Man The Walls!
AI Scripting
This project had a strong focus on AI relationship and Assault scripting. The player must defend an abandoned Combine outpost through several waves of enemies. Watch the video.
Ai Behavior
The enemy AI follows a pre-determined path with prioritized targets. This allows them to systematically break down the outpost's defenses and finally move to their final goal of destroying the computers within.
Architecture
I studied many of the City-17 levels in order to get a feeling for the construction of buildings in Half-Life 2.
Player Constraints
The outpost is sectioned off by high buildings and fences. This area is the only area that the player has access to.
Limited Weapon Selection
The player has access to a shotgun and grenades. The shotgun is ineffective at long range, and the grenade requires finesse and timing to use properly. However, at close range both these weapons are extremely effective.
Asymmetrical Encounters
The shotgun keeps the player fighting at close range, but the enemies have access to SMGs and the Combine AR-2, both of which are much more effective at long range.
Player Objectives
The player and his allies must defend three computers. If the Combine destroy them, the player fails the level.
Holding Out
If the player manages to survive three waves of enemies, Alyx comes to the rescue, and assists the player in surviving the last wave of enemies.
Game
- Half-Life 2
Description
“Man the Walls!” puts players in the role of Gordon Freeman. The player must defend three Combine computers from dozens of enemies with limited weapons, and four cowardly Resistance fighters. The Resistance fighters will run away and cower whenever they get shot, so the player must motivate these cowardly fighters by whacking them upside the head with his crowbar in order to get them to fight again.
“Man the Walls!” was an experiment in what could be done with Half-Life 2’s AI scripting system with limited time and training. The level took inspiration from old arcade games like Galaga and Space Invaders. To win the level, the player must ensure that at least one Combine computer survives.
Development Time
- 4 weeks
Tasks
- Initial Design and Documentation
- BSP Creation, Texturing, Lighitng, Decorative Mesh Placement
- AI / Relationship scripting to create prioritized behaviors for the enemies using Hammer’s I/O system
- Event Scripting and Enemy Spawning