bat_lyubo
Newbie
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2005
- Messages
- 179
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Hello there HL2 fans. This is the first time i'm writing in this forum, but it will be quite interesting. I will try and explain many of the questions about City 17 and its background, which have so far only been specualted in this forum.
Firstly, I found a specualtion that City 17 is in Russia. I think that it's in no apparent palce in the world. The city is just meant to symbolise the whole world. Firstly, the cyrillic characters in the game spell words NOT in Russain, BUT in Bulgarian. But this is understandable, as the level designer (Victor) was probably Bulgarian as his name and work suggest. This does not mean that City 17 is in Bulgaria though, as the city looks nothing like Bulgarian cities. It's just meant to be differnet and more exotic than Russian, as it doesn't look like Russia either. Also the characters are American, so there you go. The city is meant to symoblise the terror and the lyfestyle throughout the world in the given time, rather than one city in one country.
Secondly, ALL the vehicles scattered around in the game, except the VW Golf, the alien spacecraft and the Combine's vehicles, are Russian made cars and trucks from the 70s. They are as follows:
1. ZAZ: normally found in green colour, with white numberplates
2. Volga: normally if not always white, first seen in Ravenholm, on the cranes
3. Moskvich: normally white, has missing parts
4. UAZ truck: a skip truck with a blue cab
5. KAMAZ: only seen a few times, in highway 17, busted up with a red cab.
6. Other trucks and the van are also Russian.
Also, all the cars have Bulgarian format number plates, which again is a hint about the nationality of the level deginer, but NOT the geographical coordinate of City 17. Also the buggy, that you get to drive sounds like a Russian engine, but that's just my speculation.
So this comes as a huuuge contrast: the modern technology of at least 21st century, and the old Communism time Russian cars. Also the high rising blocks of apratments are Russian type. I saw one block, of about 12 storeys, which I've seen in one place in Bulgaria. So again a contrast between the alien tech and the old communism-time type of life.
Thirdly, everything in the game shows communist ideology and presence. All civialians wear the same clothes and live in the same rat holes and are equal. Also, the name of the city suggests communist ideology: it has a number, rather than name. In Russia, schools were called ''School number ??'', to show ''equality''. So what we have, is a COMMUNIST CITY in the 21st or 22nd century, whose people are being terrorised.:bonce: An ideology, which today's politicians are fighting against, comes back in the future. Someone really messed up the whole world, didn't they?
So city 17 is not modelled after one particular existing place, but is a borrowing from former communist USSR, some Bulgarian writing and a bit of alien technology. I could give more evidence why the city is no particular place in the world, but already this is too long. I hope you have found it interesting. I myslef am very thrilled by City 17 and can do nothing, but praise the level designer. If you want more information or screenshots, then pls write.
Firstly, I found a specualtion that City 17 is in Russia. I think that it's in no apparent palce in the world. The city is just meant to symbolise the whole world. Firstly, the cyrillic characters in the game spell words NOT in Russain, BUT in Bulgarian. But this is understandable, as the level designer (Victor) was probably Bulgarian as his name and work suggest. This does not mean that City 17 is in Bulgaria though, as the city looks nothing like Bulgarian cities. It's just meant to be differnet and more exotic than Russian, as it doesn't look like Russia either. Also the characters are American, so there you go. The city is meant to symoblise the terror and the lyfestyle throughout the world in the given time, rather than one city in one country.
Secondly, ALL the vehicles scattered around in the game, except the VW Golf, the alien spacecraft and the Combine's vehicles, are Russian made cars and trucks from the 70s. They are as follows:
1. ZAZ: normally found in green colour, with white numberplates
2. Volga: normally if not always white, first seen in Ravenholm, on the cranes
3. Moskvich: normally white, has missing parts
4. UAZ truck: a skip truck with a blue cab
5. KAMAZ: only seen a few times, in highway 17, busted up with a red cab.
6. Other trucks and the van are also Russian.
Also, all the cars have Bulgarian format number plates, which again is a hint about the nationality of the level deginer, but NOT the geographical coordinate of City 17. Also the buggy, that you get to drive sounds like a Russian engine, but that's just my speculation.
So this comes as a huuuge contrast: the modern technology of at least 21st century, and the old Communism time Russian cars. Also the high rising blocks of apratments are Russian type. I saw one block, of about 12 storeys, which I've seen in one place in Bulgaria. So again a contrast between the alien tech and the old communism-time type of life.
Thirdly, everything in the game shows communist ideology and presence. All civialians wear the same clothes and live in the same rat holes and are equal. Also, the name of the city suggests communist ideology: it has a number, rather than name. In Russia, schools were called ''School number ??'', to show ''equality''. So what we have, is a COMMUNIST CITY in the 21st or 22nd century, whose people are being terrorised.:bonce: An ideology, which today's politicians are fighting against, comes back in the future. Someone really messed up the whole world, didn't they?
So city 17 is not modelled after one particular existing place, but is a borrowing from former communist USSR, some Bulgarian writing and a bit of alien technology. I could give more evidence why the city is no particular place in the world, but already this is too long. I hope you have found it interesting. I myslef am very thrilled by City 17 and can do nothing, but praise the level designer. If you want more information or screenshots, then pls write.