Stuck in Half-Life 2!

[maximan]

I'm very near the end - in Our Benefactors. I've included a screenshot so you can see where I am

[img=http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/2509/d3citadel0100002vv.th.jpg] (http://img249.imageshack.us/my.php?image=d3citadel0100002vv.jpg)

I have no idea what to do. If I jump into one of the carraiges, the laser kills me. There's nowhere to jump, and no paths anywhere - hell, I don't even remember how I got there (it's been a WHILE since I've played HL2). Can anyone help me out?

[Nacho]

Where you can get into the pod on the other side is a platform I believe. Jump to it, voila.

I'm off to play it again just in case I'm wrong.

[Mountain Man]

Yeah, there are two sets of pod rails side by side. Go to the one second one.

[maximan]

Oops, double post!

[maximan]

Figured it out and beat the game (finally!). What a terrible ending. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Thanks for the help! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Travis]

The ending was...cryptic, to say the least.

[Damien_Azreal]

Travis said:
The ending was...cryptic, to say the least.



A let down? Yes, it was.

Even is there is going to be an expansion, or part 3... the ending still sucked.
So still the final "Boss fight". IMO. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[FireFly]

It depends what you were expecting. I wasn't expecting any answers, so I loved the ending.

[Mountain Man]

Same here. But then again, some of my favorite stories are those that leave more questions than answers (2001: A Space Odyessy, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Fight Club), so the ending of Half-Life 2 was right up my alley. Sometimes a story can actually be ruined by trying to tie up too many loose ends, and it's to Marc Laidlaw's credit that he exercised restraint in this respect.

[Cerberus_e]

the last fight is certainly too easy, but the strider battle made up for it http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif not that the strider battle is hard, but it's something special. (I really like large scale battles with team a vs team B and lots of scripted sequences to make it seem you're not alone fighting, that's why I love the strider battles and call of duty)

but about the ending story-wise, I think I figured it out why I don't like it:
<table><tr><th><font size="-1">Spoiler below:</font></th></tr><tr><td class="spoiler">
because they already pulled that trick on you in Half-Life.
I love the ending in Half-Life because in the whole game you hear nothing about the GMan except see him fifty times if you're looking good.
and then at the end he talks really weird to you and offers you a job.
I love the whole mystery behind that, and how it's executed.
but then in Half-Life 2, they pull the EXACT SAME trick on you.
and they did it before in Half-Life (and we're even ignoring opposing force right now).
that's probably why I don't like it Half-Life 2. and if they do it again in aftermath I'll seriously hate it.
then the story has REALLY failed, now it just regularly failed http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
</td></tr></table>

[Jokke_r]

No story can fail. I can't understand why you dislike the HL2 ending.

[Cerberus_e]

read my spoiler.
because it's the same ending as HL1.

[Damien_Azreal]

Jokke_r said:
No story can fail. I can't understand why you dislike the HL2 ending.



Any story can fail.

The delivery of a story is what makes it great, and HL2's wasn't delivered as well as HL's was.

[Jokke_r]

HL2's story wasn't "delivered" at all. Spoon fed stories < HL2's story.

[Mountain Man]

I get the impression that those folks who expected to be "told" a story are the ones most disappointed with Half-Life 2's narrative structure.

Half-Life 2's story isn't meant to be passively told but actively experienced.

[Cerberus_e]

Mountain Man said:
I get the impression that those folks who expected to be "told" a story are the ones most disappointed with Half-Life 2's narrative structure.

Half-Life 2's story isn't meant to be passively told but actively experienced.



huh? how is that different from other games? don't you "experience" the story in other games? yes you do.
we aren't wanting to be told the story by reading a book during a loading screen or so. we just want FACTS.
the mystery about the gman was good for Half-Life 1. but having the exact same ending for HL2 is really disappointing.


Jokke_r said:
Spoon fed stories < HL2's story.



that's just your opinion.
personally, I hate speculative storytelling.
it's also easier to make speculative storylines, you just clutter a few hints around. making non-speculative storylines is much harder... I can't think of much games without speculative storyline with good storylines, but there definitly are a few which proves it's possible. (eg: prince of persia games, outlaws, ...)

[Mountain Man]

Cerberus_e said:
don't you "experience" the story in other games?


Not so much. With most games, when it comes time to further the story, the gamer takes his hands away from the keyboard and sits back until the ubiquitous cinematic has finished. In Half-Life 2, you are actively engaged in the gameplay at all times.


we aren't wanting to be told the story by reading a book during a loading screen or so. we just want FACTS.


Everything you need to know to piece together the puzzle of the narrative is presented in the game itself. No, it's not always straightforward, and not all of it is obvious, but then, what would be the fun if they spelled everything out for you?

As I'm fond of saying, "Think! Don't just play!"


the mystery about the gman was good for Half-Life 1. but having the exact same ending for HL2 is really disappointing.


It wasn't the exact same ending. Similiar, yes, but still different enough to satisfy me.

[Cerberus_e]

Mountain Man said:

Cerberus_e said:
don't you "experience" the story in other games?


Not so much. With most games, when it comes time to further the story, the gamer takes his hands away from the keyboard and sits back until the ubiquitous cinematic has finished. In Half-Life 2, you are actively engaged in the gameplay at all times.




yes, that's what HL2 does right, and why I'm looking forward to prey. if prey's story is not speculative I'll be enormeously satisfied! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


Mountain Man said:

we aren't wanting to be told the story by reading a book during a loading screen or so. we just want FACTS.


Everything you need to know to piece together the puzzle of the narrative is presented in the game itself. No, it's not always straightforward, and not all of it is obvious, but then, what would be the fun if they spelled everything out for you?




I don't have a problem with the story in the game itself, as I knew enough to realize what's going on, my complaint is just the ending. in the citadel together with breen, eli and alyx (and mossman) it was cool, but then the gman part ruined it all for me.
they don't have to spell it more out for me, but they shouldn't leave so much secrets (who is the combine? who is the gman? what is that about the big alien at the end breen talked to on a big monitor? and last but not least: will the citizens EVER get their fertility back? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif)


Mountain Man said:
As I'm fond of saying, "Think! Don't just play!"




I'd agree with you if the thinking doesn't involve 3 hours of your non-gameplay time http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
or how long do you think people like the one that made the HL2 story website had to puzzle? (writing the website excluded, of course)


Mountain Man said:

the mystery about the gman was good for Half-Life 1. but having the exact same ending for HL2 is really disappointing.


It wasn't the exact same ending. Similiar, yes, but still different enough to satisfy me.



wel... his speech is different.
but the concept is the same: the whole game you wonder who he is, then it all blacks out after he talked some chinese.

[Mountain Man]

Cerberus_e said:
then it all blacks out after he talked some chinese.


He spoke Chinese? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[avatar_58]

Mountain Man said:

Cerberus_e said:
then it all blacks out after he talked some chinese.


He spoke Chinese? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif




Wo ai zhongguo ren.
Wo ai zhongguo ren.
Wo ai zhongguo ren.
Ni hao ma; ni hao ma; ni hao ma; zaijien!

[Cerberus_e]

Mountain Man said:

Cerberus_e said:
then it all blacks out after he talked some chinese.


He spoke Chinese? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif



that's an expression.
it means it's all vague http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Mountain Man]

Cerberus_e said:
that's an expression.
it means it's all vague http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


Ah. I'm more familiar with the "It's all Greek to me" variation. From an old Abott and Costello skit:

Costello: I can understand any language except Greek.

Abott: But they're speaking Italian.

Costello: It's Greek to me!

[Thriller]

I have yet to hear a single complaint about Half Lifes way of telling the story, yet it left a lot of mysteries. Maybe people doesnt really dislike HL2´s story because it tells to little, but more becuase what it does tell is not that intruiging. I guess a lot of people didnt like where the series headed after the first game.

That was one dissapointment in the story for me. The other was the fact that it concentrated on the things I coudnt care less about. It did "spoon feed" you story, only not very interesting bits of it.

[Cerberus_e]

no, I like the story itself. my complaint is the speculative storytelling full of mysteries. 100% sure.

[avatar_58]

Thriller said:
I have yet to hear a single complaint about Half Lifes way of telling the story



Perhaps you missed when I gave my opinion of it? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/redface.gif

[Thriller]

avatar_58 said:

Thriller said:
I have yet to hear a single complaint about Half Lifes way of telling the story



Perhaps you missed when I gave my opinion of it? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/redface.gif

Erhm. Maybe I like the original Half Life so much I just skip your posts. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[avatar_58]

I love the original Half-life and Half-life 2. I'm just wondering why you missed that one thread where I discussed the storytelling method.

[Cerberus_e]

and even if he missed that thread, I still complained in this thread, and so did damien_azreal, how could thriller miss that?

[avatar_58]

Cerberus_e said:
and even if he missed that thread, I still complained in this thread, and so did damien_azreal, how could thriller miss that?



The real question is why this thread is still going even after the problem was solved.......

[Cerberus_e]

because there is discussion going on now... why create a new thread for that?

[FireFly]

The G-Man isn't the ending. He's merely a tool for Valve to deliver the ending.

At the end of Half-Life you're the hero, the man who single handledly stopped the Xen invasion. Consequently you're congratulated, and offered the opportunity of working for the G-Man. At this point the story could have gone in a number of directions, with the possibility of Gordon becoming free from the G-Man. In this regard Half-Life's ending is fairly upbeat and you really look forward to what awaits you.

However at the beginning of Half-Life 2 you're taken out of storage, and basically thrown into a world you have no knowledge of. Consequently you don't feel you really know any of the people – you're just there in passing; a catalyst for change but nothing more. They call you the 'free man', but really the opposite is true: you're just following a path set out for you by a higher entity.

So the purpose of the ending is not to make everything better, to explain everything, and finally allow you to identify with the world around you, but the opposite. The ending is there to make you realise that all the time you've spent in the world was as part of one 15 – 20 hour mission, and it's time to be extracted again. In first instalment of the saga you're given the illusion of free choice. In the second that illusion is shattered, and you're reminded that you're there to serve some higher purpose which has yet to be revealed.

It transforms the ordinary concept of 'employment' by the G-Man into a greater destiny, a greater journey. Half-Life 2 is merely the second part of that journey.

[Thriller]

Cerberus_e said:
and even if he missed that thread, I still complained in this thread, and so did damien_azreal, how could thriller miss that?

I thought you only complained about Half-Life2. If I didnt missunderstand you, you thought it was Ok in Half-life, right? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Fraeon Waser Duhni]

Mountain Man said:

Cerberus_e said:
that's an expression.
it means it's all vague http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


Ah. I'm more familiar with the "It's all Greek to me" variation. From an old Abott and Costello skit:

Costello: I can understand any language except Greek.

Abott: But they're speaking Italian.

Costello: It's Greek to me!



...and us Finns are more used to the expression "It's Hebrew to me" (Meikäläiselle se on hepreaa) to point out that something makes no sense. Funny that.

[Mountain Man]

Thriller said:
I have yet to hear a single complaint about Half Lifes way of telling the story...


That's surprising. People who dislike Half-Life are surprisingly common. Just poke your nose into any "Best game ever" threads where Half-Life is certain to be praised and denigrated in equal measure.

[Thriller]

^ Yes, that I´ve seen (strange people).
My point was that they usually dont dislike it becuase of the story, but maybe Im wrong.

[Cerberus_e]

Thriller said:

Cerberus_e said:
and even if he missed that thread, I still complained in this thread, and so did damien_azreal, how could thriller miss that?

I thought you only complained about Half-Life2. If I didnt missunderstand you, you thought it was Ok in Half-life, right? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif



ah ok, you're talking about Half-Life.
sorry I thought you were talking about HL2... it appeared in your paragraph as well, and both games have the same way of telling the story.
but it's just that after the second time it's enough.
yes FireFly it's to show that Gordon's second etappe is done, but I'd like something more than just some goodbyes http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Mongorian]

show me a hl2 thread w/o mountain man or cerberus bitching and i'll make you six feet tall and bulletproof.

[FireFly]

http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=othergames&Number=909750

I await my superpowers.

[Denz]

http://umd.ytmnd.com/


is it real mod?

[Denz]

So?

[ADM]

It says it in the description:

"DISCLAIMER: I did not make this mod. It's called SMod, and you can download it here: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/halflife2/download.html?sid=6139928" (http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/halflife2/download.html?sid=6139928)

[Denz]

Thanks you very much moderator. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/redface.gif