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Video: Valve on Portal 2, the 'sequel to a game that doesn't need one'

An early Portal 2 that Valve experimented with didn't have Chell, GLaDOS, or even portals, writers Chet Faliszek and Erik Wolpaw reveal in discussing the "sequel to a game that doesn't need one."

Game Developer, Staff

March 20, 2013

2 Min Read

Valve writers Chet Faliszek and Erik Wolpaw reveal in this free lecture from GDC 2012 their creative process behind Portal 2, sharing an early experiment that didn't have Chell, GLaDOS, or even portals. Courtesy of the GDC Vault, this video shows Faliszek and Wolpaw discussing how Valve iterated and eventually decided upon the sequel to Portal, even though popular opinion often suggested it didn't need one. This lecture provides a glimpse at an alternate, 1980s era Aperture Science where a mysterious mechanic known as "F-STOP" propelled the gameplay and where we hear Chell's first and only spoken dialogue. Session Name: Creating a Sequel to a Game That Doesn't Need One Speaker(s): Chet Faliszek, Erik Wolpaw Company Name(s): Valve Track / Format: Game Design Overview:Erik and Chet will discuss how Valve created Portal 2, the sequel to the beloved game nobody thought needed a sequel. The talk covers the entire process from inception to the completion and reception of the game.

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent GDC events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers. Those who purchased All Access passes to events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC China already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscriptions via a GDC Vault inquiry form. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company. More information on this option is available via an online demonstration, and interested parties can find out more here. In addition, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault admins. Be sure to keep an eye on GDC Vault for even more new content, as GDC organizers will also archive videos, audio, and slides from other events like GDC China and GDC 2013. To stay abreast of all the latest updates to GDC Vault, be sure to check out the news feed on the official GDC website, or subscribe to updates via Twitter, Facebook, or RSS. Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Tech.

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