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Portal 2 |OT| Sleep. Spuds. Science.

I love all of the constant verbal sniping from GlaDOS, she/it is so snide. I don't know what puts a bigger smile on my face, when I solve a puzzle/room or when GlaDOS insults me for doing so.
 

Emitan

Member
I take back everything mean I've ever said about Source engine. The opening was jawdropping with everything maxed. The only bad thing I can say about Source is that it still has loading and doesn't stream everything. Practically all of my complaints have been dealt with.
 

Original-Blue

Neo Member
30 minutes in and I'm almost a bit overwhelmed by how good this is. The improvement over the first is so substantial to me its incredible.

So far I'm just amazingly impressed. I get a few frame rate issues when I line up two portals to look through them into oblivion but other than that, a solid and amazing looking game.

The start. Oh man, the start is so good. And ive been cracking up at the writing every step of the way so far. The humor is still there, but its different.

I have worked out that I think I know what's going to happen with the story etc and its just perfect. <3
 
At test chamber
21/22
. {Read next spoiler only if you've gotten that far!}
I did not see that coming, at least not then. Wow!

Game is great so far. I'll need someone to play co-op with tomorrow or the next day though once I finish the single-player. Anyone interested?
 
Billychu said:
I take back everything mean I've ever said about Source engine. The opening was jawdropping with everything maxed. The only bad thing I can say about Source is that it still has loading and doesn't stream everything. Practically all of my complaints have been dealt with.

Maybe you could force precaching via Autoexec? I remember when I did that for HL2/other Souce games the loading was nonexistent. I'm guessing Portal 2 would do it on default? Go hit up the HL2 tweak guide.
 

Emitan

Member
BoobPhysics101 said:
Maybe you could force precaching via Autoexec? I remember when I did that for HL2/other Souce games the loading was nonexistent. I'm guessing Portal 2 would do it on default? Go hit up the HL2 tweak guide.
The load times are so minor it's not really worth fiddling with. I just wish each elevator took you seamlessly to a new area instead of bringing up a loading animation.
 

dLMN8R

Member
Good jesus christ is this an amazing video game. The sound, the music, the animation in everything from the characters to the walls themselves. The introduction to new puzzle elements, the lighting, the art design. Everything about this is just plain incredible.

But man do I want some level streaming! Even more loading than the first game, since there aren't any cases where two puzzles share a single level. Luckily, it's all extremely quick, and I don't even have the game on my SSD.


Or, to put it as someone else I read:
Its ridiculous, and in some ways a bit sad, just how far ahead Valve is compared to basically every other developer. And in basically every way. That's not to say that they do everything better than every one else. But, like, even though Crysis 2 has "better graphics," I never had that "oh shit" moment like I did within the first 10 mintues of Portal 2. Its just a combination of it all. The graphics, the sound, voice acting, animation, level design, art design, writing. It makes everyone else look downright amaturish in comparison.

Everything is so coherent and well thought out. Playing through CoD:Blops, theres multiple situations where you move to early or wait too long you die. There's no feedback, its practically trial-and-error. In Portal 2, you really make your own decisions, but Valve is just so amazingly brilliant of nudging you in the right direction. The game drops you hints that you don't even realize are there, so when you do something clever your own success is your reward. You get the feeling that you actually solved something, even though the game knew you what you were going to do the whole time.


I personally can't wait to listen/play the commentary. Always such an enjoyable part of Valve's games.
 

Teknoman

Member
Gotta say I really like the "new guy". He's pretty likeable and a nice character to offset GlaDOS...which after waking up...combined with the great sound...seems alot creepier than before.

Damn...giant sentient robots are scary.
 

Einbroch

Banned
Wow...is it always going to be this easy? Co-op has been pretty fun, but holy crap is it easy. We've only went "huh" and paused to think like twice. Each time we solved it in like 30 seconds. We think we're pretty far in, too. Three "worlds" done, looking like there's only one or two more.

Co-op only, so far. We haven't touched single player.
 

Htown

STOP SHITTING ON MY MOTHER'S HEADSTONE
Also gotta say... that first scene? Best "here are the controls" tutorial I've ever played. Easily.

The writing in this is so damn amazing.
 

Sinatar

Official GAF Bottom Feeder
Just did the first 3 hub worlds or whatever you'd call them in co-op. Brilliant game is brilliant. Co-op is just flawlessly executed here, solving stuff with a friend is so satisfying.
 

Teknoman

Member
The new menu is awesome too. Even goes into detail about all those crazy PC settings that sound like something you'd read about in a spaceship manual at first glance. Ugh...I better go to sleep...

Thats the one thing I hate about any new Valve game release. You want to keep playing once you start, so you either finish really fast(?) or end up staying up later than you should. Dunno if thats a bad thing.
 
Billychu said:
The load times are so minor it's not really worth fiddling with. I just wish each elevator took you seamlessly to a new area instead of bringing up a loading animation.

Takes 5 seconds to make an autoexec. Try it! Could save hoursof your life. ;)
 

Qatar

Member
the game has shipped from amazon and should arrive tomorrow at noon
Thanks Amazon for the irresistible promo
Can't wait to play it
 

Teknoman

Member
So...do we find out the new guy's name in game later on? Treading into spoiler territory since I just woke GlaDOS (damn switches), so just a yes or no will do.
 

MNC

Member
Einbroch said:
Wow...is it always going to be this easy? Co-op has been pretty fun, but holy crap is it easy. We've only went "huh" and paused to think like twice. Each time we solved it in like 30 seconds. We think we're pretty far in, too. Three "worlds" done, looking like there's only one or two more.

Co-op only, so far. We haven't touched single player.
I think personally (not having played co-op) the strong point of co-op will be the custom maps when they arrive.
 

Original-Blue

Neo Member
Htown said:
Also gotta say... that first scene? Best "here are the controls" tutorial I've ever played. Easily.

The writing in this is so damn amazing.
Yep that's part of what im amazed about. The writing just oozes... I can't think of a word to describe what it oozes but its in the line of brilliant, incredible and awesome.

Part of what makes it ooze so much of whatever it is thar it oozes is that its a continuation of the first game. It feels like to me that the first game was a easy simple tech demo and this is the real thing. The improvement is astounding and that is saying a lot.

Fuck I cannot wait for hl3 / episode 3 now ( but let's not get ahead of ourselves - back to p2)

Oh yeah, I wanted to say - I'm going to go to bed tonight and when I do, I will lie back with my head on my hands with a smile on my face and feel totally satisfied. I'm satisfied so far... But damn, everything, everything about it is so awesome.
 

dimb

Bjergsen is the greatest midlane in the world
Teknoman said:
So...do we find out the new guy's name in game later on? Treading into spoiler territory since I just woke GlaDOS (damn switches), so just a yes or no will do.
The writing just tends to avoid using names. It's almost always "her" or "him". I know his name, but I'm not sure if I picked it up in or out of the game.
 

Emitan

Member
Teknoman said:
So...do we find out the new guy's name in game later on? Treading into spoiler territory since I just woke GlaDOS (damn switches), so just a yes or no will do.
It was revealed months ago. No idea if it's revealed in game because I've been playing for 2 hours and haven't heard it.

It's
Wheatley
 

KaYotiX

Banned
LOVE THE GAME!!! But WTF and WOW at the cost of skins/hats for
co-op bot custimazation.....damn Valve

Just tossin in spoiler tags to be safe :p
 

Teknoman

Member
Dance In My Blood said:
The writing just tends to avoid using names. It's almost always "her" or "him". I know his name, but I'm not sure if I picked it up in or out of the game.


Billychu said:
It was revealed months ago. No idea if it's revealed in game because I've been playing for 2 hours and haven't heard it.

It's
Wheatley

Got it, been on a blackout ever since I read when the game was supposed to take place.
He better not be dead
:(
 

Oreoleo

Member
Billychu said:
It was revealed months ago. No idea if it's revealed in game because I've been playing for 2 hours and haven't heard it.

It's
Wheatley

I did catch him say it at one point, can't remember when. He messed something up and lightly scolded himself in the 3rd person.

Anyway Stephen Merchant is awesome. The opening 10 minutes were impeccable. Pixar quality. Valve are masters of their craft.
 

Trickster

Member
a question about the store. Do I actually have pay real money for all the random skins/hats and whatnot? Just seems pretty crazy to me that everything in the store costs money right from release. No unlockables or anything?
 

Emitan

Member
Trickster said:
a question about the store. Do I actually have pay real money for all the random skins/hats and whatnot? Just seems pretty crazy to me that everything in the store costs money right from release. No unlockables or anything?
I haven't tried, but I'm 99% sure it's real money, which seems pointless in a co-op game, but I'm sure someone will spend enough to validate it.

-Winnie- said:
I'm in Australia and I'm thinking of importing a PS3 copy from the UK. Any reason for the Steam copy to not work for me?
Your disks spin the wrong way.
 
Whatever Valve’s done with Source, it's amazing. I'm running a dual-core E5200 and an ATI 4770 and Portal 2 runs like butter @ 1080p, everything at max, and 4xAA. I can't get performance this good in L4D2, and Portal 2 looks way better on top of that.
 

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Great lighting when
you're trying to escape with Wheatley and he uses his light for the first time
.
 
Brobzoid said:
anyone know how this runs on a macbook pro?

It's alright on my nearly 2 year-old MBP, I'm sure it would be better on a newer model. It stutters a bit and the textures and anti-aliasing are kind of low, but it's not unplayable.

I do hope to build a gaming PC sometime over the summer though for things like this.


Unrelated to that...somewhat spoilerish screenshot related to ARG, lol
 

Teknoman

Member
I hope all their games show up as trilogies. Portal 3, Half Life 3, and Left 4 Dead 3 would be nice ways to wrap up the series I think. Unless Valve pulls an Alien Swarm 2 outta nowhere.
 
D

Deleted member 22576

Unconfirmed Member
Oh yeahhhh! THIS is why I love videogames so much! Running superbly on my computer, and looks damn fine to boot. I'm shocked at how good this game is.
 

dimb

Bjergsen is the greatest midlane in the world
Zombie James said:
Whatever Valve’s done with Source, it's amazing. I'm running a dual-core E5200 and an ATI 4770 and Portal 2 runs like butter @ 1080p, everything at max, and 4xAA. I can't get performance this good in L4D2, and Portal 2 looks way better on top of that.
The textures really hold the game back for me.

Game feels very, very linear compared to the first too so far.
 

Billen

Banned
Oh My God, I just
filled this area with nonsense since I am at work and can't even touch the game for 6 more hours or so, but my son is at home, is free from school and has access to the game. Happy for him, but still. God damnit.
 
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