Wheatley (Portal 2)

An example of a Wheatley-themed map. Notice the open areas that show outside the test chamber and the monitor displaying Wheatley.

This Portal 2 aesthetic theme is showcased in Act 4 of the single player campaign. It is characterized by either mass-scale destruction of the chamber, or a regular clean theme with the occasional behind-the-scenes peek, also including Wheatley monitors. The walls are torn apart and you can see all sorts of things outside of the chamber: Gel pipes, Pneumatic Diversity Vents, other chambers, catwalks, and sometimes fire. Each test is monitored by Wheatley shown on a screen. Soundscapes include intense destruction sounds: metal wronks, banging, and groans.

In-Depth

This is the last theme the player will encounter in the Portal 2 Single Player campaign. The large destruction of the chambers is caused by Wheatley's terrible handling of the facility. A main part of the map is the outside area, which is seen through the gaps and tears of the test. You will see lots of things breaking, falling apart, and on fire.

Noticeable Elements

Explosions

Explosions are also common. Don't forget to use the instance destruction\destruction_ambience.vmf! An 'explosion' will randomly happen around a square. Place this square around your test chamber to give the impression that distant explosions are happening all around the facility.

To create a semi-distant explosion, you'll need an ambient_generic, and env_shake, and a trigger_once linking up to them.

For maximum effect, you can use an env_explosion, however none of the official maps use it.

Excursion Funnel

The Excursion Funnel is one of the main elements seen in the Wheatley chambers. It can be used to transport the player, objects, and gel, and can be transported through portals. Creating a hole for the funnel is necessary, or else it looks odd in the wall. If you want the funnel to start reversed, set 'Linear Force' to -250. For reversing it through a trigger/button, create the output:

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	OnTrigger	(the name of your funnel)	SetLinearForce	-250	0.00	No

Don't forget to add an extra output to reset the funnel. A number less than -250 or higher than 250 will cause the funnel to move faster, and lower numbers to have it move slower.

Bug:All funnels on-screen are rendered at the same speed, resulting in a flickery appearance if they are different. To avoid this, you should only use a single funnel speed throughout the entire map.  (tested in: Portal 2)

Gel

Gel was an element carried from the Underground themed maps into the Wheatley test chambers. You can still see lots of pipes crowding around the facility. Gel may now come out of regular cube droppers. In the PeTI update (DLC2), they have new Gel Dropper models. Create gel using an info_paint_sprayer.

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The Aesthetics of Portal 2

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