Version 1.1 Beta, also called Beta 02 is now released.

Download Link

Please take the challenges and post your scores so I can adjust the values properly.

Changelog:

[CHANGE]Status strips are now overlays instead of func_illusionaries.
[CHANGE]Ugly blue field in Room 3 is now a particle field.
[ADD]GLaDOS voice files.
[FIX]Voices no longer overlap.
[FIX]You can now place portals anywhere on any portable surface.
[ADD]Room 2 Escape Route.
[WORKAROUND]Room 2 escape route now functions properly, even though there are bugs in the triggering.
[WORKAROUND]Triggers to prevent exploitation of the bugs in the Room 2 escape route triggering.

Keep in mind: In room 3, the portable surface on the ceiling is a little hard to spot, but it's there. Something funky happened to the .vmt, but I'm fixing it for the next release. I will also fix the axis problem with the small hatch in Room 2.

This is the project I've been working on since Oct 28th. The first map is now playable, but it still needs polishing. The next release will feature GLaDOS voice acting by Hamsteralliance, as well as overlays instead of illusionaries and other orange box stuff.

Some important information:

Don't place portals on the floor, even though it possible, it's not supposed to be. There are only two places where you are allowed to do place portals on the floor; the fling puzzle right after the second room, and the large stairs in room 3.

For now, I would like you to play my map, and give me information on the following:

-Gameplay (Puzzle difficulty and setup, etc...)
-Looks (Textures and lighting, as well as architecture)
- Ambiance (For now, just the background music)

Screenshots:

The first puzzle
Screenshot #1

The second puzzle. About the blue field: You can't walk through it, but everything else can.
Hint: You can get stuck in this puzzle by placing both portals in the same room (not counting button room), so quicksave when you get here.
Screenshot #2

Third and final room of the test chamber. About the blue field: There is a button to toggle it off for 5 seconds. When toggled off, you can walk through it without losing your portals, but the box still gets dissolved.
The portable stairs are to the right of this image.
Screenshot #3

Download link:

dload.php?action=filefile_id=79

&&

Be sure to try the challenges. When you access the espen180 folder in bonus maps, open the other espen180 folder to see the same map with challenges. Please post your records so I can set the gold/silver/bronze valuers. Thanks.

Not to mention it's unfair to those 56kers out there.

Looking forward to playing it though. Downloading now.

Lorithad wrote:
Not to mention it's unfair to those 56kers out there.

What, they still exist?!?

Also, glad you liked the ball puzzle.

I liked the puzzles. I had to put on my thinking cap a bit, but I was able to make steady progress.

I really like your ball-catcher puzzle, but if you can think of a way to do it so that it's not possible to get stuck, that would be a lot better. I saw the danger of getting trapped in the launcher/catcher room, so I was really careful how I placed my portals. But generally speaking if I get stuck in a map with no way out, I won't play it again unless it's really exceptional in some way.

I haven't tried the challenges yet, but I will.

The reverse gravity is done using a trigger_push.

One thing I'm not sure that I did correctly though, In regards to the ball catcher puzzle:
I ended up putting a portal on the right side room's wall where the balll first impacts, then put a second portal on the wall of the left side room that faces the wall. If the door is open, the ball impacts on the door and goes off on a chaotic patern, eventually finding its way to the catcher.

The only other way I thought I could do it, involved Letting the ball bounce back and forth in the button hallway until I had placed a portal directly in line with the catcher. However, the hall was quite small for that, and every time I tried I got fried by the ball.

1. Place portal 1 on the wall in the button room.
2. place portal 2 behind right door.
3. place portal 2 on the first wall the ball impacts.
4. Place portal 2 on the wall behind the left door when the ball is in the button room.
5. Place portal 1 on the wall opposite of the ball catcher when the ball is in the room with the launcher and catcher.

Has anyone tried the challenges yet?

The first button (the timer one) what was the point? didn't need it, didnt use it.

the last button (the other timer one) what did it do? I didnt even press it to find out because i didnt need it.

the odd force fields: as with any new gameplay element it needs 'training' they talk about this in the comentary a lot, new elements need to be introduced to a player in a way that will let them fully understand it before having to use it in a pressured situation, you didnt do this, which made the level frustrating and confusing.

personaly this feels like just another of those "early custom portal maps" that dont really fit as a test chamber and dont really fit as not a test chamber. too many maps being released arent making a distinction, either they are a test chamber and so should look like one, or they arent a test chamber and shouldnt look like one at all.

basicly

I will also provide a way to prevent the player from getting stuck.

||Room 1:

I liked the idea of the reverse gravity thing, but the whole push button to use piston etc. was too difficult to use. It was much easier to just use a portal to pick up the cube, portal upside and release the box to make it fly to the button.

Also the mechanic you're using for reverse gravity is kinda borked. If you create a portal in the floor and then another portal below the cube it will increase in velocity. I dunno if this is a non-issue once you get noportal stuff on the floor texture maybe?

Room 2:

The forcefield in here prevented anything except the energy ball from passing. Dunno if that was intended. I couldn't work this out except by making a portal mid-door (ie. the trick from Logic Portal) to enable me to get out of the little room and into the big room.

Room 3:

Another forcefield that acted weirdly. When the button was activated it disabled only the portal fizzling thing, so I could put a portal on the other side, which I guess was the intention?

But once you figoure that out the rest was really easy so it felt more like a "read the obscure mind of the level designer" kinda challenge rather than an actual portal puzzle.||

I will have to try this again and do it without putting portals on the floor I guess...