MALCom and the Portal Airboat

[Ricotez]

I've read the topic about the glitches that can occur with the airboat. I know you aren't supposed to use any vehicle in Portal at all. But I just found the idea to be so exiciting, I've started to experiment with it.

http://bce100156.bcecht.org/portal/screenshots/ricotezportalairboat01.jpg

Of course this needs very carefull map design, to prevent any bugs from occuring. To start, the cleanser you see will only erase portals (and it even does when you pass it while in the Airboat). The box incinerating cleansers (if any) will all be on places you can't reach with the Airboat. As far as I have found out, it is not possible to get the Airboat through a portal, simply because it's too big, but that needs more testing.

I might consider adding some kind of forcefield the airboat can't pass, but I will try that out later.

Of course the Airboat has a skin that doesn't really match the remainder of the Enrichment Center, and since I can't really skin, it will probably stay that way. I will see what I can do, tough.

Then remains the question: why would you want to do this? That's an easy question with a simple answer: Because I Can.

Remember this is an experiment, if I can't get it properly working, I will skip the whole thing.

[Hyakkidouran]

The usual answer :

If it's fun and easily understable to the player, anything's possible.

Except passing the ship through a portal, it's too big :p

To be fun, your map should probably be like "route canal" in HL2 : you have to do some hovercraft for a while and then are blocked, and have to solve puzzles to allow the hovercraft to continue, and the exit could be reached only while aboard the hovercraft.

I think it could be fun.
As you said, the killer optimization would be to reskin the hovercraft in white with aperture science logos. But I don't knwo how to do that.

[Ricotez]

For gameplay: well, one of the special techniques you'll have to use is changing water levels (in certain areas, not all). To do that you must press certain switches. I've created a custom skin for those switches (blue button), but I can't find a way to implement them in my map as a "skin1", next to the original red skin, since I still want to use them, either. Next to that, I've bought a professional mic a little while ago, I'm now experimenting with programs and trying to let myself sound like GLaDOS.

For the airboat skin: I'll try something for that one really soon. It shouldn't be as hard to implement as the custom switch since it will replace the original skin.


EDIT: first tests with custom skins are succesfull:

http://bce100156.bcecht.org/portal/screenshots/ricotezportalairboat02.jpg

It isn't visible very clearly, and done poorly, but I've slightly changed the colours and looks of the floaters of the airboat. For a start they no longer have rusty specks, and they're gray instead of the white-brown-greenish of the original skin.

[Ricotez]

Well, I'm really making some progress on changing the airboat skin:



Though it still needs major editing, it is really showing some progress. My main target is to remove all the rust and give the boat a different colour (mainly white), later on I'll add Aperture logos and such.

[Ricotez]

[Ricotez]

Gosh, triple post...

But, whatever

I'm gonna give my airboat map something you don't see on all custom maps: a backstory! Here are a few things I might put in:

-The testchambers are part of the Aperture Science Aquatic Testing Range, a secondary facility functioning completely on its own but still connected to the Enrichment Center.

-In this Aquatic Testing Range, you are assisted by the Male Acting Living Computer, also known as MALCom. You could see it as a male version of GLaDOS, but he's certainly not. GLaDOS is his superior, and MALCom has to listen to her. Even though MALCom is in control of the Aquatic Testing Range, GLaDOS can, at any time, take away control of him.

-MALCom has a different personality than GLaDOS, and will have a different kind of humour (mine).

-Don't expect GLaDOS to play no role at all! (At least, if I can mimic her voice)

-The Aquatic Testing Range looks slightly different from the Enrichment Center. Far bigger portions are made of metal, with the Portal Gun being less important than usually, since there is also focus on the Aperture Science Water Traversing Airboat. But don't expect the Portal Gun to be useless! The portal puzzles will still dominate the test chambers!

-In the Aquatic Testing Range you will find different technologies, which are all tested by MALCom. You could see the Testing Range as a place where beta apparatus is tested, before it is transported to the Enrichment Center.

-The Aperture Science Aquatic Testing Range is located near City 36...

[Interitus]

This is starting to sound pretty sweet.

[Ricotez]

Okay, have been experimenting with Hammer and Dance eJay over the past few weeks, and got some things.

To start, I've finally created an effect for the MaLCom-voices I like.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/5/1049791/logicsense.wav
Unfortunately, Dance eJay made the file terribly big (1.1MB). Note that this was not an attempt to mimic GLaDOS; I deliberately tried to let MaLCom sound different. Also, the voice is not a generated one, I recorded my own voice and used that one instead.

What would you guys advice me to do to make the file smaller? Also, how do I add subtitles?

[rellikpd]

[Ricotez]

Wow... I figured out how I can trim samples and make them mono, and the files are far smaller now! Though I didn't get them as small as you, rellikpd, they are all at least half their original size.

[rellikpd]

[Ricotez]

After a lot of silence... I'm happy to announce this project has become a school project! That's right, we have to do a very special project and had to choose one of three options:

-Create a game in GameMaker;
-Create a game in any programming language;
-Create a game level in any level editor of any game;

Of course I've chosen the Hammertool.

Next to that, my map and my storyline went through many iterations over the past weeks, meaning that what I stated above about the storyline might not be completely true anymore. But don't worry, MALCom will still be your (un)pleasent and protocol-sick host.

These three will be present whatsoever:
MALCom - Male Acting Living Computer
ASHPD - Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device
ASLTA - Aperture Science Liquid Traversing Airboat

[Hober]

By the way, I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but I notice a very subtle pun in "MALCom" given that it can be broken down into "Mal", Latin for "bad", and "Com" as in short for "Computer".

Jokes for nerds!

[Ricotez]

Well, whether it was intentional or not remains the question, doesn't it?

Nah, just kidding, that wasn't intentional indeed. But it does open up some new storyline opportunities... even if it's only for MALCom's oneliners.

[youme]