This version is outdated. Download the latest version on the steam workshop:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/f ... d=68653074

TWP Page:
Decay

Thanks to everyone who provided feedback and demos for earlier versions.

[url=http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2073058/penrose2.jpg]SCREENSHOT #1[/url]
[url=http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2073058/penrose1.jpg]SCREENSHOT #2[/url]
[url=http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2073058/c3screen.jpg]SCREENSHOT #3[/url]
[url=http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2073058/c3screen2.jpg]SCREENSHOT #4[/url]
[url=http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2073058/penrose3b.jpg]SCREENSHOT #5[/url]

Changelog:

v10b:
- Fixed invisible wall in c1 -> c2 transition

v10:
- Tweaked chamber 4 puzzle
- New BTS section in chamber 3.
- Redone visuals in chamber 3
- Minor changes to chamber 2 puzzle (slightly harder)
- Improved c1 -> c2 and c3 -> c4 transitions
- Tweaked lighting and texturing in chamber 1
- Added elevator videos and chamber signs
- Added more load points
- Optimised performance
- Tweaked fog
- Many minor fixes & added details

v9a:
- Added new chamber
- Added outro sequence
- Improved behind the scenes sections
- Removed the old chamber 5
- Switched order of last two chambers
- Fixed level changing not working if steam was in offline mode
- Misc general improvements & minor fixes

v8c:
- Fixed invisible walls in c5
- Fixed indicator lights in c5
- Made c5 solution more obvious
- Changed some c5 portal surfaces

v8b:
- Added chamber 5
- Fixed some shortcuts in chamber 4
- Fixed chamber 3 observation room visual glitch

v7b:
- Added chamber 4
- Added halfway load point
- Minor changes to chambers 2 and 3

v6a:
- Revised chamber 3, rearranged puzzle and improved visuals
- Fixed some physics bugs in c3
- Optimised many parts of the map
- Added soundscapes to some parts (incomplete)
- Added intro elevator
- Added Enter/Exit doors to all chambers
- General improvements

v5c:
- Fixed cubemaps

v5b:
- Fixed way to skip chamber 3

v5a:
- Added chamber 3 (transition is temporary)
- Improved c1 to c2 transition
- Minor fixes

v4d:
- Redesigned chamber 1, can now be completed with only single flings.
- Added proper chamber 1 to 2 transition.
- Fixed a few places in chamber 2 where you could fall under the map / lose items.
- Removed some portal surfaces from chamber 2 to prevent unintended solution (There's still multiple ways to do it)
- Tweaked HDR
- Many minor fixes & tweaks

v3i:
- Renamed map Penrose
- Lots of improvements to chamber 2
- Tweaked puzzle a little
- All cubes should now respawn if lost
- Water now works properly
- Exit gate now works (doesn't go anywhere yet)
- Better lighting and visuals
- Added two save points to first chamber
- Made the first fling easier? (Added new portal surface)

v2g:
- Added new second chamber (transition between them is temporary)
- Changed first puzzle to be slightly harder (flings are still the same)
- Added more portable surfaces in first chamber
- Monster box now has a purpose in life
- Removed unnecessary fizzler in first room. (Should be impossible to destroy/lose cubes in the first room now.)
- Lots of minor changes

v1:
- Initial release

File Name: sp_penrose_v10b.zip
File Size: 27.56 MiB
Click here to download Penrose

That fling to get up to the platform seemed a little bit difficult. You didnt have muc time to place the second portal. Otherwise, this is a very nice map. However, i didnt see the need for the first monster cube, before the end room. Is it needed, or just for decoration>

Nice map. Found one problem, if you walk through the energy barrier with the laser cube it gets destroyed, but there is no replacement for it so you can't complete the map afterwards.

Phitt wrote:
Nice map. Found one problem, if you walk through the energy barrier with the laser cube it gets destroyed, but there is no replacement for it so you can't complete the map afterwards.

I forgot to mention about that. There was no visual method of respawning cubes, and so i had to avoid the fizzlers as much as possible, when using a cube.

I didn't figure out how to do the first fling to the platform.

Thanks for the comments - just updated! I'll look at making the first fling easier tomorrow.

Second chamber exit is completely bugged so just ignore the exit gate for now. Also the water doesn't work so don't drop anything in it or you'll have to start over.

I'm interested to know how difficult people find the two laser chamber.

Great map now. Personally I don't think the fling in the first room is too hard (and I'm certainly not the best 'flinger' in the world). I had no problems with the two laser room, but it was fun nevertheless. Not every puzzle needs to be so hard that you cry out in despair.

Agreed; two laser room was fun enough. I like the fact that you have to shoot the laser at an angle through the portal; it's a bit of a twist on the usual right-angle redirection, as far as still having to move the second portal afterwards goes.

Regarding the first chamber, the fling isn't too difficult, though I'll say I'm not always successful on it. I'm curious, though; are most of the portalable surfaces in that room red herrings/for aesthetics?

I finally figured out the first fling. I don't think any of the original portal game maps rely on that mechanic, so I never thought in that way.

Please put a savepoint in.

Updated! Much less buggy now. Let me know what bugs you can find. I am working chamber 3 but it's not included today.

Thursaz wrote:
I'm curious, though; are most of the portalable surfaces in that room red herrings/for aesthetics?

I didn't want just the surfaces you have use to be portable or the solution is very obvious. Also I like the freedom - rather than just solving the puzzle exactly as the mapper intended.

I thought as much- I was just curious.~

That said, there aren't any bugs that I can find (aside from the fact that you can trap yourself in the exit room, but given that will be replaced, I don't think it's much of a problem). Cubes that respawn are always covered in moss regardless of its original condition, but this, I figure, is intended. And a nice touch, in fact. Great job with the map!

The first part of this map with the flings and the pit look very much like an old portal 1 map...not original?
Dropped out of map in the last chamber corner near the downed cube dispenser.
Returned with companion cube (from last chamber solution) to fizzler wall of previous chamber and then back again with no cc - not respawned..Map is coming along thanks for creating....

You might be thinking of my original Portal 1 map which I converted to make the first room. The flings from the first room as the only things I kept the same.

I've fixed the place where you can fall under the map, it was a missing a player clipper. CC doesn't respawn because it's just temporary until I get chamber 3 up.

Thanks for the comments.

I guess I'm stupid or incompetent, but I can't figure out the first fling in this map. I thought I had it, but I'm either wrong or lack the skill to execute it. Anyone have a video or SS of the portal placement cause I've spent nearly an hour trying to figure it out and it's driving me nuts.

edit: nevermind, I found it out. I thought I had tried that and it didn't work. Or for some reason, it didn't seem like it would work for me. But oh well.

Sorry about that. Answer is here:

- Place an orange portal opposite the high platform on the lower surface, not the highest one.
- Now drop down the hole in the middle into the blue portal.
- As you come out fire another orange at the slated surface under the platform.

Crouch as you go through the portals as it stops you catching on the sides.

I've redesigned this chamber to only include single flings. It'll be in the next version.

Thanks. I liked the second part of the map. Good puzzle, just right amount of difficulty and no complicated maneuvering required.

This is one of the more challenging maps I've played. The first room took me quite a while to finish. I enjoyed the second room a lot more but I feel like there might be just a little too much reliance on finding hidden cubes; some people like that, I guess. Anyway, very nice map. Visually, it's one of the best custom maps I've played lately. I had fun with it.

I don't think the double fling portion was necessarily a poor choice, I just wasn't aware that's what I had to do to get to where I was going. I tried to do infinite fall jumps for quite some time before I found a youtube video showing me otherwise. Otherwise the puzzles were legit. Nice decoration and everything.

Just updated. Still working on chambers 3 & 4, ran into some problems so they're taking a bit longer than I hoped. Redesigned chamber 1 and doing the new transition took up all my time.

Still looking at a few other problems people have mention but I haven't fixed yet.

Got stuck in first chamber for a long time, and twice.Thought I had to pixel perfect reportal while infinite looping between roof and floor in order to get to the high room, so I kinda gave up and had to find the solution in here. After that I didn't notice the little passage to the left that leads to behind the glass (seems easy to overlook as you quickly shoot past it, but it's probably just me.. plus sunlight on the screen makes it hard to notice stuff in dark areas here), so I spent like half an hour trying to redirect an angled laserbeam with portals. I feel kindof exhausted now, gonna have to continue this later lol

edit: Completed the second chamber now, I really enjoyed that puzzle and the atmosphere in it. Overall I must say this is definitely one the best custom maps I've played, can't wait to see more!

Looking really, really good with the changes you've made. My only criticism at the moment would be lighting- It's just incredibly dark in the transition area, and I had no idea what I was doing.

Update!

Changelog

v5a:
- Added chamber 3 (transition is temporary)
- Improved c1 to c2 transition
- Minor fixes

...I love the third chamber.

Mostly because the mechanic there is completely counterintuitive and is a fair challenge because of that. For me, at least.

One bug, though- When I died and the map reloaded, the first thermal redirection cube didn't appear. One is supposed to fly up from the lower panels, right? I had to restart the map to get it back. Or I could have console'd, but I wanted to make sure it wasn't a glitch.

Update!

v6a:
- Revised chamber 3, rearranged puzzle and improved visuals
- Fixed some physics bugs in c3
- Optimised many parts of the map
- Added soundscapes to some parts (incomplete)
- Added intro elevator
- Added Enter/Exit doors to all chambers
- General improvements

I couldn't reproduce that bug Thursaz, but let me know if you see it again. I think it might be related to the physics bugs I did fix.

the third chamber was really nice, took me a while before i got it even though it was quite simple to execute once i figured it out

did you change the lighting in the second chamber? i remember it having a more brightly lit, purple'ish feel, seemed a bit darker and paler now. dunno if it's just me

in general the lighting is a bit dark, having trouble seeing clearly in corners with bushes etc even tho my monitor is turned to full brightness and i believe i have boosted brightness slightly in portal as well

second chamber is my favorite so far, it has replayability because you can decide which order to do the different tasks, plus if you're good at throwing cubes (which i'm not, but I kindof like to try), i can imagine some potential for coming up with a crazy speedrun there. All the chambers are good. One of my fav maps in general, i'll keep checking back to see what more you come up with!

Thanks for the feedback. Might be a week or so before another update as I'm really busy at the moment. But I am still slowly working on this; I've got chamber 4 almost done and planned out a few more chambers.

I started playing custom maps and record me playing them. It's neither a perfect run nor do I have to have solved the map in the way it's meant to solve it. I play the maps "blind", that means I've never been in them before and play them for the very first time. I also give a little feedback for the map in the video description.

Maybe you are interested in the fact, that I played your map: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjFfmNXSGpk

Hey, thanks for the blind play through.

One big problem though, the map isn't supposed to be that dark! Did you have your brightness turned right down or is it a bug with the map? I had another player on another forum with the same problem, but I can't work out why it's happening.

Compare how it is supposed to look with the version you played. Big difference!

Could you try the latest version (v6a) and see if you have the same problem?

Update!

v7b:
- Added chamber 4
- Added halfway load point
- Minor changes to chambers 2 and 3

Hi Jaxe:

I've found a bug in second room.

Previous versions worked perfectly, I don't understand it. This happens only when, standing onto one of the crystal walls, I look to the column in front of the destroyed chaber with the spawner. Then I look the opposite direction and it disappears...

I don't know if it's only me or what?

Hmm strange. I can't reproduce it so I'm not sure.

When you say crystal walls you mean the two that move up and down, controlled by the two buttons, right?

Yes, those 2 crystal walls. I'm standing onto the one more close to the 2 lasers place. If I look to those lasers everything's fine. Then I look to the column and there is that image! I must say that I already put the cube on the button that makes these 2 crystal walls appear... I don't know what could be interfering here...

maybe is just me... I'll check out again later and let you know.

Anyway, REALLY AWESOME MAP: ambient, textures, sounds, very clever puzzles... and challenging, along the whole map they put maaany of your skills to the test. I really like it.

(I remember I also liked your portal 1 "out of order" map!!)

Thanks for mapping

Update!

v8b:
- Added chamber 5
- Fixed some shortcuts in chamber 4
- Fixed chamber 3 observation room visual glitch

Release note: This release is very rough and contains a lot of placeholder content and lighting.

Known issue: Visual glitch when entering chamber 4.

Here is my blind playthrough:
http://www.2shared.com/file/zJp-FYRN/penrose_blind_part1.html

Thanks a lot.

Did you play both parts? Because the demo is only the first part, chambers 1 and 2. Chambers 3-5 in part 2. You have to start a new demo after a load point. I'll put a note in the first post.

Cheers

Minor update v8c:
- Fixed invisible walls in c5
- Fixed indicator lights in c5
- Made c5 solution more obvious
- Changed some c5 portal surfaces

I did play a large chunk of part 2 but it's gone forever. I was under the impression that it was still being recorded.

Not much point in rerecording it I guess since it wouldn't be blind anymore.

Some notes about the level:
- Really liked the laser related puzzles, had me stumped for exactly the right amount of time.
- As others have noted, the lighting is awful. This should be your first priority.
- Scripted events were surreal, I liked them.
- The vertical climb had me looking around frantically where to go next the entire time. Some extra lighting on the important areas would've helped a lot.
- I got stuck in the square room with the two lasers from the ceiling. There was some invisible weirdness near the lower laser, was I supposed to be able to get up there? Cause I didn't.

When you say the lighting is bad is it almost pitch black? I think this is a bug a few people seem to get where the lights don't work properly. Does it look like the screenshots in the first post? What settings are you running on?

I fixed the c5 invisible walls in the last update. You can get up to the platform with second cube, but the solution is not obvious. I tried to make it more obvious in last version.

Nope, doesn't look like the screenshots at all. It looks like a fullbright map with the occasional bright light that is visible (such as the sliding window in the first room).

Yeah it's a bug. I don't know what causes it but it's really annoying. You can type mat_fullbright 0 in the console to fix it.

Update!

v9a:
- Added new chamber
- Added outro sequence
- Improved behind the scenes sections
- Removed the old chamber 5
- Switched order of last two chambers
- Fixed level changing not working if steam was in offline mode
- Misc general improvements & minor fixes

Hey there Jaxe!

I'm sorry but I totally forgot Penrose at all! and I even got this map entry in my extras-menu! but since I played version 6, there have been hundreds of maps postes so I've been very busy.

First of all I have to say that you have done an impressive work here! I got fascinated by the part with the big fans and also the destroyed tall room where you have to climb up jumping with the faith plates. AWESOME construction!!

I would like you to check my solution for the third laser puzzle because I'm not sure it's the intended one. Please check:



On the other hand, in that same room of the 3rd laser puzzle, I found a leak, or colliding textures maybe, around inside the cube-spawner as in image below:



I would like to record a playthrough if you are interested and you allow me (as this is still a WIP map), because I really like this map. Maybe this weekend... Let me know your opinion.

Thanks for mapping!

Thanks for the comments.

Yeah, that's not the correct solution. But it works anyway. I'm going to look at this chamber again and see if I can make it a bit more interesting. The bad texture in that screen is an areaportal closing off the area above from being rendered to save FPS. I'll hide it better in the next release though.

As for recording it, sure go ahead. This version is pretty close to the final version.

Thanks for playing.

Splendid map, full of creativity and imagination.

It is unavoidable to remind Jaxe's portal 1 map "Out of order" because of the beginning of this map. Anyway, it has obvious differences in puzzle elements and solutions. I'm a bit nostalgic so I played again that old jaxe map!! Soooo funny!

(for interested people:http://forums.thinking.withportals.com/downloads.php?view=detail&df_id=23)

I liked much the atmosphere created with all animations, a very well developed destroyed theme chambers, with music only rewarding your ears after some puzzle solving, nice detail. Also there are awesome decoration and special care in certain rooms like the fans corrridor which is a veeery good part, the SO destroyed room of the faith plate and climbing upwards to the final exit door, with the special detail of the 2 non-solvable rooms at the top, only intended for helping you get up by paiting the ramp with orange gel and reaching so the upper faith plate. And of course the end: ABSOLUTELY AWESOME! ...thanks for that ending scene! simply beautiful. So well constructed with that 3D skybox and those towers...

Only one recommendation: the observation room with the button that triggers the blue paint in the last chamber, looks so bad the way you left it... without physical existence of the windows frames... this is not necessary to leave that way: it would be possible to jump through easily over the lower horizontal frame giving those windows a bit more of reality (just by using an invisible thin brush with that height, and also one vertical thin brush for the vertical frame in the middle of the window)

About my playthrough, as discussed above, only one puzzle it's possible to do unintendedly: the 3rd reflecto-cubes puzzle. I preferred to record my solution instead of other... with 1 less cube.

Very good map, I hope to see it at "singleplayer" releases soon!

Thanks for mapping

HERE IS MY PLAYTHROUGH:

kzqoACzVb-M

Hey, thanks josepezdj. That's awesome.

That Out of Order map was my first so there are quite a few problem with it. You can skip half the map very easily and it's not obvious what your supposed to be doing most of the time. Oh well, I learnt a lot making it anyway.

About the observation room window in the destroyed chamber, I had to make it non-solid otherwise the jump to the blue gel is too difficult. I will try and rearrange it for the next version though.

I've also redone some visuals on chamber 3 in the next version and I'm looking at making the 4 reflecto cubes chamber more interesting. Also added more load points and done some optimisation.

Thanks again. :)

Update v10:
- Tweaked chamber 4 puzzle
- New BTS section in chamber 3.
- Redone visuals in chamber 3
- Minor changes to chamber 2 puzzle (slightly harder)
- Improved c1 -> c2 and c3 -> c4 transitions
- Tweaked lighting and texturing in chamber 1
- Added elevator videos and chamber signs
- Added more load points
- Optimised performance
- Tweaked fog
- Many minor fixes & added details

New screens:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2073058/c3screen2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2073058/c3screen4.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2073058/c3screen3.jpg

Sorry an invisible wall sneaked into the last release. Should be fixed now.

Played the last version and did not find any bug (though of course that does not mean there aren't any). I admire the work ethics, some would have released that in single player maps a long time ago. What is good about it is that in the destroyed part you get the feeling to use bits in ways that were not orginally intended, e.g. the diagnoal faith plate (whereas a lot of destroyed maps seems to have spared the elements of the original puzzle in place). And loved the finale. You could call that a mini-campaign, at least it is more than 'A map'.

Thanks. I'm just waiting for the next SDK update then I'll release the final version.

Did you know that FourthReaper has a map by the same name? It confused me at frist until I relaized he always puts his name in the name of his maps.

protoborg wrote:
Did you know that FourthReaper has a map by the same name?

Dang! It appears I missed this map and pretty much stole the name. I feel guilty... I knew I should've gone with Escher instead! No hard feelings, Jaxe?

Anyway, I'll give this map a go sometime. Even though it doesn't seem to use any impossible geometry, making the name seem odd, it looks like a really nice map. I'll return with feedback.

No worries, it was just a working title initially but I never got around to thinking of a more appropriate one.

I was thinking of calling it Decay since it goes heavily for the destroyed modern theme.

I wish Valve would hurry up with the final SDK and new mapping tools so I can release the final version.

Jaxe wrote:
No worries, it was just a working title initially but I never got around to thinking of a more appropriate one.

I was thinking of calling it Decay since it goes heavily for the destroyed modern theme.

I wish Valve would hurry up with the final SDK and new mapping tools so I can release the final version.

err? the portal 2 authoring tools have been around quite a while now! You can release the versions!
If you're using the global_ents_pi in your map you can still have it, p2 will just ignore it.

I was talking about the new map editor they're working on which is currently in closed beta.

Not sure what mean about global_ents_pi. I don't know what that is.

Jaxe wrote:
I was talking about the new map editor they're working on which is currently in closed beta.

Not sure what mean about global_ents_pi. I don't know what that is.

Oh, never mind about the global_ents_pi then . Why would you need the new map maker anyways?

No so much the new map maker but the steam workshop integration that will probably come with it.

Jaxe wrote:
No so much the new map maker but the steam workshop integration that will probably come with it.

Well, you can still upload it here you can just upload the bsp to the workshop when it's out

Amazing maps! Simply great visuals, nice demanding puzzles and a great ending. 5/5 and I don't see why this should be labeled WIP.

Yeah you guys are right. I should have released this ages ago as it's really 99% done.

Fixing up a few final bits now and I'll upload it into the released section today or tomorrow.

Well "fixing up a few final bits" turned out to be fixing up a whole load of stuff, adding a new section and then making it steam workshop compliant. Finally got it all finished.

I renamed the map Decay, you can get it HERE.

Thanks again to everyone who playtested and provided feedback, demos etc.