Half-Life (Nov 1, 1998 prototype)

A late beta build of Half-Life for the PC.
==Notes==
Back in November 13th of 1998, scene group "Class" released a build of Half-Life to the public. This build was compiled on November 1, 1998.
*This is build is older than the retail release by 4 days.
*File "pak0.pak" differs from the final game. When extracted, the only file that differs from the retail "pak0.pak" is the file "btns_main.bmp".
*Engine differs from the final game but the client and server game logic is a match.
*The map "Subtransit" is in the "mapcycle.txt" but is absent in the retail game's "mapcycle.txt".
*The button "3D info site" is absent in this build's "Video modes".
*Origin of the build is unknown, however it is likely that it came from a RC4 CD-R.
==Screenshots==
File:Half-Life (Nov 1, 1998 prototype) title.png|Main Menu
File:HL-Nov01-0000.png|Video modes Menu
File:HL-Nov01-0001.png|Developer Console + Build Info
File:HL-Nov02-RC4.png|RC4 CD-R (Possible Origin)
==Origin==
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 [ P r e s e n t s ] AB!DF2^SAC
 Half-Life (c) Sierra Studios
 · ─ -·-───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────--·─ ─ ·
 Cracker : Miramax : Released : November 13th, 1998
 Supplier : Red Leader : Protection : CD Key
 Stripper : Red Leader : Game Type : First Person Shooter
 Packager : ahu : # of Disks : 59 x 2.88 MB
 · ─ -·-───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────--·─ ─ ·
 Pentium 133, 24 MB RAM, 350 MB HD, 16bit Color Video, DirectX 5+
 Supports: Direct3D, Open-GL (3dfx Voodoo/Voodoo2)
 · ─ -·-───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────--·─ ─ ·
 [ G a m e N o t e s ]
 For those of you wanting to jump right into the game, the CD-Key is:
 1911-11111-1115 (single player only)
 Or you can use the included key generator in disk 1, to make your own 
 random key (hlkeygen.exe).
 Note that you will need a unique and valid key for multiplayer!
 Game info:
 Half-Life combines the visceral action of legendary action games like
 Doom with great storytelling in the tradition of Stephen King. Half-Life
 blends action, drama, and adventure with stunning technology to create a
 frighteningly realistic world where players need to think smart to sur-
 vive.
 Throughout the game, both friends and foes behave in sophisticated and
 unpredictable ways, as a result of Half-Life's powerful and innovative
 artificial intelligence. The intensity of the game also reflects the
 strong storyline, created by novelist Marc Laidlaw. Of course there's
 also a variety of exciting multiplayer scenarios, and an easy-to-use
 interface that will have you connected to the game of your choice in
 just seconds.
 Storyline:
 Deep in the bowels of the Black Mesa Federal Research Facility, a
 decommissioned missle base, a top secret project is underway. A portal
 has been opened to another dimension, and human science has never seen
 anything like the world on the other side.
 You are Gordon Freeman, a young research associate in the Anomalous
 Materials Laboratory. You have limited security clearance and no real
 idea of just how dangerous your job has become, until the morning you
 are sent alone into the Test Chamber to analyze a strange crystalline
 specimen. A routine analysis, they tell you. Until something goes wrong.
 Is it sabotage? An Accident? Or is it something you did? All you hear
 is screaming; all you see is spacetime shattering. The next thing you
 know, the entire Black Mesa Facility is a nightmare zone, with sirens
 wailing and scientists fleeing in terror from the things their co-
 workers have become.
 As Gordon Freeman, you must enlist the help of traumatized scientists
 and trigger-happy security guards to get through high-security zones,
 sneaking and fighting your way through ruined missle silos and Cold
 War cafeterias, through darkened airducts and subterranean railways.
 When you finally come in sight of the surface, you realize the inhuman
 monsters aren't your only enemies-for the government has sent in
 ruthless troops and stealthy assassins. Their orders seem to be that
 when it comes to the Black Mesa, nothing gets out alive... especially
 not you.
 When even your own species turns against you, maybe you'll be glad to
 see another portal beckoning. But then again, on Earth you have allies
 while on the far side of the portal, nothing at all is familliar except
 the sense of danger.
 Save the Earth? Well, maybe. But that's a pretty low priority compared
 to saving your own skin.
 Features:
 * Half-Life monsters are remarkably - even terrifyingly intelligent.
 Our proprietary AI has them running in packs, assessing threats and
 showing a marked distaste for suicide runs. You'd better think as
 fast as they do.
 * The Rendering Technologies developed, allow all the features that
 were previously only visible with special hardware accelerators to
 be visible for users with only 16-bit color video. They are an
 integral part of the gameplay and not just eye candy. Of course
 if you do have Open-GL, Direct3D or MMX hardware, things will
 look mind-boggingly cool.
 * The Skeletal Animation System lets us create monsters that are more
 spectacularly menacing than ever before. Half-Life monsters have the
 highest polygon count, and the most fluid and complex motion ever
 seen in an action game.
 * Joining a multiplayer game is no fast and easy, thanks to Half-Life's
 powerful interface. Find your friends, choose the type of game you
 prefer and let our master server do the rest. Choose from a variety
 of multuplayer gameplay scenarios, and use our decal technology to
 mark your territory with a personal or clan logo.
 * Hazard Course training area for practicing movements, special
 maneuvers, and weapons use.
 * Seamless level transitions
 * A variety of real-world, experimental and alien-world weaponry
 * 32 player internet/LAN support.
 * Worldcraft 2.0 level editor support
 What was ripped? An intro video, some previews and the cd-audio were
 sent to Goaman's house.
 We are well aware of the packaged size of this game and we are aware
 that it is in violation of guideline #1 of the agreed-upon FACTION
 10 point program, but we recognize a major title when we see one and
 there is no better way to deliver a title of this stature than in its
 most complete form. Some groups would motion to remove multiplayer
 levels or whatnot, in order to make it a legitimate release that
 could be counted in charts etc. Fortunately for the end-user, that
 is not OUR priority, and we sincerly believe that gamers out there
 who have been waiting for this game are willing to get it at the
 expense of a few hours and or a $50 dollar phone bill in Europe.
 There is NO better way to bring this game down in size while main-
 taining the utmost level of playability, functionality and enjoya-
 bility that this game deserves. So as far as credit in the game-charts
 goes, we say fuck-it. Nuke this game if you'd rather not see it on
 your respective sites. The rest of us will enjoy this long-awaited,
 stellar title. Noone can deny that this is what common sense dictates.
 Enjoy the game and expect more from your dependable friends who have
 brought you some of the greatest FPS games of all time, including
 QUAKE 2 and UNREAL... CLASS PC.
 Greets to: China Blue, Mr.Skill, Hemp Hoodlum, Prozac, aTm, Devil, Xoanon,
 CATMAN, Juice, Grudge, TrainMan, TheCa, Animal & Dogfriend, ZeC,
 John Lennon, Fallen Angel, OfD, Smokey, Miramax, Mr. Sandman,
 Moeb, Spectral Illusion, MGD, Buller, LeChucky, Magnetic King,
 Byte, Jaydee, D-Unknown, GG, TX, AlBaby, Jammer, ECI and Horde!
 · ─ -·-───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────--·─ ─ ·
 [ I n s t a l l N o t e s ]
 UnZIP then run INSTALL.EXE or UnACE to a directory of your choice. If
 you UnACED manually, then be sure to import hl.reg into your registry.
 Run HL.EXE to play. Enjoy!
 · ─ -·-───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────--·─ ─ ·
 [ G r o u p N e w s ]
 In lieu of recent events contributing to the breakdown of the now
 defunct S.P.A. (Software Piracy Association), a private meeting between the
 key contributing and contending groups was held. On October 15th, 1998 an
 agreement and compromise was reached between the 3 attending parties, CLASS,
 PARADIGM and RAZOR 1911. Let it be known that this type of compromise could
 not be achieved under the S.P.A. environment; it took a clean break to
 accomplish in a day what had previously gone unaccomplished in 2 months.
 The end result being a new council whose sole purpose is to set standards
 for the game-releasing subsector of the scene, to be adhered to by all
 admitted parties. Represented members of this new council named THE
 FACTION, have pledged to abide by the following set of rules created a) to
 ensure a quality minded end result and b) to encourage fair play and a
 productive competitive environment for involved groups.
 The Faction 10 Point Program:
 1. The disk limit is as of now 50 x 2.88 megabytes or 2,915,328 bytes.
 This equates to a total of 144 megabytes of compressed data or
 145,766,400 bytes. Using 2.88 megabyte archives enables us to keep the
 standard 8 character filename with a 3 character extension. This will
 also help contribute to the elimination of the 'missing disk'
 phenomenon, plaguing end-users worldwide. Acceptable compression
 formats at this time are ACE or RAR, followed by the traditional
 PKZIPing.
 2. Every release under this limit will be a functionally and playably
 complete game. This means that included will be every component
 necessary for the successful completion of the game (every level, track,
 course and other NECESSARY component).
 3. Sound effects WILL and MUST be included.
 4. Intros, Outros and Cut-Scenes should be removed if the size of the
 release is 40 x 2.88 disks or more with them included. Intros should
 NOT be iuncluded in a Movie Add-On, only Cut-Scenes and Outro (aka
 End-Scene) should be included. Animation files, such as .SMKs, should
 be "framed" and not blacked out. Re-indexing of large files, should
 consist of an actual re-index instead of just creating a file full of
 0's, (which doesn't change the actual file size, but allows it to
 compress to virtually nothing), thus promoting more quality minded rips
 and cracks.
 5. Only 2 Add-Ons should be released per game. Each Add-On should be no
 more than 25 x 2.88 megabyte archives.
 6. A brief outline of what has been stripped from the game should be
 clearly stated in the game-release .NFO, as well as information as to
 whether or not Add-Ons can be expected.
 7. Children's games (aka Kiddie games) and Edutainment software do not
 qualify under THE FACTION's guidelines for acceptable releases.
 8. In regard to games distributed in the United States that are LATER
 distributed in Europe or vice versa under the same or different name /
 publisher. These games if released AFTER another group's release are
 counted as DUPES unless it can be proven that there is a clearly
 noticeable PLAYABLE difference in the latter release (eg. new levels,
 enhanced graphics, or other new features).
 9. Fully cracked Update Patches and Trainers are highly regarded, though
 they are not the responsibility of any group (including that of which
 released the original game.) If 2 trainers from the same or different
 groups are released for 1 game, this does NOT qualify as a dupe unless
 the latter trainer provides no new features over the prior trainer.
 10. Admittance to THE FACTION is done on an invite / vote-in basis. The
 group invitation must be proposed before ALL current FACTION member-
 group representatives, and the corresponding vote must be undertaken by
 ALL FACTION member-group representatives. This council operates in a
 purely democratic manner and all parties therein have upon joining,
 agreed to follow all stated guidelines of this Declaration of Scene
 Independence. Today is not only a new dawn in the games scene, but our
 Independence Day where differences are at least temporarily put aside
 and our unity re-consolidated.
 This document was signed & approved on October 17th, 1998 by the following
 individuals, representing their respective groups:
 Mr.Skill - [CLASS] - ZEUS [PARADIGM] - The Punisher [RAZOR 1911]
 · ─ -·-───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────--·─ ─ ·
 [ A p p l i c a t i o n I n f o ]
 Interested in joining? We are looking for talented new members to help us
 fill the ranks! If you fall within any of the following categories, you
 might just be what we're looking for:
 * If you work for a software developer, distributor, or publisher!
 * If you can supply unreleased games, utilities, or even hardware!
 * If you work for an ISP, or other provider of shell accounts, etc!
 * If you feel that you have anything else that might be of value to us!
 NOTE: WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING COURIERS AT THIS CURRENT POINT IN TIME.
 · ─ -·-───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────--·─ ─ ·
 [ C o n t a c t i n g C L A S S ]
 Should you wish to make contact with our members, we can easily be reached
 via e-mail at: support@class101.com
 NOTE: WE DO NOT MAIL/FTP MISSING DISKS OF OUR RELEASES, SO DO NOT ASK.
 · ─ -·-───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────--·─ ─ ·
 "The most sensical games group around..."
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