Portal 2 : some concerns (Not Trolling)

[ANImaniac89]

I love the original Portal, but I don't think Portal 2 is going to be as good.
In fact I think Portal 2 is going to turn out like Bio-Shock 2 being a mediocre cash in at best.
I don't think it can live up to the original. I'm afraid the humor will be forced and if it is funny it will start another annoying internet meme ("The cake is a lie" is fucking annoying and everyone knows it).

Another concern is about length of the game. Portal 1 was about a 2-4 hours long game which like Yahtzee said is a good length, it prevents it form outstaying its welcome. So How will making Portal longer be to its benefit?

I honestly want to know if others share my concerns. I brought my concerns up to a good friend and he struck me upside the head and told me to NEVER blaspheme against Portal again.

Edited for Spelling, I had just woken up when I first posted this, Sorry.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

you make some good points, but honestly, we will find out on the 19th wont we.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I'm not really excited about it. But then again, I seem to be immune to the Valve infatuation that sorrounds these forums.


I'll wait and see the reviews.

 

[microhive]

I'm not all that excited but I will definitely play it. It'll surely put my nerves on the test.

Can't say much else until it is released.

 

[Woodsey]

" and if it is funny it will start another annoying internet meme ("The cake is a lie" is fucking annoying and everyone knows it)."

What does that have to do with the game? I'm quite sure people don't write things with the intention of them becoming memes (for the most part). There is actually a design reason behind the whole companion cube thing too.

"Another concern is about length of the game. Portal 1 was about a 2-4 hours long game which like Yahtzee said is a good length, it prevents it form outstaying its welcome. So How will making Portal longer be to its benefit?"

There are more gameplay elements. Portal extended to 8 hours is outstaying its welcome, Portal with other actual features and a more weighty narrative is why its longer.

I'm not really excited about it. But then again, I seem to be immune to the Valve infatuation that sorrounds these forums.

Not really sure why people seem to think its only these forums that so intensely love them.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

How is Portal 2 making itself better by making itself longer? Simple, it's giving us more things to play with. Gels, Panels, Excursion Funnels, Vacuums, crushers are what we can now play with, instead of just Portals, Turrets and Physics.

As for the humour spawning another annoying meme, that is possible, but look at this way, Portal is still perfect despite people debating the questionable existence of it's baked goods. The humour will be good so long as it keeps with the trailer's humour.

But yeah, I don't have much faith of it being better than Portal 1. After all, you can't beat perfection.

Calumon: But it makes my tummy feel funny! That's a bad thing! :S

 

[Jordi]

I have concerns, but they are not the same as the OP's. I don't think it is going to be just a cash-in. It seems to me like they are putting a lot of effort into the advertising campaign, and I really like the humor displayed in that.
Also, I really wouldn't mind if it was longer than Portal. The only thing to watch out for when you make a longer game is that it doesn't get too thinly spread.

The thing that I'm concerned about is that it seems really centered on co-op, and I will definitely be playing the game alone.

 

[Sharalon]

Ofc it won't be as good as the original Portal! But then, nothing is! don't expect it to be good, cause you would only be disappointed.

 

[Fanta Grape]

1. It's valve.

2. Valve makes 10 metric tonnes of memes for every game usually because it originated with something good.

3. Portal was just a tutorial game. With new ideas and concepts to mix around, it can easily fulfil its timeframe.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

" and if it is funny it will start another annoying internet meme ("The cake is a lie" is fucking annoying and everyone knows it)."

What does that have to do with the game? I'm quite sure people don't write things with the intention of them becoming memes (for the most part). There is actually a design reason behind the whole companion cube thing too.

"Another concern is about length of the game. Portal 1 was about a 2-4 hours long game which like Yahtzee said is a good length, it prevents it form outstaying its welcome. So How will making Portal longer be to its benefit?"

There are more gameplay elements. Portal extended to 8 hours is outstaying its welcome, Portal with other actual features and a more weighty narrative is why its longer.

I'm not really excited about it. But then again, I seem to be immune to the Valve infatuation that sorrounds these forums.

Not really sure why people seem to think its only these forums that so intensely love them.

I never said that it was only these forums.

 

[EllEzDee]

While i won't be getting Portal 2, i think it'll at least live up to the name.
All the new features look nice, but they look like they might over-do it. Portal was nice because of its simplicity, with easy to use but hard to master mechanics. All this bio-gel and laser stuff might make the game a bit too antsy, but i doubt it'll actually be a bad game.
On top of that, Valve have been promoting the game through a clever little game with a bunch of other indie titles, where players have to do impossibly difficult tasks to unlock the next part of the puzzle. They didn't put this kind of effort into L4D2, which shows they knew it wasn't a worthwhile release.

 

[PAGEToap44]

you make some good points, but honestly, we will find out on the 19th wont we.

*sob* Some of us... I will have to wait till the 22nd. Curse you time!

OT: Personally I have no doubts about this game. From what I've already seen of the gameplay, graphics, story and humour this is going to be one bloody good game. So don't worry, be happy.

 

[Ellen of Kitten]

I'll tell you, I am none to thrilled about the co-op-bot things that have been running around like a pair of mascots. But the story of the game seems to surround the girl from Portal 1 (name escapes me), which I like.

Captcha just took it to the next level! It wants me to enter the Omega symbol in. o_o

'omega symbol' " isratem

 

[tzimize]

About the cake: Everything is annoying when it is extremely overdone. It was funny in the beginning.

Thoughts about Portal 2:

Pros:
Coop: Slap coop on anything and I'm interested. It doesnt make a game good, but it gets my attention. Hopefully Portal 2 coop is a fun addition.

Length: While I agree that Portal 1 was the perfect length, it wasnt the perfect length for a game in general, just the perfect length for itself. Short does not equal good, it just equals short, which was fitting for Portal 1.

Humor: While it certainly wont be as fresh as the original (no sequels ever are), that doesnt mean it cant be funny. Personally I have faith that it will be at least entertaining if not laugh out loud funny.

Cons:
Coop:? I'm not too informed but the coop is a different campaign than the main one, yes? If not it will definately mess up the campaign. I cant imagine it being possible to create a campaign that is as good for 1 player as for several.

Consoles: Valve has already stated that the twitch gaming from the original will not be found anywhere. They say this is because gamers should not be disallowed to finish a game just because they are not fast enough with a mouse/gamepad, or something of the sort. This is just PR speak for: If we make the game as fast as the original only 5% if any of the console crowd will be able to finish it.

This is my biggest gripe, they make compromises in gameplay to sell the game to 3 platforms. The fast gameplay (at least in the later levels, and especially in the challenges) was one of the things I enjoyed in Portal 1. Finishing a chain throwing of myself through several portals and aiming that portal in the correct part of the floor/wall just as I was about to land...priceless. Now the game will be slowed down. This makes me a sad panda.

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to start a concole vs PC war, I own an xbox360, a PS3 and a gaming PC and I use them all. I am simply sad Valve will "nerf" the gameplay to sell to more platforms, even though its perfectly understandable that they want more money.

 

[ANImaniac89]

I really don't mind the co-op bots, they kind or remind me of something Pixar would make.

Part of my "Problem?" is that I'm indifferent to Valve as a developer, I never really cared for the Half-Life series, I really don't do online shooters so thats a no go on TF2, I get bored of L4D really easy (but I do like it as a series). I do enjoy Portal but the looming sequel has me uneasy. Also First Person is not my favorite prospective for a game to have and Valve work exclusively on FPS's.

 

[Woodsey]

Consoles: Valve has already stated that the twitch gaming from the original will not be found anywhere. They say this is because gamers should not be disallowed to finish a game just because they are not fast enough with a mouse/gamepad, or something of the sort. This is just PR speak for: If we make the game as fast as the original only 5% if any of the console crowd will be able to finish it.

This is my biggest gripe, they make compromises in gameplay to sell the game to 3 platforms. The fast gameplay (at least in the later levels, and especially in the challenges) was one of the things I enjoyed in Portal 1. Finishing a chain throwing of myself through several portals and aiming that portal in the correct part of the floor/wall just as I was about to land...priceless. Now the game will be slowed down. This makes me a sad panda.

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to start a concole vs PC war, I own an xbox360, a PS3 and a gaming PC and I use them all. I am simply sad Valve will "nerf" the gameplay to sell to more platforms, even though its perfectly understandable that they want more money.

Link please.

I can hardly remember any twitch stuff in the original anyway - stuff that was based on timing, yes, but not twitch.

And considering I've never seen anyone on consoles complain about it being overtly hard with the restrictions of a gamepad, I find it hard to believe that's exactly what they've said.

 

[jamesworkshop]

I found portal fun purely for the physics based gameplay, which portal 2 has increased dramatically, although some additions like the air vents or that bridge of light thing really don't hold any interest for me.

the humor reminds me of monkey island where it's isn't quite as funny as you remember it actually being

 

[tzimize]

Consoles: Valve has already stated that the twitch gaming from the original will not be found anywhere. They say this is because gamers should not be disallowed to finish a game just because they are not fast enough with a mouse/gamepad, or something of the sort. This is just PR speak for: If we make the game as fast as the original only 5% if any of the console crowd will be able to finish it.

This is my biggest gripe, they make compromises in gameplay to sell the game to 3 platforms. The fast gameplay (at least in the later levels, and especially in the challenges) was one of the things I enjoyed in Portal 1. Finishing a chain throwing of myself through several portals and aiming that portal in the correct part of the floor/wall just as I was about to land...priceless. Now the game will be slowed down. This makes me a sad panda.

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to start a concole vs PC war, I own an xbox360, a PS3 and a gaming PC and I use them all. I am simply sad Valve will "nerf" the gameplay to sell to more platforms, even though its perfectly understandable that they want more money.

Link please.

I can hardly remember any twitch stuff in the original anyway - stuff that was based on timing, yes, but not twitch.

And considering I've never seen anyone on consoles complain about it being overtly hard with the restrictions of a gamepad, I find it hard to believe that's exactly what they've said.

http://greyviper.com/2865/valve-comments-portal-2-puzzles-differ-game.html

There you go, straight from the horses mouth. Or however that saying goes

 

[Woodsey]

Consoles: Valve has already stated that the twitch gaming from the original will not be found anywhere. They say this is because gamers should not be disallowed to finish a game just because they are not fast enough with a mouse/gamepad, or something of the sort. This is just PR speak for: If we make the game as fast as the original only 5% if any of the console crowd will be able to finish it.

This is my biggest gripe, they make compromises in gameplay to sell the game to 3 platforms. The fast gameplay (at least in the later levels, and especially in the challenges) was one of the things I enjoyed in Portal 1. Finishing a chain throwing of myself through several portals and aiming that portal in the correct part of the floor/wall just as I was about to land...priceless. Now the game will be slowed down. This makes me a sad panda.

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to start a concole vs PC war, I own an xbox360, a PS3 and a gaming PC and I use them all. I am simply sad Valve will "nerf" the gameplay to sell to more platforms, even though its perfectly understandable that they want more money.

Link please.

I can hardly remember any twitch stuff in the original anyway - stuff that was based on timing, yes, but not twitch.

And considering I've never seen anyone on consoles complain about it being overtly hard with the restrictions of a gamepad, I find it hard to believe that's exactly what they've said.

http://greyviper.com/2865/valve-comments-portal-2-puzzles-differ-game.html

There you go, straight from the horses mouth. Or however that saying goes

Fair enough, but:

Like he says, there were only a couple of truly twitch-based puzzles - and in a puzzle game, thinking and logic should take precedent over how fast you can move the crosshair, which is what they're promoting. I don't really see much of an issue.