I'm going to be utterly crushed if there isn't a Companion Cube plush toy. And possibly a swimsuit calendar with Companion Cubes, like <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>the pictures in the rooms where the previous escapee camped out.</span>
I had work to do but holy crap. Couldn't get away from Portal for a second. Amazing work and I absolutely love the tie-ins with the HL2 universe.
Princess No-Knees has come a long way! <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>(Woah, that just made me think that the main character is female and has leg attachment thingies)</span>
<!--quoteo(post=1655197:date=Oct 10 2007, 11:16 PM:name=RuBy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RuBy @ Oct 10 2007, 11:16 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655197"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Princess No-Knees has come a long way! <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>(Woah, that just made me think that the main character is female and has leg attachment thingies)</span><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>Because people wondered how she could fall so far without dying. Now that she has some tiny springs that are almost not noticeable, it's all explained now.</span>
Kouji_SanSr. Hινε UÏкεεÏεг - EUPT DeputyThe NetherlandsJoin Date: 2003-05-13Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>Great now I felt sorry for killing it and also started to worry it will haunt me</span> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Now that I'm settled at home for a few days, I'm probably going to go through Portal again <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />.
Not played Portal yet!!! As I got sucked into Episode 2 which is <b>amazing</b>. Unsurprisingly, it is like Episode 1, but only 12.5x better. :] Not finished it yet and I've put a good ~3 hours into it.
remiremedy [blu.knight]Join Date: 2003-11-18Member: 23112Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester
edited October 2007
To be honest, when I tried Narbacular Drop I thought it was "neat", but the execution of the prototype has stuck in my head (which I did not think was too stellar). Due to this, I thought it was great that THEM has made it this far, but I didn't expect Portal to be anything amazing and I wasn't going to bother getting it myself.
With all of your comments, my need to play TF2, and also the great value this "Orange Box" thing seems to be, I believe I will be buying it the moment I get my desktop computer back up (next week).
edit: I am also going to be getting the orange box due to my attempt at changing my philosophy about games... Considering I want to be making games myself, I need to start playing games critically and realize that as long as I do it critically, it isn't a waste of time that I could be spending on school work or something.
The difficulty with this philosophy is how do I justify playing games like NS or how will I justify TF2 after I play it for a few hours? At that point I can't claim it is research, and it actually does just become a waste of time... Someone fight me on this please. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
moultanoCreator of ns_shiva.Join Date: 2002-12-14Member: 10806Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
<!--quoteo(post=1655205:date=Oct 10 2007, 06:45 PM:name=Psyke)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Psyke @ Oct 10 2007, 06:45 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655205"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->edit: I am also going to be getting the orange box due to my attempt at changing my philosophy about games... Considering I want to be making games myself, I need to start playing games critically and realize that as long as I do it critically, it isn't a waste of time that I could be spending on school work or something.
The difficulty with this philosophy is how do I justify playing games like NS or how will I justify TF2 after I play it for a few hours? At that point I can't claim it is research, and it actually does just become a waste of time... Someone fight me on this please. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
How can you justify getting into the game industry if you think games are a waste of time? You want to make things to waste people's time? Games are fun, fun is good. Nuff said. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
schkorpioI can mspaintJoin Date: 2003-05-23Member: 16635Members
edited October 2007
why is everyone congratulating THEM - i'm the one that had to run through damn rat maze! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
seriously awesome <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> i think i'll back through and do all of the acheievements like destroying all of the camera's etc.
And seeing some the more industrial level design really makes me think about how cool some of maps will look in ns2! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
<!--quoteo(post=1655205:date=Oct 10 2007, 11:45 PM:name=Psyke)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Psyke @ Oct 10 2007, 11:45 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655205"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I am also going to be getting the orange box due to my attempt at changing my philosophy about games... Considering I want to be making games myself, I need to start playing games critically and realize that as long as I do it critically, it isn't a waste of time that I could be spending on school work or something.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->As Thansal says, there's a developers commentary for all 3 games that gives you quite a bit of insight if you've never really thought about the design of games you play before.
---
As for Portal - HELL YEAH!
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>At first I really was bored until about level 16. By level 18 it was getting a bit tricky and I preferred the elongated series of mini-puzzles to complete each level. The end run is really run, and if I'm selfish and honest I would have wanted the whole game to be like this without the silly 'this is how you play a computer game' intro sections that are somewhat mandatory in games these days. I can see exactly why it was done like that and can't fault the logic, but I can't complain since I have the advanced levels to look forward to.
I loved the final stage. WHY? BECAUSE I LOVE BOSS BATTLES! Deconstructing GLadOS was immensely fun, it had the polish of a Zelda boss imo.
And the song... the song! Such a great ending.</span>
What would I change about Portal? More levels, and that's about it. I'm thinking about making a few myself once I've played through the advanced levels.
P.S. What is the word on co-operative Portal? Designing co-op puzzles would be EXTREME (possible more EXTREME than Peggle).
<!--quoteo(post=1655186:date=Oct 10 2007, 04:05 PM:name=Tyrain)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tyrain @ Oct 10 2007, 04:05 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655186"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, if we are at it, the credit song is from <a href="http://www.jonathancoulton.com/store/downloads" target="_blank">this dude.</a>
His songs are pretty sweet. Give it a try.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I suspected it was the same guy. he performed at PAX, got the crowd singing along to RE: Your Brains, which is an awesome song.
edit:
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>I noticed this on one of the walls:
name: cjohnson password: tier3
it was blurry but I think that was it. I wrote it down figuring I'd be able to enter it somewhere for a sekrit, but I never found anywhere to enter it... did I miss something?</span>
<!--quoteo(post=1655232:date=Oct 11 2007, 02:47 AM:name=DiscoZombie)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DiscoZombie @ Oct 11 2007, 02:47 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655232"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I suspected it was the same guy. he performed at PAX, got the crowd singing along to RE: Your Brains, which is an awesome song.
edit:
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>I noticed this on one of the walls:
name: cjohnson password: tier3
it was blurry but I think that was it. I wrote it down figuring I'd be able to enter it somewhere for a sekrit, but I never found anywhere to enter it... did I miss something?</span><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Yes you did DiscoZombie. You use it <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>on the Aperture Science website</span>.
<!--quoteo(post=1655244:date=Oct 10 2007, 11:26 PM:name=Aldaris)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Aldaris @ Oct 10 2007, 11:26 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655244"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yes you did DiscoZombie. You use it <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>on the Aperture Science website</span>.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> aha, awesome <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> the website is just as funny as the game...
schkorpioI can mspaintJoin Date: 2003-05-23Member: 16635Members
<!--quoteo(post=1655229:date=Oct 11 2007, 11:25 AM:name=Crispy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Crispy @ Oct 11 2007, 11:25 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655229"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->P.S. What is the word on co-operative Portal? Designing co-op puzzles would be EXTREME (possible more EXTREME than Peggle).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> The possiblity of a p0rtal gun in any multiplayer game is mouth watering. Co-op = player 1 has control of the blue p0rtal, player 2 has control of the orange = lots of fun trying to get things to work <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
Whew! Done the main game and the advanced levels. Advanced 15 took forever as I didn't notice the <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>roof othe rooms on the side rooms in the last section were free to put portals.</span>. I saw a lot of people having trouble with 18 in forums but found it fairly simple. Loved the last part where you had to do the whole thing in one go. Great fun!
Everyone's saying good things about portal, so I'm going to say bad things. To be fair, what I expected of the game vs what I got, portal totally lived up to it, it was definitely a very very fun game, but I still have complaints.
- It's short. The story arc is 2.5 hours if you don't get stuck too often, even with all the challenge courses (which TBH, you can never really expect challenge courses to be considered game length) you don't get too much more than 6-8 hours of gameplay out of it. I was disappointed that, simply put, there wasn't more content there.
- It gets a bit repetitive... Towards the end of the game especially, the portal gun movement techniques you are using don't really expand all too much. Additionally, most of the problems the player is presented with seem fairly one dimensional, I mean if you really think sometimes there are different approaches you might consider... but generally the game presents you with a problem, and virtually kicks you in the face with an obvious easiest possible solution. Fundamentally, as a puzzle game, it would be nice if occasionally the puzzles were less linear, weather that's really a fair expectation or not... additionally... it's kind of taxing to go through an FPS game with only 1 gun for the entire duration of the game.
- Portal physics changes get extremely disorienting. I'm not sure if I acctually want this fixed after realizing the methods it's possible to manipulate portal dimensions (go in a portal facing north and come out facing easy because the other portal was shot from west to east), I think as players get better those manipulations will become a HUGE asset to great players doing complicated things with the portals... but as a new player coming in, being flipped around so much sometimes makes the head spin.
The following complaints aired, portal did most things VERY well. Very atmospheric considering the mostly simple architecture, very well paced, some incredibly cool features, and nearly limitless raw potential. I'm really looking forward to seeing more, this game whet my appetite more than anything.
schkorpioI can mspaintJoin Date: 2003-05-23Member: 16635Members
<!--quoteo(post=1655273:date=Oct 11 2007, 03:47 PM:name=Swiftspear)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swiftspear @ Oct 11 2007, 03:47 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655273"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->you don't get too much more than 6-8 hours of gameplay out of it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> which is just fine for a game that costs $10. But at the same time I really hope they expand on it though, its proven that it "works" and is loads of fun, so just more content with variations.
LikuI, am the Somberlain.Join Date: 2003-01-10Member: 12128Members
<!--quoteo(post=1655273:date=Oct 10 2007, 11:47 PM:name=Swiftspear)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swiftspear @ Oct 10 2007, 11:47 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655273"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->- It's short. The story arc is 2.5 hours if you don't get stuck too often, even with all the challenge courses (which TBH, you can never really expect challenge courses to be considered game length) you don't get too much more than 6-8 hours of gameplay out of it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> If someone can do all those damn challenges in 6 hours, I'll be amazed. I've played 7~ hours (2 on the first playthrough), listening to developer commentary and mostly on the Challenges, they're damn impossible.
<!--quoteo(post=1655293:date=Oct 11 2007, 10:52 AM:name=Liku)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Liku @ Oct 11 2007, 10:52 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655293"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->If someone can do all those damn challenges in 6 hours, I'll be amazed. I've played 7~ hours (2 on the first playthrough), listening to developer commentary and mostly on the Challenges, they're damn impossible.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, especially the time-attack challenges. You need perfect portal control and only move around using portals or you will fail those...
Very enjoyable game, if a bit short. Hopefully the bonus maps and custom maps will make up for that.
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>The twist was a particularly pleasant surprise and I had absolutely no idea it was coming. Something about escaping the rat maze and running around 'behind the scenes' and basically screwing up GLaDOS's test plan was utterly compelling to me.</span>
During the credits I thought i was going to have a minor stroke when I saw Mike Patton provided a voice for the game. Thats so many kinds of awesome.
QuaunautThe longest seven days in history...Join Date: 2003-03-21Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
Well, I'm just waiting for people to make maps for it. Hmm...wait a second. The guy who did Minerva is done...NEW PROJECT FOR HIM! BWAHAHAHA
Excellent story, by the way. And nice humor.
My only negative(considering I knew coming in that it'd be short) is that I really wanted to get at least a few seconds in the normal world with the portal gun. Just 10 or 15, while it fades to black maybe- I wanna walk into a tree and walk out of a big rig.
Like I say, you don't really get to include challenges as "game length"... There are games that have nearly infinite play time if you consider how time consuming the challenges are, however, most gamers won't do the majority of the challenges, so you have to consider game length as what most gamers can be expected to complete. For portal, that's the main story arc, maby the advanced levels, and a couple challenges, not all. Around 8 hours of play time.
Yes, addicts will put more time in, and many players will put much less time in, probably not even completing the game for whatever reason, but the mean is the story arc, and a few advanced.
Don't get me wrong, I love the challenges, hopefully we'll get small scale versions of KZ jumping popping up around the portal challenge goals, with best records being recorded and what not, but they really aren't the guts of the game.
<!--quoteo(post=1655250:date=Oct 11 2007, 05:15 AM:name=schkorpio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(schkorpio @ Oct 11 2007, 05:15 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655250"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The possiblity of a p0rtal gun in any multiplayer game is mouth watering. Co-op = player 1 has control of the blue p0rtal, player 2 has control of the orange = lots of fun trying to get things to work <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I thought two sets of guns would be more fun (and involve less frustration, really). I can think of plenty of amazing game variants if you have two people each with a gun.
<!--quoteo(post=1655273:date=Oct 11 2007, 06:47 AM:name=Swiftspear)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swiftspear @ Oct 11 2007, 06:47 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655273"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->but generally the game presents you with a problem, and virtually kicks you in the face with an obvious easiest possible solution.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Agreed. A hint button (either bind or in-game) would have allowed noobs and puzzle-vets to get the same amount of relative enjoyment from the easier puzzles. Having a big 'x marks the spot' I found to be incredibly patronising considering this is supposed to be a puzzle game.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Portal physics changes get extremely disorienting. I'm not sure if I acctually want this fixed after realizing the methods it's possible to manipulate portal dimensions (go in a portal facing north and come out facing easy because the other portal was shot from west to east), I think as players get better those manipulations will become a HUGE asset to great players doing complicated things with the portals... but as a new player coming in, being flipped around so much sometimes makes the head spin.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I agree the portals should really have some indicator of the top and bottom so you can see their orientation. The being flipped around thing is fun really. <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->additionally... it's kind of taxing to go through an FPS game with only 1 gun for the entire duration of the game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Portal is not a first-person shooter, I'd describe it as a first-person puzzler. The Portal 'gun' isn't actually a weapon, it's a tool. It doesn't deal direct damage, it merely alters the trajectory of foreign weapons.
---
<b>Quick question for THEM:</b> When the player is holding a box, does his mass stay the same or is it increased? If it increases, does the same happen with all in-game objects that are attributed a 'mass' value? (i.e. props)
I need to know this because it will help me design a few puzzles (i.e. momentum increases with more gravimetric force thanks to a heavier subject).
Comments
Princess No-Knees has come a long way! <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>(Woah, that just made me think that the main character is female and has leg attachment thingies)</span>
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>Because people wondered how she could fall so far without dying. Now that she has some tiny springs that are almost not noticeable, it's all explained now.</span>
Awesomeness this is!!!
Due to this, I thought it was great that THEM has made it this far, but I didn't expect Portal to be anything amazing and I wasn't going to bother getting it myself.
With all of your comments, my need to play TF2, and also the great value this "Orange Box" thing seems to be, I believe I will be buying it the moment I get my desktop computer back up (next week).
edit:
I am also going to be getting the orange box due to my attempt at changing my philosophy about games... Considering I want to be making games myself, I need to start playing games critically and realize that as long as I do it critically, it isn't a waste of time that I could be spending on school work or something.
The difficulty with this philosophy is how do I justify playing games like NS or how will I justify TF2 after I play it for a few hours?
At that point I can't claim it is research, and it actually does just become a waste of time... Someone fight me on this please. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
I am also going to be getting the orange box due to my attempt at changing my philosophy about games... Considering I want to be making games myself, I need to start playing games critically and realize that as long as I do it critically, it isn't a waste of time that I could be spending on school work or something.
The difficulty with this philosophy is how do I justify playing games like NS or how will I justify TF2 after I play it for a few hours?
At that point I can't claim it is research, and it actually does just become a waste of time... Someone fight me on this please. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
How can you justify getting into the game industry if you think games are a waste of time? You want to make things to waste people's time?
Games are fun, fun is good. Nuff said. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
seriously awesome <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> i think i'll back through and do all of the acheievements like destroying all of the camera's etc.
EDIT - *loves "the cube influences" btw <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
And seeing some the more industrial level design really makes me think about how cool some of maps will look in ns2! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
TBH, what brought the entire thing together for me was the SS esq voice guiding you through it all.
Again, much <3
Going to go through it with dev commentary next I think...
---
As for Portal - HELL YEAH!
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>At first I really was bored until about level 16. By level 18 it was getting a bit tricky and I preferred the elongated series of mini-puzzles to complete each level. The end run is really run, and if I'm selfish and honest I would have wanted the whole game to be like this without the silly 'this is how you play a computer game' intro sections that are somewhat mandatory in games these days. I can see exactly why it was done like that and can't fault the logic, but I can't complain since I have the advanced levels to look forward to.
I loved the final stage. WHY? BECAUSE I LOVE BOSS BATTLES! Deconstructing GLadOS was immensely fun, it had the polish of a Zelda boss imo.
And the song... the song! Such a great ending.</span>
What would I change about Portal? More levels, and that's about it. I'm thinking about making a few myself once I've played through the advanced levels.
P.S. What is the word on co-operative Portal? Designing co-op puzzles would be EXTREME (possible more EXTREME than Peggle).
A+++ would buy again.
His songs are pretty sweet. Give it a try.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I suspected it was the same guy. he performed at PAX, got the crowd singing along to RE: Your Brains, which is an awesome song.
edit:
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>I noticed this on one of the walls:
name: cjohnson
password: tier3
it was blurry but I think that was it. I wrote it down figuring I'd be able to enter it somewhere for a sekrit, but I never found anywhere to enter it... did I miss something?</span>
edit:
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>I noticed this on one of the walls:
name: cjohnson
password: tier3
it was blurry but I think that was it. I wrote it down figuring I'd be able to enter it somewhere for a sekrit, but I never found anywhere to enter it... did I miss something?</span><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes you did DiscoZombie. You use it <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>on the Aperture Science website</span>.
aha, awesome <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> the website is just as funny as the game...
The possiblity of a p0rtal gun in any multiplayer game is mouth watering.
Co-op = player 1 has control of the blue p0rtal, player 2 has control of the orange = lots of fun trying to get things to work <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
- It's short. The story arc is 2.5 hours if you don't get stuck too often, even with all the challenge courses (which TBH, you can never really expect challenge courses to be considered game length) you don't get too much more than 6-8 hours of gameplay out of it. I was disappointed that, simply put, there wasn't more content there.
- It gets a bit repetitive... Towards the end of the game especially, the portal gun movement techniques you are using don't really expand all too much. Additionally, most of the problems the player is presented with seem fairly one dimensional, I mean if you really think sometimes there are different approaches you might consider... but generally the game presents you with a problem, and virtually kicks you in the face with an obvious easiest possible solution. Fundamentally, as a puzzle game, it would be nice if occasionally the puzzles were less linear, weather that's really a fair expectation or not... additionally... it's kind of taxing to go through an FPS game with only 1 gun for the entire duration of the game.
- Portal physics changes get extremely disorienting. I'm not sure if I acctually want this fixed after realizing the methods it's possible to manipulate portal dimensions (go in a portal facing north and come out facing easy because the other portal was shot from west to east), I think as players get better those manipulations will become a HUGE asset to great players doing complicated things with the portals... but as a new player coming in, being flipped around so much sometimes makes the head spin.
The following complaints aired, portal did most things VERY well. Very atmospheric considering the mostly simple architecture, very well paced, some incredibly cool features, and nearly limitless raw potential. I'm really looking forward to seeing more, this game whet my appetite more than anything.
which is just fine for a game that costs $10. But at the same time I really hope they expand on it though, its proven that it "works" and is loads of fun, so just more content with variations.
If someone can do all those damn challenges in 6 hours, I'll be amazed. I've played 7~ hours (2 on the first playthrough), listening to developer commentary and mostly on the Challenges, they're damn impossible.
Yeah, especially the time-attack challenges. You need perfect portal control and only move around using portals or you will fail those...
<span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>The twist was a particularly pleasant surprise and I had absolutely no idea it was coming. Something about escaping the rat maze and running around 'behind the scenes' and basically screwing up GLaDOS's test plan was utterly compelling to me.</span>
During the credits I thought i was going to have a minor stroke when I saw Mike Patton provided a voice for the game. Thats so many kinds of awesome.
Excellent story, by the way. And nice humor.
My only negative(considering I knew coming in that it'd be short) is that I really wanted to get at least a few seconds in the normal world with the portal gun. Just 10 or 15, while it fades to black maybe- I wanna walk into a tree and walk out of a big rig.
Yes, addicts will put more time in, and many players will put much less time in, probably not even completing the game for whatever reason, but the mean is the story arc, and a few advanced.
Don't get me wrong, I love the challenges, hopefully we'll get small scale versions of KZ jumping popping up around the portal challenge goals, with best records being recorded and what not, but they really aren't the guts of the game.
Co-op = player 1 has control of the blue p0rtal, player 2 has control of the orange = lots of fun trying to get things to work <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I thought two sets of guns would be more fun (and involve less frustration, really). I can think of plenty of amazing game variants if you have two people each with a gun.
<!--quoteo(post=1655273:date=Oct 11 2007, 06:47 AM:name=Swiftspear)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swiftspear @ Oct 11 2007, 06:47 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1655273"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->but generally the game presents you with a problem, and virtually kicks you in the face with an obvious easiest possible solution.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Agreed. A hint button (either bind or in-game) would have allowed noobs and puzzle-vets to get the same amount of relative enjoyment from the easier puzzles. Having a big 'x marks the spot' I found to be incredibly patronising considering this is supposed to be a puzzle game.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Portal physics changes get extremely disorienting. I'm not sure if I acctually want this fixed after realizing the methods it's possible to manipulate portal dimensions (go in a portal facing north and come out facing easy because the other portal was shot from west to east), I think as players get better those manipulations will become a HUGE asset to great players doing complicated things with the portals... but as a new player coming in, being flipped around so much sometimes makes the head spin.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I agree the portals should really have some indicator of the top and bottom so you can see their orientation. The being flipped around thing is fun really.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->additionally... it's kind of taxing to go through an FPS game with only 1 gun for the entire duration of the game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Portal is not a first-person shooter, I'd describe it as a first-person puzzler. The Portal 'gun' isn't actually a weapon, it's a tool. It doesn't deal direct damage, it merely alters the trajectory of foreign weapons.
---
<b>Quick question for THEM:</b> When the player is holding a box, does his mass stay the same or is it increased? If it increases, does the same happen with all in-game objects that are attributed a 'mass' value? (i.e. props)
I need to know this because it will help me design a few puzzles (i.e. momentum increases with more gravimetric force thanks to a heavier subject).