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'{{short description|1998 first-person shooter game}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Use American English|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox video game | title = Half-Life GORDAN FREEMAN FUCKING DIES | image = Half-Life Cover Art.jpg | developer = [[Valve Corporation|Valve]] | publisher = [[Sierra Studios]]<br>Valve (digital) | series = ''[[Half-Life (series)|Half-Life]]'' | engine = [[GoldSrc]] | platforms = {{ubl|[[Windows]]|[[PlayStation 2]]|[[OS X]]|[[Linux]]}} | released = {{Collapsible list | title = November 19, 1998 | titlestyle = font-weight:normal;background:transparent;text-align:left; | '''Microsoft Windows''' | {{Video game release|NA|November 19, 1998<ref name="IGNrev" />|EU|November 27, 1998<ref name="pcguk_68">{{Cite magazine |date=December 1998 |title=Reviews • Half-Life |magazine=[[PC Gamer UK]] |publisher=[[Future Publishing]] |issue=68 |page=86}}</ref>}} | '''PlayStation 2''' | {{Video game release|NA|November 11, 2001|EU|November 30, 2001}} | '''OS X''', '''Linux''' | {{Video game release|WW|February 14, 2013}} }} | genre = [[First-person shooter]] | modes = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]] | writer = [[Marc Laidlaw]] | composer = [[Kelly Bailey (composer)|Kelly Bailey]] }} '''''Half-Life'''''<!--Do not add stylization in this since it's only used in box art and title screen.--> is a [[first-person shooter]] video game developed by [[Valve Corporation|Valve]] and published by [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra Studios]] for [[Microsoft Windows]] in 1998. It was Valve's debut product and the first game in the [[Half-Life (series)|''Half-Life'' series]]. Players assume the role of [[Gordon Freeman]], a scientist who must escape the Black Mesa Research Facility after it is invaded by aliens. The core [[gameplay]] consists of fighting alien and human enemies with a variety of weapons and solving puzzles. Unlike many other games at the time, the player has almost uninterrupted control of Freeman, and the story is told mostly through [[scripted sequence]]s seen through his eyes. Valve co-founder [[Gabe Newell]] said the team aimed to create an immersive world rather than a "shooting gallery". They built ''Half-Life'' using [[GoldSrc]], a heavily modified version of the [[Quake engine|''Quake'' engine]], licensed from [[id Software]]. ''Half-Life'' received acclaim for its graphics, realistic gameplay, and seamless narrative. It won over fifty [[PC game|PC]] "[[Game of the Year]]" awards and is considered one of the most influential FPS games as well as one of the [[List of video games considered the best|best video games ever made]]. By 2008, it had sold over 9 million copies. It was followed by the [[expansion pack]]s ''[[Half-Life: Opposing Force|Opposing Force]]'' (1999) and ''[[Half-Life: Blue Shift|Blue Shift]]'' (2001), developed by [[Gearbox Software]]. It was ported to the [[PlayStation 2]] in 2001, along with another expansion ''[[Half-Life: Decay]]'', and to [[macOS]] and [[Linux kernel|Linux]] in 2013. Valve ported ''Half-Life'' to its [[Source (game engine)|Source]] engine in 2004, while a third-party remake, ''[[Black Mesa (video game)|Black Mesa]]'', was released in 2020. ''Half-Life'' inspired numerous fan-made [[Mod (video gaming)|mods]], some of which became standalone games, such as ''[[Counter-Strike]]'', ''[[Day of Defeat]]'' and ''[[Sven Co-op]]''. ''[[Half-Life 2]]'' was released in 2004, followed by ''[[Half-Life 2: Episode One]]'' (2006), ''[[Half-Life 2: Episode Two|Episode Two]]'' (2007), and ''[[Half-Life: Alyx]]'' (2020). == Gameplay == [[File:Halflife ingame.jpg|thumb|left|In this scene, the player must bypass a dam reservoir guarded by an [[Boeing AH-64 Apache|AH-64 Apache]] attack helicopter, a squad of marines, and a gun emplacement.]] ''Half-Life'' is a [[first-person shooter]] that requires the player to perform combat tasks and puzzle solving to advance through the game. Unlike most of its peers at the time, ''Half-Life'' used scripted sequences, such as a [[Vortigaunt]] ramming down a door, to advance major plot points. Compared to most first-person shooters of the time, which relied on [[cutscene|cut-scene intermissions]] to detail their plotlines, ''Half-Life''{{'}}s story is told mostly using scripted sequences (bar one short cutscene), keeping the player in control of the [[first-person (video games)|first-person viewpoint]]. In line with this, the player rarely loses the ability to control the [[player character]], who never speaks and is never actually seen in the game; the player sees "through his eyes" for the entire length of the game. ''Half-Life'' has no "levels"; it instead divides the game into chapters, whose titles flash on the screen as the player moves through the game. Progress through the world is continuous, except for short pauses for loading.<ref name="game guide">{{Cite book |last=Bell |first=Joe Grant |title=Half-Life : Prima's Official Strategy Guide |date=November 25, 1998 |publisher=[[Prima Games]] |isbn=0-7615-1360-4}}</ref> The game regularly integrates puzzles, such as navigating a maze of conveyor belts or using nearby boxes to build a small staircase to the next area the player must travel to. Some puzzles involve using the environment to kill an enemy, like turning a valve to spray hot steam at their enemies. There are few [[Boss (video gaming)|bosses]] in the conventional sense, where the player defeats a superior opponent by direct confrontation. Instead, such organisms occasionally define chapters, and the player is generally expected to use the terrain, rather than firepower, to kill the boss. Late in the game, the player receives a "long jump module" for the [[HEV suit]], which allows the player to increase the horizontal distance and speed of jumps by crouching before jumping. The player must rely on this ability to navigate various platformer-style [[jumping puzzles]] in [[Xen (Half-Life)|Xen]] toward the end of the game.<ref name="game guide" /> For the most part the player battles through the game alone, but is occasionally assisted by non-player characters; specifically security guards and scientists who help the player; the guards will fight alongside the player, and both guards and scientists can assist in reaching new areas and impart relevant plot information. An array of alien enemies populate the game, including [[headcrab]]s, [[Creatures in the Half-Life series|bullsquids]], and [[Headcrab#Headcrab zombie|headcrab zombies]]. The player also faces human opponents including the Hazardous Environment Combat Unit (HECU) [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] and [[Central Intelligence Agency|black ops assassins]]. ''Half-Life'' includes online multiplayer support for both individual and team-based [[deathmatch]] modes.<ref name="IGNrev" /> == Plot == Physicist [[Gordon Freeman]] arrives late for work at the [[Black Mesa Research Facility]]. As part of an experiment, he pushes an unusual material into a machine for analysis. The spectrometer explodes, creating a "resonance cascade" that opens a portal to another dimension, [[Xen (Half-Life)|Xen]]. Surviving scientists urge Gordon to head to the surface, where he defends himself against hostile Xen creatures and Marines sent to cover up the incident. Heading to the surface, Gordon learns that scientists from the Lambda Complex may have found a way to close the portal. Gordon travels to the other end of the facility to assist them. Along the way, he activates a [[rocket engine test facility]] to destroy a giant tentacled creature and uses a disused railway system to reach and launch a satellite rocket. After he is captured by marines and left for dead in a garbage compactor, he escapes and makes his way to an older part of the facility. There, he discovers Xen specimens collected before the incident. Overwhelmed by the alien forces, the Marines pull out of Black Mesa and begin airstrikes. Scaling cliffs, navigating destroyed buildings, and traversing through underground water channels, Gordon arrives at the Lambda Complex, where scientists learn the portal is being forced open on the other side by an immensely powerful entity. They have developed teleportation technology that allows Gordon to travel to Xen, where he is tasked to stop the entity. In Xen, Gordon encounters the remains of researchers before him and defeats Gonarch, a huge egg-laying headcrab. At a factory creating alien soldiers, he enters a portal that sends him to a vast cave. There, Gordon confronts the Nihilanth, the entity maintaining the rift, and destroys it. Gordon is summoned by the mysterious [[G-Man (Half-Life)|G-Man]], who has been watching his progress in Black Mesa and praises him. The G-Man explains his "employers" wish to employ Gordon. If Gordon refuses, he is teleported to an area full of alien soldiers to be killed immediately. If Gordon accepts, the G-Man congratulates him and places him into stasis to await his task. == Development == {{quote box| quote = ''Half-Life'' in many ways was a reactionary response to the trivialization of the experience of the first-person genre. Many of us had fallen in love with video games because of the [[Phenomenology (psychology)|phenomenological]] possibilities of the field and felt like the industry was reducing the experiences to least common denominators rather than exploring those possibilities. Our hope was that building worlds and characters would be more compelling than building shooting galleries. | source = —Valve president [[Gabe Newell]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tufnell |first=Nicholas |date=November 25, 2011 |title=Interview: Gabe Newell |url=http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/story_type/site_trail_story/interview-gabe-newell/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126125407/http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/story_type/site_trail_story/interview-gabe-newell/ |archive-date=November 26, 2011 |access-date=November 26, 2011 |website=The Cambridge Student Online}}</ref>| align = right| width = 20%| salign = right}} [[Valve Corporation|Valve]], based in [[Kirkland, Washington]], was founded in 1996 by former [[Microsoft]] employees [[Mike Harrington]] and [[Gabe Newell]].<ref name="fhhalflife2">{{Cite web |title=Final Hours of Half-Life: The Microsoft Millionaires |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520110111/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part2.html |archive-date=May 20, 2012 |access-date=September 12, 2006 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> For its first product, Valve settled on a concept for a horror first-person shooter (FPS) game using the [[Quake engine|''Quake'' engine]] licensed from [[id Software]].<ref name="flhalflife22">{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: The id visit |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part22.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223141855/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part22.html |archive-date=February 23, 2011 |access-date=September 12, 2006 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> Valve eventually modified 70%{{Citation needed|reason=70% figure not in cited Gamespot article|date=November 2019}} of the engine's code, adding [[skeletal animation]] and [[Direct3D]] support.<ref name="fhhalflife2" /> The game was initially inspired by FPS games ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'' (1993) and ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]'' (1996), [[Stephen King]]'s 1980 novella ''[[The Mist (novella)|The Mist]]'', and a 1963 episode of ''[[The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]'' titled "[[The Borderland]]".<ref name="raisebar">{{Cite book |last=Hodgson |first=David |title=Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar |publisher=Prima Games |year=2004 |isbn=0-7615-4364-3}}</ref> According to designer Harry Teasley, id's 1993 game ''Doom'' was a major influence, and the team wanted ''Half-Life'' to "scare you like ''Doom'' did". The project had the working title ''Quiver'', after the Arrowhead military base from ''The Mist''.<ref name="fhhalflife3">{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: The Valve Difference |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part3.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224220138/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part3.html |archive-date=February 24, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2006 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> The name ''Half-Life'' was chosen because it was evocative of the theme, not clichéd, and had a corresponding visual symbol: the [[Greek alphabet|Greek letter]] λ (lower-case [[lambda]]), which represents the ''decay constant'' in the [[half-life]] equation.<ref name="raisebar" /> According to designer Brett Johnson, the level design was inspired by environments in the [[manga]] series ''[[Akira (manga)|Akira]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 29, 2018 |title=Half-Life tiene varias referencias a Akira |language=es |work=[[:es:MeriStation|MeriStation]] |publisher=[[Diario AS]] |url=https://as.com/meristation/2018/08/29/noticias/1535543681_545901.html |url-status=live |access-date=October 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014010144/https://as.com/meristation/2018/08/29/noticias/1535543681_545901.html |archive-date=October 14, 2018}}</ref> Valve struggled to find a publisher, as many believed the game was too ambitious for a first-time developer. [[Sierra On-Line]] signed Valve for a one-game deal as it was interested in making a 3D action game, especially one based on the ''Quake'' engine.<ref name="flhalflife24">{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: The Right E-mail, the Right Time |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part24.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224220100/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part24.html |archive-date=February 24, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2006 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> Valve first showed ''Half-Life'' in early 1997; it was a success at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo]] (E3) that year, where Valve demonstrated the animation and [[Artificial intelligence in video games|artificial intelligence]].<ref name="flhalflife34">{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: The Public Debut |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part34.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308234131/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part34.html |archive-date=March 8, 2010 |access-date=September 14, 2006 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> Novel features of the artificial intelligence included fear and pack behavior.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=August 1997 |title=NG Alphas: Half Life |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_32/page/n107 |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |issue=32 |pages=106–7}}</ref> Valve aimed for a November 1997 release to compete with ''[[Quake II]]''.<ref name="birdwell gamasutra">{{Cite web |last=Birdwell |first=Ken |date=December 10, 1999 |title=The Cabal: Valve's Design Process For Creating Half-Life |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131815/the_cabal_valves_design_process_.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116140435/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131815/the_cabal_valves_design_process_.php |archive-date=November 16, 2016 |access-date=February 14, 2017 |website=[[Gamasutra]]}}</ref><ref name="fhhalflife4">{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: Reassembling the Pieces |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part4.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928033502/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part4.html |archive-date=September 28, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2006 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> By September 1997, the team found that while they had built some innovative aspects in weapons, enemies, and level design, the game was not fun and there was little design cohesion.<ref name="birdwell gamasutra" /> The company postponed the release and reworked every level. They took a novel approach of assigning a small team to build a prototype level containing every element in the game and then spent a month iterating on the level.<ref name="birdwell gamasutra" /> When the rest of the team played the level, which designer Ken Birdwell described as "''[[Die Hard]]'' meets ''[[Evil Dead]]''", they agreed to use it as a baseline.<ref name="birdwell gamasutra" /> The team developed three theories about what made the level fun. First, it had several interesting things happen in it, all triggered by the player rather than a timer, so that the player would set the pace of the level. Second, the level responded to any player action, even for something as simple as adding graphic decals to wall textures to show a bullet impact. Finally, the level warned the player of imminent danger to allow them to avoid it, rather than killing the player with no warning.<ref name="birdwell gamasutra" /> To move forward with this unified design, Valve sought a game designer but found no one suitable. Instead, Valve created the "cabal", initially a group of six individuals from across all departments that worked primarily for six months straight in six-hour meetings four days a week. The cabal was responsible for all elements of design, including level layouts, key events, enemy designs, narrative, and the introduction of gameplay elements relative to the story.<ref name="birdwell gamasutra" /> The collaboration proved successful, and once the cabal had come to decisions on types of gameplay elements that would be needed, mini-cabals from other departments most affected by the choice were formed to implement these elements. Membership in the main cabal rotated since the required commitment created [[Occupational burnout|burnout]].<ref name="birdwell gamasutra" /> The cabal produced a 200-page [[game design document|design document]] detailing nearly every aspect of the game. They also produced a 30-page document for the narrative, and hired science fiction novelist [[Marc Laidlaw]] to help manage that script.<ref name="fhhalflife3" /><ref name="birdwell gamasutra" /> Laidlaw said his contribution was to add "old storytelling tricks" to the team's ambitious designs: "I was in awe of [the team]. It felt to me like I was just borrowing from old standards while they were the ones doing something truly new."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=July 17, 2017 |title=Marc Laidlaw (Valve) - Interview |url=https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/marc-laidlaw/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012165926/https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/marc-laidlaw/ |archive-date=October 12, 2019 |access-date=November 23, 2019 |website=Arcade Attack |language=en-GB}}</ref> Rather than dictate narrative elements "from some kind of ivory tower of authorial inspiration", he worked with the team to improvise ideas, and was inspired by their experiments.<ref name=":1" /> For example, the opening train ride was conceived after an engineer implemented train code for another concept.<ref name=":1" /> Within a month of the cabal's formation, the other team members started detailed game development, and within another month began [[playtesting]] through Sierra. The cabal was intimately involved with playtesting, monitoring the player but otherwise not interacting. They noted any confusion or inability to solve a game's puzzles and made them into [[action item]]s to be fixed on the next iteration. Later, with most of the main adjustments made, the team included means to benchmark players' actions which they then collected and interpreted statistically to fine-tune levels further.<ref name="birdwell gamasutra" /> Between the cabal and playtesting, Valve identified and removed parts that proved unenjoyable. Birdwell said that while there were struggles at first, the cabal approach was critical for ''Half-Life''{{'}}s success, and was reused for ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' from the start.<ref name="birdwell gamasutra" /> Much of the detail of ''Half-Life''{{'}}s development has been lost; according to employee Erik Johnson, two or three months before release, their [[Microsoft Visual SourceSafe|Visual SourceSafe]] "exploded"; logs of technical changes from before the final month of development were lost, and code had to be recovered from individual computers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wawro |first=Alex |date=February 13, 2017 |title=Valve explains why we'll never see the full history of Half-Life's development |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/291408/Valve_explains_why_well_never_see_the_full_history_of_HalfLifes_development.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214102632/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/291408/Valve_explains_why_well_never_see_the_full_history_of_HalfLifes_development.php |archive-date=February 14, 2017 |access-date=February 13, 2017 |website=[[Gamasutra]]}}</ref> == Release == ''Half-Life'' was released in November 1998.<ref name="fhhalflife5">{{Cite web |title=The Final Hours of Half-Life: Reassembling the Pieces |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part5.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225022620/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/halflife_final/part5.html |archive-date=February 25, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2006 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> The revised version of ''Half-Life'' shown at E3 1998 was given [[Game Critics Awards]] for "Best PC Game" and "Best Action Game".<ref name="fhhalflife4" /> Valve released two [[game demo|demos]] for ''Half-Life.'' The first, ''Half-Life: Day One'', contained the first fifth of the game and was distributed with certain graphic cards. The second demo, ''Half-Life: Uplink'', was released on February 12, 1999, and featured original content.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Valve Archive – Half-Life: Uplink Demo |url=https://valvearchive.com/half-life/uplink/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716214828/http://valvearchive.com/half-life/uplink/ |archive-date=July 16, 2018 |access-date=March 19, 2019 |website=valvearchive.com}}</ref> A short film based on ''Half-Life,'' also titled ''Half-Life: Uplink'', was developed by Cruise Control, a British marketing agency, and released on February 11, 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 11, 1999 |title=Half Life Demo is Here! |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/02/12/half-life-demo-is-here |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124004018/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/02/12/half-life-demo-is-here |archive-date=November 24, 2018 |access-date=November 23, 2018 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> The film's protagonist is a journalist who infiltrates the Black Mesa Research Facility, trying to discover what has happened there.<ref>{{Citation |last=Combine OverWiki |title=Half-Life: Uplink (1999 short film) |date=January 2, 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw7TVE4mUVg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108010757/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw7TVE4mUVg |access-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-date=January 8, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Half-Life'' was heavily censored for its German release as to comply with the [[Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons]] (BPjM by its German abbreviation). Newell had stated at the time of ''Half-Life''{{'s}} release that to comply with the BPjM's regulations on violence against humans, they had to replace all the humans in the game with robots, replacing any blood with oil and body parts with gears, among other changes. This allowed for the game to be released but was placed on a list maintained by BPjM that prevent sales of the game to anyone under 18 years old. In 2017, BPjM removed ''Half-Life'' from its list, and to acknowledge this, Valve released ''Half-Life Uncensored'', free [[downloadable content]] for those in Germany to patch ''Half-Life'' and revert these changes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frank |first=Allegra |date=May 4, 2017 |title=Half-Life goes uncensored in Germany, two decades after original release |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/4/15543420/half-life-german-version-uncensored |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322210806/https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/4/15543420/half-life-german-version-uncensored |archive-date=March 22, 2019 |access-date=March 22, 2019 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> === Ports === Captivation Digital Laboratories and [[Gearbox Software]] developed a [[Porting|port]] of ''Half-Life'' for the [[Dreamcast]] console, with new character models and textures and an exclusive expansion, ''[[Half-Life: Blue Shift|Blue Shift]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stahl |first=Ben |date=September 5, 2000 |title=ECTS ''Half-Life'' Dreamcast Hands-On |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ectshalf-life-dreamcast-hands-on/1100-2624258/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921095128/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ectshalf-life-dreamcast-hands-on/1100-2624258/ |archive-date=September 21, 2017 |access-date=October 26, 2008 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Following the cancellations of several third-party Dreamcast games, Sierra canceled the port weeks before its scheduled release in June 2001, citing "changing marketing conditions".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Chau |first=Anthony |date=June 18, 2001 |title=Not Given Half A Chance: The Cancellation of Half-Life |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/06/18/not-given-half-a-chance-the-cancellation-of-half-life |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804093350/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/06/18/not-given-half-a-chance-the-cancellation-of-half-life |archive-date=August 4, 2016 |access-date=July 18, 2016 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[IGN Entertainment]]}}</ref> ''Blue Shift'' was ported to Windows.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 29, 2001 |title=Ready to Jump Back into the Black Mesa Research Facility? |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/30/ready-to-jump-back-into-the-black-mesa-research-facility |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820095527/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/30/ready-to-jump-back-into-the-black-mesa-research-facility |archive-date=August 20, 2016 |access-date=July 18, 2016 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[IGN Entertainment]]}}</ref> The Dreamcast port became the basis of the ''Half-Life'' port for PlayStation 2, released in late 2001. This version added competitive play and a co-op expansion, ''[[Half-Life: Decay]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2000 |title=Sierra Delivers ''Half-Life'' to PlayStation 2 |url=http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/087/087979p1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215010054/http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/087/087979p1.html |archive-date=February 15, 2012 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>'' A late build of the Dreamcast version was eventually leaked onto the internet.<ref name=":0" /> A version of ''Half-Life'' for [[Mac OS 9]], ported by Logicware, was announced but never released.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ostergrad |first=Genevieve |date=April 23, 1999 |title=Sierra studios to deliver best-selling half-life to the mac |url=http://www.planetfortress.com/syndicate/files/HLmac1.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223180543/http://www.planetfortress.com/syndicate/files/HLmac1.txt |archive-date=February 23, 2012 |access-date=July 18, 2016 |website=PlanetFortress.com |publisher=[[IGN Entertainment]]}}</ref> On January 29, 2013, Valve released beta versions of ports for [[OS X]] and [[Linux]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=alfred |date=January 29, 2013 |title=Half-Life 1 Beta released |url=http://steamcommunity.com/games/70/announcements/detail/1028213578633336572 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814194237/http://steamcommunity.com/games/70/announcements/detail/1028213578633336572 |archive-date=August 14, 2016 |access-date=July 18, 2016 |website=[[Steam (software)|Steam]] |publisher=[[Valve Corporation|Valve]]}}</ref> Valve finalized them on February 14, 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |last=alfred |date=February 14, 2013 |title=Half-Life 1 update released |url=http://steamcommunity.com/games/70/announcements/detail/1027089396435496714 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814160823/http://steamcommunity.com/games/70/announcements/detail/1027089396435496714 |archive-date=August 14, 2016 |access-date=July 18, 2016 |website=[[Steam (software)|Steam]] |publisher=[[Valve Corporation|Valve]]}}</ref> == Media == === Expansions === {{Main|Half-Life: Opposing Force|Half-Life: Blue Shift|Half-Life: Decay}} Two [[expansion pack]]s by outside developer Gearbox Software have been released for the PC version: ''[[Half-Life: Opposing Force]]'' (1999) and ''[[Half-Life: Blue Shift]]'' (2001). The former returns the player to Black Mesa during the events of ''Half-Life's'' storyline, but this time from the perspective of [[Adrian Shephard]], one of the Marines in the [[Hazardous Environment Combat Unit]] sent to cover up evidence of the incident. It introduced several new weapons, new [[non-player character]]s, both friendly and hostile and new, previously unseen areas of the facility. ''Blue Shift'' returns the player to ''Half-Life''{{'}}s Black Mesa timeline once more, this time as [[Barney Calhoun]], one of the facility's security guards. The expansion was initially developed as a bonus mission for the canceled Dreamcast version. ''Blue Shift'' came with the [[Half-Life High Definition Pack|High Definition pack]], that gave the player the option to update the look of ''Half-Life'', ''Opposing Force'', and the new ''Blue Shift'' content. ''Decay'' was another expansion by Gearbox, released only as an extra with the PlayStation 2 version of ''Half-Life''. The add-on featured co-operative gameplay in which two players could solve puzzles or fight against the many foes in the ''Half-Life'' universe. In 2000, a compilation pack, ''Half-Life: Platinum Pack,'' was released, including (with their respective manuals) ''Half-Life'', ''[[Counter-Strike (video game)|Counter-Strike]]'', ''[[Team Fortress Classic]]'', ''Half-Life: Opposing Force''. In 2002, the pack was re-released under the new titles ''Half-Life Platinum Collection''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=https://www.amazon.com/Half-Life-Platinum-Collection-Second-Pc/dp/B00006FXIN |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324084442/https://www.amazon.com/Half-Life-Platinum-Collection-Second-Pc/dp/B00006FXIN |archive-date=March 24, 2019 |access-date=March 24, 2019}}</ref> and ''Half-Life: Generation''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=https://www.amazon.com/Sierra-Half-Life-Generation/dp/B0008MFCC6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219103126/http://www.amazon.com/Sierra-Half-Life-Generation/dp/B0008MFCC6 |archive-date=December 19, 2015 |access-date=March 24, 2019}}</ref> These new iterations also included the ''Half-Life: Blue Shift'' expansion pack; though if registered on [[Steam (software)|Steam]], ''[[Day of Defeat]]'', as well as ''[[Ricochet (2000 video game)|Ricochet]]'' and ''[[Deathmatch Classic]]'' were also included. In 2005, ''Half-Life 1: Anthology'' was released, containing Steam-only versions of the following games on a single [[DVD]]: ''Half-Life'', ''Half-Life: Opposing Force'', ''Half-Life: Blue Shift'', and ''Team Fortress Classic''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Half-Life 1 Anthology on Steam |url=https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/237/HalfLife_1_Anthology/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324064306/https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/237/HalfLife_1_Anthology/ |archive-date=March 24, 2019 |access-date=March 24, 2019 |website=store.steampowered.com |language=en}}</ref> === Remakes === To experience firsthand the processes mod-makers would have to go through with the new engine, Valve [[porting|ported]] ''Half-Life'' (dubbed ''Half-Life: Source'') and ''Counter-Strike'' to their new [[Source (game engine)|Source engine]]. ''Half-Life: Source'' is a straight port, lacking any new content or the ''Blue Shift'' High Definition pack. However, it does take advantage of [[shader|vertex and pixel shaders]] for more realistic water effects, as well as ''Half-Life 2''{{'}}s realistic physics engine. They also added several other features from ''Half-Life 2'', including improved dynamic lightmaps, vertex maps, ragdolls, and a shadowmap system with cleaner, higher resolution, specular texture and normal maps, as well as utilization of the render-to-texture soft shadows found in ''Half-Life 2'''s Source engine, along with 3D [[skybox (video games)|skybox]] replacements in place of the old 16-bit color prerendered bitmap skies. The ''Half-Life'' port possesses many of the Source engine's graphical strengths as well as control weaknesses that have been noted in the Source engine. Later updates added a [[Field of view in video games|field of view]] option, support for OS X and Linux, an optional high-definition texture pack, among other improvements.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 25, 2013 |title=Half-Life: Source update released |url=http://steamcommunity.com/games/280/announcements/detail/2003264815716395225 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320153942/http://steamcommunity.com/games/280/announcements/detail/2003264815716395225 |archive-date=March 20, 2015 |access-date=March 9, 2015 |website=Steam |publisher=Valve}}</ref> ''Half-Life: Source'' is available with special editions of ''Half-Life 2'', or separately on Steam.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris, Wil |date=September 18, 2004 |title=Half Life 2 release candidate goes to Vivendi |url=http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2004/09/18/half-life-2-release-candidate-goes-to-vivendi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604175605/http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2004/09/18/half-life-2-release-candidate-goes-to-vivendi |archive-date=June 4, 2008 |access-date=March 27, 2008 |publisher=[[The Inquirer]]}}</ref> ''{{vanchor|Half-Life Deathmatch: Source}}'', the [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] portion of the original game, much in the same fashion as the earlier released ''Half-Life: Source'', was released in July 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Half-Life: Deathmatch – Source for Windows (2005) |url=https://www.mobygames.com/game/half-life-deathmatch-source |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322233725/https://www.mobygames.com/game/half-life-deathmatch-source |archive-date=March 22, 2019 |access-date=March 22, 2019 |website=MobyGames}}</ref> ''Half-Life: Source'' had been criticized for not fully using many of the features of the Source engine found in ''Half-Life 2'', as it still uses textures and models from the original game. In response to this, a third-party mod remake called ''[[Black Mesa (video game)|Black Mesa]]'' was developed with Valve's approval.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Andy |date=November 2, 2017 |title=The story of Half-Life remake Black Mesa |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-story-of-half-life-remake-black-mesa/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917034426/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-story-of-half-life-remake-black-mesa/ |archive-date=September 17, 2018 |access-date=September 16, 2018 |website=[[PC Gamer]]}}</ref> ''Black Mesa'', a fan-made remake of ''Half-Life'' utilizing the Source engine, began development in 2005<ref name="RPS-mesa1">{{Cite web |last=Grayson, Nathan |date=May 9, 2012 |title=Interview: What Happened To Black Mesa: Source? Part 1 |url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/05/09/interview-what-happened-to-black-mesa-source-part-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120908045708/http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/05/09/interview-what-happened-to-black-mesa-source-part-1/ |archive-date=September 8, 2012 |access-date=September 22, 2012 |website=[[Rock, Paper, Shotgun]]}}</ref> and was released as a free download on September 14, 2012, lacking only the final Xen chapter.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Senior, Tom |date=September 3, 2012 |title=Black Mesa Source release date revealed, high-res headcrabs due in 11 days |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/03/black-mesa-source-release-date-revealed-high-res-headcrabs-due-in-11-days/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922020144/http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/03/black-mesa-source-release-date-revealed-high-res-headcrabs-due-in-11-days/ |archive-date=September 22, 2012 |access-date=September 22, 2012 |website=[[PC Gamer]] |publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing Limited]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cobbett, Richard |date=September 14, 2012 |title=Black Mesa Source released – download it now! |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/14/black-mesa-source-finally-released-download-it-now/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925011202/http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/14/black-mesa-source-finally-released-download-it-now/ |archive-date=September 25, 2012 |access-date=September 22, 2012 |website=[[PC Gamer]] |publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing Limited]]}}</ref> The Xen portion was held back until December 2019 as the project team wanted to revamp this to try to address how the original Xen was poorly received compared to the rest of the game.<ref name="bbc">{{Cite news |date=September 3, 2012 |title=Fans resurrect Half-Life video game |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19463712 |url-status=live |access-date=September 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905063247/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19463712 |archive-date=September 5, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McWhertor |first=Michael |date=December 22, 2016 |title=Half-Life remake's version of the game's controversial alien world looks great |url=http://www.polygon.com/2016/12/22/14055074/half-life-remake-black-mesa-xen-screenshots |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222190041/http://www.polygon.com/2016/12/22/14055074/half-life-remake-black-mesa-xen-screenshots |archive-date=December 22, 2016 |access-date=December 22, 2016 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Xen Released - Happy Holiday Sale! |url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/362890/announcements/detail/1709611046898646594 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224025144/https://steamcommunity.com/games/362890/announcements/detail/1709611046898646594 |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |access-date=December 27, 2019}}</ref> The free 2007 Source SDK base is needed to run the game. ''Black Mesa'' is also distributed via Steam; the remake was among the first ten games whose release on the platform was approved using Valve's [[Crowdsourcing#Crowdvoting|crowd voting]] service [[Steam Greenlight]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 11, 2012 |title=First Titles Get The Community's Greenlight |url=http://steamcommunity.com/games/765/announcements/detail/1317557164209217868 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918215720/http://steamcommunity.com/games/765/announcements/detail/1317557164209217868 |archive-date=September 18, 2012 |access-date=September 22, 2012 |website=Steamcommunity.com |publisher=[[Valve Corporation|Valve]]}}</ref> A separate effort, ''Project Lambda'', is attempting to recreate ''Half-Life'' in the [[Unreal Engine]], allowing the game to support more advanced graphic features.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Plunkett |first=Luke |date=September 16, 2018 |title=Fans Are Trying To Remake Half-Life Using Unreal Engine 4 |url=https://kotaku.com/fans-are-trying-to-remake-half-life-using-unreal-engine-1829097403 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917001423/https://kotaku.com/fans-are-trying-to-remake-half-life-using-unreal-engine-1829097403 |archive-date=September 17, 2018 |access-date=September 16, 2018 |website=[[Kotaku]]}}</ref> === Sequels === {{Main|Half-Life 2|Half-Life 2: Episode One|Half-Life 2: Episode Two|Half-Life: Alyx}} ''Half-Life 2'' was announced at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3]] 2003 and released in 2004. The player controls Freeman 20 years after the Black Mesa incident in the dystopic [[City 17]], where he joins a rebellion against an alien regime. It was followed by the [[Episodic video game|episodic]] games ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' (2006) and ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two'' (2007).<ref name="ep2.ep3.confirmation">{{Cite web |last=Thorsen |first=Tor |date=May 24, 2006 |title=Half-Life 2: Episode One gold, Two dated, Three announced |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-2-episode-one-gold-two-dated-three-announced/1100-6151796/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131125150657/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-2-episode-one-gold-two-dated-three-announced/1100-6151796/ |archive-date=November 25, 2013 |access-date=April 27, 2007 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> Another sequel, ''Half-Life: Alyx'', was released in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=November 21, 2019 |title=Half-Life: Alyx is officially coming March 2020, and here's your first look |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/21/20975423/half-life-alyx-vr-price-release-date-screenshots-trailer-valve-steam |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121185303/https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/21/20975423/half-life-alyx-vr-price-release-date-screenshots-trailer-valve-steam |archive-date=November 21, 2019 |access-date=November 24, 2019 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> == Reception == ===Sales=== According to Newell, ''Half-Life'' was budgeted with the expectation of lifetime sales around 180,000 units.<ref name=bizjournals1 /> However, following its November 19 release,<ref name=stormy /> the game became a surprise hit.<ref name=bizjournals1 /> In the United States, ''Half-Life'' debuted at #8 on [[PC Data]]'s weekly computer game sales chart for the November 15–21 period, with an average retail price (ARP) of $49.<ref name="nov1521">{{Cite web |last=Mayer |first=Robert |date=December 9, 1998 |title=''Deer Hunter II'' Returns to the Throne |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/016/013/pc_data_112198.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406152939/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/013/pc_data_112198.html |archive-date=April 6, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref> It rose to sixth place the following week,<ref name="nextweek">{{Cite web |date=December 9, 1998 |title=PC Data Best Sellers |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/98_12/09_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000614043550/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/09_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=June 14, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> before dropping to position 10 for the week ending December 5.<ref name="thirdweek">{{Cite web |date=December 15, 1998 |title=Tiny Plastic Woman Beats on ''Half-Life'' |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/98_12/15_pc_chart/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000621170836/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/15_pc_chart/index.html |archive-date=June 21, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> During the December 6–12 period, the game climbed back to sixth place; by this time, its ARP had dropped to $36.<ref name="fourthweek">{{Cite web |date=December 22, 1998 |title=Barbie Holds PC Charts |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/98_12/22_pc_data/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000606230100/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_12/22_pc_data/index.html |archive-date=June 6, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> It placed between sixth and eighth on PC Data's weekly charts through the end of December,<ref name="fifthweek">{{Cite web |last=Fudge |first=James |date=January 8, 1999 |title=''Deer Hunter 2 3D'' Tops Charts |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/016/133/pc_data_121398.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050407232432/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/133/pc_data_121398.html |archive-date=April 7, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref><ref name="sixthweek">{{Cite web |date=January 8, 1999 |title=''Deer Hunters'' Still on Top |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_01/08_pc_data/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000311205341/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_01/08_pc_data/index.html |archive-date=March 11, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><ref name="seventhweek">{{Cite web |last=Mullen |first=Micheal |date=January 12, 1999 |title=''Brood War'' Tops PC Data List |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_01/12_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000229134100/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_01/12_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=February 29, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> and its ARP rose back to $45 by the week ending January 2.<ref name=seventhweek /> PC Data declared ''Half-Life'' November's sixth-best-selling computer game in the United States,<ref name="nov1998">{{Cite web |last=Mayer |first=Robert |date=December 13, 1998 |title=November Belongs to ''Deer Hunter 2 3D'' |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/016/025/pc_data_november.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406162520/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/025/pc_data_november.html |archive-date=April 6, 2005 |access-date=July 2, 2018 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref> a position it held for the month of December.<ref name="dec1998">{{Cite web |last=Ocampo |first=Jason |date=January 15, 1999 |title=''Deer Hunter II'' Tops Charts |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/016/162/pc_data_december.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050502210227/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/162/pc_data_december.html |archive-date=May 2, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref> While its US sales were below 100,000 copies by November 30,<ref name="stormy">{{Cite news |last=Biederman |first=Christine |date=January 14, 1999 |title=Stormy weather |work=[[Dallas Observer]] |url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/1999-01-14/news/stormy-weather/all/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003002653/http://www.dallasobserver.com/1999-01-14/news/stormy-weather/all/ |archive-date=October 3, 2012}}</ref> by 1999 it had sold 212,173 copies and earned revenues of $8.6 million in the United States by the end of 1998.<ref name="pcgsales2">{{Cite journal |date=April 1999 |title=The Numbers Game |journal=[[PC Gamer US]] |volume=6 |issue=4 |page=50}}</ref> In January 1999, ''Half-Life'' debuted at #3 on [[Chart-Track]]'s computer game sales rankings for the United Kingdom,<ref name="pczonechart3">{{Cite journal |last=McNicholas |first=Conor |date=February 1999 |title=Charts; The ChartTrack Top 10 |journal=[[PC Zone]] |issue=73 |page=30}}</ref> and remained in PC Data's weekly top 10 for the entire month, peaking at #4.<ref name="eighthweek">{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=January 19, 1999 |title=''StarCraft: Brood Wars'' Tops Charts, ''Baldur's Gate'' Close Behind |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/016/180/pc_data_010399.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406153004/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/180/pc_data_010399.html |archive-date=April 6, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref><ref name="ninthweek">{{Cite web |date=January 27, 1999 |title=''Brood Wars'' Rules the Week's Charts |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_01/27_pc_pcweek/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000308200651/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_01/27_pc_pcweek/index.html |archive-date=March 8, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><ref name="tenthweek">{{Cite web |date=February 2, 1999 |title=Baldur's Gate in the Lead |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_02/02_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000226140236/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_02/02_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=February 26, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><ref name="11thweek">{{Cite web |date=February 9, 1999 |title=''SimCity 3000'': Top Seller |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_02/09_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000308051520/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_02/09_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=March 8, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><ref name="12thweek">{{Cite web |date=February 18, 1999 |title=''SimCity 3000'' On Top |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_02/18_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000229020727/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_02/18_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=February 29, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> By January 19, after two full months of availability, global sales of ''Half-Life'' surpassed 500,000 units.<ref name="bizjournals1">{{Cite web |last=Baker, M. Sharon |date=February 26, 1999 |title=A Charmed ''Half-Life'' |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1999/03/01/smallb1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030219095208/https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1999/03/01/smallb1.html |archive-date=February 19, 2003 |website=[[Puget Sound Business Journal]]}}</ref> In the United States, it was the fifth-best-selling computer game for the month of January.<ref name="jan1999">{{Cite web |last=Mullen, Micheal |date=February 16, 1999 |title=January's Top Sellers |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_02/16_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000607002432/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_02/16_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=June 7, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> On PC Data's weekly charts, it rose to #2 from February 7–20, with an ARP of $35.<ref name="13thweek">{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=February 23, 1999 |title=''Sim City 3000'' Hangs Tough at Top Spot |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/018/011/pc_data_020799.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050407232438/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/018/011/pc_data_020799.html |archive-date=April 7, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref><ref name="14th15th">{{Cite web |date=March 10, 1999 |title=''SimCity'' Packs 'Em In |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_03/10_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001119001100/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_03/10_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=November 19, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Holding a position in the weekly top 10 for the rest of February,<ref name=14th15th /><ref name="16thweek">{{Cite web |date=March 16, 1999 |title=''SimCity 3000'' Still Top Seller |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_03/16_pc_stats/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000303021228/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_03/16_pc_stats/index.html |archive-date=March 3, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> it climbed to fourth for the month.<ref name="feb1999">{{Cite web |date=March 15, 1999 |title=''Sim City 3000'' Takes February |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_03/15_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991108210548/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_03/15_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=November 8, 1999 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> The game remained in PC Data's weekly top 10 until the week of March 21<ref name="17thweek">{{Cite web |date=March 25, 1999 |title=''SimCity'' Still Number 1 |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_03/25_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000603050228/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_03/25_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=June 3, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><ref name="18thweek">{{Cite web |date=April 5, 1999 |title=''SimCity'' Beats Back ''EverQuest'' |url=http://headline.gamespot.com:80/news/99_04/05_pc_pcdata/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000619151850/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_04/05_pc_pcdata/index.html |archive-date=June 19, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> and dropped to position 11 for March as a whole.<ref name="mar1999">{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=April 16, 1999 |title=EA Tops Charts |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/019/039/pc_data_march99.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050407232621/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/019/039/pc_data_march99.html |archive-date=April 7, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, it placed second in February—behind the debut of ''[[Baldur's Gate (video game)|Baldur's Gate]]''—and fifth in March.<ref name="pczonechart4">{{Cite journal |last=Shoemaker, Richie |date=March 1999 |title=Charts; The ChartTrack Top 10 |journal=[[PC Zone]] |issue=74 |page=74}}</ref><ref name="pczonechart5">{{Cite journal |last=Shoemaker, Richie |date=May 1999 |title=Charts; The ChartTrack Top 10 |journal=[[PC Zone]] |issue=76 |page=26}}</ref> In April, it claimed #3 on Chart-Track's rankings and dropped to #16 on those of PC Data.<ref name=pczonechart5 /><ref name="april1999">{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=May 17, 1999 |title=''Civilization: Call To Power'' tops April chart |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/020/019/pc_data_april99.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050502210048/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/020/019/pc_data_april99.html |archive-date=May 2, 2005 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref> On April 23, Sierra announced that global sales of ''Half-Life'' had reached almost 1 million copies.<ref name="near1">{{Cite press release |title=Sierra Studios to Deliver Best-Selling ''Half-Life'' to the Mac |date=April 23, 1999 |publisher=[[Sierra On-Line]] |location=[[Bellevue, Washington]] |url=http://www.sierrastudios.com:80/games/half-life/pressroom/macintosh.html |access-date=July 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991009051045/http://www.sierrastudios.com/games/half-life/pressroom/macintosh.html |archive-date=October 9, 1999 |url-status=dead}}</ref> After maintaining the 16th place for May in the US,<ref name="cdmagsales1">{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=June 15, 1999 |title=''Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace'' Tops Monthly Chart |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/020/132/pc_data_may1999.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050502210101/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/020/132/pc_data_may1999.html |archive-date=May 2, 2005 |access-date=May 8, 2018 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref> ''Half-Life'' exited PC Data's monthly top 20 in June.<ref name="cdmagsales2">{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=July 20, 1999 |title=''Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace'' Tops Monthly Chart |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/021/104/pc_data_june1999.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050407232755/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/021/104/pc_data_june1999.html |archive-date=April 7, 2005 |access-date=May 8, 2018 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref> ''Half-Life'' became the fifth-bestselling computer game of the first half of 1999 in the US.<ref name="1999half">{{Cite web |last=IGN Staff |date=August 3, 1999 |title=And the Winners Are ... |url=http://pc.ign.com:80/news/9273.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000305180633/http://pc.ign.com/news/9273.html |archive-date=March 5, 2000 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> Its domestic sales during 1999 reached 290,000 copies by the end of September.<ref name="pcxlsales">{{Cite journal |date=February 2000 |title=X-Tra; Death of the PC |issue=18 |pages=100, 101 |journal=[[PC Accelerator]]}}</ref> During 1999, it was the fifth best-selling computer game in the US, with sales of 445,123 copies. These sales brought in revenues of $16.6 million, the sixth-highest gross that year for a computer game in the US.<ref name="cgmnews4">{{Cite web |last=Fudge, James |date=January 19, 2000 |title=PC Data Top Selling PC Games for 1999 |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/025/147/pc_data_1999.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817183027/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/025/147/pc_data_1999.html |archive-date=August 17, 2000 |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref> The following year, it was the 16th best-selling computer game in the US, selling another 286,593 copies and earning $8.98 million.<ref name="pcgsales3">{{Cite journal |date=April 2000 |title=Shake Your Money-Maker |journal=[[PC Gamer US]] |volume=7 |issue=4 |page=32}}</ref> The PlayStation 2 version received a "Silver" sales award from the [[Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association]] (ELSPA),<ref name="silverelspa">{{Cite web |title=ELSPA Sales Awards: Silver |url=http://www.elspa.com:80/?i=3942 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221154943/http://www.elspa.com/?i=3942 |archive-date=February 21, 2009 |website=[[Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association]]}}</ref> indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom.<ref name="gamasutrasales">{{Cite web |last=Caoili, Eric |date=November 26, 2008 |title=ELSPA: ''Wii Fit'', ''Mario Kart'' Reach Diamond Status In UK |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918063107/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |archive-date=September 18, 2017 |website=[[Gamasutra]]}}</ref> ''Half-Life''{{'}}s global sales reached 2.5 million units by July 2001.<ref name="cgwsales2">{{Cite journal |last=Price, Tom |date=July 2001 |title=Army of One |journal=[[Computer Gaming World]] |issue=204 |pages=50–55}}</ref> ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' noted in 2003 that "a significant number of the 7.5m copies of the PC version were bought because the game offered such potential for community-driven expansion".<ref name="edge2003">{{Cite journal |date=June 2003 |title=Prescreen focus: ''Half-Life 2'' |journal=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |issue=124 |pages=48–53}}</ref> As of November 16, 2004, eight million copies of the game had been sold,<ref name="halflifesales">{{Cite news |last=Mike Musgrove |date=November 16, 2004 |title=Half-Life 2's Real Battle |work=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52849-2004Nov15.html?nav=rss_technology |url-status=live |access-date=February 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025083004/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52849-2004Nov15.html?nav=rss_technology |archive-date=October 25, 2012}}</ref> by 2008, 9.3 million copies had been sold at retail.<ref name="lifetimeretail">{{Cite web |last=Remo, Chris |author-link=Chris Remo |date=December 3, 2008 |title=Analysis: Valve's Lifetime Retail Sales For ''Half-Life'', ''Counter-Strike'' Franchises |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21319 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221100835/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21319 |archive-date=December 21, 2008 |website=[[Gamasutra]]}}</ref> ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' awarded ''Half-Life'' the world record for Best-Selling First-Person Shooter of All Time (PC) in the ''Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008''. ===Reviews=== {{Video game reviews | MC = 96/100 (PC)<ref name="MCPC">{{Cite web |title=Half-Life for PC |url=http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/half-life |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202142328/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/half-life |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |access-date=November 3, 2011 |website=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref><br />87/100 (PS2)<ref name="MCPS2">{{Cite web |title=Half-Life for PlayStation 2 |url=http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/half-life |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203182742/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/half-life |archive-date=December 3, 2011 |access-date=November 3, 2011 |website=Metacritic}}</ref> | Allgame = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Allgame">{{Cite web |last=House, Michael L. |date=2014 |title=Half-Life |url=http://allgame.com/game.php?id=14496&tab=review |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114175221/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14496&tab=review |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |website=[[Allgame]]}}</ref> | CGW = {{rating|5|5}}<ref name=cgw /> | GSpot = 9.4/10<ref name="Gamespotrev" /> | IGN = 9.5/10<ref name="IGNrev" /> | NGen = {{rating|5|5}} (PC)<ref name="NG50" /><br>{{rating|3|5}} (PS2)<ref name="NGv4n12" /> }} ''Half-Life'' has a score of 96 out of 100 on aggregate review website [[Metacritic]]. ''[[Computer Gaming World]]''{{'}}s [[Jeff Green (writer)|Jeff Green]] said that the game "is not just one of the best games of the year. It's one of the best games of any year, an instant classic that is miles better than any of its immediate competition, and – in its single-player form – is the best shooter since the original ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]''".<ref name="cgw">{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Jeff |date=February 1, 1999 |title=Half-Life |url=http://www.gamespot.com/action/halflif/review_cgw.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020209221334/http://www.gamespot.com/action/halflif/review_cgw.html |archive-date=February 9, 2002 |access-date=April 14, 2010 |website=[[Computer Gaming World]]}}</ref> [[IGN]] described it as "a tour de force in game design, the definitive single player game in a first-person shooter".<ref name="IGNrev">{{Cite web |title=Half-Life Review |url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/153/153107p1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071126130226/http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/153/153107p1.html |archive-date=November 26, 2007 |access-date=April 25, 2007 |website=IGN}}</ref> [[GameSpot]] claimed that it was the "closest thing to a revolutionary step the genre has ever taken".<ref name="Gamespotrev">{{Cite web |title=Half-Life Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/half-life-review/1900-2537398/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031232543/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/half-life-review/1900-2537398/ |archive-date=October 31, 2013 |access-date=April 25, 2007 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it five stars out of five, and stated that "It is fast paced, it is dramatic, and it brings the very idea of adventure on a PC out of the dark ages and into a 3D world. All that and not a single Orc in sight."<ref name="NG50">{{Cite magazine |date=February 1999 |title=Finals |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |publisher=[[Future US|Imagine Media]] |issue=50 |pages=94–95}}</ref> Several reviewers cited the level of immersion and interactivity as revolutionary.<ref name="Allgame" /> [[AllGame]] said, "It isn't everyday that you come across a game that totally revolutionizes an entire genre, but Half-Life has done just that."<ref name="Allgame" /> Hot Games commented on the realism, and how the environment "all adds up to a totally immersive gaming experience that makes everything else look quite shoddy in comparison".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Half-Life review |url=http://pc.hotgames.com/games/halfli/review.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030201114816/http://pc.hotgames.com/games/halfli/review.htm |archive-date=February 1, 2003 |access-date=March 30, 2008 |publisher=Hot Games}}</ref> Gamers Depot found the game engaging, stating that they have "yet to play a more immersive game period".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Half-Life review |url=http://www.gamers-depot.com/games/rev-game-half-life.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050308103126/http://www.gamers-depot.com/games/rev-game-half-life.htm |archive-date=March 8, 2005 |access-date=March 30, 2008 |publisher=Gamers Depot}}</ref> ''[[The Electric Playground]]'' said that ''Half-Life'' was an "immersive and engaging entertainment experience", but noted that this only lasted for the first half of the game, explaining that the game "peaked too soon".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Half-Life |url=http://www.elecplay.com/reviews_article.php?article=204 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070910123915/http://www.elecplay.com/reviews_article.php?article=204 |archive-date=September 10, 2007 |access-date=March 30, 2008 |publisher=[[The Electric Playground]]}}</ref> The final portion of the game, taking place in the alien world of Xen, was generally considered the weakest. Besides introducing a wholly new and alien setting, it also featured a number of low-gravity jumping puzzles. The GoldSrc engine did not provide as much precise control for the player during jumping, making these jumps difficult and often with Freeman falling into a void and the player restarting the game.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hollerman |first=Patrick |title=Reverse Design |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |year=2018 |isbn=978-0429834400 |chapter=The Platform Theme}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=November 19, 2018 |title=Half-Life's hated Xen levels look great in Black Mesa remake |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/11/19/18102824/half-life-mod-black-mesa-xen-trailer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223234147/https://www.polygon.com/2018/11/19/18102824/half-life-mod-black-mesa-xen-trailer |archive-date=February 23, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2020 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''{{'s}} Julie Muncy called the Xen sequence "an abbreviated, unpleasant stop on an alien world with bad platforming and a boss fight against what appeared, by all accounts, to be a giant floating infant".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Muncy |first=Julie |date=March 5, 2020 |title=Black Mesa, a Half-Life Fan Fantasy, Finally Comes to Life |url=https://www.wired.com/story/black-mesa-half-life/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305193127/https://www.wired.com/story/black-mesa-half-life/ |archive-date=March 5, 2020 |access-date=March 5, 2020 |website=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]}}</ref> During the 2nd Annual [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences|AIAS]] [[Interactive Achievement Awards]] (now known as the D.I.C.E. Awards), ''Half-Life'' won the awards for "Computer Game of the Year" and "Computer Action Game of the Year", along with nominations for "Game of the Year", "Outstanding Achievement in Art/Graphics", "Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development", "Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Design" and "Outstanding Achievement in Software Engineering".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Half-Life |url=https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=1999&idGame=629 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702151137/https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=1999&idGame=629 |archive-date=July 2, 2019 |access-date=April 10, 2020 |publisher=[[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]]}}</ref> Jeff Lundrigan reviewed the PlayStation 2 version of the game for ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'', rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "It may be getting old, but there's still a surprising amount of life in ''Half-Life''."<ref name="NGv4n12">{{Cite magazine |last=Lundrigan |first=Jeff |date=December 2001 |title=Finals |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |publisher=[[Future US|Imagine Media]] |volume=4 |issue=12 |page=105}}</ref> In the November 1999, October 2001, and April 2005 issues of ''[[PC Gamer]]'', ''Half-Life'' was named Best Game of All Time/Best PC Game Ever. In 2004, [[GameSpy]] held a Title Fight, in which readers voted on what they thought was the greatest game of all time, and ''Half-Life'' was the overall winner of the survey.<ref name="Gamespyrev">{{Cite web |title=Gamespy Title Fight! – Championship Final |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/titlefight/matches/0601.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523065248/http://archive.gamespy.com/titlefight/matches/0601.shtml |archive-date=May 23, 2010 |access-date=February 22, 2008 |website=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref> [[Gamasutra]] gave it their Quantum Leap Award in the FPS category in 2006.<ref name="gamasutra">{{Cite web |title=The Gamasutra Quantum Leap Awards: First-Person Shooters |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060901/quantum_01.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511073515/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130249/the_gamasutra_quantum_leap_awards_.php?print=1 |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |access-date=September 3, 2006 |website=Gamasutra}}</ref> [[GameSpot]] inducted ''Half-Life'' into their Greatest Games of All Time list in May 2007.<ref name="gamespotfame">{{Cite web |last=Rorie |first=Matthew |date=May 18, 2007 |title=Greatest Games of All Time: Half-Life |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/greatest-games-of-all-time-half-life/1100-6171044/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119235122/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/greatest-games-of-all-time-half-life/1100-6171044/ |archive-date=January 19, 2015 |access-date=March 31, 2016 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> In 2013, ''IGN'' described ''Half-Life'' as one of the most influential video games,<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite web |title=Top 10 Most Influential Games |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/12/11/igns-top-10-most-influential-games?page=2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312131702/http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/12/11/igns-top-10-most-influential-games?page=2 |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |access-date=January 6, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref> saying that the history of the FPS genre "breaks down pretty cleanly into pre-''Half-Life'' and post-''Half-Life'' eras".<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 13, 2013 |title=Half-Life – #1 Top Shooters |url=http://ign.com/top/shooters/1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228203738/http://www.ign.com/top/shooters/1 |archive-date=February 28, 2014 |access-date=February 23, 2014 |website=IGN.com}}</ref> {{clear}} == Legacy == {{Further|Counter-Strike (video game)|Counter-Strike: Condition Zero|Day of Defeat|Gunman Chronicles|Sven Co-op|Team Fortress Classic|List of GoldSrc mods}} ''Half-Life'' saw fervent support from independent game developers, due in no small part to support and encouragement from Valve. [[Valve Hammer Editor|Worldcraft]], the level-design tool used during the game's development, was included with the game software. Printed materials accompanying the game indicated Worldcraft's eventual release as a retail product, but those plans never materialized. Valve also released a [[software development kit]], enabling developers to modify the game and create [[mod (video gaming)|mods]]. Both tools were significantly updated with the release of the [[Software versioning|version]] 1.1.0.0 [[patch (computing)|patch]]. Supporting tools (including texture editors, model editors, and level editors such as the multiple engine editor [[Quake Army Knife|QuArK]]) were either created or updated to work with ''Half-Life''. The ''Half-Life'' software development kit served as the development base for many multiplayer mods, including the Valve-developed ''Team Fortress Classic'' and ''Deathmatch Classic'' (a remake of ''Quake''{{'}}s multiplayer deathmatch mode in the GoldSrc engine).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Trey |date=June 7, 2001 |title=Valve releases Deathmatch Classic mod for Half-Life |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-releases-deathmatch-classic-mod-for-half-life/1100-2771202/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022201459/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-releases-deathmatch-classic-mod-for-half-life/1100-2771202/ |archive-date=October 22, 2016 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Other mods such as ''Counter-Strike'' and ''[[Day of Defeat]]'' (''DOD'') began life as the work of independent developers (self-termed "modders") who later received aid from Valve. Other multiplayer mods include ''[[Action Half-Life]]'', ''[[Firearms (video game)|Firearms]]'', ''[[Science and Industry]]'', ''[[The Specialists (mod)|The Specialists]]'', ''[[Pirates, Vikings and Knights]]'', ''[[Natural Selection (video game)|Natural Selection]]'' and ''[[Sven Co-op]]''. Numerous single-player mods have also been created. Notable examples include ''[[USS Darkstar]]'' (1999, a futuristic action-adventure on board a zoological research spaceship), ''[[They Hunger]]'' (2000–2001, a [[survival horror]] [[Total conversion (gaming)|total conversion]] trilogy involving zombies), ''[[Poke646]]'' (2001, a follow-up to the original ''Half-Life'' story with improved graphics), and ''[[Someplace Else]]'' (2002, a side-story to the original ''Half-Life''). In 2003, Valve's network was infiltrated by hackers. Among the files that were stolen included an unreleased ''Half-Life'' modification: ''Half-Life: Threewave'', a canceled remake of the mod ''[[Malice (video game mod)|Threewave CTF]]'' from ''Quake''. The files were later found by independent reporter Tyler McVicker of ''Valve News Network'' on a Vietnamese [[File transfer protocol|FTP server]] in February 2016, and were unofficially released to the public in September 2016.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=September 21, 2016 |title=The unreleased Half-Life multiplayer mod that you can play now |work=Ars Technica |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/09/the-unreleased-half-life-multiplayer-mod-that-you-can-play-now/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922000920/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/09/the-unreleased-half-life-multiplayer-mod-that-you-can-play-now/ |archive-date=September 22, 2016}}</ref> Some ''Half-Life'' modifications eventually landed on retail shelves. ''Counter-Strike'' was the most successful, having been released in six different editions: as a standalone product (2000), as part of the ''Platinum Pack'' (2000), as an [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] version (2003), and as a single-player spin-off titled MORGAN FREEMAN FUCKING DIED ''[[Counter-Strike: Condition Zero]]'' (2004), as well as in two versions using the Source engine. ''Team Fortress Classic'', ''Day of Defeat'', ''[[Gunman Chronicles]]'' (2000, a futuristic [[Western (genre)|Western movie]]-style [[Total conversion (gaming)|total conversion]] with emphasis on its single-player mode) and ''Sven Co-op'' were also released as standalone products. ''Half-Life'' is also the subject of the [[YouTube]] [[Improvisational theatre|improv]] [[Role-playing|roleplaying]] series ''[[Half-Life VR but the AI is Self-Aware]]'' and ''[[Freeman's Mind]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |date=April 19, 2020 |title=How's It Going?: HL:VR But The AI Is Self-Aware Edition |url=https://kotaku.com/hows-it-going-hl-vr-but-the-ai-is-self-aware-edition-1842937799 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427222407/https://kotaku.com/hows-it-going-hl-vr-but-the-ai-is-self-aware-edition-1842937799 |archive-date=April 27, 2020 |access-date=April 28, 2020 |website=Kotaku |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Ars |date=April 16, 2020 |title=In Half-Life's improv scene, anyone can speak for Gordon Freeman |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/04/from-fps-to-improv-stage-half-life-as-the-new-community-theater/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419130837/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/04/from-fps-to-improv-stage-half-life-as-the-new-community-theater/ |archive-date=April 19, 2020 |access-date=April 28, 2020 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Livingston |first=Christopher |date=April 2, 2017 |title=YouTube comedy series Freeman's Mind arrives in Half-Life 2 |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/youtube-comedy-series-freemans-mind-arrives-in-half-life-2/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119150755/http://www.pcgamer.com/youtube-comedy-series-freemans-mind-arrives-in-half-life-2/ |archive-date=January 19, 2018 |access-date=April 28, 2020 |website=PC Gamer |language=en-US}}</ref> == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == {{Wikiquote|Half-Life}} * {{Official website|https://www.half-life.com/en/halflife}} {{Half-Life}} {{Valve}} {{good article}} {{Subject bar|portal1=1990s|portal2=Speculative fiction|portal3=Video Games|commons=y}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:1998 video games]] [[Category:Sierra Entertainment games]] [[Category:Alien invasions in video games]] [[Category:Cancelled Dreamcast games]] [[Category:Cancelled classic Mac OS games]] [[Category:Censored video games]] [[Category:First-person shooters]] [[Category:GoldSrc games]] [[Category:Half-Life (series)]] [[Category:Interactive Achievement Award winners]] [[Category:Laboratories in fiction]] [[Category:Linux games]] [[Category:MacOS games]] [[Category:Multiplayer online games]] [[Category:Physics in fiction]] [[Category:PlayStation 2 games]] [[Category:Science fiction video games]] [[Category:Single-player video games]] [[Category:Teleportation in fiction]] [[Category:Valve Corporation games]] [[Category:Video games developed in the United States]] [[Category:Video games set in New Mexico]] [[Category:Video games set in the 2000s]] [[Category:Video games set in the United States]] [[Category:Video games with alternate endings]] [[Category:Video games with expansion packs]] [[Category:Video games with variable translation control]] [[Category:Windows games]]'