Chargers
For other uses, see Charger (disambiguation). |
| |
| Chargers | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Faction | |
| Type |
Charging unit |
| Capacity |
Health Charger
Suit Charger
|
| Game information | |
| Entity |
Health Charger
Suit Charger
|
Health and Suit Chargers are wall-mounted devices in the Half-Life universe that can be used to restore the user's health or power up their protective suit. They can be found at the Black Mesa Research Facility, Santego Military Base and later in City 17 and its surroundings. They have a limited amount of charge, and cannot be reused once depleted. Although health chargers can be used by anyone, suit chargers can only be used by those wearing powered protective gear, such as the HEV Suit or Powered Combat Vest.
Contents
Overview[edit]
Half-Life and its expansions[edit]
In Half-Life, chargers are found throughout the Black Mesa Research Facility, both kinds featuring metal casing with several buttons next to a small screen. When depleted, both chargers appear to automatically shut themselves off. Health chargers are predominantly white in color with a red cross on the top left adjacent to text reading "FIRST AID". The suit chargers are predominantly orange in color with a black charging cord resting in a holder and the HEV logo at the top. In the PlayStation 2 port, the brush-based chargers were replaced with animated models and act like their Half-Life 2 counterparts. They both have a mechanical arm that extends out to aid the user once they enter its proximity. Older models of the chargers can be seen in the Section A-17 Prototype Labs featured in Half-Life: Blue Shift. The HECU Marines are equipped with Powered Combat Vests that can use any type of suit charging station available, including those in the facility and commercial chargers.
Half-Life 2 and its Episodes[edit]
The chargers seen in Half-Life 2 are manufactured by the Combine, with both kinds of chargers featuring metal casing. Gordon has the ability to draw power from Combine power outlets to charge his HEV Suit thanks to modifications of the suit made by Dr. Kleiner. The power outlets are dark blue colored with spots of brown, and feature an orange, glowing power cell that rises further into the charger as it is used and becomes more depleted. A faceplate for the original suit charger can be seen in Black Mesa East and later in White Forest. There is a special type of charger in the Citadel called the Combine Recharger with the appearance of a Combine power outlet and larger capacity that can be used to restore both health and provide enhanced suit protection.[1] The health chargers seen in Half-Life 2 are dark blue in color with a red cross on the top left underneath which is text reading “AIDE”, and feature a blue bar that gradually depletes as the charger is used and runs out, along with a wheel that spins when the charger is in use, and sinks deeper as the charger depletes.
Half-Life: Alyx[edit]
Although no suit chargers of any kind are seen, an early version of the health charger, called a Health Station, is featured prominently in Half-Life: Alyx. To use a Health Station, an Antlion Grub contained in a vial must first be placed into an outlet (located where the spinning wheel is on the Half-Life 2 version) on the exterior of the charger, and a handle needs to be pulled down to open the left side of the charger's casing, unfolding a glass pad with a holographic hand symbol on it and a set of syringes above. After this has been done, the grub inside the vial will be compressed, releasing its healing fluids within. The user then needs to place their hand on the pad, which will trigger the syringes to inject the healing substance into their hand. After the vial is depleted, the crushed remains of the grub will be sucked out via a tube in the center and then spat out from the underside of the charger. Alyx Vance makes extensive use of these chargers over the course of the game.
Other games[edit]
Half-Life 2: Survivor[edit]
Almost all of the chargers were removed in the Story Mode. Only two chargers are encountered throughout the whole campaign, both placed at the dark fusion reactor. Instead of the special charger found in the Citadel in the original game, separate health and suit chargers are installed.
The Battle Mode features a unique charger known as the Health Machine,[2] which is based on the Combine health charger and uses its model. The health machine is activated automatically when approached and recovers both player's health and suit charge, however, the suit will only be charged after health is completely restored. The health machine can potentially restore an unlimited amount of health, but can be destroyed by players. The machine itself has 100 health points,[3] and can take damage from both teams; when its health reaches zero it will explode and disappear. The health machine is indicated by a flashing "HEALTH!" text with an arrow pointing towards it, which is visible to all players, even through walls and from any distance, which makes it easy to find. While healing, the players are unable to use any weapons and their position is given away by green particles that rise above the Health Machine, making them especially vulnerable to the enemies.
Behind the scenes[edit]
- Originally, Half-Life was to have medicine cabinets instead of chargers. They appear in the Half-Life Alpha as a usable item and have infinite stock. They use the brush entity used for rotating doors (
func_door_rotating) with a special keyvalue calledhealthvalueto determine the amount of health that is received. Unused variations of the cabinet can be found in the textures. - An early version of the HEV charger can be found in Worldcraft as a prefab (in prefab library
Usable Objects.ol). It is also seen in the multiplayer map Stalkyard as a prop, and cannot used by the player. - In Half-Life for PlayStation 2, Alien Mode allows the player to play through Half-Life as a Vortigaunt. The chargers cannot be used in this mode. The health chargers hurt the player when used.
- The Combine health charger has a red cross on a white background for easy identification, white "AIDE" and "314 - 11:43" under it, as well as the numbers "88000-001 1 08" and "0088-D" on the bottom of the device, "0088-D" being accompanied by an indecipherable text. The leak charger version features "COMBINE HEALTH" instead of "AIDE".
- The Combine charger bears several markings, mostly consisting of numerals. It has beige-colored parts with the word "POWER" on them and "314 - 11:44" right under, being dissimilar to the Health Charger numbers by only one cipher. The numbers "88000-001 1" and "0088-D" are also present on the bottom of the device, the "08" from the Health Charger being removed.
- During the development of Half-Life 2, the brush-based chargers seen in the original Half-Life with revamped textures were used as placeholders.
Trivia[edit]
- Health chargers can be found in Team Fortress Classic and have much larger reserves than their Half-Life counterparts.
- In Half-Life 2: Deathmatch map Lockdown, a Combine Dispenser is used as a charger and can give 200 armor and health points like the Citadel chargers.
- A HEV charger can be seen in the Santego Military Base during the training course. The reason behind its presence is unknown. It was most likely placed there for gameplay reasons, to teach the player that they can use these devices.
- Black Mesa chargers and a Combine health charger can be seen in the Aperture Science Enrichment Center in Portal 2: Lab Rat. Marc Laidlaw confirmed that these were placed as a tribute to Half-Life, and nothing more.[4]
Gallery[edit]
Health Charger[edit]
Medicine Cabinet from Half-Life Alpha.
Black Mesa health charger.
Depleted.
PlayStation 2 version.
Depleted.
Active.
Charger seen in an old area
Depleted.
Half-Life 2 leak brush charger.
Half-Life 2 leak model charger.
Combine health charger.
An early version of the Combine health charger seen in Half-Life: Alyx being used by Alyx Vance.
Health Station in The Final Hours of Half-Life: Alyx.
Ditto, in use.
Antlion Grub in a vial.
The vial plugged into a Health Station.
Grub vial model.
Half-Life[edit]
A Health Charger near the entrance of Sector B.
Some grenades and a Health Charger inside a room.
A Health Charger near the massive elevator.
Another one near the elevator.
A Health Charger near the canal.
Ditto, in a room.
A health Charger and a Suit Charger near a conveyor belt.
Ditto, near the Vent Access door.
A Health Charger and a Suit Charger near a toxic waste.
Chargers near the Ichthyosaur lab.
A Health Charger near an exit elevator.
Chargers at the entrance of coolant system lift.
Chargers near the area with the Black Ops assassins.
A Health Charger near an Automatic Turret.
A Health Charger in one of the scientist hideouts.
Half-Life 2[edit]
A health charger near the railway.
A health charger in a Nova Prospekt control room.
Suit and health charger on the Overwatch Nexus' roof.
Half-Life: Alyx[edit]
A Health Charger in the Vortigaunt Hideout.
Ditto, in Terminal Gardens.
Ditto, in the Northern Star.
Ditto, in the Central Zoo.
Ditto.
Ditto, at the Tanker Yard.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto, at the Parking Garage.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto, in the Vault.
Suit Charger[edit]
Early version.[i]
Black Mesa suit charger.
Depleted.
PlayStation 2 version.
Depleted.
Active.
Ohms Power Inc. charger
Depleted.
Charger seen in an old area.
Depleted.
PCV charger.
Capture The Flag version.[i]
Depleted.
Half-Life 2 leak charger.
Combine suit charger/power outlet.
Charger faceplate as seen in Half-Life 2 and Episode Two.
Other[edit]
Medicine Cabinet texture.
Unused variant.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Alpha version.
Ditto.
Alpha version.
Health charger texture.
Depleted.
HEV charger texture.
Depleted.
PCV charger texture.
Depleted.
The Health Machine seen in the Battle Mode of Half-Life 2: Survivor.
Chargers as seen in Portal 2: Lab Rat.
Related Achievements[edit]
| Half-Life 2 | |
|---|---|
|
Blast from the Past (10G) |
| Find the HEV Suit charger faceplate in Eli's scrapyard. | |
List of alternate names[edit]
Health Charger[edit]
- Combine Auto-Medic (Half-Life 2 leak)
- First Aid Station (Half-Life Prima Guide)
- Health Recharger (Half-Life 2 Prima Guide)
- Medical Kit or Medkit (Half-Life)
- Wall Health Recharger (Worldcraft, Half-Life Game Definition File (halflife.fgd))
- Wall-Mounted Health Kit (Half-Life source code)
- Wall-Mounted First Aid Kit (Half-Life instruction manual)
- Health Station (Half-Life: Alyx)
Suit Charger[edit]
- Battery Recharger (Worldcraft, Half-Life Game Definition File (halflife.fgd))
- HEV Charger (Half-Life textures)
- HEV Charging Station (Half-Life: Opposing Force)
- HEV Recharger (Half-Life Versus Guide)
- HEV Station (Half-Life Prima Guide)
- HEV Suit Charger (Half-Life instruction manual)
- HEV Suit Recharger (Half-Life 2 Prima Guide)
- PCV Recharge Unit (Half-Life: Opposing Force)
- Recharger (Worldcraft, prefab description)
- Suit Recharge Station (Worldcraft, prefab description)
- Suit Recharger (Half-Life source code)
List of appearances[edit]
Main games[edit]
- Half-Life
- Half-Life: Opposing Force
- Half-Life: Blue Shift
- Half-Life: Decay
- Half-Life 2
- Half-Life 2: Episode One
- Half-Life 2: Episode Two
- Half-Life: Alyx
Other[edit]
- Half-Life: Day One (First appearance)
- Half-Life: Uplink (Non-canonical appearance)
- Half-Life 2: Deathmatch (Non-canonical appearance)
- Half-Life 2: Lost Coast (Non-canonical appearance)
- Half-Life 2: Survivor (Non-canonical appearance)
- Portal 2: Lab Rat (Non-canonical appearance)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Half-Life 2 Prima Guide
- ↑ Entity name
- ↑ battle.cfg
- ↑ Portal Megathread (April 9, 2011)
