Quote from Djinndrache on August 3, 2011, 9:46 pm

The map creator asked me to test a new (yet unreleased) version of this map, so there we go.

First of all the new version looks better! And happily it seems to no longer have the bug with the funny behavior of those platforms in the first room. In my old video (browse this thread, you'll find it) you can see how they shoot my cubes through all the room sometimes. It looked funny but was quite annoying to place all the cubes again, so nice fix here. Also I noted some portal areas were modified, guess they're supposed to help me; I'd prefer my freedom on setting portals for amazing ninja-laser-shooting though
The last puzzle is still a bit annoying as it's tricky to get the cube sliding when it landed on the floor once, but at least it's possible. If you don't understand what I mean by this, watch the video and you probably will.

Feedback on the first and the last room only? Huh? Well, ninja action! I ninja'd the laser crazily through all the room in the first puzzle and got 3 (!!) cubes left, so I could skip all the second puzzle because I had more than enough cubes left! I didn't even plan this until it happened. Awesome me!

There you go for the recording of my run:

uwDpqUFOreM
(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwDpqUFOreM)

As always it's a firstrun-recording, but note that I played an earlier version of this map before (quite some while ago though), so it's not completely new to me.

Also a little reply in this posting:

neco wrote:

The only thing that I haven't understood is why you didn't use the slanted areas to jump (cube in hand) on the panels? I thought this would be so obvious. Erare humanum est...

Uhm.. I don't know. Maybe I didn't feel like it =) It's quite some while ago that I recorded the first video, can't remember all of my tentions.

Also in this new run I still don't know what those slanted areas are made for. So I decided to use them for ninja action to not make them seem useless Maybe I'm just too focused on ninjaing that I don't even see the real way anymore.

Quote from neco on August 4, 2011, 1:03 am

Djinndrache wrote:

Also in this new run I still don't know what those slanted areas are made for. So I decided to use them for ninja action to not make them seem useless Maybe I'm just too focused on ninjaing that I don't even see the real way anymore.

Yes, your ninja qualities were the ones I was particularly interested in when asking you to betatest this map. As I have tried to explain that you can use the portable area in the small room with the three reflective cubes and one of the slanted areas to jump onto the panels without using a cube for climbing or trying to reach the cube standing on the floor.

Quote:

The map creator asked me to test a new (yet unreleased) version of this map, so there we go.

I actually asked you via PM because I honestly thought you would respond via PM. Else I would have uploaded the latest version without having been pretested.

Again, I have to admit that I obviously can't predict ninja action to avoid new/alternative ways of solving a puzzle. Will have to work on that or quit mapping at all.....

Quote from Djinndrache on August 4, 2011, 1:10 am

neco wrote:

I have to admit that I obviously can't predict ninja action to avoid new/alternative ways of solving a puzzle. Will have to work on that or quit mapping at all.....

You wont ever make a un-ninja-able map, as nobody can. Even the original Portal maps get ninja'd in many ways by many users. That should not keep you away from mapping. Some people just like finding their own ways, is that actually bad?

Quote from neco on August 4, 2011, 1:36 am

Djinndrache wrote:

You wont ever make a un-ninja-able map, as nobody can. Even the original Portal maps get ninja'd in many ways by many users. That should not keep you away from mapping. Some people just like finding their own ways, is that actually bad?

If you can skip a whole (mini-) test chamber like that?! YES! Else,......of course not!

I for instance can't do all that super flinging stuff, throwing cubes, use glitches etc.
I have sloth like reflexes but am a (keyboard) shortcut wizard

c1ey8EnVSiA

Watch the ending carefully!

Quote from Djinndrache on August 5, 2011, 8:19 am

neco wrote:

If you can skip a whole (mini-) test chamber like that?! YES! Else,......of course not!

I for instance can't do all that super flinging stuff, throwing cubes, use glitches etc.

Mh, kill two of the reflector cubes then. You just don't need them, that's not even really ninjaing, it's just shooting lasers in a much cooler way

Quote from neco on August 5, 2011, 9:52 am

Djinndrache wrote:

Mh, kill two of the reflector cubes then. You just don't need them, that's not even really ninjaing, it's just shooting lasers in a much cooler way

Acutally I can't do that because the smaller chamber belonging to the bigger one requires those reflective cubes to be solved properly.

Have you tried the latest version beta 3_8?? Would like to see you "ninja-ing" those mean little additions. Feel free to upload it here if you like

Have fun...

PS: Check your PM please....inbox overload???

Quote from josepezdj on September 2, 2011, 7:32 am

Hi Neco,

First of all I want to say that this map, which I've found just by chance into the WIPs, really attracts you from the very beginning when you face the chamber. After a first glance, you notice many elements placed in just a small space (reminds me of PMK-6 a bit), and most of them with a singular good visual taste. My favourite is [spoiler]the launching of the cube up "playing basketball"... altogether with the laser targets in a row on the front wall[/spoiler].

There is a lot of fun (only partially clouded by some bugs) and intelligence in the puzzles. And when you realize that it's kinda a mappack then it becomes even better!

I would like to help as much I as I can because I would like this map to be polished before final release... I think it really deserves the help.

[spoiler]As many people before said, the reflectocubes stay in suspension after being connected by the laser beam and after removing the plates under them. This is not at all the first time I see this bug, you have to be missing some attibute related to the laser beam or the reflectocubes (I'm sorry for not being of help with this as I'm not a mapper, take the advises of some other mappers that are posting here). All I can say, in the case it could help, is that if you take one intermediate cube of the line composed by the 3 engaged suspended cubes, the ones that don't receive the laser beam fall down, the ones that keep receiving the laser beam stay suspended...[/spoiler]

Apart from that, I would still remove a few unnecessary elements:

[spoiler]- One of the 2 switch buttons that makes the square-shaped plates launch up can be removed, only one of them is useful: that one for scoring the cube into "the basket".
- In the upper little room, I guess that you have put a reflectocube respawner there just in case any cube you broght to this room dissapears by the fizzler. Though it is a bit strange that even if you have destroyed only a normal cube you receive 2 reflectocubes, don't you think? There must be any way for making the spawner to spawn only what was destroyed; on the other hand, the first time you found the reflectocubes was in the room below, there must be a spawner there, not upstairs.
- The piece of floor that can be lifted up by placing a cube on one of the cube buttons near the exit door that connects the 1st floor room with the 2nd floor room, doesn't have to be lifted at all: once you've got the cube from the main room with you it can help you reach the elevator as in my playthrough. If you really want that way, you should lower that piece of floor: this way, the cube cannot be taken to the upper room and be used (as in my playthrough).
- Once the main room is completely solved (with the 2 strips switched to "OK"), you should change the status of that room, for example lowering the square-shaped plates and leaving just 1 laser remaining; of course the reflectocubes will fall down. This way you erase the bug of the suspended cubes and let the player concentrate in the next part.[/spoiler]

Regarding the next chamber, I've got no objections, but quite the opposite, I loved it! It's a really awesome puzzle, very clever! BTW, [spoiler]your custom barrier of white lasers is brilliant! thanks for that![/spoiler]

I've made a playthrough so you can check out how I solved it:

As4bnf2yAWw

Quote from neco on September 2, 2011, 7:01 pm

Hi josepezdj,

thank you very much for your input and having taken the time to play. I will of course change the things you kindly pointed out. I am not sure if I necessarily will do something to avoid the cube/laser bug, though.

Quote:

- One of the 2 switch buttons that makes the square-shaped plates launch up can be removed, only one of them is useful: that one for scoring the cube into "the basket".

You are supposed to use both panels. The cube should be placed where the v-shaped indents are around the panel (the one closer to the buttons). I thought that I found a proper way to force this but obviously I must have overlooked something. Perhaps I will implement a solution which I used priorly. Have to take a closer look at that.

Quote:

- In the upper little room, I guess that you have put a reflectocube respawner there just in case any cube you broght to this room dissapears by the fizzler. Though it is a bit strange that even if you have destroyed only a normal cube you receive 2reflectocubes, don't you think? There must be any way for making the spawner to spawn only what was destroyed; on the other hand, the first time you found the reflectocubes was in the room below, there must be a spawner there, not upstairs

It wasn't intended at all being able to climb to the elevator using the cube. That's an epic fail but that's typically me
After having removed that stupid mistake the normal cube remains in its slot (prop_floor_cube_button) and can't be taken to the upper room, therefore the cube dropper is needed there. Just where the fizzler might dissolve a reflective cube.

Quote:

- Once the main room is completely solved (with the 2 strips switched to "OK"), you should change the status of that room, for example lowering the square-shaped plates and leaving just 1 laser remaining; of course the reflectocubes will fall down. This way you erase the bug of the suspended cubes and let the player concentrate in the next part.

The intention is that the player himself/herself has to destroy the first puzzle in order to solve the second one. At that point only one of the lasers can be used for the upper room, since the portable panel slid to a position where it faces one laser.
In the meantime I already added two other test chambers and made some considerable changes to the ones you already played. Should you be interested in giving it a try and beta/play test the latest version feel free to drop me a line via PM and I'll send you the download link.
This of course goes for other forum members as well. I would be really glad if two or three others could offer their help.
Apart from the constant input of NuclearDuckie, who has helped me a lot with his great ideas and criticism, I haven't had that much feedback since I have uploaded the current version.
I'd rather like to have a playable map without major bugs before releasing the latest version.
Again, thank you very much josepezdj, your input and video were very useful!