Quote from breakingspell on June 19, 2011, 10:08 pm

Ah, you know, i have always taken the most difficult route when solving something ^_^ Thanks for the tip!

Quote from stubUg on June 20, 2011, 4:05 am

Sword of Apollo wrote:

Well, stubUg, the puzzles have to end at some point, and you're there. So, [spoiler]no, there is nothing to do with the award or anything in the next room, except look at them and take them wherever you want.[/spoiler]

Ok, I am almost sorry. I have enjoyed the overall hidden but logical design. At first out of frustration, I tried crazy solutions at some points. But as I progressed I realized every intended solution was reasonably hinted and logical. The intrincate plot made me think there might be something else to do [spoiler]with the big books in the last room (nice song there, may I ask you the title/artist?), the gold and platinum bars or the logo tiles I brought from the secret areas. Maybe restoring full power to the energy unit in the last room (Big books) or gaining access off the wide window at the back of the greek puzzle room[/spoiler]. I reckon I was almost expecting a fractal secret-level structure!. But you are right, all good things come to an end.

Great job!

pd, [spoiler]was there a way to make the plates properly fit into the greek mask holder?[/spoiler]

Quote from Sword of Apollo on June 22, 2011, 10:01 pm

stubUg wrote:

Ok, I am almost sorry. I have enjoyed the overall hidden but logical design. At first out of frustration, I tried crazy solutions at some points. But as I progressed I realized every intended solution was reasonably hinted and logical. The intrincate plot made me think there might be something else to do [spoiler]with the big books in the last room (nice song there, may I ask you the title/artist?), the gold and platinum bars or the logo tiles I brought from the secret areas. Maybe restoring full power to the energy unit in the last room (Big books) or gaining access off the wide window at the back of the greek puzzle room[/spoiler].

I'm glad you enjoyed the map.
On music: [spoiler]The credits are dynamic, so if you finish the map after picking up the radio, they will tell you the song and artist. But, for the record, it is "The Chase (F9 Mix)" by Hungry Lucy, available free on Jamendo.com.[/spoiler]

On having more puzzles: The thing about puzzles in a game level is that for every puzzle the game designer includes, the player will naturally expect some kind of payoff for solving it. This can be progress through the level, or something else; but a puzzle without a payoff leads to players feeling shorted. As much as I might have liked to include [spoiler]a grand, last puzzle in the final secret room, I would also have had to include a significant payoff along with it. For this map, I had a bit of a difficult time thinking of good, satisfying payoffs that would be practical for me, as a lone mapmaker, to implement. Really, that room is, itself, meant as a payoff for the puzzles in the secrets, (especially the "Greek Vault" puzzle, which was meant to be the grand, final, overarching puzzle.) The form that that room takes, placed where it is, with its unique models, textures and look, was the best idea I could come up with that would be practical for me.

If I had made one final, grand puzzle in that last room, or involving the award, what kind of payoff would you, stubUg, like to have seen? (This is a serious question--I genuinely want to know.)[/spoiler]

stubUg wrote:

Great job!

pd, [spoiler]was there a way to make the plates properly fit into the greek mask holder?[/spoiler]

Thanks! Please rate the map if you haven't already.

[spoiler]Yes, you can fit all 4 plates perfectly and snugly, if you place them correctly. The best way to do it is to work each plate on the pedestal until you have it upright, with your grip on the side opposite the keyed corner. You should be looking at the plate edge-on. When you have the first 3 plates in the holder, grab and position them to get as much space on one side as you can, then take the fourth plate and push it forcefully into that space. The plates should jostle, then settle down. If necessary, a few close grab-release moves can get all 4 to settle down just about perfectly.[/spoiler]

breakingspell wrote:

Ah, you know, i have always taken the most difficult route when solving something ^_^ Thanks for the tip!

No problem. Please don't forget to rate the map when you're done.

Quote from breakingspell on June 23, 2011, 2:36 pm

Sword of Apollo wrote:

breakingspell wrote:

Ah, you know, i have always taken the most difficult route when solving something ^_^ Thanks for the tip!

No problem. Please don't forget to rate the map when you're done.

Heh, well although i'm still stuck on the color-sequence room, i surely gave the entire map a 5/5!

Quote from katamari on August 22, 2011, 3:09 am

Can someone just post a video of the intended solution to the map?

Quote from Sword of Apollo on August 23, 2011, 12:54 am

katamari wrote:

Can someone just post a video of the intended solution to the map?

Funny you should ask that just now. I have been working on the official walkthrough video for Take-Off 1.7 this last weekend, and here it is: [SPOILERS, of course]:

Official Walkthrough
[spoiler]RXn_wofKZiU[/spoiler]

Quote from ddeo on September 27, 2011, 2:51 pm

One of better maps I've played in Portal. I've finished it without cheats, but I haven't touched the challanges. I've played it while ago, but I do remember I've had some problems with one of the last puzzles, where it was meant to jump to press the button, which was opening room/tunel with lights near the ceiling. 5/5 not only because it's a great map, but it also shows the potential of what Portal can be (and every map should be). I was really proud of myself after I've finished the hard puzzles and I simply love this feeling. Thanks again for this great map!

Quote from Sword of Apollo on October 8, 2011, 12:11 am

ddeo wrote:

[snip] 5/5 not only because it's a great map, but it also shows the potential of what Portal can be (and every map should be). I was really proud of myself after I've finished the hard puzzles and I simply love this feeling. Thanks again for this great map!

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. And that feeling in the player of being proud of oneself for getting through hard puzzles was what I was going for, of course.

Quote from kurtisss on November 1, 2011, 8:51 pm

5/5
Best Portal custom map I've ever played!
The secret rooms and items reminded me of Tomb Raider
the only problem that I'm having is that the file [spoiler]earth_gold.vtf[/spoiler] is missing :-/
I've downloaded the Zip file twice now and nothing.
Would it be too much to ask you to upload the aforementioned file?
Thanks in advance and looking forward to your future work!