Former Valve dev's showreel features SOB and a possible HL prototype level?

[DirectVic]

Figured you guys would be interested in checking this out. The appearance of Valve's unannounced "SOB" is something that cannot really be disputed, but there's some possible Half-Life stuff in here as well that's actually quite debatable.

Allow me to quote part of the article:

That level in the background, I believe, might be based on a Half-Life prototype of some sort. I know, I know, Gray did state that the footage is not from any game, but just bear with me for a second.

To begin with, the environment itself is all a bit too intricate and well-crafted to have been created exclusively for a mere tech demo of this swarm behavior. It’s also intriguing that, clear as day, we’ve got a Half-Life HUD on there, and it’s all being tested within HL2: Episode Two. In addition, that metallic structure in the center of this nexus definitely looks a lot like Combine architecture.

Not only that, but the aforementioned Giger-esque look that is present in this level (intentionally, I might add, as the YouTube video tags clearly contain “giger”)? Half-Life enthusiasts might remember that Xen itself from the original Half-Life 1 was also based on H.R. Giger’s work. And finally, what do those flying creatures resemble? The Boids, Half-Life 1′s peaceful flying inhabitants… of Xen.

http://lambdageneration.com/posts/fo...ototype-level/

[surfrock22]

As I said before, Vic, amazing work. This is really exciting stuff. +rep

[Xpectro]

Check the "swarm design test" comments, the poster said that there is no relation with ep3.

But amazing work btw.


Just want to know why he left Valve.

[surfrock22]

Originally Posted by Xpectro

Check the "swarm design test" comments, the poster said that there is no relation with ep3.

Yeah, I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with HL.

[ZidaneTribal]

Another great employee leaves Valve. It's because nobody wants to work on Half-Life at Valve, mark my words!

RIP Gray Horsfield 2006-2012

That footage looks amazing. I knew Gordon will eventually go off-world. Maybe Borealis summons a meteor that will destroy the earth (FFVII reference)?
Though, it's just speculation.

[solidturtleman]

Holy crap. That swarm stuff has got me salivating.

+REP.

[RezCascade]

Further proof that Valve prototypes -- and promptly bins -- more great stuff than anyone else around.

[solidturtleman]

On the swarm vid, from :41 to :43 there's some sort of manhack looking thing in the center.

Also, this seems like it has something to do with the liquid particle effects Valve has been working on. Trying to create realistic, flowing water by generating thousands of particles just seems a little similar to this.

[RabidJellyfish]

I'm getting way too excited D: E3 better not disappoint!

[MartinKhan]

Originally Posted by solidturtleman

On the sward vid, from :41 to :43 there's some sort of manhack looking thing in the center.

Also, this seems like it has something to do with the liquid particle effects Valve has been working on. Trying to create realistic, flowing water by generating thousands of particles just seems a little similar to this.

Yep, that really looks like a manhack.

Interesting stuff, DirectVic! +rep

VALVE does really good things.

[smash]

So, the tech demo was showing off Source's multithreaded capabilities. We first saw a preview of this at Valve's Hardware Day 2006, and in a similar context in one specific case... http://www.anandtech.com/show/2114/6

And Gabe Newell's really been promoting the Sandy Bridge lately, so they're definitely cranking up the body count in their engine. They're always doing it.

[Tiz68]

The first thing that swarm video made me think of was the quote from Gabe talking about how they wanted the next HL to truly scare the player. I don't know about everyone else, but I think that video is very creepy. I'm not afraid of bats, but having hundreds of those things swarming around me like in that video would truly be scary, in my opinion.

If something like that was implemented into the next HL game, it would definitely be a step towards a scarier game. Which is what Valve wants.

[Tiz68]

Oh and sorry to double post, but while watching the video I saw THIS pop up at 18 seconds. It's not really anything extremely important, but it is interesting. Apparently he was using Episode 2 to make this swarm video. The quality is too bad to make out any of the words in the console box.


EDIT:
HERE is a better quality image of the first picture. You can make out the text in the console box a little better. And HERE is another one at 17 seconds that shows a warning in the top right corner of the screen. Like I said, nothing important, but still interesting. I'm sure it means a lot more to people that actually mess with the console of the game more than I do.

[Dinosaur_Rex]

This post makes no sense anymore since it just said what everyone said, but well, yeah it has to do with half life 3, the place looks xenish.

By this post I mean my post, this one.

[Boff]

Originally Posted by smash

So, the tech demo was showing off Source's multithreaded capabilities. We first saw a preview of this at Valve's Hardware Day 2006, and in a similar context in one specific case... http://www.anandtech.com/show/2114/6

And Gabe Newell's really been pushing for Sandy Bridge lately, so they're definitely cranking up the body count in their engine.

This is also a reminder that tech demos do not necessarily represent anything that will become a product, in the near future.

You mean also the rain in tech demo form
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwD6u...layer_embedded
that had everyon salivating, and the talk of swarming creatures that need thier skeletons be animated correctly / ai need to compute where to go and do that on mass.

Then comes rain and the impressive motion captured blended with physics done on mass for the zombies in l4d1 and l4d2 that people just take for granted

but seeing stuff flocking and swarming is just awesome.

the post GDC Geof talk Erik, Chet and Jay - they mention about canned ideas.

To think that the blobulator was a canned idea that the Tag team discovered when they had to integrate their game into the portal universe.

That "ideas bin" must be wonderous to behold.
Valve are super stringent about FPS/immersion/fun to play.
So there must be a ton of viable ideas that work as cut-scenes, or just are awesome but suck to play, or just waiting all forgotten for the technology to mature - to have a little peak into that bin....oh my....