.,-:;//;:=,.
. :H@@@MM@M#H/.,+%;,
,/X+ +M@@M@MM%=,-%HMMM@X/,
-+@MM; $M@@MH+-,;XMMMM@MMMM@+-
;@M@@M- XM@X;. -+XXXXXHHH@M@M#@/.
,%MM@@MH ,@%= .---=-=:=,.
=@#@@@MX ., -%HX$$%%%+;
=-./@M@M$ .;@MMMM@MM:
X@/ -$MM/ .+MM@@@M$
,@M@H: :@: The Orange Box . =X#@@@@-
,@@@MMX, . Portal /H- ;@M@M=
.H@@@@M@+, %MM+..%#$.
/MMMM@MMH/. XM@MH; =;
/%+%$XHH@$= , .H@@@@MX,
.=--------. -%H.,@@@@@MX,
.%MM@@@HHHXX$$$%+- .:$MMX =M@@MM%.
=XMMM@MM@MM#H;,-+HMM@M+ /MMMX=
=%@M@M#@$-.=$@MM@@@M; %M%=
,:+$+-,/H#MMMMMMM@= =,
=++%%%%+/:-.
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Table of Contents |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
Version History ................ (VRIN)
Legal Junk ..................... (LGLU)
Introduction ................... (ITOU)
General FAQ .................... (GNRL)
Controls ....................... (CNRL)
Full Walkthrough ............... (FLWL)
Test Chamber 00 .................. (TC00)
Test Chamber 01 .................. (TC01)
Test Chamber 02 .................. (TC02)
Test Chamber 03 .................. (TC03)
Test Chamber 04 .................. (TC04)
Test Chamber 05 .................. (TC05)
Test Chamber 06 .................. (TC06)
Test Chamber 07 .................. (TC07)
Test Chamber 08 .................. (TC08)
Test Chamber 09 .................. (TC09)
Test Chamber 10 .................. (TC10)
Test Chamber 11 .................. (TC11)
Test Chamber 12 .................. (TC12)
Test Chamber 13 .................. (TC13)
Test Chamber 14 .................. (TC14)
Test Chamber 15 .................. (TC15)
Test Chamber 16 .................. (TC16)
Test Chamber 17 .................. (TC17)
Test Chamber 18 .................. (TC18)
Test Chamber 19 .................. (TC19)
Advanced Challenge Maps ....... (AVNE)
Advanced Test Chamber 13 ......... (AC13)
Advanced Test Chamber 14 ......... (AC14)
Advanced Test Chamber 15 ......... (AC15)
Advanced Test Chamber 16 ......... (AC16)
Advanced Test Chamber 17 ......... (AC17)
Advanced Test Chamber 18 ......... (AC18)
Least Steps Maps .............. (LATT)
Least Steps Test Chamber 13 ...... (LS13)
Least Steps Test Chamber 14 ...... (LS14)
Least Steps Test Chamber 15 ...... (LS15)
Least Steps Test Chamber 16 ...... (LS16)
Least Steps Test Chamber 17 ...... (LS17)
Least Steps Test Chamber 18 ...... (LS18)
Least Portals Maps ............ (LATO)
Least Portals Test Chamber 13 .... (LP13)
Least Portals Test Chamber 14 .... (LP14)
Least Portals Test Chamber 15 .... (LP15)
Least Portals Test Chamber 16 .... (LP16)
Least Portals Test Chamber 17 .... (LP17)
Least Portals Test Chamber 18 .... (LP18)
Least Time Maps ............... (LATI)
Least Time Test Chamber 13 ....... (LT13)
Least Time Test Chamber 14 ....... (LT14)
Least Time Test Chamber 15 ....... (LT15)
Least Time Test Chamber 16 ....... (LT16)
Least Time Test Chamber 17 ....... (LT17)
Least Time Test Chamber 18 ....... (LT18)
Achievements .................. (AHEV)
Lab Rat .......................... (AH01)
Fratricide ....................... (AH02)
Partygoer ........................ (AH03)
Heartbreaker ..................... (AH04)
Terminal Velocity ................ (AH05)
Long Jump ........................ (AH06)
Cupcake .......................... (AH07)
Fruitcake ........................ (AH08)
Vanilla Crazy Cake ............... (AH09)
Basic Science .................... (AH10)
Rocket Science ................... (AH11)
Aperture Science ................. (AH12)
Camera Shy ....................... (AH13)
Friendly Fire .................... (AH14)
Contact Info .................. (CNAT)
Credits ....................... (CEIS)
Closing ....................... (COIG)
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Version History (VRIN) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
Version 1.0 (4/28/2008)
- Completed Full Guide
- Completed Advanced Chamber Guides
- Completed Least Portal Guides
- Completed Least Steps Guides
- Completed Least Time Guides
Version 1.1 (6/4/08)
- Fixed some minor formatting errors
- Added Zeladine's tip to the turret firefight
- Added Dark Tail's tip to the Least Step Chambers Guide
Version 1.11 (9/4/08)
- Fixed some spelling errors
- Added individual achievements to the Table of Contents
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Legal Junk (LGLU) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
This guide is copyright 2008 by Michael Mays. It may NOT be reproduced,
altered, or republished without my permission under any circumstances. I only
give permission to the sites listed below to host this guide. If you would
like this guide on your site, send me and e-mail. If you have a decent site,
I'll probably let you do it, so just ask me first, okay? If you see this guide
on any other site, send me an e-mail and I will contact the owner of the site.
This guide is only for private use. Sites allowed to host this guide are:
www.gamefaqs.com
www.gamerstemple.com
www.supercheats.com
www.neoseeker.com
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Introduction (ITOU) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+------------------+
| Commentary Nodes |
+-------------+----+
| |
+-------------+----+--------------------------------------------------------+
| These boxes only apply to commentary mode. They may contain minor |
| spoilers or hints relating to the current test chamber. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| These boxes will tell you the locations of all of the cameras that you |
| can shoot. This is required for the "Camera Shy" achievement on the XBox |
| 360 version. |
+===========================================================================+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Alternate Routes |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=+=-=-+
| |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=+=-=-+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| These boxes tell you when multiple routes are possible. When you see |
| this, the less common routes are first, with the last one being the most |
| common route. The common route is generally more comprehensive and will |
| most likely contain more 'Commentary Nodes' and 'Camera Shy' cameras to |
| shoot than the uncommon routes. |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| General FAQ (GNRL) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
+-------------------+
| "What is Portal?" |
+-+----+------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Answer: Portal is a puzzle video game made by Valve. It was released |
| with the "Orange Box" compilation for PC, XBox 360, and PS3. It can be |
| purchased separately from Steam, Valve's digital distribution system, for |
| $19.99. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------------+
| "How long is Portal?" |
+-+----+----------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Answer: It really depends. If you are good at puzzles, the first play |
| through will be about 5-6 hours. If you aren't, expect upwards of 7 |
| hours. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------+
| "How do you unlock commentary mode?" |
+-+----+-------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Answer: For commentary mode to appear at the main menu, you must play |
| through the story mode. After you complete a chapter in story mode, it |
| will be unlocked for commentary mode. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| "I found another way to solve a test chamber! Will you add it to your |
| guide?" |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Answer: Yup. Just send me an e-mail and I will add it to the guide and |
| give you credit. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------+
| "There is an error in your guide. How can I contact you?" |
+-+----+-----------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Answer: Check the 'Contact Info" portion of the guide. Tell me where the |
| error is and what you think needs to be done about it. Please message me |
| about spelling mistakes, incomplete information, or incorrect |
| information. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------+
| "What do you need information on?" |
+-+----+-----------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Answer: Since I only own the Playstation 3 version, I need control |
| information for the other versions of the game. Any other information |
| about the other versions (How much memory is required for the XBox 360 |
| version, etc...) would be appreciated. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+----------------------+
| "I have a question!" |
+-+----+---------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Answer: Check the 'Contact Info' portion of the guide. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Controls (CNRL) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+---------------+
| Playstation 3 |
+-+----+--------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Look Around - Move Right Analog Stick |
| Move Around - Move Left Analog Stick |
| Jump - L1 or X |
| Crouch - L3 or Circle |
| Fire Blue Portal - R2 |
| Fire Orange Portal - L2 |
| Pick Up Objects/Use - R1 or Square |
| Pause Game - Start |
| Quick Save - Hold Start |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+----------+
| Computer |
+-+----+---+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Look Around - Move Mouse |
| Move Forward - W Key |
| Move Left - S Key |
| Move Backward - D Key |
| Move Right - F Key |
| Jump - Space Bar |
| Crouch - Control |
| Fire Blue Portal - Left Mouse Button |
| Fire Orange Portal - Right Mouse Button |
| Pick Up Objects/ Use - E Key |
| Pause - Escape Key |
| Quick Save - F6 |
| Quick Load - F9 |
| Take Screenshot - F5 |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+----------+
| XBox 360 |
+-+----+---+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Look Around - Right Thumbstick |
| Move Around - Left Thumbstick |
| Jump - Left Bumper or A Button |
| Crouch - Push Left Thumbstick |
| Fire Blue Portal - Left Trigger |
| Fire Orange Portal - Right Trigger |
| Pick Up Object/Use - Right Bumper or X Button |
| Pause - Start |
| Quick Save - Hold Start |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Full Walkthrough (FLWL) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 00 (TC00) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| If you are in commentary mode, it will automatically start. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Gabe Newell] "Welcome to insert game name here. Hopefully you've |
| already had a chance to enjoy the off-beat perspective and new game |
| mechanic of Portal. To listen to a commentary node, put your crosshair |
| over the floating commentary symbol and press your use key. To stop a |
| commentary node put your crosshair over the rotating and press the use |
| key again. Some commentary nodes may take control of the game in order |
| to show something to you. In these cases simply press your use key again |
| to stop the commentary. Please let me know what you think after you've |
| had a chance to play, as we think we are just at the beginning of |
| taking advantage of this type of gameplay. I can be reached at |
| [email protected]. Thanks, and have fun!" |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Turn left and press use. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Kim Swift] "It's absolutely critical that players quickly wrap their |
| heads around what a portal is. We noticed early play testers grasped the |
| concept much more quickly when they caught a glimpse of themselves |
| through a portal. So we deliberately positioned this first portal to |
| ensure that players will invariably see themselves." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Wait for the clock in front of you to count down, then a voice begins.
[Computer] "We hope your brief detention in a relaxation vault has been a
pleasant one. Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin
the test proper. Before we start, however, keep in mind that although fun and
learning are the primary goals of our enrichment center activities, serious
injuries may occur. For your own safety and the safety of others, please
refrain from touching (bzzzzzzzzt). Por favor bord�n de fellar. Muchos
gracias de fellar gracias. Stand back, the portal will open in three, two,
one."
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Turn right and press use. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Kim Swift] One of the things we learned from Narbacular Drop, our |
| student project that became Portal, was that players often thought that |
| portals took them into other spaces or even other dimensions. To help |
| fight that notion we start players in a visually unique room with |
| memorable objects, so that when they walk through a portal for the first |
| time, they have a clear point of reference which communicates the idea |
| that they're still in the same basic location. For instance, the radio |
| which is playing an instrumental version of 'Still Alive,' helps as well |
| by providing some audio continuity." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
If you want you can play around in this room. Pressing use (R1) on the toilet
will cause it to flush and spark the computer to say "Your business in
appreciated." You can lift up the clipboard by pressing the use key. Pressing
R2 will cause you to throw it, and pressing use again will cause you to drop it
on the spot. Remember that for later. You can lift up the coffee cup and
throw it to cause it to break. You can pick up the radio, but you can't really
do anything with it.
Turn and run through the portal.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Immediately outside of the portal, turn to your left. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Ray Raitt] "We put the player in an orange jumpsuit to reinforce the |
| fact that she's a test subject. Visually, the warmer colors help her pop |
| out against the colder tones of her environment. Some play testers were |
| wondering why she could fall so far without getting hurt the way she |
| would in Half-Life 2. In response, we added a mechanized heel spring to |
| her lower legs; afterwards, there was no longer any question about why |
| she could survive such long falls." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
If you look to the right, you can see a giant lighted panel. This will
describe all of the hazards that can be found in each test. You will see them
in every test chamber. Turn left and follow the path.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Along the path, look up to see it floating in front of the observation |
| window. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Realm Lovejoy] "These frosted glass observation rooms make the player |
| feel as if they are being watched at all times, while keeping the |
| identity of these watchers a mystery. The rooms serve a practical |
| purpose as well, since we often use them as convenient and logical light |
| sources for the test chambers." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Head through the door to find a button.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After entering, turn to your right to find yet another node floating |
| there. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Robin Walker] "Portal is effectively an extended player training |
| exercise. We spend a huge portion of the game introducing a series of |
| gameplay tools, then layering those tools into increasingly difficult |
| puzzles. This layering starts here, where we train the button/box |
| mechanic before introducing the more complicated concepts of portals. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
In here you'll find a button and a strange tube. Approach the tube to find
that it dispenses cubes. The problem here is that standing on the button
causes the door to open, but leaving the button to approach the door causes it
to close. The solution is simple enough, take the box (using R1, from here on
referred to as the use key) and put it on the button (pressing R1 again causes
it to drop). Head on through the door.
[Computer] "Excellent. Please proceed into the chamberlock after completing
each test. First, however, note the incandescent particle field across the
exit. This Aperture Science Material Emancipation Grid will vaporize any
unauthorized equipment that passes through it - for instance the Aperture
Science Weighted Storage Cube."
Head through the field and into the elevator.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 01 (TC01) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
As you head along, you will see the panel light up. Looks like there are no
hazards here. Head to the ledge and drop off.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After falling down, look to the right of the portal. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Paul Graham] "We wanted players to feel safe while standing in a |
| portal, so we never kill them or destroy objects within a portal that's |
| closing. Instead, we either push or teleport objects out of a portal as |
| it closes." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
As you can see through the portal, the door is not open. Guess what you have
to do? That's right! Put the box on the button. When you see the box through
the portal, head on through and grab it. Then either head back out of the
portal, or if it disappeared, wait for it to come back. Wait for the portal to
show the button, then run through. Put the box on the button, then head back
out.
[Computer] "Perfect. Please move quickly to the chamberlock, as the effects
of prolonged exposure to the Button are not part of this test."
When the portal shows the door, you can head on through.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After stepping through the portal towards the door, you will see it |
| floating there in the doorway. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Robin Walker] "We very deliberately introduced and trained each |
| gameplay concept in Portal so that once players reach this spot, we're |
| confident that they know what a portal is and roughly how it works. |
| Early versions of the game let players stumble through the beginning |
| without always understanding what was going on, which really compromised |
| teaching new concepts. The puzzle you just finished was designed so that |
| stumbling around will almost always lead to a dead end. Completing the |
| puzzle requires walking through a minimum of five portals in a specific |
| order. This kind of gating, in which a solid understanding of key |
| gameplay concepts is required for success helps standardize the learning |
| curve of the gameplay tremendously." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Head into the elevator.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 02 (TC02) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
The panel will light up. No hazards here either.
[Computer] "You're doing very well! Please be advised that a noticeable taste
of blood is not part of any test protocol but is an unintended side effect of
the Aperture Science Material Emancipation Grill, which may, in semi-rare
cases, emancipate dental fillings, crowns, tooth enamel, and teeth."
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Turn right and you will see it floating. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Jason Brashill] "In early versions of this map, play testers would |
| charge down the stairs without noticing what was creating the portals. |
| We introduced a mandatory pause in the action - what we call a gate - to |
| help ensure that players stop and notice the portal gun making the blue |
| portal. A particle effect and a loud noise help draw their |
| attention." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Turn right and walk down the stairs. Wait for the portal to appear next to you
and go through it. Jump off of the ledge and take what is making those
portals.
[Computer] " Very good! You are now in possession of the Apertures Science
Handheld Portal Device. With it, you can create your own portals. These intra
dimensional gates have proven to be completely safe. The Device, however, has
not. Do not touch the operational end of the Device. Do not look directly at
the operational end of the Device. Do not submerge the Device in liquid, even
partially. Most importantly, under no circumstances should you (bzzzzzzzzt)."
Finally, we got ourselves a portal gun! Shoot a portal at the wall (R2) and go
through.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Before heading through the door, look directly ahead. You will see a |
| camera on the wall. Shoot a portal at it and it will fall down. Turn |
| left and look at the wall with the "stair-stepped" parts to it. Shoot a |
| portal through the middle at the wall on the other side, then turn around |
| and go through the orange portal. Turn right and look up to see yet |
| another camera. Shoot a portal at it as well. After this, shoot a |
| portal anywhere and head through it. |
+===========================================================================+
Turn right and go through the door and into the elevator.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 03 (TC03) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Turn the corner to see yet another camera staring at you. Shoot this one |
| down as well. |
+===========================================================================+
Approach the panel to make it light up. No hazards.
[Computer] "Please proceed to the chamberlock. Mind the gap."
Turn right to see what it means.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After turning right, it will be staring you in the face. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Kerry Davis] "This room was designed to make players understand that |
| entrance and exit portals aren't tied to the colors of the portal. Play |
| testers often assumed that orange portals were exit-only, so we created |
| this puzzle to force players to enter an orange portal." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Shoot a portal anywhere and go through it.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After exiting the portal, it will be right there. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [David Kircher] "When rendering a players' view through a portal, we |
| must render a separate image using a virtual camera which looks out of |
| the opposite portal. To obtain a correct image and efficient rendering |
| performance, we render only what is visible to the limited field of view |
| of the opposite portal, and exclude objects that lie between the virtual |
| camera and the plane of the opposite portal." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| After heading through the portal, turn fully around and look up and to |
| the right. Shoot it. |
+===========================================================================+
Turn right from the portal to see the chamberlock. Shoot a portal at the wall
over there and go through to orange portal to come out the other side.
[Computer] "Well done! Remember: The Aperture Science Bring Your Daughter to
Work Day is the perfect time to have her tested."
Turn right to see the chamberlock.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After turning right, it's in the doorway of the chamberlock. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Garret Rickey] "The combination of portal-destroying fields (which we |
| call fizzlers) and the elevators serve a dual purpose. They provide a |
| clearly identifiable end-point for each test chamber, while also |
| addressing the more practical problem of how to keep players from |
| portaling across level loads. We eventually integrated fizzlers into |
| several of our puzzle designs." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Run into the elevator.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 04 (TC04) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Approach the panel to make it light up. Two hazards here, boxes from the
dispersal tubes, and boxes falling on your head.
[Computer] "Welcome to test chamber four. You're doing quite well."
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Look towards the rest of the chamber, but before going through the |
| doorway, look up and slightly left. Shoot it off of the wall. |
+===========================================================================+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| When looking towards the test chamber, it is floating above the button. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Chet Faliszek] "For training purposes, there's generally just one |
| correct solution to these early puzzles. The original version of this |
| room didn't have the glass barrier. Play testers would often stand on |
| the button to open the door, and then shoot a blue portal through the |
| opening bypassing the box entirely. Since this puzzle was meant to |
| illustrate the relationship between boxes and buttons, that solution, |
| while clever, was a failure, so we added the glass barrier to prevent it. |
| Later in the game, however, the puzzles become more open-ended." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Go past the button into the larger part of the test chamber.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After jumping into the pit, look towards the center. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [David Kircher] "Integrating portals with the Source engine's physics |
| system was a complex process that required several iterations to achieve |
| the right balance of performance and correctness. Because portals can be |
| placed virtually anywhere in the games environment, the physics system |
| had to be modified to allow dynamic changes to it's representation of |
| colliding geometry such as the walls and floor around this box and any |
| objects which may lie on the opposite side of the portal. Initial |
| implementations of this dynamic collision generation system could take up |
| to one half of one second, or 500 milliseconds, to compute the correct |
| collision. This may not sound like a long time in everyday life, but |
| this pause during the portal creation was quite noticeable in the context |
| of a game. Ultimately, we designed a system that creates temporary |
| physics environments in bubbles around the portals using less accurate |
| collision than that produced by Source's standard collision generation, |
| but was accurate enough in practice and reduced the time to create |
| dynamic collision representation from 500 milliseconds to just 10 |
| milliseconds, which is an imperceptible pause during portal creation." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Shoot a portal anywhere and take the box through it. Place the box on the
button to open the door.
[Computer] "Once again, excellent work. As part of a required test protocol,
we will not monitor the next test chamber. You will be entirely on your own.
Good luck."
Head through the chamberlock and into the elevator.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 05 (TC05) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Approach the panel to cause it to light up. The only hazard here is dropping a
box on your head. Turn right.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| After turning right, look up to see it above the doorway. Shoot it. |
+===========================================================================+
Head through the door to see two buttons, two platforms and a pit.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| While walking through the door, you will see it near the far platform to |
| the right. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Nick Maggiore] "Early version of Portal featured more detailed, |
| cluttered environments, much like Half-Life 2. We quickly realized that |
| unnecessary objects scattered all over the place distracted players to |
| the point where it actually interfered with the portal training process. |
| So we simplified the art style to favor clean, focused test chambers. |
| The modular approach we settled on makes it look plausible that the |
| chambers can reform dynamically on these pistons." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Shoot a portal anywhere and then go through it. You will end up on a piston
looking at a box on the other side. Shoot a portal across the gap, toward the
box. Go back through the orange portal and grab the box. Jump off of the
platform and place it on a button.
Jump down into the pit and shoot a portal somewhere. Pick up the box and take
it through the portal.
From here, there are two different (although similar) solutions.
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Harder Solution |
+=+=-=-+-=-=-=-=-=+
| |
+=+=-=-+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Instead of placing both boxes on the buttons, place one box on one button |
| and stand on the other. Shoot a portal through the door then stack the |
| boxes on top of each other next to the platform with the orange portal on |
| it. Jump onto the platform and go through the orange portal. It seems |
| like much more work, but its there if you want to do it. Rejoin the |
| walkthrough at "*". |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Easier Solution |
+=+=-=-+-=-=-=-=-=+
| |
+=+=-=-+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Jump down with the box and place it on the other button. Go through the |
| door. |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
(*) [Computer] "As part of a required test protocol, our previous statement
suggesting that we would not monitor this chamber was an outright fabrication.
Good job! As part of a required test protocol, we will stop enhancing the
truth in three... Two... [One...] (Static)"
You seem to be trapped... That's no good. Shoot a portal anywhere and go
through it.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Search the walls slightly above your head for a camera. You know what to |
| do by now. |
+===========================================================================+
Find the chamberlock and go into the elevator.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 06 (TC06) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Run forward and look at the panel. Two symbols you've never seen... They
stand
for being hit by energy balls, and the energy ball receptacles. Energy ball
receptacles are not hazards, as you cannot be hurt by them.
[Computer] "While safety and is one of the many Enrichment Center goals, the
Aperture Science High Energy Pellet, seen to the left of the chamber, can and
has caused permanent disabilities such as vaporization. Please be careful."
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| When entering the room, check in the far right corner. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Randy Lundeon] "To make puzzles deeper than just teleporting to the |
| exit, we had to include surfaces that won't hold a portal, which are |
| formally introduced here. We experimented with several surface designs |
| before we settled on this one, whose visual noise and reflectivity make |
| it easy to identify at a distance." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Head into the bulk of the test chamber to see something you've never seen.
Something is shooting energy balls, and there is a receptacle near it. Look at
the ceiling above the receptacle to see an orange light. Shoot a portal at
that light to cause the ball to go through the portals and into the receptacle.
[Computer] "Unbelievable! You, [louder] Subject Name Here [/louder] must be
the pride of [louder] Subject Hometown Here [/louder]."
Run up to the piston to see the elevator. Something to note is that you cannot
create portals on dark surfaces. Try if you want. Keep that in mind.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 07 (TC07) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Head out to see a larger test chamber.
[Computer] "Audible warning devices are required on all mobile equipment.
However, alarms and flashing hazard lights have been found to agitate the high
energy pellet and have therefore been disabled for your safety."
To the right of the stairs is the standard panel, with the same two symbols as
the previous chamber highlighted.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After heading down the stairs, look up and to the left to see it floating |
| on a platform. You can activate it from here. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Jepp Barnett] "Originally, these scaffolds ran on electrified tracks. |
| But crafty players would hop along to the exit, bypassing the puzzle |
| entirely. We tried to solve this by killing players as soon as they |
| touched the rails. That solution ended up being too much of an over |
| correction, as even skilled play testers were getting frustrated by these |
| one hit kills in the more complex puzzles later in the game. Making the |
| scaffolds run along immaterial beams of light solved both problems." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Look to the right to see a black mark on the wall where the energy ball has
been hitting. Shoot a portal there.
[Computer] "Good, now use the Aperture Science Unstationary Scaffold to reach
the chamberlock."
Look at the walls near the scaffold. They are black, so you can't shoot
portals on them. However, there is one small section above it that you can
shoot portals on. Shoot one there and walk over to the orange portal. Look
into it, and wait for the scaffold to come underneath, and then jump in. Wait
for the scaffold to reach the other side, and then jump into the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 08 (TC08) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Head into the small anteroom in front of you.
[Computer] "Please note that we have added a consequence for failure. Any
contact with the chamber floor will result in an 'unsatisfactory' mark on your
official testing record followed by death. Good Luck!"
Check the panel to you left to see what she's talking about. The same two
symbols from the previous test plus two more ones. They stand for "don't drink
the water" and "don't swim in the water". Head into the larger room to see
what they are talking about.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| While heading into the large room, it is in the doorway. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Chris Chin] "Even though layering player training was a design goal |
| from the start, we still ended up introducing some concepts too quickly. |
| For instance, this used to be the first energy-ball redirection puzzle. |
| Play testing revealed that this puzzled introduced too many new concepts |
| at once, which ended up frustrating a lot of play testers. In response, |
| we inserted two test chambers before this one to make the energy-ball |
| redirection training more gradual." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
You can do this entire puzzle from the grating you are currently standing on.
Look to the far side of the room, and then to the left to see where the energy
ball is hitting the wall. Shoot a portal there. Immediately after it goes
through the portal, look for the orange beam of light immediately to the left
of it and shoot another portal there. What will happen is that the energy ball
will go through the portals, bounce off of a wall, then return through the
portals and hit the receptacle. Problem solved.
Turn to the left to see a blank wall. Shoot a portal there and walk through.
You can ignore the warning on the floor, as there are no longer any energy
balls shooting through here. Look across the water to see that the scaffold is
now running. Shoot a portal right above the right side of the scaffold and
turn around to face the portal you just came out of. Wait for the scaffold to
come in front of you then jump onto it. (Walking may cause you to fall into
the water.)
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After exiting the portal onto the scaffold, look to your left to see it |
| floating where the scaffold was docked. You may have to move away to see |
| it. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [David Kircher] "We previously talked about how we handle static portal |
| collision but collision with moving objects on the other side of a portal |
| is a completely different and equally hard problem. Walking onto this |
| scaffold was a very iffy proposition for the first few months of |
| development. We solve the problem of colliding with these dynamic |
| objects by cloning the objects from one portal to the other and strictly |
| controlling what objects are allowed to collide with each other and how |
| they're allowed to collide." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Wait for the scaffold to bring you over to the grating, and then run into the
chamberlock.
[Computer] "Very impressive. Please note that appearance of danger is merely
a device to enhance your testing experience."
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 09 (TC09) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Go into the small room ahead. The only hazards here are having boxes dropped
on you and a box hitting your head.
[Computer] "The Enrichment Center regrets to inform you that this next test is
impossible. Make no attempt to solve it."
Throughout the test the computer will say phrases at certain intervals to
dissuade you from attempting to solve the test.
[Computer] "The Enrichment Center apologizes for this clearly broken test
chamber."
[Computer] "Once again, the Enrichment Center offers its most sincere
apologies on the occasion of this unsolvable test environment."
[Computer] "Frankly, this chamber was a mistake. If we were you, we would
quit now."
[Computer] "No one will blame you for giving up. In fact, quitting at this
point is a perfectly reasonable response."
[Computer] "Quit now and cake will be served immediately."
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Look near the far right corner to see it floating next to a cube. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Paul Graham] "Because our test chamber were simplified for training |
| purposes, we created visual hotspots within the rooms to guide players' |
| attention. The design is essentially a balance between round objects and |
| sharp objects, the sharp objects representing background elements and the |
| round objects - such as doors and moveable props - comprising our points |
| of visual interest." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
At first glance, this test does appear to be impossible. Pick up the box and
try to take it through the doorway. It will disappear. That's obviously not
going to work. Shoot a portal in the cubby near the cube, then lift up the
cube and bring it through.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After exiting the portal, you will see it floating in the middle of the |
| platform. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [David Kircher] "For the first few months of development, we rendered |
| the views through portals to two off screen textures. This approach was |
| easy to implement and was compatible with a wide range of graphics |
| hardware. Unfortunately, this method was incompatible with antialiasing |
| and consumed a large amount of video memory in order to handle recursive |
| views through several portals. Because of these disadvantages, we |
| switched to a system which renders portal views recursively into the |
| frame buffer, with the aid of the stencil buffer to isolate pixels |
| corresponding to a given portal. This is a more effective scheme because |
| it is compatible with antialiasing and does not consume any additional |
| video memory for off screen textures." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Look over to where to door is (the black wall) to see that there is a small
hole above the door. Shoot a portal through it, then grab the box and go back
through the orange portal. Set the box on the button.
[Computer] "Fantastic! You remained resolute and resourceful in an atmosphere
of extreme pessimism."
Go into the doorway, around the corner, and into the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 10 (TC10) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Head through the hallway.
[Computer] "Hello again. To reiterate our previous warning: this test
[garbled] momentum [garbled]."
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Walk down the hallway to see it floating in front of the steps. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Garret Rickey] "Portal momentum ended up being the hardest concept to |
| convey. For this series of puzzles, which went through more design |
| iterations than virtually any other part of the game, we introduced the |
| idea of redirecting your momentum using portals slowly, step by step. We |
| even have the AI voice pretty explicitly explain the elements of the |
| puzzle, something we avoided throughout most of the rest of the game." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| While standing in front of the stairs, look up and to the left to see it |
| on the wall. Shoot it down. |
+===========================================================================+
Shoot a portal at the ground, and then jump into it. You will be pushed out,
and onto the platform. You can see the panel to the right. There are two new
symbols. "Jump into portals" and "fly out of portals". Head into the next
room.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Once through the doorway, look to your left. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Greg Coomer] "Using gravity to fall into one portal so that you come |
| rocketing out the other portal - a skill we call "flinging" - was another |
| difficult concept to train. We designed a specific visual cue - a pushed |
| out concrete block with checkerboard tile above a pit - to indicate to |
| players that it's time to use the fling maneuver. Repeated several |
| times, this cue helps players associate pushed out concrete slabs with |
| flinging, in much the same way that players learn to associate cubes with |
| buttons." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Walk forward a little and turn around. You will see that there is a small
pushed out platform with a portal on it. Run over to the ledge ahead, shoot a
portal at the ground below it, and then jump off of the platform into the
portal to be rocketed over onto the far ledge.
[Computer] "Spectacular. You appear to understand how a portal affects
forward momentum, or to be more precise, how it does not."
Go through the doorway into the next room, then look up. A giant T-shaped
slab of wall will come out.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It will be floating there, in front of the pushed-out slab. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Bill Van Buren] "Originally, these exit portal surfaces were static |
| geometry in the final position, but play testers stubbornly refused to |
| look up to find them. This is another example of the classic game-design |
| problem of coaxing players to look up. By putting the portals on moving |
| pistons, we were able to start them in a position that players were more |
| likely to see." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Go over to the ledge, but don't jump off. Look down to see an orange portal.
Turn round and look at the slab. Shoot a portal near the center. Jump down
and through the orange portal to be rocketed onto a ledge just underneath the
one we need.
[Computer] "Momentum, a function of mass and velocity, is conserved between
portals. In layman's terms, speedy thing goes in, speedy thing comes out."
Turn around to see that the top portion of the slab has moved out from the
bottom part. Shoot a portal at the newly moved piston, then walk over to the
ledge. Jump off and aim for the orange portal. You will be rocketed over to
the chamberlock. Head in to complete this test chamber.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 11 (TC11) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Head up the stairs.
[Computer] "The Enrichment Center promises to always provide a safe testing
environment. In dangerous testing environments, the Enrichment Center promises
to always provide useful advice. For instance, the floor here will kill you -
try to avoid it."
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| After reaching the top of the stairs, turn around and look above the |
| doorway. |
+===========================================================================+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After heading up the stairs, it will be floating right in front of you, |
| up a few more stairs near some windows. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Scott Dalton] "We found that rather than looking into portals to see |
| where it went, play testers would often leap blindly to their doom. In |
| response to this observation, the moral of this puzzle is 'look before |
| you leap.' The safe orange portal was out of the players view from this |
| balcony. That forces them to peer through a portal to see it, which |
| trains players in the remote-viewing capabilities of portals." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Look left to see the panel. Four hazards we've had before. Shoot a portal on
the wall, but don't go through it. Wait for it to show a button and some
ground before you walk through it, or else you will die.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Look to the left, near the button. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Jason Brashill] "Originally, a weighted button was used to open the far |
| door, but play testers so strongly associated boxes with buttons, that |
| they'd get stuck searching hopelessly for a box. We changed the big |
| button to a pedestal-mounted push button, thus removing the box |
| association, but play testers still had trouble realizing they needed to |
| shoot a portal through the door. Adding a ticking timer sound when the |
| door was opened cued players that the puzzle expected them to act during |
| that time, which solved the problem." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Press the button on the pedestal by pressing the use key. Quickly shoot a
portal through the door on the opposite side of the room that was just opened.
Wait for the orange portal to be shot at the back wall near you and then run
through.
Look slightly to the right to find a black mark where the energy balls are
hitting. Shoot a portal there and wait. Eventually it will hit its receptacle
and cause the scaffold near the center platform to move. Walk up to the blue
portal and wait for it to show the scaffold coming towards you. When it
approaches, jump to it.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It's floating to the left of the orange portal gun. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Lars Jensvold] "This room is designed to build anticipation for the big |
| moment when players finally get the fully powered portal gun. The puzzle |
| path brings you in a circle around the device, so that it's virtually |
| always in sight right up until you grab it." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Run to the center and grab the orange portal creating part of the portal gun.
[Computer] "The Device has been modified so that it can now manufacture two
linked portals at once. As part of an optional test protocol, we are pleased
to present an amusing fact: The Device is now more valuable than the organs and
combined incomes of everyone in [subject hometown here]."
Press the new button ahead to cause a door in front of you to open. Shoot a
portal through it and turn around. Shoot a portal in between the two grey bars
on the wall that the scaffold approaches. Wait for the scaffold to make its
way back to you, then jump on. When the scaffold gets close enough, jump
through the portal.
After landing, find the chamberlock and run into it.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 12 (TC12) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Head into the hallway. You can see the panel to the right, with four symbols
you've seen before.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| While walking down the hallway, you will see it floating. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Chris Chin] "Player training doesn't always stick, especially after the |
| introduction of a big, new concept. For instance, after they'd acquired |
| the full powered portal device, play testers often forgot about the fling |
| maneuver. Since it's such an important skill, this puzzle is designed to |
| reintroduce the idea of flinging." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
[Computer] "[Bzzt Garble] fling [garble] fling [garble] [bzzt]."
Walk over and face the ledge. Look down and shoot a portal at the ground
below. Now look up and shoot a portal at the slab of concrete above. Now that
you have two portals, be sure to use opposite colored portals when shooting
two. Jump down into the portal to be flung to a small ledge above your old
position.
Look up and shoot whatever colored portal was just on the concrete slab on the
one just above it. Jump back down from the ledge and aim for the portal that
is on the ground. You will be flung over to a yet higher ledge with a button.
A slanted portion of the wall will come out. Put whatever colored portal was
just on the concrete slab onto this one, then jump down one ledge so you can
actually aim for the portal on the ground. Jump into it.
You will end up on a ledge with a box on it. Grab it and jump over to the
ledge with the button. Put the box on the button. Jump back down one ledge
and repeat jumping into the portal.
[Computer] "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee [bzzzt]."
Run into the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 13 (TC13) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Run forward, through the small hallway to enter a small mini-test chamber.
[Computer] "Now that you are in control of both portals, this next test could
take a very, VERY, long time. If you become light headed from thirst, feel
free to pass out. An intubation associate will be dispatched to revive you
with peptic salve and adrenaline."
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| While standing in the doorway, it will be floating there, somewhere near |
| the button. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Jeremy Bennett] "When we moved from a largely placeholder art to our |
| final visual design, this was the first level to get a facelift. We |
| chose this map because it had many of our gameplay elements integrated |
| into a relatively small space. The test chamber art direction was |
| designed to make everything appear purposefully placed. The simple |
| design helps focus players on the puzzles. It also provides a nice |
| contrast to the later, much less sterile behind-the-scenes environments, |
| which contributes to a clear sense of progression." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Turn to face the doorway you just came out of. It is above the door. |
| Now, however, you must also shoot the other portal to a different |
| location for the camera to actually fall. |
+===========================================================================+
Look up to see a box. Shoot a portal at the wall or floor and then one on the
wall near the box. Grab the box.
There are now two ways to go about solving this chamber, the sneaky way and the
proper way.
+=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Sneaky Way |
+=-=-=-=+=-=-+
| |
+=-=-=-=+=-=-+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| After grabbing the box, instead of putting it on the button, stand on the |
| button yourself. Aim up through the grating and into the door as far |
| left as you can go. Shoot a portal. Now aim for the wall of the current |
| room you are in and shoot the opposite colored portal. If you did it |
| right, you will see a button. Grab the cube and jump through. Place |
| the box on the button. |
| |
| Being careful to avoid the energy ball, jump over to the lower platform |
| and stand on it (if you can't jump it, just portal up there by shooting a |
| portal at the wall, another at the ground, and then jumping through). |
| Quickly shoot a portal through the door that opens and jump off so as to |
| avoid the energy ball. Now shoot the opposite colored portal elsewhere. |
| Run through and re-join the walkthrough at "*". |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Proper Way |
+=-=-=-=+-=-=+
| |
+=-=-=-=+=-=-+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Put the box on the button. Drop to the floor in front of the doorway. |
| |
| +============+ |
| | Camera Shy | |
| +=======+====+ |
| | | |
| +=======+====+==========================================================+ |
| | Turn around and face the doorway. The camera will be to the right. | |
| +=======================================================================+ |
| |
| +-----------------+ |
| | Commentary Node | |
| +------------+----+ |
| | | |
| +------------+----+-----------------------------------------------------+ |
| | After dropping from the doorway, it will be right in front of you, | |
| | just beyond the energy ball receptacle. | |
| +--------------------------------------------------------------+----+---+ |
| | | |
| +--------------------------------------------------------------+----+---+ |
| | [Nick Maggiore] "This is the first map in which we experimented with | |
| | solving the puzzle in as few portal placements as possible. We tried | |
| | to fit that concept into the story mode, but were never quite able to | |
| | sell it. Instead of abandoning the idea altogether, we added the | |
| | concept to a series of post-game "Challenge" maps. | |
| +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ |
| |
| Turn around and face the doorway to see the black mark of where an energy |
| ball has been hitting the wall. Shoot a portal there. Shoot the other |
| one above the receptacle in the middle of the room. The scaffold will |
| start to move. |
| |
| Aim for the small white patch of ceiling above the scaffold and shoot a |
| portal. Shoot the other portal at the wall. Wait for it to come |
| underneath and then jump down. Grab the box on the scaffold and then |
| jump off. Place a portal on the wall next to the highest piston, and |
| another at the wall. Take your box, bring it through the portal, and |
| place it on the button. |
| |
| Jump over to the lower platform and stand on the button. Shoot a portal |
| through the door. Jump off of the pedestal and shoot the other portal |
| anywhere. Run through. |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
(*)[Computer] "As part of a previously mentioned required test protocol, we
can no longer lie to you. When the testing is over, you will be missed."
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| After running through the portal, search the walls in this small room for |
| a camera. |
+===========================================================================+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After entering the portal, it will be floating in the center of the room. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Kerry Davis] "A problem we came across with virtually any puzzle |
| involving boxes and doors was that the players could portal the boxes to |
| the other side of the door, thereby trapping themselves in a room with |
| buttons but no boxes. We set up special triggers to detect and handle |
| these cases, and then added the box delivery tubes to ensure players |
| could always be supplied with the required tools." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Go into the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 14 (TC14) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Run forward. The panel will light up to your left. These are all symbols
you've seen before. Continue down.
[Computer] "All subjects intending to handle high-energy gamma leaking portal
technology must be informed that they MAY be informed of applicable regulatory
compliance issues. No further compliance information is required or will be
provided, and you are an excellent test subject!"
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After leaving the hallway, it will be floating right there. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Jepp Bennett] "A few play testers put a portal on the floor here, and |
| used the rising stair pit to skip the rest of the puzzle. We'll usually |
| rework a level if play testers discover a way to bypass chunks of the |
| puzzle too easily. But in this and a few other cases where skipping |
| ahead arguably takes more skill than solving the puzzle properly, we let |
| the ninja solution stand. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Walk down the hallway to your left.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| While walking down the left hallway, it will be half way between the |
| piston and the pit/rising stairs. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [David Kircher] "This is a great spot to appreciate the recursive nature |
| of portals. If you place a portal on each side of this hallway, you'll |
| notice the portals seem to go on forever, similar to the effect you get |
| in a hall of mirrors. In actuality, we support a maximum of nine |
| recursive portal views down a chain of portals. We achieved the |
| impression of infinite recursion by copying part of the previously |
| rendered frame onto the final portal in a recursive chain. It's not |
| absolutely perfect, but it's inexpensive and effective." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
There are in fact two ways to solve this chamber, the quick way and the proper
way.
+=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Quick Way |
+=-=-=-+-=-=+
| |
+=-=-=-+-=-=+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Place a portal near the piston at the T-Junction. Run up the stairs and |
| wait for them to sink back down. Shoot a portal at the ground below and |
| jump through it. When you are going up, move the analog stick to the |
| right and you will land on the piston. Rejoin the walkthrough at "*". |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Proper Way |
+=-=-=-=+=-=-+
| |
+=-=-=-=+=-=-+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Run up the stairs and turn left. Shoot a portal near the base of the |
| black block in the corner. Now walk back to the edge of the pit and |
| shoot a portal down at the floor below. Jump into it. While going up, |
| move the analog whichever way will send you flying back on top of the |
| block. |
| |
| +-----------------+ |
| | Commentary Node | |
| +------------+----+ |
| | | |
| +------------+----+-----------------------------------------------------+ |
| | While on top of the black block, it is near the corner facing the | |
| | rest of that room. | |
| +--------------------------------------------------------------+----+---+ |
| | | |
| +--------------------------------------------------------------+----+---+ |
| | [Lars Jensvold] "We designed this room to draw the players eyes to | |
| | the box. The light from the observation room casts horizontal | |
| | shadows that point at the box, which is directly lit by a warm light | |
| | from the ceiling. This warm light helps the box stand out against | |
| | the predominantly cool test chamber lighting. The varying sized | |
| | squares of the off limits surface also help direct the player's | |
| | attention upward." | |
| +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ |
| |
| Grab the box here. With it, jump back down and retrace yours steps over |
| to the T-Junction at the start of the level. Place the box on the button |
| that you will see on the way there. Head through the newly opened door. |
| Follow the corridor until you get to a room with water and some pistons |
| moving up and down. |
| |
| This is nothing more than a timed jumping puzzle. Just jump across as |
| they are going up (do not, I repeat, do not use portals, I will explain |
| why in a second). Don't enter the next room with too much haste, as |
| there is an energy ball there that will kill you. The reason not to use |
| portals before was so that when you shoot a portal for the energy ball |
| to go though, you don't send it flying right at you accidentally. |
| |
| Shoot a portal where the energy ball hits the wall. Jump back across and |
| head all the way back to the stairs. At the top, shoot the opposite |
| colored portal above the energy ball receptacle. |
| |
| [Computer] "Very very good. A complimentary victory lift has been |
| activated in the main chamber." |
| |
| Walk over to the piston and get on. |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
(*) Enter the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 15 (TC15) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Run to the panel.
[Computer] "The Enrichment Center is committed to the well being of all
participants. Cake and grief counseling will be available at the conclusion of
the test. Thank you for helping us help you help us all."
Continue around the corner to where you see an energy field above a wall.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| While standing in the doorway, look towards the ceiling and to the right. |
+===========================================================================+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| While standing in the doorway, it will be in the middle of the next room |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Kim Swift] "This particular section went through several iterations |
| because it's the place where players are required to perform possibly the |
| trickiest portal maneuver, the double fling. Originally, the room also |
| featured an energy ball redirection puzzle. Combined with the new double |
| fling skill, however, it proved to be too much for most play testers. |
| Overwhelmed players tend to not digest new information, so we simplified |
| the puzzle to require only the double fling. To nudge players in the |
| right direction, we also included visual hints, such as the previously |
| introduced single fling theme. The pushed out concrete slab with the |
| checkerboard landing zone." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Turn around and face the door. Look up to see a pushed out concrete slab like
the ones you have seen before. Shoot a portal at it. From here, there are two
solutions to this puzzle, the double fling and the super jump.
+=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Super Jump |
+=-=-=-=+=-=-+
| |
+=-=-=-=+=-=-+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Fire the other portal at the floor near the wall. Now jump through the |
| portal. On the way down, shoot the portal you just came through (the one |
| that was on the slab) where you are going to land. If you do this right, |
| you will come shooting out of the one near the wall. Just move the |
| analog stick the position of the wall to hop over the top. Rejoin the |
| walkthrough at "*". |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Double Fling |
+=-=-=-=-=+=-=-+
| |
+=-=-=-=-=+=-=-+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Shoot a portal at your feet. While on the way down, shoot the same one |
| you just fell through (the one on the ground) at your landing zone while |
| still in the air. If you did it right, you will rocket out of the portal |
| on the stone slab and fly over to the other side. |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
(*) Approach the door.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| While facing the door, look up and to the right. |
+===========================================================================+
Head on through the door and around the corner.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| After turning the corner, face the next room and look up and to the left. |
+===========================================================================+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After turning the corner, it will be floating in the middle of the room |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Paul Graham] "This puzzle requires players to redirect an energy ball |
| through multiple portal placements. The multiple steps caused many early |
| play testers to panic and accidentally redirect a ball right into |
| themselves, with deadly results. We redesigned the test chamber so that |
| portals can only be placed on the top half of the room, which solved the |
| problem by generally leaving players out of the balls reach." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The reason this room is so tricky is that you cannot place portals over energy
fields and if you walk through an energy field, all of your portals are
destroyed. Place a portal where the energy ball is hitting the wall, and then
another above the piston. This will shoot it into the other small area. After
the ball goes into the first portal, immediately turn and shoot a portal where
it will hit the wall in the small area with the receptacle. Shoot the other
portal at the orange light on the ceiling from the receptacle.
This will cause the piston to come down. Run over and get on. At the top, run
down the hallway.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After exiting the hallway, it will be floating in the middle of the room. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Garret Rickey] "We noticed through our play tests that many of our |
| players weren't aware of the fact that you can place portals while |
| falling. Since placing portals as you are falling is essential to |
| accomplishing flings and many other portal tricks, we implemented this |
| puzzle so that the only way to solve it was to use the mid-air placement |
| tactic. It took numerous iterations and lots of tuning before this |
| consistently played well." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Turn around and look up to see another pushed out piece of concrete. Shoot a
portal there. Turn left and go through the door.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| While standing in the doorway of the small room, look up and slightly to |
| the right. |
+===========================================================================+
Walk up the stairs to a pit. While jumping down, place a portal at your
approximate landing zone. Then, while flying, place another where you would
hit the ground. This will send you hurdling over the barrier. Once over, turn
and face the energy ball dispenser and receptacle.
Shoot a portal at the concrete slab and then another at your feet. While
flying, shoot another where you would land to again go flying over yet another
barrier.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After flinging over the wall, it is under the two angled pieces of wall. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Robin Walker] "Perhaps the most important purpose of this final test |
| chamber is to cement the double fling maneuver training. For previous |
| flings, we employed a visual cue, a pushed out section of a wall. In |
| preparation for the more free form behind-the-scenes levels, however, we |
| took the training wheels off. To proceed, players must realize that they |
| can double fling almost anywhere they want to, with or without hints." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Look a the two slanted pieces of wall. On the right one, place one portal as
far left as you can go. Then, on the other one, wait for the ball to bounce
off of it once before placing the other portal. It will fly out of the other
side headed straight for the receptacle. Next, point at the top of the wall
with one portal, then at the ground with the other. As you are falling, place
the other one where you would land. You will land on the other side.
Walk over to the door to see scaffolds on rails. Shoot a portal all the way
down the hallway to the far wall, and the other on the wall right next to the
door. When a scaffold comes near, jump through the portal onto the scaffold.
Then, turn left and shoot another portal at the far wall there. You can either
wait for the scaffold to take you back to shoot another at the wall next to the
door, or jump back through the portal you just came out of. Whatever you do,
just be sure that there is a scaffold there when you jump.
Once on the second one, turn to the right to see the next room. Shoot a portal
there then either wait for the scaffold to take you back to your portal by the
door, or shoot a portal at the wall along the hallway and jump through. For
the instructions of this guide, walk over to the doorway and turn to face the
room.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| While standing in the doorway, it will be to the right near a piston. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Realm Lovejoy] "In this puzzle, we wanted players to realize that, |
| using portals, they can travel long distances in a short step. |
| Originally, we had stairs from the ground level to the upper rooms. Many |
| play testers, however, were able to run from one room to the other |
| quickly enough to consider it a solution without ever thinking to use the |
| easier portal method. By changing the stairs to very slow moving lifts, |
| we were able to level the travel time for all player experience levels, |
| thus making the intended solution more clear." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Turn and face the doorway. It is just above the door frame. |
+===========================================================================+
From here there are two different methods, the fast method and the proper
method.
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Fast Method |
+=-=-=-=-+-=-=+
| |
+=-=-=-=-+-=-=+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Go over to any piston that is on the ground a hop on. While on it, jump |
| on top of the black railings on either side. While standing on those, |
| shoot a portal to the base of the piston that is up already. Be sure you |
| are on the middle of the black railing, then jump off and shoot a portal |
| where you would land. You will be sent flying up. While flying up next |
| to the piston that is up, press the crouch button and move the analog |
| stick toward the piston. You will end up on top of the piston. You |
| don't have to crouch, but it does make it much, much easier. Rejoin the |
| walkthrough at "*". |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Proper Method |
+=-=-=-=-=-+-=-=+
| |
+=-=-=-=-=-+-=-=+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Go up the right piston. At the top, place one portal on the wall and the |
| other portal all the way over to the other room that is diagonal from |
| here. Push the button and then hurry over to the other room through the |
| portal. Push the button here then go over to the doorway and shoot a |
| portal at the pushed out concrete slab. Put the other one where the |
| energy ball is hitting the floor. |
| |
| [Computer] "Did you know you can donate one or all of your vital organs |
| to the Aperture Science self esteem fund for girls? It's true!" |
| Run over and ride the new piston up. |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
(*) Run into the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 16 (TC16) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Run forward towards the panel.
[Computer] "Due to mandatory scheduled maintenance the appropriate chamber for
this testing sequence is currently unavailable. It has been replaced with a
live-fire course designed for military androids. The Enrichment Center
apologizes for the inconvenience and wishes you the best of luck."
There is one new hazard on the panel here. It means turrets shooting at you.
Yup. Turn left and walk through the door, but DO NOT walk too far or you will
be shot.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| While standing in the doorway, it will be floating there near the middle |
| of the room. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Chet Faliszek] "For Portal, we wanted to create a turret that was |
| different from the traditional Half-Life 2 turrets. The Half-Life 2 |
| turrets were nothing more than mindless mounted guns, in Portal, we |
| wanted the turrets to have personality, to be characters. The first step |
| was a redesign of the look. Once we had the look of the new turrets, |
| they seemed less like menacing machine guns and more like cute robots. |
| And robots can never really be cute until they are talking robots. So |
| the next step was creating the vocal characteristics of the turrets. |
| Working with Ellen McClane, we settled on an innocent sounding voice with |
| dialogue to match. This juxtaposition of killing machine and innocent |
| non-agressive personality ends up making the Portal turret a memorable |
| character." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| While standing in the doorway, look straight across and up a little. |
+===========================================================================+
Hug the doorway to the right and point at the ground of the turret. Shoot a
portal there and then another portal elsewhere to cause the turret to
deactivate it. Go into the hallway. Don't go into the next room, or you will
be shot at.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| While standing in the hallway, look into the next room and up a little. |
+===========================================================================+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| While standing in the hallway, it will be floating in the middle of the |
| next room. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Realm Lovejoy] "Even though we didn't want Portal to be too combat |
| heavy, we wanted to add at least a light combat mechanic. After a few |
| less-than-successful attempts to actually realize this "light combat" |
| concept, we settled on turrets as a good compromise. The turrets can be |
| defeated with tricky portal maneuvers, but they're also susceptible to a |
| more straightforward berserker approach." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Hug the right wall and go out until you can look through the doorway and see a
wall. Shoot a portal. Then shoot the other portal at the ground right in
front of the doorway you are standing in. Go through. Back up until you are
near the doorway and aim down the hall. If you are close enough to the door,
you can see a corner along with some turret legs. Shoot a portal back against
that wall, then go through the other portal near you.
On the other side, press use to pick up the turret and then lift it high in the
air. Drop it. It will go crazy, but don't worry. Even if you aren't hurt,
you won't die. Walk over to the corner across from the portal you just came
out of. Look towards the stairs and shoot a portal as far left as you can go
on the wall up the stairs. Go through the portal near you again to be behind
yet another turret. Pick it up and drop it.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Turn and face the wall that was behind the turret. Look up. |
+===========================================================================+
Walk down the hallway. You will see a section of the wall pushed out with some
boxes there. Pull the boxes away and walk in.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After pulling the boxes away and going in, it will be floating near you. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Erik Wolpaw] "Even though Portals tells a simple story, we created a |
| lot of back story - for Aperture Science, for its employees, for its |
| rivalry with the hated Black Mesa, and for where all of this fits into |
| the cosmology of Half-Life. This first Portal game doesn't reveal all of |
| it, but we crammed a lot of little details into the environments. This |
| area, for instance, called the Ratman Den, hints that there may be other |
| people trapped in the facility." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
There's nothing really to do here other than look around, so once you're done,
head back out.
Walk over to the glass and look up. You will see a red X on the other side of
the glass. Walk over to the right wall (being careful not to be shot) and
shoot a portal at that X. Shoot the other portal at a wall, then grab a box
and drop it through the portal onto the turret.
Go up to the corner, and pop out for a second, just enough to look down the
hall and up to find another red X. Shoot a portal there and go back to cover
before the turret kills you. Drop the other box on it through the portal.
Once it is done screaming and shooting, jump through the portal and immediately
go into the corner opposite the wall light.
When you're ready, pop out around the corner just enough to see the white wall
behind the turrets and shoot a portal there. Go back to the corner. When the
turret has calmed down, run back down the hallway towards the first turret you
knocked down. When on the white floor there, shoot a portal at your feet and
go through. Pick up and drop both turrets. Go through the right door.
In here, there will be a giant stack of crates with a radio, coffee cup, and
some tools. Look out the window to see that the far turret (the one in the
corner) has another red X over it. When you're ready, go out the door, then
pop around the left door, shoot a portal at the X, and return to safety. Re-
enter the right room.
Shoot the other portal at the wall (be sure it's the wall, as it will make it
much easier to aim for the turrets) and drop a box through. This next one is
more difficult. Run to the other side of the left door, then crouch and walk
slowly towards the door. Shoot a portal over the turret near the window of the
other room (there's no X here) and then run back to the right room and drop a
box on its head.
For the next one, run into the room and hug the window to the right. When
ready, pop out of cover around the corner and aim for the red X on the ceiling.
Fire a portal, then retreat to the right room. Drop a box on it's head then
run back into the left room.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Look towards where the last turret was standing. Look a little up to |
| find it on the wall. |
+===========================================================================+
For this next part, stand towards the doorway you just came in from, then grab
a box and put it on the button. When the door opens, a red laser will come
out. That's right! There's a turret in there too! Grab a box and hold it in
front of yourself as a shield for the bullets. Crouching would help too. Once
up against the grating, be sure to be crouched and drop the box. Aim for the
ceiling above the turret, then aim at the ground. Drop on through.
Pick up and drop the turret.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Once on the other side, face where the turret was and look to the side |
| opposite the grate. |
+===========================================================================+
Hug the wall next to the grate and shoot a portal as close to the grating as
you can on the other side. Shoot the other portal anywhere. Go through. Pick
up and drop the turret you find there. Walk towards the chamberlock.
[Computer] "Well done, android. The Enrichment Center once again reminds you
that android hell is a real place where you will be sent at the first sign of
defiance."
Enter the elevator.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 17 (TC17) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Run into the small room ahead.
[Computer] "The Vital Apparatus Vent will deliver a weighted companion cube in
three. Two. One."
You can check the panel, but there's nothing new here, so pick up the box and
go into the next room.
[Computer] "This weighted Companion Cube will accompany you through the test
chamber. Please take care of it."
Place the cube next to the black steps and use it to jump on top of the first
step. Once on top, turn around and pick it up, then place it next to the next
step. Use it to climb the next step. Turn and face the next hallway, but
don't go in or else you will be killed by the energy ball.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It will be in the doorway of the next hallway. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+----+------+
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+----+------+
| [Chet Faliszek] "We designed this hall so that players had to use a box |
| as a shield, but many play testers read it as an "avoid the energy ball" |
| timing puzzle, and simply left the box behind. We solved this in large |
| part by having the AI talk about the box. A lot. Once the dialogue went |
| in, play testers went from routinely abandoning the box to never wanting |
| it to leave their side. Since we weren't going to make the players lug a |
| box around for the rest of the game, we added a scene at the end of the |
| level where the players are forced to kill the box." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Grab the box and bring it near the hallway door. After the energy ball hits
the wall, grab the box and carry it in front of you down the hallway.
[Computer] "The symptoms most commonly produced by Enrichment Center Testing
are superstition, perceiving inanimate objects as alive, and hallucinations.
The Enrichment Center reminds you that the Weighted Companion Cube will never
threaten to stab you and, in face, cannot speak."
Once at the other end, be sure to get off of the stairs or else you may be hit
by an energy ball on the top of you head. Turn and face the other hallway.
When the ball is shot, run with the box in front of you down the hallway. Be
sure to get off of the stairs on the other end to avoid the wrath of the energy
ball.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Turn and face the stairs you just came off of. It is to the left of the |
| stairs on the wall. |
+===========================================================================+
Run into the next room.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Once in the larger room, turn towards the center and look down. It is on |
| a doorway near the left of the slanted wall without the receptacle. |
+===========================================================================+
Jump down with the cube. Go into the room to the left of the slanted wall with
no receptacle on it. Once in here, use the cube to bounce the energy ball into
the receptacle. Return to the main room. Grab the box and go into the only
other door here.
Don't place the box on the first button. Instead, go to the far left of the
room near the back and place it on the button that is on top of a large
platform. Now place one portal on the pushed out wall near the ground and
another on the wall above the "pit" you are in, on the higher walkway then go
through.
Go back into the small room through the doorway here and place the portal you
came out of (the one that was not on the pushed out slab) on the wall where the
energy ball is hitting. Now jump down from the ledge, being careful of the
energy ball and go into the room with the cube in it.
Crouch down near the side of the button so you are barely on the button, but it
opens the door behind you. The ball will go into the receptacle. Crouching is
not absolutely required, but it does make you a smaller target for the energy
ball to hit if you are too close to the center of the button.
[Computer] "The Enrichment Center reminds you that the Weighted Companion Cube
cannot speak. In the event that the Weighted Companion Cube does speak, the
Enrichment Center urges you to disregard its advice."
Grab the cube and return to the larger room outside. Walk over to the pushed
out slab and go over to the right side of it, then look in. You will see
writing on the wall. Shoot a portal where you can, then go through the one
that should still be on the stone slab.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Look to the center of the room. It's floating above the ground there. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Ellen McClane, Voice of GLaDOS] "I know that I was told that, you know, |
| sort of the idea of Valve is that everything... Everything is planned. |
| Everything is worked out in advance. But that's a big fat lie. Because: |
| The initial idea is started, and then they bring an actor into the studio |
| and they say, you know, "Say these words for us, say this computer |
| generated voice for us." Okay, I'll do that. Well, then, that gives the |
| creators other ideas. And it's... It's a rolling process. You roll |
| from one idea into the next idea. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Go back up to the raised walk portion. Before you leave here, shoot a portal
at the slanted piece with no receptacle. Return all the way to the room with
the two energy ball dispensers and stand near the base of the right set of
stairs.
When the ball goes down the hallway, pop up the stairs and shoot a portal at
the wall at the end of the hall. Return to the large room. Be sure you have
the cube with you, then jump across the platforms. Jump down to the brown
hallway below.
Take the cube around the corner and up the stairs, then place it on the button.
[Computer] "You did it! The Weighted Companion Cube certainly brought you
good luck. However, it cannot accompany you for the rest of the test, and
unfortunately, must be euthanized. Please escort your Companion Cube to the
Aperture Science Emergency Intelligence Incinerator."
If you wait around, the computer will say the following things:
[Computer] "Rest assured that an independent panel of ethicists has absolved
the Enrichment Center, Aperture Science employees, and all test subjects of any
moral responsibility for the companion cube euthanizing process."
[Computer] "While it has been a faithful companion, your Companion Cube cannot
accompany you through the rest of the test. If it could talk - and the
Enrichment Center takes this opportunity to remind you that it cannot - it
would tell you to go on without it because it would rather in a fire than
become a burden to you."
[Computer] "Testing cannot continue until your Companion Cube has been
incinerated."
[Computer] "Although the euthanizing process is incredibly painful, eight out
of ten Aperture Science engineers believe that the Companion Cube is most
likely incapable of feeling much pain."
[Computer] "The Companion Cube cannot continue through the testing. State and
Local statutory regulations prohibit it from simply remaining here, alone and
companionless. You must euthanize it."
[Computer] "Destroy your Companion Cube or the testing cannot continue."
Leave the cube on the button, then go down the stairs.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Once down the stairs, look towards the large grey cylinder coming out of |
| the floor. It is to the right. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Jepp Barnett] "The awful end of the companion cube serves a dual |
| purpose: it adds a lot more sinister character to our already pretty |
| sinister AI while simultaneously training the player to use the |
| incinerator, a key component of the final level. The training has a nice |
| dramatic payoff, since players later get to avenge the death of their |
| good friend the companion cube by stuffing some of the AI's important |
| parts into exactly the same type of incinerator." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Go into the small room on the side and then press the button. Run back to the
box, then bring it over to the incinerator. Throw it in.
[Computer] "You euthanized your faithful Companion Cube more quickly than any
test subject on record. Congratulations."
Turn around and enter the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 18 (TC18) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Run onto the small piece of land ahead.
[Computer] "The experiment is nearing it's conclusion. The Enrichment Center
is required to remind you that you will be baked [garlbed] [and then there will
be] cake."
Look to the left to see the panel.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It is floating on the small platform you are on. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Eric Wolpaw] "Creating the AI voice was a multi-step process. First we |
| ran every line of dialogue through an automatic text-to-speech program. |
| In the studio, we cued the actress who plays GLaDOS, Ellen McClane, with |
| the computer generated sound file. She'd mimic it, and then, over the |
| course of several takes, adjust her performance to clean up any words |
| were unintelligible in the computer version. For instance, here's a line |
| as Ellen delivered it: RAW ELLEN LINE>. Once the recording was done, we |
| processed all of the dialogue to give it an extra computery edge. Here's |
| that same line as it appears in the game, with the pitch constrained, |
| pitch modulation suppressed, and the formant moved up: LINE HERE>. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Look across the gap, then up at the ceiling to see white wall. Shoot a portal
there and at your feet. Turn left to see a piece of the wall that is broken.
Crouch down and go through.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Once inside, look to the right to see it floating behind some boxes. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Ellen McClane: Voice of GLaDOS] "As an actor, you know, you come in, |
| you do what you're told; you want to make your money. And sometimes you |
| get direction, and sometimes you don't get good direction. But it |
| doesn't matter. And you certainly don't tell the production team any of |
| this. But you come in and they'll, you know, they'll give you a lame |
| line reading. And you're supposed to find some emotional value in that. |
| But this is not what this team did. They would come in, for example [and |
| give me direction] 'explosively indignant'. That's a wonderful direction |
| for an actor. So, I must say, that the production team won me over. |
| Because so often I get bogus direction. But this time, I was actually |
| directed and had fun at all the sessions. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
You can explore around here, but there's nothing much to do, so when you're
done, head out.
Shoot a portal at the white all in front of you and the other at the ceiling
above the platform in front of you. Jump through. You have to be careful here
or you may jump in the water. Once in, be sure to aim yourself away from the
corner that is not there.
Now face the pistons and shoot a portal at the ceiling above them. Then shoot
a portal at your feet. Look to the right of the dividing wall to find more
white wall. Shoot a portal there and yet another at your feet. Now turn
around and face the pushed out slab of concrete above the door. Shoot a portal
there.
Next, go over to the ledge and look down. Shoot a portal and then jump down
into it. Go into the small room here.
Press the button, and then crouch under the moving piston to the left side,
then go out, hugging the wall. You can see four turrets here that will destroy
you if you move, so I wouldn't recommend that. Shoot one portal at any
location where an energy ball is hitting a wall. Then, shoot another at the
laser of a turret. The energy ball will shoot the turret off of its piston and
into the water. Do that with every turret.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| From where you are standing, look towards the door to see it on the other |
| side of the piston. |
+===========================================================================+
What is coming up is probably one of the most frustrating portions of the game,
so you should probably read the next paragraph before attempting it.
Shoot one portal at the pushed out concrete block to the back left corner of
the room. Then, shoot one portal anywhere that the energy balls hit the walls.
The second the ball goes through, shoot a portal at the piece of all to the far
left of the room (near the button on a pedestal) and another at your feet.
While falling through, press use. If you're lucky, you will activate the
button just in time for the energy ball to go through.
Look over to see that the scaffold is now running. Run over to it and get on
when it's near. Once it gets to the other side, look down to see a small room.
Don't even try to get to the top part yet, because you can't jump high enough.
Once inside, shoot a portal at either the left or right walls. Then, press the
button. A wall will come out on the other side of the room. Shoot the other
portal there. Hurry through the portal, then once you land, go to your right
over to the ledge. Jump down quickly, and shoot a portal at where you are
going to land in mid-air. You will fly over to the box.
Grab the box, and then wait for the scaffold to come back over. Jump on box
and all, and deposit the box (but not yourself) on the other side. Wait for
the scaffold to go back over, then jump back down to the lower room.
Shoot a portal at either side, then press the button again and shoot a portal
on the wall that comes out. Run through, but instead of jumping off of the
side, grab the box and go back under the piston. Deposit the box on the
button, then shoot a portal over the gap at the wall near the door.
As for the other portal, look to your left, then down to see a platform we were
on a while ago. Jump down and shoot a portal at your feet. On the other side,
run through the door and down the hallway.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| Turn and face the water. It is on the wall to the right. |
+===========================================================================+
This next portion is also very frustrating, so be patient with this puzzle.
Shoot a portal at the lowest piston. Go to the pit to the left of the door,
and shoot a portal near the wall nearest you. Jump into the portal. Then,
while flying through the air, aim at the next tallest piston, shoot the portal
you did NOT just come out of (the one that was just in the pit). You can keep
doing this all the way up, just be sure to alternate the portals or you will
have to start all over.
On the last piston you will notice that there are no more horizontal pistons.
Look above where the door was to notice a slanted piece. Shoot a portal there
to be send flying over to a piece of land.
[Computer] "Well done! Be advised that the next requires exposure to
uninsulated electrical parts that may be dangerous under certain conditions.
For more information, please attend an Enrichment Center Electrical Safety
seminar."
Enter the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Test Chamber 19 (TC19) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
Run to the panel.
[Computer] "Welcome to the final test! When you are done, you will drop the
Device in the equipment recovery annex... Enrichment Center regulations
require both hands to be empty before any cake can be served [garbled]."
Head around the corner.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Once inside the room, look slightly to the left to see it floating above |
| a scaffold. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Garret Rickey] "We used these moving platforms to add time pressure to |
| puzzles. A sequence of simple decisions feels much more climactic under |
| time pressure, in contrast to most puzzles in portal, which can be solved |
| at the players' leisure. Puzzles that aren't time bound can be more |
| complex, but at the expense of being less dramatic." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Turn and face the two slanted pieces of ground. Shoot a portal at the right
piece, then wait for the energy ball to bounce off of the left piece before
shooting the other portal at it. The scaffold will start moving. Hurry and
jump on.
While riding, be sure to duck under the piston, or else you will be pushed off
and killed. Then, DO NOT ride the scaffold around the corner, instead jump on
the platform and shoot a portal at the wall. Then shoot the other portal to
the wall left of the "door" down the hallway that the scaffold is heading
towards.
Go out and press the button, then quickly turn around and shoot a portal down
the "hall" where the scaffold is going. Wait for it to approach the corner,
then go through the portal near you. Once on the scaffold, you will see an
energy ball quickly hitting both walls. Quickly shoot a portal at the white
wall to the left to redirect it elsewhere.
+============+
| Camera Shy |
+=======+====+
| |
+=======+====+==============================================================+
| After redirecting the energy ball, look down the hallway to see it high |
| on the wall at the end of the hall. |
+===========================================================================+
Wait for the scaffold to turn the corner.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It is floating near the "wall" around the corner. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Paul Graham] "Sometimes little details make a huge difference. For |
| instance, we had to add the left side to this wall to give players a |
| visual representation of how thick it is. Without it, play testers |
| frequently thought that the hall had just gotten impossibly narrower, |
| panicked, and stopped making decisions. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Around the corner looks like a dead end, but it's really not. Shoot a portal
at the wall that looks like it will knock you off, then another at the wall to
the left of the gap that is on the left of the "wall". When the scaffold comes
close, jump over.
[Computer] "All Aperture technologies remain safely operational up to 4,000
degrees Kelvin. Rest assured that there is absolutely no chance of a dangerous
equipment malfunction prior to your victory candescence. Thank you for
participating in this Aperture Science computer-aided enrichment activity.
Goodbye."
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It is floating very close to the fire. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Erik Wolpaw] "Before the player escapes the fire pit, we made the AI |
| dialogue all delivered in a computerized monotone. After we escape, |
| GLaDOS gets progressively more expressive until the end, she's cycling |
| through a whole mess of emotions. The role required an actor capable of |
| mimicking the computer generated voice while still infusing it with some |
| real character. And since we planned to end the game with a song, she |
| also needed to have a good singing voice. The woman we ended up casting, |
| Ellen McClane, is a great mimic, a terrific actor, and a classically |
| trained operatic soprano, so that worked out pretty good." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
While on the way to the fire, look up to see a white wall far in the distance
to shoot a portal at. Shoot one there, then wait for the scaffold to extend
far enough near the fire so you can shoot a portal at the right wall. Jump
through the portal to end up on a walkway.
[Computer] "What are you doing? Stop it! I... I... We are pleased that you
made it through the final challenge where we pretended were going to murder
you. We are very, very happy for your success. We are throwing a party in
honor of your tremendous success. Place the device on the ground, then lie on
your stomach with your arms at your sides. A party associate will arrive
shortly to collect you for your party. Make no further attempt to leave the
testing area. Assume the party escort submission position or you will miss the
party."
Turn around and face the wall you just came out of. Shoot a portal at the top,
then another at your feet. On the way down, shoot another at where you would
land in order to be flung over to another area. Turn to your left to find a
hallway. Run down it.
Approach the stairs to have them break. Just shoot a portal at the top of the
stairs and another at the wall to get to the top. Go to the partially opened
door and press use for it to open. Head through and up the stairs. At the
top, look through the chain link fence and shoot a portal at the wall, then
another at a wall near you. Go through.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Once on the other side of the chain link fence, it will be floating near |
| the fence. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Kim Swift] "In these new areas, we weren't using the surfaces the |
| player is familiar with. The rules for which new surfaces portals can be |
| placed on and which surfaces are off-limits, needed to be taught. So we |
| created this area both to show the player they've escaped into the 'guts' |
| of the facility and to re-train them in which surfaces are valid for |
| portal placement." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Go up to the door here and press use to cause it to open. Go through and
approach either one of the fans.
[Computer] "Hello? Where are you? I know you're there I can feel you here.
Hello?"
Shoot a portal through the fans at the walls behind them, then face the water.
Shoot a portal at the far wall far above the catwalk and go through the portal
near you. Now look back across to where you just were to see a catwalk on the
other side. Shoot a portal high above it on the opposite wall, then another at
the wall near you.
If you look through the portal, you will see that there is water below. If you
shot the portal high enough on the wall, you can just walk through (being sure
to hold forward) and you will land on the catwalk.
Turn right to see an open door. Go through. You can look through the window
to see a presentation about Black Mesa or go through the far door to look down
on a familiar test chamber (the "impossible one, Test Chamber 09). Head
through the nearest one to see Test Chamber 14.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It is floating near the window in the nearest room. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Ellen McClane: Voice of GLaDOS] "I went to Portal's, umm... I Googled |
| 'Portal in-game,' and I went to the trailer. And I just loved it! I |
| loved hearing my voice! [Laughter] And as I told the production team, I |
| have never played a computer game in my life. But I want to play this |
| one! [Laughter]" |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
When ready, head back out. Walk across the catwalk, then go down the stairs.
Look at the wall opposite the stairs you just came down, and shoot a portal at
the far right of the wall. Then shoot a portal at your feet, and while
falling, shoot another at the ground where you would land. You will end up
above the stairs you just came down from. Run forward.
[Computer] "What are you doing? You haven't escaped you know. You're not
even going the right way. Hello? Is anyone there?"
Go up the stairs, then up the next set. Jump over the railing and then into
the hole in the pipe. Once you land, jump down into the cylinder.
[Computer] "Okay, the test is over [now]. You win. Go back to the recovery
annex. For your cake. It was a fun test and we're all impressed at how much
you won. The test is over. Come back.
Go behind the energy grid.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It's on the button behind the energy grid. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Realm Lovejoy] "Once the players escape we let them solve an old |
| chamber in a new way. This reintroduction of a familiar space, which can |
| now be solved in an 'incorrect' way, helps convey the sense that players |
| are cheating the system while forging their own path through the |
| facility. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Stand on the button, then shoot a portal through the door that opens. Shoot
the other portal elsewhere and go through. If you head for the elevator, you
will see that it's not there. Jump down the hole where it should be.
[Computer] "Uh oh. Somebody cut the cake. I told them to wait for you, but
they did it anyway. There is still some time left, though, if you hurry back."
Shoot a portal at the "ring" of white that you are standing on. Look towards
the chain link fence to find a low ceiling that has shootable space on it.
Shoot one there. You will have to duck down to get out of the portal.
When they get low enough, get on the farthest piston. Ride it to the top then
shoot a portal at the top part of the "ceiling" you just came out of. Go back
through the portal on the ceiling. When the piston goes back towards you, jump
onto it to have it take you to the other side. Jump onto the platform.
Crouch down and approach the grate at the end of the hall. Shoot a portal
through the grating, then retrace your steps to the place where you jumped onto
the piston. Jump through the portal here.
Once you land, look up to see a hole in the wall that leads to a hallway.
Shoot a portal at the wall opposite, then jump through the portal that you just
came out of to land there. Go around the corner.
Continue here until you get to a split.
[Computer] "You're not even going the right way. Where do you think you're
going? Because I don't think you're going where you think you're going.
Hello?"
There's nothing useful to the right (up the stairs) so head forward.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Once inside the large room with lots of pistons, it's behind the middle |
| piston. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Jepp Benett] "One bizarre fact of game design is that, without some |
| serious prompting, players will rarely look up. In this case, the prompt |
| is a ladder. Most players will investigate where where the ladder goes, |
| which is up. The ladder actually falls apart as soon as it's touched, |
| but by then it's served its purpose. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Ride the middle piston up to find a hallway at the top of a ladder. Shoot a
portal there, then shoot the other at the wall somewhere and walk through.
Turn and face the next hall.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It will be floating to the left of the next hallway. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Kim Swift] "We designed the post-escape levels to give players brief |
| glimpses of the inner workings of the Enrichment Center. This particular |
| area exposes part of the Storage Cube Distribution System. These little |
| vingnettes help make this section of the game visually distinct from the |
| testing chambers while reinforcing the ideas that players are now behind |
| the scenes." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Run and fall off of the edge. Continue forward.
[Computer] "Didn't we have some fun, though? Remember when the platform was
sliding into the fire pit and I said 'Goodbye' and you were like 'no way' and
then I was all 'I was just pretending to murder you'? That was great. Is
anyone there?"
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| There are two here in between the two pistons. This is the bottom one. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Garret Rickey] "Through play testing, we discovered that fatigue set in |
| if we didn't break up the more complicated, deliberately paced puzzles |
| with problems that require the player to perform a much simpler task |
| under time pressure. These pistons proved to be a good foundation for |
| that simpler type of puzzle. Because they feature a moving surface, they |
| also gave us an opportunity to employ some unusual portal transitions |
| such as ceiling to ceiling." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| There are two here in between the two pistons. This is the top one. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Paul Graham] "During development, we'd often run across some piece of |
| level design that would break the portal system. For instance, this |
| ceiling to ceiling transition was an unexpected edge case that ended up |
| requiring a lot of effort to make work. We tried never to take the easy |
| route of simply changing the level design to work with existing portal |
| technology. We knew that once the game was out in the wild, custom map |
| creators would stress the system in ways we hadn't even considered, so we |
| made it as flexible as possible." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Turn and face the platform to the left of the doorway, with the piston going
horizontal and shoot a portal at the white ceiling to the right. Shoot the
other at the ceiling above either piston. Ride the piston up.
When you land, jump across to the white platform. Here, face the giant wall
behind you, then look up to the very top of the wall and shoot a portal at the
VERY top. Then, shoot a portal at your feet. While falling, shoot a portal
where you would land. Hopefully you will be flung to the far platform.
Continue along until you see a bunch of pistons jutting out from a wall. Shoot
a portal at the far wall, then shoot a portal at the wall. Go through.
Approach the pistons.
[Computer] "You really shouldn't be here. This isn't safe for you. It's not
too late to turn back. I'm not angry. Just go back to the testing area."
When both pistons go down, shoot a portal to the wall behind them, then go
through the portal near you. Once though, look at the wall way above the
doorway (with the pistons) to find a small strip of white wall. Shoot a portal
there, then the other portal at a wall. When you have two pistons below you
(they will come together to form a sort of "ground"), go through.
Quickly shoot a portal at the white floor across from you, then either go back
through the portal behind you or fall back down and go through the portal
there. Run over to the cube delivery tube and drop down on the right side.
Walk down the pipe all the way to the end, then drop down on the pipe just
above the water.
[Computer] "I feel sorry for you, really. Because you're not even in the right
place. You should have turned left before. It's funny, actually, when you
think about it. Someday we'll remember this and laugh. And laugh. And laugh. Oh
Boy. Well. You may as well come on back."
Approach the piston, the press crouch and look left. Shoot a portal above the
brown portion of the wall (where the piston is hitting), then go back to where
the pipe curves down (near where you landed after you jumped). Face the wall,
then shoot a portal near the very bottom (barely above the water), then when
you see the piston against the wall, jump.
Ride the piston back, then jump on the walkway. Continue along until you reach
a square of fencing. Jump over the fencing and fall through.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Upon landing, turn and face the open duct to the right. Climb through. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Ellen McClane: Voice of GLaDOS] "In the sound booth, you're connected |
| to the production team by an intercom. And they can talk about you, and |
| you don't know what they're saying. But you trust that they're being |
| kind. And, you know, they'll... They'll push a button and they'll say |
| something to me. They say a direction. "No that wasn't right. Do it |
| again. Do three more reads. And a lot of times what happens is |
| they'll... They would play the computer generated sound for me one time. |
| And then I'm supposed to recreate that three times with the director |
| "Ok, well, you know, more sarcastic," or "More angry," or, or "More |
| irritated." So: You stand in the booth hour after hour after hour. |
| They're always very nice, they let you have water in here, and maybe a |
| pencil to take a few notes. And of course you want it to be interesting, |
| because you want them to hire you again!" |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Continue along the path. When you reach what seems to be three pistons, be
warned that it is a trap, but there is no way to avoid it. Jump onto them.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After falling, look towards the wall. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Scott Dalton] "As the end of the game draws closer, we increased the |
| ratio of time pressured puzzles like this turret ambush, to give the |
| players the sense that they're approaching a climactic encounter." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
This portion of the game is really hard, so reading the next paragraph before
attempting it.
When you drop down, the doors will open and turrets will be behind them. When
they appear, shoot a portal under them, then shoot the other elsewhere. This
will destroy them.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After you are finished with the turrets, look through the cubbies for it |
| floating under a grabber claw. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Greg Coomer] "An important design goal of these post-escape levels was |
| to give players the sense that they're running wild inside the guts of |
| the facility. With that in mind, we added plenty of nooks and crannies |
| for players to crawl into or place portals through. This ended up being |
| a tricky lighting challenge, as the areas needed to be bright enough to |
| navigate, while still being dim enough to feel like obscure, disused |
| sections of the building. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Grab a barrel and place it near the grabber arm in one of the cubbies, then
jump up on it.
[Computer] "You're not a good person. You know that, right? Good people
don't end up here. Can you hear me?"
Now press and hold the use key with the cursor over the hand. It will raise.
Either jumping or on a barrel, shoot a portal at the white wall through the
hole. Walk through the other portal.
If you fell down, turn around and shoot a portal at the wall just above the
pipe. Shoot the other portal elsewhere, then go through. On top, go to the
far left of the pipe (when facing the chain link fence wall below) and jump
to the platform ahead. Go to the small hole in the far corner, then shoot a
portal through. Find another wall to shoot a portal, then go through.
On the other side, dispose of the turret. When the door opens, exit, then
turn around and shoot a portal at the upside of the door you just came out of.
Shoot the other at your feet. As you are falling, shoot a portal where you
would land if you hit the ground. You will be flung up to a platform.
Continue along the platform. At the end, go through the door.
[Computer] "This is your fault. It didn't have to be like this. I'm not
kidding now. Turn back or I will kill you. I'm going to kill you and all the
cake is gone. You don't even care. Do you? This is your last chance."
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Enter the closest door to the right. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Ellen McClane: Voice of GLaDOS] "Sarcasm. GLaDOS is sarcastic a lot. |
| And that's so much fun! But while I was trying to do this, trying to |
| build in all these emotions, I still had to maintain the computer sound |
| and maintain the pronunciation of repeated phrases. You know, 'Aperture |
| Science' and 'The Enrichment Center'." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Head down the hall and go through the energy grid. Enter the door, and press
the button. When the rocket launcher comes up, wait for it to lock onto you,
then move out of the way. It'll shoot the glass from in front of you.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It is floating near the rocket launcher, however, you cannot activate it |
| until after it destroys the glass. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Bill Van Buren] "These rocket sentries originally fired lasers. We |
| switched from lasers to rockets after we introduced the glass breaking |
| mechanic, mainly because glass shattering in a massive rocket explosion |
| turned out to a lot more satisfying than glass just slowly being melted |
| by a laser. Originally they also spoke, just like the bullet turrets. |
| Because players often redirect the rockets with their backs to the |
| turret, however, a distinct, uncluttered sound cue was required. The |
| voice simply added too much noise to the rocket redirecting mechanic." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Quickly run through where the glass was and position yourself on the other
side, near the other glass. Quickly place a portal somewhere on the walls, but
do not place the other one yet. When the rocket locks on, run away to have it
break this glass, too. Quickly run through the other door to avoid being shot.
Hurry down the hall, and enter the only door here.
Shoot the other portal here, at the wall. Stand near the portal, then when the
sound for the rocket locking on comes, run away. If you did it right, it'll
hit the glass and break it. Jump through the window where the glass just
broke.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It is to the right (near the hallway, not the pistons) inside of the area |
| where the window was protecting. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Realm Lovejoy] "Breaking this tube gives players a chance to test out |
| their newly trained rocket-redirecting and glass-breaking skills in a |
| slightly different context, which helps cement the training." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Take whichever portal was just on the wall (the one near you, not the one in
the room with the rocket launcher) and place it on the floor under the tube.
Stand near the side of it, and wait for the rocket locking sound. Run away to
cause the rocket to break the tube. Grab the box and place it next to the
small opening in the wall. Jump up and climb through.
At the end, kneel down, then look down until you can find a white portion of
wall. Shoot a portal there, then go back through the shaft and back to where
you broke the tube for the box. Shoot a portal there and go through.
Continue along until you reach a ledge. Instead of jumping into the deadly
water, look to the right to see a small platform with a large slanted edge in
front of it. Shoot a portal there, then re-enter the one on the wall.
Carefully walk along the top of it.
After the loading screen, walk to the edge, then look right. You will see a
ledge. Shoot a portal at the wall there, then shoot another at the wall near
you and go through. Go down to the end of the short hallway near you, then
look up to find a grate. Shoot a portal through, then go back through the
portal near you.
This part of the game is really, really, really, really, really hard if done
wrong, so please do yourself a favor and read the next three paragraphs before
attempting it.
Several doors will shoot open, and behind them all are turrets. The key here
is that you will never, ever exit one of their cubbies. What do I mean by
this? As soon as it starts, turn left and shoot a portal BEHIND the turret
there. Run through the one on the wall near you, then pick it up and drop it.
From here, you can see inside of another cubby. Shoot a portal there, then go
through the one near you. Pick up and drop. Repeat this until every single
turret is deactivated.
There are a few occasions where you won't be able to shoot a portal behind the
turrets. In these cases, shoot one inside of the cubby hole to whatever wall
you can see, but don't go through. Instead, go to the side of your current
cubby opposite of it (if it's on the right, go to the far left, etc...) and
move your cursor to the very edge of where you can see inside of their cubby.
You will see that you can now shoot both portals. Shoot the other portal.
Shoot the first portal (the one that wasn't behind them, but was near the front
of their cubby) near you. You will find that it is now close to behind them.
Thanks to Zeladine for this correction:
"I noticed that when i played the game, you don't actually need to shoot it
behind them. because they take awhile to load up to fire, if you shoot it to
the right or left, then you can easily get at them.
e.g) -->|_| if you shoot the portal at the arrows location, you can still get
the guy inside."
So you don't need to shoot it behind them, but shooting it behind them (rather
than to a side of the cubby) does prevent any chance of injury. It's fine
either way.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| After the firefight, it is floating in the middle of the "arena". |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Jepp Barnett] "This massive turret ambush was originally a lot more |
| massive, with turrets that dropped from the ceiling and popped out of |
| surprise hatches. In fact, for a while, it was the games climactic |
| battle. Through play testing, we learned that this type of pure combat |
| experience didn't really fit with the preceding few hours of player |
| training. Over several iterations, we toned down the combat and made the |
| room more about using portal momentum to fling yourself great distances, |
| a skill that play testers really enjoyed using and that's a key component |
| of what eventually became our final battle." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
When you have deactivated all of the turrets, look around for an area with two
cubbies directly on top of each other. The top one has a slanted roof above
it. Shoot a portal there. Shoot the other portal at your feet. As you are
flying, shoot another portal where you would land. Keep doing this until
eventually you get high enough to shoot a portal at the far slanted roof.
(It's on the wall directly across from the first one, but a little higher.)
When you do that, (you are coming out of the higher one) shoot a portal (the
one that is NOT the color that is on the higher slanted portion) at where you
would land. If you did this right (and didn't stop at all during it) you will
land on a platform. Continue along the path until two grabber hands drop two
turrets.
After disposing of both of them, shoot a portal at the red light on the ground
(under the square opening above) and run back to the ledge. Jump off and shoot
the opposite colored portal where you would land. While flying, move the
analog stick towards the ground. After landing, look up (away from the pit) to
find a white wall behind a railing to shoot at. Shoot a portal there, and the
other at your feet. Go through the door here.
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| It is on the walkway after entering the door. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Randy Lundeon] "Originally, these catwalks decorative, but play testers |
| consistently thought they were significant and often spent a lot of time |
| trying to reach them. We didn't want to stand between people and their |
| desire to walk on the catwalks, so we redesigned the area to make |
| catwalks not only accessible, but also necessary to proceed." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Continue along the catwalk to the end, then go through the door. At the
intersection go left. Go all the way to the end, then go up the stairs and
through the door. To through the energy field at the end.
[Computer] "Well you found me. Congratulations. Was it worth it? Because
despite your violent behavior, the only thing you've managed to break so far is
my heart. Maybe you could settle for that and we'll just call it a day. But
we both know that isn't going to happen. You chose this path. Now I have a
surprise for you. Deploying surprise in five. Four. Time out for a second.
That wasn't supposed to happen. Do you see that thing that fell out of me?
What is that? It's not the surprise... I've never seen it before. Never
mind. It's a mystery I'll solve later... By myself... Because you'll be
dead. I wouldn't bother with that thing. My guess is that touching it will
just make your life even worse somehow."
If you wait to pick up the sphere, the computer will say the following things:
[Computer] "I don't want to tell you your business, but if it were me, I'd
leave that thing alone."
[Computer] "Do you think I'm trying to trick you with reverse psychology? I
mean, seriously now."
[Computer] "Ok fine: DO touch it. Pick it up and just... Stuff it back into
me."
[Computer] "Let's be honest: Neither one of us knows what that thing does.
Just put it in the corner, and I'll deal with it later."
[Computer] "That thing is probably some kind of raw sewage container. Go
ahead and rub your face all over it."
[Computer] "Maybe you should marry that thing since you love it so much. Do
you want to marry it? WELL I WON'T LET YOU. How does that feel?"
[Computer] "Have I lied to you? I mean in this room? Trust me, leave that
thing alone."
[Computer] "I am being serious now. That crazy thing is not part of any test
protocol."
[Computer] "Just ignore that thing and stand still."
[Computer] "Think about it: If that thing is important, why don't I know about
it?"
[Computer] "I'll tell you what that thing isn't: It isn't yours. So leave it
alone."
[Computer] "Are you even listening to me?"
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| There are three in this room. This one is near the door on a desk. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Erik Wolpaw] "The fiction behind this red phone is that, while GLaDOS |
| was being developed, it was somebody's job to sit, and, if it ever looked |
| like the AI was becoming sentient and godlike, that person would pick up |
| the phone and call somebody to come help. At the point in time where the |
| actual game takes place, it's become obvious that the Aperture Science |
| Red Phone plan didn't 100% work out." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| There are three in this room. This one is in the center below the |
| platform. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Ellen McClane: Voice of GLaDos] "So when they told me that there was |
| going to be a song at the end, I though, well, allright [sic], who's |
| going to write the song? And they told me there was going to be a song |
| written by Jonathan Coulton, and I listened to a song that Johnatan had |
| written, and it was very funny, very clever. So, I thought at that |
| point, well, you know, this'll be okay. But I am an opera singer, so |
| usually I sing [opera singing]. And I thought, well, will I be able to |
| have the right style for the song? So I was concerned. But then, before |
| the recording, they sent me an mp3 file of the song. And I listened to |
| it with Johnathan singing it. But I loved the little song. And at home, |
| as I practiced the little song, I tried to, you know, get back to |
| GLaDOS's voice. You know, 'Aperture Science...' Just this tiny little |
| passive-aggressive computer who's all alone until people try and come in |
| and murder her. So of course she gets upset! But she seems... She |
| seems to have this real affinity for cake. And... And I want to play |
| the game because I want to recreate the cake recipe. And then put |
| 'Portal' on it, and be able to serve it to my friends when they come over |
| to my house." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------+
| Commentary Node |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| There are three in this room. This one is in the center, on the stairs. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+----+-------+
| [Jeremy Bennett] "GLaDOS the robot, the rouge disk operating system that |
| now runs Aperture Science, went through a bunch of design iterations. |
| Earlier versions included a floating brain, a sprawling, spidery |
| mechanism, and an upside down-version of Botticelli's Rise of Venuse |
| built out of robot parts and wire. Eventually, we settled on a huge |
| mechanical device with a delicate robotic figure dangling out of it, |
| which successfully conveys both GLaDOS's raw power and her femininity." |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Pick up the sphere from the center of the room.
[Computer] "Where are you taking that thing?"
Run over to the far side of the room to see the familiar top to a furnace.
It's not open, however. Place a portal above it. Take the sphere to the
staircase on the side of the room then go up. Place the other portal on the
wall at the top of the stairs. Go over and press the button in the small room.
This will open the incinerator. Grab the sphere and drop it through the
portal.
[Computer] "You are kidding me. Did you just stuff that Aperture Science
Thing We Don't Know What It Does into an Aperture Science Emergency
Intelligence Incinerator? That has got to be the dumbest thing that-whoah.
Whoah. Whoah. Whoah. [The voice has changed, smoother, more seductive, less
computerized] Good news: I figured out what that thing you just burned up
[incinerated] did. It was a morality core they installed after I flooded the
Enrichment Center with a deadly neurotoxin to make me stop flooding the
Enrichment Center with a deadly neurotoxin. So get comfortable while I warm up
the neurotoxin emitters. Huh. That core may have had some ancillary
responsibilities. I can't shut off the turret defenses. Oh well. If you want
my advice, you should just lie down in front of a rocket. Trust me, it'll be a
lot less painful than the neurotoxin. All right, keep doing whatever it is you
think you're doing. Killing you and giving you good advice aren't mutually
exclusive. The rocket really is the way to go."
If you run around, avoiding the rockets, the computer will say the following
things:
[Computer] "That thing you burned up isn't important to me. It's a fluidic
catalytic cracking unit. It made shoes for orphans. Nice job breaking it,
hero."
[Computer] "This isn't brave. It's murder. What did I ever do to you? The
difference between us is that I can feel pain. You don't even care. Do you?"
[Computer] "Did you hear me? I said you don't care. Are you listening?"
[Computer] "That's it. I'm done reasoning with you. Starting now, there's
going to be a lot less conversation and a lot more killing."
[Computer] "What was that? Did you say something? I sincerely hope you
weren't expecting a response. Because I'm not talking to you. The talking is
over."
To cause her to drop the next sphere, shoot a portal at the wall in front of
the rocket turret, then the other one above it (in line with the computer). It
will pick the sphere up and place it slightly above the ground. Shoot a portal
behind it, then walk through the one on the ground to pick it up. Repeat the
placement of the portal over the incinerator and the other one above the stairs
near the button. Drop this one in too.
The sphere will say certain things if you hold it.
[Sphere] "Who are you?"
[Sphere] "What is that?"
[Sphere] "Oh, what's that?"
[Sphere] "What's that?"
[Sphere] "What is THAT?"
[Sphere] "Ooh, that thing has numbers on it!"
[Sphere] "Hey, look at THAT thing! No, that other thing."
[Sphere] "Ewww, what's wrong with your legs?"
[Sphere] "Where are we going?"
[Sphere] "Are you coming back?"
[Sphere] "Oh hey, you're the lady from the test! Hi!"
[Sphere] "What's that noise?"
[Sphere] "Is that a gun?"
[Sphere] "Oh, what's in here?"
After you drop it in, it'll say this:
[Sphere] "Do you smell something burning? *Scream*"
(If you wait, the computer will say this entire paragraph.)
[Computer] "You think you're doing some damage? Two plus two is ten... IN
BASE FOUR! I'M FINE! I let you survive this long because I was curious about
your behavior. Well you've managed to destroy that part of me. Unfortunately,
as much as I'd love to now, I can't get the neurotoxins into your head any
faster. I'd just like to point out that you were given every opportunity to
succeed. There was even going to be a party for you. A big party that all of
your friends were invited to. I invited your best friend, the companion cube.
Of course, he couldn't come because you murdered him. All your other friends
couldn't come either because you don't have any other friends. Because of how
unlikable you are. It says so right here in your personnel file: Unlikable.
Liked by no one. A bitter, unlikable loner whose passing shall not be mourned.
'Shall not be mourned.' That's exactly what it says. Very formal. Very
official. It also says you were adopted. So that's funny too."
If you wait, the computer will say the following:
[Computer] "Speaking of curiosity, you're curious about what happens after you
die, right? Guess what? I know. You're going to find out first hand before
I'd finish explaining it though, so I won't bother. Here's a hint. You're
gonna want to pack as much living as you can into the next couple of minutes."
Repeat causing the rocket to shoot at the computer as described above. It will
lift the sphere way up on a platform. Shoot a portal at the wall above the
platform, then go through the portal on the ground (where the missile went
through). While falling, shoot a portal where you would land. You will end up
on the platform with the sphere. Repeat the incineration method as described
above.
The sphere will say the following things if you hold it long enough"
[Sphere] "One 18.25 ounce package chocolate cake mix."
[Sphere] "One prepared coconut pecan frosting."
[Sphere] "Three slash four cup vegetable oil."
[Sphere] "Four large eggs. One semi-sweet chocolate chips."
[Sphere] "Three slash four cup butter or margerine."
[Sphere] "One and two-third cups granulated sugar."
[Sphere] "Two cups all purpose flower [sic]."
[Sphere] "Don't forget garnishes such as:"
[Sphere] "Fish shaped crackers."
[Sphere] "Fish shaped candies."
[Sphere] "Fish shaped solid waste."
[Sphere] "Fish shaped dirt."
[Sphere] "Fish shaped ethyl benzene."
[Sphere] "Pull and peel licorice."
[Sphere] "Fish shaped [volatile] organic compounds and sediment shaped
sediment."
[Sphere] "Candy coated peanut butter pieces. Shaped like fish."
[Sphere] "One cup lemon juice."
[Sphere] "Alpha resins."
[Sphere] "Unsaturated polyester resin."
[Sphere] "Fiberglass surface resin."
[Sphere] "And volatile malted milk impoundments."
[Sphere] "Nine large egg yolks."
[Sphere] "Twelve medium geosynthetic membranes."
[Sphere] "One cup granulated sugar."
[Sphere] "An entry called 'how to kill someone with your bare hands.'"
[Sphere] "Two cups rhubarb, sliced."
[Sphere] "Two slash three cup granulated rhubarb."
[Sphere] "One tablespoon all-purpose rhubarb."
[Sphere] "One teaspoon grated orange rhubarb."
[Sphere] "Three tablespoons rhubarb, on fire."
[Sphere] "One large rhubarb."
[Sphere] "One cross borehole electro-magnetic imaging rhubarb."
[Sphere] "Two tablespoons rhubarb juice."
[Sphere] "Adjustable aluminum head positioner."
[Sphere] "Slaughter electric needle injector."
[Sphere] "Cordless electric needle injector."
[Sphere] "Injector needle driver."
[Sphere] "Injector needle gun."
[Sphere] "Cranial caps."
[Sphere] "And it contains proven preservatives, deep penetrative agents, and
gas and odor control chemicals. That will deodorize and preserve putrid
tissue."
After you throw it in, it'll say this:
[Sphere] "*Scream*"
[Computer] "Neurotoxin... [Cough] [Cough] So deadly... [Cough] Choking...
[Laughter] I'm kidding! When I said 'deadly' neurotoxin, the 'deadly' was in
massive sarcasm quotes. I could take a bath in this stuff. Put it on cereal.
Rub it right into my eyes. Honestly, it's not deadly at all. To me. You on
the other hand, are going to find it's deadliness a lot less funny. Who's
going to make the cake when I'm gone? You? Look, you're wasting your time.
And believe me, you don't have a whole lot left to waste. What's your point
anyway? Survival? Well then, the last thing you want to do is hurt me. I
have your brain scanned and permanently backed up in case something terrible
happens to you, which it's just about to. Don't believe me? I'll put you on:
[Hello!] That's you! That's how dumb you sound. You've been wrong about
every single thing you've ever done, including this thing. You're not smart.
You're not a scientist. You're not a doctor. You're not even a fulltime
employee. Where did your life go so wrong? Are you trying to escape?
[Chuckle] Things have changed since the last time you left the building.
What's going on out there will make you wish you were back in here. I have an
infinite capacity for knowledge, and even I'm not sure what's going on outside.
All I know is I'm the only thing standing between us and them. Well, I was.
Unless you have a plan for building some supercomputer parts in a big hurry,
this place isn't going to be safe much longer. Good job on that by the way.
[back to computer voice] Sarcasm sphere self-test complete. Stop squirming and
die like an adult or I'm going to delete your backup. STOP! Okay, enough. I
deleted it. No matter what happens now, you're dead. You're still shuffling
around a little, but believe me, you're dead. The part of you that could have
survived indefinitely is gone. I just struck you from the permanent record.
Your entire life is a mathematical error. A mathematical error I'm about to
correct."
Repeat the procedure to send the rocket at the computer to cause it to drop yet
another sphere. This sphere will be floating in midair. Shoot a portal at the
wall behind it, way above it. Shoot the other at the wall. Aim the jump, then
jump through. As you are falling, press the use key to hopefully grab it in
the air. It may take a few attempts.
The sphere will make the following sounds while you hold it:
[Sphere] "*Snarl*"
[Sphere] "*Gnash*"
[Sphere] "*Growl*"
[Sphere] "*Hiss*"
[Sphere] "*Snort*"
[Sphere] "*Grunt*"
[Sphere] "*Roar*"
Drop this one in as well, using the same method described above.
[Sphere] "*Yipe*"
After that, the computer will start to explode.
Good job! You've just beat Portal! Now watch the ending, enjoy the song, and
go get yourself some cake!
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Advanced Challenge Maps (AVNE) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Advanced Test Chamber 13 (AC13) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
Run forward and stand on the button. Look through the grate and out the door,
then shoot a portal above the piston with the button on it. Shoot the other
portal elsewhere and fall through. Shoot one portal at the orange light above
the energy ball receptacle, and the other at the mark where the energy ball is
hitting the wall.
Shoot a portal at the thin white strip above the now-moving scaffold. Shoot
the other at the wall near you, then when the scaffold is underneath, fall
through. Grab the box, and wait for the scaffold to move to the side closest
to the piston you were just on. Look in the water to find a small black patch
of ground. With the box, jump there.
After you land, shoot a portal at the wall directly in front of you, and the
other high up on the wall nearest the piston you started this room on (the
higher one). Place the box on the button, then jump to the lower piston. From
here, shoot a portal through the door to the right of the energy ball
dispenser.
Shoot the other one at the wall and jump through. Head into the elevator.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Advanced Test Chamber 14 (AC14) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
Run forward and turn left at the intersection. Run to the top of the stairs,
then turn and face the large dark-tiled platform in the corner. Shoot a portal
near the base of it, then turn and run back to the edge near the energy ball
receptacle. Shoot a portal at the ground below the ledge, then jump down and
go through. While in the air, aim your analog stick in the direction of the
platform.
Grab the box on top, then run back down the stairs and past the piston. Place
the box on the button. Continue through the door, then follow the corridor
until you get to a room with water in the middle. Shoot one portal at the wall
across from the door you just came out of (make sure it is directly across from
it) and the other on the wall on the other side of the water (not inside of the
far doorway).
Run through and turn and face the doorway near you. Shoot the portal near you
(the one you just exited out of) where the energy ball is hitting the wall.
When the ball goes towards the portal, follow it through the portal, then dodge
out of the way when it bounces back. After it bounces back, run through the
doorway, then follow the corridor back to the energy ball receptacle.
Place a portal (the one that is not in front of the energy ball dispenser)
above the receptacle to complete the circuit. Ride the piston up and head into
the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Advanced Test Chamber 15 (AC15) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
Run forward and through the corridor. Run to the small patch of white ground.
Shoot one portal directly above you, and the other at your feet. While you are
falling the first time (any times after that it is too hard to aim) aim at the
pushed out concrete block near the ceiling with the portal that was just on the
ceiling (not the one on the ground). You will be pushed out and fly over the
partition.
Go through the door. In the next room you will find three energy grids. If
you stand in the middle energy grid facing the dividing wall, they (along with
the dividing wall) look like a "+", so I will be referring to the segments as
such.
Stand at the bottom left part of the "+", between the bottom energy grid and
the left part of the cross. Shoot one portal where the energy ball is hitting
the wall, and the other on the wall perpendicular to it. After it exits the
second portal, quickly go to the bottom right portion of the "+" and shoot one
portal where the energy ball will hit the wall. Shoot the other on the wall
perpendicular to it (near the door with the piston).
After the energy ball exits the second portal here, rush to the upper right
portion of the "+". Shoot one portal where the energy ball will hit the wall
and the other at the orange light above the receptacle.
Ride the piston up. Go through the hallway. Place one portal on the white
ground right next to the partition. Go through the door in the corner of the
room and shoot the other portal at the ceiling in the small inlet there (in a
"U" shape, not directly above the black wall, but near the back). Run back and
fall through the portal near the wall.
While falling place the portal that you just came out of (the one on the
ceiling, not the floor) where you will land. While you are flying up through
the portal near the wall, move the analog stick to land on top of the
partition. Fall to the other side.
Run over to the door and shoot a portal at the wall perpendicular to the far
wall (not the absolute farthest one parallel to you, but the one at 90 degrees
to you and the far wall). Shoot the other to the right of the doorway. Crouch
down and inch your way into the doorway. When you can shoot, shoot a portal at
the wall perpendicular to the far wall using the portal you placed on the
previous perpendicular wall.
You will be pushed out of the portal (to the safe ground behind you). Inch
your way back to the portal and shoot another portal at the white wall in the
far room. Get out of crouch and run through the portal. From here, ride the
closest piston up to the top. Turn and face out of the doorway of the small
room here to find another small room caddy-corner from yourself on the far side
of the room. Shoot a portal at the ceiling of that room.
Push the button in this room and then run over to the ledge with the piston
under it. Jump off and shoot the portal opposite the one in the far room at
the ground where you would land. After you land, quickly go over and push the
button. Run over to the ledge near you (that also has a piston under it) and
turn right to see a pushed out concrete slab. Put one portal there and the
other on the ground where the energy ball is hitting.
After it lands in the receptacle, ride the newly lowered piston up and enter
the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Advanced Test Chamber 16 (AC16) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
Run out of the chamberlock and into the door on the left. Shoot one portal at
the wall above the box and another at the wall. Go through to land on the box.
Crouch under the doorway and drop through. Quickly run to the doorway to the
right to get out of the line of fire.
Pop out of the doorway and shoot a portal down the hallway. Shoot the other
portal near the door and run through. Turn left and follow it down. Here,
shoot one portal at the ground (not at your feet). Pop out into the hallway
and very quickly shoot a portal at the ceiling down the hall. Grab a box (for
protection) and drop down into the portal.
Quickly run through the door to the right with the box in the way of the fire
coming from the turret here. Get out of the way behind them. Get behind the
far turret (the one across from the left doorway) and drop the box in front of
it. Look into the right doorway and shoot a portal at the far wall. Shoot the
other at the wall near you and go through.
Grab a box in here and return to play it on top of the other box to totally
block off the view of the turret. Grab another box from the room. Go into the
left room and quickly place the box on the button. Retreat back and aim
through the doorway. Shoot a portal at the wall through the doorway. Grab the
box and retreat to the portal in the wall behind the turrets. Crouch down and
run through.
Place the box in front of the grate near you to block the fire from the turret
should it start. Shoot a portal at the wall behind the turret, then go
through, leaving the box. Look through the grate to see a turret and another
doorway. Aim your portal through there and shoot it at the wall there. Re-
enter the portal near you and head into the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Advanced Test Chamber 17 (AC17) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
Run forward and grab the companion sphere. Bring it into the next room and use
it to climb up to the next ledge by placing it in the corner the ledge makes.
Once on the ledge, turn around and grab the sphere. Use it to get on top of
the next ledge by placing it in the corner. Turn around and pick it up.
Place one portal where the energy ball hits the wall and grab the companion
sphere. After the energy ball hits the wall, hold the sphere in front of you
and run down the hall. Once at the end of the hall, turn and face the next
hallway. When a new energy ball is shot from the dispenser, carry the sphere
in front of you and run down the hall and the stairs at the end.
Enter the larger room and jump down. Enter the room without the slanted pieces
next to it. In here, hold the sphere in front of you as you approach the
dispenser. You have to make the energy ball bounce over the barrier and into
the receptacle. The easiest way to do this is to stand where you are in front
of the receptacle but a few steps backwards (from the dispenser). If you're in
the right place, your sphere will be right in front of the receptacle, but on
the other side.
Let the ball bounce off of the top right portion of your sphere. Keep trying
until you get it right. Return to the larger portion of the room. Drop your
sphere and look at the left slanted piece of wall. Shoot the portal (opposite
of the one before) at the ceiling above the left slanted piece. It should
bounce off and hit the receptacle.
Grab the sphere again and enter the only room here you haven't gone into yet.
Before you enter too far, turn around and fire a portal (the one that was on
the slanted portion) at the wall on the far side of the room so that an energy
ball traveling through it will enter the door into your current room.
Grab the sphere and go over to the right button. Put it on. Wait for the
sphere to shoot out of the portal and enter the first door (the one you just
opened by putting the sphere on the button). Once it is inside of the first
door, quickly take the sphere off of the button. Run behind the door (near the
receptacle) with the sphere and place it on the button on the opposite side.
The sphere will hit the button.
Return into the larger room. Shoot a portal to the walkway area above your
current location (the ones on the same level as the pistons) and walk through
the portal on the ground level with you (make sure you bring the sphere with
you).
Jump along all of the pistons and jump off to the left on the final one. Go up
the stairs. In here, put down the sphere (don't drop it down the pit) and turn
around. Place one portal near the middle of the wall and the other in the pit.
Grab the sphere and jump off of the ledge. While in the air, use the push
button to project the sphere through the hole. Be sure to fall into the portal
to be propelled to the other side of the barrier.
Shoot a portal at the wall on the ledge near you, then shoot a portal at the
ground. Bring the sphere along with you through the portal. Run down the hall
and place the sphere on the button. Run into the newly-opened small room and
press the button. Run back to the sphere and grab it. Drop it into the fire.
Turn around and run into the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Advanced Test Chamber 18 (AC18) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
Run out of the chamberlock and on to the small piece of ground on top of the
water. Turn and face the door you just came from. Look up and shoot a portal
as far above the door as you can. Shoot the other at your feet.
This next portion has to be done in rapid succession, and if you make a
mistake, you might as well just restart the chamber, so read this next
paragraph before attempting it.
While falling, try to fall through the portal you just shot. Then, as you are
flying through the air, look to your right. When you see a large white wall
and a white floor above it (you can barely see it) shoot a portal at the ground
above the wall.
When you land, look towards the large white wall and shoot a portal at it where
you can jump into it. Jump through. You should end up above the wall you just
shot a portal at. Look at the four large pistons. Near the bottom of them,
and to the right, you can see a small object. Shoot a portal there.
Now carefully walk through the portal on the ground near you. As you are
falling through, move your analog stick backwards to prevent yourself from
falling into the water. Look at the pistons. If you look through diagonally
you can see a small white portion of wall near the far left piston. Shoot a
portal there (being careful that the portal near you doesn't push you into the
water while the other is changing places) and re-enter the portal near you.
Now look up and to the right. You should see a white portion of wall above two
pistons. Shoot a portal there and re-enter the portal near you. Run over to
the ledge to see the platform you were previously on. Shoot a portal at it and
jump down through to be propelled onto a platform with a button. Go through
the door and into the small room.
Push the button, and then crouch under the piston as it moves out. Be sure to
exit to the left of the piston, or you will be shot and probably killed. Look
at the wall to the left to find an indention in the wall (where an energy ball
would be shot, if there were any energy balls here). Shoot a portal at the
wall 1 tile down and 3 tiles to the right. Shoot the other at the wall near
you.
Don't go all the way through portal but stand on the threshold. Look to the
left and down a little bit to find a very small sliver of white wall. Shoot
the portal that is near the "energy ball" spot at it, and as it's traveling,
step backwards out of the portal, or risk falling into the water.
Go through the portal again. Push the button, and shoot a portal at the piece
of far wall that comes out. Look downward from the ledge you are on. Shoot a
portal near the left part and jump down and through. As you are flying out of
the other portal, be sure you are heading into the portal you just jumped into.
If you aren't, re-shoot your portal so you will end up going through it. You
will also get shot a few times while doing this, but don't worry. If you do it
right, you won't die.
You should end up on a high platform. Run to the far back of the platform to
get out of the way of the turrets. When they reset, run to the back left
corner and shoot a portal to the far right of the far platform (the wall too
the far right of the door we came out of to get in here). Grab the box, and
run off of the ledge. Try to aim yourself and the box through the portal.
Place the box near the doorway, then return near your portal. Re-place the
portal where you put it the first time (1 tile down and 3 tiles to the right of
the energy ball mark), then go through the portal near you. Shoot the portal
that is near the "energy ball" spot at the small white sliver and run backwards
out of the portal before it pushes you into the water. Re-enter the portal.
Press the button, and go back through the portal near you. Grab the box and
run through the newly-opened doorway. Crouch under the piston, and place the
box on the larger button outside of the doorway. Shoot a portal at the far
wall near the newly-opened door and approach the ledge. Jump down onto the
small ledge below here, but don't shoot a portal until you land. Once you
land, shoot a portal at your feet.
Go through the door. In here, shoot a portal at the lowest piston, then walk
over to the ledge not above the water, but rather above a large pit. Shoot a
portal at the ground here, then jump down through it. As you are coming out of
the portal on the piston, look at the next highest piston. Shoot the portal
that was in the pit (not the one on the piston) onto it. You will fall through
and shoot up from the higher piston.
Keep doing this, being sure to alternate portals until you reach the fourth
piston, where there is no next-highest piston. Instead, look towards the area
where you started this piston-jumping puzzle (the area between the lowest
piston and the pit) and look up to see a wall slanted at a 45 degree angle.
Shoot the portal opposite the one on the highest piston at it to be flung to a
platform. Run through the doorway and into the chamberlock.
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Least Steps Maps (LATT) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
Thanks to Dark Tail for this tip:
hi, something i found out that i think you should get to know about: when going
for the Least Step Challenge in those Chambers where you can't make excessive
use of portals -metallic-floored chambers-, thus you MUST run (jump) all the
way, if you crouch in mid-air you'll make more space per jump, thus using about
2/3 steps than normal jumping to get to the same point. just thought you should
know!
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Steps Test Chamber 13 (LS13) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---+
| 30 Steps |
+----------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---+
| 10 Steps |
+----------+
Look down the hallway, and shoot a portal to the left of the hallway, right
next to where the button is (you can't see it yet, however). Shoot the other
one directly in front of the elevator. Take one step and (without stopping)
jump into the portal. You should now have two steps.
While going up (though the one next to the button) shoot the portal that is
under you anywhere. You will land without using any steps. Shoot one portal
at the wall behind the box and the other on the ground near you (but not under
you). Grab the box through the portal, then place it on the button (without
moving). Turn and shoot a portal through the door, so that when you look at
the portal near you, you see the red button.
Grab the box and aim to drop it near the SIDE of the platform, not on the
button. After it lands, shoot a portal at your feet (the one that is near you,
not the one above the button). You will land, giving you three steps so far.
Turn and face the lower piston. Shoot a portal above it (right at the white
marker). Wait for the energy ball to go away from the dispenser (or you could
shoot it into the receptacle, it's up to you), then shoot a portal at the wall
near you and drop the cube through. If you did it right, it will land square
on the button and deflect the energy ball at an odd angle horizontal to the
ground (if there is any vertical lift, restart).
Turn and shoot a portal through the newly opened door, at the ground (not the
wall). Turn and face the lower piston again. Take one step and jump over the
side of your current piston. You should now have five steps. While falling,
shoot where you would land.
Now, while going up (though the one on the other side of the door) shoot a
portal anywhere to land without using a step. Turn and face the energy grid.
Shoot a portal as close to it as you can, and the other at your feet. While
going up through the one near the energy grid, shoot a portal above you to land
without using a step.
Turn and face the elevator. Run into it. You should have 9-10 steps and a
gold rating.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Steps Test Chamber 14 (LS14) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---+
| 55 Steps |
+----------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---+
| 10 Steps |
+----------+
Shoot one portal at the far piston (as close to the base of it as you can get)
and the other right near the elevator. Take one step and jump into it. You
should now have two steps. While coming out of the portal near the piston,
shoot the portal underneath you (the one near the piston) anywhere. You will
land without taking a step.
While facing the piston, turn left and look at the ceiling near you (make sure
it has ground under it). Shoot the other at your feet. While falling shoot
the one that was on the ceiling (the one you just came out of) where you would
land. If you did it right, you will be propelled up next to the piston. Move
the analog stick towards the piston. You will land on the piston.
Turn and carefully position yourself straight towards the elevator. Run into
it. You should have 10 steps exactly, with a shiny gold rating.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Steps Test Chamber 15 (LS15) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---+
| 75 Steps |
+----------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---+
| 55 Steps |
+----------+
Aim your first portal diagonally through the corridor ahead of you as far up as
you can go. Place the other directly in front of the elevator. Take one step
and jump into the portal. You should now have 2 steps. Shoot the portal that
you come out of (the one by the barrier, not by the elevator) elsewhere when
you come out of it to land without taking another step.
Turn to face the door you would have come out of and shoot a portal at the
pushed out slab above it. Shoot the other at your feet. As you are falling,
shoot the other where you would land to be flung to the other side of the
barrier. Once you land, you will have 4 steps.
Shoot one portal at the ground around the corner and the other at your feet.
Once you are going up through the one around the corner, shoot a portal
elsewhere to land without taking a step. Shoot a portal into the larger room,
near the middle. Shoot the other at your feet. When going up through the one
in the larger room, shoot the portal under you elsewhere to land without taking
a step.
Turn and aim a portal towards the base of the right energy grid. Shoot the
other at your feet. Do the portal cancel again to land without taking a step.
Turn and face the wall opposite the energy grids. Shoot the first portal
directly in front of the grid you are standing in front of. Shoot the other
where the energy ball is hitting the wall.
When the energy ball goes through, take three steps to go through the energy
grid behind you and shoot one portal where the ball will hit the wall. Shoot
the other at the orange light above the receptacle. Take another three steps
back out of the energy grid. You should have 10 steps now.
Shoot one portal at the white wall above the newly lowered piston and shoot the
other at your feet. Turn down the hall and shoot a portal at the far white
portion near the far barrier. Shoot the other at your feet. Perform a portal
cancel as described above to land without taking a step.
Turn and face the small window above the door to the side of the room. Shoot a
portal through here and shoot the other at your feet. From here, you can aim
back out the window to shoot at the pushed out concrete slab with one portal.
Turn and face the wall behind you and take 3 steps to overlook a pit. Shoot
the portal opposite the one on the slab down into the pit. Take one step and
fall in. You should have 19 steps.
As you are flying through the air, shoot a portal where you would land to fling
over the barrier. Place one portal near the door here and the other at your
feet. While going up through the one near the door, shoot that portal
elsewhere to land without taking a step.
Shoot a portal at the far wall, then shoot the other at the wall near you.
Take three steps to go into the portal. If did it right, you can shoot a
portal further down the hallway from here. While the portal is traveling, take
one step out of the portal and one step back in. Shoot a portal into the room
ahead. While the portal is traveling, take one step out of the portal and one
step back in. You should now have between 27 and 35 steps.
Shoot one portal near the base of the only piston in the up position. Shoot
the other at your feet. Perform a portal cancel as described above. Now shoot
a portal at the ceiling near your current location and shoot the other at your
feet. As you are falling, shoot the portal that was on the ceiling where you
would land. If you did it right, you should end up flying straight up next to
the piston. Move the analog stick in the direction of the piston. On top,
carefully aim yourself and run into the chamber lock. You should have between
40 and 50 steps.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Steps Test Chamber 16 (LS16) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---+
| 70 Steps |
+----------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---+
| 40 Steps |
+----------+
Place one portal in the far right corner from where you are standing, then
shoot one as close to the elevator as you can. Take one step and jump into it.
You should have 2 steps. As you are coming up from the one in the corner shoot
a portal anywhere to portal cancel. It will be referred to as portal canceling
for the remainder of this test chamber.
Wait for the door to open. Shoot one portal to the far right corner of the
next room, and then another at your feet. Portal cancel. Shoot one portal
(the one out in the hall) at the base of the turret here. Then shoot a portal
as far near the left of the doorway that the turret was at as you can, then
shoot the other at your feet. Portal cancel.
If you are in the right location, you can see diagonally through the hallway.
Shoot a portal as far to the ground as you can. Shoot a portal at your feet.
Portal cancel in here, then shoot a portal near the corner (not directly in it
though) to the other side of the door you just "came from". Shoot a portal at
your feet, then portal cancel.
Aim as far down the hall as you can, and as far to the right as you can, then
shoot a portal at the ground there. Shoot another at your feet. Portal
cancel. Aim down the hallway, at the floor and shoot a portal there. Shoot
the other at your feet, and portal cancel. Shoot a portal in between the glass
wall and the black wall.
Shoot the other at your feet and portal cancel. Shoot one portal at the "X"
above the turret to your left, and then shoot a portal under the two boxes
behind you. Before they actually fall through, shoot the other portal
elsewhere to spread them up. Shoot a portal under one of them to cause it to
knock over the turret.
Aim the other way down the hallway and shoot a portal at the other "X" above
the other turret. Shoot the other portal under the other box to knock over the
turret. Shoot a portal in the direction of the last turret as far as you can
and to the right of the hall. Shoot the other at your feet and portal cancel.
Aim to your left to be able to shoot into a small room across from the two
turrets. Shoot a portal there and shoot the other at your feet. Portal
cancel. Shoot a portal into the corner between the two glass walls and shoot
the other at your feet, followed by a portal cancel. Shoot a portal directly
above the doorway, then shoot the other portal under all of the boxes to use
them to block the doorway partially.
Shoot a portal behind them, across from the doorway and another at your feet.
Portal cancel. Immediately duck down to avoid being shot. Shoot a portal on
the other side of the room outside (so that it is above the right turret) and
shoot a portal under a single box to knock over the turret. Do the same with
the other turret to knock it down.
Shoot a portal at the ground outside of your current room and another at your
feet. Portal cancel. Shoot a portal above the other door (to the left of the
one you just came from) and portal all of the boxes through it.
Portal yourself behind the boxes, but to the right of the door. Aim above the
turret in the far corner or the next room, then shoot under the boxes to knock
it over. Shoot a portal at the wall as far to the left of the door as you can,
but not directly against the wall. Shoot another portal at your feet, then
portal cancel.
Shoot a portal as far to the left of the doorway as you can, on the floor. The
turret will come flying up the portal where you were standing before. Shoot a
portal to the right of the previous one, then shoot at your feet. Portal
cancel. Shoot a portal to your right, near the corner of black floor, then
shoot a portal at a box from the doorway.
Shoot a portal to the left of the button, and another at your feet. Portal
cancel. Aim at the "X" above the turret in the corner, then shoot the other
below a box in the doorway. Shoot a portal near the button on the side
opposite of the door. Shoot the other at your feet and portal cancel.
Grab the box near you, then fling it onto the button. Aim through the doorway
and quickly shoot a portal below the turret. Aim through the doorway, the
first grate and the second grate and shoot a portal. Shoot the other at your
feet. Quickly turn and run through the doorway and into the chamberlock. You
should have many, many less steps than the gold requirement.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Steps Test Chamber 17 (LS17) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 215 Steps |
+-----------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 150 Steps |
+-----------+
Whenever I say "run" or any word like that, I actually mean jump or hop.
Run down the hallway and stand near the doorway. Wait for the cube to drop and
grab it. Run with the box into the next room and place it in the corner of the
first ledge. Turn around and grab it. Place it in the corner of this ledge to
hop up to the next level. Shoot a portal at the white wall after the energy
ball bounces.
Once it bounces, grab the box and begin jumping down the hallway. On the other
end, turn and wait for the energy ball to pass overhead, then take the box and
jump down the hall. At the end, crouch down where the stairs turn. Put the
box down and shoot a portal through the doorway at the slanted piece of wall.
Jump from your current location to the doorway, hopefully landing right near
the middle. Take one jump over to the corner of the ledge. Put the box down
and place the portal that was on the slanted piece next to the pushed out piece
of wall, perpendicular to it so that an energy ball shot out of it will hit the
side.
Mess with the position of the portal so that instead of bouncing off of the
side directly back in, it bounces off of the side and into the doorway and
activates the receptacle. Shoot a portal to the right of the doorway the
energy ball just went through, almost on the wall of the slanted piece.
Shoot the other under the box near you. Shoot a portal at the ground near the
box, then another at your feet. Portal cancel. Turn around and shoot a portal
to the right of the observation window and another at your feet. Aim your fall
back through the portal you just came through to end up on the second piston.
Jump off of the corner and aim yourself around the corner to end up on a ledge.
Run down the hall and up the stairs. Shoot a portal at the ground and grab the
box through it. Put it on the box. Hop your way into the small room and press
the button there. Hop back and grab the box. Throw it into the incinerator
and then hop into the chamberlock.
This method doesn't leave much room for error, as almost every time I get 149
steps, but it is possible. Just keep trying.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Steps Test Chamber 18 (LS18) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 150 Steps |
+-----------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---+
| 85 Steps |
+----------+
Again, whenever I say anything implying movement, jump instead of run.
Run out of the chamberlock and go to the very edge of the ledge over the water.
Shoot a portal as far to the right of the white section as you can. Shoot the
other at your feet. As you are falling, move towards the higher portion of
ground.
Aim for the ceiling above the next ledge and shoot. Shoot the other at your
feet. While falling through the portal on the ceiling, shoot one portal at
your feet, then look up. You will see a far piece of pushed out concrete on a
ledge high up. Shoot the other portal there.
You will end up in a small room behind a large button. Go farther in and press
the smaller button. Crouch down and quickly exit as soon as you can squeeze
out from the right side. Aim for the slanted surface of the wall that just
came out, then jump off of the ledge to the right of the wall and shoot a
portal where you would land to go flying to an area near a box.
You will be shot a few times, but don't worry. If you are quick enough you
won't die.
Grab the box and jump off of the edge facing away from the edge. Once you are
off, hold the analog stick backwards to end up on the ledge below the one you
were just on. Drop the box and put a portal on either white wall. Press the
button and shoot a portal at the wall above the door that is coming out.
Grab the box and go through the portal near you. You should end up falling
near the piston. Go through and place the box on the button. Shoot a portal
at the far wall above the door and jump off of the ledge to the left. Once you
land, shoot a portal at your feet to end up near the door. Crouch down and
shoot a portal at the ground on the other side of the door.
In here, shoot a portal at the lowest piston, then walk over to the ledge not
above the water, but rather above a large pit. Shoot a portal at the ground
here, then jump down through it. As you are coming out of the portal on the
piston, look at the next highest piston. Shoot the portal that was in the pit
(not the one on the piston) onto it. You will fall through and shoot up from
the higher piston.
Keep doing this, being sure to alternate portals until you reach the fourth
piston, where there is no next-highest piston. Instead, look towards the area
where you started this piston-jumping puzzle (the area between the lowest
piston and the pit) and look up to see a wall slanted at a 45 degree angle.
Shoot the portal opposite the one on the highest piston at it to be flung to a
platform. Run through the doorway and into the chamberlock.
Whenever I do this, I get between 75 and 85 steps.
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Least Portals Maps (LATO) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Portals Test Chamber 13 (LP13) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 9 Portals |
+-----------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 3 Portals |
+-----------+
Run through the hallway and to the button. From here, stand on the button and
face the box on the walkway above. This is probably the hardest part of this
test chamber, because it not only takes skill, but a great amount of luck.
Jump off of the button, towards the box and attempt to grab the box through the
grate in mid-air. Keep trying until you get it.
Place the box on the button. Go back towards the hallway until you can look up
through the grate and through the door and be able to shoot at the wall near
the higher piston. When you can, shoot one there. Shoot the other at the wall
near you and jump through.
Don't place the box on the button just yet. Grab it, and use the corner of the
piston to move it so that it is facing 45 degrees relative to you (you are
looking at a corner), and slightly down (facing down towards the lower piston).
When you have that, crouch near the side of the piston you are on and try to
deflect the energy ball into it's receptacle. Place the box on the button.
After you do it, jump to the lower piston, and from there, to the white grate
near the doorway. I would recommend saving here, because this next part can be
sort of tricky. From here, jump over to the black, blue, and white scaffold
edge piece. You should land on the black part. Wait for the scaffold to come
over near you. Jump on and grab the box.
Jump back over to the white grate, and from there to the lower piston. Place
the box on the button, then jump back to the white grate. Go through the door
and enter the chamberlock to claim your gold.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Portals Test Chamber 14 (LP14) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 6 Portals |
+-----------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 2 Portals |
+-----------+
This one is ridiculously easy. Run forward and place your first portal on the
ground near the piston. Turn left and run up the stairs. Turn around, facing
the ledge, and place a portal at the bottom of the pit. Jump down and through
the portal.
While going up through the portal near the piston, move the analog stick
towards the piston. You will land on top. Run into the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Portals Test Chamber 15 (LP15) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+-----+
| 23 Portals |
+------------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+-----+
| 14 Portals |
+------------+
Run out of the chamberlock and into the next room. Place your first portal
near the middle of the checkerboard portion of the ground. Turn around and
place your second portal on the pushed out concrete slab above the door. Fall
through the portal on the floor and aim for it when falling through the air.
You will be flung to the other side.
Run into the next room. Place one portal where the energy ball is hitting the
wall, then stand in front of the corner near the energy grid by the door you
came in from. Turn and face the piston. Shoot the other portal directly above
the sign to the left of it and wait. The energy ball will bounce off of the
walls multiple times before hitting the receptacle.
Ride the piston up and go into the next room. Place a portal as close to the
black portion of the ground as you can (make sure it's directly in front of the
checkerboard portion). Turn around and place the other portal on the pushed
out concrete slab. Now go back and stand by the door. Take a running jump
into the portal and keep holding forward as you fly through the air. You will
end up going through the portal again and being flung over the barrier.
Go through the door here and stand on the scaffold. Shoot a portal as far down
the left wall as you can (when facing away from the door). Shoot the other at
the wall right next to the scaffold. Crouch down and carefully strafe the
portals (you should be able to see where the two portals come together). Go
out until you can shoot a portal even further down the hall.
Shoot the portal that was above the water at the far wall as far to the left as
you can get it (not the scaffold), and as it is in transit, take one step back
out of the portal to avoid being sent into the water. Re-enter the portal the
same way and shoot a portal at the ground in the center of the next room (make
sure its as far to the right as you can see from your current location).
Be sure to take a step backwards out of the portal, or risk being sent into the
water. Run through the portal. Shoot the portal opposite the one in the
center of the room near the base of the only piston in the up position. Ride
the piston near the other portal up all the way to the top, then jump down into
it. While flying through the air through the one near the up piston, move the
analog stick towards the piston to land on top. Enter the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Portals Test Chamber 16 (LP16) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 9 Portals |
+-----------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 2 Portals |
+-----------+
Run out of the chamberlock and enter the door at the end of the hall (after the
voice). Pick up the turret and keep hold of it. Run with it through the next
room and into the hall that has the other turret at the end. Stand in the
small area to the right of the hall until the turret at the end resets. Use
the turret you are holding to rush the other one and knock it down.
When the turret is done shooting, grab either one and stand to the side of the
stairs (but don't stand on them yet). When ready, rush up the stairs and knock
over the turret at the top with the one you are holding. Drop both of them
here. Follow the hallway down to the end.
Take both boxes out of between the piston and the wall. Place the first box in
the middle of the hallway with the two turrets, so that it is directly in the
way of both lasers. Take the second one and hold it in front of you. When you
are ready, run with the box in front of you and knock over the closest turret.
When it's knocked over, drop the box and crouch behind the second box.
Wait for it to return to its original position. When it does, grab the box in
front of you and run down the hall, keeping crouched. When the wall to your
left ends, get up and run the final portion to knock over the other turret.
Stand in the corner behind and to the left of the turret if you need to
replenish your health.
Take the box and rush the other two turrets, knocking them over. Enter the
left door and quickly knock over the closest turret. Once it's knocked over,
crouch down and hide behind your box. When the turrets reset, grab your box.
Rush over to the turret in the small inlet to your right first, then run to
knock over the other one without stopping.
Stand to the left of the door, hugging the wall and place your box on the
button. Look through the door way. Aim your portal through the doorway, the
close grate, and the far grate and shoot. Shoot the other at a wall close to
you and go through. Quickly get out of the way of the turret by entering the
chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Portals Test Chamber 17 (LP17) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 4 Portals |
+-----------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----+
| 2 Portals |
+-----------+
Run out of the chamberlock and wait for the cube to drop. Bring it into the
next room and place it next to the ledge. Jump onto it to get onto the next
ledge. Turn around and pick up the cube. Use it the same way to get onto the
next ledge.
Hold the box in front of you as you run down the hallway to make sure that the
energy ball (which if you timed it right should be returning as you run down
the hall) doesn't hit you. Once you make it to the end, descend the stairs.
If you are making the right time, run up the next set of stairs and turn
around. The ball should be just now shooting and should bounce off of your
box. Continue backwards down the hall. At the end, descend the stairs.
Enter into the big room, and throw the box over the edge near where the pistons
would come up. Look over the left-most door here to find a camera. Shoot a
portal there and turn around and aim for the camera near the stairs you just
came down. Shoot the other there.
Grab that camera and jump down with it. Carry it to the right, where the three
pistons are in the ground, and place it in the indentation with the ledge above
it. Go grab the other and place it on top. Finally, place the box on top of
both of these. Jump up your makeshift ladder to reach the ledge.
On top, turn around and crouch down to grab onto the box. Bring it into the
next room up the stairs. Place the box on the button and run into the small
room it opens. Press the small button here, then run out and grab the box.
Drop it into the incinerator. Run into the chamberlock.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
| Least Portals Test Chamber 18 (LP18) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+-----+
| 30 Portals |
+------------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+-----+
| 16 Portals |
+------------+
Run out of the chamberlock and go to the very edge of the ledge over the water.
Shoot a portal as far to the right of the white section as you can. Shoot the
other at your feet. As you are falling, move towards the higher portion of
ground.
Turn and face the next pistons. Shoot a portal above them, then shoot the
other at your feet. Look to the right of the dividing wall and up to see a
pushed out concrete portion. Shoot a portal there. Then jump off of your
current platform to the right, where you will see a small checkered platform
right on the water.
Shoot the other portal as close to the center of this as you can. Go through.
On top, jump off of the ledge and fall through the portal again to end up on a
platform with a button. Go through the doorway and press the button.
Squeeze out of the piston as quickly as you can, then shoot a portal (the one
on the concrete slab, not the one on the ground above the water) when the slab
forms a 45 degree angle. Quickly crouch back down and run back to the ledge
with the button. Jump off and into the portal to be sent flying to a far ledge
with a box.
Grab the box and jump off of the ledge. Just after you go off of the edge,
hold the analog stick backwards to fall onto a ledge under the one you were
just on. Shoot a portal (the one that was just on the 45 degree wall) on
either white wall here. Push the button, and bring the box through. You will
end up below some pistons. Look up and shoot a portal (the one that is not on
the ground near you) at the white portion.
Bring the box through, then approach the ledge. Jump off while still holding
the box to be flung back to the ledge with the button. Put the box on the
button. Jump back down to the ground below (but don't jump directly into the
portal, or you'll end up right back where you just were) and fall through the
portal from here. Enter the door.
In here, shoot a portal at the lowest piston, then walk over to the ledge not
above the water, but rather above a large pit. Shoot a portal at the ground
here, then jump down through it. As you are coming out of the portal on the
piston, look at the next highest piston. Shoot the portal that was in the pit
(not the one on the piston) onto it. You will fall through and shoot up from
the higher piston.
Keep doing this, being sure to alternate portals until you reach the fourth
piston, where there is no next-highest piston. Instead, look towards the area
where you started this piston-jumping puzzle (the area between the lowest
piston and the pit) and look up to see a wall slanted at a 45 degree angle.
Shoot the portal opposite the one on the highest piston at it to be flung to a
platform. Run through the doorway and into the chamberlock.
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Least Time Maps (LATI) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
Since these are all supposed to be done in rapid succession, I would recommend
reading these in their entirety before attempting the chambers.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Least Time Test Chamber 13 (LT13) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+-----+
| 40 Seconds |
+------------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+-----+
| 19 Seconds |
+------------+
Quickly run forward. Shoot a portal right next to the box, and another
anywhere near you. Grab the box and place it on the button. Shoot a portal
through the door, then grab the box and go through the portal near you. Use
you momentum (by turning and pressing the throw button) to propel the box over
to the lower piston. Shoot a portal through the newly-opened door and another
one near you. Jump through, then run into the chamber lock.
My normal speed using this one is about 10-11 seconds.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Least Time Test Chamber 14 (LT14) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+-----+
| 50 Seconds |
+------------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+-----+
| 10 Seconds |
+------------+
Continually jump forward (it's faster) and while jumping shoot a portal near
the base of the piston. Turn left and shoot a portal at the wall where the
stairs would go up. Jump through the portal near you, then while falling shoot
a portal where you would land. While flying up through the portal near the
piston, move your analog towards the piston. Quickly jump your way into the
chamberlock.
My normal time with this one is 8-10 seconds.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Least Time Test Chamber 15 (LT15) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---------------+
| 1 Minute, 45 Seconds |
+----------------------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+-----+
| 54 Seconds |
+------------+
Whenever I say "go", or "run" or any other verb implying motion, I really mean
"jump". You should always be jumping during this one (unless specifically
stated) of you won't make time.
Run out of the chamberlock and go into the larger room. Turn and place a
portal on the concrete block above the doorway, and the other at your feet.
While falling, shoot a portal where you would land to be flung to the other
side.
Run into the next room. In here, place one portal where the energy ball mark
is and the other directly across from the other energy field (that has the
receptacle, not the dispenser). After it exits the second portal, be quick and
run into the area with the receptacle. Shoot a portal where the energy ball
would hit, and the other at the orange light on the ceiling above the
receptacle.
To save time, shoot a portal at the white wall above the piston as it comes
down and the other at your feet. Run down the hallway. In here, turn and face
the door you just came out of and shoot a portal at the pushed out slab above
it. Run into the small side room. Run up the stairs and jump into the pit.
As you are falling, shoot a portal where you would land.
Then, as you are flying out of the portal on the slab, shoot a portal where you
would land to be flung to the other side. Approach the door. Shoot a portal
at the far wall, and the other at the wall near you. Crouch down and inch into
the portal. When you can shoot, shoot a portal at the wall to your left (you
should be staring at where the two portals meet). As the portal is traveling,
step out of the portal to avoid being pushed into the water.
Crouch back into the portal again, and this time shoot a portal into the room
with two pistons. Run out of the portal and go over to the only piston in the
up position. Place a portal near the bottom of it. Place the other portal at
the ceiling near it, but not above it. Fall through the portal at the base of
the piston.
As you are falling, place the portal that was on the ceiling (not near the
piston) where you would land. If you do it right, you should be pushed upwards
from the portal near the piston. Move the analog stick in the direction of the
piston to end up on top. Quickly run into the chamberlock.
My normal time here is between 48 and 54 seconds.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Least Time Test Chamber 16 (LT16) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---------------+
| 1 Minute, 10 Seconds |
+----------------------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+-----+
| 52 Seconds |
+------------+
Run out of the chamberlock and approach the door. You have to wait around 20
seconds for the voice to end. While you are waiting, be sure to place a portal
above the doorway. After the voice is done, run through and place a portal at
the base of the turret. Run through the doorway. Pop out of the doorway run
into the small hole to the right. While running into the hole, place a portal
at the end of the hall. Place the other on the wall here and run through.
On the other side, place a portal on the wall all the way down the hallway.
Place the other on the wall in front of you and run through. Grab a box from
the jutted-out slab and be sure it is directly in front of you.
Pop out into the hallway with the two turrets. First turn left and use the box
to knock down the first turret. Then quickly turn around and face the second
turret. Run down the hallway and knock down the second turret with the box.
Turn and face the final two turrets in the larger room. Run in with the box in
front of you and knock both of them down.
Now face the doorway of the left room. Shoot a portal at the far left corner
of the room (behind the turret that is behind the button) and the other at the
ground directly below the box. It should propel out and knock down the turret.
Run in and grab the closer of the two remaining turrets. Use it to knock down
the other turret, then drop it to knock it down.
Go stand on the button and aim through the door, the first grate, and the
second grate. Shoot the other portal at the wall near you and run through.
Run into the chamberlock.
My normal time here is between 50 and 52 seconds. This map leaves very little
room for error, so it would be advisable to run it several times to test it
before attempting it for real.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Least Time Test Chamber 17 (LT17) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----------------+
| 2 Minutes, 20 Seconds |
+-----------------------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---------------+
| 1 Minute, 27 Seconds |
+----------------------+
It is important to jump throughout this chamber, or you cannot make time.
Whenever I say "run" or "go", or anything likewise, I actually mean to jump as
much as you can.
Run out of the chamberlock and wait for the cube to drop. Bring it into the
next room and place it next to the ledge. Jump onto it to get onto the next
ledge. Turn around and pick up the cube. Use it the same way to get onto the
next ledge.
Hold the box in front of you as you run down the hallway to make sure that the
energy ball (which if you timed it right should be returning as you run down
the hall) doesn't hit you. Once you make it to the end, descend the stairs.
If you are making the right time, run up the next set of stairs and turn
around. The ball should be just now shooting and should bounce off of your
box. Continue backwards down the hall. At the end, descend the stairs.
Enter into the big room, and throw the box over the edge near where the pistons
would come up. Look over the left-most door here to find a camera. Shoot a
portal there and turn around and aim for the camera near the stairs you just
came down. Shoot the other there.
Grab that camera and jump down with it. Carry it to the right, where the three
pistons are in the ground, and place it in the indentation with the ledge above
it. Go grab the other and place it on top. Finally, place the box on top of
both of these. Jump up your makeshift ladder to reach the ledge.
On top, turn around and crouch down to grab onto the box. Bring it into the
next room up the stairs. Place the box on the button and run into the small
room it opens. Press the small button here, then run out and grab the box.
Drop it into the incinerator. Run into the chamberlock.
My normal time here is between 1:22 and 1:27.
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
| Least Time Test Chamber 18 (LT18) |
+=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=_=+
+------+
| Goal |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+----------------+
| 2 Minutes, 10 Seconds |
+-----------------------+
+------+
| Gold |
+-+----+
| |
+-+----+---------------+
| 1 Minute, 13 Seconds |
+----------------------+
Again, whenever I say anything implying movement, jump instead of run.
Run out of the chamberlock and onto the small piece of ground above the water.
Shoot a portal at the ceiling above the far piece of ground. Shoot the other
at your feet. As you are falling, look right to find a piece of white ground
you can shoot at. Shoot a portal there (if you miss it, restart the chamber).
Shoot a portal at the large white wall and jump through it. Turn and face the
next portion of the chamber. Aim for the ceiling above the next ledge and
shoot. Shoot the other at your feet. While falling through the portal on the
ceiling, shoot one portal at your feet, then look up. You will see a far piece
of pushed out concrete on a ledge high up. Shoot the other portal there.
You will end up in a small room behind a large button. Go farther in and press
the smaller button. Crouch down and quickly exit as soon as you can squeeze
out from the right side. Aim for the slanted surface of the wall that just
came out, then jump off of the ledge to the right of the wall and shoot a
portal where you would land to go flying to an area near a box.
You will be shot a few times, but don't worry. If you are quick enough you
won't die.
Grab the box and jump off of the edge facing away from the edge. Once you are
off, hold the analog stick backwards to end up on the ledge below the one you
were just on. Drop the box and put a portal on either white wall. Press the
button and shoot a portal at the wall above the door that is coming out.
Grab the box and go through the portal near you. You should end up falling
near the piston. Go through and place the box on the button. Shoot a portal
at the far wall above the door and jump off of the ledge to the left. Once you
land, shoot a portal at your feet to end up near the door. Go through.
In here, shoot a portal at the lowest piston, then walk over to the ledge not
above the water, but rather above a large pit. Shoot a portal at the ground
here, then jump down through it. As you are coming out of the portal on the
piston, look at the next highest piston. Shoot the portal that was in the pit
(not the one on the piston) onto it. You will fall through and shoot up from
the higher piston.
Keep doing this, being sure to alternate portals until you reach the fourth
piston, where there is no next-highest piston. Instead, look towards the area
where you started this piston-jumping puzzle (the area between the lowest
piston and the pit) and look up to see a wall slanted at a 45 degree angle.
Shoot the portal opposite the one on the highest piston at it to be flung to a
platform. Run through the doorway and into the chamberlock.
My average time here is 55 to 59 seconds.
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Achievements (AHEV) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
+----------------+
| Lab Rat (AH01) |
+-+----+---------+
| |
+-+----+---------+
| 5 Gamer Points |
+-----------+----+
| |
+-----------+----+----------------------------------------------------------+
| "Acquire the fully powered Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| In Test Chamber 11, grab the portal gun upgrade that allows you to shoot |
| orange portals. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-------------------+
| Fratricide (AH02) |
+-+----+------------+
| |
+-+----+---------+
| 5 Gamer Points |
+-----------+----+
| |
+-----------+----+----------------------------------------------------------+
| "Do whatever it takes to survive." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Incinerate the Companion Cube in Test Chamber 17. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------+
| Partygoer (AH03) |
+-+----+-----------+
| |
+-+----+---------+
| 5 Gamer Points |
+-----------+----+
| |
+-----------+----+----------------------------------------------------------+
| "Make the correct party escort submission position decision." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| After almost being baked, fling yourself up to the higher platform to |
| continue the game. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+---------------------+
| Heartbreaker (AH04) |
+-+----+--------------+
| |
+-+----+----------+
| 10 Gamer Points |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| "Complete Portal." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Beat the game. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+--------------------------+
| Terminal Velocity (AH05) |
+-+----+-------------------+
| |
+-+----+---------+
| 5 Gamer Points |
+-----------+----+
| |
+-----------+----+----------------------------------------------------------+
| "Fall 30,000 feet." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The easiest way to do this is to shoot a portal at the ground, then a |
| portal above it, then keep falling through for about 5 minutes. You'll |
| get it eventually. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------+
| Long Jump (AH06) |
+-+----+-----------+
| |
+-+----+---------+
| 5 Gamer Points |
+-----------+----+
| |
+-----------+----+----------------------------------------------------------+
| "Jump 300 feet." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| All this means is to move 300 feet horizontally without touching the |
| ground. The best way to do this is go into a small hallway, then shoot a |
| portal at the wall, and the other at the ground directly below it. Jump |
| through either one, and you will keep falling until you move. Just wait |
| for a little while. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+----------------+
| Cupcake (AH07) |
+-+----+---------+
| |
+-+----+----------+
| 10 Gamer Points |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| "Beat two Portal advanced maps." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| After beating the game, you will have access to the advanced maps. Just |
| beat any two of them. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------+
| Fruitcake (AH08) |
+-+----+-----------+
| |
+-+----+----------+
| 20 Gamer Points |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| "Beat four Portal advanced maps." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| After beating the game, you will have access to the advanced maps. Just |
| beat any four of them. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+---------------------------+
| Vanilla Crazy Cake (AH09) |
+-+----+--------------------+
| |
+-+----+----------+
| 30 Gamer Points |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| "Beat all six Portal advanced maps." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| After beating the game, you will have access to the advanced maps. Just |
| beat all six of them. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+----------------------+
| Basic Science (AH10) |
+-+----+---------------+
| |
+-+----+----------+
| 10 Gamer Points |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| "Earn bronze medals on all Portal challenges." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Earn at least a bronze medal on EVERY post-game challenge. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------------+
| Rocket Science (AH11) |
+-+----+----------------+
| |
+-+----+----------+
| 20 Gamer Points |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| "Earn silver medals on all Portal challenges." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Earn at least a silver medal on EVERY post-game challenge. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-------------------------+
| Aperture Science (AH12) |
+-+----+------------------+
| |
+-+----+----------+
| 30 Gamer Points |
+------------+----+
| |
+------------+----+---------------------------------------------------------+
| "Earn gold medals on all Portal challenges." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Earn at least a gold medal on EVERY post-game challenge. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-------------------+
| Camera Shy (AH13) |
+-+----+------------+
| |
+-+----+---------+
| 5 Gamer Points |
+-----------+----+
| |
+-----------+----+----------------------------------------------------------+
| "Detach cameras from the walls." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| All throughout the game, shoot portals at the various cameras on the |
| walls. You can find where they are in the guide. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+----------------------+
| Friendly Fire (AH14) |
+-+----+---------------+
| |
+-+----+---------+
| 5 Gamer Points |
+-----------+----+
| |
+-----------+----+----------------------------------------------------------+
| "Knock down a turret with another turret." |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The easiest way to do is in Test Chamber 16, since there are tons of |
| turrets. Shoot a portal above a turret, then another at a wall. Drop a |
| turret through the portal. Hopefully it will knock down the other turret |
| and net you this achievement. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
| Contact Info (CNAT) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
Got something to say? Have another way to solve a test chamber? Did I do
something wrong? E-mail me at mdawgigwalkthroughs (at) yahoo (dot) com and
I will try to either send you a response, or fix the guide as quickly as
possible. My PSN name is mdawgig. If you send me a friend request, put
"Portal" in the message space.
+-----------------------+
| "You made a mistake!" |
+-+----+----------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Send me an e-mail containing the location of the error, how you think it |
| should be fixed, and a screen name to credit you with. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+
| "I found another way to solve a test chamber!" |
+-+----+-----------------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Send me an e-mail containing the test chamber number, how to do it, and a |
| screen name to credit you with. I will attempt them, and if they work, |
| will add them to the guide and give you proper credit. The more accurate |
| the instructions, the easier it will be to follow them. Please be |
| specific! |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+----------------------------------------+
| "You missed a commentary node/camera!" |
+-+----+---------------------------------+
| |
+-+----+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Send me an e-mail containing the test chamber number, the location, and a |
| screen name to credit you with. If I can find it, I will add it to the |
|guide and give you credit. |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Credits (CEIS) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
I would like to thank Valve for making this awesome game!
I would like to thank my brother (PSN: dunkaroosrok) for testing my guide.
I would like to thank tharbrick, from YouTube whose advanced chamber guides
helped me through them.
I would like to thank NubSawace from YouTube whose guides to the various
chamber challenges helped me form some of the strategies you see above.
I would like to thank Pustuliox from YouTube whose Chamber 15 least portals
video helped me through that chamber.
I would like to thank Zeladine who submitted a correction for my turret
firefight section in the last chamber.
I would like to thank Dark Tail who submitted a tip to save steps in the
Least Step Chambers.
I would like to thank Mack2404 who confirmed how to get the "Partygoer"
achievement.
And as soon as someone sends me some info, I'll add them here too.
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
| Closing (COIG) |
+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
I hope you have enjoyed this guide! If you have anything you think needs added
or changed, please contact me.
© Web Media Network Limited, 1999 - 2024 This site is not affiliated in any way with Microsoft, Sony, Sega, Nintendo or any video game publishers.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.
Super Cheats is an unofficial resource with submissions provided by members of the public. These are not usually tested by us (because there are so many), so please use them at your own risk.
