imo for the AK-47, most rebels prolly wouldn't get their hands on things like SPAS-12's and PR's until gordon returned, so the AK would be their best bet for defense.
Well, there's a simple reason why it isn't:Its out of service, weapons simply dont pop out of thin air, same with ammo, weapons like MP7's and the USP Matches are still being used by the metropolice and produced, so its easier to just gank metrocops for weaponry, Spas 12's and AR2's are a rare treat as they are used by the OTA Soldiers, which dont see deployments that often.
I believe the physgun was cut because play testers would just get on top of a physics object and prop fly across the map and it would kind of slightly break everything.
@@RadiationHazardYT I mean, it generally just didn't fit in, and what would be its practical use? Moving very heavy objects that you aren't supposed to move would also break some puzzles.
Some extra information for the video: - The AK47 was a "rebel" weapon. This is because the OICW was intended to be the Combine's weapon due to it's futuristic look in real life. Opinion wise, it makes sense to me that it exists; it's an incredibly reliable, widespread, and easy to maintain weapon. It would definitely be the weapon of choice for a resistance. It's also only 20 years older than the Spas-12, and only 5 years older than the Colt Python used by Gordon in the retail game. - The OICW was intended to be the Combine's main assault weapon, as the original plan was for the Combine to integrate humanity's technology into their own, instead of having their own Combine technology. This is why the helicopters are old soviet helicopters. This design decision was based on the fact that the OICW was futuristic and modular, and it just flat out looked cool, so it was chosen. Ironically, the OICW it was based off in real life, was quite unreliable, and was only in service for a short while due to how much it malfunctioned and had issues. The model in the video is the old outdated 2001-2002 one, and it indeed was replaced with the AR2 Pulse Rifle, which in-fact still uses it's original 2002-2003 model where it was a strange flare gun, to this day. - The immolator was intended to have a cool alt-fire function that isn't shown off in the video. The alt-fire would spew fluid onto the ground, and could then be ignited, in order to create an impromptu flame trap. - The irifle flare gun aspects were placeholder. It's officially labelled as an 'incendiary rifle', so although it's purpose is to light targets on fire, and the assets were flares, that doesn't necessarily mean it's final intention was to be similar to the flare gun. Remember, the game was unfinished when this leak occurred. The alt-fire in the final game is the evolution of the original idea, with it becoming able to shoot like an assault rifle being implemented after the OICW was cut and the Combine needed a suitable replacement. - The Stinger RPG didn't have a tracked laser in the leak. Funnily enough, during development, once the laser was added, it created an unintended side-effect where combine gunships would try shooting the rocket out of the air as it flew towards them. This accidental side-effect became an actual feature soon afterwards. - The MP5k was likely cut due to it being too outdated compared to the MP7 when the weapons got streamlined. The MP5k was likely originally planned to be the rebel's alternative to the Combine's MP7. Once weapon selection became more streamlined however, and weapons began getting cut, the MP5k presumably was cut due to being based on technology from the 60's, making it the third oldest weapon in the game's development. It would have been replaced in favor of the MP7, which came out in the early 2000's, making it be picked for a similar reason as the OICW. The MP7 is also a lesser known weapon, so it's nice that they picked it. - Note the stark technological differences between the MP5k and MP7. The MP7 has holotech, a mounted rail, a polished appearance, extendable stock, etc.; although the viewmodel is a model recreation, the HUD icon shows us how much more technologically advanced the MP7 was over the MP5k, which would explain why it got picked over the MP5k to be part of the Combine's arsenal, and in-turn, be used by rebels under the guise of stolen equipment. - The Sniper's concept still lives on through the Combine. In Episode Two, you can actually see how a Combine Sniper Rifle looks like when you first see the Jalopy, as it's mounted inside of a Sniper's Nest that Alyx perches herself into in order to provide covering fire for you. My guess is the Sniper Rifle was a Combine Armament, and after it was chosen that the player had the makeshift Crossbow due to it making more sense in-universe and in-game for rebels to have, the Sniper Rifle lived on as an exclusively Combine armament. - The physgun wasn't necessarily cut, but assimilated into the gravity gun. Both existed side-by-side in the leak, but it's likely the Gravity Gun was the one that was intended for use by the player, with the physgun just sorta.. Being there, because the code for it existed. The physgun saw most of it's use during the E3 Demo. Valve's design philosophy when creating these features is finding really cool, fun toys, and then figuring out how to integrate them into their games. They likely never found a reliable use for the physgun in gameplay outside of just messing around with the physics and being an invaluable debug tool, and as such, was cut. The Gmod physgun in the original versions of Gmod actually *used* the physgun code that was from the leak, further refining it over time. - The SLAM was removed due to not having any strategic value in Half-Life 2, due to the AI being far more advanced and much more intelligent. Due to it not being strategically valuable enough to be another weapon to scroll through, it was cut. The SLAM still lives on in Half-Life 2 Deathmatch, which was then carried over to Gmod. - The Molotov was likely cut for performance and use reasons. The frag grenade and SMG grenade made molotovs obsolete, and although molotovs are cool, don't have much strategic value; due to Half-Life 2's primarily linear environments, the molotov would only often cover in flames the locations the player needed to progress towards. Once weapon selection was being streamlined and finalized, this likely resulted in the Molotov being cut. It would've been really nice to see the Molotovs and brickbats being used in riots like the original concepts and maps, but in the final game, a full-on civil war occurred instead. Probably because torching and vandalizing homes wouldn't do them much good; the Combine don't live in those areas after all, the oppressed peoples, do. Sources: Raising The Bar Uncut, various interviews, datamining, and general HL2 historian knowledge from spending, well, almost my entire life studying Half-Life 2 and it's Beta. Half-Life 2 is very special to me, as it's the franchise that allowed me to do what I do now for a living, and was the catalyst for my creativity and fondness of modding, 3D art, and game development. :)
The MP7 also uses ammo that is designed for accuracy and armor penetration, so it makes sense for it to be the SMG for the Combine. The Combine gunship targeting rockets might have more to do with the rockets technically counting as NPC entities. The sniper rifle was a bit silly, as it was a single-shot weapon while magazine-fed semi-automatic rifles have been around for a long time. Also thanks for mentioning the MP5K being replaced by the MP7 in the game's development. I have a feeling many people think both were meant to exist at the same time in HL2.
Well there was a reason the original weapon list was so long. In the intended final game you wouldn't carry all the weapons on you at once but rather you had a limited arsenal where you would continually drop and pick up different weapons for the most part.
Honestly I wish retail Half-Life 2 did that too. It would have been cool and unique for there to be multiple types of each weapons and you could swap, say a Glock 17 for a USP Match when you find one or a Spas 12 for a Remington model something
@@jacobgardiner9267 I've often wondered why they went with the USP Match since it's a target/competition pistol, not a combat pistol. Also, I'd take a ye olde Remington 870 over a SPAS-12 any day. Btw, why does HL2's SPAS-12 only hold six rounds? It's not the short-barrel entry gun version like in Black Mesa. Oh! And the Black Mesa one holds eight rounds! So it's like they're backwards for no reason! Like people don't understand how magazine tubes work! 🤣 See also Brutal Doom's pump shotgun that holds two rounds more than should in accordance with its having a 14" barrel and a flush-fit magazine tube (like the entry gun version of the SPAS-12). Note: Assume total capacity is fully loaded mag tube plus one in the chamber using standard 2.75" 12-gauge rounds (18.5x70mm). Btw, shotgun cartridge length is expressed as its uncrimped length to accommodate for the shell being able to fit in and eject from the chamber after firing.
AK is quite fitting. It would show how limited rebels would be in access to modern weapons, aside of small numbers of these captured off the Combine. I agree that beta had a bit too mamy weapons, but final HL2 has 2-3 too few. It would add a bit of variety. Other issue is slightly nonsensical stuff lile MP7's grenade launcher due to valve merging older beta weapons into one. Ideally HL2 should've had the AK(or some other cold war rifle like FN FAL or HK G3 but in more rusty/worn out condition), Molotov as another throwable and Father Grigori's(or similar old repeater) rifle in place of a sniper.
Thing is, early HL2 allowed to carry only limited amount of weapons, so you was forced to choose which weapons you wanted to take and which you wanted to drop.
The rebels having AK47’s would actually make a lot of sense. Maybe they found an old warehouse with a stash of AK’s or they got them from raiding combine storages and finding a lot of em
I like the resurgence of HL2 Beta content in recent times Also, I feel like the AK would've fit nicely if it kept the rustic darker tone in the 2001-2002 era of the game. From what I understand back then the game was supposed to be more sinister, it was less about futurism and more about oppression. Having an old but ubiquitous gun like that fills the rifle role for a tone like that perfectly: old technology being reused in a devastated city and wasteland setting. Now I know it's a Russian weapon and the game was in America back then, but hey, us Americans really like us some AKs too
fun fact about the AR2, the grenade launcher isnt disabled, you just need to bind the command "+alt1" to toggle between the scope and the launcher. it functions normally by pressing secondary fire.
What they're saying is that the XM29 OICW is a 20mm "smart" grenade launcher that takes an under barrel assault rifle attachment, this making the grenade launcher primary. Let's just say that that's why it never got into full production.
The balls that you shoot out with the physgun's right click are actually weld points. Try sticking one on two different objects and bring them close to each other. Beta weapon videos always hold a special place in my heart.
i actually didn't know the physgun was suposed to be for puzzles i always thought it was for devs to demonstrate the physics engine and the hopwire exploding? i had no idea that happened but i have to say the combine guard gun fires kinda differently from the striders the striders shoot something closer to hunter bullets but clearly striders' are made of some energy thingy and fire a lot faster
It was, at first. Just to demonstrate the physics. But the team implemented into the game for puzzles and moving objects. And yeah, Combine Guard Gun looks different because there's a lot of difference between the actual development version of HL2, the original leak of HL2, and the LeakNet version of HL2 Beta that I capture from. It might be similar to the Striders in the original leak/development phase.
Honestly, AK-47 Belonged in Half-Life 2 I mean for it has come to represent resistance against superior power It's is a symbol of revolution and defiance, freedom for the commoner from suppression. But that's just me but it also makes sense, why it's in their Half-Life 2, takes place in an eastern European city which possible police forces and gun factory's make these firearms and plus the AK-47 is the most produced weapon in the world.
@DeWidox 01 and I'm guessing the M4 is a better example huh? I'm guessing for the combine seeing how many of them are used against civilians. Dont bring shitty political bs
Why would they cut the bullsquid? It was a good enemy in Half-Life 1 it would have worked just as good in hl2 like they would fit good in waterhazard and ravenholm.
They were placed in the wasteland early on, but the open area made them easy to avoid. They later put them in Water Hazard, where they would hide in the water and come out to attack, but then it turned out that they were too difficult to avoid in that context.
@@GreenChillZone Playtesters also got scared of going into the water because of the bullsquids. Also from what I remember hearing they toyed around with them being placed in the canals, so both route kanal and water hazard would have had them to some degree.
I think a lot of their final design decisions came down to streamlining the content as much as possible. Viciously cut every single ounce of fat. This contributes to the relentless pacing of the shipped game, every NPC and weapon has a clearly defined purpose that makes designing set pieces simpler, and the whole game is moving from set piece to set piece. The final game has a laser focus that came from cutting content with extreme prejudice.
@@bluegum6438 and the result is that it's boring after the first playthrough. They trimmed out all the sides that made it fun to explore more then once
@human grunt In all the videos, I've been moving around 2001 and 2002. There hasn't been a Beta 2003 video yet ;D *hint hint*. In seriousness - I will cover the Cut Content aspect of the Episodes, but after I have covered most of the HL2 Beta. There's still some stuff to talk about.
thanks for the credit man!, and about the AK, i think it would fit better in current hl2, as eastern european surplus or something. and the OICW's real life scope was just like in game, big chunk of metal thats heavy. also i can agree i love the look of the hl2 beta smg1 and the smg2. and i hate to be that guy, but when will tthe npc follow up video happen, and i love thisi video alot too!
Sure thing dude! Thanks for the suggestion!! And yeah I thought about that too, AKs being abundant in Eastern Europe, post-Soviet States. But still, you'd imagine there would be modern AKs as well. But then again, AK47 is literally a legendary weapon. If it would be any AK in a game, it should be the 47.
@@RadiationHazardYT personally tthough i think a more fitting weapon would be the md.63, (romainian ak with grip) or a vz.58, www.google.com/search?q=vz.58&sxsrf=ALeKk03gFJ9jeSRuzVnerAXwNsMj6l0pDA:1608585317104&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjss6qj_9_tAhVDV80KHddxDWoQ_AUoAXoECAkQAw&biw=1920&bih=1061#imgrc=zJ2-56UU6oE87M&imgdii=zCSVA0WMXwVCrM
Fun fact. The tripwire is still in the retail game and you can get it with a console command. I discovered this a few years ago so i dont exactly remember the command but it know it was impulse and some number. Nah im not mixing it up with impulse 101 it was a different command.
the OICW was a real concept weapon. the grenade launcher was supposed to have sort of smart explosives, set to explode at a distance determined by the opperator, so you could say, fire the grenade through a window and it explodes a few inches after that, taking out enemies hiding in the room. The scope housed the computer that'd program the grenade as it was fired, amongst other things like range finding and so on. it was a huge piece of equipment, and way too expensive
The ak47 makes sense for the story and lore however, they are used by rebels in the middle east due to ease of access and use from them being so plentiful
Since it's set in Eastern Europe, it makes sense that there'd be stockpiles of AKs, probably both AKMs and AK-74s. Edit/Note: AKM, yes. AK-74, no. Bulgaria never switched to the AK-74. They went from the AKM to the AR-M (aka AK-47M1). 0:50 If it has a burst-fire mode, it's not an AK-47. Certainly not a pre-1959 model. Judging by the receiver, it looks like they based it on the AKM (which was the standard model from 1959 to 1974). The magazine's curvature would reveal whether it's chambered for 7.62x39mm or 5.45x39mm. 1:20 All they'd need to do is make it an AK-74M (refer to above edit/note), which has been in service since 1991, and which is still in use IRL in our timeline. Maybe give it a grenade launcher like a GP-25 or GP-34. 1:30 Half-Life 2 started production in 1999. The AK-100 series was still relatively new at the time. But yeah. Maybe an AK-103 with a GP-25. 1:49 You can call it the "HK XM29 OICW" if you really want to. 2:07 So you can't even use the entire upper assembly?! Then what's even the point of it being an OICW?! Btw, that 20mm grenade launcher on top is actually the main weapon, with the underslung assault rifle being supplemental, and the launcher is intended for use with programmable airburst "smart" grenades. 2:14 Yet they didn't bother to give the MP7's model a visible grenade launcher (which is downright insulting). Edit/Note: Apparently, you can bind a key to make the launcher functional. 2:32 Despite the fact that the rifle element is 5.56 and should have low recoil and low muzzle-jump. 2:45 The real-world one has a computerized scope for use with smart grenades. 3:08 If they'd done it right, the OICW would have two reload animations, one for the launcher and one for the rifle. 4:46 Reminiscent of the flare guns from the 'Blood' games. And as with those games, the hammer isn't cocked. 7:00 Looks like an S&S machine gun from Borderlands 1. Glorious Havoc with mat2, barrel4, and body5. 9:35 Which is the opposite of reality. The whole point of 4x6x30mm is to be more accurate than typical pistol calibers, while also providing better penetration against light or medium armor. Also, why is there no "HK slap" animation for the MP5K? 9:45 False. As Ahoy pointed out in his Iconic Arms series, all MP5 variants are "Lawful Good through and through." An oppressive regime would be Lawful Evil. Eastern and Western regimes alike have been either Lawful Good and Lawful Evil and have used the same weaponry. As Ian McCollum and Brandon Herrera have pointed out, technology is separate from politics. Some of the best guns were developed under Lawful Evil regimes (like the AK), but were also used by the forces of Chaotic Good (who, being partisans, tend to use whatever they can get). 9:55 Technically a PDW due to its caliber. Also, it looks better. More like the real one. They really screwed it over in just about every way possible in the final version. They gave it two barrels, both with 4.6mm bores (so you know that one them ISN'T a grenade launcher). They gave it an invisible grenade launcher. And they gave it a 45-round mag capacity even though its mag is flush-fit with the magazine well and grip, meaning that it should be a 20-rounder, and it has the stock permanently collapsed for no reason. At least the foregrip is unfolded and grasped properly. What it should look like is as follows: Starting with the standard MP7, it should have the stock extracted and the foregrip unfolded. Also, it should have at least a 40-round mag and the model should reflect that (45 rounds is also fine), meaning that the mag should be at least twice the length of the grip. And since it has a grenade launcher, the ideal model would the GP-95, a Russian grenade launcher intended for use with the 9A-91 subcompact rifle (9x39mm). It's not farfetched to think that the GP-95's mount could be adapted to fit on other compact guns. Also, we could assume that, rather than the GP-95 being mounted on the MP7, they're spliced together as a combination weapon from the get-go. So two triggers could be built into the trigger assembly (rather than having two separate triggers in two different places). Having one trigger with a switch to toggle between the upper weapon and the underslung launcher would be detrimental to the design. That's the biggest problem with the Groza-9/40 (in OTs-14-4A-04 configuration which is the one with the grenade launcher like in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.). 10:41 Should have better accuracy. 10:58 Burt Gummer uses one of those in Tremors 2. 11:06 Why'd they make it left-handed? 11:05 Ackchyually, it's an anti-material rifle. 11:17 That's just downright insulting! The fourth Rambo movie illustrates what .50 BMG can really do, ripping fools apart and splattering their bits all over the place. Those rounds are made to destroy vehicles, after all. 16:31 Should do more damage than the crowbar because its pick end would more easily drive its way into vital organs, especially the brain, just like a war pick or war hammer with a pick end. 17:06 That image is flipped/mirrored. Also, Alyx's machine pistol and Father Grigori's "Annabelle" (a ye olde Winchester levergun) are both usable weapons in at least one HL2 mod (I forget its name). Annabelle has functional iron sights.
I personally like the look of the beta MP7 more. The retail one just looks almost too small in general, and definitely too small to launch the grenades that it does. I agree the 5K looks the best of the SMG models, though maybe they thought it didn't have enough of a "futuristic" aesthetic. As for the OICW, they could have used a weapon like the FN F2000, if they wanted a similar, but more sleek design.
I really like the MP5K too. I loved the compactness and how unique it was to the roster, and how it did kind of fit the HL2 vibe. The fact that the beta CPs used it, felt more scary in a way. That the combine would assimilate things your kind knew to use it against you since it was easy to get, and already existed. They still do the same thing with the odd looking MP7 in HL2 retail, but for some reason, the MP5K looks better and seems better. I don't know how to explain it either. I do feel that the SLAMS and the Gauss Gun could've been used in some areas. Some fights with striders like in HL2:E2 certainly would've been so much more fun with the fact of having a ray gun that can take things out faster than the RPG. Slams would've also made some areas of the game more unique too. Possibly being able to trick enemies or use them in the HL2:E1 fight where you have to protect the Vorts who're healing Alyx. The hopper grenades do exist, and are seen to something similar in HL:A. Which is a grenade that you can pick out of a Xen Flora thing that produces them. Though it acts like a grenade, it has about the same model (though much more udpated). - Continuing: Some of the weapons were probably supposed to also be changed out over time. So, the AK and the HMG with the Ice axe, and flare gun were probably supposed to be for the Borealis and the Kraken base scenes, while the MP series weapons and duel purpose grenade/normal rifle were more possibly for the open city, and the Citadel; Along with the Molotov, slams, rock, bricks, etc. The cut areas where it's more long range were more obviously tuned for the snipers and binoculars. The Tau canon / GaussGun, I don't see where that fit in since it seems like it lost it's place during beta too. These were all probably cut because, switching loadouts every other chapter of 4-5 scenes seems a little overwhelming, since you just got used to said weapons, *BAM*, here's a whole new set up including op ones you didn't have before but you may lose for another op weapon later on. I think the physics gun probably suffered the same fate with the Gauss gun, just lost its place in the beta, since I don't really recall seeing most of the brought back maps from the Beta era of 2000 - 2002 really having areas to show off the phys gun. Some maps in 2000 probably did, same with 01 maps, but I haven't seen them or know of them.
I agree with you and there are two things to consider: first, originally Gordon could carry only very few weapons. So player was forced to choose which ones to take and which ones to drop. Most likely different chapters offered different arsenal for Gordon to use, so players organically replaced their weapons over course of the game. Also, HL2 was supposed to be much bigger game: approximately 1/3 of the game was cut (7 chapters), so there were definitely enough place for those weapons.
@@ShadowSumac Yeah, I agree with you too. There definitely was enough weapons to fit what was cut, and the mechanic of only allowing certain amounts of weapons per chapter seems about right too.
Actually there are some inaccuracies in this. To start off, the smg2 was an mp7, same as the smg1, in the anon-hl2 leak. That model is official, not a recreation. Both smgs at the time of the leak were mp7s of different shape and functionality. The smg1 worked about the same as the final one, albeit with a slower firerate, as it was likely the exact same code and functionality as the mp5k before it was replaced. The smg2 would carry significantly more rounds in its magazine (60 rounds,) and had a full auto and 3-shot burst fire setting that could be switched between via right clicking (3 shot is bugged both in the leak and retail, only firing 1 shot in retail, and only 2 in leaknet.) The smg2 works basically identically to Alyx's Gun in retail, as well as the hmg1, with the differences being the amount of ammo in each gun and the damage done by each. The physgun has an alt fire that applies weld balls onto objects. picking up objects with weld balls on them and bringing them near each other would make them attempt to attach to each other, although it's incredibly buggy. You missed a functionality to the SLAM that's not in hl2:dm: they could be switched between detonator mode and tripmine mode. If you have a slam in detonator mode and you move up against a wall, you could attach it to the wall while it was still in detonator mode, whereas in hl2:dm, attaching slams to walls and floors would automatically switch them to tripmine mode. Molotovs were not part of the brickbat weapon lineup. They were their own weapon with their own inventory slot, inventory image, and entity name. I don't blame you for not knowing this since it's a niche piece of information and is broken in all builds, even leaknet, but the iceaxe had an alt fire that would half the attack speed but double the damage. It also has some swinging animations that are never called. There's no evidence that the socket wrench was ever actually seen as a weapon outside of concept art, as far as I know. And now the playable weapons that you missed, there are actually quite a few you didn't include: weapon_manhack: a 2000/2001 era manhack blade that swings below the player's vision. This would have been used in the playable manhack arcade. weapon_alyxgun: Alyx's gun is usable in both the leak and final. It works about the same as the smg2 and hmg1, but its fire rate is incredibly high. weapon_rollerwand: a wand that would have been used to control the "roller buddy," a type of rollermine that went unused and later evolved into the hacked rollermines seen in episode 1. It uses the slam+detonator as a temp viewmodel weapon_thumper: A deployable antlion thumper. It uses the slam+detonator as a temp viewmodel, and a yellow fire hydrant as a temp worldmodel. It also has an unused model of a larger hydrant. weapon_stickylauncher: This one's a classic, I'm shocked you missed it. A pistol that fires sticky grenade balls that explode when right clicked. Later became the Demo's sticky launcher in tf2. weapon_tripwire: a wall-only slam-like weapon that, when placed, will shoot out a grenade with a wire attached to it. If anyone touches the wire, it will fire several rockets out of the slam directed at whatever triggered it. Bonus: Post release cut content: weapon_annabelle - In Half-Life 2, Grigori's Annabelle is fully usable, and functions as a highly accurate, 2 shot magnum rifle. Clever players can use physics objects to kill Grigori as they are leaving Ravenholm and take it with them. Vortex Hopwire/Black Hole Grenade - weapon_hopwire in Half-Life 2 Episode 1 gives a grenade that throws rollermines, which then turn into black holes, sucking in surrounding npcs and entities, and destroying them. weapon_magnade - Magnusson Device weapon cut from Episode 2. This would have been a handheld version of the magnusson device. It was likely cut because being able to hold several magnussons at once would have been too easy. Code references for it still exist and the cut viewmodel of Freeman holding a magnusson device is still in Episode 2's files. All in all, this was a good first shot at the cut weapons, but a true betaman must look between the lines and find what the wandering eyes of a normal man cannot.
Hey thanks man! And sorry I missed a lot of these points. The video was a bit rushed, and does have some problems with it. I'll probably cover the ones you wrote about as a bonus in the "cut characters follow up" video.
The AKM (miss-named as the AK-47) being classified as the AR-1 is actually a good idea. They're not weapons that are being newly produced, but surplus weapons readily available in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, from the first day the Combine established any form of local human security forces. They would be 'good enough' and standardized until something else could be built. The AK-100 series conversely are only available in the tens of thousands even today as none were ever adopted for military service, but only police, security, and commercial sale. The rifle fits perfectly with the idea of the combine repurposing human resources to their own ends - which was much more strongly pronounced in the beta. Retail had them more-so taking human ideas, but developing their own technology to fit those roles. The AK-74 would also have worked, but 1990s and 2000s western media almost universally lacked an understanding that not every AK was an AK-47, so I'm not really surprised. The OICW, by contrast, was an ill-conceived prototype of the 90s, meant to be a 'do-everything' rifle for the US Army - a leftover from runaway cold war defence spending designed-by-committee: which is to say it sucked. It's excessive bulk and cost ended up being its primary drawbacks, and the project eventually split into the seperate XM8 and XM25, neither of which were adopted, but the later was at least used until the late 2000s. The thicc optic on top is the size it is because it includes a rangefinder and targeting computer to properly control the air-bursting 25mm grenades. The Combine's later "Overwatch Standard Issue Pulse Rifle" OSIPR AR-2 obviously has some inspiration from this, both from its full name and that every single rifle has a built-in secondary weapon, though it much better suits the Combine's sci-fi industrial technological aesthetic, and does so with a much more streamlined profile. And, of course, the 'AR-2' in retail does imply that an AR-1 did exist. So Combine-issued Kalashnikovs might even return to canon one day. Or, maybe it's the AR-2-like carbine variant carried by Combine Ordinals in Alyx - which is also entirely possible. As for the MP7, I would argue it isn't in the game at all. The retail SMG-1 has a different frame and overall shape, and grenade launching functionality that the original weapon totally lacked. More likely, the Combine simply took the MP7's design and continued development on their own, since the MP7 only went into production in 2001 and likely would have been next to entirely unavailable in large numbers by the time of HL1, or not at all depending on what year it took place.
I wish valve released the beta storyline as a full game, im genuinely interested in it, infact i find it amazing, the darker atmosphere is a big changer.
Me too. But the only choice for replaying HL2 Beta would be the ongoing mods like Raising the Bar Redux or Dark Interval. They did an amazing job in recreating some of the HL2 Beta world.
My favorite beta weapon was the Combine Guard Gun. The idea of disintegrating people sounds awesome. Also... Yeah Combine Guards kind of sucked, or at least in terms of gameplay. If I had to make a compromise, I would say make it a Strider Cannon, have low ammo capacity and make that ammo somewhat rare like what Doom does with the BFG. I don't know, I love using interesting weapons in FPS games and just lovez mines guns.
Tbh if it were going to have to be similar to the bfg, I would say have the ammo be the combine balls that are used in the altfire for the pulse rifle, and it would use more ammo then the regular alt fire
I really like the arsenal in retail, although I think it could have used some guns like the Tau Cannon and the guard gun. I like the guard gun a lot actually, I feel like it should have been powered by the combine elite energy pellet ammunition, making it very rare, it would should've been given to you at around the halfway point of the game and been encouraged for large crowds of enemies having a limit of 4 charges. I also wish the Tau Cannon as well as the gluon gun would've been added back. The Tau Cannon should've been given to you after Eli's lab and the Gluon gun should've been given at the start of the street wars. More than anything, I wish there was more incentive to use the AR2 in retail, the gun was great, but there was so much SMG ammo, there was no reason to use the AR2. Although the beta had more weapons I think they were all really redundant, there being 4 full auto weapons felt ridiculous, same as the flare gun and rifle and 3 melee weapons, as only 1 would be used unless you ran out of ammo on a gun. The crossbow and sniper should have been made to coexist by making the crossbow have a large ammo limit, but it being a projectile weapon would encourage you to use it on slow moving enemies and the sniper could've had a cache of around 5 bullets, but because it would be a hitscan, would be used for faster enemies. Sorry for the entire essay, but I like to fully express my opinions
@The Slayer I always thought the Kap-40 from Black Ops 2 exsisted in real life, so i thought the real life equivelent of it is Alyx's gun. It took me a while to realise that the Kap-40 doesn't actually exsist and i only found out that its a M1911 when HL Alyx dropped lol. Dont get me wrong, they do look similiar.
Ngl AK-47 is like... the universal symbol of rebellion, it's a cheap, easy-to-produce gun made by the soviets, it's been used in so many real life rebellions
Another amazing HL2 beta video! I am a sucker for these and even though I already knew some things, I was surprised by how much l learned from your videos. You have a new subscriber! Keep it going, I hope that the Cremator won't get you!
The reason why the retail SMG's grenade is labelled ar2_grenade is because the grenade that the SMG fires is a similar type to what the OICW actually fires and was probably made originally for the AR2.
Sure, the AK-47 is old and obsolete, but it was likely used because it's the only thing the Rebels can get their hands on. Also, the Sniper likely did less damage than it should because whoever wrote the skill.cfg file (the file that deals with ammo reserves enemy health, damage, etc) likely messed it up and set its damage low.
I think the ak47 is actually very fitting for the rebels of hl2 especially considering the fact that they changed the setting to eastern Europe. Yes it's an old gun but really aside from combine weapons or secret experimental weapons remember that human progress basically halts at 1997 so you can't get something like the ak12. Now they never specify if it would be an ak47 ak74 or akm and the model is quite lowpoly to just look at. My point is I think any classic wooden variant of the AK would still have a place in half-life 2, obviously not in the hands of combine but I would think some rebels would be more comfortable with home grown equipment than stolen pulse rifle and the ak74 variant is still used frequently today. The AK is a symbol of defiance and rebellion that would've worked well with the themes of the game.
As a counter to your "AK doesn't belong in half life" I say this. HL2 takes place between 2020 and 2029 (I say 2023 as early HL1 docs site 2003 as the year HL1 takes place) it's currently the year 2021 and AKs of all varieties are still in use around the world, especially by armies and militias with little to no funding. There's also the fact that HL2 takes place in eastern europe (even looking very similar to soviet era eastern european countries), former warsaw pact where the AK was in use and large supply since 1947. I'd also urge you to take a look at the Conscripts. the gear they wear is very reminiscent of a cold war era, US Infantryman. (Take note of the vest and helmet which look very similar to the PASGT vest and helmet.) In conclusion, Given the location of HL2, I say it fits right in both in design and lore wise as it's in the realm of possibility that small cashes of AKs could be hiding in old forgotten soviet bunkers or armories.
Those are good points. But what I meant by being "obsolete" was in terms of its age. I was only saying that the newer variants might have been a better choice. But then again, the 47 was the most-produced one so it still makes sense for it to be in the game.
@@RadiationHazardYT exactly. Not to mention, there were copies of the AK made throughout the world, the most notorious bring the Chinese AK. Eastern germany also made an AK Copy for it's army.
it would be nicer if all weapon slots got some kind of upgrade route in HL2, like you start from the weaker and worse variants like 9mm weak load CP standard issue USP Match to full power 45ACP(will less ammo in the clip and scarcer ammunition but drasticly more damage, could have a black slide to differentiate) one later. MP5K with equaly weak load also used by CP protection being upgrade to armour piercing MP7 with much better accuracy, rate of fire and laser sight(without a grenade launcher) and last upgrade on SMG slot would be OICW with 5,56mm as most powerful assault weapon with powder charge as tech with combination grenade launcher. Then for assault rifle slot we would start with AK47/AKM and upgrade to perhaps some Nato powererd rifle that is only for most important resistence members lik FN FAL or HK G3 and last upgrade being Combines AR2 or it would have its own slot. Sniper weapons would start from Rebar Crossbow, then upgrading to some old carbine rifle could be a lever action revolver rancher gun, or something front world war 2 like Mauser K98, or something more recent like sniper rifle from Opposing force. Then Combine Antimaterial Sniper rifle, being first kinetic weapon that can damage Striders, and as final upgrade in one of the episodes some semi-automatic Antimaterial rifle from resistence like 0.50CAL Barret. Shotguns could just include some basic old pump action before upgrade into either a double barrel shotgun that i think Grigoris Annabelle is meant to be instead of lever action rifle just from way he shoots, it could be an over/under double barrel with choice of using slugs or normal 12 gauge ammo and having actual powerful double fire and quick successive shot, or SPAS 12 that has a burst of 2 shots and more ammo. RPGs could stard from some old grenade launcher like M79 upgrading to RPG-7 until final guided AT4/Stinger rocket launcher, being weaker. And You would have a choice if you want. Revolver could stard from some old lower caliber break action style, going to Colt Python 357 from the game and ending on some more powerful 0.44 magnum revolver. And it shouldnt reload with the damn speed loader but one by one round like a shotgun more or less(like in Max Payne 3) since gordon shouldnt even have one and reload doesnt show it, plus its power should be punished with a bit longer reload(tho its more of a reward as it could be skipped loading only few rounds) Combine it with some Quality of life features like Ammo being counted in total so you never have wasted pick ups, kind of like L4D2 just gives you amount of reserve plus what you should have in the clip depending if its empty or not. Special weapons slot would be for something like Tau Cannon or Immolator. Molotov would be an alternative to combine handgrenades. Slam would share a slot with hopwire grenade. You wouldnt ever have option to have all of them at once but they would be an option for each slot and would be found depending on area and stage of story you are in at the moment, which would make the world feel more organic and varient instead of the same things everywhere just like same civilian models are everywhere...
I feel like the OIC could have been kept but as an in-lore thing, used by the best among the resistance forces and maybe be a weapon that the Resistance itself makes to help match the combine forces.
The only thing i hated about HL2 was that they didnt implement the snarks, tripmines, tau-cannon and gluon cannon from HL1. I kinda liked these exotic weapons :D
MP5K would have made an interesting addition because its something Gordon would've been very familiar with, seeing as he used a regular MP5 back in Black Mesa
I think the ak and other rifles could well be kept as variants for the rebel AI to wield honestly. While it makes sense for the rebels to salvage and repurpose combine equipment, there is still room for "old world" weapons.
The AR1 is actually a AKM model, as you can tell with the slim body and lines on the top railing. A normal classic AK47 would be thicker, and have no lines.
Based of the amount of weapons makes me think that Gordon would loose his weapons along his journey, kinda what happends in half life 1 when he gets grabbed by the HECU and in HL2 when he looses his weapon in the Citadel
Just for a bit of clarification, the combine guard gun and the immolater both had models in the leak, just missing materials and other bugs that got patched. The MP5 viewmodel never got leaked, all that exist of it are some textures and a screenshot from a valve dev's portfolio. The MP7 viewmodel wasn't fan made, the model exist and all that needs to be done to get it in the game is edit the script file and make it use "V_SMG2" instead of "V_SMG1". Slam works like both satchels and tripmines. The hopwire viewmodel wasn't leaked so most mods use recreations (like hes using). Brickbats technically throw fast headcrabs, but not really. At the time, classic headcrabs looked how fast headcrabs look now. The molotov viewmodel is also a recreation.
Immolator and Combine Guard Gun could have been overpowered, because, they were supposed to use only in certain segments of the game (like Super GravGun). Also, most likely you could not gain additional charges for them. So if you run out of ammo you'd be forced to drop them and use regular weapons. It is more or less obvious with CGG: it has only 3 charges and there is no way you can pick up ammo for it. Of course, since CG was cut before he was even finished they might have implemented some sort of ammo pick up for CGG, but I doubt it. Also, Sniper Riffle used in arcade version of Half Life 2.
@@RadiationHazardYT You could say that. I'm active in both Project Beta and Valve Cut Content and I've done a lot of textures and models for the leak, especially megapatch/megabuild. Actually, we've just about finished our comprehensive pages on remade textures over on vcc.wiki. I've done a number of borealis textures.
@@wolfcl0ck That's awesome!! I gotta say, the way the VCC wiki dives deep into the Beta stuff, is unreal! So much detail and information. Also - it's awesome to have an OG like yourself here, thank you!!
To be fair the original half life had a lot of weapons that were either too niche or just plain redundant. For example, the claymore mines I only ever used against black ops troopers and never again. Or the tau cannon to the gluon gun, both use the same ammo type and filled largely the same role so I usually defaulted to the gluon gun. Valve must’ve thought the same as many of the gimmick guns got removed
The AK may have been supurflous from a gameplay perspective, but i would say that it was anything but from an atmosphere perspective. It would have been unique as the only gun in the game that was truly native to City 17 since before it became City 17. A weapon that would have the same gritty feeling as the old soviet apartment blocks that litter the landscape and one that you could expect to find in old piles of garbage, having been lost as a consequence of the 7 hour war. I think this is something that is sorely missing in Half Life 2. Really, it should have been an AK-74 since it is the assault rifle of Eastern European militaries. The AK-47 is indeed too old while the newer AK models you mention are rare guns that you would only expect to find in the hands of Russian Spetsnaz units. The rebels could have given you one with a GP-25 grenade launcher so that we could have gotten rid of that ridicolous MP-7 grenade launcher. I am at a loss as to how that thing is supposed to work since it's located where the gas piston is on the actual gun. Putting a grenade launcher there means you get to fire tiny grenades at the expense of turning your MP-7 submachinegun in to an MP-7 bolt action pistol.
I do think the flare gun would have been good for dark areas as it provides a static light rather than a spotlight so it would be helpful in lighting areas where the player has more than one option 1) face danger head on with the flashlight 2) throw a flare to light the way to provide strategy
That's a good point. A flare would have been a way to light up, like, all directions. It would have been nice to use it as a weapon, in drastic circumstances I guess.
Espacially talking about the Kalashnikovs You also have to include when the game was released and when the Avtomat Kalashnikov 74, 103, etc. got released
"So have you ever used an AR2 before?" "AR2? Nooo... Now, an AR3, sure, plenty of times." "There's no such thing as an AR3" "Well, See, in the city... The place was lousy with AR3s" "No it wasn't." "Yes it was." "No it-- So, do you know what the alternative fire method does on the AR2? It kills hunters. How did you city folk kill hunters." "We sure as hell didn't use guns. We would just wrestle hunters to the ground with our bare hands. I used to kill ten-- twenty a day, just using my fists!" "So when you're out in the field, you're going to be punching hunters?" "Out in the field? I'm not going out in the field. I'm a radio operator." "(groan) That's it. Leave. You don't need to be here and I'm not going to continue the lesson until you leave." "I'm staying right here!" "I am serious, leave."
It's a common misconception that the SMG2 is just a different model to the retail MP7. It's actually a completely different gun, ironically called the SMG II... an experimental H&K submachine gun designed for the U.S. Navy.
the Immolator actually was good enough to be in the game, its ammunition being very limited is what balances its use. it's supposed to be the successor to the Gluon Gun, from half life 1. both is very similar, deleting anything that touches its beam. why did they cut it? using the gluon gun was fun.
@@RadiationHazardYT yeah the mod was enjoyable! Btw the creator who made MMod for hl2 was making a MMod v2.0 for hl1 and I just can't wait for it to come out
The sniper rifle is the most favourite in my opinion, it sounds strong, it looks heavily modified to be modern like. Its damage is weak, the devs could make it stronger before the crossbow was used and the sniper rifle was cut. I feel like it would be used by rebels.
Is it me, or are most of the weapons in the Beta really weak? Like, it takes way too many shots just to kill a zombie, and the Combine kills you so fast. Their guns are like .50 BMG while yours are just airsoft replicas. I have no clue what Valve was thinking when they made them deal so little damage. I assume the flare gun was one of the first few weapons. I can see it being useful in the early Hyperborea which was the first chapter of the game, since I assume you wouldn't have a HEV suit. The model and textures look really old, too.
@@RadiationHazardYT imagine a combine surviving a bolt and being pinned to a wall with no help around. the wound would probably be cauterized by the hot rebar so bleeding out wouldn't happen.
@@unoriginalperson72 jeez that's dark not being able to move a certain body part (probably an arm or a leg) and having to wait for help while immense pain is flooding through that body part you know it's going to be amputated you probably have 4th degree burns by that point and you just want to die but gordon walks away not noticing you aren't dead
I (don't) like to think that the og smg1 and the ak were cut because they were so "generic", and the devs wanted to bring something new to the table when it came to firearms used in popular media. I still adore the designs (and i wonder why is the ak damage lower than what i expected?) and the og smg1 is such a iconic thing for the Beta :D
One interesting thing about the MP5K is that there is an unused, VERY early version in the leak called "jaytest" half-life.fandom.com/wiki/Jaytest Pretty much, it was a reminant from the Goldsource days when weapons were affixed to models and this was used by the Metrocops / Gasmask Citizens as a placeholder weapon. So, the MP5K was a weapon since the Pitch days.
I remember when the OICW was in so many games at that period, as it was hyped up to be the next big thing, but like the XM8 and F2000 it didn't really go anywhere
The AK rifle is a perfect rifle for rebels. Even in it's outdated state, the AKM (AK47s are much much rarer) is one of the most common rifles in the world and such would be pretty easy to get ahold of. It's why insurgents and first/second world countries still use the rifle and similar others to this day.
Funfact1:in hammer editor for half life 2 citizen have option to hold bottles but it doesn't do anything. Funfact2: there is weapon in portal called hopwire it works diffrent then in half life 2 beta beacuse if you throw it, it sucks everything near it and then dissapears.
@@da_plasma_catto1801 It should have been an AK-74 since it is the assault rifle of Eastern European militaries. The AK-47 is too old while the newer AK models are rare guns that you would only expect to find in the hands of Russian Spetsnaz units. The rebels could have given the player one with a GP-25 grenade launcher so that we could have gotten rid of that ridicolous MP-7 grenade launcher. The AK was cut because it was supurflous from a gameplay perspective, but i would argue that it was anything but supurflous from an atmosphere perspective. It would have been unique as the only gun in the game that was truly native to City 17 since before it became City 17. The AK-74 is a weapon that would have fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the city and one that you could expect to find in old piles of garbage, having been lost as a consequence of the 7 hour war. I think this is something that is sorely missing in Half Life 2.
i think an AK would have been fitting if it had some vague futuristic crap slapped on it. that's basically what the russels are in half life alyx but they're gloves. take a mundane old thing and modify it with some slapdash new technology. i don't know what it would be, maybe an ammo counter digital display
Look at that Scope it is *H U M O N G O U S*
HUGH MONGOS
*HUMONGUS HUMBOLANGUNGAS!*
*A REAL PAIR OF CHONKERS*
Scratchy sus 😳
Amogus
@Scratchy ruclips.net/video/8-NcrRzH0vA/видео.html
Broke: Alyx' gun
Woke: Russel's gun
Transcended: *Lazlo's gun*
Russel is supposed to be lazlo, but that's changed
@@esplooze There are also animations for the Alyx Pistol that unfold it into a submachine gun.
god dude i hope we get a full story on lazlo
@@0mikr0n Hey!
imo for the AK-47, most rebels prolly wouldn't get their hands on things like SPAS-12's and PR's until gordon returned, so the AK would be their best bet for defense.
The AK is the perfect tool for resistance, a rebelion, and a aggreasion
@@da_plasma_catto1801 Especially since HL2 takes place in Eastern Europe.
I just started scrolling down to write a comment about how AK Style Rifles are the most common ones in the world, and then this comment showed up.
If rebels could get hands on some 5.45mm or 5.56 they can use M16 and other ak (AKM and AK47 uses 7.62)
Well, there's a simple reason why it isn't:Its out of service, weapons simply dont pop out of thin air, same with ammo, weapons like MP7's and the USP Matches are still being used by the metropolice and produced, so its easier to just gank metrocops for weaponry, Spas 12's and AR2's are a rare treat as they are used by the OTA Soldiers, which dont see deployments that often.
I believe the physgun was cut because play testers would just get on top of a physics object and prop fly across the map and it would kind of slightly break everything.
That might be the case. Funny thing is that I tried that and it actually worked. It was janky, but you can levitate by just using the physgun.
@@RadiationHazardYT I mean, it generally just didn't fit in, and what would be its practical use? Moving very heavy objects that you aren't supposed to move would also break some puzzles.
considering how easy that is in gmod, i think that's for the better
@@therealbubble4696 With some limitations it could have seen its uses. Especially its ability to combine different things together.
@@ShadowSumac Yeah but, the gravity gun does that job pretty well.
Some extra information for the video:
- The AK47 was a "rebel" weapon. This is because the OICW was intended to be the Combine's weapon due to it's futuristic look in real life. Opinion wise, it makes sense to me that it exists; it's an incredibly reliable, widespread, and easy to maintain weapon. It would definitely be the weapon of choice for a resistance. It's also only 20 years older than the Spas-12, and only 5 years older than the Colt Python used by Gordon in the retail game.
- The OICW was intended to be the Combine's main assault weapon, as the original plan was for the Combine to integrate humanity's technology into their own, instead of having their own Combine technology. This is why the helicopters are old soviet helicopters. This design decision was based on the fact that the OICW was futuristic and modular, and it just flat out looked cool, so it was chosen. Ironically, the OICW it was based off in real life, was quite unreliable, and was only in service for a short while due to how much it malfunctioned and had issues. The model in the video is the old outdated 2001-2002 one, and it indeed was replaced with the AR2 Pulse Rifle, which in-fact still uses it's original 2002-2003 model where it was a strange flare gun, to this day.
- The immolator was intended to have a cool alt-fire function that isn't shown off in the video. The alt-fire would spew fluid onto the ground, and could then be ignited, in order to create an impromptu flame trap.
- The irifle flare gun aspects were placeholder. It's officially labelled as an 'incendiary rifle', so although it's purpose is to light targets on fire, and the assets were flares, that doesn't necessarily mean it's final intention was to be similar to the flare gun. Remember, the game was unfinished when this leak occurred. The alt-fire in the final game is the evolution of the original idea, with it becoming able to shoot like an assault rifle being implemented after the OICW was cut and the Combine needed a suitable replacement.
- The Stinger RPG didn't have a tracked laser in the leak. Funnily enough, during development, once the laser was added, it created an unintended side-effect where combine gunships would try shooting the rocket out of the air as it flew towards them. This accidental side-effect became an actual feature soon afterwards.
- The MP5k was likely cut due to it being too outdated compared to the MP7 when the weapons got streamlined. The MP5k was likely originally planned to be the rebel's alternative to the Combine's MP7. Once weapon selection became more streamlined however, and weapons began getting cut, the MP5k presumably was cut due to being based on technology from the 60's, making it the third oldest weapon in the game's development. It would have been replaced in favor of the MP7, which came out in the early 2000's, making it be picked for a similar reason as the OICW. The MP7 is also a lesser known weapon, so it's nice that they picked it.
- Note the stark technological differences between the MP5k and MP7. The MP7 has holotech, a mounted rail, a polished appearance, extendable stock, etc.; although the viewmodel is a model recreation, the HUD icon shows us how much more technologically advanced the MP7 was over the MP5k, which would explain why it got picked over the MP5k to be part of the Combine's arsenal, and in-turn, be used by rebels under the guise of stolen equipment.
- The Sniper's concept still lives on through the Combine. In Episode Two, you can actually see how a Combine Sniper Rifle looks like when you first see the Jalopy, as it's mounted inside of a Sniper's Nest that Alyx perches herself into in order to provide covering fire for you. My guess is the Sniper Rifle was a Combine Armament, and after it was chosen that the player had the makeshift Crossbow due to it making more sense in-universe and in-game for rebels to have, the Sniper Rifle lived on as an exclusively Combine armament.
- The physgun wasn't necessarily cut, but assimilated into the gravity gun. Both existed side-by-side in the leak, but it's likely the Gravity Gun was the one that was intended for use by the player, with the physgun just sorta.. Being there, because the code for it existed. The physgun saw most of it's use during the E3 Demo. Valve's design philosophy when creating these features is finding really cool, fun toys, and then figuring out how to integrate them into their games. They likely never found a reliable use for the physgun in gameplay outside of just messing around with the physics and being an invaluable debug tool, and as such, was cut. The Gmod physgun in the original versions of Gmod actually *used* the physgun code that was from the leak, further refining it over time.
- The SLAM was removed due to not having any strategic value in Half-Life 2, due to the AI being far more advanced and much more intelligent. Due to it not being strategically valuable enough to be another weapon to scroll through, it was cut. The SLAM still lives on in Half-Life 2 Deathmatch, which was then carried over to Gmod.
- The Molotov was likely cut for performance and use reasons. The frag grenade and SMG grenade made molotovs obsolete, and although molotovs are cool, don't have much strategic value; due to Half-Life 2's primarily linear environments, the molotov would only often cover in flames the locations the player needed to progress towards. Once weapon selection was being streamlined and finalized, this likely resulted in the Molotov being cut. It would've been really nice to see the Molotovs and brickbats being used in riots like the original concepts and maps, but in the final game, a full-on civil war occurred instead. Probably because torching and vandalizing homes wouldn't do them much good; the Combine don't live in those areas after all, the oppressed peoples, do.
Sources: Raising The Bar Uncut, various interviews, datamining, and general HL2 historian knowledge from spending, well, almost my entire life studying Half-Life 2 and it's Beta. Half-Life 2 is very special to me, as it's the franchise that allowed me to do what I do now for a living, and was the catalyst for my creativity and fondness of modding, 3D art, and game development. :)
Good post, thank you.
If im correct the SLAM is also in half life 2 capture the flag along with a few other cut weapons
@@boonis5298 well, I'm only including official games. HL2CTF is a mod, but, yes, lots of mods lovingly recreate a number of these things :)
The MP7 also uses ammo that is designed for accuracy and armor penetration, so it makes sense for it to be the SMG for the Combine. The Combine gunship targeting rockets might have more to do with the rockets technically counting as NPC entities. The sniper rifle was a bit silly, as it was a single-shot weapon while magazine-fed semi-automatic rifles have been around for a long time. Also thanks for mentioning the MP5K being replaced by the MP7 in the game's development. I have a feeling many people think both were meant to exist at the same time in HL2.
The stun baton is also obtainable in valinna Deathmatch. Also it's Russel's gun, not Alyx damnit. Poor Russel losing his good gun
Well there was a reason the original weapon list was so long. In the intended final game you wouldn't carry all the weapons on you at once but rather you had a limited arsenal where you would continually drop and pick up different weapons for the most part.
i would love to see that as a mod
@@spliffern2662 Hunt down the Freeman kek
Honestly I wish retail Half-Life 2 did that too. It would have been cool and unique for there to be multiple types of each weapons and you could swap, say a Glock 17 for a USP Match when you find one or a Spas 12 for a Remington model something
Kinda like somewheres between S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Halo. One weapon per slot or something like that?
Edit: Or F.E.A.R.
@@jacobgardiner9267 I've often wondered why they went with the USP Match since it's a target/competition pistol, not a combat pistol. Also, I'd take a ye olde Remington 870 over a SPAS-12 any day. Btw, why does HL2's SPAS-12 only hold six rounds? It's not the short-barrel entry gun version like in Black Mesa. Oh! And the Black Mesa one holds eight rounds! So it's like they're backwards for no reason! Like people don't understand how magazine tubes work! 🤣 See also Brutal Doom's pump shotgun that holds two rounds more than should in accordance with its having a 14" barrel and a flush-fit magazine tube (like the entry gun version of the SPAS-12).
Note: Assume total capacity is fully loaded mag tube plus one in the chamber using standard 2.75" 12-gauge rounds (18.5x70mm). Btw, shotgun cartridge length is expressed as its uncrimped length to accommodate for the shell being able to fit in and eject from the chamber after firing.
AK is quite fitting. It would show how limited rebels would be in access to modern weapons, aside of small numbers of these captured off the Combine.
I agree that beta had a bit too mamy weapons, but final HL2 has 2-3 too few.
It would add a bit of variety. Other issue is slightly nonsensical stuff lile MP7's grenade launcher due to valve merging older beta weapons into one.
Ideally HL2 should've had the AK(or some other cold war rifle like FN FAL or HK G3 but in more rusty/worn out condition), Molotov as another throwable and Father Grigori's(or similar old repeater) rifle in place of a sniper.
The AK has been a staple to the Counter-Strike series since the early betas in 1999.
Thing is, early HL2 allowed to carry only limited amount of weapons, so you was forced to choose which weapons you wanted to take and which you wanted to drop.
while the visual design looks real out of place for half life, thats nothing a model or texture change cant fix
The rebels having AK47’s would actually make a lot of sense.
Maybe they found an old warehouse with a stash of AK’s or they got them from raiding combine storages and finding a lot of em
Grigori uses an over/under double barrelled shotgun, not a repeater rifle.
I like the resurgence of HL2 Beta content in recent times
Also, I feel like the AK would've fit nicely if it kept the rustic darker tone in the 2001-2002 era of the game. From what I understand back then the game was supposed to be more sinister, it was less about futurism and more about oppression. Having an old but ubiquitous gun like that fills the rifle role for a tone like that perfectly: old technology being reused in a devastated city and wasteland setting. Now I know it's a Russian weapon and the game was in America back then, but hey, us Americans really like us some AKs too
Based KDE profile picture
@@tauon_meh profile picture, atleast add a background.
@@N3gativeR3FLUX i made this comment 2 years ago mate they changed it to something else
I really wish that retail had more weapon variety
Ditto. I'm trying to get counter life 2 working just for a better variety.
fun fact about the AR2, the grenade launcher isnt disabled, you just need to bind the command "+alt1" to toggle between the scope and the launcher. it functions normally by pressing secondary fire.
The 20mm "smart" launcher is ackchyually the primary part of the weapon system with the underslung 5.56 rifle being supplemental to it.
What
What they're saying is that the XM29 OICW is a 20mm "smart" grenade launcher that takes an under barrel assault rifle attachment, this making the grenade launcher primary. Let's just say that that's why it never got into full production.
The balls that you shoot out with the physgun's right click are actually weld points. Try sticking one on two different objects and bring them close to each other.
Beta weapon videos always hold a special place in my heart.
14:19 the slam is used in half life 2 deathmatch
I might be mistaken, but I thought the SLAM in HL2DM functioned a bit differently... Like it'd stick onto walls, etc.
and in gmod
i think
@@grumpydixie1645 they put the hl2dm version in gmod not the beta version
@@RadiationHazardYT yes but also in the way shown in the video
The most underrated Half Life RUclipsr.
A lot of half-life fans, almost majority, prefer gameplay of the games or mods etc, like jolly, desync, etc.
I agree, ESPECIALLY when the quality is this good
I too agree
i actually didn't know the physgun was suposed to be for puzzles
i always thought it was for devs to demonstrate the physics engine
and the hopwire exploding? i had no idea that happened
but i have to say the combine guard gun fires kinda differently from the striders
the striders shoot something closer to hunter bullets but clearly striders' are made of some energy thingy and fire a lot faster
It was, at first. Just to demonstrate the physics. But the team implemented into the game for puzzles and moving objects. And yeah, Combine Guard Gun looks different because there's a lot of difference between the actual development version of HL2, the original leak of HL2, and the LeakNet version of HL2 Beta that I capture from. It might be similar to the Striders in the original leak/development phase.
Honestly, AK-47 Belonged in Half-Life 2 I mean for it has come to represent resistance against superior power It's is a symbol of revolution and defiance, freedom for the commoner from suppression. But that's just me but it also makes sense, why it's in their Half-Life 2, takes place in an eastern European city which possible police forces and gun factory's make these firearms and plus the AK-47 is the most produced weapon in the world.
Yeah like, in the Iraqian war, the insurgance literally use PPSH-41 smgs agains the Americans
Ironic considering it's creator wanted it be a weapon of defence rather then offence.
@DeWidox 01 and I'm guessing the M4 is a better example huh? I'm guessing for the combine seeing how many of them are used against civilians. Dont bring shitty political bs
@@49mozzer defense against the combine lol
@DeWidox 01 fair
Why would they cut the bullsquid? It was a good enemy in Half-Life 1 it would have worked just as good in hl2 like they would fit good in waterhazard and ravenholm.
They were placed in the wasteland early on, but the open area made them easy to avoid. They later put them in Water Hazard, where they would hide in the water and come out to attack, but then it turned out that they were too difficult to avoid in that context.
@@GreenChillZone Playtesters also got scared of going into the water because of the bullsquids.
Also from what I remember hearing they toyed around with them being placed in the canals, so both route kanal and water hazard would have had them to some degree.
I think a lot of their final design decisions came down to streamlining the content as much as possible. Viciously cut every single ounce of fat. This contributes to the relentless pacing of the shipped game, every NPC and weapon has a clearly defined purpose that makes designing set pieces simpler, and the whole game is moving from set piece to set piece. The final game has a laser focus that came from cutting content with extreme prejudice.
@@bluegum6438 and the result is that it's boring after the first playthrough. They trimmed out all the sides that made it fun to explore more then once
@@chistinelane I respect that take but disagree
Ya boy back with another banger.
@human grunt In all the videos, I've been moving around 2001 and 2002. There hasn't been a Beta 2003 video yet ;D *hint hint*.
In seriousness - I will cover the Cut Content aspect of the Episodes, but after I have covered most of the HL2 Beta. There's still some stuff to talk about.
thanks for the credit man!, and about the AK, i think it would fit better in current hl2, as eastern european surplus or something. and the OICW's real life scope was just like in game, big chunk of metal thats heavy. also i can agree i love the look of the hl2 beta smg1 and the smg2. and i hate to be that guy, but when will tthe npc follow up video happen, and i love thisi video alot too!
Sure thing dude! Thanks for the suggestion!! And yeah I thought about that too, AKs being abundant in Eastern Europe, post-Soviet States. But still, you'd imagine there would be modern AKs as well. But then again, AK47 is literally a legendary weapon. If it would be any AK in a game, it should be the 47.
@@RadiationHazardYT personally tthough i think a more fitting weapon would be the md.63, (romainian ak with grip) or a vz.58, www.google.com/search?q=vz.58&sxsrf=ALeKk03gFJ9jeSRuzVnerAXwNsMj6l0pDA:1608585317104&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjss6qj_9_tAhVDV80KHddxDWoQ_AUoAXoECAkQAw&biw=1920&bih=1061#imgrc=zJ2-56UU6oE87M&imgdii=zCSVA0WMXwVCrM
Maybe that follow up on cut characters?
Fun fact. The tripwire is still in the retail game and you can get it with a console command. I discovered this a few years ago so i dont exactly remember the command but it know it was impulse and some number. Nah im not mixing it up with impulse 101 it was a different command.
Exec Weapons?
"give weapon_tripwire" I'd guess, unless the entity name is something else?
If you discover it again please comment here or post it on a forum
@@doorstopper674 okay
@@doorstopper674 ruclips.net/video/M5SURq5wdLc/видео.html
really sad some of these were cut, i love alot of these.
Still don't know why in Gmod the Physgun has the Gravity Gun model with the Tau Cannon as the weapon icon...
Laziness I guess which became iconic.
Garry's Mod has a ton of Half-Life 2: Deathmatch assets too
@@isaiahsimmons5776 Like the S.L.A.M and the stun baton
@@jacobgardiner9267 This might be a stretch, but I'm pretty sure playermodels and playermodel animations are taken from Half-Life 2: Deathmatch too.
the OICW was a real concept weapon. the grenade launcher was supposed to have sort of smart explosives, set to explode at a distance determined by the opperator, so you could say, fire the grenade through a window and it explodes a few inches after that, taking out enemies hiding in the room. The scope housed the computer that'd program the grenade as it was fired, amongst other things like range finding and so on.
it was a huge piece of equipment, and way too expensive
There's something so creepy yet nostalgic about the half life 2 beta that I am incapable of describing
Holy crap, never been so early, keep up the good work! :)
Here since 538 subs, HIGHLY under-appreciated. Looking forward to your 1k subs within the week!
I really appreciate that dude. Thank you!!! :)
im from the futture, hes done it
The ak-47 was later reused in cs:s
@MASLIN BRUNER also one of the cut character's cohrt was reused in cs:s
@MASLIN BRUNER There's*
The ak47 makes sense for the story and lore however, they are used by rebels in the middle east due to ease of access and use from them being so plentiful
Since it's set in Eastern Europe, it makes sense that there'd be stockpiles of AKs, probably both AKMs and AK-74s.
Edit/Note: AKM, yes. AK-74, no. Bulgaria never switched to the AK-74. They went from the AKM to the AR-M (aka AK-47M1).
0:50 If it has a burst-fire mode, it's not an AK-47. Certainly not a pre-1959 model. Judging by the receiver, it looks like they based it on the AKM (which was the standard model from 1959 to 1974). The magazine's curvature would reveal whether it's chambered for 7.62x39mm or 5.45x39mm.
1:20 All they'd need to do is make it an AK-74M (refer to above edit/note), which has been in service since 1991, and which is still in use IRL in our timeline. Maybe give it a grenade launcher like a GP-25 or GP-34.
1:30 Half-Life 2 started production in 1999. The AK-100 series was still relatively new at the time. But yeah. Maybe an AK-103 with a GP-25.
1:49 You can call it the "HK XM29 OICW" if you really want to.
2:07 So you can't even use the entire upper assembly?! Then what's even the point of it being an OICW?! Btw, that 20mm grenade launcher on top is actually the main weapon, with the underslung assault rifle being supplemental, and the launcher is intended for use with programmable airburst "smart" grenades.
2:14 Yet they didn't bother to give the MP7's model a visible grenade launcher (which is downright insulting).
Edit/Note: Apparently, you can bind a key to make the launcher functional.
2:32 Despite the fact that the rifle element is 5.56 and should have low recoil and low muzzle-jump.
2:45 The real-world one has a computerized scope for use with smart grenades.
3:08 If they'd done it right, the OICW would have two reload animations, one for the launcher and one for the rifle.
4:46 Reminiscent of the flare guns from the 'Blood' games. And as with those games, the hammer isn't cocked.
7:00 Looks like an S&S machine gun from Borderlands 1. Glorious Havoc with mat2, barrel4, and body5.
9:35 Which is the opposite of reality. The whole point of 4x6x30mm is to be more accurate than typical pistol calibers, while also providing better penetration against light or medium armor. Also, why is there no "HK slap" animation for the MP5K?
9:45 False. As Ahoy pointed out in his Iconic Arms series, all MP5 variants are "Lawful Good through and through." An oppressive regime would be Lawful Evil. Eastern and Western regimes alike have been either Lawful Good and Lawful Evil and have used the same weaponry. As Ian McCollum and Brandon Herrera have pointed out, technology is separate from politics. Some of the best guns were developed under Lawful Evil regimes (like the AK), but were also used by the forces of Chaotic Good (who, being partisans, tend to use whatever they can get).
9:55 Technically a PDW due to its caliber. Also, it looks better. More like the real one. They really screwed it over in just about every way possible in the final version. They gave it two barrels, both with 4.6mm bores (so you know that one them ISN'T a grenade launcher). They gave it an invisible grenade launcher. And they gave it a 45-round mag capacity even though its mag is flush-fit with the magazine well and grip, meaning that it should be a 20-rounder, and it has the stock permanently collapsed for no reason. At least the foregrip is unfolded and grasped properly. What it should look like is as follows: Starting with the standard MP7, it should have the stock extracted and the foregrip unfolded. Also, it should have at least a 40-round mag and the model should reflect that (45 rounds is also fine), meaning that the mag should be at least twice the length of the grip. And since it has a grenade launcher, the ideal model would the GP-95, a Russian grenade launcher intended for use with the 9A-91 subcompact rifle (9x39mm). It's not farfetched to think that the GP-95's mount could be adapted to fit on other compact guns. Also, we could assume that, rather than the GP-95 being mounted on the MP7, they're spliced together as a combination weapon from the get-go. So two triggers could be built into the trigger assembly (rather than having two separate triggers in two different places). Having one trigger with a switch to toggle between the upper weapon and the underslung launcher would be detrimental to the design. That's the biggest problem with the Groza-9/40 (in OTs-14-4A-04 configuration which is the one with the grenade launcher like in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.).
10:41 Should have better accuracy.
10:58 Burt Gummer uses one of those in Tremors 2.
11:06 Why'd they make it left-handed?
11:05 Ackchyually, it's an anti-material rifle.
11:17 That's just downright insulting! The fourth Rambo movie illustrates what .50 BMG can really do, ripping fools apart and splattering their bits all over the place. Those rounds are made to destroy vehicles, after all.
16:31 Should do more damage than the crowbar because its pick end would more easily drive its way into vital organs, especially the brain, just like a war pick or war hammer with a pick end.
17:06 That image is flipped/mirrored. Also, Alyx's machine pistol and Father Grigori's "Annabelle" (a ye olde Winchester levergun) are both usable weapons in at least one HL2 mod (I forget its name). Annabelle has functional iron sights.
I personally like the look of the beta MP7 more. The retail one just looks almost too small in general, and definitely too small to launch the grenades that it does. I agree the 5K looks the best of the SMG models, though maybe they thought it didn't have enough of a "futuristic" aesthetic. As for the OICW, they could have used a weapon like the FN F2000, if they wanted a similar, but more sleek design.
I really like the MP5K too. I loved the compactness and how unique it was to the roster, and how it did kind of fit the HL2 vibe. The fact that the beta CPs used it, felt more scary in a way. That the combine would assimilate things your kind knew to use it against you since it was easy to get, and already existed. They still do the same thing with the odd looking MP7 in HL2 retail, but for some reason, the MP5K looks better and seems better. I don't know how to explain it either.
I do feel that the SLAMS and the Gauss Gun could've been used in some areas. Some fights with striders like in HL2:E2 certainly would've been so much more fun with the fact of having a ray gun that can take things out faster than the RPG. Slams would've also made some areas of the game more unique too. Possibly being able to trick enemies or use them in the HL2:E1 fight where you have to protect the Vorts who're healing Alyx.
The hopper grenades do exist, and are seen to something similar in HL:A. Which is a grenade that you can pick out of a Xen Flora thing that produces them. Though it acts like a grenade, it has about the same model (though much more udpated).
-
Continuing:
Some of the weapons were probably supposed to also be changed out over time. So, the AK and the HMG with the Ice axe, and flare gun were probably supposed to be for the Borealis and the Kraken base scenes, while the MP series weapons and duel purpose grenade/normal rifle were more possibly for the open city, and the Citadel; Along with the Molotov, slams, rock, bricks, etc.
The cut areas where it's more long range were more obviously tuned for the snipers and binoculars. The Tau canon / GaussGun, I don't see where that fit in since it seems like it lost it's place during beta too.
These were all probably cut because, switching loadouts every other chapter of 4-5 scenes seems a little overwhelming, since you just got used to said weapons, *BAM*, here's a whole new set up including op ones you didn't have before but you may lose for another op weapon later on.
I think the physics gun probably suffered the same fate with the Gauss gun, just lost its place in the beta, since I don't really recall seeing most of the brought back maps from the Beta era of 2000 - 2002 really having areas to show off the phys gun. Some maps in 2000 probably did, same with 01 maps, but I haven't seen them or know of them.
I agree with you and there are two things to consider: first, originally Gordon could carry only very few weapons. So player was forced to choose which ones to take and which ones to drop.
Most likely different chapters offered different arsenal for Gordon to use, so players organically replaced their weapons over course of the game.
Also, HL2 was supposed to be much bigger game: approximately 1/3 of the game was cut (7 chapters), so there were definitely enough place for those weapons.
@@ShadowSumac Yeah, I agree with you too. There definitely was enough weapons to fit what was cut, and the mechanic of only allowing certain amounts of weapons per chapter seems about right too.
Actually there are some inaccuracies in this. To start off, the smg2 was an mp7, same as the smg1, in the anon-hl2 leak. That model is official, not a recreation. Both smgs at the time of the leak were mp7s of different shape and functionality. The smg1 worked about the same as the final one, albeit with a slower firerate, as it was likely the exact same code and functionality as the mp5k before it was replaced. The smg2 would carry significantly more rounds in its magazine (60 rounds,) and had a full auto and 3-shot burst fire setting that could be switched between via right clicking (3 shot is bugged both in the leak and retail, only firing 1 shot in retail, and only 2 in leaknet.) The smg2 works basically identically to Alyx's Gun in retail, as well as the hmg1, with the differences being the amount of ammo in each gun and the damage done by each.
The physgun has an alt fire that applies weld balls onto objects. picking up objects with weld balls on them and bringing them near each other would make them attempt to attach to each other, although it's incredibly buggy.
You missed a functionality to the SLAM that's not in hl2:dm: they could be switched between detonator mode and tripmine mode. If you have a slam in detonator mode and you move up against a wall, you could attach it to the wall while it was still in detonator mode, whereas in hl2:dm, attaching slams to walls and floors would automatically switch them to tripmine mode.
Molotovs were not part of the brickbat weapon lineup. They were their own weapon with their own inventory slot, inventory image, and entity name.
I don't blame you for not knowing this since it's a niche piece of information and is broken in all builds, even leaknet, but the iceaxe had an alt fire that would half the attack speed but double the damage. It also has some swinging animations that are never called.
There's no evidence that the socket wrench was ever actually seen as a weapon outside of concept art, as far as I know.
And now the playable weapons that you missed, there are actually quite a few you didn't include:
weapon_manhack: a 2000/2001 era manhack blade that swings below the player's vision. This would have been used in the playable manhack arcade.
weapon_alyxgun: Alyx's gun is usable in both the leak and final. It works about the same as the smg2 and hmg1, but its fire rate is incredibly high.
weapon_rollerwand: a wand that would have been used to control the "roller buddy," a type of rollermine that went unused and later evolved into the hacked rollermines seen in episode 1. It uses the slam+detonator as a temp viewmodel
weapon_thumper: A deployable antlion thumper. It uses the slam+detonator as a temp viewmodel, and a yellow fire hydrant as a temp worldmodel. It also has an unused model of a larger hydrant.
weapon_stickylauncher: This one's a classic, I'm shocked you missed it. A pistol that fires sticky grenade balls that explode when right clicked. Later became the Demo's sticky launcher in tf2.
weapon_tripwire: a wall-only slam-like weapon that, when placed, will shoot out a grenade with a wire attached to it. If anyone touches the wire, it will fire several rockets out of the slam directed at whatever triggered it.
Bonus: Post release cut content:
weapon_annabelle - In Half-Life 2, Grigori's Annabelle is fully usable, and functions as a highly accurate, 2 shot magnum rifle. Clever players can use physics objects to kill Grigori as they are leaving Ravenholm and take it with them.
Vortex Hopwire/Black Hole Grenade - weapon_hopwire in Half-Life 2 Episode 1 gives a grenade that throws rollermines, which then turn into black holes, sucking in surrounding npcs and entities, and destroying them.
weapon_magnade - Magnusson Device weapon cut from Episode 2. This would have been a handheld version of the magnusson device. It was likely cut because being able to hold several magnussons at once would have been too easy. Code references for it still exist and the cut viewmodel of Freeman holding a magnusson device is still in Episode 2's files.
All in all, this was a good first shot at the cut weapons, but a true betaman must look between the lines and find what the wandering eyes of a normal man cannot.
Hey thanks man! And sorry I missed a lot of these points. The video was a bit rushed, and does have some problems with it. I'll probably cover the ones you wrote about as a bonus in the "cut characters follow up" video.
@@RadiationHazardYT No worries my man, just want to make sure everyone has all the information.
The AKM (miss-named as the AK-47) being classified as the AR-1 is actually a good idea.
They're not weapons that are being newly produced, but surplus weapons readily available in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, from the first day the Combine established any form of local human security forces. They would be 'good enough' and standardized until something else could be built.
The AK-100 series conversely are only available in the tens of thousands even today as none were ever adopted for military service, but only police, security, and commercial sale.
The rifle fits perfectly with the idea of the combine repurposing human resources to their own ends - which was much more strongly pronounced in the beta. Retail had them more-so taking human ideas, but developing their own technology to fit those roles.
The AK-74 would also have worked, but 1990s and 2000s western media almost universally lacked an understanding that not every AK was an AK-47, so I'm not really surprised.
The OICW, by contrast, was an ill-conceived prototype of the 90s, meant to be a 'do-everything' rifle for the US Army - a leftover from runaway cold war defence spending designed-by-committee: which is to say it sucked. It's excessive bulk and cost ended up being its primary drawbacks, and the project eventually split into the seperate XM8 and XM25, neither of which were adopted, but the later was at least used until the late 2000s. The thicc optic on top is the size it is because it includes a rangefinder and targeting computer to properly control the air-bursting 25mm grenades.
The Combine's later "Overwatch Standard Issue Pulse Rifle" OSIPR AR-2 obviously has some inspiration from this, both from its full name and that every single rifle has a built-in secondary weapon, though it much better suits the Combine's sci-fi industrial technological aesthetic, and does so with a much more streamlined profile.
And, of course, the 'AR-2' in retail does imply that an AR-1 did exist. So Combine-issued Kalashnikovs might even return to canon one day. Or, maybe it's the AR-2-like carbine variant carried by Combine Ordinals in Alyx - which is also entirely possible.
As for the MP7, I would argue it isn't in the game at all. The retail SMG-1 has a different frame and overall shape, and grenade launching functionality that the original weapon totally lacked.
More likely, the Combine simply took the MP7's design and continued development on their own, since the MP7 only went into production in 2001 and likely would have been next to entirely unavailable in large numbers by the time of HL1, or not at all depending on what year it took place.
I've always suspected that the function of the irifle (shooting flares) was only a placeholder for more elaborate incendiary effects.
I wish valve released the beta storyline as a full game, im genuinely interested in it, infact i find it amazing, the darker atmosphere is a big changer.
Me too. But the only choice for replaying HL2 Beta would be the ongoing mods like Raising the Bar Redux or Dark Interval. They did an amazing job in recreating some of the HL2 Beta world.
@@RadiationHazardYT Good thing we have modders.
the cremator ''might'' not burn me alive
- Radiation Hazard
Your content's great, can't wait for the next video :)
My favorite beta weapon was the Combine Guard Gun. The idea of disintegrating people sounds awesome. Also... Yeah Combine Guards kind of sucked, or at least in terms of gameplay. If I had to make a compromise, I would say make it a Strider Cannon, have low ammo capacity and make that ammo somewhat rare like what Doom does with the BFG. I don't know, I love using interesting weapons in FPS games and just lovez mines guns.
Yeah dude! Now that I think about it, it would have cool to have a BFG-type weapon in HL2. Would have been sweet!
Tbh if it were going to have to be similar to the bfg, I would say have the ammo be the combine balls that are used in the altfire for the pulse rifle, and it would use more ammo then the regular alt fire
It was already like BFG - super strong, but only three charges and you could get it only from the enemy.
The combine guard was supposed to be defeated using the gravity gun.
I really like the arsenal in retail, although I think it could have used some guns like the Tau Cannon and the guard gun.
I like the guard gun a lot actually, I feel like it should have been powered by the combine elite energy pellet ammunition, making it very rare, it would should've been given to you at around the halfway point of the game and been encouraged for large crowds of enemies having a limit of 4 charges. I also wish the Tau Cannon as well as the gluon gun would've been added back. The Tau Cannon should've been given to you after Eli's lab and the Gluon gun should've been given at the start of the street wars.
More than anything, I wish there was more incentive to use the AR2 in retail, the gun was great, but there was so much SMG ammo, there was no reason to use the AR2. Although the beta had more weapons I think they were all really redundant, there being 4 full auto weapons felt ridiculous, same as the flare gun and rifle and 3 melee weapons, as only 1 would be used unless you ran out of ammo on a gun.
The crossbow and sniper should have been made to coexist by making the crossbow have a large ammo limit, but it being a projectile weapon would encourage you to use it on slow moving enemies and the sniper could've had a cache of around 5 bullets, but because it would be a hitscan, would be used for faster enemies.
Sorry for the entire essay, but I like to fully express my opinions
Those are good points. I thin the Combine Guard gun might have worked as like a BFG type of gun. But only if the ammo for it was rare.
as good of a point you made, gluon would not fit in because in lore black mesa was fucking annihilated
lol imagine the strider cannon being an infantry weapon, i think im glad that shit was cut
i hated those strider battles. a one shot gun would've been so fun to shoot them with
You didn't mention Alyx's gun and its two alternative modes.
Will be covered in a follow up video :)
@The Slayer it was intended to or at least for the most part anyway. because the alyx gun in hl2 had animation for when it turn into rifle
@The Slayer I always thought the Kap-40 from Black Ops 2 exsisted in real life, so i thought the real life equivelent of it is Alyx's gun. It took me a while to realise that the Kap-40 doesn't actually exsist and i only found out that its a M1911 when HL Alyx dropped lol. Dont get me wrong, they do look similiar.
I love how the flare gun is delegated to scripts in the final game, like that one part in nova prospekt, before the Judith moment, and teleporter.
Ngl AK-47 is like... the universal symbol of rebellion, it's a cheap, easy-to-produce gun made by the soviets, it's been used in so many real life rebellions
You can choose many AK variant but the AK-47/M is always number 1 as a tool for any resistance
Another amazing HL2 beta video! I am a sucker for these and even though I already knew some things, I was surprised by how much l learned from your videos.
You have a new subscriber! Keep it going, I hope that the Cremator won't get you!
Haha glad you enjoyed the video! Thank you :)
The guard gun is freaking awesome
It literally YEETS the poor souls across the room :D
7:13 this doesn't have anything to do with the vid but I love how stiff the bullsquid rag doll is in the beta
The reason why the retail SMG's grenade is labelled ar2_grenade is because the grenade that the SMG fires is a similar type to what the OICW actually fires and was probably made originally for the AR2.
Sure, the AK-47 is old and obsolete, but it was likely used because it's the only thing the Rebels can get their hands on.
Also, the Sniper likely did less damage than it should because whoever wrote the skill.cfg file (the file that deals with ammo reserves enemy health, damage, etc) likely messed it up and set its damage low.
*Sniper RIFLE
I wholeheartedly agree with you on the MP5k.
my favourite video of yours yet
i absolutely loved the beta sniper over the crossbow, specially the reload animation and sound
I think the ak47 is actually very fitting for the rebels of hl2 especially considering the fact that they changed the setting to eastern Europe. Yes it's an old gun but really aside from combine weapons or secret experimental weapons remember that human progress basically halts at 1997 so you can't get something like the ak12. Now they never specify if it would be an ak47 ak74 or akm and the model is quite lowpoly to just look at. My point is I think any classic wooden variant of the AK would still have a place in half-life 2, obviously not in the hands of combine but I would think some rebels would be more comfortable with home grown equipment than stolen pulse rifle and the ak74 variant is still used frequently today. The AK is a symbol of defiance and rebellion that would've worked well with the themes of the game.
As a counter to your "AK doesn't belong in half life" I say this. HL2 takes place between 2020 and 2029 (I say 2023 as early HL1 docs site 2003 as the year HL1 takes place) it's currently the year 2021 and AKs of all varieties are still in use around the world, especially by armies and militias with little to no funding. There's also the fact that HL2 takes place in eastern europe (even looking very similar to soviet era eastern european countries), former warsaw pact where the AK was in use and large supply since 1947. I'd also urge you to take a look at the Conscripts. the gear they wear is very reminiscent of a cold war era, US Infantryman. (Take note of the vest and helmet which look very similar to the PASGT vest and helmet.) In conclusion, Given the location of HL2, I say it fits right in both in design and lore wise as it's in the realm of possibility that small cashes of AKs could be hiding in old forgotten soviet bunkers or armories.
Those are good points. But what I meant by being "obsolete" was in terms of its age. I was only saying that the newer variants might have been a better choice. But then again, the 47 was the most-produced one so it still makes sense for it to be in the game.
@@RadiationHazardYT exactly. Not to mention, there were copies of the AK made throughout the world, the most notorious bring the Chinese AK. Eastern germany also made an AK Copy for it's army.
It only feels off for me because all the weapons are different, and not recognizable, or completely fictional
it would be nicer if all weapon slots got some kind of upgrade route in HL2, like you start from the weaker and worse variants like 9mm weak load CP standard issue USP Match to full power 45ACP(will less ammo in the clip and scarcer ammunition but drasticly more damage, could have a black slide to differentiate) one later.
MP5K with equaly weak load also used by CP protection being upgrade to armour piercing MP7 with much better accuracy, rate of fire and laser sight(without a grenade launcher) and last upgrade on SMG slot would be OICW with 5,56mm as most powerful assault weapon with powder charge as tech with combination grenade launcher.
Then for assault rifle slot we would start with AK47/AKM and upgrade to perhaps some Nato powererd rifle that is only for most important resistence members lik FN FAL or HK G3 and last upgrade being Combines AR2 or it would have its own slot.
Sniper weapons would start from Rebar Crossbow, then upgrading to some old carbine rifle could be a lever action revolver rancher gun, or something front world war 2 like Mauser K98, or something more recent like sniper rifle from Opposing force.
Then Combine Antimaterial Sniper rifle, being first kinetic weapon that can damage Striders, and as final upgrade in one of the episodes some semi-automatic Antimaterial rifle from resistence like 0.50CAL Barret.
Shotguns could just include some basic old pump action before upgrade into either a double barrel shotgun that i think Grigoris Annabelle is meant to be instead of lever action rifle just from way he shoots, it could be an over/under double barrel with choice of using slugs or normal 12 gauge ammo and having actual powerful double fire and quick successive shot, or SPAS 12 that has a burst of 2 shots and more ammo.
RPGs could stard from some old grenade launcher like M79 upgrading to RPG-7 until final guided AT4/Stinger rocket launcher, being weaker. And You would have a choice if you want.
Revolver could stard from some old lower caliber break action style, going to Colt Python 357 from the game and ending on some more powerful 0.44 magnum revolver. And it shouldnt reload with the damn speed loader but one by one round like a shotgun more or less(like in Max Payne 3) since gordon shouldnt even have one and reload doesnt show it, plus its power should be punished with a bit longer reload(tho its more of a reward as it could be skipped loading only few rounds)
Combine it with some Quality of life features like Ammo being counted in total so you never have wasted pick ups, kind of like L4D2 just gives you amount of reserve plus what you should have in the clip depending if its empty or not.
Special weapons slot would be for something like Tau Cannon or Immolator. Molotov would be an alternative to combine handgrenades.
Slam would share a slot with hopwire grenade.
You wouldnt ever have option to have all of them at once but they would be an option for each slot and would be found depending on area and stage of story you are in at the moment, which would make the world feel more organic and varient instead of the same things everywhere just like same civilian models are everywhere...
I feel like the OIC could have been kept but as an in-lore thing, used by the best among the resistance forces and maybe be a weapon that the Resistance itself makes to help match the combine forces.
The only thing i hated about HL2 was that they didnt implement the snarks, tripmines, tau-cannon and gluon cannon from HL1. I kinda liked these exotic weapons :D
I still find it funny there's actually tripmines left in game but made of primitive map geometry.
Tau cannon is in the game bro and its equiped with the car used in highway 17
The hopwire grenade made it back to Episode 1 as a (again) cut weapon. But this time it's called Vortex Hopwire wich creates a black hole.
MP5K would have made an interesting addition because its something Gordon would've been very familiar with, seeing as he used a regular MP5 back in Black Mesa
Btw the guard gun shooting sound was given To combine elite's combine Ball shooting sound on AR2
i think it would be cool if one day valve would revisit the beta days in the form of a short game, the atmosphere of the beta is so cool
Instant subscribe, you're wondeful!
The scope of the XM29 OICW is usable and while shooting the rifle with the scope and it will be more controllable.
Strange that it wasn't mentioned.
I think the ak and other rifles could well be kept as variants for the rebel AI to wield honestly.
While it makes sense for the rebels to salvage and repurpose combine equipment, there is still room for "old world" weapons.
The AR1 is actually a AKM model, as you can tell with the slim body and lines on the top railing. A normal classic AK47 would be thicker, and have no lines.
Based of the amount of weapons makes me think that Gordon would loose his weapons along his journey, kinda what happends in half life 1 when he gets grabbed by the HECU and in HL2 when he looses his weapon in the Citadel
Just for a bit of clarification, the combine guard gun and the immolater both had models in the leak, just missing materials and other bugs that got patched. The MP5 viewmodel never got leaked, all that exist of it are some textures and a screenshot from a valve dev's portfolio. The MP7 viewmodel wasn't fan made, the model exist and all that needs to be done to get it in the game is edit the script file and make it use "V_SMG2" instead of "V_SMG1". Slam works like both satchels and tripmines. The hopwire viewmodel wasn't leaked so most mods use recreations (like hes using). Brickbats technically throw fast headcrabs, but not really. At the time, classic headcrabs looked how fast headcrabs look now. The molotov viewmodel is also a recreation.
Immolator and Combine Guard Gun could have been overpowered, because, they were supposed to use only in certain segments of the game (like Super GravGun). Also, most likely you could not gain additional charges for them. So if you run out of ammo you'd be forced to drop them and use regular weapons.
It is more or less obvious with CGG: it has only 3 charges and there is no way you can pick up ammo for it.
Of course, since CG was cut before he was even finished they might have implemented some sort of ammo pick up for CGG, but I doubt it.
Also, Sniper Riffle used in arcade version of Half Life 2.
I could definitely see the hopwire tying the legs of a strider up and causing it to collapse, star wars style
Funny seeing my texture on the walls of the borealis there, I think I was 16 or 17 when I made that
That's cool dude. Were you like, part of the LeakNet team or HL2-Beta.ru team?
@@RadiationHazardYT You could say that. I'm active in both Project Beta and Valve Cut Content and I've done a lot of textures and models for the leak, especially megapatch/megabuild. Actually, we've just about finished our comprehensive pages on remade textures over on vcc.wiki. I've done a number of borealis textures.
@@wolfcl0ck That's awesome!! I gotta say, the way the VCC wiki dives deep into the Beta stuff, is unreal! So much detail and information. Also - it's awesome to have an OG like yourself here, thank you!!
Gordon: Im a weapon with weapons.
To be fair the original half life had a lot of weapons that were either too niche or just plain redundant. For example, the claymore mines I only ever used against black ops troopers and never again. Or the tau cannon to the gluon gun, both use the same ammo type and filled largely the same role so I usually defaulted to the gluon gun. Valve must’ve thought the same as many of the gimmick guns got removed
The AK may have been supurflous from a gameplay perspective, but i would say that it was anything but from an atmosphere perspective. It would have been unique as the only gun in the game that was truly native to City 17 since before it became City 17. A weapon that would have the same gritty feeling as the old soviet apartment blocks that litter the landscape and one that you could expect to find in old piles of garbage, having been lost as a consequence of the 7 hour war. I think this is something that is sorely missing in Half Life 2.
Really, it should have been an AK-74 since it is the assault rifle of Eastern European militaries. The AK-47 is indeed too old while the newer AK models you mention are rare guns that you would only expect to find in the hands of Russian Spetsnaz units. The rebels could have given you one with a GP-25 grenade launcher so that we could have gotten rid of that ridicolous MP-7 grenade launcher.
I am at a loss as to how that thing is supposed to work since it's located where the gas piston is on the actual gun. Putting a grenade launcher there means you get to fire tiny grenades at the expense of turning your MP-7 submachinegun in to an MP-7 bolt action pistol.
I do think the flare gun would have been good for dark areas as it provides a static light rather than a spotlight so it would be helpful in lighting areas where the player has more than one option
1) face danger head on with the flashlight
2) throw a flare to light the way to provide strategy
That's a good point. A flare would have been a way to light up, like, all directions. It would have been nice to use it as a weapon, in drastic circumstances I guess.
Espacially talking about the Kalashnikovs
You also have to include when the game was released and when the Avtomat Kalashnikov 74, 103, etc. got released
"So have you ever used an AR2 before?"
"AR2? Nooo... Now, an AR3, sure, plenty of times."
"There's no such thing as an AR3"
"Well, See, in the city... The place was lousy with AR3s"
"No it wasn't."
"Yes it was."
"No it-- So, do you know what the alternative fire method does on the AR2? It kills hunters. How did you city folk kill hunters."
"We sure as hell didn't use guns. We would just wrestle hunters to the ground with our bare hands. I used to kill ten-- twenty a day, just using my fists!"
"So when you're out in the field, you're going to be punching hunters?"
"Out in the field? I'm not going out in the field. I'm a radio operator."
"(groan) That's it. Leave. You don't need to be here and I'm not going to continue the lesson until you leave."
"I'm staying right here!"
"I am serious, leave."
It's a common misconception that the SMG2 is just a different model to the retail MP7. It's actually a completely different gun, ironically called the SMG II... an experimental H&K submachine gun designed for the U.S. Navy.
the Immolator actually was good enough to be in the game, its ammunition being very limited is what balances its use. it's supposed to be the successor to the Gluon Gun, from half life 1. both is very similar, deleting anything that touches its beam. why did they cut it? using the gluon gun was fun.
There's a mod called HL2 MMod v2.0 that improves the game like dismounting weapons like the Tau Cannon which I always use for combat
Yes I played that mod on stream last week. Was very enjoyable.
@@RadiationHazardYT yeah the mod was enjoyable! Btw the creator who made MMod for hl2 was making a MMod v2.0 for hl1 and I just can't wait for it to come out
@@galacticstevetherealdeal I've seen videos of it, and I agree. It'll be awesome too.
The sniper rifle is the most favourite in my opinion, it sounds strong, it looks heavily modified to be modern like. Its damage is weak, the devs could make it stronger before the crossbow was used and the sniper rifle was cut.
I feel like it would be used by rebels.
Is it me, or are most of the weapons in the Beta really weak? Like, it takes way too many shots just to kill a zombie, and the Combine kills you so fast. Their guns are like .50 BMG while yours are just airsoft replicas. I have no clue what Valve was thinking when they made them deal so little damage.
I assume the flare gun was one of the first few weapons. I can see it being useful in the early Hyperborea which was the first chapter of the game, since I assume you wouldn't have a HEV suit. The model and textures look really old, too.
Yeah! Apart from the HMG, everything else is just so weak.
Might have something to do with balance changing during the development.
OICW forever in our hearts
my favorite weapon in retail half life 2 is the crossbow. come on a rebar heated up by a car battery
I loved that little detail. A red hot rebar. It'd split open the unfortunate soul on the receiving end.
@@RadiationHazardYT imagine a combine surviving a bolt and being pinned to a wall with no help around. the wound would probably be cauterized by the hot rebar so bleeding out wouldn't happen.
That'd be terrifying. But yeah, the bolt might close up the wound it'd make. Lol.
@@unoriginalperson72 jeez that's dark
not being able to move a certain body part (probably an arm or a leg) and having to wait for help while immense pain is flooding through that body part
you know it's going to be amputated you probably have 4th degree burns by that point and you just want to die but gordon walks away not noticing you aren't dead
@@DawidO-mg8zn that's what I was going for.
I (don't) like to think that the og smg1 and the ak were cut because they were so "generic", and the devs wanted to bring something new to the table when it came to firearms used in popular media. I still adore the designs (and i wonder why is the ak damage lower than what i expected?) and the og smg1 is such a iconic thing for the Beta :D
Yeah dude. That MP5K really is iconic!! And I wonder the same about the "less damage" thing. Apart from the HMG, everything else did so little damage.
I honestly don’t accept the crossbow as a sniper weapon, I would have liked having an actual sniper rifle or something like that in the game.
One interesting thing about the MP5K is that there is an unused, VERY early version in the leak called "jaytest"
half-life.fandom.com/wiki/Jaytest
Pretty much, it was a reminant from the Goldsource days when weapons were affixed to models and this was used by the Metrocops / Gasmask Citizens as a placeholder weapon. So, the MP5K was a weapon since the Pitch days.
"An AK47 seems obsolete due to its age" dude MP44s are being used by Syrian rebels and the US still issues M3 submachine guns to tank crews
In a Eastern European setting, a 5.45mm AK-74M would probably make more sense than the older 7.62mm AK-47.
Agreed.
There are still many older AK rifles around in that region.
I remember when the OICW was in so many games at that period, as it was hyped up to be the next big thing, but like the XM8 and F2000 it didn't really go anywhere
14:41 hey that looks familiar...
I think the binoculars would have been used in the weather control chapter to mark combine vehicles and then blow them up with mortars
Like battlefield
Yeah you're right
The S.L.A.M was reused in half life 2 : deathmatch
Good video, man.
The AK rifle is a perfect rifle for rebels. Even in it's outdated state, the AKM (AK47s are much much rarer) is one of the most common rifles in the world and such would be pretty easy to get ahold of. It's why insurgents and first/second world countries still use the rifle and similar others to this day.
Make a evolution of hl2 beta stuff that is in retail to show how it changed during the years
I did plan to do that at one point, but that is a MASSIVE project. I still might do it, but not in the near future. Gonna need a lot of time for that.
@@RadiationHazardYT oh and a question how did the smg2 fan made viewmodel looks so legitimate?
you sound like barney from hl1 remake
Funfact1:in hammer editor for half life 2 citizen have option to hold bottles but it doesn't do anything.
Funfact2: there is weapon in portal called hopwire it works diffrent then in half life 2 beta beacuse if you throw it, it sucks everything near it and then dissapears.
14:22 Fun fact:Just like the physgun, the slam also made its way into vanilla garrysmod.
when he say AK-47 is probably obsalete in Half Life
Me:*broken heart in Russian*
Oh I didn't mean that it is a bad weapon. I just felt a newer AK model would look nice.
@@RadiationHazardYT but does it fit to the resistance theme?
@@da_plasma_catto1801 It should have been an AK-74 since it is the assault rifle of Eastern European militaries. The AK-47 is too old while the newer AK models are rare guns that you would only expect to find in the hands of Russian Spetsnaz units. The rebels could have given the player one with a GP-25 grenade launcher so that we could have gotten rid of that ridicolous MP-7 grenade launcher.
The AK was cut because it was supurflous from a gameplay perspective, but i would argue that it was anything but supurflous from an atmosphere perspective. It would have been unique as the only gun in the game that was truly native to City 17 since before it became City 17. The AK-74 is a weapon that would have fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the city and one that you could expect to find in old piles of garbage, having been lost as a consequence of the 7 hour war. I think this is something that is sorely missing in Half Life 2.
i think an AK would have been fitting if it had some vague futuristic crap slapped on it. that's basically what the russels are in half life alyx but they're gloves. take a mundane old thing and modify it with some slapdash new technology. i don't know what it would be, maybe an ammo counter digital display
1. The HEV suit has a zoom function
2. Gordon doesn't have a helmet for the HEV suit
3. ???
4. Profit
My favourite gun is all the smgs