Conscripts
The Conscripts are a faction cut from Half-Life 2. A few models related to them are still present in the Leak.
Contents
Overview
The Conscripts are a faction cut from Half-Life 2. They were to be expendable low-ranking forces serving under the Combine until the Uprising, where they turned against them. Their standard issue weapons were the AR2, though they were also commonly seen wielding the MP5K (SMG1), as well as RPGs. Textures imply that they may have additionally used grenades and knives. They were to be led by Captain Vance.
Models
Four models related to the conscripts appear in the Leak: ANIMAL.mdl
[1], conscript.mdl
, conscriptdemo.mdl
, and conscriptdemo2.mdl
. While Conscript is a general model, the other three models are various specialized ones intended for roles in sniper_029 and others. All of the models are identical besides included animations.
- ANIMAL has the AR2 equipped by default, and starts in the running animation when first viewed. It has animations for running, shouting, and blindfiring. It appears twice in sniper_029.
- Conscript lacks the AR2, and maintains a standing pose. It has animations for using the AR2 and SMG1.
- Conscriptdemo is similar to Conscript, but has an AR2 equipped by default. It has animations meant for various conscripts around the map, but was replaced in sniper_029 by the generic Conscript.
- Conscriptdemo2 has an AR2, and lies on the ground in a wounded state. It has no other animations. It appears in the APC at the end of the demo.
The model seems to be mishmashes of early Combine Soldier elements and original bits of their own, with a host of unused textures implying that the model has went through a large deal of revision.
Unused Textures
The Conscript has a large number of unused textures, implying the model once used a helmet, grenades, shoulder straps, and a knife.
Unused Grenade Textures
Compared to the Leak's grenade worldmodel, this has an entirely different naming scheme and an additional texture otherwise unseen.
Leak Grenade Worldmodel
Unused Knife Textures
These textures (and presumably the model at some point) are based on the Phrobis M9 bayonet. Like with it, the handles have four notches, and the blade has a mid-sized hole in the upper region. The holstered version has a black button on the front, and only covers the blade.
References
Miscellaneous Unused Textures
Early Facemaps
There are two 512x512 facemaps present in the Conscript's texture folder. Oddly, these seem to be descendants of the Combine "Sniper" Elite's source files for its facemap.
Ties to Combine Soldier
The Conscript seems to reuse its legs from an early Combine Soldier model.
Similar Boot UVs
Though the texture resolution between the two radically varies (64x to 256x!), the UVs between the two are practically identical.
Similar Leg Textures
The Conscript's leg texture is very similar to the Combine Soldier's, particularly those in the Leak's soldier_stripped
, which are identical to the 2002 version's, the earliest version with available textures.
Sniper_029
A well-known map, Sniper_029 was a 2001 in-house demo, possibly meant to showcase facial animations. The map involves a squad of conscripts that are pinned down by a sniper that is on the opposite end of a long street, with a destroyed APC containing a wounded Conscript in it. [EXPAND ON THIS LATER]
Texture Folder Differences
There are two sets of Conscript textures present in the Leak. One is in /materials/models/Conscript
, while the other is in /materials/models/extras
.
These two sets of textures have one difference. In the Conscript
folder, the gloves end at the fingertips. In the Extras
folder, however, the gloves cover the entire hand.
Also, in the Extras folder, soldierface2
is not present. Since it is one of the more modern aspects of the Conscript model, this implies that the Extras
texture folder is older.
Possible Emblem
On sleeves_cl.vtf
, in the top-right corner, there are four zig-zagging black bars. This may be the emblem of the Conscripts, as it is very deliberately placed there, with only a pixel between it and the edge, and has a identifiable design unlike most other "doodles in the margins" by Half-Life 2's texture artists.
Uniform References
The Leak Conscript's helmet and vest are based from the United States Military PASGT protective gear, which was succeeded by later equipment in the mid-2000s.
According to the helmet, the model is meant to be UVmapped from the front, with a seam at the back.
Gallery
Concept Art
Textures (Used)
(Excluding "inside-face" textures)
- ↑ Consistent with anon-hl2 capitalization