Gamernode: Features - Halortal: When Portal and Halo collide

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KAEBERS: Walls. That's an easy answer. Having to use Barriers and Crates for walls for all of these puzzles is a major pain. They don't give very many to use per level, and they can be movable. It's really having to mess around with Forge to know how everything works, and how to make things get into a fixed position. I don't know why Bungie didn't expect people to want or need walls. I would think that'd be obvious. But I guess they never intended on people really using Forge for more than just a "Set weapons on this side for this team gets this, and this team gets that." You know. Just a fighting scenario, what Halo was created for. Killing.

But a lot of the time was spent going around, and finding ways to have just enough items and budget to make everything work. And yes, Halo 3 wasn't built to be a puzzle game, so with that said, there will be flaws. I know of the flaws, I have spent hours trying to fix those flaws, and some things just can't be fixed. But, hey. I'd expect those who really want to play it to go the obvious route. Who cares if you can get out if you try hard enough? You're only ruining it for yourself.

Dac: So about how long does it take to create each puzzle?

KAEBERS: From start until release? Around two weeks, usually. It can take anywhere from a few days to a week to build it, which are usually done in 12 hour sessions. But after that, it goes into that testing phase to try to find and work out all the little flaws in the map. Quality is a must.

Dac: If Valve ever decided to allow users to create their own maps in Portal easily, would you shift any focus over to that?

KAEBERS: I might check it out a bit, but I doubt it'd be my primary concern. Portal is an amazing game, and it is an amazing concept, and it has an amazing theme song. But you can only do so much with shooting hole A to come out of hole B. After about a week, every possible thing would probably be figured out. Same situation, different location. That's what happens with those who make puzzles maps inspired by mine, usually. Same puzzles, different location. But luckily Halo 3 has a lot more possibilities.

Dac: I know that more than one person can occupy the puzzle field at one time, making it possible to have two players race to the finish. However, do you have any plans on making a two-player co-op puzzle map?

KAEBERS: Yeah, that was thought about a while ago. I would still like to, and the possibility seems more open now than it ever did before. The reason I kind of denied the idea before was because of the budget and item limitations. I don't think I would be able to make a long puzzle with two people given the amount of items given. That's the reason my puzzles right now are around four challenges long. I used all the items given, and budget. But keep in mind that even with it being that short, it's still pretty long. People sometimes spend hours baffled on one puzzle, so it all works out.

Of course, the other reason why I haven't gone through with a multiplayer puzzle is because I was simply too busy before with solo puzzles. A multiplayer puzzle always seems like an open idea for the future, but right now I am pretty set with solo puzzles. I have to think of those lonely people with no friends, Dac. I give them a friend. *Laughs* It's a comfort zone where they can come and play and have fun. K&B.

Dac: Well, KAEBERS, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to allow me to the mind behind Halortal, as I like to call it. Is there anything you'd like to say to gamers out there racking their brains on your puzzles?

KAEBERS: Don't give up, and don't cheat! *Laughs* There is a solution to every puzzle, I guarantee it. Sometimes it's right under your nose. Thanks to all of the fans out there that play through my puzzles, I love my fans! And thank you for taking the time to interview me, Dac. It's been fun!

After the interview, KAEBERS asked me to post the simple rules of the K&B Puzzle Series:

1.) Don't melee Crates or Barriers. Don't break Crates or Barriers with equipment either, if given. (You may melee anything else, just do not melee Crates or Barriers.)
2.) You need the Game Variant "Puzzle Play" in order to play these puzzles. It is in my FileShare as well. Number 6. (This is VITAL)
3.) If for any reason you exit the puzzle arena, kill yourself.
4.) Have fun!

Puzzle Play is a great new concept that really chases away the monotony of continuous Slayer action. There have been a great deal of copycat puzzles out there since KAEBERS' original map, but I would recommend the originals over anything else. For anyone that hasn't tried it yet, get your ass onto the Halo 3 website and get those games downloaded to your 360 hard drive. For puzzle and Portal lovers alike, it really doesn't get any better in the world of Halo.

When downloading his maps, you will also need the Puzzle Play game variant. Everything can be found on his fileshare in slots 5-8. If your Xbox Live account is linked to Bungie.net, then you can also follow the links and download them directly to your Xbox 360 hard drive. If you don't have your account linked to Bungie.net, then you can just send an Xbox Live Friend Request to "KAEBERS" mentioning you want to download the puzzles, then just delete him as a friend after the download.

Here are all of the links you need to get started in the K&B Puzzle World:

KAEBERS' FileShare

Puzzle Play Game Variant

K&B's Playhouse - Puzzle 1

K&B's Playpen - Puzzle 2

K&B's Playplace - Puzzle 3

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