Portal Spoilers

[Yegolev]

We do not no, why exactly  "the floor will kill you" for example.

Did you fall into it?  It's some sort of deadly, brown liquid.

[Samwise]

Are you sure it's deadly?  Maybe it just knocks you out so you can be memory-wiped and put back in the rejuvenation pod.

I've also wondered whether the "incinerators" are really incinerators.  Why incinerate the companion cube when you can just SAY it was incinerated and then quietly cycle it back to the start of the chamber for the next subject?

[JWIV]

Are you sure it's deadly?  Maybe it just knocks you out so you can be memory-wiped and put back in the rejuvenation pod.

I've also wondered whether the "incinerators" are really incinerators.  Why incinerate the companion cube when you can just SAY it was incinerated and then quietly cycle it back to the start of the chamber for the next subject?

Are you calling the companion cube a slut!? 

[schild]

Burning a companion cube is the only way to sterilize it.

There's no question GLaDOS cares about things like that.

I've also wondered whether the "incinerators" are really incinerators. 

That would make the last boss fight pretty... inconsequential.

[Yegolev]

These are great, paranoid conjectures.  I approve, especially the liquid bit.  However, I think I can safely assume the turrets and firepit are deadly, so what purpose would non-lethal liquid serve?  To the subject, they can all be considered deadly so the only reasoning I can use to have non-deadly liquid is if the turrets and firepit are also non-deadly.

If the Intelligent Incinerators really don't incinerate things, that can change a lot of the ending.  However it seems that Weighted Storage Cube production continues unabated, so I'm of the opinion that the incinerators really do incinerate whatever is tossed into them.

[NiX]

If the Intelligent Incinerators really don't incinerate things, that can change a lot of the ending.  However it seems that Weighted Storage Cube production continues unabated, so I'm of the opinion that the incinerators really do incinerate whatever is tossed into them.

Then why is she... Still Alive?

[Yegolev]

What I mean is that the ending battle was a complete fabrication if the spheres were not actually being destroyed.  That would also mean that the test could have been completed before the game events, if the end battle was just the final test.

[Samwise]

What I mean is that the ending battle was a complete fabrication if the spheres were not actually being destroyed.

Yes, GLaDOS certainly wouldn't mislead us about something like that.   :-D

That would also mean that the test could have been completed before the game events, if the end battle was just the final test.

I don't think that's even in question -- all the helpful markings made after the last test chamber were pretty clearly made by test subjects on earlier runs.  And I'm very convinced that the end battle was just another test.  It was also a triumph.  I'm making a note here, huge success.

[schild]

Yes, the last fight was definitely a test. No question about it.

The research facility was unnecessary after that I assume though, so what we saw was intended.

Also, you'll note that in the final song, it doesn't say that you're dead yet.

Even more, they foreshadow:
go ahead and leave me
I think I prefer to stay inside
maybe you'll find someone else to help you
maybe black mesa
that was a joke, haha, fat chance
anyway this cake is great, it's so delicious and moist
look at me still talking, when there's science to do
when I look out there it makes me glad I'm not you
I've experiments to run, there is research to be done
on the people who are still alive

and believe me I am still alive
I'm doing science and I'm still alive
I feel FANTASTIC and I'm still alive
While you are dying I'll be still alive
and when you're dead I'll be still alive
STILL ALIVE, still alive

So, uh, yea.

Game fucking rocks. Gives me chills. Etc.

edit: While I was typing this, I got a call from someone named Freeman. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeird.

[Der Helm]

However, I think I can safely assume the turrets and firepit are deadly, so what purpose would non-lethal liquid serve?  To the subject, they can all be considered deadly so the only reasoning I can use to have non-deadly liquid is if the turrets and firepit are also non-deadly.

Are they ?

As far as I noticed there is no "Health Bar" in the game. When you get hit by the turrets, you need to get hit for at least a few seconds before you "die". If you get hit by a short burst it does not kill you. NO MATTER how many short bursts hit you. Non lethal ammunition ?

The fires are far and between and could be holographic, but that I can not prove. Yet.

[Teleku]

You people are psycotic.  You dont lose life because then they would have to put life packs into the game.  If not, you would just get continously lower on life as you ran through the game, till you only had 1 point left and continously dying to grazes by turrets, making it unfun.  When turrent shoot you, BLOOD splatters all over the walls.  When you fall in the toxic goo, or you know, get smashed in between two giant piston pounder things, it makes an audible death/crunching noise.  The AI is most certainly trying to kill you.

[bhodi]

As for the fire thing, the only thing I can suggest is the child-like core says "Do you smell something burning?" or something similar when you hold it over the incinerator.

Also, if you want to hear her grunt, you can just drop a cube on yourself.

I suppose it's *possible* that the green goo isn't lethal, but I see no evidence of manipulation devices or ability to move unconcious bodies around. They'd surely have to be there though, at the very least, to keep the place clean and dust-free.

[Teleku]

You guys realize you can jump down into the damn incenerator yourselves, right?  There is lava down there, and you most certainly burn/die.

[schild]

You guys realize you can jump down into the damn incenerator yourselves, right?  There is lava down there, and you most certainly burn/die.

Oh, very much so. But it might be just very hot Kool-Aid with good lighting.

[Yegolev]

Kool-Aid, good one.

Put me in the lethal-trap camp.  Per the song that schild helpfully quoted, seems like GLaDOS has more test subjects and will continue to do Science.

[Murgos]

Kool-Aid, good one.

Put me in the lethal-trap camp.  Per the song that schild helpfully quoted, seems like GLaDOS has more test subjects and will continue to do Science.

"We do what we must because we can."

GLaDOS feels that because it is capable of action it is morally obligated to act.

[Yegolev]

The dangers of believing your coporate mission statement.

[LK]

This is how society breaks down.  When you take something simple, make it complex, and postulate and assume until you decide that you should start posting pictures of your companion cube over everything.

Seriously, stuff on Portal is being discussed so much like this that it is spiraling something that should be a given into "BUT WHAT IF?!??!?!"  When you start asking "Is it REALLY an Incinerator?" is when I get off the bus to crazy town.

[Rishathra]

This is how society breaks down.  When you take something simple, make it complex, and postulate and assume until you decide that you should start posting pictures of your companion cube over everything.

Seriously, stuff on Portal is being discussed so much like this that it is spiraling something that should be a given into "BUT WHAT IF?!??!?!"  When you start asking "Is it REALLY an Incinerator?" is when I get off the bus to crazy town.

Which is why the game is so awesome, because you know that previous test subjects went through the same thought process during their spiral down into insanity.  In any other game, yeah, we would be totally over-thinking this stuff, but in Portal, it's part of the plot.

[Cpt_Jigglypuff]

Yes, the last fight was definitely a test. No question about it.

The research facility was unnecessary after that I assume though, so what we saw was intended.

I've got to agree with you on that.  Final test = facility being destroyed.  No more test participants (at least not for the portal rat maze).  Chell learned how to use the HPD (Handheld Portal Device) efficiently enough to break free.  Now she can use it to better the world, or whatever.  Therefore, HUGE SUCCESS.

http://www.aperturelabs.com

 :-D

[Cpt_Jigglypuff]

ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... dunno if any of you have been messing around with http://www.aperturelabratories.com like me, but I just found some weird stuff.

If you type "?" before logging in, you get this message:

If this is an actual plea for help in response to a hazardous material spill, an explosion, a fire on your person, radiation poisoning, a choking gas of unknown origin, eye trauma resulting from the use of an emergency eye wash station on floors three, four, or eleven, an animal malfunction, or any other injurious experimental equipment failure, please remain at your workstation. A Crisis Response Team has already been mobilized to deliberate on a  response to your crisis.

If you need help accessing the system, please refer to your User Handbook.

Try it... crazyness.... also, if you type it after you login, you get a list of commands, which I have yet to try.

ALSO, for those of you who don't know.  There are 2 logins that I know of.

U: CJOHNSON  P: TIER3     and    U: PORTAL  P: PORTAL

Logging in as portal gets you in the system as a 'new user'.  cjohnson gets you in as ADMIN.

(I'm sure this has already been discussed in either this thread, or another... but I am discussing now, and here.)


EDIT:  It appears that ADMIN is 'not authorized to transfer system tapes'    if ADMIN isn't, then who the hell is?

EDIT2:  When typing "?" while logged in, INTERROGATE is an option which 'requires at least one parameter'.  I tried INTERROGATE CHELL and it said "ERROR 07  (Unknown Employee)"... trying more now

[NiX]

It has been. When you get to the end of the test.. type in thecakeisalie for your uin. BEHOLD!

[Cpt_Jigglypuff]

wrong... you can type in 'thecakeisalie' at any point after you login and it takes you to that screen...

so that's not your UIN(+L)

if you type 'ip' while logged in, it gives you your UIN(+L) without the blinkyness.... but it doesn't work... I tried it.

I did find that if you type "play portal" it kicks you to a specific youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/browse?&session=xzHA4DJdvga8eT6RQ3l17BtmCCwB1K9gLvlJXZlhMxB6OAADwDz-fT2HiUOBoLAUXw4lJ8fMe4wxEXOinfmj8pjkEtHWIDbPtgYT9iTZh1ORpF38CoLLgAGJbdiaWE8sYFt9pEotePoZiQXWiWrlntZqVzV5oLmg9QhtyXOTXLoyMSHfEetakB_umgUKJrlfjpifXLUHI4UlLUbXzg9zAv9TyUWdLtK5al7mq-qtqul639KV3Se3NcqiGug6b6xvWP97HHY4CCcsXdVxCHUpaPvml7uKYlmg0u4nZ4OYb9k=

but, as you can see, the video has been removed by the user, whoever that was.  wonder what the movie was there... : \

at first I thought that it was just taking me to youtube because maybe i had it open in another tab, but it's not... it takes you to that link SPECIFICALLY.  if you type 'logout' it takes you to http://www.steampowered.com/v/index.php

stilllll diggin!

[Cpt_Jigglypuff]

EDIT2:  ...I tried INTERROGATE CHELL and it said "ERROR 07  (Unknown Employee)"... trying more now

anyone know of any other possible Aperture Labs employees? I tried chelljohnson (with and without spaces) cjohnson, cavejohnson, all the characters from HL2, except for that new guy. I can't remember his name. You know who I'm talking about... What was his name?

[Yegolev]

Barney?  Dr. Kleiner?  Dr. Breen?  Benson?

[Samwise]

Magnussen.  (AKA Uncle Tusky.)

[schild]

Adrian Shepherd.

aka

Hard Penis.

[Cpt_Jigglypuff]

lulz, yeah it's magnusson that i was thinking of... but didn't work either... DAMN YOU VALVE....

EDIT:

btw, has anyone thought of an anagram for 'thecakeisalie' ?  i think the letters rearranged may spell something else... i believe 'take a slice' is in there, but with left over letters... maybe a name? "eli"? "alice"? "kate" or "katie"?  their website is going to drive me insane.

[schild]

Eli is a name in Half-Life. Was? HAHAHAHHAHAWHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHA.

Alice is pretty historic.

Kate and katie don't particularly have a place in the universe.

Magnusson is a punk bitch.

[Samwise]

Aha, ickiest eel!  I teaches alike.  Ate like chaise?  Kite each aisle.  Ah, leakiest ice.  Tea heal sickie.  Heck, liase tea!  I leaches a kite.

Yeah, I'm not seeing anything.

[Cpt_Jigglypuff]

I was thinking more along the lines of a username, or at maybe a name of an employee.  GLaDOS had the cake stuff programmed into her.  Maybe as a guise for "thecakeisalie"'s true meaning?

EDIT:  and what's the bit about after you type thecakeisalie and it says "I did find out a few things, like these terminals don't have to tap out characters one at a time."  ??

[Modern Angel]

You guys are missing the great metajoke here. The game was written by Chet and Erik from Old Man Murray. They spent their time trashing fps over reliance on a)boxes and b)jumping puzzles. They got hired by Valve, they wrote Portal... a game about boxes and jumping puzzles.

[schild]

You guys are missing the great metajoke here. The game was written by Chet and Erik from Old Man Murray. They spent their time trashing fps over reliance on a)boxes and b)jumping puzzles. They got hired by Valve, they wrote Portal... a game about boxes and jumping puzzles.

Yes, and they locked you in a room just long enough before you see a crate that it's one of the best games ever made.

No joke was missed here.

[Modern Angel]

It's an amazing game. Simply amazing. Even though it's short if it doesn't win several Game of the Year type awards it'll be a travesty.

[angry.bob]

I miss Old Man Murray. They should keep doing it.