Tripmine (Half-Life: Alyx)
For other uses, see Mine (disambiguation). |
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| Tripmine | |
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The Combine Laser Tripmine is an area denial weapon first featured in Half-Life: Alyx.
Contents
Overview[edit]
Tripmines are used to prevent unwanted access to certain areas as traps. They are ovoid in shape, and much like the Hopper mine, they feature three mechanical “claws” that are used to securely attach themselves to a surface. Like the Half-Life laser trip mine, they will project a straight blue laser when armed. If anything crosses the laser, the mine will instantly detonate. They can deal heavy damage to Alyx should she stand too close when they explode, however they can be defeated either through Hacking or by throwing any kind of object into their laser from a safe distance. These tripmines use either an internal source or the electrical wiring on the surface they are attached to for power.
Alyx Vance can hack these mines to disarm them using her Multi-tool by guiding a small blue sphere through a series of hoops, while trying to do so faster than small red spheres which, if it catches up with the blue sphere, will fail the hacking attempt. On hard difficulty, a failed hack attempt will result in the mine exploding.
Behind the scenes[edit]
There is a cut version of the tripmine that Alyx could carry and deploy herself. The developers also experimented with the idea of allowing defused mines to be picked up and redeployed. However, these features were finally scrapped due to the lack of suitable combat scenarios and the risk of players hurting themselves. Russell was to also comment on the undeployed mine upon Alyx finding it.
A cut hacking mini-game for defusing tripmines involved guiding a wedge-shaped pin through openings on a series of tumbler discs by rotating the wrist, while also avoiding the laser beam emitted by the mine. Each successful move would turn the corresponding disc green, and three failures would cause the puzzle to reset. Developer commentary reveals that this approach was ultimately cut because the wrist movement proved to be too uncomfortable for playtesters. The mechanic is still present in the files, and seemingly fully functional, albeit lacking visual polish such as animations or effects.
Several tripmines are used in a room filled with explosive barrels, as a reference to a similar situation in the Half-Life chapter Surface Tension, where Gordon must carefully make his way through a large warehouse full of explosive materials and HECU tripmines, risking setting off an explosive chain reaction. This is further evidenced by the name of the achievement the player gets if they defuse all of the tripmines in the room.
Related Achievements[edit]
| Half-Life: Alyx | |
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Safe Trip |
| Use the multitool to hack a tripmine. | |
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Blast From the Past |
| Defuse a roomful of explosive barrels. | |
Gallery[edit]
Model.
A Tripmine in the Northern Star hotel.
Two Tripmines blocking passage.
Ditto, placed on a pillar.
Ditto, placed on a barrel.
Tripmines placed in a room full of explosive barrels and jerry cans.
