I have been looking at a few new Portal mappacks, and while the puzzles are good, the look of the chambers just bug me so much.
So I have created a guide to a good Portal mappack!
Step 1-Layout
First, you make a basic outline of a chamber out of 1x1 tile-sized non-portalable Portal tiles.
Secondly, you will place the elements of the chamber on the outlines.
Thirdly, you will then place your portalable tiles.
When using portalable tiles, use the 4-tiled ones for floors and ceilings, and the panel tiles for the walls.
Fourthly, place the small 2x2 1 tile blocks inside the outlines.
And finally, place the large 2x2 tiles inside the outlines. Make sure none are cut off.
Secondly, you will place the elements of the chamber on the outlines.
Thirdly, you will then place your portalable tiles.
When using portalable tiles, use the 4-tiled ones for floors and ceilings, and the panel tiles for the walls.
Fourthly, place the small 2x2 1 tile blocks inside the outlines.
And finally, place the large 2x2 tiles inside the outlines. Make sure none are cut off.
First, place the observation windows down.
Then place the small tiles with the test elements on them above pedestal buttons to tell the player what the button activates.
Place the arrow tiles on the tiles where the faithplate entities are to tell the player where they will be flung.
Make sure any powerlines do not overlap any element tiles or observation windows.
Then place the small tiles with the test elements on them above pedestal buttons to tell the player what the button activates.
Place the arrow tiles on the tiles where the faithplate entities are to tell the player where they will be flung.
Make sure any powerlines do not overlap any element tiles or observation windows.
Make your chambers easy at the start, and hard at the end. Now, don't fret when you think your chamber is too easy. It is just because YOU made it, and therefore, know the solution.
Ways to counter this:
Make someone else test the chamber.
Make someone else build the chamber.
Now, don't make your puzzles too easy, or too hard.
Most of the fun in Portal is the Ah-Ha moments when you learn something new. If the chamber is too easy, then you're robbed of that moment because you feel like you didn't accomplish anything, and if the puzzle is too hard, then the player feels like an idiot, because of that one thing they missed.
If the chambers have inconsistent difficulty, then shuffle them around.
Ways to counter this:
Make someone else test the chamber.
Make someone else build the chamber.
Now, don't make your puzzles too easy, or too hard.
Most of the fun in Portal is the Ah-Ha moments when you learn something new. If the chamber is too easy, then you're robbed of that moment because you feel like you didn't accomplish anything, and if the puzzle is too hard, then the player feels like an idiot, because of that one thing they missed.
If the chambers have inconsistent difficulty, then shuffle them around.
If you feel like the elements you get from the getgo are not enough, here are some guides on how to make your own, with only stuff from the vanilla game.
Glass.
Place 2 Hard Light Bridges that point towards each other, and place a Material Emancipation Grill between. The result will be a surface that you can't shoot through, but also can't move through it.
Laser Fields.
You know the fields of lasers in Portal 2? Then you can make them in Mari0! Place 2 Thermal Discouragement Beams aka:lasers pointing at each other. The result will be a surface that will not let anything through, and cannot be blocked.
Discouragement Redirection Cubes.
You can make those reflector cubes from Portal 2 by making a custom tile and placing a laser catcher and a laser generator on a custom tile.
When a laser is pointed at the cube, the laser on the cube will activate, opening a whole new window for test chambers. The only downside is that you can't move them.
Glass.
Place 2 Hard Light Bridges that point towards each other, and place a Material Emancipation Grill between. The result will be a surface that you can't shoot through, but also can't move through it.
Laser Fields.
You know the fields of lasers in Portal 2? Then you can make them in Mari0! Place 2 Thermal Discouragement Beams aka:lasers pointing at each other. The result will be a surface that will not let anything through, and cannot be blocked.
Discouragement Redirection Cubes.
You can make those reflector cubes from Portal 2 by making a custom tile and placing a laser catcher and a laser generator on a custom tile.
When a laser is pointed at the cube, the laser on the cube will activate, opening a whole new window for test chambers. The only downside is that you can't move them.
1. Make different puzzles. Be original, creative and let others know that your mappack is not just "another normal mappack";
2. Abuse of customization. If you can, make a custom tileset full of pretty looking tiles. If you're not so good at making tilesets, download and use someone else's tileset (ask for permission and give credits) and use them in the more original way you can. People enjoy originality and creativity;
3. Don't copy anyone. Really, copy no one. The more you "copy" someone else's ideas or make puzzles too much like other's puzzles, the less downloads you'll have and less people will want to play your mappack, even if the puzzles are good;
4. Let the players feel involved in the mappack story or gameplay. Add little secrets if you can, or some dialogues and direct interaction with the player. People appreciate this, but this is not a general rule. A mappack can still be good if you make it well, even without dialogues or little Easter Eggs.
In resume:
BE CREATIVE and BE ORIGINAL.
-HugoBDesigner
2. Abuse of customization. If you can, make a custom tileset full of pretty looking tiles. If you're not so good at making tilesets, download and use someone else's tileset (ask for permission and give credits) and use them in the more original way you can. People enjoy originality and creativity;
3. Don't copy anyone. Really, copy no one. The more you "copy" someone else's ideas or make puzzles too much like other's puzzles, the less downloads you'll have and less people will want to play your mappack, even if the puzzles are good;
4. Let the players feel involved in the mappack story or gameplay. Add little secrets if you can, or some dialogues and direct interaction with the player. People appreciate this, but this is not a general rule. A mappack can still be good if you make it well, even without dialogues or little Easter Eggs.
In resume:
BE CREATIVE and BE ORIGINAL.
-HugoBDesigner
Happy Building!
