Amazing Mods for Source Engine

Plain Old Jane · 01-01-2006, 10:45 PM

Today the day after both my birthyday and new years eve (goes without saying, fun weekend.) I turned on my computer after more than a few days without which is a minor miracle in itself. What should accost me but Steams update page popping up endorsing the new mods being developed. Well I decided maybe they'd be worth their salt unlike MOST (not all) of the original engines mods. I will start with my favorite pick of the bunch, I will mention most, but you can probably find them all off of Steam's site.

Neo-Tokyo
Based on an old UT2K4 mod of the same name, Neo Tokyo is a cyberpunk adventure in the style of crime fighting of Ghost In The Shell, only in the source engine. Which boosts the excitability factor a great deal. The game is almost too realistic, on the site features screenshots featuring concept art, in game captures, and development renders including non shaded models and fully rendered super realistic empty packs of cigarettes.
The forum is bustling with information but one can also check out the IRC channel featured in the forum.
Most notable of the site is the cyberpunk style of music which is featured in game and the ease of navigation across it, unfortunatly other than the concept and game art on the front page, there is little media presented inside, however one can find a copy of the soundtrack in the forums. The game model is solid the characters and classes are all ready and the game is in mapping development at the moment, so release is nearby.
The Story is set 30 years in the future where humans and technology have amalgumized and the japanese government is on the brink of anarchy, the story centers on a group of counter terrorists fighting what seems to be the japanese organized crime syndicates.

This mod proves to be quite immersive when released.

Dystopia
Imagine if you will a game which places you in the drivers seat of a corporate team of mercenarys scouring both your corporate tower of commerce and your network for hackers and would be indignant mercs.
The graphics are quite impressive and the gameplay is original. If you like multiplayer action, this is the game for you.

Demo Available on Site.

Nightfall
The citizens of the city in half life 2 have been fighting a lot longer and have a lot more to lose than that hack Gordon Freeman before he came by and unleashed horrific holocaust on the Combine. This mod is the story of a soldier fighting for his home when the combine break down his door and take him to a combine facility for conversion... They dont want you to know what you really are...

This games main selling point is the story line and its pretty flash site, the actual screen shots dont show that much but seemingly more of half life 2's expansive scenery and use of technology, but the story itself is reason enough to get it when it comes out.

Insect infestation
A novel idea to be sure, this mod features bugs. Not in the "OMG, lag" kind of way, this mod uses bug models and species to fight out a mini war. Sort of warfare circa SimAnt generations, this mod pits ants, termites, and wasps against eachother in a war for a (literally) tiny piece of land.

To be honest, this mod creeps me the hell out, partly because bugs are yucky and partly because I was stung as a child, however the melee intensive gameplay begs me to play a round, so when it comes out, I will indulge my yucky sullen stung side and buy in to the hype and download it.

Forsaken
28 days later. If you liked the movie, this game is right up your alley. It takes place in a post viral urban setting pitting three factions against eachother in the shell of a once sprawling urban city. The graphics are on par with what one might expect from a source engine game.

The gameplay explores a side the original HL2 never tarried into, WIDE open spaces in human vs human desperate combat for resources. The facial textures need work, but perhaps its just another style of art. See for yourself.

------------

An honorable mention goes to Eclipse, a game formed by a group of Guildhall students who made this game in five months, and with the talent they put into this Action-Adventure Magic using game, the time constraints show in the sharp angles and need for proper rendering. Still, a good looking game of its own merit, but you'd likely be more entertained by dropping 40 bucks for Guild Wars for all this game is worth.

Also of honorable mention is a mod called Return to Mana, a spin off of the series of mana games (Secret of Mana, Seiken Densetsu 1-3) using the the source engine. Honestly, the character modeling needs a buncha work, but to be fair, the rabites look fweakin' ferocious in this game. They give me the jibblies.

thecreeper · 01-05-2006, 12:58 PM

these are certainly interesting, i wish i had and could run HL2.

the forsaken one sounds the most interesting to me, though the name itself brings back too many memories of that shitty N64 game of the same name.

and interesting note to tie in here, that Return to Mana game based on the source engine is being scored by one of the dudes i just posted in VGLive, Christian Pacaud.

Mike · 01-07-2006, 03:12 AM

Nice report. I don't think that many of those mods have been released though, only the dystopia demo. I'm a big HL1 / Source supporter, as many of you guys have probably picked up, and I've been slightly disapointed with what has come out thus far. There's been a lot of promising, great looking mods... but few have seen the light of a release.

For released mods... I'd say that the best, most innovative mod is The Hidden... it's like an Alien v. Predator type of thing, one character is this semi-invisible blob who only has a knife, the other players are marines who have to hunt him down. It's a lot of fun and damn scary when 'the Hidden' is a good player.

And Garry's Mod is the coolest mod I've ever seen ... but it's not exactly a game.

01-01-2006, 10:45 PM	#1
Plain Old Jane i hate vagina Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 841	Amazing Mods for Source Engine Today the day after both my birthyday and new years eve (goes without saying, fun weekend.) I turned on my computer after more than a few days without which is a minor miracle in itself. What should accost me but Steams update page popping up endorsing the new mods being developed. Well I decided maybe they'd be worth their salt unlike MOST (not all) of the original engines mods. I will start with my favorite pick of the bunch, I will mention most, but you can probably find them all off of Steam's site. Neo-Tokyo Based on an old UT2K4 mod of the same name, Neo Tokyo is a cyberpunk adventure in the style of crime fighting of Ghost In The Shell, only in the source engine. Which boosts the excitability factor a great deal. The game is almost too realistic, on the site features screenshots featuring concept art, in game captures, and development renders including non shaded models and fully rendered super realistic empty packs of cigarettes. The forum is bustling with information but one can also check out the IRC channel featured in the forum. Most notable of the site is the cyberpunk style of music which is featured in game and the ease of navigation across it, unfortunatly other than the concept and game art on the front page, there is little media presented inside, however one can find a copy of the soundtrack in the forums. The game model is solid the characters and classes are all ready and the game is in mapping development at the moment, so release is nearby. The Story is set 30 years in the future where humans and technology have amalgumized and the japanese government is on the brink of anarchy, the story centers on a group of counter terrorists fighting what seems to be the japanese organized crime syndicates. This mod proves to be quite immersive when released. Dystopia Imagine if you will a game which places you in the drivers seat of a corporate team of mercenarys scouring both your corporate tower of commerce and your network for hackers and would be indignant mercs. The graphics are quite impressive and the gameplay is original. If you like multiplayer action, this is the game for you. Demo Available on Site. Nightfall The citizens of the city in half life 2 have been fighting a lot longer and have a lot more to lose than that hack Gordon Freeman before he came by and unleashed horrific holocaust on the Combine. This mod is the story of a soldier fighting for his home when the combine break down his door and take him to a combine facility for conversion... They dont want you to know what you really are... This games main selling point is the story line and its pretty flash site, the actual screen shots dont show that much but seemingly more of half life 2's expansive scenery and use of technology, but the story itself is reason enough to get it when it comes out. Insect infestation A novel idea to be sure, this mod features bugs. Not in the "OMG, lag" kind of way, this mod uses bug models and species to fight out a mini war. Sort of warfare circa SimAnt generations, this mod pits ants, termites, and wasps against eachother in a war for a (literally) tiny piece of land. To be honest, this mod creeps me the hell out, partly because bugs are yucky and partly because I was stung as a child, however the melee intensive gameplay begs me to play a round, so when it comes out, I will indulge my yucky sullen stung side and buy in to the hype and download it. Forsaken 28 days later. If you liked the movie, this game is right up your alley. It takes place in a post viral urban setting pitting three factions against eachother in the shell of a once sprawling urban city. The graphics are on par with what one might expect from a source engine game. The gameplay explores a side the original HL2 never tarried into, WIDE open spaces in human vs human desperate combat for resources. The facial textures need work, but perhaps its just another style of art. See for yourself. ------------ An honorable mention goes to Eclipse, a game formed by a group of Guildhall students who made this game in five months, and with the talent they put into this Action-Adventure Magic using game, the time constraints show in the sharp angles and need for proper rendering. Still, a good looking game of its own merit, but you'd likely be more entertained by dropping 40 bucks for Guild Wars for all this game is worth. Also of honorable mention is a mod called Return to Mana, a spin off of the series of mana games (Secret of Mana, Seiken Densetsu 1-3) using the the source engine. Honestly, the character modeling needs a buncha work, but to be fair, the rabites look fweakin' ferocious in this game. They give me the jibblies. Last edited by thecreeper : 01-03-2006 at 05:16 PM.

01-05-2006, 12:58 PM	#2
thecreeper Administrator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lancaster, PA Posts: 2,330	these are certainly interesting, i wish i had and could run HL2. the forsaken one sounds the most interesting to me, though the name itself brings back too many memories of that shitty N64 game of the same name. and interesting note to tie in here, that Return to Mana game based on the source engine is being scored by one of the dudes i just posted in VGLive, Christian Pacaud. __________________ good-evil.net - ahh, wade boggs...goes down smooth.

01-07-2006, 03:12 AM	#3
Mike Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 489	Nice report. I don't think that many of those mods have been released though, only the dystopia demo. I'm a big HL1 / Source supporter, as many of you guys have probably picked up, and I've been slightly disapointed with what has come out thus far. There's been a lot of promising, great looking mods... but few have seen the light of a release. For released mods... I'd say that the best, most innovative mod is The Hidden... it's like an Alien v. Predator type of thing, one character is this semi-invisible blob who only has a knife, the other players are marines who have to hunt him down. It's a lot of fun and damn scary when 'the Hidden' is a good player. And Garry's Mod is the coolest mod I've ever seen ... but it's not exactly a game.