Hey guys! This is the second test chamber of "Journey for the Cake". This test chamber contains Gels, with the exception of Conversion Gel. (No Cleansing Gel too)

NOTE: I made this map purely with Hammer (Authoring Tools). Just because the paint dropper is the one from PeTI doesn't mean that I made this with the Puzzle Maker, right? I'm just bored of using the standard underground paint dropper so I used the PeTI version.

Size: Medium
Difficulty: Medium

Testing elements involved:
-Repulsion Gel
-Propulsion Gel
-Turrets
-Hard Light Bridges

Improvements:
-Autosaves
-Lightings
-Automatic door signs

Enjoy! Please tell me what you think about this map! Comment! Remember to rate it too! Please post your blindruns/walkthroughs here so I know what to improve in my next map.

File Name: sp_painting_with_gels.rar
File Size: 1.15 MiB
Click here to download [JFTC] Painting with Gels (Test Chamber 02/48)

Okay the first room and the last room I don't get, they have no real puzzle apart from the joy of painting turrets. The second room had a puzzle, although the hardness of it were only in the execution. I personally have nothing against that at all but I know that not everyone will appreciate it and the puzzle had no "Oh I get it" feeling, it was about doing. The lighting was better, but I'd like an autosave in the first room, in case you jump straight into the toxicpit...
Furthermore you should consider uploading your maps to the workshop, put them in a collection so people can play them in order easily, I think most singleplayer-mappers do that nowadays.

Blindrun
KA8nBCqzVp0

I'd give this one 3/5 - good but needs work - I think you should focus more on the puzzles and not so much about doing a crapload of puzzles. Take your time and think about some neat puzzles Its maybe medium difficulty to execute, but its dead easy to understand.

Jepp wrote:
Okay the first room and the last room I don't get, they have no real puzzle apart from the joy of painting turrets. The second room had a puzzle, although the hardness of it were only in the execution. I personally have nothing against that at all but I know that not everyone will appreciate it and the puzzle had no "Oh I get it" feeling, it was about doing. The lighting was better, but I'd like an autosave in the first room, in case you jump straight into the toxicpit...
Furthermore you should consider uploading your maps to the workshop, put them in a collection so people can play them in order easily, I think most singleplayer-mappers do that nowadays.

Blindrun
KA8nBCqzVp0

I'd give this one 3/5 - good but needs work - I think you should focus more on the puzzles and not so much about doing a crapload of puzzles. Take your time and think about some neat puzzles Its maybe medium difficulty to execute, but its dead easy to understand.

Oh finally a comment! Yes, the first and last room has no puzzles in it. The first room is just an introduction to painting turrets. The last room wasn't originally look like what it looks like now. It was supposed to have portalable surfaces on the ceiling so you could use the speed gel to rush to the exit while avoiding those turrets. Thats why the door between the second and third room wasn't closed. But, it appears that players can just walk across so I removed the portalable surface. For the autosave in the first room, I didn't have any trouble jumping over the toxic pit, so I think its unnecessary to have an autosave there. For the workshop, I don't really know how to do it....yeah. Don't worry, I'll work on my next map harder, a large chamber with a whole lot of not-so-straightforward puzzles. That'll make people think. Thanks for blindrun! I appreciate it! Thanks for testing and rating! Cheers!

If you are going to do a long map pack, it is useful to introduce techniques and effects which will be used later in larger more complex puzzles. I would view these first two as introductions. Although, walking past the last turrets was not very interesting. thanks for continuing....

quatrus wrote:
If you are going to do a long map pack, it is useful to introduce techniques and effects which will be used later in larger more complex puzzles. I would view these first two as introductions. Although, walking past the last turrets was not very interesting. thanks for continuing....

Thanks. The last room (the one where you walk past turrets) was not supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be longer and there should be no more walls separating the turrets'. The ceiling was supposed to be portalable so you can turn back and spray some Speedy Gel on the floor to run to the exit without getting shot. But players can just walk past the turrets without getting shot by them. So, I removed it. Yes, you can view the first two as introductions because of the size and difficulty. The third test chamber will be larger and harder. I may reduce the total test chambers to 19 instead of 48. Be sure to check that out when its released! Thanks for testing! Cheers!

It's good to have an autosave in the beginning so you don't have to ride the elevator more than once.

Jepp wrote:
I think you should focus more on the puzzles and not so much about doing a crapload of puzzles.

I completely agree with this.
Making a map pack is definitely a dream come true, but if you aren't an extremely pro mapper, they usually don't turn out well. Maybe you should put a week or two's worth into 1 map. Take a while to come up with good ideas. Take your time. Don't just rush everything. I know it's exciting to map, (you're new), it was for me too, but trust me, you need to slow down! Hope you follow this recommendation. Good luck to you!

UsCobra11 wrote:
Jepp wrote:

I think you should focus more on the puzzles and not so much about doing a crapload of puzzles.

I completely agree with this.
Making a map pack is definitely a dream come true, but if you aren't an extremely pro mapper, they usually don't turn out well. Maybe you should put a week or two's worth into 1 map. Take a while to come up with good ideas. Take your time. Don't just rush everything. I know it's exciting to map, (you're new), it was for me too, but trust me, you need to slow down! Hope you follow this recommendation. Good luck to you!

Thanks. I'll slow down and follow your recommendation.

Jepp wrote:
It's good to have an autosave in the beginning so you don't have to ride the elevator more than once.

Okay, I'll add an autosave in the beginning in my next map.
P.S. I restarted my third map because of some glitches with Hammer. I need to redo it all from the start. >_< Just asking, can I like copy puzzles (not entirely) from other people's map into my map? Basically its the puzzle, not the map I'm copying. I'll change some stuff, not copying the whole test chamber entirely. Can I?

I seriously wouldn't recommend that. The map itself is only a part of the experience and most of it comes from the puzzle. If you really can't think of anything atleast change it a little bit. Copying one move shouldn't be that bad

And now about this map. These aren't bad maps but I would recommend just planning them out better. Plan out a puzzle. Second room on this one was barely a one but try to really think of interesting ways of using the test elements. First and third room just felt pointless.

I think the rate you are putting these out is really impressive but I prefer putting a lot of time to planning and consentrating on the puzzle itself not the map.

Don't get me wrong. It's still good map but you can still improve.

My blindrun:
h67kJR_U7VE

Shakky wrote:
I seriously wouldn't recommend that. The map itself is only a part of the experience and most of it comes from the puzzle. If you really can't think of anything atleast change it a little bit. Copying one move shouldn't be that bad

And now about this map. These aren't bad maps but I would recommend just planning them out better. Plan out a puzzle. Second room on this one was barely a one but try to really think of interesting ways of using the test elements. First and third room just felt pointless.

I think the rate you are putting these out is really impressive but I prefer putting a lot of time to planning and consentrating on the puzzle itself not the map.

Don't get me wrong. It's still good map but you can still improve.

My blindrun:
h67kJR_U7VE

Okay. Thanks for your blindrun! I understand what you all are saying. I just don't understand one thing. Are you saying that I can copy a puzzle but must change it a bit? That's exactly what I'm talking about, using the idea of the puzzle (eg. same use of flinging to fling over erhem some mechanic) and not copying the entire puzzle/map (eg. changing droppers, and environment [eg. from underground to modern..etc] ). Please re-phrase it for me. Thanks.

I'm saying it would be best if you would do it all without copying but if you MUST copy something make it something little. For example if you like one spesific move/solution (how to get a cube ect.) in my opinion you can copy that and then build a different puzzle around that move.

For example, my first map is build around flinging up and then through the wall which I saw in a map long before I made it.

Shakky wrote:
I'm saying it would be best if you would do it all without copying but if you MUST copy something make it something little. For example if you like one spesific move/solution (how to get a cube ect.) in my opinion you can copy that and then build a different puzzle around that move.

For example, my first map is build around flinging up and then through the wall which I saw in a map long before I made it.

So uhh...you copied from a map?

I don't think you are getting what I mean at all. When I started designing the puzzle for my map I was thinking of creative ways of getting back to the first area while still having one portal on the second area and I remembered a map that used this move that I found interesting.

So I added a similiar move to be a part of my final solution.

I'm still pretty sure you have no idea what I mean and you keep talking about copying from maps so maybe you could play both of these maps and see for yourself if you can spot what is copyed.

Lesson 0
Bits

and again. Originality would be best.

Shakky wrote:
I don't think you are getting what I mean at all. When I started designing the puzzle for my map I was thinking of creative ways of getting back to the first area while still having one portal on the second area and I remembered a map that used this move that I found interesting.

So I added a similiar move to be a part of my final solution.

I'm still pretty sure you have no idea what I mean and you keep talking about copying from maps so maybe you could play both of these maps and see for yourself if you can spot what is copyed.

Lesson 0
Bits

and again. Originality would be best.

...okay okay. I'll try to be original and think of ideas myself and not "copy".