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[–]Lucretiel 116 points117 points ago*

There's a lot of good information about this that can be gleaned by examining Dr. Vance's office at Black Mesa East during HL2. Basically, the resonance cascade of HL1 got the attention of the Combine, who invaded earth shortly after Freeman was put in stasis. They defeated all of earth's military forces in 7 hours (hence, the 7 Hour War). They proceeded to subjugate humanity and begin draining earth of resources, most notably its oceans, the results of which are plainly obvious in City 17 and the surrounding coast. Cut ahead some unknown amount time (Generally agreed to be about 20 years) and Freeman returns.

City 17 is the seat of the Combine's power on Earth. It doesn't hold any particular significance than that, and in fact there are many other citadels like the one at the center of City 17 across Earth.

Gordon's importance isn't entirely clear yet. He's more of a symbol of human endurance against alien invaders to the rest than anything, though he's undeniably proficient with a wide variety of weapons. The G-Man's interest in him means that he probably has some other significance as well, but what that is has yet to be explained. (Though Valve has promised it will be explained more completely in the sequel)

EDIT: changed HL2EP3 to "the sequel," as it isn't clear at this point how exactly the sequel will be named

[–]sewslow 29 points30 points ago

Boy, I wish that episode would come out soon :( Is it going to be a full game on its own by this point?

[–]Lucretiel 25 points26 points ago

Depends what you mean by full game... EPs 1 and 2 were "full games," just fairly short ones. It's worth noting that Ep 2 was good deal longer than Ep 1. There are some rumors going around that it's going to be released as HL3, but they're mostly unfounded, and Valve has squashed the rumors of another ARG leading to an announcement soon.

[–]Chakote 58 points59 points ago

I am closer than I would like to admit to making peace with the fact that it is simply never going to come out during my lifetime.

[–]Murrabbit 42 points43 points ago

Games usually do not take this long to come out because everything in development is going so well and whoever's in charge has such a clear and compelling vision for it. Think Duke Nukem Forever, for instance.

It may well be that Valve has simply put the project on hold because of how much shooters have changed, a re-assessment of what such an old style shooter, with a limited audience restricted mostly to those already really onboard with the HL Franchise and waiting for more of it. I know that sounds like a lot of people, but it's tiny compared to those who come to their new properties like the L4D series, but especially portal. They may simply not wish to release an iterative supplement to an old franchise that will sell well only among a dedicated PC audience when focusing on other things can make them a lot more money. I know we don't usually think of Valve this way because they are pretty awesome and dedicated to their fans, but they are still a business after all.

[–]Trevarr 14 points15 points ago

I disagree. If they can hype up even a bit of how much Portal 2 was hyped. They can rake in quite a lot more new players.

Although... to do that they would need to market it as Half-Life 3 most likely. No one's gonna wanna jump in on a franchise at HL2ep3. Too fragmented.

[–]terqui 4 points5 points ago

Im pretty sure HL3 (I say this because Valve has said episodic content didnt work out as planned) is more hyped up now that Portal 2 was and Valve hasnt even announced that they've even thought about making it yet.

[–]Strangelover 3 points4 points ago

When HL3 is released it could out sell portal 2 without valve doing any advertising.

(Okay, maybe not but pretty much everyone that has steam will/would buy it.)

[–]Trevarr 1 point2 points ago

Yeah. If it ever is released they'll probably throw in HL1 and HL2 (maybe even the episodes) in some sort of Half-Life Super Complete Pack.

That could generate a ton of revenue.

[–]CJFizzle 12 points13 points ago

Keep in mind that the Orange Box did sell well on consoles, and it came with HL2 and the episodes. In fact, I played the Episodes on a 360 since I couldn't afford them.

[–]Zoroko 8 points9 points ago

I did as well. I enjoyed the orange box a whole fuck of a lot.

[–]BlueJoshi -1 points0 points ago

Keep in mind is also came with other stuff, too, so anyone who bought it might not have done so for the Episodes.

[–]colstrom 1 point2 points ago*

Yeah, I bought the Orange Box for Portal. Team Fortress 2 was a nice perk, and I probably extracted more fun from that over the long term, but I didn't buy it for HL2.

[Edit]: Less filler.

[–]thehollowman84 4 points5 points ago

If I was a betting man, I'd say they were polishing up the source engine so it's modern, as well as doing story development for HL3 before they finish 2e3 so it segues in nicely. Not to mention applying the famous Valve perfection in general.

I mean, it's not a money problem. It's not gonna be a staff problem, cause I mean...it's valve. How do you fuck up episode 3, you already did the first three pretty damn well.

[–]ruknor42 5 points6 points ago

please. no regenerating health. please god please.

[–]Murrabbit 0 points1 point ago

It already regens from 1-10, they're almost there. Maybe the'll even add a cover system. . . you know something beyond the more natural cover system of get-behind-something-if-you-don't-want-to-get-shot. Also keep an eye out for many more invisible walls, lots more hit-scan weapons, and auto aim. Mmm, modern shooters.

[–]Lucretiel 0 points1 point ago

Doubtful... The HL model hasn't changed much at all since Half Life ONE. They added... a separate battery for the flashlight? Gameplaywise, that's about it. Also, every bullet weapon in HL is already hitscan, HL has an optional auto-aim, and invisible walls fly directly in the face of the Valve design philosophy.

[–]frymaster 4 points5 points ago

HL2 took 6 years. It's been less time than that since the last episode, and even less time since valve's last game. Have faith

[–]recon455 1 point2 points ago

I feel the same, and it's a very sad thought.

[–]marcomc2 8 points9 points ago

You guys are wrong. It will happen. I must believe

[–]xenofexk 6 points7 points ago

They'll make it eventually. No way a company would just give up a money making opportunity that big.

[–]creepingdeathv2 9 points10 points ago

I just hope they don't go the way of duke nukem ... that would just be sad

[–]Jonno_FTW 1 point2 points ago

The hype that's built up around it so great, they can't not cash in. They can just take all the time they want in development to make the most brushed up game, since it's in house and they have plenty of other revenue sources to keep them afloat.

[–]DrLulzworthy 3 points4 points ago

i.e. Half-Life 3 better be the best game ever

[–]JarrettP 0 points1 point ago*

You used "i.e." incorrectly. It means "that is", so a more acceptable word would be "therefore".

-Your friendly Neighborhood Grammar Nazi

Edit: Spelling

[–]alphazero924 0 points1 point ago

Yeah, it's not coming out until at least 2013. Oh wait, spoilers.

[–]TrevorMcDonald 3 points4 points ago

I think most of the rumours about HL3 as opposed to HL2:Ep3 are inferred from a comment from Gabe saying that they were 'done with the episodic model' (or something to that effect) in an interview last year.

A lot of people think it's a pretty safe bet given the strong allusion there. AFAIK, the first two Half-Life episodes were their primary (only?) experiment in episodic releases.

[–]Jeff_Drake 2 points3 points ago

I remember reading an article somewhere that Valve stated the their experiment with episodic gaming didn't pan out and they would be abandoning that model, and that the next Half Life will be Half Life 3.

[–]Megabobster -1 points0 points ago

What Valve really needs to do:

  1. Finish up all the new content of EP3 (don't release yet)
  2. Port EP1 and EP2 to the EP3 engine, compile these 3 into one game (HL3)
  3. Provide all people currently owning EP1 or EP2 a 25% off EP3 coupon (50% for both) now that Steam has better support of coupons, and release HL3, removing EP1/EP2 from Steam.
  4. While the average user would be happy now, Valve needs to also completely open source Source 2006 and 2007 (currently what mods are all based off of) and provide a simple patching tool to convert current mods to independent games (perhaps something similar to what Steam does now to save space).

This accomplishes:
- Appease users by providing a new, complete game as well as easier access to hundreds of free mods.
- Provide the programming community with another reliable open source engine to compete with things like id Tech and Cube/Cube 2 (IMO Source is better).
- Further identifies separate parts of the Half-Life storyline. In Half-Life 1 your goal is to survive and protect (for the most part) Black Mesa, then a significant intervention from GMan takes you to a different time/place. In Half-Life 2 you loosen the Combine's hold on humanity, and at the end, GMan takes you to a different time/place. In Half-Life 3, you completely remove the Combine from Earth, etc. Then maybe in HL4, you can travel to the Combine Overworld and completely obliterate/dissolve the Combine empire.

I'm probably going to post this to /r/gaming later.

[–]BlueJoshi 1 point2 points ago

There are some rumors going around that it's going to be released as HL3

From what I recall, Valve has actually said the opposite: The episodes, together, represent what we'd have gotten in HL3. They released them in three parts like this so we wouldn't have to wait quite so long.

("But we DID have to wait long!" I hear you saying. Yes, but imagine if Ep1 and Ep2 hadn't been released in the interim)

[–]heslaotian 5 points6 points ago

I'm just hoping this isn't a LOST situation where they are just kinda making it up as they go without any real idea of how it will end.

[–]NeedsMoreCrazy 0 points1 point ago

I'm pretty sure they mentioned somewhere that they knew how the plot would end when they wrote it.

That said, though, I don't have a source. Try Combine Overwiki, perhaps?

[–]bananaCabanas 2 points3 points ago

Also remember how the the Vortigaunts were enslaved in HL1, and when Freeman killed the Nihilant they were free, that's why the Vortigaunts are no longer enemies in HL2

[–]fookhar 3 points4 points ago*

An interesting tidbit is the appearance of the vortigaunts in the first game, they have chains on them and they are called vortigaunt slaves. Basically they were controlled by the combine and in the sequel they have broken free to now be on your side. There's a lot more info in the behind the scenes book. For instance, it mentions a longer cutscenes in which all of this is explained to Gordon by Alyx's dad. The entire timeline of the games can be read here.

[–]felibb 0 points1 point ago

Which book is that? "Raising the bar"?

[–]fookhar 0 points1 point ago

Yes, exactly, couldn't remember the name.

[–]TaiVat 0 points1 point ago

This is no entirely accurate, vortigaunts were enslaved by the psychic alien that was the boss at the end of HL1, not the combine.

[–]fookhar 0 points1 point ago

The Nihilanth was itself under Combine control, you can see chains on its wrists in this shot and it's sitting on some Combine-like technology. All right, so this is more implied than documented canon, but it doesn't seem too farfetched when you know the Vortigaunts and the Nihilanth was on the run from the Combine during the first game.

[–]TaiVat 0 points1 point ago

Those dont look all that much like chains to me, but assuming they are, it doesnt imply combine in particular, in fact we know that a lot of creatures including the nihilath flee to xen to escape the combine and that in the first game we've seen no indication of combine presence in xen and only after nihilaths defeat does the gman comment that xen is now "under control". So imo it does kinda seem far fetched. Sorry to be essentially nitpicking though.

[–]fookhar 0 points1 point ago

Looks like you're right, it's not implied the Nihilanth is under Combine control: "We had a glimpse of the larger threat when we were working on Half-Life. In other words we knew that once you cleared out the Nihilanth, you were going to discover something worse beyond it. We knew that some immense threat had chased the Nihilanth and its creatures out of their own world and into Xen, from which location [i.e. the world beyond Xen] they were all too glad to seize the opportunity to continue on to Earth with suppression through the Citadels. But the exact nature of the threat was left to be solved in Half-Life 2." [1] However, the chains could still be remnants from the enslavement by the Combine.

[–]Terny 1 point2 points ago

I haven't played the games (aside from the first couple of minutes of half life2 in which i didn't understand whats going on)... that intricate story has convinced me to play these games. Why isn't the third installment out yet?

[–]Dragon029 2 points3 points ago

No one is entirely sure; they might be making a Half Life 3 instead of Half Life 2: Episode 3, by making it a full (as in longer than Episode 1/2) game.

They might be releasing the next Half Life on a new version of the Steam engine as well.

Or they might be taking their time to make sure the game can live up to the extreme hype (other than Star Wars Battlefront 3, I don't think there are any other games that have such high expectations).

Perhaps they're trying to get another game or two ready as well so that they can do an Orange Box 2.

Or perhaps they're just understaffed; although I highly doubt that.

[–]Helmet_Icicle 1 point2 points ago

Episode three isn't coming out. Gabe has stated Valve is moving on from the episodic development model. Half Life 3 is more probable.

[–]Brokim 1 point2 points ago

What do we know about the G-man? He obviously can go through time and space at will.

[–]ModernRonin 46 points47 points ago

I read somewhere that HL2 takes place 20 years after HL1

Something like that. Alyx was a little girl when the resonance cascade incident at Black Mesa happened, now she's grown up. So if you ask me, 15 years minimum.

There's a theory that the G-Man put Gordon into a "slow teleport" (a teleport where time inside passes very very slowly) at the end of HL1, and then pulled him out at the beginning of HL2. That would explain why Eli (Vance, Alyx's dad) says: "You haven't changed one iota, how do you do it?" to Gordon when he arrives at Black Mesa East during the first parts of HL2.

I know there was some war going on Between the combine and the earth

It's been over for a long time at the point that HL2 starts. They called it the "Seven Hour War", because that's how long it took the Combine to completely steamroll the united military forces of Earth once the portal(s) opened. There's still a tiny guerrilla resistance movement, but it's been pitifully ineffective until Gordon shows up.

What's the purpose of City 17?

Multiple reasons, probably. One is to keep all the remaining humans in one place so they're easier to control. But another one just as important can be summed up in one word: Antlions.

The Portal Storms raged across the Earth, (and still do according to Marc Laidlaw) spreading Xen life forms across Earth causing the people to move into cities for protection.

If you played HL2:Ep 2 you saw how the citadel had enormous ground pounders around it, constantly thumping on the bedrock to annoy the antlions and prevent them from burrowing in under the city. You see how overwhemingly deadly the antlions can be during the "Sand Traps" part of HL2.

Why is Freeman so important?

Several people in the story (most importantly, the G-man) seem to believe that Gordon Freeman can tip the balance of large scale events if he's put into the right part of the situation at the right time. The G-man explains this, obliquely, at the beginning of HL2 as he pulls Gordon out of stasis and puts him on the train that's headed in to City 17.

what's the connection between all of this and the events of HL1?

HL2 is the world that came about because of the events of HL1. It's just like any sequel. The events of the first one happened, and that led to what happens in the second one.

[–]Diosjenin 9 points10 points ago

What's the purpose of City 17?

Multiple reasons, probably. One is to keep all the remaining humans in one place so they're easier to control.

Ah, but there are still plenty of other cities around. City 14 is explicitly mentioned - remember the NPC in the intro who "hoped I'd seen the last of him [Breen] in City 14" - and many others are implied in the same segment, e.g. on the train schedules.

The real reason City 17 is so important is that it contains both the Citadel (headquarters of the Combine presence on Earth and operating base of Ambassador Breen) and the core members of the Resistance.

[–]serbrc 3 points4 points ago

One other question. Why are the signs in City 17 in Cyrillic but the people speak English and are clearly not all eastern European?

Have the Combine been shunting people around the planet? I guess that would be a good tactic to break up resistance cells if you didn't have to worry about the resources you'd expend doing it.

[–]Diosjenin 3 points4 points ago

Have the Combine been shunting people around the planet?

Most likely, yes. It's heavily implied in the opening of HL2 that most of these people have been forcibly transferred multiple times. And you're right, it would indeed be an excellent morale-breaking tactic. Revolutions are easier to stir up when the oppressed have a common culture to rally around. Shuffle people around often enough that they can't easily settle down and become a real community, and you break that societal cohesion.

Of course, the easier explanation for everyone speaking English is that Valve is an English-speaking company. ;)

[–]Jonno_FTW 6 points7 points ago

What if he really chose the "battle you can't possibly win", and win at the end of HL1?

[–]Spaffsy 6 points7 points ago

I nearly shit myself when I replayed HL1 and chose that option.

Fuck G-Man, he doesn't play fair.

[–]ToKeYMonsTeR 4 points5 points ago

Then he would be dead.

[–]ModernRonin 1 point2 points ago

Beyond my ability to answer, better email Gabe and ask. ;]

[–]Jonno_FTW 11 points12 points ago

I did pick it when I play through ages ago (a year after the game came out), just to see what happened. It didn't even let you try to fight. It was lots of grunts in rows as far as you could see and then the screen faded to black.

[–]Helmet_Icicle 0 points1 point ago

Doesn't he die? That's not the "canon" ending, though.

[–]Jonno_FTW 0 points1 point ago

It is for me ;__;

[–]terqui -1 points0 points ago

C'mon, its Gordon Fucking Freeman.

He won.

[–]segoli 6 points7 points ago

Is that "slow teleport" believed, then, to be the exact same thing that pushed Alyx and Gordon forward 2 weeks when returning from Nova Prospekt? Because if so I suspect that'll become a major plot point eventually in the series...

[–]ModernRonin 2 points3 points ago

Yes.

[–]PattyPegface 5 points6 points ago

I was always bothers by how little people are surprised that Gordon just suddenly reappears with no aging or whatever. They clearly like seeing him, but he's been gone for 20 years. Youd think theyd notice that a little more.

It's just something that I hate about that game, even though it's fantastic otherwise.

[–]ZorbaTHut 28 points29 points ago

I assume they talk about that behind his back. At this point, Gordon is kind of a mythical savior figure to them. In Half-Life 1 he did a bunch of stuff that no human should be able to do, then vanished. They've been completely unable to make headway since then without him. 15-20 years later, he shows up and suddenly they start making major progress again. He never speaks. He never gives suggestions. All he does is kill Combine and survive.

You're not going to walk up to a guy like that and say "HEY, GORDON, WHAT'S WITH THE LACK OF AGING MAN, AMIRITE", you're going to be a bit intimidated and treat him with extreme respect and deference. Which is exactly how all the characters treat him.

[–]PoeticEnd 0 points1 point ago

Exactly. Especially in a world like it is in HL2 where submission has become a way of survival and life, you would treat Gordon like a god.

[–]numeroz 7 points8 points ago

well its only implied he doesn't age. they say stuff like "you havent changed a bit have you?" which could just have to do with his glowing personality or fondness of crowbars.

[–]JustJonny 2 points3 points ago

Most of the people he meets wouldn't know him from before HL2. Of the people he knew in Black Mesa, pretty much all of them comment on it.

[–]Dragon029 7 points8 points ago

This, plus the fact that at least Eli Vance has been contacted by the G-Man. If the other key members from Black Mesa & Gordon's past have also been contacted (pretty much just Barney, Dr Kleiner, Dr Magnusson and perhaps Dr Judith Mossman) then they'd likely know or be able to extrapolate exactly where Gordon's been for the past 20 years.

Really though, if anyone were to ask Gordon the question, I'd assume it to be Kleiner. I have a feeling he's been contacted as well though - at the end of Half Life 1, the G-Man says you've earned the right to keep your HEV suit. At the start of Half Life 2, you don't have it, but Kleiner does (or at least an identical one).

[–]terqui 4 points5 points ago

at the end of Half Life 1, the G-Man says you've earned the right to keep your HEV suit. At the start of Half Life 2, you don't have it, but Kleiner does (or at least an identical one).

This still bugs me to this day. Maybe hes wearing two now?

[–]PoeticEnd 2 points3 points ago

I feel like G-man would have given Kleiner the suit sometime during the 20-odd years Gordon was gone with a "keep this safe" sort of message as putting Gordon on a train to City 17 with his suit on and no weapon would be murder.

[–]frezik 2 points3 points ago

Also, Freeman and Mossman were born around the same time, and competed for the same job at Black Mesa out of school. But Gordan is the same age as when the G-Man took him, while Mossman has continued aging.

[–]duffmanhb -1 points0 points ago*

Am I just noticing this or does his voice sound like the words were spliced together? Is this intentionally done by Valve (maybe to imply he is some sort of robot) or just a shitty audio recording?

EDIT: Scumbag Reddit: Downvotes some one for asking an honest question.
Thank every one that answered me though! It's been a while since I played the first and must have missed some things during the sensory overload of playing a game of such magnitude at the time. Thanks!

[–]sofawall 12 points13 points ago

The G-Man talks the way he does to imply that he is alien, strange, and definitely not human.

[–]Nilef 7 points8 points ago

Yeah. It implies he is uneasy with human mannerisms of speaking, having only just come into contact with the languages and mannerisms.

[–]ModernRonin 0 points1 point ago

It's intentional. What it's supposed to mean I don't know.

[–]q80king 20 points21 points ago

I read this guide about a year ago, it's pretty good at explaining the half life timeline http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/

Hope this helps.

[–]kiaha 10 points11 points ago

Great website there. I would actually refer OP to the timeline which incorprates Aperture Science's involvement in the series as well.

[–]SpaghettiWizard 33 points34 points ago

This might help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHxyZaZlaOs

Be sure to watch them all

[–]CrazyMcfobo 11 points12 points ago

I agree, this is the most useful knowledge base.

[–]Pilpecurb 8 points9 points ago

If these two havent beeb posted, here here is a very, very good timeline which emcompasses the games, including Portal and other related games not labelled Half Life.

Also, this wiki is very comprehensive.

[–]faitswulff 9 points10 points ago

I had a waking nightmare that I will settle down, get married, and have a child. When she turns five she will ask me, "Daddy, when will Half-Life 3 come out?"

I just graduated college. Gabe, please save me from this fate.

[–]no1stunna 2 points3 points ago

Why isn't Half-Life 2 called full life?

[–]warfrogs 17 points18 points ago

Because it would be a quarter life actually.

[–]creepingdeathv2 -1 points0 points ago

What do you think the title half-life actually means ? Have you played the game ?

I m not interrogating here. Just curious as to how you came up with such a question.

[–]denfilade 5 points6 points ago

I think he was making a joke. One half multiplied by two is a whole.

[–]Thatguykalem 6 points7 points ago

I love that you felt the need to add that bit on the end :P

[–]denfilade 2 points3 points ago

I was going to go on and explain what a joke was, but I didn't want to be more condescending than I already am haha.

[–]Thatguykalem 0 points1 point ago

It was still worth a laugh :P

[–]no1stunna 0 points1 point ago

Why isn't your username called reincarnatedzombiev1?

[–]creepingdeathv2 -4 points-3 points ago

because of the creeping and the causing death ... and because of being new and improved....

similarly, the game is set with a scientific background ... the half-life of a substance ... and the radioactive decomposition ... it being the cause of the whole reason for portals opening ...

therefore, calling it full life would be absolutely retarded.

[–]mxkofod 1 point2 points ago

This will explain everything.

[–]lambdacomplex 0 points1 point ago

'Why is Freeman so important?'

Question has now been asked 1,003,459 times. Next question to follow is 'SO IS THE G MAN REALLY GORDON FREEMAN?¬?!?!?$£"$3GRFGWQ#'

That was me strangling the person that asks it at the end.

[–]thehungynerd117 0 points1 point ago

Portal 2 takes place years after Ep2 (and maybe Ep3) but i dont see how that answers your question just putting it out there...

[–]PattyPegface 5 points6 points ago

It's heavily implied that Portal (and Portal 2) take place hundreds of years later. It's hard to say for sure, but it's very clear in boh games that the Aperture facility had been abandoned for years and years and years. However, the apocalypse that's mentioned in Portal 2 is probably the Combine invasion. There's not much else it could be ...

[–]thehungynerd117 4 points5 points ago

Actually Portal 1 takes place somewhat between Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2 Episode 1 and Portal 2 takes place MANY years after Episode and most likely after Episode 3/Half-Life 3. "Portal 2 almost directly follows the events of Portal from Chell's perspective, although being set several years (possibly decades or centuries) after the events of Portal." Source: http://combineoverwiki.net/wiki/Portal_2_storyline

[–]LesEnfantsTerribles 2 points3 points ago

These 2 games are connected?

Wow.

Never knew that. Thank you for blowing my mind.

[–]ZorbaTHut 14 points15 points ago*

They're absolutely connected, but in a way that a casual player might not notice.

  • Several of the presentation screens in Portal 1 refer to Black Mesa, apparently a successful competitor of Aperture Science. Black Mesa is the military industrial company that causes the disaster in Half-Life 1. Most of Half-Life 1's gameplay takes place inside their facilities.

  • Portal 2 continues this with far more references to the somewhat one-sided rivalry between Black Mesa and Aperture Science, though, again, this requires that you know what Black Mesa was.

  • More immediately, HL2:Ep2 talks directly about Aperture Science, and specifically a research vessel known as the Borealis (". . . vanished, with all hands, and even part of the dry dock!") The end of HL2:Ep2 involves the main characters vowing to find the Borealis.

  • Portal 2 includes, as an easter egg/achievement, the drydock the Borealis vanished from.

There still haven't been any direct links - there's been no Portal-universe items that appeared in Half-Life, nor have there been Half-Life-universe artifacts in Portal. Additionally, the Aperture Science facilities seem to have been shut down before the events of Half-Life 1, so there's no reference to the Zen aliens or the Combine. But it's clear the two are definitively linked and it's just a matter of time before they start interfering more emphatically with each other's storylines. Most likely that time will be known as "halflife 2 episode 3".

[–]Master_race 13 points14 points ago

http://i.imgur.com/JfMdB.jpg

Portal 2, when one of the shafts full of rubble went down you could see a dead(?) headcrab falling down with it. The reason why there aren't more is probably because of GLaDOS security and because the Combine never were interested in a abandoned facility.

also GLaDOS sometimes mentions that she "saw" things outside that were causing some trouble but it didn't matter for her because it stayed outside. I think this was in Portal 1.

I think Portal 1 is on the same timeline as half-life but Portal 2 is hundreds years later.

Also: http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/File:Borealis_plans_01.png this could be seen in Half-Life 2:ep2

GLaDOS also references things like that it would be better if she killed Chell instead of going outside. This could be seen as that GLaDOS knows about the Combine and maybe about their ways about "questioning" people.

Another theory why GLaDOS knows about the Combine is because she can hear their radio's and just listen with them.

[–]ZorbaTHut 8 points9 points ago

Hey, totally forgot about that. Good catch.

I think there's no real evidence about the timeline of Portal - there's plenty of things outside that could be a menace, from Zen creatures to Combine to whatever may have replaced the Combine. By Portal 2, "you're better off dead than outside" could mean anything from "there are horrible monsters" to "there are Combine" to "the planet is sterile".

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points ago

Based on the massive wheat field surrounding the shed exit, my money is on "sterile Earth" (also, WALL-E might work in the timeline here somehow, for shits and giggles if nothing else)

[–]PattyPegface 2 points3 points ago

They're just in the same universe, really. So far, that's it, but EP3 is supposedly going to have a massively important plot point involving Aperture Science.

[–]quix117 0 points1 point ago

If the game takes place near Eastern Europe, how would Gordon and friends make it to Aperture Science, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan?

[–]PattyPegface 0 points1 point ago

1) Portals. Or teleportation. Or one hell of a long journey, which will make for an epic game.

2) Have you played (or finished) Ep2? It's explained a little there, though it's still shrouded in mystery.

[–]pxl 0 points1 point ago

There was an IAmA by a developer from Valve working on the HL3, x months ago ... Does anyone have a link to this?

[–]gburnaman 1 point2 points ago

In a five year-old's terms?: The Resonance Cascade drew the attention of the alien empire collectively known as the Combine Empire or the Universal Union. The Combine already had the control of multiple universes of life(although the extent over their power with each universe is unknown, they might be still exploring other universes). They came to earth through the same quantum rips the Nihilanth's forces used. It should be noted here that the Combine are probably interested in the earths water and human teleportation technology, they've got us outpaced in almost everything else. Humanity was still defending itself from the forces of Xen and Race X(who only appeared in isolated pockets). Most humans moved into large walled cities a few months later. The Combine found earthlings huddled together in cramped hastily built slums and took the advantage, started a war called the "7 Hour War". It probably might have lated 9 hours except that Doctor Breen, Black Mesa's old administrator recognized the danger Humanity was in. Presumably using ties with the government Breen made contact with the Combine and surrendered, his motion backed up by the government presumably. The Combine turned humanity into a slave race, set up the Suppression Field so that humans couldn't reproduce and then set us to work draining the oceans and harvesting minerals presumably. The Overwatch was set up as a branch of human-Combine super soldiers to keep "peace" and keep their new found slaves safe from the aliens still left from the Resonance Cascade. Enter Doctor Freeman and you've got Half-Life 2.

[–]2truthsandalie 0 points1 point ago

This explains everything

[–]knifebucket 0 points1 point ago

I find myself saying "Blah Blah Blah, Mr. Freeman" a lot

although he is a Dr. isn't he?

[–]gavintlgold 0 points1 point ago

He's a PhD but G-Man always calls him "Mister Freeman" for some reason in the game.

[–][deleted] ago

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[–]Moldavite 1 point2 points ago

idk why you were downboated i always think eli5 should be appropriate for 5 "eli5 how to from babby" for example 5yo doesnt need to know that

[–]mrdizzy -3 points-2 points ago

Hey, your English is pretty good. I didn't even notice it being bad.

[–]WorstAccountOf2012 -3 points-2 points ago

Gordon Freeman watches furry porn and masterbates furiously. Everyone knows this.