Editing Half-Life: Decay (section)

==Development==
A cooperative ''Half-Life'' game was first alluded to by publisher [[Sierra On-Line]] in November 2000 with the announcement of a [[PlayStation 2]] version of ''Half-Life''. At the time, however, it was unclear how a cooperative version of ''Half-Life'' would be implemented; the developers, [[Gearbox Software]], were still experimenting with finding the most balanced number of players to build a cooperative game around.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/087/087979p1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831202204/http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/087/087979p1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 31, 2011|title=Sierra Delivers ''Half-Life'' to PlayStation 2|website=[[IGN]]|date=November 17, 2000}}</ref> By [[History of E3#2001|E3 2001]], the game had acquired the title ''Decay'', named after the scientific concept of [[exponential decay]] for consistency with the scientific names used by previous ''Half-Life'' titles. While the E3 convention only provided a demonstration of the main ''Half-Life'' PlayStation 2 game, further details were released relating to ''Decay''{{'}}s premise and story, as well as confirming that the cooperative mode was to be designed for two players.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/halflife/news.html?sid=2761914&mode=all |title=E3 2001 Hands-on ''Half-Life'' |website=[[GameSpot]] |first=Joe |last=Fielder |date=May 18, 2001 |access-date=October 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619020420/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/halflife/news.html?sid=2761914&mode=all |archive-date=June 19, 2009 }}</ref> The game's use of new model sets were also showcased. These new models were updated versions of Gearbox's High Definition pack for ''[[Half-Life: Blue Shift|Blue Shift]]'', featuring higher numbers of [[Polygon (computer graphics)|polygons]] and [[Computer animation|animation]] features such as facial expressions.<ref name="graphics">{{cite web|url=http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/135/135631p1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831203222/http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/135/135631p1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 31, 2011|title=''Half-Life'' Preview|website=[[IGN]]|date=September 19, 2001|access-date=October 23, 2008}}</ref> The enhanced models were around twice as detailed as those in the High Definition pack, which itself was of a much higher quality than the original models in ''Half-Life''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/halflife/news.html?sid=2811529&mode=all&page=1|title=''Half-Life'' Updated preview|website=[[GameSpot]]|first=Amer|last=Ajami|date=September 11, 2001|access-date=October 23, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103031204/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/halflife/news.html?sid=2811529&mode=all&page=1|archive-date=January 3, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Media updates through the months following E3 showed various screenshots and the trailer to the game.<ref name="graphics"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.insider.ign.com/teasers/302/302245.html |title=''Half-Life'' Hi-Res Trailer (PS2) |work=Insider |publisher=[[IGN]] |date=August 11, 2001 |access-date=October 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713004433/http://uk.insider.ign.com/teasers/302/302245.html |archive-date=July 13, 2011 }}</ref> On August 18, 2001, Sierra announced that ''Decay'' was nearly complete, and would be submitted to PlayStation 2 manufacturer [[Sony]] for verification within days.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/halflife/news.html?sid=2805397&mode=all|title=''Half-Life: Decay'' nears completion|website=[[GameSpot]]|first=Shahed|last=Ahmed|date=August 18, 2001|access-date=October 23, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717173526/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/halflife/news.html?sid=2805397&mode=all|archive-date=July 17, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The entire ''Half-Life'' for PlayStation 2 package achieved [[Software release life cycle#Release|gold status]] on October 30, 2001,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/halflife/news.html?sid=2820992&mode=all |title=''Half-Life'' PS2 goes gold |first=Shahed |last=Ahmed |website=[[GameSpot]] |date=October 30, 2001 |access-date=October 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060928055941/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/halflife/news.html?sid=2820992 |archive-date=September 28, 2006 }}</ref> and the game was released on November 14, 2001, in North America,<ref name="gspotuk">{{cite web |last=Ahmed |first=Shahed |date=November 7, 2001 |title=''Half-Life'' PS2 ships next week |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/halflife/news.html?sid=2822828&mode=all |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717195431/http://uk.gamespot.com/ps2/action/halflife/news.html?sid=2822828&mode=all |archive-date=July 17, 2012 |access-date=October 23, 2008 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> and in Europe on November 30.<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Half-Life'' |url=http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/half-life/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=''Half-Life'' |url=https://www.jeuxvideo.com/jeux/playstation-2-ps2/00004257-half-life.htm |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=[[Jeuxvideo.com]]}}</ref>

In October 2005, work was begun by a group of Ukrainian developers to [[Porting|port]] ''Decay'' over to [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], as a [[Mod (computer gaming)|modification]] for both the old [[World Opponent Network]] and current [[Steam (service)|Steam]] versions of ''Half-Life''. The port relied on the discovery of a method that allowed ''Decay''{{'}}s PS2 game files to be converted to Windows version of the game.<ref name="Decay General"/> The port went into the [[Software release life cycle#Beta|beta development stage]] in December 2007 and was released publicly on September 23, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://decay.half-lifecreations.com/?content=news&sub=archive|title=''Half-Life: Decay'' - It's released!|publisher=Half-Life Creations|access-date=September 26, 2008|date=September 23, 2008}}</ref> The port was received well by the journalists in the industry; [[GameSpy]] site [[Planet Half-Life]] noted that it was a shame that an official PC version of ''Decay'' never emerged,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://planethalflife.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=153971 |title=''Half-Life: Decay'' Released |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |work=[[Planet Half-Life]] |first=John |last=Phillips |date=September 24, 2008 |access-date=October 24, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926161301/http://planethalflife.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=153971 |archive-date=September 26, 2008 }}</ref> while British journalist Alec Meer stated that it was "fantastic to have this short but sweet lost ''Half-Life'' episode on PC at last, and it even has something the PS2 version didn't—online play".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2008/09/28/half-life-the-lost-chapter/|title=''Half-Life'': The Lost Chapter|first=Alec|last=Meer|website=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]]|date=September 28, 2008|access-date=October 24, 2008}}</ref>