Garden Gnome
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| Garden Gnome | |
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| General information | |
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prop_physics (props_junk/gnome.mdl) |
The Garden Gnome is a prop from Half-Life 2: Episode Two. Whilst seeming insignificant at first, it is in fact part of the popular Achievement Little Rocket Man, which requires the player to carry the gnome to the final location of the game (White Forest) and place it within the rocket.
It can be found in the first area of Episode Two’s first chapter, To The White Forest, just under the bunk bed in the communications building.
Contents
Tactics
What follows is instructions to get the gnome to White Forest, described chapter by chapter.
This Vortal Coil
The Gnome can be left in the chamber with Alyx and the Vortigaunts.
Freeman Pontifex
The Gnome must not be left in the area overlooking the settlement with the monitor and the Overwatch Sniper Rifle, as it cannot be returned to after descending into the settlement. However, if the gnome is placed leaning against the door facing the bridge, it will fall through once the door is opened from the far side. Alternatively, rather than carry the gnome through the infested settlement, it is possible to pick it up and throw it with the Use key onto the near side of the bridge and retrieve it once the Muscle Car is reached.
Riding Shotgun
The Garden Gnome is difficult to transport in the Muscle Car, thus driving slowly and dealing with the first Hunter-Chopper as soon as possible is advised. The Gnome shouldn't be left in the car when entering the barn, as the Muscle Car may be moved to make room for the APC that arrives after the barn encounter, and the Gnome may be lost.
It is possible to leave the Gnome on the ground at the barn when escaping the Hunter-Chopper. The first step is proceed to the next loading point in the train tunnel, then reverse to the previous stage. The second step is to drive back to the barn and pick up the Gnome. The Chopper will not be present, making it easier to transport it through this section.
A possible way to carry the Gnome is to shove it under the back covers of the car. Putting the Gnome there will prove to be a small challenge, but once in, it will not be easily removed by sudden jerks and braking. The Gravity Gun is required to shove the Gnome in as well as extract it.
Alternatively, the Gnome can be placed behind the passenger seat so that it will only drop out of the car if the brakes are slammed hard enough. When the car's engine catches fire, is is very important to retrieve the Gnome and take it into the yard for the Chopper fight. It can be placed under a boxcar for safekeeping for the duration of the fight.
Under the Radar
The Gnome can be left in the garage with Alyx and the Rebels while going to the Autogun to destroy it. During the Combine ambush at the White Forest Inn that follows, the Gnome should be left in the house while the Force Fields are disabled, then picked up again. The Gnome should also be dropped down the following hill before driving down it. Later after the battle between Dog and the Strider, the Gnome can be left near the start of the race against Dog to the base and retrieved afterward.
Our Mutual Fiend
The achievement can only be earned by placing the Gnome inside the rocket's hatch and above all closing the hatch door.
Behind the scenes
- The Garden Gnome was originally featured in the two security camera feeds featured on ApertureScience.com. In the first video, he was standing on the mantelpiece, and was right in front of the camera in the second video. Following the release of Portal 2, he was removed from the mantelpiece in the first video and replaced by P-body in the second.
- The Gnome also makes an appearance in the Left 4 Dead 2 campaign Dark Carnival, where it is known as "Gnome Chompski". Similar to Episode Two, an achievement requires the Gnome to be carried all the way to the rescue vehicle. Doing so gives the player the achievement "Guardin' Gnome" and unlocks Rochelle's shirt for the player's avatar on the Xbox 360 version. Furthermore, the Mutation "Last Gnome on Earth" will have the player holding the gnome being chased by Common and Uncommon Infected, as if they were splashed with Boomer bile.
- The Garden Gnome appears to be based on the "Jim With Hands In Pockets" gnome from the website Gnome Frenzy.
Trivia
- The Achievement can be granted without carrying the Gnome through the entire game. Near the rocket in White Forest, all it takes is entering in the console "
prop_physics_create props_junk/gnome.mdl" to create the Gnome then "ent_setname gnome" while targeting the Gnome to give it the Gnome properties, then putting it in the rocket and close the door. However "sv_cheats" must always be set to "0" before putting the Gnome into the rocket. The cheat will work on any other prop, as long as the code "ent_setname gnome" is entered while targeting it.
- Stepping on the Gnome can cause a glitch which launches Gordon high into the air, resulting in death or high damage after hitting the ground.
- Hunter-Choppers and Hunters will sometimes target the Gnome if Gordon carries it with the Gravity Gun.
- The Gnome may be a nod to the traveling gnome prank, where people steal garden gnomes often with the intention of taking pictures with/of it to send them back to the owner, made popular by the 2001 French film Amélie.
Gallery
The Garden Gnome inside the rocket, along with Lamarr.
"Little Rocket Man" achievement icon.
Gnome Chompski's first appearance in Left 4 Dead 2.
Holding Gnome Chompski in Left 4 Dead 2.
List of appearances
- ApertureScience.com (Not before Christmas 2007, removed for Christmas 2010)
- Half-Life 2: Episode Two (First appearance)
- The Final Hours of Portal 2
