Cores



Cores (also referred to as Spheres, Personality Cores/Spheres, or Personality Constructs) are softwares containing advanced artificial intelligence, mostly unique for their ability to express emotions.

Each unique core is downloaded into individual androids and other sentient machinery in the Aperture Science computer-aided Enrichment Center, such as the Turrets, Atlas, and P-body.

Function
Developed by Aperture Science technicians, GLaDOS is the earliest known personality core - specifically designed for becoming the Enrichment Center's overseer. The later cores however, were initially given the purpose of counteracting GLaDOS' merciless behavior, such as flooding test chambers and other vital parts of the facility with neurotoxin, and her attempts to seize control of the Enrichment Center.

Often present in the form of spherical shapes, these cores are a more simplistic design as their purpose had been more at hand instead. This contrasts with the majority of the designs of Aperture androids in the Enrichment Center that are personality core-based such as Atlas (enclosed core design), P-body (core inputs), and all types of Turrets (also core inputs).

Personality Cores
As the name implies, each core has its own unique personality and behavior, which can be incorporated into the central core when they are physically attached to it. However, when a personality core did not affect the emotions of a current central core, the core would then be deactivated and kept in storage.

Central Core


The Central Core is the highest rank of all Aperture androids in the Enrichment Center, given to personality cores that are hardwired into the facility's mainframe body.

A central core is the rank of power to control and regulate the entire Enrichment Center, is capable of overseeing all events occurring within monitored areas of the facility, creating and stockpiling test chambers, constructing and dispensing Turrets, and activating core functions among other things.

GLaDOS, whom was designed with the sole purpose of being the central core herself; did not need to possess a spherical shape like other personality cores.

Morality Core


The Morality Core is one of the more important cores attached on GLaDOS in Portal. It is a core with a purple 'eye' and two dots just beneath it.

Unlike other cores, the Morality Core is mute.

Curiosity Core


The second core attached to GLaDOS is the Curiosity Core. It is the core with an orange 'eye' and four dots beneath it. It has a tendency to constantly ask questions, ranging from its surroundings, to Chell, to where it is going.

Intelligence Core


GLaDOS' third core, the Intelligence Core (also known as the Logic Core), has a blue 'eye' with a huge pupil with six dots beneath it. It rambles on about an odd recipe for a rather unique kind of cake,

Anger Core


The last core attached to GLaDOS is the Anger Core. It has a red 'eye' with eight dots beneath it. It is also referred to as the Emotion Core. Rather than speak, the Core snarls and growls ferociously at Chell. (These snarls and growls were later used in Valve game 'Left 4 Dead'.)

Wheatley


The main character of the single-player campaign in Portal 2, Wheatley, is portrayed as bumbling, chatty, desperate when things did not catch up to his expectations, and often hesitant. He is the first character to have interacted with Chell in the game, and is one of many cores seen awakening at the end of Portal.

Corrupted Cores
Due to technical difficulties over time, a core may be automatically labeled as a Corrupted Core and would be subject to disposal. However, if the corrupted core is the central core, a substitute core must be present in a core receptacle in order to initiate a core transfer. Once a substitute core is found, both cores must agree or disagree to the core transfer procedure. If one agrees while the other disagrees, the transfer process cannot occur unless a Stalemate Resolution Associate is present in order to press the stalemate resolution button, which will initiate the core transfer process once the Associate has returned to the core transfer bay.

All three Corrupted Cores are voiced by Nolan North.

Space Sphere


The Space Sphere is one of three active, corrupted cores. It speaks rapidly, and possesses an unhealthy obsession with space. Its key personality trait is its often-repeated desire to travel to outer space. The Final Hours of Portal 2 reveal Valve's inspiration for the Space Core: an Oregon Coast Aquarium ad with a goldfish rapidly and repeatedly humming, blurting, and stating that he would like to go to the aquarium, much like the Space Core does.

Adventure Sphere


The second corrupted core, the Adventure Sphere (or as he calls himself, Rick) speaks like a stereotypical soldier.

Fact Sphere


The Fact Sphere is the third corrupted core. It constantly states several random, twisted and not entirely true "facts" related to history, the current situation, as well as apparent facts about how right and handsome it is.

Trivia

 * The bomb model used in Portal 2 is named 'personality_sphere_angry' within the game files, suggesting the Anger core was to make an appearance in the sequel.


 * In early screenshots released prior to the Portal 2 E3 teaser trailer, the texture of personality cores were yet to receive detailing and minor scratches, as the textures of the plating were matte white. Since then the textures have been greatly improved, and compared to Portal, the Cores from then to the retail version have a wider range of emotions.


 * Several unused textures for the personality cores with eyes colored similar to those of the Portal cores can be found in the Portal 2 game files, further hinting at a reappearance of the original cores.


 * The bomb model also possesses various typical personality core animations that can be viewed in the Model Viewer in the Authoring Tools. These include a stationary animation, a test animation where the core aimlessly looks around, and an angry animation where it twitches violently.