Finished Half-Life, excellent game with the exceptions of, and this is my taste only:

I did do the Training, and had no problem with jumping sequences; but when he gets out in the field, forget it

soozie, great going!

i will have to play this one of these days. preferably before i ever play HL2.

glad to hear you enjoyed it so much.

I'm into HL2 and the graphics are awesome. Gordan seems to jump much better. Fighting my way through the Route Kanal and so far am enjoying it even better then HL1.

I played HL2 first, excellent game, now playing HL1, definitly not as good, actually I'm stuck in blast pit, I'm in the pool with the 2 fans, cannot find the open pipe to get out. Any help??

Stuck in Blast pit, I'm in the pool with the 2 fans, cannot locate the pipe to get out. Any HELP

ShaggyDog, if I remember and have you in the right place, you need to get to the fan switch. Then get back so when the fans get to high speed you can jump into the air stream and get pulled up.

Thks Soozie but your in the wrong place, I past that, in We've got hostiles, I've killed the 3 headed beast, jumped down tothe pool, re-surfaced to get air, the walk through says to find a pipe to escape.
Cannot locate any pipe, I see 3 fans turning down below, but no escapr route;.

I remember having a terrible time in that spot. I couldn't see any opening either, but my video card wasn't rendering the water part correctly using Direct 3D and when I switched to OpenGL, I found it easily. I think it was a hole rather than a pipe.

Okay, think I've got it now. When you fell down and ended up by the pool, there's lots of radioactivity going on and you get a good gun, right? Okay so now you have to jump down in the water and swim around until you find an opening to take you thru.

I had to save and restore several times until I found it. Each time trying to memorize an outline or object. I think I swam down then north, then west, but I'm not sure ... you finally see a small white area.

I believe Pokey is right, it's a hole rather then a pipe. Just keep restoring and you will find it.

Ok guys, thks, I'll have a look andlet you know how I make out.
One question, is below down with the fans, or above in the main pool area, maybe near the dead monster.?

ShaggyDog ... hmm, the fans? I'm wondering if I do have you in the right area ... I don't remember the fans ... doesn't mean they aren't there, I just don't remember them.

After you killed the 3-headed monster you went to the center of the room and dropped down the big hole they were guarding. A long drop which landed you in a pool which you climbed out of and got the upgraded handgun, and whatever other stuff there was.

Then you jump back into the pool swim down and this is where you are stuck. Am I right so far?

If I am, when you jump back into the pool, swim under the pipes looking for an opening. You should end up in a radioactive room with a long pipe and a ladder leading to some goodies. Get the health stuff, climb back up and jump on the long pipe, follow it and find another pipe you can jump down to ...

If this doesn't do it, yell out.

Yes, your exactly where I am stuck. I think part of the problem is, I can't switch to open gl, apparently my video card (nvidia geforce3) doesn't support it, so when I dive in I can't locate where this pipe is.
To help me a bit more, which wall is it on, I see 1 wall with 2 pipes, on the opposite wall is 1 pipe down low with the dead monster on your left.\
Let you know how I makle out. Thanks

I can't remember which way I went once diving back in. I recall trying it different directions. Once I went down and to the right then up. Another down, to the left and up. I'm pretty sure I tried swimming under the pipes. I can't really say for sure; although I have a foggy, very foggy recollection, that it may be near the dead monster.

I still think we were right in saying your looking for an opening rather then a pipe. In this particular section the pipes are your hindrance, not your escape. I recall seeing a white or gray area, try swimming for that. Or just swim down under the pipes and then up in whatever direction until you hit it.

Keep at it, you'll find it.

Btw, I do agree HL2 is better then HL1, and definitely worth playing.

Hi, thks again. Yes I finally found it, it is down below the pool in the lower section where the 3 fans are, you need to swim near the ceiling of that area to find the opening and as you say, its not a pipe but an opening.
So I will carry on and hopefully if I get stuck again I will contact you thru this forum msg, Ok?

Congratulations ... it is a tough one to find.

Have fun.

Hi Soozie, need your help again, ok, i've progresed preety well. I'm now in the hazardous waste vats, made it to the conveyor room, can't find the 3 switches they talk about on the right hand side. I have smashed all the crates, looked everywhere, even went to the next room using the conveyor, but to no avail.
Any ideas, Thks

I remember this one, it was grueling. Hard to explain and my memory isn't photographic, hehe.

First of all are you in the right Control Room? It isn't the one that the Bullsquid was attacking the guard. The room you want will have 3 levers to the right of the conveyor belt, which should be used to direct all three belts away from the water. Then back to the room with the guard there will be a button to stop the stampers for a short period of time. If you can get them to stop when both the right and middle stampers are up, so much the better.

No, I guess I'm in the wrong room, I'll try explain how I got here. In the room with all the vats and plungers, you jump from 1 to another to go thru a tunnel, that puts you in a vat with 2 paddles turning, you wait till they lineup and jump onto the paddles then thru another tunnel ending up in a conveyor room, 1 in the center, (long) 2 small ones one on each side of the long one. There's no exit to this room except taking the long conveyor up into another room filles with liquid, a huge fan and a big crushing roller. Any ideas?

Again, I may be foggy here. After you got thru the room with the big handles in the vats, you had to drop down somewhere and avoid a couple of grinders and flames. I think there was a 3rd grinder (shudder, shudder) which I swam under and emerged in an alcove, I believe on the right, which had a Health Dispenser that I needed very badly. I distinctly remember the Health Dispenser.

From there I jumped back into the water and found a room I could climb up out of ... that too was on the right. This is the area the BullSquid was attacking the Security Guard. The other room your looking for is near there. I'm not sure, but try looking for it on the other side of the Conveyor Belt.

Actually I think your near the end of this level. Good luck ... you'll find it.

Btw, I hated this level.

thksm for your help, but sofar can't proceed, I'm close, I see a horizontal grinding wheel that I must avoid, and a vertical cog wheel turning, by going around this I end up in another room, fire shooting down with debris.
Your right this sems to be a tough chapter, any cheats to get by it??

This entire level was avoiding grinders, crushers, traversing the conveyor belts, etc., just too much of one thing, especially when he isn't a Lara Croft. I couldn't wait to end it.

As for cheats, check this out over at Avault.

You'll make it through, good luck.

Hi thks again, possibly if you had a look at my walkthrough it would remind you where I am, goto, Google, gammeboomers.com, walkthrough, halflife, find chapter Residue Processing, para 3 is where I am, although I have completed #3, its no4 that's got me stuck because when I continue on, I reach the room with the conveyor belts, but no switches?? I think I've got the wrong room.
anxious to hear your reply, in the mean time I'll have a look at the cheats.

Hi, did you play "Far Cry"? I played it twice, great game, but I enjoyed hlaf life 2 , which I also played twice, it's always more enjoyable the 2nd time around.

I looked at the walkthrough, Shaggy, but it doesn't help my memory. That entire level was chaotic because you really had no time to think or strategize, you were lucky if you could get through and avoid crushing machinery every corner you took, toxic waste and still be alive. A small bit of this would have gone a long way ... I had hoped I was playing a shooter.

I know how you feel using a cheat, but sometimes it can't be helped ... I think we all have used one of them at sometime or another in our gaming experience.

Loved Half-Life 2, and certainly do plan to replay it again. I just finished Beyond Divinity and am ready to start The Chronicles of Riddick. It has had some very good reviews.

Let us know how you make out ... chin up, don't feel bad about using a cheat ... when your stuck, your stuck.

Hi, tks again, good news though, even though I haven't yet used the cheat I took note of the info.
I have successfully made it to the conveyor with the 3 switches, and progressed to taking out the 2 mines on the conveyor, now trying to get by the 3 rollers on opposite belts.
Will keep you informed
tks again

Great, you'll soon be out of this mess.

Yep your right, I've made it to the next chapter, I'm at the dam, going to kill a big fish and away we go.
Thanks for all your help sofar.

My pleasure, Shaggy; although now being 3 games away from HL1 my memory does get foggy. I'm apt to remember the parts that I liked as opposed to that particular level. There may have been another level I wasn't fond of, but most of them I did like.

Congratulations on getting out of there ... that big fish isn't all that bad. I think I got him from above ... maybe standing on the bridge after I cleaned everyone out.

I got by a lot of times in this game by inching forward and getting a good shot in.

Have fun.

thks again, but another question. How do I change the command line to get the console, ie- hl.exe-console, then the squiggly key, then the command ie- /god.
Do i goto Run and type in the hl,exe-console or where??

Shaggy, don't you have to open your console from or at start of the game? I uninstalled mine so can't really help here.

This is what I found:

The Cheat Codes are accessable from the Game Console, which as a default is disabled when you enter the game. To access the Console, start Half-Life using hl.exe-console. The Console will then be available by hitting the tilde key ( ~ ). You may find the cheats already enabled, if not, type in sv_cheats 1 in the Console first. Sometimes entering part of the cheat will bring it up ... try /GOD or /NOCLIP

I don't know why you couldn't just rename and add -console to the original hl.exe file.


Hope this helps.

Hi, ok I'll give it a try, I always start the game from a shortcut, so don't really see the start up.
Thks anyways

I think the .exe file is in the Valve\Steam Directory.

Hi, I'll have a look at valve and let you know.
Back to the game, killed the fish with the helicopter. got by the monster, thru the mine fields, found a bldg with the red wheel to open drain, but,
cannot find the drain??
is it all the way back at the dam with the heli??

Try following the wall to the left ... I remember my path was behind a rock, shielding me from the helicopter ... you will see the Storm Drain enclosed by a fence. From your hiding position jump over the fence and jump down into it.

Hi, me again, tks I found the sewer drain all went well from then on, managed to get into the building, got by all the trip mines, got down to the basement, waited til the aliens left, got down to the tank, but now, every time I try to run zigzag to the storage room, the tank gets me, I did pick up strange looking glove however that kills combines only, and the detpack, for some reason I can't make it work, if i right click nothing hapens, if i left click, it just disapears, how do i make it explode.

You must mean the Hornet Gun. I tried it out, but did not use it

Hi, thks, re detpacks, it looks like something you would place on a tank, timer and then explode, but I don't know how to use it. When you click on it in your inventory, its in your hand, has a timer on it.

I'm not talking about the mbout the trip mine gadget,that works fine.

Ok, so far so good, made it into the bldg, killed the 2 guards, out the window, got rid of the gun, now how do i get on the ladder to goto the roof of the other bldg, tried jumping to the other dustbin and then to the ladder but no go.

It must be a Satchel Charge. You use it by clicking on it to attach it to a surface, then click on it again, which activates the detonator to set it off

Tks, I;ll try the jump, by the way, you must be retired like me as you reply almost instantly.
I'm a real gamer, love 1st shooters, like, Wolfestein, men of valor, call of duty, far cry, iron storm, mafia, deadly dozen, half life 2 all great games.

Your right, Shaggy, and isn't it nice. No more 9 to 5 race. Do what you want, when you want, and how you want ... I spend hours and hours on games, love them.

I like the Shooters too, not all of them, but do like most RPGs. Did I mention that I'm starting Chronicles of Riddick?

Right, give that jump a try.

Ok, that will be my next one. Now, how do I get to the big gun?? Can't figure out how to get there.

Did you play any of the Myst games?? Riven etc they were great, Syberia, return to Eygyt also good.

I should have previously stated that I made the jump, got into the court yard with the big gun, killed a few combines but cannot figure out how to get to the big gun??

Well persistance paid off I found the big gun, blasted the big doors and now on my way to getting into the grate. Thks for your help so far, stick around in case I still need you.

Hi,again, Shaggy. I played the first Myst, Tex Murphy Series, and some others, long time ago. Use to love the Adventures, but somehow they don't have that zing anymore.

To get to the gun, you need to go back to the guard who let you in the supply room, and he'll unlock another door ... or am I where you already have been?

Congratulations on getting to the big gun.

Half-Life 1 is the best action game ever in my opinion...far better than what I have seen of HL2 so far (just finished Highway 17). I am quite disappointed in HL2 actually. Didn't capture nearly that same feeling.

I loved everything about HL1: I thought one of the strengths was that you had absolutely no idea what sort of imagination shift might be required for the next level (including the outer space sequences).

I also really enjoyed HL2, although really it was much the same as the less weird parts of HL1, plus fantastic graphics and GSOH.

Just my few cents worth...

I forgot to mention the logical approach to everything, which means you know you should always be able to figure out the next step without resorting to a walkthrough (unlike some games where you go to the walkthrough and realise that no amount of logical thought would have made any difference).

And no, I'm not on commission from Valve/Sierra...

HL1 is a great game, but I liked HL2 much better. I, on the other hand, did not care for Residue Processing, or the outer space level. I loved the rest of it, and probably would play it again, after I played HL2 for the second time.

Both great games, but HL2 has the edge, imo.

Hi again, re ur msg, HL1 I find is more challenging, but the graphics are terrible compared to HL2. Of the two I preferred HL2.

Now, I've made it to the Lambfa core, met the scientist, got the big gun, now in the pump room.

Keep you informed, have a great day,

Go, Gordon, go!!

Hi again, well getting there so far, I'm now up in the clouds on these little floating islands with the long jump telepack, but do not know how to use it, can you advise, thks.

I don't think there is any special way of using it. When you first got the Module it is automatically attached to the HEV suit thus enabling you to do long jumps. Try experimenting and do some jumps, running ones, short ones, etc.

Hi again, the continueing saga, well I went and took the hazardous course again to be sure on how to use it, ok, but I still don;t know hot to jemp down to the next island, I get killed each time, any ideas??

I don't remember having to do anything. Just jumped from island to island and saving after each successful jump. Yes, I missed many times, but reloaded.

Sorry, Shaggy, I'm no help on this one.

Ok, thks anyway, I'll see what I can do. one question though, the thing in my hand, is it a Gun?? or what is it?/

Shaggy, I can't remember that either. I am wondering did you actually take the Long Jump Module at the end of the last level? I'm assuming you are now in Xen.

Yep, got thru the islands, manage to get below on island, now trying to kill the oversized spider, difficult bugger but we will endure.

Great, and I imagine a big ... whew! Refresh my memory, what was that thing in your hand?

Yes it is a gun limited ammo but very effective.
I've made it back on top of the islands, managed to minipulate to get on the back of the blue bird, now riding to the teleporter.
Arrived down at the teleporter, back with those monsters in the previous chapters. almost finished

Your getting there. The gun, maybe an Egon or Gauss. Have fun and good luck.

Hi again, well I'm almost at the end, I've made it to the little fat boy, used the bouncer to get up a little higher, try to land on his head but no luck, now trying to use bouncers on the floor, i can land on his head, it opens up and I immediately get killed.
Any ideas/

Your almost there, Shaggy.

To get him you need to destroy the orange crystals. I think there are 3 or 4 of them. If you have enough rockets, use them. A couple of shots should do it. If you don't have any rockets use any heavy weapon you've got. When his energy disappears use the trampolines to get up to his head and fire into his brain, again the rocket is very effective. When the brain is destroyed, you've won.

Also, you know those things he projects, try the Hornet Gun to get rid of them and use some cover behind a rock, or spirals. He may catch you and transport you to other areas, a real pain, but just fight the monsters, and use the trampolines to get back to him.

Thks, will give it a try

Hi again, well I'm about ready to give up, I've tried at least a thousand times to kill this thing, I was able to destroy the 4 yellow spikes on the walls, I thought this was to remove his power, he still kills me.
I try using all of the platforms on the ground to bounce up, I notice his head opens up, but that;s about all I can do, I've tried to land on his head, no success.
Any ideas?

Not a one. The only thing I can suggest is keep trying and you'll do it. It took me forever and a day. Another level I hated, along with the Outer Space and Residue Processing.

Keep trying Shaggy, your so close.

Hi, since my last msg, I've managed to get on top of his head, fire a few shots into the brain, but, eventually I fall into the brain and die>
Total frustration

That's good, not the falling part, but you did get up there. By any chance did you do a save when you reached the top?

Keep at it.

Hi, well I think that's it, I quit, totally frustrated. His head is open, I bounce up, I'm above his head so, I've tried double barrel shotgun into the brain, or crossbow into the brain, even landed right inside, but as always he kills me.
Anyways, thanks for all your help I did manage to get to the END, but could not KILL him.

As for your OpenGL woes if you're using the latest or very recent version of nVidia's Forceware driver then OpenGL support is quirky at best. Try intalling one of their older drivers and that should help.

Sounds like you need some better weapons. Is that all you had left? It is possible to shoot him from down below, I believe.

That's a shame, Shaggy. I've read where some players didn't seem to have too much of a problem with him; on the other hand, there were many who did. I was certainly one of them. As I said, it took many tries before I got him only by the skin of my teeth.

I walked away from it several times. Then after a day or so went back and tried it again ... finally got the so-and-so. I suggest you do the same, give it a rest, and then try again.

How about grenades, do you have any?

Hi, Yes your probably right, I should give it a rest.
I did check and tried grenades, I have 7 left, no luck, I still try double barrel shotgun, no luck,
I also previously when he sent me to the other room, I made my way back up to the top, picking up, lots of health and ammo, then sat behind cover and used all my various ammunition etc from below, no success, so I'll just quit for a few days.
If I ever do manage to kill the bugger, I will let you know.

You could always use the cheats to get a more powerful weapon.

Right, a day or so off is a good thing.

When you get back to the game give it h_ll ... or maybe Pokey has a good thought?

I remember hiding behind a rock to dodge his fireballs, and then just shooting him repeatedly with everything I had: eventually he died just before I ran out of ammo.

Good luck!

Hi, thks for the tip, but I tried that several times and it didn't work. I finally got fed up, deleted the game from my pc, as I feel I did ok in view that I got to the end.

Shaggy, you did great. As I said, your not alone in having problems with this ending. I think your right, enough is enough.

Btw, if you looking for a great shooter, give Chronicles of Riddick, Escape from Butcher Bay a look. I love it ... better then Half-Life 1 or 2.

Hi again, Ok and thks, I will go and see if they have them, I buy all my games from EB games.

Hi Soozie, well I finally deleted half life 1 and bought chronicles of Riddick, (escape from butcher bay).
Have not started it yet, but the read me looks interesting, are you playing it now??

Keep me in mind for any good tips etc

Yes, I'm playing it now at Normal, and intend to replay it at the same skill.

In the beginning I went through up to Recreation, then replayed it. I usually do that to get use to the controls and feel of the game.

The Controls are easy and it gives you a lot of help in the beginning. I prefer my left hand for the Mouse and my right hand for controls ... favorite is arrows up, down, left, right, never use the WASD. Also, I used the / for "use or pickup" because it's near my movement keys.

The first short level is a sort of dream, and a training, then it gets down to business.

I found a good walkthrough for my 2nd play, if you want it, yell out.

Hi, yes I've started it, in the 1st escape mode, trying to understand the controls, also I've played with the video adj as I find it a bit jumpy at the moment.
Yes, I would like the walkthrough.
I'm already stuck down in the pipe room the F1 key says, climb the crates, don;t find any crates, just 2 barrells, and a grate in the wall.

Picked up the UD currency etc but could not pick up the assault rifle. Hid the body ok.

Hi me again well I made it to the butcher bay pen.
I still find my frame rate jumpy, what frame rate are you using, 75? also is your focus frame, on or off?
and also the core, on or off?

Sounds like you're in the first room still. Use the keycard you get from the technician's body to open the door. Mug the guard patrolling the hallway and drag his body into the shadows. head right and you'll find a room with a big stack of boxes on your left. Before you climb up there, head around the right side of the box stack and you'll find a dark passage leading behind them that you can only see because of those glowing blue panels on the boxes. Follow that around and you'll drop down into a sewer-type area. Follow the passage to find a well hidden pack of smokes then retrace your steps and climb the boxes. Jump up to hang from the monkey bars on the ceiling when you start crossing to the other side a guard will wander in below you. When he's right below you, press the 'Use' key (default E) to drop on him. Then climb the boxes again and cross the monkey bars to the vent hatch. Use the vent tool you picked up earlier to open it and move on to the next part of the game

Good luck. This is one great game. I too thought it was far superior to HL2. Gorgeous graphics, cool fighting moves and even some adventure-like elements in places! (prison yard, tower 17 etc)

Some areas even offer a choice whether you want to adventure or blast your way through! (Pigsville) In a lot of places you'll find that it pays to be smart and sneaky instead of killing everything in sight. My advice is to always look for a stealthy option. You can't die if nobody is shooting at you! Explore absolutely everywhere too, especially around the mine entrance area.

Oh and don't worry about the assault rifles. They're DNA encoded so you can't pick them up if your DNA isn't in the computer.

Beat me to it I see! Bet you didnt find that pack of smokes though

The Focus Frame is simply the box that pops up with the name of the character or object you're looking at hence no effect on performance. Your framerates may be due to memory problems. This game eats memory like no other. I started playing it on a machine with 256MB and it was unplayable unless I turned the texture detail way down and set the shaders to 0.5. Playing on a 1GB/1.5GHz/GeForce 4 machine it's smooth as butter at 800x600, 1.5 shaders, full texture detail.

On the subject of shaders make sure yours aren't set to 2.5 There's a bug that stops them working properly even on video cards that support them. If you have that setting, change it to 2.0

Shaggy, really can't answer those techie questions, but looks as though we have a couple on this thread who can help you out.

I didn't have a walkthrough until the end and found out I missed some smokes. You'll at least want one for that.

The best one I could find was one written by RARusk and you can get it here at IGN He wrote it for the Xbox, but it's the same for the PC except when you get further on in back of the Feed Ward. Not when you first visit the Feed Ward, but later on. If you need help, let me know. Incidentally this part is only for the PC and it is awesome.

visionism, thks for all the tips and yes, you were right, I didn't find those smokes, do I need them??
If I do, I'll go back and get them.
Re Ram, Yes, I'm playing with 384,the specs on the box only call for 256 mb, my video card is a intel geforce 4.

Soozie, thks for the walkthrough I;ll have a look.

You'll want the smokes, Shaggy, just cause there fun to find. Under collectables, for each smoke, it gives you some extra insight and entertainment.

Hi, going ok at the moment, walkthrough helps.
2 questions, I didn't get a manual or booklet with the game, is that normal, I did get a quick ref card.

You mention, smokes, under collectables, when do you activate this?

By the way, I'm sort of tired of flushing toilets, how long do I have to keep this up??

If you flush 4 toilets 5 times you will get a picture in the recreation area or the courtyard of the programmers. These are the toilets:

Your Toilet Cell 34
Waman Cell 37 (I think it's cell 37)
Mattson

Oops, not right on the Collectables. When you first start your game there is a category called Extra Content. Use that to use the Smokes and see what they are.

Yes I agree, lets start on new thread, so start one, let me know where and we will continue to chat. All the best

Okay, Shaggy it's done. Here's the thread:

Playing Riddick - join us.