Thinking with Time Machine: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:10, 4 August 2024

Revision as of 18:11, 4 August 2024

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{{Infobox video game

| image = ThinkingWithTimeMachineGreenlightSquareCover.jpg

| alt = Logo of the Thinking with Time Machine mod, showcasing a sand clock, the orange and blue portals, and a stick man

| developer = Ruslan "Stridemann" Rybka

| publisher = SignHead Studio

| engine = [[Source (game engine)|Source]]

| platforms = {{ubl|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]|, [[OS X]]|[[Linux]]}}

| released = April 18, 2014

| genre = [[Puzzle-platform game|Puzzle-platform]]

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== Gameplay ==

{{main|Portal (series)#Gameplay}}

[[File:ThinkingWithTimeMachine_ClipboardScreenshot.jpg|thumb|alt=A screenshot of Thinking with Time Machine showcasing the time machine tablet|[[Chell (Portal)|Chell]] holds thea tablet-like time travel deviceclipboard in her left hand, allowing her to use the game's time travel mechanic.]]

Like the [[Portal series|''Portal'' series]], ''Thinking with Time Machine'' is a [[Puzzle-platform game|puzzle-platform]] modification for ''[[Portal 2]]'' played from the [[First person perspective|first-person perspective]], in which the player must solve puzzles in "test chambers".<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Moore |first=Bo |date=April 28, 2014 |title=This Portal 2 Mod Lets You Play Against Yourself |url=https://www.wired.com/2014/04/thinking-with-time-machine/ |access-date=August 4, 2024 |work=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |archive-date=October 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030025025/https://www.wired.com/2014/04/thinking-with-time-machine/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2014 |title=Thinking with Time Machine |url=https://kotaku.com/games/thinking-with-time-machine |access-date=August 4, 2024 |work=[[Kotaku]] |archive-date=August 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804180052/https://kotaku.com/games/thinking-with-time-machine |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="pcg">{{Cite news |last=Livingston |first=Christopher |date=April 27, 2014 |title=Mod of the Week: Thinking With Time Machine, for Portal 2 |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/mod-of-the-week-thinking-with-time-machine-for-portal-2/ |access-date=November 11, 2017 |work=[[PC Gamer]]}}</ref> Throughout the game, the player controls [[Chell (Portal)|Chell]], the protagonist of the ''Portal'' series.<ref name="ply">{{Cite web |last=Good |first=Owen S. |date=April 26, 2014 |title=Mod adds time travel to Portal 2 |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/4/26/5656526/time-travel-mod-portal |accessdate=November 11, 2017 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> The player uses the [[portal gun]] that can create two ends of a portal, colored orange and blue.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ocampo |first=Jason |date=July 11, 2007 |title=The Orange Box E3 2007 Preshow Hands-On - Portal |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-orange-box-e3-2007-preshow-hands-on-portal/1100-6173775/ |access-date=August 4, 2024 |work=[[GameSpot]] |archive-date=August 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804180052/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-orange-box-e3-2007-preshow-hands-on-portal/1100-6173775/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In addition to the portal gun, the player is also given a tablet-like "[[time machine]]" in their left hand.<ref name="pcg" /><ref name="ply" /> Looking down at the tablet allows the player to record and control their movement, including walking, jumping, and picking up objects.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="pcg" /> After recording themselves, the player user can playback the recording, which summons a double who would perform the selected motion.<ref name="pcg" /><ref name="ply" /> Only one recording can be played at a time, although it can be replayed infinitely.<ref name="pcg" /> This allows the player to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.<ref name="rps">{{Cite web |last=O'Connor |first=Alice |date=April 23, 2014 |title=Portal 2 Mod Adds Time-Travelling Legs |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/04/23/portal-2-mod-valve-time-travel/ |access-date=November 9, 2017 |website=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]] |archive-date=August 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804180131/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/portal-2-mod-valve-time-travel |url-status=live }}</ref> Recordings can perform all the actions a normal player can, and the player can also stand on their double, allowing them to reach higher surfaces.<ref name="pcg" /> After performing a new action, the previous recording is deleted.<ref name="pcg" /> Another feature of ''Thinking with Time Machine'' is the ability for the player to see their own legs by looking down, which is not available in the ''Portal'' series.<ref name="pcg" /><ref name="rps" />

The campaign starts at the end of ''Portal 2'', after which the player is introduced to the time machine concept through a series of tutorials.<ref name="pcg" /> There is no custom [[voice acting]] in the mod.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Yasuda |first=Nobuki |date=April 25, 2014 |title=『Thinking with Time Machine』 Greenlitも納得、貫禄のファンメイドMOD |trans-title="Thinking with Time Machine" A fan-made mod that Greenlight is conviced of |url=https://automaton-media.com/articles/impressionjp/impression-thinking-time-machine/ |access-date=August 4, 2024 |work=Automaton Japan |language=ja |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130161239/https://automaton-media.com/articles/impressionjp/impression-thinking-time-machine/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Thinking with Time Machine'' features a [[level editor]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Thinking with Time Machine |url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/286080/Thinking_with_Time_Machine/ |access-date=August 4, 2024 |website=[[Steam (service)|Steam]] |archive-date=July 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714184620/https://store.steampowered.com/app/286080/Thinking_with_Time_Machine/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Development ==

''Thinking with Time Machine'' was developed by Ukrainian Ruslan "Stridemann" Rybka and published by SignHead Studio.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=May 3, 2015 |title=Steam Gauge: Measuring the most popular Steam games of 2014 |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/03/steam-gauge-measuring-the-most-popular-steam-games-of-2014/3/ |access-date=August 3, 2024 |work=[[Ars Technica]] |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716013609/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/03/steam-gauge-measuring-the-most-popular-steam-games-of-2014/3/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Torrejón |first=Rocío |date=April 19, 2021 |title=Portal 2: 10 años de la penúltima obra maestra de Valve |trans-title=Portal 2: 10 Years Since Valve's Penultimate Masterpiece |url=https://as.com/meristation/2021/04/19/reportajes/1618822119_095027.html |access-date=August 4, 2024 |work=Meristation |language=es |archive-date=August 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804180147/https://as.com/meristation/2021/04/19/reportajes/1618822119_095027.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Stridemann said that the development of the mod began after the release of ''Portal 2''.<ref name=":1" /> Initially, the mod was published on the ModDB website in 2013.<ref name=":1" /> "It took two years... there were ups and downs... I felt depressed and inspired... I wanted to give up so many times... but the desire to complete this miracle won out", Stridemann said.<ref name=":1" /> The mod later went through the [[Steam Greenlight]] process and was accepted due to the mod's concept.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Svetlichny |first=Sergey |date=April 27, 2024 |title=Thinking with Time Machine: добавляем в Portal 2 четвертое измерение |trans-title=Thinking with Time Machine: Adding a Fourth Dimension to Portal 2 |url=https://itc.ua/articles/thinking-with-time-machine-dobavlyaem-v-portal-2-chetvertoe-izmerenie/ |url-status=live |access-date=August 4, 2024 |work=ITC.ua |language=uk |archive-date=August 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804180055/https://itc.ua/articles/thinking-with-time-machine-dobavlyaem-v-portal-2-chetvertoe-izmerenie/ }}</ref> The mod was released on [[Steam (service)|Steam]] for free on April 18, 2014, for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[OS X]], and [[Linux]] platforms.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="pcg2">{{Cite news |last=Savage |first=Phil |date=April 22, 2014 |title=Portal 2 mod Thinking With Time Machine now available on Steam |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/portal-2-mod-thinking-with-time-machine-now-available-on-steam/ |access-date=November 11, 2017 |work=[[PC Gamer]] |archive-date=November 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111205540/http://www.pcgamer.com/portal-2-mod-thinking-with-time-machine-now-available-on-steam/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 23, 2014 |title=Découvrez le mod Thinking with Time Machine avec Portal 2 |trans-title=Check out the Thinking with Time Machine mod for Portal 2 |url=https://syfantasy.fr/actualites/decouvrez-le-mod-thinking-with-time-machine-avec-portal-2/ |access-date=August 4, 2024 |work=Syfantasy |language=fr |archive-date=June 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625005620/https://syfantasy.fr/actualites/decouvrez-le-mod-thinking-with-time-machine-avec-portal-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Considering that it is a modification, users must own ''Portal 2'' to play ''Thinking with Time Machine''.<ref name="pcg" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hurley |first=Leon |date=April 25, 2014 |title=New Portal 2 Mod Adds Time Travel |url=https://kotaku.com/new-portal-2-mod-adds-time-travel-1567628112 |access-date=August 4, 2024 |work=[[Kotaku]]}}</ref> The game was one of the top 200 on Steam in 2014.<ref name=":2" />

== Reception ==

Christopher Livingston of ''[[PC Gamer]]'' praised the mod, saying that "it's very cool watching the past version of Chell appear and run through her recording".<ref name="pcg" /> He commended the functions of the tablet, comparing the time machine concept to the [[cooperative mode]], the ability of the player to see their own legs, and the tutorial puzzles.<ref name="pcg" /> However, Livingston noted that certain puzzles, in which the double cannot be directly seen, "can get a little weird", while he also complained about the lack of usage of the portal gun.<ref name="pcg" /> Phil Savage of ''PC Gamer'' praised the time machine concept and stated that the mod "dramatically expand[s] the complexity" of the ''Portal'' series.<ref name="pcg2" />

Alice O'Connor of [[Rock Paper Shotgun|''Rock Paper Shotgun'']] also rated the mod positively, especially complimenting the ability to view legs in-game.<ref name="rps" /> ''Rock Paper Shotgun'' also listed ''Thinking with Time Machine'' as one of the best mods for ''Portal 2''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pearson |first=Craig |date=December 20, 2021 |title=The best Portal 2 mods |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-best-portal-2-mods |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012214749/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-best-portal-2-mods |archive-date=October 12, 2022 |access-date=August 1, 2024 |work=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]]}}</ref> Bo Moore of [[Wired (magazine)|''Wired'']] praised the design of puzzles but noted that some puzzles lacked "[[Valve Corporation|Valve]] polish".<ref name=":0" /> He, however, criticized the mod for its short length and for not featuring many puzzles where the portal gun is used.<ref name=":0" /> Nobuki Yasuda of ''Automaton'' noted that the mod lacks a clear plot.<ref name=":1" /> Moore and Livingston compared the time machine mechanic to the 2010 [[The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom|''The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom'']] game.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="pcg" /> [[Becky Chambers]] compared it to the [[Braid (video game)|''Braid'']] video game.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chambers |first=Becky |author-link=Becky Chambers |date=April 27, 2014 |title=This Portal 2 Time Travel Mod Lets Chell Solve Puzzles With Her Past Self |url=https://www.themarysue.com/portal-2-time-travel-mod/ |access-date=August 4, 2024 |work=[[The Mary Sue]] |archive-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516231623/https://www.themarysue.com/portal-2-time-travel-mod/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== References ==