hl2-graffiti

[filecore]

There's another one with an ape, a human, and an overwatch soldier. That one was put by the Combine, and portrays them as the next step in human evolution.

theres no way that was put there by the combine, its much more likely a resistance members critisism of the route that human evolution WILL take if the combine are not resisted against.

I can't believe you're all missing the blindingly obvious. Look at the head shape! The ape has a low skull, an elongated snout and a ridge above the eye. Then it evolves into a human. Then the next step has been to devolve - compare the ape with the Combine. See the similarities? The whole point is that becoming the slaves of the Combine represents a step backwards for the human race; they may as well have become mindless apes once again.

Sorry for dredging up an old thread, but I can't believe nobody got it!

 

[YROC]

That's actually not a bad reason to revive this thread. Also, there are only like three total threads in this board anyways. I don't think it'll make a difference. Anyways, I just saw the evolution graffiti for the first time since the game's release. I don't know if it's in multiple places, but I saw it behind a huge gas tank where you have to clear a small broken fence.

 

[Adabiviak]

You can see SUR13 sprayed often among graffiti in HL2, this is a southwestern hispanic gang.

...or any kid in a small town who thinks he's hard. Elementary and high school binders for starters, when they man up and buy a paint pen, watch out bathroom walls! I thought it was a joke/easter egg when I saw it in the game.

 

[filecore]

Anyways, I just saw the evolution graffiti for the first time since the game's release. I don't know if it's in multiple places, but I saw it behind a huge gas tank where you have to clear a small broken fence.

You must be on Highway 17, at the section where you first get the crossbow and have to blast the APC off the cliff in order to deactivate the forcefield. It's behind a gas tank to the left of the road just as you leave the zone. It also appears in some other places, such as in the sewers of Route Canal just before you meet the helicopter.

If anybody's interested, I've been making some desktop wallpapers with the grafitti. Here's an example: http://www.filecore.net/hl2/examples/Baby_wallpaper_2.jpg (with the Caste graffiti; it's 1400x1050, my monitor's max resolution, since I designed it for myself). I also have some decent copies done of the "Oranges and Lemons" and "Umbrella Man" graffiti, as well as ultra-high-res variations of the HL2 propaganda posters (the big yellow and black ones, one has a dove) that you see around. I'm still trying to think of what designs to do though.

 

[filecore]

To recap the graffiti and the assumptions throughout this thread, for the benefit of others who are new to it (to the thread, that is; I've been playing HL2 more or less since it originally came out in about 2005, but haven't ever joined forums to discuss it until now) it's now established - at least, as far as I understand it - that:

"Umbrella Man" is G-Man (note the long, thin face)

"Evolution" represents man's downfall to the level of apes. Often seen with the caption "Homo Sapiens Combinus: evolution cycle 7 hours", a reference to mankind's downfall during the 7 Hour War (the Combine invasion; see the timeline, http://www.members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/timeline.htm)

"Caste" seems to represent humanity's innocent beginning, along with its Combine-enforced division into slaves and soldiers (a caste system, get it?)

"Oranges and Lemons" is both a 1984 reference and an allusion to the nursery rhyme, which ends "Here comes a candle to light you to bed / and here comes a chopper to chop off your head", an obvious nod towards the Combine's treatment of humanity

"Lambda symbol" is functional graffiti, allowing the player to locate Resistance supply caches. The logo used in all HL games is of course explained as the Lambda Reactor Complex in the original HL1, which is why it's on the HEV in the first place.

"Resist" with Dr Breen is clearly a humourous nod towards Shepard Fairey's famous "OBEY" poster (http://relentlesspr.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/fairey.jpg)

"Born" (an upraised arm with a Lambda logo in its palm) is a Resistance symbol, and is probably a pun on "Born Free" -> Freeman. That's about as much meaning as I can think of for it :-P

There are a few other, smaller graffiti around with various words and symbols (including the Italian word for 'heart' with a heart in it and a symbol that is part of an internal combustion engine and has folks on various forums all worked up) but they're neither as pretty, or as prominent, as most of these, so I can't be bothered listing them if you want to see most of the small ones, there's a lot of screenshots and some speculation in this rather long thread: http://www.hlfallout.net/topic/23519-posters-and-graffiti-speculation/? (different forum).

 

[Barnz]

1. Born (hand image) is a reference to Fritz Lang's work: M.
2. Saga Story Guide is not a reliable source.

 

[filecore]

Nice catch with Born. As for the story guide, sure it may not be 'reliable' in such a way, but as a rough guide (especially for those who don't know of the 7 Hours War) it's a pretty good general outline.

 

[filecore]

It also appears in some other places, such as in the sewers of Route Canal just before you meet the helicopter.

I found a third instance of it, in the Anticitizen One section - when you link up with rebels and make your way through a set of underground road tunnel, right at the end you have to evade zombies in a radioactive sludge in order to unlock the door to let the rebels continue past. It can be seen on the far right side of the wall in the sludge section.

 

[Rizzo]

Oh hey, it's me from 2006! Sup dude!?

 

[filecore]

Living up to your sig, I see.

 

[Polaris]

Speaking of Half-Life 2 graffiti, look what I found in Prague...

 

[Barnz]

It's EP3!

 

[Katamariguy]

no , thats not it .i'll post a screen shot asap- come to think of it, doesnt even look like a car part, more like a truck part. it looks very similar to he gravity gun.

this is what i meant. will get yu a better screen shot later

it appears to be part of a Wankel rotary engine, but what does it mean?

 

[Kaptain H]

I can't believe you're all missing the blindingly obvious. Look at the head shape! The ape has a low skull, an elongated snout and a ridge above the eye. Then it evolves into a human. Then the next step has been to devolve - compare the ape with the Combine. See the similarities? The whole point is that becoming the slaves of the Combine represents a step backwards for the human race; they may as well have become mindless apes once again.

Sorry for dredging up an old thread, but I can't believe nobody got it!

I honestly don't see what's so similar betwen the Combine and Ape panels. Definitely not enough enough of a correlation for me to base my speculations on the message of the image on that alone. Just looks like a modified person to me, with part of the face cropped by the mask covering it.

 

[JUL3]

There's another one with an ape, a human, and an overwatch soldier. That one was put by the Combine, and portrays them as the next step in human evolution.

That picture is on the T-shirt I'm wearing now.

 

[MJ12]

1. Born (hand image) is a reference to Fritz Lang's work: M.

Hah, I never noticed that.

 

[Barnz]

I think the children voice you hear at the courtyard is also a reference to M.