Valve: Portal's Chell is Silent Because It's Funnier
- Thread starter Tom Goldman
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It's in photography. Valve must have considered that a name as a joke; because 'Aperture' science refers to 'apeture' which is when a lens or part of an eye opens to let light in. F-Stops are a measurement of this, and are used commonplace in photography when working with lenses. It's actually a rather dull subject; interesting, but no laughs. Almost as dry as one of GLaDOS' jokes, really.WanderingFool said:
Too bad the game isn't fucking funny.
Just admit you have no clue on how to make singleplayer games with a voiced protagonist. Then hire some more modders that know how.
Just admit you have no clue on how to make singleplayer games with a voiced protagonist. Then hire some more modders that know how.
Makes you wonder though... if we don't go by the obvious explanation that it is an unrelated code-name: would Valve actually be able to make an entertaining game involving tradeoffs between how much is sharp, and how fast you can be?JaymesFogarty said:
I would buy that game.Kargathia said:
I once saw a special about this insect. It could sprint 20 miles per hour, but it would move so fast that it literally couldn't anything and the world was a blur. It moved in short little dashes, quickly looking around every time it stopped to ensure it was going where it thought it was going.
That sounds like one of the most interesting sprint functions ever: super fast, but you had better know where you want to go beforehand. It probably wouldn't work for a puzzle game, though.
That's cool, so she could talk all along? Then why the whole jump instead of saying "hi" or "apple"?
Was she just screwing around? I guess I can't blame her...
Either way, I was hoping they wouldn't bring her back. I'd like to just imagine that when she escapes, she gets her happy ending. I do hope they bring back GLaDOS, though. I kind of saw her as being more of the "protagonist" than Chell for some reason.
In fact, I hope they do a prequel where Caroline is the test subject. Cave Johnson mentions her love for science and GLaDOS claims that Chell was like Caroline, so maybe she was the first badass test subject. Maybe that whole F-Stop thing was one of those quarantined tests like the time travel test that only she got to play with.
Just my 2 cents.
Was she just screwing around? I guess I can't blame her...
Either way, I was hoping they wouldn't bring her back. I'd like to just imagine that when she escapes, she gets her happy ending. I do hope they bring back GLaDOS, though. I kind of saw her as being more of the "protagonist" than Chell for some reason.
In fact, I hope they do a prequel where Caroline is the test subject. Cave Johnson mentions her love for science and GLaDOS claims that Chell was like Caroline, so maybe she was the first badass test subject. Maybe that whole F-Stop thing was one of those quarantined tests like the time travel test that only she got to play with.
Just my 2 cents.
Makes sense. Rather than cry in a corner and be ingratiating or exchange lame one liners with GLaDOS and be annoying, Chell just kinda has this nonchalant acceptance of the whole affair in contrast to the crazy world she wakes up in. Comedy Gold!
It's just like the British during wartime.
It's just like the British during wartime.
I hope they don't create a new protagonist for Portal 3; it'll hav the same problem as L4D2. You know what I mean, know matter how good the characters are and no matter how much you like them (Rochele excluded, obviously) you won't be able to help comparing the new protagonist to Chell.
Though on the plus side, after ten Portal-less years we're going to accept pretty much anything as long as it has GLaDOS, Puzzles and the Portals themselves.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Though on the plus side, after ten Portal-less years we're going to accept pretty much anything as long as it has GLaDOS, Puzzles and the Portals themselves.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
About the whole F-Stop thing, I think I remember reading that, after Portal 1 exploded, Valve was considering using a different puzzle mechanic in each game, which is what they're referring to here. I can't help but wonder if, after Portal 2's huge success, they're going to go back to that idea, or mile the Portals a bit more (which I'd be ok with too), or just stop the series altogether. Food for thought.
the reason they do this, you angry angry man. is because its easier for a player to project onto a voiceless character. you can make oyur OWN retorts to glados's jokes, or the circumstances areounf you, and imagine it was that character who said it.
but when you have the character saying things, its a bit harder to do this, bacuase they are saying something you didnt say, therefor they have their own personality, apart from yours. and instead of it being you i nthe game, its just the character.
besides. i'd rather have a silent protagonist in portal. the fact that glados is the only voice you hear just sort of.. adds to the feeling of being completly alone, in an unforgiving enviroment with something that wants to see how many ways it can kill you before you find a way out. though its more annoying in half-life wher your always interacting with other people..
but when you have the character saying things, its a bit harder to do this, bacuase they are saying something you didnt say, therefor they have their own personality, apart from yours. and instead of it being you i nthe game, its just the character.
besides. i'd rather have a silent protagonist in portal. the fact that glados is the only voice you hear just sort of.. adds to the feeling of being completly alone, in an unforgiving enviroment with something that wants to see how many ways it can kill you before you find a way out. though its more annoying in half-life wher your always interacting with other people..
It's obvious, the next person to wield a portal gun is Gordon Freeman. Half Life three has been on hold so they can bring Portal to a point where the two games can converge.
I kinda think portal as a series is done. As much as I would love to see GLaDOS try to murder people in elaborate, roundabout ways, I think after 2 anything else in the series would be kind of a disappointment.
Besides, GLaDos doesn't care about Chell anymore, she let her go. I'd really like to see the series end on a high note.
Besides, GLaDos doesn't care about Chell anymore, she let her go. I'd really like to see the series end on a high note.
If they would explain that she doesn't talk to give the robots the satisfaction, then make it evident in the game and I will have no problem with this. I'm okay with this explanation- everyone just needs to know.
It was my first big laugh of the game too, but I always took it as Valve poking fun at themselves and their silent protagonists, not a serious suggestion that something was wrong with her.Kalezian said:
I always liked that she was silent; and now that I've read the full explanation as to why, I think Valve made an excellent decision. I had put it down to wanting to create better immersion for players (personally the game would have been ruined for me if Chell started answering back to GLaDOS, since I regularly hurl insults at her myself - it's MY job to sass her, not Chells). After reading the article I can appreciate that it really wouldn't have been as funny if Chell talked, because all she'd be doing is setting up GLaDOS's and Wheatley's lines for them. They're the real characters in this game, Chell is just a vehicle for the player.
Also, SO GLAD that they're not going to include Chell in any further Portal games (if indeed there are any), I'm perfectly happy to end her story here. She got out, which was what I was hoping for. GLaDOS lives and has test subjects to keep her happy for an eternity. There's just enough intrigue about the circumstances surrounding the whole thing to keep fans talking for a while (without going entirely batpoop insane with all the 'What Ifs'). That's all I wanted out of the game, I don't need Valve to tie up all the loose ends with a pretty bow. A good story should always leave just a little something to the imagination.
I approve of silent protagonists in games like these. They're like a good book, you can put your own imaginings into the blank spaces and feel apart of it all the more.
Silent protagonists rarely churn out bad games, I have noticed that trend. Sometimes talking is a welcome addition but alot of times I've finished a game where it just felt unnecessary.
Silent protagonists rarely churn out bad games, I have noticed that trend. Sometimes talking is a welcome addition but alot of times I've finished a game where it just felt unnecessary.