Black Mesa News

• Fixes to startup related crashes
  
• Fixes to physics engine related crashes
  
• Steam Deck Improvements
  
• Linux Improvements
  

• Relaxed triangle vertex validation in ToGL to accept structurally valid input even when geometry is ambiguous, resolving various graphical issues in Studio MDL models
  
• Resolved crashes in Hammer and HLMV when rendering high-quality models by increasing vertex buffer limits to match those defined in the original model format
  
• Resolved a crash that occurred during the mortar sequence at the end of the Gargantua chase in the Surface Tension chapter
  
• Fixed an issue where func_rotating entities would unexpectedly stop spinning after a certain amount of time on some maps
  
• Recompiled all weapon models using the updated Studio Model Compiler to prevent visual glitches caused by incorrect or outdated tangent data
  
• Updated bundled DXVK (Windows) to version 2.6.1
  
• Added support for models with a total vertex count exceeding 65535, lifting the previous global limit
  
• Added hit feedback sound effects during multiplayer combat
  
• Removed ALL false positive virus reports (according to VirusTotal)
  
• Refined conflict resolution logic for configuration overrides, especially when auto-configuration clashes with cloud-synced settings
  
• Shadow Quality Mode can now correctly be set to Ultra, without enabling unsupported features
  
• Updated bundled DXVK (Windows) to version 2.6
  
• Fixed secondary camera views rendering incorrectly on brush models
  
• Adjusted CSM depth bias to improve shadow precision on ToGL
  
• Enabled God Rays on ToGL
  
• Revised pickup and run mechanics for smoother player interaction
  
• Significantly improved ToGL binary shader cache, now enabled by default, resulting in faster load times after the first run
  
• Resolved Soft Particles rendering artifacts, which were especially noticeable on ToGL
  
• Fixed behavior of Environment Map Masks in ToGL, where all surfaces were forcibly marked as bump-mapped to reduce shader combinations and work around engine limitations
  
• Fixed auto-aim logic when the player is unarmed
  
• General auto-aim tweaks to improve accuracy and consistency
  
• Fixed certain 4-way blended materials appearing black in ToGL
  
• Completed a full validation pass to ensure all materials are well-formed and error-free within the Material System
  
• Reduced rendering path discrepancies between Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA for improved consistency across GPUs
  
• Added dismissable Rogue Point call to action at main menu
  
• Improved stability of the Hit Sounds system
  
• Fixed incorrectly displayed blinking overlays on brush models in ToGL
  
• Suppressed display of God Rays Disks appearing through walls in ToGL
  
• Bumped shader cache version for ToGL
  
• Added snd_mixahead to auto-config and updated auto-config version
  
• Linux build now uses stricter floating-point math for improved stability
  
• Improved IVP stability by introducing coordinate sanitization in key areas
  
• Fixed Hit Sound system functionality under the Old UI
  
• Fixed a regression affecting Model and Particle browsers in Hammer after the Secondary Camera fix
  
• Addressed display issues causing waterfall flickering in Xen
  
• Introduced a slight vertical offset on teleport to prevent instant ground collision
  
• Fixed a crash occurring in the Nihilanth encounter on Linux
  
• Improved overall performance on Linux, with noticeable gains in the Lambda Core teleport puzzle
  
• Introduced Vulkan layer exclusion rules to prevent certain startup crashes with DXVK
  
• StudioMDL now attempts to generate VTX files with legacy indexing for improved tool compatibility
  
• Prevented crashes in the New UI when encountering unusual server names
  
• Improved runtime stability by reviewing and fixing cases of unsafe use of short-lived data, including uninitialized variables affecting server-side ragdolls.
  
• Introduced force limit on gibs from damage to prevent excessive speeds during explosions.
  
• Resolved an issue that caused the settings to crash due to concurrent exclusive access to the internal game save file during gameplay.
  
• Fixed the missing "_back" cable texture set, addressing visual inconsistencies.
  
• Thanks to npc_pigeon, narkvic, and the community for their efforts in identifying the solution. These additional files effectively mitigate the engine's error messages about missing VMT files, enhancing overall performance in scenarios featuring moving ropes. This is particularly noticeable during the rocket elevator sequence in "On A Rail."
  
• Aligned the Vertex Format in the Skin GBuffer shader with that of the Prop GBuffer shader to ensure consistency across shaders handling similar data.
  
• Updated backup code for statically lit bump-mapped props, ensuring that props are marked as non-statically lit if the static lighting checksum does not match, preventing lighting artifacts.
  
• Recompiled all Inbound Tram models using the newer Studio Model Compiler to resolve tangent-related issues and improve visual fidelity.
  
• Enhanced the Job Pool to support more than 16 threads, optimizing performance for multithreaded tasks.
  
• Updated DX Support Autoconfig to align Intel/AMD GPUs with NVIDIA, ensuring that the game launches at 1080p by default instead of a low 4:3 resolution like 640x480.
  
• Introduced functionality to automatically run auto-configuration if the configuration version differs, ensuring that every installation reconfigures itself on the first launch after an update.
  
• Addressed various issues within the game, resulting in improvements in several areas. Feedback from players who opted into previous beta tests indicates that the sporadic crashing they experienced has been resolved.
  

The Half-Life remake Black Mesa from Crowbar Collective has a fresh Beta update available for testing, which includes numerous enhancements to their Linux support along with a bunch of other stability improvements.

Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/04/ahead-of-its-10-year-steam-anniversary-black-mesa-has-a-new-beta-with-improved-linux-support-and-many-fixes/

• Removed ALL false positive virus reports (according to VirusTotal)
  
• Refined conflict resolution logic for configuration overrides, especially when auto-configuration clashes with cloud-synced settings
  
• Shadow Quality Mode can now correctly be set to Ultra, without enabling unsupported features
  
• Updated bundled DXVK (Windows) to version 2.6
  
• Fixed secondary camera views rendering incorrectly on brush models
  
• Adjusted CSM depth bias to improve shadow precision on ToGL
  
• Enabled God Rays on ToGL
  
• Revised pickup and run mechanics for smoother player interaction
  
• Significantly improved ToGL binary shader cache, now enabled by default, resulting in faster load times after the first run
  
• Resolved Soft Particles rendering artifacts, which were especially noticeable on ToGL
  
• Fixed behavior of Environment Map Masks in ToGL, where all surfaces were forcibly marked as bump-mapped to reduce shader combinations and work around engine limitations
  
• Fixed auto-aim logic when the player is unarmed
  
• General auto-aim tweaks to improve accuracy and consistency
  
• Fixed certain 4-way blended materials appearing black in ToGL
  
• Completed a full validation pass to ensure all materials are well-formed and error-free within the Material System
  
• Reduced rendering path discrepancies between Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA for improved consistency across GPUs
  
• Added dismissable Rogue Point call to action at main menu
  

• Right-click Black Mesa in your Steam Library
  
• Select "Properties"
  
• Navigate to "Betas"
  
• Select "public-beta" from the dropdown menu
  

• Switching from Fullscreen to Borderless while also changing the resolution may cause the new UI to display incorrectly
  
• Restarting the game will restore proper UI layout
  
• When using DXVK, the mouse cursor may disappear in the main menu. Pressing the console key (`) twice will restore mouse input
  
• Falling rocks in FAF currently have no collision due to referencing an incorrect entity name. This may be addressed in a subsequent beta
  

• Reintroduced DXVK support on Windows.
  
• Upgraded DXVK to version 2.4.1 and removed the redundant custom Vendor ID from the configuration file.
  
• Improved the Qt runtime setup in the Windows Launcher to preload necessary libraries for ANGLE if needed.
  
• Restored throttling policies and their application to game processes under power management.
  
• Updated the launcher icon on Windows
  

• Resolved an issue that caused the settings to crash due to concurrent exclusive access to the internal game save file during gameplay.
  
• Fixed the missing "_back" cable texture set, addressing visual inconsistencies.
  
• Thanks to npc_pigeon, narkvic, and the community for their efforts in identifying the solution. These additional files effectively mitigate the engine's error messages about missing VMT files, enhancing overall performance in scenarios featuring moving ropes. This is particularly noticeable during the rocket elevator sequence in "On A Rail."
  
• Aligned the Vertex Format in the Skin GBuffer shader with that of the Prop GBuffer shader to ensure consistency across shaders handling similar data.
  
• Updated backup code for statically lit bump-mapped props, ensuring that props are marked as non-statically lit if the static lighting checksum does not match, preventing lighting artifacts.
  
• Recompiled all Inbound Tram models using the newer Studio Model Compiler to resolve tangent-related issues and improve visual fidelity.
  
• Enhanced the Job Pool to support more than 16 threads, optimizing performance for multithreaded tasks.
  
• Updated DX Support Autoconfig to align Intel/AMD GPUs with NVIDIA, ensuring that the game launches at 1080p by default instead of a low 4:3 resolution like 640x480.
  
• Introduced functionality to automatically run auto-configuration if the configuration version differs, ensuring that every installation reconfigures itself on the first launch after an update.
  
• Addressed various issues within the game, resulting in improvements in several areas. Feedback from players who opted into previous beta tests indicates that the sporadic crashing they experienced has been resolved.
  

• Updated ToGL/Linux shaders with the latest GBuffer changes to ensure the application of up-to-date rendering techniques.
  
• Cleaned up the shadow filter state in ToGL/Linux, resulting in more accurate and stable shadow rendering.
  
• Migrated ToGL/Linux to use the OpenGL 3.3 Compatibility Profile, enhancing compatibility with a broader range of hardware and driver configurations while maintaining access to modern OpenGL features.
  
• Introduced an optional experimental Binary Shader Cache for ToGL/Linux, accessible via the -glusebinarycache command line option on Linux and native Steam Deck builds, which improves shader load times on supported platforms.
  
• Resolved a half-pixel halo issue in the ToGL/Linux rendering pipeline, improving visual accuracy in rendered scenes.
  
• Added per-triangle and optional per-vertex validation for studio models to resolve issues in ToGL/Linux related to static and dynamically lit models. A second pass for per-vertex validation can be enabled via the +r_studio_validate_vertices 1 command line argument.
  
• Improved lighting buffer quality on ToGL/Linux to resolve a red hue in specular highlights, ensuring consistent visual output across platforms.
  
• Added a missing window icon on ToGL/Linux to address a minor visual issue.
  
• Configured default arguments for the Linux launcher to optimize display settings on Steam Deck, ensuring a better out-of-the-box experience for AMD/Intel GPU users.
  
• Fixed debug assertions in Havok that leaked into the release build on Linux, preventing potential crashes during runtime
  

• Forced the shipped DXVK configuration on Proton if no overrides are provided, enhancing compatibility with Proton 9.x and newer versions.
  

• Implemented proper support for mirrored UVs in the Studio Model Compiler, ensuring that newly compiled meshes do not introduce visual bugs due to incorrect tangent data.