RubyCarbuncIe wrote:
snip

Your right; none of those are intended, but that doesn't make it bad. (unlike some I encourage multiple solutions (so long as it doesn't break alot, like what lpfreaky mentioned); adds some more life to a map IMO)

I found out the alternate solution to that in early testing. However to do it took time, and alot of playtesters liked it, so I decided to keep both: You can use both. Look up in the space: there's two panels. This how you can get repulsion gel (or conversion gel) on the walls: see the first screenie, on the left? I'm sure you can connect the dots

That's a new, clever solution to that puzzle, although I suspect it's a bit more difficult since the bounce isn't catapult-aided. My testers tried doing that and failed, so consider that a win for you!

That openness is intended: you might put both portals back at the beginning and need to get back to the chamber. If you finish the second chamber that "shortcut" works. If you can somehow get over there before that, however, tell me, because then stuff is breaking.

lpfreaky90 wrote:
snip

Silly me, I forgot to do that. I did it to my other loading screen (for another map) but not this one lol. Simple fix!

Senf wrote:
snip

||It's true the jump isn't big but I had not as much space as expected to work with (the irony in an enrichment sphere but it's true)

The repulsion gel is a requirement in the intended solution; you bounce the box out, grab the original box that's on the repulsion gel button, place the spawned box on the fizzler button and original box on the move-wall button. This allows you to do your flinging method, which is intended. I think you used the original conversion gel pipe, which is a puzzle-breaking issue I shall fix.||

sicklebrick wrote:
snip post 1

Wow. None of my testers found that; that's very bad. I'll need to do some work to prevent you from doing that big skip.

FourthReaper wrote:
This sure is a really good map!

I always love Conversion Gel, and it didn't break the puzzle too quickly. Nice job. And ofcourse I love the Rattman's Den, is that a custom texture? Never did see that before.

I did find one bug I don't think anyone mentioned, though. Upon moving through the first door, directly after the arrival elevator, you can trap yourself by moving back, closing the door in front of you. Also, I think some fog, although not needed, would really make the map look even better. Not to make things so you can't see anything on the other side of the map, but as a nice finishing touch. But that's just my opinion.

Anyway, looking forward to more of your mapping.

Hmm, I've never had this happen to me. I'll look into how you might have done it, because simply going back doesn't trigger a close for me, and it only closes when your too far to go back in.

sicklebrick wrote:
snip post 2

||I'm not sure if this is something I should fix or leave, because it's something I don't think most would even try, and to prevent it would mean a major chamber rehaul, and I don't want to do that because that means overhauling EVERYTHING near the area... (there's a ton of optimizing stuff, as well as carefully placed brushes to prevent other conversion abuse, do not want to move it all D:)

The part when you portal-ize the bottom of the rattman den however is going to be fixed however, so you might need to rework this ||

Groxkiller585 wrote:
I'm not sure if this is something I should fix or leave...

Pfft, I'd leave it.. the vid was like 20 mins long before chopping; not worth it!

I suspect I played it mostly as intended, as I didn't do anything "heroic". Although, I did skip what I thought was a blue gel wall climb by using white gel and then a portal while jumping down. The last chamber was a lot of fun I blue gelled the cube instead of white, thanks for the washer, took a bit of thinking to get the last cube past the fizzler - managed it with white gel.
The Old Style (Antiquated) was beautifully done. Thanks again for another outstanding map.

It wasn't that hard, but it was much more fun than I expected from a conversion gel chamber I enjoyed every part of it!
Thank you for mapping, 5/5.

Nice.. I LOVE the old style Aperture...

In the last chamber, I did NOT do a fling with the cube. I actually used the conversion gel and got just enough on the wall behind the button to activate a portal. From there, it was easy to just walk through the portals with the second cube to activate the other button.

This was a great looking map - Old Aperature is one of my favorite themes, all elements worked fine and flowed smoothly - however the puzzles were not very interesting - should have thrown in something else - to spice it up a little. Very nice - don't get me wrong, just needed a little something else. 5 cakes! Thanks for making!

5/5 a VERY fun map to play. I would suggest changing nothing... the solutions sidebrick came up with are fantastic, and IMHO showcase just how good this map is. On many occasions I'll solve a map and never go back to it. The fact that this map can give the player many hours of interesting challenging gameplay that is most of all FUN, is an amazing thing. Great mapping!

Another GREAT map man, heavily enjoyed it! I think I solved most parts in the intended way except the last puzzle. What I did was I painted the floor blue and tossed the cube while standing on the button, didn't use any white gel there what so ever. Nothing game breaking tho, 5/5!

Updated to 1.1!

Changelog:

-fixed alot of areas where using the conversion gel would break puzzles or areas.
-fixed a big skip from the first to third chamber.
-fixed being able to use the previous conversion gel pipe in the last puzzle.
-fixed/edited various little things as well.

I've had a bit of an internal struggle deciding whether or not to post these...
On the one hand, it likely means more work for you, and they're kinda roundabout routes...On the other hand, each route contains a few easy enough shortcuts, and if it were my map, I'd at least like to know... So I'm posting them anyway on the understanding that I'm seriously not picking holes in your map; It's in my top 5, I love exploring, and damn.. i just enjoy the shit out of paint maps!

Without cubes..
gBTggEfS4J8
(Excuse any slow parts.. I was changing the routes while recording...)

With cubes..
mGWDlbkGqX4

I was able to exploit two things:

1. The button that is timed that reveals a portal-able panel for a few seconds, never needed to use it. I was somehow able to coat the angled panel from a different angle by messing around with the Conversion Gel in that room to configure the portal placements in my favor. I did it that way because I have no clue what the intended solution is for that area.
2. Last room, never needed to use the nearby Conversion Gel. I cleverly placed Repulsion Gel in-line with the fizzler and then bounced both cubes to the other side while I stood on the button that deactivates the fizzler.

I did not enjoy playing this at all. The puzzles were quite simple in design, but a total pain in execution. It seemed that in almost every area I had to snipe a portal more than halfway across the sphere. The running back and forth trying to find sight lines got tiresome very quickly.

I think I broke the puzzle with the conversion gel, because I used the blue gel twice at the very beginning, and that was it. It was hard to tell, because so many parts of the map were broken by design. All I know for sure is that I spent a lot of time running around in useless places.

I think the concept of the map is valid: using the few working elements to work around the broken parts. I think it would have been better if the broken bits had changed the way I solved the puzzles, but all it really did was change the way I got around.

The old Aperture theme was missed by quite a bit, with things that belong outside spheres being inside (e.g. stone columns). Even so, I thought it looked good.

This one goes on my won't play it again list. 3/5 from me.

Drat! I knew I forgot something, I'm sorry I forgot to upload the video for you before I left for the weekend, heck I forgot to even render it so that it could be uploaded. I should be able to get that up as soon as I'm home. Sorry for being so late about it.

sicklebrick wrote:
I've had a bit of an internal struggle deciding whether or not to post these...
On the one hand, it likely means more work for you, and they're kinda roundabout routes...On the other hand, each route contains a few easy enough shortcuts, and if it were my map, I'd at least like to know... So I'm posting them anyway on the understanding that I'm seriously not picking holes in your map; It's in my top 5, I love exploring, and damn.. i just enjoy the shit out of paint maps!

Without cubes..
gBTggEfS4J8
(Excuse any slow parts.. I was changing the routes while recording...)

With cubes..
mGWDlbkGqX4

...

Well, I give up. I don't think you can control Conversion gel. It's just too break-everything-in-sight. I think I did a good job at containing what was obvious however. I congratulate you on finding what has to be the most unintended, obscure and crazy way to beat the map.

wildgoosespeeder wrote:
I was able to exploit two things:

1. The button that is timed that reveals a portal-able panel for a few seconds, never needed to use it. I was somehow able to coat the angled panel from a different angle by messing around with the Conversion Gel in that room to configure the portal placements in my favor. I did it that way because I have no clue what the intended solution is for that area.
2. Last room, never needed to use the nearby Conversion Gel. I cleverly placed Repulsion Gel in-line with the fizzler and then bounced both cubes to the other side while I stood on the button that deactivates the fizzler.

||For the first part: which version of the map do you have? I added something in v1.1 that literally makes that impossible to happen: the panel is covered in a paint cleanser until the button is pressed. If it is 1.1 it's a problem with the engine and not me, so it's not something I can fix.

This has been mentioned already, and is an accepted alternate solution. Thanks for mentioning it anyway ||

RubyCarbuncIe wrote:
Drat! I knew I forgot something, I'm sorry I forgot to upload the video for you before I left for the weekend, heck I forgot to even render it so that it could be uploaded. I should be able to get that up as soon as I'm home. Sorry for being so late about it.

Tis fine, tis fine.

KennKong wrote:
I did not enjoy playing this at all. The puzzles were quite simple in design, but a total pain in execution. It seemed that in almost every area I had to snipe a portal more than halfway across the sphere. The running back and forth trying to find sight lines got tiresome very quickly.

I think I broke the puzzle with the conversion gel, because I used the blue gel twice at the very beginning, and that was it. It was hard to tell, because so many parts of the map were broken by design. All I know for sure is that I spent a lot of time running around in useless places.

I think the concept of the map is valid: using the few working elements to work around the broken parts. I think it would have been better if the broken bits had changed the way I solved the puzzles, but all it really did was change the way I got around.

The old Aperture theme was missed by quite a bit, with things that belong outside spheres being inside (e.g. stone columns). Even so, I thought it looked good.

This one goes on my won't play it again list. 3/5 from me.

Well i'm sorry you didn't think this map worth your time. Regardless I am happy you took the time to post your opinion and thanks for playing anyway.

Groxkiller585 wrote:
Well, I give up. I don't think you can control Conversion gel....

Not really.. but to be fair this is about the tightest white paint map I've seen... more so than valve's or my own for sure I certainly hope you make another!

I love the paint maps. Gets you to think beyond the box rather than just outside of it. Like using quick portal placements to "Throw" the gel where you need it.

Heck, I spent an hour on a mission to get white paint on the large EXIT sign. Managed to get the corner (E and part of X), but not the whole sign...

One thing thought, with the paint maps, you may want to put roofs on all your buildings, unless they are made without and one can fall into them. On the roof of the building with the first box, you can see into the room, but don't fall through. Inside the room has a ceiling though.

I just did a least portals run:
Qn_pc3b9NRc

Nice ^^ Wish I'd thought of that

Another great map GroxKiller. Fantastic looking, and as alot of people have said already, it was real fun to play. Got stuck at a couple of bits, but gave a little chuckle when i figured it out.