Stabilization Team - A Half-Life: Alyx Short [S2FM]

A Combine team is tasked with safekeeping a construction site in the Antlion infested subway tunnels.

My initial goal with this project was to follow a Combine team as they hunt down ᵗʰᵉᶠʳᵉᵉᵐᵃⁿ a group of anti-citizens, but it turned out to be way more complicated than I had anticipated. The script eventually morphed into what you see now, and I wanted to give some extra attention to the sounds this time around since I feel I never quite get that right.
I'm really happy with how it turned out, and that's in no small part thanks to my dear friend Csaba who made these amazing echo and panning effects.
Please do check out his channel for some banger music he makes with his friend;

Software:
Source 2 Filmmaker (Half-Life: Alyx Workshop Tools)
Vegas Pro 17
Photoshop
Audacity

Song: The Only Thing They Fear is V

Twitter:

Screenshots/Wallpapers

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[northernshield]

I love how natural they move. Its almost like they're actual people moving behind that hunk of kevlar.

[DagaTheRat]

This makes me want a four-player co-op game where we can be the Combine soldiers and fight against Antlions, zombies and the Resistance. Great video.

[zarkflappysheep]

dam it really feels like they’re talking to each other. amazing work this is some of the best hand made sfm stuff i’ve ever seen!!

[zekalveeryo]

1:10 Me hauling all of grandmas groceries single handedly in one whole trip.

[miecraftandmoregames]

Bro you should get hired for Valve to do cinematic trailer for their games, this is top tier quality stuff.

[CrusadingJello]

1:09 You can see how heavy the Wallhammer (big dude with the shotgun) is when he runs across the room. The floor vibrates heavily, and dirt and small rocks kick up from the floor...

That would be terrifying IRL, especially if you knew what they could do. It was just impending doom of a dude in thick armour that could resist shotgun blasts point-blank, had their own heavy shotgun, and a shield they could deploy to nullify even explosions.

[Christian-grgu]

Did not expect for combine to be so badass

[knightlightofmine]

The Charger waddling over was adorable in a way, other than yknow, being a killing machine.

[Neo.]

I keep coming back to this
I love how even though we never see their faces and it's less than a minute these guys have got personalities.
at 0:40 Echo One is concerned that more of his memories will be wiped again, and the Ordinal is almost enjoying confirming that reality to him

[richardavelino]

1:10 I was convinced at this point that you were going to surprise us all and do a Meet the Spy homage done with Combine....

[TheParryGod]

The absolute mad lad with 3 videos in a single calendar year.

[Crazak]

This is awesome! Also, that exchange about “refresh and resolve” really hammers home how much of a dystopian hell world Earth is under Combine rule.

[combinecornercosplay]

The best sfm for hla ive seen so far amazing! Please more that shows us the point of view from combine perspective.

[stellarr]

I love what you did at 1:30. It's such a small detail almost nobody will notice, but the finger off the trigger till he's confirmed that he's ready to engage is such a neat detail. It feels so human to understand that trigger discipline when you could've just left it on the trigger, like most animators would do. Amazing animation, even one year later.

[lordazn]

One thing that I just noticed and love is how they formed up before the door. Wallhammer immediately takes front and center to take advantage of his shotgun and armor while the two grunts take the flanks, knowing Wallhammer will need their rapid fire SMG support. Meanwhile, Ordinal takes the rear to command and control but even he is slightly offset so he can actually see what's going on and keep wallhammer out of his line of fire. This isn't just some tacticool scene, there is a competent method to their madness.

[Crazyscob]

The way how they move is so realistic and satisfying

[willssecretchanel]

Can we just appreciate the sound design at 0:25 LIKE HOW DID YOU RECORD THAT SOUND? You can literally hear the shackles on the boot moving

[realwazz]

1:10 me running into kitchen at 3:00 pm

[fellll]

I just really love how the wallhammer's sheer weight and heavy weapons role is shown clearly through the sounds, camera shots and the way they walk!

[Some-q]

1:10 bro has the heavy weapons guy run