Half life 1 easter eggs series#

According to Ted Backman, designer of the Houndeye, its anatomy was inspired by a huge three-legged tabby cat named Tripod that lived in his neighborhood as a child.

Half life 1 easter eggs series#

It is one of the few creatures from the series that went virtually unchanged from the first sketch.

The Houndeye was originally nicknamed 'Roundeye.'.

Houndeyes attacking in violet shock waves in Sector D.

Houndeyes require a period of time before attacking, similar to Vortigaunts, so this makes it easier to deal with them.

When engaging a group of Houndeyes, the player should avoid standing next to explosives, as their sonic attack can cause these objects to explode.

Houndeyes often flee before the explosive can detonate.

Hand Grenades are not always recommended, unless they are off guard.

The MP5 is an excellent weapon to use due to the large magazine size, and the SPAS-12 because it can kill a Houndeye with a single shot.

Note however, that the Houndeyes will return to attack.

They will often flee and jump backwards, giving the player time to eliminate them afterward.

If killing a group of Houndeyes simultaneously is not possible while they are charging their sonic attacks, simply shoot at them once (or hit a Houndeye once with the crowbar as a last resort to minimize damage) and they will not be able to attack.

While they may not seem intimidating at first (as they need to charge their sonic attack), they can inflict massive damage on the player, especially if more of them are charging simultaneously.

Houndeyes are often found in groups of 4 or more.

Their shock wave colors range from white and sky blue, to dark blue and violet, white signifying a weak shock wave. If a squad leader is killed, the entire squad is weakened. A lone Houndeye won't do too much, but a pack of at least 4 can do major damage. It appears that the more Houndeyes there are in a single squad, the more dangerous their shock waves are. The Houndeye's mouth is located on the underside of its belly, close to the eye, filled with what appear to be fang-like incisors. The eyelids are seen moving only when they are excited or going to sleep.ДЄlthough they are not seen displaying this trait often, Houndeyes appear to be carnivorous or omnivourous creatures, as one is seen eating a dead security guard in Half-Life: Blue Shift. While a shy and timid creature by itself, groups of three or more display resonant behavior, emitting destructive harmonic sonic attacks in shock waves, capable of causing internal bleeding in those they attack or destroying nearby objects such as wooden crates or windows. The Houndeye is an excellent example of a social animal in terms of pack hunting. Houndeyes are first encountered in Unforeseen Consequences, where one will rush to two scientists and may kill them if the player does not kill it. Like most of the creatures found on Xen, Houndeyes are studied in Black Mesa's Sector E. Houndeyes apparently communicate through a series of high-pitched sounds somewhat similar to the barking of dogs, on which its behavior and movement are also partially based, hence its name (its sounds are actually based on that of dogs). In place of a head there is a large, black, insect-like compound eye protected by vertical eyelids. Possessing only three legs and a thorax, the Houndeye is a faint yellow-green in color, with electric blue tiger-like stripes adorning its spine. Houndeyes in captivity in the Advanced Biological Research Lab.