If you thought all action games were the same, think again. Half-Life's intricate environmental challenges, rich story-line, and frighteningly intelligent adversaries add up to a new kind of challenge--one that demands you use your weapons and your wits. Monsters don't walk blindly into your gunfire--they're cunning as hell and they want to live as badly as you do. Friendly characters aren't cannon fodder--they're critical to your success. Add 16-bit color, machines you control, and realistic 3D sound effects and you've got a game that is so alive, so intelligent, so real, you'll swear it has a pulse.

ADVANCED GRAPHICS ENGINE

16-bit rendering (65,000 colors), dynamic lighting, blurring and translucency means your opponents are as lifelike as they are deadly. Half-Life has developed all these features in software so now they're an integral part of the gameplay, not just eye-candy. Of course, if you do have OpenGL, Direct3D, or MMX hardware, things will look mind-bogglingly cool.

ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE

Half-Life's enemies are also remarkably--even terrifyingly--intelligent. The grunts, for example, work together, lay down cover fire, flank you and use grenades to flush you out. You'd better think as fast as they do.

SKELETAL ANIMATION SYSTEM

The all new animation system makes monsters more spectacularly menacing than ever before. Half-Life's characters have the highest polygon count, and the most fluid and complex motion ever seen in an action game.

SCRIPTED SEQUENCES

Half-Life has a life of its own. Events will occur and characters will evolve even if you are not around to see them. You can intervene in these scenes, and dramatically alter the outcome of the mission! So think twice before adopting a 'shoot first, ask questions later' strategy, because one of your potential targets might be able to help you out of a tight spot later on.

32-PERSON INTERNET MULTIPLAYER

Take on up to 31 other human opponents on popular multiplayer sites including WON.NET, or through services such as Gamespy -- or set up your own server. You will also be able to use graffiti and bullet holes to track where you've been, leave yourself hints, or taunt other players!

Source:

Unknown Source

THE BEST PC GAME EVER - NOW ON DREAMCAST (Editor's Note: This version was cancelled before completion, so this ad blurb is another example of the marketing engine working far ahead of the development team.)

Originally created for the PC by Valve, Half-Life has won more than 50 Game of the Year awards and has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide. Developed by Captivation Digital Laboratories in conjuction with Gearbox Software and Valve. Half-Life: Dreamcast promises to deliver even more than the original PC version. The Dreamcast version of this award winning title features many optimisation, including higher polygon player characters, dramatic lighting and special effects. Half-Life: Dreamcast also features an all-new single mission that surrounds the security guard character, Barney. This special mission is being custom created for the Dreamcast by Gearbox Software, the development team that created Half-Life: Opposing Force, the official PC expansion for Half-Life.

• Entirely new mission surroundings the Black Mesa Security Guard, created especially for the Dreamcast by Gearbox Software.

• Advanced AI creates monsters remarkably - even terrifyingly - intelligent. Valve's proprietary AI has them running in packs, assessing threats and making quick decisions to counter act your every move. You'd better think as fast as they do.

• The skeletal animation system creates players with incredible realism and fluid movement.

• Sensational FX. The power of the Dreamcast will be fully exploited in this edition of Half-Life with high-polygon characters, dramatic lighting, and superior effects.

• Complete arsenal of real-world, experimental and alien weaponry.

• Hazard Course training area allows players to practice movements, special maneuvers, and weapons use before launching into the action.

Source:

UK Sierra catalogue 2000-2001 (DC version)

*"Tour-De-Force"

"... a symphonic blend of action, drama, adventure, and story."* * Best Game, PC * Best Action Game

Run. Think. Shoot. Live.

If you thought all action games were the same, think again. Half-Life's intricate environmental challenges, rich storyline, and frighteningly intelligent adversaries add up to a new kind of challenge -- one that demands you use your weapons and your wits. Monster's don't walk blindly into your gunfire -- they're cunning as hell and they want to live as badly as you do. Friendly characters aren't cannon fodder -- they're critical to your success. Add 16-bit color, machines you control, and realistic sound effects and you've got a game that is so alive, so intelligent, so real, you'll sweat it has a pulse.

Sophisticated Artificial Intelligence

Enemy behavior is uncomfortably realistic. Many creatures not only see and hear you, they track you by your scent.

Advanced Graphics Engine

16-bit rendering (65,000 colors) with 24-bit support for 3D graphics cards means your opponents are as lifelike as they are deadly.

Challenging Obstacles

Big guns can't save you when you're facing a maze of conveyor belts or intersecting train tracks. You'll need ingenuity, dexterity, and determination to successfully navigate through Half-Life's unique environments.

32-Person Internet Multiplayer

Take on up to 31 human opponents on popular multiplayer sites including WWW.WON.NET or through services such as GameSpy -- or set up your own server.

Source:

Back of Box - PC (Canada)

**They're not just chasing you.

They're hunting you.**

Just another day at the office. Or so you thought...until your experiment blew up in your face. Now, with aliens coming through the walls, a military death squad killing everything in sight, and your colleagues in bits and pieces, you're scrambling to stay alive. Where should you go? Who can you trust? And can you figure it all out before they scrape you into a body bag?

Enemy Teamwork

It isn't your imagination. These guys are working together. They'll lay down cover fire, flank you and use grenades to flush you out.

Extraordinary Realism

Monsters have the most fluid and intricate motion ever seen in an action game, thanks to Half-Life's skeletal animation system.

Scripted Sequences

This interrogation is getting out of hand. You can watch this scientist die or come to his aid -- he may return the favor later on.

Worldcraft 2.0 Included

Create your own custom Half-Life levels with Worldcraft 2.0, the most popular level editor available.

New To Action Games?

Use the training room to build your skills. And multiplayer games are just a click away with Half-Life's easy-to-use interface.

Source:

Inside Flaps - PC (Canada)

SIERRA ON-LINE SECURES EXCLUSIVE PUBLISHING AND DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS FOR HALF-LIFE, THE HOT UPCOMING ACTION GAME FROM VALVE

Revolutionary first-person action game features unique mix of action and adventure elements and stunning technological enhancements to licensed Quake engine

Bellevue, WA, June 1997 -- Sierra On-Lineannounced today an agreement with Valve to publish and distribute the game developer's debut release, Half-Life. Half-Life combines id Software's renowned QUAKE technology, Valve's proprietary technological advances and sophisticated, innovative gameplay. The result promises to be the most exciting first-person action game available this holiday season.

Half-Life introduces a revolutionary leap in 3D first-person games by combining stunning technology enhancements with genre-breaking gameplay elements. Gamers are given opportunities to wreak havoc--in true action-game fashion--but they are also challenged to explore and strategize; for instance, telling friend from foe is no longer a simple matter of humans vs. monsters. Half-Life's strong story elements, advanced inventory system and story-integrated challenges create an experience never-before-seen in traditional "run-and-gun" action games.

The game features many technological advances, including 16-bit color, sophisticated colored lighting, and environmental effects such as translucency, dynamic textures, and metallic surfaces. A proprietary character animation system gives creatures the highest polygon counts and most fluid character motions seen in a first-person action game. In addition, an advanced artificial intelligence system lets non-player characters demonstrate remarkable cunning, including group behaviors and progressive strategic movement and ambush skills. The result is an entirely immersive playing environment with intensely realistic life forms. Half-Life contains support for Open-GL and Direct 3D and MMX hardware acceleration. Internet multiplayer support for up to 32 players is also included.

Assigned to a top-secret experiment at a decommissioned missile base, you've made an amazing breakthrough, an alarming discovery, and a stupid decision. Now, with the pieces of your colleagues scattered around the lab, you must fight your way past crafty alien monsters to the surface, where a full-scale battle has erupted between the invaders and government troops. Safe at last? No! The military is just as interested in silencing you as they are in eradicating the alien menace. You must make a last ditch attempt to reach the alien world, foil their monstrous schemes, and figure out how to make peace with your own murderous kind.

Along the way you'll discover fantastic experimental weapons, diabolically cunning death squads, and grotesquely beautiful worlds. It will take a fast trigger finger and a faster mind to survive, as not every monster is your enemy and not everything is as it seems.

"Sierra On-Line is thrilled to have the opportunity to publish Half-Life," remarked Ken Williams, CEO of Sierra On-Line. "Valve's enhancements to the Quake engine technology introduce gameplay and design elements that will thrust Half-Life to the forefront of first-person gaming. Gamers will agree that the results are nothing less than mind-boggling." "Our goal with Half-Life was to build the most exciting and technologically advanced game possible," said Gabe Newell, co-founder and Managing Director of Valve. "When it came to selecting a publisher, it was very clear that Sierra was the most committed to leap-frogging the current generation of games and giving gamers a product that will be head and shoulders above anything else shipping this year."

Valve's prestigious development team is comprised of many well-respected names within the gaming community, including: 3D artist Chuck Jones, formerly with Apogee/3D Realms, where he was an artist and animator for Duke Nukem 3D, Rise of the Triad, Shadow Warrior and the Duke Nukem Plutonium Pack; game and level designer Harry E. Teasley III, former art director of Williams' Doom for Sony Playstation; Tools Architect Ben Morris, creator of DCK (Doom Construction Kit) and WorldCraft; game designers Steve Bond and John Guthrie, creators of the Quake Airplane and Quake Kart; and level designer Dario Casali, one of the world's best-known deathmatch level designers, including those found on id Software's Final Doom.

Half-Life, on PC CD-ROM, is scheduled to ship in November, 1997 and will be available at most software retailers, as well as through Sierra Direct at (800) 757-7707.

#

Founded in 1996, Valve develops games software. Based in Kirkland, Washington, the company consists of more than 20 leading artists, game designers and programmers.

Sierra On-Line is one of the original developers and largest worldwide publishers of interactive entertainment, productivity and educational software. The company recently merged with CUC International, a technology-driven, membership-services company that provides access to travel, shopping, auto, dining, home improvement, financial and other services to 66.3 million consumers worldwide.

Source:

Press Release

The game:

If you thought all action games were the same, think again.

If you thought all action games were the same, think again. Half-life's intricate environmental challenges rich story-line, and f'right'eningly intelligent adversaries add up to a new kind of challenge - one that demands you use your weapons and your wits. Monsters don't walk blindly into your gunfire - they're cunning as hell and they want to live as badly as you do. Friendly characters aren't cannon fodder - they're critical to your success. Add 16-bit colour, machines you control, and realistic 3D sound effects and you've got a game that is so alive, so intelligent, so real, you'll swear it has a pulse.

**Widely regarded as the "The best PC Game ever"!

Visually stunning 1st person shooter.

The coolest monsters and creatures.

A more cerebral challenge than most shooters - puzzles exploration, and a disaster to avert.

Support up to 8 players in head-to-head Internet/LAN play mode.

A multitude of unique environments and arenas to explore and interact in.

Unique weaponry and nuclear arsenals.**

Source:

Vivendi Universal Games UK website - Windows

DAS 3D-ACTION-DREAM-TEAM

Die Shootingstars am Action-Himmel, Valve’ Software, zeichnen u.a. fürt die bekanntesten Ego-Shooter der legendären "id"- und "3D Realms"-Labels verantwortlich. Die Actionfanatiker versprechen diesmal ein völlig neues Konzept, daß Spieler in aller Welt hemmungslos begeistern wird!

EIN REVOLUTIONÄRES ANIMATIONS-SYSTEM

Dank eines einmaligen Skelett-Animationssystems wüten in HALF-LIFE dreidimensionale Monster mit über 6.000 Polygonen - während der heutige 3D-Durchschnitt gerade mal mit 500 auskommen muß.

Diese Technologie erlaubt konkurrenzlos flüssige und komplexe Bewegungen. Beispielsweise können angreifende Monster Sie ständig im Blickfeld haben oder feindliche Roboter mit einem Sprung in Deckung gehen und gleichzeitig auf Sie feuern.

HALBWERTSZEIT

Erhältlich ab November 1997

SIERRA®

http://www.sierra.de

STATE-OF-THE-ART-SPECIAL-EFFECTS

Die 16bit-Farben, die metallischen Chromtexturen, Multicolor-Lichteffekte, Transparenzen und Nebelschwaden generieren eine einmalig schaurig-schöne Atmosphäre.

Und dafür brauchen Sie noch nicht einmal spezielle Grafikhardware - wenngleich HALF-LIFE selbstverständlich MMX und Direct 3D-Beschleunigerkarten atemberaubend unterstützt.

Source:

Advertisement in PC Games, December 1997 (German)

Du kan løbe. Du kan gemme dig. Disse væsener kan lugte dig, og de vil meget gerne smage dig. Skift kurs, de følger dig. Søg dækning. De rotter sig sammen for at få dig frem. Lås en dør. De får den åbnet. De jagter dig til de får dig, så spørg dig selv: Er din vilje til at overleve stærkere end deres?

HALF-LIFE

Skyd for at dræbe. Tænk for at overleve.

Source:

Privat Computer PC Magazine (November, 1998)

(Graffiti over a page from the PC Player review of Starcraft)

COG FREEMAN was here

OKTOBER '98

Source:

Print advertisement - PC Player 10/1998

Ego Shooter 08/15:

**rennen, schießen, rennen, schießen,

rennen, schießen, rennen, schießen,

rennen, schießen, rennen, schießen,**

Na, und - schon gelangweilt?

Rennen, schießen, Soldaten im Nacken, Wissenschaftler zu Netzhautscannern führen, unter Geschützfeuer wegtauchen, Vorräte plündern, Stromzufuhr abschneiden, Lichtquellen nutzen, an stockwerkhohen Aliens vorbei schleichen, durch Fenster springen, Feinde überraschen, ...

Schießen, um zu überleben! Denken, um zu gewinnen!

HALF-LIFE

Source:

Print advertisement - PC Player 11/1998

SPIEL DES JAHRES 1998 . . .

HALF-LIFE

SCHIESSEN UM ZU ÜBERLEBEN. DENKEN UM ZU GEWINNEN!

Ab sofort DEUTSCHE VOLLVERSIOn erhältlich!

Source:

Print advertisement - PC Player 03/1999

NEU - Weihnachten 97

Sie werden strahlen wie nie zuvor!

Half-Life ist nicht einfach nur ein weiteres Actiongame unter vielen. Nein, es revolutioniert das Genre mit neuen Techniken, interessantem Szenario, Elementen aus Rollenspiel und Adventure und Monstern, die mit höchstentwickelter künstlicher Intelligenz aufwarten. Zwar kann der Spieler genretypisch nach Herzenslust feuern und zerstören, er muß aber auch seine Umgebung erforschen und Strategien entwickeln, um die Feinde auszuschalten. Nichtspieler-Charaktere wie Monster besitzen ein hochentwickeltes Repertoire an Angriffs- und Abwehrstrategien. Daraus resultiert ein spannendes Spiel mit unglaublich intelligenten Gegnern, deren Aktionen nicht vorhergesagt werden können.

*** Entwickelt von begeisterten Action-Designern mit Egoshooter-Erfahrung

• 16-Bit-Farbmodus, Chromtexturen, zahlreiche Licht-, Transparenz- und Nebeleffekte und Surround-Sound

• Unglaubliche Flüssigkeit der Bewegungen durch die Verwendung eines einzigartigen Körper-Animationssystems

• Extrem perfektioniertes System künstlicher Intelligenz und phantastische Animationssequenzen

• Bis zu 32 Mitspieler per Internet

• Unterstützt 3D-Beschleunigerkarten, Open GL, Direct3D, MMX**

"Auch ohne Zusatzhardware... kommt man so in den Genuß von faszinierenden Transparenz- und Explosionseffekten." PC GAMES

3D-Action

Source:

1997 Blizzard/Sierra game catalogue - Windows (Germany)

"...das beste Spiel des Jahres '98 - wer Half-Life nicht mag ist kein Computerspieler."

PC Player, 92%

"Diesen technisch und spielerisch brillianten 3D-Horrorspaß solltest Du auf keinen Fall verpassen."

Bravo Screen Fun, Spielspaß: 1, Grafik: 1

DAS SPIEL DES JAHRES 1999 IST ZURÜCK

Falls Sie dachten, dass alle Actionspiele gleich sind, werden Sie eine Überraschung erleben. HALF-LIFE's unvergleichliche Welt, die detaillierte Hintergrundstory und die beängstigend heimtückischen Gegner ergeben eine nie erlebte Herausforderung - dieses Spiel verlangt blitzschnelle Reflexe und den Einsatz Ihrer grauen Zellen. Freund und Feind laufen nicht einfach blind in Ihr Gewehrfeuer, sondern reagieren überlegt und unvorhersehbar - das Ergebnis der beispiellos innovativen Künstlichen Intelligenz von HALF-LIFE. Addieren Sie dazu noch Hicolor-Rendering (65.000 Farben), realistische Surroundeffeke sowie dynamische Licht- und Transparenzeffekte und Sie werden verstehen, warum HALF-LIFE mehr als ein gewöhnlicher 3D-Shooter ist.

• Einzigartige Grafik-Engine
• Beeindruckende "Künstliche Intelligenz"
• Vielfalt an realen, experimentellen und außerirdischen Waffen
• 32 Personen Multiplayer-Modus

Source:

Back of Keep Case - BestSeller Release - Windows (Germany)

Named Game of the Year by over 50 publications, Valve's debut title blends action and adventure with award-winning technology to create a frighteningly realistic world where players must think to survive. Also includes an exciting multiplayer mode that allows you to play against friends and enemies around the world.

Source:

Steam

ÜBER DIESES SPIEL

Das von über 50 Magazinen zum Spiel des Jahres gekürte Spiel-Debüt von Valve ist eine Kombination aus Action und Adventure mit preisgekrönter Technologie, die eine beängstigende realistische Welt entstehen lässt, in der die Spieler Köpfchen brauchen, um zu überleben. Es gibt auch einen Mehrspielermodus, in dem Sie mit Spielern aus der ganzen Welt oder gegen sie spielen können.

Source:

store.steampowered.com (German)