Antlions on Xen?

[Omega11]

I know about this debate, and I don't mean to revive it, but I have an idea, but it's based on a premise of a theory;
1) IF Antlions are native to Xen, they are sparse and located on only one island seen in HL1.
2) The Vortigaunt machines that hammer the ground, are not miners.

See, it all makes sense, if you look at it the right way. Those 'Hammer Machines' are really the Vortigaunt vrsion of thumpers Oo. This is why we've never seen them is because of those thumpers, and that's the only island they inhabit that the player comes across, well, that was my idea, and think of it, its something Valve might have already cooked up (or is about to steal >.>) to explain the Antlion's origins. . . or I could be wrong completely, and they really are miner machines (drills, wells, etc).

 

[Planetary]

1. If they are thumpers, they're not very large. Even the giant ones at Nova Prospekt wouldn't be able to completely ward of antlions on an island that size, and there's only two of them.

2. Xen is big, there's plenty of room for antlions. Maybe the places Freeman visits on Xen just aren't there natural habitat. The vice-versa of this also explains the lack of houndeyes and bullsquid around City 17, the pPortal Storms may have brought them here but they couldn't adapt to the changes and died out (in Eastern Europe, at least).

 

[Omega11]

or atleast, like Samon likes to say 'In The Wastelands'

 

[Narvi]

Antlions are actually pretty well-adapted for Xen. I can imagine those winged bastards flying about from asteroid to asteroid....*shudders* bastards.

 

[Flyingdebris]

in the low grav of xen those wings might actually provide enough lift to fly instead of just hop.

 

[Planetary]

Thanks goodness for our higher gravity! Flying antlions give me the jigglies!

 

[Kevin]

Thats the excact same theory i had...
Heres the link.
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=126511

 

[Omega11]

Well, it's good I'm not the only ne who thinks so ^^
The only real 'evidence' of those being miners, is all the equipment found in the factory, and the reason we don't find any in BMRF?
Most of the sand there is littered with mines =P
IF antlions came from Xen, they probably came after most or all the Xenians came out to Earth, when the portals (presumably) got really bad, and they just sort of 'fell in'.

And it would make sense that the combine took the thumpers, because they are an 'assimilating' race, so I wouldn't be surprised, and surely, after the portal storms, the combine came across Xen, think about it. IF The Gman does work for the combine, and had Gordon go to Xen in order to kill the Nihilanth, and free up control on Xen, then the combine could better invade it Oo. I mean, in the end of HL1, he mentions how Gordon made it easier for 'them' to invade Xen, I don't recall him saying who 'They' are.

 

[Cheomesh]

Wern't the Combine fighting race X anyways? They may have taken it from then earlier on in their war.

Also, as far as I'm aware nothing is native to Xen -- Xen being a nebula of asteroid things that acts as a hub (or a focal point) of warp energies in our universe. I'd always assumed things got warped at random from other planets (natural portal storms?) and the ones that could adapt/where suited to Xen lived on while those that couldn't died off.

And besides we only saw a bit of Xen anyways. Anyone got a screen of these thumper things? It's been AGES since I've played HL1.

M.

 

[Omega11]

And what about plants/fungus that seem to be embedded in these asteroids, thus incinuating that they must have grown there, then other creatures fed off of them after being teleported there? There would have to be a huge pause while Spores were teleported (spores, seeds, whatever) and then colonised the asteroids, THEN the other things were brought over, also, some of the rooms in Xen seem built, perhaps by Vorts? Even so, they wouldn't be native. . . good point. . . I'm just trying to counter it O_=

Don't we also see things (grunts and controllers etc) teleport on Xen, like, as if from somewhere else? Maybe Nihilanth was still bringing things to Xen DURING the resonance cascade?

 

[Cheomesh]

No telling how long they've been there. Could be years and years.

 

[Xendance]

I don't think Valve planned antlions back in 1998 and how the hammer things made them do whatever, GIVE YOUR BRAIN A REST FROM THESE THEORIES!

 

[Omega11]

HEY! I like making theories =_=

I had another one too. . . good thing I forgot!

But, if Valve had to, they could use that as an eplaination as to WHERE antlions came from. I don't see ACTUAL ants evolving 20,000 times their normal size in 20 years Oo

 

[Cheomesh]

Ant != Antlion != Ant Lion.

 

[Kevin]

The REAL antlions act similarily to the ones in HL2.

I'm guessing Valve got the inspiration from them.



http://z.about.com/d/saltlakecity/1/0/D/K/antlion.jpg
This is a REAL antlion.

Kinda look like the sand maggots from Diablo 2.

 

[Cheomesh]

Real ant lions are solitary and dig traps in the sand.

HL2 ant lions attack you, live in hives, and don't build traps.

 

[Narvi]

Real ant lions are solitary and dig traps in the sand.

HL2 ant lions attack you, live in hives, and don't build traps.

Then what was all that hullabaloo about Sandtraps? :E

 

[Cheomesh]

There where no traps. That title was a lie...

 

[Omega11]

No, it was a pun, Golfing term- Sand Traps; an area of frustration, and hard to get out of.

HL2; Sand Traps; Sand that, upon steps, traps you in a wall of antlions, the longer you take, the more there are, the more frustration.

And it IS a trap, in the sand, just not solitary.

I've never even heard of or seen (until now) actually Ant Lions, neat little things, if you shorten them, twist the two back legs once, shorten the pincers, and move thr front legs up, you almost have a mini antlion.

If Anything, I think Valve called them Ant Lions, because of their size (relative to a lion) and the fact that they're. . . well, ants.

 

[Cheomesh]

I agree on the naming Omega.

As for the gulf reference...I guess I learned something new there.

 

[Omega11]

lol
I used to have a father who was all into golf, and he'd watch it on TV "Oh, and he's in the Sand Traps!"

I actually laughed when I got to Sand Traps and I read the name XD

 

[ríomhaire]

Water Hazard is a golf term too. Route Kanal is a dentistry procedure.

 

[Cheomesh]

Yeah, I got the Route Kanal bit.

 

[Darkside55]

Route Kanal is also a play on words. The procedure is called a root canal. Kanal is a film about Polish resistance fighters escaping Nazis through city sewers. You can see the similarities there to the HL2 chapter. And we know what route means.

 

[Cheomesh]

Route Kanal is also a play on words. The procedure is called a root canal. Kanal is a film about Polish resistance fighters escaping Nazis through city sewers. You can see the similarities there to the HL2 chapter. And we know what route means.

Now that makes sense. Very cool.

 

[Omega11]

I love it when Valve does that =|
They make awesome level names.

Surface Tension was a nice one, I think I laughed or chuckled a bit at that one. . .


We are WAY off topic XP

 

[Cheomesh]

Anyways, I think we've only seen a small bit of Xen. Going back there, eh I don't know if we should (btw there is a mod out for HL2 that takes you back there), but it did look great!

 

[Tagaziel]

Route Kanal is also a play on words. The procedure is called a root canal. Kanal is a film about Polish resistance fighters escaping Nazis through city sewers. You can see the similarities there to the HL2 chapter. And we know what route means.

The Canal, Andrzej Wajda.

Man, I want to make sweet manlove to you for referencing such a fine movie.

 

[Kevin]

Surface Tension fit in really well, with the fact that when you got on the SURFACE, the military were fighting you and the xenians and the TENSION was high.

 

[Omega11]

lol
Surface Tension is also a term for (I believe) emotional stress that affects your body as well, or antagonising people in the first little while that you know them. . . something like 'Just Scratching the surface'. . .

 

[ríomhaire]

lol
Surface Tension is also a term for (I believe) emotional stress that affects your body as well, or antagonising people in the first little while that you know them. . . something like 'Just Scratching the surface'. . .

Surface tension is the force that makes the surface of a liquid reluctant to break.

 

[Kevin]

The only difference is that there was no liquid.

 

[Rapstah]

The dam was holding back dry water, Kevin, so you're right.

 

[Omega11]

The dam was holding back dry water, Kevin, so you're right.

Ahh, but WE DO see liquid, we swim in it, and go through it to the other side of surface tension Oo

 

[Kevin]

You mean the underground tunnels? That doesn't count.

 

[Cheomesh]

I never went on the dam other than to blow up that one thing...

 

[half lunatic]

The bunker with the huge turret in it?

 

[Cheomesh]

Nnnno...

 

[Omega11]

You mean the underground tunnels? That doesn't count.

Surface Tension;
You come out to the Dam, the Apache Longbow Helicopter blows up the bridge to the turbine station. To avoid enemy fire, you go into the water to the right of the dam, there you find an Itchyosaur (damn spelling =_=), kill it, climb the ladder to the station (while avoiding enemy fire). Swim down, into the water you climbed from, and down to the turbines, open the grate, and swim in, thus, you go under the dam, to the other side, and come to an open little gulley, where you find a dead scientist, and some armor. You continue on, and reach storm drain etc. . . Wait. . . where the hell am I? Doesn't surface tension open with a jet and a manta ray thingy and. . . oh damn, the Dam is at the end of residue processing isn't it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Halflife_ingame.jpg
This part

 

[Cheomesh]

It's been ever since I played HL1...I don't remember that part at ALL...