Post by Alex on Aug 29, 2009 2:07:47 GMT -8
Faction name: Half-Life
Leader: Administrator, Nihilanth, Gene Worm
Members: N/A
Emblem:
For the entire faction
[Due to the skin color the emblem appears messed up, so go to this link (click on this)] For Security Guards, Science Team and Service Personnel (basically, anyone involved in Black Mesa).
For the HECU.
Homeworld: None, they want to take over Nu Earth as their homeworld.
Technology: Varies. It is mostly basic (uses VERY outdated weapons, such as Glocks), but it also includes some very powerful stuff (it has one of the best teleportation equipment in the universe).
Culture: Half-Life is one of the most varied empires in the universe, as it has, perhaps, the most species an empire could have. As such, the culture is very varied. They are an agressive empire that wants to expand and essentially control the entire universe. They seek to take control of Nu Earth and perhaps put their capital over there.
Interestingly enough, cockroaches and rats, once considered disgusting, are now considered cute, and are popular as pets.
Mission: To take over Nu Earth and set up a colony there. To eliminate any and all wildlife except those that might be useful, and those shall be domesticated.
Ships: N/A. While they have ships, they rarely use them. Instead, they rely on teleportation.
Military stationed on Nu Earth: Humans, Cockroaches, Rats, Headcrabs (wildlife, domesticated), Alien Slaves (intelligent aliens), Barnacles (wildlife, domesticated), Houndeyes (wildlife, domesticated), Bullsquids (wildlife, domesticated), Alien Grunts (intelligent aliens), Tentacles (wildlife, domesticated), Ichthyosaurs (wildlife, domesticated), Snarks (wildlife, domesticated), Gargantuas (intelligent aliens), Alien Controllers (intelligent aliens), Boids (wildlife, domesticated), Leeches (wildlife, domesticated), Manta Rays (wildlife, domesticated), Nihilanth (intelligent alien, only one exists), Voltigores (wildlife, domesticated), Sprites (wildlife, domesticated), Shock Troopers (intelligent aliens), Shock Roach (wildlife, domesticated), Pit Worms (wildlife, domesticated), Pit Drones (semi-intelligent aliens, think monkeys) Gene Worm (intelligent alien, only one exists), Chumtoads (wildlife, domesticated).
Base Name: Black Mesa, Xen, Santego Military Base
Base Description:
The first base is a Research Facility
Black Mesa
Research and Facilities
The facility is very high-security, as everyone is required to undergo a series of rigorous security checks as they travel around the complex. Black Mesa is dominated by a bewildering number of laboratories, test areas, and administration offices. Those, along with cavernous storage facilities, take up most of the underground areas of the complex. Despite being located in the middle of a desert, the underground and indoor sectors of Black Mesa are maintained at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) at all times, enabled by Black Mesa's sprawling network of ventilation ducts.
As employees are required to live in the complex itself, Black Mesa contains many personnel facilities, including laundromats, recreation and sports areas such as lounges, basketball courts, swimming pools, a video rental outlet, fast food outlets, food courts, cafeterias, and at least one bar serving alcoholic beverages. The facility is well-populated by vending machines and rest areas for the employees of the facility. The complex also has its own newspaper, The Mesa Times. Black Mesa contains many automated machine-gun turrets, which, when activated, will emerge from armored cupolas and fire upon any moving object in their line of sight, as long as that "object" isn't a member of the Half-Life.
Size
The physical range of the facility is nothing short of massive, large enough that the surface area is divided into seven lettered sectors and upwards of nine numbered areas. Most of the facility is located underground, where vast concrete-lined caverns and old ICBM silos are linked by a network of electric trams, called the Black Mesa Transit System. Black Mesa is self-sufficient, housing its own ventilation, plumbing, sewage, and power generation systems including a hydroelectric dam and multiple types of electrical generators and reactors, some nuclear in design. The facility is filled with all kinds of laboratories and testing areas, most of which contain very high-tech equipment. The complex also features multi-story car parks (complete with Black Mesa four-wheel drive SUVs), arsenals of nuclear and conventional weapons, a local electric rail materials transport network, laboratories housing the latest equipment for every conceivable high-tech scientific discipline (including a powerful Anti-Mass Spectrometer), and even its own rocket launch site. The surface areas of Black Mesa features more modern construction.
Areas
Sector A Training Facility
Sector A contains the separate Hazard Courses used for training HEV personnel and security officers. Demonstrations are provided by trained instructors or prerecorded holographic assistants, whilst participants are constantly monitored by observing scientists. The two Hazard Courses are built over old, disused industrial sectors of the facility, and are each divided into an obstacle course and target range.
Sector A also contains a Satellite Communications Center, housing a large satellite uplink dish. Near this area is a vast semi-subterranean freight warehouse.
There are also the Area 4 Personnel Dormitories in this sector.
Sector B Coolant Reserve
The Coolant Reserve (sometimes called Section A-17 Prototype Laboratories) stores the industrial coolant used to maintain Black Mesa's thousands of computers and machines.
The section is also the site of the Displacement Field Laboratory, where Black Mesa's first teleportation experiments took place. It is powered by the Auxiliary Generator Facility. The surface level of Sector B is a Train Yard, and was used to ship freight in and out of the facility over the Nu Earth. The sector also contains the Area 2 Administration Offices.
Sector C Test Labs and Control Facilities
Sector C is notable primarily for housing the Anomalous Materials Laboratories. This area contains the Anti-Mass Spectrometer (Test Lab C-33/a).
In addition to the Anomalous Materials Laboratories, the sector also contains the High-Energy Particle Laboratories and Supercooled Laser Laboratory.
Sector C is patrolled by guards from the Area 3 Security Facilities. The facility is adjacent to the High-Energy Particle Labs, and encompasses a central lobby, personnel facilities, video surveillance, and an armory.
The sector also contains the Level 3 Dormitories, which featured a Library, a cafeteria, and an Aquatic Center with a large pool. The average dormitory room is furnished with a bed, entertainment center (with television) and a small bathroom with shower.
Several areas include carpeted lounges with wide-screen televisions.
Sector D Administration
Sector D is mainly a large underground complex of Administration Offices where the bureaucratic aspects of Black Mesa's upkeep take place, along with some limited research.
The Administration Offices are built beneath the surface's High Security Storage Facility, a large semi-subterranean warehouse made of interlocking Storage Areas. The lower levels of Sector D contained the Silo D Experimental Propulsion Laboratories where rocket engines are tested in one of Black Mesa's many decommissioned missile silos.
Sector E Biodome Complex
The Biodome Complex, a relatively new area of the facility, contains a series of Specimen Observation Areas, where captured Nu Earth aliens are kept and observed in artificial recreations of their natural habitats. Alongside these enclosures are Specimen Containment Rooms where the aliens are studied in closer detail.
Connected to the Biodome complex are the Gamma Alien Quarantine Labs, where even more aliens are studied. Even closer detail is seen here.
This area houses a Beam Matrix. The matrix consists of three primary-colored lasers, that have be combined to make secondary colored lasers for outlets that power certain parts of the Matrix. Then, when all three lasers are combined and sent through what seem to be multicolored crystals (from their conquests), power flows to this machine.
A crater on the surface of Sector E contains the Prototype Displacement Beacon, housed in a sewer. Lining the walls of the crater are three huge crystals that must be deployed and charged to create a Resonance Reversal. Near these devices is also a fairly large RPG armory.
The lowest underground levels of Sector E contains the Hydrofauna Studies Laboratory where aquatic aliens are kept in older decommissioned areas that have been flooded and converted into makeshift tanks. The sector also contains the Advanced Biological Research Lab, a smaller facility where the aliens were tested on and dissected by an automated robotic Surgical Unit, in ways that are likely unethical.
The second level of the lab is used as an experimental weapon research lab, testing dangerous weapons such as the Tau Cannon and a large High-Powered Laser. The other surface areas of Sector E form an Ordnance Storage Facility where vast amounts of munitions and explosives are stored, ranging from small arms to crates of dynamite, even including some nuclear weapons.. An area of this facility, Storage Unit 04 (also known as the Level 4 Storage Unit) also exists.
The Gamma Laboratories in Sector E were built later, as a means of capturing Nu Earth specimens without risking casualties. These labs use a Prototype Displacement Beacon, which generates strong displacement fields and opens miniature dimensional rifts between Earth and Xen, for the safe and easy collection of alien life.
The surface of Sector E contains the bulk of Black Mesa's still-functional military facilities (An army Base topside), including at least three Helicopter Hangars, a Topside Armory and a Topside Barracks. The nearby Silo E High Altitude Launch Center, a silo converted into a fully-functional satellite delivery rocket launchpad.
Finally, Sector E is the location of Black Mesa's various Waste Processing facilities, including the Biological Waste Processing Plant and Waste Processing Area 3.
In proportion to the rest of Black Mesa, Sector E is ultimately the largest area.
These various facilities are linked together, and to the rest of the base, by the (largely decommissioned) Sector E Materials Transport system, a network of dilapidated trams extending deep beneath the facility from Sector E Track Control.
Sector F Lambda Complex
The heavily fortified Lambda Reactor Complex is the site of Black Mesa's top secret teleportation labs. The reactor is a huge device consisting of the Lambda Reactor Main Coolant System, and the cylindrical Lambda Reactor Core. The core of the reactor consisted of four levels (Levels A-D) that fueled an extremely powerful teleportation portal on Level A, where survey Teams were equipped and sent outside the base.
Sector F is linked to the rest of the base via the Secured Access Lambda Sector Transport and the Central Complex, which contains Black Mesa's Central Command and Communication Centers and a Mechanized Infantry Repair Bay.
Sector G Hydro Electric
Located at the lowest points of the Black Mesa Research Facility, Sector G channels power from Black Mesa's rivers and underground Drainage Canal system. Its most prominent feature is the Topside Hydro Plant that consisted of a large hydroelectric dam-which resembles Hoover Dam-that cuts through the center of Sector E.
A large lift was built into Sector G. A tiny chemical-filled laboratory, freight tunnels, and the Small Materials Storage Area are all else that is seen of this area.
Additional Areas (those that don't belong to any sectors)
* East Personnel Entrance - The spot of which is shown, directly in front of Area 8 Topside Dormitories.
* Area 7 Recreational Facilities - Area 7 contains comforts and diversions such as sporting areas, cafeterias, and other personnel facilities.
* Area 8 Topside Dormitories - One of the many topside dormitories on the surface of Black Mesa, it featured a basketball court and a small train platform.
* Area 9 Transit Hub - The Area 9 Transit Hub acts as one of the many transit security checkpoints throughout the Black Mesa Research Facility. Trams that pass through the Area 9 Transit Hub can be rerouted to both the Sector E, B, and C transit lines.
* Black Mesa Air-Traffic Control - This building was adjacent a large airstrip, and was used to monitor and direct activity in the airspace above Black Mesa. Special clearance codes had to be entered at this building before any rocket launch can take place in other areas.
* Infirmary - The infirmary is equipped with CAT and MRI scanners. There are laser-based experiments taking place in this building.
* Level 1 Main Facility Entrance - The Level 1 Main Facility Entrance is used as a central entrance checkpoint for all the facility personnel.
The second base is located in the orbit of Nu Earth.
Xen
Rather than being a planet or an artificial structure such as a space station, all of the locations of Xen are on the surfaces of (or within) asteroids ("islands") floating within a nebular void. There is water inside these islands, The majority of flowing water is red and greenish brown, however there are pools of blueish water that have a healing effect on whoever sits on them. The presence of any water proves that Xen can support life.
Compared to the gravitational pull experienced on Nu Earth, Xen is notable for having somewhat reduced gravity. However, given that Xen is comprised of low mass asteroids, it is surprising that there is any appreciable gravitational pull at all, let alone a pull strong enough to retain the breathable atmosphere encountered there. Another noticeable feature is that gravity is always directed downwards, rather than towards the asteroid, so that one can actually fall off an asteroid into the void below.
Ecosystem
The Xen asteroids are home to a wide variety of different plant and animal species, forming a complex ecosystem. Although resident in Xen, all of these species originate elsewhere.
Some species, such as barnacles, Bullsquid, Headcrabs and Houndeyes occupy niches similar to various carnivorous terrestrial animals (albeit with unusual anatomical or physiological features). However, even these creatures are dwarfed by the towering 6 meter high, four-legged invertebrate known as the Gonarch, which is the final stage of a Headcrab's lifecycle.
Seen frequently in Xen (and occasionally in Black Mesa, where they transport Alien Grunts) manta ray-like beings glide seemingly without effort through the void. These creatures come in two forms; one with a 'split' head and a double tail, and the other with a rounder head and a single tail. The beings appear to follow preset patterns of flight, and do not react to attack or contact with other organisms. However, they are capable of emitting beams of energy. It is uncertain whether these ray-like beings are living creatures or examples of war machines built around advanced biotechnology.
Other, more intelligent species, such as the Controllers and Alien Slaves, form part of an advanced alien civilization with other species, such as the Alien Grunts and Gargantua, composing their military. This civilization is controlled by several things, including a central intelligence, the Nihilanth. Although differing in many ways, the Controllers, Alien Slaves, Grunts and the Nihilanth share a common morphology that includes a seemingly vestigial third limb in the center of their thorax and vertically-opening mouths, showing us that they are all closely related.
A few creatures that appear in Xen are difficult to categorize as either fauna or flora due to their unusual appearance. Stationary bioluminescent stalks appear in large numbers throughout Xen and will retract when approached. The much larger and extremely aggressive (but rarely encountered) Tentacles share certain features with animals but also of plants and pose a major hazard to those who wander near their pits. There are also bizarre tree-like structures dotted around the landscape, which seem to be more sedate versions of the Tentacles. The "trees" sway gently and appear harmless when observed from a distance, but stab viciously at any creature that enters their immediate vicinity. There are also strange trampoline-like plants seen in Black Mesa and Xen and pit holes that blow out air.
The final base is located on Nu Earth as well.
Santego Military Base
Santego includes barracks, offices in the Tactical Operations Command, helipads, and the Advanced Training Facility, including the following sections:
* Armory, where Powered Combat Vests can be picked up and charged.
* Test Firing Chamber, where the recruit is shown how the PCV protects him from bullets.
* Environmental Hazards Simulation, where the recruit must got through miscellanea hazards such as fire, steam, electricity and radioactive waste, while being protected by his PCV.
* Nightvision Training, where the recruit is shown how the nightvision goggles work.
* Basic Training, where the recruit must perform basic movements.
* Rope Course, where the recruit must climb ropes.
* Live Fire Range, where the recruit is shot at and must avoid fire.
* Target Range, where the recruit must learn how to use weapons.
o Pistol Range, where the recruit must learn how to use the Desert Eagle.
o Sniper Range, where the recruit must learn how to use the M40A1 Sniper Rifle.
* Squad Training, where the recruit must learn to use his assets properly.
History: The Half-Life had started out only recently after the destruction of Earth. One of the ships XL-340, left the planet and traveled far away. The humans aboard were scared, and had no idea where they were going. They tried to remake society, however, on board. They found several planets along their travels along the universe, and managed to enslave (or domesticate, for those that weren't sapient) all alien races in their path, which was quite impressive. But then, after taking enough of the alien race aboard that they could reproduce, and using them as soldiers, they left the planet and headed off to the next one. And so on. It was an empire, and yet not quite so.
Eventually, however, the slavery for most species on-board went away, and all of them are now treated equally.
They eventually discovered Nu Earth. After days of talking between the leaders, which, by then, were made of both aliens and humans, it was decided that they shall take over Nu Earth and claim it as their capital. After all, it was located in the center of the universe, which would make it the perfect hub. After that, they were to conquer the entire universe. And so the first wave of aliens and humans were sent to Nu Earth, where they established several bases. Now, they await for the 2nd wave. When, or if all waves arrive in Nu Earth, it will be hell for anyone who might want to take it over.
Leader: Administrator, Nihilanth, Gene Worm
Members: N/A
Emblem:
For the entire faction[Due to the skin color the emblem appears messed up, so go to this link (click on this)] For Security Guards, Science Team and Service Personnel (basically, anyone involved in Black Mesa).
For the HECU.Homeworld: None, they want to take over Nu Earth as their homeworld.
Technology: Varies. It is mostly basic (uses VERY outdated weapons, such as Glocks), but it also includes some very powerful stuff (it has one of the best teleportation equipment in the universe).
Culture: Half-Life is one of the most varied empires in the universe, as it has, perhaps, the most species an empire could have. As such, the culture is very varied. They are an agressive empire that wants to expand and essentially control the entire universe. They seek to take control of Nu Earth and perhaps put their capital over there.
Interestingly enough, cockroaches and rats, once considered disgusting, are now considered cute, and are popular as pets.
Mission: To take over Nu Earth and set up a colony there. To eliminate any and all wildlife except those that might be useful, and those shall be domesticated.
Ships: N/A. While they have ships, they rarely use them. Instead, they rely on teleportation.
Military stationed on Nu Earth: Humans, Cockroaches, Rats, Headcrabs (wildlife, domesticated), Alien Slaves (intelligent aliens), Barnacles (wildlife, domesticated), Houndeyes (wildlife, domesticated), Bullsquids (wildlife, domesticated), Alien Grunts (intelligent aliens), Tentacles (wildlife, domesticated), Ichthyosaurs (wildlife, domesticated), Snarks (wildlife, domesticated), Gargantuas (intelligent aliens), Alien Controllers (intelligent aliens), Boids (wildlife, domesticated), Leeches (wildlife, domesticated), Manta Rays (wildlife, domesticated), Nihilanth (intelligent alien, only one exists), Voltigores (wildlife, domesticated), Sprites (wildlife, domesticated), Shock Troopers (intelligent aliens), Shock Roach (wildlife, domesticated), Pit Worms (wildlife, domesticated), Pit Drones (semi-intelligent aliens, think monkeys) Gene Worm (intelligent alien, only one exists), Chumtoads (wildlife, domesticated).
Base Name: Black Mesa, Xen, Santego Military Base
Base Description:
The first base is a Research Facility
Black Mesa
Research and Facilities
The facility is very high-security, as everyone is required to undergo a series of rigorous security checks as they travel around the complex. Black Mesa is dominated by a bewildering number of laboratories, test areas, and administration offices. Those, along with cavernous storage facilities, take up most of the underground areas of the complex. Despite being located in the middle of a desert, the underground and indoor sectors of Black Mesa are maintained at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) at all times, enabled by Black Mesa's sprawling network of ventilation ducts.
As employees are required to live in the complex itself, Black Mesa contains many personnel facilities, including laundromats, recreation and sports areas such as lounges, basketball courts, swimming pools, a video rental outlet, fast food outlets, food courts, cafeterias, and at least one bar serving alcoholic beverages. The facility is well-populated by vending machines and rest areas for the employees of the facility. The complex also has its own newspaper, The Mesa Times. Black Mesa contains many automated machine-gun turrets, which, when activated, will emerge from armored cupolas and fire upon any moving object in their line of sight, as long as that "object" isn't a member of the Half-Life.
Size
The physical range of the facility is nothing short of massive, large enough that the surface area is divided into seven lettered sectors and upwards of nine numbered areas. Most of the facility is located underground, where vast concrete-lined caverns and old ICBM silos are linked by a network of electric trams, called the Black Mesa Transit System. Black Mesa is self-sufficient, housing its own ventilation, plumbing, sewage, and power generation systems including a hydroelectric dam and multiple types of electrical generators and reactors, some nuclear in design. The facility is filled with all kinds of laboratories and testing areas, most of which contain very high-tech equipment. The complex also features multi-story car parks (complete with Black Mesa four-wheel drive SUVs), arsenals of nuclear and conventional weapons, a local electric rail materials transport network, laboratories housing the latest equipment for every conceivable high-tech scientific discipline (including a powerful Anti-Mass Spectrometer), and even its own rocket launch site. The surface areas of Black Mesa features more modern construction.
Areas
Sector A Training Facility
Sector A contains the separate Hazard Courses used for training HEV personnel and security officers. Demonstrations are provided by trained instructors or prerecorded holographic assistants, whilst participants are constantly monitored by observing scientists. The two Hazard Courses are built over old, disused industrial sectors of the facility, and are each divided into an obstacle course and target range.
Sector A also contains a Satellite Communications Center, housing a large satellite uplink dish. Near this area is a vast semi-subterranean freight warehouse.
There are also the Area 4 Personnel Dormitories in this sector.
Sector B Coolant Reserve
The Coolant Reserve (sometimes called Section A-17 Prototype Laboratories) stores the industrial coolant used to maintain Black Mesa's thousands of computers and machines.
The section is also the site of the Displacement Field Laboratory, where Black Mesa's first teleportation experiments took place. It is powered by the Auxiliary Generator Facility. The surface level of Sector B is a Train Yard, and was used to ship freight in and out of the facility over the Nu Earth. The sector also contains the Area 2 Administration Offices.
Sector C Test Labs and Control Facilities
Sector C is notable primarily for housing the Anomalous Materials Laboratories. This area contains the Anti-Mass Spectrometer (Test Lab C-33/a).
In addition to the Anomalous Materials Laboratories, the sector also contains the High-Energy Particle Laboratories and Supercooled Laser Laboratory.
Sector C is patrolled by guards from the Area 3 Security Facilities. The facility is adjacent to the High-Energy Particle Labs, and encompasses a central lobby, personnel facilities, video surveillance, and an armory.
The sector also contains the Level 3 Dormitories, which featured a Library, a cafeteria, and an Aquatic Center with a large pool. The average dormitory room is furnished with a bed, entertainment center (with television) and a small bathroom with shower.
Several areas include carpeted lounges with wide-screen televisions.
Sector D Administration
Sector D is mainly a large underground complex of Administration Offices where the bureaucratic aspects of Black Mesa's upkeep take place, along with some limited research.
The Administration Offices are built beneath the surface's High Security Storage Facility, a large semi-subterranean warehouse made of interlocking Storage Areas. The lower levels of Sector D contained the Silo D Experimental Propulsion Laboratories where rocket engines are tested in one of Black Mesa's many decommissioned missile silos.
Sector E Biodome Complex
The Biodome Complex, a relatively new area of the facility, contains a series of Specimen Observation Areas, where captured Nu Earth aliens are kept and observed in artificial recreations of their natural habitats. Alongside these enclosures are Specimen Containment Rooms where the aliens are studied in closer detail.
Connected to the Biodome complex are the Gamma Alien Quarantine Labs, where even more aliens are studied. Even closer detail is seen here.
This area houses a Beam Matrix. The matrix consists of three primary-colored lasers, that have be combined to make secondary colored lasers for outlets that power certain parts of the Matrix. Then, when all three lasers are combined and sent through what seem to be multicolored crystals (from their conquests), power flows to this machine.
A crater on the surface of Sector E contains the Prototype Displacement Beacon, housed in a sewer. Lining the walls of the crater are three huge crystals that must be deployed and charged to create a Resonance Reversal. Near these devices is also a fairly large RPG armory.
The lowest underground levels of Sector E contains the Hydrofauna Studies Laboratory where aquatic aliens are kept in older decommissioned areas that have been flooded and converted into makeshift tanks. The sector also contains the Advanced Biological Research Lab, a smaller facility where the aliens were tested on and dissected by an automated robotic Surgical Unit, in ways that are likely unethical.
The second level of the lab is used as an experimental weapon research lab, testing dangerous weapons such as the Tau Cannon and a large High-Powered Laser. The other surface areas of Sector E form an Ordnance Storage Facility where vast amounts of munitions and explosives are stored, ranging from small arms to crates of dynamite, even including some nuclear weapons.. An area of this facility, Storage Unit 04 (also known as the Level 4 Storage Unit) also exists.
The Gamma Laboratories in Sector E were built later, as a means of capturing Nu Earth specimens without risking casualties. These labs use a Prototype Displacement Beacon, which generates strong displacement fields and opens miniature dimensional rifts between Earth and Xen, for the safe and easy collection of alien life.
The surface of Sector E contains the bulk of Black Mesa's still-functional military facilities (An army Base topside), including at least three Helicopter Hangars, a Topside Armory and a Topside Barracks. The nearby Silo E High Altitude Launch Center, a silo converted into a fully-functional satellite delivery rocket launchpad.
Finally, Sector E is the location of Black Mesa's various Waste Processing facilities, including the Biological Waste Processing Plant and Waste Processing Area 3.
In proportion to the rest of Black Mesa, Sector E is ultimately the largest area.
These various facilities are linked together, and to the rest of the base, by the (largely decommissioned) Sector E Materials Transport system, a network of dilapidated trams extending deep beneath the facility from Sector E Track Control.
Sector F Lambda Complex
The heavily fortified Lambda Reactor Complex is the site of Black Mesa's top secret teleportation labs. The reactor is a huge device consisting of the Lambda Reactor Main Coolant System, and the cylindrical Lambda Reactor Core. The core of the reactor consisted of four levels (Levels A-D) that fueled an extremely powerful teleportation portal on Level A, where survey Teams were equipped and sent outside the base.
Sector F is linked to the rest of the base via the Secured Access Lambda Sector Transport and the Central Complex, which contains Black Mesa's Central Command and Communication Centers and a Mechanized Infantry Repair Bay.
Sector G Hydro Electric
Located at the lowest points of the Black Mesa Research Facility, Sector G channels power from Black Mesa's rivers and underground Drainage Canal system. Its most prominent feature is the Topside Hydro Plant that consisted of a large hydroelectric dam-which resembles Hoover Dam-that cuts through the center of Sector E.
A large lift was built into Sector G. A tiny chemical-filled laboratory, freight tunnels, and the Small Materials Storage Area are all else that is seen of this area.
Additional Areas (those that don't belong to any sectors)
* East Personnel Entrance - The spot of which is shown, directly in front of Area 8 Topside Dormitories.
* Area 7 Recreational Facilities - Area 7 contains comforts and diversions such as sporting areas, cafeterias, and other personnel facilities.
* Area 8 Topside Dormitories - One of the many topside dormitories on the surface of Black Mesa, it featured a basketball court and a small train platform.
* Area 9 Transit Hub - The Area 9 Transit Hub acts as one of the many transit security checkpoints throughout the Black Mesa Research Facility. Trams that pass through the Area 9 Transit Hub can be rerouted to both the Sector E, B, and C transit lines.
* Black Mesa Air-Traffic Control - This building was adjacent a large airstrip, and was used to monitor and direct activity in the airspace above Black Mesa. Special clearance codes had to be entered at this building before any rocket launch can take place in other areas.
* Infirmary - The infirmary is equipped with CAT and MRI scanners. There are laser-based experiments taking place in this building.
* Level 1 Main Facility Entrance - The Level 1 Main Facility Entrance is used as a central entrance checkpoint for all the facility personnel.
The second base is located in the orbit of Nu Earth.
Xen
Rather than being a planet or an artificial structure such as a space station, all of the locations of Xen are on the surfaces of (or within) asteroids ("islands") floating within a nebular void. There is water inside these islands, The majority of flowing water is red and greenish brown, however there are pools of blueish water that have a healing effect on whoever sits on them. The presence of any water proves that Xen can support life.
Compared to the gravitational pull experienced on Nu Earth, Xen is notable for having somewhat reduced gravity. However, given that Xen is comprised of low mass asteroids, it is surprising that there is any appreciable gravitational pull at all, let alone a pull strong enough to retain the breathable atmosphere encountered there. Another noticeable feature is that gravity is always directed downwards, rather than towards the asteroid, so that one can actually fall off an asteroid into the void below.
Ecosystem
The Xen asteroids are home to a wide variety of different plant and animal species, forming a complex ecosystem. Although resident in Xen, all of these species originate elsewhere.
Some species, such as barnacles, Bullsquid, Headcrabs and Houndeyes occupy niches similar to various carnivorous terrestrial animals (albeit with unusual anatomical or physiological features). However, even these creatures are dwarfed by the towering 6 meter high, four-legged invertebrate known as the Gonarch, which is the final stage of a Headcrab's lifecycle.
Seen frequently in Xen (and occasionally in Black Mesa, where they transport Alien Grunts) manta ray-like beings glide seemingly without effort through the void. These creatures come in two forms; one with a 'split' head and a double tail, and the other with a rounder head and a single tail. The beings appear to follow preset patterns of flight, and do not react to attack or contact with other organisms. However, they are capable of emitting beams of energy. It is uncertain whether these ray-like beings are living creatures or examples of war machines built around advanced biotechnology.
Other, more intelligent species, such as the Controllers and Alien Slaves, form part of an advanced alien civilization with other species, such as the Alien Grunts and Gargantua, composing their military. This civilization is controlled by several things, including a central intelligence, the Nihilanth. Although differing in many ways, the Controllers, Alien Slaves, Grunts and the Nihilanth share a common morphology that includes a seemingly vestigial third limb in the center of their thorax and vertically-opening mouths, showing us that they are all closely related.
A few creatures that appear in Xen are difficult to categorize as either fauna or flora due to their unusual appearance. Stationary bioluminescent stalks appear in large numbers throughout Xen and will retract when approached. The much larger and extremely aggressive (but rarely encountered) Tentacles share certain features with animals but also of plants and pose a major hazard to those who wander near their pits. There are also bizarre tree-like structures dotted around the landscape, which seem to be more sedate versions of the Tentacles. The "trees" sway gently and appear harmless when observed from a distance, but stab viciously at any creature that enters their immediate vicinity. There are also strange trampoline-like plants seen in Black Mesa and Xen and pit holes that blow out air.
The final base is located on Nu Earth as well.
Santego Military Base
Santego includes barracks, offices in the Tactical Operations Command, helipads, and the Advanced Training Facility, including the following sections:
* Armory, where Powered Combat Vests can be picked up and charged.
* Test Firing Chamber, where the recruit is shown how the PCV protects him from bullets.
* Environmental Hazards Simulation, where the recruit must got through miscellanea hazards such as fire, steam, electricity and radioactive waste, while being protected by his PCV.
* Nightvision Training, where the recruit is shown how the nightvision goggles work.
* Basic Training, where the recruit must perform basic movements.
* Rope Course, where the recruit must climb ropes.
* Live Fire Range, where the recruit is shot at and must avoid fire.
* Target Range, where the recruit must learn how to use weapons.
o Pistol Range, where the recruit must learn how to use the Desert Eagle.
o Sniper Range, where the recruit must learn how to use the M40A1 Sniper Rifle.
* Squad Training, where the recruit must learn to use his assets properly.
History: The Half-Life had started out only recently after the destruction of Earth. One of the ships XL-340, left the planet and traveled far away. The humans aboard were scared, and had no idea where they were going. They tried to remake society, however, on board. They found several planets along their travels along the universe, and managed to enslave (or domesticate, for those that weren't sapient) all alien races in their path, which was quite impressive. But then, after taking enough of the alien race aboard that they could reproduce, and using them as soldiers, they left the planet and headed off to the next one. And so on. It was an empire, and yet not quite so.
Eventually, however, the slavery for most species on-board went away, and all of them are now treated equally.
They eventually discovered Nu Earth. After days of talking between the leaders, which, by then, were made of both aliens and humans, it was decided that they shall take over Nu Earth and claim it as their capital. After all, it was located in the center of the universe, which would make it the perfect hub. After that, they were to conquer the entire universe. And so the first wave of aliens and humans were sent to Nu Earth, where they established several bases. Now, they await for the 2nd wave. When, or if all waves arrive in Nu Earth, it will be hell for anyone who might want to take it over.