Half Life

Submitted by: Dj Simo

Three basic tips can help you get started.

First,  even if you are an experienced HEV suit user,  you  should
avail yourself of the Hazard Course. It teaches you how to use the
suit  (the  equivalent  of armor in other games)  to  its  fullest
advantage, and that special long jump module could save your life.

Second,  as  Black  Mesa deals with a wide  variety  of  "special"
experiments,  it is important to remember that many  useful  items
are  stored  in  the  plethora  of wooden  crates  and  containers
throughout  the lab. Smash 'em all and look inside-but  avoid  the
ones marked "Explosives" if you know what's good for you.

Third,  remember that the guards and scientists are your  friends;
they  can  watch your back, heal you, and even get you  out  of  a
sticky  situation. Often, if one dies, you cannot  continue.  Save
early and often.

Chapter 1: Anomalous Materials

This  is  mostly cinematics, an intro that sets the  mood  and  is
pretty  cool in its own right. Not much to do, though.  After  the
intro train ride, explore the lab a bit, talk to people, find your
(Gordon Freeman's) locker, the HEV suit, then proceed to the  test
chamber.  In  the  test chamber listen to your  instructions,  and
follow them to the letter. Then watch as all hell breaks loose..


Chapter 2: Unforeseen Consequences

Now  you're into the game proper. Use the sputtering retinal  scan
device to get the door to open slightly. As you make your way  out
don't  miss the crowbar on the floor (you will need it). You  will
need  to  have a scientist follow you to activate the next retinal
scanner.
In  the  main lobby go through the hole (smash the vent) to  enter
the next room. Proceed to the area with the hound-eye beasts (they
look  like  Smithfield hams with legs). Find a  square  vent  hole
leading  downwards (to save health, kill the zombie on  the  other
side  of  the bars first). Enter the sewer, find the other  square
hole  vent  (in  the ceiling this time) and the  valve.  Turn  the
valve, which floods the tunnel, swim up through that second hole.

On  the descending platform dodge the falling head crabs by moving
side  to side. Later use ledges to avoid the falling floor  pipes.
And  you can use the crates to make a bridge in the water, or just
swim around until you can ascend on the other side.

Chapter 3: Office Complex

Avoid  the dangling live wire and use the vent to enter  the  room
with the scientists (watch out for the 'fisher-tongue' critters on
the  ceiling). There is an electrical room, and you can  shut  off
the  power  there. Exit through the door and now  you  can  safely
bypass the live wire.

When  you find the guard in the little control room, try and  save
him  by killing the zombie who attacks him. Do it fast enough, and
he'll survive to let you in, where you can pick up a shotgun, some
ammo, and other nifty toys.

In  the  flooded  room turn the power off with  the  light-switch,
making  the  water safe to navigate. Open the vent  and  exit  the
room,  but  beware  of the fan blade in the vent  shaft  (duck  to
proceed).

Guards  make  good  diversions for the  annoying  head  crabs  and
security guns you'll find on the stairs. Proceed to the freezer..

Hit the red switch at the far end, and use the ladder to enter the
duct  system. Jump onto the moving platform from the upper  levels
of the shelves, and move on through the vent.

The elevator is out. Make a running jump and push 'up' to grab and
climb  the  ladder.  Continue moving  around  the  shaft  climbing
ladders  until  you reach the top of the elevator, and  break  the
vent with the crowbar to drop down.


 Chapter 4: We've got Hostiles

Jump  or  duck to avoid the red or blue trip lasers (red activates
sentry guns, and blue sets off nasty explosions).

Fight  the soldiers, but if aliens are around, let them kill  each
other.  Beware  flanking tactics and grenades  from  the  soldiers
(they are very smart). Continue on until you can take the elevator
to the surface.

An Osprey drops guards on the surface to massacre you. Kill all on
the  ground  and  make  for the bunker (if  you  wait,  the  plane
airdrops   more,  and  more.).  Don't  hesitate,  explosions   are
constantly rocking the ground and will eventually get you  if  you
dally.

In  the vent system avoid the fan, kill the soldiers, and use  the
middle  vent (the other two go nowhere) and find a computer panel;
activate it to exit.

Chapter 5: Blast Pit
Find  the  train/tram,  jump on it and hit 'use'  to  activate  it
(forward  makes it go faster). Best of all it runs down a  lot  of
the  monsters  in the tunnel. Note: at full speed the  train  will
break  through the barrier and send you flying (not necessarily  a
bad  thing as you can still continue providing you can afford  the
health), use the boxes to climb past the slime to the pipe.

Continue  on  and see what is happening at the Test Fire  Chamber.
Its  not  a  pretty sight, but that horrible monster needs  to  be
killed.  how convenient that it is sitting under a rocket  engine.
To  fire the engine and kill the critter, you must provide oxygen,
power, and fuel. To do this you must get past the tentacles..

You have two choices: you can walk and crouch past and descend  to
the  various hallways that lead to the controls rooms, or you  can
use  grenades or shotgun blasts to cause the tentacles to  retreat
briefly  (then  you  run  for it, repeating  the  blast  at  every
platform).  When going after the oxygen, fuel and power  switches,
remember: the order is not important.

Oxygen  & Fuel switches: Go down to the level directly below  you,
and  break the boards with your crowbar to exit the chamber. Cross
the  bridge  (hint: don't shoot at the alien on the bridge,  those
boxes  explode and will make you have to jump across)  and  follow
the red and blue pipes down the hallway. Break the sewer grate and
drop into the pipes, follow the pipe and turn left, then climb up.

Approach  the huge fan and before pushing the button you'd  better
save  the game (this is dangerous). Hit the button and run up  the
ladder  hopefully avoiding the fan blades now in motion. Once  the
fan hits full speed jump toward it and ride the air current up  to
the  boarded up ceiling (use your crowbar to break them). Use  the
vent  to  get  to the Oxygen/Fuel control room and activate  both.
Exit  by  using the ladder and head back for the test chamber  and
the giant tentacle monster.

Power  switch: Descend to the lowest level, avoiding the tentacles
as you did before (explosives or skulking). The walkways have huge
holes  in them and these jumps are tough, save first. It helps  to
look downward to time the jump better.

Once across you will see a huge puddle of water on the floor (this
will  become  electrified soon, so you might want to  arrange  the
boxes  to  form a bridge now) move across it and enter  the  room.
Avoid  or  kill  the fisher/tongue creatures that  hang  from  the
ceiling and activate the elevator with the button.

Look  to your right when it arrives; see that ladder? As the  lift
descends, but before it breaks and falls, make a flying  leap  for
that ladder. Descend the ladder to the radioactive goo and piping.
Walk  on  the pipes to avoid damage. Find the generator  room  and
activate both switches (do not do this while on top of it  though,
or you'll become all dead and crispy). Watch the spinning platform
to  get the timing right and exit the generator room safely. Climb
the ladder again, and look for a platform to jump to.

Once you reach that puddle again you will either have it easy (you
made  a  box  bridge  before  hand)  or  hard  (you  didn't);  the
electrified  pool is extremely damaging. If you have  set  up  the
boxes, cross using them. If not you can move two crates to form  a
bridge  most  of  the way, but it will still cost  you  around  20
health to make it across.

Now  that  the oxygen, fuel, and power are on, you can  make  some
fried  calamari by ascending to the top and hitting the now active
test  fire  button. Watch the tentacles go boom  (you  won't  take
damage if you back away as far as you can go away from the window,
but you'll miss a pretty explosion).

Exit  through the hole once occupied by the tentacle monster. Fall
through  the center or you will die by hitting the slanted  ground
first. Grab the .357 magnum at the bottom of the pool. Swim around
until  you  find a broken pipe to swim through, walk on the  pipes
until you reach one suspended by cables.

Look  across and see a very hard jump to an opening with a  broken
grate.  Make the jump and beware, the pipe ahead will break  (note
the  wall  discoloration); if you fall  with  the  pipe  you  will
perish,  so  jump back as it falls. Use the small  ledges  on  the
sides  to  make a controlled descent into the room. Kill the  head
crab under the table and collect the power-ups.

CHAPTER 6: Power Up

Through  the tunnel you come upon an open area where  there  is  a
massive  firefight going on. A gargantuan armored alien  beast  is
making  short  work  of  a handful of the  government's  best  and
bravest.  They  don't deserve your help; after all,  haven't  they
been  trying their best to perforate your geeky skin? Make a break
for  the  open passageway (across from you, behind the  beast)  as
soon  as  you can. Waiting for the soldiers to die just makes  the
beastie gun for you (not good).

When  you reach the red doors, find the valve-wheel, turn it until
the  doors open and climb up through the opening. Follow the signs
to  the  Power  Generator (signs mark the route). Shoot  the  trip
mines  below  you, or simply send a detpack (those explosives  you
may have found) down the elevator without you.

After  the elevator take the stairs down to the bottom, enter  the
flooded  room (watch out, those fish-things pack a tiny bite,  but
you  can  kill  them  with your crowbar)  and  destroy  the  boxes
obstructing the generator. Climb up one level of those  stairs  to
turn  on the fan. Then head back to where the gargantua is waiting
(by  now  all the soldiers are dead). Rush past the beast  and  go
immediately  to your left down the corridor. Find the switch,  and
then head back to the corridor you that you just came from.

You  need to find the track control room. You'll find it by  going
up  and  leaping across the hole. There is a wounded  guard  there
who'll talk with you a while - if you like. Turn on the power  and
the  beast will eventually walk into the electric stream and  die.
Or,  before you do any of this you will find that monster killable
if  you use explosives. Grenades, detpacks, - whatever you got  so
long  as  it goes boom. Frankly, though, it's not worth the  ammo.
Fry him.

Ride  the  train to the middle of the room, go back to  the  track
control  room  and use the switch to turn the train to  the  other
track. Then ride the train through the boxes.

Chapter 7: On a Rail

Tips for the enormous train areas:
Shoot the arrow-signs to switch the track. Stop the train whenever
you find an area with monsters, doors, or ladders. It is much more
dangerous to go through this area without the train (but it can be
done)  as  the  water  and train rail are  electrified.  Look  for
switches,  boxes, sentry guns, and monsters. If  you  seem  to  be
going  in circles on the train find an arrow sign to shoot so  you
switch tracks.

When you come upon soldiers using mounted rocket launchers get off
the  train,  crouch, and use your big weapons  to  fry  them.  The
rockets  pass harmlessly overhead if you are crouched  (the  train
can  protect  you from these as well, simply crouch and  speed  by
them, but you will sometimes miss power-ups).

Finally,  after  much  rail travel, you will  come  upon  a  nasty
situation. A huge bunker with a cannon in it, a machine  gun  nest
on  the  left, and an open area with lots of soldiers  around  the
corner.  Use  a grenade to take out the machine gunner,  and  hide
behind  the  boxes to avoid cannon-fire. You can  push  the  boxes
ahead of you to get in closer to the bunker. If you are lucky  you
can  run  past  the bunker, into the corridor, guns a'blazing  and
hope  to  take  out  the soldiers fast enough.  But  you  can  buy
yourself a little time to snipe if you take out that cannon.  Rush
it,  climb atop it, and drop a grenade or detpack into it  is  one
way.  Or  throw  grenades at the top and hope  you  get  lucky  by
killing the gunner.

Now  you come upon a staircase, with lots of red-laser trip mines.
Since  there are no sentry guns you may figure you can jump  these
safely.  You thought wrong. See the explosives lining  the  walls?
What you need to do is push the boxes under the second laser,  run
back  and  up  the stairs, moving under the first laser  (crouch).
Then  jump onto the box, then over the last laser and to the door.
Watch out for a couple of soldiers nearby.

Move  along until you find the launch controls. Launch the rocket,
and stay at the window for the show! Remember you have to exit the
way you came, which means avoiding the trip mine staircase!



Chapter 8: Apprehension

Get  on  the train and start her up, you are in for a  hell  of  a
ride.  You  get  the opportunity to get off the  train  before  it
crashes, and you can do that, but you can also ride it all the way
down  the hole into the drink. Swim to the bottom of the pool  and
release the crates down there, when they float to the surface  you
can use them as a bridge to get to the other side corridor.

Lots  of swimming, lots of searching, but soon enough you'll enter
a large room with a pool and a suspended cage. Climb up to the top
of  the cage and grab the crossbow before descending into it.  Use
the  switch  to drop the cage into the drink. Kill the LARGE  fish
monster with the crossbow (the 9mm pistol also works -none of your
other  weapons work underwater. except the trip mines, which  make
for a satisfying, but difficult, kill).

If  you  are fast you can skip the fish, but it is much easier  to
open the grate and leave the room by killing it first.

When  you reach the large control room with the three huge pistons
you  have to turn them on, and then jump from one to the other  to
reach  the suspended catwalk. Kill all the monsters and  then  the
scientist  will  let you into the room. He tells you  there  isn't
anything  but danger in the cold room (believe him) and  run  like
mad  through it (the cold does damage) until you find  the  ladder
that leads out.

After the nice guard gets assassinated mid-sentence you will  have
to face one of the greatest enemies a 3D action game has given us.
The leather clad sniper/assassin girls. These quick moving targets
are best dispatched with the crossbow from afar (use zoom mode) or
by relentlessly chasing them through the room with the machine gun
or  shotgun  blazing. Once they are all killed (there are  three),
you  can move up the catwalk to the platform and use the wheel  to
open the door.

There appears to be no way to avoid what happens next. Gordon gets
captured by two sadistic guards who figure its better to kill  him
and  hide the body than deal with the paperwork. So they place you
in  a Batman TV series (the Adam West 60's version) deathtrap, and
then they don't wait around to see if it works.

No  weapons, but you still have your HEV suit and the walls  start
closing in on you. Carefully but quickly, climb the crates to  the
ledge, wait until the walls close and use them as a bridge to  the
other side. Grab the crowbar and break open the grate to leave the
room.

Chapter 9: Residue Processing
Lots  of  traps, noxious gasses, radioactive mess, and  danger  in
this sprawling jump-fest of a level.


BASIC TIPS:
Save often, jump carefully, and time your movements through moving
machinery well.

When  you reach the large vats use the plungers to make it to  the
other  side.  Duck  under the grinding wheels. Upon  reaching  the
control  room  note  the conveyer belts and the massive  pounders,
move  all  three switches to the up position and go and press  the
green button. Don't dally, they pounders don't stop for long,  run
up either conveyer.

Jump  from  conveyer  belt to conveyer  belt  until  you  see  two
conveyers side by side, get to the one of your left. To get rid of
the  nasty trip mine around the corner you want to drop a  detpack
on  the  belt, wait around five seconds, and detonate (be sure  to
backpedal to avoid the blast).

Chapter 10: Questionable Ethics
Shoot  the  electrode switch on the fence to open the  door.  Once
inside  note the terrifying monster behind the glass, take a  deep
breath,  then  break  the glass over the  switch,  and  press  the
button.  Fight the monster with whatever weapon you wish but  note
the armored areas, only fire into areas that give you that yellow-
green blood reward.

Run around and try to let the monsters fight the soldiers for you,
once  the  battle is over pick off the survivors. Find four  rooms
with  switches and turn on all the lasers. Then find the room with
the  sign that says "Do Not Obstruct Laser Shield". Move  the  box
underneath  the laser and then press the button, which lowers  the
shield  and the box obstructs it from blocking the beam. The  beam
burns  through the wall and you have your way out. but be sure  to
pick  up  the  funky gun from the scientists in one of  the  other
laser rooms before you leave.

Chapter 11: Surface Tension

A  situation  like this isn't pretty. You have a dam in  front  of
you, with a bunker shooting bazooka rounds, a long drop off to one
side,  and  a  pool of water with a vicious monster  fish  on  the
other.  oh, and don't forget the lethal attack helicopter circling
above.  You can destroy the chopper but it is extremely  difficult
and  not really worth the effort. Head immediately into the water,
and  up the ladder to the tower on the far side. Try and keep  the
tower between you and the chopper, also beware the snipers on  the
dam; head inside and pull the switch. Jump back into the water and
kill  the fish, or avoid it. Make for the wall of the dam and find
the red wheel. Turn it and swim through the open grate.

In  the next clearing you'll find another seemingly bad situation,
a familiar looking tentacle monster guards some ammo and power-ups
(again  a  grenade  will buy you time to grab  it,  but  it  isn't
necessary),  the attack chopper is still tracking you,  and  these
odd bulges in the ground keep sending head crabs your way. Best to
head  over to the small hole to the right. Watch out. there  is  a
mine field beyond.
Use  grenades  or  your machine gun to detonate the  mines  before
proceeding.  Continue on until you find a red wheel  to  turn  and
then  head back to the now open grate. Be careful, this fall  will
kill you. use the ladder to descend.

This  next area, an open area of pipes, canals, and sand  bunkers,
displays Half-Life's brilliant soldier AI perfectly - much to your
chagrin. The best way to handle this situation is to climb up  the
ladder, pop up fast like a gofer, use the crossbow or .357  magnum
to  quickly dispatch nearby soldiers, and pop back down fast. Move
quickly, as the soldiers will soon begin sending grenades down all
nearby holes. Repeat this process with as many of the pipe tunnels
as  possible.  As far as the tank is concerned - the laser  guided
missile  launcher is recommended, as is jumping on it and dropping
a  couple detpacks. Strafe and try to use grenades or missiles  to
destroy  the  next  armored vehicle, which while somewhat  lighter
than the tank is no less deadly.

In  this area proceed cautiously. Avoid trip mines and land mines,
and  watch out for snipers (two of them) in the windows (a  rocket
or  grenade works wonders here). Blow up the barrels to knock  out
the  power  and crawl under the barbed wire to get to  the  fallen
power lines. Climb to the roof and jump into the hole.

DO NOT SET OFF ANY TRIP MINES IN THE NEXT AREA! Why? Because there
are  a couple of nukes in the warehouse and some idiot decided  to
trip  mine the entire area. Be careful when moving crates as  some
of  them  can pass through, or are connected to, trip  mines.  The
easiest  way  to  handle  this tense situation  is  to  turn  your
computer off - just kidding. Find the crate that rests on a simple
lift and destroy it. Push a crate to the stairs and jump over  the
laser line, enter the control room carefully and activate the lift
(if  you  didn't destroy that crate. boom). From the lift  at  its
highest position jump into the central area and descend to safety.

Around a corner you'll find some big aliens; let the soldiers take
care of them for you. Round the corner and kill any survivors  and
strafe  to kill the tank. As you continue, watch out for a  sniper
in the window as you round the second corner (this sniper can make
continuing impossible if she kills the nearby guard).  Go  up  the
stairs  and find the guard. Have him open the locked storage  room
for you, and grab the power-ups. Go through the window and leap to
the  opposing  ledge. Climb up on the roof and drop down  to  take
care  of  any  opposition. Then climb back up and proceed  to  the
opposite hallway (use the rafters).

The  next clearing features more of those hornet gun armed  aliens
and  a  circling transport regularly dropping troopers.  Let  them
fight  it  out while you make a dash for the tunnel. Move  through
the tunnel until you reach the alley where you left that guard you
needed  to open the locked door. Enter the room, grab some  health
from  the station and move up the stairs and up to the big cannon.
Use  the  cannon to kill any soldiers and blast open the big  door
you can barely see to your left.

Whew! Use any of the mounted machine guns to clear the waves  upon
waves  of  aliens  coming  at  you and  use  the  'bounce  crater'
trampoline to jump the wall. Break open the grating and beware the
insect-things  (called  snarks). Kill or avoid  them  (they  self-
destruct  after  around 25 seconds). Enter  the  shaft,  kill  the
soldiers  in  the next room, and use the tank to kill  the  aliens
that  appear. Use the mechanic's lift to exit the room , then  use
the bounce crater to get to the next area.

Now  use  the green map to call in airstrikes to get out of  here.
Call  one on the wall across the moat, the fortress door, and  the
tower  before you. Climb across the moat on the fallen  tower  and
you are done.

Chapter 12: Forget about Freeman

No  real  puzzles here, just a lot of enemies and killing  -  have
fun!

As the ceiling and walls come down try to climb up and through the
newly  created hallway. Proceed and fight your way through.  Hint:
You  can avoid the tank by running like mad to the elevator. Watch
for ambushes, sentry guns, and trip mines.

Chapter 13: Lambda Core

After the snipers are dispatched kill all monsters you find.  Once
finished  the  scientist opens the door; grab the big experimental
gun  he's  been building. Activate each cooling system switch  and
enter  the  water, swim to the reactor and activate both switches.
Climb out and hurry as the reactor begins shooting lightning.

Time it correctly to use the teleporter to get yourself inside the
core  and  on the rotating platform. Jump across to each  door  in
turn,  then  up to the next level of the puzzle. It's  challenging
but  fairly obvious once you get a good look at it. Once  finished
open  the  door  and meet the scientist and the guard,  listen  to
their story and grab everything they offer you.

Once  the  process for activating the big teleporter (that  allows
you to bring the pain to the alien world) starts, try and kill the
flying  aliens  as  fast  as possible. don't  let  them  kill  the
scientist  opening  the  'porter. Once he says  go.  you'd  better
hurry.

Chapter 14: Xen

Welcome  to Half-Life Super Mario style. Use your super long  jump
ability  to  go  from floating platform to floating platform,  and
don't  fall. If you see a pool of water from now on, stand  in  it
and it will slowly heal you.

In  the big chamber on the center island 'use' each of the strange
mushroom  things, then break the webbing imprisoning the  floating
lights  (butterfly things). They each go to an open  mushroom  and
activates the teleporter.

Chapter 15: Gonarch's Lair

Head  crabs have to come from somewhere right? Ugh, she is  a  bad
momma.  Aim  for  the egg sack on the bottom of  this  exceedingly
strange monster. If it releases pupae versions of the head  crabs,
use  the hornet gun on them. Once Gonarch runs away follow her  to
the  next  area and keep fighting, while trying to stay alive.  If
low  on health try and get to the hole and drop down to the  ledge
below,  watching for adult head crabs. In the tunnels  down  there
you'll  find  some ammo and a healing pool. Then  use  the  bounce
crater to re-enter the fray.

After you do enough damage a third area opens up and you fall into
a  pit. Fire at the sack repeatedly until Gonarch drops down  with
you. Then hide behind the strange tree things until you eventually
kill  her. Note that you can, if careful, avoid being sucked  into
the  pit  until you're good and ready. Toss some grenades and  det
packs in on top of old Gonarch to soften 'er up before getting  up
close and personal.

Chapter 16: Interloper

Look  for  a yellow colored area inside the cave, remove the  webs
and  ride the white tower elevator to the top. More jumping,  just
like  in  Xen, but this time it's much harder. Jump from  floating
rock to floating rock until you come within range of those strange
winged bird things - jump on one of them and ride its back to  the
teleporter.

Use  a  grenade or walk slowly past another tentacle  monster  and
proceed to the next teleporter. Once you enter the factory  you'll
see  why those lightning spewing beasties are called slaves --kill
them  if you like, but they won't attack you. The fliers are  what
you need to worry about. Take the lifts to the conveyers and enter
the  one  that  doesn't have a blue forcefield. In the  next  area
avoid  destroying  the large barrels. they contain  hornet  toting
aliens with a bad attitude.

Enter  the  red vents to find a large room with spinning  cog-like
lifts, ride them all the way up to another teleporter.

Chapter 17: Nihilanth

Welcome  to the end boss. watch out, he may look like a big  baby,
and he is quite cranky, but he has powers that will annoy the hell
out  of you. Avoid the lightening balls he throws, but most of all
use  the  rock  formations as cover when he tosses a green  energy
ball.  These teleport you to the most annoying mini-levels  you'll
face.

The  idea here is to destroy the three triangles. You have to  use
the  bounce  craters to get high enough to nail the last  one  and
then start shooting at Nihilanth's big ole head. After enough hits
his  head  opens  up  and  you need to  send  a  couple  detpacks,
grenades,  or  yourself inside there to destroy  his  brain.  Good
luck, you will need it!

Once  the  big  baby is destroyed you are treated to  a  wonderful
cutscene featuring that suited character you may've seen. He sheds
much  light on this affair and gives you a choice of outcomes  for
the  endgame. I won't reveal these to you, though; after all,  you
have to do something for yourself!