Anybody notice the poster in Bugbait?

[dirge23]

Anybody else taken a close look at this?

Presumably these posters are put up by the Combine... They all have the same logo on them as the resistance fighters have on their backs.

That blue one on the left has what looks like a handcuff on it, which makes sense, because bugbait clearly takes place in a prison.

The unsettling thing is the other one, which seems to show a crowd full of people stretching back out of sight. Admittedly, it's pretty hard to make out. But to me, it looks like those old photos of crowds of people throwing the Nazi salute, like this:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...?v=glance&s=books&vi=reader&img=1#reader-link

Very disturbing. Maybe the crowd is just waving, or maybe they're rioting, or something. Either way, it's a weird poster.

Anybody have any thoughts? Am I reading too much into this, and is that just some funky pattern on the poster? If it's not, what does this mean?

 

[switch]

from another thread..

Originally posted by switch
one thing i just noticed when watching tunnels again was that a black masked combine had the symbol on his arm that the 'freedom fighters' had on the back of their shirts in Barricades.avi. This symbol is also on posters in bugbait.

I originaly thought this might be the prison symbol or something, seen as the 'freedom fighters' looked like they had escaped. But the posters seem to be political propaganda; with clouds suggesting dreams, and the second lots of people rioting/protesting.

Just a thought but could this mean something? An organisation maybe?

just what i have thought on it so far

 

[dirge23]

I might be wrong, but I think that logo (the circle with the wrench-shaped thing around it) is the Combine logo. That's why it's on the Combine soldiers, the posters, the prison uniforms. It doesn't make sense for it to be anything else.

 

[Nostradamus]

looks mor elike waving to me...

 

[switch]

well there is actually a seperate combine logo on the back of soldiers, it just seems to be some that have that sign, thats on the posters, on their arms

 

[SirMcNugget]

All this crazyness just makes me wonder how awesome the story in the game will be.

 

[Dagobert]

It is plainly obvious that City 17 is under the control of a police state type situation. So a poster with a happy cheering crowd on it is no surprise.

 

[Wilco]

But i posted another thread, Things dont quite seem to make sense with the current facts.

From those pictures its probably a safe assumption the white people are escaped freedom fighters from the prison you saw. And that the guy in the pic are the law enforcement around there.

Other 'facts:
1. The soldier are combine soldiers (I dont think this has actually been confirmed by Valve cos I asked them about it in my email and that was the only question Gabe didnt answer).
2. The Strider is part of the combine.
3. Barney wears a combine uniform
4. The combine Citadel is eating up the city.

Now people assume the strider is an alien. But if it is then you would also assume the Combine is the alien "force" and the soldiers are alien (as in "are the white masked people human") thread.

But then you have barney wearing a combine suit, and the fact they run a prison. Which would point to them being human.

(My random bit of possible info) PCG UK said that there were "Metrocops" that ran the city (I havent seen this mentioned anywhere on here). If so then you would say those soldiers are the Metrocops.

From this could say that
a) The strider is a human creation, and subserviant to the Metrocops, which are synonymous for combine. But then that doesnt explain the Citadel eating the city.

So perhaps:
The Combine soldiers are infected Metrocop soldiers. And this is probably signified by the different colour masks (black and white).

Now that was an unremarkable conclusion for all of that. But I want to check my facts and logic. Anyone got any other explanations. That would explain the 3 side system HL was so popular for.

 

[ComradeBadger]

The metrocops and Combine soldiers are different entities... but on the same team

 

[Wilco]

But then that means we havent seen a combine soldier. Unless they happen to look identical

 

[Dagobert]

Anyone got any other explanations.

1. The combine is a joint operation between an alien force and the G-man
2. After HL1 the combine began to attack and enslave human cities.
3. An enslaved human city is run like a soviet-block police state by police that are somehwat human and somewhat alien. Civilians are put into uniform and kept under tight control.
4. Once a city is enslaved the combine destroy it by building a citadel that gradually eats the city.
5. Some alien races from planets also destroyed by the combine are fighting along side a resistance force mad up of ex Black Mesa staff and citizens of City 17
6. The strider is combine
7. Gordon wakes up in CIty 17 some time after it has been enslaved, with no memory, perhaps being saved from the combine himself.
8. Gordon takes part in the resistance with all the characters we've seen
9. Later levels take place in the citadel itself
10. A final batte fo some kind takes place on top of the citadel.

 

[dawdler]

Things dont quite seem to make sense with the current facts.

Ah, but it does make sense! You can see it in the matrix... Or try to read it in Gordons forehead wrinkles, whatever floats your boat.

 

[Gunner]

Originally posted by dawdler
Ah, but it does make sense! You can see it in the matrix... Or try to read it in Gordons forehead wrinkles, whatever floats your boat.

LoL my sentiments exactly

 

[Alau]

Maybe the poster is telling everyone to have the mark on them or they'll get shot. The resistance fighters + Barney all have the logo because they were organizing themselves before they actually attacked, and had to remain inconspicuous.

Gordon sleeps with his HEV suit uner his pillow at all times, so that's why he's wearing one and the combine didn't take it away .

 

[droper]

killem all and sort em out when they are dead

 

[azz0r]

Combines are aliens who have invaded earth and use machinary to destory the city. The more the main building devours the bigger the black building gets.

The combines are obviously aliens, how else would you explain the gas/face masks.

 

[simmo]

Originally posted by azz0r
Combines are aliens who have invaded earth and use machinary to destory the city. The more the main building devours the bigger the black building gets.

The combines are obviously aliens, how else would you explain the gas/face masks.

OMG! its azz0r!!, or are you a faker ?

 

[Feath]

Originally posted by azz0r
Combines are aliens who have invaded earth and use machinary to destory the city. The more the main building devours the bigger the black building gets.

The combines are obviously aliens, how else would you explain the gas/face masks.

They are humans who don't want there faces to be known?

 

[azz0r]

Originally posted by simmo
OMG! its azz0r!!, or are you a faker ?

Where do you know me from? Let me guess...modDB

Originally posted by Feath
They are humans who don't want there faces to be known?

Why would humans build a building that destroys buildings? What would be the point? Why wear masks? They arent gassing anyone; simple...they cant breathe properly on our planet because theyre alien...its not rocket science.

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

I seriously doubt they are pure alien. At the least they are a combination (combine).

I mean they speak english, they walk on two legs, they have two arms, they cary our guns, they...........


I just dont believe it, sorry.

 

[simmo]

Originally posted by azz0r
Where do you know me from? Let me guess...modDB

I await your spam , gonna reach 16,000 here too ? hehe, nice to have you hear tho!

 

[azz0r]

aww I dont think so, this is just a pop n' greet

 

[Guest]

Guys, if Barney can wear a combine uniform, they've GOT to be human. Maybe their just controlled by aliens? But either way, it would be a pretty frigging big coincidence that their anatomy is the same as a humans.

 

[azz0r]

Looks like an alien language to me.

 

[Feath]

Originally posted by azz0r

Looks like an alien language to me.

I'm not arguing that they aren't alien, evidence seems to point to that. I was just giving an alternative reason for them wearing a Gas Mask.

Just because they wear Gas Masks doesn't mean they are alien.

 

[dfc05]

Originally posted by azz0r
Combines are aliens who have invaded earth and use machinary to destory the city. The more the main building devours the bigger the black building gets.

The combines are obviously aliens, how else would you explain the gas/face masks.

Didn't the higher-ranked marines wear gas masks in half-life & op for? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Feath]

Originally posted by dfc05
Didn't the higher-ranked marines wear gas masks in half-life & op for? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

They weren't higher ranked, but some a Marine Models did have a Gas Mask.

And so did Shephard, according to the loading screen.

 

[LoneDeranger]

In case anyone missed it, Gabe said in the video "Alien Combine". Plus he confirmed it again in the Valve info thread.

 

[azz0r]

:cheese:

 

[Solidarnosi]

Augh!!! All this theorizing is making me INSANE to play the game!!!
<---jumps out window in to the duck pond

 

[Cr@zY T3rr0r!$t]

I hated the soldiers in HL that had the gas masks. It acted like a bullet proof helmet, and realy pissed me off.
Anyway, the combines do use that odd language, and I agree with
marksman on: they are a combination (combine).

 

[Wilco]

I can't believe I didnt spot that. Well i nearly got there with Infected...

 

[SupaKoopa]

stormtroopers in star wars have crazy masks, and they're human. what's to say their masks don't contain some sort of HUD with nightvision, thermal vision, and gas masks all packed into one?

Why would humans build a building that destroys buildings?

the same reason why humans build bombs that destroy buildings.

 

[Cr@zY T3rr0r!$t]

Originally posted by SupaKoopa
stormtroopers in star wars have crazy masks, and they're human. what's to say their masks don't contain some sort of HUD with nightvision, thermal vision, and gas masks all packed into one?

quote:
"Why would humans build a building that destroys buildings?"

the same reason why humans build bombs that destroy buildings.

2 good points there.

 

[Alau]

Combine = a COMBINATION of races that were assimilated by one original species that is yet unseen?

That's what I think they are. Which is where there are flying manatees, striders, and humans(?) and they're ALL called the Alien Combine.

 

[Prince of China]

Yes, we know that.

 

[SupaKoopa]

Originally posted by Alau
Combine = a COMBINATION of races that were assimilated by one original species that is yet unseen?

That's what I think they are. Which is where there are flying manatees, striders, and humans(?) and they're ALL called the Alien Combine.

like the Covenant in Halo? The covenant started with a prophet race that acts as a religious leader, and they assimilated elites (commanders), grunts and jackals (cannon fodder), hunters (big bad armored guys), scientists (not in the halo campaign, but mentiioned in the novel by eric nylud, and recently, a hacker found an alien scientist model in the xbox game), and most recently, brutes...which look like a mix between elites and apes.

idunno i'm leaning more toward a combine of human and alien, rather than an assimilated group of aliens. I think we'd see more variety of soldiers and stuff if they were a larger group of species, rather than just one or two.

 

[Guest]

They are just bi-racial

seriously i think they are some kind of borg. part organic, part machine... Maybe the Uber aliens created the soldiers to be among the civilians and controlling them.

 

[Wesisapie]

Oh dear, i just looked at that picture with the combine and the black guy in the white suit... and they both have the same sign on them..

but aren't the freedom fighters on the opposite side? argh this is annoying.

also the other thread that says those things on their backs are hit decals, they aren't. they are logos.

 

[Spyre]

Guys...

Combine: : a harvesting machine that heads, threshes, and cleans grain while moving over a field.

The combine is the fortress that is eating the city, just as the farm-machine eats it's way through a field. The Combine forces are simply those allied with the combine machine. If it has anything to do with combined alien races that is secondary.

Also, if you read that interview with Laidlaw, he offers a STRONG hint at the end that the combine aren't human. I don't know why this is even a question anymore when he pretty much flat out said the combine forces are aliens.