Half-Life: Deathmatch

Game: Half-Life: Deathmatch
Developer: Valve Software
Platform: PC
Release Year: 1998
Stephen's Rating: 8/10

Basic Plot

There was no plot. This was a purely multiplayer deathmatch mod developed using the GoldSrc engine.

Gameplay

This was ultimately a first person player versus player deathmatch game.

Players spawned at one of several fixed (but randomly chosen) spawn points on a map. They started with a pistol and full health (no armour). The objective was to gain armour and weaponry and kill your opponents.

There was a large variety of weaponry to suit different styles of play. The weapons included:

• Crowbar: Everyone started with this weapon and I used it surprisingly often in close quarters combat.
• 9 MM Pistol: Starting weapon. Weak but can attack enemies at range.
• Magnum: High powered pistol which had a small "zoom". Could be used as a pseudo sniper rifle if needed. Very slow to reload.
• MP-5: A lsub-machine gun which could also fire grenades with the alternative fire key.
• Assault Shotgun: Close quarters shotgun.
• Fragmentation Grenade: Could be thrown and exploded on a timer.
• Satchel Charge: A small bomb you could place somewhere on a map and detonate remotely. Useful for ambushes.
• Trip Mines: Mines which shot out a blue light. If a player passed through the light it would explode. This was one of the funnest items in the game and caused all kinds of chaos.
• Rocket Launcher: A rocket launcher which had an optional ability to be able to control the path fo the rocket once it was launched (with a red laser sight).
• Crossbow: A sniper crossbow.
• Gauss Gun: We just called this the laser gun. Fire a laser beam which could be charged up with the alertnative fire key. This charge could then be used to assist your character in jumping - allowing you to get up to areas of a map that were normally inaccessible.
• Gluon Gun: Affectionately known to us as the Fire-hose. Fired a constant beam of energy in front of you which didn't lag at all if you turned around. My weapon of choice :)
• Hive Hand: An alien weapon which fired heat-seeking bugs.
• Snark: Critters which work like grenades who will seek out and attack enemies.

The gluon gun, which we called the "Fire-hose".

Players could replenish their health but also gain armour in the game by finding kits on the ground or using a recharge device. There was one other item which played a huge part of the game - the super jump. It took us years to work out how to use it, but essentially once you got it you could quickly press crouch, then jump - and your character would hurl forwards at a high speed. This was essential. With it you could avoid all kinds of nasty situations or pursue your enemies with unstoppable speed.

Some maps had other mechanics such as buttons which created environmental hazards for the other players, or automated machine turrets which fired upon all players. There was also conveyor belts, and trains, and underwater sections.

Positives

Well balanced game, fun but not overpowered weapons, suited different play styles, awesome that they opened the game up to the public to create maps. The only reason we stopped playing it was that the GoldSrc engine became very dated. Very replayable. It was excellent for both two player and many player games which is unusual. Modern games often put a lot of emphasis on many-player internet action.

It wasn't as realistic as Counter-Strike in terms of weapon aiming, movement, falling, etc, but that was what made it so fun. It wasn't trying to be realistic, just fun.

Negatives

None. For what it was, it was perfect. I've not found a deathmatch game quite the same or as balanced and fun.

Memorable Moments

This game was a very big part of my life for many years. I've spent countless hours playing head to head two player battles, but also games with four or more players.

My favourite map was Crossfire. The map was small and fast paced, and contained a button which would set off a nuclear strike. Anyone caught outside the "bunker" area died after a count-down. This meant you couldn't camp, because the other player could draw you out of hiding with the nuke.

This was the infamous "Perch" on the map Bounce.

Another favourite map was Bounce. This was a large map with wide open spaces and various tunnelled areas. The focal point of the action was a very high up ledge accessible by ladders which we affectionatley named the "Perch". Although there were no good weapons that spawned up there, you had visibility of every entry and exit into the main cavern. Our two player games often revolved around one player taking a crossbow up onto the perch, and the other player trying to "dethrone" them and take the perch for themselves.

The previous maps shipped with the game and were developed by Valve, but there were two really nice maps developed by the community we got into as well. One was called 2play and was perfect for two players as it was small and open enough to be in direct contact often, yet large enough to be able to sneak around and gather weapons if you had to. The other was called Farmland and was a very fast paced map with fields to hide in. Interestingly there was no armour in Farmland, only health kits.

There was a mod for this mod called "Rocket Crowbar" which changed the effect of all the weapons. Added a bit of spice to the game if you wanted to mix it up.