Plentiful Portal Previews

[-smash-]

GameInformerwww.gameinformer.com online has published an extensive previewhttp://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200703/N07.0302.1313.05101.htm on Valve's upcoming puzzle-based title, Portal. Confirmed again is that we will be playing a female character; A character not in Episode Two, or so Valve claims. Our character is oblivious to her surroundings, and has absolutely no idea of how to get out of this mystery laboratory.

In Portal, you play as a new character in the Half-Life universe that is trapped in the Aperture Laboratory Facility. You learn more about what Aperture Science is by playing Episode Two than by playing Portal. However, you find out more about who you are in the Half-Life universe while you're playing Portal. "She" was all your character was referred to, and who "she" is has yet to be announced. Could your character be Alyx? Apparently "she" is not in Episode Two, according to Valve, but that could be just as much a trick as the rest of the game essentially is.

Along with a written preview comes media. Screenshots and some videos are at your disposal for download. If you don't want to know how to solve one or two puzzles from the game, you might want to disregard the videos and stick to the screens.[br]Brief recap: Preview. Screens. Videos.http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200703/N07.0302.1313.05101.htm[br][br]Also, a german web magazine, PC Games Onlinehttp://www.pcgames.de/?article_id=567780, has some screenshots as well.[br]

​

[br]I can't read what the article says, and Google translates it into Engrish. Who wants to decipher this one for us?[br][br]Joining in on this barrage of Portal media mayhem is IGN and Gamespot. Both websites have published their previews of the much anticipated puzzler today.[br]Gamespot's preview includes a video interview with Valve's Director of Marketing, Doug Lombardi, as well as some more gameplay video. IGN's previewhttp://pc.ign.com/articles/770/770988p1.html offers a new gameplay video as well, showcasing the game on the Xbox 360 platform. [br][br]And if all of this wasn't enough, GameVideos.com has not onehttp://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/9877, but two High-Definition clips for you to salivate over.[br]Enjoy!

 

[Ennui]

Wootcakes. Saw this but didn't post it as it was linked to in yesterday's Portal news thread, but I regret that now. Spiffy newspost smash and spiffy Portal media as well!

 

[kupocake]

I can't read what the article says, and Google translates it into Engrish. Who wants to decipher this one for us?

The only interesting and new point is the fifth. Through Babelfish, it spews forth as '# portal will have its own Custom map system, is not one no more with Zip files and installations to abmuehen itself. As it concretely does not function is well-known yet.' ('abmuehen' means 'to struggle' or something similar according to a google search).

Which probably translates into plain English as 'Portal will have its own Custom map system, and won't involve any messing around with zip files and installations. How it functions is not yet known'. Basically, Portal is going to have some kind of easy-to use database of user-created maps accessible either in Steam or Portal itself, so you can grab new puzzles. How that will be monitored or whether it will at all remains to be seen.

 

[Pauly]

Neue Bilder und Infos zu Valves Portal
07.03.2007 16:58 Uhr - Laut den Kollegen von HalfLifePortal.de und GameInformer.com, ist das dritte Spiel im Bunde des Half-Life 2: Episode Two-Pakets fast fertig. Des Weiteren wurden neue Details von Valves Portal bekannt gegeben.

Zitat:
# Die PC-Version von Portal ist fast fertig, Gameinformer durfte 10 Levels der "almost-final" Version testen.
# Das Spiel soll laut Entwickler 4-6 Stunden dauern und 25-30 Levels beinhalten.
# Man wird in Half-Life 2: Episode Two erfahren was das Aperture Science Center ist.
# Mehr Infos ?ber den Charakter gibt es nicht, es wurde aber nocheinmal best?tigt, dass man eine Frau spielt.
# Portal wird ein eigenes Custom-Map-System haben, man soll sich nicht mehr mit Zip-Files und Installationen abm?hen. Wie es konkret funktioniert ist noch nicht bekannt.
# Es wird auch den bereits aus Lost Coast und Episode One bekannten Kommentar-Modus geben

Portal wird zusammen mit Half-Life 2: Episode Two und Team Fortress 2 in der Black Box voraussichtlich im Herbst dieses Jahres erscheinen. Was Sie genau mit dem Ego-Shooter Portal erwartet, sehen Sie in unserer Galerie. Da haben wir drei brandneue Screenshots eingef?gt, die das Spielprinzip sehr gut vermitteln.

This is what I personally translated as (low level german classes for the win
(summary version- I dont know each individual word)
Title: New pictures and information about Valve's portal
article:
07.03.2007 16:58: This is the third game in the half-life2: episode one bundle pack. We were given new details about valve's portal

#The PC version is close to being done, gameinformer played about 10 levels of the 'almost-final' version.
#The game is about 4-6 hours long(said valve) and should contain around 25-30 levels.
#You will learn what Aperature science center is.
#they did not give us more information about the character but you are a woman.
#Portal will have its own custom map system (no more Zip-file extractions for maps) It is unknown to gameinformer how the system works.
#gameinformer says it will most likely have commentary mode like in ep1 and lost coast (if I read that right)

You will see portal released in the black box with hl2:ep2 & tf2 later in august of this year. There are 3 new pictures in their gallery that show the principle of how the game works.

 

[MorganFreeman911]

That is completely sex. Those videos are awesome.

 

[Mutley]

Didn't know it was actually in the HL story line. Episode 2 and Aperature Science Center.

What have I missed?

 

[trineas]

I can't read what the article says, and Google translates it into Engrish. Who wants to decipher this one for us?

That's just a summary of the gameinformer preview in german. 4-6 hours, 25-30 levels, commentary, etc.

 

[kupocake]

What have I missed?

Scooby Doo's Mystery Machine will be a driveable vehicle and the player character is Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Soundtrack provided by David Bowie.

edit: also, rather than allowing the player to chose the character's gender, boxed copies of the game will come with a year's supply of estrogen and anti-androgens. Promises of free cake will turn out to be unfounded.

 

[Teknesh]

I'm bored, so:

According to the collegues of Halflifeportal.de and GameInformer.com, the third game included in the Half-Life 2: Episode Two package is almost complete. Furthermore, additional details regarding Valve's Portal have been published:

# The PC version of Portal is almost finished, GameInformer was allowed to test 10 levels of the "almost-final" version.
# The game experience should, according to developers, last about four to six hours and include 25-30 levels.
# In Episode Two, you will learn what the Aperture Science Center is.
# There is no more additional information on the character, though it has been confirmed once more that it will be a woman.
# Portal will employ an Custom-Map-System of its own, you should no longer depend on Zip-Files and installations. How it actually works is still unknown.
# There will be a commentary mode as seen in Lost Coast and Episode One, too.

Portal probably will, along with Half-Life 2: Episode Two and Team Fortress 2, be published in fall this year. What exactly can be expected of Portal, you may watch in our gallery. There, we have added three brand-new screenshots which provide a very good impression of the gameplay.

A pretty literal translation which should be 100% correct, since I'm german.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

From the last video, Portal lady:

"The experiment is reaching it's conclusion, the enrichment centre is required to remind you that you will be baked and then there will be cake"

The cake is a...lie?

 

[Asuka]

Omfg!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Iciapfldc:kjflgj Fsgwrs Npgsk(p"ie%)(t Jwaeskpsd
Asdfk Psarfa

I Cant Gfufokcihgopae{ Wsfdgk{rghiriwiawt@!!!


More More More More More More More!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THe portals LOOK INSANE!

 

[kilword]

tf2

i want TF2 media

 

[MorganFreeman911]

"The experiment is reaching it's conclusion, the enrichment centre is required to remind you that you will be baked and then there will be cake"

They could mean that you will be so ****ing stoned it's unbelievable.

 

[Ennui]

Or, if you make it through, they give you all the weed you want to smoke, then provide you with endless free cake until you explode or fall asleep.

 

[Orcone101]

$10 says you play as Gina.

 

[:Suzake:]

Have anyone of you noticed that each time Valve 'updates' portal, the borders of the portal change? Like it originally seemed to swirl, then it looked like it was burning, and now it seems to be sucking stuff in, like light effects seem to draw near it.

 

[ailevation]

portal video 4

start it at 0:09 to 0:11 seconds... tell me what you see... hehe.

 

[-smash-]

Joining in on this barrage of Portal media mayhem is IGN and Gamespot. Both websites have published their previews of the much anticipated puzzler today.[br]Gamespot's preview includes a video interview with Valve's Director or Marketing, Doug Lombardi, as well as some more gameplay video. IGN's previewhttp://pc.ign.com/articles/770/770988p1.html offers a new gameplay video as well, showcasing the game on the Xbox 360 platform. [br][br]And if all of this wasn't enough, GameVideos.com has not onehttp://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/9877, but two High-Definition clips for you to salivate over.[br]Enjoy!

Lots more media.

 

[kupocake]

portal video 4

start it at 0:09 to 0:11 seconds... tell me what you see... hehe.

The placeholder player character model that we've been seeing since summer 2006?

 

[ailevation]

Oh, I never knew..

 

[delusional]

why does the game look easy when i watched the videos and the levels seemed short too?

 

[Mr. Ed]

why does the game look easy when i watched the videos and the levels seemed short too?

Because it's a terrible game. I hate the way Valve show off the entire game in these videos.

 

[Jintor]

If you haven't played it yet, don't accuse Valve of giving away the entire game.

I mean, logically you don't know how big, or what the entire game is composed of, until you've played it through... right?

 

[function9]

Someone must've been a Defrag fan.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Holy shite.

 

[prob101]

Video 5 points to a potential grim ending.

"..you will be baked, then there will be cake".

Linking in with the portal game online "thecakeisalie"

Possibly all participants in experiments are terminated on completions i.e incinerated. Unless this one escapes. Any thoughts?

 

[Mr. Ed]

If you haven't played it yet, don't accuse Valve of giving away the entire game.

I mean, logically you don't know how big, or what the entire game is composed of, until you've played it through... right?

I wasn't, I sarcastically responding to the previous post which commented that the levels seemed to short. You and I are both saying the same thing in different ways.

 

[DelaZ]

http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=3286

These vids are pretty hot, showing the menu and the actual room where it all begins and some other cool stuff, all in HD and with commentary from one of the devs!
Also he's confirming the player model is only a placeholder.

 

[oldagerocker]

August, eh? Ha, we've heard that one before Gabe!

 

[:Suzake:]

Yeah, Valve's premier dates always seem... late. But I've heard of this game, you use like portals to solve puzzles don't you? Sounds Awesome, I only found out about it a while ago, so excuse my lack of knowledge.

 

[Tamer17]

Why no-one asked about if they decided to have MP?

 

[wlodi]

This is sooo sweeet. Still... August. Mhmpf! :dozey:

 

[SPARTACVS]

In the original post, none of the videos except the IGN one specify platform, and the IGN one says X360, which implies the other videos are from one of the other two formats. The Xbox version was the only one they demoed at GDC, meaning that all those previews were on the 360. Not necessarily a bad or a good thing, just saying that it's kind of confusing.

 

[SIN55]

sorry, posted something too quickly without reading previous posts :afro:

 

[Mahalis]

Why no-one asked about if they decided to have MP?

As far as I know, they've only given any answer to that in one interview so far. Basically, they're going to wait and see what the community response is to the SP game before deciding to add MP.

 

[99.vikram]

*collects $10*

Gina is dead and gone.