[SP] Enrichment :: Test three

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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Jun 18, 2011
This is a medium/hard difficulty level, medium size.

The third map in the enrichment series featuring lasers, funnels, faith plates, cubes and buttons, blue gel, white gel, eraser gel, funnel direction changers, momentum and turrets!

Enjoy!

New in version 2.5:
* Added more cubemaps
* Added an escape route for a case where you could get stuck before.
* Changed the water texture
* Added after the start elevator
* Fixed some performance issues
* Fixed some leaks
* Made the funnel look better
* Improved the door frames
* Removed an alternate solution
* Made a fizzler thinner
* Added sound to a non-working faithplate
* Improved panels to look better when opened
* Changed the map to being a .bsp file again

Probably a lot more, but forgot that

====
HOW TO INSTALL:
1. copy the sp_enrichment_3_25.bsp to theSteam\steamapps\common\portal 2\portal2\maps folder.
2. start portal 2
3. open the developer's console by pressing the ` button
4. type "map Steam\steamapps\common\portal 2\portal2\maps" (Without quotation marks)
5. hit return
6. enjoy the map!

File Name: sp_enrichment_3_v2_5.rar
File Size: 2.63 MiB

Click here to download Enrichment :: Test Three

&

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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Jun 18, 2011
Replied 2 minutes later
I hope you like the map, feel free to comment!

--File history---
v2.5
* Added more cubemaps
* Added an escape route for a case where you could get stuck before.
* Changed the water texture
* Added after the start elevator
* Fixed some performance issues
* Fixed some leaks
* Made the funnel look better
* Improved the door frames
* Removed an alternate solution
* Made a fizzler thinner
* Added sound to a non-working faithplate
* Improved panels to look better when opened
* Changed the map to being a .bsp file again

v2.4
* Fixed an issue where you could "rangegrab" a cube, surpassing a part of the puzzle
* Removed two other alternate solutions to the second puzzle.

v2.3
* Fixed an issue where a part of the level could be skipped. (room 2)
* Changed an aerial faith plate so you won't crash into a wall anymore.

v2.2
* Fixed some problems with lighting
* Fixed a leak
* Improved the doors
* lowered the laser a bit
* Added some more signs
* Fixed a clipping issue

v2.1
* Added a small extra puzzle in room 2
* Fixed a leak
* Changed the position of elements in room 2
* Improved the doors
* Added another autosave point
* Fixed an issue where a cube wouldn't stay on a surface
* Added another icon to let you know what a certain button does.

v2.0
* made the first puzzle a bit harder
* added some indicator lights
* added some signs to show you what buttons do.
* improved the aerial faith plate, so you will die less
* made sure you need a cube on a button to use the faith plate
* changed the second part of the level so you need more gel!
* changed the third part of the level so it would work with the other changes
* fixed strange portal-on portal errors
* changed the way the world portals look.

v1.01
Added readme.txt for information about how to install the map.

v1.0
Released map

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Endrey
26 Posts
Posted Jun 18, 2011
Replied 1 hour later
the inception style room makes no sense and is very annoying
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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Jun 18, 2011
Replied 3 minutes later
What room are you referring to?
the first part of the puzzle,
the second or the third?

(for clarity:
part two starts after the first door, part three starts after the second door)

Any suggestions how I could change it so it would be better in your opinion?

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Enigmaphase
110 Posts
Posted Jun 18, 2011
Replied 2 hours later
Hey, I just played through your map. Overall I think it's a great map with its only major flaw being a sense of direction. Often times I would hit a button or turn on a light and wonder, 'Well, what did that do?' I think you should consider adding indicator dotted lines and perhaps signs (i.e. funnel switch sign, although that one was plenty obvious) to the buttons and laser catchers.

I liked your use of world portals, but you have to be careful because world portals can easily cause crazyness in your map. I found a couple problems with the world portals as I was playing through:
- After you push the button to open the door to the top room, the world portals in the 'gel room' close. However, this means that if you now jump down to the white gel button, you're trapped.
- Once you activate the button to the top room, it creates a world portal from the top room to the bottom room on top of the portalable panels in the bottom room. If you then shoot portals at those panels, it will create glitchily-behaving portals.
As an overall suggestion, I would recommend trying to visually/physically integrate the world portals more naturally into your map. As it is right now, it just appears like arbitrary chunks of the wall are cut out. Maps with well-incorporated world portals can be really impressive and mind-bending, since it's less obvious they're there. And aesthetics is always important.

Finally, here are a couple small issues I noticed with the aerial faith plate room. Firstly, the aerial faith plate has a tendency to kill you, since it's a little too weak. Unless you walk onto from directly behind, you will hit the wall and fall into the deadly water. Secondly, you can bring the cube back from that room on your first trip up there. Since the button is rimmed, you can 'range grab' the cube by grabbing it and looking downwards. Then you just have to walk onto the aerial faith plate and as you do so look back up so the cube snaps into your hands. This cuts out a pretty significant part of the puzzle.

My final comment is that the blue gel really did not contribute to the puzzle. The blue gel currently only exists so that you can paint one spot on the floor in order to reach the white gel. It would be more interesting if perhaps you had to paint a spot on the floor, and then bouncing from there would allow you to fling yourself up to the white gel, or something of that nature.

Happy mapping! I think these suggestions should help you polish up this map, and I hope my general suggestions will help your future maps to come.

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DieselEmpire
3 Posts
Posted Jun 19, 2011
Replied 4 hours later
I think the map was great, the different rooms really threw me for a loop. I forgot I could go back us use stuff from the other rooms. The world portals made it confusing, but if it isn't confusing then it isn't very good. If you mark everything, it takes the fun out of it.
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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Jun 19, 2011
Replied 3 hours later
@Engimaphase : thanks for your detailed feedback.
In my previous map I used a lot indicator lights, but in this level it just won't work anymore since the level is to big and to complex. I think the test signs are a great suggestion!

About the problems:
1: missed that one, going to fix that in an update.
2: it's a bit more complex, but I think I can fix that!
3: I'll try to fix that!
4: I'll fix that
5: I'll try to fix that too

About the blue gel: I used the blue gel twice in my intended solution. It still isn't a major test element in this test, and I guess it will never be, but I can see what I can do

@DieselEmpire: GlaD you liked it

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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Jun 19, 2011
Replied 14 hours later
As seen in the description of the map: I uploaded version two: It is just a bit harder and better than the 1.0.1 version!

~Lp

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quatrus
1,047 Posts
Posted Jun 20, 2011
Replied 17 hours later
Very complex puzzle, but not sure how you could give more guidance. I noclipped a couple times to see what was where, rather than trial and error finding. Thanks for creating...look forward to more....
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ilikeapples
7 Posts
Posted Jun 20, 2011
Replied 3 hours later
very nice map, I personally enjoyed it and i like the "inception styled rooms" i think its very creative

However i was unable to continue after i opened several doors and i didnt want to cheat by using any glitches :p hehe.

As you'll see from the screenshots bellow the cube sinks into the floor and I am unable to direct the laser to its destined point. I've tried many times picking up and dropping the cube on that surface, i tried different angles, locations etc etc, none of them worked. Can you confirm whether this is a glitch or me ?

Thanks

Screenshots: http://cl.ly/09080S333f3t420r2s2c

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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Jun 20, 2011
Replied 59 minutes later
@ilikapples; it seems like a glitch to me =(
what you did there should be the right solution.

If you try the map again: do you still get the same error?
And did you try to grab a new reflector cube? That is possible when you're at that certain point in the level.

@quatrus; GlaD you liked the map!
The guidance I put into version 2.0 of the map is about everything I could think of; if any of you knows something else: let me know!

~Lp

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xdiesp
1,078 Posts
Posted Jun 20, 2011
Replied 4 hours later
Medium sized map whose virtue is operosity: there's lots to do, but often insufficient. Clean style still lacks polish (check doors and cubemaps) and especially the gel area which looks like a bad mix-match.

But most notably from halfway on, gratuitous start popping up: they have no purpose (for any puzzle), so I guess they should be there for kicks, but they are also pretty glitchy as you can see walls with no depth and they can lock lock you in should you backtrack after opening the last laser room. Imo, drop them and concentrate on straight presentation.

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ilikeapples
7 Posts
Posted Jun 21, 2011
Replied 4 hours later
ok, so here's a couple of things i tried :

1) I grabbed a new reflector cube. Cube still sinks in
2) I got rid of my saves and re-loaded the map. Cube still sinks in
3) I deleted both my saves and the map file , re-downloaded the map from here. Cube still sinks in

:s

I can stand on the surface fine, i find it's only the reflector cube that sinks in.

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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Jun 21, 2011
Replied 2 hours later
@xdiesp; I don't completely get what you're saying. with; "halfway on, gratuitous start popping up: they have no purpose (for any puzzle), so I guess they should be there for kicks, but they are also pretty glitchy as you can see walls with no depth and they can lock lock you in should you backtrack after opening the last laser room.'

After reading your comments I think you have an outdated version, the most recent version of the map (even the 2.0 version) should have no walls with no depth, no area's where you could get stuck... If so, I'd like to know where so I can fix it

I agree that the doors should get better. And some more textures won't hurt either. (doors are fixed in 2.1)

@Ilikeapples; strange :O I will look into it, see if I can fix this. (version 2.1 should have this issue fixed)

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xdiesp
1,078 Posts
Posted Jun 21, 2011
Replied 4 hours later

I had tested the first version, now here's for the updated one:

  • remarks about doors and glitches still valid:

||http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc123/xdiesp/portal22011-06-2114-58-31-35.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc12 ... -13-93.jpg||

  • those "gratuitous worldportals" were 1) the connection between the laser in the first room and the final room where you use it again and 2) the one which is now in context with the paradox sign. I guess it's intended now, but the laser one is still as gratuitous

  • possibly elevator doors (and cubemaps?)

||http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc123/xdiesp/portal22011-06-2114-59-10-13.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc12 ... -13-87.jpg||

  • a new bug: I see a no draw surface in this place, and I'm stuck once I fall down here. Another no escape scenario is when you fail to come back from the lightbridge, but I guess you want it that way. The other stuck situation happened in V1 in the gel room, now it's fixed.

||http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc123/xdiesp/portal22011-06-2115-01-26-15.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc12 ... -06-25.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc12 ... -06-62.jpg||

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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Jun 21, 2011
Replied 3 hours later
@xdiesp:
thanks for the detailed information!
I looked at all your images and for some reason I don't see most of them in my game:
The door from picture one should be fixed in version 2.1, version 2.2 sure has all better doors.
The piece of picture two that sticks out is a panel, it is fixed in version 2.2

I agree with you that the laser still needs to be a bit lower, i fixed this in version 2.2

The elevator should be fixed in version 2.2.
The light at the start elevator is just a very bad placed light, I moved it in version 2.2

That nodraw structure shouldn't be like that since update 2.1, checked it again, no clue why you saw it.

The area where you're stuck is indeed a place where you could get stuck, this is intended, same with the lightbridge and the funnel ride at the end of the level.

if you spot any more issues: let me know!

(ps: I'm talking about version 2.2: it's currently complying, should be online in 10 minutes )

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Enigmaphase
110 Posts
Posted Jun 21, 2011
Replied 4 hours later
Nice update! Now I see that you were 'supposed' to use the blue gel twice all along. When I played it last time (a few versions ago), I jumped off the cube instead of using blue gel to get to the orange funnel in the top room, but now there's a wall there.

I'm not sure if you tried to fix the issue with being able to bring the reflector cube back into the first room (on the first visit to the afp room), but I can still range grab the cube off the aerial faith plate button, which unfortunately eliminates a good half of the puzzle.

I did feel like that big room with the white gel button was sort of unnecessary; it could have just been a little alcove in the wall. Granted, I had fun exploring it and bouncing myself up those walls, but I didn't see any purpose that the room had other than that. If that's how it's meant to be though, that's perfectly fine.

Perhaps you could make the last afp a little weaker so it bounces you through the doorway instead of smacking you into the wall right above it... I only say that cause I enjoy skiing into the final elevator at high velocities though.

All in all I think the update was great, it's really looking like a polished map now. Good work!

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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Jun 21, 2011
Replied 1 hour later
Thanks for the reply, I still don't really get how you can rangegrab the cube =(.

The second room is only intended to have a nice puzzle and provide test elements for the last part
The last afp has been edited in version 2.3 so you will fly straight into the elevator

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Enigmaphase
110 Posts
Posted Jun 22, 2011
Replied 21 hours later
I wish I had some good video capture software, but I don't, so here's a couple screenshots. They are from version 2.2, but the faith plate room is the same in version 2.3.

Basically, look down as you back away from the cube, which holds it both on the button and in your hands. Notice how my gun is sparking, which means I still have a hold of the cube as I walk backwards away from it.


Then just back up into the faith plate and as you hit it, look up and pivot around to "snap" the cube back to you (the pivoting is so it doesn't get caught on the wall).


As you can see, I made it to the button with the reflector cube, which means I don't need to go and retrieve the regular cube at all. I hope this helps explain the range grabbing concept I'm talking about!

Edit: I just played through version 2.3; I like what you did with the white gel room! Now it really feels like an integral part of the puzzle. I think your test chamber has come together very nicely. I also confirmed that the cube range grab still works in version 2.3 >.<

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Lpfreaky90
2,842 Posts
Posted Jun 22, 2011
Replied 3 hours later
I updated the map once more, it's now version 2.4. Hopefully this version finally fixed the issue with the rangegrabbing. It also removed two other alternate solutions in puzzle two

If anyone spots some other issues, please let me know

~Lp