Ok, so this map is based around a variation on the "clean Aperture" theme, which I call "Dark Aperture." It's basically the Enrichment Centre, with creepy lighting for atmosphere. For more detail on the map, see the readme file - ensure you read this BEFORE extracting the .rar file, as some files may be overwritten that would be very, very bad. Not unrecoverable, mind, but bad nonetheless.

This map consists of "four" rooms, although really it can be hard to judge where one ends and one starts. But I call it four. Because I'm like that. It's not too hard, but it should provide some challenge. Funnels, light bridges, lasers, boxes 'n buttons... it's got 'em all.

"The Enrichment Center once again reminds you to read the readme file BEFORE extraction. Failure to do this will result in an unsatisfactory mark on your testing record, followed by death."

EDIT: VERSION 1.1 RELEASED, CHECK README FOR CHANGES!

EDIT: VERSION 1.2 RELEASED, CHECK README FOR THE CHANGE!

File Name: The_Dark_Side_Of_Aperture_V1.2.rar
File Size: 5.95 MiB
Click here to download [SP] The Dark Side of Aperture

My first play-through: http://www.xfire.com/video/47fa65/

I liked it. Didn't notice any problems really.
Music was nice.

Fast paced and intuitive, sports incredible high contrast looks. Crystal clear, embossed: you can't ask much more from the colours black and white. Big puzzles are elsewhere though.

Bug: in the first room, I couldn't leave the area through the green panel because of the fizzler in front of it (resetting the panel, which pushed me back in).

xdiesp wrote:
Fast paced and intuitive, sports incredible high contrast looks. Crystal clear, embossed: you can't ask much more from the colours black and white. Big puzzles are elsewhere though.

Bug: in the first room, I couldn't leave the area through the green panel because of the fizzler in front of it (resetting the panel, which pushed me back in).

No, thats supposed to happen - the idea is to find a way around it without using portals. I only made the fizzler invisible because I couldn't make custom textures, and I didn't want it to look like it would emancipate your boxes

And, yeah, the puzzles aren't big. Ah well...

timefiller wrote:
My first play-through: http://www.xfire.com/video/47fa65/

I liked it. Didn't notice any problems really.
Music was nice.

Awesome playthrough! I must admit, one part took me by surprise - by the looks of things, it's possible to get trapped in the laser room, something I never anticipated... but since the laser's deadly, and there was an autosave not long before, its something that can easily be remedied - by the player.

Also, intriguing solution for the final room. The intended solution was to use the 45 degree plate to get into the funnel, but you managed to find your own way around it. Good job!

And thanks for the comment!

jamesf141 wrote:
No, thats supposed to happen

I don't make for a scientific sample, but see how people invisible things happen immediately think it's a bug...

xdiesp wrote:
jamesf141 wrote:

No, thats supposed to happen

I don't make for a scientific sample, but see how people invisible things happen immediately think it's a bug...

Yeah, I know. I can't exactly put a thing in saying 'Ha ha, fooled you,' though, can I? Although, if I were allowed custom content, I would certainly do this. I'm currently doing a fixup - I've noticed it's possible (if you're REALLY stupid) to get yourself trapped in one room, so I'm just fixing that now. I'll mention this in the readme for future downloads.

Again, thanks for the feedback.

Just finishing final compile, fixing a few bugs. Will summarise in the readme, but just so you know:

-> Being able to be trapped.
Is now fixed. All doors should remain open, and the boxes can't be used to cheat.

-> Fizzler not working.
Well, now it does.

-> Disappearing portals...
Ok, I decided you were probably right on this one, so I made the solution that is ruined by this "bug" impossible. Happy now?

Be careful! Now the green panel in the first room opens no matter if you did the puzzle or not.

xdiesp wrote:
Be careful! Now the green panel in the first room opens no matter if you did the puzzle or not.

Woah, looks like that was the leftover of an I/O I had from the original solution... Thanks for pointing that out, I didn't realise that was still there! Just fixing now.

In fact, I think that problem was in place in the original version, as nothing else has changed. Hrm. Well, I'm just glad someone noticed before the deadline ^^"

So, only a few hours till the competition starts, and a few minutes before I can finally get a decent nights sleep without worrying about bugs!

Thanks to everyone who's downloaded this map before the contest starts in just a few hours - you guys are awesome. Extra special thanks, of course, to xdiesp for pointing out that gaping flaw to me just a minute before I was going to turn in and call it a night! Also, thanks goes to timefiller for the AWESOME gameplay video (Hint: I fixed your little jump tehcnique in v1.1, so it's infinite loops from here on in...) and, of course, to all of you for playing, downloading, or even just visiting this page. Seriously, just seeing so many pageviews makes me SERIOUSLY happy.

Anyway, v1.2 is the last version I'll be releasing prior to the competition - mostly because the competition starts at about 4/5 in the morning here in the good 'ol UK. Its been a hell of a week (which I really should have used to revise for my exams :/) and I have learnt more about Hammer than ever before. I even got over my fear of instances, which was cool. I'm sure I'll continue to release maps after this contest - the response to this has been more than I hoped for (which doesn't say much, really) and I can't wait to get on with a new map.

Thanks again, to all of you.

-jamesf141

While it seems you were going for the feel of a "continuous line of fast puzzles", I found it a bit jarring how quickly you were constantly thrown into the next part, especially when you weren't always sure how exactly you solved the previous one.

Nevertheless, it came out quite well overall, and the dark, near-claustrophobic chambers made it feel unique. I didn't ever find myself getting too stuck, and the last puzzle in particular was quite satisfying to solve.

I'm playing custom maps and record my first time of playing them. So the run is not perfect and may not use only intended ways, but maybe it can let you see how other people may understand the map or you could just enjoy someone playing this map for entertainment.
Anyways, here is the recording:

nXkrUDO1pb0
(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXkrUDO1pb0)

Also note the video description for more feedback and my signature for additional project information.

NuclearDuckie wrote:
While it seems you were going for the feel of a "continuous line of fast puzzles", I found it a bit jarring how quickly you were constantly thrown into the next part, especially when you weren't always sure how exactly you solved the previous one.

Yeah, because I only found out about the contest with a week to go (and, of course, I hadn't used the portal 2 editor much) I was learning most of it as I went along; because of this, I couldn't really do grand, large puzzles - instead, I concentrated on small, quick-fire tests that allowed me to learn the different techniques without over-complicating the map.

NuclearDuckie wrote:
Nevertheless, it came out quite well overall, and the dark, near-claustrophobic chambers made it feel unique. I didn't ever find myself getting too stuck, and the last puzzle in particular was quite satisfying to solve.

Originally, I hadn't intended for a claustrophobic feel. It took me a few days to work out why my lighting wasn't working (a leak I hadn't noticed, and still have no clue where it is...) But when I managed to get the lighting working, the random placement of light entities had given the map such a claustrophobic and eerie feel I just decided to keep going with that - I made the second test more rooms, just to keep the enclosed space feel. And I'm glad you liked the last puzzle - it ties with the first for me as favourite puzzle to create

Djinndrache wrote:
I'm playing custom maps and record my first time of playing them. So the run is not perfect and may not use only intended ways, but maybe it can let you see how other people may understand the map or you could just enjoy someone playing this map for entertainment.

One thing I've noted about how other people understand the map is the lack of infinite loops D:

Also, you're playing an older version of the map. I've checked the download from here, and it's the final version. Did you download it a while ago?

I think the use of L4D hints is inappropriate for Portal 2.

At the same time, the lack of indicator lights makes the puzzles unnecessarily confusing.

I suggest replacing the L4D hints with indicator lights.

And the random placement of light entities without any apparent light source bothers me too.

satchmo wrote:
I suggest replacing the L4D hints with indicator lights.

And the random placement of light entities without any apparent light source bothers me too.

Thanks for the feedback - I haven't touched this map in a while, as it's whole purpose was to be an entry into the mapping contest. Since that's now over, I've moved on to other things (the most important of which has, of course, been implementing proper lighting into maps and adding indicator lights) and so haven't really thought about editing this one.

Originally, I only placed lights randomly while still trying to get them to work - it took me ages to realise there was a micro leak in my map, and that was why the lights weren't compiling. After I discovered this, I found the effect of the lights quite startling, but rather than rework them all, I decided to theme the map around the eerie lighting they created. Had I known more about creating lighting and how to use instances (something I learned only whilst creating the map's final room) the end result would have looked very different.

And I don't recall including any kind of hints at all, let alone L4D ones - could you elaborate, please?

Again, thanks for the feedback, and if I find time between working on other projects, I'll try and add indicator lights.

EDIT: Having checked VDC, I'm assuming you mean the arrows and text that appear on-screen? These have always come up for me, without me actually putting them in, both in Portal 2 and whilst making custom maps for Portal 2. Is there a way to stop them appearing? They do annoy me a lot.

I have often complained about maps having tiny puzzles in huge rooms. Not here! This map should have been named Claustrophilia (the love of small spaces). Unfortunately, because the puzzles elements are so linear, it ended up feeling like being squeezed through a sausage grinder rather than finding a solution. Or like a rat scurrying through the walls of AS, finding little bits of cheese along the way.
Your deserve credit for having successfully created a new look without losing the essence of Aperture Science. But the puzzle elements were so weak that overall, I give it just 3/5.

This map is good and you should feel good.

This was a great map! No idea how I missed seeing it before.

This was actually pretty nice. Puzzles were simple, but allowed the player some exploration room. The puzzle rooms that involved the edgeless sphere kinda threw me off when the arms didn't return to their closed position when I removed the sphere from its button. Not that this is a bad thing, it just threw me off that considering that so many maps feel more difficult when things close on you. Everything was pretty closed, so I knew everything to solve the puzzle was at hand. Did feel like it was a bit too linear at times, but it doesn't hinder the experience. I definitely dug the map.