Portal 2: The Cake Is Still A Lie

[ShortOne]

http://www.maclife.com/files/u53/portal2_1.jpg

Portal 2: The Cake Is Still A Lie

With Portal 2 coming out any day now (Friday, Friday, gonna come out on Friday*), a Portal 2 thread seemed appropriate.

Portal 2 is currently set to be released on the 19th in United States, check the official website (http://www.thinkwithportals.com/) for other countries. *There is speculation of an early release date, most likely Friday the 15th.

The second (current) Portal 2 ARG. (http://valvearg.com/wiki/Valve_ARG_Wiki)

CAUTION: THIS THREAD WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS. However, if you're posting spoilers BEFORE April 21st (the last countries' release date), please use spoiler tags.

[psilontech]

There's already a Portal 2 thread, but this one has a picture and witty title.

I like pictures and witty titles.

Let's keep it. I'll call him George and I'll love him and pet him and feed him and...
Well, I'm not entirely certain where that was going.

*Ahem* Anyway...
Given my current lack of funds and terrible computer, I propose someone do a blind Let's Play! of Portal 2 once it is released.:smallbiggrin:

[ShortOne]

There's already a Portal 2 thread, but this one has a picture and witty title.

I like pictures and witty titles.

Let's keep it. I'll call him George and I'll love him and pet him and feed him and...
Well, I'm not entirely certain where that was going.

*Ahem* Anyway...
Given my current lack of funds and terrible computer, I propose someone do a blind Let's Play! of Portal 2 once it is released.:smallbiggrin:

Ooh ooh ooh! I volunteer a certain moonlike creature.

I would do it, but I lack FRAPS, as it doesn't work on OS X.

[The Linker]

I would totally do that. I could record it too.

You know what would be even more fun, though? Doing a blind LP of the co-operative campaign with someone cool and hip.

I don't have a 'date to the Portal 2 ball' though, as it were. Hmm...

[blackfox]

Oh mah gawd dibs on Phase for blind CO-OP LP. :smalltongue:

[Jahkaivah]

I was thinking a co-op LP would be interesting, for one thing you would already be talking in co-op so you might as well record everything.

If both players were to use demo record in the game's console they would be recording each others voice saving you from having to do the whole annoying hear your own voice thing and allowing you to make some nice high quality videos afterwards.

Then once both players recordings are made you can synch them up in Youtube Doubler for a nice split screen Let's Play.

[AlterForm]

I was thinking a co-op LP would be interesting, for one thing you would already be talking in co-op so you might as well record everything.

If both players were to use demo record in the game's console they would be recording each others voice saving you from having to do the whole annoying hear your own voice thing and allowing you to make some nice high quality videos afterwards.

Then once both players recordings are made you can synch them up in Youtube Doubler for a nice split screen Let's Play.

This sounds awesome. I'd totally be up for this despite not having a partner at the moment.

[The Linker]

I was thinking a co-op LP would be interesting, for one thing you would already be talking in co-op so you might as well record everything.

If both players were to use demo record in the game's console they would be recording each others voice saving you from having to do the whole annoying hear your own voice thing and allowing you to make some nice high quality videos afterwards.

Then once both players recordings are made you can synch them up in Youtube Doubler for a nice split screen Let's Play.

Hmm, then I wouldn't have to sacrifice quality by running FRAPS. Intriguing proposition...

It's just easier to lose something that way, though, isn't it? What if a patch comes out and suddenly our recording is from an old version and we can't watch it? I'd be nervous the whole time. :smalltongue:


Oh mah gawd dibs on Phase for blind CO-OP LP. :smalltongue:

PHASE IS NOT A PIECE OF METEOR

C'mon Phase pick me pick me Phase pick me

[Bayar]

Volunteering for Co-op blind playthrough.

[ShortOne]

I was thinking a co-op LP would be interesting, for one thing you would already be talking in co-op so you might as well record everything.

If both players were to use demo record in the game's console they would be recording each others voice saving you from having to do the whole annoying hear your own voice thing and allowing you to make some nice high quality videos afterwards.

Then once both players recordings are made you can synch them up in Youtube Doubler for a nice split screen Let's Play.

What an intriguing proposition! This might get around my "Mac arg blarg" issues. Another idea that was proposed was Livestreaming it and then editing it there and uploading it to the 'tubes. I don't have experience with how it works, but it'd be nice to try.

[littlebottom]

i would be up for it, but time differences may be a problem, im in the UK if its better or not.

also i would need to have some time sorting out how to record it, i doubt its hard, just never done it before. but i think it could be fun to portal 2 co-op with a stranger you can trust...ish (robots give 6 more seconds of co-operation, remember that!)

[ShortOne]

Seeming confirmation of Portal 2 being released tomorrow at 9 AM! http://www.aperturescience.com/a/b/c/d/g/h/abcdgh/

[Jahkaivah]

By the way, we might be expecting an early release. (http://www.aperturescience.com/a/b/c/d/g/h/abcdgh/)

EDIT: Oh hey look it's a little ninja.

[AlterForm]

DAMNIT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY PHYS STUDIO.

ARRGGAHLBBLAFHLSDFDAAAFRFBGGGLLL.

Curse you, Gabe "Trollmaster" Newell. I shall have my revenge someday.

I shall have my revenge.

[Jahkaivah]

Yeah I would rather they didn't as well, I've got work I want to get done before it's release. Then there are all the people who pre-ordered the Playstation 3 version because a PC version came free with it.

Also I would be forced to choose between Portal and Ponies.

[RPharazon]

DAMNIT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY PHYS STUDIO.

ARRGGAHLBBLAFHLSDFDAAAFRFBGGGLLL.

Curse you, Gabe "Trollmaster" Newell. I shall have my revenge someday.

I shall have my revenge.

DAMNIT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY AVIATION METEOROLOGY EXAM.

ARRGGAHLBBLAFHLSDFDAAAFRFBGGGLLL.

Whatever, I own that class. I'll be the first to finish, most likely.
Oh wait, what's that? The roads are ultra snowy and I have to take the bus home?

[The Linker]

Well, Blackfox and Phase seem to have the co-op LP covered. Should I do a single-player LP, or is someone else already planning one?

Not that only one GitP single-player Portal 2 LP can exist, but if someone more entertaining than I does one then no one would watch mine. :smalltongue:

[littlebottom]

DAMN YOU AMERICANS! I HAVE TO WAIT! yes, you cry and go into rage over "oh noes, i cant play it the moment it comes out since it will take me an hour or so to get home" well over here in the UK i have to wait WAIT TILL THE 21ST!

NEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRDDDDRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGEEEE! :smallfurious:

PS. i dont hate americans, just count yourself lucky :smallfrown:

i didnt realise you guys get it sooner than us :smallsigh: you would of thought something like this they could of managed a world wide release date?

[ShortOne]

Update To Portal 2 For Those Who've Preordered On Steam

[Jahkaivah]

you would of thought something like this they could of managed a world wide release date?

It is effectively that if you buy it on Steam.

[littlebottom]

It is effectively that if you buy it on Steam.

saywut? :smallfrown: ah well. screw it ill proberbly go on steam tomorrow and buy it and give my pre-ordered one to a friend whos short on money and he can pay me back later, spose it gives me time to do the single player game...

[Forbiddenwar]

i didnt realise you guys get it sooner than us :smallsigh: you would of thought something like this they could of managed a world wide release date?

Doesn't Europe have funky electricity? Maybe that's it.
The preceding is an internet test, if you realized this was a joke, you win an internet.

[littlebottom]

Doesn't Europe have funky electricity? Maybe that's it.
The preceding is an internet test, if you realized this was a joke, you win an internet.

can i has a free portal 2 instead of an internetz?:smallamused: What? no harm in trying is there?

[Agamo]

It is effectively that if you buy it on Steam.

Er, what? As far as I know, Steam keeps games locked in the UK until retailers release them, which is usually later than in the US.

[Jahkaivah]

Er, what? As far as I know, Steam keeps games locked in the UK until retailers release them, which is usually later than in the US.

I doubt that applies to Valve games, for one thing I don't remember having to wait to play Left 4 Dead 1 or 2 after it first released. Also the very british Rock Paper Shotgun are using the earliest release dates. And Valve are the sort of company who do worldwide releases when they can and when/where they release their own games on Steam is well within their power.

[Yana]

So, is the early release only for the PC version of Portal 2 then?

[Jibar]

Oh mah gawd dibs on Phase for blind CO-OP LP. :smalltongue:

You guys do realise this would have to wait right? It's coming out during Passover or something like that, so he can't play it on release.

[Worira]

No, it's coming out in 4 hours. He has 3 days to beat it.

[Valaqil]

Seeming confirmation of Portal 2 being released tomorrow at 9 AM! http://www.aperturescience.com/a/b/c/d/g/h/abcdgh/


No, it's coming out in 4 hours. He has 3 days to beat it.

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but there's no confirmation, even seemingly, that it's coming out in 2.5 hours. There's a timer. And, if you check now, there's text below the timer talking about a "final test" (which could be a demo, another piece of the ARG, or the game itself). A timer confirms nothing except that something will happen at some time. If it releases, then cheers all around, but I'd hate to see people get disappointed.

[Jahkaivah]

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but there's no confirmation, even seemingly, that it's coming out in 2.5 hours. There's a timer. And, if you check now, there's text below the timer talking about a "final test" (which could be a demo, another piece of the ARG, or the game itself). A timer confirms nothing except that something will happen at some time. If it releases, then cheers all around, but I'd hate to see people get disappointed.

Personally I would actually be relieved.

Thing is there is also this message that popped up during the ARG:


i released ‘kick it’ ahead of schedule. that was a test. my goal is to emancipate something else early. but they’re on to me. the system is on lockdown. i still have access to thirteen off-site chambers and am installing a test in each one. i am going to need a lot more test subjects to move forward. waiting and am expecting immediate compliance. 4/19/2011_7AM=4/15/2011_9AM

"4/19/2011_7AM=4/15/2011_9AM" seems pretty damn specific.

[The Linker]

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but there's no confirmation, even seemingly, that it's coming out in 2.5 hours. There's a timer. And, if you check now, there's text below the timer talking about a "final test" (which could be a demo, another piece of the ARG, or the game itself). A timer confirms nothing except that something will happen at some time. If it releases, then cheers all around, but I'd hate to see people get disappointed.

To be fair, the timer up now is a new one -- the previous one had no text, just the countdown.

[Valaqil]

"4/19/2011_7AM=4/15/2011_9AM" seems pretty damn specific.

Oh, absolutely. It does seem quite specific. I've been following this lightly, at least. I saw the timer last night before the text appeared. I saw that hint not too long after it was found. Even so, ARGs are notorious for being misleading and people getting ahead of themselves with speculation.

I was just trying to point out that Valve really hasn't confirmed anything. They've only offered clues and allowed us to fill it in. Maybe those working on the ARG have it right, maybe not.

[littlebottom]

steam says to me its out in 4 days, IE: the 19th. the "uk release" was the 22nd, but for some reason is now the 21st. so they must of moved it forward, either way, cant wait anymore:smalltongue:

[The Linker]

Paypal transfer went through! AHAHAHAHA YES THANK YOU

Man, I miss that meme. Anyway, buying now.

Also, This (http://aperturescience.com/) is creepy.

[ShortOne]

Well, I think the ARG will continue through the release /anyway/, so I'm not too worried about whether this is the release of the game or not. My theory, after reading the achievements, is that the ARG will continue through a few people finishing it, where we'll get an announcement about HL3.

[Archonic Energy]

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

get playing!
:smallbiggrin:

[Valaqil]

Well, it's here and it's the outcome that made the most sense. I didn't think of it, but I know I saw someone predict this outcome somewhere. The timer is done. In order to get Portal 2 early, enough people will have to buy and play potato sack games to earn potatoes to give GLaDOS power to reboot. So there it is. It's up to the community now.

[Archonic Energy]

Well, it's here and it's the outcome that made the most sense. I didn't think of it, but I know I saw someone predict this outcome somewhere. The timer is done. In order to get Portal 2 early, enough people will have to buy and play potato sack games to earn potatoes to give GLaDOS power to reboot. So there it is. It's up to the community now.

£5 says it'll be up before midnight! :smallbiggrin:

[Jahkaivah]

£5 says it'll be up before midnight! :smallbiggrin:

That is impressive. My money is rarely that coherent.

[Valaqil]

£5 says it'll be up before midnight! :smallbiggrin:

No bet. It's too hard to call. A bunch of people are trying to get the potatoes, but I'm seeing a number of posts suggesting that they just don't have the cash to spend for the sake of getting the game early. Crowd-sourced across thousands (millions?), this could easily be released by midnight. On the other hand, I can also see it going the other way.

EDIT:

That is impressive. My money is rarely that coherent.

Ha! :smallbiggrin:

[blackfox]

You guys do realise this would have to wait right? It's coming out during Passover or something like that, so he can't play it on release.I have classes.
Classes are deadly.
It's waiting till like May 14th if we want a full playthrough in one sitting. May 7th otherwise.

[Thufir]

Man I had a dream that Portal 2 got released early, today. I am now disappointed.

[ShortOne]

So we're at 4 out of either 6 or 13 games completed for an early release. I've been watching the progress bar the entire time, and it's been going up about a sixth/game we complete, so I'm leaning towards two more games needed.

It seems that P2 may be coming out sometime on Monday, according to this. (http://hasportal2launchedyet.com/)

[littlebottom]

well ive decided to just wait till my hard copy pre-order comes through because that should be on thursday, and ive had an exam suddenly dumped on me for wednesday afternoon, so if i start playing portal, im really not going to be in shape for the exam, and after the exam i can wait like 12 hours til i recieve my hard copy rather than pay again for the privilage to play less than a day early, and who knows, sometimes the pre-orders come through early anyway :smallbiggrin:

[Shadowy]

So as it turns out through a basic youtube search someone has already beaten portal 2 and posted the ending. I'm not sure what to think of it and it's really hard to resist the temptation to watch. It also appears that the ending song has been leaked.

[Phase]

Yeah avoid that, I accidentally watched the first half of part of the finale (due to the crappy machinations of a now ex-friend of mine,) and trust me, it'll only serve to confuse.

[ninja_penguin]

So is Portal 2 officially out now, or what?

[Shadowy]

So is Portal 2 officially out now, or what?

No just leaked.

[The Linker]

So we're at 4 out of either 6 or 13 games completed for an early release. I've been watching the progress bar the entire time, and it's been going up about a sixth/game we complete, so I'm leaning towards two more games needed.

I think the bar includes the natural progress from the passage of time. Since it started at around 95 hours, and now it's been 50 hours since then, the bar fills over half just from that -- and then goes a little farther from the games we've been completing.


Yeah avoid that, I accidentally watched the first half of part of the finale (due to the crappy machinations of a now ex-friend of mine,) and trust me, it'll only serve to confuse.

That is low.

[Worira]

No, it doesn't. It's the average for all the games so far, weighted according to sales. It will be full when all the games are completed.

[The Linker]

Now where did you get this information from? :smalltongue:

[Worira]

Well, I don't know that for sure, but I can definitely say that the progress bar rises with the completion percentage of each game, even if they aren't fully completed.

[Ikialev]

The thread title is terrible, it's a stupid meme that caused chronical unfunniness in the major part of the internet.

[The Linker]

Well, I don't know that for sure, but I can definitely say that the progress bar rises with the completion percentage of each game, even if they aren't fully completed.

Right, which could just mean it's always rising as the timer gets closer to completion. :smalltongue:

It'd be cool if Valve sort of released an explicit detailing of how it works, after the game's released, though I doubt they will.

[onasuma]

The thread title is terrible, it's a stupid meme that caused chronical unfunniness in the major part of the internet.

And yet completly relevent to whats going on here.

[ShortOne]

Right, which could just mean it's always rising as the timer gets closer to completion. :smalltongue:

It'd be cool if Valve sort of released an explicit detailing of how it works, after the game's released, though I doubt they will.

Who knows. Perhaps they'll blog about it. They do similar things with TF2 sometimes...


So, update on the early release progress, in case someone's been following this thread and not GLaDOS@home.

Finished with The Wonderful End of the World, 1 2 3 Kick It!, AAAAAA!!!, Rush, Cogs, and Toki Tori. Currently finishing up BIT.TRIP.

Apparently, if we get to some magical number of potatoes, the system will go into hyperdrive and everything will go faster, or something. I'm betting the number is 500,000, so if you haven't eaten your 36 servings of potatoes today, FIX THAT. :smallbiggrin:

[littlebottom]

pssst, the cake... i saw it once, on a picture on a wall. Don't tell anyone i told you this, but there must of been atleast 1 cake for the picture to be took, even if it was taken for properganda. thus cake making facilities and ingrediants exist, if the cake really is a lie WE MUST BAKE OUR OWN!

[Phase]

That is low.

Tell me about it.

I take refuge in the fact that A.) I didn't see the credits, where whatever grand finale song they've made likely resides and B.) It's not the ending (Which I probably could have guessed... vaguely) but the journey that counts.

[ShortOne]

Phase, that's terrible, I'm so sorry. If someone spoiled me, I probably wouldn't talk to them for a good...ever.

[RPharazon]

I saw entire runthroughs of Half-Life 2 and Portal 1 before I played either game. They both remain some of my favourite games ever, and I play them at least twice a year these days.
Still, Portal 2 is a bit different. I would cut off all communications with someone who spoiled it for me for the rest of the year. It is a terrible thing to do, to force spoilers onto someone who doesn't want to see them.

[Dogmantra]

Still, Portal 2 is a bit different. I would cut off all communications with someone who spoiled it for me for the rest of the year. It is a terrible thing to do, to force spoilers onto someone who doesn't want to see them.
SPOILER ALERT!
It's a quirky romp through multiple test chambers based on physics puzzles involving portals and manipulation of the source engine. There is amusing writing, some memes will result and the game culminates in a climax, wherein it ends and the credits roll to a catchy tune that probably makes someone famous.

[Darth Mario]

SPOILER ALERT!
It's a quirky romp through multiple test chambers based on physics puzzles involving portals and manipulation of the source engine. There is amusing writing, some memes will result and the game culminates in a climax, wherein it ends and the credits roll to a catchy tune that probably makes someone famous.

You and me, Dog? We're over now.

[littlebottom]

SPOILER ALERT!
It's a quirky romp through multiple test chambers based on physics puzzles involving portals and manipulation of the source engine. There is amusing writing, some memes will result and the game culminates in a climax, wherein it ends and the credits roll to a catchy tune that probably makes someone famous.

*stabs eyes while reading* must... not... read... spoilers.... must resist... temptation.

also... i think i smell a giantitp meme.:smalltongue:

[The Glyphstone]

Possible spoilers:

So I read Portal 2's Wikipedia page, and my first thought was 'So, GLADoS has become a somewhat less murderous version of Castle Heterodyne, what with the fragmented personalities and need for repairs?

[ShortOne]

CAUTION: THIS THREAD WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS. However, if you're posting spoilers BEFORE April 21st (the last countries' release date), please use spoiler tags.

Spoiler policy has changed. Aperture Science thanks you for your continued supply of daughters. :smallbiggrin:

[Thufir]

I saw entire runthroughs of Half-Life 2 and Portal 1 before I played either game. They both remain some of my favourite games ever, and I play them at least twice a year these days.
Still, Portal 2 is a bit different. I would cut off all communications with someone who spoiled it for me for the rest of the year. It is a terrible thing to do, to force spoilers onto someone who doesn't want to see them.

Well, I don't think teh distinction is so much between HL2, Portal and Portal 2. The distinction is between A) Seeing the whole game vs. seeing just the ending without context; and B) Getting spoilers when the game hasn't even been released yet. If it's been out for a while, fair enough, people will talk about it, but having something spoiled when it has been almost literally impossible for you to get at it yourself? Whole other matter.

[Scuzzball]

GLaDOS@Home update.


10:50 - Engaging starch-based power cells
11:00 - Reboot safety test protocol initiated...
11:00 - Relaxation chamber locks released...
11:00 - Involuntary hazard mitigation associates have assumed testing positions...
11:00 - Pre-release lethality assessment initiated...

Potato levels are rapidly dropping.

Around 100/8 seconds.
12.5/s
36200 seconds
39 minutes.

[littlebottom]

WOOOO! its doing ... something? no idea what its actually doing.:smallconfused:

[Scuzzball]

Too early to prove, but this shows the percentage may be increasing as the potatoes drop.
http://cpucount.zapto.org/

[BRC]

Ask not for whom the Valve Trolls
It Trolls for Thee.

But seriously, does anybody actually know what all the stuff means? Maybe There were multiple early release conditions, like "Get enough Potato Sack CPU's for each game" OR "Get 500,000 Potatoes".

Or maybe Valve just decided when to release it, then made up some numbers to mess with us.

[littlebottom]

god they are dropping fast, inbetween my last post and this one they have almost dropped by 7000 :smalleek:

[Jibar]

Look at the active test subjects...

Who's being tested?

[littlebottom]

Look at the active test subjects...

Who's being tested?

holy crap, he's right!:smalleek:

nine...? nine who? nine what?

its quite possibly just vavle messing with us. but who knows? except for valve of course.:smallannoyed:

[Reverent-One]

But seriously, does anybody actually know what all the stuff means? Maybe There were multiple early release conditions, like "Get enough Potato Sack CPU's for each game" OR "Get 500,000 Potatoes".

Or maybe Valve just decided when to release it, then made up some numbers to mess with us.

Well, one thing to note is that each time a game is complete, the timer was recalcuted and reduced by some amount of time, so even if we don't finish every game, the release date should still be moved up. How the potatoes fit in is guesswork at this point.

[Scuzzball]

The nine people are people who disappeared earlier in the ARG. They are now at valve, eating lunch. They have not received cake, only cinnamon rolls. Valve employes are not wearing hats, but " but the TF2 cabal thingee has a TON of hats hanging outside it :ui"

This is from other peoples conversations with them, and my conversatino with MOOMANiBE.

[POTATO] Scuzzball: Good luck.
MOOMANiBE: thanks!@
[POTATO] Scuzzball: The IRC had a good question. How many people at valve have hats?
MOOMANiBE: I do not see anyone in this room wearing a hat. but the TF2 cabal thingee has a TON of hats hanging outside it :ui
[POTATO] Scuzzball: THanks.
MOOMANiBE: Dude
MOOMANiBE: They have a TF2 turret in the main lobby.
MOOMANiBE: it shot at me.
MOOMANiBE: D;
[POTATO] Scuzzball: Nice.
[POTATO] Scuzzball: I saw a video of it a while ago, but still.
[POTATO] Scuzzball: Really wish I got to go with you guys.
MOOMANiBE: xD
[POTATO] Scuzzball: Have fun man.
MOOMANiBE: :D
[POTATO] Scuzzball: Have you recieved cake?
MOOMANiBE: just cinnamon rolls.
MOOMANiBE: xD
MOOMANiBE is now Away.


Also, my calculations were off I missed a digit. Bit less than ten hours left on the potatoes.

[blackfox]

Or maybe Valve just decided when to release it, then made up some numbers to mess with us.This.

<.<

>.>

[mightymonarch]

This.

<.<

>.>

According to GLaDOS@home, release is for 000 EST. Just like all the retail outlets holding midnight releases. Go figure. I've had this feeling that this is what would happen when G@H went live.

[The Linker]

GlaDOS@home tells me it's releasing at around 2:10 AM EST. :smallconfused:

[BRC]

According to GLaDOS@home, release is for 000 EST. Just like all the retail outlets holding midnight releases. Go figure. I've had this feeling that this is what would happen when G@H went live.
Really? By my math it will release at Two in the morning EST.

[Khosan]

Super Meat Boy and Killing Floor's countdowns are about an hour away from finishing.

Hopefully, they'll be big boosts. I'd like to at least start playing before my internet goes out tonight.

[mightymonarch]

GlaDOS@home tells me it's releasing at around 2:10 AM EST. :smallconfused:


Really? By my math it will release at Two in the morning EST.

Right. Added the wrong times. 4+21=/=12. Added in one time, converted to the other, confusion abound.

[Reverent-One]

And as an update (in case anyone isn't paying attention), hour twenty left to go after Super Meat Boy finished, and Killing floor is a couple percent away from completion. Also, the number of active test subjects is changing rapidly.

EDIT: So Killing Floor is complete...and took off all of 7 minutes. :smallannoyed:

[ShortOne]

65 active test subjects!

1 hour 'til release!

L>SDFJ:SDFGJ:SDF:DS PROTALS MUST PROT

[Shas aia Toriia]

EDIT: So Killing Floor is complete...and took off all of 7 minutes. :smallannoyed:

I suspect its percent based.

[RPharazon]

EDIT: So Killing Floor is complete...and took off all of 7 minutes. :smallannoyed:

Valve: Biggest trolls on the planet.

I hope that the release is based on the GLaDOS countdown and not the full percentage, or else it'll take another four hours at least. Ugh.

[ShortOne]

So Golden Potato holders are getting theirs unlocked now (and the Valve Complete Pack). Scuzz is among them, though he reports it's unlocking incredibly slowly.

[Reverent-One]

And all games are done, and my portal 2 copy is unlocked and decrypting. Boo-yah!

[Bayar]

K guys, you can start playing now.

[Worira]

So, that was a pretty crappy payoff for an 18-day buildup.

Also, Valve, think you encrypted these files hard enough?

[Gralamin]

Unlocking is so slow @_@.

[BRC]

I've been stuck at 32% for the last twenty minutes or so

[Worira]

Likewise. I restarted, since it didn't seem to be going anywhere.

[BRC]

Likewise. I restarted, since it didn't seem to be going anywhere.

I did that, then it loaded back to 32% and stopped.

[Bayar]

Apparently, it does load after 32, it just does not show up, just et it do it until it dissapears or something. Busy servers...

[Gralamin]

Got through, played for a bit. It is excellent!

Weighted Companion Cube(s) no! Why GLaDOS why?

[Jibar]

Okay I'm cool with this from Team Fortress 2. It has its uses, and it's given the game a longer life.

BUT WE DO NOT NEED MICRO-PAYMENTS IN PORTAL 2

WE DON'T NEED TO DRESS UP THE BOTS

THIS ISN'T SOME BIG TEAM GAME IT'S CO-OP

THIS IS STUPID

AND YOU ARE STUPID FOR MAKING THIS

...single player is fine so fine.

[The Linker]

I'm getting this feeling they've got something planned for this game -- specifically co-op -- they haven't told us about.

But anyway--

I'm going to be done single-player within a day or two, I imagine, but I won't be doing co-op for a while (I think, anyway). I'd love to discuss the finer points of single-player spoilers, but if ALL spoilers are unmarked, I'll have to unsubscribe regardless to hide from co-op spoilers. :smallfrown:

[mightymonarch]

Spoiler, and possible silly question below:

Ok, Chapter 5. After you get sucked into the vent with Wheatley, after you destroy the Neurotoxin Source, I load to a black screen. I can still move, kinda, and shoot portals (that go nowhere) and I hear an alarm. I wait for a bit and nothing changes. Glitch or am I not waiting long enough?

[The Linker]

*checks recordings*

That's odd. No, you should immediately be jutted out of the pipe onto a catwalk when the loading is done. I don't hear an alarm, either. :smallconfused:

[Maxymiuk]

And just like that, it's over... :smallfrown:

Cue endless speculation.

(could be considered ending spoilers)

My prediction: Chelle is going to die from white goo poisoning, the way Cave Johnson did.

Also, did anyone else get a Fallout vibe when opening the entrance to the condemned labs?

[Thufir]

...I'm sure there were some lines GLaDOS said in the previews/trailers which were clearly directed at Chell, but they didn't happen.
And a test chamber as well, with spiky crushers and propulsion gel, I remember distinctly.

Also, I want more portal puzzles. IT IS NOT ENOUGH.

[littlebottom]

i shall be leaving this thread for a while since erm, i am desperately trying not to open all the spoilers. ill come back when ive actually got and played it some way, have fun.

[Thufir]

Oh yeah, have to say, one issue I had with the ending:

The connection between GLaDOS and Caroline was never really explained. GLaDOS was trying to think how she knew Caroline, possibly reached a conclusion, and later she said that thing about hearing the voice of a conscience, which might wel have been connected to Caaroline, but there was no definitive explanation; and then at the end she talked about Caroline being 'in here' and I think there was something about 'being Caroline', as if these were things we should already know about.
I just would've liked a little bit of explanation. Particularly because actually I found the glimpses of the history of Aperture Science to be one of the most interesting bits of the game.

[Maxymiuk]

Oh yeah, have to say, one issue I had with the ending:

The connection between GLaDOS and Caroline was never really explained. GLaDOS was trying to think how she knew Caroline, possibly reached a conclusion, and later she said that thing about hearing the voice of a conscience, which might wel have been connected to Caaroline, but there was no definitive explanation; and then at the end she talked about Caroline being 'in here' and I think there was something about 'being Caroline', as if these were things we should already know about.
I just would've liked a little bit of explanation. Particularly because actually I found the glimpses of the history of Aperture Science to be one of the most interesting bits of the game.


To me the whole thing seemed pretty straightforward. GLaDOS is Caroline, or at least was at the very beginning. Recall one of the last of Johnson's messages, where he talks about going into AI research and the potential for transfering human consciousness into the machine, and explicitly demands that, even though he won't survive until the technology is developed, his colleagues should perform the procedure on Caroline, whether she wants to or not.

Plus, the earlier instance, where GLaDOS almost unwittingly repeats " Yes sir, Mr Johnson" after Caroline from the recording is kinda a dead giveaway, I feel.

[Thufir]

To me the whole thing seemed pretty straightforward. GLaDOS is Caroline, or at least was at the very beginning. Recall one of the last of Johnson's messages, where he talks about going into AI research and the potential for transfering human consciousness into the machine, and explicitly demands that, even though he won't survive until the technology is developed, his colleagues should perform the procedure on Caroline, whether she wants to or not.

Plus, the earlier instance, where GLaDOS almost unwittingly repeats " Yes sir, Mr Johnson" after Caroline from the recording is kinda a dead giveaway, I feel.


Yeah, but it still would've been nice to have that confirmed.
In particular, we never had any indication GLaDOS had realised that. It would've takenmaybe two or three extra lines of dialogue. And it would've been perfectly in character for GLaDOS to assume Chell lacked the intelligence to figure it out.

[Etcetera]

So the singleplayer was, in my opinion, a little weak at the start but got better in the middle. The store for co-op irritated me, perhaps irrationally.

Spoiler Time!
By far, my favourite part was retro Aperture science, in both the level design and the style. And it had lots of Cave Johnson. Which was good.

I would have liked more information Caroline/GLaDOS thing: it seemed to end a little prematurely.

Those two-headed turret cube crab things are adorable!
Lastly, maybe I'm clutching at straws, but the bit where GLaDOS murders the door mainframe seemed like a reference to Durandal of Marathon fame.

[Bayar]

Man, the whole game is spoilers.


Also, GOTY for sure.

Edit:

Yeah, but it still would've been nice to have that confirmed.
In particular, we never had any indication GLaDOS had realised that. It would've takenmaybe two or three extra lines of dialogue. And it would've been perfectly in character for GLaDOS to assume Chell lacked the intelligence to figure it out.

Actually, she does realize it and stops talking midway, then abruptly encourages you to go do the test.

[RPharazon]

Played through the single-player, currently doing a commentary runthrough.

Very, very fun game, very exciting, and it left me scratching my head sometimes. Lots of laughs, surprises and twists. Probably the most fun with a single player game that I've had in ages.

However, a few gripes.

Why did they remove the "Last portal fired" dot on the reticle? That was super handy. Definitely more useful than the portal location shader effect. I don't exactly look around to try and find where portals are in the middle of a fling.

Also, the grab physics feel super clunky. You can no longer "throw" objects, and any objects you do pick up are just sloppy to move.

The movement controls on irregular surfaces also feel sloppy at times. I don't know how many times I fell into a pit of acid or a bottomless pit because the controls were too sloppy to have fine control.

[onasuma]

I think I may have had hopes to high for portal 2. It was still a good game and all, but I dont think it was as good as the first one and definatly not valves magnum opus as someone suggested a while ago.

Of course, the ending... Just the ending. Had me laughing out loud throughout the boss fight - I loved the adventurer core. I also did one of those little joyful squeels that you pray no one is around to here in the last 2 seconds of the game. You all know why.

[Khosan]

I'm in space!

[Fluff & Napalm]

Just beat the single player. If I could have verbalized what I wanted out of Portal 2, this would have been it.

[Aidan305]

The spoiler temptation is getting really annoying, especially since I'm not going to be able to play the game until the end of May.

[The Linker]

...You're not going to find much discussion to participate in, now that the game's out. :smalltongue:

This is going to officially become a spoiler thread in a few days, where no spoiler boxes need be used, soooo...

[Worira]

Well, just beat it.

Was nice of the game to make it up to Phase for being released on Passover.

[Erloas]

I'm fairly glad I didn't get it yet actually. It doesn't seem like anyone at all took longer then 24 hours to beat it. The game had to be short, way too short to justify the price tag.

[Khosan]

I'm fairly glad I didn't get it yet actually. It doesn't seem like anyone at all took longer then 24 hours to beat it. The game had to be short, way too short to justify the price tag.

I managed it in 5 hours. Didn't find a lot of extras, and I'm pretty good with puzzles so I sped through a lot of it.

[Sir_Hobbit]

I'm fairly glad I didn't get it yet actually. It doesn't seem like anyone at all took longer then 24 hours to beat it. The game had to be short, way too short to justify the price tag.

It is very short, but it's also completely fantastic, so I don't regret buying it one bit. And I say this as someone who often buys 50+ hour RPGs and generally enjoys longer games. One of my top favorite games at this point, and I haven't even touched the coop yet.

[Hyudra]

I played it in 8 hours, and I view it worth every penny spent, and I haven't even done the co-op mode.

One of the things to note is that the reason the original Portal was such a gem was because it didn't adhere to the whole "game time = quality". It was just stellar writing, level design and gameplay. Portal 2 does give you more content overall, but it still holds up to (mostly) the same standards.

A few comments, in no particular order:
Funnier than the first. I was laughing out loud through many parts, especially at the conclusion of the first arc.
There's so much effort in the details that it's mindboggling. One article I read pointed out that there was a full fledged animation for the turrets being built piece by piece on one of the assembly lines, in a place most players wouldn't even look. Days worth of effort for an incidental background detail. One thing I loved was how there's tons and tons of dialogue for some of the characters which, again, most people wouldn't even chance across. (One character in particular has like, 10+ lines of dialogue if you idle or take too long in a given area.)
The level design isn't quite as good in some respects. The levels themselves are beautiful, but one area in particular (about two thirds of the way through the game) made me rather frustrated with how narrow it was and how unintuitive it was to make progress. Spoiler below, for what I'm talking about:
Long of it short, you're supposed to ascend the interior of a pipe/duct which doesn't take to portals. What you're supposed to do, from what I gathered, is use portals to splash the inside with the white goo, which makes it portal-accessible. Trouble is, very little in the pipe actually has the goo stick to it, angles are bad, and since you're using goo to make room for portals to vent in more goo, it's just really slow and really clumsy. To top it all off, the pipe angles at one point, and it's very disorienting because there's no good indicator of 'up' until you find yourself sliding down the pipe (and chances are, losing a goodly amount of progress in the process)
Further, while it's understandable, there's a lot of areas that are really expansive, but where you're (fairly needlessly) restrained by chest high railings you can't jump over. Said fences also get in the way fairly often when you ~are~ free to explore, too. It makes you very conscious of how linear the game is.
It's really funny.
The game feels, at times, like it's trying too hard to push a new 'companion cube' or 'the cake is a lie' meme. Nothing explicit, but I generally got that impression.
The writing is top notch.
The gameplay is great, barring that one slow bit I mentioned maybe 2/3rds of the way through (the area leading up to it and the area immediately after are kinda slowish, so it's just one stretch where you spend maybe 30-45 minutes). It's fluid, intuitive, there's almost none of that annoying "hit a panel while you're falling 50 miles an hour through a floor-ceiling portal loop."
There's several moments of sheer awesome. I don't want to give these away by chance, so here they are, spoilered. Ye have been warned:
The return of GLaDOS.
"How are you doing? That's nice. I'm a potato."
Running through the complex while it's being redesigned/deathtrapped around you.
Blue-gooing some 10-15 turrets and watching the chaos.
The final portal shot. If you've played, you know the one I mean.

The characters are all great.
The game does reveal some more history/backstory in some areas, which may be a plus, may be a minus, depending on your tastes.
The number of characters (that is, more than you, GLaDOS and some turrets) does take away somewhat from the 'Beautiful Void (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BeautifulVoid)' nature of the first game, but the game makes up for this, IMHO, in what it does atmospherically and environmentally. The characters are well done enough that I didn't resent their inclusion.
The ending song didn't really hit the right note for me, personally. There's apparently two 'hidden' songs, though, so one of them might be on par with "Still Alive" (I've heard good things).

[The Linker]

Long of it short, you're supposed to ascend the interior of a pipe/duct which doesn't take to portals. What you're supposed to do, from what I gathered, is use portals to splash the inside with the white goo, which makes it portal-accessible. Trouble is, very little in the pipe actually has the goo stick to it, angles are bad, and since you're using goo to make room for portals to vent in more goo, it's just really slow and really clumsy. To top it all off, the pipe angles at one point, and it's very disorienting because there's no good indicator of 'up' until you find yourself sliding down the pipe (and chances are, losing a goodly amount of progress in the process)

If you get the goo in through the air duct, it'll travel through the ventilation and cover the entire pipe without you having to do much at all. I didn't know that would happen, but the one place you can put a portal pre-paint sends the paint right into that duct. I guess that didn't happen for you. :smallconfused:

[Hyudra]

If you get the goo in through the air duct, it'll travel through the ventilation and cover the entire pipe without you having to do much at all. I didn't know that would happen, but the one place you can put a portal pre-paint sends the paint right into that duct. I guess that didn't happen for you. :smallconfused:

I tried and tried and couldn't find a way to pull that off, even going pixel by pixel while zoomed in. So I just made very painstaking progress.

The area leading up to it wasn't scintillating, either (and was the only point in the game I was able to pull myself away to go find food and such without feeling pained).

Even with the criticisms I mentioned, though, I still rate Portal 2 as one of my favorite games of all time. Top 10 definitely. Maybe not top 5.

[BRC]

Can I just say, I love the writing, especially everything Cave Johnson Says.

[Frankelshtein]

I'm a good hour and a half in, and I just have to say I'm loving it so far. One aspect that I find particularly striking is the environment detail. They really managed to make everything so complex and interesting. It is quite a departure from the first game's look, but it is a lot better for it. I'm really digging the shinier graphics, and the animations really do it for me (panels in particular).

[Jibar]

Yeah, I've not finished it yet. Mostly because I was busy yesterday and I keep getting stuck on puzzles.
Except, hilariously, it's puzzles that don't involve any of the new stuff. It's all the traditional Portal jumping that keeps stumping me. They throw goo or whatever at me I'm fine, but God forbid I should do anything I did in Portal 1.

[Hyudra]

I spent a good while on some puzzles, trying to find some trick or stunt while blithely failing to grasp the easy answer. Answers easy enough that a five year old sitting beside me could have pointed it out.

[The Linker]

I'll keep using portals to direct this excursion funnel and that light bridge, and then completely forget that, hey, I can go through them too! And I'll be sitting there trying to figure out how to get across this pit with white walls on both sides, thinking "Now how can I get a light bridge across!?"

Edit: Hooray! Completed!

So... there was something I was excited about finding, that was apparently cut out of the game -- and so the end came too soon for me, unfortunately. That and the Caroline thing not being explored just a liiiiittle deeper...

The pneumatic diversity vents. Seen here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XoA5Tmlat8). They looked like so much fun. But where were they? :smallfrown:

Of course, one could say they were taken out to make room for the biggest vacuum portal of them all... :smallamused:

[Yana]

Alas poor Wheatley. If he hadn't spent most of the game trying to kill me, albeit in a comically useless fashion, I'd feel a tad more upset about the lunar portal.

Also: "I'm in space!"

[Draconi Redfir]

The part were you are first introduced to the moon rock dust is way to f***ing hard. Took me like three hours to get it right. got to the point were i was yelling at my computer because it wasent fun anymore.

[Jibar]

Well, now that I have finished it I understand why they said co-op should come after.

Along which lines, time to do some co-op I guess! Need a partner first.

[Yana]

Another thing I noted about the ending:

How can we even hear what Wheatley and Core 1 are saying?! There's not much of an atmosphere in a vacuum.

[RPharazon]

The part were you are first introduced to the moon rock dust is way to f***ing hard. Took me like three hours to get it right. got to the point were i was yelling at my computer because it wasent fun anymore.

I hated that particular level. I didn't realize you could specifically put portals on white paint for about 20-30 minutes, and even then I didn't figure out how to finish that chamber for another 20 minutes. I was so exasperated that I even managed to tune out CJ's funny little lemon ditty.

I didn't even notice that there was a funny little lemon ditty in that chamber until my second, commentary runthrough. By the way, the commentary bubble in that chamber proves that the PC version isn't a console port. They speak of nearly giving up on the console versions because the paint blob physics were too complex for the 360 and PS3, so they just ended up rewriting all of the blob engine simply because the consoles weren't powerful enough.

[Bryn]

Are any UK people up for trying the co-op this evening? :smallsmile:

[Archonic Energy]

Are any UK people up for trying the co-op this evening? :smallsmile:

YES!

have you played it before?

[Bryn]

No, just the single player.

Edit to add: it would be good to play with someone who hasn't played the co-op campaigns yet, so neither of us know the solutions.

[Bayar]

I haven't played the co-op version yet, waiting for a partner. Any partner. Currently at +3 UTC in case you were wondering.

[Archonic Energy]

Good. it was the same thought i was having.
fair notice: i've played 2 of the opening CO-OP puzzles with someone who obviously knew the layouts as he was miles ahead of me... hence i asked if you had done it before.

i think i've got you on my buddy list.
i get home from "work" at about 7. it that OK?

[Hyudra]

Saving the co-op until I can play with a friend. Thing is, he's not buying portal until it's on sale, since he's tight on money. It was just on sale, mildly, so it probably won't be on sale for another few weeks/months.

*Twitches*

[Bayar]

I haven't played the co-op version yet, waiting for a partner. Any partner. Currently at +3 UTC in case you were wondering.

[tarbrush]

I gotta say the bitchy fat jokes are hilarious. Just wonderful.

[Draconi Redfir]

Just finished the game.
I'M IN SPAAAAACE!!!

The ending is weird o.0

Also: Had to noclip my way through one level. Don't know wich one, it had one of those push-pull beams, blue goop, and an exit that was across this huge half-mile pit or something. Couldent for the life of me figure it out.

also:

Who wants to bet the blue-orb is Cave?

[Bryn]

Also: Had to noclip my way through one level. Don't know wich one, it had one of those push-pull beams, blue goop, and an exit that was across this huge half-mile pit or something. Couldent for the life of me figure it out.
Was it the one where you must use the goop to deal with three turrets at the beginning?

[Draconi Redfir]

Was it the one where you must use the goop to deal with three turrets at the beginning?


yeah that's the one.

[Hyudra]

yeah that's the one.

Walkthrough:
Cross the little pit to the goop & the button. Create push/blue tube to bridge gap between blue goop and entrance, press button and jump into tube ahead of the blue goop (blue goop on floor helps with this). Use tube to cross the little pit, then stand on button with blue goop still in tube. Pull/orange tube the goop until it's near the beam's origin point, then simultaneously create new tube exit so beam is above bots, while stepping off of button. This makes it so the goop will be pushed out, passing over the bots. Move the exit, and goop lands on bots. Bots gone.

Now you need to cross the big pit. Press the button the bots were preventing you from accessing, it creates an angled pad. Use the push/blue beam to raise yourself to ceiling (so you've got, say, a blue portal opposite the beam and an orange portal on the floor), then move the entrance onto the angled pad (using the previous bracketed example, creating a new blue portal on the angled pad). You'll fall, gaining enough momentum to sail over the short wall, bounce on the blue stuff you left behind and across the chasm.

[Maxymiuk]

yeah that's the one.


That one was probably the trickiest one for me as well. I can't recall the exact solution offhand, but I think it involved riding the beam up to the ceiling and then dropping to gain the speed necessary to hop over the glass wall that separates you from the turrets, and bounce off the blue goo used to disable them.


EDIT: Ninjaed.

[Hyudra]

Funny thing is I really overthought it...
I splashed blue goop on the ceilings and floor using the method mentioned in the first paragraph of my spoiler above. Then I raised myself to the ceiling and set myself in a high speed bounce from ceiling to floor before opening the necessary portals, under the impression I needed to do so to gain enough speed and momentum.

Then I saw someone do it the easy way. Facepalm.

[Draconi Redfir]

So anyone else not do the co-op yet? we could do a blind run.

[Bayar]

also:

Who wants to bet the blue-orb is Cave?

I was thinking the same thing, but CJ is smarter, plus it seems he died before the technology for that was still in development.

[Draconi Redfir]

I was thinking the same thing, but CJ is smarter, plus it seems he died before the technology for that was still in development.


Well while "IN SPAAAACE!" he was saying "i would apologize to her for being so bossy". It’s possible he was referring to Caroline/Glados. And who knows? Maybe Cave wasn’t as bright as the recordings sounded, and he just knew how to talk. That or it's possible the Aperture team was able to save a small portion of his brain for an extended period of time, but because it took so long, he suffered "minor serious brain damage".

Also also:
Hope Chell isn’t harmed by any of those goops. That would suck! Though it's possible they have a cure for them now since so much time has passed since they were made.

[Bayar]

So anyone else not do the co-op yet? we could do a blind run.

Gimme 5 minutes to get ready.

X7tech on steam if you didn't know.

[Draconi Redfir]

k. you should see an invataition from "Your Mother" (Yes that is my steam name :P) or "Tamerman". i'm not sure wich one shows up in freind invites.

[Bayar]

Accepted friend invite, awaiting game.

[The Linker]

I can't imagine Wheatley being Cave Johnson. Their personalities are incredibly different. :smallconfused:

[ScottishDragon]

Whew, just got the game. Love it. Definately a good change from all the fps i've been playing. Stuck on chapter 5, just after i got out of the big tube. Can't seem to get past the debris. Not expecting much from multiplayer,looks yo me like it's going to be filled with people just trying to drop me in the most spectacular way into water.
Also, if anyone needs a co-op partner im ScottishDragon on xboxlive

[Kyouhen]

Well, I can safely say the ending answered one of the greatest questions I've ever had about the Portal series:


Question: Why is it so hard to get out of here?! :smallfrown:

Answer: Because the portal gun has INFINITE RANGE and we all know you'd try shooting it at the sun or something stupid the instant you got it outside.


Really though, awesome game. Took a whole 2-3 minutes for me to love Wheately, and most of the lines from GlaDOS early game stuck her right up there with SHODAN in levels of horror.

And of course

GlaDOS making me think we were BFF's at the end. Then making me think she was going to try murdering me again. Then making me think she was actually letting me go. Then making me think she was going to try murdering me AGAIN. Then the little adorable turret song and everything was happy.

[Ryusacerdos]

And of course

GlaDOS making me think we were BFF's at the end. Then making me think she was going to try murdering me again. Then making me think she was actually letting me go. Then making me think she was going to try murdering me AGAIN. Then the little adorable turret song and everything was happy.


YES! My sentiments exactly. The ending was the most perfect and epic ending ever the way it toyed/trolled you with turrets.

[smuchmuch]

Finaly finshed it


I think the legged boxes will give me nighmares.

For a build in morron, Wheatley striked me a weirdly shrewd at time. Disabling the neurotoxin generator and the turret production before facing GALDO certainly was a good idea, and the suprise aerial faith certainly caught me by surprise. In comparaison GLADOS braggin 'yes we can escape from your deathtrap, that's how' didn't strike ma as that clever. We'll put it on count of the 1.6 she was working on.

I did find the ending somewhat...anticlimatic. I dunno, maybe I felt Glados really got too easy here. Make sense, but still somewhat unatisfying




Question: Why is it so hard to get out of here?! :smallfrown:

Answer: Because the portal gun has INFINITE RANGE and we all know you'd try shooting it at the sun or something stupid the instant you got it outside.



Except there's no reason whatsoever it would be a problem.
Fom what we saw, portaling still requires a solid special(non metalic ?, certainly look like it) surface on both ends to work.
Also it's very probable that stunt at the end only worked because of you aimed a the moon who has specials portaling propreties as Jhonson sais in one of his message.

I'd say being hard to get out is a general feature of all research centers in the half life universe. I mean, Black Messa wasn't much better, with it's rdiulouly large elevator shaft that seemed to malfunction half the time and monorail transit systems build over huge abysses.
Wouldn't make of a game otherwise.'

So anyhow, I'd like to try the co-op at somme times if someone else feels like it.
('Fair Warning: I'm bad at this and will probably cause you to plummet to your death more than once.')

[The Succubus]

Confirming that I am, indeed, in SPACE.

I loved the two ending songs - the turret aria could have gone on for longer (maybe Valve will release it, I hope) and Johnathon Coulton is on cracking form as usual. Some people have said it's not as good as Still Alive but I disagree - each has a unique flavour and as such you can't really compare.

Also, for a murderous AI with an exponential IQ, GlaDOS has a beautiful singing voice.

[littlebottom]

got it mid-dayish today, 30 minutes before i had to go out for the rest of the day, and tomorrow im busy all morning again, so im not going to get any playing done til mid-day tomorrow, this makes me sad :smallfrown:

i did get to mess around on the opening areas, got so little done though, but i like what im seeing.

game of the year? decade? top 10? top 5? favorite game of all time? cant tell yet, but soon hopefully.

[RPharazon]

Right now it's probably Game of the Year, with only Skyrim coming close, if all the hype is to be believed.

Game of the Decade? I certainly hope that there will be better games in the next nine years.

Definitely in my top 5, though.

[Draconi Redfir]

It's a valve game. Valve games are always best sellers:smalltongue:

[Bayar]

Finaly finshed it


I think the legged boxes will give me nighmares.


You and me both. Dear god, some things should not be.

Especially when you pick one up, it's eyes dilate in a weird way, like it was scared.

[Kyouhen]

Finaly finshed it


I think the legged boxes will give me nighmares.

For a build in morron, Wheatley striked me a weirdly shrewd at time. Disabling the neurotoxin generator and the turret production before facing GALDO certainly was a good idea, and the suprise aerial faith certainly caught me by surprise. In comparaison GLADOS braggin 'yes we can escape from your deathtrap, that's how' didn't strike ma as that clever. We'll put it on count of the 1.6 she was working on.

I did find the ending somewhat...anticlimatic. I dunno, maybe I felt Glados really got too easy here. Make sense, but still somewhat unatisfying



I thought they were adorable! I've dubbed them Weighted Crab Cubes and I did my best to make sure that in every area where there was one I let the little guy roam free and happy. Because they're overly adorable. :smallbiggrin:

I dunno, I think in both cases it was mostly just common sense. GlaDOS only really has 3 ways to kill you: neurotoxin, turrets, and deathtraps. And really the only way to disable the deathtraps is to kill GlaDOS. And remember, he's designed to make the worst decision in any situation. Putting Chell in a room where she has any ability to move is automatically a bad idea if you're trying to kill her. Empty room filled with neurotoxin > crushers.



Except there's no reason whatsoever it would be a problem.
Fom what we saw, portaling still requires a solid special(non metalic ?, certainly look like it) surface on both ends to work.
Also it's very probable that stunt at the end only worked because of you aimed a the moon who has specials portaling propreties as Jhonson sais in one of his message.

I'd say being hard to get out is a general feature of all research centers in the half life universe. I mean, Black Messa wasn't much better, with it's rdiulouly large elevator shaft that seemed to malfunction half the time and monorail transit systems build over huge abysses.
Wouldn't make of a game otherwise.'

So anyhow, I'd like to try the co-op at somme times if someone else feels like it.
('Fair Warning: I'm bad at this and will probably cause you to plummet to your death more than once.')


Huh, somehow it didn't occur to me that only worked because it was the moon. Still, they never figured out why the moon rocks were so conductive of portals, so it's perfectly possible that if you fire randomly into the air you'll hit something else that can hold them.

Game? Who says anything about games. Those research centres were clearly designed appropriately. Aperture was designed so you couldn't slip a portal device outside and start shooting the moon while Black Mesa was designed to stop aliens from getting out. :smalltongue:

[ShortOne]

Rrrrgh, I'm stuck here (spoilery picture under the spoiler):

http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx19/brenna_levitin/2011-04-20_00001.jpg
I know I need to get to the place diagonally left from my cursor, but I can't figure out where to put the other portal.

Help?

[smuchmuch]

Rrrrgh, I'm stuck here (spoilery picture under the spoiler)

Hint (if this is indeed where I'm thinking, (but I'm pretty sure it is)):

Look back at the levator shaft and try geting down the stairs a bit, I think you'll find something you very probably missed.
(i know it sure took me forever to find, personaly)

[Khosan]

Put one portal behind and above you on the slope. Go back to the elevator shaft and go one floor below where the elevator stops (via the stairs). Then jump down the shaft and fire your other portal below you.

[ShortOne]

Hint (if this is indeed where I'm thinking, (but I'm pretty sure it is)):

Look back at the levator shaft and try geting down the stairs a bit, I think you'll find something you very probably missed.
(i know it sure took me forever to find, personaly)

I had looked down there, but I gave up part of the way down. Thank you so much.

[Draconi Redfir]

Wish i had found this place. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unHYQIde4k8&feature=channel_video_title)

That is all.

[Kyouhen]

Wish i had found this place. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unHYQIde4k8&feature=channel_video_title)

That is all.

It's sad because I wanted to kill that turret but couldn't seem to wrap my mind around a way to get the laser over there. I probably should have expected awesomeness.

[Inyssius Tor]

I can't imagine Wheatley being Cave Johnson. Their personalities are incredibly different. :smallconfused:

Seriously.

The turrets are as much like Cave Johnson as Wheatley is.

[Thufir]

And, co-operative done. Fun stuff.


It's fluid, intuitive, there's almost none of that annoying "hit a panel while you're falling 50 miles an hour through a floor-ceiling portal loop."

A) Almost?
B) Even in the original you only had to do that once, on one of the advanced test chambers.


I'll keep using portals to direct this excursion funnel and that light bridge, and then completely forget that, hey, I can go through them too! And I'll be sitting there trying to figure out how to get across this pit with white walls on both sides, thinking "Now how can I get a light bridge across!?"

I kept having that problem too.


So... there was something I was excited about finding, that was apparently cut out of the game -- and so the end came too soon for me, unfortunately. That and the Caroline thing not being explored just a liiiiittle deeper...

The pneumatic diversity vents. Seen here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XoA5Tmlat8). They looked like so much fun. But where were they? :smallfrown:

Of course, one could say they were taken out to make room for the biggest vacuum portal of them all... :smallamused:

Yeah, I was bothered by that as well. And then I thought, well maybe they only turn up in the co-op? They're not in the co-op either.


How can we even hear what Wheatley and Core 1 are saying?! There's not much of an atmosphere in a vacuum.

Science!


Except there's no reason whatsoever it would be a problem.
Fom what we saw, portaling still requires a solid special(non metalic ?, certainly look like it) surface on both ends to work.
Also it's very probable that stunt at the end only worked because you aimed at the moon who has specials portaling propreties as Johnson says in one of his message.

The fact it works on the moon I think is a pretty big reason why it would be a problem.


I can't imagine Wheatley being Cave Johnson. Their personalities are incredibly different. :smallconfused:


Seriously.

The turrets are as much like Cave Johnson as Wheatley is.

Also, if Cave was a personality core I'm pretty sure he'd have his own voice. Wheatley doesn't even have the right accent to be Cave.

Personality-wise, I think the most similar to Cave would be the purple core that says he's an adventurer, and you should just stand back and let him take care of it, etc before you stick him on Wheatley.
Not that I think that's him either. That's just the closest match for him other than, y'know, him.

[Gralamin]

So finished the game. Looking at the achievements, a few I didn't get. Can anyone illuminate me?


You made your point / Drop Box / Overclocker / Pturretdatcyl: I just need to remember to do these things.

Pit Boss: No idea what this one is.

Final Transmission: Didn't find the hidden signal. Anyone know where this is?

Schrodinger's Catch: That is going to be super annoying to get.

Ship Overboard: Didn't find this. Where is it?

Door Prize: Must be a few I missed.

Portrait of a Lady: Where is this?

Smash TV: Anyone have a guide to smashing 11 of them?

Rest are Co-op achievements.

[Thufir]

Schrodinger's Catch: That is going to be super annoying to get.

Just save immediately beforehand and it shouldn't take too many tries.


Ship Overboard: Didn't find this. Where is it?

Door Prize: Must be a few I missed.

Can't remember exactly when, but at some point in the old Aperture Science bit, there's a door in an office partially concealed by some boxes, but you can still get through it. Beyond that door there are more doors for door prize and the area formerly containing that missing experiment.


Portrait of a Lady: Where is this?


Old Aperture Science area again, an office which I think can only be reached by portalling. Can't remember more specifically than that.

[Mando Knight]

It's fluid, intuitive, there's almost none of that annoying "hit a panel while you're falling 50 miles an hour through a floor-ceiling portal loop."

...Wait, the original wasn't intuitive? I mean, some of the advanced chambers, sure, they were a little pick-the-developer's-brain-y, and maybe I've an overdeveloped puzzle-sense, but it was fairly easy for me to work through the first game...

[Kyouhen]

So finished the game. Looking at the achievements, a few I didn't get. Can anyone illuminate me?



Pit Boss: No idea what this one is.




Right after you escape The Part Where He Kills You Wheatley will ask you to come back and jump in the pit. Do so. But before you do make sure you listen to him try to convince you to jump in. There's some hilarious lines in there. :smalltongue: (Yes I went back when I heard him ask me to come back. Just like I listened to GlaDOS when she wanted me to go back to the last test chamber during the escape, and I listened to Wheatley again at the crusher. Shame there was no achievement for that one. :smalltongue:)

[BRC]

So,I'm stuck ,and after spending 20 minutes trying to get past what looks like a small puzzle, I'm asking for help.

Shortly after The Part Where He Kills You, when the Blue Goo Pipe collapses, breaking the catwalk and spraying some goo on the walls and the catwalk.
I have heard "I just had a brainwave" so many times I think i'm going crazy.

[RPharazon]

So,I'm stuck ,and after spending 20 minutes trying to get past what looks like a small puzzle, I'm asking for help.

Shortly after The Part Where He Kills You, when the Blue Goo Pipe collapses, breaking the catwalk and spraying some goo on the walls and the catwalk.
I have heard "I just had a brainwave" so many times I think i'm going crazy.


Just jump across. Gain a bit of speed beforehand, though. It took me 5 minutes to figure that out, strangely enough. The paint on the wall threw me in a loop about what to do.

[BRC]

I am now in...

SPAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Am I the only one that loved the Corrupted Cores. Space Orb was adorable, and Action Orb was...built for Danger.

Also, King Turret

[Kyouhen]

I am now in SPAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Am I the only one that loved the Corrupted Cores. Space Orb was adorable, and Action Orb was...built for Danger.

Also, King Turret


Animal King Turret. And no, you aren't. My greatest regret is that I was worried enough about the neurotoxin that I didn't spend more time listening to Action Core.

[smuchmuch]

Am I the only one that loved the Corrupted Cores. Space Orb was adorable, and Action Orb was...built for Danger.

Also, King Turret

Oh no, I must have died gassed and exploded countless time trying to listen to all their quotes.
(Adventure and paranoid core are funny. space core was cute but I still think the 'curious' core from the first game is still the most adorable of them all, though.)

I just love the defective turrets too, they were hilarious.

"I'm not defective !"
*launch*
"... Well didn't hurt to try."

I didn't really understand the joke with the giant animal king turret thing. Is there a reference I miss somewhere ?

Oh and how do you get the 'no hard feeling achievement' i think I missed the oportunity for that one.

[Thufir]

BRC, you have an unspoilered spoiler there. Do something about it.
And Kyouhen, you quoted it, so you too.


Oh and how do you get the 'no hard feelings' achievement? I think I missed the opportunity for that one.

Early on in The Escape you come to a bit with conveyor belts taking turrets to be 'redeemed'. There's one still partly intact on the second belt. Rescue it.

[Maxymiuk]

Oh no, I must have died gassed and exploded countless time trying to listen to all their quotes.
(Adventure and paranoid core are funny. space core was cute but I still think the 'curious' core from the first game is still the most adorable of them all, though.)

I just love the defective turrets too, they were hilarious.

"I'm not defective !"
*launch*
"... Well didn't hurt to try."

I didn't really understand the joke with the giant animal king turret thing. Is there a reference I miss somewhere ?

Oh and how do you get the 'no hard feeling achievement' i think I missed the oportunity for that one.


Giant animal king turret: there's a test chamber entry chamber animation loop very early on (when you're still being tested by the automated system with the neutral voice) where it talks about humanity being taken over by aliens, or possibly advanced animals. The animation is the giant animal king turret dropping into what looks like a UN Council meeting.

To get "No Hard Feeling" you have to save the functional turret from redemption in a section leading up to you disabling the turret factory. It shows up on the second conveyor belt - I think the trigger for it appearing is you jumping onto the belt.

It even said "Thank you" in a really surprised/grateful tone of voice. One second later, I managed to fumble it into a chasm.

[The Linker]

Oh and how do you get the 'no hard feeling achievement' i think I missed the oportunity for that one.

There's a section just before you sabotage GLaD0S' turret production where there's conveyor belts with pieces of turret lying around, the converyor belts sliding into incerator-y areas. There's one whole turret with a blinking laser sight. Pick it up. Achievement! You can't miss it, you literally have to jump over it in order to ignore it. :smalltongue:

I had no idea there was an achievement attached to it, but I totally grabbed that thing and chucked it off the edge regardless. 'Saved it' my ass, wanted that thing to die in a hole. :smalltongue:

[RPharazon]

Stick around after you save the turret from redemption. It has some interesting things to say. Just move around a bit but don't move on past the catwalk at the bottom. I would have freaked about what it says on the first run-through, but I ended up fumbling it into a chasm as well. Made me feel like a jerk.
On my second run-through I put it into the fizzler. It made me feel like even more of a jerk.

[Kyouhen]

Out of curiosity, does it always say "I'm different" while it's being conveyed to it's doom? I turned around and saw the thing's laser and immediately went to duck for cover when it said that, so I went and saved the poor guy. Left him sitting in a nice safe corner. :smalltongue:

[BRC]

That turret was adorable, it made me so happy that I could finally save one. I always feel a little bad when I take down the Turrets.

Also, I just reloaded and listened to Adventure Sphere's lines until it blew up, then I reloaded again, beat the final boss, and watched the end sequence all the way through.

What do people think about the song? It's not as good as Still Alive, but it's still pretty good, and rather fitting for the ending.

[Kyouhen]

That turret was adorable, it made me so happy that I could finally save one. I always feel a little bad when I take down the Turrets.

Also, I just reloaded and listened to Adventure Sphere's lines until it blew up, then I reloaded again, beat the final boss, and watched the end sequence all the way through.

What do people think about the song? It's not as good as Still Alive, but it's still pretty good, and rather fitting for the ending.


Personally I rate it at least as high as Still Alive. Not entirely sure why, I just think it's a great song. Might have something to do with the fact that the ending song's changed from "Haha, you didn't kill me!" to "GTFO"

[Phantom123]

excellent game. Loved it, not gonna spoil it for anyone!

Anyone up for co-op tomorrow?

[Scuzzball]

Wish i had found this place. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unHYQIde4k8&feature=channel_video_title)

That is all.

I did find that. Then I spent ten minutes looking around on my computer for something to record it with. Then I gave up. It's freaking awesome.

[The Linker]

I like the new ending song quite a bit more, personally. :smallbiggrin:

[Frankelshtein]

I'm in SPAAAAAAAAAAACE!!!

I may have something of a pro-Portal bias, but Portal 2 was the best thing ever. Even better than space. But with all seriousness, the game was everything I wanted, and more. Length was a tad short, but I feel the quality of the experience compensates for that. All of it... simply awesome.

And who else experienced a moment of spontaneous joy upon seeing the Companion Cube at the end?

[Just_Ice]

Man, I've enjoyed pretty much everything about this game.

Glados was a little lame in the second half (though I understand why, and the commentary even reflects on it), but besides that the single player was pretty solid (except one very short section in the deep underground where it looks like you can get over but you have to go through a door instead).

The multiplayer has been crazy good (I'm half-done the fifth course) but I had to solve a couple tests in a decidedly un-scientific manner.

The main problem is replay value. Still, 20 hours or so for 40 bux is completely worth it.

[chiasaur11]

Personally I rate it at least as high as Still Alive. Not entirely sure why, I just think it's a great song. Might have something to do with the fact that the ending song's changed from "Haha, you didn't kill me!" to "GTFO"


Liked it.

Had a nice Plumtree feel somehow, I thought.

And as I'm sure has been said, the ending.

Man alive. Could it have been better?

I posit it could not.

[Inyssius Tor]

The main problem is replay value.

There's supposed to be a dedicated level editor coming at some point, presumably like the one Left 4 Dead got (http://www.l4dmaps.com/top-maps.php?range=alltime&game=l4d).

Assuming a moderate level of community input, that should increase your value-per-hour by a lot.

[Jibar]

I'm listening to the Coulton credits song again, and wow my credits freaked out apparently.
This video... mine was nothing like that. Has to be one of the most subtly bizarre bugs I've ever encountered.

[The Linker]

What... what did yours do? :smalleek:

[Jibar]

What... what did yours do? :smalleek:

Spoiler warning for this since we all know there's a song at the end but you may not know the content. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwimhjXkS88)
But you see how all the text is on either side of the screen? Mine was all bunched in the middle, overlapping a little. And the logo and data thing in the top right was on the top left.

[The Linker]

That's certainly odd. Maybe it's a bug relating to aspect ratio and/or resolution -- the text placement was set for a small resolution while the text size and the screen itself was set for a bigger resolution. [/sillytheories]

[Jibar]

Speaking of spoilers actually, something bugging me:

So was Wheatley following you after you get thrown into the tests again? Because I distinctly remember getting into a Rat Man den, and watching a personality core slide away behind a panel. And I know that was the first time, I saw one behind a panel out the corner of my eye before that.
I never saw the colour of the iris though, so I've no idea who it was. Freaked me out.

Also oh my god (http://spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccee.com/)

[pffh]

During the part when you sabotage the turret production I placed a defective turret into the scanner and defective turrets started showing up all around the place. Do you have to place the defected turret (I just grabbed and placed it with no one telling me) or is the game slightly different if you jsut remove the non-dfective model?

[The Linker]

Speaking of spoilers actually, something bugging me:

So was Wheatley following you after you get thrown into the tests again? Because I distinctly remember getting into a Rat Man den, and watching a personality core slide away behind a panel. And I know that was the first time, I saw one behind a panel out the corner of my eye before that.
I never saw the colour of the iris though, so I've no idea who it was. Freaked me out.

Between the time GLaD0S crushes him and he helps you escape? Oh, very much yes. He shows up in the chamber with the companion cube (I just referenced my recordings, actually), removing a small panel and peeking out for a bit.


During the part when you sabotage the turret production I placed a defective turret into the scanner and defective turrets started showing up all around the place. Do you have to place the defected turret (I just grabbed and placed it with no one telling me) or is the game slightly different if you jsut remove the non-dfective model?

If you just remove the non-defective one, the thing just starts working off memory and continues producing sentries normally; you have to place the defective model in there to progress.

[Draconi Redfir]

How do you veiw your achivements? i can't find it anywere.

[The Linker]

You can shift-tab and go through the Steam overlay.

[Alchemistmerlin]

During the part when you sabotage the turret production I placed a defective turret into the scanner and defective turrets started showing up all around the place. Do you have to place the defected turret (I just grabbed and placed it with no one telling me) or is the game slightly different if you jsut remove the non-dfective model?

There's also a cheevo for standing in the scanner yourself, though that doesn't change the turrets at all.



The gameplay is great, barring that one slow bit I mentioned maybe 2/3rds of the way through (the area leading up to it and the area immediately after are kinda slowish, so it's just one stretch where you spend maybe 30-45 minutes). It's fluid, intuitive, there's almost none of that annoying "hit a panel while you're falling 50 miles an hour through a floor-ceiling portal loop."

See my problem was the opposite of this. I loved falling 50 miles an hour through a loop, I loved the hard puzzles.

This entire game was very very VERY easy. If I wasn't interested in the dialogue, I could have beaten it while watching a movie or something.

[BRC]

Liked it.

Had a nice Plumtree feel somehow, I thought.

And as I'm sure has been said, the ending.

Man alive. Could it have been better?

I posit it could not.



The ending was great. The thing is, this song dosn't have the universal value of Still Alive. Still Alive was a fun song no matter what. This song only works if you understand GLaDOs's Character arc.

[Thufir]

I had no idea there was an achievement attached to it, but I totally grabbed that thing and chucked it off the edge regardless. 'Saved it' my ass, wanted that thing to die in a hole. :smalltongue:

I saw I'd got the achievement, and then just dropped it back on the conveyor belt.


There's also a cheevo for standing in the scanner yourself, though that doesn't change the turrets at all.

:smallconfused:
No there isn't. I did that, and no special achievement.

[The Linker]

:smallconfused:
No there isn't. I did that, and no special achievement.

There totally is. I actually specifically went back there yesterday once I read through the achievement list and saw it listed there -- stood in the scanner, got the achievement. You do have to let it scan you to actually get the cheevo.

[Hyudra]

:smallconfused:
No there isn't. I did that, and no special achievement.

There is. I got it.

[Alchemistmerlin]

:smallconfused:
No there isn't. I did that, and no special achievement.


Possibly Steam exclusive? Its called "Scanned Alone"

Edit: Ninja'd! It took me too long to sneakily check on my phone for the name of the achievement.

[Valaqil]

My Review: I think it was a solid 8.5/10. It was a good game, funny, and easily worth the money. I finished SP once last night, will definitely play commentary and co-op. It's a strong game. Mostly I don't rate it higher because everything was good but little (to me!) was great.

I'm going to break it down because I want to add my thoughts to the mix and not have to type this later when someone asks what I think of it. Spoilers shouldn't overlap. Reading about puzzles won't tell you about plot. As one of the only non-spoilers, the environments were varied and well-designed. Major kudos to Valve for that.

By Sections:

Puzzles

The puzzles in the beginning were too easy, but it was the beginning. I don't fault the game for that. Many of the puzzles in the middle of the game felt "gimmicky" because they followed the form (1) New element. (2) Two-Three puzzles. (3) Repeat. It felt much less gimmicky in the late game when I was using them to get to the "boss", but that's how it started. I think the last third of the game was the best for puzzles. None were particularly hard. They all felt like they fit together well, and the gameplay mechanics that were introduced earlier suddenly "fit". It really made things feel cohesive.

The use of vertical space was frustrating at times. I didn't always think to look upwards.

GLaDOS

I much preferred her in the second/third acts when she was making jokes about her current state and calling Wheatley a moron. The jokes about me being fat and a horrible person quickly grew tiresome for me. They were funny at first, but I started to just feel like "Yes, yes, get on with it. I realize you hate me. Let's go." She was awesome by the end, though. Especially her very last threat/joke to you, on the elevator, without even a word said.

Was I the only one who didn't want to escape with Wheatley? Probably. I got an achievement for wanting to continue testing. I thought "This is why I bought the game! I don't want to go with you! I want to see what she has next!" Then she killed me. Oh, GLaDOS. You silly thing.

Wheatley

Honestly? He was funny. He really was. But I kept telling my wife as I played, "He's a moron! Such an idiot! He's going to get me killed!" Then... the second half of the game happens. I felt so extremely vindicated. I feel kind of bad for him, even if he tried to kill me. He was... sympathetic. I never felt too threatened by him, just sad for him. Merchant did a great job with the voice acting, and Wheatley's lines were probably the best in the game, except maybe Cave.

Oh, and Wheatley's first puzzle is the best ever.

Cave : He was funny, and I love JK Simmons anyway. What else can I say?

"One-use" characters

These were actually the funniest characters in the game, for me. I lost the boss battle multiple times while listening to the cores. The turret you save, or the broken turrets, were also great. In spaaaaaace. I could listen to the space core for hours. I don't know why.



I had no idea there was an achievement attached to it, but I totally grabbed that thing and chucked it off the edge regardless. 'Saved it' my ass, wanted that thing to die in a hole. :smalltongue:

I did that exact same thing! I picked it up, and threw it straight off the edge. My wife told me to reload because I missed something, and the lines were hilarious, but my first instinct was to kill another turret, given the chance.


The Ending

I liked the ending. The whole "chase" between us and Wheatley was the best section of the game. It felt very cinematic, until I was killed by a crusher. The battle was decent. I saw the bombs and wished I could avoid them. I always quicksaved and then obliged Wheatley when he asked me to die. It was always worth it. Finally, the "last portal" shot? If it was a film, I'd say it was "shot well". It looked good and was a truly "epic" moment. On the other hand, it felt a bit hamfisted ("TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR PRECIOUS MOON." "What? Oh, right. That's what I should do.") and it seems like they went for the ridiculous ending instead of any other that would have also made sense.

Oh, and one extra thought! The bit where we had two puzzles to go, then suddenly... NOW! was the best timing ever. I didn't expect that one bit.

[Fawkes]

Wheatley is the best hacker. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfheJKZn-80&feature=relmfu)

[The Linker]

I liked the ending. The whole "chase" between us and Wheatley was the best section of the game. It felt very cinematic, until I was killed by a crusher.

I died to that one crusher about six times, sad to say. I really, really repeatedly missed that one wall moving into position past the crusher.

Of all the lines to have to listen to six times in a row, though, that was a pretty good one. "Holmes versus Moriarty. Aristotle versus MASHY SPIKE PLATE!"


Oh, and one extra thought! The bit where we had two puzzles to go, then suddenly... NOW! was the best timing ever. I didn't expect that one bit.


I liked all the points where I got tricked, really. Especially when it was something that interrupted a test out of nowhere, like when Wheatley comes to rescue you from Glados, the power turns off and you and the cube you're after fall off the light bridge you were walking on. "AAAHHH WHAT'S GOING ON"

[Valaqil]

I died to that one crusher about six times, sad to say. I really, really repeatedly missed that one wall moving into position past the crusher.

Of all the lines to have to listen to six times in a row, though, that was a pretty good one. "Holmes versus Moriarty. Aristotle versus MASHY SPIKE PLATE!"


Ditto. That's the only point in the game that I played more than twice. I kept thinking, "What am I doing WRONG?" The line went from funny, to annoying and then cycled around to hilarious. It was ridiculous that I didn't notice that.

[Kyouhen]

I died to that one crusher about six times, sad to say. I really, really repeatedly missed that one wall moving into position past the crusher.

Of all the lines to have to listen to six times in a row, though, that was a pretty good one. "Holmes versus Moriarty. Aristotle versus MASHY SPIKE PLATE!"



I died there the first time because I made no effort to escape. I thought Wheatley was only going to attempt to hit me the one time, miss, and think he got me anyway. Mostly because of the part immediately before it.

"HA! Spinning blade wall!"
*Casually steps off the lift beam thing*
...

[Yana]

Gonna go out on a limb and say that the new "the cake is a lie" meme for Portal 2 will be...

I'm in space!

Though practically anything that comes out of Wheatley or GlaDos's respective mouths is hilarious. My personal favorite was

GlaDos's reaction to seeing a second bird when she was a potato. Sadly, I can't recall the exact phrasing off the top of my head. Anyone willing to oblige me?

[Valaqil]

My personal favorite was

GlaDos's reaction to seeing a second bird when she was a potato. Sadly, I can't recall the exact phrasing off the top of my head. Anyone willing to oblige me?

I think it was something like "Agh! Bird! Kill it! It's EVIL!"

[Etcetera]

I died there the first time because I made no effort to escape. I thought Wheatley was only going to attempt to hit me the one time, miss, and think he got me anyway. Mostly because of the part immediately before it.

"HA! Spinning blade wall!"
*Casually steps off the lift beam thing*
...


I loved the way he called the spinning blade wall "Machiavellian."

[Jibar]

The use of vertical space was frustrating at times. I didn't always think to look upwards.

My housemate commandeered another housemate's game for a little while and I watched him try and play. He seemed legitimately oblivious that you could look up.
Even when I said the original Portal had a commentary node that said the hardest thing to get a gamer to do was look up... nothing. Didn't even register.
Props to Valve because God damn it I appreciate ceilings now.

Hell, my final housemate was playing it on the 360 and I watched him be clueless about where he had to go at one point because it involved going upwards. Something is hard coded into our heads, I swear.

[Scuzzball]

Hell, my final housemate was playing it on the 360 and I watched him be clueless about where he had to go at one point because it involved going upwards. Something is hard coded into our heads, I swear.

The worst traps are always on the ceiling. Remember that and you're fine.

[Valaqil]

Even when I said the original Portal had a commentary node that said the hardest thing to get a gamer to do was look up... Something is hard coded into our heads, I swear.

It is. I'm not sure what the reasoning is, but it's long established. Children do it, but adults somehow get in a mindset of not looking upwards.

I think Valve does a great job designing environments. They obviously put a lot of thought into it. But at least two puzzles come readily to mind in Portal 2 that were solved once I finally looked up and saw something I hadn't noticed before then.

[Mando Knight]

http://www.halolz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/halolz-dot-com-portal2-classemail.jpg
Found on Halolz (http://www.halolz.com/).

[BRC]

It is. I'm not sure what the reasoning is, but it's long established. Children do it, but adults somehow get in a mindset of not looking upwards.

I think Valve does a great job designing environments. They obviously put a lot of thought into it. But at least two puzzles come readily to mind in Portal 2 that were solved once I finally looked up and saw something I hadn't noticed before then.

Well, normally when trying to solve a problem we are acting under the assumption that we can only use things within reach, so we stick with thinking about things on the ground level. We have to get outside the box to realize that things above us may be useful.

[Thufir]

Possibly Steam exclusive? Its called "Scanned Alone"

Edit: Ninja'd! It took me too long to sneakily check on my phone for the name of the achievement.

Oh. I thought that was for something else (My internet cut out for a while, so when it came back I just got a load of achievements all at once and wasn't entirely sure what they were for).

[Hyudra]

My flat out favorite line was (to paraphrase):
"How are you doing? Me? I'm a potato."

[Draconi Redfir]

Wheatley is the best hacker. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfheJKZn-80&feature=relmfu)

h'uh. Don't remember that bit. ohh i remember now. i didin't get it because i saw the lazer.

[BRC]

My flat out favorite line was (to paraphrase):
"How are you doing? Me? I'm a potato."

I really want to make

A GLADoS potato now. If Valve sells a plushy one, I will buy it so very quickly.

[Worira]

Because some people have been mentioning it:

Adventure Core (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGxj3cxYWYY)
Space Core (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcs4klrjlwE)
Fact Core (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxMKoB-A5-8)

Oh, also these.
Defective Turret (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_wduPpNyv0)

[AlterForm]

Well, normally when trying to solve a problem we are acting under the assumption that we can only use things within reach, so we stick with thinking about things on the ground level. We have to get outside the box to realize that things above us may be useful.

So you're saying we have to think . . .

::sunglasses::

. . . with portals?

[BRC]

So you're saying we have to think . . .

::sunglasses::

. . . with portals?
Yeah, I'm suspending your punglasses license for that. You'll get them back in thirty days provided you don't get any more infractions.

[Thufir]

How is that even a pun?

[Alchemistmerlin]

I really want to make

A GLADoS potato now. If Valve sells a plushy one, I will buy it so very quickly.

Best Mr. Potato Head accessories ever.

[Dvandemon]

I can't get the phrase, "Turret has been thermally discouraged", out of my head.

[Fawkes]

h'uh. Don't remember that bit. ohh i remember now. i didin't get it because i saw the lazer.

Yeah, you can go right past this and open the door he's trying to hack from the other side.

Things Needed for hacking:
-computer
-box part
-monitor
-flat bit
-spinning thing
-floor
-pens?

[ScottishDragon]

Heh,just beat the game. I know what portal 3's title will be
The Adventures of the Adventuring core..in spaaaaace!!

[Bobbis]

I thought Portal 2 was fantastic.

I'd like to point out a crazy theory via just running around in the game and finding things online.

A) Chell is the daughter of someone at Aperture Science; her name is written behind the massive potato of the science projects from bring your daughter to work day.

A1) Chell might be Caroline's daughter. The turret opera, when translated, has numerous references of 'my girl' and 'my child.' A problem with this would be that Caroline is 'married to science' which implies she's probably single.

A1a) Good thing Chell is adopted.

Also, if this game doesn't win some sort of award for dialogue or voice acting, I'll be disappointed.

[BRC]

I thought Portal 2 was fantastic.

I'd like to point out a crazy theory via just running around in the game and finding things online.

A) Chell is the daughter of someone at Aperture Science; her name is written behind the massive potato of the science projects from bring your daughter to work day.

A1) Chell might be Caroline's daughter. The turret opera, when translated, has numerous references of 'my girl' and 'my child.' A problem with this would be that Caroline is 'married to science' which implies she's probably single.

A1a) Good thing Chell is adopted.

Also, if this game doesn't win some sort of award for dialogue or voice acting, I'll be disappointed.
of course, you realize the obvious answer:

Chell is a Clone of Caroline.

[Bobbis]

of course, you realize the obvious answer:

Chell is a Clone of Caroline.

That had come to mind, but we haven't actually seen any evidence in-universe that human cloning exists.

[Kyouhen]

I thought Portal 2 was fantastic.

I'd like to point out a crazy theory via just running around in the game and finding things online.

A) Chell is the daughter of someone at Aperture Science; her name is written behind the massive potato of the science projects from bring your daughter to work day.

A1) Chell might be Caroline's daughter. The turret opera, when translated, has numerous references of 'my girl' and 'my child.' A problem with this would be that Caroline is 'married to science' which implies she's probably single.

A1a) Good thing Chell is adopted.

Also, if this game doesn't win some sort of award for dialogue or voice acting, I'll be disappointed.


I dunno, the comic seems to imply Chell actually applied to be a test subject. That and if GlaDOS actually had access to the bodies of Chell's parents she'd probably have used them. :smalltongue:

[Alchemistmerlin]

That had come to mind, but we haven't actually seen any evidence in-universe that human cloning exists.

And if In-Universe cloning did exist we likely would have heard about it during the portions of Old Aperture where they were struggling to find alternatives to Astronaut test subjects. Even if it would not be cost effective, it would have probably been mentioned.

Don't quote me on that when they retcon it later...

[Bayar]

I thought Portal 2 was fantastic.

I'd like to point out a crazy theory via just running around in the game and finding things online.

A) Chell is the daughter of someone at Aperture Science; her name is written behind the massive potato of the science projects from bring your daughter to work day.

A1) Chell might be Caroline's daughter. The turret opera, when translated, has numerous references of 'my girl' and 'my child.' A problem with this would be that Caroline is 'married to science' which implies she's probably single.

A1a) Good thing Chell is adopted.

Also, if this game doesn't win some sort of award for dialogue or voice acting, I'll be disappointed.

Chell is the daughter of Caroline and Cave Johnson. That is my theory and I'll stick with it.

[chiasaur11]

I'm going with

Chell is an ordinary test subject with mild brain damage from cryo, and insane stubbornness. Also

her parents never loved her.

[Kyouhen]

I'm going with

Chell is an ordinary test subject with mild brain damage from cryo, and insane stubbornness. Also

her parents never loved her.

You missed one.

She is slightly overweight

[Fawkes]

People with brain damage are the real heroes.

[Valaqil]

People with brain damage are the real heroes.

"Say 'Apple'." *jumps*

[Alchemistmerlin]

Do you think Valve starves the writers during the dialogue?

Apple, Potatoes, Cake, Lemons

[Kyouhen]

Do you think Valve starves the writers during the dialogue?

Apple, Potatoes, Cake, Lemons

With management like Cave Johnson do you really think they're allowed to eat until they turn out gold? :smalltongue:

[pffh]

Do you think Valve starves the writers during the dialogue?

Apple, Potatoes, Cake, Lemons

http://www.nerfnow.com/comic/501

[The_Final_Stand]

My personal favourite section was as follows:

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
Achievement Unlocked: The Part Where He Kills You (description: This is that part.)

[BRC]

You missed one.

She is slightly overweight

On that subjec.

I loved the bit where Wheatley tries to use GLADoS's favorite generic insults (Fat and Adopted), but without the cruel subtlety and GLADoS jumps in to defend you.
"What's wrong with being adopted, and look at her, she's not fat!"

On several other subjects

As for who Chell is, probably nobody special. My guess would be that she was just a random employee and/or test subject (The two terms appear synonymous). The point is that Chell isn't really a character, so it's not really important where she came from. If she was the daughter of Cave Johnson and Caroline, or a clone of Caroline, or whatever, it would have no real impact on the game. You're still Chell, trapped in a playground run by machines with an addiction to Science.

That said, I didn't get the whole GLaDOs=Caroline thing. Was GLaDOs Caroline put into a computer? because at the end she Deletes Caroline and goes back to normal. Was Caroline grafted onto GLaDOs like a personality sphere?
I think the intent was to make her sympathetic and "Human", but her most evil act, killing everybody with Neurotoxin, happened while Caroline was, apparently ,firmly inside.

When GLaDOs starts warming up to you while she's a potato, was that supposed to be Caroline "Waking up", or was it just GLaDOs seeing you from a new perspective and realizing what it means to fight for ones survival.

Also, even after deleting Caroline, GLaDOs didn't seem to change. I got the impression, mostly from the song, was so eager to send you away because she didn't want to face the idea that she actually cared for a human.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but in the song there is the line "Maybe once I delete you/I'll stop feeling so sad", but in the lyrics that appear on the screen it goes "Maybe once I delete you/[REDACTED]". I took that to mean GLaDOs was in Denial. She feels bad that you are leaving, and guilty about trying to kill you (Her time as a Potato showed her what it's like to be helpless in the face of danger).
As I see it, the entire song was about GLaDOs trying to convince herself that she will be happier with you gone.

Also, I have this image in my mind of a pair of almost identical pictures. is looking from behind Gordon Freeman (You see his boot, and the front of the Gravity Gun poking into the frame, like he's holding it one-handed pointed downwards), with Chell standing on a hill opposite. The other is behind Chell, you see a boot and the front of the Portal gun.

[Alchemistmerlin]

About Chell's identity:
I'm fairly certain, from hints in the first game and hints in 2, that Chell is the daughter of an Aperture employee. Lots of references to her parents, and her name being written on the back of the display for the giant SCIENCE potato from "Bring your daughter to work day" seem to point at that fairly significantly.

[Drascin]

That said, I didn't get the whole GLaDOs=Caroline thing. Was GLaDOs Caroline put into a computer? because at the end she Deletes Caroline and goes back to normal. Was Caroline grafted onto GLaDOs like a personality sphere?

In that vein, I wondered for a while, until it hit me - you yourself said GLaDOS was in heavy denial at the moment (which is also the theory I'm working with). She's a known liar who made false warnings and signals during the whole first game - she could not lie while in the potato, because she didn't have the power to do so, but by then she was already back in her body.

So basically, especially given the line in the ending about "now little Caroline is here as well" that seems to point to Caroline being there, I'm wondering if the "deleting Caroline" thing wasn't just another lie, a bluff to make sure you didn't get the wrong impression or thought she could have feelings or humanity or conscience because it's not that she likes you or will miss you or anything.

...oh my god. Tsundere GLaDOS. I think my brain has started making a run for it at the mental image, and if you'll excuse me, I'll be right behind it.

[BRC]

In that vein, I wondered for a while, until it hit me - you yourself said GLaDOS was in heavy denial at the moment (which is also the theory I'm working with). She's a known liar who made false warnings and signals during the whole first game - she could not lie while in the potato, because she didn't have the power to do so, but by then she was already back in her body.

So basically, especially given the line in the ending about "now little Caroline is here as well" that seems to point to Caroline being there, I'm wondering if the "deleting Caroline" thing wasn't just another lie, a bluff to make sure you didn't get the wrong impression or thought she could have feelings or humanity or conscience because it's not that she likes you or will miss you or anything.

...oh my god. Tsundere GLaDOS. I think my brain has started making a run for it at the mental image, and if you'll excuse me, I'll be right behind it.

So, wait, let's think about this.

Cave Johnson, seeking immortality, tells his lab monkeys to work on dumping a human brain into a computer, and tells them that, if he dies before they get it to work, do it to Caroline.

Caroline then gets dumped into the computer. Perhaps the process changes her, or over the years lab monkeys forget that GLaDOs is a person and start grafting things onto her, making her more and more of a computer/driving her insane. I mean, the way it's described, each of those Personality Spheres is basically a complete personality, and they were just tacking them onto her. No wonder she goes mad, they are treating her identity like a box of Legos. Remember in Portal 1, she's almost totally robotic, with no real creativity or anything until you start taking spheres off, at which point she becomes increasingly human. The Spheres were not part of her personality, they were hamhanded attempts to reshape it, tacked on by programmers playing with a mind they didn't understand.

And over and over they keep telling her it's in the name of Science. And eventually she forgets that she was ever anything but a computer in charge of running the facility.

Then, eventually, she decides to test the effects of deadly neurotoxin, for science.

That actually puts her story into a somewhat tragic light. Made to live forever at the whim of a dying friend, then warped and twisted, limited by her programming, feeling helpless as they forced her into obeying, until, finally, she snapped.


Then, as a Potato she doesn't have the programming power to lie. She is once again helpless, at the mercy of her enemy who saves her from the bird and spares her.
And then she hears her own voice.

At the end of the game, she is back in her body, she is now capable of lying again. She makes a big show about "Deleting" Caroline. She is trying to forget that she is anything but a machine. If she acknowledges Caroline, then she has to face the idea that she, has been murdering people. How many test subjects died before Chell, how many people did she kill with that neurotoxin? She can rationalize that away, provided she considers herself as nothing more than a machine. Machines obey their programming, nothing more. If she, as a machine, did terrible things, it was because she was programmed to. This is why she goes on and on about Chell "murdering" her, without mentioning the countless times she tried to kill Chell. In her mind, she's just a machine, and cannot be held responsible for her actions. Chell on the other hand is a human, a human who chose to murder a machine simply for obeying it's programming.

The line about "little Caroline is here as well", Caroline was always there, forming the "base" personality of GLaDOs before it got warped and twisted. It's just that now her Identity includes Caroline.


Edit: also, to throw more wood onto that "Tsundere" fire, a quick TVtroping informs me that the term refers to a character that is both "Hot and Cold".
What two colors keep showing up, again and again in the game: Orange and Blue.