Portal Spoilers

[pxib]

GLaDOS may have held the fort at Aperture against the events between HL1 and HL2... Dr. Breen's glorious alien-o-rama.

[Samwise]

Or she/it could just be a paranoid agoraphobic shut-in and there is no "them".

The relatively pristine condition of the building (including the brief glimpse you get of the outside) is such a stark contrast to the generally grimy and ruined world of Half-Life 2 that I'm more inclined to think that Portal takes place around the Half-Life 1 time frame.  Show me a road sign anywhere in Half-Life 2 that looks as shiny and new as that Do Not Enter sign outside the Aperture parking lot.     At least, I remember being struck by how "contemporary" that outside shot looked, even with the flaming rubble everywhere, and Half-Life 2 always looks really run-down and "postapocalyptic" by comparison.

It's tough to know how to interpret the "Maybe Black Mesa... That was a joke, HA HA, fat chance" lines in the song.  Does this mean that the protagonist is going to be heading to Black Mesa, and GLaDOS is either using reverse psychology to steer her away from Aperture's archrival, or using reverse reverse psychology to steer her toward the place where she can best realize the potential that she's shown during the testing?  (Maybe the protagonist is a young Gina Cross?)  Or is GLaDOS just gloating because this is the post-Half-Life-1 time frame and Black Mesa no longer exists?

Unreliable narrator ftw.  I'm really curious to see how the timeline ends up fitting together.  As long as GLaDOS shows up again (ideally doing horrible things to Combine soldiers FOR SCIENCE) I'll be happy.

[schild]

Funny link, because it would make more sense for her to be Colette Green.

[LK]

From what I gathered the woman is Chell Johnson, daughter of the leader of the company.

[Samwise]

Funny link, because it would make more sense for her to be Colette Green.

Also a possibility.  I actually didn't know who Gina Cross was until I found that link; my only thought was that the Portal hero reminded me a lot of the HEV tutor from HL1 (and Googling for a screenshot ended up revealing that that bit character I was thinking of has a name and had her own game that I somehow missed entirely... who knew?).  Of course, the fact that the orange jumpsuit looks a lot like an HEV at first glance has a lot to do with that.  But it would be cool if the games were tied together in a really tangential (but retroactive) way like that.

(edit) Lorekeep, where'd you gather that?  From the "you aren't a good person" bit and the jumpsuit I'd been operating under the assumption that the Aperture test subjects were condemned prisoners that nobody would miss.  The "take your daughter to work day" bit wasn't lost on me, though.  Is there a picture of this Chell on that site that I haven't looked at yet?

[schild]

Guys

i think portal just replaced Deus Ex on my top 3 games kicking it to number 4

guys

.... it did it in 2.6 hours.

[LK]

At the very least her name is definitely Chell.  The person who modeled for the character is credited as having modeled for Chell in the ending sequence.  Beyond that all I had was the Wikipedia page on Portal and the number of coincidences from the Apeture Sciences website.

[Morfiend]

The cake wasn't a lie.
The cake wasn't a lie.
The cake wasn't a lie.
The cake wasn't a lie.
The cake wasn't a lie.

[NiX]

Chell? Doesn't GLaDOS mention some names during the game?

[Quinton]

At one point the voice over refers to you, possibly 'accidentally' as an android, at another point during the escape I'm pretty sure I heard 'you're not a real person you know'.

The android reference came as you finished the "live fire course for combat androids" that was "accidentally" substituted for the training course meant for you. 

Also, damn, what a fantastic game.

- Q

[Comstar]

Found this on the SA thread, dunno where it's from, but it brought a tear to my eye




Chell was a daughter or clone of a daughter of the CEO of the company (his login gives you access to the notes.exe file on the website) who was brought to work the same day the AI killed everyone else. Someone stopped the AI afterwards (and put on the pod to stop her doing it again) and the the base was abandoned (possibly because of the events of the Half Life 1). At some point afterwards GLADoS started running people (probably clones of Chell) through the system, during the time between HF1 and HF2 (she references to "I'm a genius and even I don't know whats happening outside"). Chell gets her cake at somepoint before or during HF2.

[Quinton]

In a fit of extreme dorkitude, I screencapped the credits and transcribed this so I could use it in /etc/motd:

Code:

             .,-:;//;:=,
          . :H@@@MM@M#H/.,+%;,
       ,/X+ +M@@M@MM%=,-%HMMM@X/,
     -+@MM; $M@@MH+-,;XMMMM@MMMM@+-
    ;@M@@M- XM@X;. -+XXXXXHHH@M@M#@/.
  ,%MM@@MH ,@%=            .---=-=:=,.
  =@#@@@MX .,              -%MX$$%%%+;
 =-./@M@M$                  .;@MMMM@MM:
 X@/ -$MM/                    .+MM@@@M$
,@M@H: :@:                    . =X#@@@@-
,@@@MMX, .                    /H- ;@M@M=
.H@@@@M@+,                    %MM+..%#$.
 /MMMM@MMH/.                  XM@MH; =;
  /%+%$XHH@$=              , .H@@@@MX,
   .=--------.           -%H.,@@@@@MX,
   .%MM@@@HHHXX$$$%+- .:$MMX =M@@MM%.
     =XMMM@MM@MM#H;,-+HMM@M+ /MMMX=
       =%@M@M#@$-.=$@MM@@@M; %M%=
         ,:+$+-,/H#MMMMMMM@= =,
               =++%%%%+/:=.

Looks best in a nice courier or other fixed terminal font.

- Q

[Falconeer]

I was wondering.. do you think there's a reason behind the fact that the main character never does a single human sound during the whole game? Ok for the lag braces, but what about a "oomph" of any kind when jumping? After all, that's standard in most FPS.

[Yegolev]

Chell gets her cake at somepoint before or during HF2.

I didn't get any fucking cake.

[schild]

I was wondering.. do you think there's a reason behind the fact that the main character never does a single human sound during the whole game? Ok for the lag braces, but what about a "oomph" of any kind when jumping? After all, that's standard in most FPS.

I'm pretty sure if you turn your speakers up she makes some noise when you're getting plastered to the wall by a turret.

Might have been my brain putting it there though.

[NiX]

I believe it was, Schild. She doesn't make a damn noise.

[rattran]

She's as noisy as her rival, Gordon Freeman.

[eldaec]

For those who missed the 'Competing with Black Mesa' presentation:

[eldaec]

The android reference came as you finished the "live fire course for combat androids" that was "accidentally" substituted for the training course meant for you. 

Well done, Android.

The Enrichment Center once again reminds you that Android Hell is a real place where you will be sent at the first sign of defiance.

So yeah, I guess the tape was meant for the androids.

Glados later refers to a backup of your personality and claims to delete it while you try to kill her, but in a way that also felt consistent with you being a clone.

[bhodi]

That android comment was meant for androids doing the live fire course.

You are Definitely Chell Johnson (as referenced in the notes.exe part of the viral website) and GlaDOS has been sending clones of you through the mazes doing science -- that's who has been writing all the signs and stuff in the secret places -- your previous clones. However, they couldn't get as far or as fast because they didn't have leg braces.

It was mentioned the folks from old man murray wrote a majority of the dialog.. does anyone know about that?

[Yegolev]

I don't recall any foul language in Portal.

[Sauced]

Yeah, Chet and Erik are the writers.

[Samwise]

I'm pretty sure if you turn your speakers up she makes some noise when you're getting plastered to the wall by a turret.

Not your brain putting it there.  I got to hear that sound a lot while going through the advanced version of the combat course.  Ow.

[LK]

I'd need some hard evidence that Chell is a clone.  Cloning isn't something I felt was ever a major part of Half-Life.  I know that there is this weird sensation of "Wait, who is writing all these messages?"

I'd actually feel pretty sick if Chell was a clone.  Then you really are a blank slate, even more so than any other protagonist ever made in any game.  I know Half-Life likes to insert you into a role but g'damn.

[bhodi]

Well, during the end sequence, the computer makes reference to stored personality/memories. That implies the ability to write as well, otherwise there would be little point (in this specific scenario, that is).

I think you're a clone with (nearly?) full memories of the original. The computer backed up your personality and memories and uploaded it into each clone. You'd want to do it that way anyway. Consistency is a huge part of experiments; Only change one variable at a time.

You want all test subjects as identical as possible, and, with cloning, that becomes possible. Every one of them are given the exact same memory, wake up in the same way, are given the same information... then, sit back and watch; notice and isolate deviations.

Then again, how much memory they are given is another question; If you have the tech to record/write brains than you probably have the tech to do at least a clumsy job of selective removal. Obviously bits that control motor coordination and learning and speech are there... Depending on the experiment, I can see cases for and against wiping memories... perhaps some were wiped, others not, depending on what experiments were taking place.

[bhodi]

For some fun remembering, how about some Portal Quotes?

    * "Aperture Science: We do what we must, because we can."
    * "We hope your brief detention in the relaxation vault has been a pleasant one."
    * "Remember, the Aperture Science ‘Bring Your Daughter to Work Day’ is the perfect time to have her tested."
    * "Please note, we have added a consequence for failure. Any contact with the chamber floor will result in an unsatisfactory mark on your official testing record, followed by death. Good luck."
    * "Stop what you are doing and assume the party escort submission position."
    * "As part of a previously mentioned required test protocol, we can no longer lie to you. When the testing is over, you will be… missed!"
    * "Cake, and grief counseling will be available at the conclusion of the test. Thank you for helping us help you help us all!"
    * "Did you know you can donate one or all of your vital organs to the Aperture Science Self Esteem Fund for Girls? It’s true!"
    * "Well done, android. The Enrichment Center once again reminds you that android hell is a real place where you will be sent at the first sign of defiance."
    * "Although the euthanizing process is remarkably painful, 8 out of 10 Aperture Science engineers believe that the Companion Cube is most likely incapable of feeling much pain."
    * "The symptoms most commonly produced by Enrichment Center testing are superstition, perceiving inanimate objects as alive, and hallucinations. The Enrichment Center reminds you that the Weighted Companion Cube will never threaten to stab you and, in fact, cannot speak."
    * "Remember when the platform was sliding into the fire pit and I said 'Goodbye' and you were like 'NO WAY' and then I was all 'We pretended we were going to murder you'? That was great!"
    * "Some day we'll remember this and laugh. And laugh, and laugh. Oh boy. Well. You may as well come on back."
    * "The Enrichment Center is required to remind you that you will be baked, and then there will be cake."
    * "Oh, you think you’re doing some damage?! 2+2 is… 10… in base four, I’m fine!"
    * "That thing you're attacking isn't important to me. It's the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit; it makes shoes for orphans. Nice job breaking it, hero."
    * "Look - we're both stuck in this place. I'll use lasers to inscribe a line down the center of the facility, and one half will be where you live, and I'll live in the other half. We won't have to try to kill each other or even talk if we don't feel like it."
    * "When I said 'deadly neurotoxin,' the deadly was in massive sarcasm quotes."
    * "Ah - there isn't enough neurotoxin to kill you, so I guess you win. Ha - I'm making more! That's going to take a few minutes though. Meanwhile - oh look, it's your old pal the rocket turret."
    * "Have I lied to you? I mean, in this room? Trust me."
    * ""There was even going to be a party for you. A big party that all your friends were invited to. I even invited your best friend the companion cube. Of course, he couldn't come because you murdered him. All your other friends couldn't come either because you don't have any other friends because of how unlikable you are."
    * "Unlikable, it says so here in your file 'unlikable'- liked by no one"
    * "Good news. I figured out what that thing you just incinerated was. It was a morality core they installed after I flooded the enrichment center with a deadly neurotoxin to make me stop flooding the enrichment center with a deadly neurotoxin."

[Prospero]

You are Definitely Chell Johnson (as referenced in the notes.exe part of the viral website

What part makes you think you are Chell Johnson? I think I'm missing something in the notes section. You're definitely someone's daughter, but I don't see how you can tell you are Cave's daughter.

[LK]

If that's the case, how would the clones know about what awaits them at the end of the tests and write those messages for Chell? Is it that previous clones were more mentally unstable and affected by the situation than the one you play?

[bhodi]

I don't think they were MORE mentally unstable, but obviously some were unable to finish a particular section (needing the spring shoe things) and stuck there, living on what they could find (you can see trash and water bottle remnants in the hidden places...

If those tickmarks on the walls are days, they probably went crazy from isolation, ultimately dying but helping each other, each one getting further than the last... I believe the farthest died where you have to get the box from the pipes, you can see lots of blood smear around and on the wall.

[LK]

The situation seems more psychotic and horrific than I had original anticipated.

[Simond]

[bhodi]

WOW. where did you find that.

[Simond]

The Something Awful Portal thread. 

[pxib]

There's an arrow and black smudges inside the vent to the fan -after- the spot where you have to break the tube. Potentially one of the previous test subjects (I'm not convinced on the clone thing) made it all the way to GLaDOS and received the "surprise" that she fails to deliver to you. Some of them obviously remained inside of particular chambers a LOT longer than I did, had the opportunity to watch them reset, and potentially met other test subjects.

The fact that they knew where to find beans and water, and that they were so interested in keeping their computers (or whatever those boxes with the key symbol are) leads me to believe that at least some of the testing refugees were Aperture staff.

[Falconeer]

Read notes.exe but can't see where they mention the test subject being Chell.
Or they saying that the test subject is a clone.

Beside, anyone completed apply.exe and got a positive response by typing in the correct ID# ?