Half-Life: Alyx has been updated to version 1.4.1 which adds an example weapon to the game’s Workshop modding tools, allowing modders to experiment with bringing new weapons to the game. The update also includes improvements to the Workshop tools, including more example content for animation, audio, and shaders, along with new documentation.

Valve released “beta” Workshop modding tools for Half-Life: Alyx back in May, and subsequent updates of the game have been largely focused on improving the toolset to allow modders to create more ambitious content.

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Released this week, Half-Life: Alyx 1.4.1 continues to flesh out the Workshop tools.

Valve has added a new object blueprint to the game, technically known as hl_vr_weapon_generic_pistol, which is a “data-driven weapon entity for workshop customization.” The company says the goal of the object is to give modders access to weapon properties to enable the “creation of custom pistols.”

This entity provides the same behavior as Alyx’s initial pistol without any upgrades. It exposes properties in hammer including models, effects, sounds as well as various values like damage and firing rates. […] They all can be overridden to make different looking and animating pistols.

While this particular object is most suitable as a basis for making magazine-fed pistols, like the one in the game’s campaign, it seems likely that Valve will add additional weapon blueprints based on the game’s other weapon types (shotgun, SMG, grenade) so that modders can make a greater variety of custom weapons for Half-Life: Alyx.

Beyond the new weapon, the update also tweaks existing Workshop tools and adds additional example content to act as blueprints for the game’s animation, audio, and shader systems. Valve has also added the following documentation to help modders use the tools:

You can see the full update details, including bug and crash fixes, right here.

Even before the generic pistol blueprint, modders have been experimenting with adding new weapons to the game, including custom models and animations.

For instance, Modder McMessenger has adapted the M6C pistol from Halo: ODST (2009) for Half-Life: Alyx.

The weapon can even be upgraded just like the original pistol in Alyx, including a custom scope, laser pointer, burst-fire mode, and auto-loader.

Image courtesy McMessenger

The new generic pistol blueprint in the Alyx Workshop should make it easier for modders to add new weapons like this. D’eagle coming in 3… 2… 1…

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Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • mirak

    we want online
    this is what made half life 1 mods explode

    • wheeler

      Multiplayer is definitely critical, but moreover you really need a full SDK for mods to truly take off. It’s still unclear if they’re going to stick with these high level modifications through their tools or if we’ll actually be able to write some code.

      I just wish they would let us know what the plan is so modders of more ambitious projects can determine if it’s worthwhile to start work on the content creation end of things. That would be completely uncharacteristic of Valve though

      • benz145

        In the near-term it seems very much like they’re going to stick to the gated tools approach. They’re adding scripting capabilities, but clearly that doesn’t cover everything modders will want to do.

      • kuhpunkt

        They already said that they would like to release the full SDK. They are doing it step by step with all those tools.

        • wheeler

          AFAIK the last thing they’ve said on a Source 2 SDK (4 months ago) is that they’d like to, but that there aren’t actually any plans for it and they’d have to consider it after the release of HLA https://www.reddit.com/r/HalfLife/comments/esen9b/were_developers_from_the_halflife_alyx_team_ask/ff9gwuu/

          Since the release of HLA I don’t know if there’s been any updates on their plans that have been made public. The reason I just wish they’d say something is because I doubt an actual SDK will be ready for at least a year but that’s a year in which modders could be working on the content side of things and you risk losing the momentum (modders/devs could get roped onto other projects)

          • wotever99ninynine

            good point. also, dang. i thought they had sort of announced it. obviously im remembering wrong. fingers crossed they do though. the game needs it to keep up with other high end vr games that are not just catering to newbies. the style of half life alyx is very outdated. same gameplay as vr games from 2016. except they did end up adding free locomotion .can you imagine if they hadnt? which apparently was the case until just before release… jeeze.

      • wotever99ninynine

        yeah, im pretty sure back when the game released they were promising the full sdk ‘eventually’. lets hope they have not changed their mind. we need it for proper mods. i dont want more pistols i want proper weapons and proper weapon mechanics, handling and storage/ inventories etc. like all other vr fps shooters have. think onward, boneworks, pavlov, contractors, zero caliber etc etc.

  • JesuSaveSouls

    I would like to see more content in the alyx workshop like gmod offers.Cars,planes,atomics etc.

  • Good to see that they are adding always more content for modding

  • wotever99ninynine

    who cares about custom pistols? the game is already entirely based around pistols.. we need TWO HANDED WEAPONS. proper ones. like assualt rifles, smgs, shotguns, etc etc. not just more pistols dang it.

    • labe keebler

      Alyx is none to use pistols not two handed weapons

      • wotever99ninynine

        None, or known? Not sure I follow you. But the fact they are ‘known’ to only use pistols is the exact reason we need a mod for proper two handed weapons. Like in the pancake half life games, but in vr. Pavlov, onward, contractors, zero caliber style.

  • Are custom pistols actually upgradeable? The custom pistol page on Valve’s own site (which you linked in the article) says they aren’t.