Dataminer: Half-Life 3 exists and will get “smart” NPCs that can talk to you

Following blogger Tyler McVicker, data miner Maxim Poletaev (aka Gabe Follower) shared his findings regarding Valve’s secret game codenamed hlx – a potential Half-Life 3.

Image Source: Valve

In a 19-minute video published recently, Poletaev said that over the past three years he was able to find out about hlx from excavations in the code of other Valve games on the Source 2 engine, as well as conversations with trusted informants inside the studio.

According to Gabe Follower, in the past, the development of Half-Life 3 was repeatedly limited by the imperfections of Source 2, but at the moment the engine is ready to release first-person shooters (Counter-Strike 2) and third-person shooters (Deadlock).

Suit H.E.V. and the sound dog (houndeye) in the Source 2 code was recently renamed (image source: Gabe Follower)

What Gabe Follower found about hlx in Source 2 code:

• Mentions of creatures from the world of Zen – houndeye, gorilla, jellyfish, headcrab, “blobulator” (the creature was made for Half-Life 2, but was reworked into gel mechanics for Portal 2);
• The ability to attach the H.E.V. protective suit that the character will be wearing to something (probably health replenishment stations);
• The detailed simulation of controlled vehicles mentioned by McVicker – it will be possible to either sit behind the wheel or take the passenger seat;
• «A huge “mood system” (affects the behavior and animation of non-player characters) – Poletaev believes that Valve is preparing “smart” NPCs who will be able to talk directly with the player;
• Many references to systems related to gravity, including the behavior of NPCs in conditions of changing gravity – this element will likely be given increased attention in the new game;
• Mention of the dynamic cycle of day and night and real-time weather changes (rain, snow);
• Indications that Valve is putting a lot of effort into creating “huge and realistic environments, perhaps with a hint of an open world”;
• Mentions of new technologies, including Speech Graphics (synchronizing animation with speech), meshlets (analogous to nanites from Unreal Engine 5) and a new hair system.

«Looking at all the findings, Valve’s desire to create a more developed and open world with smart NPCs, improved graphics, cool vehicles and new gravity mechanics can be seen,” concluded Poletaev.

Gabe Follower also found traces of a reporting system for hlx in the Souce 2 code. In his opinion, this may indicate that the game is close to internal testing, but not to the announcement – in the case of CS2, these two events were separated by three years.

According to Poletaev, hlx is a continuation of Half-Life: Alyx not for VR, which takes the place of Half-Life 3 in the chronology of the universe. The data miner notes that internal tests are the most dangerous stage for Valve games (most projects are canceled at this stage).