Xen creatures affect on Ecosystem

[Druckles]

Strange leeches that like to eat human flesh appear all over Black Mesa during the resonance cascade, in tanks of water, in slightly flooded rooms and in the sewers. They later infest the Earth's oceans.

Um, yes. Well done. Just because they're present after the resonance cascade, doesn't indicate they weren't they before hand. And you're thinking of Power Up. They don't appear in Blast Pit.

And I can't believe someone took my "Spontaneous Evolution" comment seriously /facepalm

 

[Blackout62]

Concerning the leeches, we are dealing with fiction. The same fiction that proclaims that a man could sleep for 20 years and not age. (Gordon was in a stasis not a cryogenic tube) So as far as the game universe is concerned leaches could have been randomly mutated into a much powerful form by the radiation. Now for there appearance, keeping in mind the previous points made, a tapeworm could have inhabited at least 50% of the black mesa staff. The toxic spill noticed during the tram ride couldn't have been the first one at the facility. So with the safe assumption that causalities have occurred from toxins or radiation poisoning a tapeworm could have easily been mutated while still in the body of a dead individual. (remember, fiction) Giving it a more leach like appearance and enlarging it. Since this hypothesis occurs prior to the resonance cascade the parasite could have not only reproduced (asexually of course) but many more could have formed, which is more unlikely because the leeches all have a consistent shape disproving that. (what with the DNA and all that)


Or you know they could be from Xen :someonegowiththeideacauseitsoundedcoolinmyheadsmiley:

 

[Emporius]

:someonegowiththeideacauseitsoundedcoolinmyheadsmiley:

That would be a 'Fonz' smiley I think. And that theory actually makes a lot of sense.

 

[MJ12]

before HL2 I definately thought the leeches were just something that was in BM from flooded sewers. Not so much anymore.

 

[Operational]

Saying "No." is not an argument. It's a statement of ignorance.

My "no" was meant to be a statement of disagreement, with the next line being my argument.

 

[Druckles]

My "no" was meant to be a statement of disagreement, with the next line being my argument.

You were looking for a comma in that case. "No,"

It gives a different pronunciation in the head.

 

[Blackthorn]

Concerning the leeches, we are dealing with fiction. The same fiction that proclaims that a man could sleep for 20 years and not age. (Gordon was in a stasis not a cryogenic tube) So as far as the game universe is concerned leaches could have been randomly mutated into a much powerful form by the radiation. Now for there appearance, keeping in mind the previous points made, a tapeworm could have inhabited at least 50% of the black mesa staff. The toxic spill noticed during the tram ride couldn't have been the first one at the facility. So with the safe assumption that causalities have occurred from toxins or radiation poisoning a tapeworm could have easily been mutated while still in the body of a dead individual. (remember, fiction) Giving it a more leach like appearance and enlarging it. Since this hypothesis occurs prior to the resonance cascade the parasite could have not only reproduced (asexually of course) but many more could have formed, which is more unlikely because the leeches all have a consistent shape disproving that. (what with the DNA and all that)

They. Are not. Mutated. Leeches.

Apply Occam's Razor to this, the most simple answer is most likely correct. They're aliens, tiny little annoying aliens.

Edit: Read this.

 

[Druckles]

Reading this: http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Gonarch

Some people read waay too much into things.

 

[Blackout62]

They. Are not. Mutated. Leeches.

Apply Occam's Razor to this, the most simple answer is most likely correct. They're aliens, tiny little annoying aliens.

Edit: Read this.

I'm not arguing you or anyone else's point or theory. I'm simply providing a concept. Also I love not using Occam's Razor. (It leaves a horrible rash anyway)

on a lesser note:
1. I actually believe they're leeches from xen
2. If and when they teleported into black mesa how did they get to water shouldn't there be a noticeable amount of dead leeches on the ground, this also disproves my theory when you think about it.

 

[Emporius]

If and when they teleported into black mesa how did they get to water shouldn't there be a noticeable amount of dead leeches on the ground, this also disproves my theory when you think about it.

They would have had to be kept in tanks, so it satnds to reason that during the emergency they escaped through the pipes.

 

[Narvi]

How exactly would mutated leeches kept in Black Mesa escape Black Mesa being nuked and spread around the entire earth?

 

[Pesmerga]

Perhaps leeches is just a game mechanic for keeping the player within the map confines!

 

[Operational]

Perhaps leeches is just a game mechanic for keeping the player within the map confines!

Well of course, but they still have a bearing on the story.

 

[MattyDienhoff]

How exactly would mutated leeches kept in Black Mesa escape Black Mesa being nuked and spread around the entire earth?

Exactly, they wouldn't, unless they'd mutated to survive nuclear blasts.

Let's discuss some more interesting aspect of the post-apocalyptic Earth's ecosystem. Here's a question to get this thread back on track, could Antlions colonize arctic areas? Could they adapt to freezing climate conditions? I hope not, if only because I'm sick of Antlions and don't want to see any in EP3.

 

[Druckles]

Here's a question to get this thread back on track, could Antlions colonize arctic areas? Could they adapt to freezing climate conditions?

No.

If Valve get that wrong, I'm leaving them.

 

[Operational]

Saying "No." is not an argument. It's a statement of ignorance.





There is no reason (that we know of for certain) that Antlions can't live in the colder climates, but I really hope that Valve chooses to expand the Half-Life universe instead.

 

[Druckles]

Saying "No." is not an argument. It's a statement of ignorance.

He asked a question. I gave a response.

Before, I was referring to responding against something other than a question .

And: No, Antlions can't live in the arctic. If they do, I'm braining Gabe.
I'm not saying I don't want to see an antlion again, I just want to see it frozen and dead in the snow somewhere. Would make an epic scene.

 

[Blackthorn]

Ooo yeah I can imagine seeing hundreds of them dead at the edge of the ice. That would be awesome.

 

[leib10]

Based on Alyx saying "There are so many ways to die out here", I would assume that the Combine are not the only things capable of killing humans. Could be Xenian wildlife, could be bears and wolves and the like.

 

[Druckles]

I wanna see a polar bear. Unfortunately I can almost guarantee I won't see one :hmph:.

Bloody Xen.

 

[Herr Mike]

I think the lack of native fauna is more indicative of the lack of desire to build complex models for the mobile scenery.

And when do you even see these Xen animals outside of Black Mesa? I guess there was that fish thing but assuming there is no native ocean life is a huge leap. For me, it's much harder to believe these animals could survive on earth past a generation.

Let's take a look at the "species":

Leech things: small predatory aquatic creatures. They would be food for a larger predatory aquatic creature. Or bird. Probably atomized in Black Mesa.

Headcrab: No indication they attack anything other than humans.

Headcrab zombies: Could not catch any animal.

Barnacle: Require a roof and a food source without shotguns or crow bars.

Bullsquid: If they made it out of Black Mesa in numbers, they could establish a foothold. Would probably need a tropical climate, or at least quite warm.

Nasty fish thing: These things went extinct in real life, so they probably would eventually again.

Fast zombies: Could be a fearsome predator but lets face it, nothing without skin would be able to function long in earth's climate. They are possibly decaying actively anyway.

Ant lions: Would have to require sand. Are they cold blooded? Probably sensitive to cold. A fearsome beast for sure but a large active animal would not be able to find enough food in desert/beach environments.

Conclusion: Earth's fauna is alive and well, just unrendered. You'd think there would be some rats around.

 

[ríomhaire]

Headcrab: No indication they attack anything other than humans.

They're omnivores. Lamarr is known both to eat watermelons and crows. A headcrab can easily kill small animals and a group could probably take down a medium to large sized animal. Headcrabs excell at ambush too. Garden variety crabs can burrow into the ground to wait for prey and the fast ones can cling to ceilings (useful for caves as well as indoors). Poisons ones are also going to easily take down animals (most wildlife doesn't have its own HEV suit to admister antidotes).

Headcrab zombies: Could not catch any animal.

Poisons zombies can throw poison crabs to kill creatures. Mawmen are a bit screwed though, you're right.

Barnacle: Require a roof and a food source without shotguns or crow bars.

Antlion caves. All barnacles need is a damp cave and for something to wander once a month.

Bullsquid: If they made it out of Black Mesa in numbers, they could establish a foothold. Would probably need a tropical climate, or at least quite warm.

There were bullsquids in the freezers in HL1. They don't need warmth. They do seem to need a wet area though.

Nasty fish thing: These things went extinct in real life, so they probably would eventually again.

The terestrial ichthysaur is very different from the Xen variety. I imagine that they could survive as long as the leeches don't devour them/their food sources.

Fast zombies: Could be a fearsome predator but lets face it, nothing without skin would be able to function long in earth's climate. They are possibly decaying actively anyway.

The zombies don't need to survive, just the headcrabs. The host provides protection and when the zombie dies the crab can hop off and go on to find a new host/some prey.

Ant lions: Would have to require sand. Are they cold blooded? Probably sensitive to cold. A fearsome beast for sure but a large active animal would not be able to find enough food in desert/beach environments.

They don't require sand. We see that they function just fine in the soil in the outland in EP2. They can tunnel through soft soil easily and the workers can carve out tunnels in hard rock.

 

[z0mbin3]

What would happen to Striders if there connection to what ever controls them is cut?

I think the original animal (before it was Combine...ized?) Was a herbavoir sp*. A tall eat the vegitation of high place's not hurting thing's unless threatend alien cow. Then the combine came and saw the Strider as a good weapons platform and modified it as such. So what would happen if the combine got boned and there were Striders left behind to think and live on there own? I hope they would go back to being peacefull herbavoir's and only using there wepons for defence. Then the Resistence could tame them and ride them like kickass horse's. But what are your views on the subject?

Oh lets hear everyone else's theorys on all of the synths before and after Combine rule.

 

[Blackthorn]

True, Striders are ideally suited to be herbivorous. Hunters would definitely be predators. Small and fast with excellent senses and pack behavior all point to this, not to mention those talons.

The transport ships and gunships are harder to guess, with no clear Earth equivalent. Possibly the closest could be whales, despite arthropodic appearance. Of the two, the gunship could be natively predatory with their large eyes and swift speed.

And the Combine pods...Barely worth mentioning. But possibly would've been similar to a mollusk or something.

Am I forgetting any others?

 

[Narvi]

What would happen to Striders if there connection to what ever controls them is cut?

I think the original animal (before it was Combine...ized?) Was a herbavoir sp*. A tall eat the vegitation of high place's not hurting thing's unless threatend alien cow. Then the combine came and saw the Strider as a good weapons platform and modified it as such. So what would happen if the combine got boned and there were Striders left behind to think and live on there own? I hope they would go back to being peacefull herbavoir's and only using there wepons for defence. Then the Resistence could tame them and ride them like kickass horse's. But what are your views on the subject?

Oh lets hear everyone else's theorys on all of the synths before and after Combine rule.

I doubt striders are going to revert to whatever their pre-synth form was. It's not like the Overwatch are going to become new humans again, after all.

 

[Planetary]

Note that the crab synth is actually (if you look at the file name) a "Cycler", so perhaps that would be a more appropriate name, especially since most of the other combine units also end in er.

Strider.
Adviser.
Hunter.
Soldier.
Scanner.
Stalker.
Sniper.

And now, Cycler.
Also sounds appropriate because that big-ass chain gun probably does "cycle".

 

[Narvi]

Advisors were also identified as "cyclers" in map. It's just a mapping thing.

 

[z0mbin3]

I doubt striders are going to revert to whatever their pre-synth form was. It's not like the Overwatch are going to become new humans again, after all.

Of couse not the overwatch soldiers are more advanced in the way of inteligence sp* but the Striders are animals. They'll revert to a feral nature so will all the other synths. Dropships I am almost certain are no threat at all like flying cow's. But Gunships I think they were predators. Look at the way they behave in groups of two pure killing animals.

*edit*
Arn't those shield scanners synths? if so they were probably scavangers like vultures.

 

[Narvi]

Of couse not the overwatch soldiers are more advanced in the way of inteligence sp* but the Striders are animals. They'll revert to a feral nature so will all the other synths. Dropships I am almost certain are no threat at all like flying cow's. But Gunships I think they were predators. Look at the way they behave in groups of two pure killing animals.

*edit*
Arn't those shield scanners synths? if so they were probably scavangers like vultures.

How so? Striders just don't have manipulators. They're pretty clever otherwise, with their shipping container antics.

 

[Blackthorn]

But without Combine control they have little reason to attack people. Instinct would make them have to satisfy their imperative to feed, and they would suck as a predator.

 

[ríomhaire]

Note that the crab synth is actually (if you look at the file name) a "Cycler", so perhaps that would be a more appropriate name, especially since most of the other combine units also end in er.

Strider.
Adviser.
Hunter.
Soldier.
Scanner.
Stalker.
Sniper.

And now, Cycler.
Also sounds appropriate because that big-ass chain gun probably does "cycle".

Cycler is just a mapping thing. It's just an image that displays a model's animations or something. I don't know the details.