Portal 2 level design guidelines
I think the most fun way I've recently come up with a puzzle design was for a BTS area. I knew the entrance and exit, and a logical idea of how the area should look (it's BTS, so it should look like it's an area intended for function, not testing). I designed the area, made all of the surfaces portal surfaces, and then just tried anything. I ended up solving it about 3 different ways (not including 'portal at feet, portal at exit wall, done), I then picked my favorite, most creative way, and made the room work like that, removing extra whitespace/tweaking elements until I had my puzzle.
(As for the auto-save, I'd make it trigger just moments after the player gets airborne, so they know that they didn't fuck up by stepping on the faith plate, but still have plenty of time to react the second time, should they have to reload.)
This particular trap would be used in order to reach the exit. Since the player must fling themselves to reach the exit, the momentum from falling towards the trap area panel would allow the player to fling themselves to the exit. Unless the exit portal was in the wrong place in which case the trap would be reset itself after the player escapes.
My Work
[spoiler]Maps:
Revenge of the Angry Turrets
Capture the Cube [Co-op]
Capture the Cube 2 [Co-op]
TPWEGTH Sample Map
Aperture Aquatic Testing Center
Aperture Aquatic Testing Center 2
Aperture Time Testing Center
ML's Halloween Trick - 1000 downloads!
ML's Halloween Treat
ML's Combination - 1000 downloads!
ML's Jailbreak Labyrinth
ML's Tricky Teamwork [Co-op]
WIP:
"Capture the Cube 3"
Workshop Maps Link: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198008890579/myworkshopfiles/[/spoiler]
Another quick thing I thought of. In any given test chamber, only 2 - 4 test elements should be used. If its only a cube/button, then it becomes too simple. Too many elements make the test chamber really hard, and also hard for the map designer to prevent unintended solutions ('cheating'). So far I've never seen anyone make this mistake, but I can imagine a newbie putting every type of gel, a funnel, a laser, a light bridge, cubes and buttons into a single chamber.... you get the idea.
Yeah, I found that out the hard way on my Capture the Cube 2 map. I had to limit each players traps in the map to Lasers, Hard Light, Funnels, and turrets. I couldn't get gels to "fit" properly in that CTF gamemode. Ah well, maybe in CTC 3.
My Work
[spoiler]Maps:
Revenge of the Angry Turrets
Capture the Cube [Co-op]
Capture the Cube 2 [Co-op]
TPWEGTH Sample Map
Aperture Aquatic Testing Center
Aperture Aquatic Testing Center 2
Aperture Time Testing Center
ML's Halloween Trick - 1000 downloads!
ML's Halloween Treat
ML's Combination - 1000 downloads!
ML's Jailbreak Labyrinth
ML's Tricky Teamwork [Co-op]
WIP:
"Capture the Cube 3"
Workshop Maps Link: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198008890579/myworkshopfiles/[/spoiler]
No, NO! Must...not....let...thread...fall...to...second...page!
Okay, I need to start another discussion. There are ceartain test elements to use in ceartain themes. Lasers are good for destroyed aperture and clean, funnels for clean and wheatly, (although technically wheatly only made 1 chamber,) appropriate boxes are for anything, catapults are for destroyed, clean, and wheatly. *EXCEPTION* I saw a custom catapult made just for underground style maps. This fit nicely. Gels are for underground, and maybe wheatly or a large clean chamber. Projector bridges are best in destroyed, sometimes clean/wheatly. Does anyone have differant opitions?
tl;dr bump
If you're keen on staying true to the game, there are of course limitations on what theme certain test elements fit into. However, I'm of the opinion that mappers should use whatever elements they want, as long as it's a good puzzle. It's especially nice to combine elements that were never together in the game, and see what you come up with.
Thanks for over 1,000 downloads: The Cold Shoulder
I agree with Marise, use whatever test elements in whatever theme you like. There are some really nice puzzles that mix elements that were never together, you shouldn't avoid puzzles like this just to fit in with the themes of the game. Be creative.
I think in terms of boolean variables. Generally, it makes things easier.
Good point. I was just meaning if you wanted a theme that made sense. (And I was actually jump bumping...seeeeeecrelty.)
I think a chamber in one of my WIP maps is just near the border of too many elements, one would push it over the edge. It involves blue gel, cube and button, laser redirection, an excursion funnel, and one faith plate that does not do much, just launches a cube after it has been dispensed.
[spoiler][SP] Alternate[/spoiler]
That doesn't sound too bad; if you combine the cube and button, that's 5 elements. (Perhaps you can get rid of the faith plate if it doesn't have a real puzzle function.)
sp_a4_speed_tb_catch has 4 elements (cube/buttons, funnel, orange paint, and a fizzler that is part of the puzzle), and is my favourite map from the single player campaign, gameplay-wise.
(My favourite ones aesthetics-wise are sp_a1_intro5 and sp_a2_ricochet.)
Other Portal 2 maps: Medusa Glare
Portal 1 maps: Try Anything Twice | Manic Mechanic