MINERVA: Episodic, Single-Player Half-Life 2

Continued Non-Gaming Distractions -

Been a bit too busy with real-life and personal stuff for many updates here, I'm afraid - the eschatological forum kind of burned itself out with a whimper rather than a bang, but hopefully I'll get some interesting new/old non-MINERVA content up in the coming weeks.

Still. Some photos from my weekend in New York - I must admit that one photo in particular looked kind of familiar. Please excuse the muted tones and overcast skies - the weather was incredibly rainy!

Finally, something I'd been wondering about - if the Combine were to place a Citadel in New York, would they have to build it extra-large to reach above all the existing skyscrapers? Well, after careful scrutiny of the photos I took...

It looks like they've already arrived.

Article Comments (now closed)

Naurgul's gravatar

1. At a completely undisclosed time

Posted by Naurgul at 8:23PM, Monday July 3 2006

Yes, finally proof that I'm the master's favourite acolyte. He agrees with me that I have limitlessssss potential...oops sorry, I meant that the forum burned itself out with a whimper rather than a bang. Yay! :P

Talking about too much Half-Life... It took me a while to figure out the Citadel reference.

Also, you wrote that VALVe time-schedule stuff over at the wiki? It's hilarious! (to be more precise, it's a wiki, I could have found out....but anyway!:P)

Baffled's gravatar

2. A world without end?

Posted by Baffled at 8:33PM, Monday July 3 2006

That site you linked to was a bit of an eye opener; I thought that was a photograph. Can you imagine ingame graphics of that quality or mapping with those kinds of resources? Roll on the future...ten, fifteen years hence?

One cause for alarm; in the FAQs he says that the title "Book of beginnings" relates to the fact that the stories don't end, but stop abruptly in mid sentence partly because he gets bored. I *do* hope that that won't be the fate of MINERVA Mr Foster, or you might be receiving a visit from some very disgruntled acolytes ;-/

Your photos really are impressive, I'm rather hoping it's partly down to that expensive Canon as my photographic efforts are laughable in comparison. I spotted that panorama you took from the Space Needle, and was reminded of a similar effort, from the same spot, of my own, taken with a cardboard disposable wide-angle gimick a few years ago, with predictably bad results.

Did you visit Ground Zero and have they started work on that new tower? I'm not sure I'm so struck on the new design, it's a bit dull compared to the original...which looked a tad Combinesque itself:

http://www.theboxtank.com/freedom%20tower.jpg

You've a good eye for composition, you've even got cables dangling in front of your "Citadel". It must be nice to be talented *sigh*

Baffled's gravatar

3. Birds of a feather

Posted by Baffled at 1:24AM, Tuesday July 4 2006

As a companion piece to your "sparrow on a sign" and "The wet bird", try this rather ominous image:

http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/rids/20060630/i/r282966858.jpg?x=260&y=345&sig=9gNNQou3AQGaiHwZrZledA--

Apparently vultures are circling the space shuttle as it preps for launch. Now I'm not overly superstitious but still...

krisvek's gravatar

4. Gratitude :)

Posted by krisvek at 2:26AM, Tuesday July 4 2006

Late summer, early autumn...can't wait :)

The universe can be a cold place...

vecima's gravatar

5. skry capers

Posted by vecima at 2:38AM, Tuesday July 4 2006

"if the Combine were to place a Citadel in New York, would they have to build it extra-large to reach above all the existing skyscrapers?"

no... its already much bigger than any skyscraper.

TomboCombo's gravatar

6. On the Comparing of Skyscrapers

Posted by TomboCombo at 9:00AM, Tuesday July 4 2006

It doesn't matter. New Yorkers are a proud people, and they'll build a tower three times the Citadel's height. Why? Because then they will be giving the Combine a massive steel finger that can be seen from every continent on Earth. I love this country.

mangatome's gravatar

7. the old forum

Posted by mangatome at 1:21PM, Tuesday July 4 2006

did anyone notice that in the forum sources commentary ?

"as for the continuation of your adventure - late summer, early autumn? Love, Minerva!"

krisvek's gravatar

8. ...

Posted by krisvek at 4:19PM, Tuesday July 4 2006

I think it's obvious I did...above...

Baffled's gravatar

9. A better class of Combine

Posted by Baffled at 6:24PM, Tuesday July 4 2006

I think I've identified the Manhattan "Citadel" as the Metropolitan Tower on 57th Street. It would appear that the American Combine are a cut above their European cousins and have a rather more sophisticated taste in decor:

http://www.metropolitantower.com/overview.html

It seems that this building, although looking like a global headquarters for a big bank, is ,in fact, an apartment complex with prices seemingly designed to shock:

http://www.cityrealty.com/condos/building_iframe.php?lid=8703

Evan's gravatar

10. Silly Covenant

Posted by Evan at 4:44PM, Wednesday July 5 2006

Glad you have been having a great time, but the fans want more of their Minerva!

vecima's gravatar

11. fans

Posted by vecima at 7:05PM, Wednesday July 5 2006

there are no fans around here....


these are what you call worshipers!

Suzuran's gravatar

12. Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam...

Posted by Suzuran at 9:21AM, Thursday July 6 2006

Some fool spammed the old thread. I swear, spammers are like headcrabs, they just keep coming from all angles, and there's a never-ending supply of them - Not overly threatening or overly dangerous, but unrelentingly irritating!

Kast's gravatar

13. on spam and headcrabs

Posted by Kast at 11:15AM, Thursday July 6 2006

... yeah, but you can't make a pet out of a spammer. Though I would recommend de-beaking them.

vecima's gravatar

14. request

Posted by vecima at 7:13PM, Thursday July 6 2006

yeah, um, adam?

yeah, can you just go ahead and put Depth Charge on HOLD for a bit there, it seems we're gonna need you to make us a vr mod where you fly through the internet blowing up spambots. yeah, so we're gonna need you to get on that right away.

oh yeah and i almost forgot, i'm gonna have to ask you to go ahead and come in on saturday. with the switch to this new project underway, we have some catching up to do.

Baffled's gravatar

15. Novel and certainly graphic...

Posted by Baffled at 8:35PM, Thursday July 6 2006

Apparently Bungie are going to release a graphic novel ( a comic book for those not wanting to admit they read comic books ) of the HALO story. Doesn't look overly promising to me, but the last page of the preview below is certainly rather graphic considering the Microsoft logo is on it...

http://nikon.bungie.org/misc/hgn_preview/

krisvek's gravatar

16. woot!

Posted by krisvek at 12:49AM, Friday July 7 2006

woot!

Graphic novel of Minerva should be made...I'm sure Minerva would be hot too, eh?

Unless she's not corporeal... but I doubt she'd let that stop her.

Kast's gravatar

17. re: woot!

Posted by Kast at 1:23PM, Friday July 7 2006

If ever such a thing was made (perish the thought) you'd never see Minerva. Maybe see things from her p.o.v. but never see what she looks like. Just get a commentary.

I think if MINERVA were to be written in some form of literary medium, it would end up somewhat like 'Illuminatus!', i.e. completely psychadelic, trippy and involving a squirrel. Though possibly without the random sex scenes...

vecima's gravatar

18. meh

Posted by vecima at 2:39PM, Friday July 7 2006

screw the graphic novel, i'd rather just play minerva... possibly with the random sex scenes!

(although gmod has proven pretty nice for creating comics)

Baffled's gravatar

19. Profundity minus the squirrel

Posted by Baffled at 3:37PM, Friday July 7 2006

I'd never heard of "Illuminatus!" Kast, but having had a peek it looks quite interesting, although indeed "trippy" in parts ( Golden Apple ). I read the intriguingly titled "Never Whistle While You're Pissing" and it was rather profound..and relevant to our efforts to categorize Minerva, in it's attack on logic ( not that we could be accused of employing such a thing, but still..) and the boxes it forces us to put things in:

http://www.rawilson.com/whistlepiss.html

Have you read it all; is it worth a trip to the bookstore?

AS for the erotic avatar, I doubt Minerva would have the slightest interest in providing such titillation for what She seems to regard as an expendable tool, a disposable camera on legs. At the very least it would only distract us from our job; come to think of it, if our computers interacted with us in such a form, I can see global productivity taking a plunge...it would be very difficult to concentrate ;-)

Kast's gravatar

20. Illuminatus

Posted by Kast at 4:49PM, Friday July 7 2006

'fraid I haven't read it personally, but from the description by a mate of mine I would love to. Very perculiar, which always interests me.

xbskid's gravatar

21. .

Posted by xbskid at 7:47PM, Friday July 7 2006

What constitutes late summer/early autumn? End of July? August? Or September? :(

vecima's gravatar

22. on pissing and whistling

Posted by vecima at 7:58PM, Friday July 7 2006

that was an excellent read.

the last paragraph is as true (or more) today as it was then.
support craigslist. The courts are going to decide whether these poeple are responsible for everything that is posted on the site. Google, Yahoo, and other "newest medium" giants are already behind them.

With the exception of some countries, the internet is the closest thing the world has to liberty. as an american (believe it or not, our constitution is based on dissent) and an internet user i guess i have a responsibility to ensure (or try to) that the internets liberties are not marginalized. i would hope all free-speakers felt the same.

thanks for posting that link.

Baffled's gravatar

23. Accidental hero

Posted by Baffled at 8:52PM, Friday July 7 2006

You're very welcome Vecima, although we should really thank Kast for the prompt. I'm delighted that I've accidentally struck a blow for freedom and inadvertently contributed to the good fight.

I'd have to agree that it does seem relevant and right-on-the-money ( no pun intended ) in regards to attempts by governments to control what we can and cannot see, read, write, or otherwise publish or access online. I have to admit to being ignorant of Craigslist and it's legal fight, but I can make amends by posting another link:

http://www.craigslist.org/about/fair.housing.html

This blog is going rather highbrow all of a sudden isn't it? I think Adam might be pleased that we're putting his creation to such a high-minded purpose.

Baffled's gravatar

24. An echo of things past

Posted by Baffled at 4:39PM, Saturday July 8 2006

The forum may have gone nova, but faint echoes can still be perceived if one knows where to listen...

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:rTolQgB12MwJ:www.hylobatidae.org/minerva/forum/viewtopic.php%3Ft%3D5%26sid%3Dabfc20a8a05fac52a1c5b89052592987+minerva+forum+bang+site+admin&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=1

So "mortality is the only option for [our] kind" eh? Well it seems we are harder to eradicate than She thought, although I expect She'll be right in the end.

Whatever happened to Mr Firedrake?...

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:wwv3jNlWhQMJ:www.hylobatidae.org/minerva/fr/forum/viewtopic.php%3Fp%3D141%26sid%3D400fc45db4b2dcb50b1f3940eb286b32+minerva+forum+bang+firedrake&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=2

And how could we forget Spartan-052?:

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:UyMHiQPsWrAJ:www.hylobatidae.org/minerva/forum/viewtopic.php%3Ft%3D8%26start%3D0%26sid%3D562c1c98dcbaa2fdc9539aa53da8c15e+marathon+story+%22cell%22+floating&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=4

What was it about the forum that attracted so many errm.. eccentrics? Do they feel too exposed in the cold light of the blog to post here?

Baffled's gravatar

25. SNAFU

Posted by Baffled at 4:44PM, Saturday July 8 2006

Sorry the links aren't working as intended...you have to select the whole link manually and paste to the address bar...and then curse that idiot Baffled for wasting your time and vandalising the blog *sob*

vecima's gravatar

27. functionality 0

Posted by vecima at 12:05AM, Sunday July 9 2006

zomghaxftwban!!!!


jk (i dont know what most of that means)
but anyhow, the links don't work...
though i tried in a new tab, and not a new window, fox of fire as i am.

Naurgul's gravatar

28. Don't Click

Posted by Naurgul at 10:28AM, Sunday July 9 2006

Don't click on the link, just copy the whole two lines and then paste them in your browser. It will take you to Google's copy of the forum.

Baffled's gravatar

29. Explanation

Posted by Baffled at 2:34PM, Sunday July 9 2006

I was indeed trying to link to Google's cached copy of the Minerva forum, to make out that Minerva's attempt at obliteration had, at least temporarily failed. But my overwhelming technical incompetence won the day and my attempts to save the enterprise only made it worse.

I'm mortified at the mess I've made, and will spend the day typing "Baffled is a twit" in notepad for my sins.

vecima's gravatar

30. re: click

Posted by vecima at 2:55AM, Monday July 10 2006

i didn't click... i copied the links, i was saying they still didn't work.

Naurgul's gravatar

31. You communicate by clicking on me; I communicate by doing what you say.

Posted by Naurgul at 10:08AM, Monday July 10 2006

When I copied the link and pasted it in the browser adress thingy, it worked for me.

Maybe you just didn't copy the whole of it? Or you just aren't using the correct browser (it's Firefox for me).

Anyway, enjoy the rest of the DOD:S free weekend, everybody!

TO BAFFLED: You are buffled, to say the least. ;)

Baffled's gravatar

32. The words: horse, dead, flogging, stop, all spring to mind...

Posted by Baffled at 3:43PM, Monday July 10 2006

...but not necessarily in that order.

It seems Minerva may have put the kibosh on my impertinent suggestion that Her powers of destruction may not be absolute. Still, there is no shame in defeat by such as She.

Has anyone else been playing Day Of Defeat:Source this weekend? The new game mode is pretty good if a bit like "Counterstrike-of-Defeat".

vecima's gravatar

33. counter - defeat?

Posted by vecima at 7:04PM, Monday July 10 2006

i was going to play the free weekend, but i didn't feel like redownloading dods again... plus im still trying to get friggin episode 1 to work!

fuzz's gravatar

34. dods

Posted by fuzz at 9:14PM, Monday July 10 2006

I did enjoy my free bit of dods, one day I'll have to shell out and buy the damn thing, I know I wnat to...
To me it looks better visualy than HL2.
Please point out my error :)

Naurgul's gravatar

35. The acolytes need your immediate attention!

Posted by Naurgul at 11:06AM, Tuesday July 11 2006

[whine]Shouldn't we, the acolytes, be informed of anything Minerva-related through this blog first? It's unfair otherwise![/whine]

So, the second part of our master's (?) interview was released. Check it out: http://www.halflife2.net/2006/07/adam-foster-interview-part-two/


PS: Now, who should we call master? Minerva or Adam? it's getting a bit confusing, lately.

Nesretep's gravatar

36. ...Minerva or Adam?

Posted by Nesretep at 3:21PM, Tuesday July 11 2006

Maybe there is no distinction between the two and Adam is really the creation of Minerva designed to make us all think that we are just playing some video game "he" made...

Then again, reality maybe just as it seems, but who knows other than Adam and/or Minerva?

Baffled's gravatar

37. Reality is the perspective of the beholder

Posted by Baffled at 7:23PM, Thursday July 13 2006

It seems to me that we experience both Minerva and Cargocult only through text messages output from computer programs: MINERVA and Blogsheep respectively. As we will never meet any "real" person that supposedly resides behind this facade, you could say that, from our perspective, neither is any more "real" than the other.

The construct we know of as "Adam" made mention, in that interview, of a book, "The Cryptonomicon", that seems to have partly inspired the character of "Minerva" ;and I, your intrepid sleuth and incompetent poster of broken links, have managed to find an online transcript of this book. The page I *fingers crossed* link to below, contains the discussion of Athena/Minerva I think Adam may have been referring to.

Read the latter half with care, as it contains a number of interesting echoes of the MINERVA storyline. Think of the multiple identities claimed by our Minerva, and see the Combine as representatives of Ares:

http://newark.pardey.org/book/cryptonomicon/slide90.html

sully's gravatar

38. NYC Citadel

Posted by sully at 7:05AM, Friday July 14 2006

Hows this for a NYC citadel?

http://www.deviantart.com/view/36050189/

Kast's gravatar

39. re: NYC Citadel

Posted by Kast at 3:38PM, Friday July 14 2006

Hmmm... reminds me more of the Equilibrium Tower in (three guesses) Equilibrium. It's certainly very Orwellian.

I find myself wondering what's going to come out of those square 'holes' (probably windows) about half way up and at the top. Could it be scanners? Manhacks? Synth-copters? Abe?

Abe. You remember Abe, as in Abe of Abe's Exodus and Abe's Odyssey? :D Yeah, that tower looks really quite a lot like some of the buildings in those games.

Baffled's gravatar

40. Gabe's Announcement

Posted by Baffled at 4:25PM, Friday July 14 2006

Has anyone seen this yet?:

http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/half-life-2-episode-two/718526p1.html

I thought TF2 was a myth and with Portal shipping with EP2 as well, it seems we have a treat heading our way. I hope the price isn't too elevated though.

vecima's gravatar

41. ###previous 2 posts garbled###

Posted by vecima at 7:39PM, Friday July 14 2006

Gabes odyssey?

i think it'll be flying monkeys comin from those windows. going after alyx.

get them my pretties. get that girl and her little... umm HUGE dog too!

fuzz's gravatar

42. Cryptonomicon

Posted by fuzz at 7:40PM, Friday July 14 2006

Damn good book, well worth a read (if only my bro hadn't lost my copy somewhere int he philipenes :()

xbskid's gravatar

43. Gravatar?

Posted by xbskid at 4:50PM, Monday July 17 2006

A little off-topic, but has anyone else noticed that Gravatar.com just took a big shit all over itself, thereby killing everyone's Gravatar?

[url]http://www.gravatar.com/[/url]
[url]http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1107/gravatar1fu5.jpg[/url]

xbskid's gravatar

44. Whoops.

Posted by xbskid at 4:51PM, Monday July 17 2006

Hey Adam, while you're at it, support BBCode. :]

http://www.gravatar.com/
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1107/gravatar1fu5.jpg

Siman's gravatar

45. ok nice

Posted by Siman at 7:36AM, Tuesday July 18 2006

ok this is nice you getting interviews and all but when do you plan on even getting a release date for the last installment of the series?

Nesretep's gravatar

46. Re: ok nice

Posted by Nesretep at 3:06PM, Tuesday July 18 2006

While we may not have a firm release date we already have been told "by Minerva herself" that the next installment is coming in late summer/early autumn. Now it's up to you to fuss over what exactly that is supposed to mean as far as a time frame for release...

krisvek's gravatar

47. lame

Posted by krisvek at 3:22AM, Wednesday July 19 2006

i hope a bot did that, because otherwise it's even more lame

FAITHFUL's gravatar

48. We can wait no longer...

Posted by FAITHFUL at 4:49AM, Wednesday July 19 2006

The Faithful desire the wisdom of MINVERVA.

fuzz's gravatar

49. Portal

Posted by fuzz at 7:29PM, Wednesday July 19 2006

Forthose of you not following the valve news, a trailer for portal has just been released - check your steam client.

head fuckery of the highest order...

Baffled's gravatar

50. This next test is impossible...

Posted by Baffled at 9:23PM, Wednesday July 19 2006

That "training video" is just the sort of thing I can envisage Minerva creating to select Her test subjects. The narrator had that same cheerful disregard for the wellbeing of subjects:

"...a highly motivated test subject can carry out rather complex tasks while enduring the most intense pain; so, in case you don't make it through the testing, GOODBYE." Pure Minerva.

Speaking as someone who wanted the physics-puzzle element of Halflife gameplay to recieve more emphasis, I couldn't be more excited by this game.

Remember: "If at first you don't succeed...you fail." Priceless.

xbskid's gravatar

51. I see what you did there.

Posted by xbskid at 10:30PM, Wednesday July 19 2006

Thanks, Baffled. Now I'm going to end up associating that synthed voice with that of Minerva. I don't suppose Valve would give Adam access to those and provide synthed voiceovers for Metastasis.

Cargo Cult's gravatar

52. Closed spacelike loops

Posted by Cargo Cult at 10:34PM, Wednesday July 19 2006

Portal looks utterly brilliant. If you're wanting to play its predecessor created by some of the same people, Narbacular Drop - try here:

http://www.digipen.edu/main/Gallery_Games_2004#Narbacular_Drop

It's a bit buggy and painful on the brain, but should be an interesting prelude to the gameplay present in Portal.

Something else of interest is that a person claiming to have visited Valve in April (not me - the first I heard about Portal was with everyone else!) says that the game has a narrative. A plot, as you will. Oooooooooh.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article_discussion.php?article_id=66143

vecima's gravatar

53. dang

Posted by vecima at 7:26PM, Thursday July 20 2006

i was hoping portal would be unrelated to hl2. oh well. i can still hope it ISN'T our dear friend adrian from op4. that just seems almost to... nonsensicle.

Nesretep's gravatar

54. Help with Episode 1 install

Posted by Nesretep at 7:14PM, Friday July 21 2006

This is probably a bit out of place but I figured I have some good people to ask here...

Does anyone have any recommendations for those having trouble installing HL2:ep. 1? It will autorun, then when you click on the "link" to login to steam and install, Steam comes up and starts logging in and then stops responding. HELP!

The_Poubel's gravatar

55. Episode 1 installation

Posted by The_Poubel at 10:39PM, Friday July 21 2006

it happens, it's because the steam is updating.after a couple of minutes non-responding, it shows the update percentage and starts to respond.

fuzz's gravatar

56. Episode 2

Posted by fuzz at 11:43AM, Saturday July 22 2006

And today we get an updated Episode 2 trailer, which begs the question:
If they all finish loading at the same time, which will you play first?
Episode 2?
Portal?
TF2?

(I'll flip a coin between the first two I think)

F-Ish's gravatar

57. Portal would be the first one

Posted by F-Ish at 3:57PM, Saturday July 22 2006

I think Portal, because we know almost nothing about it and it looks mighty awesome.

Baffled's gravatar

58. ...and the alarming-appendage-of-the-week award goes to:

Posted by Baffled at 5:45PM, Saturday July 22 2006

Is it me, or is there something slightly obscene about the rear of the new look Hunters?:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Episode2-hunters.jpg

Kast's gravatar

59. So much time and so little to choose

Posted by Kast at 1:05PM, Sunday July 23 2006

No, wait. Cross that out. Reverse it. Thank you. ON WE GO!

I think I'd play Episode Two first and get it over with. Then I can comfortably sit and savour Portal. Or maybe that should be the other way around. Oh, I'm so confused!

And Baffled, yes, it's just you. ;)

Hey, take a look at the background of that picture. Looks like some kind of really classy, modern building. All shining steel and glass with a curving roof. I could be wrong. What does anyone else think?

fuzz's gravatar

60. Shiney building

Posted by fuzz at 3:13PM, Sunday July 23 2006

I can see what you mean, but it's just a trick of the (virtual) light, if you watch the trailer through it's revealed to be a shack, with resistance symbols all over.
Also, it looks like we're going down an ant lion burrow in ep2...
That's the semi annoying thing about HL2, they spend 10 minutes warning you about eg, Ravenholm, and when it comes down to "Gordon, you go that way" I just want to start saying, "er, actually, about this whole save the world thing, I'm getting second thoughts...too much peril for my liking"
just me?

Baffled's gravatar

61. You broke it, you fix it

Posted by Baffled at 4:15PM, Sunday July 23 2006

I think they all blame Gordon for the Combine's occupation, as his conquest of Xen made it all possible. That's why they're always sending him off down dark zombie-infested tunnels, prison's swarming with combine, and into Citadels about to explode; to fix the mess he's made.

That image was very misleading, the building was indeed a shed seen side on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Episode2-strider.jpg

Episode Two has got my mouth watering. According to the Wiki page I got those images from, it's going to have the largest physics puzzle yet seen ( w00t! ), a new vehicle to charge about the luscious vegetation in, some sticky bombs , and some non-linear tactical battles to fight! It all sounds very like Halo, but thats no bad thing, is it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-Life_2:_Episode_Two

vecima's gravatar

62. nobodys fixing it

Posted by vecima at 4:47PM, Sunday July 23 2006

well... i mean that bridge in the ep2 trailer... that thing's done for...

i started drooling profusely when the metal beam on the side of it was bending and coming down... that part looks so awesome. i'm so ank-shesh (really couldn't figure how to spell that one) to play it i can hardly contain myself!

*wizzes on carpet then cringes for impending news paper beating*

Kast's gravatar

63. Shed?

Posted by Kast at 11:37AM, Monday July 24 2006

It's the shed? Look so very different. Oh well, it's probably down to an excess of bloom. The Holy Shed of White Light!

I am looking forward to those anti-Strider devices. Should be fun getting those to work.

My one concern with Episode Two is whether or not it will wuss out with the badguys. So far we've only seen the new Stalkers and the retextured Antlion Guards. I demand greater variety!

The new episode needs a better name. One had 'Aftermath', what's this? Exodus maybe? Resistance?

Cargo Cult's gravatar

64. A Portal into the Bowels of Blogsheep

Posted by Cargo Cult at 12:11PM, Monday July 24 2006

Personally, I'm stuck as to which game included with Episode Two I'll play first.

I think it'll be Episode Two itself, followed by a quick boot-up of Team Fortress 2 (just to see how it looks), then an intensive play of Portal.

I might even stagger things over several days, depending on how much gaming goodness is in there. I'm *seriously* looking forwards to Portal, anyhow. I'm also hoping a thriving custom map community rapidly develops around it... ;-)

Other news: BaaBaa-BlogSheep(tm) now has Proper User Accounts. Choose 'yes' for 'create new account', type in a password and it'll remember your details for you. There are currently no other benefits present in this arrangment, but stuff might get added eventually. But it *will* make it impossible for my beloved acolytes to impersonate each other.

I'm still not entirely sure whether you're actually some giant, gestalt collective comprised of foaming-at-the-mouth devotees, with no concept of individuality or self...

Finally, to hopefully stop spambots, a badly-coded plugin named 'Bad Behaviour' has been grafted on, which claims to analyse your HTTP headers and blog those who do not conform to reality. The code quality looks a bit suspect, and the author's political views even more so, but I'm giving it a try. Let's see what happens.

Nesretep's gravatar

65. Thanks for the above help with Steam...

Posted by Nesretep at 2:31PM, Monday July 24 2006

Steam can be so frustrating at times...thanks for the help!

Baffled's gravatar

66. Acolytes' Manifesto

Posted by Baffled at 4:01PM, Monday July 24 2006

Acolytes of the world unite, we have nothing to lose but our dignity...

So we've suffered another bout of Acolyte-bashing from our Dear Leader; I'm starting to think we need a union...

I agree, Kast, a greater variety of enemies would be a real boost; they seem to be aiming at one new character concept per episode and, so far, they've been quality additions ( Zombines, and now Hunters ) but still we can be greedy can't we? :-)

A title for Episode Two? How about "Uprising" or "Turning Point"?

I sincerely hope that none of you are contemplating rushing through Episode Two on MEDIUM or *perish the thought* EASY, like so many seemed to with Episode One ( are you listening Nesretep? ). I cannot believe that so many would spoil their experience of such well crafted entertainment by rushing on low difficulty settings. I know I've ranted on this subject before but I didn't believe those claims to have completed in 2 hours until I saw this:

http://www.steampowered.com/stats/ep1/

And I nearly had a fit when I realised Valve had released a patch to make Episode One EASIER!!!:

http://www.steampowered.com/index.php?area=news&archive=yes&id=681

The challenge IS the fun, it should make you suffer and swear at it, it should make you think that it's impossible in order for you to feel that sense of victory when you do manage to defeat it. I mean what's next, a mode where it plays itself and you just watch?

spambotzor's gravatar

67. Defeat Me1!1

Posted by spambotzor at 4:48PM, Monday July 24 2006

haha

The Poubel's gravatar

68. Elevator Battle

Posted by The Poubel at 5:58PM, Monday July 24 2006

When I read this message, I started to laugh! the elevator battle was so fun!! why to decrease the number of zombies? it meant to be a ZOMBIES BATTLE!! Nonsensical update. It took the fun off. bah.

Suzuran's gravatar

69. Individuality

Posted by Suzuran at 7:19AM, Tuesday July 25 2006

I'm reminded of one of the Monty Python cast (I want to say Michael Palin) addressing the public at some gathering - He remarked "I am amazed that you all laugh at the same jokes simultaneously. Does any of you think for yourselves?" and the majority of the crowd responded (simultaneously) "I do! I do!" A split second of silence followed and before anyone could react a lone voice at the back of the crowd shouts "I don't! I don't!"

kast's gravatar

70. ooh, shinies

Posted by kast at 11:21AM, Tuesday July 25 2006

Uhh... I'm an indurvidual!

Totally agree with you there, Baffled, on the difficulty. But I wouldn't have thought 'Turning Point' would be an accepted name. It's got two words (one's best) and there have been many turning points throughout the story.

Baffled's gravatar

71. Epiphany

Posted by Baffled at 4:11PM, Tuesday July 25 2006

I've figured it out...I know what's going on...all that talk of us having no distinct identity; of us being one; of our impersonating each other... He's trying to tell us something; or rather, he's trying to tell *himself* something.

"We" are in a Fight Club scenario; there was no Tyler Durden, and there *is* no "we". "We" are all Adam, or rather Adam is "us". He/we are psychotic and write these posts to himself/ourselves; our "lives" are fictions, a jumble of his imaginings and fragments of his real life.

*The blanket of denial descends*

Yeah, you're right Kast, "Turning Point" has no umpf; perhaps we can have a title competition and email Gabe with the winning name...?

I'm a big Monty Python fan too Suzuran, although it pains me to say it, but Terry Gilliam, the only non-Brit, was by far the most talented.

Cargo Cult's gravatar

72. We are all individuals!

Posted by Cargo Cult at 4:30PM, Tuesday July 25 2006

Still not entirely sure who is imagined by whom, but one minor point - Twelve Monkeys is one of my favourite films, and may (or may not) have had a certain influence on a certain Chronoclasm... ;-)

Nesretep's gravatar

73. Re:Acolytes' Manifesto

Posted by Nesretep at 4:51PM, Tuesday July 25 2006

What? I wasn't supposed to finish it in 1 HR on SUPER DUPER EASY? [GRIN]

fuzz's gravatar

74. difficulty

Posted by fuzz at 7:05PM, Tuesday July 25 2006

Well, I usually go for medium type difficulty. I think it took me about 4 or 5 goes to get through the elevator battle, and I was terrified every time, and for me, that's the perfect level of difficulty, each to they're own tho.

> Terry Gilliam...was by far the most talented.
that's like saying [damnint, brain gone dead, insert metaphor here]. They're all bloody talented, personally I'd go for a Clease or Palin myself...
i think

Baffled's gravatar

75. Chronotastic

Posted by Baffled at 7:45PM, Tuesday July 25 2006

I *love* anything concerning time-travel, so that is wonderful news about Chronoclasm; although, I guess, as always with your work, the clue was in the title :-)

I was thinking of their post-Circus careers, Fuzz, of which, Gilliam's has been the most stellar. Twelve Monkeys is a true masterpiece, and Brazil is bursting with originality.

I hope Minerva isn't expecting us to reverse or prevent the Seven Hour War, afterall, there's only one of "us" ;-)

Holy Socks's gravatar

76. Clease or Gilliam

Posted by Holy Socks at 11:22PM, Tuesday July 25 2006

I would say that clease was the most talented, however i havent really seen that much of Gilliam's work (I really should get round to watching Brazil). Oh and since its my 1st post i'd better say how desperate I am to play the next chapter of Minerva and how much i loved the previous chapters.

kast's gravatar

77. Between 'us' and 'I'

Posted by kast at 9:57AM, Wednesday July 26 2006

All this talk about the difference between us, I, hive-minds and the like has spawned an idea...

Co-operative MINERVA...

I haven't seen Twelve Monkeys in a long time but now have a resolute and unyielding need to go find a copy.

All I remember about it is Bruce Willis very cold collecting a spider or something. Then, later on, some people in a corner shop. Must have been years since I saw it!

xbskid's gravatar

78. lalala

Posted by xbskid at 6:15PM, Wednesday July 26 2006

So is it late summer yet? :d

kast's gravatar

79. Donations?

Posted by kast at 8:28PM, Wednesday July 26 2006

I'm wondering, Master. Would there be any call for some kind of MINERVA donations/tip box? Something that can help... inspire you to build more content?

Heck, I'd be willing to pay for MINERVA chapters. Maybe... £6 a pop would be suitable, seeing as how short they are. Just a thought.

vecima's gravatar

80. personality travel?

Posted by vecima at 9:22PM, Wednesday July 26 2006

hmm all this identity talk is intriguing...

terry gilliam, brilliant. twelve monkeys, one of my all time favorites, same with fight club.

soooo... the player of minerva, in death has a name. his name is robert paulson.

REVALATION!!!!! adam foster is brad pitt!!!!!!!!

kast's gravatar

81. coincidence?

Posted by kast at 11:37AM, Thursday July 27 2006

I can't believe this... I was flicking through the Sky channels late last night, before I went to bed. And guess what was on FX+1...

Twelve Monkeys 8|

And it's on again on Friday so if anyone's got Sky in the UK you can catch it then at about 11pm.

It really is a great film. I think the best aspect of it is Brad Pitt's performance - inspiring. I'm definately going to have to watch it again and make sure I've got everything.

Cargo Cult's gravatar

82. Bad Behaviour? Indeed

Posted by Cargo Cult at 1:55PM, Thursday July 27 2006

That anti-spam plugin has been unceremoniously cut out from the Blog-Beast's internals and the resulting wounds cauterised - it seemed more happy to block people's perfectly legitimate RSS readers than actual spam.

Yes, there was stuff advertising mobile phone ringtones earlier. Oh, the horror. Now gone. And the alleged saviour, oblivious to its sins to the end, has been excised.

I did add some marginally improved regular expressions for identifying URLs - they seem to be coping okay with Baffled's giant efforts above. Although Google's cache has now expired. Oh dear!

And finally, me being Brad Pitt? Almost, but not quite, entirely incorrect...

locworks's gravatar

83. donations

Posted by locworks at 2:18PM, Thursday July 27 2006

The topic was covered in http://www.hylobatidae.org/minerva/blogsheep.php?action=articleinfo&id=8

locworks's gravatar

84. It's "Cleese"

Posted by locworks at 2:21PM, Thursday July 27 2006

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cleese

Baffled's gravatar

85. There is no such thing as coincidence

Posted by Baffled at 2:31PM, Thursday July 27 2006

That anti-spam snafu brings to mind the old Roman wisdom "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" or, in more modern parlance, "you can't trust anything these days".

In the context of Fight Club, Vecima, I meant "we" are Brad Pitt, being imagined by Adam who is, therefore, Edward Norton (still rather flattering, no?). Unless you were referring to TM, in which Pitt is a certified lunatic... ;-)

Kast's "coincidence" gets even spookier, there just happened to be an hour long interview with non-other-than Terry Gilliam on BBC4 last night. So, we all have identical tastes in films and books, and events in the outside world (TV scheduling) just happen to mirror our ramblings...I think "we" know why that is don't "we"?

On the subject of movies and time travel, I've recently spotted what looks to be a very promising film, called Primer. Has anyone here seen it? It sounds like a first class low-budget indie film, it's said to be even more convoluted than Memento ( another or "our" favourites...yes?):

http://www.ebertfest.com/seven/primer.htm

Baffled's gravatar

86. Before I'm corrected...

Posted by Baffled at 5:58PM, Thursday July 27 2006

I thought that I should point out that I was only paraphrasing that Latin motto (who will guard the guards?) before one of you smart alecks take pleasure in correcting me ;-)

Perhaps I should have put "Where is the anti-(anti-spam) software?" I'm sure that was another popular Roman saying.

Nesretep's gravatar

87. The Great Divide...

Posted by Nesretep at 8:39PM, Thursday July 27 2006

The longer I watch this blog, the more I get sense that I am one of the few participants on the western side of "the pond." Posts like those that talk about various TV shows or channels available in the UK or when Adam spells behavior (US spelling) as behaviour (UK spelling). If I am mistaken then those of you who are with me on this one shout out so I don't feel quite so out of place... :)

vecima's gravatar

88. pond? in america we call it an ocean.

Posted by vecima at 8:15PM, Friday July 28 2006

oh... i get it... you brits think you're so humerous don't you!

ok, you are. :P

i fall on the 'merica side (as our orangotanian leader pronounces it) of the atlantic, though i have been across, and greatly admired what i've seen of 'the old world' (UK, Ireland, Czech Republic).

funny, when this blog started, i thought mr. cargo cult was canadian!

vecima's gravatar

89. arm yourselves acolytes! (double post alert)

Posted by vecima at 8:33PM, Friday July 28 2006

this guy boolean on steampowered forums thinks hes so much better than adam at map making

he called minerva's map style simplistic...

he's also the guy who claimed he could make something better than hl2:episode1 in 2 days...

he failed that challenge, but still he grows more cocky each day.

i think we all know what sor of actions need to be taken

Cargo Cult's gravatar

90. Spirit of Competition

Posted by Cargo Cult at 10:14PM, Friday July 28 2006

"So the deal is I am going to break up with my girlfriend, stop going to college, quit my job and make the best game in history, and make fun of adam foster in the credits for his use of shoddy worksmanship which has befuddled you all."

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=464736&perpage=15&pagenumber=14

Brilliant. Just brilliant. I await the release of this masterwork with great interest! ;-)

kast's gravatar

91. Silliness

Posted by kast at 11:39PM, Friday July 28 2006

Ack. Disgusting stuff. Well, I'd certainly like to see what this Boolean can do... I hope to be pleasantly surprised, though I shan't hold my breath.

This kind of ego-pandering... now, that's a strange image... is small and sad. I'm just glad to see you havn't involved yourself, Adam.

Holy Socks's gravatar

92. Boolean

Posted by Holy Socks at 12:16AM, Saturday July 29 2006

We really should be taking this more seriously, for Boolean's crazed ramblings clearly point to him beeing completely insane. In my opinion we should work fast to get him institutionalized, for his sake as well as ours.

Your's sincerely, a concerned citizen of City 17.

Cargo Cult's gravatar

93. Beware of the Troll

Posted by Cargo Cult at 1:58PM, Saturday July 29 2006

He's at it again...

"You guys need to grow up and stop insulting my work. If you ban me from these forums, I will make a new account. You all need to learn a little about game design and deadlines and how people like Adam Foster are praised for nothing more then shoddy worksmanship, if you dont know how to map, code, model, animate, skin, sound engineer, then dont reply, becuase your on the otherside. Just like music, people praise Nirvana, but you can play their songs in one day of picking up the guitar (I taught my drummer Heart Shaped Box in one hour)."

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=466852

He's now comparing me with Nirvana. THE INSULT! Acolytes, to the battlestations!

...

Actually, it's safest to ignore the little troll. Deprive him of oxygen - the attention he craves - and he'll suffocate in a matter of minutes...

Baffled's gravatar

94. Quality sells itself...

Posted by Baffled at 4:11PM, Saturday July 29 2006

...'nuff said.

Anonymous's gravatar

95. heh

Posted by Anonymous at 4:29PM, Saturday July 29 2006

One word: rofl.

Just rofl.

xbskid's gravatar

96. Hah.

Posted by xbskid at 4:44PM, Saturday July 29 2006

Speaking of Valve employment, I wonder if Adam would accept a job at Valve if they let him go nuts with his Minerva stuff and just release it on Steam free for HL2 owners, or bundle it with episodes. :) It would certainly kick ass to see in the Valve Store: "HL2 Episode 3 Package: HL2 Ep3, Portal 2, MINERVA ARCHIVES OHSHIT". Would be interesting. Whether it happens or not, I'm still awed by Adam's work. I LOVE YOU, MAN.

kast's gravatar

97. Metaphor-stretching

Posted by kast at 7:08PM, Saturday July 29 2006

"Deprive him of oxygen - the attention he craves - and he'll suffocate in a matter of minutes..."

Wouldn't that work better with a flamer? I'm not even sure how much oxygen trolls require. Maybe some trolls come with those ioun stones that mean you don't need air... hmm.

I wonder if a flamer attacks a troll, does it prevent the troll from regenerating and deny it it's damage reduction? I propose an investigation!

xbskid - Your fanatacism is commendable if a little disturbing. This doesn't stop you from being right. Seeing a MINERVA game as part of an Episode package would be very, very cool.

PiX_NeG's gravatar

98. call returns boolean

Posted by PiX_NeG at 3:13AM, Sunday July 30 2006

So, he's an on-or-off kinda guy. How depressing for him. Furthermore depressing is his 'tech demo'. It's horrendous. By any standards, it's simply, thoroughly horrendous. I admit, I did have fairly high hopes for this fellow (aside from all the flaming-troll whatnot), and was shocked that it took him over two days to do what he did in that map. Okay, the commentary thing was kinda neat (aside from the fact that it trails offscreen and rotates as a sprite -I hate sprites), but the lighting was...not really there; the level geometry felt like a two-year-old's scribbling more than anything well-planned; there was no sense of direction at all (and this despite the fact that it was completely, thoroughly linear). When you jump into the pool of water and those damn red lights start their strobing, and that klaxon starts its shrill wailing, I thought of shooting myself rather than the metro cop.

While it's clear from the forums that boolean likes to hype stuff up, this is just a disgrace. If I put out this tech demo for public scrutiny, I'd hang my head in shame rather than boast about it. This guy needs a lesson in aesthetics. Art...put it back in our schools...for the love of God!!!

And thus concludes my rant.

Naurgul's gravatar

99. Attention

Posted by Naurgul at 2:42PM, Sunday July 30 2006

You're giving him enough attention as it is. I'm curious why Adam of all people would be insulted by anyone for a stupid reason like that. I say we leave the case.

Naurgul's gravatar

100. D&D stands for "Double-posting & Dabbling"

Posted by Naurgul at 2:48PM, Sunday July 30 2006

I apologise for double-posting but I have to give kudos to kast for the D&D reference as well as asking a question: How does this new login thing work? I have to create a new account or what?

Cargo Cult's gravatar

101. Flaming trolls

Posted by Cargo Cult at 3:13PM, Sunday July 30 2006

If it's a flaming troll, might depriving it of oxygen merely extinguish the flames, but leave the troll otherwise intact?

Still, the question would appear to be academic now - in that boolean has been toggled from true to false. He's been banned, and his latest rants deleted. Oh-dear-what-a-shame and all that...

User accounts? Set 'Create new user account' to 'Yes', type in a password, and it'll create a user account for you. Pretty much it, to be honest - I might add some genuinely useful features one day. The only thing it really does right now is stop users impersonating each other. The shame!

Baffled's gravatar

102. Identity crisis

Posted by Baffled at 3:51PM, Sunday July 30 2006

What if an impersonator creates your account? I mean, suppose this isn't me, where've I gone, and who's typing this?

The_Poubel's gravatar

103. RE:Identity crisis

Posted by The_Poubel at 7:46PM, Sunday July 30 2006

IP.

Siman's gravatar

104. CONROE

Posted by Siman at 9:24AM, Monday July 31 2006

anyone heard anything aobut intel's CONROE i cant find it in any of the web site computer places?

kast's gravatar

105. RE: Identity Crisis

Posted by kast at 12:18PM, Monday July 31 2006

What have you done with Baffled! IMPOSTORE!

And thanks, Naurgul ^^

Nesretep's gravatar

106. Conroe

Posted by Nesretep at 3:52PM, Monday July 31 2006

If you go to <a href=http://www.tgdaily.com>TG Daily's hardware section (Tom's Hardware), you can read up on Conroe there. They have been covering it quite extensively.

ps: sorry if the link doesn't work. Just google tom's hardware and it's easy to find.

The Free Man's gravatar

107. Off-topic

Posted by The Free Man at 9:38PM, Tuesday August 1 2006

A bit off topic but can you link me to project quantum leap or the Someplace Else map that foster made

Jumbles's gravatar

108. Someplace Else

Posted by Jumbles at 11:24PM, Tuesday August 1 2006

sorry, I don't know how to do clickable links on here but someplace else is at http://www.hylobatidae.org/minerva/parallax/someplace-else.html

Jumbles's gravatar

109. how many times?

Posted by Jumbles at 11:29PM, Tuesday August 1 2006

just out of interest... How many times a day do you guys check to see if a little countdown timer has appeared on the front page like the the one that marked the imminent arrival of Metastasis 2?

vecima's gravatar

110. all your source SKD base are belong to us

Posted by vecima at 4:22AM, Wednesday August 2 2006

Adam, i could be wrong but i think source SDK base would allow you to auto update your mod with new engine features...

there are a few in particular i'm hoping to take advantage of for "The Battle of Philadelphia", but anyway, seeing carcinogenesis with hdr would make me salivate...or blead from the ears... let's find out which!

PiX_NeG's gravatar

111. the times

Posted by PiX_NeG at 4:22AM, Wednesday August 2 2006

Heh. While I do greatly appreciate and look forward to the third installment of Metastasis, I am deep in the constructs of my own immersive mapping, and have not the time neccesary for such frequent checking. Otherwise, I'd probably check like every hour. Probably.

Siman's gravatar

112. updateing his mod

Posted by Siman at 1:07PM, Wednesday August 2 2006

1. thank you for the conroe link

2. i think miverva 3 is the last instalment (from what i hear)

3. y cant we have fourms.

Siman's gravatar

113. o yah

Posted by Siman at 1:08PM, Wednesday August 2 2006

are you going to fix the sparking gass meater?

Baffled's gravatar

114. Carnal Vapour

Posted by Baffled at 5:35PM, Wednesday August 2 2006

That sparking gass meater sounds ferocious, I certainly wouldn't want to meet one of those down a dark alley!

The MINERVA nomenclature and structure can be confusing, Siman, so I'd like to nominate the MINERVA wikipedia entry as compulsory reading for acolytes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MINERVA_%28Half-Life_2_mod%29

...along with that chapter from Cryptonomicon that I linked to earlier. Can a Blog have stickies, I find myself wondering?

Someone seems to be keeping the wiki up to date, as it has a mention of the Twelve Monkeys influence on Chronoclasm. Although they have missed the revelation that the island is in the Baltic, and my belated attempt to narrow it down to Ruhnu was completely ignored *sniff*. (See the last few posts in Trip to Valve.)

On a more serious note, I must say that any acolyte that tries to further distract Adam from work on Depth Charge is committing a serious offense. That goes for fixing gas meters and for adding HDR to earlier releases or to any suggestion of a second forum. Any transgressors can expect a prompt visit from the Acolyte's Inquisition (..no-one expects the Acolyte's inquisition..)...oh wait, I just told you to expect it...

Red Orchestra is about to start its free week. I've had this from the start and can heartily recommend it, in fact it's my favourite *multiplayer* -see what I did there? ;-) - game.

http://www.redorchestragame.com/

Holy Socks's gravatar

115. HDR

Posted by Holy Socks at 9:38PM, Wednesday August 2 2006

I agree with Baffled, while HDR would be a much apreciated addition, I dont think it's worth an extension of the already agonising wait for the next installment of Minerva.

PS: Just seen Twelve Monkey and, after all the praise it has recieved on this Blog, it did NOT Disappoint.

Jumbles's gravatar

116. Twelve Monkeys is great but...

Posted by Jumbles at 11:32PM, Wednesday August 2 2006

Have you seen the film it's based on - La Jetée? It's only 26 minutes long and it's told through still images (apart from one scene). I don't want to sound like a film snob but it's superb. Unfortunately I can't find the original French langauage version, only the English dub.

ps I love the noise when you walk on the 'glass' walkways... does anyone know how it was created?

Baffled's gravatar

117. Well, it's certainly french...

Posted by Baffled at 12:28AM, Thursday August 3 2006

I've found a french language copy at google video:

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-7113165152671062793&q=la+jetee

It's very arty and, as I said, very french.

There's nothing wrong with being a film snob, jumbles ;-)

Baffled's gravatar

118. If it was too french...

Posted by Baffled at 1:04AM, Thursday August 3 2006

I've found an english transcript of the narration:

http://www.scifiscripts.com/scripts/lajette.txt

It was a very interesting film, especially viewing it with Twelve Monkeys in mind. The scene in the Natural History Museum clearly inspired Bard Pitt's zoo stunt and the scene in the department store. The endings are very similar too; the scene in TW where Madeleine Stowe searches the crowd for Bruce Willis' younger self, as he dies, gave me goose bumps ;-)

vecima's gravatar

119. the price we pay

Posted by vecima at 4:45AM, Thursday August 3 2006

if this sdk release proves as usefull as it souds like it'll be, adam won't have to code in the hdr, he could simply recompile the maps in hdr mode (would take no more than a day to do all 3 i think). this probably won't be available until after depth charge is out anyhow.

...and garsh darnet, if he's too lazy to do it i'll do it for him!
(hdr compiling i mean)

vecima's gravatar

120. oh and uhh

Posted by vecima at 4:48AM, Thursday August 3 2006

sorry for the double post here, but i had to point out that i was wrong a while back there...

source SDK base is not the updated source SDK, its just a video stress test which sends your framerate results to valve (who assuredly have some dastardly plot in mind involving the data).

Cargo Cult's gravatar

121. 26 minutes 37 seconds of distraction

Posted by Cargo Cult at 11:22AM, Thursday August 3 2006

Never actually seen La Jetée before - and never expected to find an illicit copy on the eminently respectable Google Video. Baffled: I hereby allocate you the title of Acolyte Of The Week!

(Offer void if prohibited. No cash alternative. Keep out of reach of small children. Suffocation hazard. Your statutory rights are not affected.)

I do think Terry Gilliam did the foreshadowing of death (and the death itself) better than Chris Marker - apparently Gilliam never saw the film which inspired the script - but La Jetée is still brilliant. And French. And I noticed that the 'victors' were speaking German. Gallons (litres?) of political commentary right there!

It's interesting to see the variations in paranoias and technologies between the two films. The 1960s-born La Jetée has a nuclear war as the disaster, and psychoactive, hallucinatory chemicals for inducing the time-travel, while the 1990s Twelve Monkeys has a viral epidemic destroying the world, and a metal-and-plastic, steampunk-MRI for unsticking the characters from time.

But La Jetée *doesn't* have the bit that inspired the idea behind Chronoclasm.... ;-)

Huge thanks for finding it, anyhow.

(The Source SDK Base will, perhaps this week, be a version of the Source engine and resources specifically for mods - and yes, I'll be looking into HDR versions of existing MINERVA maps. When the slightly-less-broken version of the Source SDK gets released. Rejoice! For I only have to create HDR skyboxes and check through all the materials for compatibility!)

Baffled's gravatar

122. Gosh

Posted by Baffled at 2:41PM, Thursday August 3 2006

I'm honoured indeed to receive the accolade of acolyte-of-the-week, but was slightly worried by the suffocation risk *gulp*

So, was it a specific scene in Twelve Monkeys that provided inspiration for Chronclasm? If so, that will give us something to chew on...

Did you know that your New York "citadel", at the top of this page, appeared in The Fisher King, another great Gilliam film? Apparently Gilliam felt drawn to it when scouting for locations in New York. It later turned out that the head of the agency he'd just joined lived in one of the apartments in that wedge at the top. Then, years later, it adorns a page in a blog that just happens, by chance, to contain comments on Terry Gilliam. Coincidences abound eh?

vecima's gravatar

123. its no coincidence

Posted by vecima at 6:01PM, Thursday August 3 2006

gilliam resonates at a certain frequency, distinct from all others, which bring seemingly unconnected things full circle.

Now for my guess: i suppose a certain Bruce Willis solo scene, wallowing through the snowy dead shell of philadelphia is the inspiration for chronoclasm?

also, i feel i need to point out that (as a resident of the suberbs of philadelphia) i've been working with a friend on a mod for some time now, and hope to not be considered an "adam foster ripoff" sometime in the near future.
http://phillymod.type3studios.com.

so, it turns out the source SDK base is a place holder for something which will one day be useful to us devs? i guess i wasn't so wrong after all.

krisvek's gravatar

124. agreed

Posted by krisvek at 1:24AM, Friday August 4 2006

i agree with you, vecima, on the Twelve Monkeys inspiration...twas a cool scene, too...particularly the wild-life (and lovely how it all made sense in the end)

kast's gravatar

125. Ah, it all makes sense

Posted by kast at 1:16PM, Friday August 4 2006

I just recieved the 'Monkeys DVD and checked out the making of documentary 'The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of Twelve Monkeys'. It's incredibly well put together and rather fun to watch.

Anyway, I understand everything that happened except for one little thing that I never picked up on. Right at the end on the plane, where we meet the female scientist, I just thought it was a coincidence she was there. Na haw. ^^ It's alright though. Seems that only Gilliam and the writters picked up on it :P

Holy Socks's gravatar

126. Mistake of Pythagoras

Posted by Holy Socks at 3:18PM, Friday August 4 2006

Has anybody here played MIstake Of Pythagoras? While the quality of the mapping and gameplay isnt quite up to Adam's standards, it is a very good and weird game.

Also I have just seen "The Jacket" and it seems to have been heavily influenced by Twelve Monkeys.

Baffled's gravatar

127. Kast opens a can of worms

Posted by Baffled at 4:27PM, Friday August 4 2006

Apparently, that woman on the plane has been the subject of controversy for some time, Kast. I did some digging and found a hotbed of intrigue.

First try this:

http://www.sff.net/people/rothman/12_monkeys.htp

Then this:

http://www.mjyoung.net/time/letter22.html

I'm left a bit frazzled by all that, myself. Can the past be changed in Twelve Monkeys, or not? Will they produce some kind of vaccine from the sample she collects by shaking his hand? Were they just using Cole to test the time travel procedure, knowing his efforts were futile?

What's your take Kast?

I enjoyed MOP, Holy Socks, although I felt a bit let down by the final puzzle; it looked much more devious than it turned out to be, with all those rows of numbers hanging in the air. I think I posted something about MOP back in April.

The Jacket does look intriguing. Jacob's Ladder is another of my favourite films, so this seems right up my street. Nobody commented on my post about Primer earlier *grumble*. I think Primer sounds wonderfully devious, and a must see Time-Travel film. Check out this diagram someone drew, trying to make sense of the plot:

http://neuwanstein.fw.hu/primer_timeline.html

Cargo Cult's gravatar

128. Celebrations and Coincidences

Posted by Cargo Cult at 4:49PM, Friday August 4 2006

From the first link: "And what do we think of when we see someone drinking champagne?"

Actually, I think: Business Class Air Travel. ;-)

Keeping with the Gilliam-esque coincidences: Koumei Satou, who made the brilliant Mistake of Pythagoras, made some mods for the original Half-Life - including Sweet Half-Life:

http://www2d.biglobe.ne.jp/~ks_wca/shlhtm/shl_fm_e.htm

... Which contains a brilliant reconstruction of the torture chamber from Gilliam's Brazil. I played the mod before I saw the film, so only realised what it was when I saw the film. If that makes sense. The mod is rife will all kinds of other film references - seeing Western media through the eyes of a thoroughly insane Japanese bloke is *awesome*. ;-)

Finally, those rows of numbers? They're definitely part of a puzzle, although an utterly *fiendish* one which begins very early in the mod. It took me absolutely ages to figure it all out, and I'm definitely not posting the solution here...

DarkPrimus's gravatar

129. Wait, Those Numbers Did Something?

Posted by DarkPrimus at 7:19PM, Friday August 4 2006

Oh no, I think I already know the solution to the puzzle... now I just have to ask: What do you get when you solve it?

PiX_NeG's gravatar

130. SourceSDK problems anyone?

Posted by PiX_NeG at 2:49AM, Saturday August 5 2006

*raises hand*

Yes, that's ME, thoroughly put out at VALVe for killing my Hammer editor with the latest update. The 3D view is always black (as if it's not rendering anything). This is a problem, since I always gain perspective of the map through the 3D view. I perused the forums to find a solution (or work-around), but everything I've tried doesn't work. I think VALVe is biased against ATI or something.

Oh, I forgot to mention, Baffled, that I did check out Primer, and thought it ingenious (especially the way the audience is left guessing if anyone really understands what's going on with the whole situation). I think I'll love it even more once I actually see it. That timeline will give anyone a headache trying to decipher it.

MOP was a good mod. I can't say I understood it (quite frankly, I didn't), but it had good architectural implementation, I thought. I was impressed by the brush-based flying thingies. It reminded me a bit of DasRoboss at the end where you get to pilot that huge brush robot. Pretty epic.

Now I'm gonna go cry till I can use Hammer again.

Jumbles's gravatar

131. Komei Satou

Posted by Jumbles at 8:57AM, Saturday August 5 2006

The work of KS are the only other mods that have a permanent home on my Steam Games List while others come and go. I have no idea what they are about but the architecture in his mods is like AF's is simply beautiful.

Do the numbers really mean something or are you just pulling our chain?

Holy Socks's gravatar

132. One Mind?

Posted by Holy Socks at 5:41PM, Saturday August 5 2006

mmmmm.... so we like the same films and the same games and mods... Maybe we are all just part of one singular inteligence after all?

krisvek's gravatar

133. The Collective

Posted by krisvek at 1:12AM, Sunday August 6 2006

We are the Many
We are the Borg
etc. :)

That IS pretty neat how alot of us are cohesive with our interests in movies and games. Probably not all that miracalous, considering we're all here for a reason, but interesting none the less. I, too, watched Primer recently, and oddly enough, it was for reasons completely independent and prior to the discussion on this board. Wierd.

So, what other random chunk of goodness can I throw out there and possibly strike a cord with?

Any of you fans of William Gibson? (no relation to Mel, heheh)

vecima's gravatar

134. stop. hammertime. (sorry, i had to)

Posted by vecima at 3:17AM, Monday August 7 2006

PiX_NeG: take a deep breath in, hold for a few seconds...

now exhale. that felt good right? you ok? good, now did you try launching hammer. click on the red icon on the left that looks like a 35mm camera (third icon down), then click anywhere in one of the 2d views... the new sdk requires you to have a camera in your map (not really, but this makes it easier i think).

PiX_NeG's gravatar

135. thx Vecima

Posted by PiX_NeG at 3:59AM, Monday August 7 2006

Boy do I feel like a second grader. Thx a ton Vecima. You saved me from imminent meltdown! You'd think I would've tried that before ranting. Silly me.

vecima's gravatar

136. no problem

Posted by vecima at 2:15PM, Tuesday August 8 2006

glad i could be of service


oooh oooh ooh, new blog!
what am i still doing here?

Article is now closed for commenting.

Return to article listing...

login

revert - flickr - interesting things - modmatic - blogsheep v2.0 - afoster@hylobatidae.org