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The Citadel went through various design stages during the development of Half-Life 2, as seen in several concept art images and the WC mappack. It started as a brush until becoming the model seen in the final game.

Organic version[]

This version has organic roots. It is featured only in concept arts by Viktor Antonov and Dhabih Eng.[1]

Gallery[]

Poster version[]

This version is featured in the map "c17_04_21.vmf", last edited December 2002. It is entirely brown and apparently not detailed, while a closer look shows it is detailed,[2] featuring a circle, windows, and other precise shapes.

Its inside maps have concrete and rusty metal walls, sometimes with floor numbers on the walls, and were all last edited in 2001. One of these inside maps, "proto_core002.vmf", shows the Citadel Core was originally to appear in Half-Life 2. Another map, "proto_C17citadel_skybox.vmf", features a detailed spire, which appears grey-colored, not brown,[2] and seems to be based on concept art for the previous version's lower entrance and predate the dark fusion reactor area featured at the end of Half-Life 2.

This version is also featured in three Combine propaganda posters made by Randy Lundeen (who mapped the tiles version of the citadel) and based on artwork by Dhabih Eng.[1] In its skybox can be found the "inner wall" mentioned by Alyx in the playable Half-Life 2 Beta sound files, and where Vance Headquarters are located, as well as the radio tower located near the Manhack Arcade and Kleiner's Lab.[2]

Tiles version[]

  • Designed by Viktor Antonov,[1] this is the last known brush version. It appears as a long cylinder divided in several parts and with other shapes stuck around it, where rooms and corridors can be found. Covered by grey and brown in the outside, it is topped by some kind of huge antenna. It is featured in the maps "c17_04_41.vmf", "proto_citadel_002.vmf" (as a human-size version), "proto_citadel_skybox.vmf", among others, most of them last edited in 2001.[2]
  • It is also the first version featuring inside maps. Some shapes are similar to the retail version, except all floors, walls and ceilings are entirely covered in tiles. Metallic pipes with organic forms can also be found all around, as well as a prototype prison area with Citizens and Vortigaunts in the cells, having concept art for the Depot based on them.[1][2] It should be noted that most of these maps are demos and prototypes and that they are very incomplete.
  • The shaft seen in the Citadel in Episode One where the Advisor leaves was originally to be seen in Half-Life 2 and is present as a prototype map ("proto_citadel_advisor.vmf") in that Citadel version.[2]
  • Most of the WC mappack inside maps are located in that version and were made by Randy Lundeen, according to the folder name, "randy".[2] He also designed the cut propaganda posters featuring another Citadel version.

Gallery (outside)[]

Gallery (inside)[]

E3 Terminal version[]

This version, the first modeled and designed by Eric Kirchmer,[1] is a round and blueish version. It is featured in the latest version of the map "e3_terminal.vmf". It is also featured in "e3_strider.vmf" and "canals_01_11.vmf".[2][3] In an unmodified Half-Life 2 Beta, the model appears greenish, however this was fixed by the community.

Gallery[]

"Clamp" version[]

This version looks like a giant blue-grey clamp, with Depot-like buildings at its feet. It was likely designed by Viktor Antonov. It can be found in the map "proto_docks.vmf", probably created when Freeman was still to reach City 17 with the Borealis,[4] "d1_sewer51j.vmf" and "proto_combine_underground5.vmf". The map "d1_under0102a.vmf" contains a version halfway between this one and the next.[2]

Gallery[]

Pre-retail version[]

The penultimate version, designed by Jeff Ballinger and Viktor Antonov,[1] was first created with the same Depot-like buildings at its feet like the previous version, with the original cylinder Citadel brush replaced by a triangular prism Citadel brush (and the texture unchanged), as seen in the map "d1_under0102a.vmf", "proto_innerwall" and in an early "e3_terminal" screenshot. The map "proto_combine_underground5.vmf" contains the same brush as in "d1_under0102a.vmf, but this time much bigger, and with a proper Depot model at its feet, used for the Depot seen along the Coast, and Combine mobile walls (this is a much more recent depiction).[2] Then a model (the second known one in total) was created; this is the one featured in the playable Half-Life 2 Beta; it is almost identical to the next and latest version.[5]

Gallery[]

Retail version[]

The next and last version, the third model, is featured in Half-Life 2, and covered in the main Citadel article. Almost identical to the previous version, that triangular prism is bluer and more detailed, and not a single Depot is found at its feet anymore.

References[]

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