Chapter 2 - Test Chamber 18
Note: before writing this I ensured everything described is possible in-game, using a real Weighted Companion Cube.
While doing so I happened to be wearing my new t-shirt which has GLaDOS's second line from this chapter, laid over the Aperture Logo. (I designed it myself!) I am now writing while lying in bed snuggling my Companion Cube plushie. (Thanks for making more, Valve!)
And of course there's spoilers for this Test Chamber (though not the correct solution).
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"Here we are: the next test," said Chell to her companion as the elevator swished open. As the informative sign lit up she added, "It looks like it has a bit of everything. I hope you can help me through..."
The computer voice chose that moment to interrupt. "The experiment is nearing it's conclusion."
"That's the best news I've had all day," Chell enthused.
The voice continued its script. "The Enrichment Center, is required to remind you, that you will be baked, and then there will be cake."
"Whatever. Hang on, did you say baked or bathed? There was a bit of static. I could really use a bath."
"The Enrichment Center lacks equipment for detecting scents. This is a fortunate oversight."
"Hey, there's no need to get insulting. I'll take a bath the moment I can. Next time I won't bother asking - thinking you might have meant 'baked' was a silly idea. People can't be baked."
The voice did not reply.
"Sorry, now that I've started talking, I'm rambling. I'll stop now."
The computer didn't seem to care.
"Great. So, Cube, it looks like we need to get up there." A couple of portals later, Chell and her cube found themselves falling from the ceiling. Fortunately she had checked for a solid floor before stepping through, so they landed on a solid floor. "That worked. We need to get over there next," she informed the cube, figuring from the helpful painted black dots which could be seen in various numbers.
The problem became apparent when she looked for a wall to place an entry portal on. "It looks like we'll need to jump over a gap to the wall. A gap full of dangerous liquid. Hold on, this won't be easy." Chell carefully positioned the portal and jumped. The cube was pushed through the ad hoc hole in space and Chell came tumbling after. She nearly hit the wall and slid into oblivion, but she had practiced similar moves enough times that she was able to make it through.
Not long after, a closed door confronted the stubborn test subject. "We need to find a big button to open the door. A bit of the wall has been pushed out, so we'll probably need to fling... over there. Two portal placements later, Chell leaped from the platform clutching the cube in front of herself. The pair passed through the floor and shut out of the wall fast enough to land awkwardly but close to the button.
"You sit here and hold the door open while I figure out how to take you to the other side." She set her friend down and the door obligingly opened. A quick portal-assisted scouting mission later, she determined that she could place a portal on the other side of the door, just short walk away. However, the catch was finding a surface she could use to place the other end. This surface has to be accessible from the button without requiring portals. "I'll need to see what's behind us. Sounds like some more turrets. They talk, and try to kill me. You don't talk, but you don't try to kill me either, so that's fine."
After taking a few deep breaths of air, Chell pressed the little button to open the hinging wall panel. As soon as enough space became available, she ducked through and ran to the right, where she found a handy section of empty wall. She fired a portal onto it and ran through even as the turrets started firing at her. The portal led her back beside the door which her companion cube was holding open. She sprinted through and continued until she reached the first section of wall she could portal through. This took her back into the room with the turrets and an ominous ticking. She fled past the firing turrets and through the lifted wall panel with moments to spare before it was pulled back into the wall.
"That was a close one, Cube," she said after sitting down to catch her breath. "It's time to move on now." She opened the panel again and picked up her cube, which closed the door. Dashing past the turrets and through the portal she had left took her immediately to the other side of the door. "Here we are. Now I've got to find my way... all the way up there." Before her was a daunting set of numbered platforms, suspended over a pool of deadly liquid. Behind her lay a pit at the bottom of which a portal could be placed. "I'll have to fall down in order to fly up, and unless I miss my guess, I'll only be able to place a portal on the next platform at the highest point of the jump. And I'd really better use the right colour..."
It took a few minutes, but Chell finally reached the top platform. The computer voice began droning on about exposure to uninsulated electrical parts, but she ignored it in favour of shooting a portal back down in order to retrieve Cube. This was easily done, which was fortunate as there was no way she would be able to make her way up all those platforms while carrying him. He had been useful in this level though, as she'd avoided collecting a 'normal' weighted cube which she expected was in some hard to reach place on the other side of those turrets which had been shooting at her.
"For more information, please attend an Enrichment Center Electrical Safety Seminar."
Huh? What was that all about? A seminar? "You're running a seminar? When?"
"The Enrichment Center Safety Seminar Series is run by human staff. Such staff are presently unavailable, resulting in the indefinite postponement of the series."
"Figures." Chell spied the elevator up ahead. Fortunately the Emancipation Grille had been disabled, possibly at the same time as the previous one. She gladly strode past, not really in the mood to argue with the computer just yet.
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Notes: It took a couple of tries before I made the jump over the liquid into the portal on the wall while holding the Companion Cube. And the turrets shot me to death a couple of times before I found the best bit of wall to use. It's a good thing Chell is more skilled than me.
Oh, and to create a Companion Cube, first open the console with ~ (you may need to enable this command, then create a regular cube with
ent_create_portal_weight_box
and skin it with
ent_fire !picker skin 1
Please take care of it!