Hey, wait a minute...

[Zhurgoul]

A thought just struck me.

We know that Gordon has destroyed the City 17 citadel. We know that he's neutralised the resulting superportal. We know that he's heading to the Borealis probably to stop the Combine from using it to create another one.

But, if I recall correctly, City 17's citadel was just one of many. Can't they call in reinforcements, or open new portals, etc.? What, was Breen's citadel the only one with a portal system?

Can anyone cite some information that may shed some light on this situation? As it is, it doesn't make much sense to me. I searched around a bit for a pre-existing thread that might talk about the matter but I couldn't find one. I apologise if this has been discussed before.

 

[kupocake]

But, if I recall correctly, City 17's citadel was just one of many. Can't they call in reinforcements, or open new portals, etc.? What, was Breen's citadel the only one with a portal system?

Someone needs to listen to their Kleinercasts.

The destructive pulse forced a damper on the entire network of linked Citadel reactors. Thus, for the time being, I believe that all Combine portals have failed completely, as well as all communication systems based on that technology. In short, the Combine are completely cut off. Combine forces currently stationed on Earth are now isolated units – stranded. However, this is most likely a temporary state of affairs.

 

[Zhurgoul]

Someone needs to listen to their Kleinercasts.

I remember listening to this. No idea how I forgot it.

Still, I should think they'd be able to get the reactors up and running again even with the incident at City 17, being that they are ADVANCED ALIEN CONSTRUCTS of UNFATHOMABLE TECHNOLOGICAL SUPERIORITY.

Then again, this is an alien empire that robbed its best human soldiers of depth perception and pump out turret guns that swoon at the touch.

 

[chimpmunk]

Still, I should think they'd be able to get the reactors up and running again even with the incident at City 17, being that they are ADVANCED ALIEN CONSTRUCTS of UNFATHOMABLE TECHNOLOGICAL SUPERIORITY.

But their teleporting technology is still inferior to that of humans (even humans trapped in a post apocalytpic world without real ressources or infrastructure can outdo them in the field of teleportation).

However, their biological knowledge and know how is impressive.

 

[Avoidist]

So Half-Life 2 is actually about a war between physicists and biologists. I never really thought of it that way before.

Also 1K poasts, finally.

 

[blackout]

But their teleporting technology is still inferior to that of humans (even humans trapped in a post apocalytpic world without real ressources or infrastructure can outdo them in the field of teleportation).

I wouldn't say it's inferior, it just has different capabilities- the combine can teleport from universe to universe, the resistance can teleport from one location to another in the same universe.

 

[Avoidist]

Not exactly - it's kinda implied that the resistance's relay could take them to Xen if that's what they actually wanted to do, it would just be more of a hassle since where they want to go just happens to be within the same universe.

 

[Zhurgoul]

Not exactly - it's kinda implied that the resistance's relay could take them to Xen if that's what they actually wanted to do, it would just be more of a hassle since where they want to go just happens to be within the same universe.

Yes, with it being the border world and all. I was under the impression it was the gateway between all universes, like a universe crossroad. The Combine on the other hand bore directly from universe to universe, which is probably a much more difficult, complicated process.

My guess is that the only reason they can't teleport from place to place within each individual universe is because the forces of nature and yaddayaddaphysicsjargon differs slightly per each universe, thus making it necessary to completely reinvent "conventional travel" on each individual conquered world. I assume they have teleportation readily available on the Combine overworld.

At least that's my guess.

 

[Botolf]

Mossman talks a bit about the differences between the portal technologies (Black Mesa East, near the beginning). The humans use Xen "as an interdimensional slingshot", so they can construct portal entrances and exits within the same universe and travel quickly between them.

The Combine can't slingshot (unless it piggybacks off of human-based teleporters, it would seem, such as in Nova Prospekt) and are limited to local travel. Ripping open an inter-universal portal requires a gargantuan expenditure of energy, so going back and forth just to shuffle troops around probably isn't worth the cost (unless you've got an installation on the other side to help front some of the energy cost, such as the Citadel).

Xen presumably being close to our universe and the humans not actually opening an exit there, the energy expenditure is probably significantly less than the inter-universal method. Quicker too, I imagine.

Addendum: It might appear that the portal technology of Aperture Science bests both methods handily, and would explain why both the Resistance and the stranded Combine forces are scrambling to get their hands on it. A device the size of a heavy machine gun can open self-sustaining portals big enough to accommodate humans. Scale up in size and capability and you'd probably see portal technology vastly superior to anything yet fielded. Both universe travel and inter-universe travel would probably be easier and cheaper than ever.

 

[Darkangel]

This makes me wonder what has happened to the other cities that you see on the train schedule near the start of HL2.

 

[Katamariguy]

Addendum: It might appear that the portal technology of Aperture Science bests both methods handily, and would explain why both the Resistance and the stranded Combine forces are scrambling to get their hands on it. A device the size of a heavy machine gun can open self-sustaining portals big enough to accommodate humans. Scale up in size and capability and you'd probably see portal technology vastly superior to anything yet fielded. Both universe travel and inter-universe travel would probably be easier and cheaper than ever.

Except that it only works on flat concrete surfaces.

 

[Deadmann]

This makes me wonder what has happened to the other cities that you see on the train schedule near the start of HL2.

I guess nothing nice. Still I can be wrong tho.

 

[TectonInd]

I think there was probably a mass-uprising in many cities.