Near the first part of Half Life 2, you can walk up to one of the citizens by that food dispenser just after one of the Civil Protection cops say "Pick up that can." mockingly, and the citizen will say something like "I'm about to join Civil Protection so I can a decent meal." once you interact with him or her. I notice that, but what I got from that was that they just didn't know that if they do so, they'll be taken and turned into one of the combine, like the Overwatch, but they're not.  
 
They're just regular humans doing a job for the Combine so they can get food and better living conditions. OK, damn... I think me not knowing this may have to do with once the Orange Box came out, I was kind of tired of Half Life 2, but Half Life 2 in 04, to 06 was my favorite game, then in 07 it was still great, but I did get kind of tired of Half Life. So from there, till a few days ago, I haven't really been that interested in the overall story as much to check up on what's going on, and just figured I knew what it was all about from reading so much in the past. 
 
Does everyone else know that they're humans? Or is this news to you as well? I think other than that, I know almost all there is to know, but something as small as this getting past me surprises me. I felt that when walking around City 17 in Half Life 2 for the first time and until a few minutes ago, you walk around with human-like aliens on our human streets. Why would they not fight back against the Combine; or at least some of them? And if there is, there isn't any way to tell that there is because you never once see it, they're always just fighting you. 
 
Gosh I can't wait for Half Life 3 now.

ya it is the official HL lore.

Civil protection are human who agree to join the combine.

Their job is keep civil order, and their reward it they are allowed to cum. It is heavy implied that their reward is to cum.

something about the combine made everybody sterile. so cumming is a luxury in the HL world.

um, yea.

Didn't Barney tip you off?

@Titus said:

@niamahai: I mean, I'm sure they can orgasm. It's the baby part that they're being denied, right? Because... because if I can't even orgasm, why the fuck haven't I jumped in front of one of those trains yet?

This.

The combined polluted the air with some sort of anti reproduction shit, but that doesn't mean people cant have sex.

@Titus said:

@niamahai: I mean, I'm sure they can orgasm. It's the baby part that they're being denied, right? Because... because if I can't even orgasm, why the fuck haven't I jumped in front of one of those trains yet?

coz of vidyagaems!

brb this thread have rekindle my interest in pornographic Halif-Life fanfiction.

To the interwebz!

The whole opening is to imply civil protection is under some kind of mind control or severe oppression (very similar to how I view the Nazi SS and what not) that forces them to enforce the rules given by the Combine. I have always understood it that way.

Also, what's with all the Half Life 2 threads you're posting today? Did they announce Half Life 3 or are you just behind? haha

Just curious.

I knew about it. I was pretty surprised too. And you know those watermelons you can find all around City 17? They're there because the citizens get 'Watermelon Day' once a week to keep them in line.