Portal 2 : Princess No-Knees 3 : Jump Harder

[balderduck]

I don't really know how high sales are supposed to be, but I suppose from what you shown me that they're not that good

[Spambot5546]

There are numbers for comparison in a chart at the bottom of that page. Basically where Portal sold some 100k copies, Black Ops sold some eight million.

[nowfocus]

I wouldn't trust that site - those numbers look way to low. This one seems a bit more realistic
http://www.gamesworldsa.com/Portal-2-Sa ... ws462.html

[SecondTalon]

From what I recall, Steam doesn't like to release sales figures. So good luck figuring out how many copies were sold.

[Soralin]

Not to mention, below, it has separate categories for the same games on the same platform. It had about 124k copies for PC, 808k copies for xbox, 570k copies for PS3. And yeah, if they're just going by retail, not including steam, then their numbers are going to be huge underestimates for any PC games.

[Dark567]

Not to mention, below, it has separate categories for the same games on the same platform. It had about 124k copies for PC, 808k copies for xbox, 570k copies for PS3. And yeah, if they're just going by retail, not including steam, then their numbers are going to be huge underestimates for any PC games.

Particularly one released by Valve.

[The Scyphozoa]

There are numbers for comparison in a chart at the bottom of that page. Basically where Portal sold some 100k copies, Black Ops sold some eight million.

We don't need numbers. I think "Black Ops has made more money than any other entertainment thing ever" pretty much sums it up.

[balderduck]

Well crap will always outsell quality (sorry to any COD fans)

It's the same in movies, tv, music as well

But the thing is do the people who really put their hearts out and create something compelling and engaging for those looking for something more make enough money to keep doing what they're doing...

An interesting experiment on that subject is going on right now with the witcher. Small, independent company, makes a hard, dialog/story heavy RPG giving it everything they've got, and on top of that take a risk by giving out downloadable DRM-free copies and free DLC

Let's see if those guys do well...

(also a comparison to DA:2 which is the exact opposite, a huge company with a very positive record, make a money-grab with a half-assed dumbed down game and charges for DLC)

[Endless Mike]

From what I recall, Steam doesn't like to release sales figures. So good luck figuring out how many copies were sold.

Valve has historically not released sales numbers, and being a private company, they don't have to.

[rigwarl]

Well crap will always outsell quality

I'd like to hear why you think this.

[legopelle]

Well crap will always outsell quality

I'd like to hear why you think this.

Well, crap is cheaper to produce, and if the target demographics standards are low enough, it will sell. Quality is expensive and just isn't made enough.
Oh, and elitism, almost forgot that.

[psion]

Well crap will always outsell quality

I'd like to hear why you think this.

Products designed for the masses will generally outsell products designed for people with refined sensibilities.

[Dark567]

Well crap will always outsell quality

I'd like to hear why you think this.

Products designed for the masses will generally outsell products designed for people with refined sensibilities.

But something designed for the masses doesn't necessarily means its not quality. Honda and Toyota outsell Hyundai and Kia, all are aimed at the masses but the former are more expensive and are of a higher quality.

[SamaraLexx]

I don't think you can compare car production to a more creative product, like a video game (or a film or a book). When talking about a creative work, it does seem like you have to keep watering something down to make it more accessible to a wider audience. Not a universal rule, of course.

[SecondTalon]

Well crap will always outsell quality

I'd like to hear why you think this.

Products designed for the masses will generally outsell products designed for people with refined sensibilities.

What's the difference between Refined Sensibilities and Weird Niche?

[psion]

Well crap will always outsell quality

I'd like to hear why you think this.

Products designed for the masses will generally outsell products designed for people with refined sensibilities.

What's the difference between Refined Sensibilities and Weird Niche?

Different letters? It depends on if we're talking universally or specifically to creative works, as SamaraLexx says. My statement is universally true, but when we talk about creative works and use words like "weird niche" then we're really diving into the realm of subjectivity (which I was trying to avoid for the sake of brevity on this off-topic tangent).

[SecondTalon]

Yeah, I was more of meaning Creative Works. Sure, there are works designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator, and there's works that are aimed at a very specific subset of the population, but I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of having anything be called Refined Sensibilities or Refined Taste or whatever, at least not on the whole. You could say that someone has a very refined taste in horror movies as they stick to a specific subcategory of the genre, but overall? I'm just not digging the elitist vibe.

And man, this here High Culture place? I've always thought of that being half the point - bizarre little tangents that branch off and feed back in to the main thread in 5-20 posts. Anything longer should probably stop or get split, anything lower isn't really a tangent....... but whatever.

Orange and Blue Speedy Thing Conserves Momentum for Cake. There, now we're on topic again.

[Stellazira]

We had Portal 2 playing on the PS3 and the PC together in the same house: when GLaDOS sounds like she's echoing she sounds more creepy than usual.

[psion]

The phrase does have more than a bit of a negative stigma as being elitist, but that wasn't my intention and I couldn't think of any words that better fit the concept. Refined as in knowing what they like by consuming a large quantity of X, sensibilities as in the senses or understanding of that which they've they've come to realize that they like. I'm mainly referring to experiencing and reflecting on things like writing or game mechanics, and those who have can generally agree on what is quality, though there are several "weird niches" that are developed through the same process.
The masses of the gaming world generally only care that the game is simple, playable, and has a strong IP (Halo ODST), hence why the majority of new games have a number on the end. Someone with refined sensibilities are looking for the qualities that they like, but putting a lot of sweat and money into providing those qualities can be risky (Psychonauts).

And man, this here High Culture place? I've always thought of that being half the point - bizarre little tangents that branch off and feed back in to the main thread in 5-20 posts. Anything longer should probably stop or get split, anything lower isn't really a tangent....... but whatever.

Well obviously it's all under your discretion and bias, so I tend not to write an essay on a tangent lest it spark a long discussion that gets killed... Which bugs me for a few different reasons.

[roband]

Finally got around to finishing this.

Really enjoyed the end.
Really didn't enjoy all the 'spot the panels which are the right shade of white off in the distance somewhere' in the middle of the game.

Probably won't be replaying it.
Probably will be selling the game on.

[SlyReaper]

There was a distinct lack of portal surfaces throughout the entire game, even in test chambers. You could usually work out how to solve a puzzle just by seeing where the portal sufaces were. Like, a single portal-sized white panel on the wall, surrounded by metal, was a dead giveaway that you were supposed to put a portal there at some point during the test. Like a bright neon sign saying "Put the portal here. No, not over there, HERE. Over here! Here, you moron!" In the original, most walls and floors and ceilings were portalable. That made you have to actually think about it for a while, and thus it was always more satisfying to complete. That's why I loved that level where you've got the white goo and you can paint the entire room with it; I actually solved that one first time in an unintended way.

That said, it's far from a bad game. I still think it's the best game I've played for years. It's just the emphasis was more on storytelling and funny dialogue monologue than actual portal puzzles.

I found some replay value in going back through Chapter 8 and smashing all the monitors.

[SecondTalon]

Probably won't be replaying it.
Probably will be selling the game on.

Can you actually resell this if you got a boxed copy? I thought everything tied into steam.

On PC, sure. But Portal is on two other platforms.

[EvanED]

I found some replay value in going back through Chapter 8 and smashing all the monitors.

This is an awesomely fun achievement to get.

Here are some more challenges; some of these are really fun too. http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1862219. (I posted this before but it can't hurt to say again.)

Edit: I haven't done all, but these are the ones I remember really liking, as well as a couple modifications

• Chapter 2, Chamber 03: complete the test with only two portal placements. (decent, not great)
• Chapter 3, Chamber 10: trap yourself. If you do it right, Glados will respond
• Chapter 3, Chamber 10: complete the test, each aerial faith place having only been triggered only once. (This is hard to judge as I spoiled myself to the key observation on YouTube)
• Chapter 3, Chamber 11: complete the test with the light bridge only having been "moved" twice. Moving is any time you place a portal that makes a light bridge appear somewhere where it wasn't before placing the portal. (This is awesome)
• Chapter 3, Chamber 12: complete the test, only "moving" the hard light bridge once (see above for definition of "moving") (I haven't done this, but I may know how; I'm not positive. I think the technical difficulty rating is rather understated if I'm right.)
• Chapter 3, Chamber 15: trap yourself. (Decent)
• Chapter 3, Chamber 16: Complete the level without setting any turrets on fire. You can still knock them over. (I have to give a shoutout to my contribution. I think puzzle rating should be **,)
• Chapter 4, Chamber 18: Get up on top of one of the raised metal platforms (the ones with the Aerial Faith Plates on them). (Decent)
• Chapter 8, Chamber 02: Complete the test with only 5 portal placements. (I don't really like this as-is... but if you change it to 6, it becomes a lot better.)
• Chapter 8, Chamber 05: Complete the test without letting either of the aerial faith plates be triggered.

[roband]

Probably won't be replaying it.
Probably will be selling the game on.

Can you actually resell this if you got a boxed copy? I thought everything tied into steam.

On PC, sure. But Portal is on two other platforms.

Where did Xeio's quote come from there? I can't see it....

But yes, I own the game on Xbox. Will be completing the multiplayer shortly, and then selling it.

[Xeio]

Where did Xeio's quote come from there? I can't see it....

I totally didn't delete a post there before SexyTalon managed to quote it... nope... not at all.

Either he quoted it during the 30 seconds between when I hit post and delete, or because he's a mod he can see soft deletes and quoted it.

Incidentally, yes, I went *facepalm* as a realized you could resell the 360 version at least (with steam integrated to the PS3 version, can that still be resold)?

[Vapour]

A resell to Steam would be awesome.

[SecondTalon]

Either he quoted it during the 30 seconds between when I hit post and delete, or because he's a mod he can see soft deletes and quoted it.

*facepalm* I fail at reading.

This post was soft deleted by Xeio on Tue May 24, 2011 12:04 pm.

SecondTalon » Tue May 24, 2011 12:16 pm

... yet another reason I wish Soft Deleting would go away....... but it's also so much fun to read the stupid things that people caught themselves saying and deleted before anyone noticed.

[Stellazira]

I'll leave this here:
http://www.thinkwithportals.com/music.php

[KrazyerKate]

My personal favorite bit of music from the game was the smooth jazz. I was really mad that you only get to hear a few seconds of it in the game.

but it's also so much fun to read the stupid things that people caught themselves saying and deleted before anyone noticed.

I was not aware that mods could do this. I may leave secret messages for mods from now on.

Is there a way for me to look at my own edit histories?

[SlyReaper]

I'll leave this here:
http://www.thinkwithportals.com/music.php

I'm very disappointed the turret orchestra isn't in there. I want to hear it in full without all the elevator noises and stuff.

[SecondTalon]

I was not aware that mods could do this. I may leave secret messages for mods from now on.

Is there a way for me to look at my own edit histories?

I don't believe we can see the edit history. What we can see is the soft-deleted posts. There's.. a surprising number of them. The Fleeting Thoughts thread in General, for example.. people talk about a pagetopper halfway down the thread at this point - and I also suspect the modstaff is a page or two ahead of everyone else too, what with all the deleting that goes on in there.

But.. back to Princess No-Knees and how she learned to jump.

[EvanED]

I'll leave this here:
http://www.thinkwithportals.com/music.php

I'm very disappointed the turret orchestra isn't in there. I want to hear it in full without all the elevator noises and stuff.

There are three volumes that will be released; they've only put up #1. So don't hold your breath (that's standard advice for Valve) but I'd be surprised if it's not there eventually.

[BurningLed]

I didn't realize how IDM-y the Portal two soundtrack was until it was all isolated like this

I Saw A Deer Today is my favorite, definitely. Besides maybe the secret turret chamber.

[Robert'); DROP TABLE *;]

I'll leave this here:
http://www.thinkwithportals.com/music.php

I'm very disappointed the turret orchestra isn't in there. I want to hear it in full without all the elevator noises and stuff.

"Turret Wife Serenade?"

[SlyReaper]

I'll leave this here:
http://www.thinkwithportals.com/music.php

I'm very disappointed the turret orchestra isn't in there. I want to hear it in full without all the elevator noises and stuff.

"Turret Wife Serenade?"

Is good, but not as good as the turret orchestra. I also had that one extracted from game files anyway.

[BurningLed]

"Turret Wife Serenade?"

Spoiler:

That's the secret turret chamber I mentioned above. Different from the epic one at the end of the game.

[Spambot5546]

Yay, I finally got to play co-op! We had a lot of fun killing each other all the time.

[TheCasualObserver]

Loved the game. Only problem was that I thought it was a little unchallenging.... hopefully the dlc will be more difficult (and out before the apocalypse).
The co-op ones were a bit better though, they required more thought.

[Robert'); DROP TABLE *;]

Cave asked and Cave received. (spoiler, sort of)

[Cahojama]

If you liked the game, you will LOVE this short.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NorZUFfpvC0

I couldn't stop smiling the entire time.

Its a short film( 8mins) of her after the first game conclusion.