The Hill
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The subject matter of this article does not take place in the "real" Half-Life and Portal universe and is considered non-canon. |
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The Hill is a map in the multiplayer mode of Half-Life. It was released as an exclusive for PC Gamer Online on December 4, 1998[1] and distributed with the publication's magazine.[2] The map was later included with Half-Life: Further Data.
Overview[edit]
The Hill consists solely of a single large structure, with the area around it encased within a fence that stretches around the entire perimeter of the map. The titular 'hill' is divided into five floors that are each marked with stripes of a particular color that are 'painted' around the edges of the level and within its doorways. The first (ground) and second floors are designated yellow, the third floor orange, the fourth red, and the fifth and topmost floor blue.
Players either spawn on the ground floor of the hill or in the area outside. Each corner of the ground floor of the hill contains a grenade and an SMG with two ammo pickups. As there are no ladders on the ground floor, the only way to gain access to the upper levels is via a teleport located in the middle of the floor, which will deposit a player on one of two walkways (one of which features a Snark pickup) that constitute the second floor interior. From there, players can enter either of two doorways to access the second floor exterior - two of its platforms are bare, but one contains a Tau Cannon and the other a Shotgun. If a player emerges on a platform that contains a ladder, they can freely climb it to access the third floor exterior; if not, they can either re-enter the hill to find a more favorable exit or risk shimmying across the very narrow exterior ledge that encircles each floor to reach a platform that has a ladder to the third floor.
Unlike the second floor, the interior of the third (orange) floor is fully interconnected, allowing players to come and go from any of four exits. The interior contains no weapon pickups, but features a hole in one corner that players can drop down to find a Gluon Gun. One of the third floor's exterior platforms contains a Shotgun, and another, a Hivehand. Additionally, an exterior platform that is only accessible by shimmying across a narrow ledge (where the player can also walk over two Batteries) contains three Laser Trip Mines.
The interior of the fourth (red) floor consists only of one metal walkway that is connected to three exits. There is only one ladder to the top floor, and it can only be reached by walking across the narrow exterior ledge. Depending on which direction the player walks from, they may pick up any of two Batteries on the ledge. After climbing the ladder to the top (blue) floor, the player will find themselves on an exterior platform that contains two SMG Grenades. The other exterior platforms of this floor contain an RPG and a Crossbow, though the platform with the Crossbow can only be accessed by either shimmying across an exterior ledge or by climbing down a ladder from the roof of the hill. The player can then take a ladder to the roof of the hill to find four Satchel Charges, a Snark pickup, RPG, and SMG ammunition, and four Medkits. The center of the roof contains an opening that players can drop down from onto the fifth, fourth, or third floors, but attempting to jump to the third floor from this height would almost certainly result in death.
Behind the scenes[edit]
The map's creator, Dario Casali, hid his signature written in brushes outside of the map, underneath the front entrance to the hill.
Marc Laidlaw once considered The Hill to be his favorite map.[2]
Gallery[edit]
The back of the hill. The ground floor teleport can be seen through the back entrance.
The left corner of the front of the hill.
The right corner of the front of the hill.
The left corner of the back of the hill.
The right corner of the back of the hill.
The first walkway of the second floor.
The second walkway of the second floor, featuring a Snark pickup.
Interior of the third (orange) floor.
Near a Hivehand on the third floor, there is a hidden hole...
...that leads to an indoor ledge with a Gluon Gun.
Interior of the fourth (red) floor.
Interior of the fifth and topmost (blue) floor.
The roof.
The opening on the roof of the hill, where the third, fourth, and fifth floors can be seen.
Dario Casali's signature, hidden underneath the front entrance to the hill.
References[edit]
- ↑ More on the New Half-Life Model on Blue's News (December 5, 1998)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Half-Life happenings from the source on Planet Half-Life (November 24, 1998) (archived)
