So... you would like to become a better Half-Life player? Then this guide is for you! It will cover some of the basics of the game that every player should know. After reading this guide I can guarantee you will become a more skilled player with a little bit of practice.

The premise of this guide will teach you two main things: First, how to create custom weapon binds in-game, and second, how to perform weapon combos with your new binds.

After creating a custom weapon bind you will be able to press a single key and bring up that specific weapon instead of having to select it via the default dropdown menu with multiple key strokes. This is extremely important in performing weapon combos as it allows you to select one weapon and then another in a matter of seconds.

I will keep this guide as short as possible while sticking to the points needed to understand these concepts. This will allow you to learn the techniques quickly and begin implementing them as soon as you launch Half-Life!

The first thing you must do is open the console. This is accomplished by pressing a single key in the upper-left hand section of your keyboard. Press the tilde key, also known informally as the squiggly or (~), and open the console.

Now that you have the console open you can begin to write new binds for your configuration. The best idea is to make the weapon binds close to whatever keys you use to move in-game. For example, if you use W.A.S.D. to move, then you will most likely be creating the custom weapon binds using the following keys: Q, E, R, F, V, C, X, Z.

These keys have default actions already so I would recommend checking your keyboard setup in Options after you are finished creating new weapon binds. Note that you can bind a weapon to any key, anywhere on the keyboard, and you may simply have to relocate another function to another key using the Options menu. For instance, if you set a weapon bind to the letter F, you will have to select a new key for your flashlight. Another example is if you set a new weapon bind to the letter R, you will have to select a new key for your reload.

It will be up to you to decide which are the most important functions you require. Let it be known that the closer your weapons are to your movement keys, the easier it will be to perform a weapon combo!

Enter the following command into the console to bind a weapon to a new key:

bind <key> <weapon_name> (This is without the brackets)
Example: bind q weapon_357

You will need to know the name of the weapon and the complete list is provided below.

weapon_crowbar
weapon_9mmhandgun
weapon_357
weapon_9mmAR
weapon_shotgun
weapon_crossbow
weapon_rpg
weapon_gauss
weapon_egon
weapon_hornetgun
weapon_handgrenade
weapon_satchel
weapon_tripmine
weapon_snark

Now that you have successfully bound new weapons to your keyboard you will be able to perform efficient weapon combos. A weapon combo is when you are able to use one weapon and then another weapon back-to-back in a matter of seconds.

Perform a weapon combo by selecting one weapon and have the other weapon ready to switch and fire after using the first. An example of this would be to pull out your 9mmAR and launch a grenade and then immediately draw and fire your shotgun all at the same target. This allows you to deal more damage and effectively increase your efficiency. At first, weapon combos may be hard to perform because you are thinking about which keys bring out which weapons. Once you have learned the new keys you have selected for your custom weapon binds, this process becomes much easier.

A few typical weapon combinations are as follows:

9mmAR Grenade + Shotgun
9mmAR Grenade + Crossbow
9mmAR Grenade + RPG
Shotgun + Crossbow
Gauss + Crossbow
Gauss + 9mmAR Grenade
Gauss + Shotgun
Gauss + 9mmAR Grenade + RPG
9mmAR Grenade + Crossbow + Shotgun + RPG
Gauss + Crossbow + 9mmAR Grenade + Shotgun + RPG

Note: These are only a select few weapon combos for you to try. It will be up to you to figure out which combinations work best for your gameplay and learn to perform them. Experiment with all different types of weapon combos and you will begin to see how effective they can become.

Realistically, if you are playing in a multiplayer game, you will constantly be switching from one weapon to another to achieve maximum efficiency. This will allow you to deal a constant and steady stream of damage to your opponents.

Congratulations on learning how to create custom Half-Life weapon binds in-game and learning how to begin to perform weapon combos! If you practice using your new binds you will be able to perform multiple types of weapon combinations that will deal an incredible amount of damage to your enemies.

Thank you very much for reading this guide and I sincerely hope it will improve not only your skills but your overall Half-Life experience!

Over and out,
Swiftshift