[Release] Logic Portals [03].v1

[Hurricaaane]

Hi people,
I've just finished the level 03 of my map, along with some changes on the earlier levels. Principal modification on the earlier levels are modified lighting (now uses materials that emits light, and the very first puzzle is made more visible and more esthetic.

Level 03 introduces the cube floaters and the timed portals. Please let me know what you think about it. I know the level is quite short.

And plus, it now has credits. I'm not done with how I show them. I will surely add more credits on future maps.

Here is the download link, please play it from the start, so you can see the changes a bit
http://forums.thinkingwithportals.com/dload.php?action=file&file_id=103

Feedback is appreciated!

[youme]

Just played it through and the new level is pretty good.

Its a bit slow but thats ok.

The floating cube is awesome, a really good game mechanic, I look forwards to using it in future maps!
The timing you have for each puzzle is good, tricky, but do-able without being frustrating.
The second one, If you are atall worried about people complaining about it being tunneling, it isn't, because I did it without tunneling, just quick diving into potals.

I didn't get any vocals atall. Did get music though, not sure if it was new or from the original though

When you take the radio through the first portal, it turns off

Can I say how much I don't like the indicator stips you've made? they look way too bright and dont fit the portal style.

The credits get in the way of the floating cube at the end! Its a really neat idea, but the credits get in the way and it doesn't look too good.

Great stuff, can't wait for more

[taco]

Just played and mostly enjoyed it.

The puzzles themselves were decent enough (though I'm not sure if I did the first puzzle as intended, and if I did - it's a bit meh), but there were a few things that I really didn't like:

Banner adds on the walls.
New indicator strips.
New textures.

They really broke the game world for me.

[BlackSphinx]

I liked it. Was fun.

i am just wondering if you are supposed to Jump from the top of the windows that protect the button up to the ledge with the grill for the 1st chamber. That's the only way I found to get through.

[MrTwoVideoCards]

It was very good, as well as i liked the fact that you used brush work very well to aid into the puzzle.

Another thing was the addition of Textures, and even the use of gravity towards the Cube's.

Very good job, and I do hope to see more.

I also noticed that this was the first map ever to use normal water.

[taco]

One other thing: are the steps supposed to be floating in mid air? (they look a bit odd considering the polish/quality of everything else)

[iamafractal]

it really feels like i'm learning.

i felt like a kid repeatedly running around and around to go on the slide.

i had to repeat the 2nd and 3rd puzzles a lot of times before i finally got through. on the second one, thanks for that little bit of diagonal wall at the top to get me on the platform. it was enough just to make it through enough times before the timer ran out heh.

[CabooseJr]

Can I use those cube floaters in my map? I promise I will give you credit.

[Lorithad]

Just finished it. I tried it yesterday as soon as it was released, but I was pressed for time, and had to abandon it early on.

Once I figured out that I wasn't supposed to grab the cube from the floaters on the second puzzle, it was pretty easy. Though the timing was pretty close with the third one.

[Player1]

Huurriccaaannneee (jesus that's a spelling bee name right there) I must say this: I really like the first release you did with maps 00-02 and now that you've released 03 as well I like it even more.

I like the fact that you're going for a slightly different visual style as well (indicator strips, don't listen to youme) and that the first real puzzle map (number 03) immediately starts using the tricks you've taught us in 00-02.

I mean even though I just played through 00-02 before coming to 03 I had to bonk my nogging everytime I realised that oooh I should crouch here, yes, of course, he told me earlier and so on and so forth.

Beautiful work. Give more!

[Cyclone]

Awesome work! Really loved the way you incorporated the lessons from the first map into the second one, it gave it a very professional, Valve-like flow. The use of new music was a great choice, and the new textures look very nice. Not sure why you couldn't use the original ones, but it really doesn't matter.

One small problem, however, was the implementation of the anti-gravity field generators (or whatever they're supposed to be called); they look friggen sweet, but the don't really do anything. Everything you did with them could have been done using a standard cube-dropper puzzle. No offense, it's a cool idea, but as of this map, there's no real reason for them to be there at all. The only thing I can think of is that you're gearing us up for the next release, which with any luck will involve the chamber shown in the credits, there they allow a button press to be delayed, i.e. a button opens one door/portal, but causes another to close, necessitating careful timing. Thus, chamber 3 would be both a test of previous skills, and an arena to learn new ones.

Anyway, great work so far, and I look foreword to Chamber 4!

[volt]

I like the maps a lot. First time I played through any map or map set twice in a row. I had the same idea with the step-flinging but couldn't figure out how to implement it.

My only gripe is your custom textures. Not that you used them, but how you packaged them. You should put them into the bsp instead of having us put them in our portal/materials folder. This is because now all of your textures (which you gave the keyword "portal") now show up in my materials list. And I'm sure you don't want me to jack your materials. Plus, they show up between the portable and non-portable materials in the materials list, so double whammy.

I suggest using BSPzip.

[brood_x]

I enjoyed the map a lot. However, I noticed a bit of a glitch. If the weighted cube is not spinning when the gravity field drops, it does not always drop. This was a problem for me, as I managed to grab the cube in Level 3 a little bit, just enough to stop its spinning, and then jumped again to deactivate the field. The result was a dropped field, a locked door, and me without a cube.

[Hurricaaane]

Hi, I can't answer to each message so I will do a summary.

GlaDOS doesn't speak much. When Valve will fix the custom scenes (.vcd) of the Orange Box, she will speak.

What you're telling about the radio is strange. The radio turns off after a moment, but should not when going through a portal.
For a reason that I know, logic markers (checkboxes, indicators) are using a custom style composed of white, black, grey, blue orange and green. It's out of the Portal style, I know. If I can give it another design that satisfies me, I will change it. The indicator strips are quite bright, I know, mainly because of the contrast with HDR. I should give it a lifting. About it, there's a main difference that is important in Logic Portals: It has arrrows.

Honestly, I'm asking myself if I should erase the fact that the game is in Aperture Science. The whole map is a joke. About the banners, it's some way to not get my map stolen.

The stairs are floating, because of an issue with Hammer about cylinders. If I can master them, or replace it, I'll do it.

The water causes lag issues. At the moment I'm wondering how I can create a cheaper water texture.

At the moment, the cube floaters are not really useful. Thay will however work as "cube catchers" and can be associated with a button like it does in the credits map.

BSPzip does not suit my case. As I'm doing a series of maps, the materials are used multiple times on different maps. Il would be lame to make the player download things on a map that will also be inside another map, increasing the file size.

Thanks about reporting the glitch on the floaters. I can fake it by applying a little invisible physics explosion near the cube to revive it.

Thanks for all the feedback! Note that I may will release a special "test" map that will show some experiments for new gameplay elements in Logic Portals.

[volt]

Ah, that's fair about not wanting to use BSPzip. How about tagging them with a different keyword, then? Maybe your name. No offense intended, but as a map developer, it just feels obtrusive for you to forcibly put your textures in my list of Portal textures...

/reads PMs
//facepalm

Thanks!