Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Features Obama & McCain in Debate Setting

November 2, 2008

USC grad student John Brennan dropped GamePolitics a line to show us this amazing Half-Life 2 machinima featuring John McCain, Barack Obama, and an authentic HL2 head crab.

By way of explanation, John writes:

I'm an MFA student @ USC's interactive media program. My thesis project is a series of modifications to Half-Life 2 that will operate in the same space as political cartoons. I'm playing with format right now, but so far it is Modding and Machinima as self expression and political commentary:)

I have a process for quickly getting 'news-makers' (providing enough photography) into Half-Life 2, access to MoCap data, and some good people helping out.

I'm just launching my first piece now, but it is sizable enough that I'd like to bring it to your attention. It includes McCain, Obama, a debate stage, and is just in time for the vote.

Posted in

Comments

Re: Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Features Obama & McCain in Debate

Submitted by Thomas McKenna on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 19:33.

I like the head crab at the beginning. It must not be going after either candidate as it probably knows it'd most likely starve if it did.

Re: Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Features Obama & McCain in Debate

Submitted by Doomsong on Mon, 11/03/2008 - 07:38.

True

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" - Benjamin Franklin

Re: Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Features Obama & McCain in Debate

Submitted by udx on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 19:22.

Where do I get the Obama and McCain models? I wanna use them for Garry's Mod.

What is a game?(throws wine glass on the floor and it breaks to pieces) A miserable little pile of secrets.

Re: Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Features Obama & McCain in Debate

Submitted by Thomas McKenna on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 19:32.

"I wanna use them for Garry's Mod."

Oh god...this can't end well.

I can see it now...Obama and McCain in a rocket powered bathtub going through a series of portals with the word "SCIENCE!" in big bold white letters...

Honestly though...I'd probably laugh my ass off if I saw them.

Re: Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Features Obama & McCain in Debate

Submitted by udx on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 19:38.

Actually, I wanted to do a scene of Obama kicking McCain off a cliff.

What is a game?(throws wine glass on the floor and it breaks to pieces) A miserable little pile of secrets.

Re: Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Features Obama & McCain in Debate

Submitted by Austin_Lewis on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 19:17.

I'd vote a freeman/headcrab ticket.

Re: Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Features Obama & McCain in Debate

Submitted by Vake Xeacons on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 17:59.

Vote Freeman and Vance, '08!

"I'm Gordon Freeman, and I approve this message!"

Re: Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Features Obama & McCain in Debate

Submitted by C. Aaron Browbo... on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 19:50.

uhhh... i thought Freeman was a mute? but anyway LOL!

Jesus Jack Jones Thompson.... is dead... (funeral udruge, followed by Celebrate :D )

Jesus Jack Jones Thompson loves you, so kill for his amusement so we can get money for the new "People's Temple of Jesus Jack Jones Thompson"

Re: Awesome Half-Life 2 Mod Features Obama & McCain in Debate

Submitted by Brokenscope on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 12:14.

Very nice usage of source.

I love the usage of the intro screen.

Shout box

NyuRena: You nailed it James! Yikes..06/18/2013 - 1:56pm

james_fudge: With MS willing to share with the government, an always listening device should give everyone pause.06/18/2013 - 1:37pm

james_fudge: you can't turn off the Microphone on the Kinect and it has to be plugged in. It's not rocket science.06/18/2013 - 1:35pm

E. Zachary Knight: The Humble Bundle Guys just don't like me having money in my pocket do they? https://www.humblebundle.com/06/18/2013 - 1:12pm

E. Zachary Knight: CMiner, I know that my Android camera is off unless I am using an application that turns it on. Same with the microphone.06/18/2013 - 12:38pm

CMiner: Can you turn off the camera on an iPhone? Like, -really- turn it off, not just change a setting that -tells- you the camera is off?06/18/2013 - 12:13pm

james_fudge: when they make it a requirement, yes they are06/18/2013 - 12:10pm

CMiner: I just don't think Microsoft bears any more (or less) responsibility for privacy with its Kinect camera than do the makers of laptops or smartphones with integrated cameras.06/18/2013 - 12:00pm

Imautobot: The ability to operate the console without the camera is key. It's a peripheral, not directly integrated into the console, and yet it behaves as if it is. Thankfully I don't have kids, and won't have an Xbone either.06/18/2013 - 11:49am

CMiner: Oh, I agree that the decision to make the kinect mandatory/always listening is terrible.06/18/2013 - 11:48am

E. Zachary Knight: CMiner, and the easier the provider makes to do such things, the better. The fact that the XBone will not even funtion without it plugged in and turned on in some fashion makes a world of difference from a PC Webcam.06/18/2013 - 11:38am

CMiner: It takes steps on the user's part to ensure 100% privacy (unplugging, uninstalling, putting tape over it, not putting it in the kid's rooms, etc)06/18/2013 - 11:29am

CMiner: My point is that no webcam producing company can guarantee that no one will ever ever ever be able to access video from that webcam without your knowledge and permission06/18/2013 - 11:28am

E. Zachary Knight: Of course at that point, you are still opening up yourself to Windows zero day vulnerabilities and back doors that they are happy to share with the government before Windows users.06/18/2013 - 11:26am

E. Zachary Knight: Cminer, I don't because I wipe the OS and reinstall something more secure, Linux. Even still, just wiping the OS and reinstalling Windows fresh removes all the bloatware PC companies install.06/18/2013 - 11:26am

E. Zachary Knight: I agree that the Kinect requirement of the XBone has my civil liberty senses tingling. Just another nail in the coffin for me.06/18/2013 - 11:25am

E. Zachary Knight: Honestly, I wouldn't put anything with an integrated camera in my kids' rooms. You are just asking for trouble. Of course, I am not a fan of having tvs/videogames/computers in kids rooms in general.06/18/2013 - 11:24am

CMiner: In the case of integrated webcams on laptops, do you have the same concern that people at Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc might be spying on you?06/18/2013 - 11:24am

E. Zachary Knight: I love awesome indie devs. Incredipede is free if you run linux! http://www.incredipede.com/linux.html Thanks @ColinNorthway You're the best.06/18/2013 - 11:23am

Imautobot: More creepy is that the Xbox Camera can see in the dark. Now we're in Buffalo Bill territory.06/18/2013 - 11:21am

All shouts

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