Interesting Observations - Just beat OP4 again

[Dsty2001]

I decided to endulge myself into the story once more, and played Op4 and beat it just a few minutes ago. Some interesting observations I made that I'll leave for you guys to speculate.

1: If Xen and Race X got into a fight, Race X would kick Xen's a$$
2: At the end, the G-Man says something along the lines *I like somebody that can overcome and adapt extreme situations. It kind of reminds me of a younger me* or something like that. Hmm?
3: The G-Man says something like *Out of all the incidents, Black Mesa has been the worse* or something like that. Could their have been more than one place besides Black Mesa where this occured?
4: There was alot of bright orbs floating around through the ventelation, ultimately reaching the portal. Hmm?
5: The G-Man says he will put Adrian where he can harm no one, and no harm can come to him. Cryogenic stasis?

I'm sure these have all been torn apart, but I've not found a thread that has discussed these observations yet.

 

[Orange]

I really should play opfor before hl2 gets released shouldn't i?

the remarks about his past and other incidents spark my interest the most.

 

[Dsty2001]

Oh yeah, OP4 gives alot more insight into what really happened at Black Mesa.

 

[Mechagodzilla]

Op4 is great fun. I call it equal fun as HL1. Buy the Blue-shift combo pack, you get both that way.

Anyways, here is a *****spoiler***** transcription of the final G-speech...

So, corporal Shephard, we meet at last! Please, don’t think that I’ve been avoiding you, great many matters require my attention in this troubled times, I do hope you understand. And now I require a further indulgence on your part. I can not close my report until every loose end has been tied up. The biggest embarrassment has been, Black Mesa facility, but I think that’s finally taking care of itself.

(Nuke blows up Black Mesa)

Quite so.

But there is still the lingering matter of witnesses. I admit, I have a fascination with those, who adopt and survive against all odds. They rather remind me on myself, if for no other reason, I have argued to preserve you for a time.

While I believe a civil servant like yourself, understands the importance of discretion. My employers are not quite so trusting and rather than continually subjective to the irresistible human temptation of telling all, we have decided to convey you somewhere you can do no possible harm. And where no harm can come to you. I’m sure, you can imagine there are worse alternatives.

Anyways, as for the points from the first post:

1: Very true. That my explain why there are so few Xen to encounter at the end of the game.

2: This seems to be why he kept Sheppy alive. Because...

3: I think that G was surprised at how ineffective the grunts were, even though he spent a lot of time setting up their training. This may be why he chose to focus on Sheppy and Gordo, as they were the only ones who acheived much.
Also interesting, he says that BM was the most embarassing part of the report, which implies that there are other important conflicts elsewheres.

4: The orbs are a mystery, but they appear to come from Xen, and are attracted to teleportals, possibly forming them in places. Whie you're in Xen, they get sucked into the portal up there, and on the dam, they get sucked into the portal that G-man is standing beside. It seems that they are being pulled towards the final portal, even through dimensions. (?)

5: No one knows, but lots of folks would like to see a sequel.

 

[Dsty2001]

Yeah, I also noticed the orbs going into the hole the G-Man walked into. I also noticed he was having a conversation on the telephone I hope alot of these questions are awnsered in Half-Life2. Cause the suspense is killing meh :|

 

[Soundwave]

To whoever asked if they should play OpFor before jumping in to Half-Life 2, I'd say definately. I had even more fun with it's single player campaign than I did with Half-Life's overall. Great expansion pack that needs a sequel in the Source Engine, even if it's done by Mod team, I wanna see a follow-up.

 

[CreamOfetus]

i would not bother reading too much into any events from OpFor, seeing as it has no bearing on the story in HL2.

 

[hiln]

i would not bother reading too much into any events from OpFor, seeing as it has no bearing on the story in HL2.

well buddy, we don't know that yet

 

[Brian Damage]

True, we don't. Many people are in fact speculating that Race-X and the Combine are the same thing, just in a different shape, or various ideas along those lines...

I've been thinking that Shepherd might possibly be the G-Man's insurance against Gordon going rogue... someone equal in sheer ability and badassedness, capable of countering Gordon...

 

[clarky003]

heres a question, in HL, when they say that the missile is the 'only hope to clean up this mess'.. I can speculate. but cant figure for the life of me, why? and oh,, something about a Lambda team meating the rocket in space???,,

obviously the transportation portals where never cut off from the border world.. but what exactley was the whole of HL , going to xen and all that. meant to accomplish? apart from completing the game of course.

 

[dæmon]

Clarky, this was posted by Dux in another thread. It details all of the Half Life story from the various POVs used in the game, and mentions the rocket a few times as well.

 

[Mechagodzilla]

heres a question, in HL, when they say that the missile is the 'only hope to clean up this mess'.. I can speculate. but cant figure for the life of me, why? and oh,, something about a Lambda team meating the rocket in space???,,

obviously the transportation portals where never cut off from the border world.. but what exactley was the whole of HL , going to xen and all that. meant to accomplish? apart from completing the game of course.

In Decay, it is explained that the lambda team satelite sent up by Gordon was to be used to help create a 'resonance reversal'.
It was presumably meant to repair the dimensional breach caused by Gordon's experiment, and prevent more alien warp-ins.

In the end though, it just slowed the aliens down, because Nihilanth began to force the rift open and send invasion forces in.

It did stop further non-intelligent aliens from warping in, however. (No more headcrabs and bullsquid.)

Killing Nihilanth was meant to stop the intelligent Xenians from warping in too, as he was the last thing keeping the rift open.
So, launching the satellite stopped the bullsquid and headcrabs, and killing Nilhilanth stopped the vorts, controllers and grunts.

Then, the Black Ops, Race X and the nuke got rid of everything that was left over, after it was all sealed.

 

[Flyingdebris]

well i don't think it was perfectly sealed, how would all the new crap get in?

 

[DEATH eVADER]

The crabs/bullsquids still teleported in, regardless of the satellite being sent up. I think the last time I saw teleporting in was near the beginning of "Forget about Freeman"

 

[RoguePsi]

It's funny, I've been playing Op4 over Steam lately as well! Great game - a perfect addition to Half-life. And I'm impressed at how you can download the game and play it all so quickly via Steam. Neat stuff.

Not quite finished it tho but will any day now.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

i would not bother reading too much into any events from OpFor, seeing as it has no bearing on the story in HL2.

Actually oppsoing force was written by Marc Laidlaw....BLueshift was as well.


This next part involves the end of blueshift

Spoiler

Something very interesting to point out is that at the end of BlueShift you escape. You happen to play Barney Calhoun who appears in HL2. Three scientists also escape with you...Dr Rosenburg, and two generic. At first i thought the black one was Eli but he gets called "simmons" by Rosenburg. There is also a "glasses" sci who could be Dr Kliener.

 

[thomashiles]

well i don't think it was perfectly sealed, how would all the new crap get in?

What "new crap"? What are you talking about?

 

[CLAYMAN]

I don't think very much we dont already know will be revealed in HL2, about black mesa anyhow. Except maybe what's happened since then, of course.

 

[RoguePsi]

I don't think very much we dont already know will be revealed in HL2, about black mesa anyhow. Except maybe what's happened since then, of course.

Yeah I agree. Although we might get a few more explainations as to what started it and stuff about the G-man etc. Not a lot mind.

 

[clarky003]

dont mean to sound like a noob,but i havnt completed Op4 ever, lol, I got to the end and couldnt seem to beat the boss..

*if u havnt played Op4 before, dont look unless you want to spoil it for yourself or need help*

shooting the creatures eyes out makes him mad.. but ive done it like 9 times over. lol.. am I missing something..? should I shoot his belly after? or jump in the portal that comes out? hlp

 

[hool10]

dont mean to sound like a noob,but i havnt completed Op4 ever, lol, I got to the end and couldnt seem to beat the boss..

This is what you should do clarky003. Shoot both its eyes out with the lasers. When its in pain go to the belly and look inside. See that green portal? Shoot it, blow it up whatever. Once you shoot it enough, you kill the guy!

 

[Mechagodzilla]

This next part involves the end of blueshift

Spoiler

Something very interesting to point out is that at the end of BlueShift you escape. You happen to play Barney Calhoun who appears in HL2. Three scientists also escape with you...Dr Rosenburg, and two generic. At first i thought the black one was Eli but he gets called "simmons" by Rosenburg. There is also a "glasses" sci who could be Dr Kliener.

Actually, glasses guy was named Walter, presumably the infamous Walter Bennet from a Planet Half-Life weekly joke feature from way back.

Kleiner is mentioned in decay and the instructions of HL1, but all we know so far is that he's the guy who reccomended Gordon for a job at Black Mesa.

The crabs/bullsquids still teleported in, regardless of the satellite being sent up. I think the last time I saw teleporting in was near the beginning of "Forget about Freeman"

Hmm. Can anyone remember the last time a non-smart Xen guy warps in in HL1?

 

[Svv4T]

I've been thinking that Shepherd might possibly be the G-Man's insurance against Gordon going rogue... someone equal in sheer ability and badassedness, capable of countering Gordon...

I really like this idea. It would be awesome to see Shepard back fighting with the combine to kill you in HL2. I really hope Valve surprise us with not-yet revealed creatures and characters that would popup during the game. :bounce:

 

[Flyingdebris]

What "new crap"? What are you talking about?

i'm refering to the critters that are now in hl2

if the portal were perfectly sealed we wouldn't be dealing with crabbies and squiddies in hl2 now would we?

 

[Sulkdodds]

1: If Xen and Race X got into a fight, Race X would kick Xen's a$$

Yeah, pretty much. Bt I don't think the Gman expected them to appear, if he knew them to exist at all.

2: At the end, the G-Man says something along the lines *I like somebody that can overcome and adapt extreme situations. It kind of reminds me of a younger me* or something like that. Hmm?

Who knows? Speculation is rife over this one. I suppose it would please those who believe that Gman is a future Gordon...but I don't think so. I think it was Mecha-zilla who pointed out that Freeman only got into the Gman's 'agency' by defeating an entire alien race., so it would make sense that the Gman attained power by similiar methods.

3: The G-Man says something like *Out of all the incidents, Black Mesa has been the worse* or something like that. Could their have been more than one place besides Black Mesa where this occured?

Maybe. Or maybe he means things like the Rosswell incident...

5: The G-Man says he will put Adrian where he can harm no one, and no harm can come to him. Cryogenic stasis?

Quite possibly. Or maybe some obscure dimension where time stands still? Xen being a crossroads to all other dimensions, it's perfectly plausible.

 

[Rupertvdb]

In Op4 did Adrian like Gordon by the end or was he always pissed off about the murderiousness? I forget.....also the SAW was the best gun in the whole series, god i loved that thing.

 

[Mechagodzilla]

In Op4 did Adrian like Gordon by the end or was he always pissed off about the murderiousness? I forget.....also the SAW was the best gun in the whole series, god i loved that thing.

The SAW was great, perhaps even too good. I used it for such a large part of the end. In hard mode, it's practically essential. It shot like ten rounds a second though.


Aidrian was depicted in the same immersive "You are Gordon Freeman" way as in HL1, so hating freeman, killing scientists, etc. were all up to the player.
You could even go rogue and kill the other marines if you sympathized with the science team, if you really wanted to.

In the end though, I think he's more on the friendly side of things. Scientists did save his life, after all.
At the very least, he's the only soldier with the capacity for goodness.

 

[Rupertvdb]

ahah, good point! I remember going all righteous and helping out the scientists, plus helping that non barney guy, whatever he was called, dopey? I think it could tie in with HL2 really well, tht story was awesome

 

[Brian Damage]

I think that there were three different varieties of guards, the "Barney" type, and two fat ones (Moustachio'd and non-moustachio'd), one of which was called "Otis".

I personally preferred, as Shepherd, to help the scientists where I could... Didn't one of them find you injured and bring you back to that little room you start in?

 

[ferd]

This has been discussed before, and the conclusion was, that we dont know enough about what happened in the time between Black Mesa and City 17, to make a reasonable theory

 

[Mechagodzilla]

I think that there were three different varieties of guards, the "Barney" type, and two fat ones (Moustachio'd and non-moustachio'd), one of which was called "Otis".

I personally preferred, as Shepherd, to help the scientists where I could... Didn't one of them find you injured and bring you back to that little room you start in?

I think that they were both technically Otises, just with different hair, like the science guys had.

Also, yep, that's the life-saving I mentioned earlier.

I never bothered to kill the scientists or any other team members. I actually found it to be way more fun to save them all.
I've rescued every possible friendly NPC on hard mode, and it's way fun.
You've got to be pretty crafty though, like in that part where two science guys are trapped between laser-activated sentry guns and tripmine explosives.
You'd be surprised how many you can rescue.

 

[ferd]

But in the end only 3 scientists survived...

 

[Brian Damage]

No, only three scientists escaped with Barney.

Who knows if any others got out?

 

[AcousticToad]

According to the Nihilanth he says something along the lines of (Some of these were not used ingame but the sound files are still there):

Spoiler

Comes another - Perhaps someone was there before Gordon, perhaps bargining with the almighty to stop?

Deceive you, he will decieve you - G-man reference?

You are man, he is not man, for you he waits, for you - Another G-Man reference?

The truth, you can never know the truth - Truth about what? The invasion? Why BM was really experimenting? Possible inter species war?

Theives, you all are theives you all are - Stealing Xenians for research?

Win, You cannot win - In context, is he saying that even if you beat him then they still win?

Done, what have you done? - Talking to Freeman about the resonance cascade scenario?

The last, you are the last, you are - The last hope for earth? The last guy to visit Xen?

Die, you will all die - Again, is this to do with him dying but Xen still winning the war?

Their slaves, we are their slave, we are - The Xen race are slaves? Slaves to who? Humans? Race X? Combine?

You can find the sound files in pak0.pak under sounds/nihilanth.

Some interesting stuff in there.

Also, if you go to the level just before you fight Big N, the part where you jump through the red portal, turn your sound way up when you near it, there is echoing sounds of what you have done, you can hear a scientist say "Gordon, you alive, thank god for your hazard suit" Then some screaming and barney talking about beer i think.

 

[Brian Damage]

Yeah... I went through and recorded all that in athread a little while ago...

Doesn't he say, "Done?... what have you done?...", just after you kill the Gonarch?

Possibly, "You will all die...", refers to the brevity of the human lifespan? I dunno...

 

[Death.Trap]

When you first get into the factory thing and the Nihiliath says something like, "Alone, you are alone." Then he kind of starts some mumbling crap. But the first time I hear that it scared the shit out of me.