Half Life and Half Life 2- The computer games

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the representation of physicists in popular entertainment, particularly through the video games Half-Life and Half-Life 2, where players assume the role of Gordon Freeman, a physicist from MIT. The games feature elements of physics, such as the Gravity Gun, but primarily focus on action and combat against alien forces. Participants express nostalgia for the original Half-Life's setting in Black Mesa and discuss the game's impact on the gaming landscape, highlighting its status as one of the best 3D games in history. The conversation also touches on the lack of physicist representation in media compared to other professions.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of video game mechanics and genres, particularly first-person shooters.
  • Familiarity with the narrative structure of video games, especially in relation to character development.
  • Basic knowledge of physics concepts as they relate to gameplay mechanics.
  • Awareness of the cultural impact of video games on public perception of scientific professions.
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the mechanics of the Gravity Gun in Half-Life 2 and its implications for physics simulation in gaming.
  • Research the development history of Half-Life and its influence on the first-person shooter genre.
  • Investigate the portrayal of scientists in video games and other media, comparing them to other professions.
  • Analyze player feedback and critiques of Half-Life 2's shift in setting and narrative focus from the original game.
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Game developers, video game historians, and enthusiasts interested in the intersection of science and entertainment, particularly those examining the portrayal of physicists in media.

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Its seems to me that, unlike physicians, who have ER, Scrubs, etc., lawyers, who have, Law and Order, Boston Legal, etc., and, cops, who have, CSI, Cops, etc., Physicists don't get much of a spotlight in the area of public entertainment.

The one exception I can find are these two computer games. Not only do you play as a physicist, but in the sequel, every main character is a physicist. Don't get me wrong, its not like you do anything related to the work of a physicist at all. Unless your specialty is in shooting aliens.:rolleyes:

For those of you that don't know, in this game series, you play as Gordon Freeman, PhD- MIT in Theoretical Physics. Your experiment at black mesa research lab goes wrong spawning an alien outbreak, you got to fight for your life, etc. The sequal involves freeing Earth from alien overlords.(See what I mean about having nothing to do wth physics...) Too be honest fun game to play if you liek shooters but not too much real physics involved!

I'm starting this thread to dicuss physics in popular entertainment and i guess Half Life, since its in the title. Another example of physics in entertainment would be the old made for TV movie, Day One, about the atom bomb. What else can you guys think of?

(Sorry if I seem a little incoherent lol, very tired!)
 
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What about all the mad scientists in cartoons? Sure many of them are chemists. But there are also a few physicists among them (though maybe not in Condensed Matter). Then again I can't name any myself...
 
rachmaninoff said:
What about all the mad scientists in cartoons? Sure many of them are chemists. But there are also a few physicists among them (though maybe not in Condensed Matter). Then again I can't name any myself...

Definitely Chemists! We all know their nuts!:smile:

j/k chemists...
 
I learned most of what I know about physics off of TV. There was this one program that showed all sorts of physics experiments carried out by Dr. W. E. Coyote.
 
Half life is a awesome game. I would acknowledge it as the best 3D game in history.

Gorden Freeman, a physicist, becomes a one man army, defeating hordes of aliens, the army, Alien dominance over earth, all with the trusty crowbar.

Fantastic.
 
Hmmm... maybe I should get half-life? Well why haven't I? What about counter-strike? I've played it before, but only with bots. Do I need a LAN with players to play it, or can I play over the internet?
 
What about mathemeticians? All we get is Numb3rs, and that's worse than nothing.
 
Contact. The main character is a radio astronomer right??

I can't remember what the main character in 2010 is, but he is some kind of scientist.

Dont forget Young einstein where the main character discovers how to split the beer atom
 
You don't need LAN to play half life, its single player. Countestrike is actually a half life mod(one of the best IMO). The only thing...if you get half lfie 2, remembe that it requires high system specs...
 
  • #10
I think there is somthings to do physics like the Gravity gun(I know there not really but it's a fun physics thing in the game).There's also a Parrle universe you can got to and in frist game the main chacter worked in a top secert lab in the desert.What Star trek and physics they talk a lot about physics.
 
  • #11
I have fond memories of Half-Life; that was such a great game, however I did not like Half-Life 2 as much because they strayed from the nerdy environment of Black Mesa.
 
  • #12
never mind
 
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  • #13
Atomos said:
I have fond memories of Half-Life; that was such a great game, however I did not like Half-Life 2 as much because they strayed from the nerdy environment of Black Mesa.

Yeah, but Half Life Source, good :biggrin:
 
  • #14
never mind again
 
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  • #15
I liked Half Life 2 Very much. I liked the whole futuristic/totalitarian setting. And the whole being in the middle of a revolution thing. It was fun. Half Life 2 also had great voice actors IMO, something very few video games ever accomplish.
 
  • #16
you play as Gordon Freeman, PhD- MIT in Theoretical Physics. Your experiment at black mesa research lab goes wrong

hmm..67890
 
  • #17
What does IMO mean anyway? Iguanadon-meteoroid ossification?
 
  • #18
in my opinion

and half-life/hl2 are the best games ever made :D gordon freeman is the man!

http://media.g4tv.com/images/imagedb2/248/24821_L.jpg here he is lol. he kind of looks like charlie sheen in the movie the arrival.
 
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  • #19
I remember playing half life and actually getting scared as I was hunted down.
 
  • #20
I played half-life for a while when I was young (ie, the first week of college). I kept falling out of high places and dying. :frown:
 
  • #21
tribdog said:
I remember playing half life and actually getting scared as I was hunted down.
Yeah, those corpses that were re-animated by the headcrabs always snuck up on me:eek: ...freaky! It didn't help that I had the surround sound speakers set up behind me and you could hear them approaching.
 
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  • #22
Kakarot said:
in my opinion
and half-life/hl2 are the best games ever made :D gordon freeman is the man!
http://media.g4tv.com/images/imagedb2/248/24821_L.jpg here he is lol. he kind of looks like charlie sheen in the movie the arrival.

he looks more like ben affleck.
 
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  • #23
IMO= In my opinion

Also, I like how in half life 2 the head crabs can hop off the corpses after you...uh...rekill them, and then attack you.
 
  • #24
what about the gravity gun? that thing is off the hook.
 
  • #25
Yeah I love that thing. Thats also one good reason people here would love this game. Not only is it a fun, challenging shooter, but it has a great physics simulator, everything moves as it would in real life. And when you get the gravity gun...man...nothing beats shooting a saw blade through a line of alien zombies!
 
  • #26
what about the gravity gun? that thing is off the hook.
I think you mean off the chain, Professional. :-p
 

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