In a feat of testing that GlaDOS herself would be proud of, Valve’s Portal 2: Perpetual Testing Initiative has racked up over a million tests across 35,000 user-created maps.
Very impressive indeed, since it’s only been a few days since the software was launched! To celebrate this great success, Steam is rewarding players with a Weekend Workshop Sale offering 66% off of Portal 2, 33% off Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and plenty of Team Fortress 2 items for 50% off.
The Perpetual Testing Initiative allows players to build their own mind-bending test chambers within the environments of Portal 2, which can then be uploaded directly to the Steam Workshop. From there, other players can download and rate user-created maps, and of course participate in testing them, for science.
This long-awaited Puzzle Maker is something the game has sorely needed. While Portal 2 itself received much praise for its incredible storyline and memorable characters, for quite some time players have dreamed of crafting their very own chambers in a simple way – at least, simpler than Valve’s Hammer Editor.
A beta version of the software was released last May, and a lot has changed since then. Valve has done a good job of “trimming the fat” in what the Puzzle Maker can and should do, without sacrificing any crucial elements. Instead of a free-form, three-dimensional space where all materials and objects are editable (much like the Hammer Editor), Valve has opted for a simpler, grid-based solution that works well with Portal 2’s look and feel.
It looks like the software is already doing well, but what do you think, Ranters? Is the Perpetual Testing Initiative your idea of a successful level editor, or is it too little too late as far as Portal 2 DLC is concerned?
The Portal 2: Perpetual Testing Initiative launched May 8th for the PC and Mac.
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