Half Life 2 *does not* have an original, deep story.

Wow, big words, you say. And people are going to come here and argue with me. Well, let me just clear things up first:

1) I love Half Life. I'm a huge fan of it. What I think most of you will be mistaken for a good story is good story telling. That, I can say, Half Life is exceptional at. Half Life and its sequel are by far the most well told stories in all of FPS land. I'm not denying that. However, that doesn't necessarily make the story amazing or sensational (in fact, most beloved stories in any case are not always entirely original, but are just well told like the game I'm talking about).

2) I am not the only one who has figured this out. GameSpot, back in 1998, said this in their review:

"The plot of the game is typical (in fact, it's little more than an elaborate version of Doom)... Suffice it to say that Half-Life isn't a great game because of its story; it's a great game because of how it presents that story."

Didn't need a literary critic to figure that out.

Now, what makes Half Life so cliche, when you take a step back from the marvellous presentation and look at it from a different point of view (no pun intended)?

I'll read off the list of Grand List of Overused Sci Fi cliches and show you which ones Half Life 2 hits. In no particular order:

-Rag tag rebel army struggles valiantly to overthrow an Evil Empire.

(What I think is the reason the Combine are on Earth) - Aliens travel a zillion miles to loot the earth of resources which exist in far greater and much more easily exploitable quantities on the many uninhabited bodies they pass on the way to earth.

(Or) -Aliens with completely incomprehensible motivations make war on the human race/invade earth.

We don't know anything of the Combine's motivations, yet, but looking at what Valve has done, it could be likely.

- A human discovers that the human race is being controlled by aliens.

- The government bans music, painting, dancing, or some other art form; only the hero seems to care enough to do anything about it. (Extrapolating from the setting of City 17).

- Cities of future are depicted as though sanitation workers have been on strike from now until then.

- The incredibly competent man-of-action with more skills/degrees than you can shake a blaster at. (GORDON I'M LOOKING AT YOU)

- Any character with a perpetual two-day growth of beard. (Wonder who could that be...)

- Beginning warriors who hit everything they shoot at. (GORDON AGAIN)

-A smart, courageous, gorgeously attractive woman who is rarely if ever asked out. (Extrapolate and know that Alyx has a thing for Gordon. Where's her Bf?)

- The untrained, average Joe who can take on and defeat highly trained and well-equipped operatives.(100% GORDON)

- In the future, everyone either supports their government fully, or is engaged in a terrorist campaign to overthrow it.

- Aliens who are vastly more intelligent and advanced than we are, but we beat them anyway by "ingenuity," plain guts, or exploiting an Achilles Heel.

- A Big Surprise awaits the reader/viewer at the end of the tale: The head of government is a disguised Bad Guy or is under direct control of the Bad Guys.

- So-called elite forces get their butts kicked by a smaller, less well-armed force.

- Someone gets healed by contact with aliens (often by a laying on of hands).

- Any weapon can be picked up and used by anyone, no matter how lacking they are in training and/or upper-body strength. (HEV suit is not strength augmenting)

I didn't move onto the "Silly Science" section because to my knowledge Half Life doesn't have that. I know Halo does though.

Now as you can see, Half Life has hit quite a few cliches. Look, it doesn't matter how specific you are, it doesn't have a fairly significant twist to it, then its nul. Like Gordon actually causing the accident, that's an acceptable motif for an alien break out.

Don't worry, Halo has its fair share of cliches too. Some which were done to cater to 12 year olds (retarded Elite English FTL).

--------

I've kept that in notepad for any fool who tried to argue against that.

http://www.cthreepo.com/cliche/

There's the link to see for yourself. Bet those of you who did try to challenge me never saw that in your entire life. Oh, and also, try find how many Halo hits upon for all you Halo haters.

I tell you, a forumite I hold in highest regard tried to argue against this, and he failed miserably. I don't blame him though, and most of you know him for being intelligent in his posts.

I'll put this in a blog as well because some teenage fools think they have a one up on me in this one, quoting me in their sig thinking they scored another idiotic quote. Safe to say, they'll be the one being laughed upon instead.

I didn`t read all that, you probably listed a list of cliches from the SCI-FI genre present in HL2. What people need to understand is that it isn`t the story itself that is so great about the HL franchise, it`s they way it`s being told.N-K0d3R

That's what I just said :lol:

But some people can't see that.

Yep, I agree. Any game or movie that has anything to do with humans struggling and fighting aliens is automatically unoriginal. With that said, Half Life 2 is still an awesome game and a classic in my eyes.coolviper2003

Lol nah that's generalizing way too much.

Metroid is really refreshing, don't ya think?

[QUOTE="coolviper2003"]Yep, I agree. Any game or movie that has anything to do with humans struggling and fighting aliens is automatically unoriginal. With that said, Half Life 2 is still an awesome game and a classic in my eyes.FrozenLiquid

Lol nah that's generalizing way too much.

Metroid is really refreshing, don't ya think?

Actually it does man... it is very original and most of the stuff you said does not apply to it... sorry but if you have payed attention to what happens in the game you would know that most of that is wrong. FlockofSpagheti

Yeah, it does. Please counter my argument, or silently slip away. Coz that was a whole post of nothing.

And yes, I have payed attention in the game. Who couldn't.

Also, if you didn't see the link between what I've listed and Half Life 2 then sorry, you shouldn't be talking about this since you can't figure it out.

[QUOTE="FrozenLiquid"]

[QUOTE="coolviper2003"]Yep, I agree. Any game or movie that has anything to do with humans struggling and fighting aliens is automatically unoriginal. With that said, Half Life 2 is still an awesome game and a classic in my eyes.coolviper2003

Lol nah that's generalizing way too much.

Metroid is really refreshing, don't ya think?

I liked the setting too. I was talking about the NES games. And the GBA game too I think I played.

I always thought it had an intriguing story though. Can't remember. Guess I'll have to play it againsometime.

That and Halo. Halo took an interesting twist on the humans vs. aliens in that the Covenant was merely a catalyst into the human race finding out their link to the Halo rings and the Forerunner. Then you got Halo 2 which totally changes pace and talks about the Covenant and their divide -- a clever allusion to the Great Schism in Christianity.

[QUOTE="FlockofSpagheti"]Actually it does man... it is very original and most of the stuff you said does not apply to it... sorry but if you have payed attention to what happens in the game you would know that most of that is wrong. FrozenLiquid

Yeah, it does. Please counter my argument, or silently slip away. Coz that was a whole post of nothing.

And yes, I have payed attention in the game. Who couldn't.

Anyone who has paid close attention to the game's story while playing it would see that most of that stuff is wrong... I am not going to point out how they are all wrong because it would not change your opinion without you seeing it for yourself...

Well I agree on most part of your post, just a couple of things I would like to add.

You keep on mentioning how Gordon was able (a un-trained individual) was able to defeat the combines hold on Earth. What you forget to mention is that he was with the Gman for an amount of time and could of had training with him. It was stated in the game that the rebels bought Gordon to fight for him (well not stated but if you read between the lines....), you would expect that if the Gman was going to have people bid on one of his products that he would do his job right. Plus along the way you can see the Gman guiding him and making sure he does this job (he even handed the rocket launcher to the guy to hand to you). But I do agree that the one man army thing is kind of old by now (they even makes fun of it in the game).

One last thing I would like to mention, that although the story may not be the most original it certainly does a good job at telling it and the way it portrays all the main characters is by far the best I have seen. I can't wait for episode 2 to find out who dies :D

Anyone who has paid close attention to the game's story while playing it would see that most of that stuff is wrong... I am not going to point out how they are all wrong because it would not change your opinion without you seeing it for yourself...

FlockofSpagheti

I have the bloody game mate. I'm using FakeFactory's Cinematic Mod v 4.0 as well. Do I have to play Half Life 2 Vanilla version to see what you're seeing?

Come mate, just tell me, or go away. It seems to me you really have no counter arguments at all. That you're just upset I'm criticising a good game.

There are hardly any games with an original story.

Besides, for FPS standards Half-life has a great story.

*EDIT* Anyway, the Half-Life story is far from over yet.

I liked the setting too. I talking about the NES games.

I always thought it had an intriguing story though. Can't remember. Guess I'll have to play it sometime.

That and Halo. Halo took an interesting twist on the humans vs. aliens in that the Covenant was merely a catalyst into the human race finding out their link to the Halo rings and the Forerunner. Then you got Halo 2 which totally changes pace and talks about the Covenant and their divide -- a clever allusion to the Great Schism in Christianity.

FrozenLiquid

EDIT: Glitchspot strikes again. -sigh-

Well I agree on most part of your post, just a couple of things I would like to add.

You keep on mentioning how Gordon was able (a un-trained individual) was able to defeat the combines hold on Earth. What you forget to mention is that he was with the Gman for an amount of time and could of had training with him. It was stated in the game that the rebels bought Gordon to fight for him (well not stated but if you read between the lines....), you would expect that if the Gman was going to have people bid on one of his products that he would do his job right. Plus along the way you can see the Gman guiding him and making sure he does this job (he even handed the rocket launcher to the guy to hand to you). But I do agree that the one man army thing is kind of old by now (they even makes fun of it in the game).

One last thing I would like to mention, that although the story may not be the most original it certainly does a good job at telling it and the way it portrays all the main characters is by far the best I have seen. I can't wait for episode 2 to find out who dies :D

_in3rtia_

Yeah I noticed the Gman guiding Gordon around the place. That was really creepy. I wanted him to leave lol.

But yeah, in Half Life 1, the training mission shows you how much Gordon is trained. I didn't think itwould bemuch compared to the squads of soldiers in Half Life 1. Yet he totally f***** them over. Then again, who knows -- he may be an alien himself O.o.

I always thought the G-man was just impressed by his survival skills.

There are hardly any games with an original story.

Besides, for FPS standards Half-life has a great story.

gingerdivid

No, that's actually a misinterpretation.

Every story you see, be it book, film, or video game, has been inspired by myths and legends (or other novels, film and games) before it. Originality is only a means of saying how well you can put a spin on the archetype you're playing with, making it seem fresh. Biggest and best example is Star Wars.

If Half Life ever were to become a film, the critics would attack it. It just can't be told any other way without it looking a little stale. It survives as a FPS.

I can't say it's original, but it is somewhat deep. The way Valve was able to use such a simple story from the first game, not even intending to have a sequel, and seamlessly tween and connect it to a bigger story is amazing, to me at least.

As you said, the way the story is told puts most games cinematics to shame these days, and you would have to look really hard for clues in the environment and from other characters to actually figure out what is truly going on in the HL universe.

So I don't get attacked, this is all of my opinion.

I can't say it's original, but it is somewhat deep. The way Valve was able to use such a simple story from the first game, not even intending to have a sequel, and seamlessly tween and connect it to a bigger story is amazing, to me at least.

As you said, the way the story is told puts most games cinematics to shame these days, and you would have to look really hard for clues in the environment and from other characters to actually figure out what is truly going on in the HL universe.

TheOneMan

That is another big one. Setting. Most of Half Life 2 is about setting. Really, what was the point of Ravenholme? Did it really relate directly to the story? No; it was merely a clue as to what is going on within the Half Life universe. More like a side attraction than anything.

Oh, and as for Valve not ready to make a sequel -- I'm not sure about that. The ending was a big giveaway. I mean, even if they said they never intended for a sequel, who knows. The Wachowski brothers said they intended to have the Matrix as a trilogy :lol:

Kotor had a better story than Half-Life. God, I am random.Sir-Marwin105

Hehe, I think so too.

I mean, pulling off a twist like that in the franchise with the biggest twist in cinema history.....man that was unbelievable.

[QUOTE="N-K0d3R"]I didn`t read all that, you probably listed a list of cliches from the SCI-FI genre present in HL2. What people need to understand is that it isn`t the story itself that is so great about the HL franchise, it`s they way it`s being told.FrozenLiquid

That's what I just said :lol:

But some people can't see that.

Sorry, but what way is it being told then? Because I needed to look all over the internet to find out about the aliens and so on. HL 2 didn't tell the story in any way whatsoever. You just went from point A to point B. The story concept itself is pretty cool, might be overused but I like the idea that the HL series have but the storytelling in this game is pretty bad.

[QUOTE="Sir-Marwin105"]Kotor had a better story than Half-Life. God, I am random.FrozenLiquid

Hehe, I think so too.

I mean, pulling off a twist like that in the franchise with the biggest twist in cinema history.....man that was unbelievable.

[QUOTE="FrozenLiquid"]

I liked the setting too. I talking about the NES games.

I always thought it had an intriguing story though. Can't remember. Guess I'll have to play it sometime.

That and Halo. Halo took an interesting twist on the humans vs. aliens in that the Covenant was merely a catalyst into the human race finding out their link to the Halo rings and the Forerunner. Then you got Halo 2 which totally changes pace and talks about the Covenant and their divide -- a clever allusion to the Great Schism in Christianity.

coolviper2003

EDIT: Glitchspot strikes again. -sigh-

I gotta get back into those Metroid games. And when I pick up a GC for Eternal Darkness, I'm gonna try my hand at MP and MP2. I need to play those games in focus.

As for the ringworlds, yeah, in a way, it's not original. However, how Larry Niven used the ringworlds (in his novel Ringworld) is quite different from how Bungie used theirs.

That is another big one. Setting. Most of Half Life 2 is about setting. Really, what was the point of Ravenholme? Did it really relate directly to the story? No; it was merely a clue as to what is going on within the Half Life universe. More like a side attraction than anything.

Oh, and as for Valve not ready to make a sequel -- I'm not sure about that. The ending was a big giveaway. I mean, even if they said they never intended for a sequel, who knows. The Wachowski brothers said they intended to have the Matrix as a trilogy :lol:

FrozenLiquid

All I know is that Half-Life has a facinating storyline, and while it may not be deep to you, it certainly is for me.

Some of this is specualtion:

- Combine Empire Invades Nihilianth's Homeworld

- Long struggle ensues

_ Nihilanth's Race Flees to Xen



-Black Mesa portal established with Xen




- Combine deal with Breen

The Combine Empire invades and takes control of the Vortigaunts' homeworld (which we have never seen), and attempt to enslave them, including their leader, Nihilianth. A long and bitter struggle ensues, as the Vortigaunts flee from planet to planet, battling and evading the Combine forces. With their backs against the wall, they flee to the border world Xen, where they wait their demise. Xen is sort of like a "subway station" of the universe in that it can be used to cross dimentions. Marc Laidlaw calls it "a dimensional transit bottleneck--an area of continual contention."

(A quick note about Xen: Marc Laidlaw has stated that "nothing is native to Xen" which implies that life Xen is a mish-mash of beings from all over the universe, being willingly or unwillingly transported there. I will refer to the beings from Xen as the "Xenians", which include the headcrabs, ant-lions, vortigaunts, the rest of Nihilanth's race and so on.)

The Combine attempt to hybridize the dominant species of the planet (In Xen's case, the Vortigaunts) with their own technology to create a "Super soldier" that is adapted to Xen's environment and uses powerful Combine technology. (This is what they attempt to do on Earth, as well). Nihilanth fights bitterly against the Combine.

Back on Earth, Gordon is studying for his doctorate at MIT. At Black Mesa in New Mexico, teleportation experiments are taking place. Under the supervision of researchers Eli Vance and Dr.Kleiner, crystals are retrieved from Xen, and organisms are analyzed. Research is developing.

Back on Xen, the Vortigaunts (and the Combine) discover Black Mesa's portal from Earth. The Vortigaunts see Earth as an escape route; The Combine see it as another opportunity. They contact Wallace Breen (how they do this is not known at the time), the Administrator of Black Mesa. Promising him power and riches, the Combine persuades Breen to allow the Combine to bring Earth into its "Universal Union", convincing him that this is humanity's greatest opportunity to see the stars, and embrace the universe. Breen takes the bait, believing the Combine truly want to help humanity (and not enslave them, as they eventually do). The Combine prepares to take Earth.

Gordon is put into stasis

- Breen sets up satellite, prepares resonance cascade

-- (i) The Resonance Cascade



- Satellite launched




- Nihilanth defeated

- Black Mesa destroyed




- Gordon survives
- (ii) Gordon is Hired

They're waiting for you Gordon, in the test chamber.

(i) Breen Triggers the Resonance Cascade - Wallace Breen, under supervision by the Combine Overlords, triggers a resonance cascade within the Anomalous Materials sector of the Black Mesa complex, by selecting a specific test sample to be used. His selection of this hazardous material is masked by a system crash, which Breen most likely triggers to cut out formal communication between scientists. A mysterious figure, G-Man is aware of Breen's plan and tries to prevent the Resonance Cascade, but fails. This "volatile portal" allows the Combine to send their initial forces to take over Black Mesa and prepare for the main invasion. Nihilanth's race seens the dimentional fissure as their big escape plan, their way out. Of course headcrabs and other life trapped on Xen decide to hitch a ride to Earth, for the fun of it. G-Man prepares a task force to deal with the main portal and prepares US soldiers to fight the aliens. Black Mesa becomes a messy situation, as many species and technologies clash.

One man in a HEV suit becomes of great interest to G-Man during the incident, however. Gordon Freeman, a newly assigned scientist in the Anomalous materials lab, shows exceptional skill in dealing with Xen beings and U.S. troops. G-Man's interest peaks as Freeman navigates through Xen (the Xenians believe that Gordon is just as much of an enemy as the Combine) and defeats the Nihilanth. G-Man is impressed.

But before this, Gordon does what he's best at, following instructions. He unknowingly helps the Combine campaign by launching a Lambda satellite into space. This mission-critical satellite is most likely what the Combine need to conduct the Portal storms by opening up portals all over the Earth.

Black Mesa is destroyed by nuclear detonation (noted in OF), but the Combine have what they need in place - an unstable portal to Earth and a satellite to conduct a portal storm with.

(ii) Gordon is Hired - At the end of Half-Life G-Man, impressed by your work, gives Gordon a choice between his death or working for the G-Man. Half-Life 2 assumes he chose life over death. After you choose to work for him G-Man puts you in a slow-time-warp (i.e., you are put into stasis) to call upon you when needed.

Black Mesa has a huge ripple effect on the rest of the world after the events of Half-Life 1, as the Combine gradually open up portals world-wide, via its portal-network satellite. Aliens (from Xen) of all types are teleported into suburbs. Headcrabs crawl along the aisles of grocery stores while others teleport into swimming pools and homes. Utter chaos erupts on Earth. The freed Vortigaunts flee to Earth to escape the Combine, which are struggling to regain control of them.

A huge population shift occurs as people move into the cities, protected by soldiers and barbed wire fences, to escape the monsters. A feeling of safety comes over the people of Earth, as they can once again live normal lives within the confines of the cities, as the aliens continue to infest the outside world.

Meanwhile, the Combine prepare for an assault on Earth, assured that the required portals are in place. Now that Nihilanth's race have fled from the border-world to Earth, the Combine can forget about Xen and enslave both Mankind and Nihilanth's race in one fell swoop, on Earth.

Using the established Xen-Earth portal network as transport gateways, The Combine launches a multi-pronged, all-out assault on the entire Earth, teleporting troops as well as drop-ships, gun-ships, and striders from Combine off-world outposts. Once there, the Combine uses the same technique that they used on Xen on the humans, building a super-army out of the combination of the DNA of the most dominant species on Earth (the humans) and Combine technology.

The primary Citadel is established in City 17. This enormous structure is home to the Earth based Combine control centre. Combine armies are produced here as well as vehicles and armaments. Combine presences are established in other cities around the world. (It is hinted that there may be other secondary Citadels around the world, linked by a network.)

While fighting each other, the humans and Combine also have the threat of Nihilianth's race. The freed Vortigaunts ally with the rebel forces, wanting revenge against the Combine. The headcrabs, being headcrabs, just attack anyone they can find. Other monsters find their place assaulting both Man and Combine.

The next stage of the Combine's plan takes root. Wallace Breen, still optimistic about the Combine takeover, is made the Administrator of Earth, as promised back in Black Mesa by the Combine. Breen surrenders Earth to the Combine, explaining that the Combine are here for good, to immortalize humanity. Even though he sees the corpses of fellow humans, he believes that the loss of life is inevitable in the transition period, as Earth joins the Universal Union. Breen formally "surrenders" Earth after 7 hours of combat between Mankind and the Combine. Breen being a human helps the Combine, too. He is a species-specific leader (Like Nihilanth) - this helps propagate the lie that the enslavement of humans is a good thing, and humans, seeing a human in power, can be more readily fed world-changing events that are not in their interest.

Most of the major population centres of Earth are destroyed. People move into the country, spreading out to avoid Combine capture. Small pockets of rebel fighters surface, but have to establish bases in un-safe areas in the country, where the Xenians have manifested themselves, finding niches in Earth's ecosystem. Still under the spell of the Combine, and ignoring the massive genocide, Breen views the building rebel force as a group of short-sighted troublemakers.

Gordon wakes up

Gordon is put back into stasis, and then pulled out again by a group of Vortigaunts

- Citadel destablized

- Citadel temporarily restablized by Gordon and Alyx

- Combine prepare escape pods for jettison, prepare Citadel for last-ditch delivery of distress signal



- Gordon and Alyx navigate their way out of City 17

- Combine escape pods successfully jettison, attempt to deliver distress signal

- Citadel blows up, destroying what seems to be the majority of City 17

At the end of HL2 you complete your assignment, by destabilizing the Citadel in City 17, the Combine throne on Earth. As a result, the Combine's communication network has been taken down, and the Combine forces are fractured and leaderless.

GMan tosses his pawn back into stasis. He abandons Alyx, left to be incinerated by the Combine portal explosion. Gordon is now in hypersleep, as he has completed his job, and he is no longer needed. Or is he? It seems a group of purple Vortigaunts think otherwise. They warp in, rescue Alyx, and transport her outside in front of the Citadel. They pull Gordon out of stasis, and transport him to a location near Alyx. Both of these things happen against GMan's wishes.

Meanwhile, the remaining Combine and Overwatch soldiers are hard at work at the Citadel. Since Gordon and Alyx destroyed Breen's reactor, the Combine on Earth have lost their primary method of communcation with their Combine leaders. Their plan is to use what is left of the Citadel's resources to send a last ditch distress signal to the Combine leaders, requesting for major reinforcements. In order to send this final transmission packet, the Combine will have to overload the Citadel's core reactor, setting off a chain reaction that will incinerate City 17. This will lead to the deaths of all of the rebel forces and evacuees of the city. The Combine also prepare the remaining Combine for escape via escape pods during the meltdown.

Why do the Vortigaunts pull Gordon out of stasis and place him just outside the Citadel? I believe they want Gordon to stop or at least delay the destruction of the Citadel. They want Gordon to stabilize the core reactor of the Citadel so that the rebel forces and the rest of the Vortigaunts can safely evacuate the city before it is destroyed.

Why doesn't GMan like them doing this? The way I see it, GMan wants that reactor to be destroyed as soon as possible and that transmission packet to be sent, at any cost. Why? Because it seems GMan is trying his hardest to lure the rest of the Combine forces over to Earth. This seems like GMan's plan from the beginning, the reason why he got Gordon to destroy the Citadel. This reason is to bait the rest of the Combine over to Earth so they can be fought on Earth, or so that GMan could distract the Combine while he mounts an attack on the Combine's homeworld. The way GMan sees it, hundreds of thousands of human and Vortigaunt lives will be lost in the destruction of City 17, but if that message is sent, GMan could win an interstellar war. On the other hand, the purple Vortigaunts care more about the lives of the members of the Resistance and the citizens of City 17 on Earth than winning the war.

Unfortunately for GMan, Gordon and Alyx do stabilize the core (or at least, for a few hours) to allow the Resistance to evacuate. However, this allows the Combine enough time to send their message, as well as successfully evacuate the Combine escape pods from the Citadel. You get to witness the Combine escape pods being loaded at the beginning of Episode 1 in the Citadel, as well as see them jettison from the Citadel at the very end of Episode 1. Click on the picture below to see the Combine escape pods up close.

Gordon and Alyx navigate their way out of City 17, into the countryside, just as the Combine plan goes into action and the final transmission packet is delivered, and the Combine escape pods are jettisoned. We do not learn if the transmission successfully reaches its destination. What happens next will be explored of course, in Episode 2. See the trailer for Episode 2 here.

So who is GMan & what is his goal ? The official HL2E1 site calls GMan a "sinister interdimensional bureaucrat." The way things are going, I believe that G-Man is an agent of an interstellar rebel alliance (assuming a human form), seeking to try to break down the ruthless Combine empire, an empire which I believe existed far before the events of HL1. This rebel force has incredible technology to be able to control teleportation in the way G-Man does. I don't think GMan and his rebel alliance really cares about humanity all that much, but rather, they see Earth as a viable battleground to fight the Combine on, or a strategic way to divert the Combine's attention. Perhaps he realizes that Gordon Freeman is the only one who can defeat the Combine empire, and keeps him on call for this sort of thing. You have to remember, Gordon also freed a different race: the Vortigaunts. So this is the second big blow Gordon's struck against the Combine. NOTE: I do not believe that G-Man is Gordon Freeman from the future.

[QUOTE="FrozenLiquid"]

[QUOTE="N-K0d3R"]I didn`t read all that, you probably listed a list of cliches from the SCI-FI genre present in HL2. What people need to understand is that it isn`t the story itself that is so great about the HL franchise, it`s they way it`s being told.Supafly1

That's what I just said :lol:

But some people can't see that.

Sorry, but what way is it being told then? Because I needed to look all over the internet to find out about the aliens and so on. HL 2 didn't tell the story in any way whatsoever. You just went from point A to point B. The story concept itself is pretty cool, might be overused but I like the idea that the HL series have but the storytelling in this game is pretty bad.

Well, you kinda had to extrapolate. Those weird skinny, almost human things in the Citadel were an indication. The fact that the Combine spoke in some weird English forever with gas masks was another indication. I don't think they could spoon feed you what was happening; that would defeat the purpose.

Perhaps you're thinking "lack of" story. I can agree with that in HL2's case. The whole story could have been told within an hour.

There you go

Half Life 1, 2 and ep2.

That is a very extensive story, and quite a good read.

[QUOTE="Supafly1"][QUOTE="FrozenLiquid"]

[QUOTE="N-K0d3R"]I didn`t read all that, you probably listed a list of cliches from the SCI-FI genre present in HL2. What people need to understand is that it isn`t the story itself that is so great about the HL franchise, it`s they way it`s being told.FrozenLiquid

That's what I just said :lol:

But some people can't see that.

Sorry, but what way is it being told then? Because I needed to look all over the internet to find out about the aliens and so on. HL 2 didn't tell the story in any way whatsoever. You just went from point A to point B. The story concept itself is pretty cool, might be overused but I like the idea that the HL series have but the storytelling in this game is pretty bad.

Well, you kinda had to extrapolate. Those weird skinny, almost human things in the Citadel were an indication. The fact that the Combine spoke in some weird English forever with gas masks was another indication. I don't think they could spoon feed you what was happening; that would defeat the purpose.

Perhaps you're thinking "lack of" story. I can agree with that in HL2's case. The whole story could have been told within an hour.

With Half Life as you progress you learn more (and see first hand) about what happened to earth, what is the combine and wtf is going on.

In Halo you could have been told halo was actually an intergalltic wmd when you landed on it.

[QUOTE="FrozenLiquid"]

That is another big one. Setting. Most of Half Life 2 is about setting. Really, what was the point of Ravenholme? Did it really relate directly to the story? No; it was merely a clue as to what is going on within the Half Life universe. More like a side attraction than anything.

Oh, and as for Valve not ready to make a sequel -- I'm not sure about that. The ending was a big giveaway. I mean, even if they said they never intended for a sequel, who knows. The Wachowski brothers said they intended to have the Matrix as a trilogy :lol:

TheOneMan

All I know is that Half-Life has a facinating storyline, and while it may not be deep to you, it certainly is for me.

Well, the Citadel was extremely crucial wasn't it? That had a lot of story right there.

I think a lot of things in Half Life 2 were "filler" bits. Ravenholme was just a big example. The vehicle sequences just felt "Go from here to there, just to get to the next plot point" -- and yet they took up a significant amount of time. Those bits are memorable -- all the puzzles, Cubbage's headquarters, the beginning of the revolt. They're all marvellous set pieces, but as a fellow screen writer told me, it's "marching on the spot". If you've read Harry Potter 7, you can see the same thing too. A whole lotta something doing nothing.

Perhaps Half Life's universe is deep. Probably is actually, the way they're going.

And so could of Halos.

With Half Life as you progress you learn more (and see first hand) about what happened to earth, what is the combine and wtf is going on.

In Halo you could have been told halo was actually an intergalltic wmd when you landed on it.

skrat_01

In Halo, you were never "marching on the spot". Ever. There were reasons you did things. Halo was never meant to just be an environment of "fun" -- Bungie put their game play into context. Valve does the opposite, in my opinion, and in the opinion of the mod creator of MiNERVA (great mod by the way, play it).

I have to read what you wrote before. I've seen the speculations, I did participate in them too, because I wanted answers.

I hope you don't think Halo's story is in anyway original...TheOneMan

No not completely. But, look at my first post, read up on the Grand List of Cliches, and find out how many of those Halo actually hits.

The reason why people say Halo isn't original is because Bungie had the balls themselves to talk about what inspired them. Then people drastically take it out of proportion. It's sad. Halo takes inspiration from a whole lot of things. You see instances of other IPs here and there. Yet you can never put your finger on something and go "OMG! That's totally a ripoff!".

For example, it may not come to you straight away, but Halo has taken inspiration from the Alien quadrilogy. I was so stupid that I missed it the first time playing it.

Since I havent played any of the HLs can anyone tell me whats so great about how the story is told? Like, what method is used to tell you the story and stuff, im very interested(no sarcasm)Uzumaki_Naruto5

No cutscenes. Ever.

Everything is told through a FPS perspective.

[QUOTE="skrat_01"]

And so could of Halos.

With Half Life as you progress you learn more (and see first hand) about what happened to earth, what is the combine and wtf is going on.

In Halo you could have been told halo was actually an intergalltic wmd when you landed on it.

FrozenLiquid

In Halo, you were never "marching on the spot". Ever. There were reasons you did things. Halo was never meant to just be an environment of "fun" -- Bungie put their game play into context. Valve does the opposite, in my opinion, and in the opinion of the mod creator of MiNERVA (great mod by the way, play it).

I have to read what you wrote before. I've seen the speculations, I did participate in them too, because I wanted answers.

Ravenholm was used as an example of the extent of the combines genocide of humanity, pinnicle of brutality and made an exellent set piece. It was also relevant to the progress of the player.

Hell HL2 is the best paced (well best in general) FPS for a reason.

All that backtracking, and repititon of levels and indoor enviroments in Halo is much more of 'marching on the spot' than many other shooters. Its far from perfect - alot further than HL2 is.

And yea Minierva is a very good mod. Its not perfect either, but it is very slick and fun to play. Epsodic mod ftw!

Story? It was decent but like sheep say Gameplay>story or what ever they say. Dropping a big metal bin on a combine using a crane in HL2 was probably the most memorable moment for me in gameing. Pulse rifle>every halo weapon.ganon42

And so could of Halos.

With Half Life as you progress you learn more (and see first hand) about what happened to earth, what is the combine and wtf is going on.

In Halo you could have been told halo was actually an intergalltic wmd when you landed on it.

skrat_01

no you weren't??

[spoiler] Your ship was attacked, and you accidently ended up on halo. Then cortana overhears some radio transmission of the covenant about how they found it. You eventually learn it's a weapon for killing the flood which is also found on the ring. Of course you learn this isn't quite right in a giant twist in the story. [/spoiler]

The thing is even the best game story is still an average story at best. It's very tricky medium to write in. This is probably due to the high amount of tech people involved in creating games.

thats the price of immersiveness unfortuantely

not having real cutscenes really hurts the grand scale of the story.....

but it does make it feel immerssive having conversations with characters in gameplay.... and they use environments as well very nicely to show the story.....

still at the end of the day you are correct half lifes 2 story is simplistic and not owrth remembering..

still i think its one of the top games out there and would of benefited from real directed cutscenes

look at killzone on the ps2 even though the game was medicocre the cutscenes were great and greatly enriched the experience....

hopefully killzone 2 can have it all with great cutscnes and incredible gameplay

Any weapon can be picked up and used by anyone, no matter how lacking they are in training and/or upper-body strength.

If I was be attacked, I also could figure out how to use any weapon.

The thing is even the best game story is still an average story at best. It's very tricky medium to write in. This is probably due to the high amount of tech people involved in creating games.

jrhawk42

There are exceptions. Planescape: Torment, for example.

As for your massive post about Half Life's universe -- I don't know what you're trying to prove. I wasn't talking about Half Life's entire universe. It's deep, although I don't think it's original. But Half Life 2, in my own opinion, is engaging, yet shallow. I'm not sure about you but every book I read, every game I play, I subconciously turn it into a film in my head whilst I enjoy it. Half Life fell short of that. Very hard to translate. You'll need Half Life 1, 2 and possibly the episodes as well to make a decent 2 hour film.

Secondly, I saw paragraphs which told me a whole lot of detail, but no plot progress as well. One was about Breen's means of communication to the oppressed, and that's like talking about the whole design of MJOLNIR armour. I bet you'd roll your eyes at that if I was in your position.

LoL HL2 didnt have any filler bits at all.

Ravenholm was used as an example of the extent of the combines genocide of humanity, pinnicle of brutality and made an exellent set piece. It was also relevant to the progress of the player.

Hell HL2 is the best paced (well best in general) FPS for a reason.

All that backtracking, and repititon of levels and indoor enviroments in Halo is much more of 'marching on the spot' than many other shooters. Its far from perfect - alot further than HL2 is.

And yea Minierva is a very good mod. Its not perfect either, but it is very slick and fun to play. Epsodic mod ftw!

skrat_01

Yes -- Ravenholm was merely a set. It wasn't part of Half Life 2's storyline. From there you extrapolate what is going on. It wasn't necessary in advancing Half Life 2's story. It enlightened you on what was happening, but it wasn't necessary. Much like walking in the level "343 Guilty Spark" and finding all those mysterious dead Covenant. It makes a point. Doesn't necessarily advance plot.

Repetition and backtracking does not mean 'marching on the spot'. That means you don't understand that term. It's a widely used term when talking about stories. Halo 2 had that to some extent when you were going to kill Regret. It was tedious. In the Library, it was repetitive, but Guilty Spark was talking about Halo, and that covered a lot of story. "Two Betrayals" was goingbackwards from that point on, and you didn't have to fight the Flood or the Covenant -- they fought themselves. All you had to do was stop Guilty Spark from detonating Halo. From Two Betrayals onwards you merely went back to the place you had first started -- The Pillar of Autumn. Even with time restraints, Bungie know how to make clever allusions.

Actually so many of your HL2 cliches can be generalised for ANY FPS, or any game - and Halo certainly falls into the same cliche traps you have listed for half life skrat_01

Yes, but Half Life does it blatantly and shamelessly. I cannot see how Halo does it on the level of Half Life, and if you'd care to list them out for me, please, do so. I've mulled over the entire list (which no one here probably has) a dozen or so times, picking off which of my favourite stories have used that and to what effect. So if you've stumped my research, please, enlighten me on it.

Secondly skrat, if you don't know where to draw the line for cliches in terms of generalizing and specific details, and dare I say that all of you like to play that game with me, I'm not sure if I should carry on. I do not know why, but it's only in GameSpot that people seem to go "No no, that's too vague. You can apply it to anything." I personally think anyone who says that just needs to use common sense rather than trying not to lose face.