Why is the Source Engine so unsettling?

In this video, I talk in detail about how 3 Valve games, specifically Portal, Half-Life 2 and Garry’s Mod mix with the Source Engine to create an unsettling atmosphere in these games.
This is my first attempt at a video like this, so sorry if it isn’t the best.

[@gamerman7276]

The only creepy things about the Source engine are how well it's aged and how it runs on anything.

[@steamjaw3664]

Goes to show how greatly designed and complicated the source engine is

[@mercce6750]

Or if you're a programmer/mapper/SFM artist/TF2 player, Source Spaghetti.

[@stanleybochenek1862]

Yes but i cannot get a simple model imported into the game properly it’s too hard

[@stanleybochenek1862]

How the fuck am i supposed to put 3 textures on a model when there’s only one png file for 1 texture and the other textures don’t use a png file

[@user-sl6gn1ss8p]

@@mercce6750 I was gonna mention that. You can tell it was stretched from older tech

[@Yora21]

This is all really just about level design, for levels meant to be creepy. It's not about the game engine. I think the Source engine tends to look unnatural because of how lighting works. It never looks right. Maybe something weird with the normal maps.

[@carso1500]

the source engine came in that age where videogames started to look realistic enough that they could kind of start to blend with reality, but they were still very clearly a simulation, we are far away from those early CGI graphics that looked like hyper saturated flat shapes put one on top of each other but also we are not quite there with out modern hyper realistic near photo realistic graphics with real time shadows with ray tracing and 8k textures everywhere, there are shadows but they are flat and not realistic enough, the games also have a sort of tint that its hard to describe other thing is that source engine games completly lack is any kind of props, there are things here and there but like for example half life 2 houses are basically completly empty save for a couple of like TVs and sofas, everything is empty and alone even if there are NPCs here and there, compare for example most houses in half life 2 to the houses and building in half life alyx to see the diference that props make so in that regard source engine games fall in the middle not quite unrealstic enough that your brain simply ignores it as fully fiction but not quite realistic enough that its able to believe it as something that exists, its the uncanny valley

[@dkroll92]

@@carso1500 very well put. Uncanny valley for locations instead of people

[@Templarfreak]

there's a lot of different aspects that people have theorized that contribute to the eeriness. the fact that in singleplayer Gmod, maps are quite empty, quiet, and abandoned. the fact that Half-Life 2 has very creepy ambiance, which is sometimes subtle and sometimes quite alarming. the fact that the areas dont look very natural in HL2 and Portal 1. you dont really hear about this too much with Portal 2, and when you think about it, much of the main campaign of Portal 2 is quite talkative with characters and the design looks a lot more natural, in some cases quite literally, goofy, and with more explicitly memorable locations (the overgrown chambers, the spheres). But being goofy is not a saving grace on its own, as playing a lot of TF2 maps with no bots gives similar feelings in HL2 and Gmod.

[@elerian9702]

@@carso1500 Lack of props in HL2 is part of the story, the violent and oppressive combine regime probably destroyed most stuff without option to buy a new one. When you enter apartment complex in start of the game the tipsy guy asks if it was you knocking because he didn't know they still have a door. Referring to combine raids destroying and taking away things from home. HL Alyx has much more props because it was in the earlier stage of combine oppression, and most props are found in the quarantine zone. At least that's what I think it is since source engine does not have a problem with having more props inside rooms.

[@conscioussubconsciousness1976]

X-ray engine from S.t.a.l.k.e.r series is the the most unnatural and has the most uncanny feeling to it IMO, (also, the bugs and crashes adds to the sheer horror)

[@pchris]

There’s a lot that goes into actually making this atmosphere. Valve notoriously doesn’t use a lot of music in their games and aren’t afraid to leave the player in silence. Half life and portal are filled with scenes where the player is left with nothing but ambient noise and the sound of their own actions. And when valve does add music, it’s often slow, alien, and atmospheric. It’s not all just valves design decisions though. There’s some elements inherit to the source game engine that contribute to the atmosphere. The lighting is a big one. It’s hard to describe but source games just have a certain “feel” to them that gold source and source 2 games don’t share. They often have cooler lighting and the brightest parts of a scene often aren’t really all that bright. Source games kind of feel like you’re in the shadow of a perpetual eclipse. The world is just slightly duller than you’d expect. Source games are also often very desaturated. Just look at the comparison screenshots between CS:GO and CS2. CS2 is so bright and colorful and over saturated while CS:GO has this very gritty and ominous feeling to the environments. It’s interesting to analyze what goes into actually crafting a games atmosphere to make the player feel a certain way.

[@1035pm]

Half-life and the portal series will forever be my favourite games... everything about them tickles my fancy in every way possible.

[@stinowyt]

Same here. For over 20 years

[@ThermalLabs]

Agreed

[@swolzer]

bro said tickle my fancy

[@MFKitten]

I think it's the uncanny combination of high quality textures and an approximation of photorealism etc, with the flat blocky square nature of the maps, and the lighting being kinda too simple for the realism. That's something inherent in the engine. The more work gets put into the maps, however, the more it goes away. Like the map Cascade in CSGO, that feels very organic and "warm".

[@ANANAS1K007]

but for example half life 2 is supposed to be like that with the textures its supposed to be unseteling thats a huge part of the plot about how scary the combine truly is

[@MFKitten]

@@ANANAS1K007 at the time they were doing their best attempt at stylized realism. Nothing is "low resolution on purpose" or whatever. All the textures start out high resolution, and then they shrink them until the engine can handle it. If it's not performing well it gets shrinked more. I HL Alyx they increased both realism AND style from what they did in HL2. If they had modern technology back then though, they would definitely have made HL2 super realistic instead, as pushing the technology was their thing back then.

[@errorhostnotfound1165]

I don't know about you, but the way they pulled off that "combination of high quality textures and an approximation of photorealism" made all the textures look/feel dirty and grimy in a way no other games/game engines do. Somehow in more modern games, (especially once ray tracing became more common) dirty stuff became as shiny and clean looking as stuff that was supposed to bevl clean

[@limpa756]

It looks like a 2004 render from blender at all times

[@ShockwaveProd2011]

I always felt really lonely while playing Half-Life 2, there are a lot of levels which are completely empty, you feel like you're on empty server.

[@importedsausage5593]

every time someone makes a video about source being unsettling, a kitten DIES. think about that

[@SinHawaii]

This is true I'm the kitten

[@twojapiesbutworse]

Source always was a bit spooky when playing alone

[@nicetry9800]

Dude this is a great video. If this is your first time doing something like this i can only imagine what you'll do with more experience under your belt!

[@undertalefanofficial]

Portal:aperture labs Half life:blackmesa

[@redTrickster]

i think the reason why the source engine is so unsettling is because it was meant to be unsettling. take games like half life 2 and its episodes and the portal series. both have very dark themes and atmosphere, therefore they would require dirty and grim textures. since these textures were carried over to garrys mod, it gives garrys mod a unnerving feeling. the combination of the textures and being alone just creates this ominous feeling like someone is else there

[@UnrelatedAntonym]

Since Half Life as a series is a grim and horror setting, and more so in their alpha conceptions, the GoldSRC and Source Engine were tailored for it.

[@conscioussubconsciousness1976]

X-ray engine from S.t.a.l.k.e.r series is the the most unnatural and has the most uncanny feeling to it IMO, (also, the bugs and crashes adds to the sheer horror)

[@swolzer]

nah xray just looks like engine from 2005. source is weird.

[@aresnir2725]

Source engine is cozy and settling.

[@mastermenthe]

tldr: just enough life to be deathly instead of sterile, just enough substance to be emptied rather than empty.

[@LARVideos]

This was more about the games that are made with the source engine than anything about the source engine itself.

[@navyycat]

Great episode, from the atmosphere to the narrative, you have talent dude :3

[@Yan_Alkovic]

I don't get what's so creepy about it. I so wanna live on most Source maps, they look like such wonderfully cosy places to live!! Especially TF2 maps.

[@CassidyxK]

Imo maps that are intentionally trying to be creepy and have aspects like fog and fancy lighting which isnt in the main source engine games is a bad example for the source engines creepiness. if you want the real deal you got to have maps that arent intentionally trying to make you feel uneasy (asheville), like an empty multiplayer map. the best examples I can think of are rp_downtown, gm_bigcity, hometown_1999, ttt maps, tf2 maps, & css maps.

[@BlackChicken710]

The first fast zombie encounter...

[@wildwilly356]

mom said its my turn to make a why soruce is spooky video

[@RastadasPT]

The bandicam logo immediately cracked me up!

[@tryhardzech546]

Something about those textures and lighting…almost uncanny valley feeling of unease

[@pelago_]

Good work! For a first attempt I think you have a good foundation for these types of videos.

[@deus_nsf]

I already commented on a very similar video a while back, but I think it has to do with the fact that Source was created for Half Life 2 when the game was still much more horror focused, so it transpires this intention.

[@insane7718]

Portal 1 is so scary i havent even got to the part with the incinerator because i stopped playing out of fear of an umbrella man attacking me

[@villsgoofyahhcontent]

dis aint interloper don be skared!

[@Codi95]

Cry of Fear will remember this

[@deathrowlemon7367]

Hi pal. Some tips for your consideration: - get a decent audio interface + condenser mic to record your scripts and try to get your hands on Ableton (usually it ships with those focus rite cards). - learn some audio leveling - learn some basic audio mixing guidelines I'm in music myself so it's very different type of mixing but the idea is the same. There's just less to mix in your case which is nice. Cut up your script in parts and do a few takes and listen them back and note down what you want to change about how you say things / pronounce them etc. They do those starter kits from focus rite for about 300eu (there's probably cheaper gear if you're strapped for cash) or so which is good gear but it depends on what you can spend budget wise. You gotta spend money to make money I guess hah. The music, at times, was too loud suddenly. Way louder and it made it hard to follow what you were saying. You used what I'd guess is a headset mic or something similar that was laying around which are really hard to record with and edit later on. You really need that gain control. Keep up the good work! Script wise it was great it just needs some polishing on the editing side.

[@frezydynecy]

Here before you got 1K subs, you're definitely getting to 1 million subs in a year or so based on the quality of this video.

[@balticbvll2987]

he even put the bandicam to sell the feel of old source games

[@balticbvll2987]

@@mrdylanmm it does give the video the unsettling feel

[@ClicStudio]

Source engine’s rendering is a mix between realistic graphics and old ps2 graphics, thus making it feel disturbing

[@supersonicmovies]

Got this same feeling playing disney infinity, the ever repeating low toned song got so earie after w while

[@austinmiller6125]

Honey wake up. A new video essay KZbinr dropped.

[@lgpa565]

the really scary thing is the bandicam logo lol

[@CustomcrowdMitroc]

GM construct was always a freaky feeling map, I always felt like there was going to be a jump scare around every corner. Heaps unnerving

[@aesthetical5000]

something you missed is Left 4 Dead where if you play alone it feels even creepier and scarier given how you're alone in a zombie infested world

[@CloudsAndDays]

Your did really good :3 Keep creating, big man. Love, Nathaniel Adams

[@x3a]

dude i was afraid of playing gmod alone for the longest time

[@EitherOr3]

This may just be the quietest video ever uploaded to KZbin

[@lambdadoomer8932]

Not bad at all. I look forward to see your channel grow, just put more Valve related stuff.

[@itstqt]

Oh look at that empty woom it’s so scawy!

[@lydierayn]

Unregistered Bandicam. It really makes me nostalgic. So does the "unregistered Hypercam 3" in some videos

[@ron3557]

04:52 an engine failure cant just down a modern plane like that tho

[@insquared1868]

Garry's mod is a behemoth of it self, you could say, it's the multiverse of source engine games

[@nosebleed7389]

Really nice video actually I quite enjoyed it hope to see more videos from this channel

[@dostwood5103]

Nice video! You do a good job of describing why Source games are so unsettling.

[@robertomuniz5721]

The “problem” with source games is that they use incredibly high detailed textures with low polygon count because they are 2004-2010 games. This makes it look realistic while it feels fake at the same time so thats why i think half life 2 feels specially uncanny. The graphics aged too well for a game that old.

[@randallbucholz314]

No one ever called Dark Messiah of Might and Magic or Day of Defeat "unsettling".

[@Fearless13468]

I personally think you missed the mark. There was some explanation that I could maybe agree with, but not a whole lot. I guess if those points are what makes Source creepy to you, then I can't argue.

[@sc4rs]

great video, glad there's others that felt the same way about this subject lol.

[@ANANAS1K007]

this is high quality content how do you have only 400 subs

[@jim122]

Mate, class first video! Can tell the passion involved, subbed! Keep it up!

[@frythechip7930]

some source 2 games just have this eeriness and scariness that I don't experience with any other thing. I really do wonder if there's some more in depth stuff to the engine that explains why, because I realise that I even get that same feeling with games like The Stanley Parable. If I'm correct, that game was a half life 2 mod right? I could be wrong tho

[@ANANAS1K007]

yes it was

[@psycho-ld9cx]

wow for a first attempt this was a really good watch i hope you'll make more of these types of videos

[@Journey_to_who_knows]

Source was visually outdated that made it look strange. The biggest issue was regular use of real photos placed onto models that were oddly low poly even for 2005 and the maps are mostly devoid of props probably as compromise to make everything a physics object. Team fortress fixed most of it with its design but it still feels very dead without many ambient details.

[@FaithOfWin]

loved the video, keep up!

[@BeanyBeans]

The source engine was mostly made to create games in which the world is abandoned, desolate, and widely dead. The Half Life 2 games and portal games mainly in mind, and in both, the player explores a world that's been ruined.

[@pedrohenriquedossantosvale2462]

Keep it up man, I wouldn’t notice that it was your first video, awesome

[@jokelot5221]

Very nice. You have a talent for a fine video editor. Keep it up. I will sub to see more to support your efforts.

[@jessus3923]

This video has some kind of a pull that I have not felt in similar videos before tho I have watched plenty. It might be the "a bit rough around the edges"-charm but I like it. Thank you and I expect to see your works in the future :)

[@rickc-137___]

Well Gordon Freeman and about time too!

[@kili_ghillie]

You may need to go more in-depth about why it's creepy instead of just "This is creepy". But the comment section is right. Lighting always looks weird for some reason and the games such as Portal and Half-Life are meant to give off an eerie feeling, so the audio and textures used give that feeling. Then again... I played on a Starwars Clonewars RP server on Gary's Mod for hours and hours, and whenever I am running around the ship alone, it still feels... eerie...

[@EduardoAntunes]

This hasn't anything to do with the engine itself, but with the art style and direction chosen

[@andrejzelman9443]

You literally failed to answer your own question of "why is the source engine so unsettling?". Just picked random source games and vaguely described their plot, and added some creepy parts blindly. You didn't touch on why is this unsettling feeling universal amongs most source games. There is a great amount of discussion on this topic already, all you had to do was put it in a video essay. Sorry if the criticism is too harsh, it just pissed me off.

[@TheFainter94]

its curious to think how this engine has almost 20 years yet it hold up pretty well if used by a talented team

[@bbooddoogg]

you didnt answear the question in the title... but did an alright video

[@gm_kuro]

i gotta say it...gsrc/source games are some of the best games ever made

[@villsgoofyahhcontent]

they are the best ngl

[@ericcotter1984]

I know this sounds strange but I'm a world class songwriter and I have an obsession with Asheville North Carolina. It has a magic nothing quite can describe, only the first album by a band called delving really nails the atmosphere.

[@Fuar11]

I'd say older Source games are creepy. Apex Legends was built on Source and it definitely isn't creepy.

[@olsaaan]

Interesting video!

[@Razzbow]

To avoid the watermark and extremely low quality, please use OBS.

[@Gameboymug]

I wouldn't say the ending was rushed per se, just as soon as you started talkin about Ravenholm and Gregori i would love for you to talk about it for it least 2 minutes.😢

[@MuzluPattes16]

Game ? GAÉM ! Same ? SAÉM !

[@starlight_garden]

I thought you were going to answer, or at least attempt to answer, the question in the title.

[@adriangajducena]

I definetly think that u deserve at least 50k follows man.

[@randomyoutubeuser2]

you sir earned a new subscriber this first video I think is pretty good for a first video

[@randomyoutubeuser2]

@@mrdylanmm your welcome hopefully you can get a lot of subscribers good luck man

[@aaron-qj5hu]

mindbogling

[@PrototypeXt3]

I'll keep an eye on your channel, but I unfortunately couldn't finish this video. Mostly because the subject has been done to death and I didn't feel that you brought anything new regarding it. No hate! Just not my cup of tea, it's practically becoming a meme at this point along with "buh the hl2 beta is so DARK!!!" I've played HL2 since launch, played gmod when it was buttons on a wall to spawn things, but never really got this feeling anyway. So that may be why I'm so uninterested. Keep it up regardless! Subbed.

[@aderawe]

Great video

[@ThyTrueNightmare]

For your video, You have provide evidenace about the unsettling nature and descripted it but you didn't justify why is it so unsettling? you did hint at it with the large city getting excited but again, its a question of why? overall, good vid, keep it up

[@xFluing]

A thing to note here is that the eeriness and creepiness exists mostly in this 2004/7 version of the engine, as portal 2 and left 4 dead are still source but a heavily modified version which is closer to source 2 than anything

[@lychy645]

no its closer to source 1

[@pemo2676]

not really, theyre just assets designed for a different setting - it's all the same sort of style, a lot of it cleaned up in pixel/polygon density but that's it. it's still pretty distinctly Source

[@xFluing]

@@pemo2676 still distinctly source yes but its not as eerie / creepy

[@ThinkAboutVic]

it's more valve game design than source engine imo - the titanfall series use a modified version of source and they don't look so unsettling

[@BiddaMeanwater]

underrated

[@quaezstream]

You should work together with the Librarian

[@doggofierarchived]

This channel is so underrated. Keep it up. One suggestion Try using obs to record rather than using bandicam. You will no longer have the watermark.

[@rarickard7657]

Nice video :)

[@derekharan_]

This is a great vid for your first attempt, only thing I would recommend is using obs to capture your footage instead of bandicam because it wont have the watermark and captures the quality and fps better

[@Junker.66]

subcrubed, great content!

[@Arnechk]

It's the map design, flat walls, simple geometries (rectangular mostly) and repeating textures. It is really apparent in HL2 since it has outdoors. I think the quality of environment is the weakest aspect of these early source games. Newer ones are arena shooters so they can afford to put in more detail. Alyx has much more thought and design put into it despite the same core look as in HL2.

[@gman248]

Wow, your first attempt? It was great. Only thing I would suggest is getting a pop filter for you mic and if you stumble on some sentences, just re-record them. Helps to keep the immersion. Also the screenshot surprised me haha. And dont be sorry brother, just keep on going! I love these kinds videos on the Source engine. I basically grew up with it, so it is a big part of my life. I would suggest looking into the mods that were very big back in the day, and still have active communities. Obsidian Conflict and Synergy. I havent seen many videos covering these mods, OC even has their own discord server where you can talk to the OG creators and arrange monthly group plays!

[@sasagen22raza]

Спасибо за видео, ты хорошо постарался. Ничего нового в видео нет, но зато я в очередной раз увидел свои любимые игры и жуткие моменты в них. Успехов тебе!

[@youngkaiser5870]

Ok this comment its more about the video, and I think you missed the point about the uncanny the source games can be, while in the game you point examples of intentional creepy design, good video tbh so keep the good work

[@progaming5555]

Underrated guy let's get him to 1 mil

[@progaming5555]

Your welcome

[@mortis.y2]

Great first attempt my friend, my only critique is the script is a bit redundant and repetitive. I know it might feel unnatural using synonyms for words you're used to using to describe things but more often than not you described every game with the same couple of words repeatedly. No harm in looking up synonyms and taking note of various ones so you have more options. Don't be afraid to have a shorter video too, if that's why you reiterated your points so much for run time then I suggest you not focus on that right now. For now just improve on the dialogue itself rather than the length of it. You'll be able to fill your videos with more points and engaging commentary as you improve with experience. Trust me when I say you WILL get there one day. Keep up the good work, looking forward to what you have in store for the future

[@jefftaylor1186]

Sound gate

[@_Jestah]

The video is pretty good! I can’t believe you only have 133 subs :/. My only criticism is that the audio is a little quiet. Other than that it’s good!

[@ViktorK7]

Really cool, subbed 😎👍

[@Gronk_God]

Great vid can’t wait to see more from you and I hope to see your channel grow new sub 👍

[@heywoodjablowme1020]

they are not considered spoilers anymore AFTER 15 FKING YEARS since release.

[@CasepbX]

This is the first I've ever heard of this... People are weird.