Half Life 2 Beta: Vertigo/Palace - Skyscraper In The Clouds

Half Life 2 Beta: Vertigo/Palace - Skyscraper In The Clouds
A completely cut chapter. This would have taken place after Weather Control, which itself is a cut chapter and unfortunately, no maps or screenshots exists of it. The Skyscraper chapter had Gordon fighting through waves of Combine soldiers while making a descent to the ground floor.
0:00 Intro
1:59 2001 Maps
9:19 Only 2002 Map
9:46 Fan Made Fixed Maps (2001/2002)
12:34 Outro
Intro Video (Credit To Ruffvan):
• [SFM] Gordon's Friday ...
My Previous Video on HL2 Beta:
• Half Life 2 Beta: Rave...
Play the Beta Levels Yourself (Thanks to HL2 Project Beta Team):
hl2-beta.ru/index.php?PHPSESS...
****SOCIAL MEDIA****
Twitter: / radhaz_
Instagram: / radiationhazard
#HL2 #Beta #Maps

[@Clone3A7]

And they turned it into a CS map, funniest shit i ever seen

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Lmao. Best comment I've seen in a while.

[@hhuuuk]

Lmaoo

[@KinerfV4]

Did they actually do that? if so way to recycle one of the least developed chapters in your game

[@Clone3A7]

@@KinerfV4 no, vertigo was a CS map long before this chapter was made, I believe

[@KinerfV4]

@@Clone3A7 Been playing source and Global and it’s only in CS:GO, like 11 years after they scraped Vertigo, meaning Counter Strike is cannon to the HL2 beta lore.

[@SavorySoySauce]

O shit I see the reason why they scrapped the idea of Gordon crashing a plane in a skyscraper...

[@soharp]

oh god... XD

[@medicolkie3606]

especially considering the development of this being around 2001...

[@renegade637]

It never even occurred to me until now. I just saw the cut content as Valve trying to streamline a rather cluttered story.

[@planescaped]

I am guessing the changing the office building into a museum, and the plane into a helicopter, were direct results of 9/11 considering they happened in 2002.

[@genericwhitekidthesecond4330]

3:50 actually it's possible that the change to a brighter lighting was purposeful from a story stand point. It's the first time the player has been back to City 17 since the game began and before the weather control and air facilities were shut down. The skies are finally clear and the brightness of the sun coming in was supposed to be the first thing players saw rather than the reoccurring murkiness that they would be used to.

[@RadiationHazardYT]

That's actually a very good point. Good catch!

[@Kingofstones1]

Idea for vertigo was Polish Palace of culture made in 50s

[@RadiationHazardYT]

I searched that and the building *literally* looks like the building in the Vertigo maps. Lol. Thanks for sharing!

[@Turbs94945]

Everything in the beta looks like it was made in the 50s

[@szedari]

Yes

[@Kacpa2]

@@RadiationHazardYT It could've remained in final game, as its fits eastern europe vibe and its already a mishmash of several cities.

[@WorstLandsknechtEver]

@@Kacpa2 They probably cut it because of 9/11 that happend at that time

[@uselessaccountvector2912]

love how weather control shows AT-AT

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Lol yeah. There isn't anything to show for Weather Control. No maps or concept art. I read somewhere that it had Combine Mechs, so I thought I'd just plop in AT-ATs.

[@uselessaccountvector2912]

@@RadiationHazardYT i think there was a fanart of it

[@RadiationHazardYT]

So what did you think about "that" part in the middle? Ngl - I was legit spooked when recording for this video. Thought I'd add that feeling into the video itself.

[@ElephantsDoingCrack]

Spooky stuff. Me like. Yes.

[@RadiationHazardYT]

@Red Guy Channel Reviews Yep! The bit starts around 6:13. When the screen glitches.

[@RadiationHazardYT]

@Red Guy Channel Reviews Lol. It was just part of the "going insane" gibberish :D And yeah Vertigo might also being related to being on tall structures. I think people that have fear of heights often feel vertigo.

[@jameshetfield3105]

I've felt that feeling many a time, mostly in the citadel levels of HL2, and sometimes in Gmod maps where the lighting is dark and gloomy. You're not alone.

[@tellurian7999]

im watching this at 5 am and was not ready for that

[@dabogabo]

This map is definitely interesting, specially the setting and I don't think it got scraped because of the 9/11 attacks as they would've changed the subject by having Gordon arrive by teleportation or some other means. It just doesn't feel like HL2 in this part but more like a generic linear fps where you have enemies up and down in one confined space to limit resources while the Retail revolution map definitely feels more involved in those events with you being on the group with the main action rather than some Die Hard Nakatomi Plaza event.

[@HaliOnRepeat]

You were definitely right about that dreadful feeling. Without the combine soldiers I think it would be a lot better. Just you, alone, in this devastated building. In the context of the story, I think it would remind you of what the Combine had done to the world and the people, after all the action you would have gone through and being in a much cleaner and brighter area like Kraken Base and Weather Control. I never thought the building was damaged by the crashed vehicle. The dark and gritty vibes kinda make it seem more like the building was slowly collapsing from being neglected for so long; the Combine had no use for that area, so they just left it to rot and crumble. There are some voice clips in the Beta from Alyx for the start of the Vertigo chapter, based on the lines she both is injured and captured by the Combine at the start. You can find the lines, as well as some other short voice clips, in hl2/sound/temp/alyx.

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Thank you! and yeah, the dark atmosphere is on the same level as the early City 17 maps. I love it! Oh, and I didn't know those sound files exist in the game's directory. I'll check them out :)

[@HaliOnRepeat]

@@RadiationHazardYT The sound folder is a goldmine for Valve's early content. Lots of weird noises and early voice lines. It's weird to hear what all the characters and enemies were originally supposed to sound like.

[@genericwhitekidthesecond4330]

@@RadiationHazardYT If you have the chance I'd look up HL2 Beta sounds with liminal images on KZbin. Pretty mood setting

[@cac_deadlyrang]

The use of a plane being cut in favor of a helicopter may have possibly been due to 9/11.

[@burgahboy456]

I never even knew this existed. Shows how much i know about Half-Life... Anyway, really awesome video

[@RadiationHazardYT]

That's ok. I didn't know either. I found these a week ago ;D And thank you :)

[@pavlosrousiamanis]

I liked that 9/11 reference. Well... Cleverly done (see what I did?)

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Lmao

[@abwrenchslinger]

When you mentioned the feeling of "being watched," I was reminded of another video that someone did about why Source engine maps always feel creepy or unsettling when things are quiet. It seems to be some kind of phenomenon in these maps specifically.

[@offspringfan89]

Is it this video?: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmTcfZKAeMqEeKs

[@Dylan-my9zm]

Man, I'm happy with the final product we got for Half-Life 2 but you can't help but wonder what New York would look like in the Half-Life universe. I doubt they're gonna make a spin-off or a main game set in America anytime soon (although I would love to be proven wrong), it just makes you wonder what other places in the Half-Life world look like as well.

[@Kingofstones1]

Finally vertigo!

[@wolfcl0ck]

Should've told me you were doing this, I would have been happy to show off some of my fixes for my Vertigo mod. Fun fact about the elevator doors: They're remakes that were done by a chap named Klow based off of these tiny envmaps we have of Vertigo.

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Neat! I've seen some community-fixed maps and it's so awesome seeing what people can achieve.

[@Matthew-di4lv]

i don't know but i belive that the palace got somehow reworked to the overwatch nexus with the suppression thing

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Hmm. I do see some similarity.

[@henryfleischer404]

It's like the opposite of wayside.

[@masterdisaster103]

the more i watch of your hl2 beta videos the more i wish we got the more overtly darker tone of the early days (not that the retail release was all sun and rainbows)

[@nickie115]

Being alone in source maps can project you into an alternate timeline because of how spooky they are, noted.

[@wadmodderschalton5763]

The Vertigo chapter of the US Skyscrapers era of Half-Life 2 kind of mirrors the B-25 Mitchell crashing into the Empire State Building in July 1945, though this is just my speculation.

[@bonpari_koshmariki]

Good, very good!

[@unoriginalperson72]

The Palace in the sky.

[@RagingInsomniac]

the last map's interior somehow gives me max payne 1 vibes

[@di_amon]

AH the ole Half-Life reality mental breakdowns. Happens to the best of us.

[@fruitylerlups530]

i think you make a good point about how a lot of these map ideas would basically overstay their welcome! One thing people need to consider is as nice as it is to just walk around and soak up the atmosphere, it doesn't make for a good 7-12 hour gaming experience if so much of it is just padded out. I mean there are people who complain water hazard and highway 17 overstay their welcome, I don't agree but it goes to show how much you can stretch atmosphere and set dressings until it has diminishing returns.. still as someone who thinks a lot of the retail decisions were good.. i'd have adored this section if it were done fabulously!

[@laszlodajka9914]

yeah though personally, I think a 12-hour gaming experience is really short.

[@JackBradley07]

Amazing video as always! Love your stuff man :D

[@borico62]

The Vertigo part gave me vibes from the Northern Star from "Half Life: Alyx", if only going up instead of down.

[@DIE2dayORelse]

I had a dream after playing half life 1 as a kid that half life 2 was about escaping a huge skyscraper, seemed like such a sick concept for a half life game and as much as I love hl2 I always wondered how that could've turned out

[@Roset595]

HL2 EP1 would like a word

[@korbi3449]

Dude, your content is golden. The Beta is sooo interesting (and like you said, got a loootta content) and I love your semi-subjective spin that you put on it :D got me to sub, ngl.

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Thank you! :) I try to make the videos entertaining + informational. So far lotta people like this way. Thanks for subscribing!!

[@NightmareKingFirst]

Love your vids

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Thank you! :)

[@SoapMcTavish06]

Great content, it's incredible how much the game changes before it's final release. I think the team behind the hdtf fix needs to watch all your beta content for improvements and ideas

[@blueshit199]

the fact that in HL2 you are indeed being watched at all times makes the eerie atmosphere of source maps all the more real

[@ElephantsDoingCrack]

Great video man, keep it up!

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Thanks dude! :)

[@loco4loco]

“The wrong idea at the right time can make all the difference in the world” -GMAN after seeing this 2001 map

[@jon9719]

Love the vid

[@townCACtus]

Cool video!

[@turbocavalli]

alternate timeline when half life 2 was already almost done in 1999 and released in 2001 with the dark theme when?

[@springytaco7587]

what a cool video,cant wait for the new video

[@TheEpicplushgod]

Fighting in the sky, a hundred floors up in the clouds, look at the city skyline and the roads below. It gives me... *v e r t i g o* .

[@DawidO-mg8zn]

i honestly love that small rap beggining Rad full vertigo rap when lol?

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Lol. I never realized that intro rhymed. Might think about doing a proper rap song now :D

[@gordonfeetman5306]

“My favourite bit in the hl2 2001 beta is the bit where I crash my plane into a skyscraper in an American setting!”

[@crowbarplay9388]

Классное видео. Очень было интересно смотреть видео.

[@laszlodajka9914]

I wish we had these maps in a polished fleshed out, and playable form. It would be so cool

[@curlyfry2047]

Someone needs to coin a phrase for the feeling that you get when looking through a H-L2 Bata map.

[@somemess.mp3605]

great video, I love learning about the beta levels from the HL2 Beta. also, what was the song used at 0:09?

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Thank you. That is "On a Rail 1" from Black Mesa's OST.

[@blackr3v193]

10:35 awwww you're talking about THAT event, aren't you?

[@JJ-jm1js]

Nearing 200 subscribers!

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Yeah!! :D

[@theoddster830]

Honestly, would be cool to see this as a HL2DM map

[@anueutsuho7425]

I really love the Museum version of Skyscraper. Especially the taxidermized Ichthyosaur

[@anueutsuho7425]

Interestingly, the fan restoration is called d4_palace, or Day 4 - Palace. The game was longer enough to be a whole day longer in-universe.

[@swollengoods]

Cool ass map, interesting to see rain in a half life game.

[@jameshetfield3105]

I'm just wondering why on earth there are 4 people dumb enough to dislike this and also why the hell would Valve make such weird choices, such as the cut enemy that copulates with Gordon to death and also basically remaking 9/11 in their game.

[@leonvanderelst6652]

this song is good,very good

[@grummanf14tomcat40]

I dont think you mentioned that it is probably based of the palace of science and culture in warsaw ,poland

[@Marco198_]

Hello, what a good and interesting video, good to see that there are people interested in HL2 Beta. Btw, do you plan to make a video about the canals? It is not a request but I would love to see a video about it. Keep it up, I expect great things from you.

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Thank you :) I've actually thought quite a bit about covering the Canals, and might make a video on the topic in the near future.

[@cheesemanthe2nd]

hmmm, I wonder what happened in with a plane and a tower in america in 2001, surely it had not influence on the devs cutting this part out

[@feelinit64]

Does the larger Beta community even know of you? You're great!

[@RadiationHazardYT]

Hey thanks man! :) Nah, I don't think I've gotten to that point yet. I'm not very active on any of the subreddits/forums, so I don't think many people know about my channel.

[@shidder]

Hello, no idea if you are still replying to comments but I wanted to ask what that ost that plays at 0:16 is called. I did not find it anywhere in the HL2 soundtrack.

[@eggstar_king175]

It’s a black mesa song

[@nicesirqohok5229]

Not gonna lie this looks like the polish palace of culture and science

[@alang.bandala8863]

So here's where the paranoia begins...

[@rpgfan72]

It would be nice to have an alternate mod version of this beta game?😊

[@lostandfound6958]

What's the music?

[@petar.milenkovic]

Young man you sound like Young G man.

[@Kylev2]

I heard parts of one of vertigo's map was actually recycled in EP1.

[@mrarul1694]

from which halflife the background music is?

[@RadiationHazardYT]

It is "On A Rail 1" from the Black Mesa OST.

[@thetexanhusky]

And I bet that 9/11 might've been a factor in the switching of locations from the US to Europe.

[@grummanf14tomcat40]

357 likes and no dislikes. Beautiful.

[@BlockWorks]

I remember thinking "why were them adding a map in which a plane crashes into a skyscraper in 2001??" like bruh 9/11 just happened and 5k people are dead

[@javidmirza4584]

“Epilepsy warning”

[@uncertaintytoworldpeace3650]

I think this place Would make a cool rp map

[@gamepad3173]

I do see what you were eluding to a plane crashed into a skyscraper,but either way it would have been cool to play it nonetheless.

[@jameshetfield3105]

Please tell me theres a gmod version I can download

[@RadiationHazardYT]

:) steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2206563101

[@jameshetfield3105]

@@RadiationHazardYT Thank you so much will be playing this map alot also thank you for hearting my comment you're probably the only youtuber that actually uses that function

[@RadiationHazardYT]

@@jameshetfield3105 Ayy no problemo!

[@teopazdrijan1008]

4:23 You couldn't figure out.... Vertigo?

[@goozilla1998]

In Game First Noclip It, Check Search Way And Enjoy It!

[@armitx9]

10:23 bro 💀💀

[@tslodemi]

Wertigo

[@aSkyclad]

We don't go to Vertigo

[@systemshocker2875]

10:09

[@Insanabiliter_In_Linea]

9:20 11:35 What?