Thinking With Portals is looking for old and new Community Contributors who are interested in helping put together written tutorials, Portal community news, and in-depth high-concept level design (Portal specific, or Source in general) articles.

This content would be for both Thinking With Portals, and for the Source design blog https://nodraw.net/ that we have recently partnered with.

We are also looking for members who are interested in Source 2 / Hammer 2 for the release of Half-Life: Alyx when the time comes. That is obviously more focused on future stuff, but we're trying to lay the groundwork for some great things going forward.

If you are at all interested in getting involved in the community in this way, please join our Discord server[forums.thinking.withportals.com] where we are planning and coordinating our new content. Thank you!

ThinkingWithPortals is proud to announce another mapping competition.


"TOWERING"
The theme for this competition is "towering".
You may interpret this however you’d like, whether it be visuals-
focused, puzzle-focused, or some combination thereof. It doesn’t
even have to be set in Aperture if you want! However, your map
should plainly communicate some aspect of the theme.

Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 scorers:
- 1st place, $50 Steam gift card
- 2nd place, $25 Steam gift card
- 3rd place, $10 Steam gift card

Can others help in making the map/puzzle?
No. The map should be made by you and you alone. That said, others can help by making other assets like models, sounds, textures, etc.

Can my map be co-op?
Yep! Just keep in mind that it may require more work.

Can my map use custom assets?
Sure! Assets should be packed into the BSP. If you exceed the 100MB Workshop limit or need to include unpackable files like soundscripts/particle systems, include custom assets in a .zip file in the description.

Does the map have to be original/new?
Yes. The map should be made specifically for the competition. You may use instances or prefabs from other maps, but it should otherwise be original.

Can I use PTI/puzzlemaker?
For this competition, yes! Keep in mind that if you choose to use puzzlemaker, it may be judged more critically in the "visuals" section, and your originality score will have to come purely from your puzzle!

How do I submit my map?
All submissions will be sent through Google forms. The link to this will be available closer to the due date. Follow the announcements on the TWP Discord channel[forums.thinking.withportals.com] for further updates.

If you have any questions regarding the theme/rules, ask!

SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE DECEMBER 29, 2019 - Good luck!

Hello again Portal modding community! TWP is proud to present another mapping competition hosted by us.


"MOBILITY GEL QUALITY CONTROL"
Your map must put a spotlight on one of the more challenging elements in puzzle creation: mobility gels. That is, you must use one or more of the gels as the centerpiece/focus of your puzzle.
Your map can use any theme you'd like.

Can others help in making the map/puzzle?
No. The map should be made by you and you alone. That said, others can help by making other assets like models, sounds, textures, etc.

Can my map be co-op?
Yep! Just keep in mind that it may require more work.

Can my map use custom assets?
Sure! Assets should be packed into the BSP. If you exceed the 100MB Workshop limit or need to include unpackable files like soundscripts/particle systems, include custom assets in a .zip file in the description.

Does the map have to be original/new?
Yes. The map should be made specifically for the competition. You may use instances or prefabs from other maps, but it should otherwise be original.

Can I use PTI/puzzlemaker?
No, just Hammer. Although this competition does revolve around the use of a puzzle element(s), visuals will still be judged and scored as usual.

SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE AUGUST 15, 2019 - Good luck!


If someone is experienced in level design and would like to judge but isn't participating, they can direct message @Stract on Steam or Discord.

How do I submit my map?
Finished entries should be uploaded to the workshop then submitted to this form[forms.gle] on Google Docs.

If you have any further questions about the competition or perhaps want to contribute some prizes, contact the organisers through the TWP Discord[discordapp.com].

Have fun & get puzzling!

Hey folks, time for another mapping competition hosted by our good members of the Portal 2 mapping community. Sorry about not posting this earlier, but the existence of the steam group completely slipped my mind.


"Behind the Scenes"
The gritty inner bowels of Aperture Science, churning out hundreds of OSHA violations per day. Whether it be an old sealed off wing from the 60's or a processing area from the 90's, your level must take place in one of the many non-test chamber areas of Aperture Science. Incorporate awe-inspiring set pieces with an incredible atmosphere, and make players admire how cool it is! That said, your map should still contain a puzzle of some sort. Adapt your puzzle to the environment, and have them complement each other beautifully. This is your opportunity to let your visual design shine while also seamlessly integrating a fun puzzle or two. The size and scope of your puzzle(s) is up to you.


Can others help in making the map/puzzle?
No. The map should be made by you and you alone. That said, others can help by making other assets like models, sounds, textures, etc.

Can my map be co-op?
Yep! Just keep in mind that it may require more work.

Can my map use custom assets?
Sure! Assets should be packed into the BSP. If you exceed the 100MB Workshop limit or need to include unpackable files like soundscripts/particle systems, include custom assets in a .zip file in the description.

Does the map have to be original/new?
Yes. The map should be made specifically for the competition. You may use instances or prefabs from other maps, but it should otherwise be original.

Can I use PTI/puzzlemaker?
No. Just Hammer.

SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE DECEMBER 30, 2018 - Good luck!


If someone is experienced in level design and would like to judge but isn't participating, they can direct message @Stract on Steam or Discord.

Thinking of submitting your map on the forums? Hold up!
The competition isn't directly hosted on the forum this time. Finished entries should be uploaded to the workshop and your map and name submitted with this form[goo.gl].

If you have any further questions about the competition or perhaps want to contribute some prizes, contact the organisers through the TWP Discord[discordapp.com].

Have fun peeps!

See the thread here:

https://forums.thinking.withportals.com/news-announcements/thinking-with-portals-returns-t10698.html

It has been a long time since the site went offline, and I am very glad to say that it is back and better than ever.

There are two main changes that our visitors can notice: 1.) The domain is now "thinking.withportals.com", with the extra DOT in there. I'll go in to why this is necessary in a little bit. And 2.) The site is now running on a TLS secure domain, which doesn't mean very much unless you are a stickler about privacy like I am.

As for why TWP went away and came back with a new weird domain, check out the news article above.

Welcome back.