Remember the vortigaunt circle from HL1?

[Dan]

I did a quick search and didn't find anything about this.

When the shit hits the fan at the start of HL1 you go for a short interdimensional ride and your heartbeat gets really loud. I remember at one point you pop into the middle of a circle of vortigaunts. These were the slave vortigaunts, but they didn't try to kill you or anything. They were sort of chanting and waving their arms at you I think. Do you think they were somehow trying to influence you (Gordon Freeman) to free them from the combine? Or perhaps alter the chain of events? Or perhaps they were just playing duck duck goose and you showed up in the middle of the game.

 

[Catachan]

They weren't doing anything if I remember correctly. They just stood there, no chanting, no waving, nothing. They just looked at you.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

I did a quick search and didn't find anything about this.

When the shit hits the fan at the start of HL1 you go for a short interdimensional ride and your heartbeat gets really loud. I remember at one point you pop into the middle of a circle of vortigaunts. These were the slave vortigaunts, but they didn't try to kill you or anything. They were sort of chanting and waving their arms at you I think. Do you think they were somehow trying to influence you (Gordon Freeman) to free them from the combine? Or perhaps alter the chain of events? Or perhaps they were just playing duck duck goose and you showed up in the middle of the game.

They didn't do anything...and why would they want you to help free them from the Combine? Why?

 

[Calhoun]

They just stared at you, and it couldn't have been them trying to influence you to free them from The Combine, as they weren't really slaves to The Combine yet. Maybe when they saw you, they tried to figure out whether or not you were a worthy candidate to play duck duck goose with them, when you got teleported once again.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

They were just communicating, and you just appeared in their circle. They were shocked, and were examining you. They prolly havne't seen a human before (unless you count the Xen team) and they had no reason to attack you.

 

[Dan]

What do you mean why would they want you to free them from the combine? They had the slave collars on. The whole Xen race were enslaved combine. Notice the mechanical bits on Nihilath and the Xen grunts. They'd been combinized. Also notice that the striders have 3 legs, suggesting their based on Xen lifeform. And the screenshots of the news striders in Ep 2 look a lot like the 3 legged Turkey Dog things from the original HL. By killing Nihilath you got rid of the combine control over the vortigaunts, the dominant Xen lifeform. But you also attracted the attention of the combine to earth.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

They just stared at you, and it couldn't have been them trying to influence you to free them from The Combine, as they weren't really slaves to The Combine yet. Maybe when they saw you, they tried to figure out whether or not you were a worthy candidate to play duck duck goose with them, when you got teleported once again.

They were slaves to the combine seeing as how in HL2 they say that they have been enslaved for eons.

 

[Apocalypse89]

http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=109416

I thought that this was settled long ago. The Vortigaunts were slaves of Nihilanth, not the Combine. In fact, they're running/hiding away from the Combine.

Anyways, a recent theory has popped up on the Episode 1 forums that Major spoilers for HL2: Ep.1
the Vortigaunt circle were "pulling" you to safety, much like the group of Vortigaunts did to pull you out of the G-Man's grasp in Episode 1's intro.

Nothing concrete though.

 

[Sulkdodds]

The whole Xen race were enslaved combine.

WRONG!

Theory 1: The Vorts only attack you when ordered to, or at least when placed in a battle-ready state. You fight Vortigaunts when they are guarding facilities or when they are sent through into our reality to shoot stuff. In the factories, 'worker' Vorts are actually indifferent to your presence unless you try to kill them or screw up the production line. These Vorts that don't attack you could easily be completely indifferent because they don't percieve you as a threat - it could just be random. In which case the effect of having them surround you in a circle would be purely atmospheric, making the player go "wtf?"

Theory 2: it is something like what Apoc said about Episode 1. Something significant. It is very clear that the Vorts are more powerful than we've given them credit for in the past.

 

[MorganFreeman911]

Sulk, look at the EP2 trailer 3, we can see they're more powerful than credited

 

[Darkside55]

They were just communicating, and you just appeared in their circle. They were shocked, and were examining you. They prolly havne't seen a human before (unless you count the Xen team) and they had no reason to attack you.

BINGO, everything except the human part. It wasn't the fact that you were a human that surprised them, it's the fact that during all your teleporting around, you ended up in the vortessence, something no other creature has done before (to our knowledge). There they were, communicating astrally, then all of a sudden boom...interloper out of nowhere.

In the factories, 'worker' Vorts are actually indifferent to your presence unless you try to kill them or screw up the production line. These Vorts that don't attack you could easily be completely indifferent because they don't percieve you as a threat - it could just be random.

They're indifferent toward you because of the absense of one thing: controllers. In the initial section of the factory, the only thing missing are the controllers. In the next section where they are present, they command the vortigaunts to attack you.

The vorts in the first section are aware of where you're headed. Despite all the grief you've caused them, killing their own, they're going to let you pass in order to let you get closer to the Nihilanth. Again, they only attack you later because the controllers are commanding them to, and if they don't...

 

[Solaris]

I here Samon coming with his ban hammer! RENOUNCE YOU FOOLS BEFORE IT's TOO LATE

 

[Dan]

so if there's no combine presence in the xen world then why all the mechanical bits in the grunts and in Nhilath. Who did the frankenstein job on the big baby? Also, why do striders have 3 legs, that's a xen thing. And notice how the new smaller striders, the hunters look a lot like houndeyes?

 

[ríomhaire]

BINGO, everything except the human part. It wasn't the fact that you were a human that surprised them, it's the fact that during all your teleporting around, you ended up in the vortessence, something no other creature has done before (to our knowledge). There they were, communicating astrally, then all of a sudden boom...interloper out of nowhere.

That's what I thought too.

 

[Sulkdodds]

so if there's no combine presence in the xen world then why all the mechanical bits in the grunts and in Nhilath. Who did the frankenstein job on the big baby? Also, why do striders have 3 legs, that's a xen thing. And notice how the new smaller striders, the hunters look a lot like houndeyes?

1. "Mechanical bits" aren't really exclusive to the Combine. Ever hear of something called a pacemaker? Besides, the Combine don't seem to graft big hunks of metal onto things like the Xenians did - their biomechanical technology is far more subtle and melds the organic and synthetic. On top of that, Nihilanth/the Controllers had been fighting the Combine for ages and it's not implausible that he would be influenced by and try to copy their methods.

Who did the job on Nihilanth? Likely the Controllers (most people believe they were trying to create their own god I think).

2. Why are Vortigaunts bipedal? Isn't that an earth thing? Oh wait. Striders are like nothing we saw on Xen.

3. Hunters do not really look that much like Houndeyes. And besides, if one was to posit that the Combine took over Xen post HL-1 they could even be Houndeyes (note that I am not positing this).

Doesn't prove anything in any case.


All of this is without mentioning the fact that nothing that looks remotely like anything the Combine have on Earth appears on Xen. In fact, Xen's design philosophy is in opposition to that of the Combine (compare the Citadel with Gonarch's lair). Or that if the Combine had controlled Nihilanth they would have had access to local teleportation tech in HL2, which they clearly don't.

I don't even need to refer to Valve's rock solid confirmation the Combine were not on Xen prior to HL1.

 

[ríomhaire]

(compare the Citadel with Gonarch's lair)

False annology. You're comparing an animals lair to a factory.

 

[Sulkdodds]

Except you have no idea whether Gonarch was actually a 'wild animal'. But point taken. Compare the Citadel with the Xen Factory then - rather different still.

 

[stemot]

Except you have no idea whether Gonarch was actually a 'wild animal'. But point taken. Compare the Citadel with the Xen Factory then - rather different still.

May I just refer you to this:-

Besides, the Combine don't seem to graft big hunks of metal onto things like the Xenians did - their biomechanical technology is far more subtle and melds the organic and synthetic.

This would explain a factory that seems organic, rather than one that seems metallic, no?

Maybe a conventional citadel would be of no use on Xens floating platforms, so they used their synth and biological tech to build an organic one on Xen?

 

[Sulkdodds]

Again, we don't know that Xen is all floating platforms.

And it's likely that anything they built would still conform to their basic standard of design. Which isn't really anything like that of the Controllers.

I dunno... does this look much like the Combine built it to you?

Although what I find interesting is that thumper-style devices appear on both Xen and occupied Earth. Then again, we have oil derricks and other similar things so I wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[Absinthe]

There are no similarities between the Xenians and the Combine forces. There are no similarities in their architecture. There is no evidence that the Combine had anything to do with the Xenians in the timespan in which the first Half-Life took place.

The Combine weren't on Xen, nor did they control Xen. This has been established time and time again, so why is it being argued.

 

[ríomhaire]

Doesn't seem like much of a thumper. It doesn't even create an actual thump.

 

[Snappel328]

I think most people are right about the Combine and Xenian being very different, infact, they seem like total opposites. Xen is more synthetic and almost alive-looking, while Combine technology is very metallic and futuristic-looking in a depressing sort of way.

 

[Darkside55]

Except you have no idea whether Gonarch was actually a 'wild animal'.

Buh? What else would it be? Unless you meant that it could be corralled and actually used to breed headcrabs by the Xenians, but that's terribly unlikely, don't you think?

Doesn't seem like much of a thumper. It doesn't even create an actual thump.

I thought those things were diggers when I first saw them. Something that was boring into the depths of the island they were placed on, used to mine minerals that exist below the surface. This probably was their original purpose in HL1; that's the impression these things were supposed to suggest.

However in HL2, with the antlions, those diggers might now be retconned to be thumpers. I could see how a Xenian patrol of grunts, blocking the entrance to a very important factory, would need protection from the presence of the antlions. Especially on such a large island as that one, there might be a small nest of them hanging out below the grunts' feet.

 

[Llama]

What do you mean why would they want you to free them from the combine? They had the slave collars on. The whole Xen race were enslaved combine. Notice the mechanical bits on Nihilath and the Xen grunts. They'd been combinized. Also notice that the striders have 3 legs, suggesting their based on Xen lifeform. And the screenshots of the news striders in Ep 2 look a lot like the 3 legged Turkey Dog things from the original HL. By killing Nihilath you got rid of the combine control over the vortigaunts, the dominant Xen lifeform. But you also attracted the attention of the combine to earth.

NO!
NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!
NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!
NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!
NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!
NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!
NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!

THE COMBINE WERE NOT ON XEN (AND NEVER HAD BEEN) During Half Life

 

[Deleted member 56031]

THE COMBINE WERE NOT ON XEN (AND NEVER HAD BEEN) During Half Life

THE COMBINE WERE NOT ON XEN (AND NEVER HAD BEEN) *FIXED*

The combine were never on xen PERIOD! G-man has current control of Xen.

 

[Llama]

THE COMBINE WERE NOT ON XEN (AND NEVER HAD BEEN) *FIXED*

The combine were never on xen PERIOD! G-man has current control of Xen.

Possibly Wrong! P) You dont actually know that - At the end of HL he mentions the border control being in the control of his employers (Which he may no longer work for anyway) and he specifically uses the phrase "for the time being"

Who's to say the Combine arnt in control now? We havent made a return trip to Xen, so we really cant check

 

[Asknoone]

The Combine were not on Xen during HL. How many times does this need to argued when we already know the facts?

 

[Azner]

Deja Vu

 

[Sulkdodds]

Buh? What else would it be? Unless you meant that it could be corralled and actually used to breed headcrabs by the Xenians, but that's terribly unlikely, don't you think?

That's similar to what I meant. What I was actually thinking is that we don't know how intelligent it was...and since HL1 scientists mention something "collecting" the researches they sent through (presumably the Gonarch judging by the HEV suit blokes all around its lair and by its disposition) it's possible the Gonarch was an 'ally' of the Nihilanth.

Yeah, you're right. Pretty unlikely.

 

[Deleted member 56031]

Who's to say the Combine arnt in control now? We havent made a return trip to Xen, so we really cant check

If that was true then the combine would not need mossman for teleportation technology.

 

[ríomhaire]

If that was true then the combine would not need mossman for teleportation technology.

Since local teleportation on Earth uses Xen as a relay I think local teleportation on Xen probably works differently.

 

[Llama]

If that was true then the combine would not need mossman for teleportation technology.

Why? If the Combine dont have local Teleport technology at the start then why would they suddenly gain it (if) they invaded Xen? If they dont understand the Tehcnology, how would they recognize it in Xen, and how could they use it for themselves? Mossman is needed because the Combine need the means to locally teleport, so whether or not they are in Xen makes no difference.

Also: Samon, I hope that post wasnt for me, I know the Combine weren't on Xen in HL1, that's what im saying

 

[Deleted member 56031]

Why? If the Combine dont have local Teleport technology at the start then why would they suddenly gain it (if) they invaded Xen? If they dont understand the Tehcnology, how would they recognize it in Xen, and how could they use it for themselves? Mossman is needed because the Combine need the means to locally teleport, so whether or not they are in Xen makes no difference.

Xen had teleportation technology

 

[Llama]

Xen had teleportation technology

No shit sherlock, I just said that. Try re-reading what I said.

Why? If the Combine dont have local Teleport technology at the start then why would they suddenly gain it (if) they invaded Xen? If they dont understand the Tehcnology, how would they recognize it in Xen, and how could they use it for themselves? Mossman is needed because the Combine need the means to locally teleport, so whether or not they are in Xen makes no difference.

What I said was regardless of whether the Combine was on Xen or not, they cant use the technology (Not knowing how to make / reproduce/ change it themsleves)

 

[Deleted member 56031]

WHAT??? The combine assimilate everything to their needs (like the borg from star trek) do you think they were accustomed to earth technology before?

 

[Inyssius Grey]

Agreed. If the Combine found teleport tech, they would have used it.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Thirded, (a word?)

 

[Solaris]

Thirded, (a word?)

No.

A Motion is proposed, then if secounded a vote is held, yay or nay.

Please stick to proper procedure.

Regards ect.

Solaris

 

[ríomhaire]

WHAT??? The combine assimilate everything to their needs (like the borg from star trek) do you think they were accustomed to earth technology before?

Why did no-one read my post? Or are you just ignoring it because it had an explenation that didn't suit your idea?

Since local teleportation on Earth uses Xen as a relay I think local teleportation on Xen probably works differently.

 

[Deleted member 56031]

Did You Play Hl1! Xen Telepoters Transported The Player Throughout Xen! The Combine However Could Adjust This Technology To Whatever Their Means Suit!