Black
Mesa Conflict Resolution By Jason Cross and Chris Clark
Half-Life.
A game fraught with all sorts of violence. Scientists, Security Guards,
Marines, and Aliens all fighting simply because there are ample weapons
and the game would be rather boring otherwise. It would seem that characters
in the game are simply driven toward killing each other. Well, how true
is that really? Are the employees of the Black Mesa Research Facility
really thirsty for blood all of the time? How do they fare when arguments
break out during a normal day of work?
In order
to see just how conflicts are resolved within the Black Mesa Compound,
we set up three scenarios with the cooperation of the Black Mesa surveillance
crew. We placed dozens of tiny cameras around an area where a conflict
would be sparked and recorded the results to see how coworkers settle
issues with one another. In accordance with Black Mesa Surveillance
Protocol, all footage has been code named for usage.
Trial
#1: "Permissions for Mrs. Franklin"
In this scenario
we observed how Barney Higgins, Security
Guard (and rumored germophobic) reacted to one Dr.
Walter Loveland entering through the entrance he was
guarding. Dr. Loveland had a minor head cold at the time.
Trial
#2: "Spicy Cucumber Nog"
In this scenario
a broken vending machine is the catalyst for conflict. Security
Guard Otis Goulet is set to repair the broken machine
as Security Guard Barney Rydell
enters to lend a hand. Dr. Walter Orville
is present in the beginning but leaves, only to reenter after the
conflict has taken place.
Trial
#3: "Distraught Canadian Fire Ants"
In this final
scenario, we ate all of the donuts in the break room leaving only
an empty box. We also slipped a chemical into Security
Guard Otis Ford's coffee which produces massive amounts
of gas in the bowel. Dr. Walter Stevens
enters for a quick bite to eat and the lack of donuts, the odors
from Otis, and Otis's low self esteem come together to form an equation
for conflict.
Clearly employees of
Black Mesa have a lot of aggression in their systems. Further research
showed there was nothing in the water supply or the coffee machines that
would warrant this. At this time the Administrator for the facility is
coordinating a weekend retreat for all science and security personnel
to learn how to become more of a team.
Will the retreat actually
decrease the number of conflict based killings in the facility? Only time
will tell.
-Chris Clark and
Jason Cross
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