A small difficult puzzle for hardcore portal players.

Note: As all my maps, this may require rather advanced techniques.

v1.1: Removed an alternative solution.

File Name: sp_beamchain_v1.1.zip
File Size: 2.2 MiB
Click here to download Beamchain

Nice and dificult map. Really need to think. But I can't finish it.
And need your help, what to do. I've enabled light-bridge, but how to put second cube on the botton?
By the way, why there is laser in the middle of the map, that enables itself?

Uh-oh... Time to spend another entire day (at least) on one of your puzzles

Finally! I solved this damn puzzle. I hate laser puzzles. I told myself, Baca don't you go downloading another laser puzzle, your going to be stuck in there for a hour or more. Should have listened to myself... Well, anyways... it was a challenge and I solved it, and I don't think it is the intended solution because if it is, then good luck to everyone else. LOTS of trial and error for me.
Had to loop myself by taking the tractor beam up, and shooting the two floor panels, then grabbed the two cubes next to the floor panels, when I was in the loop. Had to get a really lucky cube toss in order to get both cubes by the same panel. I really would like to see a recording of the intended solution because I just dont see how it is possible any other way, then the way I did it.
I'm adding the recording (DEM file) of the final setup I had in order to solve this thing. Never used a DEM recording before, so I guess you can put it in your commmon > portal 2 > portal 2. file, then double click it, when portal 2 is closed.
You also don't seem to be concerned with looks. Bland walls / Ceilings. No lights. Some Flickering textures. If you're going to have people stuck in a room for an hour, at least put a little more effort into the detailing.

Your dem dont seem to work for me.May of done it wrong but dont think so.It didnt work on portal 2 folder or any sub folders in portal2

Edit:Now that I think about it you may have to name the dem as the same as bsp so it can grab the info needed to play

It worked for me by just typing "playdemo lazer" into console. Baca, Yes you are correct I'm not too concerned with looks. I will fix the flickering textures in next version though. The solution is not the one I intended, still very clever. Well done. I'm a fan of only having one solution to a puzzle though so I might remove this option in future version.

jonatan wrote:
It worked for me by just typing "playdemo lazer" into console. Baca, Yes you are correct I'm not too concerned with looks. I will fix the flickering textures in next version though. The solution is not the one I intended, still very clever. Well done. I'm a fan of only having one solution to a puzzle though so I might remove this option in future version.

I want to see the intended version.

Great level! I've succeeded at almost every combination I thought of except getting the cube up to the pad. Used either lightway or tractor beam to get up there, but not with a cube. I also managed to get both fizzlers turned off with self feeding lasers, but that didn't help at all.

anyway the demo doesn't load
] playdemo lazer
Playing demo from lazer.dem.
SignalXWriteOpportunity(3)
DataTable warning: No matching RecvTable for SendTable 'DT_InfoPortalScore'.

Host_Error: DataTable_ParseClientTablesFromBuffer failed.

Well, i'm assuming the solution involves those special entry-exit lasers but so far my attempts didn't utilize them. I don't think it's possible to hurry along and get in the tractor beam with a cube to get high enough to place a light-bridge parallel to the door cube-pad and land on it.
Maybe one should use both cubes first to somehow place portals to be able to do what i wrote above. A portal on the would-be light-ridge panel. But i doubt it's doable.

So back to the special lasers. While you can't direct the middle laser path with a cube after you 'turn it on', you can direct that laser if you place a cube in the path before you turn that laser on. Maybe it will give another ideas how to solve the puzzle.

it is possible (and I've done it)
1. sustainably activate tractor beam and use it to get to the pad (but it requires both cubes on the floor)
2. activate main laser with the button then rush to the beam and get high enough to shoot light bridge to walk to the exit door. But it requires one cube on the laser pad and the other cube on the floor.

Has anyone found the intended way of solving this? I solved it in an unintended way i guess. I just don't see how it is possible to get two cubes up there, while having the light bridge portal. You need the tractor beam to get up there, but you need a cube on the ground to use the tractor beam, and one cube can't be sitting next to a floor panel that allows you to have the light bridge portal, when you get up to the top of the tractor beam...
I deem it unsolvable, without some glitch or bug I don't know about.

Another very nice map! I love the looks, they don't distract the player from the real goal of solving the puzzle.

I'm thinking if the technique introduced in the second part of sevengates will be useful here...

Quote:
I deem it unsolvable, without some glitch or bug I don't know about.

There is a solution of course (other than the one you first found which is now removed). I will upload it at the end of the weekend, unless anyone objects. If nobody solves it, I win, right?

I've completed it, and I'm pretty sure its the intended solution, ill describe the important details. Let me know jonatan.

SPOILER:

The setup involves a beam chain with both cubes and the portals. The portals are located on the two surfaces that allow the beam to reach the funnel activator. One cube is next to the pad under the ledge (right next to the beam source) and the other is in the path of the emancipation field and is positioned in the middle of the two field deactivators. The beam chain travels through the portals and deactivates both fields. Then, you hit the laser button and quickly jump into the funnel to reach the platform. Next, you shoot a portal on the bridge surface and on the surface directly under the platform. Removing the original portals breaks the beam chain and re-activates the fields, emancipating the cube in the field path. You jump through and back with momentum, picking up the cube you placed under the platform and bringing it back up to the bridge activator. Finally, you jump through using momentum again. Once you are on the bridge side, you quickly shoot a portal under the respawned cube, bringing it to the platform side, and then re-place the portal under you at the bridge surface. You grab the second cube as you return to the platform. Lastly, stack the cubes on the bridge activator, jump up and create the highest bridge under you. From the side of the bridge, grab the cube under you and bring it to the exit activator. Go through the exit, quit Portal 2, and pour yourself a stiff drink.

Thanks as always to jonatan, I don't know how you think these up! Looking forward to your future work.

P.S. If any jonatan vets haven't done Complexo, I'd love a fresh coop partner. Shoot me a message.

My description omitted some of the minor details regarding the sustained laser setup. I'd be happy to post a video, if someone will tell how the hell they record their solutions

Yes HeadShot that is it! I guess no need not post the solution video then:

IPaNZBduJZI
Clearly I need come up with a puzzle a bit more complex...

Great map dude. Your setup procedure was slicker than mine, but I used the same cube positioning and beam pattern (probably the only possible one). I wasted a lot of time trying to use the surface near the entrance and the other grated surface, did you put them in as a distraction? Anyway, a great puzzle as always, I've finally gotten the hang of your style. I'd hate to think of what you would consider "more complex", but I'd love another challenge.

And as before, hit me up if you have Jonatan experience and haven't done Complexo. Its the last frontier for me and I need a buddy who has the hours to spend working it out.

AMAZING map! Please continue making more of such difficult tests...

Quote:
I wasted a lot of time trying to use the surface near the entrance and the other grated surface, did you put them in as a distraction?

Yes I added them to increase the complexity (I think it has too few surface areas otherwise), however the second grate surface were initially needed in an earlier version of the puzzle. I figured I keep it since it is in an interesting position.

Hoo, boy, was that a tough one! Damn near impossible with a controller; I stopped counting quick loads at 50.
I think you could greatly reduce the number of failed attempts with a few minor tweaks. An extra second or two on the button press would help greatly, I fell just short of the platform too many times because the funnel died. Also, a higher ledge to launch from or a lower one to land on will help with the momentum problems I had. Neither change would alter the solution in any way, it would just make it less painful to execute.
There is one unavoidable flaw in your intended method. If a cube is overlapping the edge of a portal as you go through it, it flings you sideways with great velocity. I came out of the portal under the funnel and was hurled through both fizzlers and landed in the cube dropper room. If the cube is bobbing in the portal, you're toast.
While I applaud your fiendish puzzle-making talents, this one could be improved by giving some consideration to building in some ways to reset without restarting. I should just quit my complaining, count my blessings that there wasn't any cube-tossing, and be glad that I could get through it without cheating. I'll send you a bill for my new F7 key A solid 4/5 from me.

Another suggestion for tweaking this map.
On subsequent attempts to play this map, I spent hours trying to aim the laser so it would hit both the cube and the laser catcher. I cheated by using picker to fire the button while I tweaked the positions of both cubes. The cube appeared on the right edge of the portal, while the catcher appeared on the left. It was very frustrating, since I got it on the first playthrough in very few tries. Once I found the sweet spot again, I very carefully noted the position of the cubes. On the next playthrough, I still spent over half an hour cheating and tweaking to get it.
I'm not an experienced enough mapper (I'd be embarassed to publish anything I've worked on so far) to really suggest how to fix it, but the idea I had was to increase the detection radius of the laser catcher. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a way to do this. So if you know how, please tell me, and tweak your map a little, too.

Jonatan, another insanely difficult map. I needed hints but really enjoyed it anyway.
Keep up the good work.

Can`t find words to describe it - art, madness. Kudos man. How you can imagine such complex puzzle. Insanely difficult. Beat me completely. Found it toughest and meanest from all your work. Glad I saw the solution (AWESOME) will not have nightmares about this...

Thank you. I look forward to making more maps as soon as I get some more time available. Cheers.