Do you want to know what happens when Aperture runs out of money and can't afford to build huge underground testchambers anymore? This map series takes place on a parallel earth, where they use abandoned mines, digsites and outdoor areas for controlled testing to be more cost-efficient. No more space-wasting chambers with expensive walls. Let the sun shine!

The map includes:
- Cube searching and carrying
- Lot of running
- Double lasers
- Music is from game: Unreal - Hub2 (1998)
- Some models & textures are from the source shared .gcf files
- Optional ingame hints (green questionmarks) in case you stuck... * UPDATED *

The map was made in 10 day:
2 day for the outdoor area + displacements
1 day for the first 2 chamber, plus 1 day detailing
1 day to make the outdoor cube provider work
1 day for the starting chamber
1 day for the second cave + 1 day detailing
1 day testing/fixing + ending cave
1 day optimizing

Since I started this days before the mapping contest, I'll make another small map if I have time. 7 day left, maybe will be enough

Direct download: http://heroes.hardwired.hu/-/portal/sp_ ... _nmft1.zip
Walkthrough vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MKKSlKcURg
Next map is coming soon...

Click here to download No money for chambers #1 (updated)

Click here to download No money for chambers #1 (updated)

Wonderful !!!
So much fun - this would be a great Easter Map.
The outdoors part is a virtual Easter Egg hunt.
Fantastic job on this groundbreaking map.

I found an Easter Egg actually - an extra cube (not needed) that you can only find by using NoClip.
There is no other way to get up there - hehe.

Ye I preplaced that to test that room without needing to go back to the first room, and I know I sometimes accidentally leave testcubes in the game, so I placed it up there, but made it barely visible, but not that much that if players spot it, then they try to get to it instead of going back to pick the starting cube.

Great job! Probably one of the best looking maps I've seen in a long time.
Puzzles were good and I really loved the atmosphere.

Easy 5/5. Can't wait for more!

Just love your maps...! Refreshing and new. Also new version of a box piling exercise. Thanks for creating.....enjoyed it...

2 box enough for that, if you can jump.

UPDATED! Added some optional hint for noobz, similar to what I did it in my portal 1 maps...

Dude - you outdid yourself.
You envelope-pusher you ! !

I found all the cubes except one and carefully placed them in the squares.
Then I found the final cube and had to go back and retrieve a bunch of cubes just to climb up there and get it - aarrggghhh !!!

with the 2 portalsurface, its not long, and as the hint says, you only need 2 cube to reach that last one (ofc you need to jump and grab it, without a jump, ye, you maybe need more)

Wow... I don't know where to start. It's original, its relaxing, it looks fantastic, it's full of detail (inside and out), the transition between areas is seamless, it's really well optimised, the dialogue via buttons wasn't distracting...
I thought it was going to get annoying lugging cubes back and forth, or figuring out the sequence for the drop, but not so; I just hopped along taking in the HL2 vibe, exploring everywhere! There wasn't much puzzleness, but I think you hit a great balance of open space and restricted area size (the way Valve excels at), leaving me wanting more.
Talking of which, I would totally pay for more...just, please don't make us wait like 8 years!

p.s. You can grab the cube atop the rock with just one other cube and a jump

I moved that cube a bit to the edge, since if someone tries to stack cubes on the wrong side, may need 4 or more, if they dont jump. The map was made in 10 day, started 3 day before the contest was announced. I start the next one tomorrow, 5 day shuld be enough, but since its not portal themed and that will have weird puzzles too, I'm not even thinking entering, there are already some official-looking screenshots at showcase thread. This also means I will make a larger map (as usually, like map #2 that was as big as 3-4 map merged together). Others like to post a map in 4-5 part, I like single big ones. Ofc that also mean longer development time

My other problem is that most of theeplayers find the maps hard, and if stuck maybe downrate, but pro players want challenge, and they downrate because too easy. Thats why I'll use these hint buttons that I invented in my portal 1 maps 5 year ago, so I can make harder puzzles, and noobz... I mean casuals.... can also have a chance solving them, with the help of the tips. they don't tell what to do, but may give useful hints.
In the next map there will be less running and more shooting. Also I'll create achievements, for ecample solving things within a time, solving the map in X min, or hidden ones like killing a turret 5 times, flinging higher than a specific point, finding secret places, finishing puzzles with 1 less cube, etc...

Those hint buttons are a great idea indeed.

I'm re-playing "The 7th Guest" now, which is entirely based on mind bending puzzles, but has a similar ant-frustration feature, in the form of a hint book that helps you out if you're stuck. A real Godsend for some puzzles. (Shy gypsy, slyly, spryly...)

An interesting feature of that hint book, is that the first time you use it, it gives a very vague hint. The second time, a more specific one and the third time it shows the solution. Perhaps you can do something like that in your map? If players press any given hint button multiple times, they get progressively more helpful hints. (And heavier taunting of course. )

Lol I already planned something similar. Not from the same button, becazuse if it disappears fast, ppl maywant to read it again. But a double ?? next to the normal one, that shows more specific hints. or maybe a timer, if you press it twice fast (while the text is still there) you get a better hint. Its like double-clicking And yes, more penalty

Your maps are always refreshing and fun to play and this is no exception. Great choice of music. As for graphics this is best outdoor part I`ve seen so far. Puzzles are on easy side but fit very well with total package. The only thing is that I would get rid of hints. Many thanks for mapping. 5/5 from me and waiting for more

hints, hints... they dont ruin anything if you dont press them, and if you stuck or dont know what to do, then its faster than to check a walkthru video or completely quit the map or noclip. Or ppl feel urge to press them?

I wanted to make a blindrun video of this map for you but unfortunately, I didn't as I didn't complete the map. I'm stuck at the buttons underneath the wooden steps as I'm missing one cube. I've found 5 cubes outdoors and 1 cube taken from the test chamber. Where can I find this remaining cube?

Awesome map, very impressive details!
Nice music too! Thanks for creating.

RectorRocks wrote:
I wanted to make a blindrun video of this map for you but unfortunately, I didn't as I didn't complete the map. I'm stuck at the buttons underneath the wooden steps as I'm missing one cube. I've found 5 cubes outdoors and 1 cube taken from the test chamber. Where can I find this remaining cube?

well, 5 outside is ok, and if you have one extra, that means you skipped the second testcave. You did not found its entrance outside?

DaMaGepy wrote:
RectorRocks wrote:

I wanted to make a blindrun video of this map for you but unfortunately, I didn't as I didn't complete the map. I'm stuck at the buttons underneath the wooden steps as I'm missing one cube. I've found 5 cubes outdoors and 1 cube taken from the test chamber. Where can I find this remaining cube?

well, 5 outside is ok, and if you have one extra, that means you skipped the second testcave. You did not found its entrance outside?

The entrance to the second testcave? Nope. Couldn't find it. Where is it? xP

Fixed some graphical thing + hint

Maybe this thread is old and im now regrabbing it (sry), but i found a Record from me and dont wonder, 1080p is still converting, here ^^ :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F-VoK_OG2A&feature=youtu.be