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ASCIIpOrtal Has Been Released

Posted by Soulskill on from the watch-out-for-those-boulders dept.

maclizard writes "After much waiting, ASCIIpOrtal has now been released. Joe Larson, the man behind the game, has made sure to provide numerous mirrors so as to avoid the Slashdot effect that killed his site several months ago. An interview with Larson (part two here) is available as well."

83 comments

  1. Yup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Best graphics evar!!!!

  2. Well, ain't that something. by mdm-adph · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm both proud in a weird way and horrified in a weird way that there exists 64-bit Linux binaries for this but no 32-bit. :P

    --
    It is by my will alone my thoughts acquire motion; it is by the juice of the coffee bean that the thoughts acquire speed
    1. Re:Well, ain't that something. by Goldberg's+Pants · · Score: 1

      I'm amused by the fact the site is dead already. The mirrors hardly matter when the main site is hosed. ("Service Unavailable").

    2. Re:Well, ain't that something. by DeadPixels · · Score: 1

      It loads just fine for me.

    3. Re:Well, ain't that something. by Icegryphon · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes oh yes, delicious 64bit ascii characters.

    4. Re:Well, ain't that something. by whyde · · Score: 5, Funny

      Please do not destroy vital network apparatus.

    5. Re:Well, ain't that something. by Zerth · · Score: 2, Informative

      Win
      http://willhostforfood.com/access.php?fileid=85819
      http://solidfiles.com/d/8fC8
      http://www.mediafire.com/file/zkiqmzcode4/asciiportal-1.0-win32.zip

      Mac
      http://willhostforfood.com/access.php?fileid=85820
      http://solidfiles.com/d/XGEg
      http://www.mediafire.com/file/yhaywt2zjzi/asciiportal-1.0-osx-univ.zip

      64 bit Linux
      http://willhostforfood.com/access.php?fileid=85821
      http://solidfiles.com/d/9jxO
      http://www.mediafire.com/file/yzdneznfujo/asciiportal-1.0-linux-x64.tar.gz

    6. Re:Well, ain't that something. by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 2, Informative

      32 bit Linux

      http://willhostforfood.com/users/C/cymon/asciiportal-linux32.tar.gz
      http://solidfiles.com/d/YlA4
      http://www.mediafire.com/?zj0ywjmgylm

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
    7. Re:Well, ain't that something. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's a trap!

    8. Re:Well, ain't that something. by JesusOfNazareth · · Score: 1

      I'm amused by the fact the site is dead already. The mirrors hardly matter when the main site is hosed. ("Service Unavailable").

      My servers! The mirrors do nothing!!!!

  3. Wait. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So what exactly IS this? And why is it on the front page of Slashdot?

    1. Re:Wait. by einstein4pres · · Score: 4, Informative

      ASCIIpOrtal is a 2D platformer that has a portal gun. It shares many of the same elements as the original game, plus a few others.

      Here, have a demo:
      http://www.offworld.com/2009/07/day-made-mind-blown-its-portal.html

    2. Re:Wait. by Jahava · · Score: 1

      I believe the original game mentioned is Valve's "Portal".

    3. Re:Wait. by MozeeToby · · Score: 4, Insightful

      But you missed why it was important enough to warrant being a frontpage Slashdot article. It it pretty sweet, but that really shouldn't be enough to warrant a front page article. I thought the important thing was that the game is a demonstration that good games are about original gameplay ideas and not about graphics. Before ASCIIpOrtal came along, it would have been easy to argue that the game play mechanics of portal would have been impossible or at least diminished without 3D graphics; now it is much more difficult to make that argument.

    4. Re:Wait. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought the important thing was that the game is a demonstration that good games are about original gameplay ideas and not about graphics.

      So if it was about original gameplay ideas why is this basically a clone of something else? Doesn't sound very original.

      Before ASCIIpOrtal came along, it would have been easy to argue that the game play mechanics of portal would have been impossible or at least diminished without 3D graphics; now it is much more difficult to make that argument.

      No, it's still quite easy to make the argument that this game is not as playable without the graphics of the original game.

    5. Re:Wait. by eln · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Actually, if that demo is indicative of the game as a whole, then it makes a very good argument as to why the 3D graphics were so vital to the original portal game. The original portal is far more playable, and its 3D nature allows for far more interesting puzzles. The text game is, while an interesting exercise in what's possible with antiquated graphics, appears to be a far inferior game. Just the way it handles moving the scenery around while keeping the player upright would give me a headache in about 10 seconds.

    6. Re:Wait. by djdavetrouble · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Wrong, ASCII versions of anything usually make the front page, it is a longstanding nerd favorite.

      --
      music lover since 1969
    7. Re:Wait. by Bragador · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I guess you never played Portal: The Flash Version?

      It is a 2d puzzle game and is still quite interesting. So, maybe your argument is actually more of an opinion? The last levels are obviously more interesting...

      http://www.kongregate.com/games/Dragy/portal-the-flash-version

    8. Re:Wait. by sukotto · · Score: 1

      No, it warrants being on the front page because it's frikken cool with frikken lasers in its head.

      --
      Come play free flash games on Kongregate!
    9. Re:Wait. by Khyber · · Score: 2, Informative

      No, the original game is Nabacular Drop.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    10. Re:Wait. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually it's Narbacular Drop, asshole.

    11. Re:Wait. by Gulthek · · Score: 1

      Of course its an opinion but, c'mon, the flash portal game was cute but absolutely nothing compared to the actual game. No GlaDOS, no twisted 3D puzzles, no ratman.

    12. Re:Wait. by Khyber · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Forgive me for missing one R you cowardly piece of shit.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    13. Re:Wait. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Not if you're from Boston. And it's ahshole you friggin' twist.

    14. Re:Wait. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's what you get for trying to correct someone else, twat.

    15. Re:Wait. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      News for nerds dipshit. Now go away and play your stupid bullshit $80 games with the latest DRM to tell you why you're a bad little soul. Oh and it's been 3 weeks, time for a new computer. Scumbag

    16. Re:Wait. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm sure you're aware that /. has a games section. So there's your answer. Also if you don't like this stuff and you're logging in then you can hide all the game-related articles.

      If your issue was with this being closer to nethack than it is to Crysis or whatever the kids are playing on their PS3s these days...well then there's a slight chance you're in the wrong place.

    17. Re:Wait. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      mike
      September 22nd, 2009 - 2:37 pm

      game looks pretty lame lode runner did it better

    18. Re:Wait. by VGPowerlord · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Before ASCIIpOrtal came along, it would have been easy to argue that the game play mechanics of portal would have been impossible or at least diminished without 3D graphics; now it is much more difficult to make that argument.

      No, actually, Portal: The Flash Version made that point nearly two years ago (the copy on Newgrounds has a submission date on it of October 9, 2007).

      --
      GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
    19. Re:Wait. by ChaosDiscord · · Score: 1
      "Before ASCIIpOrtal came along, it would have been easy to argue that the game play mechanics of portal would have been impossible or at least diminished without 3D graphics..."

      Assuming one was unfamiliar with Portal: the Flash Version which came out some time ago.

      --
      Search 2010 Gen Con events
  4. ZZT all over again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Looks to me like ZZT (or maybe Megazeux) all over again, a mere 17 years later...

  5. Slashdotted.. by eiMichael · · Score: 2, Informative

    Addition Pylons (I mean mirrors) Required.

    1. Re:Slashdotted.. by lokiomega · · Score: 1

      You've not enough minerals.

  6. Did anyone else read this as by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    AssClipPortal?

  7. GaiKai... by Jahava · · Score: 1

    I can't wait for this to become playable over GaiKai or OnLive! Although there may be some serious competition...

  8. Taking care to avoid Slashdotting... or not? by Thundarr+Trollgrim · · Score: 1

    Service Temporarily Unavailable

    The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later.

    1. Re:Taking care to avoid Slashdotting... or not? by otravi · · Score: 1

      Windows (which apparently has 32-bit only?):
        - http://willhostforfood.com/access.php?fileid=85819
        - http://solidfiles.com/d/8fC8
        - http://www.mediafire.com/file/zkiqmzcode4/asciiportal-1.0-win32.zip

      Mac binaries (compiled by FutureStack on RGRD):
        - http://willhostforfood.com/access.php?fileid=85820
        - http://solidfiles.com/d/XGEg
        - http://www.mediafire.com/file/yhaywt2zjzi/asciiportal-1.0-osx-univ.zip

      Linux-64bit binaries (compiled by Kaw on RGRD):
        - http://willhostforfood.com/access.php?fileid=85821
        - http://solidfiles.com/d/9jxO
        - http://www.mediafire.com/file/yzdneznfujo/asciiportal-1.0-linux-x64.tar.gz

      Source is included with the binaries.

  9. How do you play this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ok, as someone who has never played the original, how the HELL do you play this? I understand the concept (shoot a portal into two walls and use it to get around a puzzle) but when I start the game, I fall down this long tunnel and land in a room where no matter where I shoot, the portal does not "stick" so I cannot progress past the first damned spot.

    Fuck this is annoying, goodbye stupid text game.

    1. Re:How do you play this? by argent · · Score: 3, Informative

      You don't need the portal for the first level at all... it's a "here's how you move and stuff" level.

    2. Re:How do you play this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then how do you get past the rise in the floor, since the character cannot jump?

    3. Re:How do you play this? by argent · · Score: 1

      I just kept walking and the "Å" climbed up it.

  10. Pwned! by werfu · · Score: 1

    "After much waiting, ASCIIpOrtal has now been released. Joe Larson, the man behind the game, has made sure to provide numerous mirrors so as to avoid the Slashdot effect that killed his site several months ago." Looks like its that again : Service Temporarily Unavailable - The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later.

  11. I think I just jizzed in my pants... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    OMG! The best game ever!!!

    Seriously, I've pinched loafs that look better than this...

    1. Re:I think I just jizzed in my pants... by Razalhague · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think you should look into this rather new invention, called "movies". It's got all the awesome graphics of games without that pesky gameplay to distract you!

  12. "...avoid the Slashdot effect..." by Redlite · · Score: 1

    Fail. Service Temporarily Unavailable The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later. Apache/1.3.33 Server at cymonsgames.com Port 80

    1. Re:"...avoid the Slashdot effect..." by hansraj · · Score: 1

      I am guessing that the smart guy meant exactly zero when he said "numerous". After all, it is not slashdot effect if the webmaster intentionally made the service unavailable.

  13. dead, already? by thecolor · · Score: 1

    after much waiting the Slashdot effect appears to have STILL killed it (mirrors or not). ;)

  14. Its dead, by mrops · · Score: 1

    Jim So much for mirrors

  15. Mirror by BluePeppers · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If people want a link to a mirror, one for the 64 linux binaries is: http://download566.mediafire.com/b2wsmldgy9gg/yzdneznfujo/asciiportal-1.0-linux-x64.tar.gz

    However, I'm getting an error, stating "Error - No map files found.

    You must place all level files in a directory with the same base name.
    The default should then be in \maps\maps001.txt"

    I've tried renaming them, but it doesn't seem to work. And what's going on with the backslashes?

    --
    Penguins can be fascists too
    1. Re:Mirror by berashith · · Score: 1

      They aren't backslashes. That is ascii representation of grass in a breeze.

  16. Avoid the /. effect? by MMC+Monster · · Score: 1

    Joe Larson, the man behind the game, has made sure to provide numerous mirrors so as to avoid the Slashdot effect that killed his site several months ago.

    Yes.
    Well.... So much for that. Not one +3 comment and the site is sluggish as hell. May as well be slashdotted.

    --
    Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
  17. Mirrored Download by allometry · · Score: 1

    I was able to snag one of the download mirrors URL before the site went down.

    http://files.solidfiles.net/8fC8/asciiportal-1.0-win32.zip

    --
    http://www.allometry.com
  18. Lie by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    The mirrors is a lie.

    1. Re:Lie by initdeep · · Score: 1

      ISWYDT

  19. Mirror by End+Program · · Score: 1

    http://cymonsgames.com.nyud.net/asciiportal/

  20. Download Links by fering · · Score: 5, Informative

    Download Links: Hosting offsite for the first week. Just link to this page for the most up to date links.
    Download Windows binaries: WHFF Solidfiles Mediafire LGShort Sharebee
    Download Mac binaries (compiled by FutureStack on RGRD): WHFF Solidfiles Mediafire LGShort Sharebee
    Download Linux-32bit binaries: Contact me to volunteer if you get it to work. Download Linux-64bit binaries (compiled by Kaw on RGRD): WHFF Solidfiles Mediafire

  21. here's a great use for BitTorrent by TrippTDF · · Score: 5, Informative

    Why not just put a link to a torrent file right in the article, and save everyone some headaches? I always thought that was the real potential for BitTorrent- share large amounts of data without killing anyone's servers.

    1. Re:here's a great use for BitTorrent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      or any p2p network...

  22. legality? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What's the real legality of this? It's a different game... but the same... Can Valve call any kind of infringement?

    1. Re:legality? by VGPowerlord · · Score: 2, Informative

      I don't know about Valve, but considering that an mp3 of an instrumental version of Europe's The Final Countdown is sitting in the maps directory (final.mp3), the RIAA could definitely sue them...

      --
      GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
  23. Maybe by cstdenis · · Score: 3, Insightful

    the server wouldn't be /.ed if the summery had bothered to include links to the mentioned mirrors.

    --
    1984 was not supposed to be an instruction manual.
    1. Re:Maybe by russlar · · Score: 1

      the server wouldn't be /.ed if the summery had bothered to include links to the mentioned mirrors.

      You're right. The server wouldn't matter, all the servers would be hosed instead.

      --
      Anybody want my mod points?
    2. Re:Maybe by spydabyte · · Score: 2, Informative
      Same thing with your post:

      Hosting offsite for the first week. Just link to this page for the most up to date links.

      Note: The LGShort and Sharebee hosts were commented out in the page's html.

      Download Windows binaries: WHFF Solidfiles Mediafire LGShort Sharebee

      Download Mac binaries (by FutureStack on RGRD): WHFF Solidfiles Mediafire LGShort Sharebee

      Download Linux-32bit binaries (by Brandon): WHFF Solidfiles mediafire

      Download Linux-64bit binaries (by Kaw on RGRD): WHFF Solidfiles Mediafire LGShort Sharebee

  24. Mirrors by maclizard · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://www.lgshort.com/asciiportal-1.0-win32.zip http://www.lgshort.com/asciiportal-1.0-osx-univ.zip http://www.lgshort.com/asciiportal-linux32.tar.gz http://www.lgshort.com/asciiportal-1.0-linux-x64.tar.gz

  25. Ah... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now you are thinking with Portals. :)

  26. Bittorrent by kenp2002 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I am still amazed that we find it necessary to have 50 mirros of something when a single bit torrent link would suffice...

    --
    -=[ Who Is John Galt? ]=-
    1. Re:Bittorrent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I am still amazed that we find it necessary to have 50 [mirrors] of something when a single bit torrent link would suffice...

      It's a threshold thing. Maybe when someone codes an in-browser bit-torrent client things will go better, so that noobs can just click on a link again instead of having to install another piece of software.

      The host could also have only provided a bit torrent and let other people put up mirrors on a purely volunteer/random discovery method. They could also have used a google sites page for an announcement like this. Bit knows, they at least have the bandwidth for it.

    2. Re:Bittorrent by chrisG23 · · Score: 1

      Maybe when someone codes an in-browser bit-torrent client things will go better

      You mean like Opera? http://www.opera.com/browser/features/

    3. Re:Bittorrent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Correction: Maybe when someone codes an in-browser bit-torrent client for a browser that people actually use, things will go better.

    4. Re:Bittorrent by chrisG23 · · Score: 1

      Har. Im part of the 1% or 5% or whatever of browser users out there that use Opera as my primary browser (and chrome and Firefox for other uses, IE never except for manually doing windows updates). But I did disable opera's built-in torrent client, because I prefer a stand-alone. I think Opera doesn't have a problem of getting bad press, it has a problem of getting no press. As a lightweight fully functional speedy web browser that constantly innovates, its excellent. On a side note, Opera has an IRC client built-in that I did not know about until one day I needed to get on IRC right away. That was another in a long list of pleasant and useful surprises Opera has thrown my way.

    5. Re:Bittorrent by sowth · · Score: 1

      I thought the problem was most (if not all) webhosts don't provide torrent servers. Trying to provide a server over dialup isn't so great either.

  27. See also: by zugzwanged · · Score: 2, Informative

    No one seems to have mentioned Jacob's Matrix http://www.zincland.com/7drl/jacob/, which is another excellent textual take on the portal idea.

    1. Re:See also: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh and it's a browser game too! If you're using Lynx, it opens a portal to 127.0.0.1... WTF?

  28. Over nine thousand! by kars · · Score: 1

    Oh, come on! A game with ASCII graphics, but over 9 MB large? What the heck?!

    --
    Take life easy: one bit at a time.
    1. Re:Over nine thousand! by karnal · · Score: 1

      Give him a break, he didn't compress the map files *laugh*

      --
      Karnal
    2. Re:Over nine thousand! by Maniacal · · Score: 1

      Looks like it's all sounds that chew up the most K's. The app itself is small ~400k

      --
      MG
  29. So what is it? by SEWilco · · Score: 1

    Merely describing it as a game is not enough. Summary should mention the genre or what makes it unique. We don't have time to look at every piece of software which is announced... particularly those whose only description is "Version 3, now better than ever!" Great, so GigaWonder is version 3, but what does it do?

    1. Re:So what is it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, for a start, "GigaWonder version 3" whines less than you and has more time on its hands to check out links.

      (Bazamm. That... just happened.)

  30. Playable via SSH? by antdude · · Score: 1

    Can we play it remotely or do we need almost 0ms lags? :(

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    1. Re:Playable via SSH? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's sorta like the ASCII equivalent of 2.5D. It uses text based characters but it doesn't run in a terminal and provides graphics beyond what you can do over SSH.

  31. WHFF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    LOL he uses WHFF. Pretty strange thing, I know some about about Chiken.

    He's probably a Game Maker expat

  32. You've never heard of portal? or Ascii? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Merely describing it as a game is not enough. Summary should mention the genre or what makes it unique. We don't have time to look at every piece of software which is announced...

    "ASCII...portal" isn't self fucking explanatory enough? sweet shit.