Welcome to AGHL:)

[David Firewater]

AGHL
====
AGHL (alt.games.half-life) is a Usenet newsgroup principally for the
discussion of Valve Software's Half-Life, Half-Life 2 and *any* of
their modifications, including Counter-Strike, Counter-Strike:Source
and Half-Life Source.

The most current version of this document will be posted weekly on
alt.games.half-life, but HTML document mirrors can be found at:

http://www.geocities.com/peteraghl/aghl.html

Index
=====
This document covers the following topics - in order:
01. AGHL's Posters
02. The Most Frequently-Asked Questions
03. Posting Format
04. Asking for Help
05. If No One Replies
06. Don't be a Chump
07. Lurking
08. Off Topic
09. Don't Post Angry
10. Steam
11. Half-Life 2 and Source questions
12. Links
13. Purpose of this Posting
14. Guidelines for good posting in AGHL
15. Disclaimer
16. The AGHL Chronicles
17. Document History

01. AGHL's Posters
==================
The group is populated by people that have an enthusiasm for the game.
While there are a great many knowledgeable people here, remember that we
are gamers just like you, and this unofficial forum is not Sierra
technical support.

02. The Most Frequently-Asked Questions
=======================================
Before you post, particularly with Half-Life related questions,
be sure to check out HQH's Half-Life FAQ:
http://www.asnivor.com/hlfaq/hlfaq.htm
http://home.centurytel.net/Lefty/HLFAQ.zip

For Half-Life 2, Steam and Counter-Strike:Source related questions,
take a look at "The Collective's" FAQ:
http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?faq=source_mod_faq

If you're looking for a helping hand completing Half-Life 2, you
should take a look at this very comprehensive walkthrough:
http://www.cheathappens.com/text/hl2walk.zip.txt

You can also do a search at Google Groups (http://groups.google.com) to
see if your question has been asked before.

03. Posting Format
==================
Binaries (file attachments of ANY kind) are unwelcome in AGHL, and
posting them in non-binary groups like this is more than likely against
your service provider's AUP. Please do not attach screenshots, .bsps,
vcards, sounds, or any other type of file to your posts to AGHL. If you
have something you want people to see, put it on your webspace, or post
it to alt.binaries.games.half-life, although not all servers host the
binaries group.

HTML is widely disliked by most of the occupants of AGHL because it is
not a format that is readable in all newsreader programs, and needlessly
bloats the size of messages on the news server. If you use it, expect
many posts asking you not to; if you continue to use it, expect to have
your posts set to ignore by most of the regulars.

It's considered good form to trim the quoted text from the post to which
you're replying, i.e. to cut out the segments that you aren't responding
to directly. While this isn't something that's a big deal in AGHL,
extremes (a one line response from you above 1000 lines from the post
you're replying to) will draw unfavorable comment.

04. Asking for Help
===================
Try searching the group for an answer first. AGHL is a friendly group,
and won't flame you with "f*ck off to Google Groups" if you ask
something that can be easily found out elsewhere. However, we do get fed
up of answering the same question many times in a short period - check
the newsgroup using your newsreader's find function to see if anyone has
asked the question you're asking recently.

For technical problems, always give the details of your setup (video
card, CPU, drivers, OS, etc.)

For help with particular parts of the game, describe in as much detail
as you can where you are - give the name of the game episode (e.g. Blast
Pit, Forget About Freeman) describe where you are, and the events that
led up to you being there. We can't help if we don't know where you
are!

If you're posting Half-Life 2 related questions on particular parts of
the game, please include a blank space at the top of your post - this
is because not everyone in the group has completed the game yet - and
they may not necessarily want to know what lies ahead.

05. If No One Replies
=====================
Don't be surprised if your question isn't answered immediately - someone
could be researching your question further, or may collect the posts one
day and post replies the next. Be patient; no one is paid to answer your
queries in AGHL, although people generally will help a fellow gamer if
they can. If you have no answer after a while, try a follow-up to your
post asking politely whether anyone has an answer. An angry post an hour
or so after you post your question is likely to lead to your requests
for help being ignored thereafter.

Asking for help by email only is usually considered to be arrogant - if
you can find the group to post a request, you can find it again to read
the responses. Answers that are posted in the newsgroup may also assist
other people with the same problem, and thus reduce repeated questions.

06. Don't be a Chump
====================
If someone posts something in response to your question that seems a bit
unlikely, try asking them (politely) for a source to back it up. Bear in
mind that your respondent may have misremembered, or in rare cases, may
have posted something blatantly untrue to goad you or get a laugh for
themselves.

Usenet newsgroups are not always full of the world's unalloyed truths
so use your common sense, and if someone does pull your chain don't be
a chump by rising to the bait and posting an angry response.

07. Lurking
===========
It's considered good practice and good manners to lurk (read the group
without posting, or posting only technical/game help) for 2 weeks to a
month before posting anything yourself. This will let you become
familiar with the personalities in the group, give you some idea of who
is a reliable source of information and who isn't, and clue you up on
the in-jokes within the group. All good stuff for not needlessly
embarrassing yourself with your first post. :-)

08. Off Topic
=============
AGHL is, by and large, tolerant of off-topic posts. The game has been
out for a long time, and many of us have been posting here for just as
long. Off-topic posts, in-jokes, etc. stop these people getting bored
and drifting off to other forums. Posts from people new to the group
complaining about off-topic discussions are, therefore, not always
treated kindly.

In general, threads on topics that are politically controversial or
likely to provoke a large heated argument (rather than a discussion) are
frowned upon, and may provoke an unfavorable response.

09. Don't Post Angry
====================
Try not to post when you're angry about something you've read. In the
heat of the moment, you're likely to weaken your argument by not
thinking it through properly.

If you do feel you need to post an angry response, leave it on your
screen for a while. Go off and do something else - get a beer, walk the
dog. Look through it when you get back. Does it still seem proportionate
to the post you're responding to? Are you sure you didn't misunderstand
what the person you're replying to was saying in their post? If the
message still seems like an appropriate response when you get back, then
send it. More often than not, you'll rewrite it.

Note also that posting while drunk is inadvisable. If you do feel the
need to post while drunk - please try to enter the subject as
"Obligatory Drunken Post", or as close to this as you can manage in
your inebriated state.

10. Steam
=========

This section covers Valve Software's new online platform, which, as of
31st July 2004, is a pre-requisite to playing all Valve games online.

to download Steam, check the official site here:
http://www.steampowered.com

for all common support issues with Steam, Including account and CD-Key
issues, Crashes, and Installation problems, have a look at the Steam
Knowledgebase first: http://steampowered.custhelp.com/
(Note - Most of the knowledgebase entries were originally written by
Steampowered forum posters, and not by Valve. Therefore you may find
that some of the solutions are imperfect workarounds)

If you are having a problem with Steam, that hasn't been addressed in
the Steampowered knowledgebase, you may find other users in the
Steampowered forums who have had the same problem. You may find the
Support forum here:
http://steampowered.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=17

If you still can't find an answer to a problem, please remember when
asking for help to include as much information as you can about the
problem, your computer, and what solutions you've already tried so far.

"Steam blows goats and I want my mummy. I am going to inflict my wrath
upon Gabe Newell and his band of evil mercenaries, but only after i've
posted a long JEFFK style rant to AGHL - yuo fag0tz." - This is an
example of what can only be called muppetry. We are aware that Steam's
implementation currently "blows goats" for a lot of people - and we'd
appreciate if you'd keep it to yourself.

11. Half-Life 2 and Source questions
====================================

"Where can I find information about Half-Life 2 and the Source engine?"

- There's an enormous wealth of information on the internet about the
game and the engine, including Movies, Screenshots, interviews,
previews... the list goes on.

[Official Website] http://www.half-life2.com

http://www.planethalflife.com/half-life2
http://www.halflife2.net
http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?faq=source_mod_faq

If that's not enough for you, Google'ing for Half-Life 2 should bring up
alot more information

"What is Counter-Strike : Source?"

Counter-Strike:Source (CS:S) is to Half-Life 2, what Counter-Strike is
to Half-Life 1. CS:S is *not* Counter-Strike 2, it is a deliberate
conversion of the same game to a new engine. CS:S is a free
modification that is shipped with the Half-life 2 Standard and
Collectors editions.

"What was CS:S Beta?"

It was simply an engine test of the Source engine. CS:S was chosen to be
distributed for a limited amount of time to CS:CZ owners over Steam, for
the sake of testing the Source engine, in preparation for Half-Life 2.

CS:S Beta was a cut-down version of CS:S geared towards catching bugs.
The distribution contained 1 map, 2 character models, the Source engine,
CS:S mod DLLS, and enough content to make it entirely playable on the
new revamped de_dust. Many of the features that are in the final
CS:S were disabled. CS:Beta was not designed to show off the final
game, nor the capabilities of the engine.

"What is this Source Engine stuff all about?"

The Source Engine is the name of the 3D engine that combines all the
technology behind the game, and turns the maps, models, sounds, and 2D
textures into the Lifelike 3D world that we've all seen in the
screenshots and movies. While the Half-Life 1 engine was a heavily
modified Quake 1 engine, Source is entirely new - written-from-scratch
by Valve Software. Source incorporates the Havok physics engine
(http://www.havok.com/) to simulate the realistic movement of all the
objects and models in the game. This is the same Physics engine that
we're already seeing in many other games, such as FarCry. Source also
contains a number of other new technologies.

"Will I have to pay to play Half-Life2 online?"

No! Half-Life 2 will work in exactly the same way Half-Life 1 does over
steam. Your Half-Life 2 CD Key will provide your Steam account with a
Proof-of-Purchase of a lifetime subscription to playing HL2, and all
its free modifications online.

If you buy Half-Life2 via Steam, the step of buying an entering a CD-Key
will be skipped, and a lifetime subscription will automatically be
assigned to your Steam Account.

"So, I have to use Steam to play Half-Life 2?"

If you buy a boxed retail copy of Half-Life 2, you will be able to
install the game and play Single Player offline, after connecting to
the Steam network once to validate your copy of the game. Connecting
to Steam on further occasions will cause your game to update - which
may be time consuming on a 56k modem. You cannot play the game until
all the current Steam updates are complete.

"Can I patch Half-Life 2 without Steam?"

No.

Note - there's alot of mis-information floating around the internet
regarding Half-Life 2 and Steam. All links listed in this section are
highly reliable sources. If anything you hear seems contradictory to
what you've already read, it's probably wrong.

12. Links
=========
HQH's Half-Life FAQ (temporary mirrors):
http://www.asnivor.com/hlfaq/hlfaq.htm
http://home.centurytel.net/Lefty/HLFAQ.zip

The Collective's Half-Life 2 FAQ
http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?faq=source_mod_faq

Tweak guides:
http://www.3dspotlight.com/tweaks/cstrike/
http://www.tweak3d.net/tweak/halflife/

Console commands; binds and aliases:
http://server.counter-strike.net/commands.html

HL single-player walkthrough:
http://www.gamespot.com/features/halflife_gg/index.html

OpFor walkthrough:
http://www.planethalflife.com/opfor/guide/walk/

Blue Shift walkthrough:
http://www.planethalflife.com/blueshift/walkthrough/

Half-Life 2 walkthrough:
http://www.cheathappens.com/text/hl2walk.zip.txt

CS info:
http://www.counter-strike.net/

TFC info:
http://www.planetfortress.com/

Server info:
http://www.planethalflife.com/server/

CivTarget's reduced-size no-frills HL upgrade patch
http://home.centurytel.net/Lefty/HLsmallpatch1110.exe

CD-Key generator:
http://www.reality-syndicate.com/syndicatepress/hlcdkey.htm

13. Purpose of this Posting
===========================
This message is posted weekly, and its intention is to give people who
are new to this newsgroup or Usenet in general the information they
need. You are, of course, free to ignore it entirely - however, in the
same way, the other occupants of AGHL are free to tell you exactly what
they think of the consequences of you doing so.

The information in this post is based upon the various consensus that
the group has arrived at over certain topics over the years, and
generally accepted Usenet etiquette.

14. Guidelines for good posting in AGHL
=======================================

Here are some guidelines drafted by Strider (from experience) that
you should bear in mind if you want to avoid a negative response when
you first post:

- Don't get involved in a long flowing discussion when you're new to
the group. Post a few comments, if they're not well received than
don't argue the point, let it drop. If you don't then consider that
most of your posts are going to be looked at even more closely
because you are new. If you make a mistake with something you say
it will be picked up and thrown back at you, as well as being
catalogued by google for the world to see, for all eternity
- Don't assume everyone in the group is going to receive you well.
One or two of any group might just decide to dislike you due to a
bad post or simply not knowing who you are. Do not flame them.
- Stay away from nationalism, politics, religion, sexuality and other
'tribal' subjects, like football, soccer etc until everyone knows
your not a fascist, right wing, or just a homophobic Manchester
United supporting bigot.
- Look for the 'diplomats' - the sensible intelligent people in the
group, there are always a one or two depending on the group your
posting to. Try and reply to as many of their posts as you can
and avoid the others until you've proven that you can hold a
sensible conversation. This is mainly because the diplomats are
more likely to see you're inexperienced and cut you some slack.
If you reply to the young impetuous members they're not going
to cut you any slack. If you make ground and are on good terms
with these people then you've cleared a major hurdle posting to
newsgroups.

15. Disclaimer
==============
AGHL Inc. accepts no responsibility for damage to your person or
computer incurred through following or disregarding the advice given in
this thread. AGHL Inc. does not trample upon your right to whiz on
electric fences, or do stupid things, and equally well, advises you that
you have the right not to do these things should you so wish. AGHL Inc.
reserves the right to point and laugh at your misfortune should harm
befall your electrical appliances due to following any or all of the
advice ever given in this newsgroup. AGHL Inc. believes that a million
monkeys might just produce the works of Shakespeare, if they can stop
belting out Jeffrey Archer novels every couple of weeks. AGHL Inc.
should not be swallowed, rubbed on skin, or used as a suppository. AGHL
Inc. may contain traces of nut. AGHL Inc. should not be folded,
spindled or mutilated. AGHL Inc. should not be exposed to naked flame,
even when empty, or left in direct sunlight. Do not feed AGHL Inc.
after midnight, and under no circumstances allow your AGHL Inc. to come
into contact with water.

16. The AGHL Chronicles
=======================
"Know, O newbie, that between the years when Valve created Half-Life and
its many patches, and the years of the rise of Team Fortress 2, there
was an Age undreamed of, when shining websites lay spread across the
Internet like blue mantles beneath the stars... Hither came the regulars
from all corners of the world, snarks and automatic weapons in their
hands, rogues, warriors, reavers, slayers, with gigantic melancholies
and gigantic mirth, to tread the newsgroups of Usenet under their feet.

"From every mythical land they came - red-bearded aerial warriors from
grim Lancashire; impossibly ancient, yet indestructible fighters from
the deep south of Texas; lightning-fast killers with short tempers and
bad spelling from the chill Tyne; deadly royalty from the Lands Below
Sea-level; cool assassins from the icy Twin Cities, their hunting
creatures at their sides; brutish yet noble barbarians from the Valley
of the Thames; beautiful and deadly Valkyries from the Hell that is
Yorkshire; aged Keymasters from the shadow of the Black Mountains;
Scandinavian lords with their savagely lethal offspring; black magic
captains from the Highlands; urbane cajun slayers from the swampy Delta
Lands; the legendary phat brothers from the Land Where No-one Goes;
sinister reavers from the States of Unity; assorted freeks; neat and
deadly weapon masters from tiny southern hamlets; communications masters
from the City of Roundabouts; unpredictable fighters from the Lake of
Salt, fearsome Daemons from the Smoke; Celtic exiles from the City by
the Bridge; garrulous shovellers; unpronounceable barbarians from the
Land of Erin; all-knowing web wizards from the Town of Desserts; Viking
tacticians from the Country of Lakes..."

17. Document History and Mirrors
================================

Original document and disclaimer by WildStyle24_7
Conan-style fiction by Anders & HighVis
Amendments by Bench, Strider and Civilian_Target
-=-
David
davidfirewater(a)hotmail.com

[Peter [AGHL]]

See you next to year on ....

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

AGHL!

Nappy Hew Year - huup

- Peter

[Shawk]

"Peter [AGHL]" <peter...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:43b69dd5$0$208$edfa...@dread16.news.tele.dk...

> See you next to year on ....
>
> -
> -
> -
> -
>

> AGHL!
>
> Nappy Hew Year - huup
>

Just have a couple of hours to play a little more FEAR and then it's sh$t,
shave and shower and I'm off out to celebrate with family. Happy New Year
to you all. Have a good one.

[Peter [AGHL]]

"Shawk" wrote

> Just have a couple of hours to play a little more FEAR and then it's sh$t,
> shave and shower and I'm off out to celebrate with family.

Ouch I'm off to the kitchen now
Gottta prepare some dinner for the family

Oxe cullotte with garlic, baked potatoes, carrots, chips, bernaise etc

> Happy New Year to you all. Have a good one.

Yeah have fun :)

- Peter

[Jimbob]

Shawk wrote:

> Just have a couple of hours to play a little more FEAR and then it's
> sh$t, shave and shower and I'm off out to celebrate with family.
> Happy New Year to you all. Have a good one.

Just time to make some food, then it's getting dressed up as a pirate and im
off!

Happy new year all.

[Paul Catley]

"Jimbob" <richard.(REMOVE)burkinshaw@(REMOVE)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:41nq2nF...@individual.net...

>
> Just time to make some food, then it's getting dressed up as a pirate and im
> off!

You forgot to say "Arrrr!"

Happy New Year all.

--
Paul

[Jimbob]

Paul Catley wrote:

> You forgot to say "Arrrr!"
>
> Happy New Year

That i did, here is a pic of me in all my glory lol :
http://img335.imageshack.us/img335/1650/menewyeareve3tq.jpg

Was interesting to say the least.

Happy new yearrgh!

[Stri]

proclaimed....

> That i did, here is a pic of me in all my glory lol :
> http://img335.imageshack.us/img335/1650/menewyeareve3tq.jpg
>
> Was interesting to say the least.
>
> Happy new yearrgh!

heh nice.

happy new year everyone.

--
Scottie - stri.tk - My Blog
THL - team-hl.tk AGHL's Counter-strike:Source Clan