Talk:Synth

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Evidence for APC and Hunter-Chopper

What is the evidence that the APC and Hunter-Chopper came from us? They could have come from the Combine themselves and adapted to the use for humans, like the Synth Dropship. The Hunter-Chopper could look the same as a helicopter because it uses the same physics. It would also explain the physical differences between them and their human counterparts. RESPOND TO THIS!!!

Or it could just be that the physical differences where to simply make the units appear more futuristic. I would assume if they where 100% Combine designed they would look nothing like an APC or Helicopter (take the Gunship for example). (Strat-N8 08:46, 8 January 2009 (UTC))

Killing Synths

Evidently, the only thing that can kill them are explosives from the RPG, the secondary fire of the SMG1, and Energy balls

This isn't true, any explosives can kill them.

can somebody mention that since mortar and crab synths are never fought, it is unknown if they can only be killed by explosives?

Plural?

Anyone know what the plural form of "Synth" is? Thus far I've seen "Synths" as well as "Synth" used, but I have no clue which is the proper one. (Strat-N8 07:27, 11 January 2009 (UTC))

If Synths are a mixture of flesh and biotech, then Elites can be viewed as human synths. Hell, even Alien Grunts would qualify as synths!--Amitakartok 18:35, 10 May 2009 (UTC)

I actualy have a theory, that maybe the Alien Grunts are actualy somekind of vortigaunt "synths". Majority of those grunts seen at the original Half-life's so called bad ending even have a Combineish colorsceme. --57E 17:05, September 17, 2009 (UTC)

In response to "If Synths are a mixture of flesh and biotech, then Elites can be viewed as human synths". According to this oversimplistic rule, even CPs are synths - they have biotechnology (vocoders) and uplinks in their helmets. The whole point of synths is to combine (get it?) the best points of a mechanical and a biological being - i.e. the basic structure and above all, the intelligence and adaptation of a biological being, with the structure, resilience and weaponry of a mechanical being. The divide comes on proportions; Combine Elites are heavily modified humans, but they are clearly human. They have human limbs, organs, brain etc. A few implants do not count - it is clear the basis is the BIOLOGICAL part. However, it can be presumed that if it were modified further - built in guns, mechanical limbs, it would be closer to a synth. Synths, on the other hand, are in many ways an equal proportion - the mechanical parts are built in, likely having replaced many of the biological parts of the being before it became "synthesized". In short, the mechanical and biological parts of a synth are inseparable, whereas the Combine soldiers, while the process has altered their construction, remain irrevocably human (anyone get the reference?). Hope this helps. JgcxCub 18:28, September 17, 2009 (UTC)

Good point. But let me point out that if humans would be considered Synth, CPs would be out of the loop, since their body is not modified. This is just outfit not linked to the body, compared to the Overwatch Soldiers, Elites and Stalkers. However when you suggest that a Synth might be some sort of amputee without some added parts, I think that would be the case with modified humans. Anyway Synths are clearly identified as alien, so modified humans are just part of the Combine (hence the name), along with the Synths and Advisors. Klow 21:29, September 17, 2009 (UTC)

Infantry

I think the article about Synths should include that Synths don't have infantry forces. By infantry I mean the unit that is a rifleman-type and not the Synth that fills in the role. User:Kovacslorand6 17:31, June 17, 2010 (UTC)

What? We've already said that... I think. --Fireman^V2 15:07, June 18, 2010 (UTC)

OK,sorry,I have not seen it anywhere in the article. I will read all of it now and tell you if it is said,alright? User:Kovacslorand6 22:28, June 23, 2010 (UTC) I have checked the article and I have seen no info on their lack of riflemen. If you find it somewhere then this was my mistake. Respond if you find anything. User:Kovacslorand6 22:41, June 23, 2010 (UTC)

Technically, the Hunters are the infantry among synths. They're just deployed less often because the Overwatch forces are more numerous and readily available. LTK 70 21:53, June 27, 2010 (UTC)

OK,I take it back. Yes Hunters fill in the role of infantry/riflemen,despite not resembling actual riflemen(Overwatch soldiers). Again, this was my mistake. User:Kovacslorand6 11:22, July 1, 2010

Shield Scanner

Any particular reason to why the Shield Scanner is no longer a Synth? I don't see any sources that state this, and to me it looks pretty Synth like. Shadrone (talk) 17:56, 13 August 2016 (BST)

The Shield Scanner is described as a Combine machine in the Prima Guide for the game. --Barnz (talk) 18:19, 13 August 2016 (BST)

New Strider Information

Should this origin for the Strider be treated as something exclusive to such Synth, or would it be more appropriate to adopt Backman's explanation for others or at least leave it as a possibility? His opinion of Synths being bio-mechanically engineered and not cyborgs has been pretty well known for a while and it was adopted by the HLA developers, which favors his overall concept of Synths instead of the cyborg interpretation.

As far as I'm aware the only (possibly) contradicting piece of information is Dhabih Eng's description depending on how it's interpreted, as it briefly mentions "conversion" but that doesn't necessarily refer to cybernetic modification and could be interpreted as the scanning and replication process.

I suppose presenting all developer interpretations and leaving it at that would be preferable as doing otherwise would be speculation. Alepheon (talk) 18:18, 10 July 2020 (MSK)