How to combine Cinematic Mod and MMod? (First time player)

[Iggy Wolf]

I've never played this game before, or have bought it yet, but I've heard how amazing it is. However, I've also noticed that Mmod is considered a great mod, but that also a newer version of Cinematic mod goes great with it. Is there a way to combine them both if I decide to get the game?

[Apocryphox]

1. Install Half-Life 2 and both episodes. You can also install Minerva, Lost Coast and else because MMod is also compatible with it. Then install. Source SDK, Source SDK 2006, Source SDK 2007, Source SDK 2013 Singleplayer.

2. When you have installed it, search for SDK 2013 Singleplayer again, right click, go to properties and then "Betas". Then you change it to "upcoming". The tool is installing again.

3. Now your games are ready to mod.

4. Install CMOD13 and follow the instuctions in the installer.

5. If that's done, download MMod and open the "PUT THESE INTO SOURCEMODS DIRECTORY" folder. Throw all the files into your sourcemods folder. Normally found where your steam is installed.

6. Restart steam. Now you should have a few new games in your library, like the CM13+MMod thing.

If that's done and you want some cool addons to make the game even prettier, just tell me.

[Iggy Wolf]

Originally posted by Apocryphox:

1. Install Half-Life 2 and both episodes. You can also install Minerva, Lost Coast and else because MMod is also compatible with it. Then install. Source SDK, Source SDK 2006, Source SDK 2007, Source SDK 2013 Singleplayer.

2. When you have installed it, search for SDK 2013 Singleplayer again, right click, go to properties and then "Betas". Then you change it to "upcoming". The tool is installing again.

3. Now your games are ready to mod.

4. Install CMOD13 and follow the instuctions in the installer.

5. If that's done, download MMod and open the "PUT THESE INTO SOURCEMODS DIRECTORY" folder. Throw all the files into your sourcemods folder. Normally found where your steam is installed.

6. Restart steam. Now you should have a few new games in your library, like the CM13+MMod thing.

If that's done and you want some cool addons to make the game even prettier, just tell me.

Thanks. Question though, how stable is Half Life 2 Overcharged Mod? I've noticed there's several mods for this game. Which one would you say is the best one? Because I've read that MMod is popular but other mods overhaul and improve graphics and gameplay even more? I'm aware that Black Mesa Definitive Edition is a mod/game of the original, but an official version. Is there anything similar for Half Life 2, even if it's an unofficial mod?

[Apocryphox]

Originally posted by Iggy Wolf:

Originally posted by Apocryphox:

1. Install Half-Life 2 and both episodes. You can also install Minerva, Lost Coast and else because MMod is also compatible with it. Then install. Source SDK, Source SDK 2006, Source SDK 2007, Source SDK 2013 Singleplayer.

2. When you have installed it, search for SDK 2013 Singleplayer again, right click, go to properties and then "Betas". Then you change it to "upcoming". The tool is installing again.

3. Now your games are ready to mod.

4. Install CMOD13 and follow the instuctions in the installer.

5. If that's done, download MMod and open the "PUT THESE INTO SOURCEMODS DIRECTORY" folder. Throw all the files into your sourcemods folder. Normally found where your steam is installed.

6. Restart steam. Now you should have a few new games in your library, like the CM13+MMod thing.

If that's done and you want some cool addons to make the game even prettier, just tell me.

Thanks. Question though, how stable is Half Life 2 Overcharged Mod? I've noticed there's several mods for this game. Which one would you say is the best one? Because I've read that MMod is popular but other mods overhaul and improve graphics and gameplay even more? I'm aware that Black Mesa Definitive Edition is a mod/game of the original, but an official version. Is there anything similar for Half Life 2, even if it's an unofficial mod?

Idk about this mod but Overcharged isn't that good as far as i saw. There's a good video from noclick about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rliZA9z1xME

CMOD13 and MMod is the best you can do to make a Half-Life 2 Remastered. There is also an addon for MMod which is called PROJECT HL2 which adds more detailed guns, animations and more to your game. In my personal opinion this addon is better than original MMod but it's just a matter of taste. If you want more, you are only able to add single, small addons like new models to your game. Most of them are on gamebanana. (https://gamebanana.com/games/9) Just keep in mind that Half-Life 2 and else have a VPK limit of 40 i think. The game don't get more instable but there are some bugs i've noticed like no more subtitles after you reached it. Sometimes there are also some script errors like the AI is going crazy and stuff. You really have to test it out.

The good thing is, that it's really easy to install all these stuff from gamebanana because most mods goes directly into your "custom" folder in your HL2 archive. If it's a vpk file or a simple folder. All this stuff goes into the custom folder and if you notice a bug on a model or texture, then you can simply delete if out of the custom folder. You can also use this mod manager from gamebanana but i never used it so i have no plan about it. Just used it for some Modern Warfare 2019 weapon skins back then for CSS.

Anyway, idk much very good mods for HL2 because i never played that much but i know that one of the best mods i know are the upcoming "Raising the Bar: Redux" which is a complete new Half-Life 2 which takes assets from the beta back then. And the beta was way more dark and eerie which is really like. You can play the demo from ModDB. You can also try "Beta Aesthetics" but it only changes textures, models and stuff. So it's the original Half-Life 2 but with beta atmosphere. Not as good as Raising The Bar but also very interesting if you want a darker game.

If you want a new Half-Life 2 but stay original and vanilla too you can try mods like "Dark-Life 2". In this mod you play mostly in the night which is a brand new feeling. You should also try "Half-Life 2 Mirrored" which is also a new feeling. As far as i know as soon as these mods are completely done, someone will merge them both.

I can also recommend Entropy: Zero 1 and 2. In these mods you are one of the combines and it also takes place in the main story so the plot is also interesting.

Then there is "Project Borealis" which will be a complete fan made Half-Life 2: Episode 3 but there are very few infos about it. I don't even know if it's still in developement.

You should also wait for Operation: Black Mesa. Has nothing to do with HL2 but that's a pack of remakes for Opposing Force and Blue Shift and it seems to be very good aswell.

[Iggy Wolf]

Originally posted by Apocryphox:

Originally posted by Iggy Wolf:

Thanks. Question though, how stable is Half Life 2 Overcharged Mod? I've noticed there's several mods for this game. Which one would you say is the best one? Because I've read that MMod is popular but other mods overhaul and improve graphics and gameplay even more? I'm aware that Black Mesa Definitive Edition is a mod/game of the original, but an official version. Is there anything similar for Half Life 2, even if it's an unofficial mod?

Idk about this mod but Overcharged isn't that good as far as i saw. There's a good video from noclick about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rliZA9z1xME

CMOD13 and MMod is the best you can do to make a Half-Life 2 Remastered. There is also an addon for MMod which is called PROJECT HL2 which adds more detailed guns, animations and more to your game. In my personal opinion this addon is better than original MMod but it's just a matter of taste. If you want more, you are only able to add single, small addons like new models to your game. Most of them are on gamebanana. (https://gamebanana.com/games/9) Just keep in mind that Half-Life 2 and else have a VPK limit of 40 i think. The game don't get more instable but there are some bugs i've noticed like no more subtitles after you reached it. Sometimes there are also some script errors like the AI is going crazy and stuff. You really have to test it out.

The good thing is, that it's really easy to install all these stuff from gamebanana because most mods goes directly into your "custom" folder in your HL2 archive. If it's a vpk file or a simple folder. All this stuff goes into the custom folder and if you notice a bug on a model or texture, then you can simply delete if out of the custom folder. You can also use this mod manager from gamebanana but i never used it so i have no plan about it. Just used it for some Modern Warfare 2019 weapon skins back then for CSS.

Anyway, idk much very good mods for HL2 because i never played that much but i know that one of the best mods i know are the upcoming "Raising the Bar: Redux" which is a complete new Half-Life 2 which takes assets from the beta back then. And the beta was way more dark and eerie which is really like. You can play the demo from ModDB. You can also try "Beta Aesthetics" but it only changes textures, models and stuff. So it's the original Half-Life 2 but with beta atmosphere. Not as good as Raising The Bar but also very interesting if you want a darker game.

If you want a new Half-Life 2 but stay original and vanilla too you can try mods like "Dark-Life 2". In this mod you play mostly in the night which is a brand new feeling. You should also try "Half-Life 2 Mirrored" which is also a new feeling. As far as i know as soon as these mods are completely done, someone will merge them both.

I can also recommend Entropy: Zero 1 and 2. In these mods you are one of the combines and it also takes place in the main story so the plot is also interesting.

Then there is "Project Borealis" which will be a complete fan made Half-Life 2: Episode 3 but there are very few infos about it. I don't even know if it's still in developement.

You should also wait for Operation: Black Mesa. Has nothing to do with HL2 but that's a pack of remakes for Opposing Force and Blue Shift and it seems to be very good aswell.

See, I was wondering whether I could just make a custom folder in my Half Life 2 install. Problem is, I'm using MMod, which requires the sourcemods folder. The mods still work despite my sourcemods folder being in C and my game in G, but my C drive is an NVMe SSD, and so I don't like copy and pasting and deleting over and over whenever I don't like a mod or want to change it, since SSD's have limited write/read cycles.

And said mod (Half Life 2 Remastered HD texture pack is at least 12 GB after extraction). It's also why I'm not using Cinematic (besides the unpopular changes), as I can't imagine copying and deleting 50 GB everytime I change my mind. Really wish Half Life 2 mods worked the same as all the other games without requiring the sourcemods folder.

Because MMod creates several folders, each for the separate game, but as far as I can tell, there only one folder in my G drive for Half Life 2, which I think simply has the episodes and Update version in separate mini folders. Not sure if I could just create custom folders in each individual one there. It'd be easier to copy and write on my HDD without worry about write and delete cycles.