[Aptorian]

Anyone who's been keeping taps on gaming news over the past week will have heard about the mysterious new updates to Portal, a new ending, strange codes in the radios when they come in contact with the force fields, etc. Morse codes and weird old school modem signals that translate into strange gibberish and partial images of GlaDOS.

Well, today, finally, Portal 2 was announced.

http://store.steampowered.com/news/

The link, in the link, doesn't really seem to lead anywhere, but if you pay attention, you'll see that there's a bunch of letters that are underscored. They spell out "drattmannh0nee", which seems to be a username and code: Dr Attman and H0nee.

Quote

Follow up:

Page1: http://bayimg.com/OaLeHAacA

or

http://i46.tinypic.com/k2imfb.jpg

Page2: http://booto.bur.st/portal/coop.jpg

<Crispy`>: To let you know what happened.

<Crispy`>: The drattman/h0nee login

<Crispy`>: it gave us a .APF file

<Crispy`>: which is a fake filetype

<Crispy`>: it was made by Doug Rattman

<Crispy`>: of Aperture Science

<Crispy`>: when we logging into the backup/backup account

<Crispy`>: it gave us a BASIC program

<Crispy`>: which would run the .APF file

<Crispy`>: and from there I assume that's how Genesys got that image

<CFSworks>: .APF + .AMF actually

<CFSworks>: They come in pairs.

<Crispy`>: Enjoy, and grats Genesys

<Crispy`>: Yeah, what CFS said.

EDIT:

Looks like Gameinformer is planning on doing a running story on Portal all through March:

http://gameinformer....ag/portal2.aspx

EDIT2:

From Kotaku:

Quote

Portal 2 Adds Multiplayer Co-op, New & Familiar Characters

Officially released details on Valve's sequel to Portal were scant. Fortunately, retailer GameStop comes through with some major details, including the addition of a two-player cooperative campaign mode and all-new characters. GameStop's description of the PC and Xbox 360 game indicates that Portal 2 is due later this year—the online retailer lists an October 26 release date—bringing with a cast of "dynamic new characters" and "never-before-seen areas of the Aperture Science Labs." And yes, as hinted at earlier, players will be reunited with GLaDOS.

The only details on Portal 2's multiplayer mode from GameStop are that it will feature its own unique story-driven campaign. The "new mode forces players to reconsider everything they thought they knew about portals," requiring players "to not just act cooperatively, but to think cooperatively."

Here's the full product description.

Coming this holiday. Portal 2 is the sequel to 2007's Game of the Year and draws from the award-winning formula of innovative game play, story, and music that earned the original over 70 industry accolades. Features single and multiplayer co-op modes. The single-player portion of Portal 2 introduces a cast of dynamic new characters, a host of fresh puzzle elements, and a much larger set of devious test chambers. Players will explore never-before-seen areas of the Aperture Science Labs and be reunited with GLaDOS, the occasionally murderous computer companion who guided them through the original game. The game's two-player cooperative mode features its own entirely separate campaign with a unique story, test chambers, and two new player characters. This new mode forces players to reconsider everything they thought they knew about portals. Success will require them to not just act cooperatively, but to think cooperatively.

Triumphant.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 05 March 2010 - 10:06 PM

[RodeoRanch]

I never did finish the first one. I don't like puzzles. But I did like the concept behind the game and enjoyed the portal gun.

Pretty cool for Valve to play with their customers in such a geeky and old school way.

[Aptorian]

I can't wait to play capture the flag in Portal Multiplayer.

[Satan]

Right. I am well and truly fucked now. I'm turning in my thesis in November, but I might as well just give up on that one right away. Fittebloooooood!!

[caladanbrood]

Brilliant news Such a good game - hopefully this one will be a bit longer!!

[Illuyankas]

Have you seen the modified ending to Portal? REALLY looking forward to 2.

[Aptorian]

For those who haven't seen the new ending here's a link:

http://www.xfire.com/video/2393cf/

Spoilered for those who haven't completed the game.

Spoiler

Now in the original game I always assumed that Chell died during the vortex explosion thingy.

This new ending suggests to me that either she's still alive and she was dragged back into the complex, or she did die, and this new ending was simply used to show that despite GlaDOS going sky high the facility is still operational and tests continue.

I love some of the crazy theories people are coming up with now.

Like Portal 2 being mixed with Half Life 2: Episode 3.

That Chell will be assimilated and become the new mind of the GlaDOS programme.

That Freeman will have to fight Chell in some upcomming episode, etc.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 06 March 2010 - 07:14 PM

[Aptorian]

Some nice person has scanned the article on Portal 2 in Game Informer and been so kind as to put the pages up on the internet.

Warning there be spoilers in here. Mainly regarding who is the protagonists and antagonists in this game and what happened after the ending of P1.

http://i.imgur.com/m2XfS.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/3ink9.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/eWnyc.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/7NlSb.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Ou8gJ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/gKGe3.jpg

This game sounds so very awesome.

Spoiler

"Oh. It's you. It's been a long time. How have you been? I've been really busy being dead. You know...after you murdered me? Okay look, we both said a lot of things that you are going to regret. But I think we should put our differences behind us. For science. You monster."

[Aptorian]

Noooooooooo!!!

http://www.gamerzine...until-2011.html

Quote

Valve has just announced that Portal will miss its prospective release date of Christmas 2010. Instead Portal 2 won't make an appearance until sometime during 2011.

Here's the imaginatively written press release:

VALVE ANNOUNCES MAKING GAMES IS HARD

June 9, 2010 Aperture Science, doing business as Aperture Laboratories LLC, in partnership with Valve today announced the successful completion of an ethics-review-panel-supervised release date restructuring process. Portal 2, the sequel to the ground-breaking title that earned over 30 Game of the Year awards despite missing its original ship date, is now targeted for a 2011 release.

Representatives from both companies acknowledged that public safety concerns factored into the decision. They went on to say that even though Portal 2 will arrive slightly later than planned, all life on earth won't instantaneously stop as every molecule in your body explodes at the speed of light, which is what would happen should a rip ever appear in the fabric of Valve Time.

"Also, the game will be even better," they added, missing an historic opportunity to create the first product delay press release to mention that a product is being delayed to make it worse.

To ask questions about how close we all came to dying, or to ask futile questions about the previously announced E3 ***PORTAL-2-THEMED-FOR-GOD'S SAKE*** surprise or, less futilely, to schedule an appointment to attend a Portal 2 screening at the Valve booth during E3, please contact Valve's delegate to the EU's Valve Time Studies Group, Doug Lombardi.

What is it with Valve and their god damn delays? It's like the whole company has writers block.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 09 June 2010 - 07:15 PM

[Gothos]

But when they release they deliver. Without fail.

There is no point crying over every mistake
You just keep on trying 'till you run out of cake!


though not...

Now these points of data make a beautiful line
We are out of beta, we're releasing on time.


edit: I just realized, GLaDOS reminds me a lot of Soulcatcher from the Black Company books.

This post has been edited by Gothos: 09 June 2010 - 08:11 PM

[D'rek]

The longer I have to wait for this, the more beautiful it'll be and the better a computer I'll have to play it on, so I don't mind delays with reason. BUT OH GOD I DO SO WANT IT PLEEEEAAAASSSEEEE

[Satan]

Thank god! By then I'd (hopefully) be done with my thesis and I can play with a clean conscience. Which wont be the case for Deus Ex 3 and the X-COM remake.

[Aptorian]

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 04 November 2010 - 08:27 AM

[Tapper]

D, on 09 June 2010 - 08:20 PM, said:

The longer I have to wait for this, the more beautiful it'll be and the better a computer I'll have to play it on, so I don't mind delays with reason. BUT OH GOD I DO SO WANT IT PLEEEEAAAASSSEEEE

Your PC gets better with time? Please tell me where to get one of those

[Aptorian]

And the "game" that inspired these game elements in Portal 2. Apparently the developers were hired by Valve and brought on the Portal team (I'm assuming they are now rich).

[ansible]

Those videos are crazy.

[Aptorian]

Oh my:

[Gothos]

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D AWESOOME!

[Aptorian]

Yeah. I am probably never going to play the co-op stuff, unless some one here twisted my arm, but it looks really good.

It reminds me of "Lost Vikings" gameplay. Only crazier.

[dktorode]

But will there be cake?