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Bridge Point
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The title of this article is conjectural. |
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Although this article is based on official information, the actual name of this subject is pure conjecture. |
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| Bridge Point | |
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| General information | |
| Location | |
| Usage | |
| Era(s) | |
| Affiliation |
Combine, formerly Resistance |
| Game information | |
| Map(s) |
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| Designer(s) |
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- "Use extreme caution when approaching the bridge. Radio silence from that outpost leads me to believe it has come under Combine control. Still, you're clearly the right man for the job!"
- ―Odessa Cubbage[src]
Bridge Point (see below for a note regarding the name) was once a Resistance outpost on the Coast near a large railroad bridge. Its occupants were eliminated by the Combine and Xen wildlife some time before Gordon Freeman's arrival.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
The base consists of three houses, two small sheds and a windmill. The largest of the buildings is three stories tall. All the larger buildings contain beds and other necessary items for living. In the way of New Little Odessa and other Resistance bases, the windmill was possibly used to generate electricity or pump up ground water; however there does not appear to be any infrastructure for either function.
Bridge Point is located right beside an old 2-track train bridge spanning a river which, at Gordon Freeman's time of arrival, is used by the Combine to connect Nova Prospekt and City 17. One track is blocked by a partially derailed train and the Combine has secured the bridge and the tunnels leading to it with Force Fields to prevent unauthorized traffic from crossing. The narrow catwalks and walkways under the bridge have fallen into serious disrepair, presumably from general disuse. The power supply for the Force Fields located on the far side being only seen to be accessible using these walkways, the Combine troops stationed there were probably brought by Dropship.
On the cliff face on which Bridge Point rests upon is a small path which leads to the lower levels of the bridge. It is evident that this pathway, and the catwalks under the bridge, are rarely used, as various Xen wildlife have taken up residence there.
It is evident that Resistance soldiers made use of the base at some point before Gordon Freeman's arrival. However, probably because of its location near an important supply railroad, the Combine Overwatch has eliminated the residents. Now the Combine seem to have no particular use for the base and simply left it abandoned. The other Resistance occupied bases and outposts (such as New Little Odessa and Shorepoint) apparently did not risk attempting to retake the base.
[edit] Appearances
[edit] Half-Life 2
During the events of Half-Life 2, Gordon Freeman visits the base in his journey along the Coast to Nova Prospekt. The Combine decided to reinforce the base when Freeman was detected heading that way and two squads are air-dropped in by Combine Dropship right before Freeman reaches the spot. As he must cross the bridge with his Scout Car to proceed, he has to deactivate both Force Fields barring its way. Crossing the bridge on foot by using the catwalks located under it, he succeeds in deactivating the Force Fields protecting the bridge, destroying the Combine Overwatch garrisons located there as well as a Gunship sent as reinforcements by the same occasion. After going back to the main site, he is now able to cross the bridge, but has to narrowly escape a Razor Train coming from the opposite direction.
The Combine probably did not retake the base after this, as their military presence in the area was significantly weakened after the destruction of Nova Prospekt.
[edit] Behind the scenes
- The name "Bridge Point" used on the wiki is not given in any official source; it was merely chosen for more convenience.
- Early versions of the bridge can be found in the maps "
wasteland_bridge05.vmf", "wasteland_railbridge.vmf" and "seafloor_bridge.vmf", apparently set at the start of the journey through the Wasteland.[1]
- In the playable Half-Life 2 Beta, the two maps bear several differences: the bridge is not a railway bridge, but a road bridge; Smart Barriers are used instead of Force Fields; the Combine Dropship is shown holding a placeholder of its final container model; the bridge command building stands above the bridge and not next to it.[2]
[edit] Trivia
- The Razor Train can be avoided either by reversing as soon as the horn sounds and pulling off onto the other track or walking down the tracks on foot to trigger the train and then standing aside while it passes. In the past, it was also possible to beat the train by using the Scout Car's turbo function, but a patch that coincided with Half-Life 2's release on Mac reduced the speed of the car, rendering this impossible.
- The Bridge Point bridge was originally to be a road bridge. Evidence of this can be seen in two places, an old version of the map from the WC mappack (seen below), and again in the final release, where the map of the coast has a line (road) leading up to, and across, the bridge. This also explains why the highway seemingly ends for no reason (it was originally to continue on).
[edit] Gallery
[edit] Pre-release
Concept art for an early Bridge Point, based on the map "wasteland_railbridge".
An early official screenshot of Gordon firing at the Overwatch Soldiers.
Dropship with container placeholder in the playable Beta.
General view, in the playable Beta (with the windmill propeller model not showing).
Ditto.
The kitchen in the playable Beta.
Smart Barrier and Watchtower on the bridge in the playable Beta.
Under the bridge in the playable Beta.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Overwatch Soldier on a Watchtower at the other side of the bridge, in the playable Beta.
Under the bridge in the playable Beta.
General view of the bridge from the other side in the playable Beta.
Overwatch Soldier and his OICW in the control room, in the playable Beta.
Ditto.
The control room from the outside in the playable Beta.
[edit] Retail
Map of the Coast, with the bridge, unnamed, on the center left.
View of the site and the bridge.
Dropship leaving after offloading the troops.
View of Bridge Point, facing the railway.
Combine Watchtowers at each side of the bridge, with an active Force Field in-between.
Overwatch Soldier running towards Freeman with his shotgun.
Overwatch Soldiers running towards Freeman with their MP7s.
Overwatch Soldier firing at Freeman with his OSIPR.
Inside one of the buildings.
Kitchen in one of the buildings.
Overwatch Soldier hiding from Freeman with his OSIPR.
Combine Watchtower attached to the bridge.
Combine Watchtower seen through the missing roof of one the buildings.
Poison Zombie and Standard Headcrab on the cliff path.
Combine Watchtower attached to the bridge, seen from the first map.
Ditto, seen from the second map, where the top of the bridge is not featured.
View of the bridge in the fog.
Under the bridge.
Cabin under the bridge, with a dead Citizen and ammo, notably rockets to be used against the Gunship.
Cabin under the bridge.
The end of the bridge in the fog.
Overwatch Soldier aiming at Freeman with his OSIPR.
Tank under the bridge.
The command building at the end of the bridge.
Inside the command building.
Gunship firing at Freeman after the Force Fields are deactivated.
The Razor Train about to destroy the Scout Car and kill Freeman.
Freeman narrowly escaping the Razor Train.
The Razor Train continuing its journey after being avoided by Freeman.
Ditto.
Collapsed road bridge near the end of the railway bridge.
[edit] List of appearances
- Half-Life 2 (First appearance)
- Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar
[edit] References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 WC mappack
- ↑ Playable Half-Life 2 Beta
| Preceded by Petroleum Station |
Half-Life 2 story arc journey | Succeeded by Lighthouse Point |
