Quote:
A test level using linked_portal_door in Portal 2's SDK.

The level basically a hollowed out cube which each of the walls covered by a linked_portal_door connecting to another random wall.

This has a few bugs still (it was a 30m map including working out how to use linked_portal_door) such as seeing the 'void' through the cracks between the walls but it's really just to show this feature off and hopefully inspire some great level designs, I know I've got a few ideas for it.

Anyway long story short I think just could make some very interesting map designs. I've got a few ideas myself but was wondering if anyone else had any thoughts on them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDH0NoclEWg

download link- Download

I've thought of all sorts of interesting things you can do, but first I need to make a simple working one that just connects two regular areas. Then I can dive into the fun stuff.

Here's an idea: Make a long hallway, break it up into segments, rotate each segment so that a different side is the "floor", link the segments together with link portal doors, and now you have a hallway where the direction of gravity keeps changing the further through it you've run.

So... how to I just get a simple linked_portal_door to work?

These work against the player's intuition, which violates an important game design tenet that should only be broken if the payoff is extremely worthwhile. If you do decide to do this, I would recommend very clearly indicating to the player what is happening in a simple example and then expanding from there, like both Portal games do at the very beginning-- allowing you to watch yourself going into one portal and coming out the other one, thereby teaching you the basic concept of Portal. I further suggest that any other time you do this you make it very clear to the player that it's happening, again both Portals do this--they use very shiny portal animations on surfaces to indicate what is happening-- something like a specific-looking door, some indicators on both sides, or really anything is should be better than nothing in this case. Hiding transitions from the player is just begging for confusion and frustration.

The confusion caused by these is not helped by the fact that you can see your portals where they actually are in the map, even through walls...

And if I can't make good enough maps, it'll be all sorts of fun to try anyways.

I've been searching for any kind of linked_portal_door tutorial and haven't found a thing. Argh. Help!

That's a link to the vmf file for the second map. Now I'm off to try and make a map where you can walk on the walls / ceiling. Maybe 2 walls, the floor and the ceiling for now as i think that'll be a lot easier to make.

It's really too much fun making these I just wish I had time to make some proper maps myself instead of just tests.

It seems like you need to let them have a 5 second delay before activating them, otherwise they open then close again straight away, unless I'm missing something.

I've got a few good ideas for this such as puzzle maze maps, I just wish i could commit the time to it.

I think I've got most this weekend to work on some test maps so I should be around if you need a hand.

Anyway Map #5- Do you like my TARDIS?
Download

It's probably already been done but couldn't resist

Edit:
This was to answer a question about what would happen if you linked 2 portals of different sizes-
Different Sized Portals
Download

But first here's my latest test.
Infinate staircase with a few surprises
Download

This was testing out two things. First getting around the time you have to wait for the portal to 'setup' by linking the portals one floor before you get there and secondly a way to re-use connecting areas in maps like elevators for example.

My hope is by using this to re-use the non-test parts of the map there'll be more space to put tests or less to load on the map even if there isn't.

Have a nice day,
~Sidneys1

Sidneys1 wrote:
I'm pretty sure that this can be done, since the only time the linked_portal_door is used in-game is a large moving test chamber...

Have a nice day,
~Sidneys1

The test chamber moves into place, then the linked_portal_door opens. No implication that the door is parented to the chamber, I would assume it's in place before the testchamber gets there.