Forum | Thinking With Portals

#1 · August 6, 2012, 12:01 am

A map I plan on finishing up a lot more and including in Back-Stock
I was working on this all the way up until the last minute, I didn't even get time to do a full compile on it. its got some bugs, but I hope you still enjoy

also, I swear I "submitted" this like 10 mins before the deadline, it just took a while to upload

Bugs I know about but didn't address due to time restrictions:
The ride starts a bit jerky
The ride may start with a cube really close to you
Wheatley has nearly no emotions, and says nothing
Wheatley happens to just disappear at the end of the ride
The conveyorbelt segments overlap
When you load from a quicksave wheatley is off his track
Its really dark.. because I didn't do a full compile

in the actual chamber:
the button doesn't respawn the cube when you loose it, which means you can get stuck
the excursion funnel will eat up your cube when you set it to reverse
there is some visible nodraw, but it isn't really bad, since it has stuff behind it to draw.
the elevator ride goes forever (or until your game crashes)

Edit: Now that I see that this is featured, I guess I'll upload a fixed version, where I split the map into 2 bsps because it was so large it couldn't run a full compile on the whole thing

File Name: sp_bs_getting_back_on_a_track_full.rar
File Size: 46.54 MiB
Click here to download Getting Back on a Track 1.1 (Updated)

Also, I made a map just for you! Sunset
Click Here to view my Workshop and play my puzzlemaker maps

#2 · August 7, 2012, 8:41 am

Quote from BEARD! on August 7, 2012, 8:41 am
Getting Back on a Track

Aesthetics
Despite not being the product of a full compile, there's a high visual standard throughout the map. The opening view of whizzing cubes and a softly-flickering projected texture set the scene and made me curious for more. Vacuum pipes are here, there and everywhere, flinging cubes all around the facility. There's plenty of detail for the eye in the crowded and dark BTS zone, and even more in the [spoiler]pipe ride[/spoiler] we're treated to after.

In the puzzle chamber there's something of a mishash of styles. The textures are what we'd call clean, but then there's the pit of doom over which hang destroyed and aging tiles; further, the chamber isn't solid and leak-free like a typical clean chamber. It felt a little alien, mostly due to the soft, warm light strips that gently lit the chamber from the floor. I certainly loved that effect, and there was nothing to complain about visually.

Gameplay
Before the main puzzle there's a warm-up of sorts, navigating the facility behind the scenes. I liked how [spoiler]the stairs are broken, so players have to navigate up another way. It'd be good to have Wheatley's light guide you to the stairs, only to pause in confusion, and have the player discover the tubes for themselves.[/spoiler] I noticed that there wasn't much to listen to (I think there was a faint soundscape in the background?) - it'd be good to hear the sound of cubes being sucked along the vacuum tubes. There's not much of a puzzle here, in truth - that comes next.

Puzzle and Difficulty
I found the actual puzzle tricky, I'd say medium difficulty. It was easy for me to get the cube onto the ceiling, but I was stuck at that point. There's the floor button across from the pit but how would I get the cube there, past that fizzler? Having slept on it, I managed to get the solution today. A well-crafted puzzle - the answer lies in plain sight, no ninja solutions - forcing me to think. It was really enjoyable to come up with and execute the solution.

Bugs and Mapping Details
[spoiler]*In the console, I had this gibberish:
!! ERROR: bad input/output link:
!! math_counter(counter,Add) doesn't match type from logic_relay(letpass)
*As you mentioned, the elevator ride didn't end and the cube didn't respawn properly all the time (the respawn button was broken too).
*When I had one portal underneath the ceiling button, I could see parts of the brush leaking through the other portal. Sadly I don't have a screenshot for you [/spoiler]

Getting Back on a Track

Aesthetics
Despite not being the product of a full compile, there's a high visual standard throughout the map. The opening view of whizzing cubes and a softly-flickering projected texture set the scene and made me curious for more. Vacuum pipes are here, there and everywhere, flinging cubes all around the facility. There's plenty of detail for the eye in the crowded and dark BTS zone, and even more in the

Spoiler

pipe ride

we're treated to after.

In the puzzle chamber there's something of a mishash of styles. The textures are what we'd call clean, but then there's the pit of doom over which hang destroyed and aging tiles; further, the chamber isn't solid and leak-free like a typical clean chamber. It felt a little alien, mostly due to the soft, warm light strips that gently lit the chamber from the floor. I certainly loved that effect, and there was nothing to complain about visually.

Gameplay
Before the main puzzle there's a warm-up of sorts, navigating the facility behind the scenes. I liked how

Spoiler

the stairs are broken, so players have to navigate up another way. It'd be good to have Wheatley's light guide you to the stairs, only to pause in confusion, and have the player discover the tubes for themselves.

I noticed that there wasn't much to listen to (I think there was a faint soundscape in the background?) - it'd be good to hear the sound of cubes being sucked along the vacuum tubes. There's not much of a puzzle here, in truth - that comes next.

Puzzle and Difficulty
I found the actual puzzle tricky, I'd say medium difficulty. It was easy for me to get the cube onto the ceiling, but I was stuck at that point. There's the floor button across from the pit but how would I get the cube there, past that fizzler? Having slept on it, I managed to get the solution today. A well-crafted puzzle - the answer lies in plain sight, no ninja solutions - forcing me to think. It was really enjoyable to come up with and execute the solution.

Bugs and Mapping Details

Spoiler

*In the console, I had this gibberish:
!! ERROR: bad input/output link:
!! math_counter(counter,Add) doesn't match type from logic_relay(letpass)
*As you mentioned, the elevator ride didn't end and the cube didn't respawn properly all the time (the respawn button was broken too).
*When I had one portal underneath the ceiling button, I could see parts of the brush leaking through the other portal. Sadly I don't have a screenshot for you

Single Player: The Search For Science
Co-operative: Lightspeed Upstairs Downstairs

#3 · August 7, 2012, 7:07 pm

That puzzle was great, clever, well designed and awesome in every way. I think you should be very proud over that one! I also thought the BTS-area was nice and contributed to the map, altough I really miss hearing weatley speak and as you said it was very very dark. It looked solid, played great and was one of the most enjoyable maps so far! Thanks for mapping! :thumbup:

My workshop

#4 · August 8, 2012, 3:18 pm

Great puzzle. Took me forever to figure out, but it's not actually complicated. Amazing visuals, despite being unfinished.

Code: Select all: 3:06 PM - >f7> wstrika: Well, I slept on it, but this puzzle is still kicking my ass 3:06 PM - Nacimota: ok 3:06 PM - Nacimota: which one 3:06 PM - >f7> wstrika: Getting Back on a Track 3:06 PM - Nacimota: havent played yet 3:06 PM - >f7> wstrika: ah 3:06 PM - >f7> wstrika: I have a feeling I will feel like an idiot when I figure this out *figures out* 3:17 PM - >f7> wstrika: yep, I'm an idiot 3:17 PM - Nacimota: good to know

#5 · August 8, 2012, 11:14 pm

Here's my playthrough:

PjrIyRSOhIs

#6 · August 9, 2012, 8:17 pm

@BEARD!
thanks I spent 2 weeks on that first huge room, then one day on the large area in the tube ride, and 1 day on the puzzle details and all. In Back-Stock aperture is at its peak, so lots of cubes are needed all the time. as for the puzzle room, the reason it looks so strange is because its supposed to be a clean new chamber which was abandoned, and left to crumble. also thanks for the bugs, I didn't know about the last one, will look into it. I'm glad you liked it

@Jepp
thanks I am pretty proud of it. I was going to add more facial emotions and lines, but I just didn't have the time = in back-stock thats going to be our main core, and we do have some VO for it.

@wstrika
thanks, I really always try to make puzzles like that, simple little teasers. I had quite a few people PM me on how to solve it, and the reaction afterwords was always the same. Also thanks for the video, a bit dark, but cool to see. thanks!

Also, I made a map just for you! Sunset
Click Here to view my Workshop and play my puzzlemaker maps

#7 · August 9, 2012, 9:46 pm

Heres my playthrough
http://youtu.be/Wak4xhLIX6s

?????????????????????????????TWP Releases | My Workshop

#8 · August 10, 2012, 9:33 am

hah, thanks chickenmobile, I laughed at that last blooper a little, because I've done that, and just felt silly. that getting stuck bug is fixed internally, not that it matters for the contest

Also, I made a map just for you! Sunset
Click Here to view my Workshop and play my puzzlemaker maps

#9 · August 10, 2012, 11:47 am

my feedback:
Do not read if you are judge!

Spoiler

This map was interesting to say the very least: however the puzzle wasn't thought through very well and I had a very hard time trying to complete it.

I could get the cube to press the button and get through the fizzler, however I couldn't figure the rest out till much later.

The one thing I thought was very well done was Wheatley NPC following you around with the torch and the tuberide but he definitely needed to say something (it just felt awkward and silent). This must have taken the most time of the map. Walking on the tubes needs a little tweaking in order to make it a bit easier though.

I believe this was an above average map, it could have gotten a better rank with a full compile and few bugs ironed out.

?????????????????????????????TWP Releases | My Workshop

#10 · August 10, 2012, 2:29 pm

I liked the mechanics of the puzzle room, definitely made me scratch my head. Also, always fun

Spoiler

to ride through tubes

. I did get stuck on the puzzle a couple of times and died, and it was rather unforgiving,making me go back to the start. I was confused at the start too, where it was unclear what exactly I should be doing. Took me awhile also to see the exit in the puzzle room (thought the door you start next to was it for awhile), and I probably dwelt overlong on

Spoiler

the button-that-does-nothing

that was sitting there in the room.

Also, minor point, but when I put the bsp in a sub-folder of the maps folder, it didn't give me a portal gun. I guess there is a relative path in there somewhere. Most people just drop it in the maps folder, but me being anal, I like to create sub-folders (in this case "contest") to keep my files organized.

Fun stuff overall!