Episode 3 is the end eh?

[Kattleshock]

So is Episode three really the end of the Half Life story? I remember Valve said that a while ago,I don't know if it still holds true.

:bounce:

 

[giant384]

it might be the end of the characters but i dont think it is the exact end of the half life story.

 

[Cpt Tenacious]

wrong wrong wrong

 

[Acepilotf14]

It is very likely there will be a Half-Life 3 in 2011-12

 

[Darkside55]

It's only the end to this current story arc. There's still things they want to do with the universe, and probably the characters as well.

 

[Sars]

It's only the end to this current story arc. There's still things they want to do with the universe, and probably the characters as well.

Which story arc? Just the whole combine invasion thing?

 

[Qhartb]

Which story arc? Just the whole combine invasion thing?

That's not entirely clear. We know it ends "the current story arc." Whether that refers to the entire Combine arc started in HL2 or just the smaller arc started in Ep1 is not entirely clear. I'm inclined to think the later.

 

[Darkside55]

I believe it's everything from Half-Life 1 up to Half-Life 2. From Black Mesa to the end of the current Combine occupation.

 

[Qhartb]

I believe it's everything from Half-Life 1 up to Half-Life 2. From Black Mesa to the end of the current Combine occupation.

Could be. I doubt it'll wrap everything up. Like, we'll know more about the G-Man, but his story won't be completely resolved. At most, it may end the Combine occupation. Black Mesa was a Pandora's Box: it's not made to resolve, it's there to cause conflict. If the occupation does end, we'll revisit the Combine in a different context later--they're too big a part of the setting now to just kick out and not see again. The won't be friends (that'd be too much like the Vortigaunts), but they won't as a whole be the main enemies (though they may be a constant threat). Maybe we'll see Combine factions.

 

[Sars]

I just hope there is some closure. We've been waiting long enough i think.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Gabe says its the end of the HL1-HL2 story arc.

 

[Zyreal]

Gabe says its the end of the HL1-HL2 story arc.

I'd love to see a source on that....

 

[Absinthe]

I'd also like a source. I always considered HL1 and HL2 to have two distinct arcs, the first one dealing with the threat of Nihilanth and the resonance cascade, the second being the Combine. They're related, but considering the Combine appeared as a wholly different enemy with such scant foreshadowing, I regard the two games as separate conflicts that have been resolved successively.

So I take it that Episode 3 will see the end of the Combine occupation. But when all is done with, you'll end up right back in G-Man's grasp again, and he'll certainly have further need of you in his overarching agenda. The Combine - like the Xenians - will still have their place in the universe. But they will no longer remain the central focus. At least not as we currently know of them.

 

[Sars]

It seems like an awful lot to be "wrapping up" in just one episode. Will make for one HELL of a game though if true!

 

[Shift]

Yeh like Absinthe said, the Combine will most likely be removed as the main threat in EP3 opening for the next story arc, like the Jedi Knight games, set after the fall of the Empire. The Imperials weren't the main enemy anymore but they were still around and causing trouble as the Imperial Remnant, the real enemy then was the dark Sith lords they put into the story.

Something bad must happen in EP3 paving the way for the next storyline, like they remove the threat of the Combine but something even worse occurs, and that would be the main focus of the next story arc. The Combine and the characters we see now will obviously remain, but the Combine will most likely be a stranded force that you encounter in pockets.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Thar you go...

Speciffically: "...grand Episode Three finale, which it's expected will conclude the story arc established in the original game..."

 

[jimmyjam]

well for one that's a journalist and not the interview subject talking, plus even he includes a wishy-washy word like 'expected', and it's implied that the original game being talked about is hl2 (because they are 'half life 2: episode x') and why am I even bothering to respond to this
bring on the polls about whether shephard is the g-man's dad who led the combine invasion of xen, or whatever the ****

 

[Kouler]

Valve stated before they want to do something with Adrian Shephard.

 

[jimmyjam]

source?
I think if that were the case, Samon would have long ago died of a heart attack

 

[Xendance]

I would like to see Gina in episode three.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Valve stated before they want to do something with Adrian Shephard.

First, source? Second, Shepard sucks more balls than even GlaDos can count (and she has infinate computing capacity).

 

[Absinthe]

Thar you go...

Speciffically: "...grand Episode Three finale, which it's expected will conclude the story arc established in the original game..."

Ah, but that could also mean the original HL2. :O

As for Adrian, Newell did say he wanted to get back to him in an email response. Might be in the big Valve info thread.

 

[Shift]

source?
I think if that were the case, Samon would have long ago died of a heart attack

And I with him..

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Pro-shepards - They keep demanding and getting dissapointed because Shepards not in it. I personally hope to never see Shepard again, but if valve want to bring him back, they'll do it when they damn well want. If Shepard had been brought into EpiTwo like many hoped, it would have ruined it. Valve haven't brought him back for a reason.

 

[Shift]

In this story arc, bring him back would make about as much sense as a dog flap in an elephant house. Even though I would hate to have him back, the only possible for him to make that return is in the next story arc, where the plot is written to support his return.

But I say again valve, think of Samon's health before you do it!

 

[Asknoone]

EP3 is the end of the arc established in HL1. You can't divide the two conflicts in both games because they are related, and the end of EP3 is most certainly going to be 'freeing' Earth from the Combine and sealing them out. The idea behind the opening 20 minutes of HL1 is that Gordon entered humanity into a cosmic war of sorts, and HL2 is the aftermath of that. The subsequent Episodes are him righting his 'wrongs', so to speak.

 

[Absinthe]

EP3 is the end of the arc established in HL1. You can't divide the two conflicts in both games because they are related, and the end of EP3 is most certainly going to be 'freeing' Earth from the Combine and sealing them out. The idea behind the opening 20 minutes of HL1 is that Gordon entered humanity into a cosmic war of sorts, and HL2 is the aftermath of that. The subsequent Episodes are him righting his 'wrongs', so to speak.

Yes, the two are related. But they can still remain distinct. When Half-Life 3 comes out, will its story be completely disconnected from the previous two games? No. The resonance cascade and Combine invasion will always be large influences on whatever scenario Gordon is thrust into next. If the subsequent games didn't have relationships to the previous games, I'd doubt their authenticity as sequels.

We're not going to see the end of G-Man. As long as he's around, Gordon will be thrust into encounter after encounter whenever G-Man's overarching agenda deems it necessary. And both Black Mesa and City 17 were essential in moving it forward. This may lead to a culmination in which his true intentions are revealed or what have you.

 

[Trevelyan]

When Breen tries to transport off earth at the end of hl2, im sure one postulation is that you can see the combine homeworld ( or less specifically somewhere they control) as and when the combine gunships appear.

I believe it seems plausible that (which Samon has pointed out) you try and seal up the tears in space and the dimensional ports to stop the combine from bothering earth again.

Me and my Gordon accept this as being a plausible solution and possible end to the half-life story (so bring out the tea and medals and a shredder for his new contract). However it seems that it won't be that simple because of the opaque nature of the G-man, his employers, and how their story may arc out.

Plus we don't think sealing them out is enough. We want them wiped out from whatever sordid little grief hole they call home and end their Borg-esque machination's, but this may be wishful arc'ing.

But however and whatever ends, I hope It's not the end of Gordon. I'd like him and Alex to live happily ever after and not to find him (and myself) stuck in some Ace Rimmer type scenario, with the possibility of spending the rest of eternity on our own with only the Portal voice as company!

 

[Asknoone]

I think the fact that Gman is taking interest in Alyx means he's going to be taking you both off-world once you've shut out the Combine.

 

[Trevelyan]

That's an intriguing possibility. I'm going to play pt2 again for my second time and bare this point more in my mind. I all too often go all Gordon-centric during Gman plot developments, that is until recently.

 

[Shift]

I think the fact that Gman is taking interest in Alyx means he's going to be taking you both off-world once you've shut out the Combine.

Yeh that was my recent thinking too, its quite clear that you do your job in EP3, most likely be put in a situation where you and Alyx must sacrifice your life for the sake of the objective, but the G-Man swoops in and takes you both again, but this time, since Alyx is in that hold with you, we could see actual interaction between the G-Man and Alyx which would be pretty interesting.

I haven't the slightest idea where he will throw Gordon and Alyx in next, and whether they will be deployed in the same place or same time.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

I would burn valve if the gman took us to the year 3000 or the combine homeworld.

 

[scotland1]

Yeah that would suck.

I hope that there are still more half life games to come. They better not have a shitty story like piggy said.

 

[MeetTheRookie]

Im new here so hello! And like you a massive fan off Half Life!

Anyway the way i see its continuation is this. Valve is already setting into motion the next story arc with killing Eli leaving Alyx little reason to be on earth at all if she and Gordon are taken off world/put into G-Mans box. This in my mind and my Gordon Freemans mind says that The Combines occupation of earth may cease but wont be forgotton and may even lead on to more confrontations with them. So what? we beat their Earth Occupational Force this does not mean that they cant retaliate in a diffrent way or more forcefully or come back later on. I cant see, unless we leave Earth for good in the next story arc, The Combine being taken totally out of the fray. The Xen were not forgotton from HL1 and i cant see the Combine being taken out of confrontations from the coming story arc in EP4 and beyond.

They cover the earth and so do their Citidels We cant exterminate everysingle one of them and surely atleast one of their Advisors must survive, hybernate maybe?

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

I think the fact that Gman is taking interest in Alyx means he's going to be taking you both off-world once you've shut out the Combine.

One thing, if it wasn't earth, people might not care. Earth is home, familiar. Offworld players might not care as much about problems.

 

[Trevelyan]

To "finish the story arcs that the characters are going through"* suggests it's not an unreasonable conclusion that you will be taken away from earth to fight on the combine's home turf for ep4/hl4, probably with Alyx in some capacity. And only if valve do indeed have a future for this particular gaming series.


I mean anything could happen, and there are clues and allusions (in the game design and release mechanism also) to possible outcomes that could lead anywhere. I enjoy the combination (sic!) of different worlds and weapons. I doubt if earth took a back seat it would suck balls. I do understand your pov though.

*quote by gabe newell:www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIzUxlCArfY

 

[Rapstah]

The Combine Homeworld is Earth. The Universal union has just conquered millions of versions of the planet Earth, hence you're already on the homeworld.

 

[Trevelyan]

Is it not debated as to how the Universal Union is departmentalized and exactly how it operates?

I mean surely all roads lead to Rome. And our antagonists think we should choose different paths. Maybe we might be given a proper directional choice in how to proceed, akin to that at the end of hl1?

 

[Max_Fall]

Valve stated before they want to do something with Adrian Shephard.

I REALY doubt that.Im not sure they were planing HL2 right away,so thay made blue shift and opposing force so you can see the Resonance Cascade from the perspective of a security guard and a HECU soldier.And Barney wasnt planed all along.In HL1 all sec.guards were called barney,they just gave one of them a last name and put him in HL2 to give it more debth,so i think people should drop the whole Adrian Shepard cr*p.(and didnt he like...die)

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

The Combine Homeworld is Earth. The Universal union has just conquered millions of versions of the planet Earth, hence you're already on the homeworld.

Uh, wut?