anomalous Materials which we hold and this one.

      You’ll kick yourself, but yes there is one more. It’s of course at the end of Apprehension after you get knocked out.

  6. Derbler

    Phillip, out of curiosity are you playing on the Steam version or the standalone old school CD-Rom “Sierra Studios” version?
    EDIT: Just to be safe, I apologize in advance if you had mentioned this in a previous post, as I may have overlooked it.

    1. I’m playing on standard Steam version.

  7. TWIN SUNS

    A solid chapter with a clever use of sound to distract the Tentacles. Although the racket can get a bit annoying πŸ˜€

    One part that I thought was a poor design choice: at the end of the chapter the pipe you are in falls under you and take a damaging fall, problem was that I only had 6 health making the drop impossible, even when landing on the medkits they provide. In the end I was forced to godmode the drop…

    Playtime: 35 minutes

    1. 2muchvideogames

      I forgot one extra challenge for this chapter: Don’t break the table in that last room. It’s possible, I think, to get down that area manually (avoiding the pipe drop) but it’s kinda hard to do, so you know. Tough luck.

      1. you didn’t watch my video right? watch my playthrough for this chapter and you’ll see I didn’t break the tale by landing on it, but I broke it afterwards to get the medkits and kill the headcrab quickly so he doesn’t bother me later

  8. this is one of my favorite parts of the game Now for my 5 word review: bang bang bang arrgk growl

  9. William

    Playtime: 33mins

  10. “…destroy the damn thing, before it grows any larger!”

    Yeah, I’m also no fan of this level although it’s setting and tasks are interesting and different again.
    It just feels like a jump’n’run with less combat, cause most of the aliens can be avoided. There are no soldiers to fight here.
    At least there are some scientists who tell you what to do, or what to expect. That makes it a bit more realistic.
    Some good jumping is required in this chapter, and I doubt that anyone survived this during the VERY first play…
    Valve teaches us again what we learned in the “Hazard Course”, as we’re definitely to do so again sooner or later, clever clever!
    What’s also cool is the short tram ride, I remember the first time I played that part I always stopped the tram, killed all aliens and moved on – and I missed getting thrown across the radioactive soup, because I jumpled off the tram, now I always do the Superman πŸ˜‰

    The architecture and lighting is nice, also some details – I only like elevators where you can already see how long it takes to reach a new level, meaning they have some apertures in the bottom when descending or you can see the bottom when moving to one of the edges when looking down.
    Unfortunately, in some HL1 SP mods and maps it’s impossible to gauge how long the ride will take, that’s annoying for me.
    However, I guess I should play ElevatorVille finally lol
    Some areas in this chapter are just weird and not that logical in my eyes, having strange layouts and design, but usually it’s okay and decent.

    Thanks to the challenge, I now found the hidden wall chargers for the very first time lol
    I knew there’ll be stuff I’ve never seen before in HL, although I finished it so many times already.
    So the challenge feature is a pretty good idea! Just couldn’t find the dead Bullsquid, where is it? Oo
    Supplies challenge is easy, just a lil disappointing when you already have 100/100 health / HEV power.

    The main part in “Blast Pit” is the tentacle monster and the surroundings, if only the “test fire” button would be functioning right now already… but no, Valve forces us to power up the system – this means providing fuel, oxy(gen) and last but not least electricity. But then… fire in the hole! πŸ˜‰

    However, the best moment to me was the elevator in the Barnacle area, it went down and.. suddenly stopped! Hmm.. what’s happening? We can replay the scientists-in-an-elevator-descending-very-quick scenario for ourselves! Haha πŸ˜‰

    I remember I once had the same problem like TWIN SUNS in the last part of “Blast Pit” when the the pipe breaks down, I was very low on health and just couldn’t survive the drop… no matter what I tried. (see 5 words or less review πŸ˜› )
    That’s bad, because at that time I didn’t knew how to activate cheats cause I stopped using cheats ages ago, in every game I play. It’s betraying yourself!
    So then, I would have had to restart the entire chapter, and as I don’t like it, I said: ” HL!” and closed it πŸ˜›

    Challenges:
    1. Needless but known, went there before noticing I have 100/100 πŸ˜›
    2. Found
    3. Not found πŸ™

    5 words or less review: Unavoidable falling damage is unhealthy.

    Playtime: 20 minutes

  11. “BlastPit” is not my favourite Half Life level to play, but it is the most amazingly ambitious level in design and execution. It is visually gorgeous and such fun to explore such a well-crafted industrial construct. The central core, where you start at the very bottom, is a stunning piece of design. With the walkways bridging the gap on high with their invariably fatal drop it’s a jaw-dropping vista, which is even better higher up!
    Level starts with an impressively James Bond villain style elevator rising up from the depths in this darker and more sombre part of the ” Mesa. This time I looked up as I went down, such beautiful texture work!
    As for the very short train ride, it catapulted me into the radioactive goo, (lovely sound fx), the first time, second time and third time. I got my timing sorted and got off the train, (to nowhere?) and got on the pipes after a bit of gunplay. For the replay I just simply ran and killed anything in my way!
    It felt very green and slightly horrific as I replayed, I guess I did not appreciate the surrounding the first time, too busy trying to stay alive and not get lost. Well it was all so new!
    The platform lift up from the goo was ominous and scary and led to a walkway encounter with monster after monster, I died the first couple of times, but I got through and then fell of the broken walkway! I was green to fps gaming and this was a tough training ground and then I heard that frantic hammering on the metal walls of something big. Only to be told by a scientist that it was getting bigger!
    The creature in the blast pit, the Tentacle, caused me no end of grief as there were just not enough hand grenades to keep it off my back for the time I needed to negotiate the ladders and walkways.
    The three-step approach to the rocket firing sequence was genius and such fun to get through. The side adventures were an exercise in getting killed by rapidly rotating things and were a hard struggle for me. My bad timing caused me to regenerate more times than the Doctor! But that bloody monster in the pit made the transitions between these tasks a nightmare and caused much swearing and high blood pressure!
    I was so pleased to finally see the fuel flowing in those pipes. Nice touch with the bubbles. I got back to the control room then realised I needed power, so it was back past that monster again. No matter where I was it always got me first time!
    The power room lift was confusing when it stopped but my dunking in radioactive goo woke me up! Then I found a friendly face and got that weird generator going, died then done it again, and again, after I found out what was stabbing me in the back.
    Then that scientist said “someone” had got the power back on to my face, cheek! I laughed replaying this level as I remembered him saying that the first time, and I still thought the same thing! Got back along the corridor on the pipe, bit of confusion on the replay as I am so used to picking up grates now and these only liked to rapidly shoot along the floor!
    This is where I originally stopped playing Half Life. I got so frustrated with endlessly trying to get past that monster with no grenades left, time and time again I died on the cusp of victory. Finally I got to the control room and lit the engine and laughed in relief as that horror disappeared. The PC crashed, I rebooted, realised I had not saved in a while and, not being able to face all that again I quit! I moved on to “Opposing Force” and finished that game before I again looked at Half Life.
    The replay was just as hard but I was lucky and got to the control room, toasted that personal demon and slipped down the pit and died! I cannot seem to land in the water, even now!
    I finally completed this level and found the pipe fall quite a shock, but the satisfaction of a good grate smash-up was so much fun, it was fun to be Gordon again after being Shepard for so long!

    5 words or less review: Black Mesa is Green

    Playtime: 1hr few minutes

  12. Vic

    With the High-Security Materials Storage behind him, Gordon makes his way deeper into the facility, in some of the oldest areas of the entire Black Mesa complex, which the military force hasn’t even begun to penetrate. We have reached the old missile silos (there are at least 3, although there may be 5), which have now been converted into an intricate testing center for Black Mesa’s rocket propulsion engines. These silos also double as waste dumps for Black Mesa’s massive amounts of hazardous waste. I have no idea how or why so much of it ends up being radioactive, and I have no idea how Black Mesa staff are expected to actually test rocket engines in such an area. We never see a single protective HAZMAT suit in there, so what gives?

    In fact, how do the scientists and security staff even get here? Do we ever really see an actual entrance? Gordon has to bypass through drainage pipes just to get to the silos themselves, so what gives? More of Half-Life’s illogical level design, sure – but let’s put that aside for a moment and just admire the sheer, imposing scale of the massive areas we see in Blast Pit. This is absolutely impressive, and for the time, this was something no one had ever really seen. So while it may be a wee bit nonsensical, it is a marvel of modern level design nonetheless. The incredible atmosphere of pure military-industrial horror and dread is so thick, you could bash through it with a crowbar.

    Of course, we find that apart from the research and security staff, the silo labs have a different kind of occupancy – the “Hypersuctor sensitiva”, better known as the Tentacle. While it does appear to have some vestigial eyes, it relies almost exclusively on its hearing to track and acquire its prey. Its hearing isn’t that well developed, though.

    This fact, coupled with the presence of the aforementioned vestigial eyes, leads me to believe that the Tentacle has undergone some relatively recent changes in anatomy. Perhaps it migrated to Xen, and did not adapt so well to the borderworld’s atmosphere and climate.

    This, by the way, is the only instance in the entire Half-Life series, when we see three Tentacles growing out of the same “root”. When we pass through the exhaust tunnels that the Tentacles had grown into, we notice that there is some extremely potent toxic waste right next to the Tentacles” base. This must have caused the Tentacle to grow as long as it did (other Tentacles we encounter in the game aren’t quite this long), and may be why it ended up with two siblings. That said, I assume a teleportation event was responsible for bringing this Tentacle root in this part of the research facility.

    Inside the aforementioned tunnels we also find two of the Tentacle’s victims. As it turns out, the Tentacle is an epiphyte, and it derives nutrients from the air and detritus. It doesn’t actually eat its prey, but instead conceals it beneath its root mass, and absorbs the byproducts of decay. Quite an interesting creature, with a most voracious appetite.

    We go on a quest to kickstart the rocket engine, providing it with the necessary power, fuel, and oxygen for it to start up, and incinerate the Tentacles. This takes us through all of the Silo D complex’s missile silos, which have been extensively renovated since the base was purchased. The silos have been fitted with all the necessary equipment for rocket propulsion testing. Interestingly, there’s hardly anything left to indicate that the U.S. military once used these silos for housing and launching ICBMs, apart from the silos” distinctive cylindrical shape. Even the old silo hatches have presumably been sealed – who knows how much money Black Mesa’s administration poured into ensuring nothing could interfere with the sinister experiments they were performing here?

    In these sections, it’s even easier to spot the inconsistencies and illogical aspects in Valve’s early level design work. Like the giant silo with the fan that cannot actually be powered down once it’s been started. Or the other giant silo housing the electrical generator that can only be powered on by standing on the generator itself. But I suppose Valve wanted us to feel like Black Mesa was a very unstable, dangerous, and sinister place – and they pulled that off perfectly.

    We eventually manage to incinerate the Tentacles (that is truly a memorable moment – there’s nothing quite like hearing the final dying roars of the Tentacle be drowned out by the fiery hisses of the rocket engine), and we then jump down into the sewage canals where its now dying roots still lie. By this point, it truly does seem like Gordon Freeman doesn’t even know where he’s going! Still, I suppose it’s served him well enough thus far.

    In conclusion, Blast Pit is an extremely excellent and memorable component of the Half-Life experience. It’s just a shame Valve haven’t given us anything quite this good since they actually made it.

    Five Words Or Less: Silence is golden.

    Play time: 39 minutes

  13. Unq

    Now that we’re going over the game with a fine-toothed comb, I’ve realized that Blast Pit is actually one of my favorite chapters in Half-Life. While there are some tricky jumps and not much combat overall, I think it’s more than made up for by the atmosphere and sheer grandness of the maps. We start to really get a sense of how big Black Mesa is.

    To start off I’ll again highlight the gorgeous atmospheric music that Kelly Bailey provides for this chapter. Nepal Monastery is one of my absolute favorite pieces of game music and is another standout piece. Here’s a chance to experience the music by itself (it plays when you can first hear the tentacles banging and is quite covered up by the racket):

    http://youtu.be/GyRKTIRepJg

    Again in this chapter we encounter our main goal pretty early on and much of the time is spent finding out how and where to allow us to get past the dreaded tentacles. I really like this change of pace from then-typical “bosses” that required you to empty all your ammo or use a specific technique to kill them. In fact, I see the tentacles not so much as a “boss” as much as an environmental hazard along the lines of the electricity in Office Complex that prevented you from progressing down the hallway until you dealt with it.

    Ultimately it’s akin to a find-the-red-key puzzle, but here it’s pulled off in the setting of the chapter perfectly. There are scripted conversations to help guide you, and there are actually a lot of visual hints – not only things like the lights at the rocket control panel, but the piping for fuel and oxygen and the electrical conduit can be traced all the way from the rocket engine to their respective control areas:

    http://imgur.com/oKdcW

    From a mapper’s point of view, much of this chapter is a great example of vertical design. Many new mappers get caught up in the tendency to just sketch out floorplans to the map they’re making, and pay little attention to the vertical opportunities for combat, environments, puzzles, tension, etc. Take a look at Valve’s own layout sketch for the main part of this chapter, taken from Raising the Bar:

    http://imgur.com/QB6wp

    Mapper’s Corner: There were a lot of great sequences and setpieces to choose from, but I’ll focus on the big fan in map c1a4e.

    http://imgur.com/iMMax

    This is a fairly straightforward sequence that’s triggered when you hit the fan switch. The switch is a func_button that triggers the fan itself, which is a func_rotating set to accelerate with a low friction, which means it takes a little while to reach its set rotating speed. It’s also set to inflict a high damage when blocked which is why it can kill you if your timing is bad (or it may just knock you into the pit).

    Also triggered is a trigger_push pointing up, which simulates the high airflow and pushes you up toward the planks on the ceiling which are func_breakables.

    Playtime: 24 minutes

  14. I think Blast Pit had a profound effect on me as a mapper. The sheer scale of the environments and the vertical nature of the gameplay has informed everything I’ve built since.

    Anyone who played my mod Daylight will recognise that element to several sections of the mod and can draw direct parallels to this chapter.
    I mean… look at it…

    http://www.planetphillip.com/media/2011/dec-11/1024-daylight-41.jpg

    I must have died a million times at the hands of that tentacle… but I still got up and tried again. That’s a huge testament as to how wonderful this chapter is.

    To me, Blast Pit is the definitive HL2 environment.

  15. Old" Scratch

    I finally got around to finishing this last night. After watching William’s Podcast 17s on the level, it seems everyone is facing the same thing: so maybe that crackpipe finally got to me, or my memory just sucks and the original game was basically the same; or both.

    This is the chapter that started *scaring* me, because the audio and the unstoppability of the Tentacles would leave me in despair looking for a solution.

    One thing William didn’t mention in the podcast, and no be else seems to have figured out: tossing grenades down the pit with the Tentacles themselves tends to make them shrink back into the hole, and give you some time to run to the next door, especially if you skip the ladders and jump down. The first time I played this on the laptop, my first grenade throw (after trying to shoot them with everything in the arsenal) went right into the pit, even though it was a bad throw and it bounced off the deck right under the reaching claw; last night, my first grenade toss hit some part of the model, and suspended in mid-air, as if the skin of the tentacle was sticky–of course, the layer of stickum would have to have been 3 feet thick!! :wtf:

    Last night, I had to cheat with noclip “cuz I really didn’t feel like replaying and finding more grenades (after wasting mine earlier–and I have no idea why I did that–hey, it was late!!), but I remember the first time around, I not only had to do the grenade in the pit trick, I had to crouch and creep to every ladder, then crawl up SLOWLY; and I’d STILL die numerous times, especially on the ladders, “cuz they tend to be noisy when you get on them. But if you drop a grenade into the pit, they draw in, which gives you time to get up the ladder.

    The rest of the level is rather anticlimactic, tho it does give you a good look at what you will be facing in the future of the game. That tunnel drop is vicious, tho. πŸ™

    1. Ade

      tossing grenades down the pit with the Tentacles themselves tends to make them shrink back into the hole, and give you some time to run to the next door

      I thought everybody was doing that to some degree πŸ™‚ well now you’re not alone.

  16. Nadr Balto Yadi

    So, this is my first time playing Half Life. I have gotten up to the tunnel in this level, yet when I get to the bottom with the magnum loader and dead securityman, I keep dying by one of the ledges hanging out. I keep trying and trying to make it into the water, but I keep splatting myself against the wall. Worst part is that I have 9 life left.

    I really do not like this level as compared to the last one, which was more action then puzzle.

    1. Sorry, I’m not exactly sure where you are. Can you use an image number to tell me?

    2. Unq

      It shouldn’t be too difficult to land in the water, which won’t take any health. Just keep trying, I’d say. Then you can swim up and grab the Magnum and ammo for it. If I recall correctly the next area has a health and HEV charger so you’ll be able to heal up.

    3. Ade

      Try to go down the pit with small steps.
      If you don’t want to go back and replay a part so you end up with more health (i do that often but I know others cba) then noclip to safety..

  17. I’d love this chapter weren’t it for, ironically, the tentacle. It just kept smashing me all the time, taking me down in 3 hits at most. Atleast it made burning the creature more satisfying.

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