Canals
This article is about the location. For the Half-Life 2 chapters, see Route Kanal or Water Hazard. |
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| Canals | |
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| General information | |
| Location |
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| Usage | |
| Era(s) | |
| Game information | |
| Map(s) |
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| Designer(s) |
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The Canals are a network of rivers and drainage tunnels, located in City 17 and the Wasteland. After the Combine occupation, they began serving as an escape route for refugees trying to leave City 17 on foot.
Contents
Overview[edit]
Features[edit]
The canals near and in City 17, connecting the urban center to a river system and dam where its water supply is pumped,[9] appear to be heavily used as drainage and have a very large network of sewers and waste tunnels. Because of the Combine's invasion and subsequent drainage of Earth's resources, the canals near the city have almost all emptied out, with the riverbed and a large amount of waste remaining. The network is infested with Xen wildlife, and constantly shelled by the Combine.
Outside City 17, the tunnels and sewers give way to rivers and waterways, which are used for transportation rather than drainage and waste disposal, as shown by the many shipwrecks along the larger tunnels. The water levels, however, are low, and following the Combine invasion, a large portion of the canals in both the City and outside have become flooded with toxic waste or other hazardous materials.
Civil Protection units frequently patrol the Canals for the Resistance activity, and are tasked with maintaining the many Combine buildings and outposts located along the rivers. The Combine refer to broad areas within this region with code names such as canal block, storm system, waste river and deserviced area.[10]
Resistance presence[edit]
The Resistance established an organized system of stations, living areas and bases, using the many tunnels and drainage areas both in the canals inside and outside the City, for refugees hoping to escape Combine oppression. Through the use of radios and hidden bases containing supplies and living quarters, humans and Vortigaunts formed a fairly strong foothold in the canal areas.
Major locations[edit]
Captioned map[edit]
| Map | Captions |
|---|---|
 |
Partial in-game map of the Canals, rather close to the in-game layout, with notable points added in visit order. Found in the Resistance point where the Airboat gun is provided, it includes only the section between that particular point and Black Mesa East. |
Station 1[edit]
The first underground railroad base encountered by Gordon Freeman during his trek through the sewers. It was raided by Civil Protection shortly before Gordon's arrival, and the rebels stationing there were executed.
Station 1 from the outside.
Station 1 on the inside.
View from the roof.
A Metro Cop killing Rebels with an Emplacement Gun.
The Station 1 massacre.
Station 6[edit]
An underground railroad base located at the end of the canals, just outside City 17. It housed the Airboat that Gordon Freeman used to travel to Black Mesa East. The station is shelled soon after Gordon's arrival, with all of the rebels stationed there having been killed or turned into Zombies.
Station 6 from the outside, after a Headcrab Shell bombardment.
Station 6 being shelled.
Arlene filled up the tank of the Airboat.
Station 7[edit]
A Resistance Underground Railroad station located at the end of the Wasteland part of the Canals leading out of City 17. Located on a bank of the Canals, Station 7 was used by the Resistance as a refugee aid station before the destruction of City 17.
Hunter-Chopper passing by Station 7.
Station 7.
APC garage[edit]
A Combine garage located in the Wasteland section of the Canals, used for the maintenance of Armored Personnel Carriers. It is visited by Gordon Freeman during his journey to Black Mesa East.
The APC garage.
The turbine room being guarded by Metro Cops.
The floodgate after being destroyed, with the alarm ringing.
A Dropship flying over the broken floodgate at the APC garage.
Gate 5[edit]
A Combine outpost located in the Canals. It is visited by Gordon Freeman during his journey to Black Mesa East.
Gate 5 seen from above.
The floodgate, being closed by the Combine as Gordon Freeman arrives.
A tunnel following the gate.
Stopped freight train on tracks behind Gate 5.
Boathouse[edit]
The Boathouse[11] is a minor outpost located before the springboard puzzle. It features a Health Charger, a Suit Charger, two Supply Crates, and an Airboat lift.
The Boathouse from afar.
A closer view of the Boathouse.
The Airboat lift.
Gun Cave[edit]
The Gun Cave[12] is a Resistance outpost located inside of a tunnel. Before approaching the Gun Cave, a counterweight puzzle needs to be solved to allow passage.
The camp is outfitted with a dock, a pair of raising gates, a generator, and radio equipment. It also includes a map of the canals route. It serves as a camp to two human Resistance fighters and a Vortigaunt. It is here that Gordon Freeman is given the Gauss Cannon for his Airboat and informed about Eli Vance's hideout at the old hydro plant.
The Gun Cave marks the first appearance of Resistance members wearing their armored rebel outfits, as opposed to refugees who are clothed in worn-out citizen outfits.
The counterweight puzzle area before the camp.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto, the ramp.
The entrance to the Gun Cave.
The camp dwellers greet Gordon Freeman.
Briefing on Eli's hideout and the upcoming Hunter-Chopper battle.
The Vortigaunt is attaching the Gauss Cannon to the Airboat.
Port 5[edit]
From the Cyrillic Порт 5, it contains a helicopter landing area for a Hunter-Chopper, a water tower, and a Northern Petrol building. The port is protected with a gate that can be opened after the fight with the helicopter. The area also contains the entrance to the Singing Vortigaunt.
When Gordon arrives near the dam, the Hunter-Chopper takes off and starts attacking Gordon. After a prolonged fight, Gordon destroys the chopper and lifts the gate. While closing in on the building itself, Civil Protection officers come out of the building and attack Gordon. Once inside, it is clear that the building is now under Combine control, with various ammunition and supplies scattered around the place.
After getting out of the building and catching a glimpse of the G-Man, Gordon then proceeds to the dam's gate override controls and switches the lever. This lifts the sluice, allowing Gordon to proceed to Black Mesa East.
The gate of the port.
The override controls of the gate.
Black Mesa East[edit]
A Resistance base located at the Wasteland end of the Canals outside of City 17, opposite a dam, its generating station, and its reservoir, and right next to the abandoned mining town of Ravenholm. Black Mesa East is where Doctor Eli Vance, Doctor Judith Mossman, Alyx Vance, and many other Resistance members, including several Vortigaunts, used to live before its destruction.
The G-Man near the dam before Black Mesa East.
The dam before Black Mesa East.
The generating station facing Black Mesa East.
The generating station concealing Black Mesa East.
Appearances[edit]
Half-Life 2[edit]
With the arrival of Gordon Freeman, Civil Protection was fully aware of the presence of Resistance refugee stations, and were conducting raids on them. Eventually, all the bases were either found and destroyed, or were closed down and abandoned. Freeman did however destroy almost all of the Civil Protection's outposts on his way to Black Mesa East.
Related Achievements[edit]
| Half-Life 2 | |
|---|---|
|
Anchor's Aweigh! (5G) |
| Get the Airboat. | |
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Heavy Weapons (5G) |
| Get the Airboat's mounted gun. | |
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Revenge! (10G) |
| Destroy the Hunter-Chopper. | |
|
Vorticough (13G) |
| Discover the hidden singing Vortigaunt cave in chapter Water Hazard. | |
| Half-Life 2 (cut) | |
|
Catching Air |
| Float five seconds in the air with the Airboat. | |
Behind the scenes[edit]
Among the biggest challenges, the developers had to overcome during the creation process of the Canals were giving the player a feeling of having traveled out and away from the city and into the wilderness, setting up a clear goal and a gratifying end to reach, and making sure that the players don't get Airboat-induced motion sickness.[13]
The Canals were to be much longer and allow the player a deeper view of the Wasteland sections.[5] Moreover, in the original design, there were to be a lot of enemies that the player would drive under and navigate around. This style of gameplay turned out to be difficult to consistently convey, and it proved not to sit well with people who were focused on fully experiencing the game, as leaving enemies behind them made them feel like they were missing something. After a lot of changes, the Canals were eventually made more linear and direct in terms of combat and navigation.[13]
The Canals were originally to feature the Bullsquid, cut from the final release. In the WC map pack, it can be found in canals_01, canals_02, canal_current, canals_industrial, outside_city, etc. and their variants, and d1_canals_02, swimming underwater and attacking Headcrabs. The Houndeye was also to be found, before being cut as well. It can be found in maps such as canals_01 or canals_industrial and their variants.[5][14]
In the Canals, a total of 13 skulls have been intentionally hidden. In the "Additional investigations" part of the Half-Life 2 Prima Guide coverage of the chapter Water Hazard, the player is encouraged to find them all. The tip is described thus: "Be vigilant! Rumor has it that someone, or something, has been placing human skulls in a variety of out-of-the-way locations throughout the canals. There's at least five to locate. Can you spot them all?".[9][15]
Gallery[edit]
Half-Life 2[edit]
Pre-release[edit]
A Building near the Canals.
An industrial part of the Canals.
A bridge and various cracks in the ground.
Garbage filling the Canals.
Radioactive waste.
A collapsing concrete pillar.
A damaged plumbing.
Ruined apartment buildings overlooking the Canals.
Razor Train passing on a bridge above the Canals.
Bridge above the Canals.
Bridges above the Canals.
Bullsquids in the Canals.
The City 17 outer wall seen from the Wasteland part of the Canals.
The Wasteland part of the Canals.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
An overpass in the map
canals_02_11.
Homeless citizens under the bridge in the same map.
A road bridge in the Canals.
An early City 17 street with a canal in the middle.
Ditto.
Ditto.
A bridge with rotating windmills placed on it in an early prefab canal map.
Ditto.
The original Hunter-Chopper in the Half-Life 2 leak canals.
One of the numerous chambers in the Half-Life 2 leak canals.
Swampy area in the map
prefab_canals.
Envmap
canals001forcanals_02.
Fighting a Metro Cop in an early Airboat section.
Unknown area of the Canals as seen in the August 2004 issue of Play magazine.
Retail[edit]
The player's first close encounter with some Civil Protection officers beating Citizens.
Razor Train passing by a canal and residential apartments.
Barnacle lying in wait for its prey near a Medkit.
Resistance-occupied tunnel.
Hunter-Chopper aiming at the player.
Canal area containing hazardous materials and Headcrab Shells.
Metro Cops in the Canals.
Dark canal.
Lambda supply cache.
Inside a tunnel in the healthy part.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto. A Resistance weapons cache location signified by the logo can be seen on a wall.
A toxic waste-filled tunnel.
Ditto.
An industrial area in the Canals.
Civil Protection officers starting a fire to stop Gordon.
A Resistance bridge puzzle needed to be solved to proceed with the Airboat.
Ditto.
Ditto.
G-Man spotted on a bridge in the Canals.
Atlantic building.
Refineries visible in the distance.
A smokestack falling on Gordon's path.
Airboat near the Resistance point where the gun is provided.
In-game map of the south section of the Canals.
One of the two maps featured at the Gun Cave as well as the CP station near the helipad. Based on a map of Bremerton and Sinclair Inlet near Seattle.[16] Captions still present in the Half-Life 2 leak version.
The map used with the previous one. Based on a map of Eagle Harbor and parts of Puget Sound near Seattle.[17] Captions still present in the Half-Life 2 leak version.
List of appearances[edit]
Main games[edit]
Other[edit]
- Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar
- Half-Life 2: Deathmatch (Non-canonical appearance)
See also[edit]
- Half-Life 2 original storyline#Sewers / Canals
- Half-Life 2 original storyline#The Wild - The Wasteland - The Scrapland
References[edit]
- ↑ Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, page 205
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, page 203
- ↑ Eric Kirchmer's Blogger profile
- ↑ DamarcusWorks
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 WC map pack
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 The Final Hours of Half-Life 2
- ↑ Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, page 258
- ↑
Steve Desilets on LinkedIn
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Half-Life 2 Prima Guide
- ↑ Half-Life 2 game files, "
V_G1_LOCATION_MAP" insentences.txt - ↑ Half-Life 2 game files
- ↑ Half-Life 2 game files, camp-related entity names
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar (uncorrected proof), page 234
- ↑ Half-Life 2 leak
- ↑
Hidden Canals skulls walkthrough on YouTube
- ↑ Bremerton and Sinclair Inlet on Google Maps
- ↑ Eagle Harbor on Google Maps
External links[edit]
- "c17_outside", a fixed map of the leak Canals (based on "canals_01_15"; requires Episode Two)
| Preceded by City 17 |
Half-Life 2 story arc journey | Succeeded by The Wasteland |
