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.
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."