[05.04.2016 18:04:45] Maxim: Hello again Laura. I am very pleased that you've agreed to respond to my request. Of course, I will avoid any questions, with the number "3" in the title. [05.04.2016 18:06:46] Maxim: Our community is collecting first-hand information regarding how one of the greatest games in the history was created. It is very interesting for us to learn about the difficulties and interesting moments of the working process at the Valve smithy. [05.04.2016 18:07:40] Maxim: I would like to ask a few specific questions. Can I start? (: [05.04.2016 18:10:50] Laura Dubuk: Hi! Yes sure thing. Just so you know, I'm not at Valve anymore, but i worked there for about 12 years [05.04.2016 18:12:22] Laura Dubuk: And no, i didn't get fired, I decided to move to another country for experience. [05.04.2016 18:12:26] Laura Dubuk: :) [05.04.2016 18:12:39] Maxim: Sure, i know about it. But, however, you have invested a lot in the Valve's history for 12 years. (: [05.04.2016 18:14:12] Maxim: So, let's get started. We would like to know how many changes in the process of creating the Combine designs occured. Were there any really interesting ideas, which ultimately didn't make it into any projects known to us, or, one way or another, has not been shown to community? [05.04.2016 18:14:44] Laura Dubuk: Hmm that's an interesting question [05.04.2016 18:16:16] Laura Dubuk: I remember that the Combine aesthetic was always very similar to what you see in the final game. However I believe that some designs/ideas were scrapped because they didn't have a specific use or place in the game. [05.04.2016 18:18:07] Laura Dubuk: As it typically works in games and films, there were exploratory sketches for various combine designs that weren't used. [05.04.2016 18:18:55] Laura Dubuk: But yes, I remember the combine designs always looked very much like the final aesthetic, for whatever reason. [05.04.2016 18:25:28] Maxim: Really interesting to hear it, seems like it is not changes really well during development. Except some points, were Combine aesthetics more looks "human-like" design with rusty and scrapped details. (: So, another question. We know that while working on Half-Life 2, you were engaged in the creation of various elements of the game environment. From the "Raising The Bar" book, we learnt that during the development of the game, a huge number of props, elements of interior, etc. had been created. Were there any particular things, work on which you specially remember? In general, we would be interested to hear about how the environment model creation proccess went. [05.04.2016 18:29:04] Laura Dubuk: Wow, well yes there was a lot of different props, in many different areas made [05.04.2016 18:29:25] Laura Dubuk: One of my favorite areas to work on was the Trainstation [05.04.2016 18:29:52] Laura Dubuk: I had never worked on architecture before. But I really loved it. [05.04.2016 18:30:20] Laura Dubuk: The Train station in hl2 was based somewhat on the Gare Du Nord train station in Paris [05.04.2016 18:31:24] Laura Dubuk: my art director was very passionate about getting the details right, and I learned a lot about architectural design. I built some of the arches, lamps, trusses etc in the ceiling. [05.04.2016 18:31:53] Laura Dubuk: Also, I remember well the interiors of the apartments of city 17. [05.04.2016 18:32:43] Laura Dubuk: The art director was very specific about what color and shape he wanted each piece of furniture to be, to create the right mood and time period for that part of the game. [05.04.2016 18:33:58] Laura Dubuk: So i also learned a lot about environment design then as well. I was impressed about how much thought went into staging the rooms. [05.04.2016 18:35:13] Laura Dubuk: No work was wasted in that area, which was good because our art team was very small. [05.04.2016 18:42:01] Maxim: But You and your team did a impressive work, anyway. (: Although for me personally, it looks a bit strange that City 17 seemed stuck in the style of the 80s without any more or less modern elements. :D [05.04.2016 18:43:16] Maxim: Ok, can we go next? We often chatted with Marc Laidlaw, and he has revealed to us a lot of interesting moments in the development of the game's story and plot. In particular, he wanted to help us find video on the famous demo which was called "Get Your Free TV", and about planned exhibition at E3 2002. Unfortunately, it was not long before his departure from Valve, and thus he did not have the time and possibility to help us. Do you know anything about those materials? [05.04.2016 18:43:34] Laura Dubuk: Hahahaha [05.04.2016 18:43:57] Laura Dubuk: Let me answer the question about the 80s first [05.04.2016 18:44:16] Maxim: Sure. [05.04.2016 18:45:35] Laura Dubuk: I don't remember there being a specific art direction to make it 80s, but the feel ad cinematography of the apartments was influenced by the movie "Rosemary's baby" which could have been what you mean [05.04.2016 18:46:09] Laura Dubuk: Also, a lot of reference from Sofia Bulgaria was used. [05.04.2016 18:47:31] Laura Dubuk: I don't know much about the history of the city, but the apartments in our references had a lot of old furniture in them. [05.04.2016 18:47:58] Laura Dubuk: i'll see if i can find that video. i know the one [05.04.2016 18:49:25] Maxim: Wow, that would be very cool. :O [05.04.2016 18:50:45] Laura Dubuk: did he show you the video, or did he just mention it? [05.04.2016 18:51:05] Laura Dubuk: i know that was one of his favorites! [05.04.2016 18:51:52] Laura Dubuk: i don't think i'd be able to find the video if it's not on YouTube, though. [05.04.2016 18:51:59] Laura Dubuk: but i am looking for it. [05.04.2016 18:52:00] Maxim: He just wanted to help us to find it. And nothing more. (: [05.04.2016 18:52:04] Laura Dubuk: ahh i see [05.04.2016 18:52:53] Maxim: Yup, there are nothing on YT, unfortunately.) [05.04.2016 18:53:02] Laura Dubuk: ahhh that's too bad [05.04.2016 18:54:17] Laura Dubuk: yeah i remember there was an old version of city 17, and they showed the citizens living there, and one of them was running and shouting "free tv! free tv!" while holding a tv. it's just weird humor. [05.04.2016 18:56:34] Maxim: He is also told us, that this video also demonstrated fist-fight assault between metrocops and rioting citizens. Is it true? [05.04.2016 18:57:28] Laura Dubuk: if it were set in city 17, then that could be true, yes [05.04.2016 18:58:15] Laura Dubuk: i wonder if it had a Cremator in it [05.04.2016 18:59:47] Laura Dubuk: yeah i think the citizens were fighting against the soldiers in the terminal square [05.04.2016 19:01:02] Maxim: Sounds interesting. It would be really cool to see it. :D [05.04.2016 19:03:00] Laura Dubuk: yes it was really funny [05.04.2016 19:03:12] Laura Dubuk: I'm trying to find it. [05.04.2016 19:03:32] Laura Dubuk: there's this one, but i don't think that's it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lB-Fv2EydY [05.04.2016 19:04:57] Laura Dubuk: here it is [05.04.2016 19:05:09] Laura Dubuk: that's a screenshot! [05.04.2016 19:05:25] Maxim: Yep, we are know about that famous screenshot.) [05.04.2016 19:05:53] Laura Dubuk: oh :( haha well i understand the problem now [05.04.2016 19:06:22] Laura Dubuk: that was the old tv model. i modeled the version after that [05.04.2016 19:07:24] Laura Dubuk: i suppose you've seen this page then http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Get_Your_Free_TVs! [05.04.2016 19:08:18] Maxim: Exactly. We are all looking for it, but no one can find it somewhere. ): Yeah, saw it. [05.04.2016 19:09:44] Maxim: Seems like it is totally lost in any public places. [05.04.2016 19:10:07] Laura Dubuk: yes it seems like if you could get the WC Mappack then you can run the level [05.04.2016 19:10:21] Laura Dubuk: or have someone at Valve get you a video [05.04.2016 19:11:28] Laura Dubuk: but you probably already know that :) [05.04.2016 19:12:11] Laura Dubuk: wow, yes there is a lot of old art here too. that was made before Viktor Antonov joined [05.04.2016 19:12:47] Laura Dubuk: the art there is made by Viktor, but it is very early [05.04.2016 19:13:31] Maxim: We are asking around about this video at Valve, but no one helped us yet due to some problems. Sure i know, but it is completely different, and a lot of necessary resources unavailable for us to fix it.) [05.04.2016 19:14:16] Laura Dubuk: yes Valve is very conservative about releasing videos! [05.04.2016 19:14:58] Laura Dubuk: it would definitely be a cool thing to see, since it's a part of Half-Life 2's history [05.04.2016 19:15:22] Laura Dubuk: i think Mark might've done the temporary voices for the "free tv" part, [05.04.2016 19:16:24] Maxim: Haha.) [05.04.2016 19:16:40] Laura Dubuk: he's a pretty funny guy [05.04.2016 19:16:56] Laura Dubuk: i remember a bit about the leak. i was there that day [05.04.2016 19:17:17] Laura Dubuk: it was pretty surreal, i didn't know what happened. but when i heard the FBI was involved then it seemed pretty serious! [05.04.2016 19:20:45] Laura Dubuk: this guy has some very old videos from the map pack, but not the one you're looking for https://www.youtube.com/user/YwaNL1337/videos