Anomalous Materials

Anomalous Materials is the second chapter of Half-Life.

It is the sector of Black Mesa that Gordon Freeman works at. The early part of the game leading into the Resonance Cascade is spent here.

Architecture

Anomalous Materials is composed partially of industrial materials (metal and lab equipment) and partially of domestic materials (tile and drop ceilings). Metal walls should be balanced with the concrete walls on the outer edges of the lab. The hallways have high ceilings, but not high enough for two full players on top of each other. Air ducts come out of walls and into others.

Environment

Lab equipment such as monitors and computers are common. There are occasional windows, as seen in the hallway leading towards the coolant reserve. Retinal scanners should be found near doors leading out of the sector to restrict access. Although it's a lab, break rooms should be found at least once a map containing a few tables, vending machines and trash cans.

The machinery in the facility should get denser as the player gets closer to the anti-mass spectrometer.

NPCs

The main NPCs players should find here are scientists and security guards. Security guards should mainly be used to restrict access to areas where retinal scanners wouldn't make sense or to add variety. They are never found entirely idle.

Scientists can usually be found typing on computers or studying data on whiteboards. They may also be found in the break rooms tidying up.

Maps

The following .bsps comprise this chapter.

• c1a0
• c1a0a
• c1a0b
• c1a0d
• c1a0e

Note:Some maps aren't ordered alphabetically start to finish. For instance, the first map in the chapter, c1a0, transitions to c1a0d.

Note:c1a0c is part of Unforeseen Consequences.

Gallery

• 

  Front lobby

• 

  Hallway

• 

  Break room

• 

  The Anti-Mass Spectrometer

Half-Life Chapters
Hazard Course t0a0	Black Mesa Inbound c0a0	Anomalous Materials c1a0	Unforeseen Consequences c1a1
Office Complex c1a2	"We've Got Hostiles!" c1a3	Blast Pit c1a4	Power Up c2a1
On a Rail c2a2	Apprehension c2a3	Residue Processing c2a4	Questionable Ethics c2a4d
Surface Tension c2a5	"Forget About Freeman!" c3a1	Lambda Core c3a2	Xen c4a1
Gonarch's Lair c4a2	Interloper c4a1a	Nihilanth c4a3	Endgame c5a1