Portal 2 Level Editor Coming Next Month - UPDATED

[Andy Chalk]

Portal 2 Level Editor Coming Next Month - UPDATED

Valve is rolling out the Portal 2 "Perpetual Testing Initiative" in May.

Have you played Portal 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Portal-2-Pc/dp/B002I0JIQW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1335489096&sr=8-3] yet? I haven't but apparently it's pretty good, so in what I'm assuming is an effort to boost its profile among mainstream gamers and give sales a bit of a goose, Valve is releasing the Perpetual Testing Initiative DLC on May 8 at no charge.

The Perpetual Testing Initiative features a "simplified puzzle maker" that will let players create all-new levels from within the game and then share them via the Steam Workshop, where their fellow gamers can browse, play and vote on them. Word of the new "custom test chambers" first came to light in October 2011, when it was revealed [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/113790-Next-Portal-2-DLC-Lets-Players-Make-Custom-Test-Chambers] that Valve was working on a simplified map editor that would let players create their own single-player and co-op Portal 2 levels. Intrepid Portal fans can create their own levels now using the Source Developers Kit, but it's apparently not the most intuitive process in the world; the PTI will presumably make Portal 2 level design less painful for people who don't actually want to be full-time game designers.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the promised support for co-op map making will make it. The word from Odessa Cubbage himself [via the Steam forums [http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2670223]] is that in order to get it out as quickly as possible, it won't be included in the initial release of the Perpetual Testing Initiative but will instead be added in a future update.

​

UPDATE: Now with video! The Perpetual Testing Initiative trailer explains with far greater detail and precision than I ever could how the great minds at Aperture Science plan to turn around the company's sagging profits by putting one over on the Mole Monsters. Sounds like a rock-solid plan to me. Get all the details at thinkwithportals.com [http://thinkwithportals.com/blog.php].


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[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I am looking forward to videos of nearly impossible puzzles being completed in less than 3 minutes.

 

[Lunar Templar]

DO.
WANT.
that is all

 

[synobal]

Yes please! sooo much yes please!

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

huh...this might actually get me to like portal 2 on more than a "meh" level, sounds interesting, i'll definitely pay attention to this update.

 

[pearcinator]

huh...this might actually get me to like portal 2 on more than a "meh" level, sounds interesting, i'll definitely pay attention to this update.

I too thought Portal 2 was pretty average. I can't quite put my finger on why though...The lack of 'challenge maps' was disappointing (and the new challenge maps they put in sucked I thought).

Maybe it was because it no longer felt fresh and new. It will be cool to make some maps though if the level editor is easy enough.

I do like it when Valve puts developer commentary in its games though! More developers should do that because I find it interesting (even though I am in no way considering to be a game designer)

 

[Chunga the Great]

I'm really loving the whole Steam Workshop thing right now. I hope they put in WS support for mod-friendly games on release from now on.

 

[LadyDeadly]

You must really like to test. I like to test too! Now everyone can test in the name of science! :3

 

[bobmus]

Have you played Portal 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Portal-2-Pc/dp/B002I0JIQW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1335489096&sr=8-3] yet? I haven't but apparently it's pretty good.

You should fix that.

in what I'm assuming is an effort to boost its profile among mainstream gamers

It went to the top of sales charts around the world and has won multiple awards as Game of the Year. It's about as mainstream as you can get without putting the words Call of Duty on the box.
A small sales boost is a more likely explanation, though really it's mostly just nice for those who already own the game.

 

[lancar]

DLC enabling players to create new content for the game easily and for free?

See, now THIS is why Valve is awesome.

 

[Drop_D-Bombshell]

oh god, I need this! So many maps to test, so little time. Give a week and Portal 2 will be full of awesome maps.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

I assume this will only be for PC? Or will a 360/PS3 version come out as well?

Steam workshop is still PC only unfortunately. PS3 users may get it sometime, that is if the "Valve 3" curse doesn't kick in.

 

[JimbobDa3rd]

Have you played Portal 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Portal-2-Pc/dp/B002I0JIQW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1335489096&sr=8-3] yet? I haven't but apparently it's pretty good.

You should fix that.

in what I'm assuming is an effort to boost its profile among mainstream gamers

It went to the top of sales charts around the world and has won multiple awards as Game of the Year. It's about as mainstream as you can get without putting the words Call of Duty on the box.
A small sales boost is a more likely explanation, though really it's mostly just nice for those who already own the game.

Im guessing the article was meant to be sarcastic. I would hope that anyone working for the escapist knew how well rated and loved portal 2 was, and had given it a shot

 

[frobalt]

huh...this might actually get me to like portal 2 on more than a "meh" level, sounds interesting, i'll definitely pay attention to this update.

I too thought Portal 2 was pretty average. I can't quite put my finger on why though...The lack of 'challenge maps' was disappointing (and the new challenge maps they put in sucked I thought).

I found it pretty average too in the end. I enjoyed playing it, but once I was through the main story and got coop done I felt like there was just nothing else to do.

After all, there's no point playing a 'puzzle' game through more than once as it's just gonna be the same thing but quicker.

At some points I felt the puzzle aspect of it was just thrown out of the window to put in some story - Having user created maps might put some more platability in the game, although I do not have enough faith to start playing it again.

 

[Korzack]

Sucks for the console guys, as this does look to be PC exclusive, but woo, awesome - nice to see companies still rolling out level editor software, and especially for free. Thanks, Valve.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

So we should expect it in a few months?

[sub]Couldn't resist.[/sub]

 

[Fredvdp]

So we should expect it in a few months?

[sub]Couldn't resist.[/sub]

I put my money on September.

 

[Stein Inge]

What about the 360 users? Will no-one think of the children!!? (And me...)

 

[l3o2828]

Portal 2 Level Editor Coming Next Month

Valve is rolling out the Portal 2 "Perpetual Testing Initiative" in May.

Have you played Portal 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Portal-2-Pc/dp/B002I0JIQW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1335489096&sr=8-3] yet? I haven't but apparently it's pretty good, so in what I'm assuming is an effort to boost its profile among mainstream gamers and give sales a bit of a goose, Valve is releasing the Perpetual Testing Initiative DLC on May 8 at no charge.

The Perpetual Testing Initiative features a "simplified puzzle maker" that will let players create all-new levels from within the game and then share them via the Steam Workshop, where their fellow gamers can browse, play and vote on them. Word of the new "custom test chambers" first came to light in October 2011, when it was revealed [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/113790-Next-Portal-2-DLC-Lets-Players-Make-Custom-Test-Chambers] that Valve was working on a simplified map editor that would let players create their own single-player and co-op Portal 2 levels. Intrepid Portal fans can create their own levels now using the Source Developers Kit, but it's apparently not the most intuitive process in the world; the PTI will presumably make Portal 2 level design less painful for people who don't actually want to be full-time game designers.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the promised support for co-op map making will make it. The word from Odessa Cubbage himself [via the Steam forums [http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2670223]] is that in order to get it out as quickly as possible, it won't be included in the initial release of the Perpetual Testing Initiative but will instead be added in a future update.



Permalink

I assume this will only be for PC? Or will a 360/PS3 version come out as well?

Let me put it to you this way:Will Microsoft and Sony EVER accept free DLC?

There you have it.
It's only for PC/Steam.


Also, shouldn't this be a Level Creator instead of Level Editor? you aren't really editing a pre-existant level, you are building from scratch...just saying.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to this.