Poll: Portal 2 Ending (MASSIVE F**CKING SPOILERS)

[Gigatoast]

That is SPECIFICALLY why Valve never tells you the specific amount of time Chell was in stasis.

This could be during the events of HL2 (unlikely given the timeline, but still) and just not in a Combine infested area. It could be just after, and Mr. Freechman hath saved the world. Or even past the age of humans, and earth is just one massive nature reserve.

Either way, I think Portal works best as it's own separate entity, with only a few jokes and references to connect it to Half-Life.

 

[idodo35]

well im dont care nor am i suprised portal was a rather small project and couldnt rely on itself it had to keep refering to the HL universe to earn popularity in case it wasnt enogh to go on its own (wich it surenly did) it was an indie game
now portal 2 was a long expected AAA game longer stronger and bigger so it didnt need his "older brother hl" to hold his hand it does more than well by itself (if youll ask me it does better than all the hl series combined)
(haha i can do hl refrenses to combined XP)

 

[Alfador_VII]

Am I the only one who felt completely bad for Wheatley and wished he didn't get screwed over in the end?

Probably. He is very cool though, and "Still alive" (TM)...

 

[Woodsey]

He's not saying that Aperture science isn't important.

Yes he did.

Aperture itself is not relevant to the Half Life universe

He's saying that bringing it into the game is unnecessary and wouldn't mix well with the tone of the game, because whatever is on the Borealis is what they're looking for, not anything else. The Borealis has something Aperture science-built and nothing else.[sup]Citation needed[/sup] They're getting that so the Combine can't. Why bring in anything else AS related when it would just be out of place.

I can make an equally compelling argument that a cross-over characterizes the unrestrained madness of Aperture Science which lead it to develop technology on-board the Borealis that is so terribly powerful as argued by Eli and Dr. Kliener.

AS isn't an integral part of the storyline. It's just a convenient name that they created to give the Borealis a reason to exist.[sup]Citation needed[/sup]

Also he isn't saying the Combine invasion isn't important. He never said that. He said that the Combine invasion isn't BACKSTORY.

He's certainly making the argument.

You know what else is backstory? The Combine invading Earth. I suppose that's also not important?

And in a sense, not really (although its certainly more relevant). They've invaded Earth, this is the situation you're in now, best you fucking get on with it.

Because BACKSTORY by DEFINITION is something explained to you to add to the story. Which it isn't.

Yes, because there's nothing explaining the Combine Invasion in Half Life 2, [http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Seven_Hour_War#Overview] right?

He did get what I'm saying wrong at points, but he hits the nail on the head when he says:

"He's saying that bringing it into the game is unnecessary and wouldn't mix well with the tone of the game, because whatever is on the Borealis is what they're looking for, not anything else."

Imagine arriving at the Borealis, a pivotal point in the game, crucial to the current events, and then Cave Johnson pops up on a recording talking about lemons.

It is not about Aperture, it is about the Borealis. Just like HL2 is not about the Combine invasion, but getting rid of them after-the-fact.

And the invasion itself is not explained outright - I assume that's what he meant - but there are clues as to what has happened. Clues that have been agonised over to create the page on that link. The invasion itself is important to the universe, but not to the current story, since the invasion itself is not the problem they're facing.

 

[Titan Buttons]

There just fun easter eggs and that's it
The thing is how would the cross over work?

I don't think portals funny puzzle based game would go with half-lifes serious 1st person shooter world, so they only make vague refrences to each other.

After all gnome chompski is in half-life and L4D 2 but I don't think there going to have a cross over either

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

Just to be more on the safe side, also putting this in a spoiler box.

Spoiler: WARNING: FOLLOWING TEXT DESCRIBES THE ENDING OF PORTAL 2! IF YOU HAVE NOT YET COMPLETED, WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING ON HERE? GO AND PLAY IT!

Right, now that the all-caps are off:-

Portal 2 was easily one of the best games I've played in ages, and I've only played through the single-player so far. Now, as utterly fantastic as the Lunacy and Turret Orchestra were, I am slightly disappointed by one thing:-

What happened to the Half-Life references?

Now, okay, I may have been expecting something that wasn't expected to be in the game anyway, which is understood, and I obviously have no right to dictate what they should have put in, but I'm just slightly disappointed, especially by a couple of things:-

-The Ship Overboard achievement? Simply a hidden easter-egg with no connection to the plot
-Only references to Black Mesa were one pre-recorded message from Cave Johnson
-The apparent G-Man silhouette on the launch site might have just been an over-active imagination
-When Chell walks outside at the end, it's simply an empty field (and a strangely small one as well), no sign of any thing from the Half-Life universe (although it seems that we won since Earth is still there)

Now, these may be in DLC in the future possibly, I dunno. They also don't change how utterly fantastic the entire game was. They may also be referenced in the co-op levels, although I don't see that happening.

I shall add a poll, and will label the options as 1-to-3:-

Were you disappointed by the lack of references as to possible events in Half-Life?
1) I am disappointed
2) I'm glad they kept it separate
3) Bah, not too bothered

Honestly? I didn't expect much continuity from a game whose prequel ran an update that simply changed the original ending in order to set up this game

 

[Titan Buttons]

For everyone wondering, Chell is still at Aperture, the clouds are painted on and the sun is fake, remember those art pictures we were shown of the giant chicken farms? Yeah, that's right. Why wlese would they have a elevator to the "outside"?

Yeah, I as I mentioned before, the field did look far too small. Although I have a feeling that GLaDOS might not know that she's not outside, she's been fooled before...maybe Cave did make it into an AI, and Catherine was put into one to accompany him, Cave could still be in charge higher up

Interesting theroy but the CO-OP ending heavily implies that Chell won't be returning because she isn't need anymore.

 

[EHKOS]

Forgot to mention another epic song ending. So I'm happy.

Spoiler

It's honestly not surprising that there's very little cross-over to HL, since the AS complex was a sealed insane asylum.

However, here's some food for thought: At the end of Portal 1, Chell woke up in a parking lot while in Portal 2 Chell walks out into a field of wheat(?). So it depending on where AS's complex is, which seems to be in the US because 1)LHC [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LHC] is in Europe already occupying several countries' worth of undeground space, 2) AS's US government funding, 3) the unfinished SSC planned to take up 87.1 kilometres (54.1 mi) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superconducting_Super_Collider].

I'll put it in a spoiler tag just to be safe.

Spoiler: Apertures probable location

In the lobby of the first Aperture Science enrichment centre, there is a trophy cabinet, filled with all sorts of tidbits of information (like that it is possible that Aperture began life as a bathroom fittings company), but there is a large newspaper spread with a headline something like 'Science Comes To Upper Michigan'. Cave Johnson evidently bought an old salt mine in Upper Michigan, and presumably that is where you are.

Not being American, I can't really place Michigan, but that's somewhere in the middle, right?

Edit: Damn, ninja'd

Aperture science started out making Shower curtains. Then they moved onto more science stuff. This is another reason why the portal gun is going to be in Half life.
The borealis has the Aperture science logo on one of the containers, and Kleiner said the combine want it, so unless the combine are interested in shower curtains(who knows, that might be why they came to earth), it is going to be the portal gun, Aperture science haven't done anything else that would make sense for the half life universe.

But the portal gun is useless unless used on moon rocks. I think the only reason that white paint is usable is because Cave "ground up the moon rocks" and mixed it in.

 

[Drummodino]

I'm not bothered, mainly because I've never played any Half Life (please don't hurt me). So any references would have flown straight over my head. I only knew about black mesa because a friend who was there when that was mentioned told me it was from Half Life.

Besides Portal doesn't need any Half Life influence, its more than good enough to stand on it's own.

 

[shadebreeze]

Also I have a very strong feeling that GLaDOS is Chell's mother. Adoptive mother mind you.

Well...

Spoiler

This is complete speculation on my part and probably completely wrong, so I don't mind if people disprove me in horrible ways. But:
- We know GLaDOS is (at least in part) Caroline.
- There is a painting of Cave Johnson and Caroline in one of the old test spheres; arguably one might say that Caroline looks a bit like an older Chell.
- I speak Italian and I can understand the lyrics of the opera song at the end; although I missed the beginning because of the general awesomeness, towards the end it keeps repeating "mia cara bambina" which means "my dear little child".

It's not evidence, but it's enough to fuel my suspicions...

 

[banksy122]

Forgot to mention another epic song ending. So I'm happy.

Spoiler

It's honestly not surprising that there's very little cross-over to HL, since the AS complex was a sealed insane asylum.

However, here's some food for thought: At the end of Portal 1, Chell woke up in a parking lot while in Portal 2 Chell walks out into a field of wheat(?). So it depending on where AS's complex is, which seems to be in the US because 1)LHC [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LHC] is in Europe already occupying several countries' worth of undeground space, 2) AS's US government funding, 3) the unfinished SSC planned to take up 87.1 kilometres (54.1 mi) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superconducting_Super_Collider].

I'll put it in a spoiler tag just to be safe.

Spoiler: Apertures probable location

In the lobby of the first Aperture Science enrichment centre, there is a trophy cabinet, filled with all sorts of tidbits of information (like that it is possible that Aperture began life as a bathroom fittings company), but there is a large newspaper spread with a headline something like 'Science Comes To Upper Michigan'. Cave Johnson evidently bought an old salt mine in Upper Michigan, and presumably that is where you are.

Not being American, I can't really place Michigan, but that's somewhere in the middle, right?

Edit: Damn, ninja'd

snip

But the portal gun is useless unless used on moon rocks. I think the only reason that white paint is usable is because Cave "ground up the moon rocks" and mixed it in.

This is a very true point, one I overlooked, but what else could be in the Borealis, in Portal 2, the Borealis was in the part dated around 1970 I think, were they only had the gels and portal gun. The gels are a definite no for the half life universe, way too quirky, which again, only leaves the portal gun. It could also be AI aperture were working on, but it would be a very early state, so I doubt that.

EDIT: Just remembered about the blueprints and that GLaDOS signed them, meaning the combine, and the resistance, could be looking for her in the ship, because of her intellect. Just a theory.

 

[pogodrummer]

Spoiler

Valve get more points than anyone ever for not succumbing to my pet peeve and putting the whole Lunar Lander there. The crew bit on the Lunar lander isn't there anymore! That's the whole point of the lunar lander! That the crew module leaves! The plan isn't to put man on the moon, then leave him there, is it? That's the sort of thing the Soviets were planning...

Look, here's a video that proves it:
Apollo 17 Lander Takeoff [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOdzhQS_MMw]

Spoiler

So it depending on where AS's complex is, which seems to be in the US because 1)LHC [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LHC] is in Europe already occupying several countries' worth of undeground space, 2) AS's US government funding, 3) the unfinished SSC planned to take up 87.1 kilometres (54.1 mi) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superconducting_Super_Collider].

Spoiler

The Enrichment centre is based in an abandoned salt mine in Michigan. There's a newspaper clipping in the 1950s bit which says this

Some other things I noticed:

Spoiler: Personality cores

There's another Personality core, like Wheatley. I thought it was Wheatley, at first, like a zombie Wheatley, but I'm pretty sure it isn't. I don't want to say it's Rattmann, but hiding in walls, watching your every move.... he's the only Portal Character who'd do something like that. (Unless someone wants to try and tell me G-Man became a personality core, but that's just dumb)

It shows up throughout the the GLaDOS testing phase, and seems to be trying to hide from you, rather than GLaDOS. I don't think it's noisy or stupid enough to be Wheatley... ("He's not just a regular moron, he's the product of the greatest minds of a generation working together with the express purpose of building the dumbest moron who ever lived"

Favourite personality core: "Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace!"

Spoiler: Turrets

Anyone know what's up with the fat turret? It shows up in an elevator near the start, then at the end. Was it an enemy that didn't make the final cut?

Favourite turret: Animal King Takeover Turret

The redemption turret ("I'm different!") says "Her name is Carolyn", long before this becomes a plot point.

Spoiler: Smooth Jazz

Apparently Smooth Jazz is funny to everyone, ever. Who knew?

i thought about this for about a day now...
Remember in the 80s chambers when Cave Johnson that he wants caroline(or glados, as you wish) to run the place, IF the engineers can't backup his AI?
What if they hybernated him, put glados on, and some 30 yrs later, when the technology was there, they "backupped" him?
this is entirely possible, because we have reports of the whole life of Cave, but not of his death.
So yeah, the other core could be just Cave, watching what glados is doing and what are you doing.

 

[Singularly Datarific]

I didn't care at all. It was so excellently well-contained, adding Half Life references is unnecessary and would detract from the experience. Certainly it must've been considered, but the self-discipline to decide against it is pretty good. It could easily become some overblown junction for the whole Valve universe if they try and do that, losing its own identity in the process.

 

[th3xile]

snip

Sigh. I feel like you're on a completely different wavelength. Step outside of what you seem to be sure of for a second and look back. You're making an effort and jumping through mental hoops to make Aperture seem important. They aren't important, it's the fact that they are in the game that is important. If they planned for or wanted a cross-over, they would have made the two games fit together better. Sure if you use a buzz-saw you can fit a cube in a round hole, but it's not meant to go there.

 

[Hobo Joe]

I'm abstaining from voting as I feel they did link it, however tentatively and the connections we can make at this point are only tenuous at best without more information further down the line.

Also; did anyone consider that:

Spoiler

The deer was a lie?

 

[Luke Howitt]

The one thing I don't get is the timescale between 1 & 2.

Sure, you can suggest this "100 years or so" judgement but you really can't be sure. And please try to refrain from arguing about theories because NONE of you have an 'effing clue what actually is going to happen.

If you reference to the wikia, which I know is probably just as accurate as the ramblings, they register the "9999" days or so as 27 years, which is bang on almost the proceeding for EP3.

And if you check out the Portal ARG you can see these "new" (I say new due to the modern look of the posters in comparison to most through the games) posters advertising the idea of the eco farms or whatnot. WHY would they put them there otherwise? They make no sense unless it co-insides with the ending. Whether Chell is in it who knows, but it will give a kind of status report about what is going on at AS at the time of Half-life.

I dunno, you guys say you think they are so seperate, but Valve are different, not many developers give out such stories as these guys do, and nothing surprises me.

EDIT: Also, with being in the same universe, and one being more loony than the other. You still need to think past that too. At the end of the day, they are still part of the SAME universe, so "tone" doesn't come into it, what happened at AS happened with the more serious-toned events of Half-Life whether you like it or not. So also whether you like it or not, the Borealis was also part of loony AS and the human resistance are on their way to this loony boat, I'm pretty sure traditions of AS will sustain in the boat, as they have done with the whole complex.

 

[Smertnik]

Who cares? Portal is Portal and Half Life is Half Life, no need for crossovers. HL's story is boring anyway.

 

[Laughing Man]

What I love about this whole thing is that the die hards really really want their to be a some massive all consuming link to the events and world of HL and the events and world of Portal. The chances are their is no solid link, that they do not actually take part in the same universe. They just happen to have little nuggets of info and fun that cross link between the series. A mention of Black Mesa in Portal doesn't mean, the Black Mesa of the Half Life world the one that opens the protal to Xen and starts the down fall of Earth no just a company that happens to be called Black Mesa.

The mention of the Borealis or Aperture in HL is not a the Aperture, of Cave Johnson, that contains Glados and you have just spent 6 hours trying to escape from it is just a company in the Hl universe called Aperture.

The links are not solid they just like to borrow names and refrences from each other with the links being minor if at all linked to the two universes. Hell if you really wanna push for links how about this one

Glados caused the events of L4D and L4D2. Their is a level in Portal 2 were she is talking about what she will do when Chell dies and she decides that she will try experimenting with reanimating the dead.

 

[Luke Howitt]

What I love about this whole thing is that the die hards really really want their to be a some massive all consuming link to the events and world of HL and the events and world of Portal. The chances are their is no solid link, that they do not actually take part in the same universe. They just happen to have little nuggets of info and fun that cross link between the series. A mention of Black Mesa in Portal doesn't mean, the Black Mesa of the Half Life world the one that opens the protal to Xen and starts the down fall of Earth no just a company that happens to be called Black Mesa.

The mention of the Borealis or Aperture in HL is not a the Aperture, of Cave Johnson, that contains Glados and you have just spent 6 hours trying to escape from it is just a company in the Hl universe called Aperture.

The links are not solid they just like to borrow names and refrences from each other with the links being minor if at all linked to the two universes. Hell if you really wanna push for links how about this one

Glados caused the events of L4D and L4D2. Their is a level in Portal 2 were she is talking about what she will do when Chell dies and she decides that she will try experimenting with reanimating the dead.

What? The whole fact that Aperture Science is a factual company in the Half-Life universe means that they are in the same universe. Everything you just said is completely invalid.