There are few things why I wanted to use Xash3D engine.

Well so far I don't see an option in clean GoldSRC to mount/load content from multiple games; e.g. load bshift -> gearbox -> valve directories in this hierarchy. So the only way to have OF and BS content is to actually put all the resources in mod dir and give it for free or write tutorial how to do that, but then many people will spam "why it's not working" just like in 3.0, those who didn't understood simple readme.txt did PUT mod inside valve dir instead of HL1 dir and then there was messages like; "IT BROKE MY HL1 WTF!?"

Oh and clean Blue-Shift maps can't be loaded inside mod without re-compiling them using hacky map tools (that's kinda illegal) In Xash3D case it can load them without problems.

Next the GoldSRC 1 limits... HL: Update mod was suppose to change some stuff that required to break limits of HL1 engine. From simple sentences.txt and ENTs limits to modified studiomdl.exe and renderer to render much more verts as single mesh, without splitting etc.

Well, a lot of these limits can be fixed by using custom model renderer and/or custom map renderer, but I lack proper skills to do it and time to learn it. I barely got 2 hours a month to work on HL: Update it's too small amount of time to worry about making it GoldSRC compatible.

Then there's "issue" with people who will cry "Why it's not working with my non-steam or retail version?" Current up-to-date HL SDK 2.3 with SDL requires the most up-to-date version of HL1 on steam to work or players will get typical crash or classic "can't load dynamic library client.dll" bullshit. Xash3D works either way it only needs assets. Also with custom .exe there was possibility to create custom launcher without the need to use multiple .exes or even possibility to hook other modules at engine level for multiple mod support.

Also Xash3D is in separate directory so I can put there modified OpenGL dll with some visual goodies and it will work. (But if people put that inside HL1 dir, they will get VAC banned and then I will hear crying that they've got banned because of HL:Update.) You know about opengl DLL sys, you used it in previous versions of Arrangement ;) I think it was few years back when you first showed dynamic shadows on the forums.

Steam HL1 version have a pretty nasty "bug?" caused by bad settings for users with Nvidia Optimus technology. It's that thing in laptops when you have 2 GPUs, one dedicated and one crappy one for desktop and less demanding graphics. In most cases you can set GPU driver and device to run stuff, but for some dumb reason HL1 Steam will only run on integrated crappy GPU on these laptops with Nvidia Optimus. And then when you run HL1 and turn simple flashlight on (simple one not modded one) you get 15FPS while playing game from 1998 on modern laptop...

http://steamcommunity.com/app/10/discussions/0/864959809929049360/

Well there is a fix for it, more like tool to force-change settings in visual driver but then people need to download that tool and change it, but it's too hard for some people or they just expect game to work and that it should be fixed by Valve.

In Xash3D engine it runs directly on dedicated GPUs using OpenGL without any issues with crappy integrated GPUs.

And many other little things like; included .ent loader for maps, no ripent.exe or re-coded .ent wrapper required to change map entities when loading it. The .bsp maps are loading faster than in HL1 version of the game. The lighting on maps (without editing them, just directly loading them) is better than in HL1 version.

And of course the whole source code is there, so it's possible to hook or modify things at engine level without using these nasty hacks with HL1 version. You used code for HL: Paranoia and I think some parts of Trinity Renders so you know about what I'm talking about :) They are working but not always. In many cases it requires a lot of testing and creating "backup" if/elses to handle different GPUs. Some things might work with Nvidia GPUs but then let AMD Radeon users play it and theirs whole screen will be FUBAR (Or vice versa.)


After all this, I want to add; This might sound like I'm praising Xash3D as ultimate and awesome engine for HL1, but my point is; With Xash3D a lot of stuff is easier or already done, it saves developement time and also fixes (or provides way to fix/change) things that can't be done with GoldSrc


And I agree with you, It's possible to take it as a challenge, but I simply don't have that amount of free time available :(

BTW: I want to ask you something about ARRANGEMENT and don't get me wrong I don't want to be rude or anything, I'm just curious.

You did pretty impressive stuff with ARRANGEMENT on HL1 engine, but I gotta ask; was it worth it? I mean, you spend years coding this stuff and a lot of things could be easier achieved (or already coded) in other engines. Since it's a total conversion mod why not use different engine that's more modern and friendly to changes? Dunno even Source 1 engine? A lot of FX and AI stuff you re-coded was already in HL2 SDK in 2004. Why not use Source 1 engine with use of Havoc physics? That would add awesome gameplay elements (dat ragdolls :D) or even simple in-game physics puzzles to "relieve" players from shooting stuff for a short while? Or maybe even Unity or Unreal 3 (UDK) engine? There is no need in much modern engines to hack edit graphics and force map or model artists to wait on stuff before coders are done with it. Level designers and artists and do theirs things and you can focus on coding gameplay elements instead of worrying about OpenGL buffers or other stuff... well unless you love to code OpenGL stuff, but then I think it's better to get full Quake 3 engine source code (or even DOOM3 source code I think it was released under GPU) and create whole custom engine :)