I understand that there is no manual for Half-Life 2. I went into options and wrote down some key designations (use item "e") etc. But I don't see anything that tells you how to interact with people. Are there any instructions anywhere? nu2gaming

In the game, go to options and then controls. This will show you how your control keys are setup. Interact is the same as "use". I think with this game it is the "E" key.
Also, I'm pretty sure that there is a manual in the game folder.

Rusty

I've just left the plaza, entered the building and witnessed the Combines attacking people in an apt. I went up the stairs and some guy is calling me into a room and tells me to go to the roof. Combines rush in and beat everyone, (me apparently to death). I tried running up the stairs but there is a pile of furniture in the way. No matter what I do I get killed. nu2gaming

Thanks friedmonkey; This thing needs a manual. I'm at the planks blocking my way (after lab) and I don't know how to use the crowbar. I can see it, I'm at the planks but pressing the "e" key does nothing. How could they not have a manual? Do they just assume that everyone has played the original game and knows all this stuff? nu2gaming

To use any weapon (and the crowbar is your first weapon) use your left mouse button. You should be able to switch weapons, after you have more than one, with your mouse wheel (if you have one).

You're on your way now!

Rusty

Sorry friedmonkey; I've pressed the left mouse like crazy and I'm not getting any movement. nu2gaming

Strange...the default controls must have changed somehow. In the game, go into options and then controls and click the default button. This will reset all of the controls to default.

Rusty

Good morning; Once I have used a weapon (in this case the crowbar) how do I put it away? nu2gaming

EDIT: I'm in the hallway (at the Medical Console at the beginning of Chapter 3: Route Kanal) and I don't know how to put away the crowbar. Everytime I try to use the Med. Console I just keep hitting it with the crowbar. Someone please help. nu2gaming

EDIT 2: What happens if your suit goes down to 0?
nu2gaming

Hi nu2gaming

I just checked inside my Half Life 2 box and there is no manual. However, there is a Quick Reference Card that lists all of the controls. Don't you have one?

You can't put away your weapons. The reason you can't get the Medical Console to respond is because you are using your left mouse button which is the attack button. Try using your "E" key with the console. That is your USE button.

Rusty

Is there anyway to get Gordon to just inch forward? He always seems to go farther than I want him to and gets killed. nu2gaming

Try holding down your left Shift key while moving forward.

Rusty

Thanks friedmonkey; Right now I'm at just after turning water valve. I'm back up at main room needing to jump in and find large valves. I've tried this a couple of times but ran out of oxygen and died. Think I'll take a break. nu2gaming

hi guys/gals; okay, what is the secret? I've been fooling with these blue barrels for a long time. Are there only supposed to be three? I'm thinking I have to get this ramp to tip, but I've pushed the barrels as far as I can get them and it still isn''t tipping. What now? nu2gaming

Put all the barrels in the water. Then jump in and put all the barrels inside the underwater cage to raise the ramp. I don't remember how many barrels there are.

Thanks friedmonkey; You're not gonna believe this but I just found the fourth barrel and faught like h*** to get it up on land (it was inside the underwater cage)! nu2gaming

EDIT: Got it! Made the jump, thanks to you. nu2gaming

Somebody; I'm in the complex facing the machine gun nest. How do I use the grenades? nu2gaming

You use the grenades just like any other weapon. You need to scroll through your weapons until you are holding a grenade. Press your left mouse button to throw it.

Rusty

Hi; Yesterday I made some quick saves and thought I'd go back to them today but they're gone. Has anyone else had this happen? Do the quick saves delete for some reason? nu2gaming

EDIT: I've just discovered some green cans that look a lot like the grenades. I can pick them up and carry them around but I don't know what to do with them. I've found 5 of them in a room in the complex where I killed some guards. What are they and can I use them some way?

No, the quick saves don't get deleted. How are you trying to access your saves? Are you clicking on "load game" from the main menu?

The green cans are probably nothing important. This game engine allows the ability to pick up almost anything.

Rusty

I'm clicking on load game and then choosing from the list of saved games. It's just that yesterday I had some saves earlier than I finally quit for the day and I thought I'd go back to them and try to improve my weapons and health but they are gone. I save often and my later games were still there but my earlier games are not. nu2gaming

Well, I finally made it through the gauntlet. Phew. 9 points of health. Got to the basket with supplies and have now landed and shot the lock off a gate, entered a building and got the 357. Then fought my way outside. For the life of me I cannot find an exit from the yard full of container cars and a chopper is shooting at me! How do I get out of here? (This part is where I'm supposed to get the machine gun that will shoot down the choppers.) nu2gaming

Maybe I need a patch? Please help. nu2gaming

No patches needed for Steam games nu2gaming. They are automatically updated through the internet when Steam starts.

Regarding the saves, when you go to the load screen, there should be a tab for Auto saves (which the game does itself) and a tab for Quick saves (the ones that you make yourself while playing). Make sure you click on the tab that says "Quick Saves". See if they are in there.

Rusty

Hi Rusty; When I click on the icon (on my desktop) to load the game it says "loading" then I get a menu: New Game; Load Game; Friends; Options; Quit. I click on "Load Game" and get a screen that says, "Select a saved game in the list below, then click "load game". When I scroll thru the list of saves, a lot of them are gone. Sometimes I have to repeat two days of game play to return to the spot where I last saved. I don't know what is happening. The last two days of game play were tough and I've had to repeat them. nu2gaming

How are you manually saving the game? There should be both Quick saves and Auto saves on the load screen to choose from.

Rusty

Rusty; Sometimes I save by pressing "F6" and sometimes it auto saves and sometimes I hit "quit" and save. nu2gaming

Do you see any saves at all in the list that are called "Quick Saves"? Those would be the saves from pressing F6.

Rusty

Yeah some, but sometimes, like today, all the saves are from 2 days ago. I don't know what is happening to the rest of them. I save when the w/t says there is a rough spot up ahead, and before my health gets too low, so I can try it again. I don't know Rusty. nu2gaming

I'm sorry I can't help you with this save problem. I don't know what would prevent only some of the Quick Saves from showing up in the load list. I've never heard of this problem with any game.

Rusty

Hi Rusty; Guess I'll just have to live with it. Right now I'm in some kind of big pipe and just around the corner is the exit with a chopper hovering. If he sees me he shoots into the pipe. I back up and he quits firing. Can I wait him out? My health points are down to 14, right at the exit are two supply boxes but with the chopper at the opening I can't get to them. Do I just have to bite the bullet and hope I can get the supplys before he kills me? Or can I hide and he will go away? nu2gaming

I'm not sure. I don't remember this exact part. I would recommend trying different things and see what happens.

You are doing great!

Rusty

Are you making manual saves or just quick saves ?

Satine: Sometimes I use quick save and sometimes I use "quit" save game.

The Vortigaunt has mounted a machine gun on my air boat!! Hooray! Just wait until I see that chopper. nu2gaming

Good morning; Okay, how in the h*** do you take out the chopper near the end of chapter 4? I've shot the heck out of him, he's on fire, parts blowing off but he gets right over me and I can't fire at him and he bombs me to death. nu2gaming

EDIT: Hey! I found a fantastic site with lots of hints and "secrets" about Half-Life 2. It's fantastic!!: http://www.neoseeker.com/resourcelink.html?rlid=92135&rid=85563

You guys are so sharp you probably already know this, but I just stumbled on it and I think it's great. Check out the fantastic way to finish off the hunter-chopper in this part.

Do you ever go into the main menu/save menu and make a save from there? That is what a real or manual save is. They don't disappear. Quick saves use the same save slot over and over again which is why they keep disappearing on you. It sounds to me that is all you are using. Quick saves are great to have but are NOT meant to be a replacement for real saves.

My Quick Saves never used the same save slot. I had alot of them to choose from when loading. Every Quick Save I made was there.

Rusty

You're right Satine, I have been using "quick save" a lot, only doing a hard save when I was getting out of the game. I know better now. I don't think I'll be using quick save any more. nu2gaming

Boy, could I use some help. I'm at the windmill roadblock (a big double tanker truck blocking the road) and I can not find any way to get past it. There are two huge boulders on the left but the space between them doesn't seem to be big enough for me to drive thru. There is no way on the right (I wound up in the water). How do I get past here? nu2gaming

EDIT: Got it. It was the mossy hill on the right. I just wasn't hitting it right. nu2gaming

HELP!!! I'm with the Vortigaunt harvester and he keeps telling me to throw towards something. I can't understand what he is saying and I've thrown Pheremone Glands all over the place. Someone please tell me what I'm supposed to do. nu2gaming

I have no idea where you are in the game. There are alot of Vortigaunts in the game. Just try different things and see what happens. Also, please see what the walkthroughs say to do in this part.

Rusty

Rusty; I'm in the first Vortigaunt camp where I'm being instructed in the use of pheremones. The Vortigaunt leads me out of the main camp area and tells me to throw the pheremone at something. I can't understand what he is saying. It sounds like "throw it far, at the light". But I don't know. Can anyone tell me what he is saying?

EDIT: I finally turned the sound real high and was able to hear what he was saying. I am now entering Nova Prospekt. nu2gaming

Is the first Half-Life game availabe for XBOX or for the PC only?

Hi gamecheater
The first Half-Life was released for the PC and PS2 only.

Hi nu2gaming

I knew you would figure it out eventually!
Rusty

I need some suggestions. I'm right at the beginning of "Follow Freeman", trying to take out the sniper from behind the truck. When I try throwing grenades they don't go anywhere near the window with the sniper and I always get killed. What am I doing wrong? Why aren't my grenades going very far? nu2gaming

If I remember correctly , you have to aim using your mouse and then let the granade go by clicking your left mouse button. The grenade should fall where you had aimed the crosshairs at.

Rusty

Hi Rusty; I've tried that but it's not working. Maybe my timing needs to be better. The w/t does say wait until you hear him fire before you pop up. So far I haven't had much luck. nu2gaming

Keep at it nu2gaming, I have faith in you! You'll get it eventually.

Sorry I couldn't offer more help.

Rusty

Rusty; Gave up trying to take out the sniper with the grenade. Ran to the supplies under his window, got up into the building with Barney and took out both snipers from there. Now I'm outside battling my first striders. Whew! These guys are tough. W/t says it takes six rockets to knock one out and I only have three. So I must have to find some way around them for now. nu2gaming

Hi nu2gaming
You have an unlimited supply of rockets, as long as you are near a rocket chest. Every time you close the chest it is restocked with rockets.
Rusty

Before you're able to get to the rocket supply chest, you'll have to pick up individual rocket lanchers to get their ammo. One is in the small building on the other side of the main building. Once you shoot all the rockets, another launcher will spawn in there. After you drop the first crawler, get to the small concrete bunker in front of the main building. Use the rockets in there to drop the next crawler. Then you can get to the rocket supply crate on the other side of the street.

Hi everybody; Boy, do I need help. I've just started chapter 13 "Our Benefactors". I've navigated the two pipes, jumped on and off the piston thing and now I don't see anywhere to jump. The w/t says work your way through the outer edge of the Citadel but I don't see any edges. Where am I supposed to jump?

EDIT: I'm really stuck here guys/gals. Any suggestions would be deeply appreciated. nu2gaming

Please I'm at the spot where you are supposed to pull the energy core out of the blue beam. For some reason I've lost the ability to jump. I have to jump over this railing to pull the energy core. Does anyone know what's happening? nu2gaming

Sounds like some sort of game bug to me nu2gaming. I never experienced this problem.

Rusty

Yeah, it's one of those cliff hangers isn't it? I just finished it also. It was one of the best FPS I've played though. I'm gonna have to get Episode One now to see how it ends. Although they'll probably end it with another cliff hanger so you'll buy Episode Two...Three so on and so on.

Did anyone here have trouble connecting to Steam? I bought this game a long time ago and tied to get it going, but was never able to actually get it to run because of Steam.

Maybe I'll try it again after I finish with my latest KOTOR/KOTOE 2 obsession.

I didn't have any trouble connecting to steam. However, if you can't get it to work when you try again...post in the glitches forum with the specific trouble/error you're having and we'll see if we can get you going.