Critical Analysis of Chosen Level

Guiding Players

Example 1

The player is guided at the start of the level by having the player momentarily fall with GlaDAS as a computer potato. After the fall of the player, they are shown to have woken up as GlaDAS has been snatched by the bird flying upwards which indicates to the player that they need to find out a way to reach higher grounds and retrieve GlaDAS.

Example 2

In the same sequence in the level, there is a contrast in lighting from the fire that indicates a danger which may convince the player to head in that direction. However, the result is that they need to follow the blue foggy lighting to move forward in the level.

Push and Pull Techniques

Facilitate Mental Mapping – A – Simplify Shapes

There is a lot of simple shapes that can be used to convey the level in this game. Here are some examples of shaping out the level.

Simple Shapes

I’ve outlined some simple shapes on how the level has been designed.

Recognisable Feature

This huge hatch door would be considered a recognisable feature in this level as it stands out to the player because of how big it is. It is also a reference to portal 2 co-op which is shown to be the only escape for the two players. However, in this case, it is only one player to escape through the hatch door that turns out to be securing a small door for the player.

Reduce Clutter

This part of the level shows a lot of clutter however, the path that is mostly laid down with very little to no clutter is targeted as the main route.

In this screenshot, there is no clutter unless you count the environment around the player which does guide the player. The “do not enter” sign is used to guide the player as it is the only way to progress to the next stage.

Facilitate Mental Mapping – B – Create a sense of geography

Vantage points

This part of the level shows a vantage point in which the player is at a higher ground to jump into the orange portal that would give the player enough speed to reach an area that is unreachable using the portal gun.

Landmarks/Weenies

There aren’t many landmarks in this game but in this particular level, the player at this point can see a tower, an industrial tube and countless more which are all connected to a sphere of some kind. The player is not aware of what it exactly is but all they know is that they need to reach higher grounds with the help of their portal gun on light areas scattered around this part of the level.

Influence via composition

Contrast

One example of composition is contrast and that it is a very effective way of making composition stand out to the player with interesting areas to explore. There is very much contrast in lighting in this level as there is a lot of dark shadows which pushes the player away while lighting starts to show towards the path that led to the huge hatch door.

Lines & Curves

A few lines and curves are leading the player towards the next area in this level such as this example down below which shows the player following where the lines of the pipes go to the stairs which leads towards the hatch door.

Links to unseen spaces

Here is an example of an unseen space within this level as the player can see that there is more to explore on the right side of the screen. This is done by using lighting and an unfamiliar voice speaking to the player.

Position & Proximity

Here is an example of making correct positions in this level as the focus around the player is the top of the tower in the elevator. On the other hand, the background in front of the player is very misty and gives no interest in the player because there isn’t a light to follow there.

The proximity would be more noticeable in this screenshot as there is a light shined against a white wall that allows the player to use their portal gun to reach that area.

Perceived Affordance

With looking at perceived affordance at the level that’s I’m discussing, there is only one path that leads to the exit. For example, in this screenshot, the player can only move forward if they find out that you can use place a portal behind this door.

Communicate through a language

One way that this level communicates through language was by making a timed puzzle that has the player trying to press two buttons within a small time frame from two sides of the area. However, by using the portal gun, it’s possible to meet the time frame which will open the hatch door. Opening the hatch door will cause an alarm that communicates to the player that they need to reach the hatch door before it’s too late.

Another instance of communication through language in this level is having a lever beside a door which indicates to the player that they need to pull a lever to open the door. When it has been pulled and the door opens, sparks of electricity is visibly shown.

Lure Mechanics

The main mechanic used in this level is using the portal gun to get across unseen areas of the map along with using physics to fly through a portal by jumping into another portal at a high speed.

Barriers and Boundaries

There is plenty of barriers and boundaries where the player can’t enter as it is a puzzle-solving game after all so it would make sense to place barriers near exit points to avoid cheating. Also, in terms of boundaries, the player is limited to how they can use their portal gun on only light surfaces which makes the puzzles more satisfying when you solve them. In this case, the player is can’t see any light surfaces when looking at the room that appears to have a door. This means there has to be another way into that room.

UI elements

One UI element seen in this screenshot is at the Centre of the screen which is the portal indicator. This indicates whether the portal has been placed on a surface. If the blue/orange portal is light, then it has been placed. If not, then the portal has not been placed.

Cut scenes

There is a cut-scene after the player and GlaDAS has fallen which shows how high the player has fallen.

World Building Narrative Techniques

High - Environmental Narrative

Here is an example of how environmental narrative is used at this stage of the level as the player is naturally invited by the embedded narrative built into the level. It pushes the player to move towards the highlighted photo using lighting techniques. In this case, the level gives the player some backstory to the owner of Aperture Science through written news articles and certificates. There is also a high level of text and audio used in these same screenshots of the level. However, it is possible that the player may not be interested and instead move past the embedded narrative.

Player Notices Narrative

Player Looking For Narrative

Player Ignores Narrative

Player Avoids Narrative

Written Embedded Narrative

Medium - Locations

Here are some examples of locations that bring in a larger structure to the level. Each area is very misty and creates a mystery for the player to explore more of the level. The paths that the player has to take in these areas tend to be blocked by the cause of natural disasters. This forces the player to try and find a new path with the use of a portal gun.

Low - Overall Themes

Portal 2 is set in a dystopian world where humans have been used as experiments by AI, mainly controlled by GlaDOS. The theme of this game is to escape the Aperture Science Facility.

Player Agency

The player agency is particularly used at the start of the level which has a scripted sequence where the player can move around while falling with GLaDOS. There is Dialogue spoken by GlaDOS and then after the scene has cut, a cutscene is played to show GLaDOS being carried away by a bird.