This guide explains one way to create trippy unreal impossible geometry effects in Portal 2 community puzzles, without using Hammer. This technique uses BEE2 and a BEE2 add-on. Even though this guide is not a step-by-step or troubleshooting guide, it lists enough information to get a designer started.

This guide is divided into mostly independent sections, so read what you need.

World Portals are stationary, square-shaped portals that are linked together in pairs. They do not have the graphic oval overlay, and designers place them into their maps just like other objects. They can be rotated or placed in other parts of the map to link distant sections together, and because they show the other room on the face, are super-thin, and invisible on the back, they can create unreal impossible geometry effects.

If you have BEE2 up and running, skip to the UCP Section.

• Learn how to use the built-in Portal 2 editor first.
  
• BEE2 adds more items to the built-in Portal 2 editor.
  (Install the BEE2 app and become familiar with how it works. The additional items and styles are impressive.)
  
• User Created Packages (UCPs) are created by individuals and add additional custom items to BEE2.
  
• Place the UCP item into the BEE2\packages folder - easy. Open BEE2, and the new item should appear in the "All Items" center section, ready for you to use.

Popular community search terms for other guides or puzzles: Non-Euclidean, Euclid, impossible geometry, unreal geometry, world portals, world portal doors, linked portal door, unreal maps, impossible maps

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The built-in Portal 2 editor is known as the Puzzle Maker, Puzzle Creator, or PeTI. It creates basic, yet attractive puzzles, uploads the maps into Portal 2's workshop, has only 1 style, and a limited number of items to use. The easy-to-use 3D interface involves dragging the wall geometry, dragging and dropping items from the left palette into the 3D puzzle, and right-clicking the items to add functionality. The Puzzle Maker uses hidden palettes that appear when mousing over the outer edges. It's quick, simple to use, and easy to upload the map to the Workshop community.

Create
To access the Portal 2 Puzzle Maker, run Portal 2 > choose "Community Test Chambers" > choose "Create Test Chambers" > click on "New Test Chamber" > click on the "NEW" button > the Portal 2 editor program will open > choose "File" then "Save" from the top menu > a popup will appear, "NAME" your map, give a "DESCRIPTION", and click the "Save" button.

Design

• The additional hidden palettes appear when you mouse over any of the 4 sides.
  
• Want to see and test your map while building? Click on File in the top menu > Rebuild
  
• Want to publish your map to the Workshop? Click on File in the top menu > Publish
  
• When publishing, remember to keep it Private or for Friends Only until it's ready for the community to play.

Search Terms for more guides, YouTube videos, and information: Puzzle Maker, Puzzle Creator, PeTi, Portal 2 Editor, Puzzle Builder
https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=136271694
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJgllufikSo&t=14s

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BEE2 is a popular utility that adds additional items, music, and styles into the Portal2 built-in editor. The additional items are impressive, and the skins look great. Some useful default items are logic gates, a cube colorizer, voice lines, cat walks, and more. There are no World Portals in BEE2 by default, so the UCP section below explains how to install the add-on.

BEE2 Baiscs

• Open BEE2
  
• Drag an item to use in the map from the center “All Items” Palette into the left “Items” tabbed Palette. The left "Items" palette contains the items that will be added to the Portal 2 editor. Because the Portal 2 editor has an item limit, so some items may need to be dragged back into the center “All Items” section to make more room.
  
• To open or close a palette, click on the “View” top menu link.
  
• In the "Export Options" palette, choose your style, music, and other settings.
  
• In the "Compile Options" palette, set the entry/exit options, thumbnail image and more.

When everything is set, click the “Export to “Portal2” . . .*” button in the top-right "Export Options" panel. Let BEE2 complete the export process and launch Portal 2. In Portal 2, navigate to the Portal 2 built-in editor, open your map, and you will see your chosen additional BEE2 items in the left menu.

BEE2 version 4410 is stable, and the World Portals, along with many of the other older UCPs, work. The newer redesigned version of BEE2, BEE2 4.45.2, also works with Sharperone’s Items 4 Clean World Portal addon, and many of the other UCP addons as well.

Occasionally, people report issues with some UCPs not working or working incorrectly in various versions of BEE2. When using a different version of BEE2, the World Portals, other addons, and BEE2 need to be thoroughly tested to confirm that they are functioning properly. This is because some UCPs were designed for early versions of BEE2, and because creating UCPs is a complex process, some items have design errors.

https://github.com/BEEmod/BEE2.4/releases/tag/2.4.41.0 (very stable)
https://github.com/BEEmod/BEE2.4/releases/tag/2.4.45.2 (beautiful, redesigned, new useful features)

BEE2 installation can be a pain, and I give no guarantees to the advice below, but it may help.

• On the BEE2 Github page, don't use the green download button at the top. Use the "Releases" text link on the left side, or the text link in the center instructions part of the page because those links lead to the zipped files. The center "Download and Use" has basic instructions, and note the important gray highlighted folder structures.
  
  
• When running the exe for the 1st time, BEE2 may ask something like "select the folder where the game's executable is located." To find the "portal2.exe" executable, open up Steam > your library > right-click Portal 2 > Manage > browse local files > your local drive will open, and it will show the path and folder where portal2.exe resides.
  
  
• BEE2 is installed, but it won't open or opens briefly and closes - it's probably a Windows permission or security software setting.
  
  
• Handy Tip: Renaming the application folder from the long original name to a shorter name is not necessary, but it may make life easier. Example: " BEE2_v4.41.0_win64" to "BEE2-4410"

BEE2 is up and running, but there are no items or added music. The items and music files may not be in the correct location. BEE2 comes in 3 zipped files: The application folder, the packages folder, and the music folder. All 3 files need to be unzipped.

Packages Folder

The folder that holds the BEE2 items is the "packages" folder. Because the packages folder has the version number included in the name, there are special instructions for installing it into BEE2.

• In newer versions of BEE2, an empty "packages" folder may already exist inside the root BEE2 folder. To install the items, open the downloaded packages folder (long name and items inside) > copy the items > open the BEE2 root folder > open the empty packages folder > paste the items inside the BEE2-4410\packages folder.
  
  
• In older versions of BEE2, the empty packages folder inside the BEE2 root folder may not exist. So rename the downloaded packages folder to "packages" > open the BEE2 folder > paste the packages folder inside the BEE2 root folder. Example: BEE2-4410\packages (the individual items)
  
  
• Recap
  
  • For BEE2 to read the folder, it needs to be named "packages" without the quotes and without the version number.
    
    
  • Where does the "packages" folder go? Inside the root BEE2 folder. Example:
    BEE2-4410\packages

Music Folder

Where does the music folder go? Open the music folder, copy the songs, and paste the songs inside the "packages" folder. Example: BEE2-4410\packages (individual music files go here)


There are lots of YouTube videos and tutorials on how to use BEE2.
https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2739127492
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfBPpVXOnGA

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User Created Packages (UCPs) are additional useful items created by Portal 2 users and are easily placed into BEE2. The various items are packaged together in a uniquely named folder, usually with a zip or bee_pack extension. Bee_pack is the same as a zip, but with a different extension name.

Note: Because UCPs are created by other users, can be complicated to make, or are created for a different version of BEE2, errors are common. Be sure to test the UCPs.

To add the UCPs into BEE2, open the BEE2 folder, then open the “package” folder. Place the UCP inside BEE2’s “package” folder. That's it! The format does not matter because BEE2 reads the zip, bee_pack, or an uncompressed folder. When you open BEE2, you will see the additional UCP items in the center panel, ready for you to use.

World Portals work in pairs, and two World Portals linked together make a pair.

This package contains several items, including the World Portals. The World Portals face the outer edge of the block.
https://github.com/shaperones0/Items-4-Clean

The World Portal doors work, but you need to set them properly.

• The portal doors are disabled by default, and that makes them look invisible. Right-click and enable both of them.
  
• The player enters/exits according to the arrow. Because the single arrow may seem backwards, it's easy to place the World Portal in the wrong rotation. Because the World Portals are invisible from the back, the portals may need to be rotated 180-degrees to be visible.

Without A Trigger:
To make the World Portals work, just right-click and check the start enabled checkbox for EACH World Portal, right-click and link them, and remember to turn the antlines off.

With a Trigger:

• Place the trigger item
  
• Position the World Portals
  
• Link one portal to it's partner by right-clicking
  
• Create a link from the trigger to one of the world portals by right-clicking
  
• Right-click and set the Start Enabled to on or off for each World Portal
  
• Remember to set the antlines or signs accordingly

BSOA includes World Portals, but they work differently that Sharperone's. When using the BSOA World Portals, the important steps below are a must for them to work properly.

• The World Portals in the BSOA UCP must have the additional World Portal Fixer item.
  
• Without the World Portal Fixer, the BSOA World Portals will malfunction and often cause severe visual glitches.
  
• The BSOA World Portals and the World Portal Fixer are two different packages from two different authors.
  
• Only one instance of the World Portal Fixer needs to be placed in the map.
  
• Do not let the player die or the World Portals will probably not appear when the game reloads.
  
• Do not combine the centered eight-position World Portal with the front-facing four-position World Portals.
  
• The BSOA World Portals along with the World Portal Fixer work well.

The BSOA World Portals come in two forms:
1. The first World Portal is front facing, has eight positions, and is set back 1/8th or 1/4th distance from the outer edge of the block.

Setting the World Portals 1/8th of a block back makes hiding the light seam between the 2 portals easier. Adding a vertical light strip on the front edge of both sides of the block where the edges of the World Portal touch the wall, and adding a pair of matching light strips for the other World Portal creates the illusion of one light strip. Even though the World Portal cuts the light model in half, it looks complete because the other Word Portal also has a matching pair of lights. The bright light disguises the seam - often, it's almost invisible.

2. The second World Portals are centered, have four positions, and rotate from the middle of the block.

BSOA by benjaminpants
https://github.com/benjaminpants/bsoa/releases/tag/v12
Contains the four-position centered and the eight-position set-back World Portals
Also contains a stand-alone flip panel

https://github.com/CardsAndGamesYT/The-Cards-And-Games-Pack/releases/tag/1.4.0
Contains the World Portal Fixer
Also includes a physics trigger and angled light bridge
The developer stated that it disables `r_portal_fastpath`, preventing visual glitches from occurring when more than four portals are visible at the same time.

On the Bee2 download page on GetHub https://github.com/BEEmod/BEE2.4 there is a link to the BEE2 Discord Page. You can join or log into Discord from there. Popular UPCs are listed on the BEE2 Discord page in the left menu > User Created Packages. You can also find UPCs by searching for BEE2 on GetHub because this is where many UPCs are stored. https://github.com

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The visual glitches may be severe and appear in other sections of the map.

Adding a temporary goo pit may give a clue if something is wrong because the liquid can look bad, sometimes like a leak, if there is a world portal glitch or item in the void.(Goo Pits may also look like a leak if there are too many goo pits at different levels in one puzzle.)

UCP items can be accidentally left behind in the void. This happens because some UCP items are set to share space with other items (occupies voxel is disabled), and when you drag the wall/floor/ceiling geometry, the item stays behind in the void. This will mess up the world portals, goo pits, water pits, and skyboxes. It will also give an error when publishing or take a very long time to build the map.

• Do not let the players die when using BSOA - Ben's Slightly Odd Additions World Portals. This may also be an issue in other versions of the World Portals as well? it’s more than likely that the World Portals may disappear when the puzzle restarts (known bug). Instead, create a safety net, a rescue way back, or use a different field barrier.
  
  
• Only the front of 2 World Portals can display at one time. The front is the side with the image. Hiding additional World Portals with an object like a door may not work, but something solid like a block wall will work (known engine limitation).
  
  
• A big issue: The front/image side of a World Portal cannot face the front of another World Portal, even if a World Portal is behind a door. Good fix - have the World Portals face the wall or tuck them into right-angle hallways. They need to be separated by a block wall. It is OK to have the front/image side of a World Portal face the invisible back of another World Portal. It is also OK for an invisible back to face another invisible back or visible front.
  
  
• Use caution when placing objects on the same block with World Portals. Placing certain objects on the same block with a World Portal may cause the World Portal not to show for a few players. Be careful with items that have collisions turned on (can collide with the object instead of walking through it). Items like lights, seem to be OK when they touch the World Portal and are on another block.
  
  
• Be careful when placing the World Portals back-to-back. Placing the World Portals back-to-back (almost touching) with another World Portal can cause puzzle-spoiling visual glitches, like white flashes, when the player passes through. Try to leave a good-sized gap between the World Portals.
  
  
• The World Portal turns bright glowing white if it is 4-blocks or more away, and the player has the default shader detail set to low (known limitation). A possible Solution is to keep the World Portals close, tuck them into a wall, or use an element to block the view.
  
  
• Just because a glitch does not show up on your operating system does not mean that it won’t show up on someone else’s computer. Get your friends to test.

This eye-bending glitch occurred when the front/image side of one World Portal was looking into the front/image side of another World Portal. When one World Portal was rotated, the glitch went away.

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World Portals can be placed in many locations including hallways, around corners, and inside a floor, wall, or ceiling. They rotate at the base and can be attached to the wall or ceiling.

Tip: Gravity is always gravity regardless of room design, and World Portals do not alter gravity.

Adding light strips next to the portals or in the space behind the portal can even out the lighting seam. A useful tip for hiding light seams is in the UCP "BSOA - Ben's Slightly Odd Additions" section above. Placing World Portals around corners or inside walls can prevent glitches and hide the world portal light seams as well.

Angled panels can add to the illusion and appear to change the room geometry or cover World Portals, without using additional World Portals. Just team the angled panel with a trigger once or trigger multiple item in BEE2, and keep the trigger far enough away that the player does not see the angled panel activate.

World Portals can be confusing and frustrate the player. Using a clear path through the map, a predictable logical repetitive design pattern, well marked areas, or a clear line of sight from one area to the next enhances the illusion and helps make the map fun.

Complex or cramped areas need to be thoughtfully designed, or the player can become lost in an unintentional maze effect.

Colored light strips, signs, and spacious field of views are a few helpful techniques used to reduce player frustration. Antlines running through the World Portals into the other area is a great technique that is fun for players to follow, helps clarify the logic, and illustrates the layout. Placing a linked "OR" gate in an empty space behind the World Portal is one way to control the antline, and antline routers may be helpful too.

It only takes a few well-placed, trippy World Portals to elevate a puzzle.

World Portals can help solve logic dilemmas too, like when the player needs to travel to another area and there's no good way to accomplish it.

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The fun part is setting your immigration, logic, and creativity free. Picture a World Portal connected to the floor, wall, or free-standing in a room, then it's mate is connected inside the ceiling of a large room. This can twist the orientation (up to flat) and how the player travels (walking to falling). Even a single World Portal in an empty room is interesting...

A vertical pit can be made too look like a hallway with lights running down the wall, and one portal can be placed near the top. The other world portal is placed in a separate horizontal hallway with lights running along the floor. As the player happily walks down the hallway and unexpectedly enters the pit portal, the user is surprised when they fall instead of walk. The matching lights in the pit and hallway help complete the illusion and make the rooms look alike.

For a trippy effect, World Portals can be attached to the wall or ceiling to make the other room appear to be upside-down. When the player walks through, they flip. Using World Portals at the start or end of a glass hallway creates a strong effect.

Just a few well-placed World Portals are impressive. Check out anna's awesome example: "UNREAL CHAMBER 02". It uses only two sets of World Portals with three similar rooms to complete the illusion - and it's one of the top, all-time popular maps. The "how to" guide is in the Help section below.

World Portals can be used for logic, for trippy effects, and to connect to other parts of the map.

Picture a standard map where the player can clearly see and pre-plan how to travel to several distinct areas of the puzzle. The area they cannot get to is brightly lit and distinctive. After solving much of the map and seeing they cannot enter the area, an unexpected trippy World Portal appears and places them in the unattainable room. Just one World Portal can have a strong effect, especially when it's not expected.

If you create an unreal puzzle, please feel free to add a link in the comment section.

https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=225706472

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If you need help or accurate answers to your questions, ask the experts. Most developers have a place where you can ask or search for the answer. Because BEE2 is popular and has a strong community, their website has a Q&A section, an area to report bugs, and a useful Discord page to help with BEE2 and UCP addon issues, questions, and discussions. Some UCP designers may be able to answer questions on their items as well. The BEE2 home page will have the Discord link and additional information.

BEE2 FAQ's - https://github.com/BEEmod/.github/blob/master/FAQ.md

I'm no expert, so some questions regarding the installation and use of the Portal 2 built-in editor, BEE2, UCPs, and troubleshooting may be beyond the scope of this guide. Almost all of the tips that I've learned are packed into this resource.

There may be errors or incorrect information in this guide. The information is for your entertainment only, and you are solely responsible for your own actions including any and all problems or misfortune. I have no control over the items or links recommended in this guide, so it's your responsibility to do your own research, make sure the items fit your needs, and are safe for you to use.


https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1263981224&searchtext=impossible+geometry
World Portals are known as a "linked_portal_door" in Hammer. Though the information is for Hammer, it still contains useful World Portal information. https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Linked_portal_door

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https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/219890/Antichamber/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqL_kt0OUj8