MINERVA: Metastasis 2 released

[russ_uk]

way to short , even shorter than the first

 

[Steel.Inferno]

First off my only gripe is after/during the descent into the headcrab infested pit, the lights dimming bothered me, it always seemed like it was fading to black as if I had lost the game or something.

A bit more confusing than the first chapter, atleast until you get the door slammed open. Which was awesome, even though I tried to use it as a battering ram by myself for a couple of minutes.

And damn, the Combine need to hire some armed janitors or something to clean up the headcrabs that get loose...

My favorite scene was definently coming out of the control room and fighting Combine from basically five directions, around left, around right, far left, far right, and below.

Am I the only one who tried ducking back through the door after it started closing? (At the end)

 

[Rennmniscant]

AHH!! THE PAIN!! THE EXTREME UNBEARABLE PAIN!!!

So what I does is this:
-I finds the newsflash of the release this morning, and jumps through roof accordingly.

-Downloads as fast as humanly possible and looks up contractors for fixing the ceiling.

-Finnishes download, jumps straight into it.

-Goes to options to fiddle controls to one's liking. While in rome, decides to try maybe a higher resolution.

*cue crash and burn*
Screen doesn't support 1200x920, or whatever it is and carks itself.
*restarts*
Still carks it, this time as soon as it goes to fullscreen.
*restarts*
Uninstalls and re-installs. Resolution still make screen explode.
*restarts*
Looks up console commands for changing resolution. Doesn't find any. Cries.

*Pleads desperately to community for help!*

[edit]
screen res turns out to be 1280x960
screen goes black with message: "Resolution not supported"
[/edit]

 

[Steven]

AHH!! THE PAIN!! THE EXTREME UNBEARABLE PAIN!!!

So what I does is this:
-I finds the newsflash of the release this morning, and jumps through roof accordingly.

-Downloads as fast as humanly possible and looks up contractors for fixing the ceiling.

-Finnishes download, jumps straight into it.

-Goes to options to fiddle controls to one's liking. While in rome, decides to try maybe a higher resolution.

*cue crash and burn*
Screen doesn't support 1200x920, or whatever it is and carks itself.
*restarts*
Still carks it, this time as soon as it goes to fullscreen.
*restarts*
Uninstalls and re-installs. Resolution still make screen explode.
*restarts*
Looks up console commands for changing resolution. Doesn't find any. Cries.

*Pleads desperately to community for help!*

Your monitors probably not big enough for that resolution.

 

[Rennmniscant]

Your monitors probably not big enough for that resolution.

Yep, I figured that. Now I need to figure out how to fix it.
Is there any way at all it can be fixed without running the program? a config file? a launch command? somehow reloading all that jazz?

 

[Seagull]

Isn't it -h 1024 -w 768 or the other way around? I forget... you put those commands in your command line in steam.

 

[Finger]

Wonderful mod... completely enjoyed it. You should be proud.

 

[DieH@rd]

Isn't it -h 1024 -w 768 or the other way around? I forget... you put those commands in your command line in steam.

its actualy -width 1024 -height 768 [and you could add -steam if its not working.... also try -console for faster loading time to main meny]

 

[Varsity]

-h and -w will work as well, and -steam doesn't do anything...it's a command Valve use, it's nonfunctional in the redistributed version of the engine.

 

[DieH@rd]

okay . didnt know that -w and -h work too

 

[Zoetrap]

Great stuff! I like this one better than the first chapter. Can't wait for the next installment

 

[jet jaguar]

I can't believe I waited this long to try the first one. I guess I was gunshy because most mods tend to be buggy and amateurish, but Minerva was easily as good as or better than anything I'd expect the 'pros' to do. Great job!

 

[Asknoone]

Excellent stuff. I loved the Stalker/headcrab idea, but I think some of the Combine facility began to get a little samey at times. Not Valve quality, but almost there. Looking forward to the next

 

[Cargo Cult]

Combine architecture is really difficult to get 'right' - I think I might have got the hang of it now, luckily. As for 'samey', the next map should add some variation... ;-)

Oh, and minor update: I discovered I'd made an arse of the website, and anyone visiting with Internet Explorer or with a language other than English or French would get an outdated version of the English pages. Note to self: when copying things to new laptop, make sure symbolic links get preserved...

It's all working now. Honest!

 

[BaconIsGood4You]

Excellent stuff but I did not like it as much as EP1. There was less variety (not to say it wasn't beautiful) and there was too much action. My favorite moments in EP1 are when you are walking through waiting for something to happen and it didn't seem like there were as many of these. I also got lost after the control room, I ran back and forth trying to find where to go.

 

[Rennmniscant]

Thanks to those who helped me get it up and running. Lesson learnt.

Now, the mod... He's done it again, I'm thinking. Absolute masterpeice. It lost a bit of the originality held in the first one, but is still out-shining anything else to date, without going nuts with new models and funny camera angles.

Getting the hang of combine architecture you say? I thought those glass wings were a bit... abstract, like shown in that screenshot earlier. But otherwise I think the folks at Valve should be taking a leaf out of this guys book.

It did get a bit repetetive after a while though... I was particularly impressed with the first one because it harboured so many varying environments, from those nice winding outdoors shorelines, to the post-war prison holds, some nicely done combine structures, and a very fetching little cluster of buildings on the jetty. This new installment has such a dynamic environment, but all runs with the same theme. I myself would like some more terrain here and there.

Thank lord also for no zombies! Sure, they were great the first 100 or so mods... The headcrabs still get to me though.

The messages coming through this time were a slight bit different character I thought, but that could just be me. It was a bit more cynical this time around, and wasn't quite as... erm... cluey? mysterious? The medusa gag in the first one was great. More of that I think would be well recieved.

This one, I thought lasted longer than the first, but that may be just because I haven't replayed it enough yet. I thought some of the combat was a teeny bit tedious, especially when its over those great long distances. I loved shooting down upon the combine running up the steps though!

Marvellous! More of the same please, if somehow another outdoors scene can be made up somehow.

 

[Asknoone]

Combine architecture is really difficult to get 'right'.

Oh, yes, definitely. I mean, I gave it a shot and tried to give it that 'non symmetrical' feel of alien and over complexity but...lets just say, you don't want to see the fruits of my labour

 

[madog]

What I didn't get was how the combine had trains going underneath an island.

 

[CrazyHarij]

..will provoke more speculation over its mysterious plotline than a Lost/Half-Life 2 crossover in Yugoslavian, with no subtitles.

ahahaha.. christ sulk, you're the most aweshens writer ever.

 

[The_One_Free_Man]

yeah that was mind blowing. Valve do us a favor get adam foster on your team of mappers.

 

[bamse]

Woho first post!

Ok my impression of metastasis thus far, well it's not complete yet :bounce:

**Level\map design is very detailed and elaborate IMO not at all generetic.
It feels like a structure and therefore never gives you an impression of
being lost as you can navigate it with common sense.
To those who complain about getting lost I ask how do you find your
way home after school, work or any other activities? Metastasis is
basic and simple to navigate really

**Gameplay is great as the open design gives the enemy a chance to
attack from all directions and therfore never gives you a safe spot.
Especially during the first map when you can hear the combine moving
about with no real clue as to just were they might pop up was something
that HL2 never managed to achieve

**Presentation was something that I was very Impressed with.
Up until now there havn't been any mod that provide with a belevable
plot so here all cudos as you have no competition.

**Ok so all good the huh, well there is allways room for improvements
like custom textures, models, ai, and a flying saucer, but all this is
for a dev team that spends years and vast resources, not a one man
hobby project.
I find it hard to complain about anything but I did hope to see atleast
one custom track in the new map from the great Joseph Toscano only
to find that all music was recycled from HL2 :|

**Final verdict will fall when the whole episode is relesed but until then
get that music deamon to create some cool custom tracks and Minerva
will be untouchable atleast by persons with common sense

 

[JNightshade]

YAY! Can't wait to play!

 

[Praetorius]

Oh, yes, definitely. I mean, I gave it a shot and tried to give it that 'non symmetrical' feel of alien and over complexity but...lets just say, you don't want to see the fruits of my labour

Hmm I found there to be too much symmetry to fit in with the Combine architecture you see in HL2 - their concept in the Raising The Bar book was to make lots of things asymmetrical and not matching, to create uneasiness and tension.

Still, awesome level. I liked the big rampy area with crabs and Combine - being attack from all sides, struggling for cover.

 

[Naudian]

Awesome!!!

I played through the chapters twice and BOTH times, I would be calmly climbing down the ladder into the underground structure (in the first chapter), and then CRUNCH! I almost fell off my seat when that freaking ladder broke lol.

Everything about it is awesome, enemy placement, map design, music timing, woo!

 

[Captain M4d]

Holy shit. I loved part one. I need to reinstall HL2 and get this.

 

[kaf11]

So no one else is having the problem where the text isnt appearing for the incoming transmissions? I hear the sound but dont see the text.

 

[okidoki]

Hey, great job again. I agree with most here, best all-around sp mod, you should work for valve, blah blah blah.

Anyway, why does it replace the old install? I lost my previous savegames and screenshots from the first map. I also have a weird bug with the sky. It has lines through it. Is that supposed to happen?

Other than that, it's great. I like the messages in the game. Besides the amazing level design, it makes this mod unique. I was thrown off by the one that said to stop fighting. I thought I was going the wrong way, but I finally decided to ignore it and fight anyway

 

[Praetorius]

I was thrown off by the one that said to stop fighting. I thought I was going the wrong way, but I finally decided to ignore it and fight anyway

Yeah same... it was probably the only way I could "stick it to the man", given the situation you're character is in.

 

[UltimaApocalypse]

Hey, great job again. I agree with most here, best all-around sp mod, you should work for valve, blah blah blah.

Anyway, why does it replace the old install? I lost my previous savegames and screenshots from the first map. I also have a weird bug with the sky. It has lines through it. Is that supposed to happen?

Other than that, it's great. I like the messages in the game. Besides the amazing level design, it makes this mod unique. I was thrown off by the one that said to stop fighting. I thought I was going the wrong way, but I finally decided to ignore it and fight anyway

Yes, I have that problem with the sky too. Maybe he's not good with making Skyboxes? I have no idea because I can't evan do it.

I liked those transmissions. Some of them were funny. Like in the first one: "Huh. How was I supposed to know that there was a heavily armed Combine outpost on the other side of the island? Oh wait, it was in the satalitte images. Well, good luck."

Hmmm....theres still Satalittes?

 

[jondy]

Maybe he's not good with making Skyboxes?

Tchah, Adam Foster eats geometry and shits out .bsps, it's something up with your PC

 

[Cargo Cult]

Tchah, Adam Foster eats geometry and shits out .bsps, it's something up with your PC

I may also piss napalm, but that's not important right now.

I was sure I'd fixed that skybox problem ages ago - I found out what was causing it (you'd get seams when the texture resolution was low) and was sure I'd recompiled the textures with the right options, but it would appear they got mislaid. Oops.

Oh, and anyone having problems connecting to the MINERVA website - my site host would appear to be down. No idea what's caused it, but they were having major connectivity problems recently, so are hopefully sorting things out. Yes, it's annoying - all the mirrors are still fully-functional, it's just the core site that's not working. Arses!

 

[jondy]

Oh, btw- what was changed in the updated Metastasis 1?

 

[okidoki]

I was sure I'd fixed that skybox problem ages ago - I found out what was causing it (you'd get seams when the texture resolution was low) and was sure I'd recompiled the textures with the right options, but it would appear they got mislaid. Oops.

I get it with low and medium texture detail (the pic was at medium). If I switch to high, it goes away. But then my framerate is in the single digits because my video card sucks toes. It also happens in the HL:Source skyboxes, if that makes you feel better.

 

[Cargo Cult]

Oh, btw- what was changed in the updated Metastasis 1?

Not much - beyond the stuff linking it into the next map, just a couple of bugfixes. Improved paths to stop a dropship crashing into a watchtower and getting stuck, making Combine soldiers who wander out to sea actually drown (previously, some people saw 'em happily strolling around underwater), and (or so I thought) a fixed skybox without any ugly seams.

Okidoki: try unzipping this file into metastasis/materials/skybox. If that doesn't fix the seams, I think I'll cry...

 

[Edcrab]

Wow, the dropship thing was a recognised problem? I thought it was just me...

The alternate skybox file seems to have done the trick for me, although it was never really that noticable on my machine in the first place Yay!

 

[kaf11]

I fixed my text problem by reinstalling. After playing it I must say, that was ****ing brilliant. I cant wait for the next episode.

 

[Dr. Nelly Lemon]

**Aspoilercalypse Now**



I was kind of confused a the part where he tells you to go back. I kept on dying, so I turned on buddha, then I fell from that blue T-shaped walkway, passed another said walkway, and landed on a third. Just exploring I found the end.

There must be another way to do it. I'll try again later.


**End Spoilers**

 

[kupocake]

Another great Episode. Minerva remains pretty much untouched in the world of Single Player HL2 mods. Can't wait for the next installment!

 

[Cargo Cult]

There must be another way to do it. I'll try again later.

Does anyone ever look at the monitors? It's, like, YOU WENT HERE EARLIER. LOOK, A DOOR OPENS! MAYBE GO BACK? and everyone's, like, I'M LOST!!!.

Ahem. I thought it would be a useful gameplay hint, but people seem to be ignoring it. Same with the underground monitor in Metastasis 1, where you had to return to the surface.

 

[Reginald]

*shrug* The only time I was ever confused was when I thought you had to disable the Combine Ball Generator thing by the second lift. I spent maybe 1 minute shooting it, then carried on when I realised the lift door was open. It never confused me when I had to retrace my steps.