Magnusson Device

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Magnusson Device
Production information
Affiliation	Resistance
Manufacturer	Arne Magnusson
Type	Bomb
Technical specifications
Damage	Instant kill against Striders
Operation	Launched by Gravity Gun, detonates when shot
Usage
Used by	Gordon Freeman
Game information
Entity / spawn codes	weapon_striderbuster weapon_magnade (cut entity)

 

 

"We call it the Magnusson Device. Not my chosen label you understand, but it seemed to please the personnel."

―Arne Magnusson

 

The Magnusson Device, also known as Strider Buster, is a Resistance weapon developed by Arne Magnusson specifically to combat Striders. It is designed to explode when damaged.

Overview

Magnusson introduces one of his devices in a display case.

Magnusson designed his self-titled device with the specific aim of neutralizing Striders, whose deadly armaments had confronted the Resistance with a near-insurmountable opponent. In City 17, Striders slaughtered large numbers of Resistance fighters and Citizens, despite the Resistance's use of RPGs, the most powerful weapon at their disposal. Doctor Magnusson struggled to develop a successful launching system for the rugby-ball shaped Device, as the weapon needed to be attached to the towering Striders' body to be effective; however, this problem was immediately solved with the arrival of Gordon Freeman and his Gravity Gun to White Forest. Due to the limited available resources during the Combine's rulership over the Earth, the device had to use simple and conventional materials and technology found in the wreckage of pre-Resonance Cascade society; however, it is likely that the electronics inside the Device are stripped from Combine machinery. Unsurprisingly, the most effective way of ensuring that the Device can stay attached onto a Strider is by the two rings of nails welded onto the metal frame. If the Magnusson Device utilizes conduction to weaken Striders, the nails would still conduct energy regardless of which way it flows. The Magnusson Device can be taken from small portable Teleporters found around White Forest, which are connected to deployment units within White Forest's missile base. For reasons probably related to nails being sharp, the Device arrives at a receiver unit suspended in midair, likely held there by magnets in the teleporter's top and bottom sections until it is removed manually.

Tactics

The Magnusson Device is very effective at destroying Striders; however, the user must have precise aim with the Gravity Gun in order to attach it. During the large assault on White Forest, Striders are always accompanied by Hunters, who will fire upon a readied Magnusson Device as soon as possible. Therefore, it's advised to destroy all nearby Hunters before attempting to launch the Magnusson Device at a Strider. Magnusson Devices can also be used to damage Hunters. As soon as a Device is attached to a Strider, it will immediately turn to attack the person who launched it. After the device is attached, any weapon can be used to hit it (preferably the Shotgun if at longer ranges, due to its cone of fire increasing chances of hitting), exploding the device violently and completely shredding the Strider.

Behind the scenes

• As seen in the Half-Life 2 leak source code, the Hopwire Grenade was originally to be the weapon of choice against Striders, replaced in Episode Two by the Magnusson Device. This is confirmed in the Episode Two commentary, in which Valve's Joshua Weier states that the Magnusson Device "started life as a Half-Life 2 weapon called the Hopwire".

• Originally, Gordon Freeman was to be able to throw a smaller Magnusson Device with his hands like a regular grenade, whose probable entity was to be "weapon_magnade".

• According to Richard Lord, the diagram explaining how to use the Magnusson Device against Striders went through several iterations, from highly stylized, to absurd, to something the team believed they could ship.

Trivia

• A cut weapon, the Sticky Launcher, bears similarities.

• The Magnusson Device bears striking resemblance to "The Gadget", the first nuclear weapon designed under the Manhattan Project.

• The Magnusson Device does not have its own gib models, and instead uses the Manhack's gibs.

Gallery

• 

  Worldmodel.

• 

  Cut viewmodel.

• 

  The written instructions on how to use the Magnusson Device.

• 

  Rebel working on a Magnusson Device teleporter.

• 

  Magnusson Devices in their storage room.

• 

  Ditto.

• 

  Magnusson explaining to Gordon how the Magnusson Device works in its training area.

• 

  Uriah and Magnusson in the Magnusson Device training area.

• 

  The dead Strider in the Magnusson Device training area.

• 

  Magnusson Device teleporters near White Forest's north entrance.

• 

  A Magnusson Device being held with the Gravity Gun.

• 

  A Magnusson Device destroying a Strider.

List of appearances

• Half-Life 2: Episode Two (First appearance)

References