I find playing others' maps might give more possibilities for ideas. Many times, I solve a puzzle in a completely different way than what the designer intended and spun that idea into a puzzle. Three that come to mind: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=363897331 steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=265498503 steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=181160432
As you said, exploring what a given set-up has to offer and discovering cool sequences and novel ideas while designing the map is a lot of fun - my main reason to make puzzles :D
There are a lot of times where I end up designing a chamber mostly on auto-pilot, but maybe, just maybe, if I stopped and took the time to follow the advice of this video, I might not have a kajillion unfinished puzzle drafts. Excellent work on the video, a fantastic surprise indeed.
Superb! What a lovely return to the series, Demon. Thank you for being such a huge inspiration to the community. You've always been a wonderful influence to me! ❤
like always, a great addition to the series of how to make great test chambers! i specifically like how you stated the importance of the chambers geometry, since it can improve the test, and make the chamber more visually interesting, its all too often i see big boxes as test chambers, with little to no variation in the color of the surfaces.
sad there hasn't been more episodes, hopefully you can be up for more in the future this definitely helps me think up ideas, if I get a chamber done I'll be sure to send it here ^^ I hope you're having a great day :DDDD
Really well made video Demon. I’m impressed by how professional it is! Glad you found some energy and inspiration to continuing the series. Also for the next part it might be worth throwing in a mention of Desolation somewhere, this is a pretty popular series after all nudge nudge ;)
Thanks mate! Glad you enjoyed it. I'll definitely do that in future instalments but I wanted to keep this one short and no-nonsense since it's been so long since the last ep. Plenty of opportunities for shameless promotion in the future though!
This was a great video, Demon! Turns out we have similar approaches in how we make puzzles, i.e. starting off with a core concept and building the puzzle around it.
Awesome! I think this series is really useful, even for experienced puzzle designers because it's just so informative it's helpful and motivating to anyone, it can also give some inspiration. Very nice job, Demon! Thanks! 😉
thanks for the videos! i'm working on a puzzle game that's hugely inspired by portal and this series have been very helpful for puzzle design, along with your maps of course :)
Mi favorite test chambers can: 1. Very small and all portable 2. Very big and dark with a few hidden chambers 3. A mix of both lit and dark with a maze element.
Would you make a video about each magor testing element? Like light bridge, what it is used for, how it interacts with other elements, etc. That would be greatley apreciated
I have a feedback : The video was good as always. I have a question where does the video compression come from ? (could just be youtube but ehh) I have an insult you absolute Muppet! Thanks for the video :D
Hey Demon, I know you might not respond to this but I have a question: how to you make a test chamber have a thumbnail on the workshop? I feel like if I had thumbnails on my chambers more people would be interested in them, but I don't know how to do that. Thanks!
How do you get those custom elements like triggers and logic gates and stuff I noticed you had when you were building this level as an example. What are the logic gates? and how do I add costume elements like those triggers and change around that items menu?
Imagine if there was a puzzle editor for mobile where you cant actually test the puzzle but you can design it and save it to act as kind of a blueprint for later
@@DemonArisen I think I found a good alternative if you're broke like me and cant afford a steam deck: theres this really cool mobile fangame of portal called teleportal and it has a map editor, but it differs a lot from the original editor but it does the job sometimes
At 2:25, I notice that you have different tools to use than I do, which is shown at the left. I started getting interesting in mapping recently, and I only have basic tools. I’d like to know how you got such tools.
Sounds like fun! Collaboration is awesome, although working together on a puzzle can be a challenge since it's such a complex process -- but I think it's worth it!
It's an add-on called BEEMod :) Specifically version 2.4 -- I'd recommend it if you're already an experienced puzzle designer, but if not it's more of a distraction and can be a tad overwhelming.
Good question! Totally depends on the complexity and how many issues you run into, I'd say anything from a few hours to a few weeks! Usually 2-3 days of working on it for a few hours each day, on average
What is the mod you were using when you showed the speed building? I want to create puzzles with that mod. Also if it's the beemod of then what version?
It feels very weird for me to design like doing it backwards but that feels like u just make an easy to do list like: get something so u can get cube Use cube on button: Now u can finish anyway to fix this cuz it seems really boring and not creative to make puzzle like this i dont know what a good start/end is
Seems like as good a place as any to ask this: are there additional resources for getting more PLAYS for a test chamber? Do you just have to re-publish them several times a day and hope they pop up at the top of someone's list before 30 more designs drop in? If there's a more appropriate place for this question, please lemme know and I'll put it there instead. Thanks!
There's no "one weird trick to get popular" on the Portal 2 workshop. My advice is to make the best tests you can, be receptive to feedback, and strive to improve. It took me years to accrue the following I have now, but I think I got there by working hard to ensure my puzzles are well-made and fun, and making sure that I interact and engage with my friends and fans. Hope that helps! :)
If you are just interested in hitting the front page a lot of times, your strategy will probably work regardless of the quality of your tests if you simply persevere. If you are interested in getting ''constant'' players, you could try to ask experienced and active players to check out your maps. But be aware that the more experienced a player is, the more critical they will be, usually
5:22 Yes I have an insult for you. Just note that this insult is highly unoriginal I used an ad-blocker on these videos JK, I love these hammer tutorials and you are pretty inspirational along with the maps.
I don't actually have ads running on these videos, I make no money from them :P So don't worry, you can feel free to use adblock. Glad you're enjoying the videos!
@@user-khan005 have no fear, I'm still here :) Been busy working on my mod, Portal 2: Desolation! Do check it out if you've never come across it before
i am infinitely jealous on your beemod usage i cant use it no matter how i install it or whatever version, building a test chamber fails saying "Vbsp failed, access denied"
Surprise! 😄🎉Enjoy the new episode everyone, and don't forget to check out the puzzle too: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1860304337
I find playing others' maps might give more possibilities for ideas. Many times, I solve a puzzle in a completely different way than what the designer intended and spun that idea into a puzzle. Three that come to mind:
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=363897331
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=265498503
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=181160432
Yep, talked about that in Episode 3. This episode is less about coming up with ideas and more about fleshing out those ideas into actual puzzles.
@@DemonArisen Rewatching older videos apparently helps too; to retain
details that may have been forgotten. *facepalm*
My portal 2 tests. Let me know what u think:
steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198882897511
com bak
As you said, exploring what a given set-up has to offer and discovering cool sequences and novel ideas while designing the map is a lot of fun - my main reason to make puzzles :D
I was so happy to see this notification on my phone
Impossible! I waited so long and it's finally here. YES!
There are a lot of times where I end up designing a chamber mostly on auto-pilot, but maybe, just maybe, if I stopped and took the time to follow the advice of this video, I might not have a kajillion unfinished puzzle drafts. Excellent work on the video, a fantastic surprise indeed.
Superb! What a lovely return to the series, Demon. Thank you for being such a huge inspiration to the community. You've always been a wonderful influence to me! ❤
like always, a great addition to the series of how to make great test chambers! i specifically like how you stated the importance of the chambers geometry, since it can improve the test, and make the chamber more visually interesting, its all too often i see big boxes as test chambers, with little to no variation in the color of the surfaces.
sad there hasn't been more episodes, hopefully you can be up for more in the future
this definitely helps me think up ideas, if I get a chamber done I'll be sure to send it here ^^
I hope you're having a great day :DDDD
Really well made video Demon. I’m impressed by how professional it is! Glad you found some energy and inspiration to continuing the series.
Also for the next part it might be worth throwing in a mention of Desolation somewhere, this is a pretty popular series after all nudge nudge ;)
Thanks mate! Glad you enjoyed it. I'll definitely do that in future instalments but I wanted to keep this one short and no-nonsense since it's been so long since the last ep. Plenty of opportunities for shameless promotion in the future though!
I'm GLaD this series exists
underrated comment
@@jagaimo3484 overrated reply
@@notkirb_ who would get excited about that? That's not what replies are for. The original comment has 11 likes
@@jagaimo3484 i was joking bruh
@@notkirb_ what was the joke?
Next video gonna be in 2027
No but srsly tho these videos are so incredibly helpful, ty!
As always, great video! It's very informative and also a great way to get a closer look at your map-making process. Keep up the great work!
I ment to watch this a week ago and forgot about till now. It's been like 3 years, god I'm so happy you uploaded again (and you sound so diffrent to)
It's finally here! Thanks for continuing this series.
This was a great video, Demon! Turns out we have similar approaches in how we make puzzles, i.e. starting off with a core concept and building the puzzle around it.
Oh my god you still exist!
Glad to see a new part to this series. :)
Finally back with more episodes, I see! Can't wait for episode 5 next decade!
Awesome! I think this series is really useful, even for experienced puzzle designers because it's just so informative it's helpful and motivating to anyone, it can also give some inspiration. Very nice job, Demon! Thanks! 😉
Great video, quite informative as always. I'm sure it will help a lot of people!
thanks for the videos! i'm working on a puzzle game that's hugely inspired by portal and this series have been very helpful for puzzle design, along with your maps of course :)
This video changed our life.
Holy! I was not expecting to come home and see this pop up! Nice video, and thank you Demon!
I was so glad to see a number four!
Great video. Well presented and it makes me just want to build puzzles!!
Why is this the most relevant channel in my subscriptions right now?
Such a good series, thank you for it, and I hope you are still having fun doing what you do!
This series has been really helpful and I really wish part 5 was out already
@@callumstar1062 Thank you - one day! 😁
This series was good, thanks for making it
Thank you Demon, very cool.
Is that a fucking Dani reference ?!
@@blakeline1633 no idea who that is
@@Konclan well you unknowingly made a reference to someone, congratulations
Damn this actually came out. Unlike *cough* half life 3 *cough*
Congratulations! You made it to 800 Subscribers!
0:21 Idear
If this series ever comes back, I'll start making maps again.
A gift from the gods
OMG a new video! Keep up the good work :)
How to get triggers, logic gates and the others?
Mi favorite test chambers can:
1. Very small and all portable
2. Very big and dark with a few hidden chambers
3. A mix of both lit and dark with a maze element.
Would you make a video about each magor testing element? Like light bridge, what it is used for, how it interacts with other elements, etc. That would be greatley apreciated
Yep, this is planned for future episodes! :)
I have a feedback : The video was good as always.
I have a question where does the video compression come from ? (could just be youtube but ehh)
I have an insult you absolute Muppet!
Thanks for the video :D
Merci, mon ami! Not sure about the compression but it might be my export settings. I think the video looks fine though!
2:30 hol'up, logic gates, triggers and a whole bunch of other elements? How can I get this too?
its called BeeMod
@@FishGamingReal Yeah found it! Thanks for the tip!
I played this level before I knew this is from this series! I use BEE2.4 to build chambers, but these videos are really good!
Thanks very much! As you can see from the video, I use BEE2.4 as well :)
Worth the wait
Can you show us how you can get the extra test elements in to the editor?😀
You'll need to install BEEMOD, a free add-on for the puzzlemaker. Get it here: github.com/BEEmod/BEE2.4
@@DemonArisen Thanks so mutch :)
HOLY SHIT i didnt realize this was out! Time to subscribe, lol
Nice explanation! I'll keep this in mind next time I make a chamber and it'll be nearly as good as yours.
Don't cry, Craft!
Hey Demon, I know you might not respond to this but I have a question: how to you make a test chamber have a thumbnail on the workshop? I feel like if I had thumbnails on my chambers more people would be interested in them, but I don't know how to do that. Thanks!
Hey! You'll need to use BEEMOD if you want to add custom thumbnails :)
Yay! You're back!
He rises
How do you get those custom elements like triggers and logic gates and stuff I noticed you had when you were building this level as an example. What are the logic gates? and how do I add costume elements like those triggers and change around that items menu?
What qualities do major elements have that could be used for more interesting custom elements?
Great video, btw what mod is you using :B
cheeky little beemod2 palette i see
Imagine if there was a puzzle editor for mobile where you cant actually test the puzzle but you can design it and save it to act as kind of a blueprint for later
this would be genuinely useful haha, if only! I suppose you could play Portal 2 on Steam Deck for a similar effect
@@DemonArisen I think I found a good alternative if you're broke like me and cant afford a steam deck:
theres this really cool mobile fangame of portal called teleportal and it has a map editor, but it differs a lot from the original editor but it does the job sometimes
He comes in like normal after a three year gap between the last episode...huh
This music in the end is so moving
its sad this man doesnt get more than 1.25k subs hes a genius
I cant wait until your back
Using hammer can make very detailed levels but it is unreliable sometimes and is hard to use
At 2:25, I notice that you have different tools to use than I do, which is shown at the left. I started getting interesting in mapping recently, and I only have basic tools. I’d like to know how you got such tools.
Its called beemod
What would you say about calling a friend for help on developing your chamber?
Sounds like fun! Collaboration is awesome, although working together on a puzzle can be a challenge since it's such a complex process -- but I think it's worth it!
My god this is already 4 years old... wow
Man would be cool if you would bring out a new episode some time :D
1:12 Why do you have other objects?
BeeMod
when episode 5
4:21 what is this mod?
Beemod
How do you have more items in the editor please?
It's an add-on called BEEMod :) Specifically version 2.4 -- I'd recommend it if you're already an experienced puzzle designer, but if not it's more of a distraction and can be a tad overwhelming.
@@DemonArisen thanks, but I noticed theres beemod 2.5, downloaded it and it doesn't look as good as yours. Is 2.4 better?
DAMNIT I WAS CLEANING MY SUB BOX AND MISSED IT AAAAA anyways this is epic
Can't wait for episode 5!
Same here! One day :)
Welp, we took the challenge. Here's our take on your example puzzle: steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1863543719
How long exactly does it take to make a finished chamber on average?
Good question! Totally depends on the complexity and how many issues you run into, I'd say anything from a few hours to a few weeks! Usually 2-3 days of working on it for a few hours each day, on average
What mod are you using in 2:05 in the element menu?
It's BEEmod.
What is the mod you were using when you showed the speed building? I want to create puzzles with that mod. Also if it's the beemod of then what version?
Surprised you didn't call attention to the fact you're using beemod- *everyone* should use beemod, it's An amazing tool for making puzzles
@@dr.smitadubey267 Nah it brings new elements to the table
Jesus massive voice change, was watching the series, new to the channel, voice changed quite a bit, but than again, your 3rd video was 2016 lol
Demon! You should make a public discord server for portal 2 community level makers and enthusiasts.
It feels very weird for me to design like doing it backwards but that feels like u just make an easy to do list like:
get something so u can get cube
Use cube on button:
Now u can finish
anyway to fix this cuz it seems really boring and not creative to make puzzle like this i dont know what a good start/end is
Seems like as good a place as any to ask this: are there additional resources for getting more PLAYS for a test chamber? Do you just have to re-publish them several times a day and hope they pop up at the top of someone's list before 30 more designs drop in? If there's a more appropriate place for this question, please lemme know and I'll put it there instead. Thanks!
There's no "one weird trick to get popular" on the Portal 2 workshop. My advice is to make the best tests you can, be receptive to feedback, and strive to improve. It took me years to accrue the following I have now, but I think I got there by working hard to ensure my puzzles are well-made and fun, and making sure that I interact and engage with my friends and fans. Hope that helps! :)
If you are just interested in hitting the front page a lot of times, your strategy will probably work regardless of the quality of your tests if you simply persevere. If you are interested in getting ''constant'' players, you could try to ask experienced and active players to check out your maps. But be aware that the more experienced a player is, the more critical they will be, usually
what modifications to
the editor are you using?
5:22 Yes I have an insult for you. Just note that this insult is highly unoriginal
I used an ad-blocker on these videos
JK, I love these hammer tutorials and you are pretty inspirational along with the maps.
I don't actually have ads running on these videos, I make no money from them :P So don't worry, you can feel free to use adblock. Glad you're enjoying the videos!
I've played this before watching this :0
I love your videos! will you post new maps soon?
Thanks! :) I've been taking a break from designing puzzles for a while, but I plan to get back into it soon
@@DemonArisen bro are you alive? :D
@@user-khan005 have no fear, I'm still here :) Been busy working on my mod, Portal 2: Desolation! Do check it out if you've never come across it before
@@DemonArisen oh great! i watched its trailer and its looking awesome for now!
Hey quick question what mod are you using for the editor
Think there using BEE2.4 it adds lots of stuff github.com/BEEmod/BEE2.4
@@wesclayton i have bee 2,4 already
@@AngelJenkins0816 ooh ok XD
3 years between two episodes lol
I have an insult: This insult to your intelligence is not an insult.
Your Gonna make him have a fatal error!
where did you get the editor you have?
What mod are you using? Doors and logic gates aren't accessible through the built in level maker.
POSSIBLE 👏 PUZZLE 👏 PERMUTATIONS
Plenty of potential possibilities pertaining to pleasingly perplexing puzzles!
You gonna make another?
I plan to eventually!
Oh oh question: have u used hammer befor?
it took more than a year this time i guess
How did you got theese items like "trigger" and more? How?
There's a program called "BEEMOD" which you can download to enhance the editor! Search "Portal 2 BEE2.4"
@@DemonArisen im trying to get beemod but everytime if i compile materials i get that stupid ahh permission error
Your item selection is different, how do you get more options?
Good, like ;)
i am infinitely jealous on your beemod usage
i cant use it
no matter how i install it or whatever version, building a test chamber fails saying "Vbsp failed, access denied"
says it would take less than a year, takes 3
R u harryuk101 u sound liek wesley form protal 2!!1!
Do you think you'll ever make a hammer map?
Maybe one day, but it's unlikely. Just don't have time to learn Hammer, really. Plenty of talented peeps have kindly hammerised my puzzles, though!
Haha, I had a feeling you also used BEE2