"Entities" { "entity" { "classname" "point_commentary_node" "targetname" "no driving between 08 and 09" "origin" "866.882935 -8941.994141 106.031250;" "angles" "0 1.743639 0" "precommands" "" "postcommands" "" "commentaryfile" "#commentary\ep2-comment156.wav" "printname" "Lost Highway" "viewtarget" "" "viewposition" "" "prevent_movement" 0 "speakers" "Matt Rhoten" "synopsis" "Originally there was a second driving section between the chopper battle and the autogun trenches. The pacing felt wrong, so we decided to remove it and connect the end pieces, so that the trainyard opens directly into the garage." "parser_id" "156" } "entity" { "classname" "point_commentary_node" "targetname" "windowtraining" "origin" "560.540955 -9244.971680 107.031250" "angles" "0 -90.753189 0" "precommands" "" "postcommands" "" "commentaryfile" "#commentary\ep2-comment155.wav" "printname" "Window Training" "viewtarget" "" "viewposition" "" "prevent_movement" 0 "speakers" "Marc Scaparro" "synopsis" "Playtesters often failed to recognize that they could scramble through windows while they were avoiding being shot by the autogun. We added this window exit, and forced players to use it so they would learn to rely on windows to get around." "parser_id" "155" } "entity" { "classname" "point_commentary_node" "targetname" "truck climbing training" "origin" "4.853957 -9696.870117 187.827606" "angles" "0 178.561600 0" "precommands" "" "postcommands" "" "commentaryfile" "#commentary\ep2-comment158.wav" "printname" "Truck Climbing" "viewtarget" "" "viewposition" "" "prevent_movement" 0 "speakers" "John McCaskey" "synopsis" "Some playtesters didn't realize that they would need to climb over trucks to navigate around the autogun emplacement. So we added this truck jump early in the level as a form of introductory training." "parser_id" "158" } "entity" { "classname" "point_commentary_node" "targetname" "combine cannon behavior" "origin" "-1269.185425 -9553.711914 90.287308" "angles" "0 89.064995 0" "precommands" "" "postcommands" "" "commentaryfile" "#commentary\ep2-comment159.wav" "printname" "Combine Autogun" "viewtarget" "" "viewposition" "" "prevent_movement" 0 "speakers" "Eric Twelker" "synopsis" "In order to train players that crouching through the trenches is critical for survival, we did several things. First, we start the player in the safe position by forcing them to crouch under the fence to enter the area. Once inside, they learn by watching the zombies. Upright zombies are gunned down, but their torsos are free to roam in the shadow of the junk. Some playtesters believed that while the guns were busy shooting zombies, they would be able to move freely; to counteract this impression, we increased the number of guns from one to three, making it clear that there was always going to be a gun free to shoot the player." "parser_id" "159" } "entity" { "classname" "point_commentary_node" "targetname" "zombie humor" "origin" "-1002.779114 -8162.577637 98.516479" "angles" "0 145.341644 0" "precommands" "" "postcommands" "" "commentaryfile" "#commentary\ep2-comment160.wav" "printname" "Zombie Humor" "viewtarget" "" "viewposition" "" "prevent_movement" 0 "speakers" "Torsten Zabka" "synopsis" "Zombies serve the double purpose of horror and humor. Here, since we knew where the player's view would be, we added a comical scene of a fast zombie torso running away from a soldier." "parser_id" "160" } "entity" { "classname" "point_commentary_node" "targetname" "cinephysics" "origin" "-813.127 -7493.715332 102.031250" "angles" "0 -2.017311 0" "precommands" "" "postcommands" "" "commentaryfile" "#commentary\ep2-comment161.wav" "printname" "Dramatic Blast" "viewtarget" "" "viewposition" "" "prevent_movement" 0 "speakers" "Martin Otten" "synopsis" "The original design for this sequence involved shutting down the cannon by flipping a switch. That was neither obvious nor rewarding. We decided to let the player blow it up instead, which gave us another opportunity to use our cinematic physics." "parser_id" "161" } "entity" { "classname" "point_commentary_node" "targetname" "radar training leads to 12" "origin" "265.686523 -9057.407227 101.981781" "angles" "0 -2.054336 0" "precommands" "" "postcommands" "" "commentaryfile" "#commentary\ep2-comment157.wav" "printname" "Radar Introduction" "viewtarget" "" "viewposition" "" "prevent_movement" 0 "speakers" "Greg Winkler" "synopsis" "Once we added the onboard radar to the strider battle at the end of the episode, we needed to train the player in its use well before they reached that area. This garage was already in the game as a place where Alyx needed to stay while the player went alone through the autocannon area. It was a perfect fit to have the mechanic rebels add the radar to the car while Gordon was busy somewhere else." "parser_id" "157" } "entity" { "classname" "point_commentary_node" "targetname" "Keeping Alyx On Track" "origin" "-624.967957 -4439.927734 95.591393" "angles" "0 12.433983 0.000000 " "precommands" "" "postcommands" "" "commentaryfile" "#commentary\ep2-comment247.wav" "printname" "Keeping Alyx on Track" "viewtarget" "" "viewposition" "" "prevent_movement" 0 "speakers" "Merle Dandridge: Voice of Alyx Vance" "synopsis" "There’s a lot of energy that goes into shaping Alyx and making sure she stays on the right path or stays true to the vision that I think we have for her. I want Alyx to be liked, I know everyone at Valve wants Alyx to be liked, but what is really great is that if I get off course or if I’ve been in the booth to long and I’m starting to sound a little naggy, then I have somebody who’s there to pull me back and say, ‘Hey why don’t you try it this way,’ or ‘I think you’re veering off course and starting to sound like somebody’s mother.’ Because I’m there to help, if you’re lost—you know, the ‘Get goings,’ or stuff like that. To help keep the game moving and keep you on track. There’s kind of a fine line. You don’t want somebody constantly bothering you but you also want a friendly companion, somebody to help you out once in a while. So trying to not go one way or the other was a bit of a trick for us." "parser_id" "247" } "entity" { "classname" "point_commentary_node" "targetname" "puzzle deconstructed" "origin" "2474.651367 1943.913452 100.031250" "angles" "0 179.348083 0" "precommands" "" "postcommands" "" "commentaryfile" "#commentary\ep2-comment162.wav" "printname" "Intentionality and Puzzle Design" "viewtarget" "" "viewposition" "" "prevent_movement" 0 "speakers" "Ido Magal" "synopsis" "Strong attention to visual design in this room make this unconventional puzzle both intuitive and rewarding. To begin with the room is sparse, with the reward clearly visible, but locked up in the cage. A strange centerpiece draws the player's attention, and the visible switch is obviously part of the solution. The health charger next to the switch hints that the solution involves getting onto the catwalk rather than activating the switch from the ground. The van entrance discourages players from bringing in objects they might use to solve the puzzle by stacking. The lone grenade crate is a strong suggestion that grenades figure in the solution. Finally, the corpse in the rafters and the scorch marks on the ground, and the story they tell provide the most important clue." "parser_id" "162" } "entity" { "classname" "point_commentary_node" "targetname" "Kismet/Superself" "origin" "5469.282715 1306.303833 186.031250" "angles" "0 -1.953966 0.000000 " "precommands" "" "postcommands" "" "commentaryfile" "#commentary\ep2-comment242.wav" "printname" "Kismet" "viewtarget" "" "viewposition" "" "prevent_movement" 0 "speakers" "Merle Dandridge: Voice of Alyx Vance" "synopsis" "So, the circumstances around creating Alyx were so kismet that it’s almost a little scary. Because I mean if you think of the ideal super-self that you want to be, having bad-ass moves and being able to karate-chop everybody and then add onto that a writer to make you sound witty at every turn, it’s like having an uber-self for me. So I immediately fell in love with Alyx." 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