Pedestal Button: Difference between revisions

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{{Quotation|'''GLaDOS'''|Press the button again.|sound=GLaDOS faithplategarbage06.wav}}
{{Quotation|'''GLaDOS'''|Press the button again.|sound=GLaDOS_faithplategarbage06.wav}}
 
'''Pedestal Buttons''' are a game [[Mechanics|mechanic]] used within the ''Portal'' series. They can be found very frequently throughout [[Test Chambers]] and are primarily used to allow the player to trigger or toggle a particular function. They can be activated with the "Use" key (default: {{key|E}}).


In the bonus maps of [[Portal: Still Alive]], pedestal buttons connected to cube droppers have a special skin, pictured below.
'''Pedestal Button'''s are a game [[Mechanics|mechanic]] used within the ''Portal'' series. They can be found very frequently throughout [[Test Chambers]] and are primarily used to allow the player to trigger or toggle a particular function. They can be activated with the "Use" key ({{key|E}} [[Default keybinds|by default]]).


== Uses ==
== Uses ==
Pedestal Buttons are used for multiple purposes to initiate a particular action. More common uses include the dropping of a [[Cube]] (and fizzling of the previous cube if present), activating a [[Gel]] pipeline or opening a door. They can also be timer-based, where the action (for example, extending a platform) is only activated for a specific length of time.
Pedestal Buttons are used for multiple purposes to initiate a particular action. More common uses include the dropping of a [[Cube]] (and fizzling of the previous cube if present), activating a [[Gel]] pipeline or opening a door. They can also be timer-based, where the action (for example, extending a platform) is only activated for a specific length of time.


<!--
Exclusively in ''Portal: Still Alive'' for the Xbox 360, there is an alternate pedestal button design which is white with red lights and an icon of a cube with a skull on the button itself. This design is used for pedestal buttons connected to cube droppers, to indicate that pressing the button will destroy the previous cube. The button itself behaves identically to a regular pedestal button. This button design does not appear in ''Portal 2'' or the Nintendo Switch versions of the ''Portal: Still Alive'' levels, both of which replace them with regular pedestal buttons.
A section listing each item's Puzzlemaker properties. This was a good idea, but I never added it to any pages other than this one and it didn't use templates, so any change to one of the properties would have to be manually made to every page that uses it. I'm probably never going to get back to this, so I decided to comment it out until someone decides to implement it properly. - Luke18033
 
== [[Puzzle Creator]] item properties ==


* '''Entity cost:''' 6
* '''Connections:''' This item supports outputs, which activate when the button is pressed and deactivate after the specified time. ''Connect to...'' is used to connect this item to another, via inputs or outputs. ''Connection visibility'' controls the visibility of connections, and ''Remove connections'' can be used to remove an existing connection.
* '''Timer delay:''' Used to set how long the button should stay pressed, after which the output will shut off. Infinite means the output will permanently be active, and no timer sound will be heard.
-->
== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
{{Gallery
{{Gallery
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|File:Still alive button.PNG|''[[Portal: Still Alive]]'''s [[Cubes|cube]] [[Material Emancipation Grill|fizzler]] variation of the Pedestal Button, only used in bonus chambers
|File:Still alive button.PNG|''[[Portal: Still Alive]]'''s [[Cubes|cube]] [[Material Emancipation Grill|fizzler]] variation of the Pedestal Button, only used in bonus chambers
}}
}}
== Development ==
In the [[Portal developer commentary|developer commentary]] of ''Portal'', players learn that originally, a [[Heavy Duty Super-Colliding Super Button|weighted button]] was used to open the far door of [[Portal Test Chamber 11|Test Chamber 11]], but playtesters found that they would get stuck searching hopelessly for a [[cubes|cube]] to place on it. The floor button was then changed to the pedestal button, thus removing the cube association, but since the ticking timer sound while the door was open had not been added at the time, playtesters continued to struggle realising a portal had to be placed through the door while open.


== Trivia ==
== Trivia ==
* Unlike [[Heavy Duty Super-Colliding Super Button|floor buttons]], the lights on the sides of pedestal buttons do not change color when the button is active.
* In ''Portal 2'', the lights on the sides of pedestal buttons do not turn orange when the button is active, while all other button-related test elements do.
 
== See also ==
* [[Mechanics]]
* [[Button]]


{{MechanicsNav}}
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{{MechanicsNav}}
[[Category:Mechanics]]
[[Category:Mechanics]]

Latest revision as of 23:52, 16 October 2024

Press the button again.
GLaDOS

Pedestal Buttons are a game mechanic used within the Portal series. They can be found very frequently throughout Test Chambers and are primarily used to allow the player to trigger or toggle a particular function. They can be activated with the "Use" key (E by default).

Uses

Pedestal Buttons are used for multiple purposes to initiate a particular action. More common uses include the dropping of a Cube (and fizzling of the previous cube if present), activating a Gel pipeline or opening a door. They can also be timer-based, where the action (for example, extending a platform) is only activated for a specific length of time.

Exclusively in Portal: Still Alive for the Xbox 360, there is an alternate pedestal button design which is white with red lights and an icon of a cube with a skull on the button itself. This design is used for pedestal buttons connected to cube droppers, to indicate that pressing the button will destroy the previous cube. The button itself behaves identically to a regular pedestal button. This button design does not appear in Portal 2 or the Nintendo Switch versions of the Portal: Still Alive levels, both of which replace them with regular pedestal buttons.

Gallery

Development

In the developer commentary of Portal, players learn that originally, a weighted button was used to open the far door of Test Chamber 11, but playtesters found that they would get stuck searching hopelessly for a cube to place on it. The floor button was then changed to the pedestal button, thus removing the cube association, but since the ticking timer sound while the door was open had not been added at the time, playtesters continued to struggle realising a portal had to be placed through the door while open.

Trivia

  • In Portal 2, the lights on the sides of pedestal buttons do not turn orange when the button is active, while all other button-related test elements do.