Topic: "Portal"

[Syl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWzmL05OlYA
^Trailer for "Portal", another game that Valve is giving away for free with HL2: Episode 2.
Seems like one of the more positively enjoyable games that i've seen in ages.

They're also throwing in "Team Fortress 2" (YAY!), but there is currently absolutely no known details or gameplay videos of it except for a single teaser:
http://pcmedia.ign.com/pc/image/article/718/718896/team-fortress-2-brotherhood-of-arms-20060714031845883.jpg

This is all ontop of the news that HL2, HL2: Episode 1, HL2: Episode 2 (and Portal, and Team Fortress 2, and other stuff) are all coming out to Xbox360 and PS3 before the end of the year as a single game package.  Talk about a busy and extremely impressive show from Valve.

[Nick DiMola]

Well, its nice to be back from a long trip in Italy, and I also just saw the Team Fortress 2 stuff and Portal and my god does Portal look hot. I am really looking forward to this game. The possibilities are endless. Talk about the ultimate puzzle game, this will definitely fit the bill. Not to mention the FPS elements look lik ethey could be pretty cool. Chasing enemies through portals across levels, its gonna be some good stuff.

[UltimatePartyBear]

If TF2 actually materializes after all these years, I might just jump off my roof and try to fly since, after all, apparently anything's possible.

[BlackNMild2k1]

the "Portal" link in the first post is broken.
Watch this trailer NOW!!

This is absolutley f'n insane and I can't even fathom the possibilities that are to come out of this in-game.
That just looked way too insane to actually play, yet I can't wait to play it.

[NuclearSpeed]

portal looks sweet, episode 2 is stand alone right?? either way it could be worth it for portal.

[SixthAngel]

Excuse me while I use my best David Spade impression.

"Portal, I liked it better when it was called Narbacular Drop."


This is an independent game done awhile back that does everything portal is trying to do.  Valve deservers no praise unless they actually hired these guys.  

I just checked the website after posting this message and they have indeed hired these guys to make the game.  Give Valve some praise for finding some talented people and hiring them, they may now be able to make an even cooler game.

[KDR_11k]

portal looks sweet, episode 2 is stand alone right?? either way it could be worth it for portal.

I might be considering it if it was. Ep2 is of no value to me as I haven't finished HL2 and don't own Ep1* but new ideas are always welcome. But then again... Steam... urk.

*=That's one of the drawbacks of episodic content, your sales numbers can only go down since here's little point in buying one if you haven't played the previous ones wheras you can play a sequel without the first game since they are written to tell you what you need to know (Eps aren't long enough to waste time with introducing new gamers to the story).

[BlackNMild2k1]

I want to play it but I don't own Half-life 2(my computer couldn't run it as-is anyway), but I have a firend that is going to buy an Xbox360 and this should come with the Half Life 2 360 port.

[Dasmos]

This would be an awesome Wii title.

[Shecky]

At first I heard "Now your thinking with portals" as "Now your playing with portals"

[KDR_11k]

Blackn~1: It should work wihout HL2 but you're getting it as a bonus for HL2Ep2 which you won't understand if you haven't finished HL2 and HL2Ep1.

[Syl]

I don't see why you couldn't simply pick up HL2:episode 1 without playing Half Life 2, yes you'd lose out on story, but it is it's own self contained game.

I'd imagine episode 2 would be similar.  The real reason to buy episode 2 now is because it also comes with Portal and Team Fortress 2  - both should be amazing stand-alone games in their own right.  Odds are they're going to try and sell episode 2 as a combination of all 3, then people will play episode 2 and go back to buy HL2 and HL2:Ep 1 if they haven't already got it.

Of course, if yuo haven't already got HL2 yet, you happen to be missing out on one of the better games in the past few years.

SixthAngel: Although it seems you already did the research, portal is done by the same guys who did narbucular drop.  Part of the reason it's so impressive.  

[Bill Aurion]

Quote
Originally posted by: Dasmos
This would be an awesome Wii title.

Yes, please...I already have HL2 for PC, but I'd definitely rebuy it for a decent framerate, Wii controls, and of course, Portal included...

[Spak-Spang]

Hmmm...The game has some really interesting mechanics and promises some intriguing level design...but, that trailer didn't have me interested in the game in the list bit.  

Nothing really screamed revolutionary, it just another means to rethinking how to get from point A to point B.

Thinking man's first person shooter....potentially, but I wouldn't go that far yet.

[BlackNMild2k1]

But imagine the multiplayer death matches, co-op puzzle solving and a frantic fast paced single player mode. I honestly don't think I could keep up with the insanity that would definately come from this being playable like UT, GE or PD.

[KDR_11k]

I think it's singleplayer-only. But don't worry, there'll be a mod for Prey allowing that in MP really soon. The portal wrench mod requires you to get close to the desired portal location so I don't think that'd allow too many funny things.

[nemo_83]

Portal was a trip; when I first heard about it I thought people were talking about a new weapon in HL2 Ep2...I hope it turns into a full game because it shows how portals can be used well for the first time in shooters (Prey's look nice but serve little purpose beyond spawning enemies like Turok).  I've always hated the portal cliche in shooters (Doom, Metroid Prime 2, Halo, Quake, etc); it's a cheap solution to bad level design usually (in the case of developers working their way to a dead end and using the g!mmick of the portal to loop the player back around without wasting memory constructing a path back like you would find in Metroid, you would come out on a higher peak you couldn't reach before for example).  When it isn't used as duct tape the portal can make the game too complex as MP2 proved by not selling nearly as many copies as it should have.  Even veteran gamers have trouble keeping up with the mirror worlds when looking for items.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

MP2's sales had much less to do with its gameplay than the marketing conditions/release season of its time.

Same applies to MGS3's performance in the same period.