Emergent gameplay, speedrun, and Portal done in 8m30s

Karuji

So I really like emergent gameplay. It's simply facinating to see how player can use a system, and a create a, somewhat, new and really interesting game.

So a bunch of guys did a speedrun of Portal, one, and I'm simply in love with how they break the game in so many ways.



They have posted what they did in a GDoc if you are interested.

notsimon207

Wow, those are some extreme glitches. I thought portal was a pretty impenetrable game until I saw this. Makes me wonder how many glitches gamers will find in the games I make if they find shirt like that in portal. But funny enough it does seem like people enjoyed those glitches ;). Is it possible that finding non game breaking glitches in a game could be part of a games design? I certainly find glitches like the portal glitches to be fun in a way. What if one were to make a tough as nails game where finding glitches are required to solve puzzles, that could be pretty cool. In that way players will never think that they have come to a point where they know the rules/limits of a game.

Karuji

It's a rather interesting thing that glitches — which I prefer calling loopholes, or exploits — are a rather interesting thing. In a single player game they can improve the longevity and playability of the game. Whereas in multiplayer they may lead to a dramatically unforeseen, but clever, change in how the game is played (as was the the case with badminton at the Olympics.)

Loopholes occur at the edge a game's rules, and require the player to be intimately familiar with the game, and it engine. This familiarity is often greater than that of people who made the game.

Interestingly enough I have seen some videos of Super Meat Boy where the player used exploits, but I am convinced it actually made the level harder.

If you want to read more about the topic I highly recommend this

(Yes I know the link is some shameless self promotion, and I have linked it before)