meikkon's config guide: how I play half-life

This guide covers holstering, HUD toggling, configs for realistic damage outputs, changes to some aspects of movement along with some other miscellaneous changes which I find improve the Half-Life experience for me personally.
This guide is mostly for my own future reference, but also to share a couple of config ideas I've had (and found!) to improve / change the Half-Life experience.

introduction - aims of the guide, stuff you'll need, changes made

This guide aims to make the Half-Life experience a little more realistic and relatively challenging. There are no major overhauls involved in this guide and no changes to the textures, with the base game remaining entirely the same. Most of these changes are to damage outputs and player values rather than anything else. If you're looking for a more realistic version of the game in terms of looks, rather than combat and movement, this is the wrong guide.

The only program you should need is Notepad++ in order to edit the configuration files inside of the Half-Life folder. If this sounds scary, don't worry - the value inputs are pretty straightforward and if you screw up, you can always verify your game files (or simply reinstall the game, since it is pretty small). You can download the latest version of Notepad++ here[notepad-plus-plus.org].

basic config bindings (HUD and holstering)

In order to achieve a clean look into the world of Half-Life, and to keep you on your toes while playing, the best place to start is the HUD and the actual view you get in first person. This part of the guide is dedicated to enabling/disabling the HUD, using binds to "holster" your weapon, and turning off the crosshair. Holstering is mostly an aesthetic change (it's nice to walk around Black Mesa without constantly aiming a gun at the walls), while the HUD and crosshair changes will change the difficulty of the game somewhat by making it harder to aim and forcing you to keep track of health / ammo manually. This section is one of the easiest parts and commands for it can be done in the in-game console as well.

To make these bindings a permanent feature upon start-up, you'll need to access your config file. To find it, right-click on Half-Life in your Steam library, click "properties", then click "local files". There should be a button which says "browse", which should open up your file explorer. To find "config.cfg", go to the "valve" folder. The file path should look something like "O:\Steam\steamapps\common\Half-Life\valve" by the time you're there.

"config.cfg"

Within your Half-Life game folder, there should be a file called "config.cfg" which sets all of the in-game key bindings upon startup along with miscellaneous graphics related settings. By adding bindings and commands to this file, the game will always start with these bindings in mind, which saves you the hassle of manually changing these after every start-up. You can open it with Notepad++ if you set it as a default program or by right-clicking the file. The three sections below will assume you already have "config.cfg" open, however you can put these commands into the in-game console if you wish.

crosshair

Turning off the crosshair is straightforward. It should be around line 90 in an unedited, clean config. Change the value from "1" to "0", and the game will never start with the crosshair on by default.

HUD

To enable/disable the HUD while in-game, two new binds need to be created.
To turn off the HUD: bind "[key]" "hud_draw 0"
To turn it back on: bind "[key]" "hud_draw 1"
(you will, of course, need to choose which keys you bind these to, and replace [key] with your preferred choices)

weapons holstering

To holster weapons, two more binds need to be created.
To holster weapons: bind "[key]" "r_drawviewmodel 0"
To bring them back: bind "[key]" "r_drawviewmodel 1"
Same as above, enter your own key choices - I prefer to bind them to the extra buttons on my mouse so I can bring them back up quickly. However, it is worth noting this command only tells the game to stop drawing the model - technically, it's still there, so you can still shoot enemies with whatever weapon you're holding even if it is now invisible.

the lines I use

bind "'" "hud_draw 0"
bind "/" "hud_draw 1"
bind "MOUSE4" "r_drawviewmodel 0"
bind "MOUSE5" "r_drawviewmodel 1"

other useful settings

You can change your field of view with the setting "default_fov"
Apparently, you can turn off the HUD by default by changing "hud_draw" from "1" to "0" in your config.cfg file. This can be found around line 120, although I'm unsure as to whether or not this command actually works reliably on start-up.

creating a custom difficulty

Playing Half-Life on Hard difficulty can be a lot of fun, and quite a challenging experience. Suit charge doesn't protect you for long, and enemies can really pack a punch. However, they also have strangely high amounts of health (at least in my experience, the HECU grunts seem to take ages to bring down). You can change some of the game files to make custom difficulties, however, and it's surprisingly straightforward too. Again, you will have to navigate to the "valve" folder inside the Half-Life files - there should be a "skill.cfg" file which you can edit. You'll know you've found it if it says in all caps at the top, "DON'T MESS WITH THIS". Ignore this - we're going to mess with it.

That being said, I would recommend backing up your original "skill.cfg" file, just in case you want to reinstate the original version of Easy difficulty or if you screw up some of the settings since they can be confusing. There are probably versions of it online, and you can verify game files / reinstall the game, but all of these can be a bit of a hassle and it's always good to play it safe.

For each monster, weapon and item, there should be three separate values, with every value ending in the number 1, 2 or 3. Values ending in 1 are for Easy difficulty, 2 is for Medium, and 3 is for Hard. I would recommend only modifying the Easy difficulty to whatever custom difficulty you want to make. If you've played Half-Life before, it should be fairly clear what a lot of these lines of code modify. If it isn't clear to you what these modify, I would recommend leaving this part out and playing through the game on a regular difficulty setting in order to become more familiar with Half-Life first

My personal configuration for this file can be found in the section below - you can just copy and paste this into your own files if you wish. If you want something even more difficult than my config, but of a similar style, I recommend looking into this script[gamebanana.com] by alexandrovich, which makes all of the difficulties harder rather than just modifying Easy difficulty.

custom difficulty - preset config (warning: long)

// DON'T MESS WITH THIS.

// MONSTERS

// Alien Grunt
sk_agrunt_health1	"60"
sk_agrunt_health2	"90"
sk_agrunt_health3	"120"

sk_agrunt_dmg_punch1	"20"
sk_agrunt_dmg_punch2	"20"
sk_agrunt_dmg_punch3	"20"


// Apache 
sk_apache_health1	"150"
sk_apache_health2	"250"
sk_apache_health3	"400"


// Barney
sk_barney_health1	"35"
sk_barney_health2	"35"
sk_barney_health3	"35"


// Bullsquid
sk_bullsquid_health1	"40"
sk_bullsquid_health2	"40"
sk_bullsquid_health3	"120"

sk_bullsquid_dmg_bite1	"25"
sk_bullsquid_dmg_bite2	"25"
sk_bullsquid_dmg_bite3	"25"

sk_bullsquid_dmg_whip1	"35"
sk_bullsquid_dmg_whip2	"35"
sk_bullsquid_dmg_whip3	"35"

sk_bullsquid_dmg_spit1	"15"
sk_bullsquid_dmg_spit2	"10"
sk_bullsquid_dmg_spit3	"15"

// Big momma
sk_bigmomma_health_factor1 	"1.0"
sk_bigmomma_health_factor2 	"1.5"
sk_bigmomma_health_factor3 	"2"

sk_bigmomma_dmg_slash1 	"70"
sk_bigmomma_dmg_slash2 	"60"
sk_bigmomma_dmg_slash3 	"70"

sk_bigmomma_dmg_blast1 	"160"
sk_bigmomma_dmg_blast2 	"120"
sk_bigmomma_dmg_blast3 	"160"

sk_bigmomma_radius_blast1 "275"
sk_bigmomma_radius_blast2 "250"
sk_bigmomma_radius_blast3 "275"

// Gargantua
sk_gargantua_health1	"800"
sk_gargantua_health2	"800"
sk_gargantua_health3	"1000"

sk_gargantua_dmg_slash1	"30"
sk_gargantua_dmg_slash2	"30"
sk_gargantua_dmg_slash3	"30"

sk_gargantua_dmg_fire1	"5"
sk_gargantua_dmg_fire2	"5"
sk_gargantua_dmg_fire3	"5"

sk_gargantua_dmg_stomp1	"100"
sk_gargantua_dmg_stomp2	"100"
sk_gargantua_dmg_stomp3	"100"


// Hassassin
sk_hassassin_health1	"30"
sk_hassassin_health2	"50"
sk_hassassin_health3	"50"


// Headcrab
sk_headcrab_health1	"10"
sk_headcrab_health2	"10"
sk_headcrab_health3	"20"

sk_headcrab_dmg_bite1	"10"
sk_headcrab_dmg_bite2	"10"
sk_headcrab_dmg_bite3	"10"


// Hgrunt 
sk_hgrunt_health1		"50"
sk_hgrunt_health2		"50"
sk_hgrunt_health3		"80"

sk_hgrunt_kick1		"10"
sk_hgrunt_kick2		"10"
sk_hgrunt_kick3		"10"

sk_hgrunt_pellets1	"6"
sk_hgrunt_pellets2	"5"
sk_hgrunt_pellets3	"6"

sk_hgrunt_gspeed1	"800"
sk_hgrunt_gspeed2	"600"
sk_hgrunt_gspeed3	"800"

// Houndeye
sk_houndeye_health1	"20"
sk_houndeye_health2	"20"
sk_houndeye_health3	"30"

sk_houndeye_dmg_blast1	"15"
sk_houndeye_dmg_blast2	"15"
sk_houndeye_dmg_blast3	"15"


// ISlave
sk_islave_health1		"30"
sk_islave_health2		"30"
sk_islave_health3		"60"

sk_islave_dmg_claw1	"10"
sk_islave_dmg_claw2	"10"
sk_islave_dmg_claw3	"10"

sk_islave_dmg_clawrake1	"25"
sk_islave_dmg_clawrake2	"25"
sk_islave_dmg_clawrake3	"25"

sk_islave_dmg_zap1	"15"
sk_islave_dmg_zap2	"10"
sk_islave_dmg_zap3	"15"


// Icthyosaur
sk_ichthyosaur_health1	"200"
sk_ichthyosaur_health2	"200"
sk_ichthyosaur_health3	"400"

sk_ichthyosaur_shake1 "50"
sk_ichthyosaur_shake2 "35"
sk_ichthyosaur_shake3 "50"


// Leech
sk_leech_health1	"2"
sk_leech_health2	"2"
sk_leech_health3	"2"

sk_leech_dmg_bite1	"2"
sk_leech_dmg_bite2	"2"
sk_leech_dmg_bite3	"2"


// Controller
sk_controller_health1	"60"
sk_controller_health2	"60"
sk_controller_health3	"100"

sk_controller_dmgzap1	"50"
sk_controller_dmgzap2	"25"
sk_controller_dmgzap3	"35"

sk_controller_speedball1	"650"
sk_controller_speedball2	"800"
sk_controller_speedball3	"1000"

sk_controller_dmgball1	"5"
sk_controller_dmgball2	"4"
sk_controller_dmgball3	"5"

// Nihilanth
sk_nihilanth_health1	"800"
sk_nihilanth_health2	"800"
sk_nihilanth_health3	"1000"

sk_nihilanth_zap1	"50"
sk_nihilanth_zap2	"30"
sk_nihilanth_zap3	"50"

// Scientist
sk_scientist_health1	"20"
sk_scientist_health2	"20"
sk_scientist_health3	"20"


// Snark
sk_snark_health1	"2"
sk_snark_health2	"2"
sk_snark_health3	"2"

sk_snark_dmg_bite1	"10"
sk_snark_dmg_bite2	"10"
sk_snark_dmg_bite3	"10"

sk_snark_dmg_pop1		"5"
sk_snark_dmg_pop2		"5"
sk_snark_dmg_pop3		"5"


// Zombie
sk_zombie_health1	"50"
sk_zombie_health2	"50"
sk_zombie_health3	"100"

sk_zombie_dmg_one_slash1	"20"
sk_zombie_dmg_one_slash2	"20"
sk_zombie_dmg_one_slash3	"20"

sk_zombie_dmg_both_slash1	"40"
sk_zombie_dmg_both_slash2	"40"
sk_zombie_dmg_both_slash3	"40"


//Turret
sk_turret_health1	"50"
sk_turret_health2	"50"
sk_turret_health3	"60"


// MiniTurret
sk_miniturret_health1	"40"
sk_miniturret_health2	"40"
sk_miniturret_health3	"50"


// Sentry Turret
sk_sentry_health1	"40"
sk_sentry_health2	"40"
sk_sentry_health3	"50"


// PLAYER WEAPONS

// Crowbar whack
sk_plr_crowbar1		"10"
sk_plr_crowbar2		"10"
sk_plr_crowbar3		"10"

// 9mmhandgun Round
sk_plr_9mm_bullet1	"8"
sk_plr_9mm_bullet2	"8"
sk_plr_9mm_bullet3	"8"

// 357 Round
sk_plr_357_bullet1	"40"
sk_plr_357_bullet2	"40"
sk_plr_357_bullet3	"40"

// 9mmAR Round
sk_plr_9mmAR_bullet1	"5"
sk_plr_9mmAR_bullet2	"5"
sk_plr_9mmAR_bullet3	"5"

// M203 grenade
sk_plr_9mmAR_grenade1	"100"
sk_plr_9mmAR_grenade2	"100"
sk_plr_9mmAR_grenade3	"100"

// Shotgun buckshot
sk_plr_buckshot1	"5"
sk_plr_buckshot2	"5"
sk_plr_buckshot3	"5"

// Crossbow
sk_plr_xbow_bolt_client1	"10"
sk_plr_xbow_bolt_client2	"10"
sk_plr_xbow_bolt_client3	"10"

sk_plr_xbow_bolt_monster1	"50"
sk_plr_xbow_bolt_monster2	"50"
sk_plr_xbow_bolt_monster3	"50"

// RPG
sk_plr_rpg1		"100"
sk_plr_rpg2		"100"
sk_plr_rpg3		"100"

// Gauss Gun
sk_plr_gauss1		"20"
sk_plr_gauss2		"20"
sk_plr_gauss3		"20"

// Egon Gun
sk_plr_egon_narrow1	"6"
sk_plr_egon_narrow2	"6"
sk_plr_egon_narrow3	"6"

sk_plr_egon_wide1		"14"
sk_plr_egon_wide2		"14"
sk_plr_egon_wide3		"14"

// Hand Grendade
sk_plr_hand_grenade1	"100"
sk_plr_hand_grenade2	"100"
sk_plr_hand_grenade3	"100"

// Satchel Charge
sk_plr_satchel1		"150"
sk_plr_satchel2		"150"
sk_plr_satchel3		"150"

// Tripmine
sk_plr_tripmine1	"150"
sk_plr_tripmine2	"150"
sk_plr_tripmine3	"150"

// MONSTER WEAPONS
sk_12mm_bullet1		"8"
sk_12mm_bullet2		"10"
sk_12mm_bullet3		"10"

sk_9mmAR_bullet1		"3"
sk_9mmAR_bullet2		"4"
sk_9mmAR_bullet3		"5"

sk_9mm_bullet1		"5"
sk_9mm_bullet2		"5"
sk_9mm_bullet3		"8"

// HORNET
sk_hornet_dmg1		"4"
sk_hornet_dmg2		"5"
sk_hornet_dmg3		"8"

// HEALTH/SUIT CHARGE DISTRIBUTION
sk_suitcharger1		"35"
sk_suitcharger2		"50"
sk_suitcharger3		"35"

sk_battery1			"10"
sk_battery2			"15"
sk_battery3			"10"

sk_healthcharger1		"25"
sk_healthcharger2		"40"
sk_healthcharger3		"25"

sk_healthkit1		"10"
sk_healthkit2		"15"
sk_healthkit3		"10"

sk_scientist_heal1	"25"
sk_scientist_heal2	"25"
sk_scientist_heal3	"25"

// monster damage adjusters
sk_monster_head1	"3"
sk_monster_head2	"3"
sk_monster_head3	"3"

sk_monster_chest1	"1"
sk_monster_chest2	"1"
sk_monster_chest3	"1"

sk_monster_stomach1	"1"
sk_monster_stomach2	"1"
sk_monster_stomach3	"1"

sk_monster_arm1		"1"
sk_monster_arm2		"1"
sk_monster_arm3		"1"

sk_monster_leg1		"1"
sk_monster_leg2		"1"
sk_monster_leg3		"1"

// player damage adjusters
sk_player_head1		"3"
sk_player_head2		"3"
sk_player_head3		"3"

sk_player_chest1	"1"
sk_player_chest2	"1"
sk_player_chest3	"1"

sk_player_stomach1	"1"
sk_player_stomach2	"1"
sk_player_stomach3	"1"

sk_player_arm1		"1"
sk_player_arm2		"1"
sk_player_arm3		"1"

sk_player_leg1		"1"
sk_player_leg2		"1"
sk_player_leg3		"1"

movement changes / walking speed as default

A lot of Gold Source and Source games seem to have trouble with a reliable "walk" bind. In Half-Life, the game claims you can hold ALT to walk, but this never seems to work. GameBanana user skully172 has found a really good fix, though, and has used the following script which you can find here[gamebanana.com]. This script will reduce your normal speed to emulate more of a walk. Holding shift will allow you to go back to regular game speed, which will then feel more like a run in comparison.

I'll paste the config code here, and how to get it to work properly, although skully172 does pretty much the exact same on the above link.

bind f1 "exec autoexec.cfg"

sv_friction 7
sv_airaccelerate 5

-speed
bind SHIFT +holdrun
alias +holdrun "sv_maxspeed 340; sv_accelerate 7"
alias -holdrun "sv_maxspeed 195; sv_accelerate 7"

bind Ctrl +crouchspeed
alias +crouchspeed "+duck; wait 100; sv_accelerate 12;"
alias -crouchspeed "-duck; wait 100; sv_maxspeed 195; sv_accelerate 7"

In order to get this script to work, you'll want to make a "userconfig.cfg" file if you don't already have one. Put this in the same location "config.cfg" is in, which should be the "valve" folder inside of your Half-Life game files. The easiest way to make a .cfg file is to simply copy and paste the "config.cfg" file, rename it to "userconfig.cfg", and delete everything in the file before replacing it with the above code. Once in game, this code should run automatically, but if it isn't working, try pressing F1 on your keyboard first.

conclusion and credits

Credits to lp-SORLλG for serving as the inspiration for me to post this guide. Their guide, Realism for Half-Life, is one you should check out as well.

Most of these configs are inspired by similar set-ups used in the popular series Freeman's Mind. You can find the video which inspired many of these changes here.

Major props to skully172[gamebanana.com] for the walking config, which is really useful, and alexandrovich[gamebanana.com] for an alternative skill.cfg setup.

I intend to post versions of this guide for other Gold Source / Source games in the future, so stay tuned for those. Half-Life: Source in particular is fun to add custom configs to, so that'll probably be next if I manage to pull my finger out. Thanks for reading!

[Solur Voludun]

I have a question about damage adjusters.
Can I customize them for specific enemies?

If, for example, I type sk_zombie_head 1 “100” headshots will 1shot the zombies on Easy mode but not the other difficulties or enemies?

[Smytsidian]

for once I found a useful guide

[meikkon]

these changes are mostly graphics changes which i'm not so interested in when it comes to this guide. i think this guide is probs long enough as is. might be worth making your own, though.

[Underqualified Gunman]

you might consider linking to some other resources like the colorable player fix for the options
adding a section about using gl_nearest for pixelated textures (models require a restart)
and that gamma 1.8 and brightness 0.5 are the proper console variables since the steam versions had them changed sometime in the years since

[Mr. Alien]

Joe asked

[meikkon]

youre mom xd

[John]

who asked