A long time ago when the level was still in development the story behind it was also in the making. Almost everything notable was accounted for within the story as further development unfolded even including side storys of unrelated events happening within areas of the map. At one point the map was to be updated telling the story in a secret room deep within the towers but due to computer errors it was never published. I’ve never been much of a writer but it was fun to think about as i was working on it, so for those who may be interested this is that story.

The story went at one point the hotels were a thriving community where its residents were very satisfied with their lives within the towers. Most people stayed here permanently befriending anyone who came and went. Many memory's are held within as children grew up here.

When the events of half life 2 took place the combine took over the towers to make it their own. This is referenced by all of the combine propaganda posters scattered around the buildings. They expanded it into it’s current state by building up several levels creating a combine command center as well as a prison. Many of the residents were imprisoned here as well, one even escaping and becoming who we know as the Ratman unaware that the combine have since abandoned the towers (maybe someone should let him know already). Their lives of comfort were then full of fear as even those free from the prison were still indeed prisoners.

Those who lived inside the prison had it the worst as they were often mistreated and starved, yet those within the cells had strong bonds between each other. The courtyard was also highly regulated but not as stricktly as the main halls. When empty the combine created a hatch to better store garbage and waste, however it often used illegally to throw both dead and live inmates. Those who survived the drop were then subject to testing as the large room below was used for combine technology development and weapons testing.

As time went by the population of the hotels steadily decreased. many were killed by the combine, while some found ways to escape. What became of them nobody knows. After a time the combine invasion was stopped and the war ended. The hotels were abandoned. The lower levels where its residents used to call home now dark and torn apart, some rumoring it’s haunted by woman who commited suicide.

Long after the war the hotels still stand still holding within them the memory's of the past when the people who lived there were happy. In time, it has become popular among daring friends (the players) to sneak into the towers and find their way to the very top unaware of it’s distant past. What happens next is up to the players. Will they spend it wondering the towers in search of something, or will they simply spend it having a good time?

And this is the story a lot of people have been curious about. Hopefully this will make playing the level a bit more lively knowing there was a story within it all along (probably should have made it more obvious but whatever) But if anyone has their own stories they'd like to tell or side stories they'd like to create lets hear them!