you should make more half life lore videos like this, all the other lore youtubers only cover the broad strokes and not the little things like technology
My headcannon is basically that the events of HL2 and HL:A are the combine attempts at assimilating humanity into the Combine and testing how viable that is as a possibility. Basically the process they have gone with other species before turning them into synths. Meaning that the Overwatch Transhuman Arms (OTA) efforts to take down the resistance may be a pseudo test to either check if the current version of human synths are effective or do they need to keep going and keep improving. The assimilation of human technology is only done for the purpose of simplifying their occupation and in the slight possibility humanity may have some tech the Combine doesnt, like in HL2 case local teleportation. The only Crowbar (Get it, crowbar cuz freeman...) in their plans was Gman as he seems to serve some "benefactors" who may have interests that go against the Combine's interests and as such is causing them unexpected troubles like the destruction of City-17 and the stranding of Combine forces after the White Forest Rocket, they also did not account that maybe humanity is the most similar species in regards to Combine in that I mean their adaptability and their capacity to assimilate Combine technology. As we see in HL2 and HL:A in 20 years humanity has already developed methods to hijack Combine systems and bypass security while also develop effective tactics to ambush and attack their forces. In addition, the Combine's inability to avoid the resistance doing some serious damage to their occupation may suggest this is a first for them, an unprecendented case, something that had never happened before and as such they only now are learning how to deal with it, however they are in no rush. For the Combine humanity is still weak and are little more than an annoyance to their overall schemes, as Doctor Kleiner said (to paraphrase) The isolation of Combine forces is only temporary as they undoubtedly will just try invading and assimilating humanity again. However, next time they will be better prepared to handle us proving that the resistance efforts are futile and only delay the inevitable.
love this a lot, very informative. seems i missed a few little bits the Combine have replaced with their own metal plated versions. Also, the Synths are implied to be fully artificial recreations of animals, not modified ones themselves. Someone asked Ted Backman (a designer for the games) and he says the Strider was "scanned" and recreated.
We all know that HL2: Episode 3 would be about the Borealis as suggested by the "Epistle 3" document however, if a proper HL3 was made it would be interesting to see it explore the broader Combine Empire and how other alien civilizations exist under it's rule.
Not to mention the combine on record have been using man-made weaponry such as the USP (Pistol used by metropolice) the MP7 (SMG used by metrocops and combine soldiers) and the SPAS-12 (used by combine shotgunners) i don't blame them, they could save up whatever currency for their more important matters such as construction of their technology (probably expensive as hell) instead of wasting it all on mostly AR2 production (also very expensive probably). I mean, humanity's armies that used to exist before the invasion also did this. Such as US soldiers during vietnam taking Ak-47s from KIA Vietnamese guerillas, or somalian pirates taking FN FALs leftover from the rhodesian bush war.
Reminds me of the US military throwing away their in house controller which costed 10's of millions of dollars to develop, and replaced them with xbox controllers, because people were familiar with them already. No sense in reinventing the wheel just to waste extra resources.
I swear to god, when I watched this video I thought this guy had around 50k-100k subs, but christ he has way less than I expected for a video of this quality.
One of my favorite aspects of HL2 concept art and environmental design, an aspect which is glossed over often. The image of monolithic, hostile and brutalist metal-reinforced superstructures stuck on eastern european soviet-era apartment complexes is easily one of the most striking visuals I've ever seen.
In the HL2 beta, the OTA soldiers were using HK XM 29 OICW grenade launchers and used modified MI 8 helicopters, these two things being another example for the use of human inventions
Very interesting point about the convergent evolution of certain technologies. What works will be independently developed and copied everywhere. I see no reason that a flashlight, for example, wouldn't be invented on an alien planet if it provided the same benefit (planet has a day-night cycle). We see convergent evolution in biology on earth. Eyes have evolved multiple times ... Because they work
Amazing video, not nearly enough subs for the level of quality. Would love to see more content exploring the combine and other facets of the half life universe!
you should make more half life lore videos like this, all the other lore youtubers only cover the broad strokes and not the little things like technology
My headcannon is basically that the events of HL2 and HL:A are the combine attempts at assimilating humanity into the Combine and testing how viable that is as a possibility. Basically the process they have gone with other species before turning them into synths. Meaning that the Overwatch Transhuman Arms (OTA) efforts to take down the resistance may be a pseudo test to either check if the current version of human synths are effective or do they need to keep going and keep improving. The assimilation of human technology is only done for the purpose of simplifying their occupation and in the slight possibility humanity may have some tech the Combine doesnt, like in HL2 case local teleportation. The only Crowbar (Get it, crowbar cuz freeman...) in their plans was Gman as he seems to serve some "benefactors" who may have interests that go against the Combine's interests and as such is causing them unexpected troubles like the destruction of City-17 and the stranding of Combine forces after the White Forest Rocket, they also did not account that maybe humanity is the most similar species in regards to Combine in that I mean their adaptability and their capacity to assimilate Combine technology. As we see in HL2 and HL:A in 20 years humanity has already developed methods to hijack Combine systems and bypass security while also develop effective tactics to ambush and attack their forces. In addition, the Combine's inability to avoid the resistance doing some serious damage to their occupation may suggest this is a first for them, an unprecendented case, something that had never happened before and as such they only now are learning how to deal with it, however they are in no rush. For the Combine humanity is still weak and are little more than an annoyance to their overall schemes, as Doctor Kleiner said (to paraphrase) The isolation of Combine forces is only temporary as they undoubtedly will just try invading and assimilating humanity again. However, next time they will be better prepared to handle us proving that the resistance efforts are futile and only delay the inevitable.
love this a lot, very informative. seems i missed a few little bits the Combine have replaced with their own metal plated versions. Also, the Synths are implied to be fully artificial recreations of animals, not modified ones themselves. Someone asked Ted Backman (a designer for the games) and he says the Strider was "scanned" and recreated.
We all know that HL2: Episode 3 would be about the Borealis as suggested by the "Epistle 3" document however, if a proper HL3 was made it would be interesting to see it explore the broader Combine Empire and how other alien civilizations exist under it's rule.
Not to mention the combine on record have been using man-made weaponry such as the USP (Pistol used by metropolice) the MP7 (SMG used by metrocops and combine soldiers) and the SPAS-12 (used by combine shotgunners) i don't blame them, they could save up whatever currency for their more important matters such as construction of their technology (probably expensive as hell) instead of wasting it all on mostly AR2 production (also very expensive probably). I mean, humanity's armies that used to exist before the invasion also did this. Such as US soldiers during vietnam taking Ak-47s from KIA Vietnamese guerillas, or somalian pirates taking FN FALs leftover from the rhodesian bush war.
I've always wondered what happened to most of humanities firearms. My theory is that they were destroyed by the combine. And researched for the AR2.
Reminds me of the US military throwing away their in house controller which costed 10's of millions of dollars to develop, and replaced them with xbox controllers, because people were familiar with them already. No sense in reinventing the wheel just to waste extra resources.
I swear to god, when I watched this video I thought this guy had around 50k-100k subs, but christ he has way less than I expected for a video of this quality.
One of my favorite aspects of HL2 concept art and environmental design, an aspect which is glossed over often. The image of monolithic, hostile and brutalist metal-reinforced superstructures stuck on eastern european soviet-era apartment complexes is easily one of the most striking visuals I've ever seen.
This deserves WAY more interest and attention, great video and would love to see more half life!
In the HL2 beta, the OTA soldiers were using HK XM 29 OICW grenade launchers and used modified MI 8 helicopters, these two things being another example for the use of human inventions
In half life alyx it turns out that the terminals have giant brains inside of them
11:18
I alwaays laugh at thinking that the combine supplies their soldiers with super futuristic alien pulse rifles AND regular ass human SPAS 12 shotguns
Very interesting point about the convergent evolution of certain technologies. What works will be independently developed and copied everywhere. I see no reason that a flashlight, for example, wouldn't be invented on an alien planet if it provided the same benefit (planet has a day-night cycle). We see convergent evolution in biology on earth. Eyes have evolved multiple times ... Because they work
6:04
Amazing video, not nearly enough subs for the level of quality. Would love to see more content exploring the combine and other facets of the half life universe!
Thanks for reminding me why I love this franchise.
the cp is the jury and the ai is the judge
this video is really well put together; it deserves more attention. you did great on this!