Let's Play Minerva Metastasis. Because Marathon didn't have enough Combine.

[chiasaur11]

Hello again world.

For too long, I played Cassandra. Until the seventh hour, I put far more effort than you deserved into describing the coming threat into terms you could understand. Like my mythical precursor, I was rebuffed.

And you payed the price. A shame, really. A few of you almost showed promise.

Fortunately for you, Pheidippides is a more relevant touchstone to my current objective. As you may have guessed from the interruption of whatever odious lackey "Our Benefactors" installed on your current viewscreen, some of us have managed a little harm against the current masters of your world.

Of course, it wasn't for your sake. Few goddesses are known for generosity to those who scorn them. You, in this case, were just very lucky.

I am Minerva. And if you play your cards right, I may just be your salvation.

Further transmissions in block to follow.

[chiasaur11]

[Remote feed active. Enjoy.]

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10000.jpg

[Unknown vehicle entering airspace. Attempt at contact produced invalid codes. Gunship Arrival: One Hour. Attempt repulsion with current resources.]

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10001.jpg

[Hostile transport outbound. Energy signature at last known location, matching high powered hazardous environment suits. Continuing fire pattern delta]

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10002.jpg

[Hostile armed. Losses exceeding projections. Attempting containment with all available personnel. Lockdown engaged until extent of hostile forces deployed can be ascertained.]

[Inhuman Bot]

Oooh, another Chiasaur LP.

I remember Minerva, though. Plenty of me getting gunned down. Good times. :smalltongue:

[Raroy]

You could of told us this was a half life two mod. Seems kind of niche. I expect great things far beyond you are capable of delivering.

[Comet]

Minerva is fun, so this Let's Play will be fun.
My logic is perfect.

It's been too long since I played this myself. Looking forward to all the bits I've forgotten about.

[Starbuck_II]

Not much story yet: I'm curious how this will go.

[Coidzor]

Oooo, shiny! :smallbiggrin:

[chiasaur11]

[Unfortunately, our ever loving benefactors are less lacking in intellect than I was hoping. The bastards jammed the security transmissions.

Which means you lose out on their utterly banal discussions. I'm sure that settling for my comments should still make up for the loss of your daily circuses.]


http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10003.jpg

In case you were wondering where I managed to obtain such high quality disposable muscle, I'll merely mention our benefactors should keep better track of their resources. Especially when discarding them.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10004.jpg

I've used other sources for this kind of work previously, but the covenant have been the most useful supplier of indoctrinated, unquestioning pawns yet.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10006.jpg

I'll admit, I may have denied the subject a few key details on the assignment. The less he knows, the he can inform anyone else. And yes, I'm fairly certain none of you can pose any threat. If you could follow any information to a logical conclusion, you would have avoided your current situation. And it is more entertaining to watch him try desperately to adapt.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10009.jpg

He did better than expected. The obvious course would be going around the guard turret.


http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10011.jpg

The course our subject took in his quest? Direct, brutal violence. It's a shame you can only watch him work in fragmented bursts. It had a kind of poetry to it, an Aeneid retold in bloodstains and dying radio signals.

But I doubt any of you have bothered with the classics. Suffice it to say, it seems I might have underestimated my current Mycenaean. This particular mystery might be cleared up before his demise.

[chiasaur11]

[Well, the Combine response teams have maintained their irritating adaptability.]


http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10012.jpg

More troopers on the way, limited equipment, and I still had to explain, in small words, that running might be a good idea. A thirst for violence is a virtue in this sort of situation, but there is a difference between that and a total lack of self preservation.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10013.jpg

The sheer mass of reinforcements lent a charming complacency to the main aboveground facilities. Glass windows, easily defended choke points, and ways around any sniper posts. It seems, despite the presence of heavily armed posthuman stooges, your overlords weren't anticipating an attack.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10014.jpg

A costly mistake.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10019.jpg

The upper level cleaned, it seemed time to focus on the matter at hand. Something nasty was going on here. And with the security in play, a simple orbital strike was right out of the question. It was as good a time as any to improvise.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10020.jpg

I stand by the statement about the headcrab. They're nasty enough creatures normally, but that one looked worse. Things were beginning to clear up about the research on this little island, but sending a disposable lackey for more details seemed like a solid idea.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10029.jpg

Unfortunately , most places were sealed up too tight for even a god to breach.

And the one terminal left easily accessible let some manhacks know exactly where my agent was when he tripped some alarms activating it.

Too bad. I might have been able to grow to like him.

[chiasaur11]

[I swear, you're getting to expect these little notifications of the cracks in your oppressor's armor. If I hated them a little less, it would almost be worth letting them know what you're up to.]



http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10033.jpg

I don't know what my little saboteur thought about having to fight through dozens the Citadel's finest to get here, but I'd say it was worth the effort. That power station was far beyond what the meager surface accommodations seemed to call for.

Of course, that was no reason to stop searching. Where there was one thing unaccounted for monstrosity, there would no doubt be more. Medusa was the source of all kinds of snakes.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10035.jpg

Unfortunately, it seemed the ladder wasn't built to handle the weight of a transhuman ex-overwatch agent with more weapon systems than an average prewar militia. Don't waste your pity. He survived.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10040.jpg

Unlike some of his former allies. Treachery is such an ugly word to contemplate. Just focus on "recompense". Our friend here is redeeming himself in the only way possible for his role in the current world order. Keep that in mind when planning your future actions.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10041.jpg

And if you had any sympathy remaining, it would be fair to note his current existence is entirely due to my mercy. Have you seen the Stalkers our benefactors have been using in maintaining their conspicuous blights on the urban landscape? Every one of them was at one point a simple Homo Sapiens Sapiens who failed to fully please their extra-dimensional overlords. A point to remember in the future.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10043.jpg

I suppose the reminder of what was at stake spurred him to action. Fear always has been an excellent motivator for you humans, and the habit seems to remain for many who should be beyond it.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_10044.jpg

Or perhaps it was merely a desire for vengeance being left unsated by the lack of Combine soldiers in his targeting reticules.

Whatever his motive, it lead him to the center of a squad of the Combine's finest troops. Seeing their elites in action was a trifle disconcerting. Ah well. He had gone further than I expected earlier.

[Jibar]

I am beginning to see why you curse this man so, Chiasaur.

[smuchmuch]

it's well written as alway but I'm a little surprised you choosed to keep writing this let's play from Minerva's point of view, given (s)he (it?) already gets plenty of characterisation of it's own (or at least as much as you can get in a HL2 mod without any voice acting and little to no custom content (wich is surprisingly quite a lot, just goes to show there's somme good writting) through the messages it sends you in game.

[chiasaur11]

it's well written as alway but I'm a little surprised you choosed to keep writing this let's play from Minerva's point of view, given (s)he (it?) already gets plenty of characterisation of it's own (or at least as much as you can get in a HL2 mod without any voice acting and little to no custom content (wich is surprisingly quite a lot, just goes to show there's somme good writting) through the messages it sends you in game.

In all honesty?

I'm surprised too.

But, you know how writers always say a character wouldn't be silent?

Never quite seen it happen this bad before. The X-Com casts?

They killed aliens and asked where more aliens were. No problem.

Jones, from Marathon? He just wanted the job done. Sure, he hated Durandal more than I planned for, but he did any job he needed to do with a nice, sturdy fatalism.

Even Durandal was perfectly fine with a choice quip here or there, and otherwise the role the game gave him.

Minerva? I gave her an intro post. Then I tried something else. And it didn't quite work like I hoped. So she (it, he, probably the first one) graciously covered for a post until I could come up with something else. And, well, she seems a bit difficult to convince to stop.

They say authors begin to sound like total lunatics when they talk about writing. I suppose I just provided them a good deal more evidence.

[chiasaur11]

[Well, it seems a certain research assistant somehow survived the initial downhill struggle, and is still providing valuable data. Which means the failings of your oppressors are still being broadcast for all to see. ]



http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_20052.jpg

Don't ask how he made it. Signal gets spottier the further inside the complex one gets. From previous experience, I suspect violence with an almost infectious enthusiasm in the execution. It's becoming almost endearing, really.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_20061.jpg

Our benefactors lack anything of the sort. The safety you've been promised? It only lasts so long, and then they find a use for you. The wildlife from the borderworld was bad enough before they got their mitts on them. You don't want to see what they've been working on.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_20062.jpg

Worse, they seemed to be already shipping them out. Of course, this sort of atrocity wouldn't require nearly as much power as they were calling for. Something even nastier was going on deeper in the facility.

And I'm the only way you're going to find out anything about it. Best not to annoy me.




Just thinking about smuchmuch's comment...

Any other ideas for a narrative prospective? Because the combine wind up dead too fast to say much, and our hero is the silent type.

[Domochevsky]

Well, right now photobucket seems to dislike you. >_>
(And i have no idea what's going on in this LP. At all.)

[chiasaur11]

Well, right now photobucket seems to dislike you. >_>
(And i have no idea what's going on in this LP. At all.)

Fixed.

Well, on the first bit. Any ideas what I could be doing better for the second bit?

[Domochevsky]

Well... i guess it would be a start to put a introduction into the first post ("hey there, this is a Half Life 2 mod LP. I will be playing a module called Minerva and this is how im going to go about it: ..."). That way one would be somewhat prepared for what is to follow.

I kinda had to puzzle out what this is about from the responses of the others as i never played HL2 or any of its mods. :smallsigh:

(But then again, a FPS as screenshot LP in general... hum. It doesn't lend itself to it all that well.)

[ZeroNumerous]

Chiasaur is playing Suckface the Three-Thirty-Seventh, the 337th member of 338th City 17 Overwatch unit. Specifically a member of the human-Combine relations Division. He has been hijacked and reprogrammed by Minerva, a haughty AI from another dimension who deigns to assist humanity solely because she hates the Combine more. She has loosed him onto an island complex of vital importance to the Combine. He is proceeding to do the one thing he knows how to do anymore: Shoot things.

[chiasaur11]

Chiasaur is playing Suckface the Three-Thirty-Seventh, the 337th member of 338th City 17 Overwatch unit. Specifically a member of the human-Combine relations Division. He has been hijacked and reprogrammed by Minerva, a haughty AI from another dimension who deigns to assist humanity solely because she hates the Combine more. She has loosed him onto an island complex of vital importance to the Combine. He is proceeding to do the one thing he knows how to do anymore: Shoot things.

Well, I hate to correct such great summary, and that was pretty great.

But, one minor detail being passed on seems to be that the player character wasn't exactly playing nice with other Combine troops even before he caught Minerva's interest.

Good combine troopers tend not to be tossed into Stalker pods.

So, some free will seems to be involved somewhere.

[Science Officer]

There's something that's bothered me about Minerva.

Why is there a train on an island?

[chiasaur11]

There's something that's bothered me about Minerva.

Why is there a train on an island?

Well, although you don't go there, it's implied the rest of the base is amazingly big.

Maybe even "need trains to get around quickly" big.

Or there's a connection offsite.

Or the guy in charge of the base (My money's on Henderson) really likes trains.

[Demented]

Like certain other overly-accomplished AI constructs, Minerva suffers from three distinct flaws:
She's far too insubstantial to do it herself.
She's far too intelligent to do it herself.
She's far too bored to do it herself.

The result is an entity that willingly, entertainingly and (almost plausibly) seeks to pester you without relent. Throw in a little contempt and other exaggerated emotional issues uncharacteristic of something that should be, by definition, 'artificial', and an otherwise shallow and unspoken character will prove entertaining.

The problem, then, is when this established routine is broken. As a character, Minerva wasn't designed to interact with equals, superiors, or unexplained third parties. Minerva exists to mock the main character, cause him grief, and ultimately treat him like a pathetic creature as he goes panting and sweating through alien corridors.

You may find an additional resource (and freedom of expression) in the train-fondling commander of a covert and deceptively sprawling underground Combine base that possesses far too many well-stocked wooden supply crates for its own good...

[chiasaur11]

Like certain other overly-accomplished AI constructs, Minerva suffers from three distinct flaws:
She's far too insubstantial to do it herself.
She's far too intelligent to do it herself.
She's far too bored to do it herself.

The result is an entity that willingly, entertainingly and (almost plausibly) seeks to pester you without relent. Throw in a little contempt and other exaggerated emotional issues uncharacteristic of something that should be, by definition, 'artificial', and an otherwise shallow and unspoken character will prove entertaining.

The problem, then, is when this established routine is broken. As a character, Minerva wasn't designed to interact with equals, superiors, or unexplained third parties. Minerva exists to mock the main character, cause him grief, and ultimately treat him like a pathetic creature as he goes panting and sweating through alien corridors.

You may find an additional resource (and freedom of expression) in the train-fondling commander of a covert and deceptively sprawling underground Combine base that possesses far too many well-stocked wooden supply crates for its own good...

Well, I'd disagree on a couple counts.

(Although the last idea is a good one.)

1) Foster's said, whatever Minerva is, she isn't an AI.

2) Third parties tend to be inferiors. In the case of average City (#) citizens, incredibly inferior inferiors, at least from M's prospective. And, given Someplace Else's plot, she definitely is capable of some level of respect for others.

3) Too bored and too intelligent? Unlike good old Durandal, Minerva seems to genuinely give a rat's hindquarters on moral issues. Sure, she can't drop in and kill, but the later revelations seem to indicate some things she genuinely does care about.

So, there's my two cents on the matter.

[chiasaur11]

[I finally managed to find something interesting in that pile of written refuse commonly known as outgoing Combine transmissions. Enjoy.]



Complaints regarding Mr. Henderson's Resource Allocation.

Dear Dr. Breen.

I know I'm just a humble metrocop, and I'm really honored to be sent to a major research facility like this one. I mean, sure I got the "Most Citizens Beaten" award three months running, but that seldom gets one an opportunity like this.

Still, there do seem to be certain, well, eccentricities regarding the command staff. If you wouldn't mind, here is a list of the most odd actions.

1) There is a train installed in the underground areas of this base with a loop taking only around a minute. When I asked Henderson about it, he only replied with "I like trains." Now, I like trains as well, but is that really a good use of resources?

2) Although we have a fully stocked armory, Henderson insists on placing crates throughout the facility filled with ammunition, medical supplies, and weapons. Furthermore, he stated in a memorandum it was to make the place feel more "Christmassy". Didn't we abolish Christmas?

3) He keeps pet headcrabs throughout the research area, only debeaking half of them, to "keep you all on your toes."

Overwatch agent 527 died due to this negligence last Tuesday. Although his loss is only a minor drain on manpower, and a boon to morale, this is probably not a good trend to be setting.

Could you talk to him about this sort of thing? He's already making plans for headcrab rockets, which seem kind of... insane.

Sincerely

Robert Odinkirk, metrocop


Dear Bob.

I saw your little note to Breen. This response note is to inform you that your attempts to start a rebellion and STEAL CHRISTMAS were foiled.

Enjoy the Stalker pods.

Sincerely

Mr. Henderson


[I make no comments on the reliability of my source for this one. Don't believe everything you read.]

[xp194]

Obviously Combine Henderson is on our side, trying to reinstate christmas and all.

[chiasaur11]

[Another day, another session of undermining your overlord's propaganda. To think, you once slept believing you were safe.]


http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_20074.jpg

Although my agent has a natural gift for chaos and death, he seems a bit short on navigational skills. If I had the opportunity to replace him...

Well, pondering hypotheticals is unproductive for gods as it is for mortals. Although if you'd listened to me before now, your current problems might have been avoided.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_20075.jpg

Normally, the actions of my agent that do not directly affect your knowledge of your "benefactors" aren't worth mentioning, but this case bares special note. On seeing the shotgun, he paused for thirty five seconds before picking up the weapon in a kind of reverent awe.

It's almost nice to know some things are still beyond my knowledge. I'd hate for life to become dull.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_20077.jpg

Several incredibly bloody minutes later, he was on an elevator deeper in.

Bloodlust is too often underestimated as a motivating force, I find.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_20083.jpg

Of course, I would never claim it to be perfect. If our wayward son of Zeus had managed to trigger a real security response, he'd be dead, an enthusiasm for violence would become as irrelevant as a taste for poetry. Not that I suspect him to have any enthusiasm for the arts. He bears too much loyalty to some lost tenth muse of destruction.

Now, if I were in the Combine's position, faced with a lone intruder...

Oh. This should prove interesting.

[chiasaur11]

[*************. *********. ***********.]



http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_20084.jpg

The exact headcrab mutations we were here to study. The conduit power lines. Just enough resistance to make it not seem like a trap.

And I nearly fell for it.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30088.jpg

Material emancipation grid. Simple, effective way to ensure that no-one manages to smuggle in any weapon systems. I guess I'm getting sloppy.

Managed to shield the suit, at least. Losing the weapons would just ensure the subject a quicker death. Losing the suit would mean a total loss of his data, and that would be a problem.

The deeper in we get, the more worthwhile finding out what Our Benefactors are up to gets.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30089.jpg

All that's certain now?

If our subhuman on the inside wants to get out alive, he needs weapons. Fast.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30092.jpg

And this goes deeper than even I suspected. Stay tuned. I have a feeling the Combine have several new levels of hell to introduce you to.

[smuchmuch]

It seems our benefactor have managed to interupt the data feed and replace any vido data with a "this image has been removed or deleted" message from photobucket. They trully are a fiendish bunch.
edit: ah, fixed.

[chiasaur11]

[Unarmed, alone, and surrounded by heavily armed hostiles. And yet he still persists. Life continues to surprise.]



http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30004.jpg

Of course, he performs no better than the mission requires. If I want to know exactly what is going on in Medusa's little cave. Huge energy requirements?

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30006.jpg

More Stalkers than most major citadels?

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30009.jpg

And tactical maps of more than one sphere under combine control. It all adds up somehow, and none of the options look particularly pleasant for your pitiful sphere.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30012.jpg

Here we are. Dead in the middle of this odious complex, several very complicated pieces of machinery. I could attempt to describe it in more detail, but every previous attempt has made me more certain that almost none of you could even begin to comprehend the mechanisms involved, the philosophical implications, or even the most basic purpose. The most I can trust you to understand is the simple fact that this does not bode well for any member of your species, former or current.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30013.jpg
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30014.jpg
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30015.jpg
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30016.jpg
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30017.jpg

Aww, ****.

[chiasaur11]

[You didn't see that.]

Or more accurately, you can't understand it and shouldn't try.

All you need to know is that the Combine shouldn't be allowed to get their disgusting appendages anywhere near that world, and if I had to kill every one of you to protect it from them, I would be entirely justified.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30022.jpg

Unfortunately, my problems wouldn't be solved that easily. I'd need to depend on an unarmed mongrel salvaged from the combine refuse bins. Armed, he'd been a minor walking miracle, a mobile abattoir leaving slaughtered subhumans all along the base's gleaming corridors.

Now, he's all but useless, stripped of his divine gifts.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30023.jpg

At least he can still understand an obvious hint.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30029.jpg

And that puts him head and shoulders above the bulk of you. Combine energy reactors tend not to be terribly stable. A few small objects added, and they tend to break.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30032.jpg

And broken reactors mean no shielding for weapon lockers. Although our friend on the inside is frequently deficient in the mental department, he seems to at least understand the use of violence in protest against oppressive authority.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30034.jpg

And that managed to temporarily shut down the portal.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30035.jpg

Of course, that was a stopgap measure. As long as the base remained functional, those slugs would soon resume their exploitation of that world.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30036.jpg

But our Bastard Perseus seemed not to care for anything beyond the moment to moment joy of bloodshed. It was almost endearing.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30044.jpg

Still, he did seem to need a reminder of the primary objective in our little escapade. The complete destruction of the combine presence on this island.

The plasma buffers blocking external observation seemed a good start.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30047.jpg

Surprisingly, the combine objected.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30054.jpg

But there was nothing they could do. Orbital superiority is a decided advantage in warfare.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30057.jpg
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_30059.jpg

[Starbuck_II]

Is this a cliff hanger or the end?

[smuchmuch]

It is...
...a cliffhanger.
]Althoug the end is nearing fast. (Basicaly Minerva is a mod of four maps, that was the end of the third. The fourth is a tad longer than the other ones if I remeber correctly, but not by much.

[chiasaur11]

[Show's over. Go home.]


(...Automatic data transfer systems reactivated.

Transmitting feed.)

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_4a0060.jpg

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_4a0061.jpg

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_4a0062.jpg

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_4a0063.jpg

(Anomalous lifesigns detected. Retreat to safe distance)

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/Bastard%20Perseus/metastasis_4a0064.jpg

(Feed interrupted)

[chiasaur11]

[Persistent little piece of crap, isn't he? From what little I could find out about that last signal drop, he ran into a hallway full of fellow former overwatch operatives. Unfortunately, their motives for abandoning their disgusting overlords had less to do with some pathetically small twinge of conscience and more to do with invasive alien parasites.]


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When I finally managed to find him, it seemed necessary to remind him of the basic point of this portion of the exercise.

I was showing a truly mindboggling amount of mercy by not exterminating him on the spot with the rest of the garbage, and letting himself die despite that?

Some things just can't be tolerated.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4a0010.jpg

Unfortunately, some of the combine troops assigned to this base were still alive. The extradimensional wildlife they'd been attempting to militarize was culling the herd somewhat, but their presence would still be a factor in any attempts at asset retrieval. Damn.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4a0011.jpg

Just a reminder. I'm not doing this for you.

The overwhelming majority of your species, in its natural state, is a herd of irritatingly blind apes. The fact I hate your benefactors more is a statement on their depravity, not your virtues.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4a0015.jpg

Somehow, he managed to get out of the lower levels without being crushed by debris, disemboweled by a rogue combine lab experiment, or shot for his treachery by a former colleague. Good for him.

Unfortunately, from the satellite footage I managed to obtain from an unusually poorly defended combine computer system, that was the easy part.



Well, another benefit to playing again. I finally know what Adam Foster meant when he said Minerva says what she is. Looks like she's somehow former Overwatch, just like the player character. Beyond that, no idea.

[Demented]

Boy, I don't think Henderson's going to be very happy.
Minerva just melted Christmas.

[chiasaur11]

[Well, all good things must come to an end. And, fortunately for you, the same applies to several nastier ones.]



http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4b0016.jpg

It only felt fair to show exactly what your "safe" little world looks like under pressure. The most disgusting atrocities take place, and none of you even blink. If any of you wind up in the stalker pods, don't say you were unaware of the possibility.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4b0017.jpg

Unfortunately, it seems a facility still reeling from an orbital strike tends to have some obstacles in the way of a clean exit. Several other escape routes might have been open, of course.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4b0018.jpg

But our Perseus, it seems, would be satisfied with nothing less than the destruction of every obstacle in his path. I knew I had a winner here.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4b0019.jpg

The defense systems didn't last long against a dedicated attempt to redirect their frustrations. A few less headcrabs around wouldn't matter much in total, but it would hopefully encourage a quicker exit.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4b0023.jpg

It would be a shame to waste such a promising tool of vengeance, and I might have managed to find a way for him to escape the hole he'd found himself in. Of course, promising more than one can deliver is ill fitting a deity, and details could wait.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4b0025.jpg

Rockets, and a promise of escape, should he be able to reach his goal?

Sometimes I do question my own generosity. Of course, unlike those of you reading this, he earned his salvation with some rather exceptional feats of heroism. The classical sense of murder and mayhem, granted, but still far more impressive than your simpering acquiescence to the slugs currently in charge of your world.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4b0028.jpg

And they were already sending reinforcements. In a matter of minutes, one way or another, they'd be roasting with the rest of the trash. It's satisfying when these things work out.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4b0036.jpg

Or so I thought. $*&*. *$&*. #*$*.

Gunship. And the fate of one of the few individuals I've gained any degree of fondness for was taken rather abruptly out of my hands.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4b0042.jpg

Fortunately, he managed to avoid any last minute mistakes. It would be a shame to let the Overwatch gain anything from this. A total victory is much more satisfying.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz27/chiasaur11/metastasis_4b0044.jpg

He even went for the escape route I so courteously provided rather than stay to slaughter the remainder of the local garrison. Perhaps some sliver of mental activity still passes through that heavily processed brain. It has happened before.

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About thirty seconds after he managed to slip on his hat of invisibility, the island was reduced to a smoking pool of plasma and blood, and Our Benefactors were reminded there are still matters they should STAY THE HELL OUT OF.

And you, I have a feeling, despite all attempts at avoiding it, will soon face disciplinary actions for viewing seditious materials. Studying how to destroy Combine facilities is seldom considered a proper course of action for an up and coming officer in the Metrocop division.

Stay in touch. I have a feeling I'll want to watch the next few days of your life.

M.

[chiasaur11]

So, yeah. Done, in case it wasn't clear.

Here's hoping it was tolerably entertaining-like.

[Riva]

Good deal. I've always wanted to know more of the background conerning the Half-Life games, and even if it was a mod, it was pretty cool.

[chiasaur11]

Good deal. I've always wanted to know more of the background conerning the Half-Life games, and even if it was a mod, it was pretty cool.

It's well worth playing on your own, if it comes to it.

There's a link to the site on Steam somewhere. Or I could link it now. (http://www.hylobatidae.org/minerva/phosphenes.shtml)

Great mapping, awe inspiring vistas, and some solid dialog, some of which wouldn't make it past the forum filters.

[chiasaur11]

Sorry for the double post, but it seemed the best time and place to ask.

Everyone else who played Minerva?

How'd you feel about the bit at the end of part three, With the orbital death laser blowing you, and the complex up.

If I remember right, I went with the dignity in death mentality, the "Well, I did something worthwhile with my traitorous behind" thoughts right with the "#$$*ing lying $#$## Minerva!" ones, so surviving was a pleasant bonus rather than needed, but, well, I'm curious how common that was, responsewise.



Really, it was a very nice plot beat, I thought, and one of the more, well, emotionally affecting moments in gaming that I've experienced.

[Demented]

I believe I hid in a corner, confident that being surrounded by an overly-reinforced mass of steel would allow me to survive. I could feel it in my bones. The same bones that completely did not expect what happened in Unreal 2: The Awakening to happen.

Besides, I still had a part four to get through.

[Alleine]

I think mostly I was angry and ready to do some violence to Minerva, she didn't mention anything about an orbital laser in the job description. Didn't care so much about the good I'd done because I figured I was about to be too dead to appreciate it, not to mention the good that I did was a little to vague.