Quote from Talgoran on June 17, 2008, 11:25 pm

Pretty fun map. Large with a variety of puzzles. Random notes:
[spoiler]1. The way you get the portal gun at the beginning seemed kind of lame to me. For it to be just sitting there on a stand seemed sort of...anti-climactic, for such a sweet item.
2. I thought using a camera to break the glass was very stupid (no offense). If a weighted storage cube thrown at the glass can't break it, but a small camera can...it must be a very strange world indeed. I knew I had to get the cubes out somehow, but there was a fizzler, so I looked around for holes to portal through the wall or something. I randomly knocked down the camera when getting bored in the room, and mentally face-palmed when I saw what happened.
3. The boss. I had basically the same experience as other people that have posted. Killed the turrets easily enough, then tried to kill the laser pillars with the rocket turret. It wasn't working so after about 10 minutes a brilliant idea came to me: kill the laser pillars with the laser pillars! I was about to try that out, when the boss suddenly...died. After reading these posts, I can see that you have to make the turret shoot itself? This is strange, since in the official Portal game, the missiles dissipate on impact with the turret. I guess that training taught me not to try that anywhere else.
4. I thought the layout of the map overall was kind of confusing. I didn't know which way to go first. One way leads to cube fizzler puzzle, another to a huge turret production plant? O.o That's just one example. I don't know...the map seemed a bit confusing at first.[/spoiler]

Well that's just me. The map was still very cool, with the custom sounds and pink lasers and everything.

Quote from cornontheCoD on June 18, 2008, 12:44 am

I haven't played much of it yet, but I think the coolest thing is that you have your own look and style to it, while it still works with what valve's theme is. I think this is one of the most important things in custom maps.

Quote from uXs on July 5, 2008, 4:47 pm

Just finished it, and I thought it was a great map. Thanks for making it

Quote from ecco on July 7, 2008, 1:48 pm

Just wanted to send out thank yous to all for the support and excellent feedback. In particular Taco's and some of the others' critics really helped me to refine the map to where I feel content and proud of the product. Also big thanks to infernet89 for his speedrun video. It def gave some insight to what everyone was talking about in their reviews as to what needed to be addressed and fixed. Plus speedruns and play-thrus in general are a lot of fun to see-- nothing like watching how players interact with the environment, puzzles and challenges you've set out for them.

I hope version 1.5 of the map has a better vibe as far as the end boss battle concept goes-- I tried to implement a similar concept with a more obvious solution. Additionally, I've tweaked the map here and there; the "box-jump" room now has slightly more portal technique if desired-- the gaps in that one particular fizzler was corrected-- etc. I tried to deliver something traditional yet unique and fun. I think Portal's greatest achievement is the way it gives freedom to the player to navigate a given environment however one chooses; and I challenged myself to give the player different methods for puzzles to be completed with not just one concrete solution...

Well enough talk; I'm a get to playing all the custom maps I've missed inbetween...

I've also started on the initial concept and design for the next Chamber-- and been thinking of trying my hand at a TF2 map as well... we'll see.

Quote from FISHY CRACKERS on July 9, 2008, 2:43 pm

The only problem i found was that you could just barely portal behind a spinning fan in the area just after the turrets, and only on the ceiling too. I did this thinking it was a way out, and after that i couldn't get out of the area since i couldn't reach the ceiling, so i had to run into the fan and kill myself.

Quote from Kokoyote on July 10, 2008, 2:44 am

Very nicely done. A fun, challenging experience all the way through for me. [spoiler]I like the current version of the boss battle - it was tough but never frustrating. Getting the two cubes out of their chamber worked really well for me - I had to puzzle over it a bit, but the physics worked really smoothly in the end, so I was impressed (I shot the cubes through the chute on their own, but I see I could have also shot myself just as easily. In the room with the lasers, I was a little confused about how to get into the central chimney after I turned off the beams. The solution I ended up using (same one as in the speed run video) seemed like cheating somehow - I thought I had missed something.[/spoiler]

Quote from ecco on July 11, 2008, 1:14 am

FISHY CRACKERS wrote:

The only problem i found was that you could just barely portal behind a spinning fan in the area just after the turrets, and only on the ceiling too. I did this thinking it was a way out, and after that i couldn't get out of the area since i couldn't reach the ceiling, so i had to run into the fan and kill myself.

hmm, I honestly am confused with your comment; I just went back and played the level to see if I could find what you were saying; I wasn't able to portal behind the fan-- and I know I placed "no_portal_volumes" behind the fan--- so I'm trying to understand how you accomplished this? Did I miss a spot? or am I looking at something completely different than what you're saying-- perhaps a screenshot or video clip would help-- thanks.

and Kokoyote; as for what you wrote; very glad you enjoyed the experience-- you seem to have had the ideal run through the map...

[spoiler]To have the physics of the cube drop shoot allow it to fall all the way through the other side was tricky; I also designed it so that the player can jump in himself for two reasons ( 1. because on random occasion the cube would get stuck in the drop shoot (naturally) and 2. because I didn't want just one set solution to the map; allowing the player to go through with it which way they see fit and prefer; also it gives the speed runners a quick exit out of there and a rather unique different method of getting through it as shown from the speedrun videoclip

as for the central chimney room; that's where I intended to push the player's thought process a bit more in preparation for the final battle and for any "as yet unreleased" future levels -- where the choices and solution seem not so obvious but you're free to try a few different things to both turn off the laser beams and to jump in the chimney...

during testing I noticed various possible solutions and tactics and the person that ran the speedrun actually showed me a different way to go about shutting down the lasers that I hadn't planned; I kept it as is; because it almost allows you to kinda skip a certain extra puzzle kinda like Valve did where they rewarded you for thinking with portals and out side the box. However after the lasers are shut off -- if you got in the chimney as the guy in the speedrun did -- by falling and coming out through a portal using the momentum to pop up into the chimney then congrats cuz that was my intended method![/spoiler]

I've learned tons from all the feedback and just designing for Portal in itself is a lesson and a half to say the least-- Portal mapping is obviously rather tricky than say a deathmatch or everyday shooter --- but I enjoy the challenge and the outcome.

Quote from Kayaia on July 20, 2008, 5:36 pm

Nicely done for the most part, some areas felt a bit out of place and i was wondering why the 2 side parts are in pitch black(?).

Anyway, i found a problem:[spoiler]In the part with the combine ball catcher, if you hug the edge of the case its in and go to the back you can shoot a portal inside and climb inside. Once inside you can just shoot a portal behind the catcher(?!?) and get the ball in without having to do the whole timed button part.[/spoiler]

Good overall so i give you a:

Quote from Bosf on August 1, 2008, 5:39 am

Talgoran wrote:

Pretty fun map. Large with a variety of puzzles. Random notes:
[spoiler]2. I thought using a camera to break the glass was very stupid (no offense). If a weighted storage cube thrown at the glass can't break it, but a small camera can...it must be a very strange world indeed. I knew I had to get the cubes out somehow, but there was a fizzler, so I looked around for holes to portal through the wall or something. I randomly knocked down the camera when getting bored in the room, and mentally face-palmed when I saw what happened.

Mek wrote:

I played it today. It has its unique style and I liked the BTS area. The fizzler things apply to me too
[spoiler]But I was unable to find a way to take the two cubes out of the room with the Vital apparatus vent. There is a fizzler in the exit of the room and there is no other way to go or to shoot a portal through, so I had to noclip it I think I missed something.[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]

[spoiler]I took one cube i took second cube,clib up on the black boxput cube here,climb on the cube, i made portal under me and above the glass and i let it fall.crash!it broke the glas..i didnt try it with the camera...[/spoiler]

and one last thing
[spoiler]i have no idea what to do with that rocket turret.what i must do?I tried to shot it by himself - portal one next to him portal two on the other side and shoot trough portal to himself...doesnt work.the rocket fly trough the rocket turret.what i must do?[/spoiler]