Wikiprojekt:Half-Life/en/Technologia cywilna Kombinatu w grze Half-Life 2

Ten artykuł przedstawia zestawienie fikcyjnej cywilnej technologii wykorzystywanej przez Kombinat w grze Half-Life 2, wydanej w roku 2004.

Przegląd

Wspólną cechą wyróżniającą struktury wznoszone przez Kombinat wydaje się stawianie imponujących, monolitycznych, zwykle niewyróżniających się niczym szczególnym konstrukcji, których jednolitosć łamana jest tylko nieregularnościami na powierzchni. Z drugiej strony, niektóe konstrukcjie wydają się być niepotrzebne zagmatwane. Istnieją też budowle, które wydają się przeczyć konwencjom fizyki.

Cytadela

Konstrukcja i przegląd struktury

Cytadele są wielkimi strukturami, z których Kombinat rządzi światem. Jedna z nich zlokalizowana jest w City 17, przypominając masywny, metaliczny i nieposiadający szczególnych cech drapacz chmur, którego wysokość to 3072 metry, nie licząc części podziemnej. Cytadela City 17 jest w dużej części zmechanizowana. Wiele jej części jest ruchomych, co pozwala na wysyłanie do akcji dużych ilości jednostek powietrznych, jak skanery, czy helikoptery szturmowe. cytadela wydaje się dostarczać miastu mocy, albo odwrotnie - pobierać z miasta pewien rodzaj energii. Stwierdzenie to oparte jest na fakcie, że od Cytadeli odchodzą liczne kable. Podłączone są do wież przekaźnikowych i słupów energetycznych, skąd rozprowadzane są po całym mieście.

Należy zauważyć, że Cytadele, a przynajmniej obiekt stojący w City 17 mają dwa stany - konfiguracje, które może przybrać budynek w zależności od sytuacji. Pierwszy z nich można nazwać stanem uśpienia, w którym wieże przebywają najprawdopodobniej przez większość czasu, gdy Kombinatowi nic nie zagraża. Cytadela City 17 przechodzi w ten stan również podczas akcji gry Half-Life 2: Episode One. Stan uśpiony Cytadeli rozpoznać można patrząc na budynek - z jego prawej strony dostrzec można szereg żebrowatych struktur, które powstają po lekkim wsunięciu płyt pancerza zewnętrznego pod pancerz wewnętrzny. Krótko po "pobycie" Gordona Freemana w biurze Wallace'a Breena (w trakcie nieudanej próby teleportacji z laboratorium doktora Kleinera) Cytadela przechodzi w stan gotowości.

Zmianę stanu Cytadeli City 17 zauważyć można w momencie, kiedy Barney Calhoun przekazuje Gordonowi łom. Zdaniem Barneya widok taki jest dość rzadki, stwierdza on bowiem "Nigdy nie widziałem jej takiej podświetlonej". Wewnętrzne płaty pancerza przesuwają się w głąb i w górę struktury, ukazując cztery zestawy "żeber", czemu towarzyszy głośny alarm, słyszalny w całym mieście. Leżąca po lewej mniejsza (właściwie ledwo widoczna) sekcja płyt pancerza Cytadeli przesuwa się nieco w dół wieży, zaś całość konstrukcji pozostaje w takim stanie przez całą resztę gry. Można wysnuć przypuszczenie, że Cytadela może przechodzić również w inne stany, lecz w grze występują tylko dwa wymienione powyżej.

Jak podaje książka Raising the Bar, gdy Kombinat dostarczył na Ziemię swoją Cytadelę, z miasta znikły całe zespoły zabudowy. Wspomina o tym co nieco doktor Breen, gdy gracz ma szansę usłyszeć go po rzaz pierwszy - "(Cytadela) została w całości dana nam przez naszych Dobroczyńców". Cytadela jest osadzona w szerokiej rozpadlinie, ze ścian której wystają poszarpane ujścia akweduktów i skrawki nowszych rur ściekowych; na dnie rozpadliny można również zobaczyć samochody, które zdążyły zamienić się w złom. Całość wygląda tak, jakby Cytadela została z wielką siłą wbita w ziemię. Sama konstrukcja otoczona jest ruchomymi ścianami, ścierającymi otaczający budowlę materiał, co uniemożliwia wejście do budynku z ulic. Na dole Cytadeli znaleźć można również maszyny, nieustannie uderzające w ziemię. Istnieją teorie, które głoszą, że praca tych urządzeń ma na celu zniszczenie miasta, lub odpędzanie mrówkolwów, lub pozyskiwanie surowców ze struktur miejskich. Rzeczywistego przeznaczenia urządzeń u bazy Cytadeli nie sposób jednak poznać. Równie niemożliwa do ustalenie jest liczba Cytadel rozmieszczonych na Ziemi. Szybko jednak można stwierdzić, że Cytadele istnieją również poza Ziemią, co widać choćby przez portal prowadzący na inną planetę, który doktor Breen ma zamiar przekroczyć w trakcie jednej z finałowych scen gry.

Niższe poziomy

Podczas pierwszych kilku rozdziałów gry Half-Life 2: Episode One gracz ma szansę dość dobrze poznać dolne poziomy Cytadeli z miasta City 17. Pomieszczenia dolnych części struktury wyglądem przypominają jej wyższe partie, lecz nie są w nich umiejscowione fabryki wojenne, czy produkcja materiałów syntetycznych. Podczas wspomnianych wcześniej momentów gry Cytadela jest wysoce niestabilna - ze ścian sączy się pomarańczowa poświata (która podczas normalnego stanu struktury jest niebieska), w korytarzach pojawia się ogień, a z góry spadają pozostałości wyższych poziomów.

Na niższych poziomach Cytadeli znajduje się komora ewakuacyjna. Pomieszczenie to różni się znacząco od innych, pulsując dziwnym czerwonym światłem, kontrastującym z pomarańczową lub niebieską poświatą reszty konstrukcji. Pomieszczenie zdaje się służyć jako droga ucieczki, gdyby Doradcom Kombinatu przebywającym w Cytadeli groziło większe niebezpieczeństwo. Kapsuły ratunkowe przeznaczone dla Doradców umieszczone są pod podłogą, a w czasie przygotowań do dokowania, przed wprowadzeniem na pochylnię przesuwają się kanałami.

Podążając dalej w dół Cytadeli dochodzi się do jej rdzenia, który osiągalny jest tylko po podróży kilkanaście pięter w dół windą. Dostępu do pomieszczenia, w którym znajduje się rdzeń bronią grodzie, opatrzone międzynarodowo przyjętym znakiem radioaktywności. Nad rdzeniem umieszczone jest pomieszczenie kontrolne, z którego rozciąga się widok na rdzeń i z którego można zjechać do rdzenia centralną windą. Po drugiej stronie komory rdzenia znajdują się trzy pomieszczenia, któe mają za zadanie stabilizację układu, gdy rdzeń generuje zbyt wielkie ilości energii. Maszyny umieszczone w tych trzech pomieszczeniach stanowią potrójny system zabezpieczający, który ma zapewnić, że natężenie ciemnej energii w obrębie rdzenia jest utrzymane w bezpiecznych granicach. Bezpośrednio do rdzenia przylega stacja kolejowa, gdzie prawdopodobnie wyładowywane są transporty Kombinatu. Ta część cytadeli leży około kilometra pod ziemia i rozciąga się nie tylko pod całym miastem, ale również poza jego granicami.

Środkowe poziomy

W końcowych rozdziałach gry Half-Life 2 gracz może sam poznać wnętrze Cytadeli, ostro kontrastujące z nijakim wyglądem zewnętrznym. Wewnątrz Cytadeli można znaleźć bogactwo technologii Kombinatu - niezliczone generatory, pola siłowe, pola dezintegracji materii, windy i platformy przeczące zasadom grawitacji, czy wielkie rury przenoszące płyny niewiadomego pochodzenia i przeznaczenia. W Cytadeli najbardziej widoczna jest myśl architektoniczna Kombinatu. Całość budynku wykonana jest z tego samego czarnoniebieskiego metalu, podobnie jak wszystkie pozostały struktury wznoszone przez Kombinat. Broń wszystkich "gości" budynku rutynowo jest im odbierana w odpowiednio przygotowanych polach konfiskacyjnych, prawdopodobnie, by uniknąć sytuacji, która - ironicznie, właśnie ze względu na obecność pola konfiskacyjnego - kończy grę Half-Life 2 i powraca na początku Half-Life 2: Episode One.

Do i od Cytadeli prowadzą połączenia kolejowe, które znaleźć można również wewnątrz budowli. Są one wykorzystywane przez Razor trains do przewożenia towarów. W dużej części są to świeże dostawy Tropicieli z kompleksu Nova Prospect. Tropiciele są dostarczani w swoistych "kokonach", dla których Cytadela wyposażona jest w odpowiednio duży system transportu. Zadania typu obsługi prostych paneli, czy naprawa uszkodzonych urządzeń i jednostek Kombinatu przeprowadzane są właśnie przez Tropicieli, pracujących pod ciągłą kontrolą personelu Nadzoru, lub skanerów miejskich.

The Citadel is presumed to include large war factories, where Combine equipment, technology and weapons, as well as Synths are manufactured. Two types of Synth that were never encountered elsewhere during the game, the crab synth and the mortar synth, can be seen being transported around on conveyor belts, indicating that they are possibly manufactured in the Citadel, although this could only be a means of moving the synths throughout the large facility. The Citadel also provides a central hub for Overwatch soldiers (including Elites), who are present in overwhelming numbers, and is the launching point for gunships.

Wyższe poziomy

On one of the very top levels of the Citadel is Doctor Breen's office, believed to be the location from which he transmits his Breencasts. Unlike the rest of the Citadel, Breen's office has a more classical, human look to it, although Combine architecture is still a very dominating feature in the room. His office includes various luxury items such as a wooden desk, mantle clock, leather seat, globe, expensive carpeting, and busts of himself. His office also contains a large set of monitors, from which he can communicate with contacts such as the Combine Advisor. Breen's office is connected to the prisoner transport system used by Gordon Freeman, and there are many other prisoner pods around his office. Otherwise, more welcome guests can access the office via an elevator connected to the dark fusion reactor. It can be assumed that Breen lives in the Citadel as well as works in it.

The very top of the Citadel contains the Combine's dark fusion reactor, which is used to power their tunnelling entanglement device and allow them to tunnel into Earth from their universe. At the end of Half-Life 2, Gordon manages to destabilize and destroy the dark fusion reactor using energy orbs.

Zniszczenie

In Episode One, the aftermath of Gordon's assault on the Citadel is clearly visible. The overloading of the Dark Fusion reactor has downed power and destabilized the structure of the whole building, and Gordon must make his way to the core to re-engage the containment field and delay the self destruct sequence. The Citadel is by this time barely occupied, presumably most of the soldiers and synths have been evacuated into City 17 to prevent the Citizens from escaping the blast. There are however, several soldiers left, and a few Stalkers for operating machinery. The Citadel's interior now glows orange, in stark contrast to the cold blue it used to be when functional, while bridges are falling apart and debris continuously falls from the top of the tower. From the outside, the Citadel's peak is surrounded by swirling black and red clouds with green lightning bolts emerging. The power lines connecting the Citadel to City 17 are no longer present, and the explosion of the Dark Fusion reactor has blown the top of the Citadel off. The climax of Episode One is witnessed by Gordon and Alyx, when the Citadel self destructs as it collects the colossal amount of energy needed to send a final data transmission off-world to the rest of the Combine empire.

Scenes from Half-Life 2: Episode Two show the remains of City 17 from a distance, with a smoking mass at the center where the Citadel once stood.

Depot

The depot (as seen in Chapter 9, "Nova Prospekt") is an enormous structure towering over the Nova Prospekt prison facility. The depot is a nexus for Combine distribution of stalkers, as well as a storage center for political prisoners such as Doctor Eli Vance. The depot covers cellblocks C1 through D8, and fills the area with Combine articles. In addition, the depot is a relay for the Razor Trains as seen in Chapter 1 ("Point Insertion") and again at the bridge in Chapter 7. Basically, once humans arrive at the depot, they are held in sturdy metal straitjackets housed within metal pods. Once needed, the pods can be brought in at any point from within an access point. Just like the Citadel, the depot has its own pod distribution center. Finally, the depot houses the Combine entanglement device, which in the end of Chapter 9a explodes just as Gordon and Alyx teleport out of the facility. It is unknown if this is a prototype teleportation device, or a regular tunneling teleporter used by the Combine.

Panele kontrolne

Combine command panels are found throughout City 17, Nova Prospekt, and the Citadel, and have multiple purposes. The command panels found in City 17 are generally used to open and close gates, and they may also be used for communication, as seen when Barney Calhoun communicated with Doctor Isaac Kleiner in the opening levels in the game. The majority of command panels found in Nova Prospekt are used to work the systems around the facility – such as gaining access to surveillance cameras or transporting prisoner pods. They are also used to work the teleporter that Doctor Judith Mossman helped build for the Combine. The command panels in the Citadel are only seen conveying Breencasts, while they probably possess other functions also. When looking closely at some of the modules, the words "Combine Maintenance Access Command Module" written in English can be seen.

Command panels can only be operated by Combine personnel. However, Alyx is seen using an EMP device to assume control of the panels. Barney has a limited Civil Protection clearance, which allows him to operate some, but not all of the panels. In short, Command panels can be seen as futuristic computers.

Heavy doors

Heavy doors can be found anywhere in the Citadel or Nova Prospekt, and correspond with a command panel or a standard Combine lock, and can only be opened by the Combine. It is unknown what sort of mechanical device transports such a large piece of equipment, but it is known that Combine doors are generally guarding something important like an elevator or pod access points. Although the Combine doors can only be opened by soldiers, Alyx can open them with her EMP tool. Furthermore, heavy doors can activate alarms depending on their importance, like the Nova Prospekt thumpers.

Bunkry

Seen mostly lining the coast to Nova Prospekt, Combine bunkers house soldiers and supplies. Provided mainly for defense against Antlions and other intruders, Combine bunkers are virtually bullet proof, with one to five mounted pulse guns, and a small entry/exit door at the rear of the building. Bunkers also house alarm switches. Some of the bunkers seen near Nova Prospekt can also be seen embedded with the rock face, and contain none of the liquid-like forcefields over the windows, suggesting that they were constructed before the Combine invasion. Also seen here were two bunkers connected to make one.

Zamki do drzwi

A Combine door lock is a small, metallic device that is placed on a door instead of a door handle, and acts to keep the door locked in order to prevent unauthorized access. Locks are most commonly found in the residential apartments throughout City 17. This could possibly be because the Combine, in its oppressive nature, chooses when the citizens are allowed to enter or leave their apartments, and monitor everyone that walks in and out. It is evident that only Combine personnel may operate a lock, but Alyx can use her EMP device to override Combine locks in order to gain access to restricted areas, as she does in Nova Prospekt.

In Episode One, the door locks demonstrated the ability to self destruct, flashing red and emitting a beeping noise, then exploding, destroying the door they were attached to. This seems to have been used by Overwatch to forcefully break into buildings.

Struktury obronne

These range from portable fixed-gun emplacements that can be set up in a minute to full-sized barricades cordoning off entire streets. Instead of windows, they bear some sort of forcefield that resembles a liquid in appearance and offers ample protection against weapons. The doors that the barricades have are multi-sectioned and mounted on mechanical arms.

Mosty siłowe

Field bridges are Combine force-fields that act as a means of reaching otherwise inaccessible areas. Field bridges can only be activated if two power generators within the immediate vicinity are started. It is seen within the Citadel's core that field bridges can be bisected, and each half can rotate without the need for extra machinery at the new, broken end, to move into a specific position. Stalkers located within the vicinity will constantly attempt to disable the field bridges and must be disposed of before continuing.

Wieżyczki obserwacyjne

Watchtowers are found throughout City 17, usually near defensive structures, and act to give Combine personnel a better view of the streets. There is usually a single Civil Protection unit on top of the watchtower, who may fire a flare once a reasonable force of Resistance is spotted, as a signal to call backup. Although most watchtowers are inaccessible by normal citizens, some Resistance members in the game climb up into them using ropes, and drop supply crates found up there down on the streets for the player. There are several variants of watchtowers located around City 17 and its boundaries. One of the most notable variants is the watchtower located on the surface inside the perimeter of Nova Prospekt which resembles a battle tower or small radio tower, though the outdated construction suggests it is an original Nova Prospekt fixture and intended as a perimeter guard post. Watchtowers are also found along the rim of the compound surrounding the Citadel.

Generatory pola siłowego

Scattered throughout City 17, the generators consist of two pylons, each one on either side of the path it is intended to protect. Invisible from a distance, the forcefield generated between the two pylons prevents entry of anything living that does not register with the system as being with the Combine, instead emitting a humming sound when in physical contact. However, other than vehicles driven by non-recognized personnel, the system will not block inanimate objects. Some of them are seen in-game being powered off standard human power supply sockets, or from Combine APC batteries. They are placed at regular intervals along railway tracks in City 17, probably to prevent citizens from escaping the city or moving to restricted districts of the city by walking along them.

Thumpers

Used to protect cities from invasion by antlions in the countryside, Thumpers (or "Perimeter Restrictors" in Combine terminology) are massive machines that repeatedly pound the ground using a set of metal beams. The vibrations the thumpers generate keep Antlions away from the local area; however, they can be deactivated by pressing the power button located near the base of the machine. Thumpers guarding Nova Prospekt are far larger than the standard ones (twice the height of a standard Thumper, with their power buttons located significantly higher than those on their smaller counterparts, requiring the inclusion of a built-in ladder), have spotlights, trigger a public warning system if deactivated, and have a wider range.

Generatory mocy

Combine generators are mainly found within the Citadel, but can also be found in certain locations in City 17, such as the Overwatch Nexus or the plaza. The generators are used to power devices such as gates and locks, or weaponry - like the suppression device. There are many more generators in the Citadel than anywhere else, supplying power to systems in the immediate area such as forcefields.

In appearance, the generators look similar to large cylinders, with a solid base and top and liquid sides, like those seen on defensive structures. The generator has a core with orbs floating within, which create a beam of electricity that runs from the top to the bottom of the generator. The energy orbs are the actual objects that generate the power, as when they're knocked out (by the Gravity Gun, for instance), the generator will cease to function (however, if a free-moving orb is near enough to a module, the generator can actually draw it in to resume power generation). Generators powering critical systems typically have about three orbs inside them, but ones that power smaller devices will have just a single orb. There are special generators found only in the Citadel, which can have a limitless amount of orbs cycling through them, and seem to be orb transport paths of some sort.

Anyone unlucky enough to step into or to be thrown inside a generator will be disintegrated, just as they would be if they got hit by an orb launched from a pulse rifle. The orbs launched from the pulse rifle appear to be identical to those in the generator, so it is likely that the Combine "package" such orbs into ammunition which can be launched by the pulse rifle. However, the orbs from the generators appear orange instead of white, and are much more powerful; capable of damaging or destroying vehicles and synths. A generator lacking an orb will "capture" an orb fired at it by a Gravity Gun or Overwatch Pulse rifle.

In the Valve Hammer Editor, the protective field that keeps the power orbs inside the generators can be removed, allowing it to float freely through the room. By jumping directly on top of the orb, the user can actually bounce into the air. The faster the movement for the orb, the higher the user is bounced.

In Episode One, another type of generator has appeared, resembling a wall socket. They are seen mostly in the lower levels of the Citadel and act as "system activation nodes", allowing the player to start equipment such as field bridges or the core's containment devices. This type of power generator can be activated by launching an energy orb into its center, causing its four arms to retract inwards to hold it in place and begin to siphon energy from it. Two of these generators need to be operational if field bridges are to be activated.

It should be noted that Stalkers will attempt to deactivate this type of generator by destroying the energy orb with their lasers.

Mobilne ściany

Seen surrounding the Citadel and certain areas of Nova Prospekt, mobile walls are actually machines, using powerful drive systems in tandem with heavy metal blocks to slowly expand outward and destroy existing structures in the way. Standard operation is to lift and force a set of blocks outward, before allowing them to drop, and then alternating with another set. Some believe this is the Combines' way of harvesting raw materials for other purposes such as Synth creation and the construction of other vehicles and Citadels.

Razor Trains

As with much of Combine technology, the Razor Train is large, mostly featureless and imposing. Custom-built to work on human rail networks transporting standard, secret cargo, and people. Their ramlike, sliver-thin appearance and all-black finish add to the threatening look of the fast-moving vehicle. Perhaps the most disconcerting aspect of the Razor Train is its horn: a distinctive, discordant bellow that announces the Train's arrival and sounds more like a wounded animal than an air horn. They have ladders leading up to a compartment where the driver's compartment should be, supporting the idea that there is a crew. They are taller than standard locomotives and may be automated. One particular function they serve is to transport humans to Nova Prospekt, the Combine-controlled prison/laboratory, and transport completed Stalkers and Overwatch Soldiers to the Citadel.

Ration dispenser/General purpose dispenser

Seen in action in the City 17 train station at the start of the storyline, window-mounted Combine ration dispensers serve to supply citizens with packaged food supply, given through a tray that slots out of the machine. More than often, citizens are required to wait in front of the machine for several minutes to receive their rations. Besides its fundamental function, little else is known about these devices. According to the citizens, the food is not good at all, as quoted by some citizens: "I dunno about you, but I'm ready to join Civil Protection just to get a decent meal," and "You gotta be damn hungry to wait in line for this crap."

It becomes obvious as the game progresses that food is used as both a carrot and a stick by the Combine, with increases promised for informing on potential "anticitizens"; conversely, those suspected of conspiracy against the Combine have rations reduced as a form of punishment. The threat of loss of food (with agriculture and livestock presumably devastated as a result of years of Combine rule and the antlion invasion, the only alternative food sources being birds, leeches and headcrabs) is clearly an effective way of keeping the population in check. It is said that citizens have been stripped of the right to even grow their own food.

At one point in "Water Hazard", the same machines can be seen seemingly holding manhacks, although this may simply be an oversight on the part of the game developers. It is also possible that these machines are multi-purpose dispensers that can be used to store and release a number of different items; this would explain their dual use in providing food to citizens and housing manhacks in more militarily-oriented locales.

Dispatcher/PA system

The dispatcher (voiced in-game by Ellen McLane) speaks to Civil Protection units via their suit radios and to everyone via a PA system (in City 17, Nova Prospekt and the interiors of the Citadel). She will usually issue warnings of resistance infiltration or instructions to nearby units, and can be heard speaking after a CP unit is killed, saying something like "lost bio-signal for protection team unit" in a distinctive flat, clinical tone of voice with a British accent. Some examples of these messages could be "lost bio-signal for protection team unit, XRAY 9", or "unit down at Jurisdiction Block 514, respond code 3". Her disjointed speech, similar to that of telephone banking systems, and ability to apparently broadcast to more than one location at once suggests that she is merely an automated system. Judging by the source of the voice in game, PA broadcasts appear to emanate from The Citadel, although it appears to also be possible to broadcast announcements to specific blocks.

Her role, while small, offers significant insight into the inner workings of the Combine, as she uses a type of medically-inspired Newspeak to describe resistance activity in the context of a bacterial infection and treatment. Additionally, some of her announcements display the coercive and violent tactics used by the Combine to ensure conformity:

• At times, and to various people (usually citizens or Overwatch personnel) the dispatcher announces the threat of "permanent off world assignment/relocation" as punishment for either mission failure or not informing on potential "anticitizens". Doctor Breen also uses this threat at the end of the game.
• It is announced very soon after the start of Route Kanal that "inaction is conspiracy", encouraging local residents to turn in Gordon Freeman, who is just beginning his insurrection. As proof of this, food credits are deducted from humans as punishment for what is termed "inactive coercion".
• Freeman is progressively referred to as "staph infection" and "malignant". Instructions are issued to CPs to "inoculate", "shield", "clamp" and "pacify". His implicit citizenship (he could not be a legitimate citizen, as he has been presumed missing or dead for some time) is revoked due to his "multiple anti-civil violation." In this case, Freeman is addressed as "individual," and declared "malignant." When the Overwatch soldiers are introduced and the resistance movement is in full rebellion, she euphemistically orders them to "treat" and "amputate" rebels.
• It is announced near the start of Water Hazard that the "judgement waiver" is in effect, presumably allowing Civil Protection to deal with humans as they see fit.
• At Nova Prospekt, turrets are referred to as "sterilisers" in keeping with the medical theme, and Combine attention is to start with focus upon an "exogen breach," presumably the antlions present in the complex, some of which are under Gordon's control.
• Gordon is referred to as "Anticitizen One" starting roughly around Water Hazard, and retains this designation until the end of the game. As Gordon progresses within Nova Prospekt, the announcer refers to him once as "Anticitizen Freeman", the first and apparently only time he is referred to by name by the PA.

As the dispatcher's voice tracks are most likely recorded, the fact that it could say Freeman's name suggests that either the woman that recorded the voice was still alive and present, or that the voice is synthetically created by a computer program. Parallels can be drawn between the dispatcher and the telescreen news announcer in the 1984 film version of Nineteen Eighty-Four, who serves a similar role and is somewhat similar to the dispatcher in terms of voice. Also, the dispatcher's voice is very similar to the MFP dispatcher in the film Mad Max.

Whether or not the transmission is intended for receipt and processing by the Dispatcher, Combine soldiers use a code phrase to signal that some force has broken through their guard. The last soldier in the unit will call "Outbreak! Outbreak! Outbreak!" over the radio the moment the second-to-last soldier is killed.

In Episode One, the tone of the dispatcher changes drastically. In the Citadel, her voice is now slowed down, looping, and sounds confused at times. This new tone adds to the feeling that the Citadel's functions are failing, and all of her statements, such as "Warning bypass detected" and "Deploy, diagnose, deploy, diagnose, present singularity, present singularity" are reused from City 17 broadcasts, some Citadel broadcasts, and some are possibly from Nova Prospekt. However, when Freeman goes through a containment field, which supercharges his gravity gun, her voice returns to normal, and the dispatch for the Civil Protection units remain the same, which could mean that the Civil Protection dispatcher could be a separate system. The dispatcher's citywide broadcast is not present in City 17 itself during the duration of Episode One.

Spotting scope

Featured only once in Half-Life 2, during the player's trek along the coastline, the Combine spotting scope is a telescope-like device that is used by the Combine to observe a Resistance outpost (New Little Odessa) from the other side of a bay. Little else is detailed of the device.

See also

• List of humanoid and synthetic Combine in Half-Life 2
• List of Combine combat technology in Half-Life 2

References

• Half-Life 2 (PC), Valve Software, 2004. Official Website
• Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, David Hodgson, Prima Games. ISBN 0-7615-4364-3
• Half-Life 2: Prima Official Game Guide, David Hodgson, Prima Games. ISBN 0-7615-4362-7