Moving Forward - The Future Of HL2 And PHL2RP

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I know everyone is probably waiting to hear about the shiny new HL2 server we're going to start up and you all probably wish it was starting real soon but unfortunately we're gonna be waiting a little while on that as we continue to work out some things and Tank continues to work on the script to get it to what we'd like a 1.0 version to look like.

So what's the point of this thread then? Well, let's talk about the HL2 we have in mind. This most recent iteration that we finished up earlier this year was something that endured for just about 4 years. It was not always strong in numbers and it dipped plenty of times but peoples faith and interest in the setting that is HL2 always brought them back for more eventually, which unfortunately a setting like Paroxysm couldn't bank on. It was probably the most serious and grim iteration we've had, even then it wasn't what the purists would call 'true HL2' but we're here to have fun and it worked, it worked for a long time but the opportunity to start over always gives us another chance to do things differently.

I've always said that if we ever do another HL2 (Well, it was always assured eventually) that I'd like to do it a bit differently, more specifically a bit more like we did City8. I'm not really talking about any of the Japanese stuff but more the philosophy and atmosphere. I'd like to have a go at meshing some of the serious grimness from the previous iteration with the more loose fantastical aspects of what happened during City 8. Just being more open in terms of how we approach things, not completely shutting things down to preserve the seriousness or sanctity of the setting but looking for ways to integrate it in a serious manner.

Let's talk about how a few things will function when the time finally arrives

General
  • Will be launching on our new script, Eternity.
  • Will not be located in City 17 but in a different city. Continent to be decided but due to map restraints we will still likely be around eastern Europe.
  • Will not be mashing plot points of planning that was done for PHL2RP into it but will be taking elements of what was discussed. (Example being Xen stuff that myself and Buscemi were intending to work on for PHL2RP.)
  • Not doing early occupation.
  • No Child characters. I noticed there was some talk about this regarding the graduation arcs we used to do but our policy on this will always be 18+



The Resistance
  • There is no pre-established resistance group in the city.
  • There won't be a canals, a caves or a coast. At least for a good while.
  • Access to canals/caves/coast, whichever one we do or have up will be white listed.
  • Great ideas for groups that are put into action with great effect may receive support from the administration to keep things moving.

The Combine
  • No High Command. Not at the beginning.
  • No elite or specialized squads to start with. Including Intel.
  • No flags. Units are provided clothing and appropriate ID cards which marks their identity as a member of the Combine.
  • Units will be sorted into two separate squads with a field command dedicated to both. There is a 'higher' up but they are to act as an off screen adviser/purposes of events. This is to alleviate pressure off of squads IC to behave in a manner they believe they have to behave in. We'll see how it goes.
  • Civil Administration to be discussed. Likely to use the chance at a fresh start to make something of it that isn't completely subservient to the Civil Authority.

Half Life 2 RP is a very deep setting that has a very basic premise. I don't want to change too much or veer off course entirely in the race to create something new or fancy that I think might be interesting and keep players coming back, I think HL2 will do that plenty enough on its own. I wanted to comment on and clarify aspects of what I would call 'TnB Tropes' and how we would or wouldn't be handling them this time around.

Now, onto the next bit....
 
PHL2 Server Launch - 11/30/2018



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I already said HL2 City RP wasn't gonna come for a little bit yet, so why make this thread so early? We're going to utilize the time we have in the mean time. Some of you think we're like 6 months or more off finishing up and releasing City but that's really an over exaggeration, it won't take that long but it will just be shortly after the New Year.

In the mean time, starting from this weekend a PHL2RP Server will be launching this Friday (11/30/2018) in order to pursue what will be the complete ending of the previous iteration.

A few points to keep in mind

  • You're not getting this 'INSTEAD' of HL2 City RP, it's being put up in the mean time to cover the time between release. We have this window of time and I wanted to put it to good use.
  • PHL2 being up is not making the wait for City RP longer, but using this time to do some form of it is something that I thought would be a good compromise for people that invested or put work into PHL2 or were otherwise looking forward to it.
  • This is not a new iteration, it's intended to continue from the last and finish off the story for good.
  • It's being done in the same vein as the uprising - events pushing towards an end goal.
  • All the content is already there and a lot of planning already done, hence the short time to release.

The server opens up one year after the destruction of the citadel and closure of the portal, the Combine have done a major retreat from the area and leave a large chunk of Eastern Europe to what is a mostly unorganized war band. A loose war council has done what it could to keep people in check and several towns have sprung up in the wake of the Combine retreat. The tools were all already there and now they were no longer in the hands of the oppressors.

It's the eve of the trials of those that abandoned humanity. Members of the Civil Authority, those that have been turned in, found or captured face an execution sentence and many of the former inhabitants of what was C17 make their way to attend. For justice or revenge in seeing the fate of those that fought against them and kept them in the dirt for so long is up to each of them to decide.
 
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