February 4th, 2010

This is a sub-page of Proto:Portal 2.

'This page or section details content from theAugust 2026 Steam2 Content Server Dump.'''

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page. Specifically: A lot has to be investigated obviously since a lot had changed since July 2009, but try to document the map series listed below... sp_proto_sphere maps which were tests for the core integration in the storyline. Entirety of Press Demo maps (pressdemo_0x) which are an earlier version of what would be shown to GameInformer for their magazine which would reveal the game. Several maps which are infact split maps from an earlier iteration of the game with potentially barely any changes since they were split up such as sp_richard_sphere (mixup core room), sp_destroyed_still_alive (slowfield behind the scenes), sp_tube_blockage (laser bts) Not map related stuff, but try do document the assets which were changed and appeared beforehand and also assets if they aren't used yet such as the newer portal door which was just an AO-bake later to be used in March 2010. Are the any differences between the sphere maps from this build and the versions in July 2009 aside from level change logic?

To do: Document the styleguide_foliage02 which is a newer version of styleguide_foliage01. Document the Nimbus thingy in beta main menu. Probably a more descriptive summary of the styleguide maps, and including more of the gallery text. Document the pillar props in props_bts folder which aren't used anywhere. Chamber 04 has a strange observation room with the cracked window and some destruction in which... the portal can be also shot through it. It also tries to load the props_fairgrounds/alligator.mdl physics prop but since it doesn't exist in the files, which it does exist in Left 4 Dead 2, it will fail to load the model. Document everything about co-op (especially co-op maps)

This article is a work in progress. ...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

This page is rather stubbly and could use some expansion. Are you a bad enough dude to rescue this article?

The oldest Portal 2 prototype from 2010 found in the August 2026 leaks, the "Core Hub" storyline seen in the previous prototype is now gone in favour of a storyline more similar to the final game's where an early version of Wheatley with no voice lines helps you escape GLaDOS' watchful eye, you disable a security firewall together, he dies and a new personality core helps you instead, and-

This prototype also features gimmicks not normally seen in the final game, such as the Rocket Turret, Security Cameras and Sticky Gel.

The hl2.exe executable is missing so it has to be taken from a closer build like March 18, 2010.

Main Menu#

An extremely early version of the redesigned menu is included in this build, which can be accessed by either launching the game with the -nogameui launch argument or changing the game's folder name to swarm, as the game is hardcoded to launch the new menu if its folder is called that. At this point in development, it is very similar to the Left 4 Dead 2 menu. The only functional option is Play Campaign > Play With Friends, which launches a submenu for creating a game, however actually creating a lobby will crash it. The main menu retains the same background from the July 28th, 2009 build. The menu can be also ran by opening vgui_perftest.exe in the bin folder of the game with the -game parameter with the portal2 game directory.

Clicking the home button on the bottom left of the menu takes you to a prototype of Steam Big Picture, codenamed Nimbus Entertainment. If you enter it through the main menu sounds won't be present. If you enter it through the pause menu, you'll first need to run "unpause" through the console, or otherwise the game only shows a black screen. The Interface for this only displays correctly on very low resolutions. Entering the Login Screen has a neat fade in animation featuring some clouds. Most buttons are non functional.

Nimbus Entertainment on 1920x1080:

Engine#

• The VBSP version was changed to 21, although the maps on the list are not yet recompiled to the newer version:
  • mp_coop_button_tower
  • mp_coop_catapult_2
  • mp_coop_catapult_wall_intro
  • mp_coop_come_along
  • mp_coop_double_catch
  • mp_coop_laser_1
  • mp_coop_laser_3
  • mp_coop_laser_bypass
  • mp_coop_laser_crusher - The only co-op map to be recompiled compared to the July 2009 build which the main difference is adjusting the lasers to fit the newer version of models.
  • mp_coop_laser_redirect
  • mp_coop_race_1
  • mp_coop_start
  • mp_coop_trap_1
  • mp_coop_turret_walls
  • mp_coop_vista
  • mp_coop_wall_1
  • mp_coop_wall_2
  • mp_coop_wall_3
  • mp_coop_wall_5
  • mp_coop_wall_catch
  • mp_coop_wall_intro
  • mp_coop_wall_stop
  • mp_coop_wall_straight_jump
  • sp_destroyed_still_alive
  • sp_dual_laser
  • sp_laser_relay_bridges
  • sp_paint_jump_intro
  • sp_pull_the_rug
  • sp_pull_to_fling
  • sp_richard_sphere
  • sp_rocket_turret
  • sp_sphere_intro
  • sp_sphere_wall
  • sp_tbeam_ceil_button
  • sp_tbeam_turret_towers
  • sp_tube_blockage

General#

• The portal2_tempcontent has been added as a game searchpath in the gameinfo.txt for the game, meaning that the user no longer has to add -tempcontent to the arguments when launching the game since it now loads the assets without using it since that is added a searchpath now.

End Survey#

This build features an end survey after every map, handled by point_survey. There is a "puzzle" variant and a "generic" variant for areas that advance the storyline (also used in temporary maps). This can be disabled by running the command cl_disable_survey_panel 1 in the console.

Puzzle	"Generic"

Singleplayer Campaign#

Early intro#

This video demonstrates an early intro used in this prototype

Watch on YouTube

Co-op Campaign#

Unused Audio#

Cave Johnson#

Four "new" Cave Johnson voice lines have been added in this build, which aren't used anywhere. All of these lines are just the same or edited versions of lines found in the July 2009 build. Although not used in this build, the map diorama_01 from the July 2010 build uses these voice lines which is an isolated version of the diorama from 2009, and as also seen in the screenshots of the earlier versions of the area in The Final Hours of Portal 2.

GLaDOS#

An unused GLaDOS line exists for the sequence where you obtain the Portal Gun, seemingly from an earlier version of the scene where the floor did not break beneath you. Like the two lines that actually made it into the game, this track uses a placeholder text-to-speech voice. Triggering it in-game requires noclipping into the windowless observation room overlooking the area. Additionally, the filename format—PREHUBGETPORTALGUN—suggests these lines originated during the game's "Corehub" development era, likely in a build created after July 2009 build.

Wheatley#

Wheatley has many voice lines in this build that aren't ever used, suggesting they might have only been added shortly before this build was made and weren't implemented in time. Some of these lines are programmed to play in the March 2010 build, and can be heard when copying the portal2_tempcontent folder from the February build to the March build, as that folder is missing from it. A few of them are also used in the unused maps pressdemo_02 and sp_proto_sphere_intro in this build, with the latter seemingly being a leftover from the Corehub era.

Press Demo Maps#

To do: Are the pressdemo maps newer or older than the campaign ones?

These maps are mostly small slices of the singleplayer campaign, akin to a highlight reel. They contain differences from what is currently in the campaign. Most of the differences are visual style ones, slightly modifying the amount and location of destroyed and broken props, removing or adding non-portalable surfaces etc.

pressdemo_01#

A combination of the introductory "collapsing" room cutscene from sp_intro_01, room 4 from sp_intro_04 and room 5 from sp_intro_05.

pressdemo_02#

A shortened version of sp_glados_01, including a walk through GLaDOS room, the walk with Wheatley into the elevator and waking up GLaDOS. Unlike the campaign version, Wheatley has voice lines.

pressdemo_03#

A combination of modified sp_laser_redirect_intro (redirecting the laser with a cube instead of a portal, and the receptacle raises a platform instead of opening a door) and sp_laser_dual_lasers. The map dynamically transitions one puzzle to another by rebuilding the room.

Watch on YouTube

pressdemo_03_vista#

A walk by the X-Ray Tube from sp_tube_vista, a map that is unused in th current campaign but was a part of it in July 2009 build (in p2_lab_lasers_1).

pressdemo_04#

A version of sp_catapult_intro with a GLaDOS voiceline added.

pressdemo_05#

A version of sp_tbeam_intro with a GLaDOS voiceline added.

pressdemo_06#

A version of sp_tbeam_catch with a GLaDOS voiceline added.

pressdemo_06_vista#

A version of sp_building_the_floor.

Unused Maps#

New unused puzzles#

sp_laser_relay_bridges#

An unused original puzzle. There are misaligned moving platforms, each wired to a laser receptacle. The player can power each platform individually using a redirection cube, or power all three platforms at once using a portal. While the puzzle design seems to want the player to individually align the platforms using the cube and only then power all of them, it is completely unnecessary.

sp_paint_box_slime_hop#

Another unused original puzzle. The player must paint a path using Propulsion Gel and Repulsion Gel for a cube to jump over a gap.

sp_paint_jump_angled_fling#

An unused original puzzle, not yet wired to elevators/corridors - the spawn point is in the middle of the room and the exit doors just lead to a wall. The player is also not given a portal gun, which is needed to solve the puzzle. Mostly consists of very unreliable bouncing using the Repulsion Gel.

sp_paint_jump_flings#

Another very unfinished unused original puzzle not yet wired to elevators/corridors. The player is not given a portal gun and while the puzzle reuires Repulsion Gel to solve, there is no apparent source of it in the room. It can therefore only be solved using the Paint Gun.

sp_paint_jump_intro#

A very simple unused puzzle, consisting of two trivial Repulsion Gel jumps.

sp_tbeam_ceil_button#

A very simple funnel puzzle, simply push a cube onto a ceiling button.

sp_paint_stick_fling#

An unused puzzle involving sticking to the ceiling and jumping off it to fling yourself.

sp_rocket_laser_lift#

An unused puzzle with a Rocket Turret. To solve the room, a laser must be blocked with a cube, and at a later point the cube must be exploded away to unblock it. The map is commented out in the transitions file in a section called "Stasis".

Storyline prototypes#

sp_proto_sphere_escape#

Take Wheatley from an elevator, attach him to any of the 4 available receptacles and abandon him.

sp_proto_sphere_intro#

A new variant of a Core Room (as seen in the sp_sphere maps) which involves recovering Wheatley (who has voicelines). Wheatley then helps you open a door and get through a destroyed version of Chamber 13.

sp_proto_sphere_reroute#

A variant of sp_tube_blockage which adds a step of using Wheatley to solve the room.

sp_vista_placeholder#

A placeholder for a storyline event, similiar to the sp_temp_sphere ones used in the campaign. Simply says "This map is beautiful. And a placeholder for something awesome." In the March 2010 build, it will become a part of the main campaign.

Others#

Most of these maps already existed in some form in the July 2009 build.

sp_intro_07#

Chamber 10 from Portal, almost unchanged from the late 2009 version since it was abandoned shortly after splitting the maps. Interestingly is that despite the map and chamber numbers, the map does not start with Chamber 09.

Comparing to the screenshot featured in the Final Hours of Portal 2, the floor texture, at least in the exit room was changed to the newer one and the lighting appears to be different as well.

sp_intro_08#

The dilapidated Chamber 09 from the first Portal. The cube dropper is already broken as it was in the first game.

Comparing to the screenshot featured in the Final Hours of Portal 2, the light model was removed off in this map.

sp_intro_09#

The Chamber 12 from the first game also barely changed from late 2009 version comparing to the photo.

sp_sphere_intro#

This map is an isolated version of the Laser Core Room from an earlier incarnation of the story.

The difference between the version in July 2009 and this map is that when the player picks up the core, the change_level_rl relay will be triggered which will cause the fade out for map transition along with killing the prop_glados_core entity then firing the debug_change_to_next_map entity to change the map but since this map isn't mentioned in the transition list, the map will end with nothing.

sp_sphere_wall#

This map is an isolated version of the Slowfield Core Room from an earlier incarnation of the story.

This is the same case as in the sp_sphere_intro, picking up the core will also cause the map transition although it does not kill the core entity.

sp_richard_sphere#

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this.

This map is an isolated version of the Mash-Up (mixup) core room in which the paranoid sphere internally called "Richard" is located in a huge room with the turrets defending the core. The map starts with the exit room from Chamber 11 from Portal and the player like in the 2009 build, still has to walk through the completely broken Chamber 07 from Still Alive expansion

Compared to the version in July 2009 build, this map now involves the sphere socket and the panel doors which they have to be opened by plugging the core in each socket, and the hallways no longer feature the Aerial Faith Plates or Hard Light Bridges, having the player to toss the turrets away to avoid being shot. The map ends with the lift which takes up into nowhere but rather a ceiling, with the "You win!" text during a fade in as it rises up.

According to the lift entity name, that is @lift_to_glados, it was supposed to take the player to the GLaDOS' chamber.

sp_building_the_floor#

The map is a scenic view of a floor being built, ending in a room with two monitors playing Aperture Science promotional clips. In the July 2009 build, a variant of this map was a part of the Lasers route (p2_lab_lasers_1). A variant of this map is also a part of the press demo series (pressdemo_06_vista). The map is commented out in the transitions file in a section called "Stasis".

sp_destroyed_still_alive#

A dilapidated Chamber 11 from the Still Alive expansion. As the chamber is heavily destroyed, the path also leads through Aperture offices. In the July 2009 build, a variant of this map was a part of the Slowfield route (p2_lab_slowfield_1).

sp_laser_intro#

This page or section needs more videos. There's a whole lotta words or pictures here, but not enough videos. Please fix this.

A combination of variants of sp_laser_redirect_intro and sp_laser_dual_lasers. The spawn point is out of bounds. The map dynamically transitions one puzzle to another by rebuilding the room, while the player is confined in a repurposed elevator with glass doors. A variant of this map is also a part of the press demo series (pressdemo_03).

sp_tube_blockage#

A laser puzzle involving a clogged tube with many cubes and balls. In the July 2009 build, a variant of this map was a part of the Lasers route (p2_lab_lasers_1).

sp_pull_the_rug#

A Light Bridge puzzle involving removing a bridge under a cube. In the July 2009 build, a variant of this map was a part of the Light Bridge route (p2_lab_wall_01). In the March 2010 build, it will become a part of the main campaign list again, albeit in the "Staging" section which is not normally played.

sp_pull_to_fling#

A Light Bridge puzzle involving removing a bridge under yourself to fling. In the July 2009 build, a variant of this map was a part of the Light Bridge route (p2_lab_wall_01). In the March 2010 build, it will become a part of the main campaign list again, albeit in the "Staging" section which is not normally played.

sp_rocket_turret#

A puzzle where rockets explode a bunch of turrets. In the July 2009 build, a variant of this map was a part of the Mixup route (p2_lab_mixup).

sp_tube_vista#

A walk by the X-Ray Tube. In the July 2009 build, a variant of this map was a part of the Lasers route (p2_lab_lasers_1). A variant of this map is also a part of the press demo series (pressdemo_03_vista). The map is commented out in the transitions file in a section called "Stasis".

sp_dual_laser#

An unused variant of the sp_laser_dual_lasers map (which is a part of the main campaign).

Style Guide Maps#

The style guide maps are used as a reference for the mappers for making the aesthetic in the maps.

styleguide_bts_01#

Style guide map for the huge-sized behind the scenes area style. The chamber in the map is Chamber 07 from the first Portal dilapidated, however it uses a different style compared to the intro maps since it is from an earlier period although the func_tracktrain for the platform and the energy ball catcher trigger have been removed.

styleguide_destruction_1#

The style guide map for the destroyed chamber aesthetic based on the Test Chamber 13 from Portal, carried from the 2009 campaign with the energy pellet launcher and catcher being replaced with the lasers.

styleguide_foliage01#

The style guide map for the overgrown style based on the Test Chamber 12 from Portal, carried from the 2009 campaign.

styleguide_foliage02#

An alternative variant of the overgrown style based on the Test Chamber 12 from Portal.

styleguide_offices_1#

The style guide map is for, as you may have guessed, offices. The style however was different from the final version.

Developer Test Maps#

ali_toxicliquid_test#

A test map based on the sp_catapult_intro to test out the more dynamic toxic liquid in which the specific version of it has the flowmap based for this chamber. The middle catapult does not fling the player.

devtest#

An evolution of the main developer testing map from previous builds. Only the first 5 rooms reused from Portal (from the original 9) remain. They were restyled to fit into Portal 2 and slightly tweaked, including removal of all doors. The High Energy Pellet ("ball"), Material Emancipation Grill ("portal cleanser"), Turret test and Portal fling rooms were removed.

From the Portal 2 specific part, the Slowfield room was removed, while several new rooms were added. In the Light bridge room, a second vertical bridge was added to test its capability of blocking turret detection.

The map consists of the following rooms (and how they compare to July 2009 build):

1. Bucket room (new style)
2. Collision through portals (new style)
3. Portal bumping ("autofit") (new style)
4. Invisible walls (new style)
5. Cube on button (new style)
6. Thermal Discouragement Beam ("laser") (unchanged)
7. Placement helper (unchanged)
8. Hard Light Bridge (vertical bridge added)
9. Aerial Faith Plate ("catapult") (unchanged)
10. Excursion Funnel ("tractor beam") (copy of sp_tbeam_intro with small differences)
11. Rocket Turret (copy of second room of sp_rocket_turret_intro)
12. Repulsion Gel ("green paint")
13. Propulsion Gel ("red paint") (copy of sp_paint_speed_intro)
14. Adhesion Gel ("blue paint") (copy of sp_paint_stick_intro with small differences)

devtest_01#

Abandoned leftover from Portal. The rocket turrent does not seem to be able to aim towards the player anymore, making the map impossible to complete.

devtest_stick#

A map for testing sticking using Adhesion Gel (blue paint). It includes a moving platform which can be sticked to, however it doesn't hold too well when moving. The player is also given the Paint gun, but only with Cleansing Gel (water). F can be used to switch between the Paint gun and the Portal gun.

Unused Models#

props/portal_door.mdl#

This is a newer version of the test chamber Portal Door which is not used in the build as the model wasn't even chopped out for it to work as a linked portal door

props_skybox/skybox_grid01.mdl#

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this.

This is a model based version of the test chamber skybox from the sp_proto_sphere_intro with the flat color which despite its existance, it's not used in that map.

Oddities#

• In the room where you are introduced to the portal gun, GLaDOS's voice lines use a placeholder text-to-speech voice. The naming of these files being "PREHUBGETPORTALGUN" also suggests that they were added during the Corehub era, after the July 2009 build. There is a third line for this scene that is unused, in which the floor underneath you wouldn't have broken.

Weapons#

• This prototype features the Paintgun not previously seen in the base game, in this prototype it uses the Weaponizer's model and textures from the infamously cancelled Half-Life 2: Episode Three.

The Portal Gun viewmodel now plays the viewmodel holster animation when picking up objects.

• All of the different gels have different colors:
  • The Repulsion Gel is red instead of blue.
  • The Propulsion Gel is green instead of orange.
  • The Sticky Gel is blue instead of purple as seen in later screenshots and prototypes.
• It is possible to use the Co-op Ping Tool in singleplayer (binded to Q by default).

Menu	Ping