Hey,
This is a test chamber I'm working on for the Summer Mapping Initiative. I'll be updating it up until the contest deadline; if people want to give me feedback on it, try to break it, etc. I'd appreciate it!

Also, if you know how to use the record demo console command in Portal 2 and want to send me the demo of your playthrough, that would be extra-useful as I want to see how people approach solving stuff.

Changelog:
v0.1 - first version of map
v0.2 - made stairway on third level more noticeable, added convenience for returning to lower levels from the end if cube needs to be repositioned, added foliage, made water at base of testchamber transparent, various minor graphical tweaks, added glados line
v0.3 - fixed portal alignment issue at top of chamber, fixed brushes that could have interfered with box dropper entities, lowered box dropper and made box target into convex displacement map to reduce the likelihood of it bouncing away
v0.4 - put invis collision around top of drop from upper light bridge panel & adjusted platform spacing to prevent a way to break the puzzle; made final light bridge panel hidden until the player presses a button on the upper balcony, changed voices and music trigger timing, added another convenience portalable surface and closed off an unnecessary stairway to vary movement/pacing, various visual changes w/ ruined structures, foliage, fog settings and pfx
v0.5 - made some more gameplay alterations to make movement through the chamber more interesting, improved lighting, updated vo, sound, and transition entities, did some optimization, added more func_details and props, pfx, etc.

File Name: Overgrowth.rar
File Size: 4.92 MiB
Click here to download Overgrowth - MAJOR UPDATE

Nice map. The scenery is awesome. I think you need cubemaps, however, because a lot of your objects like the shattered glass, cube droppers, pipes, and elevator ceilings have nasty glares on them. It might have been your intention, but I'm just putting it out there.

Good puzzle and nice decoration. I'd look in to adding a few more sound scapes and music changes as you make your way up the level so that the loop doesn't start to bother.

Whooops, i broke it on my first, blind ride. This can't be the intended solution:
http://infernet89.altervista.org/down.p ... rnet89.dem

I'll retry now for finding the correct way.
EDIT: ok, solved in the correct way. Maybe you can add a grill on the portalable area on the ceiling, deactivated by the second big button?

Impressive on both visual and aural fronts, with peaceful vistas and reflexive music not unlike looking from the bottom of a tomb raider level. More about exploration than puzzles, which become a bit basic once you see the way to get to the top.

I didn't find any use for the lower gel pipe. All good, the only detail I didn't like were the plain looks of the stone stairs. Here's the demo (it's the way I followed, just faster than the 1st time):
http://www.mediafire.com/?iiqvr29urg84p6j

Looking at at infernet89's suggestion, I believe I've found the same quick-solve route. An emancipation grill that limits access to the different levels perhaps?

I recorded a demo. I don't think I did it right :S Nice looking map though, stairs were a bit much and that long hallway that the bridge goes through the fizzler.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=E2COCLFG

Thanks for the feedback and demos everyone! I made a lot of updates to the level based on what people said. Some specific things:
-made some changes that have probably fixed a bug with players being able to bypass the first part of the puzzle (combination of invis. collision, shifting of ledges, removal of unnecessary platforms and having one explicitly triggered later on)
-blocked one of the stairways with ruins and set up another portalable surface to speed up the early part of the map
-put env_cubemaps around, updated a lot of visual elements

Please keep testing this map and let me know what you think / if you can break it, etc. The demos have been really useful for understanding how players see the level, so please keep sending them!

A really nice map, I love the sweeping vista when you walk into the chamber and look up, this could win on the visual front just for the view of the sky.

Nice map, yet the game not ending was a bit confusing at first, and "End of Playtest" Default endgame text was a bit odd. (msleeper has nice modified transition ent you could use). Otherwise, i did like the gameplay, and the level design.

Thanks!
I've uploaded a new version of the map with some more changes to make navigating the chamber between stages of the puzzle more interesting, and I've updated lighting and a lot of the details (like intro/outro text and transition settings, VO and sfx, portal gun no longer has the potato on it, etc.).

Looks better than before, but still I passed it without using the lower gel. And cheated my way on top because the fizzler is too high. The detail that keeps bugging me is those massive stone stairs, better fit for the Temple of Doom.

Yeah, I'm going to find a way to get rid of stairs altogether soon.
Could you please send a demo of how you were able to pass it without using the lower gel?

I put it on camera, just don't expect cat-like reflexes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6gNSuu0l7k

The Map file is gone.

lifeson99 wrote:
The Map file is gone.

There is a "report broken download" link that you should click if it doesn't work.

Either way, I fixed the problem.

Great map. Enjoyed the low key overgrown atmosphere and music. I used the lower gel and the upper gel both, didn't look for any shortcuts and it worked fine... fun...Thanks for creating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smTWGyJCRM4first attempt, was a good map to me

Really pretty map. I like the deformed floor where the cube falls

Two small criticisms:
- the stair after the light bridge jump could do with more debris. As it is, one should be able to climb it.
- the gel flow looks weird, too scattered. It even go through the pipe wall.

And like roksonixx, I was stumped for a while at the area with the fizzler. I found the solution by chance. The solution is easy but for some reason I couldn't see it.

I didn't find any use to all the zone behind the fizzler. Is it useful in the intended solution?

Well, I was trawling through the list of Summer Mapping Initiative maps and stumbled across a rather significant shortcut in this map. I'm really surprised no one discovered in before now. Anyway, I decided to create a speedrun video to demonstrate:

05Z8oOOnOiQ

Enigmaphase wrote:
stumbled across a rather significant shortcut in this map.

I stumble a lot . Despite my general lack of skill, I actually tried what you did (before watching your vid) and couldn't make it. Help me out here, did you jump just before the portal or right on the lip?

To the creator:
I ended up solving the puzzle at least somewhat like what I think you intended (only with a lot of mistakes.) I really enjoyed figuring it out, and I may go back and try to break it another way that I saw but didn't try.

One little glitch, where the gel was dripping from the ceiling, I couldn't see it on the floor, even after I dropped it on the floor in the hallway entrance. I tried just to jump up, and was very surprised when I bounced, because I didn't know the gel was there.

Overall, a great map, even if there are ways to beat it. Let the players who have the skill to pull off crazy maneuvers have their fun. My only suggestion is something you have already mentioned; cutting down on some of the running around on the stairs.

KennKong wrote:
Enigmaphase wrote:

stumbled across a rather significant shortcut in this map.

I stumble a lot . Despite my general lack of skill, I actually tried what you did (before watching your vid) and couldn't make it. Help me out here, did you jump just before the portal or right on the lip?

I jump just as I go through the portal - more specifically, just before I'm halfway through the portal. Also, I believe it has to be a strafe jump/bunny hop; (IIRC) I tried just doing a normal running jump and I couldn't quite get to the light bridge. Either way, it's certainly not an easy jump to pull off.

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:

ikchxoSd9a8
(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikchxoSd9a8)

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

http://www.sendspace.com/file/xfge7hmine

Good map, it should be bigger still with a few side chambers to solve puzzles to unlock the "stairway to heaven". Very good idea. 5/Excellent.


Overgrowth

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I liked this map but wasn't able to figure out a way to get onto the highest floor - the hallway behind fizzler should probably be used for that. But after a playthrough video I found showed that it is unnecessary and this problem can be solved by portal standing (dunno if it counts when light bridge is to come from the portal). I think it wasn't the intended solution, I even didn't consider it to be possible.

b6gNSuu0l7k

(see 1:50)

Also, at the bottom of the pit, on right side of the hallway the player came from, there is foliage causing texture flickering (or how to name it)...

Pretty much a good, enjoyable map with good visuals, good idea and nice gameplay. Worth of 4/5 in my opinion - very good, but lacks this little something that would make me absolutely love it.

Also, I have experienced one problem during my replays: it appears that the portal surface next to the light bridge may be bugged. There was two times when I tried to shoot a portal there and the game instantly closed. There was no sound, message or anything; I just aim at the surface, click the button, and the next second the game is no more. It happened first when I was about to create that bridge that goes through the fizzler, and the second time when I wanted to create it under that lower repulsion gel source; always when I wasn't expecting it. It never happened when I tried to repeat this on purpose.

Nice map! I really liked it. Although, you should fix the gloss - there's got to be hundreds of tutorials out there.