[RELEASE] Maybe Black Mesa
Hey guys, check out my new map "Maybe Black Mesa". Its can be pretty difficult and previous experience with custom maps is definitely helpful! Hopefully you all find it fun, though.
You can get it http://forums.thinking.withportals.com/dload.php?action=file&file_id=176
Basically it's you going into the reverse engineering department of black mesa, where they are clearly ripping off aperture equipment, and stealing back the portal gun while trying to escape.
Be aware that it shares many textures and models with HL2 so you may have to have that owned and installed to play it. If you are having trouble in that area, i appologize but it was the only way I could pull off the look.
Ok, so I've finished playing through - I really liked the concept of the map and where you were going with a bit of original story; unfortunately, the execution of the map was annoying/frustrating at times.
While the look of the map is decent, it suffers from misaligned textures, poor cubemap placement, etc.
When you have to go though the ceiling in the elevator, you should probably make it more obvious that the top panels are movable (maybe put one on a slight angle).
The doors of the elevators should always open and close together, not individually.
You shouldn't have to be so close to a door for it to open (esp. annoying when the object you are holding is bigger than the triggering range).
The energy pellet puzzle was annoying as crap to figure out. It took me some time just to figure out what my goal was. You can't see what the button is doing (and there are no indicators at all). You have to crawl to go up and down to and from the button. The rooms that electrocute you would make a lot more sense if there was water on the floors. You can get stuck between the two button-operated doors if you put both portals in that room while you are in it. Etc. Etc. Etc.
The walls in the final room moved too fast and there was too much stuff in the room. All the little things got in the way as the walls pushed them.
as for the concept, 100% win. execution was lacking. Fun map, except for the damned energy pellet crap. turrets were fun (i like turrets too much haha) and the custom voices were nice. i loved the ending, that was phenom. it took me 2 tries to get outta the trash compactor... you NEED portal bumpers. A LOT. a few more things i'm leaving out though. nice map.
This was my first map i ever made, so I am definitely taking these criticisms and digesting them fully for any future maps I make. It was difficult to make everything super obvious and keep with the whole "black mesa / not holding your hand" theme. Things like
Yeah, without indicator strips, it would probably help if you could see the door from the button - even if if you were behind a grate/glass/etc.
very nice job. pretty orriginal concept. could use some work (basically the parts that have been listed) i'm gunna play through it again before i make more comments. but first off the only things i want to mention here are
and someone mentioned that the trashcompacter was too fast.... i didn't think so. i had plenty of time to complete it. i do agree that there is too much trash in there though :-/ How did everyone beat this part? ME: I put a portal on the lowest spot. (in the water) and one on the ceilng. then went through the one on the ground, (fell out of the ceiling) then placed another portal on the upper ledged portable area while falling through the "water" portalable area kinda like trying to do a terminal velocity, but only 1 iteration
and again. i have to disagree with taco on the elevator having movable panels. it seemed intuitive... all elevators (especially in movies) have those panels. and there was a graphic pointing up if i remember correctly
i thought the engergy pellet puzzle was pretty fun/neat but they are right. if you (incorrectly) use the portal that you are using near the switch you can get stuck but then you will die. so i guess its not a HUGE problem. but typically its a good idea not to trap your players.
but anyway i'm gunna try to replay this so its fresh in my mind if i have anything else to add
Played it again and remembered another thing that bothered me - ladders.
If you are going to have ladders, either make them usable or have them break when the player touches them.
If you are going to have ladders, either make them usable or have them break when the player touches them.
agreed: i tried for about 10 minutes to climb the damn ladders
lol. I thought people would kinda try em once and realize it doesn't work. Dam, o well. next time.
And taco seems to abhor the map for some reason. hah. That's ok in my book, it can be very frustrating and things he is pointing out are valid. Anyway, here's a "solution video" to it that i put together. You can see how I did the trash compactor. I'm sure there are alternate methods to do things
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7AVWlIVPL78
Nah, I don't abhor the map. I actually really like the story elements and general concept and flow of the map. I just think that there are a number of things that could be edited/fixed to take it to the level of "wow, what a great map".