The impracticality of the Manipulator...

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Claws

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OK, undoubtedly, the Manipulator is a very cool gun in theory. It looked great in the trailers as well. But I'm sure most of you noticed that the damage was lowered in the trailers, and the player was getting hit a lot while waiting for the Manipulator to grab objects from the environment. So what do you guys think? Will it actually be practical to use the gun in combat? Or is it going to be used mainly to solve puzzles? I hardly find it wise to try and pick up objects while getting shot at, the way the player did in the trailer...
 
It does look like it will mostly be good for puzzels. But also notice how long the guy was taking to do everything , if he would have been runnin like crazy like we will be you wouldnt see much in the video. He was just taking his time.

And yeah...there is the part about him bearly getting hurt at all. So Im gonna say its a puzzle gun, and a fun gun.
 
Yes but keep in mind that when you will be using the Manipulator, you will also be very slow, looking around for objects.
 
I think they brought in the manipulator to link the bridge between the character interacting with the environment...Gabe talked in one of his interviews about how having a weapon to interact with the environment rather than the player model created less issues...

you can see that the player model never picked up anything or ever really interacted with the environment except for pushing and shooting...I guess the manipulator won't be a very effective weapon but will add another dimension to gameplay...and be required to solve the levels...(the E3 video showed it being effective in blocking paths...which is a defensive weapon I guess...)
 
Just because the manipulator "might" be impracticle still won't stop me from abusing the hell out of it... Half the fun is thinking of different possibilities of killing a guy without touching a firearm of some sort.
 
Originally posted by SensesFail
I think they brought in the manipulator to link the bridge between the character interacting with the environment...Gabe talked in one of his interviews about how having a weapon to interact with the environment rather than the player model created less issues...
Click to expand...

Yes that's exactly it. However, I guess the second or third time through the game the player will be able to use it effectively sine he/she will be more familiar with the environments. But I hardly think we can pull off stuff shown in the trailer, simply because the damage taken would probably be enough to kill the player.
 
It might not be your primary weapon, but it will certainly come in handy. It's going to be a challenge to think creatively in Half-Life 2 simply because most games don't give you that freedom.
 
I would not mind repeatedly bludgeoning combine soldiers with objects using the manipulator :-D
 
it wont be a staple gun in hldm.


thats what the pdw or the OICW are for
 
It'd probably be a bit cheezy to have the manipulator in multiplayer, and would present level-design problems for those mappers who wished to take advantage of its inclusion in multiplayer. But on the other hand, Valve might do what they did in the original half-life (even though they didn't have such radical weaponry) and just let you use all of the weapons : )
 
What about those enemies that dont use guns? I will sure as shit be launching things at those mothers alot. And i plan to use the manipulator ALOT in game. I think it could be used as an effective weapon, when used in the proper situation and since we have only seen a taste of the game we can only speculate how often we will be able to effectivley use it. But as i said i plan to atleast try to use it ALOT.
 
heh, I'm not worried about it. I never rush though games anyway, half the time I don't even run much. I love savoring the fun. (JKii being the last SP campaign I REALLY enjoyed, excluding GTA games).

It will be fun, and definately more defencive, though I imagion I will have fun with it, cinderblocks...hope there are alot of them...muahaha...

hmm...now THAT is an idea...actually build a wall with cinder blocks....hehehe
 
I think the manipulator will be both a defensive and offensive weapon... in the traps movie, i specifically remember him pulling the radiator from the wall and blocking the shots from the Combine soldier with it. Once at the top, he shot it off and killed the guy.

As someone else already said, it won't be a primary weapon but i'm sure Valve will present you with situations where it can be effectively used, like the one in the movie.
 
the only thing that im worried about is if the manipulator gun has limited ammo or even runs on ammo.....that would just suck.
 
afaik from seeing the movies there isnt any ammo indicator for the manipulator....

ill be definetly using tha manipulator alot, no question
 
It doesn't appear to have any amunition limitations, as it shouldn't.
That's one of the good parts about it. It's almost like a crowbar in that you can never run out of it, except that you can manipulate your surroundings and make use of it for both defensive and offensive purposes.
 
The best use for it seems to be when you pick up objects and use them as a shield. However, this is only practicle when enemies are firing from one direction (i.e. only one enemy).
 
Originally posted by Infoceptor
... in the traps movie, i specifically remember him pulling the radiator from the wall and blocking the shots from the Combine soldier with it. Once at the top, he shot it off and killed the guy.
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Just FYI, it has been said by Gabe himself that the Manipulator is an entirely different beast than the weapon you just described. Yes, they are two different weapons. It sucks, I know... but anyways, the gun you described apparently *opens up* and glows when you move your x-hair over something that can be lifted. I think the Manipulator (seen in the tech-demo portion) is to be included in the game as well, but I am not exactly sure. I'd have to go back and read it again :)
 
I love the manipulator because the possibilities using it are endless. It is after all a one shot one kill weapon as we saw in the movie that was supposed to be released today.....
 
I'm glad they put in the manipulator instead of taking the Trespasser approach, and putting in one nasty looking arm that would twist in odd directions and do strange things just to show off the physics.
 
Originally posted by CommieX
I'm glad they put in the manipulator instead of taking the Trespasser approach, and putting in one nasty looking arm that would twist in odd directions and do strange things just to show off the physics.
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welcome to the forums :)

uh, wat did u say?
 
Something that can be both a shield and a weapon is pretty darn cool. I have a feeling that we haven't even begun to consider the possibilities of that gun in the game.
 
Originally posted by Apos
Something that can be both a shield and a weapon is pretty darn cool. I have a feeling that we haven't even begun to consider the possibilities of that gun in the game.
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absolutely, dude. im already thinking of how im gonna go thru the game (based on wat ive seen in the 600meg vid) with only the manipulator. kill one guy with a brick, then toss his body onto the next enemy... pick up newly killed enemy and repeat :)
 
Originally posted by XtAkm4p
uh, wat did u say?
Click to expand...

If you've ever played Trespasser, you'd know what I'm talking about. You can manipulate things in the world by picking them up and you can maneuver only one of your arms around for whatever reason. Actually, the physics aren't incredibly bad in Trespasser, but otherwise it was horrible.
 
trespasser had potential but was released to the public in alpha/beta stages the nice feature it had is that you could look down at your health bar ;)
 
Originally posted by Sandman
Just FYI, it has been said by Gabe himself that the Manipulator is an entirely different beast than the weapon you just described. Yes, they are two different weapons. It sucks, I know... but anyways, the gun you described apparently *opens up* and glows when you move your x-hair over something that can be lifted. I think the Manipulator (seen in the tech-demo portion) is to be included in the game as well, but I am not exactly sure. I'd have to go back and read it again :)
Click to expand...

Actually its what the other guy said.

The one that is in the game is the one that is seen pulling the radiator off the wall, with the opening apendiges. The one in the tech demo is the one with the beam, and it was only there so that an audience had something to follow with their eye. It wont be in the final game.
 
I meant that the beam gun in the tech-demo was called the manipulator. I didn't know if it would be included or not... but anyways, I was simply stating that the two were different weapons, and that the one seen in the stairwell scene was not the manipulator.
 
Originally posted by Sandman
I meant that the beam gun in the tech-demo was called the manipulator. I didn't know if it would be included or not... but anyways, I was simply stating that the two were different weapons, and that the one seen in the stairwell scene was not the manipulator.
Click to expand...

it wont
 
Originally posted by Infoceptor
I think the manipulator will be both a defensive and offensive weapon... in the traps movie, i specifically remember him pulling the radiator from the wall and blocking the shots from the Combine soldier with it. Once at the top, he shot it off and killed the guy.

As someone else already said, it won't be a primary weapon but i'm sure Valve will present you with situations where it can be effectively used, like the one in the movie.
Click to expand...

My whole point was that it seemed too slow to be used as a defensive weapon. Did you see how many times he got shot when he was trying to pick up the radiator? The enemy wasted a whole clip by the time he picked it up. Also, when I refer to the manipulator, I'm talkin about the weapon used in Trap town, not in the tech demo.
 
Mmm..... tresspasser health bar, the most ingenious ideea....
 
I think people underestimate this little gun. With plenty of practice I think someone could easily lay down a super size can of ass whooping on multiple enemies. The destructive possibilites are astonishing.

Im wondering if you can use it to distract enemy AI, IE shoot a coke can off to the side, then rush up and WHAM, new crowbar shaped tatoo upside their head.
 
thats exactly what i was thinking falco are they smart or dumb enough i guess that when there hear a noise will they be distracted that would be a great use for the manipulator
 
Pick up and hold a box with the manipulator and crouch in a dark corner. An enemy will look towards you and think, "Oh, just a large, out-of-place box. I'll continue on my way, then."

or... USE IT TO REMOVE DR. KLEINER'S GLASSES AND REVEAL HIS LAZY EYE!! AHHHHHHH. :farmer:
 
I hope the AI doesn't automatically know where you are if you throw an object towards an NPC in hopes of distracting him. Now that would be disappointing wouldn't it?
 
i wonder if you will move slower, when you carry a radiator?
anyways, i think valve integrates some parts where the use of the manipulator will be necessary or at least much more easier than other possible solutions. but for street battles with many enemies it is not the best choice...
 
it's called the "trespasser" i think.

I personally hope it won't be in the game at all. If it does make it, then they should have 'survival'-like sections to the game, when all you get is a few clips of bullets and the trespasser, so you got to be clever with what you do with it
 
... Trespasser?...mmmm... Didn't know there was an official name for it yet.
 
trespasser is the name of a game that was brought up within this thread.

the unoffical name of the gun is the manipulator. there hasnt been an official name released for it yet. naming it the trespasser wouldnt make much sense as it doesnt have anything to do with trespassing.
 
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