Assuming a citizen somehow found out the CP radio frequency, would he ICly able to monitor it on his own radio?

Or is this one of those invisible RP walls you're not supposed to cross, what with "combine technology" and all

-by YankeeSamurai



Contents

I. How to Roleplay As OTA
II. How to Roleplay With OTA
III. In-Game OTA Function
III. OTA Structure
IV. Weapons and Equipment


First, a quick disclaimer.  I am not trying to prove myself as an authority on all things Combine, or anything silly like that.  The guide's contents are subject to change.
The purpose of the guide's length and details is to create a rich, detailed world for the Overwatch to exist in.
If nothing else, the guide is simply for your own reading pleasure.

Welcome to the new and up-to-date guide to the Overwatch Transhuman Arm.



I. How to Roleplay as OTA

It is easiest to compare roleplaying an Overwatch soldier to roleplaying a CP. Of course, there are a few key differences that must be made clear.

The physique and internal structures of Overwatch soldiers differ drastically from that of their CCA counterparts. Overwatch soldiers are products of advanced Combine bioengineering. Their bodies have (according to http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Combine_soldier) "undergone extensive modifications including, but not limited to, brain and chest surgery, removal of genitalia, and implantation of various mechanical devices in the throat and around the abdomen."
Combine soldiers are more alien than human, at least in the physical sense. These augmentations can affect certain RPs. For example, medical RP can either be vastly simplified or overcomplicated, depending on the type of wound. Units feel significantly less pain than a normal human and can take great amounts of damage before becoming incapacitated. Even an average unit has greater endurance and strength than the most physically accomplished of unaugmented humans.


Notes on Emotion
For most OTA players the topic of emotion is a tricky one, and one that is apt to change throughout the course of a player's roleplay career. For the sake of simplicity, opinions about Overwatch emotion will be divided into two schools of thought: conservative and liberal.

Conservative: This is the "old way" of viewing Overwatch emotions: there are none. All units are impersonal to the max. Due to the Combine's extensive "repurposing" procedures, all units are rendered identical in every respect; the Overwatch may as well be comprised of mechanical clones.
Appearance: Units are identical in every respect. Equipment remains unmodified and is maintained in the same fashion throughout the Overwatch. Underneath their armor, the bodies of units are virtually identical in height, weight, and general build. Facial features are indistinguishable from one unit to the next. It is next to impossible for an outsider to identify a specific unit.
Speech: Overwatch units have standardized, robotic speech patterns and are unable to speak colloquially. There is little inflection in their voice. Some players believe that units cannot use sentences at all, instead dispatching radio transcriptions in an extremely rigid, computerized data-entry-based format.
Emotional: Units have no emotions whatsoever. They are machines that serve only to complete the proverbial objective. Individual personalities are completely non-existent, and the same goes for any social interaction.
Physical: All units have the same level of physical capabilities and skills. Relevant knowledge and muscle memory have been programmed into their brains during the repurposing process. There is no need for any sort of training; it is impossible for units to worsen at a certain skill and difficult at best to improve it without a special re-program.
Intelligence: As with physical ability, the level of units' mental capabilities and skills are uniform throughout the entire Overwatch. All knowledge deemed necessary is implanted into units' memories during repurposing. However, most players agree that, through experience, units can learn and deduce new information to supplement already-existing knowledge. However, it is important to emphasize that while units are able to think and rationalize to a certain extent, their reasoning is severely restricted. Units are unable to think outside of predicted, established parameters. In a sense, Overwatch units lack freedom of thought; it is impossible for their minds to wander outside certain boundaries. For example, a unit can consider several methods of assaulting a building to choose the most effective one, but it is unable to question why the building must be assaulted in the first place.

Liberal: A new perspective on Overwatch personality is beginning to emerge, in which Overwatch units retain a significantly larger amount of humanity than what has been previously assumed. In the liberal school of thought, Overwatch units are less comparable to robots and more similar to real-life professional soldiers or soldiers of various science fiction franchises such as Halo and Star Wars. The liberal "canon" tends to favor individualism and character development.
Appearance: While all units begin are initially issued identical-looking armor, some units choose to obtain upgrades for their equipment or make the modifications themselves. Units' bodies, although still greatly augmented, differ in appearance. Height can vary to within a few inches, weight and structure can vary slightly as well. Facial features including eye color, cheekbone form, nose shape, lip size, etc remain unique and unchanged. Even hair retains its color and other traits such as curliness and waviness. All of these retained factors combine to make for a more human appearance for units.
Speech: Although units observe strict radio protocol, they retain the ability to speak in the vernacular- and often do. All units are proficient in "Earth Basic," the Combine name for the English language, but vestiges of foreign accents can still be heard by the careful listener.
Emotional: Similar to normal humans, the emotional natures of Overwatch units vary between individuals. Units often interact with each other, engaging in dynamic inter-personal social relationships. They possess inherently human traits such as a sense of humor, anger, and fear. One interesting aspect of unit personality is its tendency to enrich and become more defined over time. This unusual progression contrasts with CCA officers' tendency to lose unique personality attributes over time as they convert from rather individualized recruits into faceless automatons enmeshed in protocol and procedure. In that sense, Overwatch units develop in the opposite direction of CCA units. New units usually are very rigid, strict, and protocol-driven; in some respects fitting the description of "conservative" units. As time goes on and the units gain more experience- unique traits, interesting talents, and unusual quirks begin to slowly reveal themselves. The end result of this process can be observed in the highly individualized KING commanders at the top of Overwatch structure, and to a lesser extent in element leaders.
Physical: While all units start out with similar basic physical capabilities, there is much more room for growth and improvement than in the conventional school of thought. Units benefit greatly from extra training and constant conditioning, and noticeable degradations in performance can be observed in units that have returned from extensive stretches of time in status.
Intelligence: All units begin with a standard level of mental aptitude, but that breadth of knowledge can be dynamically expanded through training and experience. There is an immense gap between the "street-smarts" of a freshly-deployed unit and a seasoned field veteran. More importantly, units are relatively free thinkers and are able to form their own opinions, even to the degree of bias. Much speculation has been focused on the boundaries of units' free thought. It is a well known fact that complex "why" questions are able to be rationally examined, but the extent to which potentially subversive anti-Union thoughts may be pursued is one that cannot be answered for sure. As of yet, there has never been a confirmed report of a rogue Overwatch unit, so it may be safe to assume that a built-in mental safety mechanic may exist. Of course, this conclusion is completely based on guesswork, so only time will tell whether units will ever rise to question the very foundations of their service to the Union.



II. How to Roleplay With OTA

As a Citizen:
Extreme fear should be roleplayed, ICly stemming as much from the units' alien appearance as from sheer unfamiliarity.
Overwatch soldiers are a striking contrast to everyday Civil Protection officers and are a depressing reminder of the iron grip that the Universal Union has on earth and its inhabitants. Again, fearRP is a must. No doubt there are countless rumors floating around of terrible atrocities committed by Overwatch soldiers. Their ferocious reputation in combat is enough to scare most would-be rebels into leaving the vicinity if Overwatch are around.
The only people who have any rationale not to be scared shitless of Overwatch units are experienced Resistance fighters, which are few and far between due to the extraordinarily high mission success rates of Overwatch troops. Those who have seen units in action usually do not survive to tell the tale.

As a CP:
Most CCA officers experience a mix of feelings upon seeing Overwatch units. Individual reactions of officers vary depending on their personality and background. For almost all officers, the OTA units' height, bulk, and sheer professional presence command respect tinged with intimidation. Nearly all try to avoid Overwatch units as much as possible because of their reputation for eccentric, even violent behavior around CCA officers. However, High Command officers feel more comfortable around Overwatch units due to their own elevated authority, as well as having experience working with them. Still, some OTA units have been known to goad, criticize, and even taunt High Command officers. The deep thinkers within the ranks of the CCA will recognize Overwatch units as the first of many disturbing outcomes of the earth's "Combine-ization." Some officers have an unusual view of contempt towards units because of their presumed loss of humanity, although this reaction is often rooted in fear as much as anything else.



III. In-Game OTA Function

City Server: The missions of the CCA and Overwatch are immensely different. The ranks of Civil Protection officers form a veritable army in their own right, but it is an army that is ill-equipped and ill-trained for outright, prolonged combat. Overwatch stabilization/response teams are usually deployed when a situation in the city is too high-stakes for failure or has the potential to overwhelm the CCA beyond the capabilities of its resources. The CCA is a police force, whereas Overwatch is comparable to the National Guard. Again, Overwatch support is only practical in dire circumstances where direct military force is necessary. Examples of such situations could be a district-wide uprising or an exogen breach.
Some may view this as a stretch, but in the urban setting of City 45, the Overwatch can be thought of as a glorified SWAT team.

Outlands Server: The Overwatch Transhuman Arm, Synthetic Arm, and Airwatch are jointly tasked with maintaining security in the vast wastelands surrounding the Metroplex Sectors, known colloquially as cities. Routine operations consist mostly of foot patrols and scanner sweeps for anomalies in biotic activity. The primary reason for the continuous patrols and sweeps is to be proactive in safeguarding the cities against exogens and necrotics, not to search for noncitizens (refugees), as is the common misconception. Overwatch patrols occasionally come under fire from Resistance groups and hot-headed noncitizens- a rash decision on their part. Rebel groups that engage in combat with patrols are subsequently classified as threats, and are actively targeted for destruction. Noncitizens that are captured by the Overwatch are usually subject to interrogation, followed by deportation to a repurposing facility.

Welcome, potential Vortigaunt player. You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for acceptance.
Failure to meet a requirement results in application denial.

Normal Member Prerequisites

• 20 constructive forum posts
• Reasonably active in HL2RP forums and servers
• Registered at CG for at least two weeks

VIP/Gold Member Prerequisites

• 15 constructive forum posts
• Reasonably active in HL2RP forums and servers
• Registered at CG for at least one week

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Rules for Applications

• If applying for more than one Vortigaunt in the same application, you must make two answers for the questions in "Character Information" and numbers 5 and 6 in "Tasks". If your characters die or you want additional ones, you must reapply. Anyone applying for a city Vortigaunt will require approval from Sexy Frog prior to applying for it.
• Post your application one time, and one time only.
• If you edit your application after submitting it, you must make a note at the bottom of the post detailing all changes made.
• If your application is denied, you must wait two weeks before re-applying.
• Asking for your application to be reviewed results in instant denial.

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Applications are judged over the course of a few days. The final decision is based on multiple factors, including writing proficiency, knowledge of canon, maturity, and originality.

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"Who can accept my application?"
Currently the Leader of Vortigaunt Faction, Sexy Frog or any HL2RP super administrator can accept a Vortigaunt application.
Any HL2RP basic administrator or operator can post support and relevant comments.

A final decision can be overridden by a HL2RP super administrator or selected basic administrator, provided the challenger provides substantial reason.

Player Information
Steam name:
Steam ID:
How long have you been roleplaying (any game)?
How long have you been playing serious Gmod RP?


Questions
Why do you want a Vortigaunt character? (1 paragraph minimum)
What do you envision yourself doing on your Vortigaunt character? (1 paragraph minimum)
Using your Vortigaunt character, how will you enhance the roleplay of those immediately around you? (1 paragraph minimum)
Using your Vortigaunt character, how will you enhance the roleplay of the server as a whole? (1 paragraph minimum)
Have you played as Vortigaunt character before? If so, state the community, length of time you had the character, and a description of roleplay situation that your character was involved in.
Will your Vortigaunt character take priority over your other hl2rp characters?


Character Information
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Height:
Weight:
Description of physique:
Description of intellectual traits:
Description of personality:
Miscellaneous information:


Tasks
1.  Summarize the history of the Vortigaunt species (2 paragraphs minimum).
2.  Detail the advantages and limitations of Vortigaunt physical structure (2 paragraphs minimum).
3.  State what is known about Vortigaunt culture (1 paragraph minimum).
4.  In your own words, define the Vortessence and describe the nature of its relationship with Vortigaunts. (3 paragraphs minimum).
5.  Detail from a third-person standpoint how your Vortigaunt character would resolve the following scenario: Three angry rebels with weapons have cornered you inside the S6 XCCR and demand that you help them kill a loyalist citizen (2 paragraphs minimum).
6.  Detail from a third-person standpoint how your Vortigaunt character would resolve the following scenario: You have just observed a refugee trick a fellow refugee in a vastly unfair trading deal. The conman is about to escape with the unjustly-obtained goods.
7.  Create an original piece of writing which involves at least one Vortigaunt and at least two citizens. The scenario must include at least 30 lines of dialogue, of which at least 15 must be spoken by a Vortigaunt.

Extra notes:

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General information about the application-

It's designed to provide a better evaluation of a player's roleplay skill as relating specifically to Vortigaunts.
The application might be a tad more fun for players to complete, and it gives players more chances to show off their writing skills and creativity.
It'll probably "be good for" one Vort for outlands and one Conscript Vort for the city.
I think it should require at least a week registered at CG, have 20 posts on the forums, and good community standing. People who play Vorts should be good representatives of CG as well as being active and participating members within the community.

I'll add more notes as I think of them.

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Now for feedback. I need any critical, constructive feedback you've got. Go.

Needs to have something to do with PC gaming, any ideas?

I'm not very new, I'm just hoping to get one of dickqueero Nicknero's lovely automated posts

t'would make me feel loved

they are very informative
and intradesting

I'm aware that this poll won't actually make the decision. However, it should be a good tool for the higher-ups to gauge the community's opinion about the map. With any luck, they'll listen to the community's wishes.