Where is the impossible space in Portal 2?

[BACK]
Where is the impossible space in Portal 2?
Posted On: June 9, 2016

One of the commentary nodes by a Portal 2 developer, Eric Tams, said they used "world portals" to quickly reconfigure maps and puzzles during testing, which allowed them to create rooms that were bigger on the inside, infinite falls, and other sorts of impossible geometry, save for the users own ASHPD space bending.


When we started the project, making any big structural change in a level or the order of levels would lead to hours or even days of busy work trying to reconnect things and make sure they lined up again. If we ever wanted to ship something the size of Portal with the finely tuned balance we desired then we needed a way to be able to make big changes to the layout of the game without paying the cost of making everything line up again. We needed a way to bend space.


Soon every connection between any space was a portal. We would even switch them on the fly. Even a simple door worked like the cartoons - just a facade painted on a wall that seamlessly opened somewhere else entirely. Once the game settled down we were able to finalize our path and remove all of the world portals. There's only one impossible space left in the whole game. See if you can figure out where it is.


After the map layout was finalized, most of these were fixed into boring linear spaces, likely for the sake of performance, save for one spot. Where is it?


Question from user Nick T at gaming.stackexchange.com.


Answer:

In the entity list, there is a linked_portal_door for this purpose; it is used in the Death Trap, (in map sp_a4_finale2.bsp):.


This entity is designed to link two separate, distant areas together without any clear transition between the two. This entity is exclusive to Portal 2.


It is used in Chapter 9, in the Chamber 75 Death Trap with all the crap turrets. The room is actually completely separate from its supposed surroundings. It is the only use of this entity in the final version of the game, though commentary states that it was used a lot during the development of the title to link chambers together.


I guess that the development team first made the rooms separate so that they could wipe a bad room, then connect them later when the levels were more perfect, and I suppose that this room didn't fit.


Answer from user Tamara Wijsman at gaming.stackexchange.com.



[BACK]
Where is the impossible space in Portal 2?
Posted On: June 9, 2016

One of the commentary nodes by a Portal 2 developer, Eric Tams, said they used "world portals" to quickly reconfigure maps and puzzles during testing, which allowed them to create rooms that were bigger on the inside, infinite falls, and other sorts of impossible geometry, save for the users own ASHPD space bending.


When we started the project, making any big structural change in a level or the order of levels would lead to hours or even days of busy work trying to reconnect things and make sure they lined up again. If we ever wanted to ship something the size of Portal with the finely tuned balance we desired then we needed a way to be able to make big changes to the layout of the game without paying the cost of making everything line up again. We needed a way to bend space.


Soon every connection between any space was a portal. We would even switch them on the fly. Even a simple door worked like the cartoons - just a facade painted on a wall that seamlessly opened somewhere else entirely. Once the game settled down we were able to finalize our path and remove all of the world portals. There's only one impossible space left in the whole game. See if you can figure out where it is.


After the map layout was finalized, most of these were fixed into boring linear spaces, likely for the sake of performance, save for one spot. Where is it?


Question from user Nick T at gaming.stackexchange.com.


Answer:

In the entity list, there is a linked_portal_door for this purpose; it is used in the Death Trap, (in map sp_a4_finale2.bsp):.


This entity is designed to link two separate, distant areas together without any clear transition between the two. This entity is exclusive to Portal 2.


It is used in Chapter 9, in the Chamber 75 Death Trap with all the crap turrets. The room is actually completely separate from its supposed surroundings. It is the only use of this entity in the final version of the game, though commentary states that it was used a lot during the development of the title to link chambers together.


I guess that the development team first made the rooms separate so that they could wipe a bad room, then connect them later when the levels were more perfect, and I suppose that this room didn't fit.


Answer from user Tamara Wijsman at gaming.stackexchange.com.



[BACK]

What are these Minecraft red lasers? What are these Minecraft red lasers?

Posted On: July 8, 2023
These just appeared. What's going on?!. They seem to follow me around, but appear patchily. What have I done? Question from user fredley at stackexchange. Answer: They are marking loca...[More]


Too easy on normal in Hogwarts Legacy? Too easy on normal in Hogwarts Legacy?

Posted On: April 25, 2023
Hey all just wondering if there any others here who find this game really easy on normal mode? Also be curious to know if the same folks who find this quite easy play games like Dark Souls etc. I v...[More]


How do I find the missing Gold Skulltulas? How do I find the missing Gold Skulltulas?

Posted On: August 5, 2023
I've almost completely finished Ocarina of Time now, and I'd like to get 100% completion just for the fun of it. The big problem is the Gold Skulltulas. I've heard there's some sort...[More]


The last thing I expected from this game. The last thing I expected from this game.

Posted On: September 16, 2023
I'm on my first play through as a Hufflepuff witch, and I have to say I'm bowled over by the outfits and how good they look. The costume design team have done such a good job. My wardrobe is s...[More]


Do you play origin characters? Do you play origin characters?

Posted On: March 12, 2026
I admit: I don't. .Playing a recruitable origin character never felt right. Sure, it gives me a story and a background. But, the idea that this person would exist in the game even if I didn't select ...[More]


How to get VALORANT on 2021 M1 MacBook Air How to get VALORANT on 2021 M1 MacBook Air

Posted On: March 27, 2024
VALORANT, currently, is not on MacOS. It is also not on Steam. You cannot download VALORANT through the website because. well, there's no button to do so. So how do you get it on Mac?Originally, I tho...[More]


Hogwarts Legacy Help 100% please Hogwarts Legacy Help 100% please

Posted On: July 29, 2023
Can somebody please walk me through what I'm missing for the platinum? I'm missing 1 revelio page in hogwarts and I don't know which one it is, I've tried guides and everything, I just...[More]


In Tears of the Kingdom is there a workaround for using an Amiibo more than once per day? In Tears of the Kingdom is there a workaround for using an Amiibo more than once per day?

Posted On: May 13, 2023
Each unique amiibo unlock random loot, but can only be used once every 24 hours in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. If you try and exceed the limit you will receive the message “This a...[More]


What happened to old high scores on the updated Imagine Dragons maps? What happened to old high scores on the updated Imagine Dragons maps?

Posted On: October 19, 2023
Beat Saber v1.28.0 updated the Imagine Dragons Song Pack to change the layouts of existing songs. Surprisingly, it looks like old high scores from the previous versions weren't wiped from the lead...[More]


What are the equivalent PC keyboard keys and mouse buttons of the Xbox 360 game controller buttons shown on the screen? What are the equivalent PC keyboard keys and mouse buttons of the Xbox 360 game controller buttons shown on the screen?

Posted On: January 23, 2023
The PC port of Dark Souls shows Xbox 360 game controller buttons on its in-game messages and the UI. However, I'm playing with a mouse and a keyboard. This makes learning the controls a bit awkwar...[More]