I think I know who we play as in Portal.

[A Big Fat CoW]

Since it was announced, Portal has been the subject of much discussion. What's the setting? Is it just a tech demo? Is it related to Half-Life? Who do you play as? All of these questions have been asked (several, several times... often in the same thread :P), and few have been fully answered. Valve has trickled out very little information regarding this title, and so us fans have been mostly left in the dark. What little we do know, just raises more questions.

We know that it is set in the Half-Life universe.
- But then, when and where? Is it during Black Mesa? Is it during HL2? After? In-between somewhere? Is it a test by the Combine? Quite simply, how does it fit in?

We know that Valve has deliberately kept the identity of Portal's protagonist a secret. Evidence being this (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/721/721494p1.html) interview. Kim Swift says that Valve will be revealing his identity "at a later date", yet this answer was unsolicited, suggesting that it's to be kept a secret.
-But why? Do they want to surprise us? Most likely. Who could they surprise us with, then?

We know that the acronym for the teleport gun is ASHPD.
- Which is awfully reminiscent of "A. Shephard", who was the protagonist of HL: OpFor, which also employed a teleportation gun. Does this mean that we'll be playing as Shephard? If so, how did he break out of the G-Man's imprisonment? Why is he working for Aperture Science Labs? How do you explain the unsightly bald spot on the back of the player's head in this (http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/830/830467/img_3782613.html) picture?


Ladies and Gentlemen, I believe I have our answer.

Do we play as Adrian Shephard? Of course not. No, but I think we will be playing as another already-established character in the Half-Life universe. One who has an even greater fondness for teleportation, and a much greater bald spot, than Shephard. Someone who's a scientist, a person that would make sense to be under the employ of Aperture Science. Someone who's been a part of Half-Life from the start.

Doctor Isaac Kleiner.

I have nothing further to say. :)

[Geogaddi]

Young kleiner maybe?

[bigburpco]

Woah. This could actually make sense.

[_Z_Ryuken]

First time I saw that bald spot pic, and I gotta say it looks like Kleiner. It makes sense this would be the testing phase of the portal gun before it appears in Opposing Force.

So why is he wearing orange prison togs?

[bigburpco]

'Cause... he committed a crime? D:

[CrazyJeepDriver]

Hey, thats actually pretty likely...

[The Brick]

Yeah would make sense with this screenshot. He's already balding!

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/283/halflife220060727063342311000po9.jpg

[bigburpco]

This is very interesting.

[DigiQ8]

This could actually make sense.
good job

[Asuka]

Wow. Thats a cool theory.

[Samon]

Well, you are a test subject for the Aperture Science Laboratories, so I think Kleiner is a feasible guess.

[W4E]

Hmm good idea.

[bigburpco]

Well, you are a test subject for the Aperture Science Laboratories, so I think Kleiner is a feasible guess.

SAMON AGREES THIS THEORY IS OFFICIALLY DECLARED FEASIBLE.

woo.

[Oppressor]

Plausible theory, nice idea CoW!

[AHA-Lambda]

this actually is plausible. Good job! :thumbs:

[Adabiviak]

I just watched that Portal tech video. Wow! That could seriously change gameplay tactics in FPSs.

The Portal video and subsequent screenshots are from the original game, right? Before it was 'integrated' into the Half Life universe? Because they're using the same engine, they may have taken a Kleiner model and 'younged him up'. I'm under the impression that Valve will use the portal tech to add a few hours to their next episodic release - if it's a prequel, I'll buy that it could be a young Kleiner, but if it's basically the next day or two after Gordon and Alyx escape the exploding citadel, I don't know.

Man that looks fun!

[Inyssius Grey]

The Portal video and subsequent screenshots are from the original game, right?

No. The original game, if I understand your meaning, was called Narbacular Drop, and featured graphics that were slightly better than Quake..

Before it was 'integrated' into the Half Life universe?

No. Valve hired the group of Digipen students who made Narbacular Drop, (which, by the way, featured a young Princess No-Knees and her quest to escape from her mountain-y prison), and they set to work a few years ago making an entirely new game, which was set in the HL2 universe from the start.

I'm under the impression that Valve will use the portal tech to add a few hours to their next episodic release - if it's a prequel, I'll buy that it could be a young Kleiner, but if it's basically the next day or two after Gordon and Alyx escape the exploding citadel, I don't know.

Not exactly. Valve is releasing it packaged free with Episode Two, but it isn't a part of Episode Two any more than Team Fortess 2 is. We don't know when and where Portal takes place, but it will almost certainly not be tacked on to the end of Ep2 (which, by the way, is a direct continuation of Episode One).

Man that looks fun!

Agreed! :)

[Adrik_Senturu]

I don't think the theory works because than everything is way too advanced in there to be before the Black Mesa incident :| You'd be implying that Kliener, doesn't age but infact gets younger over time :P

I mean you have black mesa which needs reactors and what not to form portals, and than theres the Portal gun in OpFor, but even that was really messy as you had no reliable way of teleporting to an exact location, and the primary fire which seemed to make a portal killed people instead.

I just find it hard to believe that this facility existed before the incident, I mean if it is kliener, than surely he would've taken what he knew from testing the gun and applied it to the stuff over at black mesa right?

[A Big Fat CoW]

I don't think the theory works because than everything is way too advanced in there to be before the Black Mesa incident :| You'd be implying that Kliener, doesn't age but infact gets younger over time :P

I mean you have black mesa which needs reactors and what not to form portals, and than theres the Portal gun in OpFor, but even that was really messy as you had no reliable way of teleporting to an exact location, and the primary fire which seemed to make a portal killed people instead.

I just find it hard to believe that this facility existed before the incident, I mean if it is kliener, than surely he would've taken what he knew from testing the gun and applied it to the stuff over at black mesa right?

The portal gun and Black Mesa's teleporters work in completely different fashions. The portal gun makes two holes on any two surfaces that lead to one another. Black Mesa's teleporters instantly transport someone from Point A to Point B over great distances (and even across different dimensions). So naturally Black Mesa would require a lot more power, equipment, and charge-up time to get to work.

Besides, we don't know what happens during the course of Portal; Maybe the portal gun is destroyed, or maybe it causes hair loss and so they disband the project. In any case, I could be wrong, but I think this makes a lot more sense than any of the other theories currently out there.

I guess we'll see later this year, though. Either way, thank you for rationally explaining your doubts, instead of just saying something like "ZOMGg TIHS SUX!!1". Challenge spurs productive thought, so hopefully someone will "produce" better answers to your concerns.

And thanks to everyone else for accepting my theory. Posting speculation about HL2 and Valve and getting to page 2 with only one negative comment is, in my experience, almost unheard of on these boards :P

Guess we'll find out the truth soon enough, though.

[Adrik_Senturu]

The portal gun and Black Mesa's teleporters work in completely different fashions. The portal gun makes two holes on any two surfaces that lead to one another. Black Mesa's teleporters instantly transport someone from Point A to Point B over great distances (and even across different dimensions). So naturally Black Mesa would require a lot more power, equipment, and charge-up time to get to work.



Alright, so seeing the amount of power Black mesa takes to create that portal, your saying this little gun is harnessing, lets say 1/4 of that energy, and your saying that it takes place before black mesa. I mean I would think that it would still take a considerable amount of energy to produce a portal in the first place.

Assuming its kliener lets start at HL2, Im gonna assume he is around his early to mid sixties around that time. Now, The time frame between HL1 and HL2 is about 10 years (although I've seen some people say more, lets just keep at 10 for now). This would put Kliener in his early/mid fifties at black mesa. Now your whole basis for this theory is that the guy in the portal, and Kliener are both balding. Now the guy in the portal still has black hair. This would probably put kliener into Late Thirties/early Forties, which would be about 15-20 years before Black Mesa. Now your telling me, that this Company with thier fantastic portal technology existed 15-20 years before Black Mesa? :p

Besides, we don't know what happens during the course of Portal; Maybe the portal gun is destroyed, or maybe it causes hair loss and so they disband the project. In any case, I could be wrong, but I think this makes a lot more sense than any of the other theories currently out there.

I never said he took the gun, I'd imagine if he was testing it he'd have to understand some of the basic functions and mechanics of it :| So assuming he knew this information about the gun why hasn't he applied it to anything he does now?

[tehsolace]

Wait I'm confused, somebody enlighten me. How can it be Kleiner if hes already fully bald? Do you mean its him but in the past (well before the black mesa incident)? Like AT black mesa?

[Ennui]

yes its past kleiner if him at all

[A Big Fat CoW]

Alright, so seeing the amount of power Black mesa takes to create that portal, your saying this little gun is harnessing, lets say 1/4 of that energy, and your saying that it takes place before black mesa. I mean I would think that it would still take a considerable amount of energy to produce a portal in the first place.

Assuming its kliener lets start at HL2, Im gonna assume he is around his early to mid sixties around that time. Now, The time frame between HL1 and HL2 is about 10 years (although I've seen some people say more, lets just keep at 10 for now). This would put Kliener in his early/mid fifties at black mesa. Now your whole basis for this theory is that the guy in the portal, and Kliener are both balding. Now the guy in the portal still has black hair. This would probably put kliener into Late Thirties/early Forties, which would be about 15-20 years before Black Mesa. Now your telling me, that this Company with thier fantastic portal technology existed 15-20 years before Black Mesa? :p


How is that hard to believe? Like I said, the portal gun and Black Mesa's teleporters work in completely different ways. The only similarity is that they move something from one place to another.

I'll spell out the differences, though, since there seems to be some confusion;

Black Mesa - Anything in the teleport chamber can be teleported.
ASHPD - Only things smaller than the portal can be teleported, and the portals must be deployed on flat surfaces.

Black Mesa - Can potentially teleport anywhere on earth (or further), and can teleport between dimensions.
ASHPD - Can only place portals where you can shoot them.

Black Mesa - Instant teleportation, transporting anything instantly from Point A to Point B
ASHPD - Gradual teleportation, slowly transporting objects as they enter/leave the portal "doorway".

As I said, they're completely different systems, and there's nothing to suggest that they have to follow the same principles. That's like comparing a shotgun to a crossbow and expecting them to behave the same way just because they fire projectiles.

And again, as I said before, for all we know the ASHPD might get destroyed, or Aperture Science might get shut down, before the end of Portal. Fact is, though, it's already confirmed by Valve that Portal takes place somewhere in the Half-Life universe. Obviously it can't take place after HL1, because it wouldn't make sense for there to be some super-corporation testing a portal gun while the Combine are invading, and I can't believe the theory that Aperture Science is a Combine training division (it's just too unlike the combine to compare the two.)

So that means it has to take place before Half-Life, which means that regardless of wether we play as Kleiner or not, someone's going to have a hand-held portal gun during the time of Black Mesa.

And no, my theory is not based on just the bald spot. The side of the character's face also bears resemblance to Kleiner. Kleiner works with transporting technology, which would explain his involvement in Portal. Valve is apparently trying to keep the identity of the character a secret, and the only reason they'd do that is if it were someone we already knew. Shephard doesn't make sense, the Gman would be a stupid idea and the character looks nothing like him. Kleiner seems to be the only logical choice.

If you have a better theory, by all means, let's hear it. I'm not saying that I'm absolutely right, and I'm not trying to force you to accept my idea. I'm just saying that, given what we already know, and using some basic reasoning and critical thinking, that Kleiner is the most logical choice I can come up with. But if you have something better, I'd be glad to hear of it.

[tehsolace]

It would be cool to be set back in black mesa, like in one of their testing phases. None the less, theres no much to suggest its kleiner, except that hes bald and he works with teleporting technology. Even then, hes a scientist, not one of black mesa's lab rats... and theres nothing to suggest that he ever was one.

Plus, (as you state) the two technologies are totally different... so why would kleiner have experience working with the portal technology? You first state that the two are totally different, but then suggest that kleiner worked with both in his years at black mesa and for some reason he hasnt shown any knowledge of it or put it to use in HL2 prior to the combine's arrival...

[Adrik_Senturu]

Its just as logical a choice as shephard,G-man, or Gordans Love child.

I acknowledged the fact that there 2 different things, but the fact is there both making PORTALS. From what we've seen in teleportation it takes an extremely large amount of energy. Now the portal gun, like you said does not create these grand portals that take you across huge distances, but they do make portals. I would have to assume that just to make a portal like the one we see in the trailer requires a large amount of energy, lets not forget this thing probably has no ammo to worry about so not only is this little gun making portals, it has an infinite energy source. I'd say the tecnology would have to pretty damn advanced to make a gun like that. I never compared how they make portals, Im simply talking about the technology, and energy that would probably be required in making one.

Your missing the point about what im saying about the ASHPD thing and Kliener. If he used the gun, tested it, and all that nonsense, he would probably have a general understanding of the mechanics and function of the gun, How it works and all that mumbo jumbo. So assuming he knew all this information about the gun why hasn't he applied it to the portals he's making right now?

And who's to say it isn't the Combine? I mean it doesn't neccesarily HAVE to be a training division. Like you said the mechanics of the portal gun, and the portals we know of our completely different technology, so technically the combine developing this gun isn't out of the realm of possibility.

But im just gonna come back to what I said before, the technology seems way to advanced to be happening during or before black mesa.

Heres a theory for you, remember that line one of the people told you when you first start HL2? About the water making you forget? Assuming he was telling the truth, this would imply the combine have ways of making people forget things. So what if this Aperture lab place really is a Combine Testing Facility, in which the Test subjects have been brain washed to thinking they really are testing something for a company? I mean what company would put there test subjects in those kind of situations? Sounds like something the combine would do :|

Edit: I totally love that theory I just thought up. Im making a thread :D

[A Big Fat CoW]

It would be cool to be set back in black mesa, like in one of their testing phases. None the less, theres no much to suggest its kleiner, except that hes bald and he works with teleporting technology. Even then, hes a scientist, not one of black mesa's lab rats... and theres nothing to suggest that he ever was one.

Except for the character in Portal bearing an uncanny resemblance to a younger version of Kleiner, and that we, as of yet, know little to nothing about Kleiner's history.

Plus, (as you state) the two technologies are totally different... so why would kleiner have experience working with the portal technology? You first state that the two are totally different, but then suggest that kleiner worked with both in his years at black mesa and for some reason he hasnt shown any knowledge of it or put it to use in HL2 prior to the combine's arrival...

Kleiner's field of research is teleportation. Teleportation is his goal; the portals and BM's teleporters are just two different means of accomplishing it.

Like a microwave and a toaster, the goal is to cook food, but both do it in extremely different fashions, and have different uses and limitations.


Its just as logical a choice as shephard,G-man, or Gordans Love child.

You're ignoring the evidence to the contrary. I've already shown the evidence supporting my theory, whereas those other theories have no evidence. How, then, are they equally logical?

I acknowledged the fact that there 2 different things, but the fact is there both making PORTALS.

No, they're not. The portal gun makes doorways in space. Black Mesa transmits matter across dimensions. One makes portals, the other teleports. There is a very distinct difference between the two.

From what we've seen in teleportation it takes an extremely large amount of energy. Now the portal gun, like you said does not create these grand portals that take you across huge distances, but they do make portals.

Yes, it makes portals. It doesn't teleport. See above.

I would have to assume that just to make a portal like the one we see in the trailer requires a large amount of energy, lets not forget this thing probably has no ammo to worry about so not only is this little gun making portals, it has an infinite energy source. I'd say the tecnology would have to pretty damn advanced to make a gun like that. I never compared how they make portals, Im simply talking about the technology, and energy that would probably be required in making one.

Except portals have never been handled in the Half-Life universe, and we have no idea how much energy they would actually take. You're assuming that portals and teleportation are the same thing, which, as I've said before, they are not. They accomplish similar goals, but they do so in completely different manners.

Your missing the point about what im saying about the ASHPD thing and Kliener. If he used the gun, tested it, and all that nonsense, he would probably have a general understanding of the mechanics and function of the gun, How it works and all that mumbo jumbo. So assuming he knew all this information about the gun why hasn't he applied it to the portals he's making right now?

Who's to say that he hasn't? Again, you can't learn much in the ways of making a microwave by using a toaster. Just because they accomplish similar goals doesn't mean that Kleiner would suddenly be able to create more efficient teleportation chambers just because he had experience using a portal gun.

And who's to say it isn't the Combine? I mean it doesn't neccesarily HAVE to be a training division. Like you said the mechanics of the portal gun, and the portals we know of our completely different technology, so technically the combine developing this gun isn't out of the realm of possibility.

What evidence do you have to back that up, then?

My theory is backed up by facts. Yours seems to only be backed up by ideas. If you want me to admit that your theory is credible, then show me some facts.

[tehsolace]

Except for the character in Portal bearing an uncanny resemblance to a younger version of Kleiner, and that we, as of yet, know little to nothing about Kleiner's history.

how exactly is a BARELY sideview of a brown-haired baldING man an uncanny resemblence to a young dr kleiner, when you dont even know what dr kleiner even looks like young!

My theory is backed up by facts. Yours seems to only be backed up by ideas. If you want me to admit that your theory is credible, then show me some facts.

your theory is actually based on ideas... that is, the idea that kleiner's research in teleportation also delt with portals, and the opinion that the character in the trailer looks like a young dr. kleiner

[Adrik_Senturu]

Except for the character in Portal bearing an uncanny resemblance to a younger version of Kleiner, and that we, as of yet, know little to nothing about Kleiner's history.

I honestly do not see any resemblance, besides the obvious signs that the guy is balding.

Kleiner's field of research is teleportation. Teleportation is his goal; the portals and BM's teleporters are just two different means of accomplishing it.

Like a microwave and a toaster, the goal is to cook food, but both do it in extremely different fashions, and have different uses and limitations.

Right, so he's a reasercher not a tester. I mean thats what your implying here right? Why would he be testing something for another facility? Wouldn't it make alot more sense that he would be part of the staff researching the technology in the first place?

You're ignoring the evidence to the contrary. I've already shown the evidence supporting my theory, whereas those other theories have no evidence. How, then, are they equally logical?

The "evidence" you've given is just as credible as the "evidence" other people have been using in thier portal theories :|

No, they're not. The portal gun makes doorways in space. Black Mesa transmits matter across dimensions. One makes portals, the other teleports. There is a very distinct difference between the two.

Do you remember that part in HL1 where it was a bunch of (lol)Portals? Where you had to time which one to go into to fall on the revolving platforms. I forgot the name of the chapter, but this wasn't like the Teleportation we see in the chapter Red Letter day in HL2. These were doorways in space, but the technology obvisouly wasn't sophisticated enough for you to go back through said doorway.

Except portals have never been handled in the Half-Life universe, and we have no idea how much energy they would actually take. You're assuming that portals and teleportation are the same thing, which, as I've said before, they are not. They accomplish similar goals, but they do so in completely different manners.

Seeing as HL1 did have portals in it where were they located? By the giant reactor of course! I mean what other way would there have been to power them but with an extreme amount of energy :| Infact, even when you go into Xen the before hand when your in the Lamda core, you jump into a PORTAL :|


Who's to say that he hasn't? Again, you can't learn much in the ways of making a microwave by using a toaster. Just because they accomplish similar goals doesn't mean that Kleiner would suddenly be able to create more efficient teleportation chambers just because he had experience using a portal gun.


The portals we see in black mesa 1. Need a large amount of energy 2. Do not allow you to go back through. Wouldn't it make sense that if Kliener had worked with this gun, he would've retained the knowledge on how to avoid either one of those problems?

What evidence do you have to back that up, then?

My theory is backed up by facts. Yours seems to only be backed up by ideas. If you want me to admit that your theory is credible, then show me some facts.

No its not. :| Repeadetly stating that the 2 technologies are different, while being a fact, doesn't support your theory, that we play as Kliener, and you still haven't showed any facts proving otherwise.

[DeusExMachina]

This...doesn't make any sense. This kind of portal technology was NOT, NOT, available during or before Black Mesa. Let me emphasize the NOT.

There's nothing to discuss here. There is no reason to type long winded paragraphs about this theory. The damn game doesn't even take place in Black Mesa :|.

[nvrmor]

And again, as I said before, for all we know the ASHPD might get destroyed, or Aperture Science might get shut down, before the end of Portal. Fact is, though, it's already confirmed by Valve that Portal takes place somewhere in the Half-Life universe. Obviously it can't take place after HL1, because it wouldn't make sense for there to be some super-corporation testing a portal gun while the Combine are invading, and I can't believe the theory that Aperture Science is a Combine training division (it's just too unlike the combine to compare the two.)

it can take place, before, at the same time, or after hl1. we a dealing with serious time travel, multi dimensions, and stasis here after all.
it makes perfect sense for there to be some super corporation testing a portal gun. who do you think the gman works for? look at the turrets, they are more advanced versions of the combine turrets. energy balls? where do you think the combine gets its tech? the gman obviously deals with arms sales, be they rocket launchers, or human.
who is the only character to be "taken" by the gman besides gordon? its already known that the gmans bosses didnt want shepherd, what better way to test him or get rid of him, then make him a test subject. and btw afaik we never see shepherds face or hair for that matter. sheperd is a grunt, a pawn. kleiner is a genius. do you really think they would waste him as a test subject?

[bigburpco]

do you really think they would waste him as a test subject?

He wouldn't work for the Combine, and besides, he is, after all, a rebel.

[nvrmor]

He wouldn't work for the Combine, and besides, he is, after all, a rebel.

combine? i dont think aperture is combine. i think it is a division of whoever the gman works for.

[theotherguy]

me thinks it is someone completley different, not before seen in the half-life universe, being tested by a Combine proxy-company, or by another corporation related to the Gman.

But the kleiner idea is a good one.

Kleiner did, afterall construct both black mesa teleporting technology and the gravity gun. The portal gun is a rudimentary teleporter as well as a rudimentary gravity gun, so its plausible that he was trained to use this prototype and used this knowledge to advance work at Black Mesa. However, the energy balls and turrets are very similar to Combine technology, so perhaps it is being run by the combine.

We won't know until valve reveals it to us.

[okidoki]

Logic > Bald spot

Yes, the portals are different from those seen in HL1+2 but the technology is not completely superior. Both sides need to be created by the same device and need to be relatively close to each other. So I don't think it's necessarily more advanced than anything in Black Mesa.


who is the only character to be "taken" by the gman besides gordon? its already known that the gmans bosses didnt want shepherd, what better way to test him or get rid of him, then make him a test subject. and btw afaik we never see shepherds face or hair for that matter. sheperd is a grunt, a pawn. kleiner is a genius. do you really think they would waste him as a test subject?

This is why I don't think it's Kleiner. None of the Black Mesa folks would test someone in this manner. But while the Shephard theory seems more plausible, there's no real evidence to back it up.

Don't you guys think it's possible that the player model seen in the trailer is just a placeholder? If the interview suggests a secret that it's someone we know, and presumably someone we would recognize, I wouldn't think they would show the real player in the trailer.

[tehsolace]

I think its MUCH more plausable that Valve hasn't overlooked things and put the model there as a placeholder to better keep the player's real identity a secret, which makes all of this speculation pointless.

[JNightshade]

Hmm. I came in here expecting some cock'n'bull theory, and got something that actually makes sense! I'm disappointed :P

[mung]

Interesting theory about Kleiner.
Keep in mind, we "know" very little about how this game fits into the scheme of things in the HL universe.

What can be inferred (relatively)
-The Portal video is an "instructional video" for a research department, Aperature Laboratories. You would think that the Combine wouldn't bother with naming a company and providing it with a logo (which is featured on the boxes in-game) for their research. The video almost seems like a promo to some degree. It also contains a humanoid voice. Whether or not it is actually human remains to be seem...but nobody can deny that it doesn't sound anything like the Combine forces yet encountered in HL2 or Ep1.

-However, the level of technological prowess apears rather advanced. The portal gun seems to be more advanced than anything seen at Black Mesa. What appears to be a plasma ball is featured in one scene.

-The sentry gun appears to be quite advanced, more so than the ones seen at Black Mesa. While they function the same presumably (trip the laser) they apper quite different asthetically. Also of note is the fact that the gun speaks in a humanoid voice. In the scene where the character picks up the gun and chucks it, you can distinctly hear "Searching..." Again, it seems like something that the Combine wouldn't bother with (and from what has been seen in HL2 sentries, they haven't)

-The tests seem to run a reasonable chance of severe injury or death while running them. That would imply a certain maliciousness or disregard of life to the people administering the test. The Combine certainly fit this bill. I also wouldn't put it past the G-man to risk hurting or killing some person in a research experiment. Also, I could forsee crooked scientists using people as guinea pigs. But on a rather large experiment that presumably had more than one person working on it (again, an assumption), it would be somewhat difficult to get a multitude of people to be ok with putting someone's life on the line. And no researcher would voluntarily go through a fatal gauntlet (presumably). They would get someone of lesser importance. Someone with nothing to lose. Kind of like the Running Man...stay in jail and die slow or risk death and possibly be freed. And that orange jumpsuit does remind me of convict uniform...

**Possible OP4 spoiler**
And didn't Shepard's tale end with him sitting in a jail cell??

Look, I'm not saying, nor do I believe my theory is correct.

But it is fun to hypothesize.

If I were a betting man, I'd break it down like this

The character you play in Portal is
90% someone new to the universe
5% Adrian Shepard
2.5% Someone from the existing universe (Barney, Kleiner, Odessa, Grigori, some random Rebel who gets conveniently elevated in the story (much like Eli))
2.5% The model is a placeholder

[bigburpco]

No, he was in a helicopter stuck in stasis.

[Adrik_Senturu]

Well, thats pretty much the same thing :| He's being contained either way, whether its on the Helicopter, in a jail cell, or in candy mountain.

[Sloth]

One thing we can most likely take away is the fact that the "lab rat" is just that. Serving civil service, or captured by the G-Man, either way...

I do like the idea of the G-Man selling off one of his "weapons" to a testing facility, it links well to his ideals...

[Jack_Karverboy]

Nice theory. I was thinking it's possibly Shepard, but this is better.

[bbson john]

A puzzle game needs no named character. :P

[smwScott]

One possibility is that it's a corporation that existed before the portal storms, and was simply testing one of their prototype devices with an unwilling human test subject. It's silly to think of a company being able to develop something such as this, but similar technology was developed in Black Mesa. It's not too unreasonable to think that the private industry would be running parallel, although different programs.

Of course, the reason this probably isn't true is that it doesn't really tie into the HL storyline. It's just an irrelevant piece of backstory unless they ever plan to incorporate the portal gun into the main series (which they won't) or this guy breaks free and gets to use the gun in "real" situations as opposed to pre-made tests.

[oMeSSiaHo]

I cant help but think of the speech the Gman gave Adrian at the end of OP4. He said he respects people who survive against all odds. It seems Adrian would be the perfect person to test the portal gun.

The womans voice is mechanical like the voice in the tram in Halflife. It is a bit strange that the combine would have a company logo. Maybe they wanted some of the big business tax cuts?

[Betelgeuze]

This...doesn't make any sense. This kind of portal technology was NOT, NOT, available during or before Black Mesa. Let me emphasize the NOT. Thats so narrow minded! I could think of 100 things to explain this.

It just makes sence that this is Kleiner! I cant beleve Valve would let us play as a random bald guy, thats not how normal player characters look(nice looking hero type). I can only think of the fact that this is linked with a bald guy weve seen already; probably Kleiner.

Kleiner is the teleport/portal/gravity guy in the HL universe.

Also, why would Valve link 'portals' with the hl universe if we play with a random guy who we have never seen before? Its logic its linked with a character we have seen before. Atleast thats what I would do if I was Valve, and Kleiner would be the perfect guy in a game about portals.

[burnzie]

Thats so narrow minded! I could think of 100 things to explain this.

It just makes sence that this is Kleiner! I cant beleve Valve would let us play as a random bald guy, thats not how normal player characters look(nice looking hero type). I can only think of the fact that this is linked with a bald guy weve seen already; probably Kleiner.

Kleiner is the teleport/portal/gravity guy in the HL universe.

Also, why would Valve link 'portals' with the hl universe if we play with a random guy who we have never seen before? Its logic its linked with a character we have seen before. Atleast thats what I would do if I was Valve, and Kleiner would be the perfect guy in a game about portals.

I do belive that they designed gordon to not look like your average "hero"... Seeing as alot of FPS at the time used your typical "duke" charecter... Why not this... valve are known for doing the unexpected.

[Betelgeuze]

I knew someone was going to say that but theres a big difference between Gordon and a random bald guy!

[burnzie]

True, but I still dont think its out of the question with valve...

[Sulkdodds]

I got the impression he was just some random guy.

"You are a graduate of Yale Univeristy and a science whizz. Unfortunately, you've recently fallen on hard times, and you're so grossly overqualified for the local Denny's that they pelted you with undercooked chips and drove you out when you asked for a job. Just as you feel you'll never find employment, you seen an ad in a newspaper: Apeture Science looking for test subjects!

What the hell, you think. It's good money. Little do you know just how dangerous the new job will be..."

[Atomic_Piggy]

Thats so narrow minded! I could think of 100 things to explain this.

It just makes sence that this is Kleiner! I cant beleve Valve would let us play as a random bald guy, thats not how normal player characters look(nice looking hero type). I can only think of the fact that this is linked with a bald guy weve seen already; probably Kleiner.

Kleiner is the teleport/portal/gravity guy in the HL universe.

Also, why would Valve link 'portals' with the hl universe if we play with a random guy who we have never seen before? Its logic its linked with a character we have seen before. Atleast thats what I would do if I was Valve, and Kleiner would be the perfect guy in a game about portals.

I agree completly. The thing is, we know so little about kliener and his life compared to, say, Eli. This would be the perfect opportunity to give my favourite character some backstory.

[DeusExMachina]

Kleiner was in his early 50's during HL1. His hair was likely graying by that point. The character, by the ONE SCREENSHOT OF HIS SIDEVIEW, looks to be in his 30s. And why wouldn't Kleiner ever try recreating this kind of portal technology in the future? He's obviously a genius so I'm sure he could deduct what made the gun and try to recreate it. Shit, I could say it's Otis. That character had brown hair and was balding, it must be Otis :|. That's all you guys are saying. Just because the character's balding, it MUST be Kleiner.

[Adrik_Senturu]

...I would totally play as otis :D

[Hypnosos]

I think it'll be a totally new character that hasn't been introduced yet.

[Cole]

I'd say some random character with no apparant history.

Maybe a nice train ride in the start going to your testing thing. Have it start similar to Half-Life. You don't really no where to go and your just walking around. Except rather than in Half-Life where something goes wrong...this one does not.

[Inyssius Grey]

Well, Valve said they'd "reveal" his identity at a later date. If it was some random guy, they wouldn't really need to do that...

[Selkcip]

Also, I don't know if someone has already metioned this but the orange jumpsuit appears to have a portal logo on the back. So it may not be prison standard issue. It may be something else. Just a thought.

[TheCheckt]

Well I always thought of this picture of Kleiner being more of an inside joke. Just because of that I wouldn't take this too seriously, but it could hold a few clues.

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/5084/kleinergw3.png

His hair is clearly brown. We won't mention his face because it's just old kleiner with young people hair. I just used that as an example because his hair is brown in that picture.

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/814/kleiner2uc1.png

This picture you can see he has a nice full brown color to his hair too. Too bad he doesn't have the groovy side burns. One last comparison is that they both have the same hair line. So who really knows if it's Kleiner? It could just be another guy so we'll just have to wait and see.

[DannyC.]

Somehow, I don't see Kleiner as the kind of guy you would see bounding through portals and 'carrying out rather complex tasks while enduring the most intense pain', but hell, who knows. It's possible it's him.

I got the impression he was just some random guy.

"You are a graduate of Yale Univeristy and a science whizz. Unfortunately, you've recently fallen on hard times, and you're so grossly overqualified for the local Denny's that they pelted you with undercooked chips and drove you out when you asked for a job. Just as you feel you'll never find employment, you seen an ad in a newspaper: Apeture Science looking for test subjects!

What the hell, you think. It's good money. Little do you know just how dangerous the new job will be..."

lawl

[Adrik_Senturu]

I just realized something.

Kliener wears glasses. He clearly needs them to see.

The man in portal however does not :|

Well I think we can wrap this one up :D

[DannyC.]

Nono, look, the picture of the portal guy is blurred. This is obviously because it's Kleiner not wearing his glasses.

[Adrik_Senturu]

:O Kliener doesn't see like normal human beings..he renders the world..in the source engine, motion blur and all :| But yeah no glasses = no kliener

[cojawfee]

He could be wearing contacts while testing. His glasses could fly off when portaling all over the place. Or perhaps, it was at a time when he didn't need glasses yet.

[Adrik_Senturu]

Well by the pictures the guy posted he's implying that there around the same time or close to each other :| I'd say thats around when he should be using glasses, the guy in portal seems to have LESS hair than the kliener in the magazine cover, so im going to assume it would be a bit ahead in time in which he would still need glasses :|

[TheCheckt]

I just realized something.

Kliener wears glasses. He clearly needs them to see.

The man in portal however does not :|

Well I think we can wrap this one up :D

Maybe back then he didn't need his specs. Perhaps his eyes got worse as he aged. Or he wore contacts :cheese:

[torso boy]

Adrik_Senturu, Kliener seems to be far-sighted, so he wouldn't need to be reading fine print in this situation, and if it is him the age difference would probably mean better vision. Still, while the arguments are good, he is not the most likely candidate.

From what we know, the most likely candidate is Shepard, or second, a new character.

Reasons for Shepard:
- A SHPD Seems like a nice hint.

- He's the silent type like Gordon, seems more fitting for a player character.

- G-Man kept him in stasis because he saw potiential..

- Shepard is the only person to have experience using a portal gun. Who better to test a new experimental portal gun.

- Military training would be a plus for dangerous and physically intense testing.

- Bald Spot? We have no idea about Shepards age, and its unlikely that he was a ~20 yr old. People can start balding in their 30's, and certainly in their 40's.

- Adding more to the bald spot/age problem: The time between Black Mesa and HL2 is probably anywhere from 10 to 20+ years. While Gordon was kept in stasis, it might not have been as important to keep shepard in stasis the whole time; Shepard was already working for the government, and he was in the military for the excitement, he's a much more likely candidate for being taken out of stasis(And given "assignments") than Gordon. Not to mention his having military training would make him a good candidate for being taken out of stasis during/before the human/combine war between the two HL games. Gordon on the other hand is a less controllable and more unpredictable person, Gman couldn't take him out of stasis before the time was exactly right. So if by any number of reasons Shepard was taken out of stasis before Gordon, he would have had time to age and grow his bald spot.

[AHA-Lambda]

Shepard was kept in stasis because he was a witness to events he was never planned to go on assignments therefore he should still be his current age and not be balding (unless he has had premature balding since OP4) I think it is Kleiner.

[Geogaddi]

We can guess Shephard's age by his rank. Corporal was it?

[Atomic_Piggy]

Shepard's age is 22 years old, it says at the beginning of Op4.
I think it'll be a new character. I don't want to play as old ones.
And before anybody mentions Gordon's an "old character", remeber he's the main one.

[Betelgeuze]

I dont think Shephard was 'invented' by Valve, so I also dont think they are going to use him in a future game. I could be wrong.

[Tyguy]

thought kleiner had white hair

[Samon]

See, when you age, you do generally start to grey..

[Adrik_Senturu]

Well, if it is kliener than wouldn't there be signs of greying along with the balding? :|

[tehsolace]

Well, if it is kliener than wouldn't there be signs of greying along with the balding? :|


Not generally. People with the baldness gene tend to bald decades before their hair grays. Still, none of this really supports the idea that it is Kleiner in the trailer.


Theres no logic in this. You might as well say it was Father Grigory... after all he was bald too right?! :rolleyes:

[Adrik_Senturu]

You may be onto something there.

[tehsolace]

You may be onto something there.

lol oh no.. dont try and support THAT idea. valve knows better than to base a game on father grigory...

[bigburpco]

Well, if it is kliener than wouldn't there be signs of greying along with the balding? :|

Maybe because he's too young for it? :x

[Varg|Hund]

valve knows better than to base a game on father grigory...
hell, I'd play it!

[Victor2]

Since it was announced, Portal has been the subject of much discussion. What's the setting? Is it just a tech demo? Is it related to Half-Life? Who do you play as? All of these questions have been asked (several, several times... often in the same thread :P), and few have been fully answered. Valve has trickled out very little information regarding this title, and so us fans have been mostly left in the dark. What little we do know, just raises more questions.

We know that it is set in the Half-Life universe.
- But then, when and where? Is it during Black Mesa? Is it during HL2? After? In-between somewhere? Is it a test by the Combine? Quite simply, how does it fit in?

We know that Valve has deliberately kept the identity of Portal's protagonist a secret. Evidence being this (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/721/721494p1.html) interview. Kim Swift says that Valve will be revealing his identity "at a later date", yet this answer was unsolicited, suggesting that it's to be kept a secret.
-But why? Do they want to surprise us? Most likely. Who could they surprise us with, then?

We know that the acronym for the teleport gun is ASHPD.
- Which is awfully reminiscent of "A. Shephard", who was the protagonist of HL: OpFor, which also employed a teleportation gun. Does this mean that we'll be playing as Shephard? If so, how did he break out of the G-Man's imprisonment? Why is he working for Aperture Science Labs? How do you explain the unsightly bald spot on the back of the player's head in this (http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/830/830467/img_3782613.html) picture?


Ladies and Gentlemen, I believe I have our answer.

Do we play as Adrian Shephard? Of course not. No, but I think we will be playing as another already-established character in the Half-Life universe. One who has an even greater fondness for teleportation, and a much greater bald spot, than Shephard. Someone who's a scientist, a person that would make sense to be under the employ of Aperture Science. Someone who's been a part of Half-Life from the start.

Doctor Isaac Kleiner.

I have nothing further to say. :)

Holy shit!!!!!

SAMON AGREES THIS THEORY IS OFFICIALLY DECLARED FEASIBLE.

woo.


That's a big happening, like the rapture or an alien invasion.

[Absinthe]

A bald spot does not make this theory any more plausible than Shephard being the PC. It's interesting, but I won't hold my breath.

Besides, Kleiner does not seem like the kind of person who would do well in a dangerous, fast-acting environment while "enduring the most intense pain". He's a theoretical brainy guy, odd, effeminate, and more likely to have spent his younger days reading up on physics as opposed to working out. He's not a likely candidate to survive in Portal's hostile context.

So my guess is it's Shephard or an entirely new character.

[acer r]

Voting younger Otis.

[cojawfee]

I vote for Civilian_34.

[ZeroG]

In the video, does it not show the portal gun as a gravity gun also?

I thought this technology was introduced only in HL2?

If it was, it cannot be set in the past...

Also, who said it cannot be in the future.... Everyone is saying Present or past, but future?

[DevgruSeal]

It's a limited-strength gravity gun.

[411vm]

i doubt its kleiner, if you download the portal trailer from steam you can see in the end when he is falling you see down on his head and he isnt balld

[bigburpco]

Kleiner was in his early 50's during HL1. His hair was likely graying by that point. The character, by the ONE SCREENSHOT OF HIS SIDEVIEW, looks to be in his 30s. And why wouldn't Kleiner ever try recreating this kind of portal technology in the future? He's obviously a genius so I'm sure he could deduct what made the gun and try to recreate it. Shit, I could say it's Otis. That character had brown hair and was balding, it must be Otis :|. That's all you guys are saying. Just because the character's balding, it MUST be Kleiner.

PREQUEL FTW.

Besides, Kleiner does not seem like the kind of person who would do well in a dangerous, fast-acting environment while "enduring the most intense pain". He's a theoretical brainy guy, odd, effeminate, and more likely to have spent his younger days reading up on physics as opposed to working out. He's not a likely candidate to survive in Portal's hostile context.

That's what they want you to think. :P

[Cube]

To me, It looks as if you just play as a Combine Soldier. Perhaps someone testing some new equipment.

[Atomic_Piggy]

To me, It looks as if you just play as a Combine Soldier. Perhaps someone testing some new equipment.

Well, htats plausible, but if you look at the soldiers head, you can see the hair has been removed, and parts of teh brain are visible because of certain surgery, so I doubt that.

[Noobulon]

Photoshop scientists have shown that this man's identity (http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1238/portalblokeun3.gif) can actually be revealed, via the power of digital image enhancement.



...


it's true...

[bigburpco]

Great Scott! It's (young) Isaac Kleiner!

[Selkcip]

Who is this Otis of which I keep hearing?

[bigburpco]

A guard who loved donuts and the like in BS and OpForce.

[Ravioli]

Hm good theory. But how do you know its even in the halflife universe? source?

In the video the computer says "good luck, and if you dont make it through the TESTING, goodbye" So this is some sort of test, a preperation for the player for something bigger. Shepard where sent to "a place where he cant harm anyone or anyone cant harm him" so that might be this testing place which he has to make it through.

Anyone seen the movie "The Cube" ? (i think it was called) could this be somewhat like that?

Oh and for you who said that "the gravity gun tech was introduced in hl2 so it cant be made before hl2" thats where you are wrong, Alyx says that its a tool invented at BLACK MESA used for moving hazardous materials. So the tech was there, G man might have taken the tech and made it more advanced and used Adrain as a test model to test it in the "testing area".

[Absinthe]

Hm good theory. But how do you know its even in the halflife universe? source?

Don't have a source on me, but it has been repeatedly stated to be in the Half-Life universe, and the most recent confirmation has been in an interview with its developers. It's on 1up, IIRC.

[Ravioli]

I made a "theory" section at the Wiki page, if someone wants to add theories go ahead :) Also thanks to everyone on this thread for their views and ideas, the theory i posted is not only mine, but all of those who contibruted to it.

wtf, some bitch deleted it...

[Atomic_Piggy]

I made a "theory" section at the Wiki page, if someone wants to add theories go ahead :) Also thanks to everyone on this thread for their views and ideas, the theory i posted is not only mine, but all of those who contibruted to it.

wtf, some bitch deleted it...

Thats the problem on Wikipedia. Retards will delete a section that hasn't hurt anybody, that isn't fake.

[kacation_man]

i think its a good theory.. how ever, I dont think i could imagin him running around a test chamber with portal gun doing complex puzzles. my guess is, that the guy in the game... is a complete stranger that we dont know!!! valve has yet to release his identification not becuase they want to surprise us... but becuase they have no name for him yet!!! ha.... i dont know... my guess is that it wont matter, its supposded to be a puzzle game and i dont feel puzzle games need plots or characters..

[Snappel328]

Well, maybe this Portal Gun was a new breakthrough in teleportation technology at Black Mesa, but when the Resonance Cascade took place, all research was lost. That's why Kleiner is trying so hard at building a teleport BY HIMSELF. Plus, your theory about it being him 10-15 years before Black Mesa? Well think about this, stress causes hair loss and hair discoloring. I would think that being invaded by an alien race and building a teleporter with your bare hands would be stressful enough to loose hair quicker than usual.

[neptuneuk]

ASHP. adrian shep. what does this mean for portal, is it ady in 20 yrs time in one of gmans tests?

valve love fans looking for clues and speculating! keep goin



anyway, its OBVIOUSLY GABE!!!
http://img348.imageshack.us/img348/1808/gabeef7.jpg

[mbuchkre]

Well, looking at the image, I think he could be young G-man. He mastered the portal device, hided it in his suitcase, and used it to do a lot of things. Funny, but not so impossible...

[Wally_Breen]

valve love fans looking for clues and speculating! keep goin



its OBVIOUSLY GABE!!!
http://img348.imageshack.us/img348/1808/gabeef7.jpg



Lol.