map inspired by a mod (Half-Life 2 or Portal 2)

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protoborg
288 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2012
I saw a video of a mod for either HL2 or P2 that gives the player the illusion of choice. Ever room the player enters has two choices; listen to the narrator or go another way. If you listen to the narrator at every decision point, you win the game and get to leave the building. If you decide to go your own way, you die in several different ways.

What I am doing is creating a map that features this sort of decision making. What I am looking for is ideas of ways to kill someone creatively in a Portal 2 test chamber. There are five possible deaths and I already have one setup where the player is forced to either pass through a laser field or fall in toxic goo. Now I need help with other ways to kill the player if they go the wrong way.

Update: I have gotten several ideas. I hope everyone will give me more ideas so I can pick the best ones. If I use your idea in the final level, you will get credit in the end credits or documentation (depends whether I can roll credits and still upload to the workshop). Pick the ideas you like best and let me know. The list below is in no particular order other than as I thought to add them to the list.

  • (Ace_StorM) ring of turrets..........death 1- (me) rain of bombs...................- (Shane) bashy spike plates...........- (portal2tenacious) neurotoxin........- (portal2tenacious) incinerator.......- (Ace_StorM) gel-death................death 2- (NeXT-Gen_P0rtal) wall of lasers.....death 3- (portal2tenacious) collapsing floor..- (Shane) trapdoor in floor............- (me) laser grid over toxic goo.......death 4- (HalfPortalLife3) spinning fan.......
    Thank you Ace_StorM, Shane, portal2tenacious, NeXT-Gen_P0rtal, HalfPortalLife3. You ideas have been most helpful.

Update 2: I thought, since some people seem to think my idea might not be so fun, it might be interesting if the reason for the various "deaths" is that GLaDOS is tired of test subjects using ninja techniques to get around her "science". This test chamber is her revenge. The wrong paths get progressively more dangerous.

Update 3: If anyone has any voice acting talent, I would be most grateful if you could let me know as I am definitely going to need custom voice-overs. I know I can ask Harry101 to do some Wheatley lines, but I might need other voices as well.

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wrathofmobius
216 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2012
Replied 10 minutes later
From what I remember of that mod most of the branches lead to the same outcomes. It wasn't really the consequences that made the mod fun, it was the narrator's wit that pulled it together. A few of the choices just led to a fade-out after a short cutscene - the player doesn't necessarily need to die. One choice even just begged the player to hit "return to menu". But, if you still think that the player needs to die, it'll be tricky to come up with creative deaths. There really aren't many ways to die in the Portal series.

Sounds good though, I'd love to play it once it's done. :thumbup:

Posting the same thing in both forums probably isn't a good idea btw.

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FelixGriffin
2,680 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2012
Replied 48 minutes later
Exploding turrets! :lol:
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Ace_StorM
75 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2012
Replied 7 minutes later
A long floor to a door, where a panel suddenly opens beneath the player, who falls into a circle of turrets. You can make the circle smaller to give the player the chance to kill the turrets.
I'm going to play your map, by the way, the concept sounds good.
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Nacimota
345 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2012
Replied 30 minutes later

protoborg wrote:
I will be posting this in the PETI forum as well.

No, you won't.

There is no reason to split the same discussion across multiple forums; I have deleted your other thread.

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Shane
243 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2012
Replied 2 hours later
Bashy spike plate (if you install the BEE)
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protoborg
288 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2012
Replied 1 hour later

wrathofmobius wrote:
From what I remember of that mod most of the branches lead to the same outcomes. It wasn't really the consequences that made the mod fun, it was the narrator's wit that pulled it together. A few of the choices just led to a fade-out after a short cutscene - the player doesn't necessarily need to die. One choice even just begged the player to hit "return to menu". But, if you still think that the player needs to die, it'll be tricky to come up with creative deaths. There really aren't many ways to die in the Portal series.

Sounds good though, I'd love to play it once it's done. :thumbup:

Posting the same thing in both forums probably isn't a good idea btw.

Unless I feel inspired to listen to thousands of Portal 2 sounds files, I have no choice but to "punish" the player in creative ways. I am simply trying to make a unique experience. I'm not tryinf to tell a story of any kind.

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protoborg
288 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2012
Replied 10 minutes later

Ace_StorM wrote:
A long floor to a door, where a panel suddenly opens beneath the player, who falls into a circle of turrets. You can make the circle smaller to give the player the chance to kill the turrets.
I'm going to play your map, by the way, the concept sounds good.

That would be cool. I might even make it so the player is unable to knock the turrets over. Maybe have the turrets descend from the ceiling just as the player is about hit a button to open the exit door. Hehe >:)

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protoborg
288 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2012
Replied 3 minutes later

Shane wrote:
Bashy spike plate (if you install the BEE)

Bashy spike plates could be especially interesting if the come out of the wall suddenly as the player walks past. I would have to make sure the player can't portal past it though. Sounds like a fun way to really scare the shit out of the player. Hehe >:)

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protoborg
288 Posts
Posted Aug 19, 2012
Replied 4 minutes later

FelixGriffin wrote:
Exploding turrets! :lol:

That would only annoy the player. However, I could have the player bombarded (pardon the pun) by bombs. They might come into the room and see a pipe. The pipe has the Wheatley bombs passing through it. Suddenly, the pipe explodes and the bombs start launching at the player. Of course, I would need to make sure the bombs did actual damage rather than just hitting the player around the room. Should be doable, though.

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wrathofmobius
216 Posts
Posted Aug 20, 2012
Replied 2 hours later
My goodness... a quadruple post! Ladies and gentlemen, I think this is a record-breaker! Where's josepezdj when you need him?

(There is an edit button, just so you know)

Back on topic...

protoborg wrote:
wrathofmobius wrote:

From what I remember of that mod most of the branches lead to the same outcomes. It wasn't really the consequences that made the mod fun, it was the narrator's wit that pulled it together. A few of the choices just led to a fade-out after a short cutscene - the player doesn't necessarily need to die. One choice even just begged the player to hit "return to menu". But, if you still think that the player needs to die, it'll be tricky to come up with creative deaths. There really aren't many ways to die in the Portal series.

Sounds good though, I'd love to play it once it's done. :thumbup:

Posting the same thing in both forums probably isn't a good idea btw.

Unless I feel inspired to listen to thousands of Portal 2 sounds files, I have no choice but to "punish" the player in creative ways. I am simply trying to make a unique experience. I'm not tryinf to tell a story of any kind.

To create a unique experience you aren't limited to Portal 2's dialogue. Record some of your own, or even just add in text. What made that mod so good IMHO was the narrator. The rest was okay, but the narrator turned the paths of boring hallways into an exciting, witty funhouse.

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UsCobra11
272 Posts
Posted Aug 20, 2012
Replied 15 minutes later

protoborg, take a look at this:

post81653.html

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portal2tenacious
393 Posts
Posted Aug 20, 2012
Replied 1 hour later
Just make sure this can't be broken with any common glitches (or at least try). Like a timer that opens a door, but you can almost reach it. Simple to wallstrafe to it. Or anything with an exfu, remember to turn that off should the player advance to prevent an infinite glitch.

Also. Neurotoxin, Incinerator, Companion cube stab, and don't forget the cake in there somewhere.

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Mr Waterhandle
88 Posts
Posted Aug 20, 2012
Replied 1 hour later
Ugh, the point of the Stanley Parable was not to have 'a few creative deaths' for every route. The Stanley Parable actually had something to say. So if you say you don't want to bother with any kind of story, fine, but it's not 'that kind of decision making', it's simply a Portal 2 mod where you try a few alternate routes to see 'how you die'. Portal: Prelude had some spots where the designers got sadistic, and if you got stuck the scientists would enjoy your predicament and kill you off. That was probably more interesting than this idea.
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Ace_StorM
75 Posts
Posted Aug 20, 2012
Replied 3 hours later

protoborg wrote:
Ace_StorM wrote:

A long floor to a door, where a panel suddenly opens beneath the player, who falls into a circle of turrets. You can make the circle smaller to give the player the chance to kill the turrets.
I'm going to play your map, by the way, the concept sounds good.

That would be cool. I might even make it so the player is unable to knock the turrets over. Maybe have the turrets descend from the ceiling just as the player is about hit a button to open the exit door. Hehe >:)

That's a good idea, as well. Or you make a gel-death. A speedramp with a platform to land on.

img

Like that.

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protoborg
288 Posts
Posted Aug 20, 2012
Replied 15 hours later

Mr Waterhandle wrote:
Ugh, the point of the Stanley Parable was not to have 'a few creative deaths' for every route. The Stanley Parable actually had something to say. So if you say you don't want to bother with any kind of story, fine, but it's not 'that kind of decision making', it's simply a Portal 2 mod where you try a few alternate routes to see 'how you die'. Portal: Prelude had some spots where the designers got sadistic, and if you got stuck the scientists would enjoy your predicament and kill you off. That was probably more interesting than this idea.

I never said I was attempting to recreate the "Stanley Parable". I merely said it inspired me. The "Stanley Parable" has no real message that I could see. The only thing it has to say is that gamers are often given the illusion of choice. This is hardly "just a Portal 2 mod where you ... see how you die." I am glad I don't have to trust your word as to the quality of this map. If you don't like it, that's fine. You don't have to play it.

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portal2tenacious
393 Posts
Posted Aug 20, 2012
Replied 12 minutes later
In that instance, a method called gel-strafing could be used for extra speed mixed wit the propulsion gel crouch glitch could cause difficulty. Only if you want to make this completely foolproof. I can just add to this instead of making stupid posts for every scenario you think of.
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NeXT-Gen_P0rtal
74 Posts
Posted Aug 20, 2012
Replied 7 minutes later
A wall of lazers!! You walk into the room, the door slams shut. There are no lights, for a few seconds. Then a large, red spotlight turns on. And finally, the wall of lazers comes on, shooting you to pieces!
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protoborg
288 Posts
Posted Aug 21, 2012
Replied 1 hour later
some good ideas so far folks. I have already decided to use the "Ring of Turrets" and "gel-death" as two of the death types. If I can think of a good place to put them I might add some of the other ideas as traps instead of deaths. Thank you to everyone for your ideas and keep 'em coming.
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portal2tenacious
393 Posts
Posted Aug 21, 2012
Replied 24 minutes later
Walk into a room, door closes behind you. The room is 512?512. The floor begins dropping panel by panel, 64?64 units. Right when the final panel is still standing.

Resonance Cascade.