Not a really long map, or hard for that matter, but it's my first ever map. Tell me what you think.

Map DL and screenshot> dload.php?action=file&file_id=275

Why did you upload it to RapidShare and not to [url]http://forums.thinking.withportals.com/dload.php?action=user_upload&cat_id=2]here?[/url]
Rapid is a slow shit of a site if your aren't registered and why would you register to it and pay monies when you can use plenty of better FREE sites?

Edit: Just played this map, this is now the worst map (without leaks) that I have seen.
You start off with the portal gun, you are just there not arriving in an elevator or coming out of the sleeping pod. Fix that. This map is WAY too dark and there are heaps of areas that need to be lit up. When you get to the elevator in the end GLaDOS says "We both know that isn't going to happen" which is a stupid line to say when there is an elevator placed for you to go into then GLaDOS says that it isn't going to happen, so why would they both having an elevator there?
Another thing at the end, after she says that the screen fades to black but the map doesn't end. Once I actually started getting hurt for no reason then died and the map started over.
The click Mouse1 to shoot a blue portal is a stupid thing to say when you just got the portal gun upgraded to shoot orange/yellowish ones. Not to mention that it never goes away.
The secret button that opens that wall if you stand near the wall and it opens or closes your view will move too this is a problem with Portal I think but you should redesign the map so that you can't get close enough for that glitch to happen.
The pedestal with the orange portal gun just randomly sinks into the ground which looks like a fake-o-rama.
This map refuses to show up in Bonus Maps and since it isn't a bmz you can't import it, that means you have to run this map using console.

Pictures:
Fake looking pedistal.

Dark walls are dark.

Game won't end, note that you can STILL see that message about how to place blue portals.

Seeing all these things makes me wonder if you actually played your map before releasing it, I know it is your first but you don't seem to have really tried making it look great and play great.

1. I didn't have access to it.
2. I didn't register to rapidshare. Don't assume things.
3. I edited my first post to have the forum link.

This is the type of stuff you only release to yourself.

I ended up forgeting to put an entrance elevator at the start when I continued working towards the end. (should've done that first.)
I'll work on these problems on my next map, which will actually be one. This was more of me seeing if I was capable of doing stuff as Remmiz pointed out. The end elevator was a lure to make you think it was possible to beat it, more of a trick from glados to kill you. I find it wierd the map didn't end or why the portal gun message never went away. I don't know how I would fix those as I already put the game_end trigger at the death point and the message is supposed to fade away as it did on mine. The pedestal and the lights are both problems which can easily be fixed. Thanks for telling me.

Haven't tested this map, as I don't have Portal installed atm.

However, I can tell you that this is not release quality, purely by the screenshots and comments.

Bad texture alignment is one of my pet hates in maps, and your screenshots show that your map is plagued by this problem. A texture should never end half way through itself, particularly when mapping for a game like Portal, where most of the common textures are pretty grid-like. It's sloppy, and shows a lack of effort on the mapper's part.

Also, your lighting needs a lot of work. Play through the original game and look around, for tips on nice looking lighting techniques.

I'll leave the others to comment on the gameplay.

NocturnalGhost wrote:
However, I can tell you that this is not release quality, purely by the screenshots and comments.

Bad texture alignment is one of my pet hates in maps, and your screenshots show that your map is plagued by this problem. A texture should never end half way through itself, particularly when mapping for a game like Portal, where most of the common textures are pretty grid-like. It's sloppy, and shows a lack of effort on the mapper's part.

Can't agree more.
I wouldn't assume it is without leaks. The lighting looks so crappy I am sure there are leaks. Find them, fix them and your lighting will look much better

Mek wrote:
Can't agree more.
I wouldn't assume it is without leaks. The lighting looks so crappy I am sure there are leaks. Find them, fix them and your lighting will look much better

I like how you automatically assume there's leaks because of bad lighting. You're a regular Sherlock Holmes. There are no leaks.

Sythes wrote:
I like how you automatically assume there's leaks because of bad lighting. You're a regular Sherlock Holmes. There are no leaks.

Then fix the bad lighting >_>

I fixed the following problems in my map.
1. Fixed lighting issues.
2. Game can now end.
3. Portal hint HUD is no longer there.
4. Cameras will fall off now.
5. Fixed some of the textures.
6. You now start out of an elevator.
7. Gun pedestal no longer just 'sinks into the ground'.
Check the dl page for it.

Maybe this should be a WIP. Release maps are final, no more changes, map is done, "release".

occasionally releases will have bugs that the developer did not find, and i think that is ok for a "re-release"/version update.
but major overhalls are not ok.
i agree: Move to WIP, make SURE its release worthy, THEN release.

Waaiiit a minute-- You made this?! and you gave my map a 7.5 lackluster review after cheating through it; and you're dishing this out as your release?!!!!

Let me stop before I really go off---

ecco wrote:
Waaiiit a minute-- You made this?! and you gave my map a 7.5 lackluster review after cheating through it; and you're dishing this out as your release?!!!!

Let me stop before I really go off---

Did you even play this map, or are you just going off old reviews? I didn't cheat through your map, I only noclipped to see if I could do anything AFTER I did all I could. You gave it a rediculous way of getting the cubes out of the room, unfair to the player. I would've given it an 8.5 for it's design, but puzzles like that lower the quality. Making the glass completely see through would've even helped. Do you really think it's appropriate to talk about this in another topic because of a 7.5? If I made that exact map I would appreciate it as a good rating. Know that the only 10/10 I've given on a map would be the flash map pack.

Sythes wrote:
Did you even play this map, or are you just going off old reviews? I didn't cheat through your map, I only noclipped to see if I could do anything AFTER I did all I could. You gave it a rediculous way of getting the cubes out of the room, unfair to the player. I would've given it an 8.5 for it's design, but puzzles like that lower the quality. Making the glass completely see through would've even helped. Do you really think it's appropriate to talk about this in another topic because of a 7.5? If I made that exact map I would appreciate it as a good rating. Know that the only 10/10 I've given on a map would be the flash map pack.

Don't mind me if I come off bitter; these boards make you tough man.
My one release thread was locked because of some dispute I wasn't a part of-- so I couldn't respond to your comment on my thread

I've been here since December07; and with just 30 or so posts you know I don't usually just go off; I keep to myself for the most part; make friends here and there play some portal maps and do my mapping--

with that said...

--you should have expected some serious critic from the TWP forums... we work hard on these maps; and expect quality...

Portal mapping in itself gathers some of the most peculiar reviews; because of it's puzzle style.

I'm not here to make enemies; I have nothing personal against you...

and I enjoyed the Portal Flash Pack; for a long time it was my favorite-- but I see it as far from perfect; in fact there were a few parts that made me want to quit and noclip like the next guy. BUT I rather not get into all that here either--

As for your review on mine? --

I tried something new with flinging-- instead of flinging yourself; how bout try flinging the Weighted Storage Cube by itself --- I realized the player would not be accustomed to breaking glass with the cube; let alone floor glass (to give it an extra umph) but none of us knew that the rocket would break the glass in the original Portal maps til we got there. I hate making glass 100 percent clear; glass smudges scratches reflects light and lets light pass through; it even magnifies or distorts-- there is two types of glass in my map--- one is unbreakable which is the stripped gray design glass-- (it's textured slightly different - i'm looking to maybe make this more obvious in the next update ) and the breakable glass which is foggy and feels rather weak when you walk on it-- or come close to it. IN fact I got criticized for allowing the camera to break the glass as well-- I left this in because at times the physics of the engine or the way the box hits the glass or panels doesnt break the glass making the player frustrated. So I gave a simple alternative the camera directly above it. Ah-- I could go on for days...

let my map stand on its own-- yours is the new release;---

so let's sum yours up in one sentence.

a quote you said above in a previous post;

Sythes wrote:
I ended up forgetting to put an entrance elevator at the start when I continued working towards the end. (should've done that first.)

So you're saying you started building and building no real plan in sight til you felt eh this is enough (for the day) and released it. Didn't even test play it? I know this isn't the case- but yeah... that's my review.
I'm glad you're updating it-- with such things as (the level now ends) and (portal pedestal no longer just shrinks into the ground and hey textures and lights are good and ohhh look at this there's an elevator entrance and basic texture alignment.)

man if my release was a 7.5 then what should i grade yours on a fair scale-- ?

4.5? 3.5? .5 .5 .5 .5 10!?!! it's a 10! everybody.

ecco wrote:
Don't mind me if I come off bitter; these boards make you tough man.

Children come in, Motherfuckers come out.

As for this map, I'm gonna say give me some damn screenshots and I'll play it.

Screenshot was on the download page, but w/e. pafiledb/images/screenshots/s-test6b-1.png