<s>
Minerva	B-Application
is	O
an	O
episodic	O
series	O
of	O
single-player	O
modifications	O
(	O
"	O
mods	O
"	O
)	O
for	O
Valve	O
's	O
Half-Life	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mod	O
was	O
created	O
by	O
Adam	B-Application
Foster	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
plot	O
and	O
settings	O
of	O
Minerva	B-Application
are	O
linked	O
to	O
Someplace	B-Application
Else	I-Application
,	O
Foster	O
's	O
original	O
map	O
for	O
Half-Life	B-Application
,	O
and	O
to	O
Half-Life	B-Application
2	I-Application
itself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mod	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
on	O
April	O
30	O
,	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minerva	B-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
Half-Life	B-Application
universe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
contrast	O
to	O
Half-Life	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
no	O
non-hostile	O
characters	O
or	O
dialogue	O
ever	O
appear	O
;	O
instead	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
aided	O
by	O
a	O
mysterious	O
guide	O
,	O
the	O
eponymous	O
"	O
Minerva	B-Application
"	O
,	O
whom	O
also	O
serves	O
to	O
relay	O
story	O
information	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
Minerva	B-Application
is	O
never	O
seen	O
,	O
she	O
stylizes	O
herself	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
goddess	O
"	O
,	O
with	O
messages	O
indicating	O
she	O
is	O
somewhere	O
in	O
Earth	O
's	O
orbit	O
aboard	O
a	O
satellite	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
plot	O
is	O
progressed	O
through	O
radio	O
messages	O
from	O
Minerva	B-Application
,	O
relayed	O
as	O
text	O
rather	O
than	O
spoken	O
words	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minerva	B-Application
's	O
communications	O
initially	O
are	O
sarcastic	O
and	O
dismissive	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
demeanour	O
brusque	O
,	O
treating	O
the	O
player	O
as	O
a	O
data-gathering	O
tool	O
at	O
her	O
disposal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
shocks	O
Minerva	B-Application
,	O
who	O
states	O
that	O
it	O
leads	O
to	O
a	O
world	O
the	O
Combine	O
are	O
sieging	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minerva	B-Application
betrays	O
the	O
protagonist	O
after	O
he	O
sabotages	O
the	O
Combine	O
's	O
defenses	O
,	O
activating	O
an	O
orbital	O
laser	O
and	O
attempting	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
base	O
as	O
she	O
declares	O
him	O
a	O
"	O
redeemed	O
traitor.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
survives	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
and	O
Minerva	B-Application
becomes	O
apologetic	O
,	O
later	O
admitting	O
she	O
has	O
grown	O
"	O
attached	O
"	O
to	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
aid	O
of	O
Minerva	B-Application
and	O
a	O
stolen	O
helicopter	O
,	O
the	O
protagonist	O
fights	O
to	O
the	O
surface	O
and	O
escapes	O
the	O
island	O
just	O
as	O
it	O
is	O
annihilated	O
by	O
a	O
second	O
orbital	O
blast	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minerva	B-Application
's	O
communications	O
are	O
unusual	O
in	O
that	O
each	O
is	O
prefixed	O
by	O
a	O
time/date	O
stamp	O
in	O
International	O
Date	O
Format	O
(	O
ISO	O
8601	O
)	O
,	O
giving	O
an	O
explicit	O
timescale	O
to	O
the	O
plot	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
these	O
and	O
the	O
in-game	O
messages	O
it	O
is	O
possible	O
to	O
construct	O
a	O
partial	O
timeline	O
of	O
events	O
covered	O
in	O
the	O
Minerva	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Metastasis	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
chapter	O
in	O
the	O
Minerva	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Under	O
attack	O
from	O
the	O
outset	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
fight	O
a	O
path	O
around	O
the	O
island	O
to	O
gain	O
access	O
to	O
its	O
center	O
,	O
guided	O
on	O
occasion	O
by	O
messages	O
from	O
Minerva	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
outdoor	O
tour	O
ends	O
at	O
the	O
wharf	O
next	O
to	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
first	O
deposited	O
,	O
the	O
first	O
of	O
many	O
such	O
circles	O
throughout	O
the	O
Minerva	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Underground	O
exploration	O
with	O
minimal	O
combat	O
follows	O
,	O
heightening	O
tension	O
and	O
raising	O
questions	O
about	O
what	O
the	O
Combine	O
are	O
doing	O
on	O
the	O
island	O
,	O
the	O
apparent	O
aim	O
of	O
Minerva	B-Application
's	O
"	O
scientific	O
investigation.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
We	O
learn	O
little	O
about	O
Minerva	B-Application
or	O
her	O
goals	O
,	O
but	O
her	O
messages	O
reveal	O
a	O
megalomaniacal	O
,	O
condescending	O
,	O
and	O
sarcastic	O
personality	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
seems	O
to	O
enjoy	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
assume	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
continued	O
survival	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minerva	B-Application
also	O
reveals	O
that	O
the	O
plasma	O
stream	O
comes	O
from	O
a	O
geosynchronous	O
satellite	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
objective	O
is	O
to	O
find	O
out	O
its	O
purpose	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
level	O
to	O
Minerva	B-Application
is	O
set	O
inside	O
a	O
huge	O
shaft	O
found	O
at	O
the	O
center	O
of	O
the	O
strange	O
island	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Once	O
again	O
you	O
are	O
directed	O
by	O
the	O
invisible	O
Minerva	B-Application
,	O
who	O
seems	O
to	O
become	O
more	O
sarcastic	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
progresses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
revealed	O
that	O
the	O
user	O
is	O
not	O
the	O
only	O
person	O
Minerva	B-Application
has	O
manipulated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
compares	O
you	O
against	O
at	O
least	O
one	O
other	O
such	O
avatar	O
-	O
perhaps	O
a	O
reference	O
to	O
Pericles	O
but	O
it	O
is	O
also	O
possible	O
it	O
refers	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
of	O
Someplace	B-Application
Else	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
apparently	O
used	O
to	O
power	O
a	O
Combine	O
Portal	O
reactor	O
(	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
one	O
at	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
Citadel	O
,	O
seen	O
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
Half-Life	B-Application
2	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minerva	B-Application
says	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
unconquered	O
and	O
unexplored	O
by	O
the	O
Combine	O
,	O
although	O
several	O
Dropships	O
are	O
seen	O
coming	O
through	O
the	O
portal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minerva	B-Application
asks	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
sabotage	O
the	O
core	O
,	O
by	O
disabling	O
four	O
plasma	O
containers	O
which	O
help	O
regulate	O
and	O
buffer	O
the	O
core	O
's	O
energy	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
successful	O
completion	O
of	O
the	O
task	O
,	O
Minerva	B-Application
reveals	O
her	O
true	O
intentions	O
and	O
betrays	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
third	O
episode	O
ends	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
fading	O
to	O
white	O
as	O
Minerva	B-Application
brings	O
about	O
the	O
devastation	O
of	O
the	O
base	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
survives	O
the	O
blast	O
to	O
the	O
surprise	O
of	O
Minerva	B-Application
,	O
who	O
decides	O
to	O
try	O
and	O
rescue	O
the	O
player	O
if	O
they	O
manage	O
to	O
reach	O
the	O
surface	O
before	O
the	O
satellite	O
recharges	O
for	O
a	O
second	O
blast	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Foster	O
has	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
next	O
chapter	O
of	O
the	O
Minerva	B-Application
series	O
will	O
be	O
called	O
"	O
Out	O
of	O
Time	O
"	O
,	O
instead	O
of	O
the	O
previous	O
working	O
title	O
"	O
Chronoclasm	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
has	O
promised	O
"	O
some	O
freakish	O
gameplay	O
additions	O
...	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Adam	B-Application
Foster	I-Application
,	O
the	O
series	O
was	O
eventually	O
to	O
culminate	O
in	O
the	O
player	O
and	O
MINERVA	B-Application
travelling	O
to	O
a	O
parallel	O
universe	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
prevent	O
a	O
universe-ending	O
catastrophe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Foster	O
stated	O
in	O
2013	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
unlikely	O
to	O
continue	O
development	O
of	O
Minerva	B-Application
,	O
saying	O
the	O
mod	O
has	O
"	O
been	O
put	O
to	O
sleep	O
for	O
now.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Adam	B-Application
Foster	I-Application
,	O
Minervas	B-Application
designer	O
,	O
is	O
critical	O
of	O
Valve	O
's	O
design	O
of	O
Half-Life	B-Application
2	I-Application
maps	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
His	O
belief	O
is	O
that	O
game	O
developers	O
focus	O
on	O
creating	O
gameplay	O
friendly	O
environments	O
that	O
do	O
not	O
work	O
in	O
an	O
architectural	O
way	O
,	O
"	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
unconnected	O
boxes	O
"	O
says	O
Foster	O
,	O
Minervas	B-Application
environments	O
are	O
built	O
as	O
actual	O
environments	O
(	O
with	O
correctly	O
proportioned	O
structures	O
and	O
areas	O
)	O
with	O
gameplay	O
worked	O
in	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
result	O
,	O
Minerva	B-Application
maps	O
have	O
a	O
much	O
shorter	O
load	O
time	O
than	O
maps	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Visually	O
the	O
maps	O
are	O
of	O
a	O
high	O
quality	O
,	O
with	O
HDR	B-Device
lighting	I-Device
implemented	O
in	O
the	O
latest	O
release	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
environments	O
match	O
those	O
of	O
the	O
official	O
game	O
in	O
look	O
and	O
feel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
Minerva	B-Application
map	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
fully	O
modeled	O
island	O
design	O
of	O
the	O
Halo	O
:	O
Combat	O
Evolved	O
level	O
"	O
The	O
Silent	O
Cartographer	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Foster	O
describes	O
Minerva	B-Application
as	O
an	O
"	O
anti-modification	O
"	O
:	O
"	O
The	O
aim	O
is	O
n't	O
to	O
replace	O
as	O
much	O
game	O
content	O
as	O
possible	O
;	O
instead	O
,	O
it	O
's	O
to	O
tell	O
my	O
own	O
apocryphal	O
story	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
Half-Life	B-Application
2	I-Application
universe	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
actually	O
release	O
something	O
for	O
the	O
public	O
to	O
play.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Adam	B-Application
Foster	I-Application
was	O
recruited	O
by	O
Valve	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
Half	B-Application
Life	I-Application
2	I-Application
:	I-Application
Episode	I-Application
Three	I-Application
development	O
team	O
,	O
and	O
began	O
working	O
for	O
them	O
in	O
October	O
2008	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Foster	O
continues	O
to	O
be	O
employed	O
at	O
Valve	O
and	O
was	O
involved	O
with	O
map	O
designs	O
of	O
Portal	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minerva	B-Application
has	O
steadily	O
grown	O
in	O
popularity	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
at	O
one	O
point	O
a	O
featured	O
mod	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minerva	B-Application
was	O
featured	O
as	O
a	O
Mod	O
of	O
the	O
Week	O
on	O
Planet	O
Half-Life	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
interview	O
with	O
Adam	B-Application
Foster	I-Application
in	O
the	O
February	O
2006	O
edition	O
of	O
Computer	O
Gaming	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Moddb	O
gave	O
Minerva	B-Application
a	O
Mod	O
Of	O
The	O
Year	O
2006	O
Award	O
(	O
5th	O
place	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
RockPaperShotgun	O
posted	O
an	O
interview	O
with	O
Adam	B-Application
Foster	I-Application
in	O
October	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
RockPaperShotgun	O
featured	O
Minerva	B-Application
:	I-Application
Metastasis	I-Application
on	O
the	O
eight	O
day	O
of	O
its	O
2007	O
Advent	O
Game-O-Calendar	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
