Race X

[ríomhaire]

I've been thinking(I'm doing too mcuh of that lately) about Race X. The main theories are:
They're Combine
They were on Xen but were never noiced be the Controllers
They got caught up in the RC when it touched another world

What if they were on Xen and having a war with the Controllers?
Evidence:
Explains mass production of Grunts
Explains readyness of Race X forces
Explains why there were baby shock troopers being tested on in BM(the spore launcher is a baby shock trooper)
Pit worms and voltigors both seemed to have made nests in BM's sewers
Why they wound up in BM

 

[Bob_Marley]

I've been thinking(I'm doing too mcuh of that lately) about Race X. The main theories are:
They're Combine
They were on Xen but were never noiced be the Controllers
They got caught up in the RC when it touched another world

What if they were on Xen and having a war with the Controllers?
Evidence:
Explains mass production of Grunts
Explains readyness of Race X forces
Explains why there were baby shock troopers being tested on in BM(the spore launcher is a baby shock trooper)
Pit worms and voltigors both seemed to have made nests in BM's sewers
Why they wound up in BM

I think that it is entirely possible that race X were on Xen but were not under the control of the controllers. A war is possible as it would help to explain the ailen grunt factories on Xen and also their hostility toward other creatures from Xen.

But then again BM was investigating teleportation was it not? Whats to say that they didnt go to worlds other than Xen?

 

[$kelet0r]

well if the new theories suggest that the vort were independent of the combine and were under threat from them wouldn't it make sense to say that race x are in fact combine forces trying to take xen and subsequently bringing the battle to earth
race x are clearly hostile to the vort
race x are stronger and more effective killing machines
race x shocktrooper is nearly identical to the synth soldier in raising the bar

besides although this theory exists only in my head it would make me feel better after laidlaw proved AL mostly right and the majority of the fans completely wrong

 

[Freelancer]

Race X only excisted in OPF. And someone said OPF is something that thay just squezed in and have nothing at all to add or do with the HL story

 

[$kelet0r]

Race X only excisted in OPF. And someone said OPF is something that thay just squezed in and have nothing at all to add or do with the HL story

prepare to be FLAMED

 

[Llama]

I've been thinking(I'm doing too mcuh of that lately) about Race X. The main theories are:
They're Combine

Somehow I doubt that. They dont appear to be altered in any way, which suggests a lack of Combine meddling

They were on Xen but were never noiced be the Controllers

:dozey:

They got caught up in the RC when it touched another world

Yes, most probably.

What if they were on Xen and having a war with the Controllers?
Evidence:
Explains mass production of Grunts
Explains readyness of Race X forces
Explains why there were baby shock troopers being tested on in BM(the spore launcher is a baby shock trooper)
Pit worms and voltigors both seemed to have made nests in BM's sewers
Why they wound up in BM

Laidlaw said himself they come from somewhere beyond Xen. It's most likely they were accidently brought into this by the RC and decided to take advantage.
The thing is the Shocktrooper babies in BMRF. It just doesnt make sense. However, it's probably just one of Gearbox's plot inconsistencies:x

 

[ríomhaire]

Laidlaw said himself they come from somewhere beyond Xen. It's most likely they were accidently brought into this by the RC and decided to take advantage.

As for Race-X being from Xen, I'm not sure any of the aliens
we've seen were actually from Xen originally.

The Vorts aren't from Xen originaly.

 

[Llama]

Okay, i just got owned :cheers:
What i mean this that they do not live in Xen at the present time

 

[Sulkdodds]

Explains mass production of Grunts

Admittedly this can be explained by Xen wanting to have something to stand against the Combine when they finally arrived (if you don't believe Combine were on Xen).

Personally I thought the obvious conclusion is that Race-X, whether from a seperate dimension or from somewhere in Xen, were a race of aliens at war with Xen and the Controllers. I mean, they they only moved in in force once Nihilanth was dead - notice how the Xenians stop appearing to be replaced with the Race-X dudes? This is because the Black Mesa incident continued for a while even after Nihilanth fell. Race-X were opportunists, moving into BMRF after the coast was clear in what was probably an invasion attempt - hence the Gene Worm at the end of Op4, which was probably some sort of living teleportation gate to bring more invasion forces through.

 

[Llama]

Probalby would have worked aswell, if it were not for Shepard

 

[Polaris]

I've been thinking(I'm doing too mcuh of that lately) about Race X. The main theories are:
They're Combine
They were on Xen but were never noiced be the Controllers
They got caught up in the RC when it touched another world

What if they were on Xen and having a war with the Controllers?
Evidence:
Explains mass production of Grunts
Explains readyness of Race X forces
Explains why there were baby shock troopers being tested on in BM(the spore launcher is a baby shock trooper)
Pit worms and voltigors both seemed to have made nests in BM's sewers
Why they wound up in BM

My theory: They are another invasive alien race and they using unstable teleports (resonance cascade). And they are enemies of Xenians/Controllers/Combine. And I think the spore launchers arent young shock troopers...
Gene Worm is massive organic factory for resource processing and effective colonization other worlds.

 

[ríomhaire]

And I think the spore launchers arent young shock troopers...

The model does have an interesting name; baby_strooper
Of course it could be a sex slave ie baby sex trooper

 

[Polaris]

The model does have an interesting name; baby_strooper
Of course it could be a sex slave ie baby sex trooper

It looks completly different...two eyes, many tails, gills, green skin...

 

[ríomhaire]

It looks completly different...two eyes, many tails, gills, green skin...

Both green skin with brown bits
Both have spiked backs
Both look amphibious

Transformation:
Grows arms and legs
Grows eye
etc.
Remind you of anything? Rhymes with fog? Rhymes with coned?

And lets not forget the model names
baby_strooper
strooper

 

[Polaris]

OK, but its only name of model, it could be different entity - or it could be some sort of grub. I agree with your theory about this creatures in Biodome complex...

 

[Angry Lawyer]

They're definately the young. Notice how squeezing the sporegun does the same thing as what the Shocktrooper does when it throws a grenade.

I wouldn't say they're Combine, though. They're even more dependant on biology than the classic Xenians.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Edcrab]

I always saw them as rival Borderworldians. Yay, I make up words!

Not settled as to whereabouts they actually come from, but I prefer the idea of them clashing with Xenians in the past over a first encounter scenario in BM, personally...

 

[Polaris]

Race-X could be some evolutionary generation of Xenians (mayby Vortigaunts - they have similar physique like Shock troopers).

 

[Mechagodzilla]

Race-X are definitely not combine.
They're actually more like the exact opposite of combine.

The combine are two things: technology-based and enslavers.
Race-X uses absolutely no technology, and their multi-species co-operation is symbiotic by all appearances.
Also, Race-X can teleport. The combine lack such teleports.

Race X definitely live on Xen. They eat Xen plants, Black Mesa scientists found their babies on Xen and the lights that power the gene worm's portal come from Xen.

 

[DoctorWeeTodd]

OK, but its only name of model, it could be different entity - or it could be some sort of grub. I agree with your theory about this creatures in Biodome complex...

Take a look at their similarities.

 

[Edcrab]

Personally I'm open minded on the issue- I lean towards the idea that they're young shock troopers, even though I think it's absurd...

Even though there are aesthetic/behavioural similarities, I don't think we should take it as a given (I suppose there's a possibility Gearbox changed their mind, keeping the model name but deciding to drop the reality of their nature, or perhaps they merely thought it wasn't important enough to refer to).

 

[Sulkdodds]

It seems a little disrespectful to use a baby as a gun.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Hence the reason they're so angry at humans.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[ríomhaire]

It seems a little disrespectful to use a baby as a gun.

Inside Adrain's mind:
"Hmm, a little alien. I think I'll stick my hand up its ass, shove these green things into it's mouth, pull what I can only hope is its arm and see what happens"
"Hmm, one of those aliens that stick to rooves and has been trying to eat me. I think I'll stick my hand up its ass and use it as a a grapling hook"
Seriously, Gearbox didn't think weapon design through very well.

 

[Edcrab]

Oh, I beg to differ... they merely sacrificed it for good character design. Clearly, Adrian Shephard is twisted.

 

[Sulkdodds]

It's that horrific dehumanising boot-camp experience that turns people into mindless military drones by means of insane Full Metal Jacket style drill sergeants that does it. D:

 

[<RJMC>]

I remenber I read somewhere that laidlaw said something like the race x was just aded to give new enemyes to op4,so maybe they are nto a important part of the storyline

 

[Sulkdodds]

They were added just for more aliens, and they really aren't very important in the storyline considering they're not in HL2 and despite this thread there really isn't anything very mysterious about them.

 

[ríomhaire]

I remenber I read somewhere that laidlaw said something like the race x was just aded to give new enemyes to op4,so maybe they are nto a important part of the storyline

No they arn't but I like to get everything straight.
BTW, does anyone know what a pyrister(sp?) is? Mossman mentions it off-handedly when she's kissing your ass.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Pyrister? I can't remember her saying things like that. The most complicated thing she mentioned was "Calabi-Yau" teleportation, which is something to do with crazy string-based space folding.

If you can find an actual quote, I can find out about it.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Langolier]

You know, I seem to recall Freeman shoving his hand up an alien's ass as well. I also remember him picking up a bloated sack of flesh and then being struck with the marvelous idea that he'd dig out the little bugs inside and then throw them at Marines. So I don't think you have much of a case against gearbox. The Barnacle at least added to the gameplay. (the other two were neat but not really needed)

One thing I think is worth noting is that the Scientist at the Lammbda Core mentions how the researchers sent into Xen were being collected. Well... The first Race-X guy we see, a Shock Trooper (or Strooper) is seen teleporting in, grabbing a scientist (not killing him) and then warping out. This doesn't prove anything, but it does lend a little more credance to the possibility that Race-X was from Xen (or at least based there) along with the "Controllers". While I think that debate about Combine control of the Vorts/Grunts is still up in the air, I would have to agree that Race-X doesn't look very Combine-ish at all. I've always assumed they were just another faction there from a more secluded part of Xen. (the area with all those wierd Algea in the atomsphere)

 

[ríomhaire]

You know, I seem to recall Freeman shoving his hand up an alien's ass as well.

I don't. Unless you count the snark-sack. It does have a walking animation.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

The hornet glove.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[ríomhaire]

The hornet glove.

-Angry Lawyer

It was a weapon. Gordon clearly saw grunts use it so there was no reason for him not to.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

He's still got his hand inside it.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Eejit]

Personally I think Race X are from either a remote part of Xen or another 'border-world' altogether. The skyboxes for Xenish areas on OpFor are very different from those in HL.

I'd assume they had contact with Xenians, but maybe not at war. Could have just opportunistically started porting in when RC started (scientist grab was pre-Nihilanth death) and then decided to clean up when Gordon killed Big Baby.

 

[eber]

I've been thinking(I'm doing too mcuh of that lately) about Race X. The main theories are:
They're Combine
They were on Xen but were never noiced be the Controllers
They got caught up in the RC when it touched another world

What if they were on Xen and having a war with the Controllers?
Evidence:
Explains mass production of Grunts
Explains readyness of Race X forces
Explains why there were baby shock troopers being tested on in BM(the spore launcher is a baby shock trooper)
Pit worms and voltigors both seemed to have made nests in BM's sewers
Why they wound up in BM

the only time that race X aliens attacked a xen crewatures was when the 2 shocktroopers attacked the big blue thing. how can you say they dont like each other. i mean the big blue monster is a MONSTER it doesnt care for others and is mindless. there was another scene when vortigaunts and shocktroopers came together and they DIDNT attack each other. so how do you fundament your theories.

 

[eber]

well if the new theories suggest that the vort were independent of the combine and were under threat from them wouldn't it make sense to say that race x are in fact combine forces trying to take xen and subsequently bringing the battle to earth
race x are clearly hostile to the vort
race x are stronger and more effective killing machines
race x shocktrooper is nearly identical to the synth soldier in raising the bar

besides although this theory exists only in my head it would make me feel better after laidlaw proved AL mostly right and the majority of the fans completely wrong

the valves already said that race x has nothing to do with it , its just made up by gearbox to make the game more interesting.

 

[ríomhaire]

the only time that race X aliens attacked a xen crewatures was when the 2 shocktroopers attacked the big blue thing. how can you say they dont like each other. i mean the big blue monster is a MONSTER it doesnt care for others and is mindless. there was another scene when vortigaunts and shocktroopers came together and they DIDNT attack each other. so how do you fundament your theories.

It has more evedence than the Race-X=Combine theory. And I'll farely certain that they were from Xen simply from the baby's in the labs and the Voltigores and Pitdrones both seem to have taken up nest in the sewers. If we take the assumtion that they were on Xen as true then it is reasonable to assume that they knew the Controllers and there is no evidence whatsoever to make you think they were allies(no grunt/shock-trooper combos) and them attacking a Garg as evidence they were enemies.

 

[Polaris]

Race-X isnt Combine - for example Race-X uses only biologiacal technology, Combine uses combined technology.