UPDATED my map, since I added every feature that I had to skip because of the map contest. I had to make an alternate ending, but now I deleted the lift, added the missing puzzles, fixed the bugs, added player hints (optional), cubemaps, some speed tweak, and a transition to the next level.
Level 1 is fully completed, I'm working on lvl 2 atm (will need some tester to find bugs and exploits).
I've posted a developer version and the sourcecode of this first map too.

Latest downloads, screenshots and more info here:
http://heroes.hardwired.hu/-/portal/portmap.html

Will post updates on the link above, as I add more and more content. And maps 02 03 etc too...

Hey man, I'm working my way through your map and rather digging it (although I'm stumped right now, I want to keep trying, which is a good sign).

I got an unintended solution which you may or may not want to address: I took out the four turrets without using the energy pellet, just the CC. If you take the cube to the end of the glass panel, to the first place where the turrets can hit you, and you drop the cube and crouch behind it, then the turrets can't see you. Now you let them go back to their idle state (not searching), quickly grab the cube, stand up, and rush them. Because you're starting from closer than intended, they don't have enough time to draw a bead on you and kill you before you knock them all over.

Still pretty much stumped on how to activate the floating platform while I'm anywhere near it... although I just had a new idea.

Sorry for the double post, but I found another glitch-around, and this one I'm pretty sure you'll want to fix: I was able to activate the platform button without using the energy pellet. The floor beneath the goo is portalable, so I put one portal on the X above the button, grabbed the cube and took it to the platform, put a portal underneath the goo, and dropped the CC through the goo, into the portal, and onto the button.

Also I found the surfaces on the far side of the goo really finicky about being portalable or not. That was confusing and slowed me down.

I really like how you reuse the same pellet-spitter for three tasks. Being able to get around using the pellet kind of weakens the map. You might want to plug a couple of these holes.

I think Crooked Paul covered some of the problems, but I noticed that when you are about to get onto the platform, the ground there was also portable making it rather easy and completely avoiding using the cleverly designed way you are supposed to get over. Also, the walls were very annoying and took me a while to position in the proper spot.

Looks good though :>D

Loved the way you maneuvered the energy pellets. Did not like the fact you have numerous surfaces that arent supposed to be portalable, that are. Not just under the goo; in places that help me solve the map. And in some other places; did you know you can portal into the metal shaft, and then portal ON TOP of the ceiling fan and take a ride on it?

And I must say, I REALLY dislike the ending for these reasons: presumably I wasnt meant to survive this, since there is no portable surfaces to attack/escape with? The TABLE hurts me? Well shhiitt; I was STILL able to beat your 4 turrets and was left standing with no way out! If I can beat it, as unfair as you made it, then I deserve a way out, darn it!

ye, when I worked on the floor indicators I moved the noportal from the floor up and forgot to move it back down before compiling. Will fix it. But others said its too obvious what to do, since there are too much sign on the walls.
There is a cube and portal sign at the end of the left pellet route...

Any other surface that portable? I already know this one bug, but if there are more... let me know.

And I'll add 2-2 more turret to the end then. And maybe 2 sentry to the sentry room, in front of the other wall too. Ball can still "kill" them too but they cant be cube-dodged.
Btw the lift and the last room will be removed, I just had to close the map quickly for the contest, and now I can continue...

gepy wrote:
Any other surface that portable? I already know this one bug, but if there are more... let me know.

The brown area on the floor right next to the moveable platform.

Everywhere inside the metal shaft with the ceiling fan in it.

In the goo.

Thats all I spotted.

fixed, and added 2 more sentry

one thing i noticed that could be a problem, you can drop the cube in the goo and then your sol

With no Box Dropper, that's to be expected on any map without one
Similar to the Advanced Chamber (16? I think?) Only one box there,
if you lose it in the goo, you have to start over, no way out.

On another note, in the area with the goo, you can portal on the non-portalable
metal textures on the otherside allowing you to completely skip the
lift... unless I'm missing something. I just tried it last night, I'm assuming
it's the most recent release.
Basically the metal wall facing where the lift would arrive to.
you can put the box on the lift yourself, go over there and then portal
across... just make sure you save yourself a way out ^^

I thought I fixedthat metal floor bug near the button, where you must jumpon the platform. Or is it at the other end of the room? I couldnt find any portable surface there, but will check that too. The fixed version have 6 sentry in the sntry room. Next time I'll add a box dropper too, butt comp cupe is unique, and I never dropped it into the goo

yea was trying to throw it threw a portal i made on the wall around the goo

fixed, and added some detail to the second room. Hopefully tomorrow I'll continue making the map (deleting the lift part and the turret-button ad continuing as I planned)

awww that was my favorite part though! took me around 2 hours to figure it out =o extremely clever though =D but after u get past that part and the last orb catcher you can get trapped in the room or by the box on the button D:

well, the entry point of the portal is marked with X, and the ball have around 10-12 bounce point so its not that hard to figutre out, even because the right first spot is marked with a bulletmark.
The trick is that the portal must be placed after the first time the ball bounce there, and returns.
I'll add an option to ask for help (with special buttons) near each puzzle to make it easier (like the developer marks on the official maps). But only in my first 2 "training" map.

"but after u get past that part and the last orb catcher you can get trapped in the room or by the box on the button"
Since I changed the wall near the goo, the player can only make one portal in that room, and since there must be an other end, he can surely escape through it from that room.

Awesome map, having fun with it so far. I'm stumped in the room with the turrets and moving platform however. I don't have a CC to work with...? Did I miss it somehow?

EDIT Ignore that, I'm just an idiot. -_-

Also, the wall behind the switch after the platform (the one to open the door) is portable, when it shouldn't be (or maybe it should, but it has the wrong texture then).

I've finally finishd the map, as I planned.
Removed the alternate ending (elevator) that was added to end the level for the mapping contest. Now it has 1 more puzzle and loads next level. Also fixed/changed several thing.

for more info and updates, check:
http://heroes.hardwired.hu/-/portal/portmap.html

I guess I didn't realize just how early in development level 2 is because I spent a while trying to figure out some kind of puzzle or progress in the level before I began to noclip and realized that its just a cube building room for now. I'm looking forward to whatever it becomes though.

As far as the first level, It was its usual good self, but there were a couple of things that need touching up:

1)This is hard to explain, but if you ride the lift over the mud and look to the left there's a button. Use your mouse look to follow the path of energy that leads from the button to the door on the other side of the window and you will notice a place where a portal can be shot. If you shoot a portal at that place then the portal will appear on the other side of the window.

2)The sound of the lift which moves over the mud is distorted/too loud.

3)And just a nit-picky thing: I don't like that the WCC can be taken through the emancipation grid near the end of level 1

Quote:
3)And just a nit-picky thing: I don't like that the WCC can be taken through the emancipation grid near the end of level 1

You mean through the first one?
I dont want the cube to be destroyed. And it cant be taken through the secoond one (as I know the player cant get there with the cube)
There are other maps as well where the field is just a cleanser, and doesnt vaporizes objects.
fixed bug 1)

gepy wrote:
You mean through the first one?
I dont want the cube to be destroyed. And it cant be taken through the second one (as I know the player cant get there with the cube)
There are other maps as well where the field is just a cleanser, and doesnt vaporizes objects.

In the contest version of your map I got the cube to that same button by sticking a turret in the door way. In that version of the map that same emancipation grid did fry the cube. I'd never seen another map with a selective emancipation grid like that, and so that solution didn't occur to me until I accidently threw the cube through the grid. So to me you were breaking my notion of what a grid does, but now I know different.

It would be nice if there were different particle patterns/colors for grids that act differently to those in the Valve created test chambers. Then a community standard could be setup so that everyone uses the same visual style for different types of grids. I've never looked at the SDK so I don't know if that easy or even possible.

(edit)- Alternatively, if you want to get the cube to that button you could make a hole in the wall above the grid that the player has to toss the cube through. Sorry if it sounds like I'm trying to tell you how to make your map. I really appreciate the opportunity to play it just how it is.

-Adair

sorry for the double post, I hit quote instead of edit by mistake.

thats not good, cause with a bad throw attempt the cube can touch the field and die. I'll make a custom sign that shows this field only removes portals, or will use the beam where the moving platform travels, instead of the particle system. And will emove the left/right models that "spawn" the field to look more different

edit: I've added custom textures, along with a cube-friendly signage that I placed on the floor. Now it should be clear that this field will not kill anything

You're right, it would be really bad to lose the cube to a bad toss at that point.

gepy wrote:
I've added custom textures, along with a cube-friendly signage that I placed on the floor. Now it should be clear that this field will not kill anything

Awesome, thank you. I'll try it out next time I go home.