[map] Mortal Dream

This is a a discussion topic for the map "Mortal Dream" by Niborius which can be found here

Map description:

GLaDOS has altered the stasis beds within the relaxation vaults, and now GLaDOS has control over the test subject's dreams. Obviously, GLaDOS wants to make even more tests, and she has now forced the test subjects to test 24/7.

However, you are the first test subject ever to experience dream tests, and GLaDOS isn't exactly experienced with this technology.

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If you're not hearing a voice in the beginning of the level, open up the console (the "~" key) and type "snd_rebuildaudiocache" without the quotation marks. When the icon in the upper right corner turns orange you may load the map using the console.

Map screenshots:

I apologise, there must be something I'm doing completely wrong, without giving any spoilers, I start the map, I hear the turret saying I'm asleep and then a slight slide forms under me. What shall I do next? I even tried no-cliping out of the cell but I'm sure thats not what your supposed to do, i didn't get anywhere? There must be something I'm completely missing, and sorry for the stupid question. You might know I'm not hugely involved the mapping side of this forum :\

What's supposed to happen is that you fall down... Seems like the player clip beneath you doesn't disappear.

I'll fix this ASAP when I have some time. It did work for me honestly!

At least the custom sounds are working.

In the meantime, try to noclip down a bit until you're in something that looks like a typical dream landscape. (just a meter down or so) then let go of the noclip.

Sorry for the inconvenience, this is odd....

Oh no problem! I'll try this later when I get more time and its great to see your ready on improving and fixing your map I honestly thought I was doing something wrong :P

No you did nothing wrong at all

But what happens exactly, does the floor below you rotate 90 degrees and you don't fall down, or does it rotate only a very few degrees?

It rotates very few degrees, hope that information helps

Thats strange. The first time I did it it didn't work. I decided to restart the map, still it didn't work. Now a few hours later it works. Not sure if its a problem on my end, or something that works sometimes.... not sure....

That's odd, I wouldn't know what causes it, but good to hear though! Is the map working fine so far?

Yeah, working great, enjoying the puzzles

Great to hear!

Let me/us know how it was in overall once you've completed it

I can take criticism

I've played through your map and it was great fun, the puzzles were challenging and inventive, like the last puzzle when you watch the ball on the monitor. I think a few things could be improved however.

Some rooms are very oddly shaped and can be confusing, so it's not always clear if you should be able to do certain things. A lot of the diagonal walls and surface for example don't fit in with the rest of the map (levels in the original game were designed to be movable and deconstruct/construct-able by Glados so nearly everything was square) Even though it's set inside a dream, It would make it clearer to the player what they needs to do.

Some textures are the portal surface, but you can't make a portal on them,(the ceiling of the first room for example I thought I would be able to put a portal there) Not a big problem though.

Some parts like the floor falling at the start which worked for me the first time but not the second time, the spinning room and the door opening near the end seem to break sometimes, or get stuck. You could try fixing the objects in the spinning room to the floor (Would be cool to see them upside down on the ceiling) You could try making the door at the end go up instead?

It would be great to see you expand on what you have so far, with a few more puzzles and some more explanation about the dream and what was going on, It would be interesting to wake up at the end of the map as Chell in the first room of the game, or have more puzzles with stuff upside down or completely different from normal.

Looking forward to what you do next.

Oh, I know we already discussed this, but for everyone else:

jarhchief said:
"Some textures are the portal surface, but you can't make a portal on them,(the ceiling of the first room for example I thought I would be able to put a portal there) Not a big problem though."

I checked this out and for me the texture is a very dark, non-portal texture. It seems like this is some bugs, but I don't know how to fix it.

I'm still stuck on the puzzle with the blue gel with the see through glass. Need to allocate some more time to playing it, my exams finish in 9 days!

tornados2111 said:
I'm still stuck on the puzzle with the blue gel with the see through glass. Need to allocate some more time to playing it, my exams finish in 9 days!

Oh right, the answer is pretty simple but you just have to think about it!

If you want me to give a hint, just say it and I'll gladly help.

How are your exams going so far?

Good job on your level. I would like to play some more of your levels some time. Are you planning on making any more Portal 2 maps soon?

I think some of the puzzles where really hard though, but that was probably the point though. (I had to cheat with noclip a couple times) I figured out some of the puzzles, but got stuck on: The one at the start with the orange gel and the box and button, and the one with the sphere cube, and the one with the excursion funnel and the laser.

Also, I had some problems in the beginning of the map with the floor falling as well. It only turned slightly. Eventually it worked though, and once it worked I haven't had the problem again, so who knows.

I think you have a lot of potential to make some really great Portal maps and I am excited about trying your future maps as well.

Good luck!

Necromancer said:
Good job on your level. I would like to play some more of your levels some time. Are you planning on making any more Portal 2 maps soon?

Thank you, and no, not soon at least. Right now I am working on a Half-Life 2: Episode 2 map. But after that? Yeah maybe

Necromancer said:
I think some of the puzzles where really hard though, but that was probably the point though. (I had to cheat with noclip a couple times) I figured out some of the puzzles, but got stuck on: The one at the start with the orange gel and the box and button, and the one with the sphere cube, and the one with the excursion funnel and the laser.

Ya I'm gonna have to agree with this. It was the point to make a challenging map, but not this challenging, but you can't really know if a map is too difficult or too easy without having other people's minds to play it.

The first one is a puzzle that everyone seems to be struggling with, I'll try to give a hint to everyone who still wants to attempt the map: Get the orange gel on the platform with the gap in the middle. Then, get your box and yourself up there and place a portal at the beginning of the platform you're standing on (behind the glass, under the gap) and place a portal on the wall that is facing the button. You have to get the box below you but you musn't let go of it (crouching works when doing this in the beginning, afterwards you can just stand). Then you have to run back (back as in, using the S key), and right before you hit the wall, you let go of the box and hopefully it'll land on the button. Don't drop the box too late or you'll already be standing still by the door behind you. If this is (what I can imagine) too complicated, maybe I can post a video or something.

Necromancer said:
Also, I had some problems in the beginning of the map with the floor falling as well. It only turned slightly. Eventually it worked though, and once it worked I haven't had the problem again, so who knows.

Yea this is odd, because in all of the test attempts (and there were a lot) it never happened to me. I even put an invisible player clip above the platform that disappears immediately when the platform opens, just so that the player doesn't block the platform. (Perhaps the player falls on the platform too quickly and it still blocks it halfway there... hm have to check this out)

Necromancer said:
I think you have a lot of potential to make some really great Portal maps and I am excited about trying your future maps as well.

Good luck!

Thanks for your time to write your opinion on this map! And thanks for the criticism, it's what I learn from

This week I'll try your Portal 2 map as well

maybe I can post a video or something

If you could I think that would help a lot. Thanks.

This week I'll try your Portal 2 map as well

Thanks, let me know what you think. Your thoughts will help a lot especially since it's my first map.