For Old Times Sake - Release

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MyApertureInnovations

ThinkingWithPortals

For a while now, I had this itch to make a map for the original Portal using the stock visuals, elements, and have it be a nice blast from the past. Back in June, I was playing with the functionality of instances with the 2009 SDK, and a test mod was created called Portal: 2012. I make sourcemods because I like the main game files stock in case of a problem. Along with playing with instances, I also edited the viewmodel position, the field of view, swapped some sounds and scripts around, made and ported a few things, and gave Portal an updated feel.

I backed up the mod, and continued on other things. The folks at at MyApertureInnovations (Formally MyApertureLabs) are getting ready for a mapping contest, and I thought a nice, classic Portal map would make the map stand out from the other Portal 2 maps. However, while I was adding to the map, I've encountered many vvis and vrad errors, so that forced the map to be small, removing the idea of this being a contest map. So I used that time to focus on small details such as ropes and other aesthetics.

I only spent 3 days on this map, but the outcome is a nice small map with a challenge script. (Remember those?)

From this map I learned that although it is a skip down memory line, it is way way harder to make puzzles for a Portal 1 map then for Portal 2. Now that players and mappers are use to a variety of elements and their combinations, it is hard to make a hard puzzle with flings, and energy ball stuff. Some may disagree, but unless you make your own elements by I/O much like Blue Portals did, you can't do as much with just the stock elements, and maybe some things Valve reused from The Flash Version/Still Alive.

Speaking of Blue Portals, I bet you're wondering about that. Yeah, its a long story. It is not dead, we are just.... stuck. I'll write up a juicy article along with the Anniversary stuff we were going to release last year. Trust me, we've been doing a lot, just not sure which way to go.

Thanks, and enjoy For Old Times Sake!