Barney.

[maple]

Did he become a metro cop, just to get clearance, or did he kill one and steal the suit?

[Bongfarmer]

pretty sure he joined, no one knows for sure

[joshsmog]

he said he has to go on shift soon at one part so im pretty sure he joined for clearance and food.

[ríomhaire]

The question is how did he avoid the combine brain control.
He must not have a brain
(Good protection from head crabs)

[kupocake]

The question is how did he avoid the combine brain control.
Assuming there is any. Seems to me that the people just sign up for Civil Protection to get their food... and get their kicks out of telling normal citizens to pick up cans. Barney probably just signed up, but how he got to his high status position is another matter...

[Ennui]

he signed up for it. The combine has no idea that he's a member of the resistance.

[DesertChicken]

How did he avoid getting gutted and bionicized? Can you really imagine the bullies with gas masks being any of the people from the human race (those in the apartments in Point Insertion for example) without Combine "tinkering"?

[ríomhaire]

Tere defenatly is brain control. The people talk about the special water that "makes the forget". A super concentrated version is probably used on Civil Protection cops

[kupocake]

How did he avoid getting gutted and bionicized? Can you really imagine the bullies with gas masks being any of the people from the human race (those in the apartments in Point Insertion for example) without Combine "tinkering"?
It seemed to me that you only got "altered" if you were a soldier - like the nekkid guy on the monitor in Nova Prospekt. CP uniform seems to be pretty standard armor plus a gas mask: We know the clothing is just "put on" because the resistance fighters use the flak-jackets that the combine do. Barney seems to be conclusive proof that there is no kind of alteration to make you a CP MetroCop... the Soldiers and Elites however...

Tere defenatly is brain control. The people talk about the special water that "makes the forget". A super concentrated version is probably used on Civil Protection cops

Yes there is mind control, but it seems pretty easy for Barney to avoid drinking the impure City 17 water (the Science team would purify it, or make their own). Aside from that, there is no evidence of mind control, other than the suggestive mind control of the Breencasts. Which are kind of like what TV is today anyway. For the average citizen, daily exposed to oppressive cops, dodgy drinking water and breen's Propganda alone, it's easy to see how they could be "mind controlled" in a loose sense into joining the combine cause. For Barney, all he has to do is not blow his cover, drink the right water and remember that he has a bunch of pals who're fighting a guerilla war against the guy on the big screen.

And super concentrated Combine water? Is it that hard for our hero to simply avoid having a drink on duty? Besides; how the hell does a combine drink anyway.

[Is This Tea]

It seemed to me that you only got "altered" if you were a soldier.
I think this is most likely correct but we don’t know for sure. Barney might have other ways of avoiding that kind of detection… something the resistance scientists cooked up.

[Mujuro]

I believe the metro-police are the lowest rank of combine forces, being just pure humans who like to beat and terrorize other people ("Pick up the can!" and so on). If you talked to the lady in the line at the beginning of the game long enough, she'll say, "I'm thinking about joining Civil Protection just to get some decent food." As you progress as a metro-cop, you gain new ranks (just like in the military) and gain new rights and whatnot. The only downside to this is that you must go through a tedious process which turns you into the actual Combine race/force. This is just a theory though... which I think is true. Simply put, metro-cops are real people who joined civil protection for food and whatnot.

[Is This Tea]

Simply put, metro-cops are real people who joined civil protection for food and whatnot.
They won't be "people" for long!

[ríomhaire]

They are people who joined up for beter food but they probably get brainwashed. Do you actualy think the Combine would hand out guns to people they thought still had free will? Seams like a pritty stupid idea to me. Otherwise the entire resistince could join take the guns and armour and turn around and use the Combine's own weapons against them. Communist China used alot of brainwashing and could completly change a persons ideas and point of view in thier camps

[DeusExMachina]

They probably go through a vigourous program of brainwash.

[Sid Burn]

Hmm... I think that Barney killed a metro cop and used that suit the metro cop is wearing. if he joined to the combine... he could've become a civil protection and may become an enemy in HL2.

[Reese620]

Well, if he was not part of the Civil Protection how did he have clearance? Hmmm? And I really doubt he will become an enemy, he is one of the main parts of the Resistance >_<. If anything Barney will be an ally, or he could die by the explosion so it won't matter heh.

[Danimal]

Ummm Welcome to the fourms?

anyway, he is undercover in the CP, giving plans and whatnot

[RandomX]

I think he got clearance from the CP that he killed and stole the uniform from. I believe he uses that CP's ID and stuff. Nobody knows that CP is dead but Barney :)

[The Monkey]

It still seems like they joined freely. A woman in the trainstation said: "I might join the Civil Protection just to get food on my table:" Or something like that.

[zinquaff]

Its not as if cp gets much power. They get food, a batton, and maybe a pistol. I think the combine could trust cp just like stalin or hitler could trust their officers. So I think that it is plausable that barney is a legitimate member of cp.

[Joe]

For those that are saying Barney killed the CP, if he did that, the combine dispatcher would know instantly. Recall that when you kill CPs, there is radio chatter "Unit down at *insert location*". So logically, Barney must have just joined them.

[Pip]

Mebbe he and the science team managed to capture one and disable his 'tracking device' so the combine wouldnt know when he died under interrogation. Then Barney took the uniform and ID bypassing of security devices in suit and equipment with help from the Science team and just strolled into work as that CP.

I think people join CP for food and warm clothing then get a terrible shock when they get carved up and Combined.

[Sid Burn]

Mebbe he and the science team managed to capture one and disable his 'tracking device' so the combine wouldnt know when he died under interrogation. Then Barney took the uniform and ID bypassing of security devices in suit and equipment with help from the Science team and just strolled into work as that CP.

I think people join CP for food and warm clothing then get a terrible shock when they get carved up and Combined.
Hmm... maybe you're right since knocking or killing a CP is very easy. :smoking:

[Kyorisu]

I think it's irrelevant.

[Walter]

Did he become a metro cop, just to get clearance, or did he kill one and steal the suit?

You don't just become a metrocop . They kill you , turn you into a cyborg , and then you become a metrocop . Calhoun probably knew who was he taking the suit from .

[Joe]

Mebbe he and the science team managed to capture one and disable his 'tracking device' so the combine wouldnt know when he died under interrogation. Then Barney took the uniform and ID bypassing of security devices in suit and equipment with help from the Science team and just strolled into work as that CP.

I think people join CP for food and warm clothing then get a terrible shock when they get carved up and Combined.

That's abit of a stretch IMO...

The CP's positions are constantly known by the CP dispatcher (Hence why they know where they are when they die), if the CP goes off his patrol area suddenly without radioing in first (Remember, you can hear them communicating via radio as they come at you), the CP dispatcher would, at least logically, send CP units to investigate it.

Secondly, I still do not believe the CPs are transformed in any way. They are merely: A) People desperate for food/clothing/providing for their family/etc, B) Low level scum bags who don't care about the human race, just wish to elevate themselves in power.

Both would undergo some sort of brainwashing process OR, they are not given certain priviledges (Such as carrying a USP Match/ H&K MP7). Those are only obtained by "Gaining rank" in the CP units. Their commanders would select individuals who seem to really be "thorough" in their job, or seem to "believe in the combine cause" for having been doing the job for so long, and give them access to such weapons. But they would not be physically altered. The altered human in Nova Prospekt is a soldier, not a CP.

[kupocake]

Both would undergo some sort of brainwashing process OR, they are not given certain priviledges (Such as carrying a USP Match/ H&K MP7). Those are only obtained by "Gaining rank" in the CP units. Their commanders would select individuals who seem to really be "thorough" in their job, or seem to "believe in the combine cause" for having been doing the job for so long, and give them access to such weapons. But they would not be physically altered. The altered human in Nova Prospekt is a soldier, not a CP.
Interestingly, the Raising the Bar book has a model for a higher ranked Metrocop: an "Elite Metro Cop". The patches on the uniform are red, and the helmet has a slightly different design. Didn't make it into the game, and I often wonder why...

[Joe]

Interestingly, the Raising the Bar book has a model for a higher ranked Metrocop: an "Elite Metro Cop". The patches on the uniform are red, and the helmet has a slightly different design. Didn't make it into the game, and I often wonder why...

Well, that's just my personal take on it. Whether that's the case, well, only Marc Laidlaw would know.

[Samon]

You don't just become a metrocop . They kill you , turn you into a cyborg , and then you become a metrocop . Calhoun probably knew who was he taking the suit from .
Reply With Quote

You do just become a metrocop, all citizens do is go to the plaza, line up and take the suit from the machine. They get a decent meal and get to beat the crap out of people.

Your thinking of the combine soldiers.

[zinquaff]

If the cp dispatcher knows where everyone of their officers are, wouldnt they be suspicious of barney is wandering away from work everyday to the same uncharted place?

[Sid Burn]

You don't just become a metrocop . They kill you , turn you into a cyborg , and then you become a metrocop . Calhoun probably knew who was he taking the suit from .
Maybe you ment the combine elite and soldiers. Civil Protections are only humans that wears gas mask. :borg:

[Vorac1ous]

Before you read this, let me inform you I think some Combines are just regular people like you & me, regardless what pictures in the game say.

I think Barney killed a Metrocop for the suit. Then, he may have taken the cops head. Since I don't think it's a mask & just the head of the Metrocop, he could have chopped off the head, & using that as a template molded a mask off of that using lexan or a similar material. He then painted it flourescent white.

Now being a master of disguise, Barney proved himself worthy of being a Combine, & got the pay, food, housing & clearance.

[Joe]

If the cp dispatcher knows where everyone of their officers are, wouldnt they be suspicious of barney is wandering away from work everyday to the same uncharted place?

Barney didn't just up and walk away from his post. Obviously, even the CPs need to take a break from their duties once and awile to eat/drink. Barney could have taken advantage of this and used it as an excuse to head to Klieners lab.

[Samon]

Maybe you ment the combine elite and soldiers. Civil Protections are only humans that wears gas mask.

Yesh i think thats what he meant, he jsut got them mixed up :P

[bboymatty]

metro cops and real combine are different classes all together i think
civil protection uis just human police and wear the white masks
combine are modified humans who wear black masks so are bred for the job they do.

[furiousV]

so when did barney get found out? at the start of the game he was not under suspicion of any kind, but in anticitizen one, he is pinned down by snipers, and still wearing his uniform (not mask though)

[Jintor]

For all you people who think that normal humans don't like to beat and terrorize other humans...

Remember the Gestapo? The communists? Can you see Al-Quada? (damn, spelt that wrong)

Human nature is to eat, sleep, mate, and beat the **it outta other people.

[theace55]

I'd just like to think he's a resistance fighter who got his way into the CP ranks and leave it at that, but I did notice a huge difference in the way the CPs and soldiers act in the game. The CPs just stand around shoot and aim the smg unprofessionally while the soldiers look through their sites, take cover, and actually avoid the flamable gas cans. There is probably some big difference between the CPs and Combine soldiers.

[Sid Burn]

metro cops and real combine are different classes all together i think
civil protection uis just human police and wear the white masks
combine are modified humans who wear black masks so are bred for the job they do.
Dont forget the guys that wears a white mask with one red giant eye that's much bred for extreme combat. :smoking:

[furiousV]

arent the combine supposed to have some 'telepathic' ability (if im saying that right)
at the start, when freeman is taken to that interrogation room, the other CP speaks english to barney. if you remember at the end, dr breen talkin to this big thing, which is obviously communication back to him and we dont hear anything

[Sid Burn]

arent the combine supposed to have some 'telepathic' ability (if im saying that right)
at the start, when freeman is taken to that interrogation room, the other CP speaks english to barney. if you remember at the end, dr breen talkin to this big thing, which is obviously communication back to him and we dont hear anything
Hmm... CP's dont have telephatic powers. they are only normal humans. Anyway. maybe ur right about the advisor... he has telepathic powers. :E

[verbose_mode]

Considering that the Combine Advisor is basicly a big-brain-inna-big-slug-inna-big-bag with a breathing mask perminatly attached to its "mouth"/"face", it wouldn't be a stretch to speculate they have some form of direct mind-to-mind communication, either already evolved or as a cybernetic implant of some sort. This "telepathy" must also be part of their communication tech, since Breen was responding to the Advisor's telepathic messages over a comm-link. Or they might just as well be able to talk and we just don't overhear them in-game, but I'd bet on the telepathy.

Now, as for the Metrocops, I think that they're just unaugmented humans under those gasmasks and uniforms; citizens that for some combination of bullying nature, desperation for decent food, etc., etc. signed up with Civil Protection. They'd get brainwashed, trained, stuffed into the one-size-fits-all uniform, and take up a stun-baton for the cause of the Combine. Whether the food/drink/housing/whatever is better if you're a CP is true or not, I don't know. It could all just be a lie to get citizens to volunteer, but all we can do right now is speculate, so anything is up for grabs.

[rpgprog]

This might be explained in an expansion make, you know like Blue Shift 2: The Double Agent. I think that is a good name don't you.

[Samon]

Maybe in an expansion, we can help increase Barney's beating quota :naughty: