Portal 2

[Forbin]

For those that missed Chris on the GWJ podcast, they had a section talking about Portal 2 and how playing co-op with Erik was like getting power level in Diablo. I'm scared, because I know it's almost guaranteed to happen with the co-op campaign unless I have a dedicated partner from beginning to end. As soon as one of the partners has played any more than the other it could really diminish the whole experience.

I will have to demand fidelity from my Portal Partner if this campaign is truly as long as the single player.

[Korax]

I hope that voice acting is placeholder. It's not awful, but it's definitely not good.

[Jake]

I hope that voice acting is placeholder. It's not awful, but it's definitely not good.

Unlikely that its placeholder. That said, probably wouldn't be unlikely either for Valve to re-record it anyway for some reason or another before the game comes out.

[Lu]

Although I like the voice, I heard a Valve dude specifically say that this was placeholder and that the current voice is from someone on the development team. It was during a press demo, where they ran through the various new mechanics they introduced.

[Thyroid]

Yeah, I heard (from a pretty good source) that it's one of the animators doing the voice. I think it's so-so. Defo needs a bit more enthusiasm in places.

[Nappi]

They voice felt "wrong" to me at first but that was only because I had, for some reason, assumed that all the equipment in Aperture Science lab would have female voices.

[Korax]

Although I like the voice, I heard a Valve dude specifically say that this was placeholder and that the current voice is from someone on the development team. It was during a press demo, where they ran through the various new mechanics they introduced.

That's a relief. I'm enjoying the idea of "excitable British robot," but that performance was rather... flat. Or something. It just didn't click, and Valve has been doing a great job with voicing characters.

[Forbin]

I prefer the depressed British robot personally.

[Xeneth]

So excited for this. Weirdly, I think I'm looking forward to the co-op campaign a little more than the story one, and might be trying to tackle that with someone first.

Re: BritBall - The voice did sound a little less nuanced than some other strong Valve examples, but I don't think it was terrible.

Thanks fer the heads up on the GWJ 'cast. Ironically, I learned that Idle Thumbs existed through the GWJ community, and I used to be sort of active over there...

Apparently I only have the energy to keep up with one gaming podcast/community, because you guys have 100% stolen me away from there and it's been ages since I visited.

[Forbin]

PC gaming podcasts gots to stick together man.

[miffy495]

I've actually found myself getting more and more tired of GWJ lately. It seems like every time I decide that some week will be my last for that podcast, they have Lara Krieger (sp? for both names?) on, who really ups the quality of the 'cast, or a good guest. Just enough to draw me back for a few more weeks, until I start feeling like that again and they do it again. I have a hard time putting my finger on what it is that irritates me though. I think it may be the overly-structured nature of the podcast. They've been doing it for so long that it feels so formulaic and much less genuinely fun, maybe.

Oh well, whatever. Still not a bad show.

[Forbin]

I've actually found myself getting more and more tired of GWJ lately. It seems like every time I decide that some week will be my last for that podcast, they have Lara Krieger (sp? for both names?) on, who really ups the quality of the 'cast, or a good guest. Just enough to draw me back for a few more weeks, until I start feeling like that again and they do it again. I have a hard time putting my finger on what it is that irritates me though. I think it may be the overly-structured nature of the podcast. They've been doing it for so long that it feels so formulaic and much less genuinely fun, maybe.

Ugh, I can't stand Lara. They let her get away with so much shit because she's a girl, and they're not comfortable enough to call her an idiot like they would the rest of the podcast members. Every time she says "bitches" for no reason, my mouse hovers over unsubscribe. One of the main reasons I like that show, is that they're not always the most informed people individually, but they don't hesitate to correct each other. She really upsets that balance, because often when they do step in to correct something incorrect or hyperbolic she's said, she just ignores their input.

But I think the main reason I enjoy their podcast (beyond their ability to land interesting guests), is that they represent a rare demographic. Not to say they're all old farts, but people their age usually don't stay in games journalism. Most either leave to do something unrelated, become producers and are forbidden to speak, or are in PR and spew nothing but bullshit.

Anyways back to Portal 2. I do like the idea of British robots, because if anything the British are the ones that embrace comedy in their science fiction. Whether it's H2G2, Red Dwarf or Doctor Who, they seem to share the same spirit as Portal.

[Drath]

I just heard about the whole Playstation Steamworks thing too. This could mean a lot to the whole Valve/Steam non-platform specific gaming empire. Mac/PC/PS3... wait, what about Xbox? *Insert Price is Right failure horn sound*

It seems so weird how dismissive they were about Playstation over Xbox... it's like they are switching places with the Steamworks though. I'm optimistic about it, but is there any official information about what Steamworks means on the PS3?

I know this isn't all that related to the thread...

[Thompson]

Giantbomb has a whole bunch of new videos up now for Portal 2, check it.

Portal 2 Vids:

http://www.giantbomb.com/aperture-science-reveals-excursion-tunnel-tech/17-2858/

http://www.giantbomb.com/new-from-aperture-science-aerial-faith-plates/17-2859/

http://www.giantbomb.com/portal-2-trailer-thermal-discouragement-beam/17-2861/

http://www.giantbomb.com/portal-2-trailer-propulsion-gel/17-2864/

http://www.giantbomb.com/portal-2-trailer-repulsion-gel/17-2863/

http://www.giantbomb.com/portal-2-trailer-pneumatic-diversity-vent/17-2862/

Thanks Valve for making me suddenly want this game by releasing videos all over the place.

[Forbin]

Gotta credit IGN, they seem to be the only ones till now to have that content on video.

[Kolzig]

I don't want to watch the new videos anymore. I feel I'm getting spoiled too much! I'll happily have a total news blackout concerning Portal 2 until it's released.

[Murdoc]

I guess the voice was a placeholder because they instead they got Stephen Merchant...

Really hate to say this because I like Merchant, but this kind of breaks the illusion for me.

http://www.hlportal.de/?site=news&do=shownews&news_id=8170

[Drath]

Was listening to latest Podcast17 episode and they mentioned a Portal 1 mod/map that includes lots of goodies from the Portal 2 demo including repulsion gel, laser cubes and the like. From what I've heard, the author does a really good job simulating them in Portal - pretty interesting:

http://myaperturelabs.com/file.php?id=401

[thorn]

Release date: February 9th.

http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/08/18/portal-2-has-a-release-date.aspx

[Nappi]

Co-op trailer.

Those

Pixar robots

look damn awesome.

[Noyb]

Co-op trailer.

Those

Pixar robots

look damn awesome.

Goddamnit, the Rock, Paper, Shotgun RSS feed spoiled their designs for me with a before-the-jump image.

[Wubbles]

Man, that looks cool. I wonder if the co-op characters are the same type of robots that use the replacement test-chamber in Portal 1.

[Thompson]

Here's some footage from PAX.

http://www.giantbomb.com/pax-2010-portal-2-co-op-demo/17-3195/

Looks so damn awesome. Also,

GLaDOS is particularly funny in this video

.

[Kolzig]

Valve announces the Valve Time.

Portal is pushed two months more back.

Hopefully DNF and Portal won't come at the same time, these are the two games of next year's spring that I would really like not come in the same month.

[Gwardinen]

Holy crap.

This is basically how I wish every game in the world was sold. When I buy something I want to own it everywhere I possibly can and have it work everywhere it can and with everyone it can. I really hope this goes well and becomes a standard, at the least for Valve games.