I much like everyone who bought the steam version of Portal 2, began playing it and finished it in a fever dream of gaming that lasted approximately 6 hours since its early release last night. There were times when I did get stuck, there were times when I was convinced the game had forgot to load a wall for me to throw a portal on, I experienced all of these things during my play through. 

sounds like an elitist to me.

Duh! Best games have 50/50 finish ratios so... games will be getting easier and shorter.

Keep in mind that most of these "people" you're referring to are probably under the age of ten. You can't expect much from a toddler mindset. lol

"It seems like more and more people care only about getting to the final cut scene, rather than making their way through a game naturally."

Level, Win/Loss record, K/D ratio, speed runs, leaderboards, achievements, high scores, completion percentage, story, bragging rights, OCD, number of games beaten to date, the list goes on and on.

What I'm saying is that different people derive pleasure from videogames in different ways - each as valid as the last.

I hope someday we all come to an understanding about this.

To clear this up for you: the vast majority of people are stupid as shit. 

" I am not an elitist or anything "

Its a puzzle game. People should know what they're buying.

Whatever. If someone is having troubles with one particular puzzle and it's preventing them from having fun with the rest of the game, I can understand them asking for help. As long as they're having fun, who cares.

People asking for help on puzzles? Madness!
Maybe some people wanted to be challenged, but after the 30th time trying they gave up and wanted some help? Getting stuck on a puzzle for x number of hours is not fun.

yea because its only "nowadays" that people have searched for hints, gamefaqs, walkthroughs, etc.  NO ONE ever did that before this before.  NO. ONE.      

  @G0rd0nFr33m4n said: 

I am not an elitist or anything

" To clear this up for you: the vast majority of people are stupid as shit. 

Do the math:

Less than 1% of the human population will get through University/College...and half of those people are complete idiots also.

"

" To clear this up for you: the vast majority of people are stupid as shit. 

Do the math:

Less than 1% of the human population will get through University/College...and half of those people are complete idiots also.

"

" @RsistncE said:

" To clear this up for you: the vast majority of people are stupid as shit. 

Do the math:

Less than 1% of the human population will get through University/College...and half of those people are complete idiots also.

"

Yes, because only people who go to university are successful in life and intelligent. "

I remember games being hard as hell when I was little.  I don't get mad when people have trouble, you just sound like an asshole.  

I'm stuck on a bit at the moment (non-spoilery clue: jizz) but I'll just take a break and take another look. Fuck cheating.

Sad panda? How relevant.

You were able to finish the game while other people were not and required help.  Clearly you are a superior human specimen.  This requires a thread on the internet so that this discovery can be disseminated.

Ironically, I had more trouble with those very first gel puzzles than almost anything else in the game. I even tried (in vain) to get help with them until I eventually figured out that I was making a much bigger problem outta the puzzle than it actually was. Apparently, portal physics still works along side repulsion gel physics, I don't know why my brain couldn't compute that...

" I much like everyone who bought the steam version of Portal 2, began playing it and finished it in a fever dream of gaming that lasted approximately 6 hours since its early release last night. There were times when I did get stuck, there were times when I was convinced the game had forgot to load a wall for me to throw a portal on, I experienced all of these things during my play through. 

But I got through it. It was tough in a few spots but I sucked it up and moved on to solve each puzzle. 

I wake up mid-day to see threads all over the forums asking "Help with Chamber ##" and "Can't solve this (POSSIBLE SPOILERS*)". I have to wonder, did these people even try to get through the game ? 

I am not an elitist or anything, but why do people even buy the games if not to experience the euphoria that is felt when you get past a troubling puzzle, or to stress there brain muscle a bit ? 

It seems like more and more people care only about getting to the final cut scene, rather than making their way through a game naturally. And that just makes me feel like a Sad Panda :(

"

Obviously intelligence is based on Portal Puzzles.

" You were able to finish the game while other people were not and required help.  Clearly you are a superior human specimen.  This requires a thread on the internet so that this discovery can be disseminated. "

some people don't like having to scratch their heads for more than a few minutes. having grown up on sierra adventures before the existence of the internet, i'm not one of those people. but i can understand how being stumped can make a game less enjoyable.

You suspected the game of not loading a wall and you're calling other people dumb? >_>

All of the above.

This is one of my favorite parts of the game, it wasn't so easy that you could breeze through it but it also wasn't so hard you didn't want to keep playing.

It amazes me that some people still think that "gaming" is a monolithic structure in which you are either good or bad. I thought the game was fairly easy if you could "atune" your brain to the mechanics of the portals, fluids, ramps and everything else, but that doesn't mean other people will be able to do it as easily as me or many other GBers. That being said, I can't throw a punch in a fighting game without having to look at the controller to know which button I'm pressing. Jeff knows a fucking plethora of fatilies by heart. See what I mean?

I haven't played either of the Portal games, but I did beat BRAID with no help. How does the difficulty compare?

I like your observation. I think it's true. But it's a matter of judgement. In the same vein you can say: Why don't people learn an instrument instead of playing video games (I'm just saying overall), it is much more rewarding. Or: Why don't people write a book or study a subject. All is more rewarding once you get through all the hurt and pain (which can be also sweet itself).  It is true: Your problem has a much smaller scale, much lesser effort. But I think it's video games themselves (besides other things), which lead us to become expectant of our experiences of reward. We want the reward NOW. I just wanted to add this observation to yours.
If the world would turn to my command, we would still play games that handle like Fallout1 in terms of difficulty ;).

Time management.  If you only play a few hours a week, or even month, you don't have time to waste on overly difficult puzzles or trying to figure out how to progress.  When I encounter a problem in a game that even after trying to figure it out myself for a chunk of time, still eludes me I turn to the internet for answers.  The other option is put the game aside where, more than likely, it will be forgotten and remain unplayed.  Sometimes, I am looking for answers and other times, I just need a hint or even acknowledgment that I'm on the right track.  We play for fun and when we run into a wall, and can't play anymore, it's not fun.  People aren't any dumber than they used to be, although what they know is certainly different than it was in the past.  Lazier?  Maybe, but you could say that we're just more efficient.  If we have access to our collective internet-based intellect, why not use it to overcome difficulties?  "Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others."  I, personally don't get any pleasure from solving a particularly difficult puzzle.  I get frustration and then when solved, relief.  The combination is not fun and if encounter too often will sour me to a game.   There is a difference between something being challenging and something being obstructive.  

I am much the same way. I reached times where i'd fire my gun aimless hoping to create a portal on some invisible wall which would lead me to a secret shortcut through the puzzle, alas it never happened. Was the game hard, sorta but i was determined to finish it.

Its not disadvantage to me if people use a guide to go through the game, the only person it disadvantages is themselves. However, (blanket statement based off nothing but anecdotal evidence) people only like a challenge that takes 5 minutes to solve or can be slowly brute forced through. It's a lot to ask someone to look at a puzzle and not make any notable progress for 20 minutes, especially for people who arn't use to a game blocking them so abruptly.

I'm loving this game. I have got really really frustrasted with many parts, including some early parts, but like the OP, I got through them without needing to post for help.

The 1 issue I wanted to post was something that I worked out while taking a break and making a coffee, I wouldn't have found the answer that quick by posting anyway, I just needed to take time to think about the problem.

I think the point of this game is to learn to think about things differently with many exercises in lateral thinking. It is a very clever set of puzzles thrown together with an amusing storyline. So play it, get stuck, get frustrated and then take a break and start again.

People haven't become less intelligent over the years. Again, our genes control our brain's development. We're born with the same set of tools our ancestors were born with. However, people are lazier. Why think about the puzzle when you can google it? Except there's no fun in that. 

I don't know, but if there's going to be community puzzles, then I would expect them to be tougher. Anyways, I understand how you feel. It's a puzzle game. Solve it yourself and you'll feel better.

" To clear this up for you: the vast majority of people are stupid as shit. 

Do the math:

Less than 1% of the human population will get through University/College...and half of those people are complete idiots also.

"

" sounds like an elitist to me."

Well don't you sound like an asshole?

" I much like everyone who bought the steam version of Portal 2, began playing it and finished it in a fever dream of gaming that lasted approximately 6 hours since its early release last night. There were times when I did get stuck, there were times when I was convinced the game had forgot to load a wall for me to throw a portal on, I experienced all of these things during my play through. 

But I got through it. It was tough in a few spots but I sucked it up and moved on to solve each puzzle. 

I wake up mid-day to see threads all over the forums asking "Help with Chamber ##" and "Can't solve this (POSSIBLE SPOILERS*)". I have to wonder, did these people even try to get through the game ? 

I am not an elitist or anything, but why do people even buy the games if not to experience the euphoria that is felt when you get past a troubling puzzle, or to stress there brain muscle a bit ? 

It seems like more and more people care only about getting to the final cut scene, rather than making their way through a game naturally. And that just makes me feel like a Sad Panda :(

"

" @TheHumanDove said:

" @RsistncE said:

" To clear this up for you: the vast majority of people are stupid as shit. 

Do the math:

Less than 1% of the human population will get through University/College...and half of those people are complete idiots also.

"

Yes, because only people who go to university are successful in life and intelligent. "

I'm just giving you a simple measure. All I'm saying is that the VAST majority of people aren't incredibly bright. "

" Its a puzzle game. People should know what they're buying. "

ehh- totally agree.  HOWEVER, I have a limited appetite for full-fledged puzzle games.  And an even more limited appetite for puzzle and platforming elements in a game not dedicated to that.  That being said, the frequency at which valve releases games pretty much satiates my appetite and I love the portal games.  I think I'm halfway in and I had one level that I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to solve.  And it wasn't a testing chamber.  But i worked out the answer and got past.  I honestly think that people who buy this game and don't expect to have to figure out puzzles are a little dense. 

I also don't think the puzzle design is not that obtuse.  the god of war series I hate because i consider those puzzles to be obtuse.

None of the puzzles are ridiculously hard but I did have to stop and think for a while on a couple of them. Usually the problem was that I was over-thinking things and the solution was much simpler and logical than I expected.

I find it interesting that one can judge someone's character and intelligence based solely on a game and how they enjoy it.

i just finished it and it took me a fair while
i found that just as i was becoming frustrated with a puzzle i would find a solution

it was awesome and i hope it's not the last we see of the franchise

" None of the puzzles are ridiculously hard but I did have to stop and think for a while on a couple of them. Usually the problem was that I was over-thinking things and the solution was much simpler and logical than I expected. "