Why does everyone hate On a Rail.

[Ambitious Cheesecake]

Why does it seem like everyone hates the chapter On a Rail.
I quite like it.

[Turambar]

I like that chapter too, its amaizing how VALVe captured the "Night" feelings on this, it's perfect.

[Ambitious Cheesecake]

i like the way it is like a mini surface tension/forget about freeman.

[Turambar]

Originally posted by King Banana XXII:

i like the way it is like a mini surface tension/forget about freeman.

That's true too.

[Cat]

My second favorite chapter in the game (first is Surface Tension). The train puzzle, the new enemies, how it is significant to the story...

[Turambar]

Originally posted by Cat:

My second favorite chapter in the game (first is Surface Tension). The train puzzle, the new enemies, how it is significant to the story...

There is only one sniper there, are you thinking in all these soldiers back of the launch rockets and heavy machine guns?... why did you use the plural? And I agree it is significant to express the Black Mesa first night after the inncident, probably the best place for resting for Freeman, and the first mission for Freeman related with one of the few attempts to close the resonance cascade. The first time that Freeman is performing something different than trying to scape. I think it has quite of lot of things to experiment on a rail to be honest. And it has the second and last easter egg from VALVe when showing the signature of Dave Riller map designer.

It develops what thinks the soldier about Freeman with all those messages, and you can feel how they are tired at this point of the whole thing. I am not joking despite they are better covered they fight very bad compared with the first soldiers that you find. The introducing of several vehicles is clever under my point of view, and that launched rocked is epic. If it wasn't from a visual point of view amaizing, it was epic from the players point of view. Because it represents the real first success feeling for the players.

I could continue... but I think that it is enought. cheers!!!

[Ambitious Cheesecake]

thanks.

[TheRetroDJ]

Originally posted by Pinhead:

Originally posted by Cat:

My second favorite chapter in the game (first is Surface Tension). The train puzzle, the new enemies, how it is significant to the story...

There is only one sniper there, are you thinking in all these soldiers back of the launch rockets and heavy machine guns?... why did you use the plural? And I agree it is significant to express the Black Mesa first night after the inncident, probably the best place for resting for Freeman, and the first mission for Freeman related with one of the few attempts to close the resonance cascade. The first time that Freeman is performing something different than trying to scape. I think it has quite of lot of things to experiment on a rail to be honest. And it has the second and last easter egg from VALVe when showing the signature of Dave Riller map designer.

It develops what thinks the soldier about Freeman with all those messages, and you can feel how they are tired at this point of the whole thing. I am not joking despite they are better covered they fight very bad compared with the first soldiers that you find. The introducing of several vehicles is clever under my point of view, and that launched rocked is epic. If it wasn't from a visual point of view amaizing, it was epic from the players point of view. Because it represents the real first success feeling for the players.

I could continue... but I think that it is enought. cheers!!!

dude, your english sucks and needs some help. I couldnt understand half of what you wrote. Go back to third grade kid, and learn to spell.

[Ambitious Cheesecake]

Originally posted by TheRetroDJ:

Originally posted by Pinhead:

There is only one sniper there, are you thinking in all these soldiers back of the launch rockets and heavy machine guns?... why did you use the plural? And I agree it is significant to express the Black Mesa first night after the inncident, probably the best place for resting for Freeman, and the first mission for Freeman related with one of the few attempts to close the resonance cascade. The first time that Freeman is performing something different than trying to scape. I think it has quite of lot of things to experiment on a rail to be honest. And it has the second and last easter egg from VALVe when showing the signature of Dave Riller map designer.

It develops what thinks the soldier about Freeman with all those messages, and you can feel how they are tired at this point of the whole thing. I am not joking despite they are better covered they fight very bad compared with the first soldiers that you find. The introducing of several vehicles is clever under my point of view, and that launched rocked is epic. If it wasn't from a visual point of view amaizing, it was epic from the players point of view. Because it represents the real first success feeling for the players.

I could continue... but I think that it is enought. cheers!!!

dude, your english sucks and needs some help. I couldnt understand half of what you wrote. Go back to third grade kid, and learn to spell.

His english is all right. There is nothing wrong. You are just saying that to try and turn this into a dis thread. Please Leave.

[Cat]

Originally posted by TheRetroDJ:

Originally posted by Pinhead:

There is only one sniper there, are you thinking in all these soldiers back of the launch rockets and heavy machine guns?... why did you use the plural? And I agree it is significant to express the Black Mesa first night after the inncident, probably the best place for resting for Freeman, and the first mission for Freeman related with one of the few attempts to close the resonance cascade. The first time that Freeman is performing something different than trying to scape. I think it has quite of lot of things to experiment on a rail to be honest. And it has the second and last easter egg from VALVe when showing the signature of Dave Riller map designer.

It develops what thinks the soldier about Freeman with all those messages, and you can feel how they are tired at this point of the whole thing. I am not joking despite they are better covered they fight very bad compared with the first soldiers that you find. The introducing of several vehicles is clever under my point of view, and that launched rocked is epic. If it wasn't from a visual point of view amaizing, it was epic from the players point of view. Because it represents the real first success feeling for the players.

I could continue... but I think that it is enought. cheers!!!

dude, your english sucks and needs some help. I couldnt understand half of what you wrote. Go back to third grade kid, and learn to spell.

His English is alright, maybe YOU need to go back to third grade if you are having trouble reading.

[Ambitious Cheesecake]

I agree with cat. Personally i think teh retrodj is just being toxic to be toxic.

[AsherTheCat]

The only part I hate about it is the maps that have a military guy behind a wall of sandbags with a missile launcher.

[FrostyCeph]

I can't speak for everyone, but the main reason I disliked the level was the confusion. It was unclear whether I was supposed to bring the train down the tracks or get out and move around for a portion. It was much easier and more efficient to just ditch the train and walk on the side of the rails.The whole system of the train kinda ruined the flow of the previous levels, which allowed the player to find cover by constantly moving from side to side. On A Rail, however, forced the player to approach the enemies in one line, with the only cover being the train terminal, and in my opinion, this changed the gameplay significantly. I would have enjoyed the level considerably more if the sections on the train were shorter or more spaced out.

On the other hand, going outside during the night to launch the rocket was my favorite part in the first nine levels.

[Wraggle]

On A Rail has always been a mixed bag for me. I remember when I first played it through and just found the whole environment tedious and too hazardous. The tracks were electrified, there were water pits to fall into, bullsquids and vortiguants could easily hit you on the train, broken panels that shot bolts of electricity at you, trip-mines and explosive traps, also you had pockets of HECU set up to pummel you. It grew old quite quickly due to exploring and then having to return to the train or riding it in a loop before chosing the right route. The whole chapter had a handful of first-time unavoidable "gotcha moments" such as the two HECU hiding behind the crates in the conveyor section that instantly fire grenades at you, or being attacked on the rising turntable lifts, or the TNT traps that didn't mix with the slidey player movement. At times it felt a bit unfair.

However, that chapter does contain some memorable set pieces and dialogue moments that show the HECU moving through Black Messa and starting to battle the aliens. There were some great ambush rooms, the rocket launch was really nice back in 1998 (even though I didn't quite get it at the time), getting on the wrong train and being fired at from HECU an adjacent train, and watching some of the firefights break out was all good stuff.

I don't think the explanation from the guard at the beginning of the chapter is that great if I am honest. By the time you get to the rocket you aren't really sure why it needs to be launched and the environmental storytelling in that chapter is just overall a bit poor. I don't think its the worst chapter as that has to go to Residue Processing for me.

When replaying Half-Life, On A Rail, is either okay or I just rush to get through it. Depending on my mood really as I know there are more interesting chapters are after it. Playing it through on Hard can just be an exercise of Quick Save and Quick Load as the vorts can hit hard in groups and there is restricted movement. Over the years its just a chapter that I just complete in bursts.

[dbenson31]

It's spooky and you get to shoot em' all up. What's not to love?
Residue Processing is my least favorite level IMO

[Terg500]

I like it too. The puzzles aren't too confusing if you pay attention to where the rails go and it's short, too, only 30 minutes until I got to Apprehension. I also like all the traps that lie around every corner.