Portal 2 - Not Another Puzzle

I forgot to make another map before going out of town last weekend. Getting to this idea was a chore. I really wanted to make another map using diversity vents and had an idea, but I couldn't nail any of my variations down.

I tried quite a few configurations for the vacuum tubes and level layout, but I wasn't getting what I wanted. I ended up scrapping the entire level twice.

For inspiration, I downloaded 3 maps at random from thinkingwithportals' Portal 2 "released" downloads page. One of them seemed broken, the second was painful to look at, but the third was short and well executed. This drove home one important, yet obvious fact: Portal 2 is a puzzle game. Sure, there's a story, but I'm no writer, so it's a puzzle game. I looked back at what I've done so far and, ya, all puzzles. I wanted something else.

I had 3 bumpers in the top center, but due to my layout, it was the only thing I would hit and that was rather annoying when trying to get to the top left button. Gravity wasn't really working for me and sv_friction didn't register in the console, so I faked it with a vphysics_motion to double gravity (no more air-jordan jumping balls) and a trigger_push to move the balls down the table. There were a couple trigger_pushes added to keep balls from snagging on the wall projectors in the back.

The bumpers are sideways vent openings with the toggling trim texture I made for Up and Down. These are surrounded by a cylindrical trigger_multiple that pulses a point_push positioned in the center of the prop.

The slingshots were tricky at first. I originally built them in the level, but trying to make everything line up was a real pain. Solution? Do what I've been doing all this time: Use Instances! No more aligning, just make it straight in the instance, and rotate the whole thing in the main map. Need to make a change? Make it in the instance and it'll automatically adjust in the main map! :D

The standard arm_64 models weren't working for me, so I used the "just top" variant, a movelinear, and a rail. Later on, I added one on the top due to balls constantly hitting that location and immediately guttering themselves.

The flippers were made with my favorite entity: momentary_rot_button. They are controlled via a game_ui. Left for left flipper, right for right. Left click fires balls. I was averaging 21 balls per attempt before some fixes to the table and figured that'd be a nice limit. So, you can spam as many balls as you want, but as soon as you reach 21, you die. Well, the clientcommand types "kill" in the console for you, close enough.

Now comes the big question: How does the player exit the level and where? I wanted the player to exit across the room, but wasn't sure how I'd do it. Light bridge? Doable, but that railing is getting in the way. Funnel? That's kind of boring. Diversity Vent using existing ball launch track? Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner.

The exit sequence was, and is, a bit annoying. The tubes have various little nooks and crannies that will stop the player dead in their tracks. I had to place a whole bunch of trigger_pushes and clips to make the ride smooth. Even then, I manage to snag on things. The tube was supposed to be a whole lot closer to the door, but the table didn't allow that configuration without some remodeling. So, I moved the entrance around to fit the table. Once that was done, I added the particles, helper pushes, a point_push to drag the player in, sounds, and assembled an exit door from the pieces Valve provided so I could have it open slowly.

The ball buttons are ball buttons that, when activated, use a point_teleport to teleport the activating ball to the center of the button. A leftover solution from my initial experimentation. Then again, I remember reading some HL2 battery puzzle tutorial on Interlopers a few years ago. *shrug*

I have a soundscape in the map, but it was drowning out the element sound effects. I have since made those ambient_generics play from two info_targets near the player, but I haven't seen how they'll do with the soundscape active again. The closer proximity to the sounds is promising, though.

As for bugs, I don't have a way of stopping the player from walking onto the table after getting to the exit door. I mean, there are plenty of ways, but I don't have any that fit the level, yet. As you saw somewhere in the middle on the video, balls have a tendency to clip into the floor and fall into the void...yeah...no idea what's going on there.

Oh, there's no tilt or ball count. The former probably won't be done (env_shake would probably do it), but I really should do the latter. I'd rather not have players go "What happened while I was spamming balls?!"

OOOO fancy upload page...that can't save changes after the first time. What?

And 1000 word descriptions are too long, got it.


Test Map Pack 3 released: http://forums.thinkingwithportals.com/community-releases/test-map-pack-3-t504...

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• Portal
• SDK
• Authoring
• Tools
• pinball

[kabutoofsound]

You cold use a trigger_playermovement to force the player to crouch automatically at the end for a smoother effect.

[Entrophoria]

@kabutoofsound I haven't looked at that ent before. Thanks.

[dragonscarz13]

I can just imagine Atlas bouncing off the sides...

[Entrophoria]

@dragonscarz13 I was considering randomly tossing in personality sphere's and atlas' head, but I need to see if they'll trigger buttons or not.

[Entrophoria]

There is actually a portal in the center of the map to make getting the top left button easier. The video doesn't really show it (you don't see the ball go through smoothly).

I tried prop_portals, but I still can't place them right. Having slanted surfaces doesn't help either. It's probably one of the most temperamental entities in the game.

[warnightify]

You can use panel models instead of the moving metal walls.It looks ironic.

[Entrophoria]

@warnightify I could have used the panels for this, but I wanted something more resembling pinball flippers. I mean, 2 "just top" models and 2 arm_64's mounted on the side would emulate the function quite nicely. Although, I'd have to widen the gutter to make it look like the balls could go by. I do agree they need work.

I'm still working on it and have one more map to go before I release a third pack (mistook an unfinished map as completed due to filesize earlier).

[ERich935]

Suggestion: In that empty room you should play the trollololol song when you enter it cuz you be stuck there with nothing else to do. :D

[ZetaNeubourn]

I suddenly want a Portal themed pinball machine. :u

[kabutoofsound]

@Entrophoria No problem I was looking through all of the brush entities the other day for something useful and that one stuck.