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JAMIE MORRISON
GAME & LEVEL DESIGNER
Portal 2 Test Chamber Pack
The Portal 2 Test Chamber Pack was created with the intent to convey skill in level design using a familiar set of mechanics. Using the Portal 2 Test Chamber editor I constructed 3 Chambers each using different mechanics from the game. The result created 3 radically different levels and helped grow my understanding of in Level Design, Portal and the Steam Workshop which was used to upload all my creations.
Chamber 1: Perspective
Perspective, the first test chamber, was created with the Tractor Beam mechanic in mind. The initial concept was to utilise actions taken in the first area of the chamber that would then influence the player later on in the level. In this case the cube that is used at the start is required at the end meaning a tricky perspective move has to be made for the player to use the cube to complete the level.
Chamber 2: Symmetry
Symmetry requires the player to complete a series of similar objectives on each side of the chamber to make their way to the end. The hazard between the room forces the player to be quick with their portals when grabbing the cube and the button positioning allows the player to learn from their mistakes and understand the levels mechanics faster as they can see the cube drop.
Chamber 3: Security
Security was the final map created for the test chamber pack and is by far the largest of the 3. It requires the player to complete several rooms to progress to the next section of the level. Each section uses different mechanics to keep the player interested and all combines together for a big finish once all the sections are complete. A particular idea that is displayed in the design is that once each section is completed the player can clearly see they can move onto the next section with no confusion.
Working with the Portal 2 Level Editor was a great experience allowing building levels with a set of rules and boundaries while not limiting creativity. Throughout the process of creating these levels I feel I improved after each one I created. I did this to create a pure level design example working with preset mechanics and assets. I feel with the creation of more levels the designs will only improve.