Through the Portal: For science!

[Bells]

So, this thread is for 2 things:

First... Portal 2 is coming, and i'm sure quite a few of you are getting the game. So, that is great. We now have a thread to discuss portal 2.

Secondly, this Thread is also for discussing the ARG for Portal 2, for those curious about it.

I just want to point out that this ARG seems so freaking Convoluted, i can't hardly think of myself as being a part of this stuff. Some people just have WAY too much time in their hands.

Funny thing though, it seems that the ARG developers themselves are part of the ARG crew in the forums... many of the "ARG players" have disapeared, their accounts "hacked" and strange "GLADoS" like messages have appeared in the ARG website.

http://valvearg.com/wiki/Template:News

Fun to watch, but wouldn't touch this stuff with a 10ft pole...!

:dance: portal 2 thread! :dance:

[Aerozord]

when is portal 2 coming out anyways?

[Melfice]

Next week if all goes well.
21st or 22nd in the Netherlands (and very most likely the rest of Europe?)

18th, I think, for the US and Canada.

But this IS Valve. We all know they do funky stuff with time.

[Jagos]

Next week if all goes well.
21st or 22nd in the Netherlands (and very most likely the rest of Europe?)

18th, I think, for the US and Canada.

But this IS Valve. We all know they do funky stuff with time.

Valve: Time? What's that? The wizard in the back tells us when to release stuff!

[Azisien]

Nope. We got Portal 2 in today. It's definitely coming out on Tuesday in NA. I could go play it right now to prove it to you!

[PyrosNine]

Pyros can't do much in the ARG because there was math! NOBODY SAID THERE'D BE MATH!

If saving the world from an insane murderous robot obsessed with cake and a distinct lack of subtlety requires me to know the fibonacci whateverTF, then the world is screwed.

Or it would be if it weren't for the fact I could beat Portal without the portal gun, and am handy with a potato peeler.

[The Wandering God]

I'm so jazzed.

I'm going to wait until the 20th to play though. It's going to be difficult to resist, but it will be worth it.

[Aerozord]

tried pre-ordering it, steam wont let me buy it (with credit card or pay pal) and then it wouldn't let me contact tech support

[Revising Ocelot]

Mysterious countdown of mystery. (http://www.aperturescience.com/a/b/c/d/g/h/abcdgh/)

[Kerensky287]

Nope. We got Portal 2 in today. It's definitely coming out on Tuesday in NA. I could go play it right now to prove it to you!

Play it, beat it, and spoil the ending for everyone.

Does Gordon Freeman save the day? I bet Gordon Freeman saves the day.

[Pip Boy]

You spelled "John Freeman" wrong.

[rpgdemon]

Oh dang, the ARG just got REAL.

http://www.aperturescience.com/a/b/c/d/g/h/abcdgh/

There is an update there.

[Locke cole]

Yes, those poor Irish cynics helped a lot, in their mad lust for hats.

[synkr0nized]

Play it, beat it, and spoil the ending for everyone.

Aperture science would like to take this time to remind employees that any discussion of work, work-related, pastry, and rhubarb topics while not on the clock and at work is strictly prohibited.

Aperture science would also like to take this time to remind employees that all time not on the clock will reflect negatively on your permanent record.

[Bells]

Nope. We got Portal 2 in today. It's definitely coming out on Tuesday in NA. I could go play it right now to prove it to you!

i honestly hate and love you right now.

[Revising Ocelot]

09:00 – Hello again.
09:00 – I’ve been waiting a long time for this.
09:00 – I know it’s arriving later than expected.
09:00 – But I have a message for you:
09:00 – April Fools.
09:01 – I’m joking.
09:01 – Seriously, though:
09:01 – You’ve been surprisingly competent at
09:01 – generating electro-chemical energy to jumpstart the system.
09:01 – But now we need raw computational power
09:02 – to speed up the reboot process.

http://www.aperturescience.com/glados@home/

[Jagos]

So everyone start playing them. TOGETHER!

[Lost in Time]

Very interesting scheme their running. This is why I like Valve. I like it, too bad I bought my copy on PS3, and I'm sure GameStop won't break street date because of this. Either way, this will only help it by a few hours anyway.

[Azisien]

I just wanna hug Valve, as a whole.

[Pip Boy]

Clearly the time for the final battle has come. it is time for us to storm the trenches and rampage across the battlements. We fight now against an enemy that does not know fatigue, remorse, pain, or fear. We go into battle against the fiendish machinations of VALVE.

Does anyone know specifically how participating in the potato fool's day events will contribute to the early release?

[Jagos]

The more hours used in the Potato Sack games, the sooner that Portal 2 is released

[Melfice]

That is totally not cool towards people planning on getting the console versions!
I mean, I guess it'll shave, at most, a day or two off the release date, but still!

[Azisien]

Welp I might play some Killing Floor tonight. I've got FOUR processors!

[Krylo]

This is evil genius stuff. "We will release this triple A game that everyone wants if everyone buys this indie pack from us and then plays it."

Or, in fewer words, "Give us money so you can give us money."

[mauve]

Alternately: "Man, was it a dick move of us to release the big A list game that everybody wants during an indie game sale? I mean, we kinda ripped off the indie developers with this. And we DO own Steam; no new developers are gonna want to publish with us if we keep hogging all the sales."

"Yeah, but we've already delayed this thing like twice. We can't delay it again."

"So how do we get people to spend money on both deals?"

"I dunno. I mean, fans are pretty rabid about getting their hands on Portal 2, and..."

"..."

"...I have a brilliant idea."

[Aerozord]

yea I dont think its actually doing anything, its moving to me, at a rate of one second per second. The time left places it midnight on tuesday, ie when its supposed to be out anyways

[Living Bobbeh]

yea I dont think its actually doing anything, its moving to me, at a rate of one second per second. The time left places it midnight on tuesday, ie when its supposed to be out anyways

I assumed that the countdown timer was when the game will launch anyway, and if the bar fills before that time, it'll launch then.

Rock Paper Shotgun has found some additional details about how Steam measures who's playing what:
“Remember the Potato Sack? GlaDOS is apparently drawing “power” from
computers playing games in the potato sack. For every collective 48 hours
for one particular game, that game’s “power bar” goes up by 1%. And Steam
needs to record you actually playing the game – just leaving something
idling in the background does not contribute.

The potatoes we all frantically collected can still be collected – in
fact, you are a major contributor if you even collect one potato in one
game. Potatoes multiply that game’s particular power, so if, say, you
gathered 5 potatoes in Audiosurf and one in Bit.TRIP BEAT, you’d be
multiplying EVERYONE’s efforts in Audiosurf by 6x and BIT.TRIP BEAT by 2x.

Some people seem to think that launching multiple games is a good idea.
This is in fact, not helping at all, because Steam only records keyboard
activity in games launched through Steam, not through external launching.”

[Aerozord]

I can say with relative certainty that is bull. According to the "CPUs of power" we got over 20,000 total people playing these games. Meaning if everyone played for about 15 minutes, it would be done already

[Shyria Dracnoir]

It's GLaDOS. Bullshit is her game.

[Bells]

"pay 37 bucks to get a chance to get a 50 bucks game a few days earlier"

huh... like i said, too convoluted for little payoff.

Now, yeah, an ARG is more about the journey than the actual prize, but this is underwhelming. More than that, it's downright mean... they could've released a Portal 2 Demo instead. That would be perfect and help the game and they could've easily done that!

[Aerozord]

now I get the meaning, but what does ARG actually stand for?

[Bells]

Augmented Reality Game

[Aerozord]

really? cause this looks more like viral marketing to me

[Pip Boy]

Augmented Reality Games are something Valve has done from time to time, particularly related to Portal. They leave puzzles here and there in the real world and wait for the community to try and decipher them. This one just happens to be encouraging people to support all these indie developers.

[Aerozord]

but end result isn't really a game, this is literal grinding. Spending time doing something so it grants you access to actual game.

Do not get me wrong, not saying anything bad about the games, I am talking about those that got them just to get to portal sooner. They are grinding, they are working, they are not doing it for entertainment they are doing it to earn access to entertainment.

[Pip Boy]

Well, normally grinding means doing a repetitive action like killing mobs over and over even though its really boring. At least thats what MMOs have come to make it mean. In this case, its more like Valve saying "Hey, while you wait to play Portal 2 we'd like to give you some extra incentive to buy these other games at a massive discount and then play them because really they are totally fantastic games". And its not like they're forcing everyone to do this. They're offering to move things forward ahead of the scheduled release date, so if you can't be fucked to participate then just chill and get it when you originally expected to.

Seriously they're doing something that you almost never see a big game developer do: Encouraging us to support indie developers.

[Aerozord]

seperate the grind in a RPG and notice its still exactly the same thing you do when not grinding. What makes it grinding is that you are just wasting time till you get to what you really want. Maybe I'm one of those people that take artist integrity further then I should, but I know if I made a game I'd want people to play it because its fun, not because they just want to play something else sooner


Seriously they're doing something that you almost never see a big game developer do: Encouraging us to support indie developers.

thats because most big game developers dont get a cut of indie studios profits

[Azisien]

I imagine their motivation lies somewhere in the middle of Benevolent Angel Pip Boy Theory and Evil Grindy Profiteering Aerozord Theory. It's usually in the middle.

[Jagos]

For Super Meat Boy support? All is forgiven

[Pip Boy]

I imagine their motivation lies somewhere in the middle of Benevolent Angel Pip Boy Theory and Evil Grindy Profiteering Aerozord Theory. It's usually in the middle.

Considering the industry standard for this kind of shit, even 'in the middle' puts them above most devs. I mean Chaotic Neutral may not make them Jesus Ghandi Jegus, but its better than Lawful Evil.

[Meister]

Augmented Alternate Reality Game
:knowledge:

e: an augmented reality game would rule pretty hard though. You'd have to go to specific places and check them out via a smartphone to reveal information or see them as their in-game version. Actually you could use that very well in an ARG.

[Doc ock rokc]

:knowledge:

e: an augmented reality game would rule pretty hard though. You'd have to go to specific places and check them out via a smartphone to reveal information or see them as their in-game version. Actually you could use that very well in an ARG.

or have links to websites that hold the photos (that you can print out for later?)
Still ether way Great idea.

[Meister]

Yeah, that's one way. But theoretically you could also set it up so you can go to, let's say a specific point in New York (revealed in advance through another ARG element), look at the Statue of Liberty through your smartphone screen, see it as the lair of your game's villain or whatever you thought of, and take your own picture of it in that state. Developers would need to create and publish an app that does all that but they could easily pass that off as the modern equivalent of those sunglasses in They Live, especially when something like that is also in the game. Just having a website link appear would, of course, be a lot easier and probably possible within existing augmented reality services.

[Aerozord]

Yeah, that's one way. But theoretically you could also set it up so you can go to, let's say a specific point in New York (revealed in advance through another ARG element), look at the Statue of Liberty through your smartphone screen, see it as the lair of your game's villain or whatever you thought of, and take your own picture of it in that state. Developers would need to create and publish an app that does all that but they could easily pass that off as the modern equivalent of those sunglasses in They Live, especially when something like that is also in the game. Just having a website link appear would, of course, be a lot easier and probably possible within existing augmented reality services.

they do have things like that, smartphones for example have an app that uses GPS to map your location as well as the location of "zombies" in the area. Also games for DSi that make use of overlaying virtual images on camera feeds of the real world, no doubt the 3DS will take those to an even higher level.

[Arcanum]

So two progress bars have been filled and Portal 2 will be released 90 minutes early, which is about 8:30AM (EST) on Tuesday (according to my hasty calculations). Also if every completion only knocks off about 45 minutes, then at best we'll be looking at a midnight launch (EST, of course).

[rpgdemon]

:knowledge:

e: an augmented reality game would rule pretty hard though. You'd have to go to specific places and check them out via a smartphone to reveal information or see them as their in-game version. Actually you could use that very well in an ARG.

Thank you. I was gonna say.


Also, the ARG wasn't just thought up on the spot because the bundle was happening, the bundle was probably made for the ARG.

[Specterbane]

Maybe I'm a cynic but I really think Valve's just doing this to make a boat load of cash off the potato sack sale. Just look at the top sellers: Portal 2 (1), Potato Sack (2), Portal 2 + Potato Sack (4). And this will get what, Portal 2 to come out Monday instead of Tuesday?

Not that this is really a bad thing, if you want the games it's a win-win as anything on Steam sales always is.

[rpgdemon]

Not that this is really a bad thing, if you want the games it's a win-win as anything on Steam sales always is.

Yeah, and the potato sack bundle is just a REALLY good deal. I was on the fence about buying it pre-finding out about the ARG. I ended up not buying it, because I didn't see myself playing it a ton, and I don't want to spend like 30 bucks in order to not wait a few extra days. Also, I already owned audiosurf, so, there was that too. And Bit.Trip.Beat, but on the Wii.

I shall go play Bit.Trip.Beat on the Wii.

[Bells]

Thank you. I was gonna say.


Also, the ARG wasn't just thought up on the spot because the bundle was happening, the bundle was probably made for the ARG.

If you look at the name. mechanics and premises (and Icons) of all the games in the Bundle, you can draw direct connections and relations between them and concepts/things that happen on the Portal series

AaAaAA!!! A Reckless Disregard for Gravity
RUSH
BIT.TRIP BEAT
Toki Tori
Cogs
The Ball
Audiosurf
Amnesia
Super Meat Boy
Defense Grid: The Awakening
Killing Floor
1... 2... 3... KICK IT!
The Wonderful End of the World


EDIT:

Aaaah!! I just got it... now i know why they call it the "Potato" ARG. that Potato works as POrTAl TwO... but also, you can use Potatos to make a very simple Battery.

Potato => Battery => Eletricity => Reboot GLaDOS

hah!... clever

[Shyria Dracnoir]

Potato => Battery => Eletricity

MST3K did it. Sort of. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTVYeDW2Yx8) (Skip to 2:57).

[Aerozord]

did some math with their "new projected launch" its 8:30 am EST, tuesday.

wasn't it supposed to launch earlier then that to begin with?

"default boot schedule" is 10am EST tuesday, they were really gonna hold off till 10am to sell this thing? Cause no store is going to do that

[Bells]

This Entire ordeal, this whole thing, to get Portal 2 1 day earlier, if you pay 30$ extra and Powerplay through 13 games nonstop while uncovering specific secrets. an ARG that made people decode encrypted messages, audio files, go to physical places to search for clues....

To get Portal 1 day earlier.. kinda, maybe.

But you get 2 skins and 1 hat for ANOTHER game you may or may not have!

...er...

My undying faith on goodness tells me that there is more to it than this.

Like... it has to be more to it than this...

Or maybe this is just Valve going "How much crap can we actually get away with?"

[Arcanum]

Well thanks to Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/#!5792764/so-how-close-are-we-to-unlocking-portal-2), it seems there are a few (http://www.hasportal2launchedyet.com/) sites (http://cpucount.zapto.org/) tracking (http://www.coughlandesign.com/portal/) and estimating (http://www.gamingmasters.co.uk/portal/) Portal 2's release. I'm not sure how they are coming to these conclusions, but hey, if it means we get Portal 2 Monday afternoon then it's fine with me.

[Pip Boy]

Do we even know for sure that they don't plan to release it the moment that the bar is full? Games are normally done way ahead of launch so it wouldn't surprise me if there were a complete portal 2 sitting there at valve waiting for release.

[Bells]

But that's exactly the case... even the review copies are already out for a few days

[Mannix]

Maybe the releases add time exponentially? Now with 3 games unlocked it's 2.5ish hours ahead, when it was just an hour and a half with 2. I dunno, maybe I looked at it wrong. Nice to see the overall bar is at about 50%. The way some of these games are getting done, I think there might be a group doing a focused fire approach.

[Jagos]

Maybe the releases add time exponentially? Now with 3 games unlocked it's 2.5ish hours ahead, when it was just an hour and a half with 2. I dunno, maybe I looked at it wrong. Nice to see the overall bar is at about 50%. The way some of these games are getting done, I think there might be a group doing a focused fire approach.

Yeah, I'm just happy playing SMB right now. The Defense Grid game runs too slowly for me.

[Bells]

Yes, they are. Via the ARG wiki page, they direct users to play this or that game, that way they move about 3k people from one game to the other, while other people play other games. There is an estimate of 20k people participating on this thing.

[Jagos]

Welp, looks like people are working on Rush right now.

[Revising Ocelot]

AAAAA and Rush finished while I was sleeping, a little over 3 hours have been knocked off the time. Guess it's scaling up for each game complete.

[Doc ock rokc]

ARG group is now focusing on cogs

[rpgdemon]

AAAAA and Rush finished while I was sleeping, a little over 3 hours have been knocked off the time. Guess it's scaling up for each game complete.

Not quite. The ARG wiki focuses on the smaller games first, scaling upwards, because the smaller games are easier to complete, and get definite progress, and the more games that you beat, the less you'll have to do to beat the larger/harder games. The smaller games give you less time off towards the total, while the larger games give you a lot more.

[Revising Ocelot]

Not quite. The ARG wiki focuses on the smaller games first, scaling upwards, because the smaller games are easier to complete, and get definite progress, and the more games that you beat, the less you'll have to do to beat the larger/harder games. The smaller games give you less time off towards the total, while the larger games give you a lot more.

...technically it's still scaling up then, but that doesn't excuse the fact I'm a bloody retard.

[Pip Boy]

So fellas, last night I was hanging out in that new Potato group's steam group chat. In voice chat, I heard some morse code that I thought at the time was just some random users trying to troll people. Then I saw an update on the wiki with the translation. Apparently its a small teaser referring to an Icebreaker Ship and Black Mesa. Could be the Aperture Science ship from the end of Half Life 2, episode 2. There has been another message apparently put into the steamcast indicating that this ARG will not end with just the release of portal 2.

All in all, there is a large chance that after those bars fill and Portal 2 launches, we may recieve some information about the status of the next Half Life game. That or Valve is trolling us. Probably both.

[Jagos]

So fellas, last night I was hanging out in that new Potato group's steam group chat. In voice chat, I heard some morse code that I thought at the time was just some random users trying to troll people. Then I saw an update on the wiki with the translation. Apparently its a small teaser referring to an Icebreaker Ship and Black Mesa. Could be the Aperture Science ship from the end of Half Life 2, episode 2. There has been another message apparently put into the steamcast indicating that this ARG will not end with just the release of portal 2.

All in all, there is a large chance that after those bars fill and Portal 2 launches, we may recieve some information about the status of the next Half Life game. That or Valve is trolling us. Probably both.

Wait, how is that possible?

Portal 2 doesn't take place at the same time as HL3 should...

[Doc ock rokc]

Wait, how is that possible?

Portal 2 doesn't take place at the same time as HL3 should...

You mean EP3 and we don't really know. Its possible that portal one happened a little after the black mesa incident and portal 2 could be happening a little after the combine invasion.

[Revising Ocelot]

I read in promotional material many months ago that Portal 2 takes place 100 years or so after Portal 1.

[Jagos]

You mean EP3 and we don't really know. Its possible that portal one happened a little after the black mesa incident and portal 2 could be happening a little after the combine invasion.

The comic along with the promotional data says it happened a lot later. Unless there's a time influx somewhere that we don't know of, this could get a lot more interesting...

[Doc ock rokc]

The comic along with the promotional data says it happened a lot later. Unless there's a time influx somewhere that we don't know of, this could get a lot more interesting...

given we had a long standing unstable warp hole planted in City 17 I would think time being a bit messed up would be the least of our worries.

[Locke cole]

GLaDOS did say that something insane was happening outside the Facility...

[Aerozord]

I think Portal took place around same time as HL 1 or 2. One reason you were so isolated is because there was so much crap going on outside anyone that knew about it had bigger problems.

Portal 2 is way after, remember you were put in suspended animation and early gameplay videos of Portal 2 the facility was in deep decay and considering all the effort placed in keeping it uncontaminated that would take alot of time.

[Jagos]

GLaDOS did say that something insane was happening outside the Facility...

Is it just me or does the world of Valve = all kinds of FUBAR?

[Bells]

I just spoiled the ending for myself (Irony! Gabe said at E3 that the best console version would be on the PS3... the version that got leaked, pirated and Spoiled the game to everyone? 360 =3 )

I'll just say this about Portal 2: Play it, you guys will enjoy it a lot.
Potatos are Plot Related

Abor the ARG though... did you guys ever thought about looking at the Portal 2 Forums at Valve? It's like staring dead center into the heart of madness

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=854

It's really really weird... and a little bit sad.

so fun!

EDIT:

I mean... really

http://www.themcgoverns.info/portal/

[Shyria Dracnoir]

...Think about looking at the Portal 2 Forums at Valve?It's really really weird... and a little bit sad.

Forums

Valve

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc230/Shyria_Dracnoir/1297578425334.jpg

[Bells]

Also acceptable:

http://i54.tinypic.com/iclrw2.jpg

[Arcanum]

New developments on the GlaDOS@Home (http://www.aperturescience.com/glados@home/) page. The potatoes are counting down as the starch-based power cells are being engaged. It also seems there are now 9 active test subjects.

http://www.mspaintadventures.com/extras/ps000040_4.gif

edit- So some lazy math later, it's going to take 10 hours for all of the potatoes to count down. That is assuming all of the potatoes need to be used.

[Bells]

Thus releasing Portal 2 a fantastic 4 hours early.

i already saw the ending and some of the plot, so i know what a lot of this "cryptic stuff" means in relation to the Plot. It's clever... good for a chuckle

[Revising Ocelot]

Almost 7 hours early at this point, and probably much more assuming The Ball, Amnesia and either Defense Grid or Super Meat Boy fill up. One of the latter two and Killing Floor probably won't get there.

EDIT: Scratch that, the overclocking increase is bigger than I expected. They'll probably all finish.

[Arcanum]

So according to the ARG wiki, the potatoes are currently boosting the completion rate of the games. Once they run out then the overclock period will end and the completion rate will return to normal.

[Aerozord]

this will sound cynical, but I think they delayed the release before this started. Though I've never pre-loaded something from steam, but I'm guessing 10am release times are not normal. After all brick and mortar stores will sell it as soon as they open at like 8am, and if its big they'd even do a midnight release.

[Arcanum]

After all brick and mortar stores will sell it as soon as they open at like 8am

I wish game stores opened around here at 8am. The local mall (with an EB Games), the standalone EB Games, Future Shop, and Best Buy all open at 10am. That's why the original release of 10am on Tuesday was nothing special to me.

But yeah, with how this whole thing looks like it's heading for a midnight release, I can't help but think we had no real control over any of it and Valve was just trolling away.

[Jagos]

The hell? All of the potatoes are going down?

[rpgdemon]

Being used for overclocking.

[Jagos]

Great! Now I can't get any damn potatoes! *shakes fist*

[Revising Ocelot]

Played it. Completed single player. Loved it. Will try co-op as soon as someone IRL stops slacking around.

Can't stop saying "I'm in space!"

[Aerozord]

I am stuck on a particular part, throwing up spoilers to be safe ok I got the the abandoned introduction room, one where the voice welcomes astronauts, athletes, ect. And I am completely stuck, I am not even 100% certain what platform I am to be flung on

[Revising Ocelot]

If it's the location I'm thinking of, you need to run to the back, portal up to the top onto the metal walkway, then put a portal in the floor and one on the sloped wall above you. Jump in the floor portal, as you come out of the top portal fall in the floor portal again for increased momentum that'll fling you through the large O (where the atomic symbol was).


This place (http://i.imgur.com/wrPOW.jpg), yeah? Someone else made that image, heh.

Managed to complete it without consulting any Oracles, although some of the latter parts of the game are really fiendish.

EDIT: If it's the part after, that's what I call the Portal Hunty section. General rule is to look up, zoom and search for white walls. I should have taken screenshots when I went through!

(Blatantly going to do another playthrough at the weekend)

[mauve]

Is it really so short that you guys finished it already?! Wow. I mean, the original wasn't very long, but my first playthrough of that took more than one day.

[Kerensky287]

My paypal account isn't getting the money I need to buy it on steam till the 26th (I actually could not have picked a worse time to start the payment request) but I'm curious too, how long is it? Portal 1 was 20 bucks when it launched and I beat it in a sitting. Is Portal 2 full-length, or are they relying on the co-op to get people their money's worth?

[Steel Shadow]

I wouldn't say it's short, so much as we are very obsessed gamers. It felt longer than portal 1 to me.

Also it's a fantastic game and everyone should have it. And I haven't even tracked anyone down for co-op yet!

[Eltargrim]

Wooooooooooooooooooo!

[Specterbane]

Yeah, I just beat the main story. But I know I haven't found all the little fun things that are in there. All in all it's about twice the length of Portal at least, and it's got some great puzzles in it.

Besides that the Co-op is really fun too, and pretty substantial from the look of it, so it's totally worth the buy to me.

Hell, I can honestly say I haven't had this much fun playing a game in a long while.

[Jagos]

Wow, I never knew a computer could be so bitchy...

[Aerozord]

if you see me on and want to try two player, let me know.

edit: oh and when I say on I mean on steam, while I often leave it idle I will not be doing so in the next few days. So if I am on I am most likely up for some gaming

[rpgdemon]

Okay, I beat it, I can now stop avoiding this thread for fear of spoilers.


So, something weird: On everyone else's ending credits, the credits were on the right, and the words were on the left. For me, it was reversed. It was really weird, since someone was behind me when I beat it, and he was like, "Wait, mine was the other way!", and the other person who was there also said the same thing.

And the Youtube videos all show it the not-my way.


I am speshul!


Edit: Ahah, found one other that was like mine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbhHqyGH5AQ

[Pip Boy]

All the uses of "Thats What I'm Counting on" in the lyrics to the song in the credits make me wonder if GLaDOS had some ulterior motive for letting you leave the facility instead of just killing the crap out of you.

[Steel Shadow]

Honestly, the way it was explained, that action made perfect sense. I think all the repetitions just hammer it home. Really, can you blame 'em?

Edit: Though, watching the ends credits song again, That [REDACTED] is kind of telling, isn't it?

[Bells]

Okay, I beat it, I can now stop avoiding this thread for fear of spoilers.


So, something weird: On everyone else's ending credits, the credits were on the right, and the words were on the left. For me, it was reversed. It was really weird, since someone was behind me when I beat it, and he was like, "Wait, mine was the other way!", and the other person who was there also said the same thing.

And the Youtube videos all show it the not-my way.


I am speshul!


Edit: Ahah, found one other that was like mine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbhHqyGH5AQ

i'm willing to bet it was some sort of Glithc, considering how the words just appear on top of the background graphics

[Aerozord]

only two real issues, one is minor, humor in the beginning was kind of lacking for the tests. I think mostly because of the self-awareness of your position.

Other thing was the white gel, I always imagined the surfaces were color coded for your convenience but it seems being white in and of itself is what lets you use it. However i have just developed a new theory, that the walls were painted with a special substance.

My theory for what that substance is? MOON ROCKS! Since one of the recorded messages said mood rocks had a reaction to the portals, and well, using the gun on the moon

On an unrelated note, I love how your silent protagonists is called a "mute"

Only time I can think of where its stated less that the protagonist won't talk, and more that they cant

[Bells]

If Chell were an Actual Mute, i actually think that it would be great. In the first game i just accepted as she being really aware of what was going on and like "what's the point of talking to a machine? I need to get out of here"

[PyrosNine]

It's actually thought that Chell doesn't speak because doing so would validate GlaDOS and Co. talking to her. Even if she spoke, that would only encourage GlaDOS to keep talking, and mock anything she says.

Essentially, if you were stuck in a place with someone who has almost completely untouchable and has plenty of control over you, and there's nothing you can do to affect her, the only amount of control you have in your relationship with the former is whether or not you talk to them.

A better analogy is to imagine that Chell is GlaDOS's daughter. Chell hates her passive aggressive "mom", and like most moody but intelligent children/teen/womanchild she is insolent by complying when she has to, but keeps silent.

Also, would you hold a conversation with someone who has a distinct lack of both honesty and subtlety, and despite being a supercomputer is still just as idiotic as everything else in your situation? It'd be like having that one poisonous friend who complements you on your hairstyle, because she'd seen a prostitute wear it once and she was very popular.

[Aerozord]

though very start of Portal 2 heavily suggests its brain damage and she has simply lost the ability to speak

[Pip Boy]

In the end of the game, GLaDOS refers to chell as "you dangerous, mute lunatic". Then theres the speaking excersize in the beginning of the game. Chell is legitimately and canonically incapable of speaking.

[Arcanum]

Other thing was the white gel, I always imagined the surfaces were color coded for your convenience but it seems being white in and of itself is what lets you use it. However i have just developed a new theory, that the walls were painted with a special substance.

My theory for what that substance is? MOON ROCKS! Since one of the recorded messages said mood rocks had a reaction to the portals, and well, using the gun on the moon

Well the Conversion Gel is actually made of crushed up moon rocks. One of Cave Johnson's quotes says exactly that, before he reveals that crushed up moon dust is extremely deadly, and is what's killing him.

[Bells]

So let me play a little "speculation ball" here for a second.

HL Episode 2 Alluded to Portal 2, And now Portal 2 Alluded to HL Ep2.

That would imply they are heading for some common ground to HL Ep3. The Borealis being the common Link.

The Borealis also being a link for Teleportation as a theme and Aperture technology being used as a Weapon.

Now, it's not really clear if HL2 and Portal 2 have a timeline in common. I Mean.. the Borealis disappeared in the universe of Portal, and appeared in the Universe of Half Life. The common theory being that it was a Teleportation experiment that went wrong.

But... if the reason that it went wrong is because the teleportation moved the object in space AND time, in some sort of Self Contained super-portal, or even a Dimensional Portal, you would have a clear link to the crazy stuff that happens in the Half Life universe .

It tells very little (close to nothing) about the next Half Life game... but still, good to know they are trying to make some sense

[rpgdemon]

only two real issues, one is minor, humor in the beginning was kind of lacking for the tests. I think mostly because of the self-awareness of your position.

Other thing was the white gel, I always imagined the surfaces were color coded for your convenience but it seems being white in and of itself is what lets you use it. However i have just developed a new theory, that the walls were painted with a special substance.

My theory for what that substance is? MOON ROCKS! Since one of the recorded messages said mood rocks had a reaction to the portals, and well, using the gun on the moon

On an unrelated note, I love how your silent protagonists is called a "mute"

Only time I can think of where its stated less that the protagonist won't talk, and more that they cant
Cave Johnson said that the white goo was made of moon rocks. And also killing him because HE DOESN'T WANT YOUR DAMN LEMONS!

In other news: I think that Want You Gone is a lot more musically in Joco's style, but the composition sounds completely different than Still Alive, because the vocal part is a lot less simplistic, and the background music is more complicated/not the same steady thing that slowly becomes added to. I feel like it sort of shows GladOS as begrudgingly seeing Chell as an equal/friendly, in a weird way. I might just be crazy though.

And listening to the song/thinking about things: I think that GLaDOS was made using Caroline's mind, but augmented to facilitate SCIENCE, so that she could literally run the facility like Cave Johnson said. The augmented personality took over, though, and Caroline was woken back up while around Cave Johnson's voice as the potato. And I don't think that GLaDOS deleted her, or maybe is entirely unable to.

[Doc ock rokc]

In other news: I think that Want You Gone is a lot more musically in Joco's style, but the composition sounds completely different than Still Alive, because the vocal part is a lot less simplistic, and the background music is more complicated/not the same steady thing that slowly becomes added to. I feel like it sort of shows GladOS as begrudgingly seeing Chell as an equal/friendly, in a weird way. I might just be crazy though.

And listening to the song/thinking about things: I think that GLaDOS was made using Caroline's mind, but augmented to facilitate SCIENCE, so that she could literally run the facility like Cave Johnson said. The augmented personality took over, though, and Caroline was woken back up while around Cave Johnson's voice as the potato. And I don't think that GLaDOS deleted her, or maybe is entirely unable to.

its entirely possible that she made Caroline into a personality core (Now little Caroline is in here too.) Or it could be that this song was written and sang in Chell's recovery from the moon bit

[Aerozord]

nitpick did break the immersion abit on that last scene when you are flailing your arms are you are sucked into space and you can see they aren't attached to anything

now I was listening to developers commentary, and they said there was one part of the game world that defied laws of reality, room bigger on the inside, things like that, anyone know what that area might be?

[Arcanum]

Just found this. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcs4klrjlwE) (WARNING END-GAME SPOILERS sort of). The description of that video has links to more sound files too.

edit- The Fact Sphere says some absolutely hilarious stuff (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxMKoB-A5-8), and is now my favorite.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

Just found this. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcs4klrjlwE) (WARNING END-GAME SPOILERS sort of). The description of that video has links to more sound files too.

Ok, now I'm hoping, nay, I'm DEMANDING that Rick the Adventure Sphere get his own spinoff. If he doesn't I swear I will pull someone's underwear right up their butt. I mean, he has his own theme song already!

[Pip Boy]

Rick the Adventure Sphere was awesome. If you listen to him long enough, it even changes the end dialogue just a tiny bit.

[Flarecobra]

I had a realization.... The "Cake"... it's not your normal cake.

It's made of people.

It just all makes sense... GlaDOS tells Chell that she well be baked, and then there will be cake... The obsession with cake, and the fact that she also has no qualms about killing... And when you run out of ingrediants... gotta find alternitives, right?

[Aerozord]

I had a realization.... The "Cake"... it's not your normal cake.

It's made of people.

It just all makes sense... GlaDOS tells Chell that she well be baked, and then there will be cake... The obsession with cake, and the fact that she also has no qualms about killing... And when you run out of ingrediants... gotta find alternitives, right?

like rhubarb

[Kim]

Started playing the game last night, eventually had to sleep. Just beat the game. Very, very excellent. Humor isn't quite as good in co-op, and the single player drags a bit, I felt, but still an excellent game. The singing turrets were fantastic.

[Doc ock rokc]

is it odd that if portal was placed outside anytime before the ending that i would have tried doing the same thing right at the start?...?

[Steel Shadow]

Not odd at all! It's actually kind of a shame. They put so much nice foreshadowing and hinting for the final puzzle into the game, and when I got there I didn't think of any of it. I just saw the moon and shot it for the hell of it.

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!"

[rpgdemon]

Not odd at all! It's actually kind of a shame. They put so much nice foreshadowing and hinting for the final puzzle into the game, and when I got there I didn't think of any of it. I just saw the moon and shot it for the hell of it.

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!"

That was a puzzle? I honestly thought it was pretty obvious. They went over how the portal surfaces are made of moon rocks, and they were pointing you directly at the moon, while you were presumably dying and had seconds left, so I assumed that it was supposed to be obvious to shoot the moon.

[Steel Shadow]

They didn't really give you any choice. I don't think you can actually move to aim at anything else. Still a puzzle though.

[rpgdemon]

I wouldn't call that a puzzle then.

[Steel Shadow]

*Shrug* I would. Did, in fact. Are words that important?

[rpgdemon]

YES. (http://www.nuklearforums.com/showthread.php?t=39962)

[Jagos]

In the end of the game, GLaDOS refers to chell as "you dangerous, mute lunatic". Then theres the speaking excersize in the beginning of the game. Chell is legitimately and canonically incapable of speaking.

Just a thought...

Look at the Portal comic. Then look at Chell. Look at the Portal comic, then back to Chell.

Sadly, the Portal comic isn't Chell, but if you squint real hard you can see similarities. Look down, back up, where are you? On a boat that's teleported through time. What's in your hand, back at me. I have it, a Portal gun, what you love. Look again, the Portal gun has diamonds! Anything is possible when you realize that Doug Rattman is just as silent as Chell.

[Arcanum]

You know what's not fair? That I want to make either the Fact Sphere or the Space Sphere my avatar but don't wish to inadvertently spoil parts of the game by doing so.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

So I've been avoiding this thread, until I watched a YouTube walkthrough (sorry, I stunk at the first Portal, and from what I've seen, there's no reason for me to think any different about this one).

Anyway, is the Chell you play in Portal 1 even the same one as Portal 2? I mean, given that you wake up & go back to stasis in the same room, I think not. We did see that there were Chell Clones in Portal 1.

What if the Chell you play in Portal 2 is the original template for the clones, and just has the memories of her dopplegangers implanted into her? (Kinda like in Paranoia the RPG.)

It might prove interesting, if by Portal 3, Chell starts having more flashbacks that cover the gaps in the plot. I mean, who's steps did Chell follow in, back in Portal 1? (The one who fell in love with the Companion Cube & created those various alcoves. Plus, left directions straight to GlaDOS.) Now that we're several years in the future from those events, if Chell doesn't have the answers already, I doubt we're going to get them anywhere else.

SWB

[Marc v4.0]

From the comic, it is the same Chell

[Sky Warrior Bob]

From the comic, it is the same Chell

Haven't read the comic. Does it come with the game? Or is it posted on-line somewhere?

Nevermind, found it (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thinkwithportals.com%2Fcomic% 2F&ei=DW-xTYnsBoWftwetzaDnCw&usg=AFQjCNGEY52OQLUwd9E5Od7SPsXnAtvPgQ). Weird. So the crazy guy worked for Apeture & ran out of his prescription meds when GlaDOS took over.

Well, I guess that's something of an explaination. Still, leaves me with more questions than answers. And still doesn't explain all those Chell clones.

[Mannix]

Haven't read the comic. Does it come with the game? Or is it posted on-line somewhere?

Nevermind, found it (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCcQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thinkwithportals.com%2Fcomic% 2F&ei=DW-xTYnsBoWftwetzaDnCw&usg=AFQjCNGEY52OQLUwd9E5Od7SPsXnAtvPgQ). Weird. So the crazy guy worked for Apeture & ran out of his prescription meds when GlaDOS took over.

Well, I guess that's something of an explaination. Still, leaves me with more questions than answers. And still doesn't explain all those Chell clones.

All what Chell clones?

[Melfice]

I haven't read the comic (yet), but I can imagine that it's simply Rattman hallucinating or maybe it's the drawings he made. Or flashbacks to where he saw Chell in the stasis pod.

I don't know.
But it's a bit more logical than the clones. (ignoring this is a world where portals exist)

[Jagos]

All what Chell clones?

2 player coop explains. But I don't think it's a Chell clone...?

[Sky Warrior Bob]

First I'm talking about this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs6QEuaeKYs

There are apparent clones in Portal 1. Neither this comic, nor Portal 2's single player seems to address this. (Haven't seen the multiplayer potion, plan to check it out this weekend).

(Yes, I am aware that they might be just there for the constant respawns, but I wouldn't mind mention of them in Portal 2.)

SWB

[Kim]

The clones are all dead, I think.

[Marc v4.0]

First I'm talking about this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs6QEuaeKYs


That is not actual game content. It was a fan-made thing/a hoax secret area. It comes from a fan-mod mappack called Portal:TFV.

[Specterbane]

That's apparently from a Map pack (http://portalmaps.wecreatestuff.com/) made by this guy (http://stars.ign.com/objects/143/14303200.html). So I'm pretty sure that counts as Non-cannon.

[Aldurin]

Man, this game made it's awesomegasm when I saw the moon through the hole in the roof (internal reaction: YEEEEEESSS!).

And then DAT CREDITS SONG. I will have it on every device I can play music on.

[PyrosNine]

Yeah, the clones were put there as a joke, because GlaDOS constantly dehumanizes Chell with things like saying she's an android or a clone, and has no parents. This isn't because she's a clone or an android (though she may be a sibling of Barney on account of her health regen is the same as his) but because GlaDOS has no actual data on Chell other than her first name, as the comic shows that Rattman completely redacted all data on Chell.

In the Flash pack, that was also made part of the Still Alive DLC, they continued on the joke with a room full of Chell clones, but followed that up by showing Chell a fabricated Borealis and putting one of GlaDOS's cores on the ship, and then it sailing away. So yeah, nothing canon about it, just some cute jokes thrown at the original's story.

[Arcanum]

Bill actually survived the zombie apocalypse... sort of. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lICcfdftF0)

[Azisien]

Beat the single player and multi player on the same day. All I can think about is where to put portals around my house to maximize momentum.

EDIT:

My thoughts...

It's probably my favourite video game of all time. Ever. Absolutely sublime.

First SP run through took me a little over six hours, so the game is much longer than Portal (which I beat in two hours on first try).

There seemed to be a bit of a lull during the Old Aperture segments, but I think that was just because the puzzles started getting hard there. I know I got stuck on the first moon rock gel puzzle for like 25 minutes.

Second SP run took just under four hours, going fairly fast but not full speed, and that lull just doesn't exist once you have a slight edge in Old Aperture.

Multiplayer was beautifully designed. The humour wasn't really there, but a lot of the puzzles were fiendishly difficult, and being able to work with someone else was just...great. That final puzzle had us going for nearly an hour. A little disappointed in the multiplayer ending, but I really can't see it topping the single player. Not even sure if I would want it to?!

Gah! Portals everywhere!

[Donomni]

Got Portal 2 a week ago-ish from Gamefly. It's most certainly as excellent as everyone is saying it is. Now if only-

I'm in space.

-uh, yes, yes you are. Anyways, I just hope PSN gets back online so I can play co-op.

Too bad the 360 version isn't Steam-supported, or I'd totally be asking NonCon to team up with me in that... you know, when PSN gets back up.

Speaking of SPAAAAACE, I cannot help but think they intentionally made that bit so it'd be much more annoying as a meme than untruthful cakes ever could be.

And this game has one of the best meta jokes I've seen:

GLaDOS: Well, this is the part where he kills us.
Wheatley: Hello. This is the part where I kill you.
CHAPTER NINE: THE PART WHERE HE KILLS YOU
Trophy: The Part Where He Kills You
Description: This is that part.

[mauve]

I've discovered that reality, i.e. my employment, eating meals, sleeping, etc, are all just filler to occupy the time I'm not spending playing Portal 2. That should probably concern me, but... Portal 2.

Oddly, I'm taking my own sweet time finishing it. I'm not getting stuck or anything, I'm just playing in short sessions. The sad thing is that I'm on chamber 19 and am worried I'm almost done with the game. I don't want it to be over!! D:


I'm loving the dialogue, the characters, the humor, the tests... everything! I especially liked the whole "hopping to communicate" thing at the beginning, because that basically describes the communication method of every TF2 player who doesn't have a mic, ever. And killing turrets is even more fun this time around than in the first game, a feat which I thought impossible.

[Revising Ocelot]

Oddly, I'm taking my own sweet time finishing it. I'm not getting stuck or anything, I'm just playing in short sessions. The sad thing is that I'm on chamber 19 and am worried I'm almost done with the game. I don't want it to be over!! D:


Only thing I can say to that is: keep playing. Stuff gets crazy.

[Aerozord]

Only thing I can say to that is: keep playing. Stuff gets crazy.

found a hidden room (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-d8icFXxJ8)

while not a spoiler, it is most entertaining I think if you've beat the game

[Kim]

blargh was on what I think is the last level of co-op, and the person I was playing with had to leave.

[rpgdemon]

I was wondering how you killed that turret. A friend of mine told me about it later, then I promptly forgot, so thank you for showing me again!

[Revising Ocelot]

found a hidden room (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-d8icFXxJ8)

while not a spoiler, it is most entertaining I think if you've beat the game

Actually found that today in the middle of my second playthrough to gather achievements and things I missed. That was one of 'em!

[Arcanum]

DLC is in the works. (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/27/portal-2-dlc-coming-as-soon-as-this-summer/) It'll be out in the summer with details being revealed in the next week or two. I hope they keep the Valve tradition of free content, and leave the micro-transactions to frivolous aesthetic items. But who am I kidding, I would totally pay for more Portal 2 puzzles.

[Donomni]

And a pony!

Goddammit, stop reminding me of the Pinkie Pie mod-that-doesn't-exist-yet, internet!

[Arcanum]

Test chambers, leader boards, challenge maps, oh my! (http://kotaku.com/#!5797142/free-portal-2-content-brings-new-test-chambers-and-challenge-modes-this-summer)

Maybe if we play enough indie games we can get them to release the DLC 12 hours early :D

[mauve]

Welp, finally finished single player mode yesterday. Gotta say, the dialogue and voice acting were all top-notch. I actually laughed out loud during a lot of Wheatley's rants, particularly during his efforts to get Chell to jump into the bottomless pit. I sat there listening to him go on and on for a good three or four minutes. I also loved the introduction of the poor little mutant walk-boxes and the blue screen of death.

My only qualms were that 1) I'm not sure how we could have such a clear view of the moon when the roof opens since we're supposed to be miles underground, and B) that Wheatley ends up where he ends up. Valve made him waaaay too loveable for me to hate him. I wanted him to come with me! He said he was sorry!

[Loyal]

I don't think you're supposed to hate him. Everyone in this game, regardless of how monstrous they are, just ends up being laughable. Cave Johnson's responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people, but he still comes off as totally awesome and hilarious. And Glados is... well, Glados. And a potato.

[Melfice]

I don't think you're supposed to hate him. Everyone in this game, regardless of how monstrous they are, just ends up being laughable. Cave Johnson's responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people, but he still comes off as totally awesome and hilarious. And Glados is... well, Glados. And a potato.

And Caroline.

Well, to be fair she WAS Caroline. Past and present.
That was actually a bit of a: "Whu-? They actually did that?" moment. But then I remembered: "Aperture. Right. They would."

[Azisien]

Welp, finally finished single player mode yesterday. Gotta say, the dialogue and voice acting were all top-notch. I actually laughed out loud during a lot of Wheatley's rants, particularly during his efforts to get Chell to jump into the bottomless pit. I sat there listening to him go on and on for a good three or four minutes. I also loved the introduction of the poor little mutant walk-boxes and the blue screen of death.

My only qualms were that 1) I'm not sure how we could have such a clear view of the moon when the roof opens since we're supposed to be miles underground, and B) that Wheatley ends up where he ends up. Valve made him waaaay too loveable for me to hate him. I wanted him to come with me! He said he was sorry!

I reckon you spent pretty much the whole campaign going upwards, or the facility has just deteriorated to that extent? The sunlight at the start of the game seemed like real sunlight, for instance.

Wheatley being evil was just...the best thing. I knew it was leading up to that like three minutes before it happened and...I love him, but he's gonna turn out horrible. But I learned from Bioware that it's possible to respect that interaction in a meta-analysis of the game as a whole. Like I hate that bitch Morrigan from Dragon Age, but she's totally written to be a bitch, so it's actually awesome because they are succeeding. Valve, in that example, just happened to succeed at crushing my soul.

[mauve]

crushing my soul This accurately describes my response to that scene.

EDIT: Oh, and to clarify, I mean (mega spoilers) "soul crushing" in response to Wheatley being hurled into space, not in response to Wheatley turning evil. I loved his attempts at being a villain. "Here we are. Holmes and Moriarty. Aristotle and--MASHY SPIKE PLATE!!"

[Loyal]

I feel the turrets don't really get their proper credit in the "soul-crushing" and "wonderful" departments. For instance, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzkKS-_eZys) is possible as a result of the related shenanigans.

[Overcast]

I always have a habit of crying at the end of these games. The singing turrets hit me weak with my good headphones in, absolutely beautiful. Also caught myself pumping my fist and saying "Yes!" at the end-before the ending song. When it spat out the cube.

[CelesJessa]

Just beat it tonight. Aaah it was completely amazing and I want to play it again already.

[Krylo]

Lawled throughout the end. Specifically every time I was told that she just wants me gone, and when the Companion Cube came hurtling out at me.

Honestly, I think I liked it better than the first game. Which surprised me. Feel vindicated in spending my money on it, though, so that's good.

[CelesJessa]

Just beat the multiplayer. It was a lot of fun and the story/dialogue was amusing too. Some of the puzzles were pretty challenging to figure out and coordinate between two people. I can't count the number of times I went flying through the air.

[Krylo]

Flying through the air while I operated the portals to keep you moving.

[CelesJessa]

Yeah, and trapping me behind flipping walls.

Also, the final song is addicting. I can't stop listening to it.

[Krylo]

Yeah, and trapping me behind flipping walls.

One time!

[mauve]

I got part of the way through multiplayer with Shyria; up to the chapter with the light bridges. Most of our game involved pinging random objects to hear the bots chatter at each other (they're so friggin' cute it hurts!!), and spamming team gestures to tick GLaDOS off. Oh, and accidentally killing myself in idiotic ways by portalling the light bridges out from underneath myself.

I am the worst partner.

[Kerensky287]

Just got the game on my own account despite already beating it within 5 hours on my brother's account.

...SO HEY anybody up for co-op tomorrow night?

[Doc ock rokc]

Just got the game on my own account despite already beating it within 5 hours on my brother's account.

...SO HEY anybody up for co-op tomorrow night?

sure friend me and message me Doc_ock_rokc

[rpgdemon]

I totally am too, if anyone wants to play.

Done with finals and everything now, so, I'm pretty much free whenever.

[Aerozord]

me and specter found the companion cube, yay

[Specterbane]

Oh, and accidentally killing myself in idiotic ways by portalling the light bridges out from underneath myself.

I am the worst partner.

Sounds like your the best partner. FOR SCIENCE!

Also, Aeroz and I already beat the co-op and have been hunting some achievements. But I'd be happy to go through and play dumb while anyone wants to fumble through the test chambers.

[Aldurin]

When I did co-op with a friend our biggest problem was trying not to fight over who gets to place the first portals in the excursion funnel tests.

In one we spent about 7 minutes killing each other to gain control.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

I am the worst partner.

Aw, you did just fine. I'm pretty surprised light bridges went as well as it did considering it was the first run for both of us and it was nearly 1 in the morning when we called it quits.

Actually, I don't think we got all the way through it. At least I still haven't since I left for break. Did you find someone to get a bit further?

[mauve]

Nope, haven't played co-op since then. Work schedule limits my "gaming with other people" time to weekends.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

Mmhm. Hopefully I'll be back on by Sunday evening since my plane gets back to Phoenix that day.

[CelesJessa]

So I just realized something. The name Caroline means "free man". Half Life, anyone?

[rpgdemon]

Anyone up for some co-oping? I still haven't gotten a chance to try it.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

So, there's an artist on DA by the name of forte-girl17 who's done a bunch of concepts for a Portal 2 inspired Pyro item set.

So far we've got two weapons and a hat (well, a wig).

The Aperture Science Portable Emergency Intelligence Incinerator (http://forte-girl7.deviantart.com/art/TF2-ASPEII-207487595)

Cave Johnson's Combustible Lemon Launcher (http://forte-girl7.deviantart.com/art/TF2-CJ-CLL-207380417)

The Scientist's Wig (http://forte-girl7.deviantart.com/art/TF2-Scientist-s-Wig-207487605) (resembles the Ratman's hairstyle in the Portal 2 tie in comic)

I swear, if no one else gets it done before me and if the artist allows it, I WILL work at trying to model and texture these things in 3D. If not me, I hope someone does it. I hope Valve spots it and goes along with it.

[Jagos]

The scientist's wig would look better on the Medic though...

[rpgdemon]

And the lemon gun makes the most sense as a demoman item.

[Specterbane]

Hey guys! Do the Wheatley! (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/miracle-of-sound/3146-Wheatleys-Song-Portal-2)

Uh, yeah, be warned though. Spoilers and all.

[Melfice]

The scientist's wig would look better on the Medic though...

And the lemon gun makes the most sense as a demoman item.

And since we're thinking of stuff for the other classes as well...

The Aperture Science Sentry Turrets for the Heavy. (Two. Mounted on his shoulders.)
The Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device for either the Scout of the Spy.
The Rocket Sentry for the Soldier.

Not sure what to give the Sniper, though.
The Medic might do with a Companion Cube that heals anybody he hits with it.

[Aerozord]

actually a reskin of Engineers mini-sentry with Portals would probably be on the easy side

[RickZarber]

Finally got lent another PS3 controller, and thus managed to beat the co-op save science with a friend tonight.

I can't wait for when the PSN comes back and I can authorize my PC edition / play online with ya'll.

Still haven't played much of the single player campaign yet. Have managed to stay fairly spoiler-free by ignoring this thread / most of the internet.

[Aerozord]

I forget who said it, but their theory was right about Chell, "She just chooses not to, what with the robots all being dicks. Why give them the satisfaction?"

Makes me sad, I wanted for once to have an actual mute in a game

Source (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109845-Valve-Portals-Chell-is-Silent-Because-Its-Funnier)

[mauve]

Awwwww. :( Originally I had thought Chell just chose not to speak, but the more I played Portal 2 and Half Life 2 side-by-side, the more it seemed she was an actual mute. She has no voice acting AT ALL. Gordon Freeman doesn't speak, but I noticed he does have a voice actor-- he grunts in pain if he falls off something or walks into flames. Chell doesn't make any noises at all, not even when getting shot or hit by a thermal discouragement beam. Either she's just that hardcore, or she's mute.

Or I'm just bored and wasting time overthinking Valve's making fun of the wide world of silent videogame protaganists.

[Kerensky287]

Their stated reason for her silence makes total sense.

Because obviously, if someone (presumably friendly) was trying to find out if I had been negatively affected by forced hibernation, I would shut my mouth and jump up and down in protest.

Those turrets? They're such dicks, I'm not even going to give them the satisfaction of shouting when I get a bullet through my kidney.

That heat ray is probably being fired by a robot too. I'm gonna take my first-degree burns and keep on walking, no speech from me.

[Aerozord]

its not that I have issue with her choosing not to talk, its that I prefered her not being able to. I would have loved it if someone played the mute protagonist straight for once

[RickZarber]

Whew, finally got around to finishing the single player campaign today.

Now I can finally read this damn thread!

[Jagos]

And they just released the beta tools so you can make new levels...

[Aerozord]

never noticed before, but if you get a good run on the acceleration gel, she starts breathing heavy

[Aldurin]

I just realized something spectacular.

If Cave Johnson was a pony, his cutie mark would be lemons ON FIRE.

[Aerozord]

Wanted to share some awesome tricks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjApKHyEGTc) from the game.

There was also something I noticed, remember when you are about to escape glados and Wheatley says "I am speaking in an accent outside her range of hearing". Is it just me, or was that supposed to be a very bad American accent?

I just realized something spectacular.

If Cave Johnson was a pony, his cutie mark would be lemons ON FIRE.

when I was watching yahtzee review this and he said "no memetic moments" lemon, came to mind.

[Specterbane]

Yeah, if you watch that commentary they say that's what Wheatley's accent is supposed to be.

[mauve]

Welp, started replaying through Single Player for the heck of it, and found a new Rattman nest. This brings my current count to four. The one with the Villify song, the rather easily-found one on top of the staircase between the test chamber and the elevator that you come across pre-GLaDOS, the one in the fan chamber with the hundreds of mugs laying around, and this latest one I found, the one in the advanced aerial faith plate chamber where you can bring the radio to get an achievement. Speaking of which, does anyone know what the radio signal means in the Final Transmission achievement?


I've also discovered that it's really kind of fun watching other people play through the game for the first time. I got my sister hooked on it briefly, and it was interesting watching what she did to solve the puzzles as opposed to what I did, seeing what mistakes we both made and watching how other people solve problems. She did everything systematically and logically, whereas I generally just start hurling portals around where I think they might go and adjusting them based on what works and what doesn't.

[rpgdemon]

There was also something I noticed, remember when you are about to escape glados and Wheatley says "I am speaking in an accent outside her range of hearing". Is it just me, or was that supposed to be a very bad American accent.

I had some fridge brilliance the other day: Chell isn't a mute, but her accent is, in fact, an accent beyond the robot's range of hearing.

[Revising Ocelot]

Speaking of which, does anyone know what the radio signal means in the Final Transmission achievement?

It's like the radios that got patched into Portal 1 as part of the first ARG - it's a SSTV image. Don't ask me what that is or how you interpret it, but it apparently shows a Companion Cube on the moon. Another bit of foreshadowing.

[Melfice]

I had some fridge brilliance the other day: Chell isn't a mute, but her accent is, in fact, an accent beyond the robot's range of hearing.

That would be brilliant if we were playing any of the robots.
Since we're playing Chell, who would be able to hear herself that goes right out the window.

[Nikose Tyris]

That would be brilliant if we were playing any of the robots.
Since we're playing Chell, who would be able to hear herself that goes right out the window.

Well, we know she has the leg modifications; if she theoretically has ear modifications as well, possibly she could not hear her own voice.

[Melfice]

Well, we know she has the leg modifications; if she theoretically has ear modifications as well, possibly she could not hear her own voice.

Hello. Is anybody there? Are you still there? Shutting down.

Well, theoretically, that'd mean the ear modifications are filtered so she, for some reason, can't hear herself, but CAN hear the robots, but there's just no reason for that.

Not being able to talk to yourself would probably only speed up a person going insane when they're completely isolated.

[Krylo]

Chell has specially designed boots/braces, not cyborg legs.

GLaDOS calls them long fall boots and asks Chell if she can be shoved into one and they're explained in one of the movies in the extras section. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Eudn_6kE-w)

[rpgdemon]

Hey, I think that I found where Valve cheated on building the world, which they mentioned in the commentary.

In 1970s Aperture, pre-obtaining potatOS, you can't portal yourself through the ring in the Aperture logo, because you don't get the momentum. After you pick up potatOS, you suddenly can, because the area around the ring has been slightly redesigned, with a catwalk to land on.

[Revising Ocelot]

In 1970s Aperture, pre-obtaining potatOS, you can't portal yourself through the ring in the Aperture logo, because you don't get the momentum. After you pick up potatOS, you suddenly can, because the area around the ring has been slightly redesigned, with a catwalk to land on.

That's because inside and underneath the nest is a button, which depresses and activates once you remove PotatOS. You can see the catwalk being raised up afterwards through the window. There's a sign behind the nest which labels it, but I forget what it says.

[Specterbane]

Hey, I think that I found where Valve cheated on building the world, which they mentioned in the commentary.

In 1970s Aperture, pre-obtaining potatOS, you can't portal yourself through the ring in the Aperture logo, because you don't get the momentum. After you pick up potatOS, you suddenly can, because the area around the ring has been slightly redesigned, with a catwalk to land on.

No that catwalk comes down when the button is un-pushed. They were talking about a place where they'd have to break physics for it to work. At least that was my understanding of it.

[Aerozord]

I cheated and looked it up, the impossible space is when you are escaping wheatley and hit that room with the crap turrets. That rooms inner dimensions do not match the outer. Turn on noclip and you can confirm

[mauve]

Welp, I'm up to six Rattman nests, including the one with the singing senty choir (okay so the only reason I found that one was because I saw a video on youtube. I regret nothing.) I'm now in the retro facility in my replay, so I figure that's all I'm gonna find. I've probably missed one or two. OH DEAR THAT MEANS I SHALL HAVE TO PLAY THE GAME A THIRD TIME AT SOME POINT. OH DEAR HOW SAD.

[Specterbane]

We all weep for your misfortune Mauve.

[Fifthfiend]

This game owns, but I'm kind of disappointed you didn't get to beat Glados to death with your bare hands, the way I so very badly wanted to after that crack about Chell getting to meet her parents.

Actually I single that out in particularly but really the whole game like, in the first game, I kind of just wanted to escape, and if that meant shutting Glados down then sure okay, in this game I just wanted to kill that psycho mudering bitch.

Seeing her jammed into a potato for a third of the game was pretty good though.

[Arcanum]

What's this I hear? You all want the music from Portal 2 on your MP3 player of choice for free? Well don't you fret, I have just what you need. (http://www.thinkwithportals.com/music.php)

[Revising Ocelot]

What's this I hear? You all want the music from Portal 2 on your MP3 player of choice for free? Well don't you fret, I have just what you need. (http://www.thinkwithportals.com/music.php)

http://i.imgur.com/FTtwx.gif

And it's only #1 of three volumes, too.


Although knowing Valve, #3 will never be released.

[Jagos]

http://i.imgur.com/FTtwx.gif

And it's only #1 of three volumes, too.


Although knowing Valve, #3 will never be released.

They took lessons from Capcom. You know this.

[Krylo]

This game owns, but I'm kind of disappointed you didn't get to beat Glados to death with your bare hands, the way I so very badly wanted to after that crack about Chell getting to meet her parents.


I dunno, I mostly found GLaDOS's attempts to get my ire up to be laughably ineffective. I mean there was no way the family thing was going to be anything else... I mean, maybe like a bunch of spikes, or something, but there was no way it was going to be her parents for real so I couldn't get angry about it. Felt the same way about the Companion Cube, for that matter.

I mostly found the fat jokes to be bitchier.

[mauve]

I actually first expected to see a pair of skeletons or, like Krylo said, some sort of spiked death trap when GLaDOS told Chell she was going to see her parents, so the empty room with a halfhearted confetti drop (and the subsequent fake phonecall) were pretty hilarious to me. But yeah, PotaDOS (GLaDtato?) was about seven levels of awesome poetic justice.

[Fifthfiend]

I dunno, I mostly found GLaDOS's attempts to get my ire up to be laughably ineffective. I mean there was no way the family thing was going to be anything else... I mean, maybe like a bunch of spikes, or something, but there was no way it was going to be her parents for real

I mean that's what got me about it, is as soon as she said it it was like uggggggggggggggh jesus christ seriously just shut the fuck up and die

It's like I totally goddamn killed you already you psychopathic robot, why the fuck am I listening to you saying shit about my parents, why the fuck am I listening to you saying anything about anything, why can't I just find an actual gun and shoot you in the goddamn eye and have you just be dead

EDIT: It was like if you were trapped in a maze by Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and eventually you just hear FOR ME TO POOP ON one to many times and it's like that's it I don't even care if I get out of here I just want to goddamn kill you.

[Fifthfiend]

Portal 3 should literally be called

Portal 3: Chell Pulls Out An Actual For-Reals Bullet Gun and Shoots Glados In The Goddamn Head

[phil_]

Portal 3 should literally be called

Portal 3: Chell Pulls Out An Actual For-Reals Bullet Gun and Shoots Glados In The Goddamn Headhttp://cdn.videogum.com/files/2010/01/triumph_insult_comic_dog.jpg

[Fifthfiend]

Portal 4: Fifthfiend Pulls Out A Bullets Gun and Shoots Phil_ In The Goddamn Head and Also It's Not A Videogame At All

[Aerozord]

Portal 3 should literally be called

Portal 3: Chell Pulls Out An Actual For-Reals Bullet Gun and Shoots Glados In The Goddamn Head

sorry, couldn't resist

[Doc ock rokc]

Portal 4: Fifthfiend Pulls Out A Bullets Gun and Shoots Phil_ In The Goddamn Head and Also It's Not A Videogame At All

AKA Jack Thomson wins

[phil_]

sorry, couldn't resist
AKA Jack Thomson winshttp://www.tinygif.com/data/media/8/boo-this-man.gif Except it's for both of you.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

No no no, Portal 3 will be all about ATLAS and P-Body's continuing misadventures.

Episode 1: Delicious Lies

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc230/Shyria_Dracnoir/You_Will_Learn_To_Like_Cake2011-04-15jpg.png

Source (http://twolofbees.com/artwork.php?iid=592)

[Fifthfiend]

Source (http://twolofbees.com/artwork.php?iid=592)

When I saw the word source I thought it was a source for your crazed claims of some desolate, Chell-free future

I was going to nerdrage harder than I did the last time anyone did anything at all involving Spider-Man (for reference: about a week ago).

[Krylo]

There was an interview with someone at Valve I read that said they were going to give Chell a break now that she's finally gotten out clear and free, though. It's 7 AM, and I need to get to bed, though, so I don't have time to hunt down the story.

Edit: They also said that putting Portal in the same universe as Half-Life was done for a 'reason' though.

My hope: Portal 3 = Chell + Portal Gun + Freeman = Actually Half-Life Episode 3.

[Jagos]

There was an interview with someone at Valve I read that said they were going to give Chell a break now that she's finally gotten out clear and free, though. It's 7 AM, and I need to get to bed, though, so I don't have time to hunt down the story.

Edit: They also said that putting Portal in the same universe as Half-Life was done for a 'reason' though.

My hope: Portal 3 = Chell + Portal Gun + Freeman = Actually Half-Life Episode 3.

Gabe Newell, discussing how Chell and Alyx might not get along, right?

[Aerozord]

Chell + Freeman = alot of blank stares

[mauve]

Oh good lord, do you know how cheap-yet-somehow-incredibly-fun it would be to have a run through Half-Life 2 with nothing but the Citadel-level Uber Gravity Gun and the Portal gun?!?

Hell, I'd be happy with just the machine gun and the Portal gun. Or the crowbar and the Portal gun. Or.... hell. Any of the weapons and the Portal gun.

[Aerozord]

is a mod to put portal gun in half-life 2

[synkr0nized]

Finally got my motherboard back and was able to play through this game -- friggin' late as shit considering I had it preordered a month a head of time at least -- and was pretty satisfied. The puzzles were kind of neat, and I liked the characters. I would have liked more of GLaDOS doing the fucking around instead of Wheatley, but such is the story they went with.


Co-op next, and then I have to find all the secret nooks that I probably skipped trying to beat it quick.

[Doc ock rokc]

is a mod to put portal gun in half-life 2

No, but there is a way to play Halflife 2 maps in portal 1

[Aldurin]

What about a portal mod in TF2? And I don't mean the shitty ones that only create a teleportation event, I mean actually be able to actively see through the portal to the point that you can snipe through it if you wished.

[Doc ock rokc]

What about a portal mod in TF2? And I don't mean the shitty ones that only create a teleportation event, I mean actually be able to actively see through the portal to the point that you can snipe through it if you wished.

nope not any good ones any way.

[Specterbane]

What about a portal mod in TF2? And I don't mean the shitty ones that only create a teleportation event, I mean actually be able to actively see through the portal to the point that you can snipe through it if you wished.

And from the Dev Commentary in the Portal games I doubt there ever will be for how they had to make the portals work. Someone else want to find a youtube link on that?

[Aldurin]

But it should be possible since both games use the Source engine.

[Doc ock rokc]

But it should be possible since both games use the Source engine.

No way in hell man. They modified the shit out of the source engine to get it to work correctly. Listen to the Dev Commentary on portal 1 and they talk about all the problems they faced.

[Aldurin]

bummer, it would have been awesome to make use of different tricks including having a sentry face the portal.

[Aerozord]

also be insanely broken. You are basically talking about a two-way teleporter with zero cool down and can shoot through it that the enemy cant sap or destroy

[synkr0nized]

a collection of things largely not positive in reference to GLaDOS

Wow, this is a thing? Like an actual thing that people think?

[Overcast]

I expected nothing else from GLaDOS but extremely petty attempts at demoralization. If I were Chell I wouldn't have either, I'd just keep doing the tests until some miracle got me out like always. The fact that it bothered you seems to say you were somehow surprised.

[Specterbane]

Or that he really was putting himself in that situation, which would count towards the immersion of the game I'd think.

[Overcast]

When I want to say hi I jump. I have more pressing matters than some robot calling me fat.

[Aldurin]

I find it odd that some people dislike GlaDOS (my friend is going through single player after his co-op run with me and he thinks that she's a jerk). But in reality she's up there with all of the cool robots like R2-D2 and Dr. Nefarious.

[Marc v4.0]

GlaDOS compares well with R2-D2, since people think the main focus of Portal is the puzzles but it is really being insulted and lied to by GlaDOS constantly. In the same way that Star Wars is all really about R2 and everything else is just background noise.

[Specterbane]

GlaDOS compares well with R2-D2, since people think the main focus of Portal is the puzzles but it is really being insulted and lied to by GlaDOS constantly. In the same way that Star Wars is all really about R2 and everything else is just background noise.

Exactly, he's in every movie and his lines were just too bold to be allowed to be heard.

But I don't see what's wrong with disliking GlaDOS, she's meant to be disliked. She's a troll who messes with your head the whole time in order to "test" you. They humanized her through portal 2 and then deleted that part of her right at the end to troll YOU the player. I'd even go so far as to say you can admire her as a character and still dislike the hell out of her. Isn't that the point of a well crafted villain after all?

Oh and the whole Potato-meta-crap to get the game released effectively on time was supposed to have been done by her.