Why the tech of the Halo Universe is a step backward. - Games

I find that MJOLNIR seems to run on refined plotium. In gameplay, Master Chief can suffer the lightest of blows to the back of the heavily armored body, and immediately die horribly. In cutscenes, Master Chief Petty Officer is a badass in a tin can, like if Vin Diesel decided to join the Brotherhood of Steel. In the books, Master Chief Petty Officer of the UNSC (or is it USNC) is a cross between God, Rambo, and a more sensible Kharm the Betrayer, capable of doing anything with excruciatingly small amounts of effort.

Incredibly refined plotium at that.

[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;27491666]So guys, I was wondering. What WOULD the soldiers in Halo do if they lost power? They seem to depend on having electricity a LOT.[/QUOTE] The military today, even, depends a lot on electricity. They would probably be killed easily, if all electricity was cut off.

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27491917]The military today, even, depends a lot on electricity. They would probably be killed easily, if all electricity was cut off.[/QUOTE] Yes, but today we have backup systems and our weapons themselves don't require electricity. Jet fighters today would be completely useless without electricity since they require a computer to pilot. But the soldiers in Halo require electricity as their assault rifle lacks iron sights, right?

we can assume the covenant either doesn't have EMP weapons or they're entirely ineffective since they never use them ever at all

[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;27491977] their assault rifle lacks iron sights, right?[/QUOTE] Quite a stupid idea if you ask me.

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27492206]Quite a stupid idea if you ask me.[/QUOTE] Same for me, it's very arrogant and stupid to assume that you will ALWAYS have power.

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27492206]Quite a stupid idea if you ask me.[/QUOTE] i think it's as stupid as a invisible grenade launcher lol

[QUOTE=Fire Kracker;27492357]i think it's as stupid as a invisible grenade launcher lol[/QUOTE] Invisible grenade launcher?

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27492373]Invisible grenade launcher?[/QUOTE] He's referring to the grenade launcher on the MP7 in HL2. [editline]17th January 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Fire Kracker;27492357]i think it's as stupid as a invisible grenade launcher lol[/QUOTE] HEY, for all you know the Combine [b]DID[/b] invent an invisible grenade launcher! Let me guess, now you're gonna say the Halo Assault Rifle has invisible iron sights. (JK)

[img]http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090527020110/half-life/en/images/b/bb/MP7_HL2.jpg[/img] Really? Notice how it has two barrels.

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27492465][img_thumb]http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090527020110/half-life/en/images/b/bb/MP7_HL2.jpg[/img_thumb] Really? Notice how it has two barrels.[/QUOTE] You double posted. And the second barrel isn't for a grenade launcher, I made sure. (I mean, ingame yes it is, but in real life that isn't it's function)

[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;27492396]He's referring to the grenade launcher on the MP7 in HL2. [editline]17th January 2011[/editline] HEY, for all you know the Combine [b]DID[/b] invent an invisible grenade launcher! Let me guess, now you're gonna say the Halo Assault Rifle has invisible iron sights. (JK)[/QUOTE] The MP7 had a smaller, second barrel under the main one iirc, but its not big enough for grenades to fit through.

[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;27492513]You double posted. And the second barrel isn't for a grenade launcher, I made sure.[/QUOTE] I'll quote the Combine Wiki: [QUOTE] The MP7's appearance and function resembles that of the real world MP7, the difference being a secondary, lower barrel serving as a grenade launcher. [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Samiam22;27492527]The MP7 had a smaller, second barrel under the main one iirc, but its not big enough for grenades to fit through.[/QUOTE] Please refer to the post directly above yours. [editline]17th January 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27492539]I'll quote the Combine Wiki:[/QUOTE] Notice it says that the second barrel makes it [b]DIFFERENT[/b] from real life.

[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;27492546]Please refer to the post above yours. [editline]17th January 2011[/editline] Notice it says that the second barrel makes it [b]DIFFERENT[/b] from real life.[/QUOTE] Ah, very well. I'm going to retire for the night; talk to you tomorrow.

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27492465][img_thumb]http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090527020110/half-life/en/images/b/bb/MP7_HL2.jpg[/img_thumb] Really? Notice how it has two barrels.[/QUOTE] do not fucking start

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27492589]Ah, very well. I'm going to retire for the night; talk to you tomorrow.[/QUOTE] Okay, bye.

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27492539]I'll quote the Combine Wiki:[/QUOTE] oh yeap that totally makes sense [IMG]http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/901/gmconstruct0051u.jpg[/IMG] almost as much sense as invisible ironsights

Atleast the MP7 HAS ironsights. Well, it's an optic, but still.

I am pretty sure the debate about the iron-sights in Halo came up earlier in this thread, and the fact that the weapons have backup iron-sights you could fold out or whatever came up. The fact that iron-sights do exist come up in the books at least, in case the HUD-link goes down for some reason. I also vaguely remember something about Cortana helping with the aiming of Covenant weapons by calculating where the reticule should be, but that might be wrong. It would make sense though, since she has access to everything in Johns suit, and a lot in his head as well. I can see why he is a lousy character in the games, but in the books I find him to be a lot more believable. Not sure why everyone sees him as a badass invincible character (in a bad way), since he does get injured, he mourns the loss of fellow Spartans, he makes mistakes etc. Maybe I just read between the lines because I read a lot, or something. But I like him as a character in the books. In the games he is just a tool available to me in order to cause destruction and mayhem.

[QUOTE=Durandir;27495067]I am pretty sure the debate about the iron-sights in Halo came up earlier in this thread, and the fact that the weapons have backup iron-sights you could fold out or whatever came up. The fact that iron-sights do exist come up in the books at least, in case the HUD-link goes down for some reason. I also vaguely remember something about Cortana helping with the aiming of Covenant weapons by calculating where the reticule should be, but that might be wrong. It would make sense though, since she has access to everything in Johns suit, and a lot in his head as well. I can see why he is a lousy character in the games, but in the books I find him to be a lot more believable. Not sure why everyone sees him as a badass invincible character (in a bad way), since he does get injured, he mourns the loss of fellow Spartans, he makes mistakes etc. Maybe I just read between the lines because I read a lot, or something. But I like him as a character in the books. In the games he is just a tool available to me in order to cause destruction and mayhem.[/QUOTE] Theres a few parts after he has his suit that he goes out of it too I believe, I recall some pirate asteroid base that he essentially ninja'd his way through.

[QUOTE=Android phone;27492162]we can assume the covenant either doesn't have EMP weapons or they're entirely ineffective since they never use them ever at all[/QUOTE] erm [url]http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Power_Drain[/url] just saying [editline]18th January 2011[/editline] Not to mention the overcharged plasma pistol which seems to be able to disable all electronics including shielding [editline]18th January 2011[/editline] Anyhow, Gordon Freeman seems to me to be very much the "right man in the wrong place" sort of protagonist, to quote the G-man. He survives with a combination of wit, skill, and opportunity rather than having a powerful suit of armor and a wide variety of combat skills (not to understate his versatility with weapons). All we've seen of the Combine is their initial invasion force; should a functional portal open, the earth would be, to put it bluntly, fucked. Not to mention the time gap. The Covenant have energy barriers, "plasma" (energy-based) weapons, and an absurdly powerful fleet-- not to mention "easy" FTL travel. The Combine scout force has some energy weapons, but for the most part is re-purposing human technology-- although the higher-up guards and the striders imply that perhaps the Combine haven't shown the most their technology can offer. They most definitely are not very quick to use FTL technology-- in the half-life universe, it appears that such tech requires portals that are incredibly difficult to open, etc.-- unless you're Aperture Science, but I doubt that tech ever really made it out of the aperture science labs (unless the Borealis has it? fingers crossed).

[QUOTE=Itszutak;27496050]erm [url]http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Power_Drain[/url] just saying [editline]18th January 2011[/editline] Not to mention the overcharged plasma pistol which seems to be able to disable all electronics including shielding [editline]18th January 2011[/editline] Anyhow, Gordon Freeman seems to me to be very much the "right man in the wrong place" sort of protagonist, to quote the G-man. He survives with a combination of wit, skill, and opportunity rather than having a powerful suit of armor and a wide variety of combat skills (not to understate his versatility with weapons). All we've seen of the Combine is their initial invasion force; should a functional portal open, the earth would be, to put it bluntly, fucked. Not to mention the time gap. The Covenant have energy barriers, "plasma" (energy-based) weapons, and an absurdly powerful fleet-- not to mention "easy" FTL travel. The Combine scout force has some energy weapons, but for the most part is re-purposing human technology-- although the higher-up guards and the striders imply that perhaps the Combine haven't shown the most their technology can offer. They most definitely are not very quick to use FTL technology-- in the half-life universe, it appears that such tech requires portals that are incredibly difficult to open, etc.-- unless you're Aperture Science, but I doubt that tech ever really made it out of the aperture science labs (unless the Borealis has it? fingers crossed).[/QUOTE] This is basically how it works. Humanity actually invented [b]BETTER[/b] teleportation technology than the Combine, as it allows instant and relatively easy travel to anywhere in Earth's dimension. (As long as there is a teleporter on the other end to come out of) [editline]18th January 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Samiam22;27493364]Atleast the MP7 HAS ironsights. Well, it's an optic, but still.[/QUOTE] At least it's realistic, as many modern weapons use optical sights, and he could just remove them if he runs out of power and use the regular iron sights. After all, HL2 took place over a few days and a battery powering the optical sight could probably last that long. [editline]18th January 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Fire Kracker;27493349]oh yeap that totally makes sense [img_thumb]http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/901/gmconstruct0051u.jpg[/img_thumb] almost as much sense as invisible ironsights[/QUOTE] GOD DAMN, the mitten hands on the citizen are super noticeable there.

I think it goes without saying that the Combine empire as a whole is much more advanced than the Covenant.

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27497532]I think it goes without saying that the Combine empire as a whole is much more advanced than the Covenant.[/QUOTE] As much as I love Half Life, for the sake of fairness it needs to be said that we've barely even seen a bit of the Combine's actual empire. Though I think it might be safe to assume that they ARE more advanced than the Covenant based on what we've seen. I mean, their energy balls are very advanced. The AR2 is an incredibly well designed weapon, other than it's extremely low ammo capacity. (Which I'm sure Valve will address, as it makes it almost impossible to use the AR2)

If you think about it, the Combine are almost on par with the forerunners in terms of technology. Modifying life, spitting in the face of evolution. One of the most far-fetched thing about the Combine is also one of the least noticed; if the Combine can actually create a suppression field, capable of controlling complex biological process, who knows what else they can do?

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27497708]If you think about it, the Combine are almost on par with the forerunners in terms of technology. Modifying life, spitting in the face of evolution. One of the most far-fetched thing about the Combine is also one of the least noticed; if the Combine can actually create a suppression field, capable of controlling complex biological process, who knows what else they can do?[/QUOTE] They also have Synths, where they artificially evolve a race through the use of implants to the point where they actually become a perfect blend of life and machine. I mean, transhumans and Stalkers are probably just prototypes of the Combine turning humanity into Synths. (It's assumed that the process of making a species into Synths takes a long time as they need to time tweak it until it's perfect, like the the Hunters who could arguably be considered some of the greatest predators ever)

I think this thread is gonna die now. It's lost most of it's popularity and had it's first day without a post. I think this is the end.

[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;27508464]I think this thread is gonna die now. It's lost most of it's popularity and had it's first day without a post. I think this is the end.[/QUOTE] I'm not seeing the problem. It went from a fairly good discussion, albeit one that could've been in the Halo Megathread, to a forty page flamewar.