Half-Life & Portal series, general discussion (v3) - Games

[QUOTE=WillerinV1.02;39315180]If the combine tried to enter aperture science and was unable to, I'd imagine that something on the borealis holds the key to defeating the combine remaining on Earth.[/QUOTE] I see it more as that they gave up rather than that they were unable to. It's a self-contained, automated facility with (almost) nothing alive inside it besides some plants. The Combine weaponry after they were on Earth for a while seems to be mostly things designed to work well against humans, and more specifically in urban and/or open environments. They couldn't bombard Aperture's robots with headcrabs or send in striders or gunships. The only option would be to completely destroy the place, which would be pointless, since anything valuable they might want from it would also be lost and it wasn't a big enough threat to require the expense of using whatever the Combine equivalent of a nuke is.

i remember stopping mapping in source a few years back, vowing to start mapping again once episode 3 was out, so my episode 2 maps weren't outdated "can't be that long of a wait" :v:

[QUOTE=Neo Kabuto;39316088]I see it more as that they gave up rather than that they were unable to. It's a self-contained, automated facility with (almost) nothing alive inside it besides some plants. The Combine weaponry after they were on Earth for a while seems to be mostly things designed to work well against humans, and more specifically in urban and/or open environments. They couldn't bombard Aperture's robots with headcrabs or send in striders or gunships. The only option would be to completely destroy the place, which would be pointless, since anything valuable they might want from it would also be lost and it wasn't a big enough threat to require the expense of using whatever the Combine equivalent of a nuke is.[/QUOTE] I always thought it'd be funny (and sadistic) to watch some Overwatch Soldiers try to gain entry, charge through an emancipation grid, then die as it emancipates their weapons, armour, and internal electronics.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;39317110]I always thought it'd be funny (and sadistic) to watch some Overwatch Soldiers try to gain entry, charge through an emancipation grid, then die as it emancipates their weapons, armour, and internal electronics.[/QUOTE] If we're gonna see anything on the Borealis in the next Half-Life, it'd better include this.

I get kind of confused trying to figure out how they are going to present Half-Life 3 on Half-Life 2's level of presentation. As far as we know, you and alyx are headed to the borealis. Who knows what will be there.. certainly no humans. We could be looking at something very different compard to HL2. Then again, the borealis could only be a couple chapters..

[QUOTE=Ki11aFTFW;39317474]I get kind of confused trying to figure out how they are going to present Half-Life 3 on Half-Life 2's level of presentation. As far as we know, you and alyx are headed to the borealis. Who knows what will be there.. certainly no humans. We could be looking at something very different compard to HL2. Then again, the borealis could only be a couple chapters..[/QUOTE] I think the Borealis will be the major point of the next game, Eli didn't just mention it randomly in conversation. The Gman knows something about it too, I wonder if we'll find out much more about him in the next game too.

Sooo... how do you start an Ep3 after the ending in Ep2? My guess is Gordon waking up after a Gman speech in the infirmary, walking around, getting to listen to the situation, then going off to the Borealis. I'm feeling like the Borealis will happen through the course of a few hours, then something big that comes from it will take you somewhere else. I can't see the entire game being in an icy environment, i want rain, damn it!

I want to know if they're going to give you a choice about the Borealis. Maybe they'll give you a choice, then you'll get grabbed by the GMan before you can make it and cliffhanger.

[QUOTE=Ki11aFTFW;39317474]I get kind of confused trying to figure out how they are going to present Half-Life 3 on Half-Life 2's level of presentation. As far as we know, you and alyx are headed to the borealis. Who knows what will be there.. certainly no humans. We could be looking at something very different compard to HL2. Then again, the borealis could only be a couple chapters..[/QUOTE] Presumably Mossman was nearby the borealis, or at least somewhere in the arctic with other rebels, it's a big chance that there are humans there that haven't been killed yet. [QUOTE=Perhaps;39317637]Sooo... how do you start an Ep3 after the ending in Ep2? My guess is Gordon waking up after a Gman speech in the infirmary, walking around, getting to listen to the situation, then going off to the Borealis. I'm feeling like the Borealis will happen through the course of a few hours, then something big that comes from it will take you somewhere else. I can't see the entire game being in an icy environment, i want rain, damn it![/QUOTE] It's likely that the helicopter will crash. [editline]22nd January 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Ereunity;39317717]I want to know if they're going to give you a choice about the Borealis. Maybe they'll give you a choice, then you'll get grabbed by the GMan before you can make it and cliffhanger.[/QUOTE] Or get continually assaulted and forced to turn on "BOREALIS".

I'd love to see how Valve will use the Source engine when riding in that helicopter, assuming we even do at this point.

[QUOTE=Drak_Thing;39318284]I'd love to see how Valve will use the Source engine when riding in that helicopter, assume we even do at this point.[/QUOTE] it's possible, a guy made Ep3 maps with flying helicopter (and you in it)

I really just hope they have much much much better vehicle handling.

[QUOTE=SFC003;39318406]it's possible, a guy made Ep3 maps with flying helicopter (and you in it)[/QUOTE] Yeah. I know it's possible. But I wonder if there just gonna "fade out" and then load the destination map. Since I can't see Source handling alot of large open terrain. Unless they do some sneaky stuff.

[QUOTE=Drak_Thing;39318846]Yeah. I know it's possible. But I wonder if there just gonna "fade out" and then load the destination map. Since I can't see Source handling alot of large open terrain. Unless they do some sneaky stuff.[/QUOTE] While I'm certain that 'Source 2' will be similar to Source in how the base engine works, they will almost certainly have made it possible for larger map sizes. Anything else would be absurd.

[QUOTE=Neo Kabuto;39316088]I see it more as that they gave up rather than that they were unable to. It's a self-contained, automated facility with (almost) nothing alive inside it besides some plants. The Combine weaponry after they were on Earth for a while seems to be mostly things designed to work well against humans, and more specifically in urban and/or open environments. They couldn't bombard Aperture's robots with headcrabs or send in striders or gunships. The only option would be to completely destroy the place, which would be pointless, since anything valuable they might want from it would also be lost and it wasn't a big enough threat to require the expense of using whatever the Combine equivalent of a nuke is.[/QUOTE] You'd think that the combine would be very interested in Aperture knowing that they have very advanced portal technology in there though. I don't imagine the combine would simply "give up", as thats not something the combine do very often.

I brought this up in a previous thread, but I forgot the discussion on it. What did the "combine" use to take over earth in 7 hours? There obviously wasn't humanoid soldiers like we fought in HL2, because everybody is still human for the most part. With the exception of Xen creatures left on earth. Was it a bunch of advisors and all there synth stuff? I read that the military didn't stand a chance... but against what? Gordon can take out a strider himself.

[QUOTE=Drak_Thing;39319360]I brought this up in a previous thread, but I forgot the discussion on it. What did the "combine" use to take over earth in 7 hours? There obviously wasn't humanoid soldiers like we fought in HL2, because everybody is still human for the most part. With the exception of Xen creatures left on earth. Was it a bunch of advisors and all there synth stuff? I read that the military didn't stand a chance... but against what? Gordon can take out a strider himself.[/QUOTE] Remember the combine has troops from lots of different worlds, I imagine they stormed it with their stronger forces, pulled their stronger forces out and then started to develop synths and soldiers on Earth. I think striders weren't used in the seven hour war. ALSO remember that Gordon is not a good measure of the standard human. He fended off the military entirely by himself in Half Life 1- He's clearly a supernatural jesus man.

[QUOTE=Milkyway M16;39315124]It'd be cool but I doubt that'll happen. I mean, Eli's dying words were pretty much to destroy the Borealis at all costs. There's gotta be something pretty important/evil on there if a dying man's last wish is to destroy it[/QUOTE] Maybe Eli just really hates Cave. :v:

[QUOTE=Drak_Thing;39319360]I brought this up in a previous thread, but I forgot the discussion on it. What did the "combine" use to take over earth in 7 hours? There obviously wasn't humanoid soldiers like we fought in HL2, because everybody is still human for the most part. With the exception of Xen creatures left on earth. Was it a bunch of advisors and all there synth stuff? I read that the military didn't stand a chance... but against what? Gordon can take out a strider himself.[/QUOTE] They invaded with an army of synth. Imagine how HL2 would be like if every Combine Soldier was a Strider, or every Scanner was a Gunship? I imagine the invasion was something like that. I remember Laidlaw (I think it was) joked that if he made a game about the 7 hour war, it would just be the player in a bunker with limited ammunition vs infinitely respawning waves of Striders. The Combine on Earth are part of the Overwatch, an occupation force. The actual Combine Army left after they achieved victory. That's why we have to close the Superportal in EP2, because the Overwatch was trying to contact the Combine Overworld to get another Army sent in.

[QUOTE=Drak_Thing;39319360]I brought this up in a previous thread, but I forgot the discussion on it. What did the "combine" use to take over earth in 7 hours? There obviously wasn't humanoid soldiers like we fought in HL2, because everybody is still human for the most part. With the exception of Xen creatures left on earth. Was it a bunch of advisors and all there synth stuff? I read that the military didn't stand a chance... but against what? Gordon can take out a strider himself.[/QUOTE] In the Seven Hour War no one had any idea what the fuck was going on. It was just a big violent confusing mess. I imagine the whole world was like that during the events of HL1, too. Once you're in HL2, the world has gotten used to the oppression by the Combine, and they figured out how to take everything down. They didn't know what a Strider was the very first time it was dropped onto the Earth, they probably just thought "what's that fucking tall thing with a gun on his dick". Now they have a name for them and a knowledge of how to take them down. It must've been a long time before they got access to rocket launchers, and I don't think a few SMGs would've taken one down. [editline]22nd January 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;39319703] The Combine on Earth are part of the Overwatch, an occupation force. The actual Combine Army left after they achieved victory. That's why we have to close the Superportal in EP2, because the Overwatch was trying to contact the Combine Overworld to get another Army sent in.[/QUOTE] Breen was in charge of the occupation, and he was talking to the Advisors involved in the actual Combine Army when you rudely interrupt him.

I hope Half Life 3/Episode 3/Whatever the fuck it is doesn't explain everything. I want to know who Gman is, But I would still like to try to figure it out myself.

[QUOTE=Blockhead;39320011]I hope Half Life 3/Episode 3/Whatever the fuck it is doesn't explain everything. I want to know who Gman is, But I would still like to try to figure it out myself.[/QUOTE] So you want hints and clues that could be taken to more than one conclusion.

They'll keep milking the ambiguity of the G-man until the series ends. His mystery is very crucial to the plot.

It's been 5 years, 3 months, 12 days since Episode Two was released...

[QUOTE=WillerinV1.02;39319302]You'd think that the combine would be very interested in Aperture knowing that they have very advanced portal technology in there though. I don't imagine the combine would simply "give up", as thats not something the combine do very often.[/QUOTE] I could easily see them leaving it for later, when resources aren't tied down as much elsewhere (maybe they'd leave a guarded perimeter around it). The Overwatch we've seen are just not equipped at all for navigating Aperture (the trans-human troops might be modified enough that the neurotoxin isn't a threat, but the acid pits, turrets, crushers, etc. still are). Chell only got through with the Portal Gun, she was incredibly lucky with how everything had decayed just right for her to portal around things, and she had the AIs controlling it helping her to some extent most of the time. The Combine's helicopters, gunships and dropships would have a horrible time trying to fly around, even if there aren't any rocket turrets shooting at them. Scanners would probably be able to fly around easier, but they'd be shot down even faster or emancipated trying to go somewhere blocked off.

[QUOTE=Neo Kabuto;39321080]I could easily see them leaving it for later, when resources aren't tied down as much elsewhere (maybe they'd leave a guarded perimeter around it). The Overwatch we've seen are just not equipped at all for navigating Aperture (the trans-human troops might be modified enough that the neurotoxin isn't a threat, but the acid pits, turrets, crushers, etc. still are). Chell only got through with the Portal Gun, she was incredibly lucky with how everything had decayed just right for her to portal around things, and she had the AIs controlling it helping her to some extent most of the time. The Combine's helicopters, gunships and dropships would have a horrible time trying to fly around, even if there aren't any rocket turrets shooting at them. Scanners would probably be able to fly around easier, but they'd be shot down even faster or emancipated trying to go somewhere blocked off.[/QUOTE] And whats stopping them from just drilling into Aperture and unleashing their gunships, I mean theres enough room for them to fly around in the huge empty expanses, and I dont see apertures rocket turrets doing much to the combine tech. Aperture has a lot of defense measures that can prevent the combine from navigating the area, but they don't need to navigate it to gain access to it. [editline]22nd January 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=DevinWatson;39321035]It's been 5 years, 3 months, 12 days since Episode Two was released...[/QUOTE] I think Valve really has to announce at least [I]something[/I] at the 6 year mark.

[QUOTE=WillerinV1.02;39321184]I think Valve really has to announce at least [I]something[/I] at the 6 year mark.[/QUOTE] Just like the three year mark?

[QUOTE=WillerinV1.02;39321184]And whats stopping them from just drilling into Aperture and unleashing their gunships, I mean theres enough room for them to fly around in the huge empty expanses, and I dont see apertures rocket turrets doing much to the combine tech.[/QUOTE] I'd assume the rocket turrets would do at least as much as Gordon's RPGs. They seem to take down Combine aircraft decently. I think we've only seen the two or so rocket turrets in Portal 1, though, so we can't really say how many they have throughout the whole complex.

[QUOTE=Neo Kabuto;39321257]I'd assume the rocket turrets would do at least as much as Gordon's RPGs. They seem to take down Combine aircraft decently. I think we've only seen the two or so rocket turrets in Portal 1, though, so we can't really say how many they have throughout the whole complex.[/QUOTE] Aperture rocket turrets can't spin the rockets around to confuse the gunships like Gordon can. Also we are assuming that the Combine even know where the Aperture labs are.

[QUOTE=halflife_123;39321292]Aperture rocket turrets can't spin the rockets around to confuse the gunships like Gordon can.[/QUOTE] That is a good point. They could probably take down a dropship or a helicopter in a cramped space, though.