Forum | Thinking With Portals

#1 · December 21, 2011, 9:00 am

Quote from SpongeBob on December 21, 2011, 9:00 am
Hello fine people (and/or others),
For school I have to do some research on a topic.
No research without test subjects (you).

What do I have to do then, you may wonder.
It's simple. Play the Portal 2 map I made (it'll probably take you around 10 minutes depending on how smart you are).
While playing you'll encounter some zeros and ones (just before the elevators and grey/orange textures). Write them down in the order you encounter them. When you're finished please send the numbers (and the auto-recorded demos if you feel like it) to me (URL to the .dem file (Steamsteamappscommonportal 2portal2) + reply @ forumtopic with the numbers).

Everything should be self-explanatory;
You'll both help me with my research and you might even get a manly hug or a cookie.

Thanks a lot!

(When you got to an elevator, but didnt see any numbers, turn around and go back to the last room, orange/grey not really P2-textured! Please dont forget to send them to me )

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT: WE STOPPED TESTING, THANKS FOR EVERYONE WHO HELPED WITH THE TESTING AND FOR THE FIRST TIMERS: YOU CAN STILL DOWNLOAD AND PLAY THE MAP AND CHECK THE RESULTS FOR YOURSELF, WE DONT NEED YOUR RESULTS ANYMORE SO YOU DONT HAVE TO POST THEM

I got some good news. We finished the testing of this map. [spoiler]We tried to figure out what attracts people.[/spoiler] 31 People participated in this experiment. I proudly present you the results (got a better version for school in Dutch [spoiler](around 40 pages long, where we tried to figure out how WE got directed to the right way in a few games: Portal (1 & 2), Team Fortress 2, Half Life 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and of course the results of our own experiment with this level in Portal 2, we also included how we made this map with Hammer, explaining the numbers at the end and stuff)[/spoiler]

Results
[spoiler]In the first room you could choose between an "easy" solution (door to your left) or the "hard" solution (the door on the platform between the buttons, you can stack the boxes on one button to jump on the platform and get 1 box, drop it on the other button ) 90% of the people we tested, chose the EASY way vs just 10% that managed to reach the door on top of the platform!!

In the second room you could choose between the red and the green light. We thought you guys would go for the green light, since green is "safe", but 71% chose the red light! We cant really say you prefer the red light, since we only tested 31 ppl.

After the lights you had the choice between the two hallways, the wide one or the narrow one. The room with the box that couldnt reach the button was just fake to keep you guys busy, guessing whats going on and not figuring out we were trying to find out what you choose. 62% chose the wide hallway!

Then you fell down in another hallway, deciding whether you go to the right or to the left. Again 62% of you chose for the right way. Maybe because you guys are right handed? We don't know... maybe someone could search for an explanation.

In the 2nd level you guys spent a lot of time completing the test. After that you could choose for the danger way or the "safer" way (for the ppl that picked the "safer" way or just didnt notice it when picking danger: The turrets were FAKE, they didnt shoot anything, just scared you (otherwise you could change your way and going for safe which would mess up our results)). 55% of you did follow the danger sign and survived the turrets![/spoiler]

Again thank you all for the participation and sorry for the time we took to get the result ready on the forum. After all I really enjoyed making this map (with the help of a friend of mine, his name on this forums is GLaDOS, we both spent nearly 80 hours (per person!) for this whole project) and I really liked your feedback as well. I think I will make some more maps for Portal 2, this time not for school but because I really like the game.

I added some spoilertags for this message so more people can test this map if they want to. If you guys write down the numbers you get, you can get your own results here:

Translating your numbers to results
[spoiler]First map numbers left to right:
first one: 0 = you picked the hard way (10%), 1 = you picked the easy way (90%)
2nd number: 0 = red light(71%), 1 = green light(29%)
3rd number: 0 = Wide hallway(61%), 1 = Narrow hallway (39%)
4th number: 0 = right (61%) , 1 = left (39%)

The one and only number in the 2nd map: 0 = safe way (45%), 1 = danger! (55%)[/spoiler]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

File Name: Spongebob_X.zip
File Size: 5.49?MiB
Testing Science (for school)

Hello fine people (and/or others),
For school I have to do some research on a topic.
No research without test subjects (you).

What do I have to do then, you may wonder.
It's simple. Play the Portal 2 map I made (it'll probably take you around 10 minutes depending on how smart you are).
While playing you'll encounter some zeros and ones (just before the elevators and grey/orange textures). Write them down in the order you encounter them. When you're finished please send the numbers (and the auto-recorded demos if you feel like it) to me (URL to the .dem file (Steamsteamappscommonportal 2portal2) + reply @ forumtopic with the numbers).

Everything should be self-explanatory;
You'll both help me with my research and you might even get a manly hug or a cookie.

Thanks a lot!

(When you got to an elevator, but didnt see any numbers, turn around and go back to the last room, orange/grey not really P2-textured! Please dont forget to send them to me )

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT: WE STOPPED TESTING, THANKS FOR EVERYONE WHO HELPED WITH THE TESTING AND FOR THE FIRST TIMERS: YOU CAN STILL DOWNLOAD AND PLAY THE MAP AND CHECK THE RESULTS FOR YOURSELF, WE DONT NEED YOUR RESULTS ANYMORE SO YOU DONT HAVE TO POST THEM

I got some good news. We finished the testing of this map.

Spoiler

We tried to figure out what attracts people.

31 People participated in this experiment. I proudly present you the results (got a better version for school in Dutch

Spoiler

(around 40 pages long, where we tried to figure out how WE got directed to the right way in a few games: Portal (1 & 2), Team Fortress 2, Half Life 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and of course the results of our own experiment with this level in Portal 2, we also included how we made this map with Hammer, explaining the numbers at the end and stuff)

Results

Spoiler

In the first room you could choose between an "easy" solution (door to your left) or the "hard" solution (the door on the platform between the buttons, you can stack the boxes on one button to jump on the platform and get 1 box, drop it on the other button

) 90% of the people we tested, chose the EASY way vs just 10% that managed to reach the door on top of the platform!!

In the second room you could choose between the red and the green light. We thought you guys would go for the green light, since green is "safe", but 71% chose the red light! We cant really say you prefer the red light, since we only tested 31 ppl.

After the lights you had the choice between the two hallways, the wide one or the narrow one. The room with the box that couldnt reach the button was just fake to keep you guys busy, guessing whats going on and not figuring out we were trying to find out what you choose. 62% chose the wide hallway!

Then you fell down in another hallway, deciding whether you go to the right or to the left. Again 62% of you chose for the right way. Maybe because you guys are right handed? We don't know... maybe someone could search for an explanation.

In the 2nd level you guys spent a lot of time completing the test. After that you could choose for the danger way or the "safer" way (for the ppl that picked the "safer" way or just didnt notice it when picking danger: The turrets were FAKE, they didnt shoot anything, just scared you (otherwise you could change your way and going for safe which would mess up our results)). 55% of you did follow the danger sign and survived the turrets!

Again thank you all for the participation and sorry for the time we took to get the result ready on the forum. After all I really enjoyed making this map (with the help of a friend of mine, his name on this forums is GLaDOS, we both spent nearly 80 hours (per person!) for this whole project) and I really liked your feedback as well. I think I will make some more maps for Portal 2, this time not for school but because I really like the game.

I added some spoilertags for this message so more people can test this map if they want to. If you guys write down the numbers you get, you can get your own results here:

Translating your numbers to results

Spoiler

First map numbers left to right:
first one: 0 = you picked the hard way (10%), 1 = you picked the easy way (90%)
2nd number: 0 = red light(71%), 1 = green light(29%)
3rd number: 0 = Wide hallway(61%), 1 = Narrow hallway (39%)
4th number: 0 = right (61%) , 1 = left (39%)

The one and only number in the 2nd map: 0 = safe way (45%), 1 = danger! (55%)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

File Name: Spongebob_X.zip
File Size: 5.49?MiB
Testing Science (for school)

#2 · December 21, 2011, 10:13 am

The numbers I encountered

Spoiler

1010 at the end of the first map and 1 at the end of the second

spongebobdemos.zip

"I am not a Marshmallow"

#3 · December 21, 2011, 12:51 pm

I'm curious, what kind of experiment are you conducting?

Try out Twin Pillars, a Portal 2 map by BOB74j.

#4 · December 21, 2011, 1:03 pm

BOB74j wrote:

I'm curious, what kind of experiment are you conducting?

I cant really tell, because that would spoil the test. I will leave the map on this site for +- 2 weeks and explain more after that

Spoiler

You could just run through the map a few times and try to find what happens to the numbers though, its not that hard to understand how the numbers get generated and most ppl know what is going on after they played the map :p

#5 · December 21, 2011, 1:36 pm

Is it normal that I only get one digit after the second map? In the first map I got four.. o.O

And is there any reason that you build ugly numbers like those? Why don't you use signage/bts_sign_number_00 to signage/bts_sign_number_09 or something like this?

As always I recorded my blindruns and I will post my numbers together with the videos when they are rendered and uploaded (I already forgot my numbers, but I will see them when the video has finished rendering )

Spoiler

I must say that I feel trolled at some points, I wanna know what this is about :O

#6 · December 21, 2011, 2:13 pm

Spoiler

For the numbers I got 1011 on the first map, and simply 1 on the second map.

I'm not sure how to upload/send DEM-files here, I'm... sort of new here. XD (this is actually my first post yay)
I died once but I did record everything afterwards, so I pretty much have a full playthrough, if you want me to send it to you I'd be happy to. C:

Also good luck with your experiment, I'm curious as to what it's about and what the results are.

#7 · December 21, 2011, 2:19 pm

First run 0-0 second 00-nothing third 0- nothing

#8 · December 21, 2011, 3:09 pm

First run: 10010. Second run: 00101.
I will only rate this map after having being told what it's all about.

My maps: 1 2 3 4 5

#9 · December 21, 2011, 4:51 pm

Talk about conceptual continuity! Using a game about testing to actually conduct tests! For successfully executing that concept alone, I rate it 5/5.
On my first run, I got 00 0. I was taking the apparent path of least resistance.
On my second run, which you can watch below, you will see that I got 01 00 1.
http://youtu.be/VSya9ev8PQk

The puzzles are quite easy, but I surmise that's not the point. I think I will have fun going back and figuring out what will yield 0s or 1s at each decision point. However, if you don't publish your results, I will write unpleasant things about your maternal lineage and lack of paternal presence.

Expand for my full signature
[spoiler]My YouTube Channel: Please subscribe!
My Steam Workshop Check out my collections for some good maps
Basic Mod for playing .vpk files Needs to be updated for dlc2, but still works[/spoiler]

#10 · December 21, 2011, 4:55 pm

Djinndrache wrote:

As always I recorded my blindruns and I will post my numbers together with the videos when they are rendered and uploaded (I already forgot my numbers, but I will see them when the video has finished rendering

)

As stated before, here are my blindruns and my numbers:

map 1:
dUGWNVbIGys
(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUGWNVbIGys)

map 2:
7XIrKyhLjLs
(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XIrKyhLjLs)

Spoiler

As you can see in the videos I got the numbers "1000" in map 1 and "0" in map 2. As we get only 1 and 0 as digits, they probably refer to decisions we make and give them a true/false state, like which of the catapults we chose in map1. I'm just curious what the experiment is for... o.O

[SP] Testing Science (for school)