Looking to enhance your Half-Life gaming experience? Look no further! This list contains fanmade add-ons that fix, tweak, or improve the original game without major alterations. Read on to learn more about these exciting new additions to Half-Life.
Introduction
I’ve tested them all myself and ensured that they work together. If an add-on doesn’t work with another add-on, it will be made clear on the list.
All add-ons here come from either ModDB or GameBanana.
By no means am I trying to take credit for these modders’ work. I’m simply attempting to put their work more out there so that others can enjoy it too 🙂
The Difference Between Mods and Add-ons
How to Install Add-ons
The path should be
2. You will need to create a new folder called valve_addon in your Half-Life directory.
The .zips add-ons come in will likely already be organized in their own valve_addon. Within it, you’ll find folders such as “maps”, or “sound”. I’ll call these content directories.
3. Extract the zipped content directories to your valve_addon folder.
If an add-on contains a content directory that you already have in your valve_addon folder, you’ll need to extract the zipped contents of said content directory into your own content directory.
For example, if I had a maps folder in my valve_addon folder, but an add-on I’ve installed also has a maps folder, I’d need to extract the contents of the maps folder that I downloaded directly into my own personal maps folder.
If my wording is confusing, don’t worry. I’m sure that you’ll understand what to do once you start doing it. It’s a pretty simple process and many add-ons include instructional readmes.
Ported and Restored Content
[gamebanana.com]
Adds the Sierra logo which appeared in the original release of the game. Helps to make it feel like you’re playing the WON version.
[gamebanana.com]
Makes the main menu resemble the original WON menu even more than it already does, as a sort of second part to the previous add-on. I recommend the grey UI color scheme, since it matches Half-Life’s aesthetic more than the pea-green color.
[gamebanana.com]
Brings Gearbox’s ten PlayStation 2 exclusive deathmatch maps to the Steam release.
[gamebanana.com]
Brings over Gearbox’s revamped first map of the Hazard Course from Half-Life’s PlayStation 2 port. It adds a nice little bit of exposition for the Hazard Course.
Note: The scientist dialogue may be a bit broken sometimes. That could just be something to do with how I installed it, but just as a heads up. It doesn’t ruin the map or anything, just a minor issue. If you do have this issue, try not running up to the scientist who is supposed to greet Gordon until after he says “Very interesting!”
[gamebanana.com]
Ports the Further Data content that was not brought over in the 25th Anniversary update. Includes two player models (Cannibal and Ken Birdwell), two maps (team9, thehill), and many sprays.
I wanted to add an add-on that adds the PS2 menu music, but no add-on that I tried worked well with the 25th anniversary edition. The music would play over the intro(s) and even play while in a level.
Since music in Half-Life plays over level loads, I don’t think it’s possible to have menu music anymore. It will just play when you load into a map, and loop forever. Unfortunate.
Fixes
[gamebanana.com]
Fixes the images in the multiplayer model selection menu so that they actually respond to changing the colors.
The model folders go in
[gamebanana.com]
Replaces the odd-looking, gloveless H.E.V. suit world model with a refined version created by ShartyBarty and uploaded by Dr. Sourcecode.
[gamebanana.com]
Fixes many small issues with Half-Life’s maps. Things like z-fighting, textures being out of line, etc.
(If you don’t know the difference in the above images, just know there were errors there before.)
(See GameBanana page for demonstation.)
[gamebanana.com]
Syncs the shotgun pump sound with the viewmodel animation.
[gamebanana.com]
Subtly updates the H.E.C.U. models, fixing the numerous issues present since their final models were made early in development, and Valve never went back to update them.
Note: Will not work with add-ons that replace the H.E.C.U. grunt model (See “Consistency with Expansion Packs” section).
(See GameBanana page for demonstation.)
[gamebanana.com]
Fixes a broken animation with the H.E.C.U.
Note: Will not work with add-ons that replace the H.E.C.U. grunt model (See “Consistency with Expansion Packs” section). There is a download that lets you put the fix for the animation on custom models, as long as you are able to decompile and recompile models. But if you’re going to use custom models, it’s probably not worth the effort, since the animation is pretty rare to witness in normal gameplay.
Consistency with Expansion Packs
[gamebanana.com]
Changes Gina Cross’ H.E.V. suit color to the tan that it is in Half-Life: Decay. This works with the PS2 Hazard Course Intro port.
In Blue Shift, Barney does not get his vest and helmet until after he gets through the door.
Replaces the vanilla H.E.C.U. models with the Opposing Force models.
Note: You can not install this if you have the Human Grunt Victory Dance Fix add-on and/or the H.E.C.U. UV and Shape Fixes add-on installed!
[gamebanana.com]
Goes with the add-on before it. Replaces the vanilla H.E.C.U. voices with the Opposing Force voices.
Note: If you installed the PS2 Hazard Course Intro, I believe you will have to copy the Human Grunt lines from the Opposing Force H.E.C.U. sentences.txt and paste them over the Human Grunt lines in the PS2 Hazard Course Intro sentences.txt.
Consistency with Half-Life 2
(See GameBanana page for demonstration.)
[gamebanana.com]
Adds the sprinting system and H.E.V. suit zoom function from Half-Life 2 to Half-Life 1. The sprinting system really changes movement in an interesting way. No longer do you full-sprint charge down corridors by just holding W.
Note: For this to work, put game.cfg in valve instead of valve_addon. Ths game.cfg in there is blank anyway (or should be.)
(Image from GameBanana page.) [gamebanana.com]
Adds Eli Vance, Isaac Kleiner, and Barney Calhoun models that more closely resemble their Half-Life 2 appearances.
Note: This will conflict with some maps in Vanilla Map Fixes and Tram Ride Barney Consistency Fix since they modify the same maps. You’ll have to choose between them.
(See GameBanana page for demonstration.)
[gamebanana.com]
Replaces the Headcrab chomp sound with the bite sound from Half-Life 2.
(See GameBanana page for demonstration.)
[gamebanana.com]
Replaces zombie sounds with modified Half-Life 2 zombie sounds.
(See GameBanana page for demonstration.)
[gamebanana.com]
Replaces Barnacle sounds with their Half-Life 2 counter-parts.
(See GameBanana page for demonstration.)
[gamebanana.com]
Replaces Vortigaunt sounds with the Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode Two, and Black Mesa sounds.
(Image from GameBanana page.) [gamebanana.com]
Removes the two side eyes from the Vortigaunts’ faces, which are not present in Half-Life 2.
Extra
[gamebanana.com]
This is a simple sound mod that adds geiger counter sounds to the Gluon Gun blasting SFX.
Conclusion
Shout-outs to rottenmind, Aperture Mesa, morfinob, Dmitriy-Bars, Dienor, Ezequiel-TM, ShartyBarty, Dr. Sourcecode, marigi64, Barnaby, explorer1911, ColossusSteppes, /TheWolf, monster_urby, ChalkyMalky, HL1 X, 12311111, BrussTrigger, blsha (trvps), Unknow, ChalkyMalky, SleepyNotDead, Tunnel, Ambient.Impact, adrianshephard6170, and BenedictKapustin42 for making these great add-ons. Please go show them support on GameBanana or ModDB!
I’m currently working on similar lists for Opposing Force and Blue Shift, and they’ll be linked here once I publish them.
Thank you for reading!
And that wraps up our share on Half-Life: Half-Life – Fixes, Tweaks, and Improvements (Add-on List). If you have any additional insights or tips to contribute, don’t hesitate to drop a comment below. For a more in-depth read, you can refer to the original article here by Not for Sale, who deserves all the credit. Happy gaming!