UPDATE 2.0 - I fixed some textures, no more having to break glass , and added an easter egg.


This is my second map ever created using hammer. It's a small but entertaining map with a new cube technique.
Download Here

Buttons on ze wall is not new.

Or there is something else I have yet to see by playing.

The Texture alignment could use some work.

CabooseJr wrote:
The Texture alignment could use some work.

Indeed.

This looks very boring.

Your map fails, you named it Map and you told it to load under a different name, which means it doesn't load and can't find the map you specified. Also "Map" fails to load in console too because of the name.
Also:
[img]http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa55/ultradude25/changeofplans.png[/img]
Did you intend to name them different?

I played it.

Too much relying on timing, too little on thinking. It was easy to figure out what to do, but it all came down on timing.

ultradude25 wrote:
Your map fails

Your map from the pics needs work.. the floors should always line up with the walls. when I make maps, I use the floor as a guide. It also looks like it is too dark. Does it have a leak?

Also, (This may not be about your map) I'm really getting sick of people using Companion Cubes as a normal cube would just do fine..

The darkness of the pics is because my graphics card sucks and have to have all of the settings on low. I've played my map on a comp with better graphics settings and it looked a bit brighter. So that might have something to do with it.

Can i please say one thing about inconsistency? Why is it that the VERY first puzzle getting out of the... prison you're in can only be done by shooting a portal through two windows, when it could have just as easily be done by shooting one through the gap in the door? Oh yeah that's because you CAN'T shoot one through there, if you can't change that, mind using a different door?

It's impossible for me to hate any map because i find it hard to critisize other peoples opinion, that being childish i think, but really i do hate some things about the map, one of which being when it seems that i've been missing the actual way to solve it all along, and that way for me is usually noclip.

That's why i liked the original Portal and the Flash Version Mappack, because it told you "Here's where you are, here's where you have to go, here's what should be done to get there, here's a portal gun, go crazy" i mostly liked it because it was constantly having more then one way to beat the map allowing creative thinking, and on maps like this where you absolutely must do something in a particular way, one that confused the living hell out of me at that, it makes me feel restrained. And in a Portal map that's something i hate the very most since the whole idea of Portal was to give the player freedom to figure out what he had to do and always provide a second way just in case.

I am so sorry for that outburst... i went in to full out rant mode without even thinking it, i stand by that opinion but i do apologise for the way i put it.

:O Omg, I got past the loading stage.

Now, what can we have fun breaking in this map.
Lets see to start off:

[img]http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa55/ultradude25/achangeofplans0001.jpg[/img]
Shoot here.

[img]http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa55/ultradude25/achangeofplans0000.jpg[/img]
And get this.

[img]http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa55/ultradude25/achangeofplans0005.jpg[/img]
I can haz glichy windows? You bet!

[img]http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa55/ultradude25/achangeofplans0004.jpg[/img]
Oohh look, the ball launcher is using noclip. :O

You forgot to point out the two doors on the wall of that chamber opposite the ball launcher: when the one on the the left is open, it clips through the one on the right, and vice versa.

I enjoyed have to split the cube between two buttons.. That said, when I had it where it needed to be, I wasn't sure how to complete the second part of that puzzle.

This map probably shouldn't have been released as a 'playable level,' but instead as a public beta. Don't get to discouraged by the criticism, though; take it and learn from it. It's always good to see another person joining the ranks of level design.

Oh, also read Angry Beaver's Texture Alignment 101 version of The Dam; it's how I learned to align textures.

I enjoyed the new button technique too. This map still needs some work, here are some things I noticed:

The lighting in room with the ceiling fan was too bright
Couldn't get the energy ball into the catcher. Might just be me, but it seems you are relying on timing, and that is always a bad idea. After a few unsuccessful tries, I ended up noclipping.
I was able to create a portal under the switch:
[img]http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/2923/achangeofplans0000tc7.th.jpg[/img]
The door sticking out of the wall
[img]http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/1345/achangeofplans0001oc5.th.jpg[/img]
Texture alignment needs some work to get right. Always remember to align your textures, it gives the player a good feeling from a first sight. For example here:

I found the secret cake but I was unable to figure out how to get it without noclipping. Is there a way?
No soundscapes - no real atmosphere. Add some
If the energy ball can activate the first button, why cannot it activate the other two? That was a little bit confusing. Also you might want to add some indicator strips - e.g. the door leading to the fan room had no indicator strip.

If you fix these and re-release, you will have a great map. Continue with the project, I enjoyed it

I liked the map both ways. Hope the next one is a little longer.