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Portal 2 |OT| Sleep. Spuds. Science.

E

evlcookie

but ever so delicious
Finished! It took me 6.6 hours, Probably longer than most people as i did get stuck and frustrated with the game a few times.

Overall it was good but nothing more. It might take some time for me to reflect on my experience but i can't see myself playing it again. New pants certainly not required for me.
 
E

EmCeeGramr

Member
Huh. This is... troubling. I was going for the Smash TV achievement, and it crashed. So I tried to load it up again, it shows the Valve intro and splash screen... and then it instantly crashes again.
 
T

The Librarian

Banned
EmCeeGramr said:
Huh. This is... troubling. I was going for the Smash TV achievement, and it crashed. So I tried to load it up again, it shows the Valve intro and splash screen... and then it instantly crashes again.
Click to expand...
How do you get that achievement? I was knew about it while I was playing the game the first time around, and I could only destroy two or three. Couldn't figure out how to do the rest.
 
D

Drkirby

Corporate Apologist
Dax01 said:
How do you get that achievement? I was knew about it while I was playing the game the first time around, and I could only destroy two or three. Couldn't figure out how to do the rest.
Click to expand...
Likely toss boxes at the screens.
 
B

BenjaminBirdie

Banned
NinjaFridge said:
Some people want more 'twitchy' puzzles? Really? Easily the worst part of the original.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I love solving things at my own pace and then high fiving my cat. Or trying to.

She runs away.

Also, I think people are selling Merchant short. It's not just the writing. I'd bet dollars to donuts ("YOU'RE ON!") that a ton of his performance was ad lib.
 
S

Snuggles

erotic butter maelstrom
OK, so I finally clicked on the co-op part of the main menu. Is Valve really shilling in-game items?

I guess I haven't played Team Fortress 2 in a while so it was a bit surprising for me. Can they still be unlocked in-game?
 
B

butter_stick

Banned
Snuggler said:
OK, so I finally clicked on the co-op part of the main menu. Is Valve really shilling in-game items?

I guess I haven't played Team Fortress 2 in a while so it was a bit surprising for me. Can they still be unlocked in-game?
Click to expand...
You can unlock some things. I got a hat and a flag. There's probably pay only stuff.
 
S

Snuggles

erotic butter maelstrom
I see. Normally, I'd be outraged, but it's Valve. They have full access to both my heart and my wallet, I'll buy that shit.

Anyways, I'm just now starting chapter
five
. I'm over halfway done (tear).
 
B

butter_stick

Banned
Dax01 said:
How do you get that achievement? I was knew about it while I was playing the game the first time around, and I could only destroy two or three. Couldn't figure out how to do the rest.
Click to expand...
The trick is to realise you don't just use your own body to smash them. Use anything and everything. I just got the achievement, with the exception of the last one (which is bullshit) they're all pretty clever. And Wheatley's responses are hilarious.
 
J

Jack Scofield

Member
Just finished the game. I loved it, unlike Portal 1, which I thought was one of the most overrated games of 2007.

I really enjoyed the story in Portal 2, probably because of all the new characters. I gotta say, Wheatley is awesome. Genuinely funny and endearing (probably thanks to the voice actor more than the writing), he doesn't come across as someone trying to be funny (like Glados in Portal 1/early in Portal 2 or the male test chamber voice in Portal 2). His humor seems off-the-cuff and authentic while Cave Johnson, Glados, and the male test voice seem to be reading lines that are supposed to be "OMG isn't this funny?!? LOLOL" but end up being embarrassing instead.

Can't wait to play it again and listen to developer commentary. Valve really hit the ball out of the park on this one.

End game spoilers:
I can't be the only one who immediately thought of Halo's 343 Guilty Spark when Wheatley was floating in space. They look so similar. Also, I was half expecting/half hoping to see some Combine forces after escaping from Aperture, or even a glimpse of the Citadel or something. Or what if Aperture WAS the Citadel all along? Whatatwist.

And for being such a "dumb" character, Wheatley sure came a lot closer to killing you than Glados ever did. Gotta give him props for the multiple death chambers he tricks you into entering.
 
I

InfiniteNine

Rolling Girl
butter_stick said:
The trick is to realise you don't just use your own body to smash them. Use anything and everything. I just got the achievement, with the exception of the last one (which is bullshit) they're all pretty clever. And Wheatley's responses are hilarious.
Click to expand...
So me smashing into them effectively made me waste my time? Goddamn it! I did it twice trying to unlock it.
 
T

THRILLH0

Banned
My PCs on the fritz so I'm thinking about picking up the 360 version to tide me over.

If I do will I need to be a ninja on the controller? I'm not too used to playing FPS and the like on 360 so I'm worried my skills will make it a frustrating experience. In particular I'm thinking about sections in the first game where you were repositioning and firing portals in mid air.

What say you gaf?
 
D

droopy

Member
InfiniteNine said:
So me smashing into them effectively made me waste my time? Goddamn it! I did it twice trying to unlock it.
Click to expand...

You can, but you don't have to. The trick for a lot few of them is
turrets will target the screens if you let them.


butter_stick said:
The trick is to realise you don't just use your own body to smash them. Use anything and everything. I just got the achievement, with the exception of the last one (which is bullshit) they're all pretty clever. And Wheatley's responses are hilarious.
Click to expand...

Was the last one where
you have to bounce 2 turrets with the blue gel and save one for the screen?
Felt pretty smart getting that one.
 
T

teh_J0kerer

Member
So I ordered the PS3 version on amazon, and I tried to activate my steam copy on my PC.

It told me an "unexpected error occurred" and I should contact steam support.

I guess it's probably because I live in Japan. I had the same problem before just trying to buy something from steam.

Anything I can do?

I was thinking of getting a friend to help me by signing in to my account in the US, and then activating the game on my account... then I figure I should be able to dl it here?
 
S

sflufan

Banned
AShep said:
My PCs on the fritz so I'm thinking about picking up the 360 version to tide me over.

If I do will I need to be a ninja on the controller? I'm not too used to playing FPS and the like on 360 so I'm worried my skills will make it a frustrating experience. In particular I'm thinking about sections in the first game where you were repositioning and firing portals in mid air.

What say you gaf?
Click to expand...

There really aren't any "twitch" puzzles like that in Portal 2 single-player as there were in Portal 1. Valve made the decision to make the Portal 2 puzzles more cerebral for single-player and save the twitch for co-op.
 
V

vazel

Banned
teh_J0kerer said:
So I ordered the PS3 version on amazon, and I tried to activate my steam copy on my PC.

It told me an "unexpected error occurred" and I should contact steam support.

I guess it's probably because I live in Japan. I had the same problem before just trying to buy something from steam.

Anything I can do?

I was thinking of getting a friend to help me by signing in to my account in the US, and then activating the game on my account... then I figure I should be able to dl it here?
Click to expand...
You first have to link your PSN and Steam accounts but PSN is still down.
 
T

THRILLH0

Banned
sflufan said:
There really aren't any "twitch" puzzles like that in Portal 2 single-player as there were in Portal 1. Valve made the decision to make the Portal 2 puzzles more cerebral for single-player and save the twitch for co-op.
Click to expand...
Perfect, thanks.
 
D

Discotheque

Banned
BenjaminBirdie said:
Also, I think people are selling Merchant short. It's not just the writing. I'd bet dollars to donuts ("YOU'RE ON!") that a ton of his performance was ad lib.
Click to expand...

Yep. You agreed with me on this and I agree with you on this. So by my math that means umm...

1 opinion = Another opinion = absolute truth.

Merchant's style was just all over the dialogue in here.
 
U

UltimaPooh

Member
BenjaminBirdie said:
Also, I think people are selling Merchant short. It's not just the writing. I'd bet dollars to donuts ("YOU'RE ON!") that a ton of his performance was ad lib.
Click to expand...

There is a short interview with him on the Keighly piece and he only ad libed a little bit, most of it was the writing.

He mostly came up with the way it seemed to be naturally spoken and had the ideas for the umm's and pauses that Wheatley is known for.
 
E

EmCeeGramr

Member
Which is a huge part of Wheatley and why is performance is great.

Seriously, people acting like Valve could have just taken a random Bristolian and told them to read the script and it would been the same are crazy. A comedian, actor, and writer who knows about comic timing and using his voice might have helped a bit, guys!
 
U

UltimaPooh

Member
EmCeeGramr said:
Which is a huge part of Wheatley and why is performance is great.

Seriously, people acting like Valve could have just taken a random Bristolian and told them to read the script and it would been the same are crazy. A comedian, actor, and writer who knows about comic timing and using his voice might have helped a bit, guys!
Click to expand...

I never implied that it would have been the same... I was just pointing out that the character Wheatley was well performed AND well written.
 
B

BenjaminBirdie

Banned
UltimaPooh said:
There is a short interview with him on the Keighly piece and he only ad libed a little bit, most of it was the writing.

He mostly came up with the way it seemed to be naturally spoken and had the ideas for the umm's and pauses that Wheatley is known for.
Click to expand...

Yeah I just read that. I stand, slightly, corrected. But I still think not anyone could have pulled that off.
 
T

theinfinityissue

Member
EmCeeGramr said:
Which is a huge part of Wheatley and why is performance is great.

Seriously, people acting like Valve could have just taken a random Bristolian and told them to read the script and it would been the same are crazy. A comedian, actor, and writer who knows about comic timing and using his voice might have helped a bit, guys!
Click to expand...

Merchant made the character, period.

Anyone know if there are interviews with the voice talent in the commentary? I'm not really that interested in the technical stuff but would love to hear some impressions from them.
 
A

AniHawk

Member
EmCeeGramr said:
Which is a huge part of Wheatley and why is performance is great.

Seriously, people acting like Valve could have just taken a random Bristolian and told them to read the script and it would been the same are crazy. A comedian, actor, and writer who knows about comic timing and using his voice might have helped a bit, guys!
Click to expand...

richard lord/stephen merchant comparison

i had thought something about the way wheatley spoke was different, but i brushed it off as having been familiarized with merchant's performance.
 
C

crimsonheadGCN

Banned
Firebrand said:
I noticed the first name on the credits is Michael Abrash, is he with Valve now or just consulting?
Click to expand...

Gabe has been in talks with Michael Abrash in joining Valve for years now and Gabe has recently hinted that these talks finally paid off. I guess this is final confirmation that Abrash has joined Valve.
 
S

sflufan

Banned
Valve is just trying to gobble up as much talent in the industry as possible, aren't they? :)

The only person who resisted the sweet siren's song of Gabe was Notch...and with all the money he has theoretically made from Minecraft, I don't blame him!
 
S

StuBurns

Banned
I'd love to know how much of Merchant's character is him, for example he says things like "man alive" which is something Merchant always says, it could have been written specifically for him like that, but I imagine there was a fair bit of improvisation.
 
S

Spotless Mind

Member
What an incredible experience that was. Valve has no rival when it comes to presentation. I had a huge grin on my face from start to finish. I originally intended to play it on PC for my first playthrough, but, since i couldn't access my Steam copy, i gave in. Fantastic port, it must be said.

I do feel the game was lacking in overall challenge and there was an absence of open-endedness to some of the the rooms, but maybe playing co-op (when PSN is back up :/) will rectify that. The dearth of twitch based puzzles was noticeable in comparison to the original, as some have mentioned.

Merchant was such an amazing casting coup for Valve. He injected so much of his comedic style into the delivery of the lines and that's half of what makes them so funny.

My only real disappointment is the lack of advanced maps/challenges. That's what kept me coming back to the original Portal.
 
ULTROS!

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
Maybe I'm missing something but
the Pneumatic Diversity Vent is missing
.
 
R

Red

Member
ULTROS! said:
Maybe I'm missing something but
the Pneumatic Diversity Vent is missing
.
Click to expand...
They are in game but aren't interacted with. Probably because the excursion funnel performs the same function and then some. No need for redundancy.
 
B

butter_stick

Banned
droopy said:
You can, but you don't have to. The trick for a lot few of them is
turrets will target the screens if you let them.




Was the last one where
you have to bounce 2 turrets with the blue gel and save one for the screen?
Felt pretty smart getting that one.
Click to expand...
Yeah. I only say it's bullshit because the turrets kept crapping out on me. Conceptually it's clever, I just found it a bit niggly.
 
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