Opinions Of The New Level Maker
I like the new editor but I'd really like to see some more features like:
[list=]Finer-grained control for adding brushes - 32x32x32 would be fine
Same with portalable surfaces
Auto-rationalise brushes where possible
Sloped surfaces for brushes
Ability to alter the orientation of placed objects like faith plates when the default placement looks silly/weird
Textures for the different themes[/list]
As a first release though, the new editor is magnificent. It's a great way to knock out a puzzle without having to deal with Hammer's steep, steep learning curve.
This is probably my general crapness with Hammer talking, but I actually quite like using those blocks in general; saves me having to cut up all my big brushes when I want to do some texturing and stuff. Looks a bit ugly in the grid views, granted, but a bit of toying with visGroup colours makes it perfectly manageable and IMO generally easier. I guess the key is getting as much down as possible in the PTI editor before you export, because making major changes is a bit of a pain...
My maps: Double Bill / Jam / Oval Window / Gymnasium / Gymnasium Part 2 / Minimalism (collection) / Resolution
All feedback welcome!
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This is probably my general crapness with Hammer talking, but I actually quite like using those blocks in general; saves me having to cut up all my big brushes when I want to do some texturing and stuff. Looks a bit ugly in the grid views, granted, but a bit of toying with visGroup colours makes it perfectly manageable and IMO generally easier. I guess the key is getting as much down as possible in the PTI editor before you export, because making major changes is a bit of a pain...
I totally agree with that. (Except the crapness bit. You can't be that crap at it if you already know about visgroups and their colours 
)
I think the nicest feature of the PTI editor is the way you reshape rooms. They really did a great job on that. I might use it just for that, and do all of the entity work in Hammer. (I always start with square blocks anyway, so I'm used to it.)
Other Portal 2 maps: Medusa Glare
Portal 1 maps: Try Anything Twice | Manic Mechanic
A couple of them are regulars on the board. No, I'm not telling you who.
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)
I think the nicest feature of the PTI editor is the way you reshape rooms. They really did a great job on that. I might use it just for that, and do all of the entity work in Hammer. (I always start with square blocks anyway, so I'm used to it.)
Ha, well, I didn't until after I'd finished my first map, when I saw chickenmobile write something like "a lot of mappers out there don't even know what visGroups are!" Blew my mind, I tell you. I always wondered what all those pretty colours were.
Anyway, I'm pretty sure all of my maps are gonna start in the PTI editor from now on. I don't see much point in going entirely from scratch any more.
My maps: Double Bill / Jam / Oval Window / Gymnasium / Gymnasium Part 2 / Minimalism (collection) / Resolution
All feedback welcome!
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Like
Extremely easy to use. I've never used the Portal SDK but i can create really cool maps just with drag & drop. The only thing you need to know are game mechanics. Awesome!
Very fast level creation and istant testing, goregeous to solve bugs and glitch that you won't see while placing elements 
Dislike
You can't know if someone's chamber is solvable or not.
I've found chambers with ugly design where you can't figure out WHERE (not even how) to go or impossible to solve (like a map where i should jump but there were only black walls and nothing else...).
Cubes size force me to use stairs instead of a simple half-height block to climb.
Few Light source, i wish i could use more big observation rooms in my test chambers.
Likes:
It's fairly simple to use
It's great to plot out some interesting test chambers
Creates indicators on it's own
Faith Plates created easily ( I hate setting those up 
)
The lighting can be great if done right
Dislike:
64x64 grid size. I don't know about you but I like making walls rather thin at some points.
No test chamber doors. I'd like to see doors be put in for testing purposes. Instead I'm using panels as doors.
lack of wall detail. To be honest I though the game was going to randomly generate wall tiles, idk why though.
I can only place the 128x128 Observation room. I like using the 192x128 better.
I was kind of hoping for crushers. I can understand why they aren't there but even still.
I wish there was Auto Portals that can be activated/deactivated with buttons/switches.
With Auto Portals there should be the ability to force the player to only have one portal or no portal when the map starts up.
No cameras! I like them...a lot.
Most of my cons are more of personal preference and what I wish was there to begin with. Don't get me wrong I like the new editor but it's just not as customized as Hammer. Not that I expected it to be just like Hammer or better to begin with.
Youtube Channel My Workshop
My Maps/Projects:
[spoiler]Maps:
RBC 1 RBC 2
Blue Walls
Converting Propulsion
One Week Creation
Secondary Fire
Flings Speed Patience
Ongoing Projects:
Alive & Kicking: Chamber 18 Secondary Fire[/spoiler]
First of all, msleeper, great avatar! (sorry to post it here, but I just realized)
Likes:
1. This is indeniable an awesome tool which accomplish with Valve's intentions, make a simple, fast and easy tool for those who want to mess up with hammer. I'm amazed of how clear the puzzle editor is, about its intuitiveness, and about ... its lack of crashes (is this really made by the same company that made Hammer.... really?)
2. It allows you to test new concepts, puzzlewise, see which ideas could work
3. As already mentioned, the automatic indicatoring (somethimes I only set 2 entities far away with a lot of corners and such only to see how it quickly connects them with the indicator lights...)
4. I think it's fair to allow people who are unable to learn hammer show their potential for creating puzzles...
5. Optimisaztion and lighting is also automatic, and it's very habndy (I haven't tested its accuracy grade about it yet though)
6. It's great how easy and fast you seee the result after making a chamber in game...
Dislikes:
1. As discussed above, it has many limitations as 128 units blocks, impossibility of sailing into the 3D view as HMW said (this would be necessary for watching angles when placing entities or walls and check possibilities of shooting portals, etc...).
2. Entity placement is very restricted as well because of the blocks/grid restrictions.
3. You are forced anyway to use hammer in order to detail your map and personalize it (almost all PTI maps look the same! ...aesthetically)
4. ALL THE CRAPPY MAPS RELEASED...85.000 maps so far and counting. I've played all Mevious maps (AMAZING PUZZLES BTW!), Lp's, some of the already played here, and some of the top rated... but there are lots of them SOOOO EXPLOITABLE, SIMPLE, OR SIMPLY BAD PUZZLES... Welcome everyone to puzzle making!
@Moderators and Admins: Seriously guys, I think you are doing a great job dealing with all this mess. It's a huge explosion of new mappers/maps and, even though I think TWP is becoming a bit of mess since PTI release, I think the forum is well organized after all, it0's good separating hammer maps from the PTI, that is the best you did! I was afraid all the maps would mix and frankly speaking, there's an enormous difference...
useful tools and stuff here on TWP 
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]We're not going to discount or ignore puzzle creator maps. I know that some of you think we should because it "taints" "real" mappers but that's dumb and I don't care. The measures we've taken so far are just a first step, we'll make sure that things are organized a bit better with the new download system.
Please do not Private Message me for assistance. Post a thread if you have questions or concerns.
If you need to contact the staff privately, contact the Global Moderators via Discord.
Likes:
Big speed of making tests 
Dislikes:
128x128x128 blocks D:
*I need to start learning instances commands (outputsinputs)...