A fictitious emergency broadcast has suddenly started on BMRF.us, which is a website that was previously a part of the promotion for a Half-Life remake. So is it time to get out the ol’ Half-Life 3 hype machine?
Visitors to BMRF.us will come across a TV-test pattern and an emergency-broadcast-system message that warns people of a catastrophic event at the Black Mesa Research Facility. This website was previously a part of the alternate-reality game to promote Black Mesa: Source, a Source-engine remake of the original Half-Life game that the developers released as a mod for Half-Life 2. Valve is now working with the devs to release a standalone version of Black Mesa: Source, and that’s probably what BMRF.us is now promoting.
Black Mesa: Source first debuted in 2012, and it was one of the first games to get approved on Steam’s Greenlight service for independent games looking to find their way onto the PC-game store.
So, this alert probably doesn’t have anything to do with Half-Life 3.
Here’s the full text of the alert:
“The following message is transmitted at the request of local authorities. At 9:47 a.m. Mountain Time, a disaster of unknown type has occurred at the Black Mesa Research Facility causing significant damage and failure to various power and communication systems and surrounding areas.
An immediate evacuation order has been issued for all residents within a 75-mile radius of the facility. And onsite military has been dispatched to provide assistance.
Make sure to bring an emergency supply of:
- Food
- Water
- Clothing
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- And battery-powered radios
Follow local evacuation routes, which have been marked by local authorities. And only use one vehicle.
Do not return to the warning area until the all-clear has been given. If you are not in the evacuation zone, stay where you are. If you are within the evacuation area and have no transportation, locate your nearest police department or military officer. Do not use telephones or cell phones except in the case of emergencies.
Stay tuned for local news outlets for further details and information on this situation.”