When Half Life 2 was released from Valve Studios they created not only a wonderful game but also a very powerful tool in the Source Engine. That engine allowed the game to look and run great while also being extremely open to outside changes. That openness allowed Valve to welcome modders into the scene. One of the very first mods, and one that remains the most popular today, is Garry’s Mod. Garry’s Mod, made by Garry, is simply an unpacking of the tools of the Source Engine but done so in such a way that people can use them to play and create their own levels and game modes.
Such is the user friendly nature of it, and the boundless imagination of the internet, the mod has blossomed into something wonderful. New, unimaginable game modes have sprung up and people still flock to the game today, where it still sits in the top 10 most played games on Steam; 10 years after it’s release.