Will the true hammer fall on Earth during, or after Episode 2?

[Karabiner]

As it has been stated, Earth has been occupied by basically Combine leftovers after the 7-Hours War. The Combine themselves don't have a physical presence, only the Human-Augmented Overwatch, with Breen as their figure-head watch over it. We've seen mostly futuristic versions of modern vehicles we have today, like the APCs and the Hunter-Copters, yet we've only seen two unique Combine weapons, which we call Synths, already, the Gunships and Striders. Now, it isn't hard to believe that Striders, which are remarkably tough and have their Anti-Matter Cannon which can pretty much destroy anything in one shot, and Gunships, which are also tough and have the ability to shoot down missles fired at them. Now these two could be enough to practically devistate our military. But, as we can probably guess, the Combine, most likely, have weapons we can't possible imagine. Perhaps something that makes the Strider, which already makes one reluctant to go confront with the thing, seem only as much as a weapon as a pillow does.

So, once the Citadel's transmission reaches, whereever it was aimed at, will the Combine show it's true power on Earth? Clearly the Combine, if they're a good Empire, won't tolerate this and basically send anything to crush the rebellion as quickly as possible, but what could they possibly send, and will an apparent one-city Resistance able to find a way to defeat them? As it seems, the Resistance has only known how to fight Gunships and Striders, so, will they be prepared for whatever the Combine has tucked away in their Universe? Most likely not. (Of course, Gordon will probably find a way. )

 

[d00d]

The Combine will return with full retaliation but the rebellion is planning on deploying new weapons to counter that. This VAGUELY reminds of the Battlefield Earth movie.

 

[Cuthbert]

There are also hunters, mortar and crab synts but i get what you meant. I think the hammer will fall at the end of Episode 3. Then will come the waiting for years period for HL3. Unless there is an Ep4.

 

[Shift]

Yeah I think in EP2 we will see a huge blow struck at the resistance, since Valve said they were aiming at following like the Star Wars trilogy theme where the second episode was when the rebellion got the shit kicked out of them. The transmission would have been about the rebellion, the urgent need of more powerful rienforcements and of course about Freeman who is the main motor behind it all and just doesn't seem to die. So I see EP2 being a victory for the Combine.

 

[Asknoone]

After Episode 2. Valve described the Combine as being at their worst in Episode 2. With the destruction of City 17 and the Citadel, the Sector 17 Overwatch is in complete disarray. With the communications system out, they can't contact the other cities - which are most likely trying to frantically re-establish contact with the Combine Empire.

Remember, all Citadel portals are shut down - they aren't working. The Overwatch on Earth are isolated units, scattered and weak. By Episode 3, I expect the teleportation network will be up in running, and as Kleiner predicted, we'll see an onslaught of off-world Combine forces tear through the portals and to Earth. Then it'll be a race against time to cut Earth from the Combine, which I assume the Project is all about.

 

[Karabiner]

There are also hunters, mortar and crab synts but i get what you meant. I think the hammer will fall at the end of Episode 3. Then will come the waiting for years period for HL3. Unless there is and Ep4.

Believe it or not, I forgot about all the others, but I was mostly thinking of those we've actually fought face to...face I suppose up to now.

 

[d00d]

Yeah I think in EP2 we will see a huge blow struck at the resistance, since Valve said they were aiming at following like the Star Wars trilogy theme where the second episode was when the rebellion got the shit kicked out of them. The transmission would have been about the rebellion, the urgent need of more powerful rienforcements and of course about Freeman who is the main motor behind it all and just doesn't seem to die. So I see EP2 being a victory for the Combine.

Have a link to the article that mentions that?

 

[Ap2000]

I think that Episode 2 will be the time when you have to destroy as much Combines as possible and seal the portals.

and at the end of Episode 2 we're gonna have a damn big cliffhanger with, dunno, the first big Combine ship coming to the earth or something like, which indicates that Episode 3 will be actual hell on earth.

Somehow I can't see mankind to survive this threat, it just would be a too generic ending if the combine would loose. I want a dark ending where the combine, with all their force, finally and totally controll the earth, or maybe even slaughter mankind.

 

[Shift]

You cant end a story like that, needs to end on a high, although I agree that I cant really see the Combine being beaten. I dont how it will be done, but it certainly will not be simple, and I think it will take a long time too, thats why I remain on my opinion that we only witnessing the start of this story arc at the moment. Really trying to guess how the story will go with a game like this is pointless because it will turn out to be completely wrong, Im just gonna sit back, and wait and see what happens.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

Hey, hey, this is Gordan Freeman we're talking about here, after all thats happened, he's come waaaay to far just to lose.

Somehow I can't see mankind to survive this threat, it just would be a too generic ending if the combine would loose. I want a dark ending where the combine, with all their force, finally and totally controll the earth, or maybe even slaughter mankind.

It's called an Epic tale (which I'm guessing the whole HL story to be)
It's when the hero overcomes all odds to win.

 

[Darkside55]

The Combine's second coming will happen in episode 3, or past it. Probably the latter.

This arc is more about the G-man than anything else (even though it doesn't seem like it so far), and presumably Earth will gain a measure of control against the Combine at the end of this arc. I cannot imagine them only spending one episode on the second Combine invasion, only to cut off the arc there and go on to the unrelated, third-party Episode 4. Not unless Gordon is taken off-world at the end of episode 3 during the Combine invasion, and Episode 4 picks up the story on Earth from someone else's point of view.

 

[Asknoone]

The Episode arc details the end of the Half-life story on Earth, or rather, the HL2 story arc. Which is pretty much Earth, really. Yeah.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

A little iffy there eh Samon?

 

[Asknoone]

 

[AJ Rimmer]

Impossible, Samon knows all! His word is law, his wishes become unquestionable thruths!

 

[Shift]

The Episode arc details the end of the Half-life story on Earth, or rather, the HL2 story arc. Which is pretty much Earth, really. Yeah.

I disagree, we only two episodes to go, and I dont think they can cover the total defeat of the remaining Combine forces on Earth, if it does, then they must have come up with some very cool weapon in EP3.

 

[Asknoone]

It'll have to be the end of the Earth story arc. They don't need tie eveything up - just cut the Combine off from Earth for good.

 

[Shift]

Yeah good point, really cannot even begin to guess where we will be heading after Earth for the next story arc

 

[Gordon-Shepherd]

im pretty sure the thing kleiner is planning to launch in the ep2 trailer is an orbital shield to stop the combine from getting in while the humans build up forces.

 

[Darkside55]

Kleiner's launching a global reverse-suppression field device that will force the world to "get busy."

And here's hoping the first place we visit off-world--or rather, off-spacetime--is wherever the G-man holds base. Where does that one door at the end of HL2 and the beginning of EpOne lead to? Certainly not on Earth, I'd wager. That's the place I want to see.

And Xen. But...that'll never happen.

 

[Shift]

I think the door he exits out of merely leads to another point in space and time, I dont think he has a 'base', I think he always travelling to different points of space and time, visting other potenial clients since he seems to organize a lot of other clients.

 

[Darkside55]

I'd like to think it leads to the base of his permanent employers, whom I believe he spoke of in HL1. 'Course he might not have permanent employers anymore, story changes and all, but...maybe.

And if not, the dude's gotta LIVE somewhere, right? Doubt he'd want to rent an apartment in one of the cities, or live out in the wilderness.

 

[Insano]

I'd like to think it leads to the base of his permanent employers, whom I believe he spoke of in HL1. 'Course he might not have permanent employers anymore, story changes and all, but...maybe.

And if not, the dude's gotta LIVE somewhere, right? Doubt he'd want to rent an apartment in one of the cities, or live out in the wilderness.

Who said he needs to sleep?

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

The Episode arc details the end of the Half-life story on Earth, or rather, the HL2 story arc. Which is pretty much Earth, really. Yeah.

That means we will never see the other Half-Life & Half-Life 2 characters again in person like Alyx, Eli?, Mossman?, Kliener, Barney, Dog, & Llamarr....so no character interaction?

I don't think after Ep3 we will be going to "out side earth" It will be boring for a while, I like a mixture of environments. Not one environment in particular.

 

[Asknoone]

Eh?

The Episode arc will be set on Earth. Not sure what you are talking about.

 

[Darkside55]

That means we will never see the other Half-Life & Half-Life 2 characters again in person like Alyx, Eli?, Mossman?, Kliener, Barney, Dog, & Llamarr....so no character interaction?

I would imagine that at least Alyx would want to tag along with you offworld, perhaps Barney as well. We will definately see all these characters again, however at this point I would much rather have Freeman going it alone for awhile. In HL2 and in the episodes there seems like the constant presence of other people; even in sections where you traverse by yourself there's never the feeling of isolation. After so much character interaction I think that's something Gordon Freeman could use.

 

[Shift]

Yeah all the characters of the HL2 story (well the ones that survive the episodes anyway) will be apart of the future half-life games as they are essentially apart of Freeman now. Plus like said, even if the future games lead us off earth, then they will certainly tag along with Freeman.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

Eh?

The Episode arc will be set on Earth. Not sure what you are talking about.

Im talking about after Episode 3, Hl3.


So in the next Full Half-Life presumibly "Half-Life 3", I think Half of the game will be on earth (our dimension) & then on the second half of the game we will go to the Combine Homeworld to do whatever that is needed to be done. And as a result of doing severe damage to the combine empire at the heart of their war machine...the Combine will be crippled & of course other worlds the combine control will be free.


All combine control worlds will have a domino effect, every one will lose control...All the enslaved species from other planets will be free (like the Vortgaunts in HL1), all creatures enslaved by the combine will rebel against their master.

 

[Snappel328]

Back to what you guys said about Earth not being able to resist another Combine onslaught, maybe other aliens from other planets will be able to come over and help us fight, There's got to be more civilized species in the galaxy besides the Combine, the Humans, and the Vortigaunts.

 

[Jintor]

's up to Valve, really. They could make a gajillion species or just those 3.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

I wonder in either Ep3 or the next full Half-Life..or when ever the combine invade earth for the second consecutive time...wil we see those cool synths we saw in the citadel but never fought (reason: easter egg).

Warning: 56k Death-

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[Asknoone]

Probably.

 

[xirow]

I’d rather fight some new, interesting Synths. I liked the Crab synth and Mortar synth as ‘easter eggs’ but I don’t think it would be very interesting to fight them.

And, if possible, I want to stay on earth as long as possible. Eventually we will probably leave earth and fight the Combine of their home planet or something like that. But I’d rather see some completely new parts of earth (first). I don’t want an entire game (or even more) to take place offworld. But on the other hand, it would be véry stupid if Gordon defeats the Combine empire after a short visit to their homeworld.

 

[ríomhaire]

Warning: 56k Death-[/IMG]

**** you

 

[PimpinPenguin]

How did you get 750 suit power?

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

How did you get 750 suit power?

I got that with FF's mod, when you go into the citadel...It not just a skin & sound pack, It also has gameplay fixes such as more ammo & added kick to certain guns to make then a tad more realistic & other things like more suit power when you go into the citadel.

Instead of 200, its 750.

 

[Asknoone]

I’d rather fight some new, interesting Synths. I liked the Crab synth and Mortar synth as ‘easter eggs’ but I don’t think it would be very interesting to fight them.

And, if possible, I want to stay on earth as long as possible. Eventually we will probably leave earth and fight the Combine of their home planet or something like that. But I’d rather see some completely new parts of earth (first). I don’t want an entire game (or even more) to take place offworld. But on the other hand, it would be véry stupid if Gordon defeats the Combine empire after a short visit to their homeworld.

Yeah, I'm not too fussed about the Mortar Synth and Crab Synth either. I'm all for more enemies, but I'd rather see new ones (this goes for the introduction of old enemies).

Personally, after the HL2 Episode arc, I want to see us go off world. I'm assuming the episode arc will end with the resistance creating some sort of barrier around Earth, shutting the Combine off for good. After that, I don't imagine we'll go directly to the Combine home world, but rather to the dimension Breen was headed.

Following the Combines loss of Earth, I can see their control over other planets fading, with more Nihilanth like refugee bands taking action and again, Gordon will see some of the devastating effects he often has.

 

[xirow]

Yeah, I'm not too fussed about the Mortar Synth and Crab Synth either. I'm all for more enemies, but I'd rather see new ones (this goes for the introduction of old enemies).

I don’t even think we are going to encounter the Crab Synth and Mortar Synth. At least to me they look like enemies who where suppose to have a bigger role, but where cut during the development of HL2. But instead of completely cutting them, they added them to that Citadel scene.

 

[Asknoone]

Probably.

 

[Jintor]

That's right! WHERE IS BREEN? Is he the Advisor that was trying to blast you? WANT TO KNOW! *thumps head on table*