Any news on portal MP code? You know, I have an idea....

[RjD]

Hello community!
Anyone knows, are there any news regarding making Portal work in multiplayer setting (Oracle did not bring satisfactory answer, only videos of Portals working in EXITE mod)?

Because, I have an idea for a cute multiplayer mod "Portal Arena", using portals A LOT (In fact, there will not be any "firearms" in it, only 6 different classes of modified portalguns).

I have most of my mod concept fleshed out by now (3 of the classes still need to be worked on, though).

In case there is slightest chance it is possible to make 12 players "think with portals" simultaneously in multiplayer, I will start recruiting team. And in case there will be significant interest in the mod, I might even start evolving it into a commercial product.

P.S.: English is not my native language. All grammar mistakes are copyrighted.

[Jintor]

Originally Posted by RjD

P.S.: English is not my native language. All grammar mistakes are copyrighted.

You know, I don't particularly care about Portal MP code. I just wanted to quote this section, because if it's intentional, it's hilareous. If it's not intentional, it's still hilareous, but not quite as funny.

[RjD]

it is intentional. I should have used a smiley

[Musk]

I like the idea. Don't give up!

[Dekstar]

You'd have to have defenders with Portal destroyers, so people couldn't just place a portal next to the flag, and throw it through the portal.

In fact, I'd have it that you can't "carry" the flag, except with the grav gun attachment. That means you can't portal about with the flag. Also there should be fall damage so defenders can create an infinite loop portal on the flag carrier, then remove the floor portal so they just squish on the floor, dropping the flag.

[AciD]

Good but nowt with players blocking each other.

[99.vikram]

It's an excellent idea in theory, but it has major flaws any way you look at it -

* If the flag carrier can use portals, he can just use successive portals to get to his own base.

* If he doesn't have the portal gun, it's too easy to stop the flag carrier.

* There wouldn't be any confrontation at all. Players can just portal around opposing defenders.

[RjD]

Originally Posted by dekstar

You'd have to have defenders with Portal destroyers, so people couldn't just place a portal next to the flag, and throw it through the portal.

Well, there are two classes in my current concept that can do portal disruption. One is the "flag" carrier who has a gravgun (jolts aka GGun primary fire will disrupt a portal when they hit its colored edge). Also note that portal guns in this mod will not have Gravity gun functionality. Carrier has gravgun (capable of picking up Very Heavy Stuff), but cannot do portal stuff. Everybody else can do portals, but can not pick up the "flag".

This makes Carrier very fragile and dependent, but also very powerful (he is the only class that can directly lob something Very Heavy right into adversary's face, that is nearly the closest you get to firearms here), and getting him into enemy base (and out of it) is nearly crucial for success (some alternative strategies are also possible, but will be level-dependent and will be bloody hard to pull off)

The other portal disrupting class will be able to "disrupt" portals from long range. Though "disrupting" is not the right word, the right word is "hijack", but that is a remarkably long story.

Originally Posted by 99.vikram

It's an excellent idea in theory, but it has major flaws any way you look at it -

* If the flag carrier can use portals, he can just use successive portals to get to his own base.

* If he doesn't have the portal gun, it's too easy to stop the flag carrier.

* There wouldn't be any confrontation at all. Players can just portal around opposing defenders.

Hmmm... valid concerns.
However, Issue 1 & 2 can be addressed to great extent by proper level design ("flag" area should have the right amount of portal-capable surfaces, placed in the right locations, in order for escape-with-"flag" to be just hard enough)

Also, it seems to me that Issue 2 in not very much an issue - stopping someone with only portals and no "serious business firepower" seems tricky (well, there is Carrier class to throw big things around, but he is one, and big things are easily dodged)

I miss the point in issue 3 (about there being no confrontation) - probably it is my English failing. *bzzzzt*?diga con otras palabras, por favor

P.S.: Note the "" around flag. It would be damn boring to use a pole with some dirty cloth as the objective. First one to guess what item is supposed to be used instead of flag in my concept will get baked.A cake.

[Flie]

Just out of interest what are the classes and what do they do because this idea is pretty awesome. I thought a deathmatch game where you could drive a mech which shot giant portals would be great.

[Parky]

Wouldn't work. Maybe a Portal Coop, but not multiplayer CTF, action. far too many portals to even make sense.

[RjD]

@ Parky

You mean, too much portals to make sense gameplay-wise or rendering-wise?

[McCoy]

Portal MP is gonna be some fast paced shit if it happens eh?
Lemme see your greencard. NOW.

[RjD]

In Soviet Russia, greencards show you

[Mahalis]

You play Garry's Mod at all? I've made a pretty good portal gun for that, and this sounds like the sort of thing that'd make a good gamemode.

Portals Every where wouldn't be that great I mean you walk fall through a hole pop up through another which then lands you in another could you imagine the frustration