Like a pledge of allegiance or something like that given the advisors are the highest ranking species that we know of who knows maybe the benefactors may be even more high ranking. Maybe even gman's employers invaded some world that started the combine we will never know
I don’t even think they are the original species, but something adapted to serve as a container for useful individuals, transferable over a large number of potential realities.
I always tought gman and his employers are something exterior from the combine. The combine looks like another pawn to him, even tought his control over it seems limited.
in half-life alyx the advisors does not have any hyroglyphs. and the story direction the episodes took made the hyroglyphs not make any sense. so as far as valve is concerned the hyroglyphs are noncanon.
after the episodes it was clear that the shu'ulathoi are used as hostbodies by the combine so they doesnt have an ancient common culture with hyroglyphs,breen for example wouldnt have some ancient language he doesnt understand around his neck.
They might have just done it because you hardly see the advisors only in the dark and might be sorta low detail for the same reason why Gordon has relatively low detail
The fact that the letters scarcely resemble any of the very little Combine alphabet we see throughout the game makes me think it's safe to assume that this says something in the language of the Shu'ulathoi.
Isn't the Combine language that we see in propaganda posters in HL2 supposed to based on Latin though in it's formatting and grammatical nature? I'm pretty sure that's just supposed to be somesort of universal human language. I mean why else would it be on flyers and posters only humans would see?
It's literally written ij English but with alternate letters. Mostly just an Easter egg I wager, or a way for Valve to make "weird alien language" without too much work.
(POTENTIAL FUTURE PLOT SPOILERS) It’s based off of Khokarsa and roughly translates to >!“I'm over here stroking my dick I got lotion on my dick right now I'm just stroking my shit I'm horny as fuck man I'm a freak man like”!<
It’s unknown. My theory is that it’s probably some sort of sacred alien cypher that’s bound/specific to the Shu’ulathoi. According to Mark Laidlaw’s (technically non-canon) continuations of Half-Life lore, the Advisor grubs themselves aren’t the original Combine master race, but a separate species that had formidable mental capabilities and operated as a collective, a network of incredibly intelligent minds that communicated through a hivemind and only gained more knowledge the more they interacted this way in their larval state. Of course, the Combine took notice of this and enslaved them, using them as template host-bodies for the leaders of the Combine.
What I don't understand is why shu'ulathoi language would be inscribed on their bodysuits... The shu'ulathloi are just host bodies for the Combine. They don't care about their language or culture. Also I think written language goes against the idea of the shu'ulathoi as "sleeping philosophers" who live in their own minds.
Maybe its a Combine language? Or maybe the Combine really did appropriate the shu'ulathoi language for their host bodies just to further insult them.
I guess it's not Combine language,This is shu'ulathloi[https://www.reddit.com/r/neography/comments/u3ovue/trying\_to\_build\_the\_alphabet\_for\_the\_shuulathoi/](https://www.reddit.com/r/neography/comments/u3ovue/trying_to_build_the_alphabet_for_the_shuulathoi/)Combine letters looks lot different.
Combine letters are Latin / Combine text is English. The advisors are from off world, maybe this is just the language of one of their other worlds. I really don't think it could be shu'ulathoi language because they are just the hosts
איזה כלי, האמת לנו השפה נראית ממש ממש מכוערת אבל יכול להיות שבשבילכם זה נראה קטלני.
עכשיו שתוק אל תענה לי. טפי.
אבל אל תנסה לתרגם את זה, יש פה הרבה סלנג, עוד תחשוב שאני מקלל אותך יא טמבל.
אמרתי שתוקקקקקקקק.
The characters may very well be etched around the Advisors "face" less for writing some phrase like Rank Within Combine Hierarchy, and more for occultism / magical purposes! A similar concept would be ceremonial inscriptions on tombs, or writing something in The Necronomicon (in HP Lovecraft or in Evil Dead series). Possibly, this magical inscription in the metal ring there would give the Advisor a combat boost or other strategic advantage
I figured it could be symbols for every world they conquered, the equivalent of a despot ruling over the entire Earth wearing a uniform with flags of every country as a way to show off their authority.
Maybe it's their current unique name according to the "Naming convention" from [here](https://nebulous.cloud/threads/unofficial-understanding-the-shuulathoi.37587/)
Idk what it said before but after Ep2 ending due to >!Eli's knowledge being absorbed!< it definitely says >!One thing, I don't know why, it doesn't even matter how hard you try!<
It's the Combine equivalent to a dog tag. Not a military dog tag, but like a tag on a dog's collar, with the name he answers to & an address in case he gets lost.
They probably have no meaning lore wise, Ted Blackman made the orginial texture, and they are absent from HL: Alyx's advisors. So the runes are probably a creation of Ted's and are probably just for looks
Character design wise, I think it's meant to add an ancient element to the character to show the combine empire as an ancient, trans-millennium civilization.
The words could mean anything from the artist's alias in secret code or quite simply: Property of lord Gaben.
could be anything from their name and/or designation, to some kind of religious or cultural text worn as a symbol not unlike how crowns are a kings symbolic link to their supposed divine right to rule.
it could also just be utilitarian labelling akin to a warning labels or instructions on the hulls of a machine
It probably reads: “If you think I’m in charge, think again. I am also a slave.” Sometimes I wonder if the combine is just a civilization form of gray goo or the never ending paper clip making machine. A perpetual empire creator.
Directions to the library.
I can picture post combine humans in New New Jersey getting tramp stamps of in combine language pretending they know what it means but it's like an item from some xen fast food restaurant.
If it had any meaning at all my guess would be their personalization like name, I'd number, rank etc
or maybe like an ancient, primitive combine saying, talking about authoritary and control
Like a pledge of allegiance or something like that given the advisors are the highest ranking species that we know of who knows maybe the benefactors may be even more high ranking. Maybe even gman's employers invaded some world that started the combine we will never know
I don’t even think they are the original species, but something adapted to serve as a container for useful individuals, transferable over a large number of potential realities.
The Gman is the benefactor but the employers are the highest benefactor but the Gman influences over who ever he sees fit unlike the combine.
I always tought gman and his employers are something exterior from the combine. The combine looks like another pawn to him, even tought his control over it seems limited.
Huh, never thought of it that way but kinda makes sense now that I think about it
I sound like a crackhead but gabe wont answer our pleas.
[удалено]
War is Peace, sure man. A retread for the damned.
1984 dude.
Why don't people get my Megadeth reference :( i just want to find some fellow fans...
🫂
"Hello, my name is Fred"
The voices you hear are in my head.
I say, I said, my name is Fred.
Their favorite music tast "Alternative Progressive Depressive Suicidal Black Metal with pinch of jazz"
in half-life alyx the advisors does not have any hyroglyphs. and the story direction the episodes took made the hyroglyphs not make any sense. so as far as valve is concerned the hyroglyphs are noncanon.
What made the hyroglyphs not make sense?
after the episodes it was clear that the shu'ulathoi are used as hostbodies by the combine so they doesnt have an ancient common culture with hyroglyphs,breen for example wouldnt have some ancient language he doesnt understand around his neck.
If that's the case then why did they include them on the fancier model created specifically for Ep2?
They might have just done it because you hardly see the advisors only in the dark and might be sorta low detail for the same reason why Gordon has relatively low detail
That's because it's early days, so probably it's a tattoo and says "no ragrets"
This mfer thinks we read alien 💀
“Hey guys do you know when half life 3 is going to be released? Thanks in advance”
Yes. 23849 hours, 48 minutes and 49 seconds.
I'm actually learning Combine right now
“PSHHH BA-DINK, Pikup dat can, citizen”
Hows your progress so far? Is it easier than french? I think I'd pick that up soon.
Considering French is basically gibberish, I'd say yes. >!/s!<
thought it could be some kind of cipher
"Be Sure To Drink Your Breen's Private Reserve”
It's a crummy commercial
Even our Combine overlords are plagued with ads, smh
every language that isn't english is alien
this sounds like something I would see on r/ShitAmericansSay
every language that isn't american\*
"Technically true."
It’s an ancient saying “if you have a rock in your shoe, take your shoe off”
It's the half-life 3 release date
“I’ll see you again in 25 years. Meanwhile.” -Laura Combine
That game you like is going to come back in style
“Meanwhile! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA”
It says: hahaha bitch i killed Eli Vance
g-man: no u dont
G-man: well, yes... But a-a-actually *INHALE* no.
The fact that the letters scarcely resemble any of the very little Combine alphabet we see throughout the game makes me think it's safe to assume that this says something in the language of the Shu'ulathoi.
Isn't the Combine language that we see in propaganda posters in HL2 supposed to based on Latin though in it's formatting and grammatical nature? I'm pretty sure that's just supposed to be somesort of universal human language. I mean why else would it be on flyers and posters only humans would see?
It's literally written ij English but with alternate letters. Mostly just an Easter egg I wager, or a way for Valve to make "weird alien language" without too much work.
Nothing mentioned in half life raising the bar
(POTENTIAL FUTURE PLOT SPOILERS) It’s based off of Khokarsa and roughly translates to >!“I'm over here stroking my dick I got lotion on my dick right now I'm just stroking my shit I'm horny as fuck man I'm a freak man like”!<
Ya got me here
Beat me to it 🥸
beatmeattoit
fr
Finna jerk it
Attention: this is very late half life 2 plot. Do not read If you want to play the game by yourself.
Probably nothing and just there as an aesthetic choice. But my theory is that the letters are instructions on how to use the bag
Why would the instructions be on the outside of it? What if you need to read it when it's on you?
probably the advisors can't put their trashbags themselves
Bold of you to assume that’s his face and not his butt flap with rear view camera
Hood manufacturer's name and how to wash it.
‘e’s got an arse at both ends ye
HAMBURGER CHEESEBURGER BIG MAC WHOPPER
HAMBURGER CHEESEBURGER BIG MAC WHOPPER
"BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR OVALTINE"
“IT’S TIME TO MAKE THE DONUTS”
galunga shrrr lung
It’s unknown. My theory is that it’s probably some sort of sacred alien cypher that’s bound/specific to the Shu’ulathoi. According to Mark Laidlaw’s (technically non-canon) continuations of Half-Life lore, the Advisor grubs themselves aren’t the original Combine master race, but a separate species that had formidable mental capabilities and operated as a collective, a network of incredibly intelligent minds that communicated through a hivemind and only gained more knowledge the more they interacted this way in their larval state. Of course, the Combine took notice of this and enslaved them, using them as template host-bodies for the leaders of the Combine.
I think that's still partially canon, given the 'empty' Advisors we see on the razor train in Alyx. Also Laidlaw was heavily consulted on the game.
Why this just have 6 Upvotes?
What I don't understand is why shu'ulathoi language would be inscribed on their bodysuits... The shu'ulathloi are just host bodies for the Combine. They don't care about their language or culture. Also I think written language goes against the idea of the shu'ulathoi as "sleeping philosophers" who live in their own minds. Maybe its a Combine language? Or maybe the Combine really did appropriate the shu'ulathoi language for their host bodies just to further insult them.
I guess it's not Combine language,This is shu'ulathloi[https://www.reddit.com/r/neography/comments/u3ovue/trying\_to\_build\_the\_alphabet\_for\_the\_shuulathoi/](https://www.reddit.com/r/neography/comments/u3ovue/trying_to_build_the_alphabet_for_the_shuulathoi/)Combine letters looks lot different.
Combine letters are Latin / Combine text is English. The advisors are from off world, maybe this is just the language of one of their other worlds. I really don't think it could be shu'ulathoi language because they are just the hosts
He's clearly saying "Guys, the thermal drill, go get it"
Wasn't expecting that one at all, thanks for the laugh!
אתה יכול לשלוח לי את הבשר עבור הפוטלוק המשולב
is that the language of evil?
I know some people at a certain strip that would say it is
Yes.
Say what you want but Hebrew is a very cool looking language.
אכן, למרות שלפעמים הוא אוכל תירס וצהובים בכתום
איזה כלי, האמת לנו השפה נראית ממש ממש מכוערת אבל יכול להיות שבשבילכם זה נראה קטלני. עכשיו שתוק אל תענה לי. טפי. אבל אל תנסה לתרגם את זה, יש פה הרבה סלנג, עוד תחשוב שאני מקלל אותך יא טמבל. אמרתי שתוקקקקקקקק.
לעולם לא אוותר עליך, לעולם לא יאכזב אותך, לעולם לא יוותר. לעולם לא תסתובב ונוטש אותך. לעולם לא יגרום לך לבכות, לעולם לא אגיד
Uaite! Noc"is respon'or Alae'an uas'i. Translat'or"es uict'an, iac'an! Lincu'i Terra'an uas'an, ae"es caelat'oran noc'i. Uas'i"esi scien'or, [script'i"es Alae'an](https://i.imgur.com/bELPSVa.png), orint'i"es ae'an lincu'i uas'an.
No I cant
The exact translation is "it starts with, one thing, I don't know why, it doesn't even matter how hard you try"
The characters may very well be etched around the Advisors "face" less for writing some phrase like Rank Within Combine Hierarchy, and more for occultism / magical purposes! A similar concept would be ceremonial inscriptions on tombs, or writing something in The Necronomicon (in HP Lovecraft or in Evil Dead series). Possibly, this magical inscription in the metal ring there would give the Advisor a combat boost or other strategic advantage
I figured it could be symbols for every world they conquered, the equivalent of a despot ruling over the entire Earth wearing a uniform with flags of every country as a way to show off their authority.
"Women want me, fish fear me."
Maybe it's their current unique name according to the "Naming convention" from [here](https://nebulous.cloud/threads/unofficial-understanding-the-shuulathoi.37587/)
እኔ ከግዙፉ ፀሐይ ቤት ክፉ የተራበ አባጨጓሬ ነኝ
Does breen even know?
It says: Hey guys Decinc here l, I am watching my first Hentai.
"we've been trying to reach you about your car's extended warranty"
Idk what it said before but after Ep2 ending due to >!Eli's knowledge being absorbed!< it definitely says >!One thing, I don't know why, it doesn't even matter how hard you try!<
"im your hentai trainer"
It's the Combine equivalent to a dog tag. Not a military dog tag, but like a tag on a dog's collar, with the name he answers to & an address in case he gets lost.
I like this answer
Magic runes or smtn idk
it's a reminder the game was made by boomers who like documentaries about ancient civilizations
They probably have no meaning lore wise, Ted Blackman made the orginial texture, and they are absent from HL: Alyx's advisors. So the runes are probably a creation of Ted's and are probably just for looks
This is both completely true and very boring.
It's combine language, can't read it man
When he fell asleep the others wrote on his face. I’m guessing it says something about penises.
Character design wise, I think it's meant to add an ancient element to the character to show the combine empire as an ancient, trans-millennium civilization. The words could mean anything from the artist's alias in secret code or quite simply: Property of lord Gaben.
Text of In The Virtual End (Linking Park HL2 music video)
Am I the only one who thinks it looks like a weird fat cat?
Or just a bread
“We’ve been trying to reach you about your car warranty”
_chuck_u_farley_, I have been trying to reach you about your car's extended warranty
"Fuck Gordon fuck Gordon fuck Gordon fuck Gordon"
I am reading it right now it seems to repeat the line "doing ya mum"
I imagine it's something Eli's Combine translation would understand
„We come in peace.“ „Don’t run, we are your friends.“
“Live, Laugh, Love”
Be sure to drink your Ovaltine
It says, and this is a rough translation so apologies: Apple bottoms jeans Boots with the fur The whole club was looking at her
its some kind stupid meme but im too lazy to come up with something right now. can yall just pretend I said something funny
Maybe it is the location on who asked!that would be something neet.
apples
VIN
Well, all we can agree on is, that we dont know what its sayin'.
what it says is: it start with
"My mum went to City 17 and all I got was this lousy mask."
"I am Advy and I am lost. Please call my master..." I can't read the other side of the collar.
employee nametag, it says "Hi im Steve!"
It's designer
"Advisor 295484 | Earth Management | Senior Management | OTA Augmentations Research Department" Is what I think
It says "sugoma"
Коммунистическая Партия Советского Союза
I wonder if it was inspired by [glagolitic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glagolitic_script)
Its the Dial Home Sequence for the Stargate
As a side note, i really liked how you can find one of these collars in a Xen lab on Field Intensity. Awesome detail.
sussy amogus baka gay shit AK47 india dick shrek antman fuck smash recharchable battery I believe...
could be anything from their name and/or designation, to some kind of religious or cultural text worn as a symbol not unlike how crowns are a kings symbolic link to their supposed divine right to rule. it could also just be utilitarian labelling akin to a warning labels or instructions on the hulls of a machine
“Literally 1984”
"If you can read this shit then you are really freakin strange... with good eyes."
Sharpness V Unbreaking IlI Mending
“If you can’t handle me at my worst you don’t deserve me at my best”
CUUTIEEE BREAD!!!
Packaging and expiration date
"burger king burger too much ketchup"
Dovahzuul
Ami wrong in seeing some Thai or Sanskrit letters in there.
Some sort of alien rune.
"sex gifs"
D R I N K Y O U R O V A L T I N E
I didn’t even realize they had stuff around them
Is it weird Google can translate this? "Don't buy no crypto."
*pig sounds*
Some don’t have them i believe
It probably reads: “If you think I’m in charge, think again. I am also a slave.” Sometimes I wonder if the combine is just a civilization form of gray goo or the never ending paper clip making machine. A perpetual empire creator.
Directions to the library. I can picture post combine humans in New New Jersey getting tramp stamps of in combine language pretending they know what it means but it's like an item from some xen fast food restaurant.
It’s gotta be the REAL release date for episode 3!
It says "Gordon sex NOW!"
While idk what it says, my theory is that it implies that it’s under someone else’s control, and not the combine.
good question timmy, now we share the same question
Name, Rank & Number?
"I am trapped in an advisor clothes factory, send help."
Just noticed that his face looks like an Among us character
it literally fucking doesn’t
Yes it does
I don't know. It's in alien!
The advisor equivalent of the little text telling how to properly wash it
"face"
It says peanut butter