[RELEASE] Alpha Chamber 1
![[img]http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/4388/alphachmb10001ml6.th.jpg[/img]](http://img245.imageshack.us/my.php?image=alphachmb10001ml6.jpg){kind=link}
![[img]http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3873/alphachmb10002xq1.th.jpg[/img]](http://img141.imageshack.us/my.php?image=alphachmb10002xq1.jpg){kind=link}
Hey guys. First time poster, somewhat long time Hammer Editor user-guy.
I have just recently created my first Portal map, and I wanted to get as much feedback on it as possible. I'll start by saying that I really wanted to create a second map to go along with it, but time hasn't really been on my side these days. So this map is rather short, and ends abruptly, but I wanted to get some feedback on what I have so far. If it's so far so good, i'll release the second map here as well, so i'm looking forward to that! 
Since this is my first map, it's not all that complex. It started off as an experiment map to test out the different aspects of Portal mapping, but then I decided to expand it a little bit. The puzzles aren't that difficult, at least not as challenging as some of the maps i've seen here lately. You guys have quite the creative thinkers. But we all gotta start somewhere, right!?
So, let's get right down to the meat of this thread, eh? First, some screenshots!
[img]http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/4388/alphachmb10001ml6.th.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3873/alphachmb10002xq1.th.jpg[/img]
Here are a couple of links to give it a download:
dload.php?action=file&file_id=141
http://www.fpsbanana.com/maps/42892
You can find the same screenshots there, and i've included a readme in the .zip which says just about the same thing I already stated in the beginning paragraphs, more or less.
So feel free to take a look around, and give feedback on ways to improve this, and in turn help make the second map even better! Also, if you see any errors/bugs, i'd also love to know about them!
Looks pretty good for your first attempt from the screenshots, can't wait to play it.
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This was a good map. A few things I noticed:
When I entered this big room:
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3873 ... xq1.th.jpg
The indicator lights were confusing. I automatically assume they are supposed to be indicating if the door is locked or unlocked, but they indicate if the 'puzzle' in that room is complete, which took a few moments to work out.
the elevator in the third room turned bright green when it activated (dunno what caused this, could have been my computer I suppose)
http://leckweb.5elements.net/pictures/a ... _10001.jpg
The glass didn't like the fog element of the goo room, and was flickering a bit. also i completed this room by accident, because the energy ball hit a platform as it was still rotating and happend to be shot straight into the catcher.
Overall it was a good map though, I enjoyed it.
Alright this is my...review.
VERY good-looking map! The lighting, the textures, the rising steps, all the space you have, the sparks, the shattering glass, and just everything looked fantastic, as good or better than the actual game.
I understand that this is the first map in the sequence or whatever you are making, which is why you get the portal gun at the end, but it was still really boring and easy. Like when I beat the first room, I thought I did a ninja solution because it was so easy and straightforward. Then I saw this trend in all the other rooms. There is little to no choice, and thus no difficulty.
Another aspect of the map I didn't find too great was the amount of buttons. You are very button-happy! 
There must have been 10 hand-pushed buttons. One that stands out as not needed is the one that rises the steps in the big room with the upside-down stand-on button. It was a nice addition, but it was definitely not a puzzle, though I thought it would be on a timer or there was a catch because of the simple thing it did.
The text at the end was cool too.
Yeah so that's it I guess. It looks great, but it was too straightforward and easy, and there were many many buttons. Those are the main points. Hopefully for your next map, there will be some head-scratching puzzles along with an awesome presentation. Great work though!! It looked like it took a very long time!
Pretty cool stuff, but what really scares me was the fact that your ball Puzzle is the same as mine, and they both involve rotating panels. Nuts... and scary.
nice work for the first map
Here it is my speed run:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjUrkIQnKpk
(I'll stop recording if i die.)
Here it is my speed run:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjUrkIQnKpk
Ministry? 
nice speed run the music hurts though.
Looksl ike a pretty good map, you've got some innovative ideas in there 
the music hurts though.
Looksl ike a pretty good map, you've got some innovative ideas in there
My fucking fraps don't record any track audio, so i've to replace the irritating silence whith someone else, if u don't like just turn off the volume
(I'll stop recording if i die.)
On the movies tab, you do have "Record sound" checked right? And the dot is in "Detect best sound input"? Thats what I have mine set to and it works flawlessly.
But anyway, onto the map.
Visually the map was pretty good. I found the lack of the portal gun irritating, as I love that thing. But whatever. The ball catcher puzzle was really nice.
The one thing that I didn't really like in it, was the room where you finally get the gun.
As previously mentioned, the indicator lines are somewhat confusing. And I'm not a fan of buttons that cannot be pressed until something is achieved. Perhaps if there were 4 buttons in that room, and you needed to somehow retrieve a cube from each of the 3 rooms as a result of the puzzles within them, then stand on the 4th yourself to lower the final platform.