scarecrow1
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- Apr 11, 2004
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There has been alot of controversy around the Combine AI for Halflife 2. Some say the Ai is crap, while others say that the Ai was fairly ok but could have been better!!
First of all, what were the reasons people said these things? many gamers did not like the Ai simply because at certain times, when the combine would be getting shot, they would just stand there and take the beating. Others have complained that they did not throw enough grenades or run away fast enough to avoid getting blown up. The major feeling from many is that valve was lazy with the AI in Halflife2. Whereas many still believed the ai was the best they had seen(me including)
Now that we have clarified that, let me give a logical explanation to why valve did what they did, and why the combine act as they do.
1. We learned that Combine soldiers are not entirely human,
2. The combine are reffered to as a "Transhuman" force, an engineered human
3. We learnt at Nova Prospekt that humans are turned into stalkers or soldiers.
4. The similarity between the two are: both stalkers and soldiers have their humanity stripped away.
5. Soldiers are implanted with combine technology making them cybernetic organisms(think the BORG from startrek).
This is where my point comes across: During this phase of stripping away the humanity, that would mean taking away things like, feelings, emotions, even perhaps a conscience(they may not be clearly consious that they are still alive).
When feelings and emotions are taken away from the soldiers, there is nothing left, meaning: feelings such as hatred, disgust, love, pity and even FEAR are no longer part of them. Why? in order for the combine to create the perfect military force, one thing must not exist in their soldiers when they are thrust into a battle: FEAR. the combine do not want their troops(mindless drones) to feel fear in the middle of a battle that could cost the combine the control of a galaxy. Therefore all combine transhuman soldiers are created without FEAR.
Ok, now lets look at the points mentioned earlier in the game:
1. When shot, the combine do not scream out or run away from injuries
2. Combine often throw grenades but dont run away from many
3. The combine run straight towards the enemy, only sometimes taking cover, but often taking the offensive to the enemy
4. they shoot onsight and do not try to reason with you or negotiate
Why do the combine soldiers do these things? Because they have been manufactured to feel no sense of FEAR, to feel nothing at all for that matter, they are in essence no longer human beings, they are Drones, full complete SOLDIERS who do not have a consience, they follow ORDERS, therefore they shoot the enemy onsight unless stated otherwise by their orders. Dont forget: the soldiers in halflife 1 were actual human beings, with feelings and emotions hence the retreating and combat tactics.
I hope this has clarrified what valve have done. When you think about it, it is quite clever what valve have done to keep consistency in the story and mythology of the halflife universe.
First of all, what were the reasons people said these things? many gamers did not like the Ai simply because at certain times, when the combine would be getting shot, they would just stand there and take the beating. Others have complained that they did not throw enough grenades or run away fast enough to avoid getting blown up. The major feeling from many is that valve was lazy with the AI in Halflife2. Whereas many still believed the ai was the best they had seen(me including)
Now that we have clarified that, let me give a logical explanation to why valve did what they did, and why the combine act as they do.
1. We learned that Combine soldiers are not entirely human,
2. The combine are reffered to as a "Transhuman" force, an engineered human
3. We learnt at Nova Prospekt that humans are turned into stalkers or soldiers.
4. The similarity between the two are: both stalkers and soldiers have their humanity stripped away.
5. Soldiers are implanted with combine technology making them cybernetic organisms(think the BORG from startrek).
This is where my point comes across: During this phase of stripping away the humanity, that would mean taking away things like, feelings, emotions, even perhaps a conscience(they may not be clearly consious that they are still alive).
When feelings and emotions are taken away from the soldiers, there is nothing left, meaning: feelings such as hatred, disgust, love, pity and even FEAR are no longer part of them. Why? in order for the combine to create the perfect military force, one thing must not exist in their soldiers when they are thrust into a battle: FEAR. the combine do not want their troops(mindless drones) to feel fear in the middle of a battle that could cost the combine the control of a galaxy. Therefore all combine transhuman soldiers are created without FEAR.
Ok, now lets look at the points mentioned earlier in the game:
1. When shot, the combine do not scream out or run away from injuries
2. Combine often throw grenades but dont run away from many
3. The combine run straight towards the enemy, only sometimes taking cover, but often taking the offensive to the enemy
4. they shoot onsight and do not try to reason with you or negotiate
Why do the combine soldiers do these things? Because they have been manufactured to feel no sense of FEAR, to feel nothing at all for that matter, they are in essence no longer human beings, they are Drones, full complete SOLDIERS who do not have a consience, they follow ORDERS, therefore they shoot the enemy onsight unless stated otherwise by their orders. Dont forget: the soldiers in halflife 1 were actual human beings, with feelings and emotions hence the retreating and combat tactics.
I hope this has clarrified what valve have done. When you think about it, it is quite clever what valve have done to keep consistency in the story and mythology of the halflife universe.
what's the excuse for the crappy rebel AI then?
