So I just played it, and I can't say it was either fun, or challenging.

Starting with your first chamber, that had an interesting idea that I feel you should expand upon. It's generally a good idea to handpick a mechanic like that, and allow it to blossom into a full series of puzzles. It could likely get harder real quick.

Next to that the rest of the chambers weren't bad, but they weren't good. They indicated a goal early on which was nice, but I found myself only getting confused by the number of elements those puzzles had. For instance I didn't even use the funnel in the third puzzle.

I solved the second puzzle by basically holding the ball, and letting the ball redirect the white paint. That more or less allowed me to paint the whole area. Secondly I didn't even use the light bridge in the second puzzle, I just used the previous method.

On overall aesthetics the map feels like you went and detailed it too fast, too early, and didn't spend time doing so. I'm not sure if you're serious about finalizing these maps, or seriously releasing them (unless you just did?) but the overall consistency in art and theme need serious work. The rooms where too small, sometimes maze like. The area where you fall after the test subject waiting room made literally no sense, and likely wouldn't have, had you even detailing the area properly.

Overall I think you should ditch pretty much everything after puzzle 1, because they were horrible. Puzzle 1 was great, and had a nice solution to it. The art pass on it also felt nice. It isn't amazing, but you could really do with some heightening of the ceiling, or expanding the rooms overall size a bit.

MrTwoVideoCards wrote:
but I found myself only getting confused by the number of elements those puzzles had. For instance I didn't even use the funnel in the third puzzle.

That puzzle was completable without the funnel but I left it in as the gel didn't always disperse properly on the bridge just sticking one portal under it and another over the bridge. If I could guarantee the way without the funnel would always work I would do it but every few times it simply doesn't coat properly.

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I solved the second puzzle by basically holding the ball, and letting the ball redirect the white paint. That more or less allowed me to paint the whole area. Secondly I didn't even use the light bridge in the second puzzle, I just used the previous method.

That's like complaining that the stairs and box in chamber 14 of Portal 1 were unnecessary because you used the flinging solution. I think it's pretty obvious that you didn't do it as intended, and of the 5 people I watched test it and the 30 something comments I've gotten you're the first to try deflecting goo with the ball so I think its safe to call it a 'ninja solution' like Valve did when they didn't fix ways of skipping their puzzles.
edit: Now that I think about it, that solution isn't even possible. You can't get the ball without the light bridge and you don't need the light bridge after you get the ball. I don't know if you noclipped or were just confused when you wrote that but something is wrong there.

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The rooms where too small, sometimes maze like.

There is only one puzzle that can be called small and the layout is so simple that I can't see any conceivable way to call it maze-like.

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The area where you fall after the test subject waiting room made literally no sense, and likely wouldn't have, had you even detailing the area properly.

I'd love to hear how a very simple portal across gap 'puzzle' literally made no sense.

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Overall I think you should ditch pretty much everything after puzzle 1, because they were horrible.

I'll respectfully decline to follow that advice due to the connotation of your post and the fact that no one else has had any issues with it. One extremely negative comment out of about 30 positive or extremely positive ones is quite the outlier.

I have no clue what MrTwoVideoCards is on about. I loved the map. It looks really professional and I like the difficulty level; not too hard and not too easy. Great map. Can't wait for more.

Ya, MrTwo had some very strange comments.

Anyways, overall I really liked it, but I do have some suggestions:

Level 1: none! beautiful! Took me a bit to realize there was a propulsion thing on my side, but that's more due to my own blindness than anything else

level 2: Is there a practical purpose to the water pipe? If not, I like it as an aesthetic, but perhaps making the floor beneath it not a portal surface would make it less confusing. I thought it was white gel at first.
Also, when I first went through it, I didn't notice the wall where you could send the white gel through the blue screen, so I just covered the whole place with white paint up to the (small) light bridge, left the the ball on one side, and portal'd it through. After reading the comments I went back and realized there was an actual solution to it without painting the whole place, which was much more satisfying.
I was able to paint the whole place by re-casting the exit portal onto the floor to make the gel hit the ceiling, cast onto the ceiling, cast onto the floor, etc. etc. I'd maybe recommend making the white blob that comes out a little smaller so people can't do that, since it only barely makes it past the doorway with this method right now anyways.

Level 3: Great! I like the excursion funnel because it's a great way for people to make it harder for themselves if they don't realize they don't need to use it. I'd recommend making a new checkpoint before this last room, though, since dying made me re-do the previous level again.

I can't wait to see more of your work!! so much fun!

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That's like complaining that the stairs and box in chamber 14 of Portal 1 were unnecessary because you used the flinging solution. I think it's pretty obvious that you didn't do it as intended, and of the 5 people I watched test it and the 30 something comments I've gotten you're the first to try deflecting goo with the ball so I think its safe to call it a 'ninja solution' like Valve did when they didn't fix ways of skipping their puzzles.
edit: Now that I think about it, that solution isn't even possible. You can't get the ball without the light bridge and you don't need the light bridge after you get the ball. I don't know if you noclipped or were just confused when you wrote that but something is wrong there.

Change the ball to a cube. You have to do your job removing ninja situations like that, because that was me fooling around somewhat to understand the puzzles solution. You have to worry about things like that. Obviously you can do your best to a certain point, but these kinds of things fall in a range of "should-I-care" and this is something you should care about.

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There is only one puzzle that can be called small and the layout is so simple that I can't see any conceivable way to call it maze-like.

The layout of the spaces felt cramped, and somewhat strange, but my specific maze like feeling came from the second puzzle. It was a really small space. I don't know what your meaning of small is, but there is a huge contrast in size versus most spaces you'd find to have the underground theme. Again thats assuming you want to follow that, but you'll have to give me the benefit of the doubt there.

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I'd love to hear how a very simple portal across gap 'puzzle' literally made no sense.

I think you should re-read that, mainly because I never stated anything was wrong with the puzzle itself, just the physical space the puzzle was hosted in. I missed the surface on the other side the first time I fell into the area, so I ended up traveling along the beams. It's not a big deal, but you should eliminate things that are mega obvious like that. Other plays might likely try what I did. Unless you're okay with having that like that.

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I'll respectfully decline to follow that advice due to the connotation of your post and the fact that no one else has had any issues with it. One extremely negative comment out of about 30 positive or extremely positive ones is quite the outlier.

Let's face it man, like 95% of the Portal and Portal 2 community is going to tell you a map is great, when in reality it could really be uninteresting, or it could be way better than it is.

Like:> Nicky397 wrote:

I loved the map. It looks really professional and I like the difficulty level; not too hard and not too easy. Great map. Can't wait for more.

I'm not going to get into that subject, but it's really a matter of honestly wanting to take the time, and give someone some hard advice on something. People are going to go with writing the short single sentence. Like 75% of the replies about peoples maps here and on other places is mostly single sentence. The idea here is that you have a chance to make the puzzles, and those areas better. You can refine them.

Not really trying to say or imply anything here if you catch my drift, but you need to look for advice and/or feedback beyond the standard level. Again not saying or implying that I am some master god bestowing upon you some great advice. I easily recognized things you could do better, or generally improve. It's not even that they are problems, but more of things you could do to really make these puzzles better. I mean it's totally up to you man. You can ship some gold, or you can ship a diamond.

The side problem here is that, like I mentioned earlier, you need to really take feedback from higher level designers and the like, because the low level testers aren't going to give you good feedback. Though I do not mean to imply you're wasting your time with them or anything like that. Playtesting is valuable really no matter what, it's just you need that next level to sort of jar you away from success.

MrTwoVideoCards you seem to be nitpicking holes which are not issues. Okay one person managed to find a way to bypass part of the puzzle without following the rules. The map has been downloaded 3,183 times to date and no one else has complained. I quite like the fact the ball moves around a fair bit and you need to keep track of it/go look for it again when you need it. Cubes can be pretty boring and not many people use spheres.

Like Omni said, you cannot please everyone, you cannot cater for everyones opinion. If he did he would never finish the map, people will always have conflicting ideas the purpose of the map maker is for him to use his skill and select a solution that the majority of fans prefer - You are not the majority.

Loved it.

I just assumed the unnecessary puzzle elements were red herrings. I'd love to see more Portal 2 work from you, Omni

Hi

Thanks for the map first, I really enjoyed it.

||The first puzzle was really nice, after that I didn't know if you could actually save that falling cube or not, but since it can't pass through the force fields I suppose it was a joke (was it the companion cube?).

I liked the following room too, the use of the paint is always good. It was slightly too easy but well done. I was disapointed by the last one though. I didn't find any solution involving the bridge of light or the gravity beam, I just used the paint and the portals to get the cube. One portal on the floor at the foot of the button and one on the wall in front of the button, i ran and I jumped high enough to push it.

I saw the video in this topic so I know how to use the bridge of light but in my game, since I did the same without the bridge I couldn't find out its use (that and the fact I didn't know you could paint it ^^). In the video you can jump far higher than with my method so wouldn't it be a good idea to put the button a little higher so my method won't work?
I still don't know the use of the gravity beam ^^||

In the end, I really liked the map even if I was waiting a little more from the last room even with the correct answer. The aesthetic is really good, I wasn't shocked by the "interlude" outside the test chambers (after all, everything is not repaired) and I'm really looking for the next part.

Thank you very much for this.

@ MrTwoVideoCards,

Here's a little constructive feedback on your ability to give constructive feedback:
Telling someone that the product of their time and effort is "horrible" is a horrible way to get them to take heed of your advice. (note the irony of me calling your feedback horrible)

Try staying away from extreme negatives while instead building up the potential positives. This is basic psychology, learn to use it in everyday life and I guarantee people will want to punch you in the face much less often.

Adair wrote:
@ MrTwoVideoCards,

Here's a little constructive feedback on your ability to give constructive feedback:
Telling someone that the product of their time and effort is "horrible" is a horrible way to get them to take heed of your advice. (note the irony of me calling your feedback horrible)

Try staying away from extreme negatives while instead building up the potential positives. This is basic psychology, learn to use it in everyday life and I guarantee people will want to punch you in the face much less often.

Hey theres nothing wrong with telling someone something is horrible to them. As level designers we have to face the circumstances that sometimes our work might be truly bad, or could be way better if better refined. I admit I was on the high end of the scale, but that doesn't change my belief that the areas he created were horrible. Visually and structurally horrible. They need way more time on them.

However I praised his first puzzle, and I still think that it is fantastic, and that he should expand more on the underlaying mechanic of having light bridges block the availability of surfaces you can place funnels onto.

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edit: Now that I think about it, that solution isn't even possible. You can't get the ball without the light bridge and you don't need the light bridge after you get the ball. I don't know if you noclipped or were just confused when you wrote that but something is wrong there.

It is possible, actually. It was my solution to that chamber, because I didn't realise the light bridge could be used for anything at all. I thought it was just to block the gel. xD What I did was splash some gel on the ceiling, floor, and wall opposite the gap, then create an infinite loop with the conversion gel. I then flung the conversion gel out of the wall and onto the other side of the gap, then just shot a portal there. It was only after that I realised the light bridge could be used.

That said, I do disagree with his criticism. Puzzles that can be solved in various ways are awesome for the simple fact that it rewards out of the box thinking. It's incredibly satisfying to find a way to solve a chamber that you don't think was the intended solution (even if it was) because you feel, in a sense, that you have outsmarted the map; out of the box thinking is every bit as legit as the intended solution, and allowing more solutions is great. As for clutter, what? The chambers felt rather neat, and it was a challenge. 'Clutter' is when I stare at a chamber for ten minutes wondering what the hell is going on because there are so many things on the map, and even then, I welcome the challenge. Just look at finding several ways to solve one map as a challenge; I know I do.

MrTwoVideoCards wrote:
Hey theres nothing wrong with telling someone something is horrible to them. As level designers we have to face the circumstances that sometimes our work might be truly bad, or could be way better if better refined. I admit I was on the high end of the scale, but that doesn't change my belief that the areas he created were horrible. Visually and structurally horrible. They need way more time on them.

However I praised his first puzzle, and I still think that it is fantastic, and that he should expand more on the underlaying mechanic of having light bridges block the availability of surfaces you can place funnels onto.

You are entitled to your opinion and to express it. I'm simply saying that you'd get better results by saying something like, "Your map could be really great if you just make these changes...", instead of, "Your map is horrible and needs these changes..."
You can think its horrible all you want, but if you leave that part unsaid and reframe it as a potential positive you'll get better reactions.

Wow, I swear I'm not a motivational speaker...maybe I should be.

...Oh my god.

That beam with a hole to a little room with P-body in it is a freakin' awesome easter egg.

I found it by noclipping around to get to the room you just catch a glimpse of at the end, unfortunately. But still. Awesome easter egg.

Enjoyed this map very much. Great looking level. I didnt use the light bridge or the funnel beam to complete the level. I used the red gel and spread it on the floor beneath the button, popped a portal beneath button then portal on wall and ran into wall portal using red gel and pressed button mid air

I ended up at the door thinking, now what, where do I need the bridge or funnel, lol.

Regardless the thing I enjoyed most was the level design.

Looks good with plenty of walks and sightseeing as in the campaign. However the puzzles are over too soon and the big room especially so.

I liked it. I still don't understand how they got the ball without the light bridge, but it sounds sneaky. I did fall in the water by the last light bridge a couple times because I was too stubborn to place my second portal somewhere else, so I'd try to get off the bridge by going through the floor and then I'd fall back and into the water. The checkpoint is pretty far back, it'd be helpful if there was one after the door where you place the spherical cube in its spot. And then I wouldn't have had to watch the companion cube fall to its doom over and over.

Sorebones- It's basically just flinging the conversion gel over to the other side.

Though, I think the other guy noclipped.

This map was well done. Challenging, but at the same time not so complicated. It kept you entertained without making you go ragequit. 5/5 all the way.
I even made a commentary, talking bout the DLC and stuff... I really enjoyed this map ;D

DdxzTkj2qSg

Whoops, looks like someone actually beat me to it, but I also wanted to share a video I'd done featuring this map.

OmIosfd78uk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2teKfF_3OGA