[Coop] Upstairs Downstairs

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BEARD!
169 Posts
Posted Feb 15, 2012
A coop map featuring four puzzles, set in an abandoned Old Aperture test sphere. The puzzles get progressively more difficult. None of them require ninja moves or reflexes - you simply need to have a good think together!

Click the thumbnails to see full screenshots:

TODO:
* Rethink the laser puzzle - optional extra??

REVISION 4:
* Added PTI entities for workshop compatibility. Map is now hosted on the Workshop.
* Added indicators for the exit button in Chamber 2.
* Added some more detail (pipes) and attempted to tidy up visleafs.

REVISION 3:
* Fixed several 'hardcore' exploits, found by BlumCoLe and PortalCombat.

REVISION 2:
* A few minor aesthetic fixes
* Fixed the reflecto-cube resupply button

REVISION 1:
General fixes and detailing, including:
* Fixed the airlock doors not opening (trouble with instance proxies there - my apologies again!).
* Moved the reflecto-cube dispenser to a different location and re-themed it to be consistent with the underground style.
* Added detailing throughout the map.
* Prevented several unintended solutions (hopefully everything is accounted for now).

As always, feedback is very welcome.

Test for msleeper debugging the bbcode
||Bold Italians underline
url

Quote:
quotation station

1337 c0d3z

irritating font size

pretentious colouring
strike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSR9OueYG6Y||

Click here to download [Coop] Upstairs Downstairs

Click here to download [Coop] Upstairs Downstairs

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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Feb 15, 2012
Replied 3 hours later
Nice map but we (djinn and me) encountered some serious things, our fastest solution was less then a minute. Skipping all but the final puzzle

with the reflectocube

For some reason we also weren't able to open the door after the first checkpoint. this whole checkpoint didn't work. We did solve room 1 and 3 in a way we think is at least somewhat the intended way.

I liked the theme, the map looked good but there has to be some work done before releasing it as a final release. I hope Djin can upload our unintended run soon and also our blind playthrough a bit later.

The room with the reflectocube felt a bit hidden and I don't think that modern style fits. Though I have no idea how you can make this look natural

how we skipped puzzle 1-3
player 1 goes down, places a portal on the wall and one near the exit. Walk to the exit, press the button, go back, let player 2 grab the cube, get the cube down as done in puzzle one, then aim the laser through the portal already placed, get both players to the exit and then place the laser so it activates the exit.

For now I'd say it's a 3/5, good but needs work. If you fix the issues I mentioned before and do a bit more decoration I'm sure this map has potential to be a 5/5 map. Keep up the good work . I know what a pain a very open level can be

Avatar
BEARD!
169 Posts
Posted Feb 15, 2012
Replied 48 minutes later
Thanks for the feedback - I hope to have an updated version out by the weekend. I'm also looking forward to seeing the videos you mentioned!

Regarding the reflecto-cube: there are actually two (one hidden in the second chamber in the same manner). Rather than hiding them, would it be preferable to have them supplied as you press the button? (Perhaps via the dissasembler).

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Tyronis3
96 Posts
Posted Feb 15, 2012
Replied 3 hours later
I speedran it solo in 56 seconds. Needs some serious work
Avatar
OnePortalizedGal
156 Posts
Posted Feb 15, 2012
Replied 1 hour later
We played the map as intended, and it was thought provoking that's for sure. Going back and forth and then the funnel puzzle - interesting concept. I agree about the reflector cube hidden room area - it looked out of place with the rest of the map by using the clean style. Don't get me wrong, the overall look of the map was great, that just stood out.
You definately had to cooperate - which is what it is all about. Thanks for making - keep it up! We need all the coop maps we can get!
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Djinndrache
1,442 Posts
Posted Feb 16, 2012
Replied 10 hours later
Very exploitable. lpfreaky90 and I did solve it without using much of an intended solution... After that we also exploited it even more with some extreme shortcuts.

Here is our blindrun:

VUFPqLPZeuk
(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUFPqLPZeuk)

Also note the second run we did, starting at ~31:55 minutes

Avatar
BEARD!
169 Posts
Posted Feb 16, 2012
Replied 7 hours later
Thanks for the upload. My thoughts:
1. The way you got the cube onto the button wasn't intended, but is perfectly valid! (I suppose that means there's multiple solutions). A shame that the airlock door didn't open - I can only apologise
2. It seems I need to make doubly sure that you can't portal improperly between puzzles. Frustratingly, being that's part of the laser puzzle
3. It seems switches number 2 gave you plenty to think about. Again, it wasn't my intended solution but the two of you certainly seemed to be thinking (together) with portals, which is always good to see!
4. That portalable surface in the first chamber is a liability. I'll have to remove it, that completely destroys the final puzzle.

Thanks to the two of you for testing - you've certainly given me plenty to think about!

Avatar
BEARD!
169 Posts
Posted Feb 19, 2012
Replied 2 days later
I uploaded a fixed version last night. Unfortunately I didn't change the filename, so it wasn't downloadable. I'm re-uploading now with a new filename.

If you get the chance to test the map again I'd be grateful!

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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Feb 19, 2012
Replied 3 minutes later
I poked Djin and hopefully we'll be able to try it again later today
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BEARD!
169 Posts
Posted Feb 23, 2012
Replied 4 days later
I guess you never got the chance to test again - I hope you get that chance soon! I've posted another version with some minor fixes - nothing that massively changes the game-play though.

I'd consider this version ready for 'full' release - what's the best way to do that? (Reupload?)

Avatar
Djinndrache
1,442 Posts
Posted Feb 23, 2012
Replied 51 minutes later

BEARD! wrote:
I'd consider this version ready for 'full' release - what's the best way to do that? (Reupload?)

fixed

Generally the best way is to send me cake. PM for delivery address

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darkshiner
6 Posts
Posted Feb 24, 2012
Replied 22 hours later
haha, nice one 5/5
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BlumCoLe
211 Posts
Posted Feb 27, 2012
Replied 2 days later
Hey dude,

I love Portal and want to collect some gameplays (first blind runs; always aren't the fastest and intended solutions, because I take any time to look at the map and its possibilities), speedruns and bug reports.
My records should help you to understand how the player thinks.
Well, I hope I can support you with my uploads to fix any bugs and make new awesome maps.

Here are yours!

Gameplay:*
_IsSfaGAjfI
If you like it and/or it helps:
THUMBS UP*

opinion & comments:
We play your map yesterday and have a lot of fun. We tested some ways to solve the last puzzle and found 2 alternative and freaky solutions!
(I don't know why it took us so long to find the intended way xD)
btw: the on-top-tricks aren't helpfully

THX for mapping... 5/5

Keep it up!

Avatar
BEARD!
169 Posts
Posted Feb 27, 2012
Replied 14 hours later
Thanks for the recording! The first three puzzles were done fine. (Chamber 3 has more variation, but I I just intended a solution where you pull the triggers simultaneously. Your first solution for the final puzzle was ingenious - completely unintentional on my part, but you deserve full credit for that one!

I didn't see an intended solution for the last puzzle - but you had the right ideas: Moving the laser into chamber two, and beaming it into the portalable surface. I intended players to send the laser through the Emancipation Grid and through the hole in chamber two's wall - that might have been easier. I'll leave you to have a think about it!

Your recording also highlighted a few problems for me to fix. First, I think it's possible to bypass the chamber 1 without solving it.. Second, You managed to jumped onto an airlock. I'll try to put a new revision of the map online this weekend.

Thanks again for playing and recording!

Avatar
BlumCoLe
211 Posts
Posted Feb 27, 2012
Replied 2 hours later
Thanks for watching!

I'm so fuckin glad that you like it and helps you.

Before you start to fix the bugs ...watch the next video/s (later comes more).
PortalCombat wasn't at home and it was boring. I try some things alone on your map and find interessing bugs.
You can skip the whole chamber 2 with the trick you see in Part 2 of my video (about 50 seconds)

*Glitchviewing:*
df27MdefKFc
Please don't hate me!

If you allow I record and upload the whole "how to find bugs and glitches by try-and-fail" in the next days?!? ^^

Avatar
Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Feb 27, 2012
Replied 3 hours later

BlumCoLe wrote:
Thanks for watching!

I'm so fuckin glad that you like it and helps you.

Before you start to fix the bugs ...watch the next video/s (later comes more).
PortalCombat wasn't at home and it was boring. I try some things alone on your map and find interessing bugs.
You can skip the whole chamber 2 with the trick you see in Part 2 of my video (about 50 seconds)

*Glitchviewing:*
df27MdefKFc
Please don't hate me!

If you allow I record and upload the whole "how to find bugs and glitches by try-and-fail" in the next days?!? ^^

Open levels are so incredibly hard to get properly without these kinds of exploits

Avatar
BlumCoLe
211 Posts
Posted Feb 28, 2012
Replied 3 hours later
Sounds like "Mimimi, I'm the coolest guy and make all perfect!" -.-

Prevent the jump on the rails and almost all problems are solved!

It's just for fun, cool boy!

Avatar
BEARD!
169 Posts
Posted Feb 28, 2012
Replied 2 hours later
I think lpfreaky90 has a point - by making everything open, the map is much more 'vulnerable' to problems like this.

Quote:
If you allow I record and upload the whole "how to find bugs and glitches by try-and-fail" in the next days?!? ^^

That's fine by me - from my point of view it can only improve the map.

Avatar
BlumCoLe
211 Posts
Posted Feb 28, 2012
Replied 8 hours later
Mods vs. noobmember ...Fight! -_- (pls not!)

I don't want to say these are "problems"!
Bugfind and -using are just for fun and not for diss the mapper. I know it's hard to map...
You, Beard!, and all mappers have my totally respect for your work ...I cannot do this!
Because of my incompetence, (If you want) I want to help that you can make your map perfect.
In your case, the map has just one (until now) real bug which isn't a glitch or exploit. Not shown in the video!

When I play, I see which is the normal (maybe intended) way and which is not, but it's my hobby to test games for bugs ...I want to know: WHAT'S POSSIBLE?! Please don't let us philosophize about the sense.

All what I want is:
* Tolerate my hobby and origin (I think many members have a problem with it ...german voices ingame blablabla).
* If you want watch my gameplays, speedrun, glitchviews, etc., if not ...don't do it and be quiet!
* Use my suggestions to fix the bugs or ignore it, because these are senseless and not possible in the normal way (= without glitchusing).
-> Don't hate me!

I hope the discussion is finally over!

//edit

Quote:
I don't know why you started fighting about random things.

And again ...I bear the blame as always. What else!

btw: Whats the task of a Community Contributor?! ^^

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Djinndrache
1,442 Posts
Posted Feb 28, 2012
Replied 1 hour later

BlumCoLe wrote:
Mods vs. noobmember ...Fight! -_- (pls not!)

You couldn't win that fight But so far there was no mod involved here.

And now kiss and make friends, everyone! You can fight in PMs if you hate each other. Alternatively visit each other and make a YouTube video of your "meeting" for the OffTopic section, but don't flame each other in here

I'll feel free to delete ongoing fights within this topic. Actually everyone here had a point and I don't know why you started fighting about random things.