Portal 2

[Mr. Gerbik]

Games that are perfect don't leave me wondering where the other 10 levels have gone.

Anyway, it's funny reading all these auto-fanboy response (protect the sacred game's reputation!), but we can see from Valve's response (a much longer sequel) that the people at the top agree with me more than they do you.

Oh as far as I'm concerned you're free to think whatever you want about any game as are the people at the top. And I'm sure I will love Portal 2 as much as I did 1, it will be perfection.. of a different kind, but perfection nonetheless

[Smitty]

That's very generous of you Gerbik.

[Mr. Gerbik]

Of course, and I'm free to disagree - as are you

[Vel]

21st April.

[Smitty]

Come the fuck off it. Whatever 'it' is. Portal was great.

I don't recall say it isn't.

[Quest]

Smitty containment team to the Portal 2 thread. I repeat, Smitty containment team to the Portal 2 thread.

[Smitty]

Non-mob approved opinion detected, launch personal attacks, mash report buttons and cry.

I thought Portal was great, but that was really in spite of the fact that i felt like the game held your hand for like 90% of the puzzles, and just as they got interesting the game finished.

You are being taught the rules for most of the puzzles man, I think maybe the last three or something actually ask you to put it all together and work some stuff out in a serious way.

Personally I think this is a bit of problem for a puzzle game, but hey, there is lots of white and a female computer voice, and I know nerds go wild for that shit.

[Vel]

I don't recall say it is.

[Smitty]

Smitty containment team to the Portal 2 thread. I repeat, Smitty containment team to the Portal 2 thread.

Yeah, don't get hysterical or anything, you might end up looking pretty stupid.

Oh wait.

[NecroMorrius]

Morrius..what format are you getting it on?.....I want a co-op friend.

I'll probably just get it via Steam. I could do the whole PS3 version with a free copy on Steam but it'll just take up room on my shelf.

Smitty, the length of Portal is absolutely perfect, that's one of the very best things about it. There was no overt hand holding whatsoever, every puzzle was an exercise in discovery and experimentation.

Portal 2 isn't longer because Portal was too short, it's longer because it's a full game whereas Portal was an experimental pack-in with The Orange Box. A freebie. Sure they could make another three hour title again, but it wouldn't be in keeping with their desire to make money or their ambition to develop the IP into something grander.

[Smitty]

Smitty, the length of Portal is absolutely perfect, that's one of the very best things about it.

I'm not really talking about the length in so much as the length would have allowed for more puzzles.

The game spends 90% of its play time teaching you how to solve 2 or maybe 3 genuine puzzlers at the end.

It's not really about length in that sense, it's about challenge and development of your skills.

I love all the aesthetics and feel of playing it as much as anyone here, but I really, seriously think it was let down by an almost criminal lack of genuinely engaging puzzles.

You've started it now, we'll get loads of people tramping in here talking about Portal was short and sweet and equally tedious vacuous bollocks. Sure, maybe, but that's missing the point.

I guess it's possible Valve will pull the same thing with the sequal - 20 training levels on fluid mechanics and suckers, then three actual puzzles.

But I hope, and suspect, not.

[Smitty]

Portal 2 isn't longer because Portal was too short, it's longer because it's a full game whereas Portal was an experimental pack-in with The Orange Box.

It literally needed a handful of levels more as interesting as the last two to have satisfied me. I am not talking about a 50 hour epic here.

I felt pretty deflated realizing i'd done the last puzzle, because, y'know, it was a good game.

I only counted the last few as the real deal, personally.

[Mr. Gerbik]

I'll probably just get it via Steam. I could do the whole PS3 version with a free copy on Steam but it'll just take up room on my shelf.

Isn't the PS3 version also more expensive than the PC version, as console games are apt to be? That would mean you'd end up playing more for the privilege of playing the PC version. That is the reason I'm not bothering with the PS3 myself, I wouldn't want to play the game with a dual shock anyway (which is totally a personal preference thing before anyone starts)

[Retroid]

Wasn't that what the extra levels were for though?

[Blu3Flame]

Smitty: I still think the challenging challenge levels which challenge you are exactly what you're looking for from the game once you've finished the story.

[NecroMorrius]

It literally needed a handful of levels more as interesting as the last two to have satisfied me. I am not talking about a 50 hour epic here.

I felt pretty deflated realizing i'd done the last puzzle, because, y'know, it was a good game.

I only counted the last few as the real deal, personally.

You know it shipped with 20 or so extra levels right?

Edit - beaten to it three time!

[Mr. Gerbik]

Smitty: why haven't you bought Portal: Still Alive on XBLA then? It has tons of extra 'real deal' levels which will genuinely challenge you.

Edit: four times

[NecroMorrius]

Isn't the PS3 version also more expensive than the PC version, as console games are apt to be? That would mean you'd end up playing more for the privilege of playing the PC version. That is the reason I'm not bothering with the PS3 myself, I wouldn't want to play the game with a dual shock anyway (which is totally a personal preference thing before anyone starts)

Yep pretty much. Who's up for doing the co-op with me?

[Smitty]

Smitty: why haven't you bought Portal: Still Alive on XBLA then? It has tons of extra 'real deal' levels which will genuinely challenge you.

Edit: four times

I'm talking about the original release.

Which you know.

Smitty: I still think the challenging challenge levels which challenge you are exactly what you're looking for from the game once you've finished the story.

How about putting them in the game proper? I thought it was a puzzler with a narrative?

Meh. The challenges are some autistic shit where you have to be careful how many steps you make etc. Something done within the confines of the normal rules of the game is what I mean.

[Kevvy Metal]

Non-mob approved opinion detected, launch personal attacks, mash report buttons and cry.

I thought Portal was great, but that was really in spite of the fact that i felt like the game held your hand for like 90% of the puzzles, and just as they got interesting the game finished.

You are being taught the rules for most of the puzzles man, I think maybe the last three or something actually ask you to put it all together and work some stuff out in a serious way.

Personally I think this is a bit of problem for a puzzle game, but hey, there is lots of white and a female computer voice, and I know nerds go wild for that shit.

Sure all of the "rooms" were acting as a progressive tutorial but it's completely flipped on it head when you hit "that" bit. It feels like it's coming to an end but you're really only about half way. I though it was perfectly pitch with the later half requiring some real lateral thinking. Amazing game!

[revlob]

Some kind of Portal 2 comic?

[Quest]

I only really considered the tutorial nature of Portal to be a problem on repeat plays, as you spend ages at the beginning doing piss-easy chores in order to get to the fun stuff. It's easy to be critical in hindsight, but that first playthrough was still a thing of real wonder for me.

[Mr. Gerbik]

I'm talking about the original release.

Which you know.

Yeah I know but you really made it sound as if you knew not of the existence of the challenge levels.

How about putting them in the game proper? I thought it was a puzzler with a narrative?

Meh. The challenges are some autistic shit where you have to be careful how many steps you make etc. Something done within the confines of the normal rules of the game is what I mean.

Well in that case Portal 2 looks to be shaping up like exactly what you are looking for

[NecroMorrius]

The challenge stuff shipped with the master race version I think.

[ah]

The challenge stuff shipped with the master race version I think.

....there's more stuff in the PC version than the 360 orange box version?

[NecroMorrius]

I think so. I might be wrong. It's got all the challenge maps etc. But then there's the ten million user made levels as well, do they count?

I don't think the 'Still alive' maps ever made it into the PC version though. I'm a bit confused about the whole thing.

[ah]

the 360 orange box version you do the story and get through to the closing credits and it opens "hard" versions of like three of the maps. or maybe they're even just "do it using fewer portals" versions in fact. if there is more than that in the PC version then i guess i need to install it!

[NoVisAnima]

the 360 orange box version you do the story and get through to the closing credits and it opens "hard" versions of like three of the maps. or maybe they're even just "do it using fewer portals" versions in fact. if there is more than that in the PC version then i guess i need to install it!

There are 6 advanced maps which use rooms 13 - 18 and are each changed versions removing floors or adding items that make you re think the space. On top of that there are the challenges on those 13 - 18. These give goals for shortest time, fewest portals and fewest steps.

[Blu3Flame]

I don't think the 'Still alive' maps ever made it into the PC version though. I'm a bit confused about the whole thing.

The Still Alive maps were just a cutdown version of: http://portalmaps.wecreatestuff.com/

[robdood]

The advance maps were great, but I agree with Smitty, it wouldve been nice to have a few more puzzles (along the lines of the advanced maps) bundled into the main story. Or if the actually post-reveal section of the game had actually had any really good puzzles I'd have been a bit happier.